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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT  OF 

Professor  - 
Frank  W«  Wadsworth 


JrcKAA/i^    \  '^  o^y^r^To 


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CLARK  RUSSLLL'S  NOVELS 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  6d.  each;  post  8vo,  illustrated  boards, 
2s.  each ;  cloth  limp,  2s.  6d.  each. 

ROUND  THE  GALLEY-FIRE. 

IN  THE  MIDDLE  WATCH. 

A  VOYAGE  TO  THE  CAPE. 

A  BOOK  FOR  THE  HAMMOCK. 

THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  "OCEAN  STAR." 

THE  ROMANCE  OF  JENNY  HARLOWE. 

AN  OCEAN  TRAGEDY. 

MY  SHIPMATE  LOUISE. 

ALONE  ON  A  WIDE  WIDE  SEA. 

THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK." 

THE  PHANTOM  DEATH. 


Crown  8vo,  cloth,  3s.  6d.  each. 
IS  HE  THE  MAN? 
THE  CONVICT  SHIP. 
HEART  OF  OAK. 
THE  TALE  OF  THE  TEN.     With  12  Illustrations  by 

G.    MONTBARD. 


ON    THE    FO'K'SLE    HEAD.       Post    8vo,    illustrated 
boards,  2s. ;  cloth  limp,  2s.  6d. 

London:  CHATTO  &  WINDUS,  m  St.  Martin's  Lane,  W  C. 


THE  GOOD   SHIP  '^MOHOCK" 


OPINIONS  OF  THE  PRESS 

ON 

THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK." 


"  'The  Good  Ship  "Mohock"'  is  the  best  Clark  Russell  we  have 
had  for  many  a  day,  and  that,  we  think,  is  reasonably  high  praise.  It 
contains  plot  enough  to  please  the  most  exacting — it  tells  of  a  daring 
conspiracy  of  a  captain  against  his  own  passengers  and  ship — and  is 
laid  in  that  particularly  interesting  sea  period,  the  last  clays  of  the  old 
sailing  American  liner.  It  is  a  book  which  the  most  hardened  reviewer 
could  read  with  pleasure,  and  the  reader  who  is  not  content  with  it  had 
better  take  refuge  in  Yellow  Books  for  the  remainder  of  his  days." — 
VVestniinsfer  (iazctte. 

"The  story  is  one  that  only  Wx.  Clark  Russell  could  have  written, 
and  those  who  love  ships  and  sailors  and  the  sea  will  be  grateful  to 
him  for  it." — Speaker. 

"  It  is  a  capital  story.  .  .  .  The  scenes  among  the  passengers  when 
confined  in  the  cabin  are  highly  entertaining." — Scotsman. 

"It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  of  any  novel  by  Mr.  Clark  Russell 
that  it  is  a  thrilling  sea  story.  He  describes  the  sea  as  no  other  writer 
of  our  day  can  describe  it.  .  .  .  Although  Mr.  Russell  has  described 
many  voyages,  he  has  never  described  one  better." — Glasgow  Herald. 

"  The  tale  is  a  stirring  account  of  villainy  on  the  high  seas.  It  must 
be  admitted  that  this  book  contains  a  good  deal  of  the  charm  which  its 
author  has  led  his  admirers  to  e.xpect  from  him." — AtheiuFutn. 

"  Mr.  Clark  Russell's  invention  does  not  gi\e  out.  Piracy  is  an  old 
theme,  but  here  it  is  treated  with  so  many  variations  that  one  falls-to 
as  if  it  were  a  novelty." — Bookman. 

"  Mr.  Russell's  excellent  story  is  fresh  with  the  salt  spray  and  breezy 
fl-eedom  of  the  deep." — Literary  World. 

"A  strong,  rollicking  story  of  the  sea,  with  adventure  and  love  in- 
terest. 'The  Good  Ship  "Mohock"  is,  perhaps,  not  unlike  much 
that  he  has  given  ns  before  ;  but  neither  is  it  inferior  to  his  best.  It  is 
secure  of  popularity." — Sun. 

"The  quality  of  Mr.  Russell's  material  defies  the  effect  of  use  and 
time  ;  his  stock  of  incident  shows  itself  to  be  inexhaustible." — Morning 
Post. 

"It  is  much  too  late  in  the  day  to  criticise  Mr.  Clark  Russell.  His 
position  is  won,  and  we  can  only  read  and  be  fascinated,  and  kept  up 
too  late  o'  nights.  All  there  is  to  be  said  about  the  sea  he  says,  and 
says  incomparably  better  than  any  other  contemporary  novelist." — 
Daily  Chronicle. 

' '  A  romance  of  the  sea  very  characteristic  of  the  manner  of  its 
author.  It  is  breezy,  astir  with  adventures ;  the  sea-scapes  in  it  are 
splendid." — Daily  A'cius. 

"The  piracy  business  is  ingeniously  worked  out,  the  description  of 
the  passengers  in  the  face  of  danger  is  clever,  amusing,  and  interesting, 
and  there  are  some  good  '  thrills.'  " — St.  James's  Gazette. 

"  The  whole  situation  is  a  good  one,  and  the  reader's  interest  is  well 
kept  up  to  the  end.  .  .  .  People  who  like  Mr.  Clark  Russell's  breezy 
stories  will  not  observe  symptoms  of  'going  off'  in  this  his  latest." — 
Queen. 


THE 


GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 


BY 


W.  CLARK  RUSSELL 

AUTHOR    OF 

'the   wreck   of    the   GROSVENOR,"    "my  shipmate   LOUISE,' 
"alone   ON   A   WIDE   WIDE   SEA,"   ETC. 


A  NEW  EDITION 


,       LONDON 

CHAT TO    &    W INDUS 
1897 


Printed  hy  Bai.lantvne,  Hanson  &  Co. 
At  the  Ballantyne  Press 


CONTENTS 


CHAP. 

I.  CAPTAIN    AMELIU3   SINCLAIR      . 

II.  THE   SCHOONER        .... 

III.  A  ship's  boat  of  twelve  men 

IV.  the    "  MOHOCK  "    IS    SEIZED       . 

V.  UNDER    HATCHES      .... 

VI.  THE   CAPTAIN   VISITS   THE   PASSENGERS 

VII.  WE    TAKE    THE    AIR    IN    GANGS 

VIIL  THE   PASSENGERS   ARE   SET   ASHORE. 

IX.  I    GET    AT    THE    TRUTH      . 

X.  THE   FRIGATE  .... 

XI.  LIEUTENANT    JERVIS,    R.N. 

XII.  THE    STORM    ..... 


PAGE 

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41 
65 

88 
1 10 


134 


157 
iSi 
204 
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252 


8522G3 


THE 

GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

CHAPTER  I 

CAPTAIN  A  MELIUS  SINCLAIR 

I  WAS  on  a  visit  at  my  sister's,  the  widow 
of  a  clergyman,  when  I  received  a  letter 
from  my  stepfather.  Captain  Sinclair,  asking 
me  to  join  him  in  London.  Maria  said 
"What  can  he  want?  You  have  not  been 
here  three  weeks.  When  does  the  Mohock 
sain" 

''  In  about  a  fortnight." 

"  Can't  he  manage  without  you  ? "  said 
Maria,  who  did  not  love  her  stepfather,  not 
indeed  because  she  disliked  him  as  a  man, 
but  because  he  happened  to  be  our  father  s 
successor. 

But  Captain  Sinclair  was  a  little  urgent 
in  his  request,  though  he  did  not  tell  me 
what  he  wanted ;  so  I  left  Canterbury  early 

A 


2  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

next  morning,  and  on  my  arrival  in  London 
drove  to  my  stepfather's  house  just  out  of 
the  East  India  Dock  Road. 

In  that  year  of  1844,  Captain  Sinclair  was 
about  fifty  years  of  age ;  a  tall,  erect,  notice- 
ably handsome  man,  with  well-coloured  regu- 
lar features,  white  teeth,  a  steady  dark  grey 
penetrating  eye  ;  his  hair  a  little  grey.  The 
habitual  expression  of  his  face  in  repose, 
even  when  sleeping,  was  a  frown ;  it  seemed 
a  forbidding  look  till  he  smiled,  when  such 
was  the  grace  of  that  expression,  the  frown 
seemed  to  explain  itself  away  as  a  corruga- 
tion or  contortion  entirely  natural,  without 
reference  to  disposition  or  mood.  Yet  it 
prejudiced  him  with  many — my  sister,  Maria 
Holford,  amongst  others.  He  was  brown 
with  sun  and  wind,  and  the  easy  motion  of 
the  sea  was  in  his  carriage  ;  he  had  followed 
the  ocean  as  a  calling  since  he  was  twelve 
years  of  age,  and  was  one  of  the  most  skilful 
seamen  out  of  the  port  of  London ;  yet  he 
looked  more  like  a  soldier  than  a  sailor,  and 
needed  but  the  mustache  and  side-whiskers 
of  the  army  to  pass  for  a  colonel.  He  had 
married  my  mother  ten  years  before  this  date, 
and  in  this  house  I  had  come  to,  she  had 
died  whilst  he  was  at  sea. 

A  cosy  old  house  it  was,  with  green 
shutters   and  black  burnished  windows,  and 


CAPTAIN  A  MELIUS  SINCLAIR  3 

snug  low-pitched  rooms,  the  walls  covered 
with  marine  canvases ;  in  the  dance  of  the 
firelight  the  ships  under  full  sail  seemed  to 
spring  to  the  brow  of  the  surge.  In  my 
mother's  room  hung  a  picture  of  a  schooner 
Captain  Sinclair  had  commanded.  When 
my  mother  lay  dying,  whilst  I  nursed  her 
I'd  look  at  that  schooner  by  the  firelight  and 
the  rushlight  in  the  basin,  till  the  blast  of 
the  wide  ocean  stretched  her  milky  canvas, 
the  white  water  flashed  from  her  bow,  and 
over  the  race  of  her  wake  the  sea-birds  drove 
like  shadows  of  flying  scud.  I  made  many 
voyages  in  that  sick-room  in  the  painted 
schooner  whilst  my  mother  lay  dying;  and 
when  I  shut  my  eyes,  I  see  the  wan  and 
hollow  face  on  the  pillow,  and  the  dark 
canvas  touched  with  the  fire-glow,  and  the 
schooner  in  the  midst  of  it  white  as  light, 
growing  with  life  upon  the  steadfast  sight 
till  it  became  reality  itself,  and  I  hear  the 
wind  seething  betwixt  her  masts  and  the  cry 
of  the  gulls. 

"Well,  Laura,"  said  Captain  Sinclair,  giving 
me  a  kiss  on  the  cheek,  "  I  am  glad  you  have 
come.  You  turn-to  willingly.  You  ought  to 
have  been  a  sailor's  child."  He  patted  my 
face,  then  carelessly  asked  after  Maria,  as 
though  he  would  not  heed  my  answer  any- 
how, and  told  me  to  go  upstairs  and  remove 


4  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

my  things,  by  which  time  dinner  would  be 
served,  and  he  would  then  tell  me  why  he 
had  sent  for  me. 

When  we  were  at  table,  he  said  with  a 
smile,  "  Now  for  the  startling  revelation.  I'm 
going  to  give  you  a  treat.  I  shall  take  you 
to  New  York  with  me  this  trip.  The  owners 
consent,  and  you  shall  have  a  cabin  next 
mine.     How  do  you  like  the  idea  ?  " 

I  was  surprised,  perhaps  a  little  startled. 
In  those  days  a  voyage  across  the  Atlantic 
was  reckoned  a  more  considerable  undertak- 
ing than  a  journey  round  the  world  is  now. 
I  had  never  been  to  sea.  Ever  since  Captain 
Sinclair  married  my  mother  he  had  held 
commands  of  importance,  but  had  never 
offered  to  carry  one  of  us  on  a  voyage  with 
him. 

Observing  me  silent  and  surprised,  staring 
at  him,  he  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  but  you'll  come. 
The  voyage  is  fine  enough  at  this  season. 
You'll  make  friends — which  you  need  ;  you're 
getting  on.  Two-and-twenty,  is  it?  About 
time  that  a  husband  turned  up,  hey?  You 
shall  be  berthed  by  some  friends  of  mine  at 
New  York." 

"  I  think  I  should  enjoy  the  voyage  after 
all,"  said  I,  suddenly  taking  a  fancy  to  the 
offer.  "But  why  now?  Why  not  earlier 
— throughout   the  last  ten    years — or  later? 


CAPTAIN  A  MELIUS  SINCLAIR  5 

You'll  not  retire  for  some  time  yet.  Why 
this  voyage  ? "  said  I. 

"  Because,"  he  answered  with  one  of  his 
stern  looks,  "the  master  of  a  ship  isn't  her 
owner.  I  get  you  this  passage  as  a  favour. 
I  should  have  thought  you'd  jump  at  it." 

"  Shall  we  be  a  crowd  ?  " 

"The  average  number," 

"  I  daresay  Maria  would  go  if  you  asked 
her." 

"  I  daresay  she  would,"  he  answered  sar- 
castically. "  Come,  I  am  offering  you  a  fine 
treat.  Be  grateful  and  don't  trouble  me  with 
Maria." 

I  had  seen  very  little  of  him  since  he 
returned  from  his  last  voyage,  and  I  thought, 
whilst  we  talked  at  dinner  that  day  and  after- 
wards, that  he  was  depressed  and  worried.  He 
looked  careworn  and  anxious,  and  would  again 
and  again  sink  in  deep  thought,  drumming 
upon  the  knuckles  of  his  left  hand.  I  attri- 
buted this  to  his  "  affairs,"  as  they  call  it, 
being  embarrassed.  I  had  heard  he  was  in 
debt,  though  to  what  extent  I  could  not 
guess.  In  fact,  though  he  had  used  the  sea 
all  his  life,  he  was  a  poor  man  when  he 
married  my  mother,  who  had  brought  him 
a  few  thousand  pounds,  all  of  which  was 
gone,  lost,  be  would  tell  us,  in  ill-judged 
speculations   in   shipping.     My  sister  and   I 


6  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

were  separately  endowed,  and  I  was  as  in- 
dependent of  my  stepfather  as  a  hundred 
and  forty  pounds  a  year  could  make  me. 
But  I  am  bound  to  say  he  never  allowed 
me  to  spend  a  shilling  of  my  own  money 
on  his  home.  Indeed,  he  made  me  presents, 
treated  me  with  the  free  heart  of  a  sailor.  I 
was  his  companion  when  he  was  ashore  and 
kept  his  home  when  he  was  at  sea,  so  that 
whilst  I  cannot  say  that  I  had  any  parti- 
cularly warm  affection  for  him,  yet  I  had  a 
certain  liking  for,  and  was  even  attached  to 
him,  and  was  entirely  without  my  sister's  pre- 
judice, whose  views  I  laughed  at ;  for  why 
should  not  people  marry  twice,  or  as  often 
as  they  can  get  rid  of  their  mates  who  are 
called  bone  of  their  bone,  who  sacramentally 
are  indissolubly  one  with  them?  The  dead 
cannot  be  pained,  and  there  is  no  disloyalty 
in  the  transference  of  passion  from  what  death 
has  made  a  memory  of  to  a  beating  heart  and 
a  fine  figure. 

Next  morning,  after  a  good  night's  rest,  I 
found  myself  willing  and  eager  to  make  the 
voyage.  He  had  given  me  a  home-thrust 
when  he  spoke  of  my  getting  on  in  years,  of 
my  being  twenty-two,  in  short.  I  had  seen 
very  little  of  the  world.  The  company  we 
kept  was  chiefly,  indeed  wholly,  maritime — 
it  had  been  so  in  my  mother's  life.     I  own  I 


CAPTAIN  A  MELIUS  SINCLAIR  7 

never  much  enjoyed  the  society  of  captains 
and  mates.  One  young  fellow,  a  handsome, 
high-hearted  boy  of  eighteen  or  nineteen,  fell 
in  love  with  me  and  proposed  in  a  letter ; 
independent  as  I  was,  I  would  do  nothing 
without  consulting  Captain  Sinclair.  He  was 
away  when  the  letter  reached  me,  and  before 
he  returned  my  young  sweetheart  sailed  as 
third  mate  of  an  Indiaman,  and  was  drowned 
by  the  capsizing  of  a  boat  ojSF  Madeira. 

Captain  Sinclair  took  me  to  view  the  ship 
this  same  morning  after  breakfast.  Though 
I  had  dwelt  long  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
docks,  I  had  never  visited  them  ;  which  is 
perfectly  consistent  with  Cockney  tradition, 
for  I  have  heard  of  people  who,  though  they 
lived  within  a  bowshot  of  St.  Paul's  and 
Westminster  Abbey,  yet  never  in  all  their 
lives  entered  the  door  of  either  building. 
Well,  it  is  true  a  girl  need  not  plead  for 
being  ignorant  of  such  a  scene  of  commerce 
as  the  docks  of  the  Thames.  And  still,  when 
I  looked  round  me  from  the  deck  of  the 
Mohock,  I  could  scarcely  imagine  that  the 
life  of  a  city  offered  a  more  stirring,  inspirit- 
ing picture  than  this  amazing  show  of  lofty 
spars,  brilliant  bunting,  trembling  in  the  dim 
blue  of  the  river  sky  ;  quay- sides  covered  with 
machinery,  and  the  produce  of  the  world 
lifting  and  sinking  at  the  end  of  huge  cranes. 


8  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

Seamen  sang  songs  as  they  wound  round 
capstans ;  from  time  to  time  the  shrill  com- 
mand of  a  boatswain's  pipe  sang  from  a  tall 
forecastle ;  a  large  Indiaman  was  moving 
out  of  the  dock ;  her  drunken  crew  were 
sprawling  and  bawling  about  her  bowsprit ; 
a  knot  of  passengers  upon  the  poop  waved 
handkerchiefs  and  kissed  hands  to  a  crowd 
upon  the  pier,  many  of  them  in  tears.  She 
was  a  noble  ship,  and  sat  as  haughtily  as  an 
English  frigate  upon  the  waters. 

"  She  is  for  Madras,"  said  Captain  Sinclair. 
"How  do  you  like  the  Mohock r" 

I  had  seen  nothing  then  but  the  decks  and 
rigging.  It  is  difficult  to  judge  of  a  ship's 
hull  in  dock,  though  as  we  approached  to 
board  her  I  had  noticed  that  she  was  painted 
black,  with  a  rope  of  gilt  along  the  length 
of  her  on  either  side  as  an  embellishment, 
also  that  she  had  sparkling  stern  windows, 
with  much  handsome  flourishing  of  gilt 
round  about  them  and  upon  her  quarters ; 
her  "  run,"  as  it  is  called,  came  aft  in  a 
clipper- like  sweep.  Captain  Sinclair  had 
pointed  this  out  to  me,  and  said  that  when 
the  wind  filled  her  sails  she  shredded  the  sea 
with  the  grace  and  speed  of  a  hare  running 
through  wet  grass  and  flinging  a  mist  to  the 
sunshine. 

I  must  ask  you  to  look  at  this  ship  with 


CAPTAIN  A  MELIUS  SINCLAIR  9 

me  if  you  mean  to  read  my  story ;  it  is  she, 
not  I,  that  is  the  heroine  of  an  extraordinary 
adventure  related  in  these  pages  truthfully  for 
the  first  time,  with  the  help  of  another  hand, 
but  not  without  compunction,  for  I  cannot 
forget  that  my  mother  loved  the  man. 

In  those  days  the  American  clipper  did  the 
work  that  is  continued  by  the  magnificent 
steamers  of  our  own  times.  By  American, 
I  mean  English  ships  trading  to  America. 
Most  of  them  were  sumptuously  furnished. 
They  were  built  to  sail  fast,  and  often  made 
rapid  passages ;  some  of  the  best  sailed  from 
the  Mersey,  but  the  Thames  also  despatched 
a  fine  fleet. 

The  Mohock  was  one  of  the  handsomest  of 
her  class.  She  was  flush-decked,  and  you 
looked  from  her  tafi"rail  right  along  a  platform 
of  almond- white  plank,  rising  with  a  dominant 
spring  into  the  bows,  unbroken  throughout 
the  length  save  by  the  galley,  longboat,  sky- 
lights, and  huge  windlass  forward.  I  followed 
my  stepfather  into  the  cabin,  and  found  my- 
self in  a  drawing-room.  The  dock  wall  and 
the  ships  beyond  darkened  the  cabin  windows, 
and  yet  there  was  a  light  as  of  noou  in  the 
glance  of  the  skylights  in  the  fine  mirrors,  in 
globes  of  crystal,  and  panels  of  cream  and 
gilt.  I  stood  upon  a  thick,  soft  carpet.  At 
the   extremity  was   a  handsome   piano.     On 


lo  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

either  hand  ran  the  cabins,  rounding  into  two 
large  berths  under  the  wheel.  The  Captain 
opened  the  door  of  one  next  his,  which  was 
the  left-hand  cabin  right  aft.  It  was  a  snug 
sleeping-room,  and  furnished  like  a  bedroom 

ashore. 

"Does   the  taste  for  the  trip   grow  with 
you  ? "  said  my  stepfather,  looking  at  me. 

"  I  think  it  does,"  I  answered  ;  "  it  will  be 
like  yachting." 

Some  people  came  on  board,  and  detained 
him  in  talk,  and  I  hung  about  till  I  was 
tired.  I  found  something  in  my  stepfather's 
manner  that  kept  puzzling  me  all  the  while  I 
thought  of  it  whilst  I  roamed  here  and  there, 
looking  down  into  the  hold,  into  which  cargo 
was  being  lowered,  or  watching  the  scene  of 
ships  from  the  rail.  There  was  no  elasticity 
in  his  manner  of  supposing  that  I  should 
enjoy  the  journey.  There  was  no  glow  of 
heartiness  whatever  in  his  manner  of  showing 
me  around.  His  behaviour  had  the  lifeless- 
ness  of  the  mechanical  hireling — of  the  ship's 
steward  say,  who  does  his  duty  woodenly. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  his  constant  mood  was 
hard  through  money  troubles. 

I  did  not  mean  to  notice  his  manner,  how- 
ever. If  he  wanted  my  sympathy  and  help, 
he  was  welcome  to  both,  at  the  slender  ex- 
pense of  a  confidential  chat.     We  dined  at 


CAPTAIN  A  MELIUS  SINCLAIR  n 

the  Brunswick  Hotel,  and  he  sent  me  home 
in  a  cab.  When  he  came  home,  I  heard  him 
ask  the  servant  who  let  him  in  some  question, 
but  did  not  catch  it.  He  entered  the  room 
looking  at  his  watch,  and  whilst  we  sat  at  tea 
was  absent  and  troubled.  He  would  some- 
times go  to  the  window  and  peer  out.  Once 
or  twice  he  viewed  me  so  earnestly  that  I 
thought  he  was  going  to  tell  me  the  cause 
of  his  worry.  Indeed  he  talked  but  little. 
What  he  said  concerned  the  ship,  and  my 
requirements  for  the  voyage  to  New  York 
and  back.  In  the  midst  of  this  the  house- 
bell  was  pulled,  and  one  blow  struck  with 
the  knocker. 

"  Oh  !  "  says  Captain  Sinclair,  jumping  up, 
"the  man  I  am  expecting.  Step  into  the 
study.     I  must  be  private." 

His  manner  was  a  little  agitated :  he  had 
turned  a  shade  pale  when  the  bell  rang,  and 
was  now  somewhat  flushed.  I  lingered  for 
some  reason  I  forget.  This  irritated  him, 
and  he  said  with  impatience  : 

"  You  can  do  that  when  he's  gone.  Pray 
step  out  as  I  ask  you." 

When  I  opened  the  parlour  door,  the 
servant  had  answered  the  house-bell,  and 
the  man  was  coming  in.  I  felt  a  curiosity, 
and  glanced  at  him  keenly  as  I  stepped 
through   the  passage.      He  was  a  tall,  thin, 


12  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK'' 

sinewy  man,  dressed  in  a  seafaring  cap  and 

monkey-jacket.     He  wore  a  shawl  round  his 

neck  after  the  fashion  of  the  'longshoremen 

of  the  beach.     I  thought  I  caught  the  glint 

of    earrings.      His    hair    was    long,    curling, 

and    shining  as    with    oil:    he  had  a    small 

yellow  moustache,  but  despite  this  I  guessed 

him   a  sailor,   at  least  of  the    coastal  type. 

I    saw    what   I   have    described    to    you    in 

just  one  quick  narrow  look,  then  entered  the 

Captain's    little    room    which    he    called   his 

study,  and  afterwards  went  to  my  bedroom, 

where  I  remained   till   I  was   summoned  to 

supper.       It  was  then  half-past  nine,  and  I 

guessed  that  the   man  had  not  long  left  by 

tasting  the  fumes  of  tobacco  newly  lighted  : 

the  Captain  did  not  smoke.     He  said  not  a 

word    about  this  visitor,  nor  did  I  ask  any 

questions. 

To-night  his  spirits  appeared  to  have  im- 
proved. He  filled  a  tumbler  with  brandy  and 
water  and  drank  with  a  face  of  gaiety. 

"How  do  you  like  the  notion  of  removing 
from  this  part  of  London  ?  "  said  he. 

"There  are  more  fashionable  quarters,"  I 
answered. 

"  But  none  so  convenient  to  the  seaman. 
This  furniture  would  stock  us  a  comfortable 
little  inland  cottage,"  said  he,  looking  round 
the  room  with  reluctance  in  each  remove  of 


CAPTAIN  A  MELIUS  SINCLAIR  13 

his  gaze  as  it  travelled.  "  Much  belonged 
to  your  mother.  There  is  much  of  my  find- 
ing too." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  break  up  house  ?  " 

"  I  don't  think  so.  Whilst  I  remain  a 
sailor  I  must  be  near  ships.  When  I  die, 
you'll  live  with  your  sister,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  No ;  we  shouldn't  get  on.  I  might  live 
near  her." 

"  I'd  like  to  see  you  mated  before  I  go 
aloft,"  said  he,  lying  back  in  his  chair  and 
smiling  at  me  with  an  expression  that  sweet- 
ened the  frown  out  of  his  face  till  I  found 
a  real  beauty  then  in  his  manly  looks.  "  I 
wish  your  sister  were  as  good-humoured  as 
you.  She'll  never  forgive  me  for  marrying 
your  mother,  and  if  I  should  prove  a  true 
father  to  you,  find  you  a  husband,  settle 
you  handsomely,  how  would  it  be  with  her 
then?  Should  I  be  justifying  your  mother 
and  myself  in  her  sight  ? " 

His  frown  came  back  with  the  sarcasm  in 
his  speech.  I  looked  at  him  suspiciously, 
and  said : 

**  Am  I  to  go  to  New  York  to  be  mar- 
ried ? " 

"  Perhaps,"  he  answered,  lancing  his  teeth 
with  a  silver  toothpick. 

"  I  shall  have  a  great  deal  to  say  in  that 
matter." 


14  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK » 

"Let  the  man  come  along  and  you  shall 
be  heard,"  said  he  with  a  grin  at  my  bridling 
figure  and  perhaps  the  general  hot  look  of  me, 
for  I  felt  a  heat  in  my  cheeks,  and  I  daresay 
my  eyes  weren't  wanting  in  light. 

They  used  to  call  me  handsome,  but  at 
this  time  of  day  I  can  speak  of  that  without 
emotion.  My  hair  was  very  abundant,  and 
of  an  extremely  dark  red.  My  eyes  were 
large,  a  dark  brown,  soft,  and  eloquent.  I 
was  slightly  above  the  middle  height,  and 
don't  know  that  there  was  a  fault  in  my 
shape  if  it  were  not  for  an  over-moulded 
ripeness  of  bust.  She  whom  I  am  describing 
lies  dust  in  the  grave  of  years  :  who  describes 
her  is  another,  bowed,  wrinkled,  deaf,  and 
nearly  blind. 

Until  the  ship  sailed  I  was  full  of  the 
business  of  making  ready  to  go.  It  was  a 
half-formed  fancy  in  my  head  that  Captain 
Sinclair  knew  of  a  man  in  New  York  who 
would  offer  for  me  when  he  saw  me ;  or 
perhaps  such  a  worthy  was  to  make  one  of 
the  passengers.  Now  I  was  as  willing  to 
marry  as  any  healthy  young  woman  of  twenty- 
two  could  well  be  ;  but  I  myself,  of  my  own 
discernment  and  love,  must  choose  the  man 
I  was  to  live  with  till  death.  That  was 
certain.  Nothing,  therefore,  that  Captain 
Sinclair  had  in  contemplation   could  render 


CAPTAIN  A  MELIUS  SINCLAIR  15 

me  in  the  least  uneasy.  My  will  was  of 
steel  in  this  way :  not  the  gods  themselves 
could  have  strategied  me  into  wedlock. 

Two  or  three  days  before  we  sailed  I  picked 
up  a  maritime  journal  Captain  Sinclair  was 
in  the  habit  of  reading,  and  carelessly  turning 
it  about,  lighted  upon  this  item  of  news  : 

"The  fine  clipper  ship  MoJwcJc,  1000  tons, 
Amelius  Sinclair,  commander,  sails  from  the 
Thames  on  Thursday  for  New  York.  She 
carries  a  full  cargo  and  ^98,000  in  gold. 
Amongst  her  passengers  are  Colonel  Nathan 
P.  Wills  and  lady,  Monsignor  Luard,  the 
distinguished  preacher,  and  Jonas  E..  Jackson, 
the  well-known  comedian,  who  is  returning 
to  his  native  country  after  fulfilling  a  series 
of  successful  engagements  in  Great  Britain." 

I  clipped  the  paragraph  and  enclosed  it  to 
my  sister  in  a  letter  of  farewell. 

My  luggage  was  sent  to  the  ship  on 
Wednesday,  and  on  Thursday,  at  about 
eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  I  went  alone 
on  board  the  MoJiock.  I  found  the  vessel 
a  grand  scene  of  confusion.  The  main-deck 
was  littered  with  boxes,  coils  of  rope,  chests 
and  bales  of  stuff  which  yet  remained  to  be 
stowed  away  somewhere.  There  was  a  great 
crowd  of  people.  The  Mohock  was  taking 
out  some  twenty  steerage  passengers,  and 
some    forty    or   fifty    of   their    relations    and 


i6  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

friends  were  on  board  seeing  them  off.  It 
was  odd  that  I  should  have  found  time  to 
notice  a  boy  with  a  mild,  freckled,  maternal 
face  sitting  on  the  edge  of  the  hatch  nursing 
a  silent,  staring  baby — a  strange  image  of 
mute,  innocent  forlornness  !  Blue  Peter  was 
rippling  at  the  fore  royal  masthead,  and  a 
number  of  sailors  were  winding  round  a 
capstan  singing  a  song  of  melancholy  melody 
as  they  stamped.  The  sun  shone  brightly. 
It  was  a  spacious,  gay  morning,  the  wind  a 
steady  breeze  that  trembled  harp-like  off 
the  taut  resonant  rigging.  The  clouds  were 
going  down  the  breeze  like  birds,  and  through 
the  shrouds  of  adjacent  ships  I  spied  the 
canvas — now  white,  noAv  red,  the  full  bosom 
of  the  square  sail,  the  lean  pinions  of  the 
schooner — of  scores  of  vessels  in  motion  upon 
the  river. 

I  had  been  introduced  to  the  mate  of  the 
ship  at  my  stepfather's  house.  lie  was  a  man 
named  Gordon,  about  forty  years  old,  of  an 
antique  pattern  in  his  seafaring  looks  and 
dress.  His  face  was  without  hair,  save  two 
dim  streaks  of  iron  grey  eyebrow,  and  the 
skin  was  burnt  and  troubled  by  weather  to 
the  look  and  surface  of  red  morocco.  Though 
the  month  was  the  beginning  of  September 
and  a  warm  morning,  this  man  standing  in 
the  gangway  was  dressed  in  stout  pilot  cloth, 


CAPTAIN  AM  ELI  US  SINCLAIR  17 

heavy  square-toed  boots,  which  sheathed  the 
legs  with  leather  to  the  knees  under  the 
trousers,  a  red  flannel  shirt,  and  stick-up 
collar. 

He  saluted  me  with  a  flourish  of  his  round 
hat,  and  asked  for  the  Captain.  I  could  give 
him  no  information.  He  said  the  ship  waited 
for  liim,  and  he  would  be  glad  of  the  signal 
to  start,  "  if  only  to  clear  the  decks,"  he  added 
with  a  sour  look  at  the  jumble  and  muddle 
of  people  talking  and  crying,  again  and  again 
straining  one  another  in  farewells.  It  was 
easy  to  see  his  sensibilities  were  salted  hard 
as  the  meat  he  had  fed  on  for  years. 

He  accompanied  me  to  the  companion 
hatch,  down  which  he  bawled  with  the  notes 
of  a  gale  of  wind  for  the  stewardess.  When 
she  showed  herself  he  called  out,  "  Here's  Miss 
Sinclair  arrived ;  see  to  her,  Mrs.  Yorrock," 
and  left  me. 

After  the  noise  and  hurry  of  the  main-deck, 
this  cuddy  or  saloon  seemed  quiet  as  a  theatre 
when  all  the  people  have  left.  And  yet  there 
were  plenty  of  passengers  about,  a  dozen,  I 
daresay,  out  of  the  sixteen  which  I  afterwards 
discovered  formed  our  number.  In  those  days 
of  slow  and  tedious  travelling,  passengers 
starting  on  a  voyage,  if  their  ship  sailed  from 
the  London  river,  found  it  convenient  and 
cheap  to  go  on  board  in  the  docks.     More- 

B 


i8  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

over,  the  Mohock  did  not  call  at  Plymouth 
this  time.  People  sat  at  the  long  table, 
writing  letters  or  chatting,  and  two  men  were 
drinking  champagne.  I  caught  the  drawl  of 
the  American,  and  also  noticed  a  Roman 
Catholic  priest  reading  in  a  little  book.  Mrs. 
Yorrock  led  me  to  my  cabin,  where  I  found 
the  luggage  I  immediately  needed,  and  I 
stayed  below  for  about  an  hour,  putting  away 
my  things  and  making  the  berth  comfortable. 
When  I  went  on  deck,  the  first  person  I  saw 
was  Captain  Sinclair.  He  talked  near  the 
wheel  with  one  of  the  two  Americans  who 
had  been  drinking  champagne  in  the  cabin. 
I  was  surprised  to  find  the  ship  in  the  middle 
of  the  river,  towing  down  behind  a  little 
splashing  tug,  from  whose  lofty  funnel,  dog's 
eared  at  the  top,  broke  such  a  long  dark 
line  of  smoke  that  the  leeward  prospect  was 
hidden  by  it.     The  voyage  had  begun. 

The  ship  floated  proudly  under  the  red 
flag  of  England  and  the  beautiful  colours  of 
America ;  the  shores,  gloomy  with  buildings 
and  chimneys  and  complicate  with  shipping 
hugging  the  wharves,  took  a  lofty  romantic 
character  merely  from  the  stately  slowness 
of  their  passing.  The  forecastle  was  full  of 
passengers  and  sailors,  and  the  quarter-deck 
was  well  covered  with  moving  figures.  What- 
ever there  was  of  glass  or  brass  burnt  bravely 


CAPTAIN  AMELIUS  SINCLAIR  19 

to  the  sun ;  the  ruled  shadows  of  the  rigging 
crawled  over  the  white  planks  with  our 
passage :  and  the  breast  of  the  river  was  a 
wonder  of  life  and  colour,  with  its  hundred 
sail  of  all  sorts  coming  and  going,  walking 
the  sliding  measure  of  the  minuet  to  the 
music  of  the  wind. 

My  stepfather  called  me,  and  introduced 
his  companion,  Colonel  Nathan  P.  Wills,  a 
man  with  a  forked  beard  and  aquiline  nose, 
and  legs  which  began  at  the  buttons  above 
his  coat-tails. 

"  A  nice  little  stream  this,"  said  this  gentle- 
man. "  Pity  it  hasn't  got  the  breadth  of  some 
of  our  rivers." 

"  Even  the  breath  would  do,"  said  I. 

"Yes,  I  think  the  Isle  of  Dogs  lasts  all  the 
way  to  Gravesend,"  said  Captain  Sinclair. 

A  young  lady — I  judged  her  a  bride,  not 
so  much  by  her  clothes  as  by  the  looks  of  her 
companion — came  up  to  us  with  her  arm  in 
a  young  clergyman's. 

"  What  is  that  ship,"  said  she,  with  a 
pretty  smile. 

"A  convict  hulk,"  answered  Captain 
Sinclair. 

"How  sad!"  she  exclaimed.  "Are  those 
things  hanging  up  in  strings  shirts?" 

"  Prisoners'  linen,"  answered  my  step- 
father, looking  darkly  at  the  hulk. 


20  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

"There  may  be  eyes  at  those  barred 
portholes  watching  us,  "  said  the  clergyman. 
*'  What  thoughts  must  visit  them  out  of 
such  a  noble  picture  of  liberty  as  this  ship 
makes !  There  may  be  pure  and  honest 
fancies  in  some  of  the  prisoners'  minds, 
resolutions  beautiful  but  hopeless,  remind- 
ing one  of  the  mournful  wheeling  of  gold- 
fish in  a  crystal  bowl." 

They  gazed  awhile  in  silence,  then  walked 
off. 

"  Bound  west  for  the  *  moon,'  I  reckon," 
said  the  Colonel.  "  The  Falls,  you  bet,  and 
a  lecture  and  magic-lantern  show  for  the 
people  of  the  parish  they  are  raising  sky- 
wards." 

"He's  a  poetical  parson,"  said  my  step- 
father. "  '  Give  me  a  file  afore  all  the  Bibles 
in  the  world,'  said  Jack  Sheppard  to  the 
Ordinary.     That's  the  philosophy  yonder." 

A  gentleman  with  a  comic  face,  blue  with 
the  razor,  deep  black  eyes,  habited  in  a  cloak 
and  a  sugar-loafed  hat,  approached  us.  He 
was  Mr.  Jonas  R.  Jackson,  the  celebrated 
American  comedian. 

"  Captain,"  said  he,  "  do  you  expect  to  make 
a  good  run  to  Gravesend  ? " 

We  all  laughed. 

"  Jackson,"  cried  the  Colonel,  "  why  didn't 
you  take  to  the   sea  instead   of  the   stage  ? 


CAPTAIN  A  MELIUS  SINCLAIR  21 

Those  be  the  boards  for  a  real  man,"  and  he 
stamped  his  foot. 

"  I  never  could  have  borne  to  give  it  up," 
answered  Mr.  Jackson.  "  The  ship  sticks  to 
the  barnacle,  but  the  devotion  is  the  bar- 
nacle's. So  it  would  have  been  with  me.  It 
would  have  broken  my  heart  to  be  torn  by 
disease  or  age  from  this  noble  profession  of 
salt  horse,  and  cold  wet  nights,  and  the  work- 
house always  within  hail  of  the  flying  jib-boom 
end." 

"  I  knew  a  man,"  continued  Mr.  Jackson, 
"who  left  the  sea  and  started  a  school.  He 
discovered  that  his  house  was  three  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ocean, 
and  he  couldn't  stand  it.  He  took  to  his  bed 
and  died  stone  broke." 

The  luncheon-bell  rang,  and  we  descended 
to  the  saloon. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE    SCHOONER 

The  Moliock  arrived  late  in  the  evening  off 
Gravesend,  and  slept  all  night  abreast  of  that 
town  at  a  mooring  buoy.  The  remaining 
cabin  passengers  came  on  board,  for  we  were 
to  sail  early  in  the  morning.  I  walked  the 
deck  with  Captain  Sinclair  and  others,  one 
of  whom  was  Mrs.  Wills,  wife  of  the  Colonel,  an 
immensely  stout,  good-natured,  rather  vulgar 
woman,  entirely  shapeless  in  bulk,  and  crowned 
with  a  wig  like  a  negro's  head  of  hair,  only 
that  it  was  a  sort  of  lilac.  Her  lips  were  like 
parings  of  tomato.  I  believe  she  had  been 
on  the  stage,  and  I  observed  that  at  the  dinner 
table  she  conversed  with  a  certain  off-hand 
frankness  with  Mr.  Jackson,  who  looked  a  full 
perception  of  her  past,  whilst  his  manner  and 
speech  must  have  reassured  her. 

I  was  beginning  to  enjoy  myself.  This  was 
a  new  scene  of  existence,  and  I  liked  it. 
There  could  be  no  more  thorough  change 
from  the  somewhat  tedious  insipid  days  of  my 


THE  SCHOONER  23 

life  ashore.  Those  first  houi's  of  night ;  the 
silence  and  the  mystery  and  uncertainty  of 
darkness  upon  the  breast  of  the  streaming 
waters  are  one  of  the  clearest  of  my  memories. 
The  lights  of  Gravesend  sparkle  windily  upon 
the  dusky  low  loom  of  the  land ;  here  and 
there  a  light  forlornly  winks  upon  the  flat, 
black  level  opposite  ;  ships  pass  and  repass — 
pale  shapes  of  cloud ;  the  spars  of  our  own 
vessel  soar  star-high,  and  the  brilliants  of  the 
sky  trembling  in  the  squares  of  the  rigging 
and  gleaming  in  jewels  at  the  yardarms, 
measure  to  the  vision  the  promise  of  a  spread 
of  wing  that  makes  a  miracle  of  the  slender 
hull  of  the  clipper. 

When  I  awoke  in  the  morning,  Gravesend 
was  far  astern,  and  the  wide  river  lay  in  a 
bed  of  glittering  light  under  the  bows,  with 
the  soaring  sun  flashing  over  large  spaces  of 
clouds  like  banks  of  snow.  The  tug  was 
running  us  through  smooth  water,  and  the 
reflection  of  a  brassy  motionless  cloud  on  the 
left  went  with  us.  A  few  pinions  of  canvas 
glanced  like  marble  between  the  masts  and 
to  the  jib-boom  ends.  It  was  a  sweet  air, 
and  a  glad  picture  to  rise  from  one's  bed  to  : 
a  morning  of  silver  clouds  and  sunshine  on 
the  sails. 

And  it  was  very  well  till  the  afternoon ; 
then  a  breeze  sprang  up,  the  tug  had  let  go 


24  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK'' 

of  us — the  swell  of  the  sea  was  to  be  felt  like 
a  pulse  in  the  river's  mouth.  The  ship  was 
clothed  to  her  trucks  and  leaned  from  the 
wind,  and  the  white  water  from  her  bows 
rolled  in  a  glittering  race  to  her  wake,  dying 
out  in  a  pale  stream  far  astern  in  the  diamond 
trembling  of  the  wind-brushed  waters. 

I  was  suffering  from  headache  and  nausea, 
but  hearing  that  the  ship  was  royally  clothed 
■ — the  clergyman  who  had  sighed  at  sight  of 
the  prison  hulk  came  below  with  a  face  of 
delight  to  carry  his  wife  on  deck  to  view  the 
picture — I  stepped  above,  and  stood  beside 
the  wheel ;  but  I  was  too  sick  for  sentiment. 
I  felt  the  vessel's  stern  heave  and  fall,  and 
heard  the  sob  and  laugh  of  spinning  waters 
under  the  counter ;  so  I  immediately  returned 
below  and  for  two  days  lay  miserably  ill,  in 
which  time  I  was  frequently  visited  by  my 
stepfather,  who  saw  that  the  stewardess  failed 
me  in  nothing. 

When  eventually  I  crawled  upon  deck  on 
the  arm  of  the  stewardess,  I  emerged  into  a 
scene  as  full  of  freshness  and  glory  to  me  as 
the  world  of  the  poet's  youth  was  to  him.  A 
strong  wind  blew,  yet  the  ship  sailed  steadily 
on  her  side ;  no  land  was  in  sight ;  the  sea 
was  a  dark  blue  everywhere,  glancing  in  lines 
of  melting  heads  of  froth,  and  small  white 
clouds  were  scaling  off  the  sky,  like  a  scatter- 


THE  SCHOONER  25 

ing  of  large  blobs  of  foam  up  there.  Close  to 
was  a  black  ship  which  we  were  slowly  passing. 
She  was  sheathed  with  green  metal,  and 
plunged  more  than  we  did,  and  the  water  leapt 
in  white  flashes  from  her  gaunt  flanks  and 
haunches.  She  heeled  over  till  we  could  see 
her  dark  decks  full  of  people,  and  the  German 
flag  flew  at  her  gaff  end.  I  watched  her  with 
delight ;  she  was  no  beauty  as  a  ship,  yet 
she  showed  like  a  romance  of  nature  in  that 
setting  of  sea,  with  the  full  and  milky  bosoms 
of  her  canvas  bowing  to  us,  and  the  clouds  of 
the  horizon  fanning  betwixt  the  wings  at  her 
jib-boom. 

Monsignor  Luard  came  up  and  talked  to 
me.  He  was  a  tall,  gentlemanly  man,  with 
fine,  dark  speaking  eyes,  of  French  extraction  ; 
but  he  spoke  English  well,  with  an  American 
accent.  He  was  full  of  the  old  home,  and  he 
talked  of  the  city  of  Canterbury  with  a  coun- 
tenance of  ecstasy.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Macbride, 
the  young  married  parson,  drew  near. 

"  I  cannot  behold  such  a  cathedral  without 
grudging  it  to  you,"  says  Monsignor,  smiling. 
"  There  Becket  was  slain,  and  there  those 
who  are  of  Becket's  faith  should  continue  to 
worship." 

"  I  don't  quite  see  that/'  said  Mr.  Macbride, 
nervously. 

Monsignor,  looking  down  upon  him,  con- 


26  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

tinned  to  smile.     "The  cathedral  was  built 
by  the  Papists,  as  you  call  us,"  said  he. 

"  It  was  built  by  our  forefathers,"  said  Mr. 
Macbride,  spunkily,  "who  reformed  their  faith 
and  went  on  worshipping  in  the  churches  that 
belonged  to  them." 

Monsignor  Luard  bowed  and  made  no 
answer. 

I  thought  whilst  I  listened  to  them,  "I 
wonder  if  the  husband  my  stepfather  has  in 
his  eye  for  me  is  on  board  ?  "  It  was  a  silly 
thought.  I  had  no  earthly  reason  to  conclude 
that  the  Captain  was  taking  me  this  voyage 
with  the  idea  of  getting  me  married.  Still 
I  cast  my  eyes  about  the  deck.  We  were 
but  sixteen  in  the  cabin,  not  counting  the 
surgeon  and  mates.  I  knew  them  all,  that 
is,  by  sight ;  half  a  score  were  visible  whilst 
I  stood  talking  with  Monsignor.  There  was 
no  man  likely  to  make  me  a  husband  amongst 
us.  Besides  the  people  I  have  named,  I  recol- 
lect a  German  Jew  named  Bergheim,  another 
who  was  a  civil  engineer — I  forget  his  name, 
And  two  or  three  ladies  of  no  moment  here. 

"Did  you  ever  cross theequator,  Monsignor?" 
says  Colonel  Nathan  Wills,  strolling  up. 

"  Thrice,"  answered  the  other. 

"  What  was  the  longest  time  a  ship  was  ever 
becalmed  on  the  line  ? "  asked  the  Colonel. 

Monsignor  shrugged. 


THE  SCHOONER  27 

Mr.  Macbride  exclaimed,  **  Would  you  say 
a  week  ? " 

My  stepfather  hearing  this,  stepped  from 
the  binnacle  and  exclaimed,  "  The  longest 
time  I  can't  say.  Twelve  years  ago  I  was 
becalmed  for  fifty  days  at  one  stretch." 

"Fifty  days!"  burst  out  Mr.  Macbride, 
shrivelling  his  lips  as  though  whistling. 

"  Old  Father  Dominick  was  in  the  right," 
said  Monsignor  Luard.  "  He  boasted  of  hav- 
ing cut  the  line  five  times,  and  that's  enough, 
says  he,  in  a  wise  man's  opinion.  He  con- 
sidered you  mad  to  cross  the  equator,  unless 
you  went  purely  to  serve  God.  He  has  these 
words  :  '  I  never  found  any  manner  of  altera- 
tion in  myself  or  anything  else,  that  is,  through 
crossing  the  equator.' " 

"We  owe  the  Flying  Dutchman  and  the 
mermaid  to  the  early  wondering  wanderers," 
said  the  Colonel. 

"  I  remember,"  exclaimed  my  stepfather, 
"  a  passenger,  a  person  of  average  intelligence, 
after  crossing  the  equator  expressing  his 
astonishment  at  finding  rainbows  the  same  as 
in  England." 

"We  don't  cross  the  equator  to  get  to 
America,  I  think  ? "  said  Mr.  Macbride,  doubt- 
fully. 

Monsignor  viewed  him  with  silent  surprise  ; 
my  stepfather  returned  to  the  binnacle  stand. 


28  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

and  I  went  a  little  way  forward,  leaving  the 
parson  to  be  answered  by  the  Colonel. 

I  had  now  the  spirits  and  the  humour  to 
enjoy  the  beauty  of  the  ship,  and  walking 
up  to  the  mate  who  stood  in  the  swinging 
shadows  of  the  main  rigging  with  his  hands 
behind  him  looking  straight  aloft,  I  pointed 
up  and  asked  him  what  that  sail  was. 

"The  main  royal,"  he  answered,  with  an 
uneasy  glance  at  the  Captain,  for  at  sea  the 
mate  in  charge  has  no  business  to  talk  with 
the  passengers. 

I  stepped  back  and  took  in  the  whole 
shining  frame  of  canvas  that  dwindled  on 
high  into  the  little  sail  the  man  had  named ; 
it  swelled  cloud-like  from  the  yard,  as  though 
rejoicing  in  its  privacy  of  splendour.  Oh ! 
what  is  nobler  than  a  ship  in  full  sail  clothed 
with  the  fire  of  the  sun  ?  I  leaned  over  the 
side  watching  the  passing  frostwork  of  foam, 
more  delicate  and  beautiful  than  the  green 
lace  of  leaves  against  the  sky.  The  ship 
carried  studding  sails,  and  the  heeling  canvas 
whitened  the  water  as  though  it  were  the 
silver  gleams  cast  by  the  wings  of  a  swan. 
The  life  of  the  glorious  day  was  in  the  vessel 
— not  in  her  own  foaming  speeding  only,  nor 
in  the  spirit  of  vitality  I  seemed  to  find  in 
every  swollen  cloth  ;  it  was  in  the  passengers 
too;  children  were  playing  in  the  scuppers. 


THE  SCHOONER  29 

groups  on  the  quarter-deck  lounged  in  cosy 
talk,  there  was  an  alacrity  in  the  motion  of 
the  sailors,  a  cheerful  hoarseness  in  the  crow- 
ing of  the  cocks,  and  the  smoke  from  the 
galley  chimney  flew  merrily  down  upon  the 
sea  over  the  bulwark  rail. 

This  fine  weather  and  still  finer  breeze 
lasted  some  days,  and  drove  us  eight  hundred 
miles  towards  the  heart  of  the  North  Atlantic. 
The  voyage  promised  in  sunshine  and  company 
to  be  as  jolly  as  a  yachting  jaunt,  and  again 
and  again  I  told  Captain  Sinclair  that  I  had 
never  enjoyed  myself  so  much  in  my  life. 
The  passengers  were  exceedingly  agreeable. 
Mr.  Jackson  was  excellent  company  at  table  ; 
never  went  louder  laughter  through  a  ship's 
skylight  than  ours  through  the  Mohock's, 
and  I  peculiarly  relished  some  quiet  strolls 
and  equally  quiet  arguments  with  Monsignor 
Luard.  I  speedily  saw  that,  priest-like,  he 
would  be  glad  to  convert  me,  and  I  was 
pleased  to  let  him  see  by  my  opinions  and 
views  how  well  sunk  were  the  foundations  of 
my  faith  as  an  English  Churchwoman. 

But,  unconsciously  to  themselves,  the  most 
diverting  people  on  board  were  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Macbride.  They  were  fresh  from  a  rural 
parish ;  the  hayseed  smelt  strongly  in  their 
hair,  as  the  sailor  says,  and  this  was  a  scene 
of  wonder  and   enchantment.     They  smiled 


30  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

arm  in  arm  all  day  long,  peered  into  every- 
thing, asked  questions  from  morning  till 
night.  I  see  them  now,  always  arm  in  arm, 
abreast  of  the  galley,  and  smiling  into  the 
doorway  past  which  the  cook  and  his  mate 
were  at  work.  Captain  Sinclair,  standing 
beside  me,  said,  "  He's  a  good  cook,  but  he's 
a  sot,  and  swears  terribly ;  I  wish  he  mayn't 
scald  himself  or  break  anything  whilst  Adam 
and  Eve  yonder  are  looking  on." 

It  was  strange  he  should  have  said  this ; 
for  a  moment  later  the  clergyman  whipped 
his  bride  round,  she  still  smiling,  he  with 
a  face  pale  with  disgust.  Captain  Sinclair, 
biting  his  lip,  walked  aft.  But  the  clergy- 
man soon  rallied  his  spirits,  whilst  she  clearly 
had  heard  nothing  she  understood,  and  pre- 
sently they  were  at  their  old  amusement  of 
staring  and  prying  again,  smiling  at  the  hen- 
coops, peeping  under  the  longboat  at  the 
old  sow,  stepping  aft  to  examine  the  pumps, 
whose  mechanism  I  overheard  him  explain- 
ing to  her,  then  inspecting  the  quarter-deck 
capstan,  whose  use  he  with  smiling  civility 
called  to  the  mate  to  explain,  but  old  Gordon 
with  a  sour  leer  told  him  that  he  had  the 
ship  to  look  after,  and  that  as  he  was  a  man 
born  with  but  one  head  and  two  hands,  he 
never  undertook  two  jobs  at  once. 

This  day  I   noticed  for  the  first    time   a 


THE  SCHOONER  31 

gloom  and  anxiety  in  the  looks  of  my  step- 
father. He  had  been  comparatively  cheerful 
to  this  period.  He  now  recalled  the  manner 
I  had  remarked  in  him  when  I  met  him  on 
returning  home  from  my  sister's.  He  held 
aloof,  walked  the  deck  alone,  spoke  only 
when  he  was  accosted,  and  then  briefly. 

They  usually  dined  at  three  on  board  the 
American  packets  in  those  days,  and  at  half- 
past  seven  a  substantial  meat-tea  was  served. 
Some  time  before  we  were  summoned  to  this 
last  meal  I  had  been  walking  the  deck  with 
a  lady,  and  I  thought  to  myself  that  my 
stepfather  seemed  to  be  keeping  a  curiously 
vigilant  look-out  upon  the  sea.  He  would  dart 
a  falcon  glance  at  the  horizon  from  under  a 
seemingly  drowsy  droop  of  lid,  sweeping  with 
those  lightning  quick  looks  the  line  of  the 
deep  on  either  hand.  His  handsome  face  was 
grim  with  its  habitual  frown.  I  wondered 
if  he  expected  a  shift  of  wind,  or  saw  signs 
of  a  change  of  weather  in  the  flight  of  the 
clouds  and  the  ragged  line  of  the  sea-circle, 
defined  as  the  edge  of  a  saw  against  the  hard, 
faint,  distant  blue  of  the  afternoon. 

When  we  went  below  to  tea,  I  heard  him 
at  the  head  of  the  companion  ladder  call  to 
the  second  mate,  one  Mr,  Tumbull,  to  report 
anything  that  should  heave  in  sight.  He  took 
his  place  in  silence,  merely  giving  a  stiff  bow 


32  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK'' 

to  one  or  two  of  the  ladies.  Sunset  still  threw 
a  red  glare  over  the  green  Atlantic,  but  down 
in  this  cabin  the  lamps  were  lighted,  for  the 
dusk  of  the  night  was  inside  the  ship.  Most 
of  the  gentlemen  seemed  in  high  spirits. 

"Let  me  send  you  a  slice  of  this  pork, 
Captain,"  called  out  Colonel  Wills. 

"I  do  not  digest  pork,"  answered  the 
Captain,  distantly. 

"  Well,  I  am  one  of  those  clever  people  who 
do  not  trouble  to  digest,"  said  the  Colonel  with 
a  loud  laugh,  helping  himself  to  a  great  slice. 

"  Mr.  Jackson,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Bergheim, 
"what  might  be  your  opinion  of  Mr.  Mac- 
ready  Fenton?" 

"  Why,  that  he's  one  of  those  clever  men 
who  can  do  everything  but  get  a  living," 
answered  Mr.  Jackson. 

"  Ain't  he  an  imitator  of  yours,  Jackson  ? " 
called  Colonel  Wills. 

"  So  they  say,"  answered  the  actor.  "  One 
of  those  chaps  who  pull  the  feathers  from  a 
brother's  tail ;  but  he  can't  stop  me  from 
flying." 

"I  had  read  that  your  mantle  would  fall 
upon  him,"  said  Mr.  Bergheim  earnestly. 

"He'll  be  glad  when  he  gets  it,"  said  Mr. 
Jackson,  with  a  sarcastic  glance  at  his  own 
coat,  which  was  a  brand  new  garment  of  a 
very  loud  pattern. 


THE  SCHOONER  33 

"  We  shall  have  made  a  good  run  by  to- 
morrow, Captain,  if  this  wind  lasts,"  said 
Monsignor  Luard. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  we  are  a  fast  ship." 

*'  Do  you  know,  I  am  of  opinion  that  steam 
will  never  supersede  sail,"  said  Mr.  Macbride, 
looking  nervously  around. 

Mr.  Jackson,  leaning  backwards  to  see  me 
past  the  huge  figure  of  Mrs.  Wills,  whom  I 
sat  next  to,  exclaimed,  contorting  his  face, 
"  Do  you  know  why  man  is  inferior  to  beasts  ? 
Because  beasts  have  no  opinions." 

Mrs.  Wills  chuckled  in  her  bust,  and  said 
in  a  deep  voice,  "  One  beast  has,  though." 

"  That  is  my  opinion,"  said  Mr.  Macbride. 

Nobody  cared  about  the  subject  and  it 
dropped. 

