Across the Spanish Main Part 6

HOW THEY INVESTIGATED A CERTAIN CIPHER AND MET WITH SOME ADVENTURES.

Day had scarcely broken next morning ere Harry and Roger tumbled out of their bunks, dressed, and went up on deck, so eager were they once more to be on sh.o.r.e after their many long days at sea.

As they came on deck the sun rose in all his tropic grandeur, and transfigured the little inlet--with the s.h.i.+ps floating on its bosom, its environment of green palms and tropical verdure, and its golden sands running down to the water's edge--into a veritable nook of fairyland.

For a distance, so far as they could judge, of about three miles the ground appeared to be fairly level, rising very gradually, and thickly covered with tropical foliage. Beyond that there was a range of hills, apparently about a thousand feet high; and beyond these again rose peak after peak of lofty mountains, the bare summits of the tallest glowing like jewels in the brilliant tropical light. Close at hand, on the southern sh.o.r.e of the inlet, lofty cliffs ran sheer down to the water's edge, where a ledge of rocks ran out some little distance into the bay, and these rocks seemed to be literally honey-combed with caves. On the northern side of the inlet the water shoaled gradually, terminating on a beach of clean yellow sand, which again stretched for some distance above water mark, and was then lost among the bush foliage. Tall coco-nut palms graced the margin of the inlet, and, behind them, trees bearing oranges, guavas, bananas, lemons, mangoes, and various other kinds of tropical fruits could be discerned close at hand. It was in truth a lovely scene that the lads gazed upon that bright morning.

There was a moderately good rise and fall of tide, judging from the marks on the beach, and the northern sh.o.r.e was undoubtedly the one that would be chosen by Cavendish for careening his vessels, as the ground sloped steeply but evenly, the sand was firm and hard, and the trunks of the palm-trees would be very useful for securing the hawsers, by means of which they would heave the vessels down on their beam-ends.

The sun mounted higher in the clear blue of the heavens as they looked, and all about them rose the sounds of awakening nature. Away back in the woods they could hear the chattering of monkeys; parrots and birds of bright plumage screamed and sang and fluttered among the trees near the beach; and several bright-plumaged flamingoes stalked gravely about the shallows, seeking their morning meal in the limpid water.

Presently, too, life on board the vessels was stirring, and the shrill whistle of the boatswain's pipe roused all hands to their duties. The men came tumbling up from below, and the business of the day commenced.

The officers of the s.h.i.+p and the two lads went down presently to breakfast, after which leave to go on sh.o.r.e was granted to several of them, including Roger and Harry.

Those who were going ash.o.r.e quickly determined to make up a party and keep together, because as yet they knew nothing of the country, and there was the chance that it might be inhabited; in which case, if separated, and any savages were in the neighbourhood, the whites might find themselves awkwardly situated.

As many of the crew as could be spared were also allowed to go on sh.o.r.e for a few hours before the business of careening and refitting commenced; and, needless to say, they were delighted at the prospect of having a little more s.p.a.ce wherein to walk about than the narrow decks of their own s.h.i.+ps, and also of being able to get some fresh fruit--of which they stood in great need, scurvy having already appeared among them.

After breakfast, therefore, they quickly got the boats over the side, and soon there was a regular procession of them from the vessels to the sh.o.r.e.

Once there, the seamen immediately began to gather the fresh fruit, and, collecting a pile of what they most fancied, they lay down beside it, and ate at their ease, their past perils forgotten for the moment, and all of them supremely happy.

A few of the more adventurous spirits, however, went off into the woods on a tour of investigation, taking their muskets and bows with them, in the hope of procuring a little fresh meat.

Roger and Harry, who had, of course, gone ash.o.r.e with the first boat-load, stood for a while on the beach at the edge of the water, undecided for the moment what to do first.

Harry suggested having a bathe in the limpid water of the little bay, first of all; and indeed it looked so inviting that Roger was not slow in seconding the proposition.

Accordingly they soon slipped off their clothes, and were quickly disporting themselves like young dolphins in the water, when Harry, glancing up, saw the s.h.i.+ps lying, as it seemed, only some quarter of a mile away, their shapes reflected in the water with such distinctness that it was difficult to say where the substance ended and the shadow began.

This apparent proximity of the s.h.i.+ps immediately put an idea into both their heads at the same moment, and they both shouted together: "Let us have a race off to the _Stag Royal_."

They laughed that they should have spoken the same words together, and they immediately decided that they would have a wager of a n.o.ble on the event.

"Are you ready, then, Roger? 'tis a race to the _Stag Royal_; and the first up the s.h.i.+p's side and on her deck will win the n.o.ble," exclaimed Harry.

"Agreed, lad; away we go!" replied Roger.

And the two started off, swimming strongly, with a side stroke instead of the breast; for although the former required more power, yet it was the faster stroke, and they reckoned their strength to be quite equal to a much longer distance than that to the s.h.i.+p.

