The Three Commanders Part 23

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

SIX MONTHS Pa.s.s AWAY--THE GAUNTLET GOES IN SEARCH OF THE ROMP--JACK STANDS BY HER--"BREAKERS AHEAD"--ANXIOUS SUSPENSE--PROBABLE FATE OF THE ROMP--JACK PROCEEDS TO ZANZIBAR--SEARCH FOR ADAIR--DESMOND AND HAMED CAPTURED BY ARABS--ADAIR AND HIS COMPANIONS RESCUED--OPAL AND GAUNTLET AT THE CAPE--A BALL ON Sh.o.r.e--JACK MEETS AN OLD FRIEND--FALLS IN LOVE-- RETURN TO ENGLAND--PROSPECT OF WAR WITH RUSSIA--Ma.s.sACRE OF SINOPE--THE THREE COMMANDERS APPOINTED TO s.h.i.+PS.

Six months had pa.s.sed away, and Jack Rogers had disposed of the liberated blacks, and had since been the means of setting many others free, though unhappily also the innocent cause of sending not a few to destruction, who might have otherwise drawn out a weary existence in abject slavery. Often had he to console himself with the reflection that their death truly lay at the door of the accursed slave-dealing Arabs. "It is the only way of putting down slavery that I can see, though a rough one," said Jack to himself, "till English missionaries and English merchants take possession of the country, and we can drive the Arabs and Portuguese out of it, and induce the natives themselves to rise and aid us in the glorious work; however, I shall not see those days, I fear; and in the meantime we must do what we can to catch the villains at sea."

The _Gauntlet_ was slowly proceeding southward when she fell in with the commodore. Jack, going on board to receive orders, was directed to look out for the _Opal_ and _Romp_, which were to proceed to Zanzibar, and thence to the Cape of Good Hope. "That means that they are to be sent home, I suspect," observed Jack to Higson, when he returned on board; "the commodore ought to be going there too--he looks very ill; and the s.h.i.+p's company have suffered much from sickness."

"I hope that we shall soon follow," observed Higson; "this slave-hunting is all very well in its way, but it's a style of work one might get easily tired of." Jack agreed with him; but as the s.h.i.+p had not yet been her full time on the station, there was every probability of her having to remain some months longer.

She had proceeded some way down the coast, when she fell in with one of the _Opal's_ boats, of which Jos Green had the command. He had captured one full slaver, but said that the s.h.i.+p had taken none. "Nor will she,"

he added; "steamers or boats are the only craft suited for this sort of work." He was very thankful to have his boat hoisted on board; and the next day the _Opal_ was fallen in with. The news that there was a prospect of her returning to England was received on board the _Opal_ with immense satisfaction, by no one more than by her commander.

Jack paid Murray a short visit, but, having a cargo of liberated slaves on board, he had to continue his voyage to Zanzibar. The _Opal_, meantime, sailed in search of her missing boats. Two days afterwards, as Jack was running down the coast, a bright look-out being kept for the _Romp_, the weather, which had been threatening for some days, became rapidly worse; the wind s.h.i.+fted to the south-east, then to the eastward, blowing furiously on the coast. A headland had just been doubled, forming the northern side of a deep bay, and Jack was about to put the s.h.i.+p's head to the eastward to gain a safe offing, when a sail was sighted on the quarter, some way up the bay. He turned his gla.s.s towards her; "What do you make of her?" he asked of Higson.

"I have little doubt that she is the _Romp_, and, if so, I wish that she were well out of her present position," he answered. "See, she has just gone about, she's carrying on in the hopes of beating out of the bay, but it's as much, I fear, as she will do; and, as far as I know, there isn't a place in which she can anchor--while the sh.o.r.e all round the bay is as wild and rocky as can be."

"We must stand in and help her!" exclaimed Jack.

"We should only run the risk of losing the s.h.i.+p if we attempt it," said Higson, "for it will be as much as we can do to hold our own in the teeth of this gale; and as to towing her off, that will be impossible."

Jack took a turn on deck. "I cannot bear the thoughts of leaving you, Terence, to your fate," he said to himself. He knew, as well as Higson, the danger that would be run, for even a steamer embayed in such a place, with the full force of the gale blowing into it, would have hard work to get out. He took another turn on deck. "We must try it, notwithstanding!" he exclaimed; "should the wind moderate ever so little, we may carry her out; and if we are compelled to cast her off, she may still have a chance of escaping by bringing up and riding out the gale."