The  Colonel  told  a  story  of  two  men  who 

went   into   partnership.       Each   wanted   the 

other   to    die.      One    was    consumptive,    the 

other  rheumatic.     He    amused   us  with   his 

description    of    the   pleasure   the    rheumatic 

man  took  in  saying  that  he  didn't  think  his 

partner  looked  so  well,  and  the  happiness  of 

the  other  when,  in  answer  to  inquiries,  he'd 

say,  "  You  should  have  heard  him  a-holler- 

ing."    Mr.  Bergheim  laughed  heartily  at  this. 

In  the  midst  of  this  gentleman's  high  notes 

of  merriment  my  stepfather  rose,  bowed,  and 

went  on  deck. 

c 


34  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

"  Anything  going  to  happen  to  the  weather, 
Mr.  Gordon  ? "  said  the  Colonel  to  the  mate, 
who  was  following  the  Captain. 

"If  I  could  answer  that  question,  gentle- 
men," answered  Mr.  Gordon,  halting  at  the 
foot  of  the  steps,  "  I'd  not  be  mate  of  a  ship," 
and  with  that  he  went  up  the  ladder,  leaving 
us  to  guess  his  reason. 

"He  means,  of  course,  that  he  would  get 
his  fortune  ashore,"  said  Monsignor  Luard. 

"The  Captain  doesn't  seem  very  well,"  said 
Mr.  Bergheim,  looking  at  me. 

"  He  is  quite  well,  I  believe,"  I  answered. 

"  What  says  the  barometer  ? "  cried  Mr. 
Jackson,  with  a  theatrical  start  in  his  chair, 
and  he  walked  on  melodramatic  legs  to  the 
shaft  of  the  mizzenmast,  where  the  weather- 
glass was  hanging ;  but  though  he  looked  at 
it,  first  with  his  head  on  one  side,  then  on 
t'other,  it  was  clear  he  didn't  understand  it. 

The  ladies  rose  and  I  went  to  my  cabin. 
When  I  stepped  on  deck  it  was  dark,  but  I  had 
not  been  long  above  when  the  moon  shone  : 
she  streaked  the  line  of  the  horizon  under  her 
with  cr}^stal  that  looked,  with  the  play  of 
the  sea,  like  the  flashing  of  bubbles  under 
ice.  She  made  a  fair  light  presently,  and  the 
horizon  opened  to  its  recesses. 

"  What  is  more  beautiful  than  a  ship  under 
sail  lighted  by  the  moon?"  said  Monsignor 


THE  SCHOONER  35 

Luard,  approaching  me.  "Look  at  those 
heights  of  canvas  :  they  stream  into  vapour  to 
the  stars." 

It  was  blowing  a  fine  sailing  wind.  I  leaned 
with  Monsignor  over  the  side,  and  watched 
the  water  roaring  off  at  each  plunge  of  the 
bows  in  sheets  of  liquid  ivory.  The  forecastle 
was  covered  with  'tween-decks  passengers 
and  sailors,  who  moved  about  in  groups  of 
ashy  shapes  ;  a  fiddle  and  flute  were  making  a 
concert  in  the  fore  part,  and  whilst  I  watched 
the  foam  with  the  priest,  the  musicians,  along 
with  a  powerful,  clear,  manly  voice,  struck  up 
"The  Bay  of  Biscay."  Mr.  Jackson  coming 
to  me  said,"  What  is  the  Captain  looking  at  ?  " 

I  turned  and  saw  my  stepfather  standing  on 
the  quarter-deck,  not  far  from  the  wheel,  with 
a  binocular  glass  at  his  eyes.  He  let  drop  the 
glass  presently,  and  shouted  : 

"  Clew  up  the  fore  and  mizzen  royals  and 
take  in  the  flying  jib." 

The  order  was  repeated  by  the  second  mate, 
and  in  a  few  moments  we  heard  a  noise  of 
sailors'  hoarse  bawling  forward  and  on  the 
quarter-deck  :  the  high  light  sails  melted  out, 
and  I  watched  the  figure  of  a  young  seaman 
spring  into  the  mizzen  shrouds. 

"In  main  royal,"  presently  cried  out  the 
Captain.  "  Get  the  mizzen  topgallant  sail 
clewed  up  and  stowed,"  and  when  this  was 


36  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

done  the   great  mainsail  was   taken  in  and 
rolled  up  by  a  crowd  of  men. 

The  ship  then  looked  half-clad,  and  her 
appearance  seemed  to  cast  a  menace  of  storm 
into  the  night.  Yet  it  was  fine  weather,  the 
moon  and  stars  bright,  the  clouds  fleecy  and 
nimble  of  wing;  the  sea  under  the  moon 
rolled  in  broken  silver,  and  the  horizon 
showed  clearly  to  its  confines,  a  dark  girdle, 
like  a  belt  silver-clasped. 

"What's  wrong  with  the  weather?"  ex- 
claimed the  actor  at  my  side.  "  Why,  split 
me  if  the  ship  isn't  sitting  upright ! — there's 
nothing  left  for  the  wind  to  blow  into." 

"I  will  trust  to  the  Captain's  judgment," 
said  Monsignor. 

"  He  has  been  at  sea  all  his  life,"  I  ex- 
claimed. "There  is  no  more  experienced 
sailor  out  of  London." 

"But  don't  you  know,  Monsignor,"  said 
Mr.  Jackson,  looking  aloft  with  a  woe-begone 
expression  in  his  moon-whitened  face,  "  that 
discretion  may  be  more  licentious  than  art  % 
Here  is  a  noble  breeze  and  a  fine  night." 

"  There  is  always  a  grumbler  amongst  pas- 
sengers. Miss  Hayes,"  said  Monsignor,  laugh- 
ing. "  Who  would  suppose  that  the  very 
spirit  of  comedy  itself  could  take  a  despondent 
view  of  a  careful  skipper  who  understands  the 
barometer  ? " 


THE  SCHOONER  37 

"  Seems  a  pity,  though,"  said  Mr.  Jackson, 
looking  down  at  the  white  passing  water. 

It  was  just  then  that,  happening  to  glance 
from  the  throbbing  edge  of  silver  under  the 
moon  to  a  little  distance  along  the  defined 
line  of  the  sea,  I  saw  the  pearl-like  spire  of 
a  sail.  Captain  Sinclair  was  watching  it 
through  his  night-glass.  He  suddenly  called 
to  the  second  mate  : 

"Jump  below  and  see  what  further  fall 
there  is,  if  any." 

Turnbull  returned  and  said,  "There's  no 
further  fall,  sir." 

"  It's  drop  enough,"  exclaimed  the  Captain, 
as  though  he  wished  others  than  Turnbull  to 
hear  him,  and  then  told  the  officer  to  haul 
down  the  standing  jib  and  clew  up  the  fore 
topgallant  sail,  and  when  these  sails  were 
stowed  away  to  brail  up  the  spanker. 

There  could  be  no  doubt  from  this  that  he 
was  expecting  heavy  weather.  Monsignor, 
who  had  not  looked  at  the  barometer,  stepped 
below  after  an  uneasy  glance  around.  He 
returned  soon,  and  said  that  the  fall,  so  far  as 
he  could  judge,  was  about  half  an  inch. 

"  Is  that  serious  ?  "  said  Jackson, 

"There's  your  answer,"  responded  the 
priest,  with  a  flourish  of  his  hand  at  the 
masts. 

A  ship  ! "  shouted  Mr.  Bergheim,  springing 


<( 


38  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK'' 

with  excitement  off  th-e  grating  abaft  the 
wheel. 

The  sail  I  had  seen  was  now  under  the 
moon,  and  on  a  sudden  after  some  minutes, 
as  though  by  magic,  it  swept  out  of  the  black 
curve  it  made  upon  the  rolling  river  of  silver 
into  the  lines  and  pale  canvas  of  a  schooner. 
She  came  along  heading  for  us  in  a  racing 
way,  the  white  water  throbbing  to  her  figure- 
head, and  rushing  from  her  swiftly  as  foam 
runs  to  the  cataract's  steep. 

"  What  an  apparition  ! "  shouted  Mr.  Jack- 
son, flying  across  the  deck. 

We  crowded  to  the  side  to  look.  She 
foamed  to  within  pistol-shot,  then  put  her  helm 
down,  and  ranged  abreast  with  rattling  canvas, 
chopping  into  the  long  black  tumbling  seas, 
and  showing  a  fabric  of  about  a  hundred  tons, 
keen  as  a  knife  in  the  entry,  and  she  whitened 
the  night  where  she  was  by  the  breadth  and 
the  height  of  her  moonlit  sails.  The  moon- 
beams sparkled  in  her  wet  sides ;  you  saw 
green  stars  of  it  in  the  bright  stuff  upon  her 
decks.  She  was  a  phantom  just  now  in  the 
airy  distance,  and  as  she  lay  pitching  close 
abreast,  easily  holding  her  own  with  a  frequent 
shuddering  of  her  sails,  one  thought  of  her 
as  sprung  from  the  deep  or  fallen  from  the 
heavens,  so  sudden  the  dusk  and  the  wild 
flying  lights  of  the  night  made  it  all. 


THE  SCHOONER  39 

Her  white  decks  glanced  as  she  rolled 
towards  us,  and  I  saw  two  or  three  figures  near 
her  long  tiller.  *'  Ship  ahoy  !  "  was  shouted, 
"  what  ship's  that?" 

Captain  Sinclair  answered,  and  asked  what 
schooner  was  that. 

"The  Reindeer,  from  New  Orleans  to 
Bristol,"  was  the  reply,  delivered  by  a  hoarse 
salt  throat.  Those  notes  from  the  sea  sounded 
wildly  through  the  noise  of  the  wind  aloft 
and  the  boiling  hiss  of  the  water  alongside. 
**  Our  chronometer's  stopped.  We've  lost  our 
reckoning.  Will  you  give  us  the  longitude 
and  your  time  ? " 

This  was  promptly  done. 

*' Thank  you,  sir,"  was  shouted.  "Good 
night,  and  a  prosperous  voyage  to  you." 

The  schooner's  helm  was  shifted,  her  head 
fell  off,  she  rounded  and  swept  away  astern 
of  us,  and  was  swiftly  showing  as  a  star  in 
mist  in  the  distant  gloom. 

I  observed  that  the  second  mate  watched 
her.  I  was  standing  near  the  skylight  at  the 
time,  not  far  from  Captain  Sinclair,  who  gazed 
fixedly  seawards,  as  though  conjecturing  the 
weather.  The  second  mate  came  up,  touch- 
ing his  cap,  and  I  heard  him  say,  "If  that 
schooner's  bound  for  Bristol,  sir,  she's  lost 
scent  of  it." 

The  Captain  turned  his  head  quickly  and 


40  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

looked  at  the  distant  film  of  light.  *'  Well, 
she  must  be  allowed  to  know  her  own  busi- 
ness," said  he  after  a  short  pause,  and  there 
was  temper  enough  in  his  voice  I  thought  to 
account  for  the  second  mate  slinking  away. 

It  was  about  half-past  nine ;  grog  and 
biscuits  were  upon  the  cabin-table,  and  the 
lamps  shone  upon  the  figures  of  some  of  the 
passengers  playing  at  cribbage  or  chess. 

"  I  guess.  Captain,  by  the  look  of  your  ship, 
we're  to  smell  hell  before  morning,"  said 
Colonel  Wills,  stepping  into  the  moonlight 
with  a  cigar  in  his  mouth  out  of  the  ebony 
shadow  of  the  mizzenmast  that  swung  on 
the  white  planks  almost  as  a  pendulum  goes. 

"  There's  a  considerable  fall  in  the  glass," 
answered  the  Captain,  "  a  sudden  fall ;  there 
will  be  a  sudden  rise,  no  doubt,  but  I  will  not 
trust  the  weather  in  this  sea  with  the  mercury 
at  that  indication." 


CHAPTER  III 

A  SHIP'S  BOAT  OF  TWELVE  MEN 

When  I  went  to  bed,  I  expected  the  night 
would  prove  sleepless  with  storm.  The  ship 
was  under  small  canvas,  and  the  water  fell 
from  her  side  sloppily  and  without  life  as  she 
drove  slowly,  with  floating  lunges,  over  the 
long  flowing  lines  of  brine.  I  got  into  bed 
and  put  out  the  lamp,  but  had  not  been  resting 
twenty  minutes  when  I  heard  my  stepfather's 
voice  outside  my  door.  You  could  hear  plainly 
owing  to  the  ventilating  arrangement  of  Vene- 
tian blinds  over  the  doors  of  the  berths. 

"  The  glass  remains  steady." 

The  man  who  answered  was  the  mate.  "  I 
don't  understand  it,  sir;  my  glass  shows  a 
rise. 

"Since  when?" 

"  Since  seven  o'clock.** 

"  The  cabin  glass  and  the  glass  in  my  berth 
tally.    What  sort  of  a  glass  is  yours  ? " 

They  were  moving  when  this  was  said,  and 
I  lost  the  answer.     I  fell  asleep  soon  after- 

4X 


42  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

wards,  and  when  I  awoke  next  morning  my 
cabin  was  full  of  sunlight  and  the  ship  sailing 
along  quietly.  I  dressed,  and  entering  the 
saloon,  met  Monsignor  coming  down  the  com- 
panion-ladder. He  saluted  me  and  said  it 
was  a  beautiful  morning,  and  the  sea  was 
like  a  frozen  lake  under  the  sun,  and  at  the 
edge  of  it  was  a  little  pinnacle  of  ice. 

"Ice!"  cried  I. 

*'  Yes,"  he  answered,  "  and  when  you  go  on 
deck  you'll  taste  its  breath  in  the  wind." 

Just  then  Captain  Sinclair  came  out  of  his 
cabin,  gravely  kissed  me  on  the  forehead,  and 
shook  hands  with  the  priest. 

"  So  we  had  a  fine  night  after  all.  Captain  ? " 
exclaimed  Monsignor. 

"  I  have  crossed  the  Atlantic  many  times, 
and  this  puzzles  me,"  answered  the  Captain, 
making  a  step  to  the  mizzenmast  and  looking 
at  the  barometer.  "  But  the  atmosphere  is 
a  mystery,  full  of  stealthy  qualities.  They 
creep  into  those  indications,"  said  he,  point- 
ing to  the  mercury,  "and  perplex  us.  I 
looked  for  a  gale  last  night,  and  prepared 
the  ship  for  it." 

I  had  heard  so  much  about  the  barometer 
that  my  curiosity  was  excited,  and  I  went  to 
my  stepfather's  side  to  look  at  the  thing. 
It  consisted  of  a  tube  of  glass,  with  a  bulb 
full  of  mercury  at  the  bottom  of  it ;  this  was 


A  SHIP'S  BOAT  OF  TWELVE  MEN     43 

sunk  into  a  wooden  backing,  and  the  whole 
contained  in  a  long  narrow  case  with  a  glass 
door,  of  which  the  Captain  had  the  key,  though 
I  will  not  be  sure  that  the  instrument  had 
not  hitherto  been  set  day  by  day  by  the  mate. 

"  There  has  been  no  rise,"  says  Monsignor, 
peering  at  the  mercury. 

"  Yes,  there  is  a  fine-weather  convexity. 
It  will  keep  fine,  I  believe,"  said  the  Captain, 
and  he  went  on  deck. 

I  followed,  but  did  not  join  him,  for,  despite 
his  kiss  and  his  grave  courteous  manner  to 
the  priest,  there  was  a  subtle  something  in 
his  manner  that  was  as  good  as  a  hint  to  me 
to  leave  him  alone. 

The  wind  had  shifted,  was  blowing  on  the 
port  quarter,  and  had  fallen  somewhat  light, 
and  the  ship  floated  slowly  forwards  in  curt- 
seys as  regular  as  the  rhymes  of  a  song  over 
the  wide  blue  Atlantic  heave.  I  never  saw 
the  sky  look  so  high  before.  It  was  a  pave- 
ment of  delicate  cloud,  all  rosy  with  the 
morning  light,  plume-shaped,  enwreathed  and 
motionless.  The  sun  sparkled  with  a  frosty 
whiteness,  and  there  was  in  the  air  an  edge 
that  had  been  wanting  yesterday.  To  the 
trucks  soared  the  sails,  the  yards  almost 
square,  and  on  the  left  hung  wide  spaces 
of  lustrous  canvas  called  studding-sails  ;  their 
light  in  the  sea  ran  steady  by  the  side  of  the 


44  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

ship.  The  sun  was  behind  us,  and  when  I 
looked  that  way  I  could  see  nothing  for  the 
dazzle. 

Mr.  Jackson,  however,  stood  staring  through 
the  ship's  telescope  which  he  had  levelled 
directly  into  the  heart  of  the  bed  of  brilliance. 

''What  do  you  see?"  said  I. 

"Ice,"  said  he,  turning  his  head:  the  eye 
he  had  been  using  showed  as  though  he  had 
caught  a  cold  in  it.     "  Look,  Miss  Hayes." 

He  held  the  glass,  but  when  I  looked  I 
was  blinded  by  the  glory.  Mr.  Macbride  and 
his  wife  came  up  arm  in  arm,  and  the  clergy- 
man asked  us  what  we  saw. 

"There's  an  iceberg  out  there  under  the 
sun,"  said  Mr.  Jackson. 

"  An  iceberg !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Macbride. 
"  Where  ?  Dear  me  !  Are  we  approaching 
it?  No,  it  is  astern.  It  is  under  the  sun, 
and  may  melt  before  we  can  catch  a  clear  view 
of  it.  An  iceberg !  Oh,  Joanna,  we  must 
not  think  of  returning  without  having  beheld 
one  of  the  greatest  wonders  of  the  deep." 

"  I  cannot  see  it,"  whined  his  wife,  crying 
with  the  blaze  she  was  screwing  up  her  pretty 
eyes  at. 

"  Look  !  "  exclaimed  the  comedian,  point- 
ing— "just  over  the  end  of  my  finger.  Now 
you  have  it." 

But  now  they  hadn't  it,  nor  could  I  catch 


A  SHIP'S  BOAT  OF  TWELVE  MEN     45 

the  least  glimpse  of  the  object,  and  wondered 
that  the  priest  and  the  actor  should  both 
agree  it  was  there.  And  yet  it  was  there : 
the  Captain  called  across  the  deck  to  tell  us 
so,  and  after  we  had  waited  a  little  it  stole 
out  of  the  effulgence  into  the  blue  on  the 
right.  It  might  have  been  the  sail  of  a 
cutter :  it  was  a  mere  gleam  upon  the  hori- 
zon. Yet  it  was  ice,  the  topmost  point  of  an 
island  sunk  beyond  our  sight,  and  I  viewed 
it  with  silent  wonder. 

"  Is  it  solid  ? "  asked  Mr.  Macbride. 

"  As  the  floor  of  a  ball-room,  and  as  un- 
substantial as  a  shadow  on  a  fog,"  answered 
the  actor. 

A  passenger  who  carried  his  elbows  like  a 
grasshopper — I  forget  his  name — joined  us  in 
staring  at  the  distant  gleam. 

"  I  wonder  if  I  could  get  a  slide  represent- 
ing an  iceberg  for  a  magic-lantern  ? "  said 
Mr.  Macbride. 

Mr.  Jackson  smiled  with  one  eye  at  me ;  it 
was  like  a  wink. 

"Were  you  ever  cast  ashore  and  left  alone 
upon  an  iceberg  ? "  asked  the  passenger  with 
the  grasshopper  elbows,  addressing  Mr.  Mac- 
bride. 

"I?  Oh,  dear  no!  Oh,  certainly  not," 
answered  the  parson,  looking  at  his  wife,  and 
laughing,  and  they  laughed  together. 


46  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

"  I  was,  then,"  said  the  passenger.  "  I  went 
on  a  whaling  cruise  for  my  health,  and  they 
sent  me  in  a  boat  to  an  ice  island  at  my 
request.  I  climbed  a  bit,  and  looked  about 
me,  and  when  I  returned  the  boat  was  gone. 
They  found  me  again  after  two  days." 

"Alive?"  asked  Mr.  Jackson. 

"  The  worst  part  of  it,"  continued  the  pas- 
senger, deepening  and  subduing  his  voice 
till  I  saw  the  parson  straining  at  him  with 
an  open  mouth,  "  was  not  the  hunger,  nor  the 
cold,  nor  even  the  solitude.  It  was  the  mid- 
night silence.  A  stillness  unutterable,  so  deep, 
so  awful,  I  vow  to  heaven  I  could  hear  my 
beard  growing." 

He  turned  his  back  upon  us  and  walked 
away. 

"  There  are  as  many  lies  in  that  little  tale 
as  a  cat  has  hairs  in  hers,"  said  Mr.  Jackson. 
"  He  speaks  of  the  silence  of  ice.  Nothing 
is  noisier  than  a  berg.  It  is  splitting  cease- 
lessly in  all  parts,  and  roars  through  its  own 
dismemberment  like  a  line-of-battle-ship  in 
action." 

"  The  breakfast-bell,  my  dear !  "  said  Mr. 
Macbride,  who  always  hearkened  with  a 
doubting,  suspicious  face  when  the  actor 
spoke,  and  presently  we  were  all  at  table. 

Nothing  more  was  said  about  the  fall  of  the 
glass  on  the  previous  evening,  nor  of  the  eight 


A  SHIP'S  BOAT  OF  TWELVE  MEN     47 

hours'  arrest  of  the  ship  through  the  deceit 
of  the  mercury.  Captain  Sinclair's  manner 
was  hard  and  reserved.  He  ate  quickly, 
and  was  gone  from  the  table  before  we 
were  half-way  through  the  meal.  I  guessed 
from  the  looks  of  the  passengers  that  they 
would  have  talked  about  him  had  I  been  out 
of  hearing. 

The  needle  of  ice  on  the  far  verge  of  the 
deep  had  vanished  when  I  returned  on  deck, 
and  the  sea  was  a  barren  breast,  but  flashing 
like  a  silver  shield  under  the  springing  light. 
The  wind  had  freshened,  shifted  into  a  quarter 
that  was  good  for  the  slide  of  our  keel,  and 
the  ship  was  winging  nimbly  onwards,  point- 
ing her  yardarms  at  the  sky,  and  throwing  the 
water  in  coloured  fountains  of  foam  from  her 
shearing  bows  with  every  stoop  into  the  blue 
hollow. 

Captain  Sinclair  paced  the  weather  side  of 
the  quarter-deck  alone.  I  saw  the  Colonel  go 
up  to  him  as  though  for  a  chat ;  he  drew  off 
after  a  few  minutes.  Two  ladies  then  went 
and  addressed  the  commander.  His  manner 
gave  them  no  encouragement,  and  he  was  soon 
walking  alone  again.  From  time  to  time  he 
would  dart  a  swift  glance  in  my  direction,  and 
I  seemed  to  know  instinctively  that  he  sus- 
pected I  was  watching  him.  It  is  true  I  should 
have  done  so,  but  his  looks  were  like  a  warning, 


48  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

topped  as  they  were  with  the  shadow  of  his 
habitual  frown,  and  I  crossed  the  deck  to  lee- 
ward out  of  his  observation,  and  entertained 
myself  for  a  long  hour  in  looking  at  the  ship, 
and  studying  the  marvellous  foam  traceries 
which  darted  like  tongues  into  the  clear  blue 
from  the  edge  of  the  creaming  whiteness  that 
came  boihng  from  the  bows,  and  in  watching 
the  seamen  at  work  aloft  and  on  deck.  It 
was  still  all  wondrous  strange  and  new  to  me. 
I  thought  I  might  never  again  have  a  chance 
to  make  a  voyage,  and  I  let  the  whole  miracle 
of  sails  and  sunshine  and  gleaming  waters  sink 
into  me  in  all  its  glory  and  freshness.  Nor 
did  my  eyes  and  sympathies  fail  me ;  the 
memory  of  it  is  a  brilliant  picture  still. 

This  morning  at  about  eleven  o'clock  a 
smoke  sprang  up  right  ahead.  A  great  smoke 
it  was,  as  though  a  ship  lay  burning  there,  but 
after  a  little  while  the  telescope  resolved  the 
throat  of  it  into  the  mouth  of  a  red  funnel, 
and  in  three-quarters  of  an  hour  a  large 
paddle -steamer  was  on  the  bow.  Our 
number  flew  in  a  string  of  bright  colours  at 
the  mizzen  gaff,  and  the  steamer's  name 
streamed  in  coloured  bunting  at  her  mast- 
head. She  was  the  Britannia,  memorable  as 
one  of  the  earliest  of  the  Cunard  steamers. 
With  my  mind's  eye  I  behold  her  distinctly. 
She  had  a  tall  red  funnel  and  three  masts, 


A  SHIP'S  BOAT  OF  TWELVE  MEN     49 

and  a  frigate-like  bow,  with  a  row  of  gleam- 
ing square  ports  abaft.  She  was  but  a  little 
bigger  than  our  ship,  yet  looked  a  lump  as 
she  rolled  by.  She  was  from  Boston  for 
Liverpool.  All  her  canvas  was  furled,  and 
she  was  churning  through  the  water  at  about 
eight  knots,  which  was  fast  as  speed  then 
went  in  steam.  She  had  met  with  a  gale 
and  looked  wrecked.  One  paddle-box  was 
gone,  and  the  huge  wheel  whirled  round 
naked,  slinging  the  foam  on  high,  and  filling 
the  air  all  about  the  black  and  plunging 
circle  with  fragments  of  flying  rainbow.  The 
face  of  her  funnel  was  whitened  as  by  snow 
with  a  crust  of  salt.  Dense  volumes  of  smoke 
poured  from  her  chimney.  How  those  old 
steamers  smoked !  The  end  of  the  stream  of 
soot  went  out  of  sight  past  the  horizon. 

A  large  crowd  of  people  surveyed  us  from 
her  decks,  but  the  two  ships  were  too  far 
apart  for  hailing.  Broken  as  she  appeared 
by  storm,  rolling  heavily  too,  whilst  our  own 
ship  took  the  rhythm  of  the  sea  with  a  dancing 
grace  that  never  brought  her  spars  erect,  we 
viewed  her  with  wonder,  with  almost  breath- 
less interest.  You  who  are  living  in  an  age 
of  huge  steamers,  whose  accustomed  eye  finds 
something  insipid  in  the  proudest  of  the 
giantesses  of  the  ocean  processions,  will  not, 
unless   you   be    old   and    of    good    memory, 

D 


50  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

realise  the  enthusiastic  interest  people  took 
in  those  early  experiments.  Then  you  might 
sail  the  sea  for  months  without  seeing  a 
steamer.  When  such  a  spectacle  offered,  the 
eye  devoured  it.  It  was  a  miracle,  the  lord- 
liest of  the  achievements  of  human  genius 
and  invention.  The  seamen  dropped  their 
tasks  to  look :  the  'tween-deck  passengers 
crowded  the  bulwark  rail:  we  saloon  folks 
lined  the  bulwarks  all  staring.  Yonder  she 
walked,  as  independent  of  the  wind  of  heaven 
as  the  seabird  that  followed  her. 

"  In  so  many  days,"  we  said  to  one  another, 
"  her  people  will  have  arrived  at  home,"  and 
it  was  astounding  to  think  a  ship  could  be 
timed,  as  if  she  were  a  coach  or  a  locomotive. 
Her  white  wake  made  a  wide  path  on 
the  sea,  and  her  windows  shone  like  jewels 
over  it. 

"  After  that,  who  shall  tell  you  man  hasn't 
an  immortal  soul  1 "  said  Colonel  Wills. 

Monsignor  Luard  smiled  his  approval  of 
the  sentiment. 

"I  hope  the  weather  that  hammered  her 
will  have  blown  itself  out  before  we  arrive," 
said  some  one. 

"Charles  Dickens  went  out  to  Boston  in 
that  ship  two  years  ago,"  said  the  Grasshopper 
passenger.     "  I  made  the  passage  with  him." 
"Is  he  funny  in  his  conversation?"  said 


A  SHIP'S  BOAT  OF  TWELVE  MEN     51 

Mr.  Macbride,  catching  at  this  remark  with 
a  literary  sympathy. 

"They  laughed  quite  as  much  at  me," 
answered  the  Grasshopper. 

"  Is  she  a  comfortable  vessel,  sir  ?  "  inquired 
Mr.  Gordon. 

"Look  at  her  rolling  out  yonder;  and 
this  is  a  fine  morning,"  said  the  Grasshopper. 
"  Comfortable  !  Given  but  a  little  piece  of 
weather,  and  you  don't  know  what's  become 
of  her.  I'm  an  old  sailor,  yet  could  never 
stand  upright  on  that  ship  in  a  seaway, 
and  when  I  went  ashore  at  Boston,  my 
mother  wouldn't  have  known  me  for  stick- 
ing-plaister." 

The  comedian  eyed  him  with  a  sneer. 
There  could  be  no  doubt  the  Grasshopper 
was  a  great  liar. 

Mr.  Gordon  brought  his  eyes  away  from 
the  steamer  and  looked  aloft,  and  though 
there  was  about  as  much  sentiment  in  the 
man  as  there  was  in  the  harness-cask  out  of 
which  the  sailors  picked  their  beef,  yet  I 
seemed  to  see  the  spirit  of  the  seaman — of 
the  old  seaman— gleam  in  his  eyes  with  an 
instant's  pride  as  he  gazed.  He  could  not 
but  contrast,  he  could  not  but  delight  in  the 
beauty  of  this  fabric  of  wing,  alive  with  the 
spirit  of  the  viewless  winds,  sentient  with 
the  intelligence  of  the  ocean  itself. 


52  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

This  was  fine  weather  for  the  Atlantic.  I 
had  never  dared  dream  of  such  continuity  of 
blue  sky  and  sparkling  nights  as  had  been 
granted  us.  Captain  Sinclair  would  often 
talk  of  this  sea  at  home ;  many  a  yarn  of  its 
ice  and  its  hurricane,  its  surge  taller  than 
the  Andean  billow  of  the  Horn,  had  he  re- 
cited, and  I  had  reckoned  upon  the  excite- 
ment of  half  a  dozen  gales  of  wind  at  least — 
the  ship  stripped,  the  rigging  raving,  the 
hurricane  of  the  midnight  white  with  foam — 
before  we  arrived  at  New  York. 

A  strange  mysterious  thing  happened  this 
day — a  silent  tragedy.  It  may  have  occurred 
when  the  Britannia  was  abreast  of  us,  or 
when  her  smoke  was  as  dim  as  a  length  of 
spider's  silk  above  the  horizon. 

The  Mohock  carried  a  boat  called  the 
Captain's  gig,  a  handsome  little  fabric  that 
hung  by  irons  over  the  stern.  I  had  on 
more  than  one  occasion  observed  the  ship's 
doctor  sitting  in  that  boat  looking  down  at 
the  water  boiling  about  the  rudder,  and 
heard  him  tell  Monsignor  at  table  that  when 
the  ship  was  moving  swiftly  through  the  sea, 
and  the  white  yeast  from  the  bows  came 
roaring  aft  to  the  sternpost  with  a  noise  of 
thunder  ere  it  swept  in  its  white  wrath  to 
the  wake,  the  breast  and  picture  of  reeling 
snow  sheeting  and  twisting  into  a  thousand 


A  SHIP'S  BOAT  OF  TWELVE  MEN     53 

fantastic  shapes  was  such  a  splendid  revela- 
tion of  shining  and  endless  beauty  that  he 
could  sit  all  day  long  looking. 

Pie  was  in  the  gig  when  the  Bi^itannia  was 
approaching  us.  I  had  observed  him  leaning 
over  the  seaward  side  of  the  boat,  staring  off 
at  the  line  of  light  on  the  water,  but  by  and 
bye,  when  he  was  inquired  for,  he  was  miss- 
ing. The  word  went  along  "  Where's  the 
doctor?  The  doctor's  wanted  in  the  'tween- 
decks."  Those  who  had  observed  him  in 
the  boat  of  course  supposed,  as  I  had,  that 
he  had  long  before  left  her  and  gone  below. 
But  he  was  not  below,  nor  was  he  in  the 
ship.  There  could  be  no  doubt  he  had  over- 
balanced himself  and  fallen  ;  if  ever  he  rose 
in  the  roar  of  the  reeling  wash,  the  distance 
was  already  too  great  for  his  half-suffocated 
voice  to  measure.  The  man  at  the  wheel 
had  heard  nothing;  the  people  lounging 
about  the  decks  had  seen  nothing,  and  yet, 
as  we  came  afterwards  to  know  for  certain, 
he  had  fallen  overboard  out  of  the  boat  some- 
while  between  the  hour  when  the  Britannia 
was  abreast  of  us,  and  when  her  smoke  was 
a  shred  on  the  sea-line. 

Yet  important  as  he  was  to  the  needs  of 
the  ship  as  doctor,  his  loss  made  little  or  no 
impression.  We  had  not  been  long  enough 
together  to  find  death  the  significant,  depress- 


54  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

ing  thing  it  is  when  it  beckons  ont  one  with 
whom  you  have  long  been  associated  at  sea. 
The  Grasshopper  hinted  at  suicide,  and  the 
Colonel  looked  as  if  that  might  be  possible ; 
but  my  stepfather  and  the  rest  of  us  thought 
differently.  The  doctor  had  been  a  very 
grave,  quiet  man,  of  middle  age,  well  pre- 
served, and,  as  we  understood,  going  as  sur- 
geon to  sea  for  the  first  time,  mainly  for  his 
health.  Of  all  the  men  in  that  ship,  he  Avas 
the  least  likely  to  commit  suicide. 

Throughout  this  day  my  stepfather  was 
almost  continuously  on  deck.  He  scarcely 
stayed  at  table  to  make  a  meal ;  when  he 
went  below  to  work  out  the  sights,  he  did 
not  linger  in  his  cabin.  His  behaviour  was 
vigilant  rather  than  restless.  He  was  very 
grave  and  formal,  and  kept  himself  apart  as 
hitherto.  He  seemed  subdued  and  distressed 
by  the  disappearance  of  the  doctor.  None  of 
the  passengers  had  crossed  the  Atlantic  with 
him  before,  and  though  it  was  hard  for  me  to 
guess  what  they  thought — for  of  course  in  my 
presence  they  never  spoke  of  him  except  with 
good  taste — I  guessed,  and  perhaps  correctly 
on  the  whole,  they  reckoned  him  a  prig, 
lacking  in  all  the  ancient  qualities  of  the 
seafarer — such  as  swearing,  drinking,  smok- 
ing, and  the  like — yet  a  very  capable  sailor, 
to  be  treated  with  respect  and  exactly  as  he 


A  SHIP'S  BOAT  OF  TWELVE  MEN     55 

wished,  seeing  that  the  lives  of  all  hands 
were  in  his.  I  caught  Gordon — I  am  still 
speaking  of  this  day  of  the  Britannia — glanc- 
ing at  him  with  a  puzzled  look  on  several 
occasions  during  the  afternoon  while  the 
ship  drove  along  under  studding-sails,  and 
while  the  purple-faced  mate  paced  a  little 
piece  of  the  deck  abreast  of  the  main  rigging. 
The  incident  of  the  barometer  had  doubtless 
perplexed  the  man,  as  of  course  it  must  have 
astonished  my  stepfather,  though  I  had  heard 
him  make  no  further  reference  to  it  after 
his  few  words  on  the  subject  to  Monsignor. 
What  took  the  mate's  eye  was,  I  saw,  the 
unconscious  posture  of  vigilance  Captain 
Sinclair  carried.  We  all  know  the  seaman's 
trick,  as  he  steps  the  deck,  of  sending  a  look 
to  windward  and  then  aloft  every  time  he 
swings  round  on  his  heel ;  but  with  my 
father  there  seemed  a  straining  of  the  vision 
after  something  more  than  the  weather. 

I  happened  to  cross  the  deck  that  after- 
noon where  he  walked,  and  on  my  coming 
close,  he  stopped  to  speak.  He  looked  at 
me  a  little  earnestly,  and  after  talking  a  bit 
about  the  doctor,  exclaimed — 

"  The  breeze  has  driven  the  East  End  fog 
out  of  your  complexion,  Laura.  I  never 
saw  you  look  so  well.  I  believe  if  the 
Pope  could  be  induced  to  sanction  the  joke, 


56  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK'' 

that  handsome  priest  you  are  so  fond  of 
walking  with  and  arguing  with  would  be 
glad  to  tuck  your  arm  under  his.  He 
watches  you  now,"  he  added,  and  his  face 
relaxed. 

"I'm  to  be  married  in  New  York,  I  be- 
lieve," said  I,  laughing. 

"Who  says  so?" 

"  I  got  some  such  meaning  out  of  what 
you  said  at  home." 

He  struggled  to  remember,  then  grew  ab- 
sent suddenly,  and  stared  round  the  horizon. 

"  This  seems  an  anxious  command,  father," 
said  I,  for  so  I  would  sometimes  call  him. 

"  What  was  that  about  your  getting  married 
at  New  York?"  said  he,  with  his  face  dark- 
ening as  he  brought  his  eyes  from  mine  to 
the  sea. 

"  Oh,  no  matter.  The  having  charge  of  a 
ship  seems  a  depressing  business." 

"Ah!  a  business  it  is,"  said  he  grimly; 
"  and  so  you  mind  yours  that  I  may  mind 
mine."  Then  softening,  he  added,  "  Tell 
them,  Laura,  if  they  ask  you  why  I'm  re- 
served, that  it's  my  custom  at  sea  to  look  to 
my  ship,  and  to  the  safety  of  the  lives  and 
property  in  her,  and  to  heed  little  else. 
That's  what  they  would  wish,  hey  ?  Would 
the  Colonel  have  me  boozing  in  secret  ? 
Would  that  priest  there  have  me  too  much 


A  SFIIP'S  BOAT  OF  TWELVE  MEN     57 

intent  on  the  game  to  lift  my  head  to  a  call 
from  the  mate  ? " 

It  was  fine  that  evening,  with  a  quiet,  long 
roll  of  sea,  and  wind  enough  to  slightly  heel 
the  ship.  I  found  it  cold  on  deck  after 
supper,  and  returned  to  the  saloon,  where 
I  was  glad  to  kill  the  time  by  a  game  of 
draughts  with  Mrs.  Wills.  Two  or  three 
persons  sat  in  conversation  past  the  mizzen- 
mast — I  forget  who  they  were.  Probably 
they  did  not  know  I  was  in  the  cabin,  and 
they  talked  of  my  stepfather. 

"He's  not  approachable.  The  man  seems 
ill,  to  my  mind." 

"  I  don't  think  old  Gordon  understands 
him.  But  he'll  say  nothing  about  his  cap- 
tain.    It's  the  way  of  the  sea,  I  reckon." 

"  It  would  ruin  discipline  and  demoralise 
the  ship  if  the  officers  talked  against  one 
another.  No,  old  Gordon's  right,  I  allow,  and 
of  the  two  men  the  better  sailor,  you  bet." 

"This  is  not  the  full  ship  a  popular  cap- 
tain's name  would  command.  A  skipper 
should  qualify  as  host  as  well  as  master 
mariner  before  he  takes  charge  of  a  passenger 
vessel.  Old  Figgins  of  the  Siberia  is  my 
ideal :  hearty  as  salt  beef,  lively  and  genial 
at  table,  would  answer  your  question  civilly, 
though  in  the  midst  of  a  sudden  hurricane, 
with  his  masts  going  over  the  side." 


58  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

The  silence  was  abrupt,  as  though  I  had 
been  suddenly  spied,  and  they  talked  of  other 
things. 

Not  long  after  this  I  heard  a  commotion 
overhead,  a  little  hurry  of  footsteps,  and  a 
cry  or  two.  The  steward  came  down  the 
companion  steps  at  that  moment,  and  the 
Grasshopper  passenger,  who  was  reading  in 
a  corner,  called  out  to  him  to  know  what 
was  up. 

"  A  rocket,  sir,"  answered  the  steward, 
"  and  they  seem  to  think  it  was  fired  out  of 
an  open  boat." 

This,  of  course,  started  us  all.  I  rushed 
for  a  warm  jacket,  and  was  on  deck  in  a  few 
moments.  A  bright  sheet  of  light  lay  heav- 
ing in  greenish  silver  under  the  moon.  The 
stars  were  plentiful,  and  trembled  low  down 
to  the  sea-line,  which  stood  firm  as  the  edge 
of  an  ebony  table  against  the  scintillant 
dusk.  The  breasts  of  our  ship's  canvas 
swelled  white  as  snow  moonwards,  and  a 
noise  of  broken  waters  arose  from  alongside 
where  it  was  black  as  a  well  with  the  ship's 
shadow.  Every  soul  was  on  deck,  and  all 
were  staring  in  one  direction,  and  I  could 
not  but  look  the  same  way,  too,  the  instant  I 
arrived,  for  lo !  out  of  the  heart  of  the  dark- 
ness upon  the  deep,  well  away  to  the  left  of 
the  moon's  wake,  up  leapt  in  that  moment  a 


A  SHIP'S  BOAT  OF  TWELVE  MEN     59 

fireball :  it  vanished  in  a  dnst  of  fire,  and  a 
minute  later  I  heard  Captain  Sinclair,  who 
stood  with  a  night-glass  at  his  eyes  near  one 
of  the  quarter-boats,  call  out  to  the  helms- 
man to  port. 

"  Brace  in  the  mainyards — the  rest  may 
stand,"  he  exclaimed,  addressing  the  second 
mate. 

"What  is  it,  Captain  Sinclair?"  said  Mon- 


signor. 


"  So  far  as  I  can  distinguish,  an  open  boat. 


sir." 


"Must  not  that  signify  some  disaster?" 
said  the  priest. 

"Very  like,  very  like,"  answered  the  Cap- 
tain. "  Many  ships  find  this  a  dangerous 
sea." 

Half-a-dozen  passengers  gathered  about 
the  commander,  and  vollied  questions  into 
him.  He  drew  clear  of  them  presently,  with 
what  civilities  of  answer  I  knew  not,  for  I 
had  walked  ofi";  he  spied  me  standing  aft  in 
the  moonlight  near  the  wheel  and  came  to 
my  side. 

"Some  people,"  said  he,  "  are  such  pestilent 
questioners,  that  if  they  were  to  ask  a  man 
the  time,  and  he  in  the  act  of  pulling  out  his 
watch  fell  dead,  they  would  stir  him  about 
with  their  feet,  saying  '  What's  the  time  ? 
Why  don't  you  answer  ? '  " 


6o  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

This  was  a  hint  to  me  to  be  silent.  He 
lifted  his  glass  and  looked  in  the  direction 
where  the  fireball  had  sprung.  I  saw  no- 
thing, but  in  about  ten  minutes  a  boat  shaped 
itself  out  of  the  liquid  dusk  and  a  distant 
voice  hailed  us.  The  Captain  bawled  to  Mr. 
Gordon,  who  had  come  on  deck,  to  tell  the 
people  in  the  boat  to  look  out  for  a  line  ;  this 
the  mate  did  in  a  voice  that  roared  through 
the  quiet  night-wind  like  the  explosion  of  a 
mortar. 

Five  minutes  later  the  boat  was  alongside. 
The  shadow  was  so  thick  I  could  make  out 
no  more  than  the  outline  of  a  large  boat, 
apparently  full  of  men,  whose  faces  made  a 
strange  wavering  glimmer  in  the  darkness 
when  they  looked  up. 

The  Captain  called  down,  "Who  are  you 
and  what  boat's  that  ? " 

"We're  the  survivors  of  the  crew  of  the 
barque  Demerara,  sir,"  replied  a  powerful  but 
somewhat  husky  voice. 

"How  long  have  you  been  adrift?" 

"Two  days,  sir." 

"  Have  you  your  captain  ? " 

"  No,  sir.  The  master,  mates,  and  two  of 
the  crew,  and  some  passengers  got  away  in 
the  quarter-boats." 

"  How  many  of  you  are  there  ? " 

"  Twelve." 


A  SHIP'S  BOAT  OF  TWELVE  MEN     6i 

"  Come  aboard,"  said  Captain  Sinclair. 

They  got  the  boat  to  the  main-chains,  and  I 
went  some  way  forwards  towards  the  gang- 
way to  see  them  come  over  the  side.  The 
moon  made  plenty  of  light ;  every  shadow 
lay  in  lines  and  curves  of  jet.  Passengers 
and  crew  formed  groups  with  a  lane  for  the 
men  to  pass  through.  The  mate  stood  near 
to  receive  them,  but  my  stepfather  walked 
alone  near  the  wheel. 

I  counted  twelve  hearty-looking  fellows 
as  they  dropped  on  to  our  decks  from  the 
bulwark  rail  without  any  signs  of  exhaus- 
tion. They  were  variously  clad  in  the  ordinary 
garb  of  the  merchant  seaman  of  that  period, 
woollen  shirts,  Scotch  caps,  here  and  there 
a  round  jacket,  trousers  ending  in  bluchers ; 
most  of  them  carried  a  sheath-knife  strapped 
upon  the  hip. 

I  looked  at  one  very  hard  ;  the  face,  that 
was  of  a  peculiar  greenish-white  in  the  moon- 
light, seemed  familiar.  Where  had  I  seen 
that  man?  I  stared  again  eagerly,  making 
a  step,  but  on  turning  fully  towards  me  he 
seemed  another.  I  was  extremely  puzzled, 
and  continued  to  stare  until  the  man  was 
taken  aft  by  the  mate  to  tell  his  story,  whilst 
the  rest  trudged  forward  in  charge  of  the  boat- 
swain of  the  ship. 

We  of  the  saloon  went  aft  along  with  the 


62  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

man,  and  the  'tween-decks  folks  elbowed  after 
the  others,  tramping  forward,  leaving  the 
maindeck  empty.  We  stood  about  the  Cap- 
tain in  the  bright  light  of  the  moon  ;  the 
seaman  fronted  him,  a  tall,  sinewy,  soldierly- 
looking  chap.  The  boat  alongside  hissed 
through  the  ripples  to  the  drag  of  her  line. 

"  What  was  the  name  of  your  captain  ? " 

"Ludlow,  sir." 

"  What  caused  the  loss  of  the  ship  ? " 

"Fire.  She  was  full  up  with  burnable 
stuffs,  oil,  spirits,  coal  tar,  matches,  gin,  and 
the  like.  We  was  from  London.  When  we 
smelt  the  smoke  and  saw  the  fire,  all  hands 
reckoned  it  was  good-night  with  the  vessel. 
She  couldn't  remain  a  ship  with  such  a 
cargo," 

"  You  all  got  away  in  safety." 

"Ay,  sir,  leaving  her  a  mass  of  fire.  The 
sky  was  alight  with  her.  We  left  her  at  ten 
o'clock  at  night.  I  was  bo'sun  of  the  ship, 
and  chucked  an  armful  of  rockets  into  the 
boat  before  jumping  in  ;  but  for  them  we 
shouldn't  have  made  ourselves  seen  by  you." 

*'  That's  so,"  said  the  Captain  looking  sea- 
ward. 

We  listened  with  breathless  interest.  It 
was  not  only  the  human  and  tragic  excitement 
of  falling  in  with  a  boat-load  of  men  :  all  the 
rich  poetry  and  deep  significance  of  the  wide 


A  SHIP'S  BOAT  OF  TWELVE  MEN     63 

moonlit  scene  of  ocean  we  were  sailing  in  the 
midst  of  entered  into  the  man's  narrative  of 
the  fire,  re-creating  it  to  my  vision,  and  I 
saw  the  glowing  fabric  and  forking  flames, 
and  smoke  like  a  thunderstorm,  strange  and 
savage  with  floating  red  stars  of  fire,  and  I 
beheld  the  people  dropping  into  the  boats 
and  pushing  off,  and  the  little  craft  with 
stirless  oars  out  like  the  feelers  of  insects 
resting  in  black  spots  within  the  yellow 
illumination  of  the  sea,  till  the  light  went  out, 
and  the  shadow  of  the  earth  slipped  off  the 
face  of  the  deep,  and  exposed  a  sallow  breast 
of  water,  and  some  blackened  wreckage  sliding 
on  the  swell. 

"Were  your  boats  well  provisioned?" 
"Amply,  sir.     There  was  plenty  of  time. 
The   captain    gave  his   orders.      It   was    our 
lives,  and  not  the  ship  that  was  to  be  saved." 
"  When  did  you  part  with  the  other  boats'?" 
"  At  the  grey  of  this  morning  we  found 
that  we  was  alone." 

"  The  weather  has  been  fine.  Small  doubt," 
said  the  Captain,  addressing  us  generally, 
"that  the  other  boats  will  be  accounted  for. 
What  was  yours?" 

"  The  long-boat,  sir,  and  a  good  new  boat." 
"  I'll  send  you  men  home  at  the  first  oppor- 
tunity that  comes  along.      Go  forward  now 
and  see  to  yourself." 


64  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

The  man  civilly  saluted  and  went  towards 
the  forecastle. 

Now  I  seemed  to  think  he  slightly  stag- 
gered, as  though  worn  out.  All  the  while 
he  had  talked  I  had  watched  him  by  the 
moonlight,  and  sometimes  would  have  staked 
my  right  hand  that  I  had  before  seen  him, 
and  sometimes  was  persuaded  that  I  was 
mistaken. 

The  Captain  called  to  the  second  mate, 
and  both  went  to  the  rail  and  looked  into 
the  boat  alongside.  He  then  told  the  officer 
to  get  her  cleared  out  and  hoisted  aboard, 
and  as  he  came  aft  he  exclaimed  to  Colonel 
Wills,  "  She's  too  good  a  boat  to  lose.  She 
will  help  pay  the  cost  of  the  men's  keep." 

The  excitement  was  over.  I  took  no 
interest  in  seeing  the  ship's  way  stopped 
and  the  big  boat  hoisted  on  the  deck  and 
stowed  ;  I  was  sleepy  and  chilly  and  subtly 
bewildered,  perplexed  in  a  fashion  that  made 
me  wonder  I  should  be  so.  I  sat  for  a  little 
while  in  the  cabin,  sipping  a  glass  of  wine 
and  munching  at  some  biscuits,  and  listening 
to  some  of  the  passengers  who  talked  of  the 
rescue.  As  I  passed  to  my  berth  the  seamen 
broke  into  a  song  on  deck;  the  vessel's  motion 
had  been  arrested  and  they  were  lifting  the 
boat  out  of  the  sea. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  ''MOHOCK"  IS  SEIZED 

I  SOMETIMES  think  of  presentiments  as  a  sort 
of  intellectual  mirages ;  the  truth  is  hove 
up,  coast-like,  beyond  the  boundaries  of  the 
mental  vision,  and  you  feel  its  presence 
though  you  may  be  unable  to  distinguish  its 
character. 

When  I  awoke  this  morning,  I  felt  as  gloomy 
as  though  I  had  been  dreaming  badly  all  night, 
or  had  gone  to  bed  with  a  trouble.  I  found 
it  hard  to  dress  owing  to  the  high  sea  and  the 
steep  and  darting  leapings  of  the  deck.  The 
ship  seemed  to  hum  with  storm.  Every  other 
minute  the  cabin  porthole  vanished  in  the 
green  gloom  of  a  sea ;  the  water  roared  in 
thunder,  then  up  would  flash  the  window 
with  a  brightness  of  racing  foam  upon  the 
glass  that  dazzled  the  sight. 

When  I  was  dressed  it  was  not  yet  break- 
fast-time, and  I  clothed  myself  for  the  deck. 
Just  as  I  opened  my  cabin-door  the  door 
of  the  Captain's  cabin  opened  also,  and  forth 

65  E 


66  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

stepped  the  wiry  man  with  the  little  yellow 
mustache  who  had  been  brought  aft  on  the 
preceding  night  to  relate  his  story  of  ship- 
wreck to  the  commander.  As  he  passed  me 
I  had  a  good  view  of  him  by  the  daylight, 
and  then  it  came  to  me  in  a  sort  of  shock  of 
surprise  that  he  was  the  very  same  man  the 
servant  had  let  in  that  night  at  my  step- 
father's house  when  he  was  in  a  hurry  to 
have  me  out  of  the  way. 

The  fellow  glanced  at  me  carelessly,  giving  a 
half  look  at  the  saloon  and  the  few  people  in  it, 
as  he  turned  to  spring  up  the  companion  steps. 

I  went  slowly  up  those  steps,  holding  tight, 
my  mind  very  busy.  Was  I  sure  he  was  the 
same  man  ?  Oh,  yes  ;  I  had  keen  eyes  and  a 
good  memory.  I  could  not  mistake.  Well, 
he  was  a  seafaring  man  anyway,  and  his 
making  one  of  the  people  of  the  long-boat, 
and  his  being  picked  up  by  this  ship,  was 
just  a  coincidence  of  the  ocean  which  a  sailor 
at  all  events  would  accept  very  gravely  and 
readily.  His  coming  out  of  my  stepfather's 
cabin  would  signify  no  more  than  that  he  had 
been  sent  for  that  his  story  might  be  made 
an  official  note  of.  Captains  arc  provided,  or 
they  provide  themselves,  with  log-books,  in 
which  they  are  compelled  by  the  law,  under 
penalties,  to  enter  all  such  experiences  as  this 
of  the  long-boat. 


THE  ''MOHOCK"  IS  SEIZED  67 

I  passed  through  the  companion  and  held 
by  it,  and  looked  about  me.  This  was  the 
hardest  wind  we  had  yet  met.  It  was  blowing 
very  strong  indeed.  The  sea  rolled  in  ashen 
mountains  under  a  motionless  sky  of  lead. 
The  stoop  of  the  sky  seemed  within  a  hand's- 
reach  of  the  mastheads,  and  it  was  hideous 
and  menacing  with  the  sulphur-coloured  stuff 
that  fled  across  it,  more  like  a  scattering  of 
yellow  slime  than  vapour  ;  every  mountainous 
sea  was  freckled,  and  its  head  roared  with 
froth.  Far  as  the  eye  could  reach  the  sea 
worked  in  pale  ridges  lined  with  foam,  and 
from  the  summit  of  the  surge  I  saw  the  hori- 
zon spitting  all  the  way  round,  as  though  it 
leapt  in  flakes  against  a  barrier. 

About  three  miles  off  was  a  little  ship 
heading  eastwards.  She  had  painted  ports 
and  a  red  bilge,  and  at  first  when  I  saw  her 
vanish  I  thought  she  had  gone,  and  when  she 
emerged  I  thought  she  would  disappear  in 
the  sky.  I  never  could  have  imagine  a  vessel 
capable  of  such  antics,  and  marvelled  that 
men  should  get  about  their  business  in  such 
a  rolling  barrel.  Yet  she  ploughed  on  in 
yeast,  whitening  her  bulk  to  her  tops  in  snow- 
storms as  she  burst  into  the  hollows,  until, 
and  quickly,  she  was  so  far  off  you  couldn't 
tell  her  topsails  from  the  flashes  of  the  sea. 

But  our  ship  was  the  sight  of  that  wild 


68  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

scene  of  morning  as  she  stormed  along  aslant 
with  the  roar  of  the  blast  splitting  upon  the 
rigging  into  a  hellish  orchestra  of  tempest. 
Two  narrow  bands  of  topsails  waved  on  high. 
The  hurl  of  the  clipper  bow  bruised  the  sea 
into  a  rage  of  spume  that  boiled  above  the 
forecastle  head  at  every  stoop.  The  yeast, 
with  the  regular  leeward  reel,  rose  in  a  spark- 
ling sweep  to  the  rail ;  you  could  have 
grasped  the  flying  foam  there,  and  the  water- 
ways sobbed,  and  the  holes  in  them  flashed 
white  spouts  inwards  like  a  whale's.  The 
watch  on  deck  were  cased  in  oilskins ;  they 
were  setting  a  fore-and-aft  sail  on  the  main- 
mast, and  drove  their  rude  chants  into  the 
very  bowels  of  the  gale  as  they  dragged,  and 
their  wet  clothes,  yellow  and  black,  took  the 
sulky  sallow  light  in  dull  gleams  as  they 
swayed  together.  A  large  boat  was  stowed 
beside  the  main-hatch.  It  was  painted  black 
and  white,  and  was  evidently  a  new  and 
handsome  boat,  with  smooth  sides  ;  it  was  in 
the  way,  however,  but  I  supposed  they  could 
find  no  other  place  for  it.  Her  stern  was 
pointed  aft,  but  I  saw  no  name. 

Very  few  people  were  on  deck.  Mr. 
Gordon  had  charge  of  the  ship,  and  he  told 
me  that  this  weather  had  been  blowing  since 
midnight.  He  said  it  was  a  fair  wind  and 
the  ship  making  fine  way. 


THE  ''MOHOCK"  IS  SEIZED  69 

"  Where  are  the  sailors  who  came  on  board 
last  night  ? " 

"In  the  fok'sle,  miss,  at  breakfast,  I  ex- 
pect," he  answered. 

"Will  they  work  with  the  others  till  another 
ship  takes  them  away  ? " 

"I  don't  know  what  the  Captain's  intentions 
are,  I'm  sure,"  he  answered  cautiously,  and  I 
thought  a  little  suspiciously. 

I  never  particularly  cared  for  this  man's 
conversation.  He  was  without  any  sense  of 
humour,  and  though  he  had  seen  much,  he 
talked  little  of  his  life.  He  was  a  misfit, 
I  think,  as  mate  of  that  ship,  too  old,  and 
wanting  in  that  sort  of  training  that  qualifies 
a  man  to  sit  with  comfort  to  himself  and 
others  at  a  table  full  of  ladies  and  gentlemen. 
He  had  risen  from  before  the  mast,  and  no 
doubt  when  before  the  mast  had  cracked 
more  than  a  single  quarter-deck  tooth  as  one 
of  the  toughest  of  forecastle  nuts. 

I  walked  aft,  and  stood  on  the  quarter,  and 
thought  of  the  poor  doctor  whilst  I  watched 
the  rushing  stream  of  wake  brilliant  as  summer 
light  as  it  flashed  from  under  the  counter, 
sheathing  the  heads  of  the  seas  till  they 
looked  like  rolling  mountains  of  snow.  Two 
men  were  at  the  helm,  and  they  set  their 
teeth,  and  I  saw  the  muscles  in  their  faces 
working  whilst  with  iron  grip  they  kept  the 


70  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK'' 

plunging  and  reeling  fabric  that  had  fallen" 
wild  with  storm  true  to  her  course. 