But, as is invariably the case, distance viewed over water is deceptive, and by the time that they had done three-quarters of the course both were feeling pretty well f.a.gged out with their unusual exertions, though neither would admit it; and the fact remained that they were swimming much slower than at the start. Suddenly they were startled by a loud hail from the deck of the _Stag Royal_--the s.h.i.+p for which they were making,--in the voice of Cavendish.

"Be not frightened, lads, but pull out as fast as you can for the s.h.i.+p; there are sharks coming after you!"

Their hearts leapt in their b.r.e.a.s.t.s at this startling news, and, looking hurriedly round, they perceived, to their horror, that several black triangular dorsal fins were cleaving the water in their wake, and closing rapidly in upon them.

Fortunately the water in the direction in which they were swimming was as yet clear, to all appearance.

"Cannot you send a boat, sir? We are nearly exhausted with the swim,"

hailed Roger, who was slightly in advance of Harry.

"Nay, that I cannot, lad, for all the boats are still on sh.o.r.e. You must swim, and for your lives' sake swim hard," answered Cavendish from the deck of the s.h.i.+p.

He was leaning anxiously over the bulwarks, and the rail was lined with the faces of the few seamen who were left on board, while two of them had gone down the accommodation ladder and were waiting at the foot, ready to haul the lads in as soon as they were near enough.

The men on board now quickly seized whatever missiles they could lay their hands on, and stood ready to bombard the sharks, in the hope of driving them off, if they did not seize the lads before they got within range.

As for Harry and Roger, they struck out with the energy of terror; but each felt that he was tiring with every stroke, while the knowledge that at any moment they might feel themselves in the jaws of one of those sea-tigers seemed to paralyse their limbs. Their flesh crept with the horror of the thought.

Harry, especially, was showing manifest symptoms of increasing distress; while Roger, resisting the impulse to swim on and reach safety, kept valiantly at his side, encouraging him.

"Go on, Roger," at length gasped Harry; "I am done, and cannot reach the s.h.i.+p. Swim you on and get on board; I will follow if I can."

"Nay, Harry, lad," answered Roger, "either we both get on board, or--or not; we did not make our compact to break it at the first sign of danger. Do your utmost, and we shall yet get on board all right."

Even in his extremity Harry could not avoid noticing that Roger hesitated when he came to "or--or not;" the brave lad could not bring himself to utter the alternative in words.

Before leaving the sh.o.r.e the boys had stripped down to their pantaloons and vests, which they had retained as a makes.h.i.+ft bathing-costume. Now, as luck would have it, Roger invariably wore a belt round his waist, to which was attached a very fine Venetian dagger, slender of blade, sharp as a razor, and very strong.

This had been given him by his father as a parting keepsake, and he looked upon it almost as a kind of talisman; he therefore never allowed it to leave his person.

Merely by force of habit he had buckled this belt and dagger about him before starting for the swim, and now, in the moment of his deadly danger, he suddenly recollected that he had it on him, and an idea came to him like an inspiration.

"Harry, swim you on and reach the s.h.i.+p," said he. "I am not at all tired, and I have my dagger with me; swim on, and I will swim after you.

Argue not, lad, you will but waste your breath; do as I say, and make all haste to the s.h.i.+p."

Harry, knowing that when Roger spoke thus it was useless to argue, did as he was ordered, and struck out for the vessel with such energy as he could muster.

For his part, Roger drew his dagger, and held it firmly in his hand; and then, swimming after Harry, began to splash and shout with all his might.

The fins, which had by this time come very close to them, paused suddenly and scattered at the unexpected commotion; and a little time was thus gained for the fugitives, who made the utmost of it.

The sharks, however, were not so easily to be denied, and presently they began to close in again; by which time Harry was approaching the side of the _Stag Royal_, while Roger was still some distance behind, splas.h.i.+ng and shouting vigorously.

The fins drew nearer and nearer with deadly determination.

Abandoning now the splas.h.i.+ng, which was greatly exhausting him, Roger put out all his remaining strength and swam for his life, while, the splas.h.i.+ng having ceased, the sharks were after him again at once.

It was now a race, not between two boys for a wager of a n.o.ble, but between a boy and a school of sharks, with the boy's life as the stake.

The sharks were fast gaining upon Roger, and he and they were as yet quite out of range of the missiles with which the men were ready to pelt the ravenous monsters. But Harry had meanwhile reached the s.h.i.+p and been hauled in and deposited on deck, where he immediately sank down fainting with exhaustion.

Then, seeing his friend safe, Roger redoubled his efforts, and the distance between the sharks and him lessened but slightly, while he decreased the distance between himself and the s.h.i.+p very perceptibly.

These herculean efforts could not last long, however, and the sharks once more began to draw in upon him.

The men on the deck of the s.h.i.+p now shouted, and flung their missiles as far as they could; but the swimmer and the sharks were still too far off for the latter to be frightened by the bombardment.