Higson was not convinced, though almost as anxious as his commander to a.s.sist the brig, which was heeling over to the blast, rus.h.i.+ng at headlong speed towards the southern side of the bay. She appeared already close upon the rocks, when about she came, and, her sails flattened in, she began racing back through a ma.s.s of foam towards the point from which she had come. Again she went about; but the slightest change of wind at the moment, or any want of seamans.h.i.+p, might allow her in a few seconds to be sent, by the furious seas rolling in, on to the black rocks under her lee.

"She's gaining nothing, I fear," observed Jack, as he watched her.

"She's rather losing ground, I suspect," answered Higson. Presently the brig fired a gun; another and another gun followed, at the interval of a minute. "It is as I feared," observed Higson, "she's driving farther and farther up the bay, and Commander Adair knows that there is no holding-ground which can be trusted to."

"We must go in and help her, at all risks!" cried Jack; and the helm being put up, the steamer, under her head-sails, went rus.h.i.+ng forward towards her small consort. In the meantime, the engineers were also ordered to get up as much steam as possible. Again the guns were heard.

"Adair would not make those signals unless he were in great distress,"

observed Jack; "tow her out we must; though I fear that unless we're very brisk about it, we shall lose much ground in doing so."

Two stout hawsers had been ranged aft and well secured, ready to carry on board the brig. Her movements were eagerly watched by all eyes on board. Desmond felt more anxious than he had ever before been in his life, for he loved his uncle heartily, and clearly saw the danger he was in. All round the sh.o.r.es of the bay appeared a broad line of snowy foam, contrasting with the dark sh.o.r.e. Not a break was there to be seen, not a spot where the brig could be beached with any prospect of affording escape to her crew. As she stood across the bay, she appeared to be not more than a couple of miles from the deepest part--and in how few minutes would she be driven that distance!

She had again reached the northern sh.o.r.e; once more her head-sails s.h.i.+vered in the gale, and the hearts of the bravest on board the _Gauntlet_ trembled, lest, missing stays, her fate might be sealed.

"She's about all right!" shouted several voices; and like a gallant steed galloping across the course to the winning-post, she came plunging on through the troubled waters. Though Adair saw his friend coming to his a.s.sistance, he must not for a moment, he knew, relax his own efforts. By this time the _Gauntlet_ had reached the centre of the bay, and her head being put to the wind, she waited at a spot which the brig must pa.s.s on her next tack to cross the bay.

The _Romp_ was nearing the southern sh.o.r.e; again she came about. Adair gave proof that he was a good seaman, and his crew in prime order, or it could never have been done. He was seen standing aft conning the brig; the topmen were in the rigging, ready to swarm aloft to shorten sail; a party of the hands stood on the forecastle with the second lieutenant and boatswain, ready to secure the hawsers. The rest of the hands were at their stations on deck. The work, to be done successfully, must be done smartly; everyone knew that. Rapidly the brig approached. Two of the strongest and most active seamen were on the p.o.o.p ready to heave the lines on board. Adair's voice was heard above the gale, shouting, "Down with the helm--shorten sail!" In an instant the topmen were on the yards, the staysails were hauled down, and, the brig luffing up, the _Gauntlet_ moved slowly ahead, while the hawsers were rapidly hauled on board.

Some flags were run up to the foremast and head of the brig. "He thanks you, sir," said Desmond, who had the signal-book in his hand; and Adair was seen pointing significantly at the fierce breakers das.h.i.+ng over the rocks astern.

Short as had been the time occupied in the operation, the vessels had drifted farther into the bay. Now came the tug of war. The hawsers being secured, the _Gauntlet_, with all her boilers at full pressure, steamed ahead. Jack kept his eye on the sh.o.r.e, anxiously watching what way was made; both hawsers were at full stretch; though the screw was exerting all its power, yet the vessels scarcely seemed to move onwards.

Higson, who was looking out at the other side, was unusually grave; anxious as he was to a.s.sist Adair, he thought that Jack had no business to venture into his present position.

"If anything goes, we are done for," he muttered to himself; "she doesn't move an inch ahead." Jack thought the same; he sent for the chief engineer to ascertain if more pressure could be put on the engines.