Whilst  I  thus  stood  the  Captain  arrived. 
He  gave  me  a  nod  and  a  smile,  and  walked 
forward  to  Mr.  Gordon,  with  whom  he  con- 
versed very  earnestly  for  some  minutes.  He 
then  came  aft,  watched  the  compass  for  some 
minutes,  and  made  a  step  to  my  side. 

"  This  is  a  true  Atlantic  morning,"  said  he, 
looking  round.  "  You  will  remember  it  here- 
after. How  full  of  subdued  colour  it  is.  But 
the  fine  part  to  me  is  the  noise  and  the  con- 
stant flamings  of  foam  over  the  face  of  the 
waters." 

"  Is  it  not  extraordinary,"  said  I,  ''  that  one 
of  the  men  we  picked  up  last  night  should 
prove  the  man  who  called  at  your  house  on 
the  evening  of  the  day  of  our  visit  to  this 

ship  ? " 

"What's  that  you  said?"  he  shouted,  but 
on  my  parting  my  lips  to  answer  he  snatched 
at  my  arm,  and  carried  me  to  the  skylight, 
which,  standing  close  to  the  mizzen-mast, 
provided  a  comparative  shelter. 

"  What  do  you  say  ? "  he  cried. 

I  repeated  my  words. 

He  stared  at  me  for  some  moments  fixedly, 
as  though  he  would  screwdrive  his  gaze 
through  my  brain,  whilst  some  passion  or 
other    in    him    worked    in    a   veritable   dye 


THE  ''MOHOCK"  IS  SEIZED  71 

in  his  complexion  till  his  face  was  dark 
with  it. 

"What  object  can  yon  have  in  telling  such 
a  lie  as  that  ? "  he  exclaimed. 

"  It's  no  lie.  The  man  was  coming  in  as 
I  went  out  of  the  parlour." 

"  There  is  no  man  belonging  to  that  boat 
who  was  ever  in  my  house.  It's  an  inven- 
tion.    What's  your  motive?" 

Never  had  I  seen  his  face  more  forbidding. 

'*  Motive  !  Good  gracious  !  What  motive 
should  I  have  ?  It  may  be  a  mistake,  but  it 
is  no  invention." 

"You  never  saw  that  man  in  my  house. 
He's  a  common  seaman.  Do  I  keep  that 
sort  of  company  ashore  or  afloat  % " 

"Very  well." 

"Ay,  but  it's  not  very  well  that  you  should 
come  to  me  and  say  it's  very  extraordinary 
one  of  the  men  we  rescued  was  a  man  you 
saw  at  my  house.  Suppose — suppose — but 
there's  no  truth  in  it.    You  are  mistaken." 

Fortunately  at  this  moment  Mr.  Macbride 
in  a  clinging  mackintosh  and  ear-lappets, 
watching  his  chance,  came  sliding  down  to 
ask  the  Captain  the  name  of  a  large  white 
bird  that  was  poised  on  tremorless  wings 
off  our  lee  quarter,  lancing  the  gale  without 
visible  beat  of  pinion. 

I  made  my  way  to  the  companion  and  de- 


72  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

scended  to  the  saloon,  sorry  and  astonished. 
Why  should  my  reference  to  the  seaman  have 
angered  him  so  1  Had  I  mistaken  the  man  ? 
I  was  puzzled  and  grieved,  and  heartily  hoped 
the  thing  would  not  cause  a  coolness  on  my 
stepfather's  part ;  if  so,  then  I  should  get  him 
to  tranship  me  with  the  seamen,  for  I  had  my 
pride  and  my  feelings,  and  it  would  be  in- 
tolerable to  be  locked  up  in  the  ship  if  he 
treated  me  coldly,  or  failed  in  the  respect  I 
had  never  missed  in  him. 

Therefore  I  was  glad  when,  on  sitting  down 
to  breakfast  and  meeting  his  eyes  as  he  took 
his  place,  I  received  a  smile. 

"Oh,  Joanna,  such  a  noble  bird!"  cried 
Mr.  Macbride  to  his  wife.  "  But  the  Captain 
is  unable  to  give  it  a  name." 

"  I  have  never  seen  that  bird  in  these  seas 
before,"  said  the  Captain,  speaking  in  such  a 
voice  of  good-humour  as  surprised  me,  and 
looking  about  him  at  the  company  more  geni- 
ally than  I  had  ever  before  witnessed  in  his 
manner  as  host  or  chairman  at  that  table.  "He 
has  been  blown  out  of  the  South  Atlantic." 

"This  is  a  good  wind  but  an  ugly  sea," 
cried  Colonel  Wills,  swerving  as  though 
bitten  just  in  time  to  escape  the  contents  of 
a  cup  of  coffee  over  his  legs. 

"Will  they  never  build  a  ship  that  shall 
keep  still  in  the  water  1 "  said  a  lady. 


THE  ''MOHOCK"  IS  SEIZED  73 

"They  might  build  a  ship  that  would 
swing  in  a  frame,  just  as  that  tray  oscillates," 
said  Monsiguor  Luard.  "  The  tables,  the  pas- 
sengers, the  stewards  running  about,  every- 
thing and  everybody  would  sit  as  steadily  or 
move  as  comfortably  as  though  on  dry  land, 
though  seas  forty  feet  high  should  be  running 
outside." 

"  A  good  idea,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Jackson, 
"  and  then  there  would  be  an  end  of  sea- 
sickness." 

"No,  sir,"  exclaimed  Captain  Sinclair,  "the 
motion  that  causes  sea-sickness  is  the  motion 
that  you  can't  provide  against.  Figure  that 
you  are  seated  in  that  swinging  tray,"  said  he, 
pointing  ;  "  it  is  perfectly  true  that  you  shan't 
feel  the  ship  roll  or  pitch,  but  what  you  must 
feel  is  the  downward  fall  and  upward  launch  ; 
in  fact,  you  must  go  with  the  ship,  swing  as 
you  will,  and  it's  the  up  and  down,  the  drop 
from  peak  to  base,  the  rise  to  the  height 
again  that  does  it." 

This  was  received  with  deference  by  all, 
and  with  earnest  attention  by  Mr.  Macbride, 
as  coming  from  the  captain  of  the  ship. 

"  It  is  lucky  for  those  chaps  that  we  fell 
in  with  them  last  night,"  said  the  Colonel. 
"They  must  have  perished  in  such  a  sea  as 
this." 

"  She's  a  fine  boat,"  said  Mr.  Macbride,  "a 


74  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

sailor  told  me  she  was  carvel-built  and  then 
walked  off.     What  is  carvel-built  ? " 

"They  make  a  pretty  sturdy  show  as  a 
shipwrecked  lot,  don't  they  ? "  said  Mr.  Jack- 
son. "  I  doubt  if  a  theatrical  audience  would 
accept  such  a  make-up  as  genuine — as  dis- 
tressful enough  by  all  the  way  from  a  good 
dinner  to  casting  lots." 

"  What  is  carvel-built  ? "  repeated  Mr.  Mac- 
bride. 

"How  do  shipwrecked  men  look?"  said 
the  Captain. 

"  Oh,  one  gets  hold  of  notions,"  answered 
the  comedian.  "After  reading  Byron,  for 
instance,  and  the  Mariner's  Chronicle,  you 
want  bloodshot  eyes,  hair  like  seaweed,  a 
cannibal  pallor  of  countenance,  and  that  sort 
of  face  which  its  mother  wouldn't  know." 

"  Those  men  had  no  time  to  give  them- 
selves such  airs,"  said  Mrs.  Wills. 

"They  were  adrift  for  a  few  hours  only, 
comparatively  speaking,  in  fine  weather,  in  a 
large  roomy  boat,  well  stocked  with  drink 
and  provisions,  and  they  are  sailors,  used  to 
hardships,"  said  the  Captain. 

"What  is  carvel-built?"  bothered  the 
parson. 

"  When  the  sides  of  planking  lie  together 
instead  of  over-lapping,"  answered  the  Captain. 

"I  was  observing  some  of  the  men  just 


THE  ''MOHOCK"  IS  SEIZED  75 

now,"  said  Monsignor.  "  They  were  helping 
the  seamen  to  wash  the  decks.  They  seem 
a  fine  powerful  body  of  fellows." 

"  One's  infernally  ngly,"  said  the  Colonel 
through  his  nose. 

"  So  ugly  that  nothing  but  baptism  could 
have  made  him  a  man,"  said  Mr.  Jackson 
with  a  loud  laugh. 

Monsignor  put  on  a  concerned  face  and 
cast  down  his  eyes. 

After  breakfast  my  stepfather  called  me 
to  his  cabin.  "  Laura,"  said  he,  "  I  lost  my 
temper,  and  am  sorry.  I  was  a  little  startled. 
I  do  not  like  to  have  a  stranger,  such  a  man, 
too,  as  that  fellow  of  the  long-boat,  foisted 
upon  me  as  an  acquaintance,  as  one  that  I 
should  receive  at  my  house." 

"  Of  course  I  was  mistaken,"  said  I. 

"  We'll  say  no  more  about  it,"  he  exclaimed, 
touching  my  forehead  with  his  lips,  and  then 
he  bade  me  sit  down,  and  talked  for  half  an 
hour  about  the  voyage,  and  the  passengers, 
and  the  fine  times  he  intended  I  should  have 
in  New  York. 

That  afternoon  the  gale  broke,  and  in  the 
evening  it  was  blowing  a  fresh  wind,  with  a 
quick  black  ridge  of  sea  that  put  an  uncom- 
fortable jump  into  the  ship's  motions ;  but 
the  weight  of  the  gale  was  off  the  surge, 
and  aloft  its  voice  was  a  moaning  instead 


76  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

of  the  prolonged,  soul-sickening  yell  of  the 
morning. 

I  went  on  deck  in  the  twilight,  when  the 
remains  of  the  sunset  lay  in  a  rusty,  dirty, 
stain  like  old  gore  amongst  the  scud  that 
swept  into  it,  and  found  the  ship  clothed 
again  almost  to  her  topmost  yards.  She  was 
a  gallant  picture  in  that  weak  light.  The 
darkness  of  the  night  was  descending  upon  the 
froth  of  the  sea  and  the  spirit  of  desolation 
lay  cold  in  that  vast  breast  of  waters.  The 
ship  seemed  alive  whilst  she  floated  with 
proud  fearlessness  into  the  mystery  of  the 
night.  I  had  never  admired  her  so  much 
before.  You  went  below  and  sat  in  the 
radiant  saloon ;  you  played  at  cards,  read, 
talked,  did  as  you  would  in  a  hotel  drawing- 
room  ashore,  and,  seasoned  to  the  movement 
of  the  fabric,  forgot  for  a  long  hour  or  two 
where  you  were  ;  then  returning  on  deck,  lo  ! 
the  bleakness  of  the  night  suddenly  encom- 
passed you ;  dimly  on  high  soar  the  spectral 
wings  of  the  ship,  the  roar  of  the  bow-wave 
slants  off  on  the  wind,  and  the  sound  of 
rushing  waters  in  the  blackness  strikes  a  chill 
to  the  very  marrow ;  but  the  gallant  fabric 
has  been  heroically  doing  her  work  whilst  you 
were  gone ;  she  does  it  whilst  you  watch — 
in  your  sleep  she  will  be  faithful  to  you.  I 
could  not  but  think  of  her  as    one  thinks 


THE  ''MOHOCK"  IS  SEIZED  77 

of  a  beautiful  horse,  as  something  to  love, 
something  full  of  spirit,  that  knows  what  is 
expected  of  it,  but  whose  patient  dutifulness 
makes  her  more  wonderful  and  touching  as  a 
creation  than  had  she  owed  her  life  to  nature. 

I  went  to  bed  that  night  at  ten,  and  re- 
member that  when  I  left  the  saloon  my  step- 
father sat  at  the  table  with  Monsignor  Luard, 
who  was  describing  a  visit  he  had  made  to 
Kome.  The  lamps  shone  brightly,  and  the 
mirrors  flashed  back  the  radiance  as  the 
heave  of  the  ship  swung  the  illuminated 
globes  ;  most  of  the  passengers  were  in  the 
saloon ;  the  Grasshopper  and  Mr.  Jackson 
played  at  double  dummy  at  the  bottom  of  the 
table ;  Mrs.  Wills'  fat  hand  sparkled  whilst 
her  fingers  in  deep  meditation  hovered  over 
the  draught-board ;  Macbride  read  aloud  to 
his  wife  in  a  corner.  It  was  a  cheerful  sea- 
piece,  and  the  meaning  of  the  ocean  was  in 
it  with  the  movement  of  the  deck  and  the 
straining  noises  of  bulkhead  and  cargo. 

But  the  wind  was  certainly  scanting  and 
the  sea  flattening,  and  when  I  was  in  my 
bunk  lying  down  I  seemed  to  find  the  ship 
sailing  along  as  quietly  as  a  yacht  ofi"  South- 
ampton. 

I  was  awakened  by  a  noise  of  several  voices. 
A  number  of  people  talked  together,  and  there 
was  excitement  and  terror  in  their  tones.      I 


78  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'* 

lay  listening  a  minute,  then  looked  at  my 
watch ;  it  was  a  quarter  after  seven.  The 
sun  was  risen,  and  the  atmosphere  of  my 
cabin  was  bright  with  the  blue  light  of 
heaven,  and  white  with  the  silver  of  rolling 
seas  shone  upon.  The  sound  of  voices  in 
great  tumult  in  the  saloon  continued,  but  my 
cabin  was  far  aft,  and  the  bulkhead  stout,  and 
I  could  not  distinguish  words. 

I  went  to  the  door  in  my  nightdress, 
opened  it,  and  listened.  I  thought  at  first 
there  was  a  violent  quarrel  amongst  a  num- 
ber of  the  passengers.  I  could  catch  no  more 
than  disjointed  sentences  without  meaning; 
Mr.  Bergheim  would  begin  to  speak,  then 
Mr.  Jackson's  voice  would  roll  in ;  whilst 
they  rattled  together  Colonel  Wills  would  fall 
a-shouting,  and  then  a  woman  screeched. 

I  closed  the  door  and  dressed  myself  as 
fast  as  ever  I  could  ply  my  hands ;  then 
sallied  forth  and  walked  right  among  the 
people. 

All  the  saloon  passengers  were  now  pre- 
sent. Mrs.  Macbride  lay  in  a  swoon  on  the  sofa, 
and  her  husband  and  a  lady  hung  over  her. 
She  it  was  no  doubt  I  had  heard  shriek.  I 
never  could  have  figured  such  looks  of  con- 
sternation as  I  beheld.  Every  man's  face  was 
white  as  paper,  if  I  except  Monsignor,  who 
stood  erect  and  dignified,  holding  by  a  stan- 


THE  "MOHOCK"  IS  SEIZED  79 

chion,  his  expression  one  of  mingled  amaze- 
ment and  expectation.  I  saw  the  steward 
standing  at  the  sideboard  forward  ;  he  seemed 
fearfully  woe-begone  and  frightened,  and  pos- 
tured as  a  man  who,  having  delivered  a  hide- 
ous message,  devotes  himself  with  horror  to 
reconsidering  the  meaning  of  it. 

"  Here's  Miss  Hayes  ;  tell  her  !  "  shrieked 
Mrs.  Wills,  on  catching  sight  of  me. 

"We're  prisoners,"  said  the  Grasshopper, 
who  was  very  pale,  pulling  his  hands  out  of 
his  breeches'  pockets  and  folding  his  arms. 

"  The  ship's  seized  by  them  we  rescued 
from  drowning ;  and  we're  locked  up  and 
can't  get  out,"  shouted  the  little  German  Jew, 
r)erglieim. 

"Do  they  mean  to  cut  our  throats  ?  How 
did  they  get  possession  of  the  small-arms  ? " 
yelled  the  Colonel,  in  a  passion  of  alarm  and 
wrath.  "  How  the  devil  came  the  Captain 
and  ship's  officers  to  be  so  neglectful  as  to 
allow  the  ruffians  to  arm  themselves  with 
those  very  weapons  with  which  we  and  the 
crew  could  have  subdued  them  in  a  jiify  ?" 

"We  are  frightening  Miss  Hayes,"  ex- 
claimed Monsignor.  "The  news  is  very  sud- 
den, and  let  us  remember  that  the  Captain  is 
her  stepfather." 

"What  is  if?  What  has  happened ?  I  do 
not  understand  you,"  I  cried.    I  was  not  only 


8o  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

bewildered  by  the  shouts,  I  was  likewise  fresh 
from  sleep,  was  a  little  thick,  and  this  thing 
was  a  matter  no  girl's  brain  could  instantly 
compass. 

*'  Step  this  way  and  repeat  the  story  to  the 
lady,  steward,"  cried  Mr.  Jackson. 

The  man  came  from  the  sideboard,  looking 
completely  crushed,  and  putting  his  hand 
upon  the  table,  depressed  his  face,  yet  lifted 
his  eyes  to  mine,  so  that  his  appearance  was 
as  if  he  were  receiving  sentence  to  be  shot. 

"  What  is  this  that  has  happened,  steward?" 
said  I.     "  Where  is  Captain  Sinclair  ? " 

The  passengers  fell  silent  as  death,  saving 
that  just  when  the  steward  was  about  to 
speak,  the  parson  and  his  lady  friend  lifted 
Mrs.  Macbride  off  the  sofa,  and  staggered 
with  her  into  their  cabin  :  I  caught  the  noise 
of  a  fall  when  they  had  entered  the  berth, 
but  nobody  took  any  notice. 

"The  twelve  men  we  rescued  the  other 
night,"  began  the  steward,  "  turn  out  to  be  a 
gang  of  pirates  " — he  sank  his  voice  at  the 
word  "pirates"  and  glanced  uneasily  around 
and  up  at  the  skylight.  "  They  ain't  no 
shipwrecked  men  at  all.  They've  waylaid 
us  off  some  vessel  that's  been  a  watching  of 
us.     That's  what  I  say." 

"But  what's  happened? "  I  asked. 

"  Why,  in  the  middle  watch  they  got  hold 


THE  ''MOHOCK"  IS  SEIZED  8i 

of  the  arms-chest,  and  armed  themselves  to 
the  teeth  with  pistols  and  cutlashes,  clapped 
the  hatches  over  those  who  were  under  deck, 
forced  the  watch  on  deck  into  the  forecastle, 
along  with  the  boatswain  and  carpenter  ;  then 
a  gang  of  them  lays  aft,  and  forces  the  Captain, 
who  was  on  deck,  and  Mr.  Gordon,  who  had 
charge,  into  the  bo'snn's  berth.  This  done, 
three  of  them  seeks  mc  and  the  second  mate, 
and  drives  us  with  levelled  pistols  right  for- 
rards,  where  they  thrusts  us  into  the  berth 
along  with  the  Captain  and  mate.  There's  a 
fellow  bristling  with  arms  stationed  at  the 
forescuttle ;  there's  another  a-bristling  just 
the  same  at  the  door  where  the  Captain 
and  t'others  lies  locked  up,  and  a  third's  up 
there,"  said  he,  pointing  to  the  companion, 
"and  he  threatens  to  blow  the  blistered 
brains  out  of  the  bloody  head  of  the  first 
person  who  attempts  to  look  out." 

Mrs.  Wills  squealed  and  fell  back  upon  a 
sofa :  her  husband  sank  beside  her. 

"  Beg  him  not  to  use  such  horrifying  lan- 
guage," exclaimed  a  stout,  stern-looking  lady 
with  curls  gummed  on  her  forehead  :  she  had 
two  children  with  her,  both  of  whom  were 
crying,  but  quietly. 

"  It's  drawing  on  for  breakfast-time,"  cried 
the  Grasshopper  ;   "  are  we  to  be  fed  ?  " 

"Who  has  taken  command  of  the  ship?" 

F 


82  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

said  I,  who  had  been  too  astounded  to  speak 
until  that  moment. 

"  A  thin  feller,  likewise  armed — got  a  little 
bit  of  a  mustache  :  it  was  him  fetched  me 
out  and  sent  me  along  down  here  to  tell 
the  ladies  and  gents  there's  nothing  to  be 
afraid  of,  and  that  they'd  be  well  treated  if 
they  gave  no  trouble.  I  left  him  walking 
the  quarter-deck  when  the  cove  guarding 
the  companion  opened  the  doors  to  let  me 
through." 

"  How  many  sailors  go  to  this  ship's  crew  ? " 
bawled  the  Grasshopper. 

"  Eighteen,  sir,"  answered  the  steward. 

"Eighteen!"  howled  the  other,  "not  to 
mention  us  men  aft,  every  one  of  whom,  so  I 
take  it,  is  willing  to  fight  in  defence  of  his 
life,  liberty,  and  property !  Why,  we're  an 
army  compared  to  the  twelve  scoundrels  who 
have  seized  the  ship." 

"  And  then  you  have  the  'tween-deck  pas- 
sengers," said  Mr.  Jackson. 

"  Why,  of  course,"  roared  the  Grasshopper, 
rounding  upon  the  steward  as  if  he  were  the 
chief  culprit  in  the  affair,  and  responsible  for 
the  whole  business. 

"  We're  all  under  hatches,  sir,  them  and 
us  and  the  sailors,"  answered  the  steward, 
"  and  when  a  man's  under  hatches  he  may  as 
well  be  under  ground." 


THE  "MOHOCK''  IS  SEIZED  83 

"  What  firearms  can  we  muster  amongst 
us  ? "  said  the  Grasshopper.  "  I  have  a  re- 
volver." 

The  others  seemed  not  to  hear. 

Monsignor  said,  "  I  should  deprecate  any 
resistance  when  perhaps  we  may  expect  good 
usage  by  remaining  passive.  Cut  off  as  we 
are  down  here,  the  Captain  and  officers  im- 
prisoned in  a  cabin,  the  sailors  locked  up  in 
the  forecastle,  and  the  rest  of  the  people  shut 
down  in  another  part,  the  ship  is  helplessly 
in  the  rascals'  hands.  I  counsel  calmness  and 
patience.  Resistance  must  lead  to  bloodshed, 
which  the  fellows  who  have  seized  the  ship 
may  desire  as  little  as  we  do." 

"But  see  here,"  said  Mr.  Jackson,  "I  want 
to  get  to  New  York.  I've  star  engagements 
to  fulfil,  and  I  am  due" — and  he  named  a 
date. 

"  Don't  make  a  trouble  of  such  slush  as 
play-acting  in  the  face  of  this,"  said  the 
Grasshopper,  with  insolent  irritability. 

Mr.  Jackson  turned  and  played  a  furious 
scowl  upon  him ;  there  was  nothing  comical 
whatever  meant  in  that  look. 

I  seated  myself  whilst  this  sort  of  talk  went 
on.  Yet  even  in  that  moment  I  seemed  to 
find  something  humorous  in  our  tragic  situa- 
tion. It  was  monstrous,  but  it  was  a  ridi- 
culous thing,  too,  that  a  number  of  ladies  and 


84  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

gentlemen  and  children,  first-class  passengers, 
should  be  locked  up  in  a  gay  saloon,  and 
sentinelled  by  a  seaman  armed  to  the  teeth. 
Those  were  still  early  years  in  this  cen- 
tury ;  yet  I  don't  think  the  pirate  as  we 
read  of  him,  the  scoundrel  of  the  Jolly  Roger 
and  the  bloody  flag,  was  still  afloat.  Now 
and  again,  perhaps,  a  corsair  was  to  be  heard 
of  down  among  the  West  India  Islands,  but 
who,  this  side  of  Paul  Jones's  capers,  would 
look  for  the  piccaroon  in  the  North  Atlantic  ? 
The  seizure  of  the  Mohock  was  no  piracy  after 
the  old  pattern.  It  was  clearly  the  result  of 
some  deep-laid  plot,  to  which  confederates 
belonging  to  the  ship  herself  would  be  essen- 
tial ;  and  whilst  I  thus  thought,  my  heart  grew 
as  lead,  and  horror  trod  upon  the  heels  of 
dark  suspicion. 

Colonel  Wills  at  this  moment  with  a 
clenched  fist  fell  to  haranguing  us.  He  told 
us  that  he  was  an  American  soldier,  that  he 
loved  blood-letting  as  little  as  any  one,  but 
that,  in  spite  of  Monsignor's  mild  advice,  it 
was  not  to  be  endured  that  they  should  all 
sit  down  and  wait  for  their  throats  to  be 
cut. 

'•  Who's  to  tell  me,"  he  shouted,  "  that  the 
villains,  after  plundering  the  ship,  won't  set 
her  afire,  and  go  away  in  the  boats,  leaving 
us  battened  down  to  be  roasted  alive  ? " 


THE  ''MOHOCK"  IS  SEIZED  85 

"  Such  talk  is  unreasonable,  Colonel,  in 
the  presence  of  ladies,"  said  Monsignor. 

A  child  began  to  cry  bitterly,  yet  the 
Colonel  proceeded,  despite  the  noise.  He 
bawled,  "There's  no  unreasonableness  in 
facts.  If  we've  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
pirates,  I'm  prepared  for  the  worst.  Are  we 
to  sit  here,  I  say,  whilst  they  gut  the  ship  of 
booty  and  then  scuttle  her?  There's  that 
skylight,"  he  yelled,  jumping  up  from  his 
wife's  side.      "  With  fire-arms " 

At  that  instant  the  companion  doors  were 
opened,  and  the  Colonel  fell  back  by  his 
wife's  side,  mute  as  a  rat,  as  though  lightning- 
withered. 

The  stewardess  came  down  the  ladder,  and 
against  the  sky  past  her  in  the  square  of  the 
companion  I  caught  sight  of  the  figure  of  a 
man,  who,  as  the  woman  descended,  closed 
the  doors.  Till  now  there  had  been  some- 
thing dreamlike  in  these  wild  terrifying 
moments,  but  the  sight  of  that  sentinel,  and 
the  rapid  closing  of  the  companion  doors, 
put  a  significance  into  the  whole  thing 
that  had  the  terror  of  death  itself  in  it.  I 
turned  cold  and  felt  sick.  Monsignor's  eye 
was  upon  me.  He  withdrew,  but  in  a  few 
moments  returned  with  a  little  brandy. 

As  the  stewardess  approached  us  every 
voice  saving  mine  and  the  priest's  was  lifted 


86  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

high,  hoarse,  shrill  in  question.  She  was 
dressed  in  a  bonnet  and  shawl,  and  looked 
as  though,  having  missed  the  ship,  she  had 
just  stepped  on  board  after  a  long  chase  in 
an  open  boat. 

*'  You're  wanted  on  deck,  steward,"  said 
she,  paying  no  heed  to  the  passengers'  ques- 
tions. 

"  What  am  I  wanted  for  ? "  said  the  ste- 
ward, turning  if  possible  paler  than  he  was. 

"  I  think  it's  to  see  about  the  saloon  break- 
fast," she  answered,  and  then,  pulling  off  her 
bonnet,  she  cried,  "  What  an  awful  business, 
to  be  sure !  They  are  mad  with  terror  in  the 
'tween-decks,  where  the  beasts  have  kept  me 
locked  up  since  four  o'clock." 

The  steward  carried  the  figure  of  a  man 
going  to  his  doom  as  he  walked  to  the 
companion  steps  and  mounted  them.  He 
knocked  upon  the  closed  doors,  but  got  no 
reply.  He  knocked  again,  and  a  voice  de- 
livered by  a  hurricane  lung  thundered : 

"My  orders  are  to  shoot  down  any  man 
who  tries  to  break  through ;  so  keep  back." 

The  steward  fell  half-way  down  the  flight 
of  steps.  I  caught  at  that  instant  the  dull 
light  of  a  ship's  musket  barrel  in  the  grip 
of  the  sentry.  Suddenly  another  man  came 
into  the  companion,  and  the  same  hoarse 
voice    I    remembered    as    having    answered 


THE  ''MOHOCK"  IS  SEIZED  87 

Captain  Sinclair's  hail  bawled  down,  "  Was 
that  the  steward  knocking  ?  " 

"  Ay,  sir,"  answered  the  terrified  man. 

"Then  come  up  and  bear  a  hand.  No 
need  to  keep  the  passengers  waiting  break- 
fast." 

The  steward  passed  out,  but  the  doors  were 
left  open,  and  a  minute  later,  after  a  short 
rumble  of  talk,  one  of  the  two  fellows  came 
below. 


CHAPTER  V 

UNDER    HATCHES 

The  man  that  came  into  the  saloon  was  the 
thin,  wiry,  soldierly  rogue  Avitli  the  yellow 
mustache.  He  stepped  to  the  head  of  the 
table,  close  under  the  skylight,  and  on  look- 
ing at  him  again  I  was  as  convinced  that  he 
was  the  man  I  had  seen  at  my  stepfather's 
as  that  my  eyes  were  those  I  had  viewed  him 
with.  He  had  made  some  change  of  apparel ; 
wore  a  cloth  cap,  a  monkey-jacket,  trousers 
stuffed  into  sea-boots,  which  gave  him  a 
theatrical,  swaggering  look ;  a  cutlass  was 
strapped  to  his  waist,  and  the  butt  of  a  pistol 
showed  under  either  pocket  flap.  He  grasped 
no  weapon,  but  then  at  the  head  of  the  saloon 
staircase  stood  the  seaman  with  the  musket ; 
we  could  see  him  clearly :  he  held  the  musket 
by  the  barrel,  the  butt  end  resting  on  the 
deck,  and  lounged  in  a  posture  that  hinted 
at  plenty  of  savage  alertness  when  a  call 
should  come. 

"Me  and  my  mates,"  said  the  man,  speak- 

ss 


UNDER  HATCHES  89 

iDg  in  a  steady,  hoarse  voice,  and  looking 
about  him  fiercely,  even  to  the  suggestion  of 
a  squint  under  the  wrinkles  of  his  scowl- 
ing frown,  "have  got  possession  of  this  ship, 
and  we  mean  to  keep  her.  No  harm's  in- 
tended to  you  here." 

"  But  is  that  so  V  cried  Mrs.  Wills. 

He  surveyed  her  figure,  and  answered, 
insolently,  "  Ay,  or  I  shouldn't  have  said  it." 

'■'Pray  let  us  hear  what  is  to  be  done  with 
us?"  exclaimed  Monsignor. 

"  There'll  be  no  change,"  continued  the 
man,  talking  in  his  throat  as  though  he 
supposed  that  hoarseness  lent  a  fresh  terror 
to  his  aspect.  "You'll  fare  the  same  as 
you've  been  doing.  You'll  be  allowed  to 
take  the  air  in  small  companies." 

"Are  our  lives  in  peril?"  cried  the  Grass- 
hopper, leaning  forward  and  breaking  into 
the  question  with  spasmodic  vehemence. 
The  sound  of  his  voice  and  the  posture  of 
his  elbow  was  like  a  leap  in  the  air. 

*'  That'll  be  your  business,  master,  not 
ourn ! "  answered  the  fellow.  "  Keep  you 
quiet,  that's  all." 

"But,"  exclaimed  Monsignor,  "how  do  you 
intend  to  dispose  of  us?" 

"  You'll  be  put  ashore,"  was  his  reply. 

"  But  where,  sir,  but  where  ?  "  shouted  Mr. 
Jackson,   staring  with  greedy,  fearful  eager- 


90  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

ness  at  the  figure  of  the  fellow.  "  I  booked 
to  New  York.  My  wish  is  simply  to  get 
there.  I  have  many  important  engagements 
to  fulfil,  and  their  forfeiture  must  signify  so 
serious  a  loss,  that  sooner — in  short,  if  you 
will  name  any  reasonable  sum  " — the  come- 
dian began  to  stammer. 

"I  don't  think  it  will  be  New  York 
with  yer  this  voyage,"  interrupted  the  man. 
"But  keep  quiet.  That's  all  you've  got  to 
do.  You'll  come  to  no  hurt  any  of  you, 
only  you  must  give  no  trouble." 

Thus  speaking,  he  cast  another  angry  look 
around,  and  his  eye  lighting  upon  me,  his 
face  I  thought  relaxed  for  an  instant,  but 
the  villain  was  quick  with  his  wits,  and  was 
coolly  mounting  the  steps  before  I  could  have 
sworn  he  saw  me. 

We  sat  or  stood  staring  at  one  another. 
Then  said  Colonel  Wills  : 

"What  in  flames  is  meant?  Did  any 
man  ever  meet  the  like  of  so  all-fired  a 
fiend  ?  They  mean  to  alter  the  ship's  course, 
anyhow." 

The  actor  lifted  up  his  fist  and  let  it  fall. 
Monsignor  went  to  the  head  of  the  table, 
where  my  stepfather  sat  at  meals,  and  looked 
at  a  tell-tale  compass  secured  to  a  beam  im- 
mediately overhead.  He  looked  and  looked 
again.     His  face  fell.     A  new  tinge  of  pale- 


UNDER  HATCHES  91 

ness  entered  his  tranquil  handsome  features, 
and  he  said  in  a  low  but  clear  voice : 

"  The  course  is  already  changed." 

"Where  are  they  steering  us  to?"  cried  a 
lady. 

'*  The  ship's  course  is  now,"  exclaimed  the 
priest,  upturning  his  eyes  to  the  tell-tale  once 
more,  "  almost  directly  south." 

This  announcement  was  followed  by  a  pro- 
longed silence  of  consternation. 

"  Is  there  no  remedy  ?  "  blubbered  the  hard- 
faced  woman  with  the  children.  "  Won't  they 
transfer  us  to  another  ship  ?  What  can  they 
intend  by  sailing  us  south  1 "  and  the  poor 
thing's  red  eyes  rolled  about  in  their  sockets, 
glaring  and  wild  with  fright. 

"  Can't  you  comfort  us  1 "  cried  Mrs.  Wills 
to  the  stewardess.  "You've  been  to  sea  for 
years  and  years.  Have  you  never  had  any 
experience  of  this  sort  before  ?  " 

"  God  forbid  !  "  answered  Mrs.  Yorrock. 
"  Who  indeed  ever  heard  of  the  like  happen- 
ing in  an  American  liner  1 " 

"The  Captain  may  break  out  with  the 
mates,  and  recover  the  ship,"  said  somebody, 
at  which  everybody  looked  at  me. 

I  had  nothing  to  say.  What  did  it  matter 
that  the  commander  was  my  stepfather  ?  I  sat 
silent  and  sick  with  fear  and  black  suspicion. 
My  memory  preserves  but  little  of  the  hurry, 


92  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

rage,  confusion  of  talk  that  followed.  The 
stewardess  said  it  was  a  piratical  plot  arranged 
in  London  before  the  ship  sailed  :  she  knew 
it  by  this  token — there  were  no  cutlasses  in 
the  vessel's  arms-chest. 

"Did  they  bring  them  in  the  long-boat?" 
shouted  the  Colonel,  "  If  so,  their  intention 
was  plain,  and  '11  convict  the  Captain  and 
mates,"  he  snarled  through  his  nose,  "  as 
confederates." 

"  Hush !  I  beg  of  you.  Colonel ! "  cried 
Monsignor,  tossing  his  hands  towards  the 
skylight  and  looking  at  me. 

"  Parcels  of  small  arms  may  have  been 
secretly  shipped  at  the  docks,"  exclaimed  the 
stewardess.  "  But  it's  shocking,  ladies  and 
gentlemen,  I'm  sure,  even  to  mention  Captain 
Sinclair,  the  most  respected  of  commanders, 
and  Mr.  Gordon  and  Mr.  Turnbull,  as  con- 
federates." 

Thus  ran  the  talk  :  it  mouldered  quickly, 
however,  by  cause  of  most  of  the  passengers 
being  but  half-dressed  and  going  to  their 
berths. 

At  nine  o'clock  by  the  saloon  dial  the  com- 
panion doors  were  opened,  and  the  steward 
descended.  The  fellow  on  deck  sentinelling 
the  hatch  let  us  see  that  he  was  on  guard 
by  crossing  and  recrossing  the  space  of  blue 
weather  that  shone  in  the  doorway,  and  bring- 


UNDER  HATCHES  93 

ing  the  musket-end  down  with  a  thud  when 
he  halted.  The  steward  was  alone.  The 
stewardess  asked  if  his  understrappers  were 
to  be  allowed  to  help  him :  he  answered  surlily, 
"No,    they   was   locked   up   along  with   the 


crew." 


He  and  the  stewardess  prepared  the  table 
for  breakfast.  There  were  but  three  or  four 
of  us  in  the  saloon  at  this  time,  and  we 
worried  the  man  with  questions. 

"Who's  looking  after  the  ship?  "  says  the 
Grasshopper. 

"  The  beast  in  the  mustache,  sir." 

"Are  any  of  the  ship's  company  helping?" 
inquired  Monsignor. 

"  Nary  man.  Only  the  shipwrecked  crew's 
on  deck,  barring  me  and  the  cook." 

"There  are  twelve  men,"  said  Monsignor, 
"  and  four  guard  the  hatches,  and  one  is  at 
the  wheel,  whilst  one  is  in  charge  ;  that  leaves 
but  six  to  trim  the  yards  and  work  the 
sails  of  this  big  ship,"  and  he  shrugged  his 
shoulders. 

"  Is  the  door  of  the  berth  the  Captain  and 
the  mates  are  in  guarded  ? "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  miss." 

"What  will  the  Captain  do?"  cried  the 
Grasshopper.  "  I  allow  by  the  looks  of  him 
that  he's  not  the  man  to  allow  his  ship  and 
her  cargo,  and  a  crowd  of  people  more  or  less 


94  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

important,  to  be  walked  off  with  and  made 
away  with  by  the  dozen  scabs  we  picked  off 
the  sea." 

"Once  men  are  under  hatches  they  are 
powerless,"  said  Monsignor.  "  I  have  read 
of  a  ship  that  was  seized  by  two  Malays ; 
they  ran  amuck,  the  crew  rushed  below,  the 
Malays  battened  them  down,  and  held  undis- 
puted possession  for  a  week.  Nothing  saved 
the  people  but  her  appearance  aloft ;  an 
inquisitive  man-of-war  approached,  and  the 
Malays  sprang  overboard." 

"  Steward,  open  that  skylight,"  said  the 
Colonel.  "  Its  growing  durned  rammish  down 
here." 

"  They'll  shoot  me  if  I  show  my  head  there," 
answered  the  steward. 

Monsignor,  spreading  a  large  yellow  hand- 
kerchief upon  the  table,  got  on  to  it,  and  ran 
one  of  the  frames  up  by  its  rack,  calmly 
screwing  it  afterwards.  No  notice  was  paid 
to  this  on  deck,  though  he  said  that  the  wiry 
man  who  stood  at  the  weather  mizzen  rigging 
watched  him. 

"What  have  they  pirated  this  ship  for? 
What's  in  her,  anyhow  ?  "  asked  the  Colonel. 

The  steward,  turning  his  pale  face  upon 
his  shoulder,  answered,  "Ninety-eight  thou- 
sand pounds  in  gold,  sir." 

The  Grasshopper  and  the  Colonel  whistled 


UNDER  HATCHES  95 

low  and  long  together,  and  the  Colonel, 
springing  up,  began  to  walk,  whilst  he 
shouted,  "  By  thunder  !  If  I  haven't  always 
thought  that  money  was  a  more  dangerous 
cargo  than  gunpowder." 

The  breakfast  was  long  in  serving.  The 
steward  had  to  work  alone ;  the  fellow 
guarding  the  companion  would  not  let  the 
stewardess  through.  Never  did  a  more 
forlorn  company  sit  down  to  a  meal  at  sea. 
Conversation  was  restrained,  perhaps  fortu- 
nately, by  the  wiry  fellow  giving  us  an 
occasional  view  of  his  figure  as  he  slowly 
walked  past  the  open  skylight,  keeping  a 
look-out.  It  was  soon  whispered  round  that 
the  ship  had  ninety-eight  thousand  pounds 
in  her,  and  every  face  darkened  at  the 
intelligence ;  the  capture  was  a  rich  prize 
in  a  word,  and  God  alone  could  tell  how 
it  was  to  go  with  us,  armed  to  the  teeth  as 
the  twelve  determined  devils  were,  and  every 
soul  aboard  secured  under  hatches. 

I  never  could  have  imagined  so  dejected  a 
countenance  as  Mr.  Jackson's ;  scarcely  the 
tremendous  character  of  the  thing  that  had 
wrought  it  saved  me  from  bursting  into  a 
laugh  at  him.  His  dark  eyes  were  rooted  to 
the  tablecloth  ;  he  ate  but  little.  Monsignor 
Luard  spoke  soothingly  to  the  ladies  and 
tried  to  comfort  them. 


96  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

"  I  am  pleased,"  he  said,  "  to  hear  of  the 
money.  I  do  not  agree  with  Colonel  Wills 
and  the  other  gentlemen  that  it  deepens  the 
significance  of  our  peril.  My  conviction  is 
that  the  robbers  will  bring  the  ship  to  a 
stand  off  some  coast  with  which  they  are 
acquainted,  where,  after  carrying  the  money 
ashore,  they  will  abandon  us.  It  will  prove 
a  true  romance  of  the  sea,  which  might  be 
of  great  professional  use  to  Mr.  Jackson, 
for  what  could  form  a  more  thrilling  sub- 
ject for  a  nautical  drama  than  this  experi- 
ence ? " 

The  comedian  spat  a  curse  at  the  deck. 

I  could  not  guess  what  sort  of  a  wind 
blew.  I  saw  fine  weather  in  the  mottled 
azure  through  the  skylight.  Through  that 
glass,  too,  the  mizzenmast  was  visible  ;  the 
yards  were  braced  square,  and  the  marble- 
white  cloths  sank  and  swelled  languidly 
with  the  regular  curtseying  of  the  ship  on 
the  long  heave  of  brine  that  followed  her. 
All  remained  wonderfully  quiet  on  deck  for 
a  long  while.  From  time  to  time  one  or 
another  of  the  gentlemen,  finding  heart, 
would  spring  upon  the  table  and  cautiously 
apply  his  eye  to  the  skylight  glass,  and  re- 
port softly  what  he  saw ;  but  what  he  saw 
was  never  more  than  this — a  fellow  armed 
with    a    musket    leaning   against    the    com- 


UNDER  HATCHES  97 

panion,   a   second    at    the    wheel,    and    from 
time  to  time  a  third  walking  a  look-out. 

The  sight  of  the  steward  was  a  godsend 
when  they  let  him  down  to  get  us  some 
lunch.  But  Master  Milk-liver  had  never 
any  news  to  tell  us.  I  think  that  steward, 
whose  real  name  I'd  publish  if  I  remembered 
it,  was  the  greatest  coward  that  ever  shipped 
to  serve  at  table.  It  was  degrading  to  hear 
him  thank  the  armed  ruffian  above  for  opening 
the  door  and  letting  him  down.  All  that  he 
could  tell  us  was  that  the  Captain  and  mates 
were  still  locked  up  and  the  crew  under 
hatches.  Some  of  the  steerage  passengers 
liad  been  allowed  on  deck  to  cook  a  mid- 
day meal  for  all  of  them ;  the  main-hatch, 
under  which  the  rest  lay,  was  guarded,  just 
as  was  the  companion. 

I  have  said  there  were  sixteen  cabin 
passengers,  including  children,  and  at  four 
o'clock  that  afternoon  the  whole  of  us  were 
assembled  in  the  saloon,  seldom  speaking, 
and  staring  idly  ;  for  all  had  been  said ;  it 
was  only  now  and  again  that  somebody  would 
break  out ;  but  speculation  was  exhausted, 
and  there  was  nothing  else  to  base  our  talk 
upon. 

On  a  sudden  we  heard  the  voices  of 
men  chorusing  the  familiar  sea-chant  of 
*'  Cheerily,  men  ! "  this  was  accompanied  by 


98  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

a  grinding  and  scraping  of  feet  on  deck. 
One  or  two  got  upon  the  table,  but  the  com- 
motion was  forward,  and  it  was  impossible  to 
see  that  way.  The  stewardess,  coming  out 
of  Mrs.  Macbride's  cabin,  cocked  her  head  a 
moment  or  two,  and  lifted  her  eyebrows. 

•'What  do  you  think  it  is?"  asked  some 
one. 

She  listened  again  and  then  answered — 

"I  believe  they  are  hoisting  out  the  big 
boat  they  came  in." 

"They  may  have  got  the  money  and  mean 
to  leave  the  ship,"  said  the  Colonel. 

"  What !  carry  off  ninety-eight  thousand 
pounds  in  an  open  boat  ? "  cried  the  Grass- 
hopper with  a  sarcastic  sneer.  "  How  much 
d'ye  think  ninety-eight  thousand  pounds 
weighs?  Not  to  mention  twelve  stout  men 
to  sink  her  farther  yet,  along  with  all  the 
provisions  and  water  they  need ;  for  aren't 
we  in  the  middle  of  the  Atlantic,  hey?" 

"  What  can  they  mean  to  do  ? "  cried  Mrs. 
Wills  in  a  thrilling  voice. 

We  had  not  long  to  wait  to  discover.  Loud 
shouts  of  '*  Slacken  away !  Ease  off  hand- 
somely !  "  and  the  like  reached  us,  and  shortly 
afterwards  we  heard  the  splash  of  a  large 
body  lowered  quickly  and  water-borne  "  with 
a  run."  Had  the  side  of  the  ship  been 
depressed  we  might  have  caught  a  sight  of 


UNDER  HATCHES  99 

the  boat  through  an  o[)en  porthole ;  but  the 
Mohock  floated  upright  under  square  wings, 
and  you  could  see  nothing  but  the  horizon 
and  the  sky  above  it  through  the  windows. 

Whatever  was  happening,  however,  was 
being  carried  on  with  great  activity ;  men 
sprang  about,  cries  sharp  as  with  temper  and 
urgency  reached  us  through  the  open  skylight, 
under  which  some  of  the  gentlemen  stood, 
straining  their  ears  with  all  their  might  to 
gather  from  the  noise  the  least  import  of 
what  was  intended.  Mr.  Macbride  had  ter- 
rified us  by  suggesting  in  a  trembling  voice 
that  the  boat  was  meant  for  us  saloon  pas- 
sengers, who  were  to  be  sent  adrift  as  a  sort 
of  beginning.  Occasionally  this  poor  man 
would  whine  most  dolefully. 

"  Oh  ! "  he  cried  out  once,  breaking  into  a 
long  silence  and  addressing  himself  to  Mon- 
signor,  "  how  is  our  little  excursion — the  trip 
that  my  wife  and  I  have  been  looking  for- 
ward to  for  months  and  months — saving  up 
and  praying  for — how  is  it  to  end  ?  She  lies 
in  her  bed  motionless,  and  almost  dead  with 
headache.  Surely  there  must  be  some  error 
— if  representatives  of  the  twelve  men  were 
invited  into  this  saloon  in  a  kindly,  gentle- 
manly way,  and  the  facts  of  our  situation 
submitted  to  them  with  modemtion — appeal- 
ingly " 


loo  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

**  Ask  the  sentry  to  let  you  pass  and  see 
what  you  can  do  for  us,"  the  Grasshopper 
growled  out. 

The  clergyman,  in  fact,  had  been  silenced 
by  finding  no  response  to  his  twaddling 
lamentations  in  the  looks  of  us. 

Two  of  the  saloon  cabin  windows  on  the 
starboard  side  were  open,  and  we  knew  by 
a  fountain-like  noise  of  rippling  waters  that 
a  large  boat  was  towing  alongside.  We  stood 
or  moved  about,  hearkening  with  passionate 
eagerness :  if  ever  any  one  spoke  he  was 
silenced  by  grimaces  or  gestures.  All  this 
while  I  was  wondering  what  part  Captain 
Sinclair  was  going  to  play  in  this  audacious 
drama  of  the  sea.  I  was  surprised  also  that, 
saving  Colonel  Wills'  remark,  no  reference 
was  made  by  any  of  the  people  to  what  surely 
suggested  itself  as  a  deep-laid  conspiracy. 
But  then,  of  course,  I  had  reason  to  be 
shockingly  suspicious,  and  to  carry  conjecture 
beyond  anything  the  most  imaginative  could 
depicture.  It  was  not  only  the  presence  of 
the  wiry  man  on  board  ;  I  had  noticed  the 
anxious,  secret  look-out  the  Captain  had  kept 
— for  what,  if  not  for  the  boat  whose  twelve 
men  had  been  brought  aboard  as  shipwrecked 
people?  Again,  I  thought  I  saw  plenty  to 
raise  suspicion  in  that  strange  freak  of  the 
barometer.     Nor   could  I   forget  the    queer, 


UNDER  HATCHES  loi 

wary,  steadfast  look  I  caught  that  sullen, 
straight-headed  old  seaman  Gordon  directing 
at  my  stepfather. 

"Hark!"  suddenly  cries  Monsignor,  lift- 
ing his  hand  in  a  priestly  way.  "What  is 
happening  ?  " 

It  was  a  sound  of  trudging  in  the  waist, 
accompanied  by  a  continuous  growl  of  voices 
of  men,  raging,  but  helpless ;  occasionally  a 
clear  sentence  would  leap  out  of  that  brute- 
like clamour. 

"  Over  you  go.  By  God !  you'll  not  be 
spared  more  than  another  if  you  hang  back  !  " 

It  was  strange  we  did  not  hear  more,  see- 
ing that  the  cabin  windows  were  open  and 
the  weather  quiet,  and  no  noises  in  the  ship 
saving  an  occasional  light  musketry  of  canvas 
when  the  swell  launched  her,  along  with  the 
ticking  of  doors  on  hooks  and  creakings  of 
bulkheads. 

Mr.  Jackson  got  upon  the  table,  and,  peering 
aft  through  the  skylight,  reported  that  the 
companion  door  was  unguarded. 

"Depend  upon  it,"  said  Monsignor,  "  they're 
doing  something  that  requires  all  their 
strength." 

"I've  a  good  mind  to  force  my  way  on 
deck,"  exclaimed  Colonel  Wills.  "  This  is  a 
ship,  and  I'm  no  rat." 

"  You'll    do    nothing    of    the    sort/'    half 


I02         THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK'' 

shrieked  his  wife.  "  They'd  think  no  more 
of  shooting  you  than  if  you  were  a  rat." 

Colonel  Wills  appeared  to  take  the  same 
view :  he  remained  motionless ;  evidently  he 
had  no  intention  to  attempt  anything  rash. 
He  got  out  of  the  thing  quite  gallantly  by 
exclaiming,  with  a  scowl  at  the  steps  and  in 
a  grumbling  voice,  "  I'd  step  out  and  take  my 
chance,  by  thunder,  if  I  didn't  know  those 
doors  were  secured  outside." 

Thus  some  time  passed,  when  all  of  a  sud- 
den a  starboard  cabin  window  was  whitened 
by  the  passing  of  a  large  sail  close  by,  and 
I  heard  Mr.  Gordon's  hurricane  voice  roar 
out  from  the  surface  of  the  sea,  "  You'll  be 
lagged  for  it,  every  man  of  you.  You're  dogs 
and  devils  to  send  a  boatful  of  men  adrift 
with  night  coming  on " 

This  was  subdued  into  a  dim,  indistinguish- 
able roaring  till  the  white  sail  of  the  boat 
slided  abreast  of  the  next  open  window,  and 
then  we  heard  the  fellows  in  her  shouting 
at  the  people  on  deck  :  'twas  a  mere  gib- 
berish of  curses,  oaths,  insults,  and  the  boat 
slipped  aft,  and  I  heard  nothing  save  an 
occasional  insolent  inhuman  roar  of  laughter 
above. 

A  thought  came  into  my  head  and  I  went 
to  the  Captain's  cabin ;  I  was  free  of  it,  and 
had  used  it  when  the  Captain  himself  was 


UNDER  HATCHES  103 

present,  lying  down  or  writing.  It  was  a 
large  airy  cabin,  with  a  big  stern  window 
after  the  old  pattern.  The  hour  was  about 
live ;  the  sun  hung  a  good  bit  above  the 
sea,  and  as  the  ship's  stern  faced  north,  the 
splendour  of  the  afternoon  was  on  the  left 
in  the  water :  the  atmosphere  trembled  with 
the  rich  lights  of  the  ocean,  and  hung  in 
a  blue  glimmering  transparency  across  the 
cabin  window,  making  the  distance  a  little 
misty  with  its  radiance. 

Yet  I  instantly  saw  on  going  to  the  window 
the  white,  needle-like  heights  of  a  couple  of 
ships,  apparently  standing  to  the  westward, 
just  under  the  bronzed  round  of  a  large,  faint, 
swollen  heap  of  yellow  cloud,  riding  clear 
of  the  sea-edge.  The  next  thing  my  sight 
caught  was  the  boat  that  had  left  us.  She 
was  the  boat  the  twelve  men  had  been  taken 
out  of,  a  fine  large  craft,  sitting  buoyantly, 
though  crowded,  and  in  that  instant  of  watch- 
ing I  saw  them  trim  the  large  lugsail,  and, 
with  an  inverted  Union  Jack  flying  from 
the  masthead,  slant  away  with  spitting  stem 
and  foaming  rudder  for  the  ships  in  the 
distance. 

I  snatched  up  a  binocular  glass,  and 
looked  whilst  the  boat  was  clearly  framed 
in  the  square  of  the  window.  The  lenses 
instantly  gave  me  the  faces  of  our  old  ship's 


I04  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

company.  I  could  scarcely  credit  my  sight; 
Mr.  Gordon  sat  in  the  sternsheets  of  the  boat, 
steering  her.  Next  him  was  Mr.  Turnbull. 
I  also  saw  the  boatswain  of  the  ship,  a  man 
named  Vigors,  with  many  a  face  that  had 
grown  familiar.  There  looked  above  twenty. 
My  pulse  went  quickly,  whilst  I  searched  that 
crowd  for  my  stepfather ;  and  when  I  saw 
nothing  of  him  I  thought  to  myself,  "Does 
not  his  remaining  on  board  prove  my  sus- 
picions? What  will  those  poor  fellows  out 
there  think  of  him  ?  Was  it  ever  before  told 
of  a  shipmaster  that  he  turned  his  whole 
ship's  company  adrift  in  an  open  boat,  with 
the  darkness  coming  on,  themselves  guiltless 
of  any  wrong  l  " 

The  breeze  that  blew  languidly  for  us 
floating  before  it,  was  a  fresh  air  for  the  little 
craft,  and  she  seethed  through  the  brine 
nimbly,  marking  the  swiftness  of  her  flight 
upon  the  sea  by  the  arrow-straight  riband 
of  foam  she  seemed  to  trail ;  there  could  be 
no  doubt  of  her  coming  up  with,  or  at  all 
events  of  her  being  seen  by,  one  or  the  other 
of  the  ships  whose  spires  were  red  in  the 
air.  I  watched  through  the  glass  till  the 
boat  had  passed  out  of  the  compass  of  the 
window,  and  then  re-entered  the  saloon. 

The  steward  was  preparing  the  table  for 
dinner,   which  had  been   delayed   two   hourg 


UNDER  HATCHES  105 

beyond  the  usual  time,  but  nobody  appeared 
to  have  noticed  this.  He  was  answering 
questions  when  1  passed  out  of  my  step- 
father's cabin,  and  I  stood  still  to  hear  him, 
being-  almost  as  private  and  withdrawn  there 
as  in  a  berth. 

"  The  whole  of  the  crew,  do  you  say  1 " 
exclaimed  Mr.  Bergheim. 

"  Barring  me  and  the  cook,"  was  the 
answer. 

"  Then  we  are  completely  in  the  power  of 
the  fellows  who  have  seized  the  ship  ! "  said 
Mr.  Macbride. 

"Bin  so  all  along,"  answered  the  steward, 
proceeding  in  his  business  of  dressing  the 
table  with  agitated  gestures,  and  frequent  up- 
heavals of  his  pale  face  at  the  skylight. 

"  But  it's  like  murdering  men  to  send  them 
adrift  in  an  open  boat  in  this  wide  ocean," 
said  Monsignor  Luard. 

"There's  two  ships  in  sight,"  said  the 
steward,  "  and  the  boat's  got  a  distress  colour 
a-flying.  They've  got  wittles  and  sperrits, 
and  there's  two  hours  of  daylight  left.  I 
don't  fear,  gentlemen,  of  their  not  being 
seen  and  taken  aboard." 

"They'll  report  this  piracy — but  what 
then?"  says  Colonel  Wills,  sticking  out  his 
legs.  "  If  the  ship  that  picks  them  up  is 
westward  bound  it  may  take  them  a  month  ol" 


io6  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

six  weeks  to  arrive  at  an  American  port. 
Then,  or  some  time  afterwards,  I  reckon  a 
British  cruiser  will  be  sent  in  search.  But 
where'll  she  look  for  us,  and  where'll  we  be 
by  that  time  ? " 

Mrs.  Macbride,  who  no  longer  lay  motion- 
less in  her  cabin,  clapped  her  handkerchief  to 
her  milk-white  face  and  rocked  herself 

"  The  only  grain  of  comfort  in  this  dread- 
ful business,"  exclaimed  the  hard-faced  lady, 
"is  that  Captain  Sinclair  is  still  on  board." 

"  What's  he  going  to  do  for  us,  all  alone  as 
he  is?"  answered  Mr.  Jackson,  scowling  at 
her.  "  If  he  couldn't  help  us  with  his  army 
of  men  in  the  ship,  of  what  use  can  he  be 
single-handed  1 " 

I  stepped  forward  at  this  point  and  ex- 
claimed, "Has  any  news  of  my  stepfather 
reached  the  cabin  1 " 

The  steward  answered,  "  They've  kept  him 
aboard,  miss,  but  he's  still  locked  up." 

"What  do  they  mean  to  do  with  him?" 
I  asked. 

"I  expect,"  said  Monsignor,  "that  they 
have  kept  him  to  help  them  to  navigate 
the  ship.  None  of  the  fellows  I  saw  looked 
educated  and  qualified  as  navigators." 

