Midnight Webs Part 25

Not much cause to be proud of him. Well, it's better than for a black-looking rascal to say he'll owe you a grudge. Well," he continued, as he mounted the side, "I'll give it up; but I shall most likely know some day."

And like many another unconscious thinker, Edward Murray was, for the time being, amongst the prophets.

STORY THREE, CHAPTER TWO.

NIGHT AT A CONVICT STATION.

"Hullo! What's wrong?" exclaimed Edward Murray, leaping out of his cot; for he had been awakened by a heavy sound like thunder; and directly after he heard the second mate's voice calling to him.

"Here, come on deck; there's a row ash.o.r.e. Convicts broke loose, or something."

The young man hastened on deck, as did the captain and the rest of the crew, to find that the night was intensely dark, but that there was a bright display of lights on sh.o.r.e, conspicuous amongst which was a dull heavy glimmer, which, however, soon increased to a glow, and then flames mounted higher and higher, and it became evident that some good-sized building was on fire.

At this moment there was a sudden flash, and the heavy thud of a gun from the sloop, followed by loud cries and shoutings on the beach.

"Hadn't we better man a boat and go ash.o.r.e?" said Edward Murray eagerly.

"There's a bad fire, and we might be of some use."

"Better stay aboard," said the captain. "That's part of the prison on fire. Those fiends of convicts have fired the place, and they're escaping, safe. There, I told you so. That's not the sort of thing used for putting out fires."

As he spoke, there came the loud sharp rattle of musketry, and, from the lights on board the sloop, it was evident that the men had been beat to quarters, ready for any emergency. The ports were open, showing the lights within; and a faint glimpse was obtained of a boat being lowered; but soon the noise and shouting ceased, the musketry was heard no more, and only a dull murmuring sound as from a busy crowd came floating across the bay.

But the light of the burning building still shone out strong and lurid, and by means of a night-gla.s.s it could be seen that men were busily endeavouring to extinguish the flames. When they shone in a ruddy path across the bay, a boat, too, could now and then be seen for a moment or two, as if some eager party were rowing ash.o.r.e. Then an hour pa.s.sed with the lurid flare settling slowly into a bright golden glow, the satiated flames sinking lower and lower, till, the excitement having worn away, first one and then another of the crew slipped down to his hammock, and Edward Murray was about to follow, when a faint sound off the port quarter arrested his steps.

Save where there was still the bright glow from the burning embers, all around was now intensely dark.

"Wasn't that the rattle of a thole-pin?" said Murray to his companion.

"Didn't hear it, for my part," was the brusque reply.

"Then what's that? Did you hear it then?"

"Yes, I heard that," was the answer.

And then the two young men crossed the deck and leaned over the side, peering out into the darkness; but seeing nothing for all that, though there was the faint sound of oars dipping slowly, and it was evident that some boat was nearing them.

"Do they mean to board us?" said Murray. "Depend upon it, the man-of-war has boats on the lookout, and they're rowing with m.u.f.fled oars, ready to overhaul the escaping party; that is, if any of them have got loose."

"That's it, depend upon it," said the mate. "They'll hail us directly.

They must see our lights."

There was silence then for a few moments, during which two or three of the crew, attracted also by the noise they had heard, came over to their side. Then came the plash of an oar; and, starting into activity, as if moved by some sudden impulse, Murray shouted:

"Boat ahoy!"

"Ahoy, there!" was the answer.

And then the rowing was heard plainly, as if those who handled the oars had thrown off the secrecy of their movements.

"It's the man-of-war's boat," said the second mate.

"What s.h.i.+p's that?" was now asked from the darkness, but in anything but the loud hearty hail of a sailor.

"Sarah Ann, port of London," answered the mate. "Are you from the sloop?"

"Ay, ay," was the reply.

"Bring a lantern here, and swing over the side," said Murray uneasily; and one of the anchor-lights was brought, and sent a feeble ray, cutting as it were the dense curtain that hung around. Then the bows of a boat were seen swiftly advancing, and for a moment Murray gazed at its occupants with a mixture of astonishment and terror; but the next instant he had seized one of the capstan-bars, and stood ready.

"Here, Smith, Norris, Jackson, be smart!" he shouted, "or we shall lose the s.h.i.+p. Convicts!"

That last word seemed to electrify the men into action; and as the boat grated against the side of the heavily-laden vessel, just beneath the fore-chains, man after man armed himself with the capstan-bars, and stood ready by the first mate.

The lantern was dashed out directly; and it was evident that men were climbing up the side by means of boat-hooks. .h.i.tched into the fore-chains. Now followed a struggle--short, sharp, but decisive; for first one and then another convict was knocked back into the boat as he tried to gain a foothold. There was a little shouting, a few oaths; and then, apparently satisfied that the reception was too warm, and that they were fighting against odds, the occupants of the boat shoved off, just as the s.h.i.+p's crew was reinforced by the captain and men who had gone below.

"That was a narrow escape," said the captain. "Mr Murray, I sha'n't forget to mention this to the owners."

"Suppose we keep a sharp look-out for the rest of the night? They may come back, unless they find some other vessel less on the alert."

"Oars again," whispered one of the men.

They listened attentively, and once more could plainly make out the soft smothered dip of oars floating across the water.

Ten minutes pa.s.sed, and then, as the crew stood with beating hearts waiting for the next a.s.sault, there came another hail out of the darkness.

"What s.h.i.+p's that?"

"Never you mind!" answered the captain roughly. "What boat's that?"

"First cutter--his Majesty's s.h.i.+p Theseus," was the reply. "Heard or seen anything of a boat, or boats, this way?"

"Nearly boarded by one, only we beat them off," said the captain.

"Convicts, weren't they?"

"Hold hard a minute, and I'll come on board," was the answer. "Bows there--in oars, men!" and the boat was heard to thump against the vessel's counter.

"Keep down there," shouted the captain, c.o.c.king a pistol, "or I fire!"

"Confound you! don't I tell you we're friends?" said the same voice.

"Yes, you tell me," muttered the captain. "Bring a lantern here."

A light was brought, and swung down, to show the blue s.h.i.+rts of the crew, and the red uniforms of half-a-dozen marines in the stern-sheets; when, apparently satisfied, the captain grumbled an apology.

"All right, my man!" was the laughing response; and a young lieutenant sprang up the side. "And so they nearly took you, did they? Lucky for you that you had so good a look-out. Can't tell me where they steered for, I suppose? But of course not--too dark. Confound the rascals!

They say there's about half a hundred of them got away--killed a couple of warders, and done the deuce knows what mischief. Good-night!" and he sprang down the side. "If you see any more of them, just burn a blue light, and you shall have a boat's crew aboard in no time. Give way, my men."