"They will not stand it--they are doing their utmost, sir," was the answer. Still, Jack was determined not to abandon Adair. On board the brig the hands were still aloft sending down topgallant-masts. Jack hoped against hope that the gale would decrease, and that he should then be able to tow Adair out of the bay; if he once weathered the headland, the brig might stand away on a bowline and gain the offing--but within the bay she lost, each time she tacked, more ground than she had gained.

Clouds were gathering thickly in the sky; down came a deluge of rain, such as is only known in the tropics, like a thick veil of mist obscuring the brig astern. The water lay deep on the decks before it had time to run off; all sight of the sh.o.r.e was completely shut out. As the steamer plunged into the sea, tugging away at the tow-ropes, Jack could not help believing that she must be going ahead; on and on she went--the rain showed no sign of ceasing.

"It must come to an end, at last!" exclaimed Jack, trying to peer through it at the sh.o.r.e, the dim outline alone of which he could distinguish.

The lead was of course kept going, but as it reached the bottom, it scarcely ran out of the lead-man's hands. "She's going more astern than ahead!" he shouted at length.

"Provided she doesn't go much astern, we must keep at it in the hopes of a lull," observed Jack to Higson.

Another ten minutes pa.s.sed. Various were the expressions of opinion on board; the mids.h.i.+pmen were sanguine that they would succeed. "My brother Jack has determined to do it, and he will do it," said Tom.

"Suppose the hawsers were to carry away?" said Archie.

"There are two of them; if one doesn't hold, the other may," answered Desmond.

Jack paced the deck; at length the rain pa.s.sed by. The marks on sh.o.r.e showed that they had not changed their position; still the destruction of the brig had been delayed, for by this time she would have been on the rocks. Thus far something was gained; still the appearance of the sky indicated no improvement in the weather. "Hoist the signal--'Prepare to anchor and strike topmasts,'" cried Jack at length.

The brig made the answering signal. Preparations had already been going forward on board her, the topmasts were at length struck; still no effect was produced. n.o.bly the steamer tugged and tugged away. Higson did not offer any advice, but he was ready to give it as soon as his commander should ask for it. "There's a lull!" cried Jack; "thank heaven, we may do it!"

Now the vessels moved ahead; had the water been smoother, by a steady pull the work might have been done; but, as it was, having to plunge into the heavy seas, the _Gauntlet_ was in the trough of one while the brig was on the summit, or sometimes on the other side, of the one which had just pa.s.sed astern of the leading vessel. "Here comes a lull-- Heaven be praised! Surely she's going ahead, Higson?" said Jack.

"It may be, though slowly," was the answer. The occasion was a trying one to the young commander. "She's doing it now, sir!" exclaimed Higson, with more hope in his tone than he had yet shown. There could be no doubt about it--the vessels were drawing out from the bay, but still the headlands appeared over the bows on either side.

"If the weather continues to be moderate, all may be right!" cried Jack, taking a turn with more elastic step. All on board were looking forward to saving the brig, when suddenly down came the tempest with renewed force, and a report like thunder was heard; one of the stout hawsers had parted. Still the other held, and might possibly hold. It was watched as anxiously by Jack and those in the s.h.i.+p as by all on board the brig, whose lives, in all probability, depended upon it. To replace it was impossible, as no line had been retained for the purpose; should the s.h.i.+p's speed be slackened, and thus take off the strain, both vessels must drift back, and perhaps share a common fate. All now depended upon the single hawser. Hope was not abandoned; the day was drawing on; for more than three hours the steamer had been tugging away at the brig, and if the hawser would hold, Jack determined to tug on till the storm should abate. In that he was following the instincts of his nature-- every British officer worth his salt would have done the same. He was impelled also by his faithful friends.h.i.+p for Adair, and he would have been ready to risk his own life to save that of his old s.h.i.+pmate.

Again there was a lull, and the hopes of all revived; but it was only for a time. A squall, heavier than any of its predecessors, struck the vessels, accompanied by a tremendous downfall of rain. Every fibre of the hawser was stretched to its utmost; a fearful sea came rolling in, deluging the deck; two poor fellows on the forecastle were washed off, but no help could be given them. Not a sound was heard as they were borne into their ocean graves. Shrieks and cries arose from the unhappy blacks on the maindeck, who believed that their last moments had come.