"  You'll  find  that's  it,"  said  the  Grasshopper. 
"  But  will  he  navigate  the  ship  ? "  he  pro- 
ceeded with  excitement.     "Ought  he  to  lift 


UNDER  HATCHES  107 

his  sextant,  or  take  a  single  peep  at  his 
chronometer,  unless  under  assurances  which 
will  provide  for  our  safety  and  arrival  in  a 
reasonable  time  in  America?" 

"  Trust  him  to  know  his  business,"  said 
Monsignor  gently.  "  You  are  right,  madam. 
It  is  comforting  to  know  that  he  is  on  board. 
Yet  what  must  be  his  feelings?  His  crew 
sent  adrift,  his  ship  captured,  her  course 
altered,  himself  a  prisoner  ! "  He  uprolled 
his  eyes  till  nothing  showed  but  the  whites, 
and  Mr.  Macbride  groaned  in  sympathy  with 
that  fine  expressive  face  of  misery. 

At  this  moment  the  wiry  man  thrust  his 
head  into  the  skylight,  and  called  in  his 
hoarse  note — 

"  Below  there !  Is  Miss  Hayes  amongst 
ye? 

I  started  and  felt  myself  turn  ashen,  yet 
I  went  at  once  to  the  table  and  looked  up 
and  said,  "What  do  you  want?" 

"  The  Captain  wishes  to  have  a  talk  along 
with  you,  miss,"  answered  the  fellow,  per- 
severing in  his  voice  of  studied  hoarseness. 
"  In  plain  words,  we've  given  him  his  choice, 
and  he  wants  you  to  help  him  to  decide.  I'll 
open  the  doors  if  you'll  come  up." 

He  withdrew  his  head. 

"This  is  no  roose,  I  hope,"  cried  the 
Colonel.      "Miss    Hayes    is    a    fine    young 


io8  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

woman,  and  by  thunder  the  ladies  must  be 
respected  and  protected,  first  and  foremost," 
and  now  he  seemed  in  earnest,  for  he  sprang 
to  his  legs  with  his  face  full  of  blood,  and  a 
wild  look  at  the  frame  where  the  man's  head 
had  been. 

"  I  don't  think  Miss  Hayes  has  any  need 
to  be  afraid,"  said  the  hard-faced  lady.  "  Pray 
consider,"  said  she,  addressing  the  others, 
*'  it's  her  stepfather  who  sends  for  her." 

I  went  to  my  cabin  without  more  ado  and 
put  on  my  hat  and  jacket,  then  mounted  the 
companion  steps  and  knocked  upon  the  doors. 
They  were  immediately  opened  by  the  wiry 
man,  who,  on  my  stepping  on  deck,  securely 
closed  them  afresh,  by  some  arrangement 
of  staple  and  padlock.  I  felt  exceedingly 
frightened  when  the  doors  were  closed  and  I 
found  myself  alone,  that  is,  the  only  woman. 
The  western  light  was  a  blaze  of  splendour, 
and  the  ship  bowed  stately  before  the  breeze 
in  the  royal  dress  of  crimson  the  sunset  draped 
her  with.  Seven  or  eight  fellows  stood  about 
the  decks  in  twos  or  threes.  One  grasping  a 
musket  guarded  the  main-hatch.  I  saw  no 
other  sentry.  I  sent  one  quick  look  seaward 
in  search  of  the  boat,  but  out  in  the  direction 
she  had  been  heading  for  it  was  all  melting 
dark  blue  water,  flashful  with  red  gleams 
slipping  from  one  crest  to  another,  with  th§ 


UNDER  HATCHES  109 

two  sail  on  the  verge  of  the  deep  showing 
full  breasted,  and  as  large  again  as  from  the 
cabin  window. 

The  wiry  man  said  roughly,  "It'll  be  all 
right  with  them.  One  of  those  ships  has 
shifted  her  helm  to  pick  the  boat  up.  Now 
you'd  better  come  along  and  see  the  Captain. 
Us  men  are  impatient,  and  want  him  to  decide 
quickly." 

Thus  speaking,  he  led  the  way  into  the 
fore  part  of  the  ship. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  CAPTAIN  VISITS  THE  PASSENGERS 

The  range  of  the  ship's  deck  looked  strange 
with  the  fresh  crew  of  sauntering  burly  rogues  ; 
the  *tween-deck  folk  were  under  hatches,  and 
the  fellow  who  guarded  them  glanced  grimly 
at  me  as  I  passed.  Possibly  he  was  the 
hideous  man  the  Colonel  had  spoken  of. 
He  squinted,  and  had  a  hare-lip  and  red 
hair,  and  a  huge  knob  of  tumour  doubled 
the  girth  of  the  neck  under  his  right  ear. 
His  face,  almost  to  the  concealment  of  his 
eyes,  was  covered  with  small  crawling  red 
whiskers. 

The  others  seemed  of  the  average  type  of 
seamen,  or  rather  of  boatmen ;  you  may  see 
such  men  leaning  alongshore  against  capstans, 
anchor-flukes,  public-house  fronts.  They  were 
variously  attired,  one  in  a  moleskin  cap, 
another  in  a  rusty  wideawake,  here  a  pea- 
jacket,  there  a  thick  jersey.  They  trudged 
in  short  walks,  their  hands  for  the  most  part 
deep  buried  in  their  breeches'  pockets,  their 


THE  CAPTAIN  VISITS  PASSENGERS   iii 

backs  humped.  A  big  deck-house  stood 
behind  or  abaft  the  foremast.  The  after  part 
was  the  ship's  galley,  and  the  fore  division 
contained  the  boatswain's,  sailmaker's,  and 
carpenter's  berths.  The  wiry  man  went  to  a 
door  on  the  starboard  side  of  this  house,  and, 
smartly  rapping  upon  it,  slided  it  open,  roar- 
ing in  its  grooves — 

"  Here's  the  lady,  and  let's  have  your  deci- 
sion quick,  if  you  please,"  said  he. 

I  cannot  express  the  brutal  insolence  of 
his  tone  and  manner.  I  looked  at  him  with 
disgust  and  terror. 

"  Step  in,"  said  he,  with  a  rough  angry 
gesture,  and  when  I  had  entered  he  ran  the 
door  to  with  ruffianly  violence. 

The  house  had  Avindows,  and  the  light  of 
the  sunset  was  upon  them,  and  I  saw  clearly. 
The  compartment  was  rather  bigger  than  an 
average  saloon  cabin.  It  contained  a  couple 
of  bunks,  a  locker,  and  a  table.  My  step- 
father sat  upon  the  locker,  stiff,  and  staring 
in  front  of  him  like  a  blind  man.  His  familiar 
frown  blackened  the  expression  of  his  face 
as  he  looked  at  me.  He  seemed  haggard  in 
features  somewhat,  and  disordered  in  apparel. 
Afterwards,  in  thinking  how  this  might  be, 
seeing  that  his  sea-clothes  were  not  of  a  sort 
to  be  easily  "  disordered,"  I  found  in  the 
photographic  memories  of  my  sight  that  the 


112  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

impression  was  produced  by  his  collar  and 
cravat.  He  made  no  sign,  and  I  felt  afraid. 
Presently  combing  down  his  face  with  his 
fingers,  as  though  he  would  tighten  the 
slack  stays  of  his  wits  behind  his  eyes,  he 
said — ■ 

"I  want  to  consult  you.  My  mind  is  un- 
hinged. This  is  the  most  dreadful  situation 
that  ever  the  master  of  a  ship  was  placed  in." 

I  sat  down,  but  answered  nothing. 

"I  suppose  you  know,"  said  he,  "that 
they  have  driven  all  the  original  ship's  com- 
pany, saving  myself,  into  the  boat  we  took 
the  scoundrels  out  of.  They  would  not  send 
me  away.  No.  The  devils  must  keep  me  to 
navigate  the  vessel,  though  I  begged  them 
to  choose  one  of  the  mates  and  despatch  me 
with  my  men." 

"  What  are  their  plans  ? "  I  asked. 

"  How  do  I  know,"  he  answered,  speaking 
with  a  sudden  passion.  "This  is  the  alter- 
native they  give  me  :  carry  this  ship  to  a 
place  which  we  shall  name  to  you,  or  quit 
her  in  an  open  boat." 

"Which  will  you  do?" 

"I  don't  understand  the  slovenly  coolness 
of  that  question,"  said  he.  "I  may  set  a 
value  upon  my  life,  I  hope,  without  regard  to 
your  opinion  of  its  worth." 

"I   would   give    anything,"    said    I,   "that 


THE  CAPTAIN  VISITS  PASSENGERS   113 

they  had  chosen  one  of  the  mates  and  sent 
you  away  with  the  old  ship's  company." 

"  Yes,  I  entreated  them  to  do  so." 

"  Father,"  said  I,  "  this  seizure  is  the  re- 
sult of  a  conspiracy  that  must  have  been 
arranged  before  the  ship  sailed." 

"  How  can  I  tell  ? "  he  answered,  frowning 
and  folding  his  arms  and  leaning  back. 

"They  are  saying  in  the  cabin  that  there 
are  no  pirates  in  these  seas.  That  boatload 
of  men  hanging  in  the  path  of  the  vessel 
was  a  ruse  to  capture  her.  The  ship  they 
belonged  to  was  not  likely  to  be  very  far  off. 
Was  it  that  schooner  that  spoke  us  a  night 
or  two  ago,  do  you  think  ? " 

"  Is  that  thought  in  the  saloon  1 " 

"It's  my  own  suspicion." 

"What  do  the  passengers  say  about  the 
business?" 

"We  are  horribly  frightened.  We  are 
locked  up,  and  an  armed  man  guards  us. 
We  are  in  fear  of  our  lives,  and  we  can  talk 
of  nothing  but  what  is  to  become  of  us." 

"  But  what  is  said  1 "  he  exclaimed,  search- 
ing my  eyes  with  his  keen  gaze  as  though 
he  would  constrain  me  by  the  passion  and 
grief  of  his  looks  to  be  brief  and  frank. 

"The  hardest  thing,  the  only  thing,  per- 
haps, worth  noting  in  all  the  talk,  was  the 
exclamation   of  odq   of  them,  that  you  and 

H 


114  '^HE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

the    officers    must    be    confederates    in    this 

piracy." 

"  Who  said  that  ? "  he  demanded,  stiffening 
himself  erect  into  his  former  blind  man's 
posture. 

"I  forcjet." 

"  Recall  the  name." 

"Iforo-et." 

"  Was  it  the  priest  1 — was  it  the  Colonel  ? — - 
was  it  Mr.  Jackson  1 " 

"I  forget." 

He  did  not  believe  me,  but  then  he  knew 
for  all  my  good-humour  I  had  the  spirit  of 
a  mule. 

"'SMiat  led  to  that  remark?" 

"Why,"  said  I,  "I  think  it  was  owing  to 
the  stewardess  saying  that  as  the  rogues  had 
armed  themselves  with  cutlasses,  and  there 
were  no  cutlasses  in  the  arms-chest,  parcels 
of  weapons  must  have  been  secretly  laid  in 
for  them  in  dock." 

"  How  did  she  know  what  the  arms-chest 
held?"  he  replied,  looking  as  though  what  I 
said  relieved  his  mind.  "  The  arms-chest 
was  handsomely  equipped  for  this  voyage. 
I  saw  to  it  myself  at  the  request  of  the 
owners.  Do  you  know  that  there  are  ninety- 
eight  thousand  pounds  in  gold  in  this  ship?" 

"  Yes,  it  has  been  talked  of  in  the  cabin." 

"They  must  have  read  the   statement   of 


THE  CAPTAIN  VISITS  PASSENGERS  115 

her  freight  in  the  newspapers,"  he  exclaimed. 
"It  was  swiftly  planned — a  diabolical  plan; 
it  will  niin  me." 

*'How  did  the  people  in  the  boat  know 
exactly  where  to  find  this  ship  ?  " 

"  The  track  of  the  liners  is  constant.  They 
took  their  chance,  I  suppose.  Besides,  what 
do  I  know  about  it?"  he  shouted.  "You 
talk  to  me  suspiciously.  I  don't  like  your 
airs  and  looks.  You  have  declared  you  met 
one  of  the  villains  at  my  house  before  we 
sailed.     Do  you  still  insist  upon  that  ? " 

"No.  You  have  told  me  I  am  wrong. 
There's  a  man  on  board  very  much  like  the 
man  I  saw." 

"And  that's  about  it,"  said  he.  "But  I 
called  YOU  here  to  consult  with  vou.  What 
shall  I  do"?  If  I  decline  to  navis^te  the 
vessel,  they'll  send  me  adrift.  "Why  should 
they  force  me  to  sacrifice  my  life  ?  They 
have  ruined  me.  Shall  I  allow  them  to  de- 
stroy me  also  ? " 

"  Is  there  no  hope  of  repossessing  our- 
selves of  the  vessel  ? " 

"What  do  you  advise?"  he  exclaimed 
impatiently.  "  Repossess  ! "  he  went  on, 
with  much  irritatinsj  sarcasm  in  his  manner. 
"  I  stand  alone.  What  help  am  I  to  expect 
from  the  heroes  of  the  saloon  ?  The  men 
have  seized  the  ship,  and  the  money's  theirs 


ii6  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

whilst  they  have  hold  of  her.  They  are 
armed,  every  man,  a  merciless,  devilish  lot, 
as  may  be  judged  by  their  turning  adrift  a 
whole  company  of  men  in  an  open  boat  at 
nightfall.  Repossess  !  That  would  mean  a 
bloody  business,  bad  for  the  saloon  heroes 
and  the  gutter  fencibles  of  the  'tween-dccks, 
but  worse  for  you  women." 

It  was  almost  dark  now ;  I  could  scarcely 
see  his  face.  The  shadow  had  come  on  a 
sudden  in  a  long  moan  of  wet  blast  over  the 
rail.  A  hoarse  voice  shouted  sharply  from 
the  quarter-deck.  A  minute  later  I  was 
listening  to  the  yowling  of  men  pulling  at 
ropes :  it  was  a  song  of  the  blue-water  sailor, 
but  not  sung  as  the  old  company  used  to 
sing  it.  The  air  in  their  mouths  wanted 
the  waltzing,  deep-sea  roll  it  takes  when 
chanted  by  real  seamen.  My  stepfather 
went  to  one  of  the  little  windows  and  looked 
forth  ;  he  carried  his  hands  behind  him,  and 
whilst  he  stared  I  watched  his  fingers  work- 
ing as  though  he  ground  tobacco  into  snuff. 

"  What  do  you  advise  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  If  they  send  you  in  an  open  boat  they'll 
take  care  there's  a  ship  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, I  suppose  ? "  said  I. 

"They'll  not  wait  for  a  ship  to  be  in  the 
neighbourhood,  as  you  call  it,"  he  answered. 
"Let  me  tell  them  now  I  refuse  to  navigate 


THE  CAPTAIN  VISITS  PASSENGERS   117 

the  ship,  and  they'll  send  me  adrift  out  of 
hand  in  the  gig  that  hangs  astern,  to  live, 
if  I  can,  through  the  night.  What  do  yon 
advise? "  he  repeated. 

"  If  I  were  in  yonr  place,  I  should  consult 
my  honour  first  of  all." 

"  What  has  my  honour  got  to  do  with 
it  ? "  he  shouted.  "  We  pick  up  a  boatload  of 
ruffiaus  in  good  faith,  believing  them  ship- 
wrecked men.  They  rise,  arm  themselves, 
and  seize  the  ship.  How  is  my  honour  con- 
cerned ? " 

I  made  no  reply. 

"  You  can  return  to  the  saloon,"  said  he, 
after  a  pause,  "  and  explain  to  the  passengers 
the  situation  I  am  placed  in.  Perhaps  they'll 
agree  with  me  that  the  commander  of  a  ship 
should  never  desert  his  post." 

"  When  is  your  answer  expected  ?  "  said  I, 
with  a  faint  smile. 

"  When  I  have  made  up  my  mind,"  he 
replied. 

Saying  which,  he  took  the  door  in  his 
hands  as  though  he  would  slide  it  open, 
and  then  recollecting  himself,  beat  upon  it. 
It  was  thrust  along  its  grooves  from  outside 
by  a  fellow  who  held  a  musket  in  a  posture 
of  readiness  :  vet  the  house  had  not  been 
sentinelled  when  I  entered  it !  I  passed 
through  the  door  filled  with  wonder,  shame, 


ii8  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

and  temper,  aud  the  moment  I  was  out  the 
man  rushed  the  door  to  with  an  unnecessary 
show  of  savage  energy. 

The  sun  was  gone,  and  the  sea  glanced 
bleakly  in  froth  under  a  patch  of  crimson 
haze,  but  it  was  dark  in  the  east,  with  a 
sky  full  of  stars.  The  wind  had  shifted  and 
freshened,  and  the  ship  was  lying  over  under 
reduced  canvas,  washing  white  through  the 
dusk  of  the  early  night,  and  the  stars  over 
the  sweeping  mastheads  seemed  to  listen  up 
in  the  silence  there  to  the  music  in  the 
shrouds. 

I  was  terribly  depressed  and  frightened, 
and  whilst  I  went  along  the  deck  I  tried  to 
understand  why  I  had  been  brought  into  this 
mysterious  astonishing  business  ? — why,  in 
other  words,  he  should  have  carried  me  along 
with  him  this  voyage  ?  Some  object  he  had, 
but  I  could  find  none. 

When  I  reached  the  quarter-deck  a  figure 
stepped  from  the  mizzen  rigging ;  it  was  the 
wiry  man ;  so  far  the  gentry  were  nameless. 
He  said  gruffly  and  hoarsely  : 

"  What  does  the  Captain  mean  to  do  ?  We 
can't  keep  all  on  waiting." 

"Have  you  no  navigator  amongst  you?" 
said  I,  stopping  and  looking  at  his  face  by  the 
starshine  and  faint  twilight. 

"  Never  you  mind,"  he  answered. 


THE  CAPTAIN   VISITS  PASSENGERS   119 

"If  he  declines  to  navigate  this  ship  and 
yon  send  him  adrift,  what  will  you  do  ? " 

He  laughed.  "Do  ?"  he  exclaimed.  "With- 
out  him  any  way.  How've  ye  counselled 
him  ? " 

"He  needs  no  advice,"  said  I,  and  I  left 
him  swayinsr  on  his  heels  asrainst  the  western 
rusty  scar  that  slipped  to  and  fro  past  the 
squares  in  the  shrouds  and  stepped  to  the 
companion  hatch,  which  the  fellow  on  guard 
there  at  once  opened. 

The  lamps  were  alight  and  the  people  at 
supper.  I  took  my  accustomed  place,  clad  as 
I  was  for  the  deck,  and  was  instantly  and 
olficiously  waited  upon  by  the  steward,  whose 
hovering  air  and  pale  anxious  looks  marked 
him  as  eager  as  any  to  get  the  news. 

"Well,"  cried  Colonel  Wills,  "have  you 
seen  the  Captain,  Miss  Hayes?  And  if  so, 
how  does  he  ?  Have  the  scoundrels  ill-used 
him  ?  Will  he  come  amongst  us  once 
more?" 

"  He  has  had  this  offer,"  said  I,  "  either  to 
command  this  ship  to  some  destination  which 
they  won't  name,  or  be  sent  adrift  in  an  open 
boat,  and  take  his  chance  of  living  or  dying." 

"  Great  God  ! "  cried  Mr.  Jackson,  and  one 
of  the  ladies  uttered  a  scream  of  horror. 

"He'll  take  command,  of  course?"  said 
Monsignor. 


I20  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

"I  hope  so,"  I  answered. 

"  It's  his  business  to  stick  to  the  ship 
any  how,"  said  the  Colonel.  "If  he  goes, 
who's  left?  There's  never  a  navigator 
amongst  us,  bet  yer.  The  fellows  will  make 
off  with  the  money  and  leave  us  to  wash 
about  to  our  eternal  destruction." 

"That's  much  how  Captain  Sinclair  reasons," 
said  I,  eating  and  drinking  with  all  the  calm- 
ness I  could  summon. 

"There's  no  fear,  I  suppose,"  said  Mr. 
Jackson,  "  of  his  deciding  to  be  sent  adrift  ? " 

"She  thinks  not,"  replied  Monsignor,  ob- 
serving I  did  not  answer. 

"An  Irish  sentry,"  said  Mr.  Jackson,  "seeing 
another  cutting  his  throat,  shot  him  to  save 
his  life.  That's  how  the  Captain  vrould  be 
serving  us  by  allowing  himself  to  be  sent 
adrift." 

"But  where  are  we  to  be  steered  to?" 
asked  Mr.  Macbride,  who  on  my  seating  my- 
self had  dropped  his  knife  and  fork  to  stare 
at  me  aghast,  with  his  under  jaw  a  little 
fallen. 

"  The  Captain  doesn't  know,"  I  answered. 

"  What  is  a  likely  place  ? "  he  cried. 

A  good  many  eyes  were  directed  at  the 
steward  as  the  only  seafaring  authority  in 
the  saloon.  The  challenge  was  direct,  and 
he  answered  : 


THE  CAPTAIN  VISITS  PASSENGERS   121 

"I  allow  it'll  be  for  the  West  Coast  of 
Africa." 

"That'll  be  back  Europe  way,"  said  the 
Colonel. 

*'  Why  the  West  Coast  of  Africa  ? "  inquired 
the  comedian,  looking  at  the  steward  with 
his  dusky  glance  lifting  under  a  lowering 
brow. 

*'  'Cause  it's  a  easy  coast  to  wreck  ships 
on,  and  there's  never  anything  to  speak  of 
a-keeping  a  look-out  there,"  answered  the 
steward. 

"  Is  home  easily  reached  from  the  West 
Coast  of  Africa?"  inquired  somebody. 

"  It'll  be  more  like  our  being  made  slaves 
of  than  going  'ome,"  answered  the  steward, 
with  a  hollow,  frightful  laugh.  "  Them  sands 
is  coated  with  wandering  Arabs,  who  strips 
all  Christians  which  falls  into  their  'ands,  and 
marches  them  off  naked  into  slavery." 

"  It's  true,"  exclaimed  the  Colonel,  with  a 
wild  nod  and  an  oath. 

"We  merely  frighten  ourselves,"  said  Mon- 
signor.  "  The  men  may  not  have  the  coast 
of  Africa  in  their  minds  at  all." 

"  What  views  does  your  stepfather  hold, 
miss  ? "  exclaimed  Mr.  Bergheim.  "  Has  he 
no  message  to  send  that's  likely  to  keep  up 
our  spirits  ? " 

"He  ought  to  take  command,"  cried  the 


12:.  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

hard-faced  lady.  "If  they  send  him  out  of 
the  ship  our  case  will  be  hopeless." 

"  He  cannot  make  up  his  mind."  said  I. 
"  He  naturally  shrinks  from  the  idea  of  an 
open  boat,  yet  holds  that  his  honour  might 
be  concerned,  that  he  might  be  suspected  of 
complicity  were  he  to  take  charge  of  a  ship 
manned  as  the  Mohock  now  is." 

A  silence  followed  this  speech.  I  con- 
tinued, "It  might  help  him,  perhaps  deter- 
mine him,  if  one  of  you  gentlemen  would 
draw  up  a  paper,  signed  by  the  saloon 
passengers,  urging  upon  him  to  retain  com- 
mand in  the  interest  of  the  general  safety, 
that  he  might  see  this  ship  and  ourselves 
through  the  business,  be  the  end  what  it 
may." 

"You  are  a  clever  young  woman,"  cried 
the  Colonel,  looking  at  me  with  unmixed 
admiration,  "  and  the  paper  you  recommend 
shall  be  drawn  up.  By  whom?  By  you, 
Monsignor?" 

"  I  will  write  an  appeal  to  the  Captain 
with  pleasure,"  answered  the  priest.  "  It  is 
an  excellent  idea  of  Miss  Hayes." 

A  part  of  the  table  was  cleared,  pen  and 
paper  procured,  Monsignor  squared  his  elbows, 
and,  after  a  glance  for  inspiration  at  the  lamp, 
wrote. 

We  were  all  silent  as  the  tomb  whilst  the 


THE  CAPTAIN   VISITS  PASSENGERS  123 

priest's  pen  scratched.  It  was  hard  to  say 
whether  we  were  observed  or  not  from  above  : 
the  skylight  windows  gleamed  blackly  and 
reflected  the  image  of  the  draped  table  as 
brilliantly  as  a  mirror.  Presently  Monsignor 
rose,  and,  after  looking  around  him  whilst  he 
said,  "  This,  I  think,  will  do,"  held  his  draft 
to  the  light. 

"  To  Captain  Amelius  Sinclair,  command- 
ing the  American  clipper  Mohock:  We,  the 
undersigned  saloon  passengers  in  this  ship, 
petition  you  earnestly  and  respectfully  to 
continue  in  command  of  the  vessel.  Your 
interests  are  identical  with  ours.  If  you 
leave  us  by  resolution  of  your  own,  we  shall 
be  without  a  head  to  look  up  to.  Whatever 
may  be  the  issue  in  store  for  us  in  this 
ship,  we  entreat  you  to  abide  with  us,  that, 
should  a  moment  of  extremity  arrive,  we 
may  have  you  with  us  to  counsel  and  encou- 


rage us." 


I  bit  my  lip  when  this  was  read.  The 
Colonel  called  out : 

**A  1,  all  but  'a  moment  of  extremity,' 
Monsignor.  That's  putting  it  a  bit  fiendishly, 
I  guess?" 

"I'll  correct  anything  that's  amiss,"  said 
the  priest. 

"Nothing  could  be  more  beautifully  ex- 
pressed," said  the  hard-faced  lady. 


124  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

"  Let's  sign  it  and  send  it  and  make  an 
end,"  cried  Mr.  Jackson. 

Monsignor  was  requested  to  attach  his 
name.  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Wills  followed, 
and  then  the  rest.  I  did  not  offer  to  sign, 
nor  was  it  proposed  that  I  should  do  so.  I 
could  not  forbear  a  smile  at  the  several 
characters  the  people  expressed  in  their  mode 
of  signing.  Colonel  Wills  squared  at  the 
paper,  made  a  difficulty  of  his  pen,  and  then 
flourished  it ;  he  scrawled  as  though  it  were 
a  name  not  to  be  lightly  communicated,  and 
when  done  he  fell  back  with  a  little  linj^er- 
ing  gaze  as  of  admiration  of  the  signature. 
Mr.  Jackson  humped  his  back,  scrawled,  and 
folded  his  arms  over  the  paper  whilst  he 
wrote  ;  you  saw  he  believed  every  eye  was 
upon  him.  The  elbows  of  the  Grasshopper 
rose  high  as  he  sat ;  he  wrote  with  incredible 
swiftness,  dashed  the  pen  down,  jumped  up — 
everything  was  done  in  a  leaping  way  by  this 
gentleman,  whose  name  I  have  forgotten,  if  I 
ever  heard  it. 

When  everybody  had  signed,  the  steward 
was  requested  to  go  on  deck  and  tell  the  wiry 
man  he  was  wanted  below.  He  went  up  the 
steps  and  knocked.  The  companion  doors 
were  opened,  and  after  a  short  growling  hum 
of  talk  that  came  wordless  to  our  ears  through 
the  seething  of  the  night-wind  in  the  open 


THE  CAPTAIN  VISITS  PASSENGERS   125 

hatch,  the  wiry  man  came  below.  If  he  was 
armed,  he  kept  his  weapons  well  concealed. 
He  frowned  as  he  stared  about  him,  but,  as  I 
thought,  watching  him  from  a  corner,  he  acted 
a  part.  His  looks  seemed  forced.  Or  per- 
haps, when  it  came  to  a  pinch,  most  of  his 
spirit  would  be  found  in  his  scowl. 

"  Why  am  I  sent  for  ? "  says  he,  coming  to 
the  table  and  showing  himself  clearly  under 
the  light. 

"Will  you  kindly  tell  us  your  name?"  says 
Monsignor. 

"  Owen — William  Owen." 

"Miss  Hayes  has  had  an  interview  with 
her  stepfather,"  continued  the  priest,  half 
turning  his  face  in  my  direction,  "  and  we 
understand  that  you  give  him  the  option  of 
navigating  this  ship  to  an  unnamed  destina- 
tion, or  of  being  sent  adrift  in  an  open  boat." 

"Well?"  said  Owen,  preserving  his  frown- 
ing stare  and  speaking  with  brutal  bluntness. 

The  Grasshopper's  elbows  twitched,  and  the 
Colonel  gazed  blankly  at  the  wiry  man. 

"We  saloon  passengers,"  said  the  priest, 
holding  up  the  paper,  "  have  petitioned  the 
Captain  to  retain  command,  and  our  desire  is 
that  this  document  may  be  placed  without 
loss  of  time  in  his  hands.  Will  you  give  it 
to  him  ? " 

"Yes,"    answered    the    other^    taking    it; 


126  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

"  and  I  hope  it'll  settle  his  meaning  one  way 
or  t'other.  If  he  don't  arrive  at  a  decision 
afore  dawn  he  leaves  the  ship." 

"  But  unless  we  are  to  go  too,  why  not 
keep  him  whether  he  decides  or  not?"  said 
I.  "  His  being  in  the  vessel  can't  matter  to 
you.  You  may  as  well  throw  him  over  the 
side  and  drown  him  at  once  as  send  him 
adrift  in  an  open  boat." 

The  man  bent  his  gaze  at  me  with  an  ex- 
pression of  attention,  but  made  no  answer. 

"But,  for  goodness  sake,"  shrieked  the 
hard-faced  lady,  bursting  out  with  an  hysteri- 
cal violence  one  would  never  have  suspected 
from  so  set  and  determined  a  countenance, 
"  can't  you  tell  us,  since  you've  seized  the 
ship,  what  you  mean  to  do  with  us?" 

He  answered  her  with  an  ugly  look,  then 
saying  in  his  hoarse  voice  to  Monsignor, 
"  I'll  hand  this  to  the  Captain  at  once,"  he 
left  the  cabin. 

The  Colonel  extended  his  hand,  and  writhed 
it  as  though  he  throttled  something  invisible. 
Mr.  Jackson  quitted  the  table  and  came  to 
the  sofa  I  was  seated  upon.  He  folded  his 
arms  upon  his  breast,  and  leaning  back  ex- 
claimed, "  That  fellow  Owen  is  an  actor." 

"  There's  something  strained  about  him," 
I  answered. 

"  He's  got  himself  up  as  a  pirate,"   con- 


THE  CAPTAIN  VISITS  PASSENGERS   127 

tinued  the  comedian,  "  in  throat  and  scowl. 
The  chink  of  the  metal's  not  real.  When 
the  bishop  asked  the  savage  how  he  could 
go  unclothed,  he  answered,  '  He  was  all  face.' 
So  is  that  Owen.  I  see  too  much.  I  ought 
to  know  my  trade.  But  it's  well  played, 
seeing  that  extravagance  wouldn't  do  even 
at  sea  in  these  days,  when  the  real  thing's 
dead  and  gone,  and  the  blue  light's  burnt  out." 

"  He  frightens  us  all  the  same." 

"  Has  your  stepfather  any  notion  of  what's 
going  to  happen  ?  " 

"None." 

'*  Was  it  pre-arranged,  does  he  think  ?  Or 
were  the  scoundrels  really  shipwrecked  men, 
who,  as  others  did  before  them,  have  risen 
upon  their  succourers  ? " 

"  He  is  in  great  distress,  but  will  himself 
appear  soon,  I  hope,  and  give  you  his  views. 
I  am  sure  the  petition  will  decide  him." 

A  more  melancholy  array  of  figures  than 
we  saloon  passengers  of  the  Mohock  presented 
that  night  the  ocean  wave  probably  never 
lifted  and  sank.  We  could  not  divert  our- 
selves. We  did  nothing  but  wonder  and 
listen.  Every  face  expressed  consternation 
and  alarmed  expectation.  There  was  a 
universal  fidgetiness,  moreover.  Nobody  sat 
still.  It  was  a  ceaseless  coming  and  going 
with  us,  under  one  pretence  or  another. 


128  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

Meanwhile,  silent  and  lost  in  thought  np 
in  a  corner,  out  of  the  way  of  the  light  and 
the  observation  of  the  passengers,  I  took  note 
that  the  wind  freshened,  that  a  sharp  sea 
was  beginning  to  run,  and  that  the  weather 
was  finding  work  for  the  men.  I  heard  the 
noise  of  ropes  flung  down,  an  occasional 
hoarse  bawling,  sometimes  the  low  muffled 
groans  of  canvas  slowly  strangling  in  the  grip 
of  its  gear.  The  rudder  worked  in  shocks 
and  harsh  tremors,  and  a  frequent  wash  of 
water  made  white  moons  of  the  lee  port- 
holes. 

I  heard  Mr.  Jackson  say  it  was  nine  o'clock 
whilst  he  stood  at  the  table  gazing  about  him; 
habit  with  him  associated  the  hour  with  the 
steward  and  glasses :  the  companion  doors 
were  opened,  a  salt,  shrill  edge  as  of  a  boat- 
swain's pipe  sang  in  the  wind  as  it  screeched 
athwart  the  opening,  and  my  stepfather  came 
slowly  down  the  ladder. 

It  was  raining  on  deck,  or  if  not  raiuing 
the  blast  was  full  of  spray ;  his  coat  sparkled 
and  his  face  ran  with  wet.  He  lifted  his  cap 
and  came  to  the  table.  The  moment  the 
passengers  saw  him  they  made  a  rush  and 
he  was  surrounded  in  a  breath.  I  sat  still 
up  in  my  corner.  Had  he  been  all  ear,  with 
brains  enough  behind  for  the  reception  of  as 
many  meanings  as  he  was  plied  with,  still  be 


THE  CAPTAIN  VISITS  PASSENGERS    129 

could  have  done  nothing  but  gaze  hopelessly 
and  darkly  around. 

Then  seeing  how  it  was,  Monsignor  Luard 
cried  out  loudly,  "  We  are  defeating  our  own 
anxiety  by  deafening  the  Captain.  Let  us 
have  a  little  patience.  He  will  tell  us  every- 
thing," and  he  put  his  hand  upon  one,  and 
then  with  a  kindly  smile  upon  another,  and 
the  good  sense  of  the  rest  helping,  the  people 
returned  to  their  seats. 

My  stepfather  took  a  table-chair  that  gave 
him  a  command  of  his  audience.  I  thought 
he  looked  very  handsome.  His  gloom,  deep- 
ened by  the  wrinkles  of  his  frown,  suited  the 
cast  of  his  face.  His  eyes  were  bright,  despite 
an  ashen  hue  of  skin,  and  a  drawn  countenance 
that  came  near  to  haggardness. 

"  Ladies  and  gentlemen,"  he  exclaimed,  in 
a  voice  a  little  broken,  though  sufficiently 
clear,  "  I  have  to  thank  you  for  your  petition. 
It  is  considerate.  Possibly  ray  gratitude  may 
be  peculiarly  due  to  you,  Monsignor?" 

"  No  ;  the  suggestion  was  your  step- 
daughter's," answered  the  priest,  with  a  fine 
hopeful  smile  and  a  cordial  flourish  of  his 
hand  towards  me. 

The  Captain  did  not  glance  my  way. 

'*  It  has  helped  me  to  arrive  at  a  decision," 
he  continued.  "  Could  anything  occur  more 
dreadful    or   unexpected    than    this    seizure? 


130  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

We  are  absolutely  at  the  mercy  of  twelve 
villains.  They  have  heavily  armed  themselves, 
and  are  clearly  a  devilish,  audacious  gang. 
You  have  heard  that  they  cleared  the  ship 
of  her  original  company.  And  why  did  they 
keep  me  ? "  said  he,  clasping  his  hands  upon 
his  knees  as  though  he  wrung  his  fingers. 
"  That  I  may  navigate  the  vessel  to  a  place 
where  they  can  securely  plunder  and  then 
abandon  her." 

"Then  how  shall  we  manacre  ? "  said  the 
hard-faced  lady,  whose  starting  eyes  and 
advanced  head  was  like  a  screaming  fit  to 
the  eye. 

"  I  cannot  answer  you  until  the  men  tell 
me  where  they  intend  I  should  steer  for," 
answered  the  Captain. 

"But  let  us  understand,"  exclaimed  Mon- 
signor.  "  You  are  to  carry  this  ship  to  a  part 
of  some  coast  where  the  men  will  be  able  to 
land  their  plunder.     When  this  is  done  ?  " 

"  Gentlemen  and  ladies,"  cried  the  Captain 
a  little  wildly,  "let  me  hear  first  of  all  the 
intentions  of  the  men  :  I  will  then  talk  with 

you." 

"  You  are  now  in  command,  Captain  ?  "  said 
Mr.  Jackson. 

"  Yes,  sir.  When  your  petition  reached  me 
I  deliberated,  then  called  to  the  man  whose 
name  I  find  is  Owen,  and  I  told  him  I  would 


THE  CAPTAIN  VISITS  PASSENGERS   131 

take  charge  of  the  ship  in  the  interests   of 
the  common  safety." 

"Without  any  stipulations?"  demanded 
the  Grasshopper. 

"It  came  either  to  my  consenting,  or  being 
sent  adrift — and  feel  this  weather,  sir,"  round- 
ing with  something  of  fierceness  upon  the 
passenger. 

"  I  beg  pardon — I  meant  didn't  you  inquire, 
before  you  consented  to  continue  in  command, 
where  you  would  be  expected  to  carry  the 
ship  to  ? "  said  the  Grasshopper. 

"No,  sir,"  answered  the  Captain;  "that  I 
have  yet  to  learn." 

I  perceived  that  some  of  the  passengers 
exchanged  glances,  at  though  resenting  the 
Grasshopper's  tone,  that  took  perhaps  a  char- 
acter of  insolence  from  being  high-pitched 
and  urgent  with  elbow. 

"You'll  not  tell  us,  Captain,"  called  out 
Mr.  Macbride  from  the  side  of  his  wife,  "  that 
they  expect  you  to  wreck  this  ship  ? " 

"What's  been  said  about  that?"  roared 
the  Colonel.  "  Isn't  this  time  all-fired  enough 
that  Mr.  Macbride  should  sit  there  working 
up  imagination  into  a  very  hell  for  our  solace 
by  questions  heaping  horror  upon  horror  ? " 

"  I  have  my  wife  with  me.  I  have  a  right 
to  know  our  probable  fate,"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Macbride  faintly. 


132  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

"And  I  have  my  wife  with  me,"  shouted 
the  Colonel,  looking  at  the  huge  bulk  who 
was  seated  a  few  chairs  from  him. 

"Who  doesn't  want  to  know  her  probable 
fate  on  any  account  whatever,"  Mrs.  Wills 
whipped  out,  nodding  hard  and  continuously 
at  the  clergyman. 

I  watched  my  stepfather  secretly  and  closely 
all  this  time,  but  never  once  caught  a  look 
from  him, 

"  It  would  be  as  well,"  said  Mr.  Bergheim, 
"  to  reason  out  our  chances  upon  a  business- 
like footing — by  which  I  should  say  let  us 
be  practical.  I  take  it  that  all  of  us  who  are 
assembled  here  desire  to  get  to  America.  Let 
us  once  know  that  we  are  proceeding  to 
America,  with  our  baggage  and  personal 
effects  quite  safe,  and  I  take  it  we  are  all 
content.  We  have  no  interest  in  the  ship, 
none  in  the  gold  which  we  are  to  believe. 
Captain,  is  the  cause  of  this  piracy.  Now, 
I  should  be  pleased  if  the  men  could  be 
made  to  understand  that  we  care  not  for  the 
ship  nor  her  contents,  but  for  our  lives  and 
baggage  only  :  they  should  be  glad  to  get  rid 
of  us  easily  by  transferring  us  to  a  vessel  that 
is  bound  to  the  west." 

*'  Chaw  !  "  cried  the  comedian  ;  "  here's  a 
rich  clipper  ship  piratically  seized  :  are  the 
villains    going   to    haul    alongside    the    first 


THE  CAPTAIN  VISITS  PASSENGERS  133 

vessel  they  encounter  and  send  us  aboard 
with  the  full  story  of  the  outrage  ? " 

"Why  not?"  responded  Mr.  Bergheim, 
with  arms  advanced  and  a  shrug  that  sank 
his  head.  "  Fifty  to  one  the  original  crew 
was  picked  up  and  the  story  is  therefore 
known." 

"  Are  our  lives  in  danger,  Captain  1 "  ex- 
claimed a  lady. 

"  The  safety  of  you  all  is  one  of  the  con- 
ditions under  which  I  reassume  command," 
he  answered. 

"  But  how  is  that  to  be  provided  for  when 
the  ship's  arrived  off  the  place  where  they 
mean  to  carry  the  gold  ashore  ? "  exclaimed 
the  Grasshopper. 

At  that  instant  the  wind  howled  in  the 
companion,  and  down  along  with  the  breath 
of  the  wet,  cold  night-blast  came  a  hoarse 
cry: 

"Captain  Sinclair,  will  you  step  on  deck? 
The  ship's  in  want  of  you." 

My  father  upturned  his  eyes  at  the  tell-tale 
compass,  rose  with  the  air  of  one  whose  spirit 
is  broken,  then,  buttoning  up  his  coat  with- 
out a  syllable  of  speech,  bowed  to  us,  and 
went  up  the  steps. 


CHAPTER  VII 

WE  TAKE  THE  AIR  IN  GANGS 

The  rain  thrashed  the  decks ;  at  intervals 
the  glass  paled  to  a  dim  violet  glare  of 
distant  storm ;  this  perhaps  reconciled  most 
of  us  to  our  imprisonment.  The  steward 
bustled  about  with  glasses  and  drink,  and 
(the  ladies  consenting)  the  Colonel  and  Mr. 
Jackson  smoked  cigars.  Sharp  tempestuous 
noises  of  strainings  and  groanings  ran  through 
the  fabric  as  she  took  the  seas ;  from  time  to 
time  you  heard  the  sullen  thunder  of  a  fall 
of  water  forward.  It  was  a  black  night. 
Monsignor  stepped  to  the  barometer  and  said 
to  the  hard-faced  lady  that  there  was  a  fall. 

**  Small  wonder,"  said  he,  "  that  the  fellows 
who  are  on  deck  should  be  glad  to  have 
Captain  Sinclair  to  take  charge." 

"  Hark  I  What's  that  ? "  cried  Mr.  Macbride. 

It  reached  the  ear  in  a  hollow  echoing 
rumble,  and  was  accompanied  by  the  hoarse 
yowling  of  pulling  and  dragging  sailors. 

"They  have  let  go  the  maintopsail   hal- 

134 


WE  TAKE  THE  AIR  IN  GANGS        135 

liards,"  said  Colonel  Wills,  who  had  made 
the  passage  often  enough  to  know  the  ropes, 
"and  they  are  going  to  reef  the  sail,  I  suppose." 

"  Surely  they  never  would  have  sent  the 
Captain  adrift  in  an  open  boat  on  such  a  night 
as  this,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Macbride,  whose  face 
looked  as  white  as  his  clerical  tie,  as  he  and 
his  wife  sat  swaying  to  the  swings  of  the 
ship,  whose  leeward  fetches  were  growing- 
sharper  and  sharper. 

It  was  all  so  unreal  to  me  from  that  sort  of 
incredulity  which  awaits  at  first  upon  tragic 
surprise,  that  I  sat  idly  looking,  idly  listening, 
idly  thinking,  like  one  dim  of  vision  and  a 
little  hard  of  hearing  in  a  theatre  where  the 
show  is  complex  and  without  narrative  in 
movement.  It  was  hard  upon  ten  o'clock. 
I  felt  weary  without  being  sleepy,  and  reeled 
over  the  tumbling  deck  to  the  table  to  get 
me  a  little  drop  of  wine  from  a  decanter  in 
a  swinging  tray.  The  Grasshopper,  pipe  in 
mouth,  with  active,  unexpected  civility,  leapt 
to  my  side,  watched,  dodged,  and  caught  the 
decanter  as  it  swung  to  him,  and  handed  me 
a  glass  of  wine.  I  thanked  him,  and  looking 
about  me  with  a  faint  smile  and  a  little 
bow  of  good-night  to  this  one  and  then  that, 
I  went  to  my  berth. 

It  was  long  before  I  could  sleep  for 
wondering  what  they  meant  to  do  with  the 


136  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

passengers.  All  this  while  the  ship  was 
rushing  south  :  to  what  part  of  the  world  had 
they  agreed  to  steer  her  ? 

I  lay  feverish  with  the  hurry  of  my  thoughts, 
miserable  with  amazement  and  anxiety.  My 
berth  was  to  leeward,  and  my  bunk  just 
under  the  cabin  port-hole,  and  every  minute 
the  ship,  as  she  swept  along  the  slant  of  the 
roaring  ridges,  plunged  her  side  into  the 
seething  cataract  that  swelled  about  my 
head  with  the  thunder  of  a  hurricane.  It  blew 
a  black,  w^et,  hard  gale.  The  creaking  and 
rending  noises  in  the  ship  drowned  all  other 
sounds,  yet  I  knew  by  the  motion,  not  more 
than  by  the  flashing  of  white  brine,  that  they 
held  her  throughout  the  wild  hours  cease- 
lessly rushing  through  it. 

In  the  morning  so  great  a  sea  ran  that  it 
was  scarcely  possible  to  walk.  By  clinging 
and  clawing  I  reached  a  seat  in  the  saloon. 
A  few  passengers  sat  here  and  there  ;  they 
were  the  picture  of  dejection  :  the  comedian 
of  a  grimy  blue  for  want  of  the  razor,  and 
Mrs.  Wills  scarcely  recognisable  through  her 
hair  having  floated  out  of  curl.  The  steward 
was  making  some  show  of  preparing  break- 
fast, but  he  moved  in  a  manner  that  gave  us 
no  promise  of  a  meal  for  another  hour  at 
least.  The  cabin  was  sunk  in  gloom  :  nothing 
better  than  a  wet  dim  twilight  sifted  through 


WE  TAKE  THE  AIR  IN  GANGS       137 

the  windows  when  the  ship  lifted  the  weep- 
ing glass  to  the  grey  sky. 

"  This  wind  will  carry  us  very  far  south  ; 
we  shall  be  crossing  the  equator  in  a  little 
while,"  exclaimed  Monsignor  in  a  melancholy 
voice. 

The  steward  informed  us  that  the  sea  was 
running  mountains  high ;  nevertheless,  the 
ship  was  sweeping  before  it  under  a  foresail 
and  reefed  maintopsail :  the  gale  was  on  the 
quarter,  and  you  felt  the  weight  and  volume 
of  the  mighty  ocean  surge  in  each  swift,  giddy, 
launching  upheaval.  I  asked  after  my  step- 
father. 

"He's  been  keeping  the  deck  more  or  less 
all  night,  miss,"  said  the  steward.  "  He's  on 
deck  now.  Who's  he  a-going  to  trust  to  keep 
a  look-out  ?    That  there  Owen  ain't  no  sailor," 

The  passengers  emerged  by  degrees,  and  a 
little  before  ten  the  steward  came  down  the 
companion  steps  with  some  hot  breakfast. 
We  drew  to  the  table,  melancholy,  uneasy, 
alarmed,  darting  looks  fitfully,  staring  oddly, 
speaking  in  low  voices.  The  height  of  the 
sea  frightened  many  of  us,  the  subduing  in- 
fluence of  the  storm  was  upon  us,  and  there 
was  nobody  at  table  to  say  a  reassuring  thing. 
In  the  middle  of  breakfast  Captain  Sinclair 
came  below.  He  pulled  off  his  streaming 
sou'wester   and    oilskin    coat,   and   let  them 


138  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '' MOHOCK" 

drop  on  the  deck  by  the  side  of  his  chair, 
making  a  bow  to  right  and  left  before  seating 
himself.  His  face  had  hardened  into  an  iron 
mask.  I  met  his  glance — it  was  a  distortion 
of  the  lips,  no  smile  certainly,  that  he  returned 
my  nod  with. 

"What  news  can  you  give  us,  Captain?" 
howled  Colonel  Wills. 

"  None  that  you'll  thank  me  for." 

"  Have  the  men  decided  upon  a  destina- 
tion ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Jackson. 

"Yes,  sir." 

Every  face  seemed  to  turn  wild  and  white 
with  eagerness  at  this — every  neck  was 
stretched.  Mousignor  put  his  hand  to  his 
ear.    The  Captain  remained  silent. 

"  Will  you  name  the  place  to  us,  Captain  ?  " 
shouted  the  Grasshopper. 

"  The  Great  Salvage  Island,"  answered  my 
stepfather. 

"Where  was  that?" 

"  It's  a  rock  between  Madeira  and  the 
Canaries,"  the  Captain  said,  chewing  his  food 
slowly,  and  speaking  as  though  he  forced  him- 
self to  an  effort  he  abhorred,  and  looking 
at  those  who  questioned  him  full  and  straight 
under  his  dark  brow. 

Questions  crackled  like  discharges  of  mus- 
ketry, and  the  distracting  motions  of  the  ship, 
the  dartings  and  leapings  of  lamps  and  swing 


WE  TAKE  THE  AIR  IN  GANGS       139 

trays,  were  in  that  confusion  of  tongues  to 
heighten  it  to  sheer  sick  dizziness.  How  far 
was  the  Salvage  Island  from  England  ?  What 
was  going  to  happen  after  the  ship  arrived 
there  ? 

"  Say  ! "  sings  out  the  Colonel,  *'  are  they 
going  to  bury  the  gold  buccaneer  fashion? 
If  Madeira  isn't  far  off  from  that  rock,  what's 
to  stop  us  from  sighting  it,  and  privately 
signalling  for  a  man-of-war  to  follow  us  ? " 

"  Or  couldn't  you  put  into  Madeira  by 
mistake,  as  it  were  ? "  said  Mr.  Jackson. 
"There's  nearly  always  a  British  ship  of  war 
lying  there." 

"  Who  says  so "? "  said  the  Captain. 

"Well,  sir,  I  don't  know,"  answered  the 
comedian,  who  looked  ferocious  with  a  ner- 
vous attack  ;  "  but  I  must  have  read  of  it,  and 
it's  in  my  head  that  it  is  so." 

The  Captain  slowly  masticated  his  food, 
looking  fixedly  at  Mr.  Jackson. 

"After  all,"  continued  the  comedian,  "  since 
there's  no  navigator  amongst  the  twelve 
scoundrels  who've  seized  us,  which  of  them's 
to  know  you're  heading  for  Madeira  till  we're 
close  enough  to  the  island  for  distress  signals 
to  be  seen  ? " 

"Were  you  ever  off  Madeira?"  demanded 
the  Captain. 

"  Not  to  my  knowledge." 


I40         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

*'  It's  a  large  lump  of  land,  and  looms  in 
a  big  shadow  many  miles  distant/'  said  the 
Captain.  "  There's  scarce  a  man  of  the  twelve 
who  wouldn't  know  it  as  we  approached  when 
miles  off,  long  before  we  should  be  in  sight 
from  Funchal ;  and  perceiving  that  I  meant 
foul  play,  there's  not  a  man  of  the  twelve  who'd 
grant  me  a  minute  for  prayer  before  sending 
a  bullet  through  my  head." 

"O  God,  Captain,  don't  talk  so!"  cried 
Mrs.  Wills,  upheaving  her  shapeless  mass  in 
a  start  of  horror  upon  the  chair  as  she  dried 
her  great  face  on  her  handkerchief. 

"  What  I  am  doing  I  am  forced  to  do," 
continued  the  Captain,  closing  his  knife  and 
fork  and  addressing  Monsignor.  "  It's  a 
horrible  obligation.  Yet  should  I  be  serving 
you  by  being  sent  adrift  ?  Could  I  be  of  use 
to  you  by  so  acting  as  to  place  myself  at  the 
mercy  of  men  whose  instant  gift  of  grace 
would  be  the  yardarm  or  the  knife?  I  tell 
you  straight,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  that  were 
I  to  sulk,  shut  myself  up  in  my  cabin,  decline 
to  come  to  any  sort  of  terms  with  them,  they'd 
toss  me  over  the  side  to  perish  in  an  open 
boat  with  no  more  compunction  than  I  feel 
in  breaking  this ; "  he  snapped  a  biscuit, 
whilst  his  eyes  seemed  on  fire  as  he  talked. 
"  I  may  be  of  service  to  you  and  the  ship 
whilst  I  am  on  board — there  are  no  certain- 


WE  TAKE  THE  AIR  IN  GANGS       141 

ties  at  sea — a  few  hours  might  easily  find  all 
well  with  us." 

Mr.  Macbride  clasped  his  hands  and 
looked  up. 

"  But  I  tell  you,  as  things  stand,  we  are 
helpless.  The  men  have  possession  of  the 
decks,  and  they  are  armed.  I  have  no  fears 
for  your  safety,  nor  for  your  personal  property. 
I  have  stipulated  for  that.  If  they  leave  the 
vessel  at  the  Salvage  Island,  we  shall  have  to 
work  her  to  the  Canaries  or  to  Madeira  amongst 
ourselves."  He  stood  up,  and  said,  "  I  ask 
your  sympathy  for  my  situation — no,  your  for- 
bearance will  suffice.  I  have  lost  my  ship. 
I  am  miserable  enough  to  be  obliged  to  see 
women  and  children,  both  here  and  in  the 
'tween-decks,  placed  in  my  charge,  distracted 
some  of  them,  wretched  all  of  them,  by  the 
feeling  of  insecurity,  by  the  tragic  uncertainty 
of  their  position,  by  the  fears  that  their  lives 
are  endangered.  More — I  know  by  this  stroke 
(unless  I  save  the  ship)  that  I  am  profession- 
ally ruined." 

His  voice  broke.  It  seemed  as  though  he 
would  speak  on ;  bowing  hurriedly  he  with- 
drew to  his  cabin. 

I  thought  he  would  wish  to  talk  with  me 
presently,  and  watched  his  cabin  door,  think- 
ing to  see  it  open  and  himself  beckon.  He 
came  out  indeed  after  half  an  hour,  but  merely 


142         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

to  pick  up  his  oilskins,  put  them  on,  and  stalk 
up  the  steps. 

The  gale  hummed  fiercely  throughout  the 
morning,  but  shortly  before  mid-day  a  flash 
of  wet  sunshine  slipped  in  white  splendour 
from  one  reeling  cabin  window  to  another, 
and  shortly  afterwards  the  tarpaulins  were 
removed  from  the  skylights,  the  companion 
doors  were  opened,  and  the  steward  descended. 
I  think  we  were  nearly  all  of  us  then  assembled 
in  the  saloon. 

"Ladies  and  gentlemen,"  said  the  man, 
"  any  half-dozen  of  you,  three  ladies  and 
three  gents,  who  would  feel  disposed  to  take 
the  air  are  at  liberty  to  go  on  deck  for  their 
entertainment." 

"  Who  sent  that  message  ? "  called  out  the 
Colonel  savagely. 

"  I  was  stopped  as  I  came  along  by  the 
man  called  Owen ;  he  sent  it,  sir." 

After  some  talk  it  was  arranged  that  the 
three  men  to  go  on  deck  should  be  Mon- 
signor,  Colonel  Wills,  and  the  actor;  and 
the  ladies  were  the  hard-faced  lady,  another, 
and  myself.  I  know  not  how  it  was  with 
the  rest,  but  my  own  heart  burned  with  the 
humiliation  of  being  let  out  like  Newgate 
prisoners  in  a  little  gang  "  to  take  the  air." 
I  was  the  first  ready,  and  passed  on  deck. 
The   companion  doors   were    opened    on  my 


WE  TAKE  THE  AIR  IN  GANGS       143 

knocking.  I  stooped  low  and  gained  the 
deck,  staggering  and  nearly  falling  to  a 
sudden  giddiness  raised  by  the  whirling,  roar- 
ing, brilliant  life  of  the  day  after  the  gloom 
of  the  saloon.  The  sentry  caught  me  by  the 
arm.  I  shuddered,  instantly  rallied,  and  went 
a  little  way  to  look  about  me. 

My  stepfather  stood  upon  the  ship's  quarter 
with  a  sextant  in  his  hand.  He  saw  me,  but 
made  no  other  sign  than  glancing.  The  man 
at  the  hatch  was  armed  with  a  cutlass ;  he 
was  draped  midway  to  the  heels  in  pilot 
cloth,  and  wore  jack-boots  and  a  yellow  sou'- 
wester. Others  about  the  deck  were  clothed 
in  apparel  which  they  certainly  had  not  worn 
nor  brought  with  them  in  their  long-boat. 
Monsignor  came  to  my  side  and  begged  me 
to  take  his  arm,  and  together  we  stood  look- 
ing. It  was  a  marvellous  fine  scene  of  ocean. 
Nothing  grander  ever  rolled  under  the  heavens. 
The  sky  close  to  the  horizon  was  painted  a 
delicate  dusk  with- cloud,  and  the  sea  flashed 
like  sunbeams  against  that  soft  darkness.  A 
vast  green  noble  surge  swelled  with  us  as 
we  ran.  It  foamed  to  our  bulwark  rails,  and 
lifted  us  high,  and  our  wake  was  a  highway 
of  yeast  that  topped  the  lift  of  the  billow  and 
died  out  in  the  dim  liquid  flickering  distance. 
The  sky  was  a  race  of  large  torn  cloud,  white 
as  milk  ;  the  sun  of  a  windy  whiteness  sprang 


144         THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

off  their  edges,  and  at  each  leap  the  whole 
surface  of  the  pouring  sea  flashed  into  hills 
of  dazzling  light.  In  the  midst  rushed  the 
ship  ;  she  stormed  along  under  a  few  breasts 
of  canvas  ;  her  spars  looked  naked,  her  rig- 
ging yelled,  every  slack  rope  arched  forwards 
with  her  course,  and  her  lofty  mastheads 
bowed  to  the  sovereign  height  of  their  white 
trucks. 

I  observed  that  a  man  with  a  cutlass  dang- 
ling at  his  hip  lurked  about  the  main-hatch- 
way ;  no  steerage  passengers  were  visible ; 
of  the  twelve  of  a  crew,  eight  were  to  be 
counted,  including  the  helmsman  and  a  sturdy, 
broad,  red-headed  fellow,  who  trudged  in  that 
part  of  the  deck  which  they  call  the  gangway 
as  though  he  were  in  charge  of  the  ship. 
Colonel  Wills  and  the  comedian  stood  staring 
along  the  decks  and  up  at  the  sails ;  the  two 
ladies  hung  together  at  the  companion,  unable 
to  walk. 

"If  this  wind  lasts,"  said  the  priest,  "it 
will  put  an  end  to  uncertainty.  Madeira  is 
not  far  off ;  the  Great  Salvage  is  close  to  that 
island." 

"Can  you  imagine  what  the  men  intend?" 

"  I  believe  they  will  disembark  with  the 
money,  then  bury  it,  and  sail  away,  keeping 
us  in  the  ship,  but  what  they  will  do  after- 
wards I  can't  conceive  " 


WE  TAKE  THE  AIR  IN  GANGS       145 

"  Is  this  the  result,"  said  I,  "  of  a  pre- 
arranged conspiracy,  or  were  the  men  really 
shipwrecked  wretches,  who  have  been  taken 
on  board,  risen,  and  seized  the  vessel  ? " 

His  French  blood  spoke  in  the  shrug  he 
gave. 

"I  should  hold  that  it  had  been  pre- 
arranged but  for  this,"  said  he.  "What 
confederates  could  they  have  had  in  the 
ship?  They  sent  the  original  crew,  mates 
and  all,  out  of  her." 

"Might  not  that  have  been  part  of  the 
conspiracy  ? " 

"  How  could  it  serve  them,  Miss  Hayes  ? " 

"  Supposing — for  argument's  sake  —  that 
Mr.  Gordon  was  in  the  plot.  He  contrives 
without  suspicion  of  my  stepfather  to  place 
the  ship  on  a  given  day  in  a  position  settled 
upon." 

The  priest  shook  his  head. 

"  He  secretly  helps  the  men  by  telling  them 
where  the  arms-chest  is,  or  perhaps  by  taking 
them  to  it  in  some  black  hour  of  the  middle 
watch.  Nevertheless,  Mr.  Gordon  is  put  into 
the  boat  and  sent  away  with  the  rest  of  the 
people " 

"  Why  ?  He  would  want  a  share  of  the 
booty.  It  is  not  likely  he  would  leave  the 
ship  had  he  betrayed  her  into  the  hands  of 
these  pirates." 

K 


146         THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

"Perhaps  not,"  said  I. 

Colonel  Wills  and  Mr.  Jackson  came  up 
to  us. 

"It  seems  to  me,"  said  the  Colonel,  gasp- 
ing hoarsely  in  his  efforts  to  make  us  hear 
him  above  the  wind,  but  with  a  voice  that 
should  not  reach  the  companion  sentry,  "  that 
it  ought  to  be  no  difficult  matter  to  re- 
capture this  vessel.  There  may  be  eight  or 
ten  men  in  the  steerage  :  then  there  are  our- 
selves.    It's  to  be  done." 

"It's  to  be  done,"  exclaimed  the  comedian 
sarcastically,  "if  they'll  let  us  all  out  and 
allow  us  to  arm  ourselves,  and  give  us  a  fair 
chance,  as  man  to  man.  But  put  me  into 
that  hole  again,"  said  he,  pointing  to  the 
companion  hatch,  "and  let  that  chap  there 
be  ready  with  his  cutlass  to  job  me  over  the 
nut  on  my  showing  myself,  and  what  sort  of 
a  draw  am  I  going  to  make  of  this  ship's 
recapture  ? " 

Just  as  he  said  this  my  stepfather  passed 
us.     "Laura,  I  want  you,"  said  he. 

The  sentry  threw  open  the  doors,  and  I 
followed  the  Captain,  who  seemed  to  be  read- 
ing the  brass  arch  of  his  sextant.  I  was  at 
his  heels,  and  closed  the  door  of  his  berth 
when  we  were  in  it.  He  put  down  his 
sextant,  seated  himself,  and  so  postured  that 
my  breath  left  me  :  I  thought  he  would  sink 


WE  TAKE  THE  AIR  IN  GANGS       147 

in  a  fit.  He  laid  one  hand  upon  his  breast, 
the  other  upon  the  table,  and  strangely  and 
slowly  clenched  his  fingers  till  the  veins 
showed  like  whipcord  upon  his  fist;  mean- 
while he  looked  down  upon  the  table  with 
an  expression  of  grief  full  of  wildness  and 
anger. 

"Do  you  remember,"  said  he  presently, 
"what  Christian  said  to  Bligh  when  that 
captain  was  getting  into  the  boat.  '  I  am  in 
hell.     I  am  in  hell.'     'Tis  so  with  me." 

"  Colonel  Wills  just  now  on  deck  said  that 
he  thought  this  ship  might  be  recaptured." 

"By  whom?" 

"By  Wills  and  the  other  men  in  the 
saloon ;  and  then  there  are  eight  or  ten 
males  in  the  'tween-decks  who  would  fight 
for  their  lives  and  their  liberty,  surely." 

"Wills  is  a  Yankee  bouncing  braggart: 
fall  of  fine  possibilities — for  other  men.  He 
maiTied  that  huge  woman  as  something  to 
get  behind  in  time  of  danger.  I  would 
advise  him  to  be  careful  in  his  talk.  If  his 
words  reach  the  ears  of  the  men  who  hold 
the  ship,  I'll  not  answer  for  his  life.  None 
of  you  seem  aware  of  the  frightful  significance 
of  what  has  happened." 

"How  do  you  mean?"  said  I.  "You 
should  have  sat  with  us  and  heard  us." 

"Ay,  but  they  don't  know  what's  before 


148  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '"MOHOCK" 

them,"  said  he,  pointing  to  a  locker  that  I 
should  sit.  I  watched  him,  feeling  frightened 
on  a  sudden.  "  The  man  Owen  and  some 
others  came  to  me  on  the  quarter-deck  about 
an  hour  ago,  and  their  plan's  this  :  the  whole 
of  the  passengers,  bag  and  baggage,  are  to 
be  put  ashore  on  the  Great  Salvage  Island. 
I  am  then  to  carry  this  ship  to  a  certain 
Bahama  Cay." 

He  stopped,  eyeing  me  intently. 

"Why,"  said  I,  fetching  my  breath,  "I 
don't  think  the  passengers  will  object  to 
being  set  ashore.  Anything  better  than 
being  imprisoned,  living  in  a  constant  state 
of  uncertainty  and  terror,  never  knowing  but 
that  we  may  all  be  butchered  if  it  should 
suit  the  ruffians  to  change  their  plans." 

"  Yet  they'll  not  like  to  be  put  ashore  on 
the  Great  Salvage  Island.  It's  a  bare  rock, 
not  much  bigger  than  half-a-dozen  ships  of 
this  size.  Did  you  think  there  was  a  town 
and  hotels  on  it?" 

"  The  people  will  be  glad  to  get  out  of  this 
ship  anyhow,"  I  said.  "Madeira  is  not  far 
distant?" 

"  Nor  the  Canaries,"  said  he. 

"And  I  suppose,"  said  I,  "that  ships  fre- 
quently pass  within  sight  of  the  island  ? " 

He  nodded  inattentively,  and  said,  "They'll 
not  like  it.     I  hate  the  idea  of  assenting  to 


WE  TAKE  THE  AIR  IN  GANGS       149 

it.  Why  do  I  do  so  ?  Because  I  am  a 
ruined  man,"  he  cried,  again  clenching  his  fist 
in  the  former  odd  slow  way,  as  though  he 
did  it  in  his  sleep,  or  was  catching  at  dry 
sand.  "  And  not  only  ruined :  if  I  oppose 
them  they'll  take  my  life." 

"  Ruined !  This  capture  is  no  fault  of  yours," 
said  I,  meeting  his  gaze  steadily.  "It  is  not 
like  some  vile  blunder  of  seamanship.  Your 
explanation,  supported  by  the  evidence  of  the 
passengers,  must  set  you  right  with  the 
owners " 

"I  am  ruined,"  he  blazed  out.  "Don't 
talk  rubbish  to  me.  What  do  you  know 
about  the  sea?  I  am  prejudiced  for  ever  in 
this  trade,  and  now  if  I  want  a  berth  I  must 
be  willing  to  hang  about  until  I  can  pick  up 
a  job  as  first  or  second  of  something  this  ship 
could  make  a  long-boat  of." 

"  What's  to  become  of  me  ? " 

"You'll  stop  on  board.  I  stipulated  for 
that." 

"  I  would  rather  take  my  chance  with  the 
passengers,"  I  exclaimed,  not  liking  the  look 
that  was  in  his  face. 

"  You'll  stop  on  board,"  he  repeated,  with 
cold,  deliberate  emphasis, 

"  Shall  I  ever  get  home  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  you'll  not  want  to,"  said  he. 
"  This  is  to  be  a  voyage  of  adventures,  and 


150         THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

if  it  must  ruin  me  on  one  side,  by  God, 
Laura,  it  shall  equip  me  on  the  other  !  "  He 
jumped  up  as  if  to  stop  my  mouth.  "You 
can  go,"  said  he.  "Leave  me  to  tell  the 
passengers  what  the  men  intend  to  do.  I 
have  my  observations  to  work  out." 

Just  as  the  features  of  a  picture  creep  out 
to  the  stealthy  light  of  the  dawn,  so  the 
whole  meaning  of  this  voyage  was  beginning 
to  steal  in  upon  my  mind.  His  acting  was 
clumsy ;  it  seemed  half-hearted  in  its  general 
expression  to  me  ;  and  still  I  could  not  yet 
be  sure  that  he  was  the  master-spirit  of  this 
audacious,  unparalleled  plot ;  all  I  had  to 
build  on  was,  first,  my  having  heard  through 
my  sister  and  others  that  he  was  in  debt  and 
in  great  difficulties,  and  next  my  having  seen 
the  man  Owen  at  his  house. 

I  walked  through  the  saloon,  and  when 
passing  the  companion  steps  the  doors  were 
opened,  and  the  Colonel  and  Mr.  Jackson, 
Monsignor  Luard,  and  the  two  ladies  came 
down  ;  they  were  yet  on  their  way  when  the 
fellow  above  roared  out : 

"Any  other  three  gents  and  three  ladies 
can  come  up  for  half  an  hour.  Let  them 
knock  when  so  be  they're  ready." 

The  Colonel  was  in  an  agony  of  rage,  but  he 
held  his  tongue  until  after  the  man  had  shouted 
down  and  the  doors  were  shut.    He  then  let  fly. 


WE  TAKE  THE  AIR  IN  GANGS       151 

"  Of  all  the  blistered  insults  ever  offered  to 
ladies  and  gentlemen  who've  paid  their  good 
money,  and  plenty  of  it  too,  for  cabins  to  New 
York,  smother  me  if  this  ain't  way-down  the 
unholiest  sunk  out  of  conception  right  out  of 
sight  of  all  other  insults,  by  God,  as  fur  low 
as  the  spirits  of  the  damned  be  yelling !  To 
turn  ladies  and  gentlemen  off  the  deck  they've 
paid  for  the  use  of !  To  allow  'em  half  an 
hour  to  walk  and  breathe  for  their  entertain- 
ment, as  that  blistered  cuckoo  atop  there 
calls  it !  Rats  alive  !  If  it's  to  come  to  this, 
and  to  go  on  at  this,  better  set  fire  to  the 
bucket,  says  I,  and  bonfire  ourselves  out 
of  it." 

Whilst  he  talked  he  flourished  his  arms  as 
though  he  cut  with  a  sword,  and  seemed  mad 
with  his  starting  eyes  and  high-pitched  voice. 

Mr.  Jackson,  who  had  wrapped  a  cloak 
about  him,  fixed  his  dark  eyes  upon  the 
Grasshopper  and  said,  "Ai*e  you  going  on 
deck  ? " 

"I  am  not,"  answered  the  other,  with  a 
smooth  smile  ;  "  I  am  going  to  eat  my  dinner 
down  here  when  it  comes." 

"But  heavenly  angels!"  cried  the  comedian, 
•'  if  we  should  devise  some  scheme  of  re- 
capturing the  vessel,  how  in  Joseph  are  you, 
as  one  of  us,  to  know  what  to  do  unless  you 
go  on  deck  and  look  about  you  ? " 


152  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

The  elbows  rose  high  as  the  Grasshopper 
answered  with  an  arch  diaboHcal  sneer,  "  As 
one  of  you  !     But  who's  you  1 " 

"Will  you  tell  us,  sir,"  cried  Mr.  Jackson, 
colouring  with  temper,  "  that  if  we  agree  to 
break  out  and  rise  upon  the  villains  who 
have  seized  the  ship,  you  will  not  fight  ? " 

"I'll  fight  when  you  break  out." 

"  Gentlemen,"  cried  Mr.  Macbride,  who 
stood  with  a  face  pale  with  consternation 
swinging  at  a  stanchion,  "  I  hope  nothing 
will  be  attempted  that's  likely  to  jeopardise 
the  safety  of  the  ladies." 

"  I  am  of  Mr.  Macbride's  opinion,"  said  Mr. 
Bergheim. 

The  Grasshopper  uttered  another  hollow 
laugh. 

The  dinner  that  day  was  a  very  shabby 
affair;  no  soup,  no  preliminaries;  just  a 
round  of  corned  beef,  a  ham,  and  some 
pieces  of  boiled  fowl.  When  it  was  served 
we  waited  for  the  Captain.  The  Colonel 
reeled  to  the  table  and  called  out,  "Is  this 
all?"  The  steward  from  the  foot  of  the 
companion  steps  answered  "All." 

"No  matter,"  said  the  Colonel.  "Still 
they  shall  fork  me  over  every  cent  of  my 
passage-money,  if  I  have  to  sue  'em  for  it 
to  my  bottom  dollar." 

Just  then  the  Captain  arrived.    He  took 


WE  TAKE  THE  AIR  IN  GANGS       153 

his  seat  at  the  head  of  the  table,  and  the 
passengers  placed  themselves.  Sunshine  was 
on  the  ship,  and  the  radiance  leapt  in  stars 
from  the  cabin  mirrors,  and  the  atmosphere 
was  bright  and  warm  with  a  throbbing  in  it 
of  foam-white  gleams  from  the  cabin  windows. 
The  comedian  began  to  grumble  about  the 
poverty  of  the  dinner. 

"Should  we  not  consider  ourselves  fortunate 
to  be  fed  so  well,"  said  the  priest,  "  considering 
the  hands  we  have  fallen  into  ? " 

"There  is  enough  for  all,"  said  Mr.  Mac- 
bride. 

"  But  not  enough  for  my  money,"  cried  the 
Colonel,  who,  rounding  upon  the  Captain, 
shrieked  in  a  spasm  of  rage,  "  This  is  a  hellish 
situation,  sir." 

The  Captain  carved  the  beef  like  a  machine  ; 
his  mind  was  locked  up  behind  his  iron  hard 
face ;  there  was  no  interpretable  intelligence 
in  his  countenance,  not  even  in  his  glance  as 
he'd  dart  a  look  here  and  there.  I  observed 
the  influence  of  his  grim  and  gloomy  de- 
meanour upon  those  who  sat  near  him  ;  few 
spoke  ;  his  own  speech  was  seldom  more  than 
yes  or  no. 

At  ray  end,  however,  the  conversation  was 
brisk  with  threats  and  temper.  The  Colonel 
went  on  with  his  braggart  noisy  talk  of  re- 
capturing the  ship.     He  did  not  tell  us  how 


154  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

it  was   to   be  done,  merely  that  it  must  be 
done. 

"  What  would  your  wife  think,"  said  Mr. 
Bergheim,  "  if  you  was  to  be  shot  as  you  sit 
eating  there  by  her  side  ? " 

"  Be  our  ideas  what  they  may,  we  shall  be 
fools  to  let  the  lawless  villains  above  hear 
of  them,"  said  the  comedian,  rolling  his 
dark  eyes  somewhat  significantly  towards  the 
steward. 

At  this  instant  I  saw  my  stepfather  close 
his  knife  and  fork  ;  he  seemed  to  steady  him- 
self by  grasping  the  table,  then  spoke  : 

"  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  I  have  waited 
until  this  meal  was  nearly  done  to  give  you 
news  of  the  men's  intentions." 

"Ha  !"  exclaimed  the  comedian,  and  there 
was  a  general  start. 

*'  I  am  completely  in  the  men's  power,  as 
you  know,"  continued  the  Captain.  "They 
have  commanded  me  with  threats  to  steer  the 
ship  to  a  certain  place,  and  though  they  may 
be  ignorant  of  navigation,  they'd  know  by  the 
compass  course  if  I  was  acting  honestly  by 
them.  The  ship  is  now  heading  direct  for  a 
cluster  of  rocks  that  lies  between  Madeira 
and  the  Canaries,  called  the  Salvages.  The 
men  intend  to  bring  up  off  the  Great  Salvage 
Island,  and  there  disembark  all  the  passengers 
along  with  their  baggage." 


WE  TAKE  THE  AIR  IN  GANGS       155 

"  Good  God  !  "  shouted  the  Grasshopper, 
springing  out  of  his  chair  and  standing.  The 
others  did  not  realise  so  rapidly.  After  a 
pause  Mr.  Macbride  said  faintly,  "  I  hope 
there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  getting  home  ? " 

"  I  think  not,"  said  the  Captain. 

"Is  it  a  naked  rock ? "  said  the  hard-faced 
lady. 

The  Captain  let  his  head  sink. 

"What  are  they  going  to  do  with  you, 
sir  ? "  shouted  the  Grasshopper,  standing  erect. 

"  They  intend  to  keep  me  on  board  to  carry 
the  ship  to  another  place  which  they  have  not 
yet  named,"  answered  the  Captain,  looking  at 
him  with  a  scowl. 

"  And  we're  all  to  be  put  upon  a  naked 
rock  where  there  are  no  houses,  nor  shelter, 
and  where  nothing's  likely  to  come  and  take 
us  off?"  here  screamed  out  a  lady  passenger. 

"They  mean  to  let  you  have  one  of  the 
ship's  boats,"  said  the  Captain,  addressing 
the  Colonel.  "  The  distance  to  Madeira  is 
short.  You  will  easily  procure  assistance  to 
take  you  all  off.  No  threats,"  he  cried,  with 
a  sort  of  fierceness,  that  did  not  fit  him  to 
my  eye,  "  could  have  driven  me  into  helping 
them  in  any  measure  likely  to  endanger  your 
lives.  I  hesitated  long,  and  then  imposed 
certain  conditions  before  agreeing.  Supplies 
of  food  will  be  landed,  conveniences  of  shelter 


156  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

for  the  time.  There  is  plenty  of  fresh  water, 
and  the  cHmate  is  that  of  Madeira.  I  could 
not  make  better  terms.  Naturally  they  would 
not  permit  me  to  bring  this  ship  to  off  a  port. 
I  have  no  fears  whatever  for  your  ultimate 
safety."  ' 

The  conversation  was  at  this  moment 
arrested  by  the  hard-faced  lady  going  into 
hysterics. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE  PASSENGERS  ARE  SET  ASHORE 

The  squeals  of  a  pig  dragged  to  the  slaughter 
yard  might  have  been  thought  music  beside 
the  din  the  hard-faced  lady  filled  the  saloon 
with.  In  the  midst  of  it  Mrs.  Macbride 
fainted,  and  was  borne  to  her  cabin  by  her 
husband,  whose  face  looked  swollen  as 
though  he  had  the  mumps.  Presently  the 
hard-faced  lady  was  bundled  along  with  her 
children  by  the  stewardess  into  her  berth, 
and  the  talk  began  again  about  the  island 
and  the  intention  of  the  piratic  crew. 

I  looked  askant  but  suspiciously  at  my 
stepfather.  How  went  his  sympathies  as  a 
man  with  all  this?  I  might  as  well  have 
walked  on  to  the  forecastle,  and  searched 
the  chocolate  countenance  of  the  figure-head 
under  the  bowsprit  for  soul  and  poetry. 

I  will  not  attempt  any  further  report  of 
the  conversation.  Mr.  Bergheim,  who  had 
managed  to  black  his  eye,  looked  sick  with 
the  thought  of  being  set  ashore  on  a  desolate 

IS7 


158  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

rock.  The  others  quieted  down  somewhat 
when  in  the  course  of  the  discussion  they 
grew  to  realise  what  was  to  happen.  Mon- 
signor,  clasping  his  hands  upon  the  table, 
asked  mildly  how  the  occupants  of  the  boat, 
when  they  were  sent  for  help,  should  know 
in  what  direction  to  steer  for  Madeira? 

"  You  shall  have  a  compass  and  full  direc- 
tions," answered  the  Captain  ;  "  the  men  dare 
not  deny  me." 

Many  questions  were  asked  about  the 
supply  of  food  ;  the  passengers  in  all  would 
make  a  large  number  of  souls  ;  unless  plenty 
to  eat  was  left  with  them,  then  if  help  was 
delayed  they  might  starve.  The  Captain 
assured  them  he  would  see  they  were  amply 
provisioned. 

"You  may  be  taken  off,"  said  he,  "soon 
after  the  ship's  departure.  From  Madeira 
you'll  easily  make  your  way  to  Europe  or 
America.  It  is  a  horrible  experience,  yet — 
yet — it  might  be  worse." 

Mr.  Jackson  blazed  out  about  the  loss  the 
delay  would  cause  him. 

"  You  are  not  the  only  loser,  sir,"  exclaimed 
the  Captain,  viewing  him  sternly. 

Then  they  broadsided  him  with  questions 
as  to  how  they  were  to  sleep,  if  food  was  to 
be  found  supposing  the  supplies  gave  out 
before  help  arrived,  and  the  like.     The  Cap- 


PASSENGERS  SET  ASHORE  159 

tain  in  answer  to  this  went  to  his  berth  and 
returned  with  a  volume.  It  was  an  ocean 
directory.  He  handed  the  book  to  Monsignor 
Luard  with  his  finger  upon  a  page,  and  went 
on  deck,  the  doors  opening  after  he  had 
knocked  hard  several  times.  The  priest  put 
on  his  spectacles  and  read  aloud  a  description 
of  the  island.  The  book  said  it  contained  a 
spring  of  cold  water,  was  covered  with  a 
peculiar  herbage  much  sought  after  by  the 
Portuguese,  and  was  piebald  with  birds,  so 
tame  or  spiritless  you  kicked  them  as  you 
walked.  Good  fish  was  to  be  had,  and  a 
vast  variety  of  crabs.  But  it  was  a  dangerous 
rock,  and  ships  gave  it  a  wide  berth.  When 
the  priest  had  ended,  the  Colonel  snatched 
up  the  book  and  read  aloud  again  the  whole 
description  at  the  top  of  his  voice. 

After  this,  things  fell  into  a  sort  of  quiet 
that  did  not  want  a  quality  of  numbness. 
The  distance  to  the  Salvage  Island  from  the 
place  of  the  ship's  seizure  was  about  thirteen 
hundred  miles,  and  as  the  vessel  had  been 
driven  with  much  constancy  by  strong  winds, 
it  was  reckoned  amongst  us  in  the  saloon 
that  the  Mohock  would  make  the  island  by 
Saturday.  What  they  thought  of  matters  in 
the  'tween-decks  I  could  not  get  to  hear.  All 
the  steward  could  tell  us  was,  that  little  knots 
of  the  handful  of  emigrants  we  carried  were 


i6o  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

released  from  time  to  time  to  take  the  air :  a 
couple  or  three  of  them  were  likewise  allowed 
to  visit  the  galley,  and  use  it  for  the  dressing 
of  the  victuals  of  the  whole. 

My  stepfather  had  now  little  or  nothing 
to  say  to  me ;  I  might  have  been  a  stranger 
on  board,  a  maid  or  servant  to  one  of  the 
passengers.  I  had  no  doubt  he  knew  I  had 
guessed  the  truth,  and  was  afraid  of  me.  He 
might  think  he  had  blundered  also  in  open- 
ing himself  so  unwarily  as  on  that  occasion 
when  he  exclaimed  with  an  oath  if  this  thing 
was  to  ruin  him  on  one  side  it  should  equip 
him  on  the  other.  Yet  he  played  his  part 
with  the  passengers  extraordinarily  well.  He 
would  sit  at  table  with  the  face  of  a  spirit- 
broken  man  who  seeks  to  veil  the  weakness 
of  grieving  by  stern  looks  and  sullen  short 
answers.  He'd  stay  but  a  very  short  time, 
and  talk  as  little  as  possible,  and  then  chiefly 
to  the  women,  whom  he  sought  to  hearten  by 
promising  them  that  their  imprisonment  on 
the  island  would  be  brief. 

"  These  are  travelled  seas,"  he  would  tell 
them.  "  The  rock  lies  between  two  much- 
frequented  places.  Granted  that  big  ships, 
as  the  book  says,  give  the  shoal  a  wide  berth, 
many  small  boats  visit  the  island  to  cut  the 
herbage.  Portuguese  fishing-smacks  bring 
up  off  it.     The  men  amongst  you  will  be  able 


PASSENGERS  SET  ASHORE  i6i 

to  collect  materials  to  make  a  great  smoke, 
and  when  that  is  seen  help  is  sure." 

Thus  would  he  talk,  and  I'd  see  Monsignor 
listening  with  his  hand  to  his  ear.  But  the 
Captain  rarely  addressed  the  Colonel  and  the 
others,  and  would  be  gone  long  before  the 
meal  was  finished. 

They  let  us  out  as  before  in  gangs,  three 
of  a  sex,  but  never  allowed  us  to  be  longer 
than  an  hour  on  deck  at  a  time.  It  was  now 
warm  weather,  the  sea  a  divinely  rich  blue, 
and  the  ship's  yellow  forefoot  sparkled  with 
flying- fish  as  she  drove  through  the  clear  and 
heavenly  dye  of  brine  under  the  summer 
impulse  of  her  cathedral  heights.  My  step- 
father was  constantly  on  deck,  but  always 
alone.  I  guessed  in  the  few  quick  observa- 
tions I  was  able  to  make  when  I  went  above 
that  the  rogues  had  chosen  a  couple  of  mates 
out  of  their  body.  At  one  time  I'd  see  the 
man  Owen  striding  in  the  gangway  as  though 
keeping  a  look-out ;  at  another  a  fellow  named 
Harris,  who'd  walk  the  deck  as  though  watch- 
ing the  ship.  It  was  always  these  two  men 
alternately. 

The  Captain  hung  alone  right  aft,  and  his 
behaviour  was  so  cold,  so  hard,  so  withdrawn, 
that  none  of  the  passengers  ever  spoke  to 
him. 

I  awoke  early  on  Saturday  morning.     My 

L 


1 62  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

cabin  was  filled  with  the  blue-white  light  of 
the  sea,  tingling  off  the  burnished  knolls  of 
blue  water  as  the  ship  floated  forwards  with 
scarce  more  life  in  her  than  she  got  from  the 
swell.  Whilst  I  dressed,  I  wondered  if  we 
should  sight  the  island  that  day.  All  sorts 
of  bitter  thoughts  buzzed  in  my  head  :  my 
brain  was  like  a  nest  of  wasps.  Suppose  my 
stepfather  was  the  arch-conspirator  in  this 
devilish  business  ;  where  did  he  mean  to  live 
to  escape  the  law?  What  was  the  punish- 
ment for  such  a  crime  as  this  ?  It  was  piracy 
of  course  in  the  first  degree,  piracy  in  its  most 
infamous,  villainous  expression,  seeing  the 
high  trust  reposed  in  the  man,  and  for  that 
crime  they  used  to  hang  in  irons  ;  but  without 
looking  into  books  I  cannot  say  that  it  was  a 
hanging  villainy  in  1 844.  Did  ever  one  hear 
of  such  a  piracy  as  this — a  captain  to  steal 
his  own  ship !  If  any  of  the  passengers 
perished  through  fear  or  exposure  on  the 
island,  they'd  make  a  murder  charge  of  it. 
How  would  his  scheme  go  when  the  island 
job  was  ended  ?  An  odd  sort  of  heat  or  flush 
of  romance  glowed  in  me  whilst  I  thought. 
It  was  an  amazing  piece  of  human  life,  quite 
unlike  anything  else  that  had  ever  been.  I 
was  here,  and  able  to  watch  the  startling  play, 
and  a  romantic  curiosity  did  so  much  fire  me 
this  morning  that  I  recalled  with  surprise  my 


PASSENGERS  SET  ASHORE  163 

wish  to  share  the  lot  of  the  passengers.  I 
wanted  to  see  the  mask  fall,  and  wind  with 
the  villains  through  their  maze  of  plot  to  its 
issue.  It  was  all  one  whether  I  went  to  New 
York  or  another  place,  and  what  had  I  to  fear 
from  the  law  ? 

It  was  about  a  quarter  to  seven.  I  stepped 
into  the  saloon  and  saw  nobody  but  the 
steward.  He  stopped  his  work  of  dusting 
and  said : 

"The  land's  in  sight,  miss." 

"What  land?" 

"  The  what  d'ye  call  urns — where  they're 
to  be  landed." 

"Is  it  close?" 

"About  three  miles  off." 

"Where's  the  Captain?" 

"  On  deck,  miss." 

The  companion  doors  were  closed.  I  felt 
wild  to  see  the  land,  yet  would  accept  no 
privileges  which  were  denied  the  other  pas- 
sengers, though,  had  I  knocked,  the  sentry, 
knowing  me  as  the  Captain's  stepdaughter, 
would  have  let  me  through.  We  had  been 
at  sea  for  some  time  now,  and  there  was  a 
magic  in  the  very  name  of  land  to  quicken 
the  heart  and  brighten  the  eyes  and  run  a 
hurry  of  pleasurable  expectations  into  the 
mind.  I  went  to  all  the  port-holes  and 
slanted  my  sight — to  no  purpose ;    the  land 


i64  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ^'MOHOCK" 

was  on  the  bow,  the  steward  said,  a  blue 
shadow ;  it  looked  like  a  big  lizard.  There 
was  nothing  else  in  sight.  I  saw  through 
the  ports  that  it  was  a  morning  of  serene  and 
even  splendour;  the  large  blue  swell  ran  lazily, 
barely  wrinkled  by  the  light  air.  Through 
the  open  skylight  came  the  small  summer 
thunder  of  sails  beating  the  masts  as  the  ship 
bowed.  The  passengers  made  their  appear- 
ance in  ones  and  twos,  and  in  a  little  while 
all  were  assembled.  Those  in  the  berths  had 
hurried  out  when  they  heard  them  in  the 
saloon  shouting  that  the  island  was  in  sight. 
The  excitement  was  incredible ;  it  was  as 
though  a  cry  of  fire  had  been  raised.  They 
ran  from  window  to  window  as  I  had,  to 
catch  a  view ;  the  Colonel  leapt  upon  the 
table,  but  his  heroic  resolve  went  to  pieces 
when  he  got  his  head  into  the  skylight ;  he 
durst  not  show  his  nose  above  the  line  of  the 
deck,  and  sprang  back,  having  seen  nothing. 
At  eight  o'clock  the  steward  and  stewardess 
arrived  to  prepare  the  table  for  breakfast. 
They  told  us  that  the  island  was  now  within 
easy  eyeshot,  and  described  it  as  bleak  and 
barren,  with  a  slope  of  green  stuff  running 
out  of  the  sea  to  the  foreland  point.  Calm  as 
the  ocean  was,  they  said  the  surf  lifted  and 
flashed  in  heaps  of  dazzle  round  about  the 
land.      The    noise    of   the    combers  as    they 


PASSENGERS  SET  ASHORE  165 

smote  the  strand  could  be  heard  on  the  ship's 
forecastle. 

"  Aren't  we  to  be  allowed  on  deck  to  see 
the  place  where  we're  to  be  marooned  ? "  said 
the  Colonel. 

"  There'll  be  nobody  allowed  on  deck,"  an- 
swered the  steward,  "  till  the  boats  are  ready 
alongside.  The  passengers  then  '11  go  straight 
from  the  cabin  to  the  boats  and  ashore." 

"  Who  told  you  that  1 "  said  Mr.  Jackson, 
with  the  growl  of  a  mastiff  in  his  fat  throat. 

"  The  cook,"  answered  the  steward. 

"And  why  the  bleeding  comfort  couldn't 
he  have  told  you  something  to  cheer  us?" 
said  the  comedian,  forgetting  in  his  wrath 
that  he  was  in  the  company  of  ladies,  and 
he  flung  himself  into  a  chair,  folding  his  arms, 
and  scowling  right  up  at  the  ceiling. 

It  was  a  cold  breakfast  that  morning,  saving 
that  the  steward  put  a  pot  or  two  of  hot 
coffee  and  tea  upon  the  table ;  yet  there  was 
plenty — ham,  biscuit,  delicate  meat  in  tins, 
and  so  forth.  The  Captain  did  not  join  us. 
Monsignor,  whose  calm  face,  nevertheless, 
showed  a  mind  oppressed  with  questions, 
asked  the  steward  if  the  Commander  did  not 
intend  to  come  to  breakfast,  and  was  answered 
that  the  meal  had  been  served  to  him  on  the 
quarter-deck. 

Whilst  they  talked,  something  green  and 


1 66  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

white  floated  into  the  disc  of  an  open  port- 
hole. I  sprang  to  my  feet  and  rushed  to 
view  the  island.  Others  saw  it,  and  in  a 
breath  the  windows  on  the  port  side  were 
blocked  with  faces.  Barren  it  no  doubt  was, 
bleak  and  inhospitable  ;  yet  it  looked  fairy- 
like in  that  frame  of  ship-window,  a  delicate 
miracle  of  lights  and  shadows,  sweet  to  my 
sight,  wearied  by  the  sea,  as  a  draught  from  a 
foaming  spring  to  the  parched  throat.  Every 
now  and  again  the  spray  rose  at  points  in 
quivering  shafts  of  splendour.  Some  way 
beyond,  to  the  right,  was  a  long  black  heap 
of  rock,  with  a  plentiful  sporting  of  white 
water  about  it.  The  sea,  floating  in  long- 
drawn  respirations  past  the  island  to  the 
horizon,  was  of  a  deep  and  heavenly  blue. 

*'  Isn't  that  white  sand  ?  "  sang  out  Colonel 
Wills. 

"I  see  holes  to  sleep  in,"  exclaimed  the 
Grasshopper. 

"  And  I  see  many  large  crabs,  who'll  let  your 
friends  know  by  the  morning  what  sort  of 
bones  your  skins  have  hidden  all  your  lives ! " 
drawled  Mr.  Jackson. 

"  Horrible! "  cried  Mrs.  Macbride,  putting 
her  fingers  to  her  ears. 

"  I  sleep  in  no  hole,  for  one,"  said  Mr. 
Bergheim,  who  was  looking  at  the  island 
through  a  pocket-telescope.    "  They  will  allow 


PASSENGERS  SET  ASHORE  167 

us  cloth  for  tents,  I  hope,  and  when  we  are 
ashore  our  first  business  shall  be  to  make  up 
a  great  fire  that  will  smoke  like  a  volcano." 

"Do  you  smoke  with  grass  in  your  coun- 
try?" sneered  the  Colonel. 

Thus  they  went  on  bawling  to  each  other 
from  the  several  port-holes.  I  tried  to  gather 
by  listening  what  was  passing  on  deck.  All 
was  silent. 

The  island  remained  stationary  in  the  port- 
hole :  it  was  clear,  then,  that  the  ship  had  been 
brought  to  a  stand,  and  a  sparkling  diamond 
dance  of  water  where  the  light  rode  in  blue 
and  green  told  of  a  soft  flowing  breeze,  of 
weight  enough  to  hold  the  canvas  steady. 

The  passengers  paced  about  the  saloon, 
bitterly  restless  and  anxious.  They  had  taken 
in  a  heartload  of  the  island  with  their  eyes,  and 
began  to  understand  that  it  was  a  wild  and 
cruel  lump  of  land  to  abandon  people  on,  and 
that  help  must  come  quickly  if  something  far 
blacker  than  what  they  had  reckoned  on  was 
not  to  befall  them.  This  I  collected  by  quietly 
listening  to  their  talk. 

Monsignor  dwelt  in  particular  upon  the 
Captain  having  spoken  of  one  boat  only  for 
them.  "  They'll  give  us  a  compass,  no  doubt," 
said  the  priest,  "and  the  Captain  will  see 
that  we  have  a  chart  and  bearings  for  the 
Madeira  or  the  Canaries ;  yet  she  must  needs 


i68  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

be  a  small  boat ;  four  or  five  only  will  be  able 
to  go  in  her.  If  she  should  founder,  the  rest 
of  us,"  said  he,  looking  around,  "  will  be  left 
helpless,  expectant,  not  knowing  whether  they 
have  reached  land,  or  whether  they  have  be- 
trayed us  by  neglecting  us." 

"That's  it,"  said  the  Colonel.  "It's  the 
durned  expectation  when  a  man's  in  such  a 
situation  as  that,"  said  he,  pointing  to  the 
island  through  the  port-hole,  "  that  takes  the 
curl  out  of  his  heart,  and  leaves  his  spirit 
slack  as  a  skinned  eel.  It's  a  brimstone  sort 
of  a  joke  this,  surely  ! — a  most  unnatural,  un- 
called-for, hellish  position  for  us  ladies  and 
gentlemen  to  be  in,"  and  he  whacked  the 
table  with  a  red  face  of  raving. 

At  ten  o'clock  there  was  a  tramp  and  hurry 
of  footsteps  overhead ;  this  was  followed  by 
a  creaking  noise.  The  cabin  windows  were 
darkened  by  the  passage  of  a  body  or  two, 
and  we  heard  the  splash  of  the  quarter-boats 
as  they  soused  to  their  bilges.  A  man 
then  appeared  at  the  skylight.  He  grasped 
a  musket,  and  stood  looking  down  at  us, 
clearly  with  the  intention  that  we  should 
observe  him.  His  breast  was  bulged  and 
knobby  with  the  butt-ends  of  pistols,  and  a 
cutlass  was  at  his  hip ;  he  seemed  a  formid- 
able villain,  and  stared  with  a  determined  face, 
running  Mn  eyc^  Her*?  ntir]  th^re  as  though  h«i 


PASSENGERS  SET  ASHORE  169 

numbered  us  as  far  as  the  frame  of  the  sky- 
light permitted  him  to  see. 

Mr.  Bergheim  said  to  me,  "  Who  is  to  know 
but  that  he  may  have  received  instructions  to 
shoot  us  down  one  by  one,  by  Gott?  Does 
he  not  look  as  if  he  meant  to  take  aim?" 
and  the  timid  little  Jew,  with  a  shudder,  went 
away  to  a  seat  near  the  sideboard  at  the  fore- 
end,  where  no  musket  could  sight  him  from 
the  skylight. 

Some  time  went  by,  perhaps  two  hours  ; 
we  then  heard  the  lift  and  dip  of  oars,  and 
Monsignor  called  from  one  of  the  windows 
that  a  string  of  three  boats  was  making  for 
the  island.  I  looked  and  saw  two  boats  towed 
by  a  third.  They  floated  deep,  and  no  doubt 
contained  provisions  and  necessaries  for  the 
temporary  support  of  the  passengers.  Four 
men  rowed.  They  pulled  with  long  oars,  and 
their  strokes  were  the  long  clumsy  motions 
of  the  fishermen  or  'longshoremen. 

The  Colonel,  after  counting  them,  exclaimed 
in  a  low  voice,  with  a  glance  at  the  skylight, 
"  Eight  remain  in  the  ship.  Aren't  they  to 
be  mastered  if  we  could  break  out  ? " 

"  Don't  let  us  talk  so,"  cried  Mr.  Bergheim 
from  his  corner.  *'  They  are  peaceable,  and 
will  set  us  ashore  in  safety,  and  after  a  little  dis- 
comfort we  shall  arrive  home.  Will  not  that 
be  better  than  being  shot  through  the  head  ? " 


I70  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

"There's  nothing  to  be  done,  Colonel," 
said  Mr.  Jackson,  restlessly  pacing  the  cabin 
floor.  "  Every  man  will  be  armed  and  doubly 
on  the  alert.  We  must  take  it  as  it  comes ; 
but  as  an  experience  ! " 

He  was  interrupted  by  the  armed  fellow 
above  hoarsely  shouting  down  : 

"Ladies  and  gents,  the  sooner  you  get, 
your  traps  together  the  better.  When  the 
boats  return  you  must  be  ready,  and  what  ye 
haven't  got  packed  to  take  yer'll  have  to  leave 
behind  you." 

"  How  long  are  we  to  be  allowed  % "  ex- 
claimed the  priest. 

"All  an  hour,"  answered  the  fellow,  in  a 
voice  as  gruff  as  a  sailor  in  a  stage  play :  in 
truth,  the  brutal  hoarseness  of  those  who  had 
occasion  to  address  us  seemed  needless  and 
forced ;  saving  the  ugly  monster,  their  looks 
expressed  them  as  men  very  capable  of  civil 
speech  and  decent  behaviour. 

The  passengers  ran  to  their  cabins  and 
thrust  their  belongings  into  their  boxes  and 
valises  as  fast  as  they  could  handle  the  things. 
Their  heavy  luggage  was  in  the  hold.  Mon- 
signor,  who  was  the  first  to  make  an  end, 
found  me  looking  through  a  cabin  window. 

"  Have  you  packed  up,  Miss  Hayes  ? " 
said  he. 

"  I  am  to  stop  in  the  ship." 


PASSENGERS  SET  ASHORE  171 

"Ay,  with  your  stepfather,  to  be  sure. 
Yet  does  not  he  subject  you  to  great  perils'? 
I  think  you  would  be  safer  with  us  on  that 
rock.  We  are  sure  to  make  our  existence 
known — I  have  no  fear  of  all  being  safely 
rescued  quickly." 

"  I  would  gladly  make  one  of  you,  but  my 
stepfather's  wish  is  that  I  should  stop  in  the 
ship  with  him." 

He  bowed  his  head  and  said  no  more. 

Through  a  port  I  saw  the  boats  coming  to 
the  ship  from  the  island.  Those  towed  had 
been  discharged  and  floated  light.  The  oars 
sank  and  rose  in  fibres  of  gold  that  flashed 
in  beauty  upon  the  blue  of  the  sea,  whose  hue 
was  deepened  into  a  sweet  richness  by  the 
light  of  the  great  white  crescent  of  sand  that 
yawned  as  a  background  for  the  boats.  Be- 
fore the  hour  was  out  the  passengers  had 
finished  packing,  and  were  in  the  saloon  with 
their  baggage  in  heaps  about  the  deck.  All 
were  dressed  in  readiness  for  leaving  the  ship. 
I  had  clothed  myself  for  the  deck,  and  this 
perhaps  prevented  them  from  noticing  that  I 
had  not  packed :  'tis  certain  that  none  but 
the  priest  questioned  me. 

Soon  there  was  a  noise  of  boats  alongside, 
attended  by  cries  of  men  hailing  the  deck 
from  the  water's  edge.  Certain  orders  I  could 
not  catch  were  stormed  down  from  overhead. 


172  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

The  companion  doors  were  flung  open,  the  hood 
thrust  back,  and  the  fellow  who  had  looked 
down  at  us  through  the  skylight  howled  out : 

"  The  male  passengers  are  to  step  up  two 
at  a  time  ;  the  ladies  '11  follow." 

"  Let  me  keep  with  my  husband,"  shrieked 
Mrs.  Macbride. 

"  You'd  better  do  as  you're  told,"  called 
down  the  man. 

Mr,  Macbride  looked  at  his  wife  with  a 
ghastly  face.  The  priest  in  a  voice  of  pity 
exclaimed,  "  I  am  certain  there  is  no  cause 
for  fear.  No  mischiefs  intended.  They  in- 
tend to  secure  us  men  in  the  boats  first  of  all. 
You'll  remain  with  the  other  ladies,  Mrs. 
Macbride,  and  will  very  shortly  be  with  your 
husband." 

"  Now,  then,  step  up,  step  up,"  shouted  the 
fellow,  thrusting  his  head  into  the  hatch. 
"Not  more  than  one  at  a  time,  please." 

Mrs.  Macbride  screamed  and  sank  upon  a 
sofa.  I  went  to  her  side  and  tried  to  reassure 
her,  but  she  was  a  poor  timid  creature,  and 
the  parson  was  the  weaker  of  the  two.  He 
preached  the  Gospel  at  home,  yet  managed  to 
get  no  spirit  out  of  it  for  the  experiences  of 
foreign  travel. 

The  Colonel  and  Mr.  Jackson  went  on 
deck  and  disappeared.  Mrs,  Wills'  white 
face   looked   moxp    loath s^mw    th^n    a   dead 


PASSENGERS  SET  ASHORE  173 

woman's  with  the  vivid  scarlet  of  her  lips. 
She  sat  motionless  with  straining  eyes ;  the 
shapeless  bulk  of  her  was  stiff  with  fright. 
Mr.  Bergheim,  dreaming  that  a  sense  of 
courage  might  be  born  of  a  swinging  car- 
riage, went  with  heroic  lunges  to  the  foot  of 
the  steps. 

"  Stand  back,"  thundered  the  man  a-top, 
"  till  you're  called  up ; "  a  command  which 
the  little  Hebrew  obeyed  too  literally  ;  he  not 
only  stood  back — he  fell  back,  and  stretched 
his  length  upon  the  deck;  but  nobody  laughed. 
Then  presently,  "  Two  more,"  and  up  went 
Mr.  Bergheim  and  the  Grasshopper.  They 
were  followed  by  Mr.  Macbride  and  Mon- 
signor.  The  parson's  wife  clung  to  her  hus- 
band's arm  till  the  foot  of  the  ladder  was 
reached  ;  there  they  kissed  and  sobbed. 

"  Bear  a  hand,"  shouted  the  sentry,  bring- 
ing the  butt  of  his  musket  down  with  a 
thump. 

A  lady  passenger  handed  Mrs.  Macbride  to 
a  chair,  and  the  two  gentlemen  disappeared. 

When  all  the  males  were  out  of  the  saloon, 
the  women  were  told  to  come  up.  I  was  one 
of  the  first  to  reach  the  deck,  and  looked 
round  for  my  stepfather,  but  he  was  nowhere 
to  be  seen.  Four  armed  men  stood  at  the 
gangway.  Two  others,  unarmed,  waited  to 
help  the  ladies  into  the  boats  alongside.     One 


174         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

was  at  the  wheel,  another  seemed  to  guard 
the  main-hatch  whilst  keeping  an  eye  on  the 
ship.  It  was  a  morning  of  wide  splendour ; 
the  sky  was  delicately  enamelled  with  feathery 
clouds  in  the  east,  the  wind  was  a  warm  faint 
air,  and  the  ship,  with  her  main-topsail  to 
the  mast,  lay  quietly  breathing  upon  the 
long  gleaming  lines  of  ocean  swell  flowing 
out  of  the  glory  under  the  sun.  When  all  the 
ladies  were  on  deck,  the  seaman  who  had 
guarded  the  hatch  said,  "  This  way  for  the 
boats,"  and  they  went  towards  the  gangway. 
There  were  some  children,  and  one  of  them 
was  crying  bitterly ;  the  women  went  eagerly. 
One  of  the  unarmed  men  in  the  gangway 
was  the  wiry  fellow  Owen.  He  comported 
himself  as  though  he  was  the  chief  of  the 
gang,  and  looked  at  the  ladies  and  then  at 
the  boats  alongside,  and  then  round  about 
him,  all  with  an  air  of  command.  I  wondered 
where  my  stepfather  lay  hidden.  Doubtless 
in  the  berth  forward  of  the  galley,  where  they 
had  made  a  show  of  locking  him  up  and 
sentineUing  him.  Good  God  !  What  a  huge 
atrocious  scheme  of  plunder  was  this !  I 
could  scarcely  realise  the  character  of  what 
was  happening  when  I  looked  at  the  stately 
ship  clothed  in  sunshine,  rocking  softly,  at 
the  island  within  a  mile,  at  the  breast  of 
beautiful  blue  ocean  of  a  summer  serenity. 


PASSENGERS  SET  ASHORE  175 

unbroken  anywhere  by  so  much  as  a  needle- 
point of  sail.  How  would  the  passengers 
fare  upon  that  rock  ?  What  sort  of  sleeping 
quarters  was  a  delicate  young  woman  like 
Mrs.  Macbride  to  find  there?  How  would 
the  good-natured,  shapeless  Mrs.  Wills  relish 
a  bed  of  sand  a-stir  with  crabs,  or  grass  and 
bush  stubbly  with  live  birds  sharp  of  bill  ? 

The  island  looked  a  melancholy,  desolate 
place  from  the  deck.  The  fairy  gleams  and 
diminishing  beauty  it  got  from  the  circular 
frame  of  the  port-hole  were  wanting.  To  the 
right  was  a  little  rock,  where  much  foam  was 
spouting  in  a  wonderful  white  glory  ;  it  was 
a  delightful  picture  of  fountains  :  you  would 
have  thought  the  rock  a  shoal  of  whales 
motionless  and  playing  their  plumes  of  water 
to  the  sun. 

The  ladies  quickly  passed  through  the 
gangway,  and  when  the  last  of  them  had  left 
the  deck  I  went  to  the  rail  and  peeped  over. 
I  saw  two  boats ;  one  was  the  ship's  long- 
boat, and  in  her  were  at  this  time  seated  all 
the  saloon  passengers.  While  I  looked,  some 
men  ran  below  and  passed  up  the  baggage, 
and  when  everything  was  in  her  she  sat 
pretty  deep.  The  passengers  spoke  not  a 
word.  I  so  held  myself  they  could  not  see 
me,  though  I  had  them  clear.  I  felt  ashamed 
to  be  left  behind.     My  suspicion   or  know- 


176  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

ledge  of  the  monstrous  plot  made  me  feel 
a  sort  of  partaker  of  the  crime.  The  poor 
people  were  too  full  of  their  own  wretched- 
ness and  the  horrors  and  perils  of  the  situa- 
tion to  heed  my  absence.  When  the  last 
bag  was  flung  into  the  boat,  Owen  cried  out, 
"Is  that  all?"  On  being  answered,  he  sung 
down  to  the  four  men  who  hung  on  their 
oars  in  the  quarter-boat,  "  Give  way  now, 
lads.     Tow  with  a  will." 

The  painter  was  cast  adrift,  the  oars  dipped, 
and  away  went  the  two  boats  for  the  island. 
I  stood  behind  the  interlacery  of  the  main 
shrouds  watching  them.  Presently  I  was 
sensible  that  the  man  Owen  stared  at  me. 
I  turned  and  he  smiled,  on  which,  with  a 
shudder  of  disgust  that  my  face  may  have 
betrayed,  I  walked  some  distance  aft,  careless 
then  whether  the  passengers  in  the  boat 
saw  me  or  not.  The  man  followed  me,  but 
came  to  a  stand  at  a  respectful  distance,  and 
exclaimed  : 

"  I'm  sorry,  miss,  that  we  should  have  been 
obliged  to  worrit  you  by  this  here  caper- 
cutting,  but  the  piece  was  planned  out  to 
include  you.  They'd  have  smelt  a  rat  had 
you  been  alloAved  your  liberty  when  all  the 
rest  was  under  hatches." 

I  steadied  myself  by  grasping  what  they 
call  a  belaying-pin,  and  running  my  eyes  over 


PASSENGERS  SET  ASHORE  177 

him,  and  then  looking  him  full  in  the  face, 
said  : 

*'  You're  the  man  I  saw  at  Captain  Sinclair's 
house  in  London  ? " 

"  Ay,"  he  answered  cheerfully,  "  you're  the 
young  lady  that  passed  out  of  the  parlour 
into  a  back-room  as  I  was  a-going  in." 

All  the  theatrical  hoarseness  was  gone  out 
of  his  throat :  he  talked  in  a  clear  voice  a 
little  deep  and  broken. 

"Where  is  the  Captain?" 

"He  don't  think  proper  to  show  himself 
till  all  the  'tween-deck  people  are  out  of  the 
ship." 

"  Did  you  men  belong  to  that  schooner  that 
hailed  us  one  evening  ?  " 

''  Ay." 

But  when  he  had  said  this  he  looked  at 
me  with  a  queer  grin  of  doubt,  and  added, 
projecting  his  head  and  speaking  as  though 
startled,  "But  you're  along  of  us,  ain't  you, 
miss  { 

I  suppose  my  face  was  answer  enough,  for 
touching  his  cap  with  a  civil  air  of  embarrass- 
ment, he  abruptly  rounded  on  his  heel  and 
returned  to  the  gangway. 

I  stood  lost  in  thought,  watching  the  two 
boats.  They  made  for  a  point  on  the  left 
and  vanished  behind  it.  They  were  out  of 
sight  about  twenty  minutes,  after  which  they 

M 


178         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

emerged,  and  I  saw  some  of  the  people 
walking  about  the  island,  that  is  to  say, 
down  upon  the  flat  white  shore  and  upon  a 
broad  green  slope.  I  called  to  Owen  : 
"  Can  I  see  my  stepfather  ? " 
He  shook  his  head  in  a  sort  of  deaf  way, 
as  though  it  was  a  question  he  wished  me 
to  know  he  could  not  heed.  I  then  walked 
to  the  gangway,  where  he  stood  with  the 
others ;  I  was  fearless  of  their  firearms  and 
their  looks,  for  I  was  beginning  to  see  that 
their  brutality  did  not  go  much  deeper  than 
the  clothes  of  it :  in  fact,  the  comedian  had 
been  quick  to  witness  the  truth  in  Owen. 

"If  I  can't  see  Captain  Sinclair,"  said  I, 
"  one  of  you  should  remind  him  that  those 
poor  people  were  promised  a  boat,  a  compass, 
a  chart,  and  full  instructions  for  communicat- 
ing with  the  Canaries  or  Madeira." 

"That'll  be  seen  to,  miss,"  answered  the 
man,  with  a  look  of  familiarity  that  caused 
another  shudder  of  disgust  to  run  through  me 
again.  "  Yonder's  everything  that's  wanted." 
lie  pointed  to  a  canvas  parcel.  "And  I'm 
going  ashore  with  the  'tween-decks  folks  to 
explain  to  the  passengers  how  to  steer  for 
Madeira." 

"Do  you  understand  navigation?"  said  I. 

"  I  can  box  the  compass,"  he  answered,  with 
a  glance  at  the  others,  "  and  make  a  straight 


PASSENGERS  SET  ASHORE  179 

line  with  a  pencil  and  ruler  on  a  chart.  That's 
all  the  navigation  they'll  want,"  he  added, 
with  a  toss  of  his  head  at  the  island  that 
flung  a  fall  of  yellow  hair  off  his  forehead 
straight  out. 

I  walked  about  the  quarter-deck,  watching 
the  people  moving  upon  the  island.  They 
had  broken  up  into  little  parties,  and  seemed 
to  be  searching,  no  doubt  for  water,  and  for 
the  materials  to  make  a  smoke.  In  a  short 
while  the  boats  came  alongside,  and  Owen 
bawled  out  certain  orders.  Six  men,  includ- 
ing Owen,  stationed  themselves  in  the  gang- 
way. Four  were  armed  with  muskets  as 
before.  Owen  and  the  other  I  had  noticed 
had  strapped  cutlasses  to  their  hips.  One 
man  continued  to  grasp  the  wheel :  he  was 
the  ugly  man  with  the  hare-lip.  The  fellow 
at  the  hatch  was  helped  by  another  to  lift  the 
grating.     He  then  roared  down  : 

"Step  up  and  bring  your  bundles  along 
with  ye."  After  a  few  moments  the  first  of 
our  unhappy  handful  of  emigrants  arose.  He 
was  a  stumpy,  red-headed  man,  in  a  moleskin 
cap  and  leather  leggings,  and  blinked  furi- 
ously as  he  looked  about  him.  He  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  woman  in  a  shawl  and  bonnet, 
and  two  children. 

"Be  the  varth  of  me  oath,  yell  pay  for 
this,"    said    tbe   man.     "I'd   not   have   your 


i8o  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '' MOHOCK'* 

necks,  by  Jasus,  if  the  hangman's  stretching 
should  send  me  to  heaven.  Where's  the 
island,  ye  divils  ? " 

"  Pass  on  now,"  cried  Owen,  and  he  was 
thumped,  cursing  and  blaspheming,  over  the 
gangway  into  the  boat,  the  woman  wailing  to 
the  men  not  to  hurt  her  poor  husband.  The 
rest  came  in  a  little  procession.  One  was 
that  boy  with  the  motherly  face  I  had  noticed 
nursing  a  baby  when  I  joined  the  ship.  They 
looked  a  poor,  starved,  half-clothed  lot — six 
or  seven  men,  and  as  many  women,  and  the 
rest  children.  They  dragged  up  their  bag- 
gage along  with  them,  and  very  quickly,  and 
amidst  a  silence  that  made  their  passage 
ghastly,  as  though  they  were  going  to  their 
death,  they  descended  into  the  boats.  Owen 
then  picked  up  the  canvas  parcel,  and  with  a 
screw  of  his  beery  blue  eyes  to  see  if  I  observed 
him,  swung  himself  over  the  side.  A  minute 
later  both  boats  were  making  for  the  island. 


CHAPTER  IX 

/  GET  AT  THE  TRUTH 

As  my  stepfather  continued  hidden,  I  did  not 
choose  to  remain  alone  with  the  piratic  com- 
pany who  lounged  in  the  gangway  or  loafed, 
pipe  in  mouth,  about  the  galley.  I  thought 
to  find  the  stewardess  in  the  saloon,  till  on 
descending  I  recollected  I  had  noticed  her 
face  amongst  the  emigrants  in  the  boat.  I 
cannot  express  the  extraordinary  deep  sense 
of  solitude  inspired  by  this  interior.  Its  life, 
its  memory  to  me,  was  that  of  people  moving 
here  and  there,  sitting  at  table,  chatting  and 
laughing ;  it  now  looked  empty  as  a  cave, 
and  the  spirit  of  loneliness  carried  chill  to  the 
spirits  in  its  atmosphere.  Through  the  open 
port-holes  came  the  soft  feathery  rush  of  wind 
as  the  vessel  rolled.  I  felt  as  if  I  was  alone 
in  a  deserted  ship,  and  my  heart  sank. 