Just then another loud report was heard, the hawser flying like a huge snake in the air; and many a voice exclaimed, "She's parted! she's parted!"

As they looked astern, the brig was seen broadside to the sea, driving helplessly before the gale; while the s.h.i.+p, relieved from her task, seemed to bound forward. With a heavy heart Jack ordered her to be kept on her course; stern duty demanded that he should abandon his friend; nothing that he could do could save the brig. Painful as it was to watch her, he could not help looking out aft to try and ascertain her fate. She might have been about two miles from the sh.o.r.e when she broke adrift, driving before the furious gale, but a few brief minutes must elapse ere she would be hurled on the iron-bound coast. On and on she drove, growing dimmer and dimmer to view, shrouded by the spray which filled the air.

"She's scarcely a mile now from the sh.o.r.e," observed Higson; "she's making head-sail; they must be looking out for the least dangerous spot on which to run her." Just as he spoke there came another furious downpour, forming a thick veil round the s.h.i.+p, which shut out every distant object, so that scarcely the outline of either lofty cliff could be seen.

"She may bring up and cut away her masts," said Jack, with a deep sigh; "it is her only chance."

"The holding-ground may be better than we suppose," observed Higson, wis.h.i.+ng to console him; "or there may be some opening up the bay which we could not discern; he has probably surveyed it."

"I hope so," said Jack. "Who are the men who are lost overboard?" he asked, turning his mind to his own s.h.i.+p's company. The crew was mustered, and on the names of John Jackson and William Davis being called, no reply was made. The paymaster struck them off the s.h.i.+p's books, and the next day their effects were sold, and the proceeds placed to the credit of their heirs, and all matters concerning them were brought to a conclusion, though now and then their s.h.i.+pmates might mention them with an expression of regret at their untimely fate.

The gale continued blowing as fiercely as ever, while the s.h.i.+p was still forcing her way ahead, and Jack could not help confessing that the steamer was a finer craft to command than he had ever supposed. His own s.h.i.+p in safety, his thoughts again recurred to Adair. He was acquainted with Lucy's feelings for him, and, should he have lost his life, he thought of all the sorrow it would cost his sister. Desmond was very unhappy, though Tom and Archie did their best to console him. The general opinion on board was that the brig would go on sh.o.r.e, and that few or none on board her would escape with their lives.

Not only provisions for the blacks, but coals were running short, and it was therefore important that the s.h.i.+p should get to Zanzibar as soon as possible, when Jack intended to return and ascertain what had become of the _Romp_ and her crew. If she had gone on sh.o.r.e, and the crew had escaped, they would be exposed to many dangers, either from want of food or from attacks by the natives.

On the arrival of the _Gauntlet_ at Zanzibar, the slaves were handed over, by the directions of the consul, to another vessel, which was to take them to their future home. The _Gauntlet_, having then, with all possible despatch, obtained a supply of coals, steamed away northward to ascertain the fate of the _Romp_ and to rescue any of her crew who might have escaped on sh.o.r.e.

Nothing had been seen of the _Opal_, and Jack began to fear that she might have suffered in the gale, which had blown with unusual violence all along the coast. The _Gauntlet_ had got nearly up to the bay she was to visit, when, much to Jack's satisfaction, the _Opal_ was sighted, steering for Zanzibar. Jack immediately signalised that he wished to speak her. In a short time the two vessels hove-to, and lay within a few cables' lengths of each other, when Jack immediately went on board.

Murray heard, with great concern, of the too probable fate of their old s.h.i.+pmate, and, having no liberated slaves on board, willingly agreed to a.s.sist in the search, as his boats' crews would be of service should an armed force be required to obtain the liberation of any of her crew who might have been made prisoners.

The wind being favourable, he followed Jack into the bay, where he brought up at a respectful distance from the sh.o.r.e; while Jack steamed farther in to look out for the wreck. All eyes were turned towards the sh.o.r.e, where, instead of the belt of surf, there now appeared a broad fringe of rocks, some rising to a considerable height out; of the water.

"A cruel place that for the s.h.i.+p to go on sh.o.r.e," observed Jack, with a sigh, "there would not have been much left of her by the morning."

"There she is! there she is!" cried several voices from forward; in another minute or so the wreck of a vessel, with her masts gone, could clearly be discerned jammed in between two rocks.