Some  of  the  doors  of  the  berth  were  open, 
and  swung  as  the  ship  swayed  ;  nothing  was 
left  but  tossed  bedding  and  the  furniture 
of  the  vessel.  It  was  after  two  o'clock.  I 
had  not  eaten  since  breakfast ;  the  remains  of 

xBx 


i82  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

that  meal  lay  upon  the  table  in  a  confusion 
of  broken  victuals  and  tumbled  napkins.  I 
found  some  wine  on  a  swing  tray,  and  cut  a 
plate  of  ham  and  some  sort  of  pleasant  spiced 
meat.  Whilst  I  ate  and  drank  I  was  wonder- 
ing what  in  the  name  of  life  was  to  become 
of  me,  and  despite  that  romantic  heat  of 
curiosity  I  lately  wrote  of,  I  was  now  longing 
with  a  real  passion  of  fear  to  be  safe  at  home. 
I  felt  sick  when  I  thought  of  the  familiar 
looks  of  the  fellow  Owen.  What  did  they 
mean  to  do  with  this  ship  ?  What  was  their 
destination,  and  how  long  would  it  take  them 
to  arrive  at  it?  and  when  there,  how  did  my 
stepfather  intend  to  dispose  of  me?  These 
and  the  like  considerations  so  terrified  me 
that  I  could  have  cried  my  eyes  out. 

By-and-bye  I  caught  a  noise  of  oars,  and 
going  to  a  port,  heard  voices.  The  boats  had 
returned  from  the  island.  The  breeze  was 
now  a  bit  fresh.  It  may  have  shifted ;  the 
island  was  no  longer  visible  in  the  windows. 
The  sea  streamed  in  splendour  under  the 
high  sun,  and  the  dance  of  white  fires  was 
on  both  hands.  After  a  little  I  heard  a 
tramp  of  feet,  a  song  of  seamen,  and  the 
port-holes  were  darkened  by  the  boats  as  they 
mounted  to  the  davits.  Then  clear  in  the 
open  skylight  rang  a  stern  sharp  cry.  I  started: 
it  was  my  stepfather's  voice. 


/  GET  AT  THE  TRUTH  183 

**  Fill  on  her  briskly,  my  lads  !  Round  in 
on  those  starboard  mainbraces." 

Along  with  the  echo  of  stamping  feet  on 
the  decks  entered  a  new  sense  of  buoyancy 
in  the  heel  of  the  vessel.  She  lifted  with 
the  light  long  heave  of  the  flashing  swell, 
with  a  floating  launch  that  was  life  itself, 
and  I  heard  the  brook-like  murmur  of  broken 
waters.  We  were  away !  But  to  what  part 
of  the  world,  and  with  what  intent  ? 

The  door  of  an  after-cabin  stood  open, 
and  the  island  swung  suddenly  into  a  stern 
window.  I  hastily  ran  into  the  berth  to 
look ;  then,  to  obtain  a  good  last  view  of  the 
people,  stepped  into  the  Captain  s  cabin  and 
adjusted  his  telescope  to  my  vision,  and  kneel- 
ing on  the  transom  or  locker,  or  whatever  it 
is  called,  steadied  the  telescope  in  the  port 
and  looked.  A  group  of  three  sprang  life- 
like into  the  lenses.  They  were  emigrants 
down  on  the  white  beach  of  the  bay,  stoop- 
ing and  peering  and  prodding  like  children 
shell-hunting.  I  swept  with  the  glass  and 
caught  another  figure ;  this  was  Monsignor. 
He  stood  alone,  his  hands  were  folded  in 
front  of  him,  and  he  watched  our  departing 
ship.  His  black  hat  shadowed  his  face,  which 
showed  like  marble  under  it,  and  on  the 
instant  of  my  covering  him  his  dusky  gaze 
sank  deep  into  mine.     I  started  as  though  he 


i84         THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^  MOHOCK" 

spoke  to  me.  The  figure  of  Mr.  Bergheim 
now  stepped  into  the  disc ;  it  gesticulated 
and  pointed  at  the  ship  ;  then  a  little  shift  of 
helm  launched  the  island  out  of  the  square 
of  the  casement,  and  the  vision  of  white 
beach  and  green  heights,  and  the  giant  line 
of  glass-clear  comber  smoking  towards  the 
land,  passed  into  a  heap  of  black  rock  bril- 
liant with  spouting  foam,  and  then  into  the 
dark  blue  open  sea. 

I  put  down  the  glass  and  went  into  the 
saloon  and  paced  the  deck.  The  motion  of 
the  ship  was  soft  and  gliding.  It  would  have 
been  sweet  to  me  at  another  time.  The  pure 
wind  gushed  through  many  openings:  through 
the  skylight  one  could  see  the  sails  of  the 
mizzen  swelling  in  alabaster,  sharp-edged 
with  light  against  the  blue.  Just  then  I 
saw  a  leg  in  the  companion-way,  and  my 
stepfather  descended.  On  perceiving  me,  he 
called  out,  in  a  level,  quiet  voice,  not  wanting 
in  a  certain  ring  of  heart,  as  though  his  spirits 
were  good : 

"  What,  ho,  Laura  !  The  last  of  them,  are 
ye?  But  it  looks  more  deserted  than  ever  I 
saw  it  in  dock." 

After  saying  this  he  stood  awhile  in  silence, 
turning  his  eyes  about.  He  then  came  to  the 
table,  and  helping  himself  to  some  remains 
of  cold  fowl  and  a  piece  of  tongue,  he  asked 


/  GET  AT  THE  TRUTH  185 

me  to  find  him  a  bottle  of  brandy  in  the 
steward's  pantry  and  sit  beside  him.  I  did 
as  he  bid  me,  and  when  he  had  asked  me  to 
eat,  our  talk  went  thus  : 

*'  Where's  this  ship  being  steered  to  now  %" 
said  I. 

"  To  a  Bahama  Cay,"  he  answered. 

'* Where's  that?" 

*'  No  matter.  It's  within  reach  of  a  week, 
anyway." 

"What  will  follow?" 

"I  don't  mind  talking  to  you  now,"  he 
answered,  eating  with  a  good  appetite,  and 
speaking  with  a  note  of  briskness,  whilst  I 
took  notice  that  the  heavy  expression  which 
had  blackened  his  countenance  during  the 
voyage  had  passed  out  of  his  face,  though 
to  be  sure  his  frown  stayed,  that  is,  in  its 
coming  and  going  way.  "  I  have  cast  in  my 
lot  with  the  men.  They  can't  do  without  me, 
and  why  shouldn't  I  get  money  out  of  the 
professional  ruin  the  seizure  of  the  ship  has 
brought  upon  me  ?  They  offered  me  a  large 
proportion  of  the  gold,  and  I  want  the  money," 
said  he,  dropping  these  words  slowly,  but  with 
an  accent  brutal  with  resolution.  "  Did  you 
know  before  we  sailed  that  I  was  bankrupt?" 

"  Maria  told  me  she  believed  you  were  in 
difficulties." 

"  How  should   she    know   anything  about 


i86  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^MOHOCK" 

my  affairs  ? "  he  exclaimed  with  heat.  Then 
controlling  himself,  he  continued,  "  I  should 
not  be  able  to  show  my  face  in  London  again. 
They'd  lock  me  up  for  debt.  Owners  will 
never  want  for  captains,  and  I  should  not  be 
missed.  Fortune  has  here  played  a  trump 
card.  No  debtor's  gaol  for  me?  I  shall  not 
even  go  to  sea  again,  but  pass  my  old  age  in 
comfort  and  quiet  in  some  glorious  climate 
where  a  man  careful  of  his  health  may  live 
for  ever." 

"  Your  share  will  be  stolen  money,"  I  said. 

"  I  steal  nothing,"  said  he,  showing  his 
teeth,  after  half-draining  his  tumbler.  "It 
was  not  I  who  ran  away  with  the  gold.  If  I 
am  to  salve  it  for  the  crew,  I  have  a  right  to 
the  share  they  offer ;  the  owners  would  never 
get  a  penny  from  them,  nor,  supposing  I  was 
to  hand  the  money  over,  would  I  ever  receive 
a  cent  in  acknowledgment  of  my  services. 
At  sea  we  never  do  more  than  our  duty." 

I  knew  he  lied,  and  it  was  shocking  to 
hear  him.  I  listened,  nevertheless,  with  a 
motionless  face  ;  in  truth,  I  could  act  as  well 
as  he.     He  waited  for  me  to  speak. 

"  What's  to  become  of  me  ? "  I  asked. 

"  You  shall  be  sent  home." 

"Why  did  you  bring  me  this  voyage?"  I 
asked. 

"  Why  ?    You   know  !     To  please  you,  to 


I  GET  AT  THE  TRUTH  187 

divert  you.  You  can  ask  ungrateful  questions 
with  a  curst  hard  look." 

"The  man  you  call  Owen " 

'*  It's  his  name." 

"  Says  he  remembers  seeing  me  in  your 
house." 

"  He's  a  liar,"  he  shouted,  flushing  scarlet. 
Then  jumping  up,  he  went  to  the  foot  of  the 
steps  and  bawled  in  a  roaring  note  for  Owen. 
The  man  instantly  appeared  in  the  hatch  and 
came  down. 

"  Were  you  ever  in  my  house  in  London  1 " 
exclaimed  Captain  Sinclair,  straightening  his 
military  figure  to  its  topmost  inches,  and 
overwhelming  the  man  he  accosted  with  his 
sudden  large  imperious  posture  of  look  and 
command. 

The  fellow's  countenance  changed,  a  sparkle 
of  cunning  sharpened  his  gaze. 

**  No,  sir,"  said  the  dog. 

"  You  told  me  you  saw  me  there,"  said  I 
quietly. 

"  Miss,  you  said  you  had  seen  me,  and  it 
wasn't  for  me  to  contradict  so  beautiful  a 
lady,"  answered  the  creature,  grinning. 

I  looked  down  and  drummed  with  my 
fingers,  wondering  if  the  Captain  would 
openly  notice  the  fellow's  sauciness.  Instead 
he  gave  him  certain  directions  touching  the 
course,  and  Owen  went  on  deck. 


i88         THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^MOHOCK" 

My  stepfather  returned  to  his  plate,  looked  at 
me  steadily,  and  said,  "Are  you  convinced?" 

"  He  has  an  offensive  familiar  way  with 
him.     He  must  not  speak  to  me." 

"  He  belongs  to  Deal,  where  they  have  no 
manners,"  he  exclaimed,  putting  more  food 
upon  his  plate.  "  Don't  notice  him.  He 
means  nothing.  In  fact,  we  must  be  civil 
to  these  fellows,  Laura,"  says  he,  softening. 
"  They  have  put  a  noble  estate  in  my  way, 
and  what  do  1  care  about  their  manners  1 
Owen  is  to  be  the  chief  mate,  and  will  sit  at 
this  table.  The  second  mate  '11  live  aft  too, 
but  you'll  see  nothing  of  him." 

"  Father,"  said  I,  softening  too,  "  surely 
you'll  take  no  portion  of  this  plundered 
money  ? " 

He  motioned  as  if  he  would  strike  me,  and 
silenced  me  with  a  look  of  fire. 

I  felt  afraid  of  him,  and  went  to  a  cabin 
window  and  stared  out.  I  did  not  like  to 
reflect  how  wholly  I  was  alone  in  that  ship. 
He  was  my  stepfather,  and  ashore  had  pro- 
fessed a  sort  of  tenderness  for  me,  but  we 
were  not  bound  by  ties  of  flesh  and  blood. 
He  was  now  a  criminal,  and  therefore  a 
desperate  man,  and  by  that  face  he  turned 
on  me  I  guessed  I  was  to  act  with  a  fine 
vigilance  if  ever  I  was  to  return  home  in 
safety.     What  most  terrified  me  was  his  easy 


/  GET  AT  THE  TRUTH  189 

way  of  referring  to  Owen's  behaviour.  I 
sighed,  I  grieved,  again  I  could  have  wept 
for  the  comparative  safety  of  the  island  that 
was  now  far  astern.  Why,  since  it  was  cer- 
tain that  he  had  planned,  that  he  alone  had 
planned,  this  enormous  piracy,  had  he  brought 
me  on  this  voyage  with  him  ?  And  what  was 
his  motive  in  keeping  me  on  board  1 

He  did  not  again  address  me.  When  he 
had  finished  eating,  he  went  the  round  of  the 
cabins,  examining  them  one  after  another, 
then  entered  his  own  and  shut  the  door.  Our 
imprisonment  in  the  saloon  had  made  a  sick- 
ness of  the  scene  of  it  to  me.  I  felt  a  craving 
for  the  spacious  freedom  of  the  ocean,  and 
went  on  deck.  Owen  had  charge  of  the 
ship ;  he  walked  the  weather  side.  When 
he  saw  me  he  touched  his  cap,  and  an  odd 
dry  smirk  of  cunning  twisted  his  lips.  I 
quite  knew  the  beast  wanted  to  say  he  had 
lied  and  couldn't  help  it.  In  a  minute  he 
darted  below  and  brought  a  chair.  I  gave 
him  a  faint  nod,  but  made  no  use  of  his 
civility. 

My  thoughts  were  with  the  island,  and  I 
went  right  aft  past  the  wheel,  and  saw  it 
hanging  in  a  little  cloud  of  gold  low  down 
upon  the  sea.  I  thought  I  caught  a  delicate 
film  feathering  over  it,  and  believed  it  might 
be  smoke,  but  I  could  not  imagine  they  would 


iQo  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

be  senseless  enough  to  waste  fuel  in  signals 
to  an  empty  horizon. 

The  ship  swam  in  three  lordly  pyramids  of 
canvas :  the  sun  made  cloths  of  gold  of  their 
breasts,  and  the  shadows  in  the  hollows  were 
prismatic  as  the  glancing  gleams  in  the  lining 
of  the  mussel-shell.  She  lay  slightly  over, 
and  sheared  through  the  water  quietly.  Only 
at  intervals  would  you  hear  a  frothing  fall 
from  the  weather  bow,  when  some  slightly 
heavier  lift  of  the  summer  swell  stiffened  the 
helmsman's  grasp  of  the  spokes.  But  along 
the  lee  side  the  water  shaled  away  into  the 
wake,  and  made  marble  of  the  blue  of  the 
brine,  with  its  white  streaks  and  cloudy  turns. 

When  I  considered  that  this  noble  ship, 
with  a  hold  full  of  valuable  commodities  and 
;^98,ooo  in  gold,  had  been  seized  by  Captain 
Sinclair  for  plunder,  the  surprise  in  me  was 
so  great,  that  the  thing  might  have  happened 
at  that  instant :  I  was  thunderstruck.  I  was 
turned  motionless  by  the  amazing,  incredible 
character  of  this  colossal  ocean  robbery,  and 
stood  on  the  lee  quarter  staring  forward  as 
if  I  were  a  statue. 

Our  ship's  company  of  rogues  were  all  on 
deck  at  this  hour.  They  idled  and  loafed, 
smoked  and  talked  in  various  parts.  The 
only  member  of  the  original  crew  I  saw  was 
the  cook.     He  leaned  half  in,  half  out  of  his 


/  GET  AT  THE  TRUTH  191 

galley  door,  and  seemed  on  very  easy  terms 
with  the  two  fishermen-like  figures  that,  with 
hands  buried  deep  in  their  breeches'  pockets, 
trudged  up  and  down  abreast  of  him.  I  had 
not  noticed  the  steward  go  ashore,  but  he 
was  certainly  out  of  the  ship,  and  must  have 
been  sent  away  with  the  saloon  passengers. 

The  afternoon  was  already  advanced,  and 
the  air  was  already  crimsoning  as  the  earth 
slowly  lifted  its  evening  horizon.  I  felt  weary 
and  heart-sick,  and  extraordinarily  depressed 
with  loneliness.  I  took  care  whilst  I  was  on 
deck  that  Owen  should  not  have  an  oppor- 
tunity to  address  me,  but  T  never  turned  my 
eyes  in  his  direction  without  finding  that 
he  stared  at  me  with  looks  of  admiration  as 
unconcealed  as  the  expression  of  a  dog  in 
its  wants. 

This  evening,  some  time  about  six  o'clock, 
I  sat  in  the  saloon  trying  to  read,  but  I  could 
not  fix  my  attention.  The  book  was  "The 
Pirate."  It  was  one  of  a  few  hundred  volumes 
that  formed  the  ship's  library.  The  title  took 
my  fancy.  I  thought  it  would  be  in  keeping 
with  my  extraordinary  situation,  but  after 
I  had  turned  a  page  or  two  I  found  my 
curiosity  flag.  The  talc  and  style  were  heavy. 
I  could  not  make  out  what  the  book  was 
about.  Suddenly  I  heard  voices,  a  sharp 
shout  of  "  Lay  aft,  all  hands,"  and  presently 


192  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

Owen,  in  dull  mechanical  accents,  like  a 
vestry  clerk  nosing  "  Amen,"  went  through 
the  men's  names  :  "  Dick  Slack,  Tom  Swivel, 
Henry  Gorm,  Sandy  May,"  and  more — but  I 
forget  them.  This  was  followed  by  a  sort 
of  conversation.  The  Captain  then  said — he 
stood  close  beside  the  skylight : 

"  Very  well.  William  Owen  is  chief  mate, 
and  James  Harris  acts  as  second.  That,  my 
lads,  is  to  the  general  satisfaction  ? " 

I  caught  a  rumble  of  assent.  More  talk 
followed.  I  could  not,  however,  hear  what 
was  said.  There  was  a  bright  scarlet  light  of 
sunset  spreading  from  the  bow  to  over  our 
mastheads  :  it  met  the  soft  violet  gloom  of 
the  evening  dusk  sifting  up  astern,  and  the 
sails  on  the  mizzen  rounding  to  a  star-like 
truck,  showed  like  an  exquisite  painting.  A 
man  came  below  and  stood  at  the  foot  of  the 
steps  looking  about  him  awkwardly. 

"What  do  you  want?"  said  I. 

"  Oi've  been  told  off  as  steward,  mum," 
he  answered.  "  Oi'm  to  loight  the  lamps. 
Where's  there  a  lucifer  ?  " 

"There's  the  pantry,"  said  I,  pointing, 
"  and  I  expect  you'll  find  all  you  want  in  it," 
and  with  that  I  went  to  my  own  berth. 

I  took  off  my  hat  and  lay  down  in  my 
bunk  and  fell  asleep.  I  could  not,  however, 
have  slept  long.     When  I  awoke,  stars  slided 


/  GET  AT  THE  TRUTH  193 

in  the  port-hole,  but  the  light  of  day  yet  hung 
pale  in  the  air.  I  refreshed  myself  with  a 
wash  and  went  out,  supposing  that  by  this 
hour  1  should  find  the  evening  meal  on  the 
table.  Aft,  where  my  cabin  was,  the  shadows 
hung  thick :  between  these  bulkheads  and 
the  lamps  were  the  shaft  of  the  mizzenmast 
and  the  broad  saloon  stairs.  I  was  advanc- 
ing, but  the  Captain's  voice  at  that  instant 
pronounced  some  words :  immediately  I  fell 
back  softly  and  recoiled  into  my  cabin, 
where,  grasping  the  handle  of  the  door,  I 
could  hear  and  see. 

My  stepfather  and  Owen  sat  at  table.  The 
cloth  was  laid,  plenty  of  food  was  upon  it. 
I  could  not  get  a  view  of  the  Captain  because 
of  the  mizzenmast.  Owen,  sitting  on  the  left 
in  Monsignor's  place,  was  in  full  sight. 

"  If  the  schooner  should  fail  us  I  shall  be 
at  a  loss,"  said  the  Captain. 

"  There's  no  fear  of  Jim  a-failing  of  us," 
said  Owen.  "He's  not  a  man  to  shift  his 
helm  over  a  job  like  this." 

"  We  shall  be  off  the  Cay  in  seven  or  eight 
days,"  said  the  Captain.  "The  schooner 
must  be  there.  We're  no  ship  to  be  seen 
hanging  about  these  waters.  We've  got  to 
transfer  the  money  as  fast  as  we  can  sling 
the  cases  over  the  side,  and  then  away  with 

us.     And  still — and  still " 

N 


194  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^  MOHOCK" 

He  fell  silent  for  half  a  minute,  then  ex- 
claimed :  "  I  cannot  make  up  my  mind  to 
sink  this  fine  vessel." 

"What's  to  be  done  with  her?"  said  the 
other,  who  did  not  "sir"  him,  and  I  won- 
dered the  Captain  bore  without  visible  im- 
patience the  fellow's  note  of  familiarity. 

"  I'm  for  giving  her  a  chance — furling 
everything,  letting  go  the  anchor,  and  leaving 
her  to  be  boarded  by  whatever  may  come 
along." 

The  other  was  silent  as  though  the  thing 
was  a  matter  of  indifference. 

"There  is  no  good,"  continued  the  Cap- 
tain, "  in  heaping  up  this  sort  of  business. 
We  planned  to  seize  the  ship,  to  turn  the 
passengers  out  of  her,  and  transfer  the  money 
to  a  schooner.  All  this  has  been  done  with 
little  trouble,  and,  thank  God  !  without  blood- 
shed. Why  deliberately,  why  mercilessly 
sink  this  beautiful  vessel  then  ?  It  would 
be  murder,  man.     I'll  not  have  it  on  my  con- 


science." 


"  Well,  she  can  be  left  a-riding  as  you  say. 
Some  wrecking  craft's  bound  to  fall  in  with 
her.  But  the  men  want  to  know,  Cap'n,  if 
you  han't  got  no  better  scheme  for  securing 
the  money?  It's  all  gold.  My  breeches' 
pockets  '11  hold  a  tidy  lot,  but  not  my  share 
of  the  ninety- eight  thousand  pounds." 


I  GET  AT  THE  TRUTH  195 

"  It  must  be  carried  from  port  to  port,  ex- 
changed, dealt  with  by  banks,  manoeuvred  as 
I  have  told  you,  until  the  last  man's  share  is 
out  of  her." 

*'  Why  can't  the  cases  be  run  ? " 

"  Where  % " 

"  In  the  Downs." 

The  silence  that  followed  this  was  strongly 
expressive  of  contempt  or  passion. 

"  Are  you  in  your  right  mind  that  you  talk 
of  the  Downs  ? "  said  the  Captain  presently. 
"Why,  man,  before  we  fetched  the  Channel 
the  passengers  will  have  been  rescued  and 
sent  home  by  steam,  or  the  original  crew  will 
have  arrived  in  England,  and  the  whole 
country  will  be  ringing  with  this  piracy,  for 
that's  what  it  amounts  to." 

"  You  may  be  right,"  said  Owen  ;  "  but  if 
one  could  be  sure  that  them  parties  hadn't 
returned — if  we'd  only  been  allowed  a  single 
dark  night  for  the  job — the  Downs  'ud  be  the 
place,  and  'ud  save  a  vast  of  trouble.  Plenty 
of  caves  and  secret  hiding-places  for  the  snug- 
ging of  the  sovereigns,  and  the  money  could 
be  dealt  with  by  the  handsfull." 

"  Are  you  prepared  to  take  your  trial  with 
the  certainty  of  transportation  for  life  ?  But," 
continued  the  Captain,  with  a  faint  note  of 
scoffing  in  his  voice,  "you're  all  anxious  to 
return  to  Deal  with  your  booty.     I'll  show 


196  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

you  how  yon  may  do  it  after  you've  put  me 
ashore    in  the    place   I    decide    on   with   my 

share." 

"  No,  no,  Cap'n,  we  can't  do  without  you," 
said  Owen  gruffly.  "You've  bossed  this  job, 
and  it's  for  you  to  work  the  traverse  through 
to  the  blooming  end.  'Sides,  if  you  go  ashore 
you'll  take  Miss  Hayes  along  with  ye,"  and 
here  I  saw  him  grinning  like  a  mask. 

"You'll  not  trouble  her,  Owen,  unless  she 
shows  herself  willing  to  listen  to  you  ?  She's 
a  high-spirited  young  woman,  and  might  think 
herself  a  touch  above  you." 

"  It  was  agreed  that  she  was  to  make  a  part 
of  my  share,  on  the  understanding  that  she 
was  willing,"  said  the  man.  "  My  share  '11 
come  to  more'n  four  thousand  pound,  and  that 
should  help  me  with  her,  if  you'll  put  in  a 
word  now  and  again." 

"  I  undertook  that  you  should  capture  this 
vessel,  and  that  you  men  should  find  your 
account  in  the  job,  but  not  that  I  should  woo 
a  young  woman  for  you." 

"  You  might  say  a  word  for  me,  sir.  Doan't 
let  her  think  I'm  the  common  chap  I  look. 
If  my  father  was  a  Deal  boatman,  my  mother 
was  a  farmer's  daughter,  and  farmers  be  gen- 
tlemen, ha?  When  you  told  me  who  she  was 
that  night  I  called,  you  said  you  was  taking 
her  with  you,  and  that  if  things  worked  out 


/  GET  AT  THE  TRUTH  197 

as  schemed,  I  might  court  her  with  your 
sanction." 

The  Captain  made  some  answer,  I  did  not 
catch  it. 

"All  I  ask  is  that  you'll  give  me  a  chance," 
continued  Owen.  "I  doan't  doubt  but  she'll 
cozen  if  she  finds  that  you're  agreeable." 

He  plucked  at  his  bit  of  mustache,  which 
looked  of  a  silver  white  in  the  lamplight. 

My  blood  boiled.  Every  instinct  warned  me 
to  listen  to  no  more,  lest  I  should  shriek  or 
rush  out  upon  them.  I  softly  shut  the  door 
and  stood  beside  my  bunk  with  my  face,  hot 
as  blood  with  shame,  rage,  madness,  buried 
in  my  arm.  Had  he  brought  me  this  voyage 
to  find  me  a  husband  in  Owen  ?  No,  I  could 
not  believe  that,  because  the  invitation  was  in 
his  mind  when  he  wrote  to  me  whilst  I  was 
at  my  sister's,  and  before  Owen  had  seen  me. 
But  did  it  not  look  as  though  he  had  kept 
me  in  the  ship  that  he  might  keep  the  beast 
Owen  in  countenance  with  some  sort  of  pro- 
mise he  had  made  to  him  about  me  that  night 
at  his  house  ■? 

What  a  liar  he  was  !  what  a  dark-hearted 
villain  to  show  himself  so  utterly  insensible 
to  my  feelings  and  pride  as  to  keep  me  in 
this  ship  to  humour  such  a  poor  low  dog  as 
Owen !  I  wept  some  scalding  tears,  and 
whilst  I  sobbed  with  my  wet  eyes  vacantly 


198  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

watching  a  dance  of  stars  upon  the  glass  of 
the  window,  some  one  knocked  and  the  door 
was  opened. 

"Are  you  here,  Laura?"  said  the  Captain. 

I  saw  his  figure  by  the  sheen  of  the  outer 
light  bending  forward  in  a  probing,  peering 
way. 

"  Yes,"  I  answered,  speaking  low,  that  the 
grief  and  rage  in  my  throat  should  not  be 
distinguishable.     "What  do  you  want?" 

"  To  see  if  you  are  awake  :  supper's  been  a 
long  while  laid.  You  were  asleep  when  I 
looked  in  half  an  hour  ago." 

"Who's  at  table?"  said  I,  still  speaking 
very  low. 

"  No  one,"  he  answered.  "  I  am  going  to 
my  cabin.     Owen  has  charge  of  the  ship." 

"  I'll  get  some  supper  presently,"  said  I. 

I  waited  about  ten  minutes,  again  and 
again  plunging  my  face  in  water  to  rid  it  of 
the  redness  of  temper  and  tears,  and  then 
went  to  the  table  and  ciit  a  small  meal ;  but 
I  was  without  appetite,  and  toyed  with  my 
food,  I  was  sick,  disgusted,  degraded.  Yet 
I  felt  safe  then  from  Owen,  though  he  might 
from  time  to  time  look  at  me  through  the 
skylight :  having  charge,  he  durst  not  leave 
the  deck. 

I  had  not  been  seated  many  minutes  when 
Captain   Sinclair  came  from  his  cabin.     He 


/  GET  AT  THE  TRUTH  199 

wore  a  cap,  and  was  making  for  the  deck ; 
but  on  looking  at  me  paused,  observed  me 
with  attention,  came  to  the  table,  and  took 
a  chair  beside  me. 

"  What  are  you  fretting  about  ?  "  he  asked. 

I  shot  a  glance  at  him,  but  made  no  an- 
swer. He  looked  aft,  and  suspicion  arched  his 
brow.  He  said  quietly,  but  with  an  unpleasant 
frown : 

"If  you've  been  listening,  you've  heard 
more  than  I  wanted  you  to  know,  or  than 
you  yourself  would  care  to  know.  But  you 
have  been  listening  !  I  see  it  in  your  looks. 
Don't  show  your  teeth  like  that.  You've 
caught  me  in  a  lie — and  what  then  ?  We've 
all  got  to  lie  to  make  money.  Widows  and 
orphans  are  ,  lied  into  paupers'  graves  by 
people  who  put  handsomely  every  Sunday 
into  the  plate,  and  are  called  by  purple  par- 
sons, swelled  with  the  rogues'  20-port  and 
comet  vintages,  their  Christian  friends.  The 
lie  is  the  spirit  of  trade.  All  tradesmen  are 
liars.  Under  heaven  is  there  such  a  liar  as 
the  grocer?  I  lied  to  save  your  feelings. 
It's  nothing  to  me  now  that  you  know  Owen 
called  at  my  house,  nor  that  this  scheme 
of  seizure  originated  with  myself.  Nothing, 
What's  made  you  cry  is  not  my  lie,  but 
Owen's  talk,  hey?  Now  listen.  You  shall 
humour  this  man.     Be   civil,   I  advise ;    let 


200         THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK'' 

him  think,  hope,  flatter  himself  as  he  may. 
But  take  you  my  word  that  I  will  shoot  the 
hound  if  he  sniffs  an  inch  beyond  the  bounds 
I  have  in  my  mind.  Pluck  up — pluck  up  !  1 
am  a  villain  and  in  hell,  but  you  shan't  suffer." 

He  smote  me  twice  lightly  on  the  back, 
and  giving  me  one  of  those  smiles  that 
lighted  up  his  face  with  beauty,  he  went 
on  deck. 

There  was  no  comfort,  however,  to  be  got 
out  of  his  strong  words.  He  might  threaten 
bullets  and  halters  and  flames,  but  it  was  a 
villain  who  talked.  And  yet  I  don't  know 
that  I  ever  once  recollect  wondering  what 
had  made  him  so.  He  was  the  son  of  a 
clergyman,  and  had  been  sent  to  sea  in  good 
ships,  and  in  other  ways,  I  understood,  had 
been  well  cared  for  in  his  youth.  But  even 
parsons'  sons  will  turn  out  rascals  now  and 
again.  There  is  no  caper  human  nature  can 
cut  which  should  surprise  you.  I  was  told 
of  a  man  who  returned  to  England  after  a 
long  absence  abroad.  He  went  to  a  gaol — 
Pentonville,  I  think  it  was — on  a  visit  of 
curiosity,  and  in  one  of  the  cells  he  saw  a 
man  with  whom  he  had  dined  in  splendour 
in  his  house  in  a  great  West  End  square 
over  and  over  again ;  a  well-bred,  handsome, 
courteous,  gentlemanly  man  had  been,  and 
perhaps  still  was,  that  felon — an  incompar- 


/  GET  AT  THE  TRUTH  201 

able  host.  The  visitor  started,  turned  white 
and  sick,  and  walked  off.  Good  God  !  Did 
he  suppose  there  was  any  virtue  in  handsome 
looks,  gentlemanly  bearing,  and  plenty  of 
good  early  education  to  keep  out  of  gaol  a 
man  who  could  not  keep  his  hand  out  of 
other  people's  pockets? 

I  had  been  amazed  by  the  audacity  of 
the  seizure  of  this  ship.  But  I  was  not  the 
least  bit  surprised  that  my  stepfather  should 
have  acted  first  rogue's  part  in  the  piece.  I 
was  shocked,  but  not  astonished  that  he 
should  have  lied  like  sin  throughout.  And 
if  he  escaped  the  law,  who  was  to  say  he 
would  not  make  a  good  end  ?  Age  pales 
conscience,  which  after  awhile  strikes  work 
like  a  drunkard's  liver,  and  so  we  hear  par- 
sons and  doctors  talking  with  wonder  of  the 
edifying  deathbeds  of  people  whose  ending, 
according  to  the  moralists,  should  have  been 
a  miserable  scene  of  shrieks,  struggles,  and 
groans  to  God. 

This  sort  of  thoughts  ran  in  my  head  whilst 
I  sat  in  the  cabin.  I  would  not  again  go  on 
deck.  If  Owen  came  below,  I  would  with- 
draw to  my  berth.  I  had  not  the  least  in- 
tention to  profit  from  the  Captain's  advice  to 
be  civil  to  the  man — quite  the  contrary;  a 
fit  of  passion  shook  me,  and  I  looked  at  a 
knife   upon  the   table.      Then   a  feeling   of 


202         THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

cold  horror  corrected  my  wrath,  which  had 
been  born  of  an  affrighting  imagination.  I 
shuddered  and  paced  the  deck. 

The  awkward  lout  who  had  been  told  off  to 
act  as  steward  came  below  to  clear  the  table. 
He  sprawled  and  tumbled  and  lurched,  often 
stopping  to  admire  the  things  he  picked  up. 
His  red  and  whiskered  face  was  good-natured 
with  desire  to  talk,  and  at  last  catching  my 
eye  he  said  : 

"I  allow  we're  a-going  to  'ave  a  breeze, 
miss." 

This  interested  me.  "  Is  a  fair  wind  looked 
for?" 

"  Whoy,  yes.  There's  a  deal  of  lightning." 
His  eye  caught  the  barometer  against  the 
mizzenmast,  and  he  exclaimed,  "  What's  the 
glass  say,  I  wonders  ? "  He  looked  at  it.  "  I 
suppose  they'd  call  this  a  drop,"  said  he. 

I  walked  to  the  shaft  of  the  mizzenmast 
and  said,  "Do  you  understand  this  thing?" 

"  Whoy,  yes." 

"  That  white  stuff  is  quicksilver  ? " 

"That's  roight,"  said  he;  "and  if  it  rises 
or  falls  below  that  mark  upon  the  glass,  good 
or  bad  weather's  to  be  expected." 

"  Suppose  the  quicksilver  rises  above  the 
mark ;  it  may  have  risen  the  eighth  of  an 
inch ;  you  look  again,  and  it  may  have  risen 
another    one-sixteenth.      But   how    can   you 


I  GET  AT  THE  TRUTH  203 

tell?  It's  impossible  to  guess  at  such  rises 
and  falls  by  the  measurement  of  the  eye." 

"  Whoy,  don't  yer  see,"  he  exclaimed,  "  that 
that  there  mark  is  meant  to  be  shifted ;  you 
slide  him  up  or  down  at  a  given  time,  keep- 
ing the  top  of  the  mercury  on  a  line  with  it, 
and  so  you're  bound  to  see  if  there's  been 
a  rise  or  a  drop." 

"  Then,"  said  T,  "  if  you  kept  the  key  of  this 
case,  you  could  easily  threaten  bad  weather 
to  the  ship  by  sliding  the  mark  above  the 
line  of  the  mercury  ? " 

"It  'ud  look  as  if  there'd  been  a  drop,  cer- 
tainly," he  answered,  squinting  into  the  glass 
with  much  earnestness.  "  But  there's  no 
sailor,  I  allow,  as  understands  a  glass  who 
could  be  fooled  by  such  larking." 

"  I  warrant  passengers  could  be  fooled, 
though  ? " 

"Whoy,  I  doan't  doubt  they  could." 


CHAPTER   X 

THE  FRIGATE 

That  night,  whilst  I  lay  in  bed  listening  to 
the  deepening  guns  of  the  gale,  and  the  roar- 
ing thunder  of  seas  rolling  into  troughs  under 
the  counter,  I  pieced  my  stepfather's  plot, 
and  understood  it  all  as  clearly  as  though  it 
had  been  of  mine  own  contrivance. 

He  had  arranged  for  a  schooner  full  of 
men  to  intercept  the  Mohock  at  a  given 
place:  he  manoeuvred  with  the  weather  and 
humbugged  with  the  barometer  to  give  the 
schooner  the  chance  of  time  his  bright  look- 
out for  her  proved  she  stood  in  need  of.  He 
it  was  who  had  placed  the  arms-chest  in  the 
way  of  the  men,  and  equipped  them  with  other 
weapons  secretly  brought  aboard  in  the  docks. 

And  now  I  began  to  think  that  his  chief 
reason  in  bringing  me  with  him  was  to  rescue 
him  from  the  special  suspicion  of  the  pas- 
sengers when  the  ship  had  been  seized ;  he 
would  hope  they  might  reason  thus  :  This  has 

been  worked  out  through  some  sort  of  con- 

204 


THE  FRIGATE  205 

federacy :  the  rogue  of  the  Moliock  may  be 
one  of  the  mates ;  he  may  be  one  or  more  of 
the  men  forward :  had  the  Captain  meditated 
so  outrageous  a  project,  he  would  not  have 
brought  his  stepdaughter  along  with  him. 
He  is  fond  of  her  in  his  grim,  hard- weather 
way — too  fond  to  subject  her  to  the  risks  of 
'.this  enormous  act  of  piracy. 

Thus  I  reasoned,  and  no  doubt  I  was  right. 
I  had  a  very  keen  intelligence  in  those  days, 
and  quickly  blew  any  little  spark  into  a  flame 
piercing  enough  to  show  me  the  truth  on  all 
sides. 

It  blew  hard  all  that  night  and  all  next 
day.  The  weather  kept  Owen  out  of  the 
saloon  :  not  that  that  signified  ;  had  he  shown 
himself,  I  should  have  instantly  withdrawn 
to  my  cabin.  Little  could  I  guess,  however, 
how  soon  this  side  of  my  degradation  and 
suffering  was  to  end  ! 

I  have  said  it  blew  hard  for  a  nidit  and  a 
day,  and  now  I  cannot  recollect  what  morn- 
ing of  the  week  it  w^as  that  broke  when, 
finding  plenty  of  sunlight  in  the  ship,  no 
signs  of  breakfast  being  prepared,  and  the 
hour  about  a  quarter  before  nine,  I  put  on 
my  hat  and  went  on  deck.  It  was  very  hot. 
Clouds  with  bluish  bellies,  as  though  laden 
svith  electric  matter,  floated  stately  and  slow 
under  a  fine  white-blue  sky.     Early  as  it  was, 


2o6  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

the  sunshine  stung.  A  pleasant  wind  was 
blowing.  The  ocean  had  forgotten  the  trouble 
of  the  gale,  and  came  lifting  in  a  peaceful, 
long,  dark  blue  swell  out  of  the  north. 

My  stepfather  and  Owen  stood  together  at 
the  lee  rail,  each  with  a  telescope  :  a  half- 
dozen  of  fellows  on  the  forecastle  stared 
ahead  with  symptoms  of  uneasiness  in  their 
postures  and  motions.  I  walked  to  the  lee 
side  to  look,  and  saw  the  canvas  of  a  large 
ship  glittering  like  sifted  snow.  My  step- 
father turned  as  though  to  observe  the  wheel, 
and  gave  me  a  nod,  an  abrupt,  short,  con- 
vulsive gesture ;  he  seemed  half  distraught. 
He  levelled  the  glass  again,  and  Owen  looked, 
and  together  they  stared  in  silence. 

Captain  Sinclair  then  said — 

"  She's  a  frigate,  and  an  Englishman.  You 
may  swear  to  her  by  her  square  yards.  What 
foreigner  cuts  his  sails  so  ? " 

"  Shouldn't  we  shift  our  helm,  sir?" 

"  No,  you  fool." 

You  will  please  remember  I  am  writinc:  of 
the  year  1844,  and  in  those  times  steam  was 
rare  in  the  navies  of  the  States.  Our  Colonial 
seaboards  and  home  waters  were  navia'ated 
by  ships  which  differed  in  nothing  to  a  lands- 
man's eye  from  the  vessels  which  had  flown 
the  flags  of  Collingwood,  Nelson,  and  Ex- 
mouth.     Three-deckers  under  whole  breasts 


THE  FRIGATE  207 

of  topsails  roared  down  the  Atlantic  from 
the  Chops  to  the  Strait.  The  waters  of  the 
West  Indies  were  whitened  by  the  canvas  of 
frigates,  corvettes,  and  schooners  with  long 
pennants  blowing  from  their  mastheads. 
Line-of-battle  ships  protected  our  interests 
in  the  Eastern  seas.  The  vessel  now  ap- 
proaching was  apparently  a  frigate  of  forty- 
four  or  fifty  guns,  and  might  be  making  a 
straight  course  home  from  the  West  Indies. 
I  leaned  over  the  rail  and  watched  her, 
drinking  in  her  beauty,  for  I  found  no  other 
significance  in  her  then  than  the  majesty 
of  her  lofty  wings,  the  slow  and  stately  sway- 
ing of  her  mastheads,  the  white  foam  reel- 
ing from  her  stem  under  a  line  as  white, 
chequered  by  the  black  teeth  of  guns,  and 
topped  by  the  glancing  lustrous  stream  of 
her  stowed  hammocks. 

She  was  the  only  ship  in  sight.  Often  as 
I  had  admired  the  Mohock,  she  seemed  mean 
as  a  barge  beside  that  frigate,  haughtily 
rising  out  of  the  blue  waters,  white  as  the 
light  she  was  sailing  through,  and  gleaming 
like  silk  when  shone  upon,  from  the  proud 
arches  of  her  lower  canvas  to  where  the 
topmost  cloths  rounding  above  the  line  of 
the  yards  trembled  off  into  the  faintness  and 
vagueness  of  snow. 

Owen  and  my  stepfather  constantly  lifted 


2o8         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

their  glasses  with  feverish  swift  movements  : 
they  crossed  and  recrossed  each  other  in 
short  excursions  of  athwartship  walk,  talking 
with  excitement,  but  in  low  accents.  All  the 
fellows  who  had  seized  the  ship  were  on  deck 
at  this  time,  regardless  of  their  watches. 
They,  too,  showed  themselves  extraordinarily 
perturbed.  They  trudged  in  couples,  now 
stopping  to  look  ahead,  now  halting  to  stare 
aft.  I  could  not  imagine,  girl  as  I  was,  what 
there  might  be  in  yonder  ship  to  excite  all 
this  uneasiness. 

When  the  frigate  was  within  a  mile  of  us, 
up  floated  a  string  of  flags  to  her  mizzen 
royal  masthead.  It  was  clearly  the  code  of 
the  Merchant  Service,  something  that  Cap- 
tain Sinclair  understood,  though  he  would  be 
unable  to  spell  messages  without  the  help  of 
a  book ;  he  violently  struck  the  glass  under 
his  arm  and  exclaimed  loudly  : 

"How  shall  I  be  able  to  give  her  the  go- 
bye  ? "  He  then  cried  to  Owen,  "  Hoist  the 
ensign — there's  the  flag-locker  under  the 
grating  yonder ;  peak-end  it  and  belay  it, 
for  that's  all  the  talk  they  shall  get  out  of 
me. 

Whilst  the  ensign  was  floating  to  our 
mizzen  galf-end,  the  stately  ship  was  "  luffed," 
as  it  is  called,  which  brought  her  head  a  little 
more  towards  us ;  it  was  clear  she  had  some- 


THE  FRIGATE  209 

thing    to    communicate.       I    heard    Captain 
Sinclair  exclaim  : 

"  They'll  wonder  to  find  an  Atlantic  liner 
down  here.  She's  suspicious.  What's  to  be 
done?" 

He  flung  his  glass  down  on  the  skylight 
and  came  aft,  his  fingers  working  and  his 
face  dark  as  a  thunder-cloud. 

"  Get  about  some  work,  men,"  he  roared 
on  a  sudden.  "Don't  loaf  about  like  that. 
Your  sogering  airs  would  damn  us  if  we  were 
as  honest  as  she.  Get  to  jobs — get  to  jobs 
— anything  that  shall  make  you  look  busy 
before  their  glasses  sweep  our  decks." 

"  Captain,"  shouted  Owen  in  a  voice  of 
terror,  *'  she's  a-backing  her  main-topsail !  " 

I  perfectly  understood  this  expression,  and 
witnessed  the  manoeuvre  in  the  instant  of  the 
fellow's  speech.  The  frigate's  central  pyramid 
of  sails  gloomed  into  shadow  out  of  morning 
brilliance,  whilst  every  yard  swung  as  though 
operated  by  a  single  rope ;  as  we  approached 
she  drew  out,  giving  us  a  gradual  view  of  her 
beauty.  I  saw  the  red  spot  of  a  marine  here 
and  there.  A  group  of  officers  stood  near 
the  mizzen  rigging ;  one  who  was  a  little 
withdrawn  held  a  speaking-trumpet.  The 
ship  leaned  from  us,  showing  her  guns,  whose 
iron  throats  were  choked  with  tompions.  The 
green  water  combed  her  copper  in  fingers  of 

0 


2IO  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

froth.  On  high  streamed  her  pennant,  vanish- 
ing from  the  sight  in  a  miracle  of  delicacy 
when  it  was  still  flickering  for  fathoms ;  few 
seamen  were  to  be  seen,  but  one  very  well 
knew  that  the  hatches  of  such  a  ship  as  that 
were  meant  to  vomit  their  hundreds  to  the 
first  heart-shaking  summons  of  the  boatswain 
and  his  mates. 

We  were  going  along  at  about  six  miles  an 
hour.  Captain  Sinclair  did  not  shift  helm  a 
spoke;  he  merely  got  into  the  mizzen  rigging 
and  held  himself  there  in  a  posture  of  atten- 
tion. 

The  frigate  showed  a  formidable  grin  of 
artillery  as  she  lifted  with  the  yearn  of  the 
swell ;  we  were  so  close  I  could  almost  dis- 
tinguish the  faces  of  the  officers. 

"  Ship  ahoy !  "  thundered  a  voice  through 
the  speaking-trumpet,  whose  circular  mouth 
framing  the  ruby  face  the  voice  belonged  to, 
seemed  to  threaten  us  like  a  quarter-deck 
gun.  "  Heave  your  ship  to.  1  want  to  send 
a  boat  aboard  you." 

But  we  were  sliding  past,  and  already  the 
frigate  was  on  our  quarter,  with  Captain 
Sinclair  in  the  mizzen  rigging  shouting  back, 
"  What  is  it  you  want?  I  don't  understand 
you,"  with  his  hand  to  his  head  as  though 
hard  of  hearing. 

**  Heave  your  ship  to,"  roared  the  other, 


THE  FRIGATE  211 

and  pulling  his  trumpet  from  his  mouth,  he 
brandished  it  in  wrath  at  his  own  topsail  and 
the  line  of  signal  flags. 

Captain  Sinclair  shook  his  head,  and  spring- 
ing out  of  the  rigging  told  Owen  to  dip  the 
ensign  once  and  then  haul  it  down. 

"Let  them  think  we're  madmen  or  dogs  in 
manners,"  said  he,  addressing  me  with  a  wild 
light  in  his  eyes  and  a  jeering  look  in  his 
face.  "What  does  she  want?  She  has  no 
right  to  board  me." 

He  fell  silent  on  a  sudden,  watching  the 
frigate  with  an  expression  that  grew  harder 
and  darker.  I  watched  her  too,  scarcely  as 
yet  understanding  the  meaning  of  it  all.  It 
was  impossible  that  anything  could  be  in 
chase  of  us  as  yet.  Besides,  that  noble  ship 
had  headed  up  to  us  from  waters  into  which 
it  would  take  weeks  to  carry  the  news  of  the 
piracy.  The  backing  of  her  topsail  yard 
seemed  to  me  like  a  bow  from  a  stranger,  a 
gentleman's  civility  of  the  hat.  She  wished  to 
speak  to  us;  why  did  not  Captain  Sinclair  stay? 

Motionless,  one  knee  a  little  crooked,  his 
head  slightly  advanced,  his  eyes  shining  in  a 
level  stare  under  a  fixed  frown,  my  stepfather 
watched  the  frigate :  so  did  I ;  so  did  all 
hands,  the  man  at  the  wheel  again  and  again 
swinging  uneasily  off  the  spokes,  to  look 
behind  as  though  he  feared  a  shot. 


212  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

"  Eound  goes  her  taws'l  yard,"  sung  out 
Owen,  "  Count  her  broadside  guns !  Hell 
alive  O  !   there's  a  smasher  for  ye,  mates  ! " 

"They  should  have  been  allowed  to  send 
a  boat,"  bawled  a  fellow  on  the  main-deck. 
"  We've  made  old  cheese  of  the  ship  by  this. 
They've  got  the  scent." 

*'  See  here,  bullies,"  shouted  another  man, 
"  wance  let  wan  of  them  chaps  in  buttons 
come  over  the  side,  and  ye  may  sell  the  rest 
of  your  life  and  liberty  for  a  farden  to  the 
first  bleedin'  Jew  ye  comes  across." 

Once  the  Captain  looked  round  threaten- 
ingly, but  did  not  speak.  The  men  seemed 
to  have  no  respect  for  his  presence. 

"  Full  for  stays,  by  the  thunder  of  God  ! " 
roared  a  voice.     "  She's  arter  us." 

The  frigate  heeled  as  she  courted  the  steady 
gust  of  the  brilliant  wind  into  her  swelling 
cloths  :  her  stern  windows  flashed,  the  gilt- 
work  about  her  quarter-galleries  glowed  like 
a  splendour  of  sunset  over  the  white  seething 
of  the  first  of  her  race  of  foaming  water; 
she  gathered  way  with  a  burst  of  brine  from 
the  bow  that  arched  a  rainbow  from  cathead 
to  gangway;  in  another  minute  her  shape 
changed,  the  edges  of  her  sails  sharpened 
upon  us,  the  length  of  her  broadside  stole 
out  under  the  shaking  milk-white  heights  as 
she  came  rounding  into  our  wake,  and  with 


THE  FRIGATE  213 

the  astonishing  swiftness  of  the  seamanship 
of  a  British  man-of-war,  where  there  are 
thirty  men  for  a  rope,  and  where  everything 
swings  and  hoists  as  to  a  single  impulse ;  the 
beautiful  fabric  was  in  hot  chase  about  three 
miles  astern. 

Puff !  The  first  intimation  of  her  intention 
was  a  bright  ball  of  gunpowder  smoke  that 
sprang  from  her  bow-gun  and  went  shred- 
ding like  torn  silk  down  the  wind.  It  was 
unshotted,  and  the  report  struck  the  ear  in 
a  single  empty  blast. 

"  My  lads,  his  next  gun  will  have  a  mes- 
senger," cried  Captain  Sinclair,  running  to 
midway  the  quarter-deck  and  coming  to  a 
halt  there.  "  We'll  make  a  long  chase  of  it. 
We'll  escape  her  in  the  night.  I  know  the 
Mohock's  heels  better  than  you.  Starboard 
mainbraces !  Trim  to  bring  her  close  to  the 
wind.     Keep  your  wits — don't  flounder." 

He  made  a  signal  to  the  wheel.  The  ship 
was  brought  a  little  nearer  to  the  wind,  and 
the  yards  braced  forward. 

"Up  aloft  some  of  you,  and  rig  out  that 
fore-topmast  stu'n-sail  boom." 

They  were  but  clumsy  seamen,  and  they 
sprawled  in  the  rigging  and  shook  the 
shrouds  and  were  slow  in  getting  the  boom 
out ;  but  they  worked  as  for  life  or  death : 
they  did  their  'longshore  best ;  and  indeed  it 


214         THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

might  mean  death  to  some  or  all  of  them  if  it 
should  turn  out  that  any  of  the  passengers  or 
the  original  crew  had  perished. 

It  was  nearly  eleven  o'clock.  I  had  not 
broken  my  fast,  but  could  feel  no  hunger  in 
the  wild,  the  almost  maddening  excitement 
raised  by  this  sudden,  most  amazing,  tragic 
change  of  countenance  in  our  affairs.  It  was 
intelligible  to  me  now.  That  ship,  suspecting 
us,  was  pursuing  us,  and  if  she  boarded  us, 
the  detection  of  my  stepfather's  and  the 
crew's  crime  could  scarce  be  more  than  the 
matter  of  a  question  or  two.  We  were  flying 
for  our  lives,  and  yonder  spacious  tower 
astern,  grim,  silent,  patient,  with  the  spray 
lifting  to  her  hawse-pipes,  was  after  us,  and 
meant  to  question  us,  and  was  trembling 
to  her  topmost  cloths  with  fierce  suppressed 
resolution  to  take  us. 

Did  I  say  she  was  silent  ?  Not  for  long. 
It  was  barely  three  minutes  since  she  first 
fired,  when  I  saw  her  lufi",  a  tremble  of  rich 
shadows  ran  through  the  satin  of  her  sails, 
red  fire  glanced  near  her  figure-head,  and  a 
second  gun  was  let  fly.  This  time  they  had 
loaded  with  ball.  Even  my  unpractised  ears 
could  tell  the  difi'erence  between  the  hollow 
thud,  like  the  drawing  of  a  cork,  of  the  first 
explosion,  and  the  smart  metallic  ring  of  the 
second. 


THE  FRIGATE  215 

Some  of  our  seamen  cuddled  themselves 
about  the  decks.  The  fellow  at  the  wheel 
cried  out,  "  If  they  go  on  shooting  I  stand 
to  be  cut  in  two."  The  Captain  took  no 
notice.  He  glanced  aloft,  as  though  seek- 
ing for  some  token  of  mischief  there.  The 
breeze  blew  no  fresher,  but  my  stepfather  had 
brought  the  MoJioch  to  her  best  sailing-point ; 
she  was  a  clipper,  with  an  entry  of  bow  like  a 
racing  yacht.  She  was  shearing  through  it  as 
though  propelled  by  steam,  sheeting  out  the 
water  to  leeward  in  a  gem-coloured  dazzle 
that  went  away  into  the  wake  without  noise. 

It  was  impossible  to  guess  at  this  early 
time  whether  we  gained  or  lost.  The  frigate 
hung  astern  like  a  cloud.  She,  too,  had  set 
a  foretopmost  studding-sail,  and  a  third  gun 
blazed  at  her  bow  as  I  watched  her.  It  was 
just  then  I  caught  my  stepfather's  eye. 

"  Go  below,"  he  cried. 

"  Why  ?     Let  me  watch  this  chase." 

"  Go  below,"  he  repeated.  "  They  are 
throwing  shot  at  us.  The  deck  is  no  place 
for  you.     Go  below." 

And  he  approached  me  in  an  attitude  that 
was  made  a  menace  of  by  his  face. 

"  I  shall  be  as  safe  on  deck  as  in  the  cabin," 
I  cried  imploringly,  for  I  was  afraid  to  go 
below.  "A  cannon-ball  might  as  easily  kill 
me  there." 


2i6  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^ MOHOCK" 

He  simply  pointed  to  the  companion,  too 
enraged  to  speak,  and  indeed  I  was  a  fool  to 
withhold  instant  obedience  at  such  a  time  : 
for,  now  the  big  gun-ship  was  after  us,  you 
saw  as  plainly  as  you  could  see  the  powder 
smoke  of  her  cannon,  that  our  bold  piratic 
crew,  from  Owen  down,  for  all  their  thick 
inhuman  utterance  to  us  poor  passengers,  and 
for  all  their  brave  beating  of  the  decks  with 
the  butt  ends  of  their  muskets,  had  livers  of 
cream  with  the  brains  of  hares  in  their  skulls. 

I  slunk  down  the  companion  way,  and 
went  straight  aft  into  the  Captain's  cabin, 
and  watched  the  frigate  for  a  little  through 
the  open  window.  She  looked  low  down 
upon  the  sea,  and  as  far  off  again.  It  was 
only  when  the  swell  rose  us  that  I  saw  the 
broad  white  chequered  bands  meeting  at  her 
bows.  She  did  not  continue  to  fire,  whether 
because  we  were  out  of  range  of  her  boAv- 
shot,  or  because  she  knew  she  was  slowly 
overhauling  us  and  withheld  her  powder  for 
a  sure  sling  of  ball,  I  could  not  tell.  She 
was  a  little  to  leeward  on  the  quarter.  I 
could  see  the  white  of  our  wake,  broadening 
out  fan-shaped  as  it  did,  flash  to  the  very 
bends  of  her. 

I  went  into  the  pantry  to  get  something 
to  eat,  wondering  when  I  again  looked  if  I 
should  find   the   pursuing  ship    growing.     I 


THE  FRIGATE  217 

made  a  meal  off  some  cold  meat,  biscuit,  and 
wine,  and  lingered  over  it.  What  would 
happen  if  the  frigate  sent  an  officer?  Who 
was  to  contradict  Captain  Sinclair  if  he  told 
a  lie  and  his  men  held  their  tongues  ?  Sup- 
pose they  searched  the  ship,  there  was  nothing 
contraband  in  the  vessel,  I  imagined  ?  What 
was  good  as  a  consignment  for  New  York 
would  be  equally  good  as  a  consignment  for 
any  port  the  Captain  might  choose  to  swear 
he  was  bound  to. 

Heavens !  how  little  did  I  know  of  the  sea 
in  those  days  ! 

After  half  an  hour  I  again  entered  the 
Captain's  cabin.  There  hung  the  frigate 
steady  as  the  moon  upon  the  waters.  Was 
she  growing?  I  now  seemed  to  see  the 
gleam  of  her  coppered  forefoot  as  the  surge 
lifted  it  out  of  the  foam  boiling  about  the 
bows.  The  Captain's  telescope  was  on  deck  ; 
I  picked  up  the  binocular  glass,  and  the 
splendid  vessel  swelled  close  in  the  lenses. 
I  saw  the  red-coated  sentries,  also  two  or 
three  men  in  brass  buttons  and  gold  bands 
carelessly  pacing  the  quarter-deck ;  now  and 
again  one  would  pause  and  lightly  inspect 
us  through  such  another  glass  as  I  used. 
All  seemed  sternly  quiet  and  hidden.  At 
times  some  sailors  would  come  into  the 
bows :    once    a    gang    of  eight    or    ten    men 


2i8         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

sprang  aloft.  There  was  something  merci- 
less in  that  steady  silent  chase  :  it  was  as 
though  the  men  left  all  the  work  of  it  to 
the  ship  ;  she,  iron-throated,  swollen  to  the 
heavens  with  relentless  cloths,  followed  as 
living  and  lickerishly  eager  as  a  bloodhound 
in  chase.  The  Mohock  seemed  to  thrill :  we 
were  as  the  hare  ;  the  agony  of  the  fear  and 
expectation  of  the  hearts  above  was  in  her. 

Whilst  I  looked  I  beheld  the  sea  darken- 
ing on  the  windward  side.  It  roughened 
also,  with  broader  gleams  and  longer  lights. 
Its  dye  was  a  dark  violet,  whose  edge  flickered 
raggedly  against  the  vast  purple  cloud  that 
shadowed  the  weather  seaboard.  The  colour 
spread  with  the  rush  of  the  wind  :  the  Mo- 
hoch  leaned  sharply,  and  as  she  did  so  a  sea 
sprang  in  a  cloud  of  salt  over  the  bows  of  the 
frigate. 

I  had  no  means  of  judging  our  pace  save 
by  the  wake  that  scaled  in  a  living  sheet  of 
brilliance  from  under  the  cabin  window.  The 
Mohock  seemed  to  boil  through  it  with  a 
comet's  speed,  but  the  ship  astern,  leaning 
heavily  over  with  her  studding-sail  boom  and 
every  yardarm  pointing  at  the  sky,  and  her 
canvas  rounding  out  of  soft  shadow  into 
brassy  brightness,  hung  steady.  Was  she 
gaining  or  losing  ground  ? 

My  eyes  were  weaiy,  my  limbs  trembled, 


THE  FRIGATE  219 

and  as  I  dared  not  return  on  deck,  I  went 
into  the  saloon  and  threw  myself  upon  a 
sofa. 

I  might  have  sank  into  a  reverie  that  was 
like  a  doze ;  be  this  as  it  will,  I  was  startled 
by  the  sound  of  a  gun.  I  sprang  to  my  feet, 
but  the  angle  of  the  deck  was  so  sharp  that 
for  some  moments  I  found  a  difficulty  in 
standing  upright.  I  moved  as  best  I  could 
in  the  direction  of  the  Captain's  cabin,  but 
before  I  arrived  I  heard  a  second  gun  that 
seemed  to  my  ears  a  loud  and  near  report ; 
it  was  immediately  followed  by  a  smart  noise 
of  splintering :  a  great  piece  of  mast  or  yard 
hit  the  deck  overhead  with  a  mighty  thump  ; 
the  Mohock  then  in  a  minute  or  two  came 
upright  on  a  level  keel  with  all  her  sails 
thundering.  The  noise  of  that  vast  spread 
of  flapping  canvas  was  like  the  rage  of  a 
gale  with  thunder  rolling  through  it.  I 
heard  a  vast  deal  of  shouting  on  deck,  and 
the  drawn  yawling  of  seamen  dragging  upon 
ropes.  My  heart  was  beating  violently,  and 
a  cold  perspiration  covered  my  face  ;  indeed, 
I  did  not  know  but  that  the  Mohock  had 
been  hulled  and  was  sinking,  and,  wliich  was 
equally  terrifying,  every  instant  I  expected 
to  hear  the  crash  of  a  big  shot  flying  through 
the  saloon. 

Such  was  my  terror,  I  sank  upon  my  knees 


220  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

and  crawled,  like  a  staggering  kitten,  to  look 
for  the  ship  astern.  She  was  not  to  be  seen 
from  the  window.  No  white  race  rushed 
now  from  our  vessel.  The  Mohock  sat  up- 
right, head  to  wind,  and  the  sea  -  flashes 
glanced  and  melted  in  runs  from  under  the 
counter  as  though  she  had  been  at  anchor. 
I  returned  to  the  saloon,  and  looking  through 
a  port-hole,  saw  the  frigate  close  by.  She  had 
backed  her  main -topsail  yard,  and  a  long 
black  boat,  full  of  men,  was  descending  to 
the  water  to  a  whistling  like  the  concert  of 
the  trees.  The  large  circular  window  gave 
me  a  fine  view  of  the  frigate  and  scene  of 
water  she  was  proudly  pawing.  I  counted 
fourteen  men  in  the  boat,  and  an  officer  in 
blue  cloth,  a  stripe  on  his  wrist  and  a  gold 
band  and  crown  on  his  cap,  sat  in  the  stern- 
sheets.  The  symmetric  flash  and  dip  of  the 
oars  gave  a  romantic  beauty  to  the  appear- 
ance of  the  men  as  they  bowed  and  lay  back, 
all  of  them  attired  in  the  light  blue  shirt 
and  white  trousers  of  the  Navy. 

The  ships  hung  within  easy  speaking  dis- 
tance, and  those  sweeping  blades  speedily 
measured  the  dancing  blue  between.  I  lost 
sight  of  the  boat  when  she  came  along- 
side, and  was  watching  the  frigate,  when  I 
heard  a  step,  and  looking  round,  saw  Captain 
Sinclair. 


THE  FRIGATE  221 

I  hardly  knew  him.  It  was  not  only  his 
ashy  paleness,  nor  yet  a  distorting  expression 
of  deep  despair  :  it  was  that  sort  of  change 
you  witness  in  the  dead  when  the  pangs  of 
dissolution  have  perished  out  of  the  muscles, 
and  the  countenance  puts  on  a  character  that 
recalls  another.  He  took  no  notice  of  me 
whatever ;  he  threw  his  cap  down  upon  the 
table,  seated  himself,  and  folding  his  arms 
tightly  upon  his  breast,  lay  back  with  an 
expression  of  savage  desperate  expectation, 
such  as  one  might  put  on  who,  being  cornered 
by  a  wild  beast,  awaits  a  leap. 

I  went  to  the  end  of  the  saloon  and  sat 
down  with  my  eyes  upon  him,  not  daring  to 
speak.  I  suspected  he  had  come  below  to  kill 
himself,  and  perhaps  me,  and  so  I  slunk  off  in 
a  hiding  way,  for  if  it  was  not  in  my  power 
to  restrain  him,  it  was  certainly  not  my  desire 
that  he  should  involve  me  in  his  own  destruc- 
tion. After  a  little,  the  light  was  obstructed 
in  the  hatch,  and  a  naval  lieutenant,  followed 
by  a  blue-jacket,  descended.  The  officer  imme- 
diately uncovered  at  sight  of  me. 

He  was  a  fine-looking  young  man,  about 
seven-and-twenty  years  of  age,  erect,  with 
dark  eyes  and  smooth  cheeks.  A  sword 
hung  at  his  side,  and  his  left  hand  carelessly 
reposed  upon  the  hilt  of  it  as  he  made  a  step 
towards  Captain  Sinclair. 


222  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

"  Are  you  the  master  of  this  ship,  sir  ? " 
he  asked. 

"  I  am,"  answered  my  stepfather,  without 
rising  or  relaxing  his  rigid  posture. 

"  Pray,  why  didn't  you  heave-to  when  we 
signalled  you  to  do  so  ?" 

"  I  am  an  Englishman,  and  this  is  a  trader, 
and  I  chose  to  pursue  my  course,"  answered 
the  Captain. 

"  I  will  thank  you  to  show  me  your  papers," 
said  the  lieutenant,  glancing  round  the  saloon 
with  many  but  quiet  marks  of  surprise  at  the 
elegance  of  the  decorations. 

"  You  have  no  right  to  see  my  papers," 
answered  Captain  Sinclair. 

"  I  have  so  much  right  that  I  must  insist 
upon  your  producing  them  at  once,"  exclaimed 
the  lieutenant  sternly,  but  without  temper. 

My  stepfather  made  no  reply.  On  this  the 
lieutenant  looked  about  him,  and  then  said 
something  to  the  seaman  which  I  did  not 
catch,  I  observed  that  the  blue-jacket  was 
armed  with  a  cutlass.  The  lieutenant,  instinc- 
tively guessing  the  Captain's  cabin,  walked 
straightway  into  it.  My  stepfather  followed 
him  with  his  eyes,  and  as  the  officer  crossed 
the  threshold,  started,  restrained  himself,  and 
turned  his  back. 

"  Do  you  still  refuse  to  show  me  your 
papers  ? "  said  the  lieutenant,  coming  out  of 


THE  FRIGATE  223 

the  cabin  qnickly,  after  rummaging  there  five 
minutes. 

"  I  refuse  nothing,  sir." 

"  Produce  them." 

"It  is  your  business  to  find  them." 

"  You  have  hidden  or  destroyed  them.  Do 
you  withhold  all  information  as  to  the  char- 
acter and  nature  of  the  voyage  of  this  ship  1 " 

"  You  must  find  out  everything  for  your- 
self," answered  my  stepfather,  rising  and  ex- 
panding his  chest,  and  swelling  himself  as 
though  he  measured  his  height  against  the 
lieutenant's. 

The  officer  paused  a  moment  with  his  eyes 
upon  me. 

"Are  you  this  gentleman's  wife  ?"  said  he. 

"  My  daughter,"  snapped  in  Captain  Sinclair. 

The  lieutenant,  making  me  a  slight  bow, 
went  on  deck,  followed  by  the  seaman.  The 
frigate  had  floated  out  of  scope  of  my  vision, 
owing  to  some  shift  in  our  ship's  position. 
The  lieutenant  had  not  been  gone  a  minute 
when  I  heard  his  voice  hailing  his  ship ;  the 
man-of-war  appeared  to  be  lying  astern.  I 
did  not  clearly  hear  his  words  :  I  made  his 
hail  out  to  signify  that  the  captain  of  this 
vessel  had  destroyed  or  secreted  his  papers, 
and  refused  all  information.  This  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  faint  long-drawn  growl,  and  I 
clearly  heard  the  lieutenant  sing  out : 


224         THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^  MOHOCK" 

"  No  appearance  of  a  slaver  about  her. 
She  has  a  richly-furnished  saloon,  and  is  evi- 
dently an  American  clipper  liner." 

Here  the  voices  ceased,  and  I  could  not 
imagine  what  was  next  to  happen.  I  said  to 
my  stepfather : 

**  May  I  go  on  deck  ? " 

"  Stop  here  !"  he  answered,  with  a  manner 
and  voice  as  though  he  addressed  some  low 
blackguard  sailor. 

I  could  have  wept  my  eyes  out  with  spite 
and  rage.  What  right  had  he  to  call  me 
his  daughter  to  that  fine,  gentlemanly  officer  ? 
His  behaviour,  his  looks,  our  situation,  made 
his  companionship  intolerable  then,  and  as  he 
would  not  allow  me  to  go  on  deck,  I  walked 
into  my  cabin.  There  I  stayed  till  I  heard 
voices.  When  I  peeped  out,  I  saw  the  young 
lieutenant  addressing  my  stepfather,  who 
leaned  against  the  shaft  of  the  mizzen-mast. 
I  just  caught  the  words — 

"  You  are  at  liberty  to  remain  in  this  ship 
along  with  your  daughter.  The  crew  will  be 
transferred  to  the  frigate,  which  will  keep  us 
company  to  Kingston." 

Captain  Sinclair  made  no  sign.  As  the 
lieutenant  rounded  on  his  heel,  he  saw  me 
standing  in  the  door  of  my  berth,  and  came 
to  me  with  his  hat  in  his  hand. 

"  You  are  not  to  be  inconvenienced,"  said 


THE  FRIGATE  235 

he ;  "  you  will  remain  iu  this  vessel.  Had 
your  father  chosen  to  be  civil  and  answered 
my  questions,  we  might  not  have  had  occa- 
sion to  trouble  you." 

He  half  smiled  as  he  said  this,  with  a 
shrewd  roll  of  his  dark  fine  eyes  around  the 
saloon. 

"  Captain  Sinclair  is  my  stepfather,"  said  I. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon.  And  may  I  take  the 
liberty  of  asking  your  name  ?  " 

"  Laura  Hayes." 

He  showed  me  a  set  of  fine  white  teeth 
with  the  smile  he  gave,  whilst  he  exclaimed, 
M"ith  the  most  insinuating,  charming  look  : 

"  Did  not  this  ship  leave  England  bound 
for  New  York,  Miss  Hayes?" 

I  glanced  over  his  shoulder  at  my  step- 
father, and  meeting  his  stern  gaze,  coloured, 
and  exclaimed,  "  Don't  ask  me  any  ques- 
tions." 

He  smiled  and  sprang  up  the  steps.  The 
moment  he  was  gone  Captain  Sinclair  came 
up  to  me. 

"  AVhat  has  that  fellow  been  asking  you?" 
he  exclaimed,  his  face  discoloured  as  though 
his  wrath  strangled  him. 

"  If  you  were  my  father." 

"What  more?'' 

■'  If  this  ship  left  London  for  New  York.' 

"  What  did  you  say  ?"' 

p 


226  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^MOHOCK" 

"  I  refused  to  answer  any  questions." 
He  stared  with  his  eyes  glowing  with  the 
fires  of  suspicion.  His  face  then  relaxed. 
He  brought  his  hand  down  so  heavily  upon 
my  shoulder  as  to  pain  me,  and  exclaimed 
slowly,  and  in  a  low  voice  : 

"  Laura,  as  you  value  your  life,  keep  your 
own  counsel.  Say  nothing  of  what  you  know. 
If  you  do — think.  It  might  prove  your  evi- 
dence that  may  make  me  a  convict  for  life. 
As  it  is  —  as  it  is,"  said  he,  stuttering 
hoarsely  and  breathing  swiftly,  "  things  are 
not  at  their  worst.  They  allow  me  to  remain 
on  board  !  So  much  the  better  !"  His  whole 
face  faded  into  wrinkles  as  with  a  sudden  grin 
of  madness.  Then  repeating,  "  As  you  value 
your  life,  not  a  syllable  of  what  you  know," 
he  sprang  his  lips  to  my  brow  and  kissed 
me  as  violently  as  he  had  saluted  me  with 
his  hand.  For  some  moments  he  stood  con- 
sidering, and  then  went  to  his  cabin  a  little 
unsteadily,  as  though  his  vision  had  been 
dimmed,  and  I  walked  about  the  cabin  wait- 
ing for  what  was  next  to  come,  and  hoping 
that  it  might  prove  the  young  lieutenant. 


CHAPTER  XI 

LIEUTENANT  JERVIS,  R.N. 

I  GREW  weary  of  being  alone,  and  as  my  step- 
father kept  hidden  in  his  berth,  I  stepped  on 
deck  to  take  a  look  around,  not  meaning  to 
stop. 

The  first  sight  my  eyes  went  to  was  the 
wreck  of  what  is  called  the  mizzen-topgallant 
mast  hanging  aloft :  the  sails  upon  its  yards 
were  set.  A  few  blue-jackets  dangled  in  the 
rigging,  cutting  and  hacking  and  clearing  the 
mess  away.  It  was  this  trifling  piece  of 
wrecking,  no  doubt,  that  had  brought  my 
stepfather  to  a  change  of  mood,  for  the  Mo- 
hock^ when  the  frigate  sent  that  shot,  was 
within  easy  hulling  reach,  and  in  the  roaring 
smoke  of  a  single  broadside  the  clipper  might 
have  made  as  magical  an  exit  as  her  likeness 
on  the  bubble  that  splits  whilst  you  look. 

They  had  trimmed  sail  upon  the  Atlantic 

packet,  and  a  seaman  in  the  uniform  of  the 

Navy    stood    at   the    wheel.     What   a    smart 

fellow  he  looked  in  his  clean  dress,  carelessly 

227 


228  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

rolling  his  figure,  and  the  beds  of  cloud  astern 
set  him  sharp  upon  the  eye.  This  made  the 
third  crew  the  Mohoch  had  shipped  since  she 
sailed  from  the  Thames. 

I  stood  in  the  companion,  but  the  man  at 
the  wheel  called  to  me  to  step  aft  out  of  the 
way  of  the  stuff  aloft ;  this  brought  the  atten- 
tion of  the  lieutenant  to  me.  He  was  at  the 
rail  with  one  foot  stirruping  a  coil  of  rope. 
He  stroked  his  chin  wistfully,  and  watched 
intently  the  frigate  as  though  something  was 
happening  aboard  that  fixed  his  sight ;  yet 
turned  when  the  helmsman  called,  and  seeing 
me,  erected  himself  with  a  smile  and  a  little 
colour  and  was  coming. 

At  that  instant  a  gun  was  fired  aboard  the 
frigate,  and  a  stream  of  flags  fluttered  half- 
mast  high.  The  lieutenant  sprang  to  the 
flag-chest,  clearly  understanding  the  meaning 
of  the  frigate's  signal,  which  was  in  the  bunt- 
ing of  the  Navy,  and  picking  out  the  long 
thin  triangular  flag  that  is  called  the  answer- 
ing pennant  in  the  Merchant  Service,  ran  it 
aloft,  shouting  to  his  men  to  back  the  main- 
topsail. 

There  were  five  men  aloft  and  one  at  the 
wheel ;  yet  eight  blue-jackets,  in  obedience  to 
the  lieutenant's  call,  came  to  the  braces  with  a 
nimbleness  that  was  amazing  after  the  floun- 
dering and  tumbling  of  the  'longshore  gentry ; 


LIEUTENANT  JERVIS,  R.N.  229 

they  brought  the  sail  to  the  mast  in  silence  ; 
no  merchantman's  song  regaled  the  ear,  and 
no  whistle  took  its  place.  Eight  and  six, 
thought  I ;  so  here  is  the  ship  in  charge  of 
fourteen  Royal  Naval  sailors,  commanded  by 
a  lieutenant  who  I  should  think  is  one  of  the 
handsomest  men  of  the  breed. 

I  stood  on  the  quarter  watching  him  askant, 
whilst  he  eyed  the  procedure  of  the  sailors  at 
the  braces  ;  and  though  I  perfectly  well  under- 
stood this  change  of  fortune  must  prove  of 
terrible  significance  to  my  unhappy  stepfather, 
yet  I  own  I  could  not  but  drink  in  a  sigh  of 
blessed  relief  when  I  thought  of  that  abomi- 
nable creature  Owen,  with  his  daring  saucy 
looks,  as  safe  in  the  frigate  as  if  in  a  gaol,  and 
replaced  by  Lieutenant  Jervis. 

Presently  I  wondered  why  the  lieutenant 
did  not  come  to  speak  to  me.  I  wanted  to 
know  his  name  and  that  of  the  frigate  ;  till  on 
looking  as  he  stared,  I  spied  a  small  cutter  or 
gig  approaching  from  the  man-of-war,  that  had 
likewise  hove-to ;  the  little  boat  was  washed 
through  it  in  froth  by  six  oars.  She  gained 
the  side,  and  a  midshipman  sprang  aboard. 

This  midshipman  was  a  fine  bronzed  boy  of 
about  sixteen,  and  all  the  time  he  delivered 
his  message  his  eyes  were  upon  me.  I  was 
pleased  to  humour  him.  These  poor  fellows, 
who  are  stationed  in  hot  climates  for  months 


230         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

and  months,  see  little  of  our  sex,  unless  they 
be  black,  which  is  a  complexion  of  skin  no 
white  man  can  find  any  relish  for,  even  after 
years  of  enforced  abstinence  from  the  roses 
and  lilies  of  his  own  country.  Their  plea- 
sures are  few.  They  run  deadly  risks  from 
the  climates.  Many  bright  and  beautiful 
youths  perish  from  the  calomel  and  quinine 
the  doctors  stuff  them  with. 

I  was  a  fine  handsome  figure  of  a  girl  in 
those  days,  with  expressive  eyes,  and  a  great 
plenty  of  soft  warm  hair,  and  that  sort  of 
shape  which  ardent  young  men  think  beauti- 
ful in  females.  The  voyage  had  not  teased 
my  good  looks.  The  midshipman  having 
delivered  his  message  with  a  half  shy,  half 
gallant  glance  at  me,  said  something  to  the 
lieutenant,  and  dropped  over  the  side  laugh- 
ing heartily ;  the  boat  then  pulled  avt^ay  to 
the  frigate,  which,  after  hoisting  her  to  her 
place,  filled  upon  her  canvas,  and,  to  my  great 
surprise,  slowly  rounded  and  headed  away  in 
the  exactly  opposite  direction  we  had  been 
pursuing. 

"Is  she  leaving  us?"  I  cried,  after  the  lieu- 
tenant had  given  instructions  for  trimming 
the  canvas  of  the  Mohock. 

"  Yes,"  said  he,  stepping  up  to  me  ;  "  we 
have  now  to  find  our  way  alone  to  Kingston, 
Jamaica." 


LIEUTENANT  JERVIS,  R.N.  231 

"Where  is  she  going?" 

"To  pick  up  the  passengers  left  on  the 
Great  Salvage  Island." 

I  started  and  may  have  turned  pale,  and 
exclaimed,  "Who  has  told  them  of  those 
people  ? " 

"  You  see,"  says  he,  observing  me  very 
gravely,  "  that  you  kept  on  board  for  the 
convenience  of  cooking  your  food  one  of 
the  original  crew  of  this  ship." 

"  The  cook  !  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  The  cook,"  he  answered.  "  He  was  trans- 
ferred along  with  the  gang  who  seized  this 
ship,  and  he  has  told,  or  professes  to  have 
told,  all  he  knows  to  the  captain  of  the 
frigate." 

"What  has  he  told?" 

"  No  more  than  you  know,  certainly,"  said 
he,  laughing,  "  and  perhaps  a  good  deal  less 
than  you  know.  But  you  need  not  fear 
being  questioned  by  me  in  future.  The 
Mohock  is  an  Atlantic  liner  bound  to  New 
York.  She  was  seized ;  the  original  crew, 
saving  the  master  and  the  cook,  were  turned 
out  of  her,  and  the  passengers  landed  on  the 
rock  yonder  frigate's  bound  for." 

"  What  else  did  the  cook  say  ? " 

"  He  was  detained  against  his  will  to  dress 
the  victuals  for  the  scoundrels,  and  your  step- 
father was  kept  to  navigate  this  ship  to  one 


232  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^MOHOCK" 

of  the  Bahama  Cays,  where  the  rogues  pro- 
posed to  discharge  her  of  ^98,000  in  gold." 

"  It  is  true,  every  word,"  said  I, 

"What  made  your  stepfather  act  as  if  he 
were  one  of  the  pirates  ? " 

I  patted  the  deck  with  my  foot,  thinking  a 
moment,  and  answered,  "His  mind  has  been 
unhinged  by  his  troubles.  He  was  afraid  if 
he  fell  into  your  hands  he  would  be  impli- 
cated and  charged  with  the  seizure.  He  has 
repeatedly  asked  me  what  he  should  do  if 
found  in  charge  of  this  ship  with  a  gang  of 
villains  for  a  crew.  Who  would  believe  he 
had  been  forced  ? " 

"  He  should  have  shown  me  his  papers." 

"  For  all  I  know,  the  men  may  have  obliged 
him  to  destroy  them." 

"  Not  likely,"  he  exclaimed  with  a  little 
impatience.  "  But  even  so,  would  not  he,  as 
an  honest  man,  be  glad  of  the  security  a  ship- 
of-war  provided  him  with,  and  be  thankful 
to  heaven  for  an  opportunity  to  recover  his 
vessel  and  her  valuable  cargo  out  of  the  hands 
of  a  mob  of  Newgate  humorists  ? " 

"  Pie  may  be  glad  and  thankful,  as  you  say." 

He  looked  at  me  with  amusement,  not  un- 
mixed with  admiration  :  then  letting  his  eyes 
go  to  the  frigate,  he  exclaimed,  "  Is  not  she  a 
beauty  ?  How  her  bosoms  swell  and  breathe 
— it's  life  itself.     Those  steHi  windows  might 


LIEUTENANT  JERVIS,  R.N.  233 

be  solid  diamonds  :  how  gloriously  they  flash. 
Sweet  old  girl !  when  shall  I  see  you  again  ? '" 
He  kissed  his  hand  to  her. 

Her  canvas  floated  soft  as  vapour  in  a 
lagoon  of  the  windy  blue ;  the  wide  sky  was 
loaded  with  huge  swollen  shapes  of  cloud, 
which  seemed  to  sleep  despite  the  wind ;  the 
body  of  the  frigate  showed  black  and  sharp 
as  she  rose  with  the  swell,  and  every  now  and 
again  a  flash  of  wet  rusty  light  broke  from 
the  foam  that  washed  her  copper ;  and  you 
seemed  to  listen  for  the  sound  of  a  gun. 

"  What  is  her  name  ?  "  said  I. 

"  The  Troja7i"  he  replied,  delivering  the 
word  with  laughing  emphasis,  as  though  he 
would  make  much  of  it. 

"  And  what  is  your  name  ? " 

"Lieutenant  Frank  Jervis,  Miss  Hayes." 

"Lord  St.  Vincent  lives  near  Canterbury, 
I  believe,"  said  I. 

"Trust  every  Jervis  under  that  shining 
sun  to  claim  relationship  with  Lord  St.  Vin- 
cent," he  answered. 

Something  obliged  him  to  leave  me.  I 
would  not  seem  in  a  hurry,  and  watched  a 
wet  squall  smoking  some  little  distance  to 
the  right  of  the  frigate  ;  a  spark  or  two  of 
lightning  spat  from  it,  and  I  thought  I  heard 
thunder.  I  then  entered  the  saloon  and 
knocked  on  the  door  of  the  Captain's  berth. 


234  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

"  Who's  that  ? "  he  cried. 

"It's  I,  Laura  Hayes,"  and  without  waiting 
I  passed  in,  and  found  him  standing  in  his 
shirt  at  the  cabin  window ;  he  looked  as 
though  just  awakened  from  a  deep  reverie, 
and  the  start  of  the  first  alarm  was  in  the 
eyes  he  turned  upon  me. 

"What  have  you  come  to  say?"  says  he, 
whipping  round  and  thrusting  his  hands  in/ 
his  trousers'  pockets.  "I  don't  want  to  be 
advised,  nor  reproached,  nor  even  addressed, 
for  the  matter  of  that." 

"  I  have  been  talking  with  the  lieute- 
nant," said  I.  **  Do  you  know  the  frigate 
has  left  us  ? " 

"  Has  she  ? "  he  replied,  with  a  cold  dark 
face  of  sullen  indifference. 

"The  cook,  who  was  one  of  the  original 
crew,  has  given  the  whole  story,  so  far  as  he 
knows  it,  to  the  Commander,  and  they  have 
started  to  take  the  passengers  off  the  Great 
Salvage.  The  cook  knows  no  more  of  your 
share  in  this  business  than  any  of  the  first 
crew,"  continued  I,  softening  my  voice.  "  He 
has  told  them  you  were  forced  by  the  rogues 
who  seized  the  Mohock  to  navigate  her. 
This  is  believed,  and  you  are  therefore  an 
innocent  man  in  the  lieutenant's  eyes." 

*'  You'll  take  care  with  your  talk  that  I 
shall  not  long  remain  innocent,"  said  he. 


LIEUTENANT  ^ERVIS,  R.N.  235 

I  answered  coldly,  "It  is  to  my  interest 
to  make  you  appear  so,  at  all  events.  You 
are  my  stepfather." 

"  And  that  is  all." 

I  kept  silent  a  bit,  whilst  he  stood  watch- 
ing me  as  though  summing  me  up.  I  then 
said,  "  You  are  an  innocent  man  whilst  you 
are  on  board  the  ship.  There  is  no  living 
creature  in  her,  saving  myself,  that  can 
whisper  a  word  against  you.  You  will  go 
ashore  on  the  vessel's  arrival  as  an  innocent 
man,  and  then  you  do  as  you  please." 

"  Take  your  advice  to  the  devil,  for  God's 
sake!"  he  roared,     "  He  may  want  it ;  I  don't. 

What !     A   chit   to    come  to   me   here " 

Some  conceit  broke  in,  and  he  laughed  loud 
and  harshly.  "When  your  advice  can  help 
me,  I'll  ask  you  for  it." 

I  thought  him  sickeningly  discoui'teous  as 
I  stepped  out  of  his  berth.  Perhaps  his  be- 
haviour was  due  to  my  speech  and  manner 
when  he  came  into  the  saloon  after  the  frigate 
had  brought  the  Mohock  to  after  wounding 
her. 

I  killed  some  time  in  brushing  my  hair  and 
changing  my  dress.  It  was  then  nearly  dark, 
with  a  very  pretty  spirited  play  of  delicate 
violet  lightning  over  the  sea  far  off  through 
the  port-hole.  The  wind  was  failing.  Every 
sound  had  a  lazy  creaking  note,  and  the  ship, 


236         THE  GOOD  SHIP  '' MOHOCK" 

bereft  of  her  spirit  of  life,  rolled  wearily  and 
sleepily  upon  the  long  swell.  I  looked  into 
the  saloon,  and  found  the  cabin  skylight  still 
gilt  with  the  light  flowing  over  the  bows  out 
of  the  west,  and  was  surprised  to  find  the 
cloth  laid,  and  well  laid.  The  cabin  lamps 
glowed.  Covers  were  laid  for  three  at  the 
head  of  the  table  ;  glass  and  silver  sparkled  ; 
and  whilst  I  looked  I  saw  a  man-of-warsman, 
with  his  hair  carefully  smeared  over  his  brow, 
come  out  of  the  pantry  with  a  cruet-stand 
and  survey  the  table  with  the  anxiety  of  a 
head-waiter. 

Whilst  I  looked,  the  lieutenant  appeared 
in  the  hatch.  "Well,  Jack,"  says  he,  "how 
are  you  getting  on  ? " 

"That's  as  good  a  job  as  I  can  make  of 
it,  sir. 

"  There  should  be  plenty.  The  ship's  not 
long  out.  The  coops  are  fairly  full,  and  I 
understand  she  carried  a  number  of  'tween- 
deck  passengers.  Bear  a  hand  with  the  grub ! 
I  didn't  know  how  hungry  I  was  till  I  looked 
at  this  table." 

Then  he  saw  me.  "  Fray,  Miss  Hayes, 
where's  your  father? " 

"  In  his  cabin," 

*'  Before  we  dine,"  said  he,  "  I  should  like 
to  have  a  few  words  with  Captain  Sinclair." 

T   knocked   on    my    stepfather's    door,  not 


LIEUTENANT  JERVIS,  R.N.  237 

insensible,  as  I  passed  the  lieutenant  in  the 
glowing  light  of  the  lamps,  that  his  eyes 
wandered  over  my  figure.  My  stepfather 
looked  out,  clad  as  for  the  deck,  saving  that 
he  was  uncovered. 

**  Lieutenant  Jervis  wants  to  speak  to  you," 
said  I. 

"  Captain,"  said  the  young  lieutenant  in  a 
frank,  gay  manner,  as  though  full  of  good 
spirits,  and  happy  in  his  change  of  ship  and 
experience,  "  what  cabin  can  I  take  without 
inconveniencing  anybody  aft  ? " 

"You  are  in  command  here  ;  you  have  but 
to  choose,"  answered  the  Captain. 

"  Well,  I'll  not  deprive  you  of  your  cabin, 
anyhow,"  said  the  lieutenant.  "  All  I  require 
is  the  loan  of  your  sextant  and  the  use  of 
your  chronometer  and  charts." 

"  When  the  first  mate  was  turned  out  of 
the  ship,"  said  Captain  Sinclair,  "he  left 
behind  him  all  the  sea-furniture  you'll  need, 
saving  the  chronometer  and  charts." 

"This  was  his  cabin,"  said  I,  walking  to 
it,  heartily  vexed  by  my  stepfather's  rude 
manner. 

"I  see,"  said  the  Captain,  as  the  lieutenant 
followed  me,  "that  three  places  have  been 
laid  at  that  table.     For  whom,  sir?" 

"  For  you,  and  for  your  stepdaughter  and 
myself"  answered  the  officer. 


238         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

"  No  need  to  trouble  yourself  so  far  as  I 
am  concerned,"  answered  the  Captain,  with 
his  grimmest  look,  and  in  his  iciest,  most  re- 
pellent manner.  '*  I  am  no  longer  concerned 
in  this  ship.  Since  you  are  good  enough  to 
grant  me  the  use  of  my  cabin,  I'll  live  in  it 
with  your  leave  till  we  reach  port.  Nor  will 
I  require  your  men  to  wait  upon  me.  The 
food  I  need  I  can  myself  procure." 

"  It  seems  a  pity "  began  the  lieutenant, 

looking  at  him  compassionately. 

"  Ay,  a  pity  indeed ! "  burst  out  my  step- 
father.     ^^  That  was  the  chief  officer's  cabin." 

He  indicated  it  with  his  clenched  fist,  and 
without  another  word  closed  the  door  upon 
himself. 

The  lieutenant  made  no  remark,  and  I  was 
glad  to  hold  my  peace.  He  entered  Mr. 
Gordon's  cabin  and  stayed  some  time  looking 
round.  When  he  came  out,  he  said  all  he 
should  find  necessary  was  there  saving  the 
chronometers.  Perhaps  the  Captain  would 
lend  him  one.  We  then  sat  down  to  dinner. 
I  call  this  meal  dinner,  for  it  came  nearer  to 
that  sort  of  repast  than  to  the  suppers  we 
used  to  get  before  the  ship  was  seized.  A 
man-of-warsman  had  cooked,  and  done  his 
work  finely.  He  sent  us  a  very  good  dish  of 
broth,  roast  fowl,  and  boiled  bacon.  He  had 
boiled  some  vegetables  too,  so  that  what  with 


LIEUTENANT  ^ERVIS,  R.N.  239 

these  things,  and  the  cold  meats,  and  the 
pleasant  little  surprise  of  a  damson-pie,  with 
a  very  good  dry  dessert  routed  out  by  the 
blue-jacket  who  acted  as  steward,  I  never 
enjoyed  a  meal  more  in  all  my  life. 

And  then  there  was  the  company  of  the 
young  officer !  Jack,  after  waiting  ably  and 
briskly,  left  us.  He  had  put  a  decanter  of 
sherry  upon  the  table,  and  the  lieutenant 
rose  to  open  a  pint  bottle  of  champagne 
for  me.  I  said  "No"  very  earnestly,  having 
already  taken  as  much  as  I  was  used  to,  and 
we  sat  over  the  dessert,  under  the  skylight, 
talking,  sometimes  watching  the  stars  in  the 
skylight  vanish  in  a  vast  blue  smoke  of  sheet- 
lightning. 

I  will  not  pretend  I  regretted  my  step-' 
father's  absence.  In  real  truth  I  was  very 
glad  he  kept  away.  Whilst  the  lieutenant 
talked  to  me,  perhaps  it  would  come  as  a 
little  damp  to  my  spirits  to  think  of  the 
Captain  alone  in  his  cabin,  a  broken-hearted 
man,  bound  to  a  port  where  they  would  make 
a  convict  of  him  if  he  did  not  take  my  advice 
and  vanish  on  his  arrival.  Yet  I  knew  how 
it  would  have  been  had  he  dined  with  us.  I 
had  never  sat  in  company  with  a  more  delight- 
ful young  fellow  than  Lieutenant  Jervis.  He 
was  a  born  gentleman,  with  all  the  easy  grace 
of  the  sea  in  his  bearing.     He  had  a  merry 


240  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

laugh,  wonderful  white  teeth,  and  played  his 
dark  eyes  so  finely  that  half  his  meaning  lay 
in  their  turns  and  leers.  Beyond  inquiring 
about  the  passengers,  the  character  of  the 
mates,  and  the  like,  he  asked  no  questions 
about  the  voyage.  Many  would  have  thought 
his  talk  frivolous  ;  he  told  me  of  hunt-balls  at 
home,  routs  and  high  jinks  and  fine  dinner- 
parties in  the  West  Indies,  and  it  was  as 
agreeable  as  waltzing  to  listen  to  him. 

Indeed  I  was  already  sick  of  ships  and  the 
scenery  and  treachery  of  the  sea  and  the  con- 
duct of  sailors,  and  it  did  me  good  to  hear 
this  young  man  talk  of  dancing,  of  the  amuse- 
ments they  contrived  for  themselves  in  the 
frigate,  and  such  things.  He  looked  at  the 
clock  after  we  had  been  over  an  hour  at  table, 
and  exclaimed  : 

"Will  your  stepfather  let  you  come  for  a 
turn  with  me  on  deck.  Miss  Hayes?" 

"  I'll  risk  his  objecting  to  anything  so 
harmless,"  said  I,  rising,  and  went  for  my 
hat. 

The  sea  looked  as  calm  as  grease,  black, 
and  of  a  smoky  appearance.  A  pale  light 
was  shining  at  one  of  the  yard-arms,  and  the 
reflection  of  it  worked  like  a  luminous  cork- 
screw in  the  water.  I  asked  the  lieutenant 
what  it  was  ? 

"A  corposant,"  said  he.     "Fires  kindled 


LIEUTENANT  JERVIS,  R.N.  241 

by  the  hand  of  spirits.  I  was  aloft  once  and 
heard  a  rush  of  invisible  pinions ;  a  light 
came  close — such  a  light  as  yonder,  and 
behind  was  the  drowned  face  of  a  sailor,  very 
pale  and  faint." 

"  A  sailor  in  wings  !  "  said  I. 

"  Of  course  it  was  the  fluttering  of  his 
trousers,"  he  answered. 

He  now  went  to  the  wheel  and  looked  at 
the  card,  sniffed  around  the  sea,  gazing  very 
earnestly,  then  left  me  to  speak  to  a  gigantic 
seaman  who  walked  in  the  gangway  keeping 
a  look-out.  Their  talk  rumbled.  They  evi- 
dently debated  the  weather  and  the  sail  to  be 
kept  on  the  ship.  It  was  a  strange  night, 
and  mountainous  with  great  blocks  of  black- 
ness. Between,  the  stars  shone  purely,  but 
there  was  much  lightning,  and  about  a  mile 
off  a  squall  of  wet  without  a  feather  stir  of 
air  in  it  was  shrieking  in  lumps  of  ice  and 
huge  raindrops  into  the  ocean ;  the  fall  was 
up  and  down,  and  the  noise  was  like  a  score 
of  locomotives  blowing  off  steam. 

The  lieutenant  asked  permission  to  light 
a  cigar,  and  we  paced  the  deck  together.  1 
never  could  have  pictured  so  strange  a  night. 
Ships  of  dim  vapour  hung  in  the  smoky 
obscurity,  till  you  looked  at  them  straight, 
and  then  they  disappeared.  Lights  gleamed 
oiit  upon  the  sea,  as  though  flickering  lanterns 

Q 


242  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

were  upheld  by  the  feeble  hands  of  starving 
men  in  open  boats.  In  the  oily  blackness 
alongside,  every  time  the  invisible  heave 
made  the  ship  stoop,  a  marvellous  tapestry 
of  the  cold  sea-glow  was  kindled.  Lieu- 
tenant Jervis  and  I  leaned  over  the  rail 
watching  this  show  for  a  while.  We  saw  in 
outlines  of  waning  and  gathering  brightness 
what  seemed  like  the  turrets  of  castles,  heads 
of  sea-horses,  trees,  and  fish,  and  many  sights 
which  were  not  like  the  things  they  reminded 
us  of. 

In  going  alone  to  the  skylight  to  look  at 
the  time,  I  spied  the  figure  of  my  stepfather 
passing  through  the  saloon  ;  he  was  in  his 
shirt-sleeves,  was  ashy  pale,  and  carried  a 
dish  of  food.  I  wondered  why  he  should  act 
so  irrationally.  He  would  have  found  the 
lieutenant  very  good  company,  been  treated 
as  a  gentleman,  and  led  a  very  comfortable 
life  till  we  reached  port,  where  he  could  have 
sneaked  away  as  things  stood. 

I  roamed  about  the  deck  with  the  lieu- 
tenant, greatly  enjoying  his  conversation  and 
society.  He  told  me  that  his  father,  a  very 
aged  man  who  lived  at  Bath,  was  Kear- 
Admiral  Sir  Thomas  Collingwood  Jervis. 
Young  as  he  was,  he  appeared  to  have  seen 
some  active  service,  particularly  amongst 
slavers,   had   received  three   musket-balls   in 


LIEUTENANT  ^ERVIS,  R.N.  243 

his  legs,  lost  the  tip  of  his  left  little  finger, 
and  whilst  telling  me  the  story  took  me  to 
the  binnacle  lamp  to  show  me  a  scar  at  the 
back  of  his  neck. 

"A  six-pound  ball  did  that,"  said  he. 
"  Had  the  aim  of  the  gun  been  truer  by  the 
diameter  of  its  muzzle  only,  this  head  would 
never  have  had  the  honour  of  inclining  itself 
to  you." 

I  wondered  if  he  was  married,  but  did  not 
know  how  to  get  at  that  truth.  Sailors  will 
not  own  they  have  wives  ashore  when  they 
are  flirting  with  girls  at  sea. 

I  went  below,  after  spending  a  very  pleasant 
evening,  partook  of  some  wine  and  biscuits, 
and,  with  a  half  glance  at  my  stepfather's 
berth,  arresting  my  walk  for  an  instant  to  the 
thought,  "  Shall  I  knock  and  bid  him  good- 
night?" I  withdrew  to  my  berth.  It  had 
been  surprisingly  quiet  on  deck.  The  clouds 
appeared  to  have  broken  and  sunk  in  masses 
of  elusive  dyes  to  the  water's  edge,  where 
they  floated  like  giant  toad-stools  and  huge 
bushes,  with  a  sort  of  deceptive  wreathing  of 
lines  of  thickness  round  about  the  horizon, 
till  the  ship  seemed  encompassed  in  the  heart 
of  what  I  cannot  but  compare  to  an  enormous 
vaporous  corkscrew,  between  the  spirals  of 
which  shone  the  stars  in  two  or  three  dif- 
ferent colours,  whilst  dry  pale  gleams,  such 


244  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^MOHOCK'' 

as  are  said  to  haunt  churchyards,  hung  low 
down,  and  elsewhere  the  black  surface  sheeted 
fitfully  in  dim  flashes. 

But  there  was  a  number  of  stout  hearts  in 
the  forecastle,  and  a  smart  young  ofiicer  aft ; 
then  again  my  stepfather  was  aboard  to 
counsel  and  help ;  so,  spite  of  the  ugly  look 
out  of  doors,  I  got  into  my  bunk  and  slept 
sweetly,  and  throughout  the  night  dreamt 
most  deliciously.  In  fact,  it  was  from  one  of 
the  choicest  of  those  dreams,  fragrant  with 
the  smell  of  the  bridal  nosegay,  that  I  was 
aroused  by  a  rapping  on  the  door. 

"  Sorry  to  disturb  you,  Miss  Hayes,"  said 
the  voice  of  the  young  lieutenant,  when  I  had 
answered,     "Is  Captain  Sinclair  here?" 

"  No." 

"  Has  he  visited  you  in  the  night?" 

"  No." 

"  His  cabin  door  is  open,  and — when  you 
are  dressed  will  you  come  to  me  ? " 

His  voice  was  cautious  and  plaintive,  and 
my  heart  foreboded  trouble.  It  was  seven 
o'clock,  a  roasting,  shining  morning,  a  flat  sea, 
and  the  heavens,  as  I  made  out,  filled  with 
heavy  masses  of  white  cloud.  So  then  the 
thunderous  frown  of  last  night's  weather 
had  proved  but  the  bully's  scowl,  I  dressed 
quickly,  and  found  the  lieutenant  walking  np 
and  down  the  salooii. 


LIEUTENANT  JERVIS,  R.N.  245 

"  I  hate  to  be  a  bearer  of  ill  news,"  said  he, 
•'  but  I  must  tell  you  we  cannot  find  your  step- 
father.    We  suspect " 

"What?"  said  I,  feeling  myself  pale  and 
viewing  him  anxiously. 

"  That  he  has  made  away  with  himself." 

*'  He  had  reason ! "  I  involuntarily  cried. 
"  Why  do  you  think  that  he  has  committed 
suicide  ? " 

**  He  is  not  in  the  ship,  and  must  therefore 
be  overboard.  He  must  have  slunk  overboard 
in  a  deliberate,  suicidal  manner  ;  the  splash  of 
him  would  have  been  heard  had  he  fallen  by 
accident.  We  found  his  hat,  waistcoat,  and 
other  garments  in  the  mizzen  chains,  as  though 
he  had  unclothed  himself  to  secure  the  silent 
dip  of  the  unclothed  skin." 

*'  Poor  man  !     Where  have  you  looked  ? " 

'*  In  every  likely  place,"  he  answered.  "  He 
would  have  no  motive  in  hiding  himself." 

"  None." 

I  ran  my  eye  along  the  cabins,  and  then 
went  to  the  one  my  stepfather  had  used, 
followed  by  the  lieutenant.  Here  they  had 
put  the  clothes  they  found  in  the  mizzen 
chains.  They  lay  on  the  deck,  nearly  a  suit. 
I  was  infinitely  more  shocked  and  startled  by 
the  sight  of  those  clothes  than  by  the  news. 
The  lieutenant's  tale  had  put  a  faint  image 
before  me,  but  those  clothes  enabled  me  to 


246  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

think  of  a  drowned  man.  I  shuddered  and 
sighed,  and  chancing  to  look  into  a  mirror,  saw 
myself  very  white.  That  mirror  was  screwed 
over  a  sort  of  sea  toilet-table,  and  the  thing 
catching  my  eye  all  on  a  second,  I  picked  it 
up  :  it  was  a  letter  addressed  to  me.  I  opened 
it  and  read  this  : — 

"  Ship  Mohock. 
"  Laura, — I  am  a  ruined  man,  and  which 
ever  way  I  look,  I  see  nothing  but  beggary 
and  starvation.  I  have  lived  for  many  years 
an  honourable  life,  and  now  go  to  God  to 
answer  for  what  I  have  done  in  my  closing 
days.  My  will  is  at  home.  All  that  I  possess 
my  creditors  must  seize.  But  I  do  not  expect 
they  will  trouble  you,  until  the  time  when 
they  think  I  should  return  from  New  York, 
nor  then  if  they  get  news  of  the  piracy  of  the 
Mohock.  They  will  await  my  return.  You 
will  find  ^200  in  gold  in  the  small  chest  in 
the  left  of  my  cabin.  The  key  of  the  chest  is 
in  the  drawer  of  the  table  on  which  you  find 
this  letter.  Take  the  money,  and  with  it 
return  home  in  safety,  and  with  the  balance 
secure,  I  beg  of  you,  such  little  possessions 
and  memorials  at  home  as  your  mother  would 
wish  you  and  your  sister  to  have.  Farewell, 
Laura  !  I  did  not  know  it  would  come  to  this, 
or  I  should  not  have  brought  you  with  me. 

"  Amelius  Sinclair." 


LIEUTENANT  JERVIS,  R.N.  247 

My  eyes  were  dim  before  I  arrived  at  the 
signature.  I  handed  the  letter  to  the  lien- 
tenant,  who  merely  said : 

"  This  puts  the  matter  beyond  all  doubt. 
Poor  old  chap  !  I  should  have  foreseen  it.  I 
ought  to  have  had  him  watched.  His  manner 
was  very  strange  yesterday." 

He  returned  the  letter  to  me,  and  taking 
the  key  from  the  drawer,  opened  the  chest, 
saying,  "  We  will  make  sure  of  this  money 
at  once,  Miss  Hayes.  There's  no  such  friend 
abroad  as  our  young  Queen's  head  in  gold." 

He  opened  the  chest,  and  we  saw  a  scanty 
stock  of  wearing  apparel,  soiled  linen,  an  odd 
shoe  or  two.  Up  in  a  corner  was  a  canvas 
bag :  a  place  had  been  made  for  it  :  it  stood 
so  that  the  eye  should  not  miss  it.  The  lieu- 
tenant took  it  up,  and  the  instant  he  had  it 
in  his  hands  I  observed  a  look  of  temper  that 
was  not  wanting  in  archness  and  wonder.  He 
glanced  at  me,  then  looked  at  the  bag.  On 
one  side  was  written  in  good  bold  figures 
"  ^200."  On  the  other  side,  "For  Laura,  with 
the  same  love  she  bore  me." 

"  There  is  no  gold  here,  I  fear,"  says  the 
lieutenant,  pulling  out  a  pocket-knife ;  then 
snipping  the  string  that  noosed  the  bag,  he 
poured  on  to  the  deck  about  a  pint  of  dried 
peas. 

"  He    was    mad,    but   mean   too,"  said  the 


248         THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^  MOHOCK" 

lieutenant,  after  singing  a  bit  of  a  song,  and 
then  tossing  the  bag  into  the  chest  and  letting 
the  lid  fall.  "  A  jolly  stepfather's  joke  !  But 
stay  !  "  he  cried.  "  How  do  you  know  this  is 
not  a  ruse,  that  the  money  is  not  somewhere  ? 
He  writes  kindly  and  sincerely.  Shall  I  rum- 
mage for  you  ? " 

I  bowed  my  head,  being  too  exquisitely 
mortified  to  speak,  and  going  into  the  saloon, 
sat  down  at  the  table,  and  waited  whilst  the 
lieutenant  hunted. 

"Never  a  stiver,"  says  he,  coming  out  with 
a  cheerful  laugh.  "  'Tis  strange  too.  Most 
sea-captains  of  his  sort  carry  loose  cash  to  sea 
with  them." 

He  went  on  deck  to  look  after  the  ship, 
and  I  to  my  cabin  to  improve  my  toilet  and 
prepare  for  breakfast.  I  was  never  more 
stung  and  humiliated  in  all  my  life.  It 
was  not  that  I  wanted  the  paltry  two  hun- 
dred pounds,  but  it  was  doubly  irritating 
and  offensive  that  Lieutenant  Jervis  should 
see  that  my  stepfather  put  the  value  of  a 
handful  of  peas  on  my  love,  and  deemed  me 
fit  to  be  insulted  in  his  dying  humour  by  a 
piece  of  brutal  cynicism  beyond  anything  I 
should  have  thought  even  he  was  capable 
of.  But  it  did  me  good.  Nothing  could  be 
more  drastic  to  lay  to  such  grief  as  I  felt  for 
him.     If  I  had  a  tear  now,  it  was  for  myself. 


LIEUTENANT  ^ERVIS,  R.N.  249 

I  put  on  a  white  muslin  body  trimmed 
with  black.  I  found  some  black  riband  in 
a  box  and  trimmed  my  straw  hat  with  it, 
then  went  on  deck  to  look  at  the  morning. 
It  was  roasting  and  silent :  the  sea  was  like 
steel  under  the  sun,  and  the  ship  seemed 
to  rest  in  a  bed  of  liquid  glass.  A  slight 
swell  put  some  life  into  her  masts,  and  the 
shadows  of  the  great  white  clouds  which 
burnt  sunwards  with  all  sorts  of  golden  and 
silvern  splendours  floated  in  islands  of  violet 
upon  the  sea  and  refreshed  the  eye. 

Lieutenant  Jervis  coming  to  the  rail  pointed 
to  the  mizzen  channels,  and  told  me  that  was 
where  they  had  found  the  clothes.  I  looked 
down,  shuddered,  and  withdrew  my  head.  A 
fit  of  horror  shook  me  then.  The  ship  had 
scarcely  stirred  throughout  the  long  night. 
Some  grease  and  mess  that  had  been  flung 
overboard  on  the  previous  evening  floated 
close  by. 

I  thought  that  the  body  of  my  stepfather 
might  rise  and  hang  close  in  the  brilliant 
clear  brine  even  whilst  I  looked  down,  and 
it  was  that  which  dismissed  me  from  the 
rail  with  a  sick  heart. 

The  wreck  of  the  mizzen-topgallant  mast 
had  been  cleared  away,  but  the  ship  carried 
a  mutilated  look  aft.  Whilst  I  stood  con- 
versing   with    Lieutenant    Jervis    about    my 


250         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

stepfather,   Jack,   with  his  forehead  of  care- 
fully smeared  hair,  reported  breakfast. 

"There's  no  stage  like  shipboard  for  as- 
tounding performances,"  said  the  lieutenant, 
as  we  seated  ourselves ;  "  only  think  what  a 
theatre  this  craft  has  proved  in  a  few  weeks." 

"What's  to  happen  next?"  said  I. 

"  Oh,  Kingston,  Jamaica,  where  we  shall 
see  you  safely  on  board  some  homeward- 
bounder.  But  before  we  part  you  must  give 
me  leave  to  call  upon  you  in  England  on  my 
return." 

1  felt  the  hot  blood  spring  to  my  cheek 
whilst  I  bowed  to  him. 

"  Unless,  indeed,"  said  he  thoughtfully,  eye- 
ing me,  "  they  should  detain  you  as  a  witness. 
No !  'Tis  a  case  they'll  try  at  home.  I  ex- 
pect if  the  Trojan  finds  the  people  on  the 
Great  Salvage  she'll  push  straight  on  for 
England,  for  then  she'll  have  everything  on 
board  for  the  machinery  of  the  trial.  In  that 
case  you  may  arrive  too  late,  and  so  be  spared 
an  unpleasant  experience." 

"  I  presume  the  British  Consul  at  Kingston 
will  assist  me  to  get  home  ? "  said  I. 

"  I'll  see  to  that,"  said  he,  smiling. 

"Not  that  I  want  any  charitable  help," 
said  I,  flushing.  "  I  am  independent  of  any- 
thing my  stepfather  could  have  done  for  me. 
He  got  and  spent  most  of  my  poor  mother's 


LIEUTENANT  JERVIS,  R.N.  251 

money,  but  my  father  provided  against  my 
sister's  and  my  ruin  by  any  successor.  How 
long  shall  we  take  to  get  to  Jamaica  ? " 

"  At  this  rate,  till  the  dead  rise  to  the  blast 
of  doom.     I  hope  you  are  in  no  hurry." 

"  Not  I.  The  poor  man  brought  me  this 
voyage  to  divert  me,  as  he  called  it.  A  nice 
time  of  diversion  we  have  had  down  to  the 
hour  of  your  coming  on  board  of  us  !  " 

*'  Now  he's  dead,  will  you  tell  me,"  says 
the  lieutenant,  letting  his  eyes  dwell  upon 
mine  with  that  importunacy  of  gaze  which, 
in  such  beauty  as  his,  few  girls  can  harden 
their  hearts  to,  "  if  Captain  Sinclair  had  any 
deeper  hand  in  this  business  than  the  story 
as  I  have  it  goes  ? " 

I  reflected  a  moment,  still  meeting  his  gaze. 
"  He  was  the  top  and  bottom  of  it,"  said  I, 
"and  shocked  as  I  now  am  to  think  of  his 
having  destroyed  himself,  I  am  sure  in  the 
course  of  a  few  days  I  shall  be  believing  it 
was  the  wisest  thing  he  could  have  done." 

"There  is  a  long  blank  morning  before 
us,"  said  the  lieutenant ;  "  we  will  have  an 
awning  spread  and  get  chairs  in  the  cool 
of  it,  and  you  shall  spin  me  the  yarn.  Will 
you  ? " 


CHAPTER   XII 

THE  STORM 

All  this  morning  Lieutenant  Jervis  and  1 
passed  on  the  quarter-deck  in  the  pleasant 
violet  gloom  of  the  awning.  The  silence 
out  upon  the  sea  was  wonderful.  The  sea- 
men went  on  with  their  work  with  the  quiet 
of  men-of-warsmen ;  all  was  hushed  in  the 
ship  save  some  languid  beat  of  sail  when  the 
vessel  rolled  to  an  impulse  flowing  with  more 
weight  than  the  average  of  that  tender  sea- 
cradling. 

I  talked  freely  of  my  stepfather,  and  told 
all  that  I  knew  or  suspected.  He  was  dead, 
and  I  was  heedless.  He  had  been  but  my 
stepfather  too.  Nor  was  that  all  either.  It 
may  have  been  the  vanity  of  the  fool  or  the 
hope  of  the  maid ;  certainly  it  came  into  my 
head  to  fancy  the  lieutenant  might  fall  in 
love  with  me  before  we  reached  Jamaica. 
Suppose  this !  My  pride  went  before  all 
things  ;  by-and-bye  the  news  of  Captain  Sin- 
clair's  share   in  the    piracy   must   reach    his 

252 


THE  STORM  253 

ears.     So  I  told  him  the  whole  story  as  dis- 
passionately as  if  I  related  it  of  a  stranger. 

He  was  less  surprised  than  interested.  He 
said  that  all  along  the  sending  away  of  the 
mates  and  the  keeping  of  the  skipper  had 
convicted  the  Captain  to  his  mind  as  the 
conspirator  in  the  ship.  He  laughed  at  my 
account  of  Captain  Sinclair  falsifying  the  baro- 
meter and  dodging  the  weather,  but  looked 
grave,  as  though  some  hard  words  were  at 
the  back  of  his  tongue,  when  I  described  the 
marooning  of  the  passengers  on  that  naked 
rock,  the  Great  Salvage. 

He  could  not  conceive  how  the  villains 
meant  to  dispose  of  ninety-eight  thousand 
sovereigns. 

"  I  don't  suppose  we  shall  fall  in  with 
their  schooner,"  said  he,  sending  a  rolling 
look  round  the  sea-line.  *'  How  many  of  a 
crew  does  she  carry,  I  wonder?  Is  she 
armed  ? "  And  his  eyes  came  to  our  own 
blank  merchant  decks. 

When  I  went  below,  on  the  lieutenant 
leaving  me  to  get  an  observation,  I  entered 
Captain  Sinclair's  cabin  and  thoroughly 
searched  it.  I  found  little  or  nothing  of 
consequence.  In  a  drawer  was  a  cheap  silver 
watch  and  a  gilt  chain,  with  a  large  sham 
gold  seal  attached.  He  had  worn  them 
during  the  voyage. 


254         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

I  picked  up  the  canvas  bag  the  lieutenant 
had  flung  down,  and  was  convinced  by  the 
look  and  feel  of  it  that  it  had  recently  held 
money.  The  words  ^200  might  have  been 
printed  long  ago  ;  whereas  the  reference  to  me 
on  the  other  side  had  certainly  been  written 
or  printed  within  the  past  day  or  two.  I 
sat  down  in  his  chair,  locked  my  hands  in 
my  lap,  and  fixing  my  eyes  on  the  clothes 
they  had  found  in  the  mizzen- chains,  mused 
on  the  lost  man. 

I  may  have  stayed  half  an  hour  in  that 
cabin,  and  then  came  out.  I  had  loved  my 
mother,  and  nursed  her  when  dying,  and  had 
but  one  quarrel  to  fasten  upon  her  memory, 
and  that  was  her  weakness  in  having  married 
this  man.  Had  she  lived,  what  would  she 
have  thought  of  him  as  criminal  and  suicide  ? 

All  through  this  day  it  was  so  unbearably 
hot  that  I  could  scarcely  breathe  in  the 
saloon.  The  sea  showed  oddly  in  the  after- 
noon ;  a  sort  of  white-coloured  paths  of  water 
writhed  about  it  in  dull  greasy  gleamings ; 
the  blue  between  looked  muddy,  as  though 
ooze  had  risen  in  sediment  to  the  surface. 
Heavy  masses  of  vapour  hung  in  the  sky ; 
but  the  atmosphere  was  so  thick  you  would 
scarcely  have  noticed  them  but  for  here  and 
there  a  dull  line  of  tarnished  copper,  or  a 
dim  brassy  streak,  sometimes  bright  enough 


THE  STORM  255 

to  drop  a  light  of  its  own  wriggling  worm- 
like into  the  water  beneath.  At  three  o'clock 
you  could  not  see  the  ship's  trucks ;  and  if 
you  watched  the  flying  jib-boom,  it  went 
round  and  round  in  the  heat  as  though  it  was 
a  rope  they  were  uncoiling.  All  this  made 
me  think  of  a  world  of  smoke  with  a  firma- 
ment that  would  reflect  volcanic  upheavals  of 
red  flame  when  the  sun  was  sunk. 

They  stripped  the  ship  down  to  her  three 
topsails  and  some  fore-and-aft  canvas,  and 
there  she  lay  motionless  but  for  the  soft 
heave  of  the  swell.  The  ocean  was  dread- 
fully silent,  and  the  stoop  of  the  sky  was  as 
though  the  heads  of  vast  shapeless  bulks  of 
beasts  were  crowding  together  up  there,  and 
frowning  down  in  enormous  shadow  to  peer 
at  us. 

At  four  o'clock  it  was  nearly  black.  I 
stood  near  the  mizzen-mast,  talking  with  the 
lieutenant  in  whispers.  The  subduing  gloom 
of  the  storm  w^as  upon  us ;  we  could  not  con- 
verse with  raised  voices.  The  men  glimmered 
like  ghosts ;  they  stood  silently  here  and 
there  about  the  decks  waiting  for  what  was 
to  come.  In  a  few  moments  some  huge 
drops  of  water,  each  as  big  as  a  saucer,  and 
seemingly  hissing  hot,  fell  in  a  loud  plashing 
upon  the  deck ;  on  which,  supposing  the 
tempest  was  at  hand,  I  hurried  below. 


256  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^MOHOCK'' 

I  had  been  about  five  minutes  in  the  saloon, 
sitting  near  the  sideboard  with  a  fearful  heart, 
when  the  heavens  were  flashed  up  in  a  deep 
and  dazzling  light  over  our  mastheads.  I 
heard  the  explosion  as  of  a  cannon  on  deck, 
and  saw  a  ball  of  fire  hurl  past  the  mouth  of 
the  hatch.  A  moment  later,  and  in  the  midst 
of  a  sickening  smell  of  sulphur,  I  heard  such 
a  dreadful  roar  of  thunder,  I  might  have  be- 
lieved God's  skies  of  brass  had  then  been 
shivered  to  atoms.  The  ship  was  struck  !  It 
rained  in  a  living  sheet  of  water  as  though  we 
lay  becalmed  at  the  foot  of  some  giant  cata- 
ract. I  caught  a  splashing  and  shambling  of 
feet,  cries,  and  in  a  minute,  as  well  as  I  could 
distinguish,  I  spied  a  crowd  in  the  companion- 
way  coming  slowly  below.  Another  flash 
lighted  the  interior  with  noontide  brilliance, 
and  showed  me  four  seamen  bearing  a  body. 
One  of  them  bawled  out,  "  Ain't  there  no  light 
down  here  ? " 

I  might  have  groped  a  month  in  the  pantry 
without  finding  matches,  but  I  laid  my  hand 
instantly  upon  a  box  in  my  stepfather's  cabin, 
and  climbing  upon  the  table,  lighted  one  of 
the  lamps. 

"What's  ha})pened?"  cried  I,  springing  on 
deck.     "Who's  this?" 

"  Lieutenant  Jcrvis  haS  been  struck  down 
by  lightning.     What's  to  he  done?' 


THE  STORM  257 

It  came  into  my  head  when  I  heard  this 
that  the  treatment  for  the  lightning-struck 
was  much  the  same  as  for  the  apparently 
drowned.  How  did  I  know  this  ?  Doubtless 
I  had  somewhere  read  it,  and  the  thing  had 
got  stuck  as  a  piece  of  reading  into  a  corner 
of  memory. 

"Is  he  wet?"  I  asked. 

"  Drenched  !  "  cried  one  of  the  four  men. 

They  had  all  come  to  a  halt,  still  holding 
the  body  and  looking  about  them,  and  two 
or  three  seamen  hung  in  the  companion-way 
peering  eagerly  down. 

"  His  wet  clothes  must  be  removed,"  said  I. 
"That's  his  cabin.  Lay  him  in  his  bunk, 
and  find  out  if  there's  any  one  amongst  you 
who  knows  how  to  rub  and  knead  so  as  to 
bring  life  into  the  limbs." 

I  sought  for  and  found  some  brandy  whilst 
they  carried  the  lieutenant  into  his  berth, 
where  they  stripped,  dried,  and  rolled  him  in 
a  blanket.  All  this  while  the  heavens  were 
molten  with  streams  of  fire,  the  thunder  bel- 
lowed ceaselessly,  and  the  rain  roared  with 
the  sound  of  a  raging  sea  on  the  planks  over- 
head. 

When  I  went  into  the  lieutenant's  berth 
with  brandy,  one  man  was  rubbing  him  with 
what  I  instantly  saw  was  a  good  skilful  move- 
ment of  hand.     I  told  another  to  sit  at  his 


258         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ^'MOHOCK" 

feet  and  rub.  The  poor  fellow  was  insensible, 
and  breathed  very  slowly  and  low.  One  of  the 
men  held  up  the  lieutenant's  coat,  which  had 
been  split  from  neck  to  tail :  this  man  told 
me  that  one  shoe  had  been  ripped  fi'om  the 
officer's  foot  as  though  cut  by  a  knife.  They 
also  showed  me  his  watch-chain,  which  had 
been  broken  and  fused  into  little  lumps  of 
ore. 

He  lay  for  two  hours  in  this  state.  I  put 
my  fingers  on  his  wrist,  but  found  no  pulse ; 
yet  his  low,  slow  breathing  told  us  he  lived. 

Three  of  the  four  men  had  long  before  this 
left  the  cabin  to  look  after  the  ship.  The 
man  who  knew  how  to  chafe  remained. 

From  time  to  time  I  continued  to  admini- 
ster brandy  with  a  small  teaspoon. 

"  I  believe,"  says  the  sailor  in  a  hoarse 
whisper  like  the  murmur  of  a  dreaming  dog, 
"that  he'll  pull  round  arter  all.  But  what's 
it  going  to  leave  him  ? " 

"Ehl" 

"  Oh,  these  here  strokes  often  bereave  the 
skull  of  a  man  of  its  intellects.  They  take 
the  sight  out  of  his  eyes,  and  sometimes 
don't  leave  him  with  spine  enough  to  stand 
upright  on." 

The  lieutenant  groaned.  I  liked  to  hear 
that  sound.  Anything  better  than  the  ghastly 
silence  and  the  slow  faint  breathing  whicli  at 


THE  STORM  259 

any  moment  might  cease.  He  groaned  again, 
and  uttered  something  meaningless.  I  sprang 
my  ear  to  his  mouth,  and  again  he  spoke,  and 
now  I  knew  by  his  voice  that  something  had 
gone  wrong  with  his  organs  of  speech.  It 
was  the  noise  of  an  idle,  helpless,  wagging 
tongue ;  and  yet  I  guessed  he  was  trying  to 
speak ;  and  beckoning  for  the  lantern,  I  saw 
in  the  swift  passage  of  the  sheen  of  it  over  his 
face  that  he  had  his  mind. 

"All  is  well  with  the  ship,"  said  I.  "The 
storm  is  passing ;  there  is  no  wind.  You 
have  been  struck  down  by  lightning,  and  here 
you  must  rest  silently  and  patiently  till  1 
nurse  you  into  health." 

I  saw  him  smile  by  the  lamp  I  had  returned 
to  the  seaman's  hand.  By-and-bye  he  began 
to  vomit  most  dreadfully.  When  this  heart- 
shaking  attack  was  ended  he  rolled  his  face 
to  the  ship's  wall  and  fell  asleep.  From  time 
to  time  the  shadows  of  seamen  stole  softly  to 
the  door  to  look  in.  One  of  them  was  the 
gigantic  fellow  who,  as  I  supposed,  had  been 
put  to  act  as  mate  by  the  lieutenant.  He 
filled  the  doorway  with  his  mighty  presence, 
and,  in  a  whisper  that  trembled  with  power, 
asked  leave  to  speak  with  me.  I  went  out. 
The  bracket  lamp  was  now  alight  in  the  lieu- 
tenant's cabin,  but  turned  very  low ;  a  lamp 
shone  in  the  saloon,  but  its  bright  light  could 


26o  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '' MOHOCK" 

not  extinguish  the  hues  of  the  lightning  as 
it  plunged  at  the  windows.  Yet  the  storm 
was  gone.  The  thunder  rolled  at  a  distance 
and  musically,  and  I  felt  a  soft  refreshing  air 
blowing  in  through  the  open  ports. 

"  Is  there  any  fear  of  his  dying,  d'ye  think, 
miss  ?  "  said  the  man. 

"  I  hope  not.  He  sleeps  peacefully  now. 
Go  in  and  look  at  him,  but  do  not  disturb 
him." 

The  man  trod  on  naked  feet.  He  bent 
over  the  figure,  lingered  listening,  and  re- 
turned. 

*'  You  see,"  said  he,  passing  the  sleeve  of 
his  jacket  over  his  brow,  which  ran  with  per- 
spiration, "  the  lieutenant  being  down,  there's 
no  navigator  to  take  charge." 

"  What's  to  be  done  ? "  said  I,  startled  by 
this  new  aspect,  with  a  fancy  leaping  hot  into 
my  head  of  the  chance  Captain  Sinclair  had 
lost. 

"I  must  talk  to  my  mates,"  answered  the 
huge  seaman.  "  Seems  to  me  there'll  be 
nothing  to  do  but  to  keep  her  taws'l  aback 
till  something  comes  along  to  len's  a  hand. 
The  ship's  course  may  be  the  course  for 
another  twenty-four  hours  ;  but  arter  ? " 

"Lieutenant  Jervis  may  be  well  enough  to 
take  charge  again  to-morrow." 

"  That's  to  be  piously  trusted.     Meanwhile 


THE  STORM  261 

I  don't  think  we  can  do  better  than  let  her 
lie  quiet  for  to-night." 

I  secretly  smiled  at  the  idea  of  this  huge 
seaman  consulting  me  on  the  navigation  of 
the  ship,  and  what  the  men  should  do  with 
her.  I  told  him  to  send  me  a  light-handed 
sailor  to  help  to  nurse  the  lieutenant ;  but  in 
truth  I  should  want  such  a  one  for  errands 
only.  I  cannot  express  how  grateful  I  felt 
on  reflecting  that  the  crew  consisted  of  dis- 
ciplined men-of-warsmen.  Here  now  was 
an  unofficered  ship  with  nearly  the  tenth  of 
a  million  of  gold  in  her,  wholly  at  the  mercy 
of  her  people.  Suppose  Owen  and  his  gang 
had  remained,  and  that  it  was  my  stepfather 
who  had  been  struck  down  helpless ! 

When  in  the  name  of  my  good  angel  were 
my  adventures  in  the  Mohock  to  end  ?  I  had 
been  kept  up  by  the  excitement  of  the  storm 
and  by  my  having  to  attend  to  the  lieutenant, 
but  when  the  evening  came  and  I  sat  down 
at  the  table  trying  to  eat  a  little  supper,  my 
heart  fluttered  key-cold  within  me.  It  was 
not  only  the  lieutenant  lying  there  in  his 
bunk,  moaning  sometimes,  breathing  pretty 
regularly  it  is  true,  and,  as  I  hoped,  sleeping, 
though  a  dying  man  for  all  that,  as  it  might 
prove ;  it  was  also  the  deep  icy  shadow  cast 
upon  my  spirits  by  the  suicide  of  Captain 
Sinclair.     There  was  no  noise  of  storm  now. 


262         THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^MOHOCK" 

A  slow  sound  of  groaning  and  grinding  occa- 
sionally ran  through  the  ship  as  she  was 
heeled  by  the  heave  of  the  deep  :  it  was  all 
of  a  deathlike  silence  on  deck,  with  the 
stars  shining  brightly  in  the  open  frame  of 
the  companion ;  the  seaman  the  big  fellow 
had  sent  to  assist  me  in  watching  sat  nodding 
in  the  lieutenant's  berth.  So  it  was  that  the 
saloon  showed  as  lonely  as  a  churchyard,  with 
nothing  stirring  but  the  pulse  of  the  lamp- 
light in  the  mirrors  and  a  small  rocking  of 
the  swing  trays ;  in  which  time  a  fit  of 
horror  came  upon  me  when  I  thought  of  my 
stepfather  lying  naked  and  drowned  close 
under  our  keel,  for  I  could  not  conceive  that 
our  ship  had  moved  her  own  length  since  he 
sank.  I  coined  him  with  my  mind's  eye,  and 
wrought  him  out  of  memory,  and  he  stalked 
in  a  pitiful  shadow  from  his  berth  in  his  shirt 
sleeves  with  an  ashen  face ;  he  came  for  the 
food  I  had  seen  him  carry.  It  was  a  trick 
of  recollection,  yet  I  could  have  shrieked. 
The  warmth,  the  light,  the  colour  of  the 
early  days  of  this  voyage  flooded  the  interior. 
I  saw  the  table  cheerfully  dressed,  the  people 
at  it  eating,  Monsignor's  calm  face.  I  heard 
Mr.  Jackson's  laugh  and  the  Colonel's  ringing 
nasal  call  across,  and  again  I  saw  the  appari- 
tion of  my  stepfather  at  the  head,  stern,  with 
a  lowering   brow,   directing  a  level  shining 


THE  STORM  263 

stare  at  me  till  I  sprang  to  my  feet,  and  with 
a  wave  of  my  hand,  heat  the  hysteric  pre- 
sentment out  of  my  vision.  Then  was  I  wise 
to  help  myself  to  a  tumbler  of  spirits  and 
water.     My  nerves  were  nearly  gone. 

I  nursed  the  young  officer  all  through  the 
night.  A  long  and  dreadful  night  it  was, 
roasting  below.  The  little  draught  of  air  had 
died  out,  and  going  on  deck  for  a  mouthful 
of  the  sweetness  of  the  dark,  I  found  sea 
and  sky  blent  in  one  huge  silent  shadow 
tipped  with  brilliants  which  the  water  re- 
flected, so  that  we  seemed  to  hang  poised 
in  the  centre  of  the  immense  profound.  The 
seamen  were  very  uneasy.  One  or  another 
was  constantly  coming  to  the  head  of  the 
steps  to  learn  how  the  young  officer  did ;  the 
man  who  helped  me  gave  them  the  news, 
and  there  was  a  great  deal  of  hoarse  whisper- 
ing through  those  hot  silent  hours.  The  lieu- 
tenant was  a  little  delirious  at  times,  broke 
into  fragments  of  song,  and  they  were  shock- 
ing to  hear;  for  I  was  certain  now  the 
tongue  had  been  paralysed  in  his  mouth; 
his  utterance  was  a  mere  wobble ;  it  re- 
minded me  of  the  echoes  raised  by  a  poor 
idiot  boy  that  used  to  hoot  after  moonrise  in 
a  grove  near  Canterbury. 

But  not  to  be  tedious  in  the  relation  of 
this  nursing  job  :  the  morning  broke,  a  cloud- 


264  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^ MOHOCK" 

less  day ;  the  water  seemed  to  swing  to  the 
ship  in  a  very  swoon  of  heat,  so  languid  was 
the  wave  of  it.  Lieutenant  Jervis  had  been 
sleeping  throughout  the  night  save  when  he 
was  delirious  ;  a  few  times  he  had  turned  his 
head,  as  though  seeking  for  me,  and  then  I 
would  get  up  and  look  at  him. 

I  was  sitting,  perhaps  dozing,  in  his  cabin 
when  the  day  broke.  The  seaman  occupied 
a  locker  outside,  close  to  the  bulkhead.  Pre- 
sently I  opened  my  eyes  to  the  blaze  of  the 
light  flowing  off  the  sea  through  the  port-hole 
in  tingling  brand-new  needles,  and  found  the 
young  officer  watching  me.  His  expression 
of  face  was  perfectly  sensible,  his  eyes,  dark 
and  eloquent  as  ever,  full  of  meaning.  He 
pointed  to  his  mouth  and  shook  his  head. 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  with  as  cheerful  a  counte- 
nance as  I  could  command  ;  "  but  the  power 
of  speech  will  return  to  you." 

Evidently  he  had  tried  to  speak  whilst  I 
dozed,  and  had  been  shocked  by  the  noises 
he  made ;  he  did  not  attempt  to  use  his 
tongue.  He  put  out  his  hand  and  flourished 
it  to  signify  that  he  wished  to  write,  and  I 
brought  him  pencil  and  paper.  He  tried  to 
sit  up,  but  could  not,  on  which  I  slanted  a 
book  as  a  desk,  and  he  wrote : 

"  I  cannot  speak,  and  my  legs  are  useless. 
I  fear  the  lightning  has  paralysed  them." 


THE  STORM  265 

"  What  can  I  do  for  you  ?  I  will  do  any- 
thing." 

He  wrote  :  '*  I  thank  you  with  all  my  heart. 
I  must  be  patient  and  wait  for  something  to 
heave  in  sight  to  help  us.  I  shall  not  be  able 
to  navigate  this  ship.  Will  you  send  Turner 
to  me?" 

I  told  the  man  outside  to  call  Turner,  and 
in  a  few  moments  that  man-of-warsman  whom 
I  have  described  as  gigantic  arrived.  He 
stepped  to  the  bunk-side  knuckling  his  brow, 
and  his  rough  black  face,  set  massive  as  a 
carving  in  granite  between  his  hedge-like 
whiskers,  looked  noble  with  sympathy  and 
feeling:.  Then  the  three  of  us  made  out  to 
discourse  thus  :  the  lieutenant  writing,  I  read- 
ing, and  Turner  answering. 

"This  stroke  has  made  a  sheer  hulk  of  me, 
1  urner. 

"  I  pray  not,  sir,  o'  God's  name.  Youth's 
a  good  handspike,  and  arter  the  doctors  ha' 
heaved  awhile  they'll  pawl  ye  to  your  old 
bearings." 

"Was  the  ship  injured?" 

*'  Not  a  rope-yarn  of  her.  The  pumps  suck, 
and  all's  ris^ht  below.  She  lies  under  her 
three  taws'ls.  It's  a  sheet  calm,  and  nothen 
in  sight." 

"  K  you  get  a  breeze,  this  is  your  course." 
The  lieutenant  wrote  it,  but  what  that  course 


266         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

was  I  do  not  remember.  "  There's  nothing 
in  the  road,  and  by  heading  straight  you 
should  be  able  to  run  Jamaica  down."  He 
shook  his  head  after  writing  this,  and  added 
with  his  pencil,  "We  must  have  a  navigator. 
The  value  of  the  ship  is  great.  We  are  six- 
teen people." 

"  If  ships  ain't  plentiful  in  this  ocean, 
where  are  they  to  be  found  ? "  said  Turner, 
with  a  slow  look  through  the  port. 

"  Keep  a  bright  look-out,"  wrote  the  lieu- 
tenant, "and  show  your  ensign  union  down 
when  anything  comes.  Burn  a  flare  sooner 
than  lose  a  chance,  and  have  rockets  ready." 

This  was  all  the  writing  the  poor  young 
fellow  then  seemed  equal  to.  His  hand  fell 
and  he  looked  faint.  I  got  him  some  brandy 
and  water,  and  damped  his  brow  with  toilet- 
vinegar.  I  then  went  on  deck  to  prepare 
with  my  own  hands  a  light  meal  for  his 
breakfast.  I  had  some  skill  in  the  making 
of  small  delicate  dishes,  and  the  long  days 
I  had  devoted  to  my  mother  had  given  me  a 
tolerable  idea  of  the  needs  of  the  sick-room. 

Before  going,  I  spoke  to  Turner  of  the 
fierce  heat,  and  asked  if  there  was  no  device 
by  which  the  lieutenant's  cabin  might  be 
cooled. 

"  We'll  take  a  pair  of  windsails  and  couple 
'em,"  said  he,   "  and  lead  one  leg  right  into 


THE  STORM  267 

the  door  here.  Yet  if  there  ain't  no  breeze 
in  heaven  there  can  come  no  air  on  earth." 

'Twas  a  wonderful,  glorious,  hopeless  breast 
of  ocean  to  look  at  from  the  deck  of  our 
becalmed  ship.  If  you  touched  the  rail,  you 
skinned  your  fingers.  The  horizon  coiled 
shivering  through  a  dim  blue  vapour  that 
went  sweating  up  from  God  knows  what 
parts  of  the  vessel.  The  three  topsails  swung 
softly,  with  a  blinding  glare  of  their  own. 
The  light  in  them  overran  their  edges,  and  I 
noticed  that  every  sail  was  framed  with  a 
faint  film  or  tremble  of  airy  silver. 

Nothing  noteworthy  happened  all  that  day. 
The  lieutenant  lay  for  the  most  part  motion- 
less, but  intelligent  and  observant.  I  brought 
plenty  of  paper  from  the  Captain's  cabin  :  it 
eased  the  poor  fellow's  mind  to  converse  with 
Turner  and  one  or  two  of  the  others  in  this 
way.  Sometimes  I'd  catch  his  eye  follow- 
ing me  about,  and  when  my  glance  went  to 
his,  the  light  of  a  grateful  smile  shone  in 
his  looks.  I  asked  him  if  he  suffered  pain, 
and  he  made  a  slight  grimace.  But  he  was 
one  of  those  who  take  their  chastisements 
like  men. 

I  went  to  the  ship's  library  for  some  books, 
and  amongst  the  volumes  found  one  on  medi- 
cine :  the  word  "lightning"  was  large  in  the 
page,  and  I  read  the  description,  treatment, 


268         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

and  so  on  to  him  ;  and  was  glad  to  find  that 
though  I  had  not  done  much,  I  had  done 
right.  From  time  to  time  I  read  from  a 
vokime  of  extracts  :  he  listened  to  brief  tales 
of  highwaymen,  shipwreck,  horrid  murders, 
sagacity  in  dogs,  and  the  like.  There  is  no 
better  reading  for  the  sick-room  than  old- 
fashioned  volumes  of  this  sort,  peppered 
with  poetry,  and  embellished  with  cuts,  which 
somehow  fit  the  narratives  as  the  wigs  of  the 
age  of  the  books  did  the  heads  of  those  who 
wore  them. 

That  which  made  him  most  grateful  was 
my  damping  of  his  brow  and  fanning  him. 
The  heat  was  horrible,  and  no  air  stirred  in 
the  motionless  windsail.  Whilst  I  leaned 
over  him  playing  the  fan,  I'd  find  his  eyes 
dwelling  on  mine  with  a  look  of  tenderness 
and  anxiety :  it  was  in  one  of  these  fanning 
passages  that  I  felt  my  heart  go  to  him  on 
a  sudden.  Good  God !  thought  I,  I  am  in 
love  with  this  man,  who  is  maimed,  and  may 
be  dying !  Is  this  the  husband  my  stepfather 
carried  me  this  voyage  to  find  me?  Then  I 
would  hold  his  hand  and  feel  his  pulse  and 
look  wistfully  at  his  whitened  face.  He  lay 
in  the  gloom  of  a  lower  bunk,  yet  I  saw  him 
very  well. 

The  stagnant  day  blackened  into  a  stag- 
nant night,  with  a  mighty  fine  show  of  shooting 


THE  STORM  269 

stars.  I  went  on  deck  for  half  an  hour  of 
freshness,  and  Turner  the  giant  said  to  me 
that  we  coukl  not  look  for  anything  to  come 
along  till  it  blew  a  little  draught  of  air,  and 
saying  this  he  went  to  the  ship's  quarter  and 
whistled  low  and  insinuatingly  into  the  dusk, 
as  if  he  would  coax  some  phantasm  into 
shape  and  substance  by  his  pipe.  "  Good 
angels  !  "  I  heard  the  fellow  at  the  wheel  say, 
"  there'll  be  no  wind,  Bill,  whilst  that  there 
blushen  marchant  covey  has  hold  of  our  keel. 
Durned  if  she  ain't  got  a  list  with  the  grip  of 
his  blue  covetious  fingers.  He  knows  the 
gold's  in  the  hold,  and  he  ain't  a-going  to  let 
it  run  away." 

Bill  slung  a  ponderous  *'  Hush  ! "  through 
the  darkness,  and  the  helmsman  catching  sight 
of  me,  fell  a-wriggliug  at  the  wheel  against 
the  stars,  as  if  the  sailors  had  hooked  him 
with  a  grapnel,  and  were  frisking  before  hoist- 
ing him. 

I  was  dozing  about  four  o'clock  in  a  chair 
at  the  lieutenant's  side,  when  I  was  awakened 
by  the  heeling  of  the  ship  ;  the  foam  seethed 
with  a  delicious  note  of  coldness  under  the 
port,  and  the  cabin  was  sweet  as  the  fabled 
Arabian  gale  with  the  steady  panting  of  the 
windsail.  The  lieutenant  put  his  hand  out, 
not  knowing  I  was  awake.  I  stood  up  and 
made  more  light  with  the  lamp,  and  he  wrote 


270         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

that  I  should  send  Turner  to  him.  The  sea- 
man who  was  supposed  to  help  me  in  nursing, 
but  who  had  so  far  snored  like  a  militiaman 
through  his  hours  of  duty,  fetched  the  big 
fellow,  and  the  lieutenant  wrote  and  was 
answered  thus  : 

"  How  is  the  wind  ? " 

"  No'the  by  west,  sir,  a  good  strong  air." 

"  You  are  sailing  upon  the  course  I  gave 
you?" 

"  Ay,  sir." 

"  Keep  her  at  it,  and  press  her.  Shove  her 
out  of  this  greasy  marsh  as  fast  as  she'll  go." 

Turner  told  him  what  sail  the  ship  was 
under,  and  gave  such  farther  particulars  as  he 
might  suppose  the  officer  would  wish  to  know 
without  fatiguing  himself  to  pencil  questions  : 
the  huge  felloAV  then  returned  on  deck. 

I  took  a  peep  myself,  if  only  for  the  sake 
of  seeing  the  ship  in  motion,  so  deeply  sick 
had  I  become  of  the  burning  calm  ;  the  cock- 
roaches were  beginning  to  crawl,  though  I  had 
not  seen  one  in  the  ship  farther  north,  and  an 
ugly  ferocious  squeal  of  rats  broke  out  from 
time  to  time,  scoring  athAvart  my  drowsy  ears 
as  I  sat  by  the  side  of  the  lieutenant,  as  though 
it  came  from  t'other  side  the  saloon ;  though 
once  the  shriek  was  close  and  ghastly,  and  I 
jumped  up,  at  which  the  lieutenant  laughed. 

Well,  T  went  on  deck,  as  I  have  said,  to 


THE  STORM  271 

take  a  look  at  the  ship  in  motion,  and  a  tender 
delicious  treat  was  that  sight  of  velvet  heavens, 
sparkling  stars,  and  a  shapeless  piece  of  moon 
that  dropped  no  light  into  the  sea,  and  seemed 
to  be  blowing  darkling  southward  with  the 
wind.  One  felt  the  heels  of  the  clipper  in 
the  smooth  shearing  of  her  stem  :  it  was  like 
skating.  It  was  as  though  she  ripped  through 
ice  with  her  coppered  forefoot.  Her  pale 
bosoms  leaned  southwards  :  I  saw  no  clouds 
for  the  wind  to  come  out  of,  but  the  dark 
waters  streamed  joyously  as  glad  and  fawning 
dogs  to  the  bends  and  haunches  of  the  flying 
craft :  the  sea-flashes  filled  the  eye  with  light 
and  life,  and  patiently  in  several  parts  of  the 
ship  stumped  the  watch  of  the  men-of-wars- 
men,  pausing  often  to  stare  ahead  and  around 
to  windward,  whilst  again  and  again,  even  in 
the  time  that  I  lingered,  the  giant  Turner 
swept  the  windy  dusk  of  the  seaboard  with 
my  stepfather's  night-glass. 

On  returning  below,  I  was  arrested  at. the 
foot  of  the  companion  steps  by  a  strange,  in- 
sufferable bad  smell.  It  seemed  to  me  to 
proceed  from  Captain  Sinclair's  cabin,  yet  I 
smelt  nothing  but  fresh  air  on  entering.  When 
I  stepped  out,  the  odour  sickened  me  again, 
and  my  thoughts  being  of  my  patient,  I 
beckoned  to  the  assistant  seaman. 

"  What  is  this  bad  smell  ? "  said  I. 


272  THE  GOOD  SHIP  ^'MOHOCK" 

He  sleepily  snuffled  and  snivelled,  and  then 
said,  "  It  seemed  all  right,  he  couldn't  smell 
no  smell." 

"  Try  here,"  said  I,  motioning  to  him. 

He  came,  spat  instantly,  and  cried,  "  Rats, 
rats  !  They'll  breed  a  plague.  They  must  be 
cleared  out  at  daybreak.  I'll  speak  to  Bill 
about  it,  miss." 

I  went  to  the  fore  part  of  the  saloon,  where 
the  atmosphere  was  sweet.  Lieutenant  Jervis, 
cooled  by  the  wind,  was  in  a  deep  sleep  ;  I 
sat  down  beside  him,  and  presently  slumbered 
too. 

I  was  awakened  by  the  lieutenant  touching 
me.  Instantly  on  opening  my  eyes  and  getting 
my  senses,  I  caught  a  growling  of  men's 
voices  in  the  saloon.  It  was  bright  daylight, 
with  wind,  and  the  ship  sprang  through  the 
seas  which  seemed  to  be  rolling  to  her  bow. 
I  understood  that  the  lieutenant  desired  to 
know  what  was  happening  in  the  saloon,  and 
stepped  out. 

Just  behind  or  abaft  the  shaft  of  the  mizzen- 
mast,  snugly  let  into  the  deck,  was  a  small 
hatch-cover  ;  it  conducted  to  a  part  of  the 
after  hold,  and  throughout  the  voyage  I  don't 
recollect  ever  having  seen  that  little  hatch 
opened,  though  likely  as  not  the  stores  for 
cabin  use  were  kept  there.  It  lay  open  now, 
and  a  couple  of  men  stood  looking  with  their 


THE  STORM  273 

hands  to  their  faces ;  but  in  the  instant  of 
my  advancing,  the  body  of  a  dead  man  was 
passed  through  the  hatch  and  received  by 
the  two.  Three  followed,  springing  on 
deck,  spitting  and  growling.  It  was  bright 
daylight,  I  say,  and  there  was  no  need  to 
go  close  or  ask  questions :  the  body  was 
Captain  Sinclair's  !  The  two  rested  him  with 
his  face  looking  my  way  till  the  others 
gained  the  deck,  and  it  was  then  I  saw 
him. 

I  was  thunderstruck — I  was  paralysed  !  I 
thought  that  the  heart  in  me  was  broken  and 
its  pulse  stopped  by  the  shock.  Was  his  letter 
then  a  lie,  as  the  closing  scene  of  his  life  had 
been  ?  He  had  not  committed  suicide  by 
drowning,  though  he  meant  us  to  suppose 
that,  by  leaving  his  clothes  in  the  mizzen- 
chains. 

"Don't  come  this  way,  miss,"  bawled  out 
one  of  the  sailors. 

The  body  was  clothed  in  trousers,  boots, 
and  shirt.  No  marks  or  wounds  were  to  be 
seen  in  the  throat  or  head.  I  stood  stockstill, 
sick  and  white.  Quickly,  and  with  few  or  no 
demonstrations  of  disgust  in  my  presence,  the 
seamen  handed  the  body  through  the  com- 
panion way,  and  when  it  was  gone  I  returned 
to  the  lieutenant's  cabin,  and  sat  down,  trem- 
bling violently. 

S 


274  THE  GOOD  SHIP  '^MOHOCK'' 

He  could  not  write  unless  I  held  a  book  to 
him,  but  my  hands  shook  so  1  could  not  help 
him,  and  after  cooling  my  face  with  toilet- 
vinegar,  I  said — 

"  They  have  found  the  body  of  Captain 
Sinclair." 

He  arched  his  eyebrows  into  an  expression 
of  "Where?" 

"  Under  the  little  hatch  just  past  the  mizzen- 
mast.  Oh,  heavenly  God !  I  must  not  tell  you 
what  drew  their  attention  to  it.  I  should 
have  spoken  to  the  men  this  morning,  little 
dreaming — little  dreaming — what  made  him 
hide  himself  there  !  He  shammed  to  be  dead 
to  hide — but  for  what  purpose  ? " 

He  motioned  with  a  face  of  astonishment 
and  pain,  as  though  imploring  me  to  help 
him  to  write.  This  my  nerves  managed  now 
to  contrive,  and  he  wrote — 

"How  do  they  know  he  is  dead?" 

I  dropped  the  book  and  put  my  hands  to 
my  face,  and  swayed  myself  in  the  torment  of 
the  horror  that  was  upon  me ;  then  hearing 
footsteps,  I  looked  out,  and  called  to  a  sailor 
who  was  standing  near  the  open  hatch  to 
send  Turner  to  me.  The  huge  seaman  was 
some  little  time  in  coming. 

"What  is  this  dreadful  discovery?"  said  I, 
when  he  showed  himself  in  the  doorway. 

"  Why,   miss,   I've  just    been   hearing  all 


THE  STORM  275 

about  it,"  he  answered,  first  addressing  me, 
then  looking  at  his  officer.  "There  was  a 
something,"  he  was  beginning  to  stammer, 
"  that  as  it  might  be  took  the  attention  of 
the  seaman  as  helps  the  lady  to  nurse  you, 
sir.  'Twas  aft,  all  about  the  lazarette 
hatchway.  Some  of  the  men  thought  it 
rats." 

He  shifted  lumpishly  on  his  feet,  staring 
with  embarrassment,  rolled  a  mass  of  tobacco 
quid  out  of  one  cheek  into  the  other,  and 
proceeded — 

"  'Twas  proper  for  sweetness,  and  your 
health,  sir,  and  this  lady's,  that  the  thing 
should  be  seen  to.  They  lifted  the  hatch,  but 
needed  no  lantern  to  tell  'em  there  was  mor- 
tality decaying  somewheres.  He  lay  jammed 
between    two    chests.      They   put   the  light 

to  his  face,  and  saw — and  saw "    Here 

the  giant  looked  at  me  with  drooping  eyes. 
*'  In  fact,  sir,  'twas  the  master  of  this  ship, 
Captain  Sinclair  himself,  the  man  we  thought 
drownded." 

The  lieutenant  pointed  to  the  last  question 
he  had  written  in  pencil. 

"  The  officer  wishes  to  know  if  he  is  dead  ?" 
said  I  faintly. 

"  Oh,  God,  yes,  your  honour ! "  cried  the 
man  so  vehemently,  that  his  voice  smote  the 
ear  like  a  bugle-blast.     "They're   stitching 


276         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK" 

him  up.  He's  a  sight  not  to  be  seen  by  this 
lady,  sir." 

I  gave  way  now,  and  sitting  down,  cried 
passionately,  but  more  with  the  horror  than 
the  pity  and  grief  of  the  thing.  I  had  heard 
the  squeaking  of  the  rats — I  could  guess 
what  the  heat  in  that  hold  was — I  knew 
what  the  man  meant  when  he  said  it  was 
no  sight  for  me  to  see. 

The  lieutenant  wrote  something  which  he 
delivered  to  Turner,  who,  knuckling  his  fore- 
head, went  on  deck.  When  we  were  alone 
he  wrote  again — 

"He  was  mad,  poor  man.  I  have  ordered 
Turner  to  bury  him.  There  can  be  no  ser- 
vice.    The  men  are  ignorant." 

I  bowed  my  head. 

Much  could  I  have  found  to  say  had  Lieu- 
tenant Jervis  been  able  to  answer  me.  But 
since  he  was  dumb  I  held  my  peace.  Thought 
held  me  motionless  for  long  intervals  at  a 
time.  I  could  not  believe  my  stepfather  had 
been  mad.  His  placing  the  clothes  in  the 
chains,  and  his  secret,  subtle  sneaking  into 
the  hold,  proved  him  sane.  Some  reason 
that  he  might  himself  have  explained  as  ex- 
quisitely rational  had  governed  him.  But 
whatever  his  motive  might  have  been,  the 
secret  was  now  his  own  for  ever. 


THE  STORM  277 

When  the  old  lady  came  to  this  part  of  her 
story,  she  stopped  and  refused  to  proceed. 
Her  dim  eyes  hardened  with  temper  behind 
her  spectacles  ;  she  folded  her  arms,  and  toss- 
ing her  head,  declared  in  her  deep  voice  that 
all  she  had  related  was  a  lie  ;  there  never  had 
been  such  a  ship  as  the  Mohock;  Captain 
Amelius  Sinclair  was  an  honourable  man,  and 
if  the  tale  was  told,  his  name  must  not  be 
given  on  any  account.  Then  relaxing,  she 
admitted  that  the  story  was  true,  and  that 
Captain  Sinclair  was  the  arch-conspirator  in 
it,  but  she  had  said  enough.  He  had  been 
her  stepfather.  She  regretted  that  she  had 
been  so  candid,  and  declined,  with  a  surly 
look,  to  deliver  another  word. 

She  is  dead,  and  of  the  dead  nil  nisi;  it 
must  be  affirmed,  nevertheless,  that  a  more 
objectionable  old  woman  never  tied  a  bonnet 
round  her  head.  Throughout,  as  she  recited 
her  tale,  you  saw  her  memory  was  charged 
with  venom.  She  abhorred  her  stepfather, 
she  spoke  coldly  of  her  sister.  Selfishness 
sank  as  deep  in  her  nature  as  her  soul  could 
berth  it.  She  lived  alone  in  her  old  age ; 
quarrelled  with  and  turned  a  servant  away 
five  days  before  she  died,  and  was  found  dead 
upon  the  floor  a  week  after  she  expired,  pro- 
bably as  loathsome  an  object — for  she  lived 
in    the    country,    and    her    cottage  was    not 


278         THE  GOOD  SHIP  ''MOHOCK'' 

wanting  in  rats! — as  that  unhappy  step- 
father whose  body  was  found  in  the  after- 
hold. 

Yet,  substantially,  she  had  related  all  when 
she  refused  to  go  on ;  the  rest  was  easily  got 
from  the  contemporary  journals. 

The  ship  Mohock,  it  seems,  was  fallen  in 
with  one  week  after  she  had  parted  company 
with  the  Trojan.    She  lay  with  her  mainsai] 
aback.     The  vessel  that  met  with  her  was  a 
West   India   passenger   ship,  bound   as   the 
Mohock  was  to  Kingston,  Jamaica.     A  mate 
was  put  aboard,  and   the   two   vessels   pro- 
ceeded, safely  arriving  in  the  course  of  a  few 
days  at  their  destination.     Miss  Hayes  was 
sent  home  by  the  English  Consul.     She  went 
to  Canterbury,  and  lived  in  retirement  with 
her  sister.     It  does  not  seem  that  she  was 
called  upon  to  give  evidence  at  the  trial  of 
the  twelve  men  who  were  brought  home  in 
the  Trojan.     They  were  tried  at  the  Central 
Criminal  Court  for  piracy  on  the  high  seas, 
and  their  references  to  Captain  Amelius  Sin- 
clair seemed  to  make  the  charges  against  him 
uncertain.    They  swore  that  they  were  water- 
men belonging  to  the   South-Eastern   coast 
between  the  Forelands.   Captain  Sinclair,  they 
said,  had  himself  visited  Deal  and  arranged 
with   Owen   and    others   for   the   hire    of   a 
schooner   for    the    purpose    of    seizing    the 


THE  STORM  279 

Mohock  by  launching  a  boat  of  apparently 
shipwrecked  men.  But  they  could  produce 
no  proof.  The  thing  was  generally  dis- 
credited. Many  letters  were  written  by  ship- 
masters and  mates  to  the  public  journals 
pointing  out  the  absurdity  of  such  a  project 
on  the  part  of  a  captain. 

The  passengers  were  taken  off  the  Salvage 
Island  by  the  frigate,  and  those  who  stayed  in 
England,  and  gave  evidence,  were  unanimously 
of  opinion  that  the  captaiii  had  had  no  hand 
in  the  conspiracy.  The  truth,  however,  is  as 
it  is  here  related,  and  the  reader  may  rely 
upon  the  accuracy  of  this  version  of  one  of 
the  most  extraordinary  sea  incidents  of  our 
own  or  any  other  time.  The  whole  of  the 
gang  were  transported  beyond  seas ;  Owen 
and  three  others  for  life,  the  others  for 
various  terms. 

It  is  known  that  Lieutenant  Jervis  re- 
covered after  languishing  for  many  months, 
and  returned  to  England,  and  one  of  the  first 
persons  he  called  upon  was  the  young  lady 
who  had  nursed  him.  He  made  such  good 
use  of  his  leave  that  they  were  married  before 
he  went  afloat  again,  and  Mrs.  Jervis  then 
went  to  reside  with  her  father-in-law,  the 
Admiral,  at  Bath.  But  the  young  fellow 
never  recovered  the  shock  his  system  had 
been  dealt ;  his  health  broke  down  after  he 


28o  THE  GOOD  SHIP  "MOHOCK" 

had  been  at  sea  six  months.  He  came  home 
and  was  nursed  by  his  wife  in  Bath,  where 
he  died  in  December  1848,  and  Mrs.  Jervis 
placed  a  tablet  in  the  Abbey  Church  to  his 
memory. 


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Vsleric's  Fate. 
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Mona's  Choice. 
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Barbara. 

A  Fiijl.it  with  Fate. 
A  Golden  Autumn. 
Mrs.  Crichton's  Creditor. 
The  Step-molher. 


A  Missing  Hero. 

By  M.  ANOBRSON. 

Othello's  Occupation. 

By  O.  W    APPIiBTON. 

Rash  Conclusions. 


Philistia.         I  Babylon. 
Strange  Stories. 
For  Mainiie's  Sake. 
In  all  Shades. 
'I'he  Beckoning  Hand. 
The  Devil's  Die. 
This  Mortal  Coil. 
1  he  Tents  of  bhem. 


By  GHANT  AEjIjEN. 


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Duniaresq's  Daughter. 
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Biood  Royal. 
Ivan  Grect's  Masterpiece. 
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27 


The  PrccADiLLV  (3/6)  Novels— cowfi;mfrf. 

By  Hqv.  S.  BAHING-GOULD 

Red  Spicier.  1  Eve. 

By  ROBERT  BARR. 
In  a  Steamer  Chair  I  A  Woman  Intervenes. 

From  Whose  Rourne.  I  Rcvem^ic  ! 

A  Prince  of  Good  Fellows. 
Bv  FRANK  BARRETT. 


A  Prodigar*^  Progfress. 
Woman  of  Iron  Bracelets. 
Fettered  for  Life. 
Between  Life  and  Death. 


The  Harding  Scanda 
Undur  a  Strang:e  Mask. 
A  Missing"  Witness. 
Was  She  Justified? 


By  •BELLE.'— Vashti  and  Esther. 

By  AKNOIiD  BENNETT. 

The  Gates  of  Wrath.  (  The  Grand  Babylon  Hotel. 

Anna  of  the  Five  Towns. 

By  Sir  YI.  BESANT  and  J.  RICE, 


Ready-Money  Mortiboy. 
My  Little  Girl. 
With  Harp  and  Crown. 
This  Son  of  Vulcan. 
The  Golden  Butterfly. 
The  Monks  of  Thelema. 


Bj'  Ceha's  Arbour. 
Chaplain  cf  the  Fleet. 
Tiie  beamy  Side. 
The  Case  o(  Mr.  Lucraft. 
In  Trafa'^'ar's  Hay. 
The  Ten  Years'  Tenant. 


By  Sir  WALTER  BESANT. 


All  Sorts  and  Conditions, 
The  Captains'  Room. 
All  in  a  Garden  Fair. 
Dorothy  Forster. 
TTncle  Jack.  |  Holy  Rose. 
World  Went  Well  Then. 
Children  of  Gibeon. 
Herr  P^ulus. 
For  Faith  and  Freedom. 
To  Call  Her  Mine. 
The  Revolt  of  Man. 
The  Bell  of  St.  Paul's. 
Arinorel  of  Lyonesse. 
S.  Katherine's  by  Tower. 


Verben'i  Camellia  Stepha- 

Tlie  Ivory  Gaie.        [notis. 

The  Rebel  Queen 

Dreams  of  Avarice. 

In  Deacon's  Orders. 

The  Master  Crafrsnian. 

The  Ciy  of  Refi-.j^e. 

A  Fountain  Scaled. 

The  Chansreiing'. 

The  Fourth  Generation. 

The  Clnrm. 

The  Alabaster  Box. 

The  Orani>-e  Girl. 

'I  he  Lady  of  Lynn. 


No  Other  Way, 
By  AMBROSE  BIERCE.-In  Midst  of  Life. 
By  HAROLD  EINDLOSS. 

Ainslie's  Ju-ju.  |  A  S<Aver  of  Wheat. 

By  Iffl.  McD.  BODKJN,  K.C. 

Dora  MyrL  i  Shillekgh  and  Shamrock. 

Patsey  the  Omadaun. 

3y  PAUL  BOURGET.-A  Living  Lie. 

By  J.  D.  BRAYI3HAW.— Slum  Silhouettes. 

By  H.  A.  BUYBEN An  Exiled  Scot. 

Ey  ROBERT  BUCHANAN. 


Shadow  of  the  Sv/ord. 
A  Child  of  Nature. 
God  and  the  Man. 
Martyrdom  of  Madeline. 
Love  Me  for  Ever. 
Annan  Water, 
Foxj,dove  Manor. 
The  Charlatan 


The  New  Abelard. 
Matt.  I  Rachel  Dene. 

Master  of  the  Mine. 
The  Heir  of  Linne. 
Woman  and  the  Man. 
Red  and  White  Heather. 
Lady  Kilpatrick. 
Andromeda. 


GELETT  BURGESS  and  IVILHRWIN, 

The  Picaroons. 

By  HALL  CAINE. 

Shadow  of  a  Crime.  |  Son  of  Hagar.      |  Deemster. 

By  R.  W,  CHAMBERS.— The  King-  in  Yellow. 

By  AUSTIN  CLARE.— Bv  Rise  of  River. 

By  Mrs.  ARCHER  CLIVB. 

Paul  FerroU.  |  Whv  Paul  FerroU  Killed  his  Wife. 

By  MAGLAREN  COBBAN. 
The  Red  Sultan.  |   The  Burden  of  Isabel. 

By  Y.LOVETT  CAMERON. 
The  Cruise  of  the  •'  Black  Prince." 

By  WILKIB  COLLINS. 


Armadale,     j  After  Dark. 
No  Name.     |  Antonina 
Basil.        I  Hide  and  Seek. 
The  Dead  Secret. 
Queen  of  Hearts, 
My  Miscellanies. 
The  Woman  in  White. 
The  Law  and  the  Lady. 
The  Haunted  Hotel. 
The  Moonstone. 
Man  and  Wife. 
Poor  Miss  Fmch. 
Miss  or  Mrs. 


The  New  Magdalen. 
The  Frozen  Deep. 
The  Two  Destinies. 
•ISay  No.' 
Little  Novel?. 
The  Fallen  Leaves. 
lezebel's  Daughter. 
The  Black  Robe. 
Heart  and  Science. 
The  Evil  Genius. 
The  Lej^acy  of  Cain 
A  Rogue's  Life. 
Blind  Love. 


By  MORT.  and  FRANCES  COLLINS. 

Blacksmith  ?.jd  Si-liular.     |  You  Play  Me  False. 
The  Village  comedv-  I  Midnight  to  Midnight 

By  M.  J.  COLQUHOUN.— Every  Inch  a  Soldier. 

By  HERBERT  COMPTON. 
The  Inimitable  Mrs.  Miissingham. 

By  E.  H.  COOPER.— Geoffory  Hamilton. 
By  V.  C,  COTES.~Two  Girls  on  a  Barge. 
By  C.  EGBERT  CRADDOCK, 
The  Prophet  of  the  Great  Smoky  Mountains, 
ills  ViJiished  Star. 

By  MATT  CKIM. 
The  Adventures  of  a  Fair  Rebel. 

By  S.  R.  CROCKETT  and  others. 

Tales  of  Our  Coast. 


By  B,  la. 

Diana  Barrington. 

Propter  Pride. 

^.  Family  Likeness. 

Pretty  Miss  Neville. 

A  Bird  of  Passage. 

Mr.  Jervis. 

Village  Tales. 

Some  One  Else.  |  Jason. 

Infatuation. 


CROKER. 

Ti.e  Real  Lady  Hilda. 

Married  ^tr  isingleS 

Two  Masters. 

In  the  Kingdom  of  Kerry. 

Interference. 

A  Third  Person. 

Beyond  the  P^le. 

Miss  Balmnlnc's  Past. 

Terence.  |  The  Cat's-paw 


By  ALPHONSE   DAUDET. 

The  Evangelist  ;  or,  Port  Salvation. 
ByH.  C.  DAVIDSON.-Mr.  Sadler's  Daughters 

By  2>OnOTHEA  DEA3&IK. 
The  Poet  and  the  iMe.rot. 
Tiie  Princess  and  the  Kitchen-maid, 

By  JAIVIES  DE  MILLE. 
A  Strange  Manuscript  Found  in  a  Copper  Cylinder. 

By  HARRY  DB  Y/IHDT. 
True  Tales  of  Travel  and  Adventure. 

By  DICK  DONOVAN. 


Man  rom  Manchester. 
Records  of  Vincent  Trill. 
My-t.  of  lamaica  Terrace. 
Deacon  Brodie. 


Tales  of  Terror. 

Chro. of  Michael  Danevitrh 

Tyler  Tatlock,  Detective. 

A  Detective's  Triumphs. 
RICHARD  BOWLING. -Old  Corcoran's  Money. 
CONAN    DOYLE.— The  Firm  of  Girdlestone. 

By  S.  JEANNETTE   DUNCAN. 

A  Daughter  of  To-dTy        I  Vernon's  Aunt. 
By  ANNlB  EDWARDES. 

Archie  Lovell.  |  A  Flast-er  Saint. 

By  G.  S.  EDY/ARDS.— Snazelleparilla. 
By  G.  IVIANVILLE  FENN, 


Cursed  by  a  Fonune. 
The  Case  of  Ailsa  Gray. 
Commodore  Junk. 
The  New  Miitvess, 
Witness  to  the  Deed. 
The  Tiger  Lily. 
The  White  Virgin, 
Black  Blood. 
Double  Cunning. 
The  Bag  of  Diamonds. 


A  Fluttered  Dovecote. 
King  of  ihe  Castle. 
Master  of  the  Ceremonies. 
The  Man  with  a  Shadow. 
One  Maid's  Mischief. 
.Story  of  Antonj'  Grace. 
This  Man's  Wife. 
In  Jeopardy. 
Woman  ''A' orth  Winning. 
A  Crimson  dime. 


Running  Amok. 

By  PERCY  FITZGERALD.-Fatal  Zero. 

By  Hon.  Mrs.  Y/.  FORBES.-Dumb. 

By  R.  E.  FRANCILLON. 

OnebyOne.  |  ARealQueen,  1  A  Dog  and  his  Shadow. 

Ropes  of  Sand.  I  Jack  Doyle's  Daughter 

By  HAROLD  FREDERIC. 
Seth's  Brother's  Wife.  I  The  Lawton  Girl. 

By  PAUL  GAULOT.— The  Red  Shirts. 

By    DOROTHEA    GHRARD. 

A  Queen  of  Curds  and  Cream , 

By  CHARLES  GIBBON. 

Robin  Gray.  j  The  Braes  of  Yarrow. 

Of  High  Degree,  I  Oueen  cf  the  Meadow. 

The  Golden  Shaft.  i  The  Flower  of  the  Forest 

By  E.  GLANVILLE. 
The  Lost  Heiress.  I  The  Golden  Rock. 

Fair  Colonist.  I  Fos-iicker.  |  Tales  from  the  Veld. 

By  E.  J.  GOODMAN. 
The  Fate  of  Herbert  "Wavne. 

By  ALFRED  A.  GRACE. 
Tales  of  a  Dving  Race. 
By  CECIL  GRIFFITH.— Corinthia  Marazion. 
By  A.  CLAVEKING  GUNTER. 
A  Florida  Enchantment. 


28 


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The  Piccadilly  (3/6)  Hovej^s— continued. 

By  GYP.-Cloclo. 
By  OWEN  HALIi. 

The  Track  of  a  Storm        |  Jetsam. 

By  COSMO  HAMILTON. 

Glamour  of  the  Impossible  ;  and  Through  a  Keyhole. 

By  THOMAS    HARDY. 
Under  the  Greenwood  Tree. 


A  Waif  of  the  Plams. 
A  Ward   of  the  Golden 
Gate.  (Springs. 

A      Sappho     of      Green 
Col.  Starbottle's  Client. 
Susy.  I  Sally  Dows. 

BeU-Ringer  of  Angel's. 
Tales  of  Trail  and  Town. 


By  BRET  HARTB 


of     Jack 
[Hamlin's. 


A      Protegee 

Clarence. 

Barker's  Luck, 

Devil's  Ford. 

Crusade    of 

Three  Partners. 

Gabriel  Conroy. 

New  Condensed  Novels. 


'  Excelsior. 


By  JULIAN  HAWTHORNE. 


Garth.  |  Dust. 

Ellice  Quentm. 
Sebastian  Strome, 
Fortune's  Fool, 


By 


Dis 


Beatri.x  Ranilolph. 
David     Poindexter's 

appearance. 
Spectre  of  Camera. 
Love— or  a  Name. 
CHRIS  HEALY.— The  Endless  Heritage. 
By  Sir  A.  HELPS.— Ivan  de  Biion. 
By  I.  HENDERSON. -Agatha  Page. 
By  G.  A.  HENTY. 
■Dorothy's  Double.  I  The  Queen's  Cup. 

Rujub,  the  Juj;gler.   I    Colonel  Thorrdyke's  Secret 
By  HEADON  HILL.— Zambra  the  Detectivt. 
By  JOHN   HILL.— The  Common  Ancestor. 

By  TIGHE  HOPKINS. 

Twixt  Love  and  Duty.        I  Incomplete    Adventurer. 
Nugents  of  Carriconna.      |  Nell  Haffenden. 

By  B.  W.  HORNUNG- 

1  lie  Shadow  of  the  Rope. 

By  'VICTOR    HUGO.— The  Outlaw  of  Iceland. 
By  FERGUS  HUME. 

Lady  from  Nowhere.  |  The  Millionaire  Mystery. 

By  Mrs.  HUNGERFORD. 


By  L.  T. 

A  Soldier  of  Fortune. 

In  an  Iron  Grip. 

Dr.  Rumsey's  Patient. 

The  \'oice  of  the  Charmer. 

An  Adventuress, 

This  Troublesome  World 


MEADE. 

On  Brink  of  a  Chasm, 

The  Siren. 

The  Way  of  a  Woman. 

A  Son  of  Ishmael. 
I  The  Blue  Diamond. 
[  Rosebury. 


A  Stumble  by  the  Way. 
By  HOPE  MERRICK.  . 

When  a  Girl's  Engaged. 
By  LEONARD  MERRICK. 

This  Stage  of  Fools.  |  Cynthia. 

The  M.in  who  w.is  Good 

By  EDMUND  MITCHELL. 

The  Lone  Star  Rush.        |  Only  a  Nigger.  '' 

By  BERTRAM  MITFORD. 

The  Gun-Runner.  I  The  King's  Assegai. 

Luck  of  Gerard  Ridgeley.  |  Renshaw  Fanning's  Quest. 
The  Triumph  of  Hilary  Blachland.  |  Havilands  Chum. 

Mrs.  fflOLHSWORTH.— Hathercourt  Rectory. 

By  J.  E.  MUDDOCK. 
Maid  Matian  and  Robin  I  Basils  the  Jester. 
Hood.  I  Golden  Idol. 

Young  Lochinvar. 
By  D.  CHRISTIE  MURRAY, 


Professor's  Experiment. 
A  Point  of  Conscience. 
A  Maiden  all  Forloni 
The  Coming  of  Chloe. 
Nora  Creina. 
An  Anxious  Moment. 
April's  Lady, 
Peter's  Wife. 
Lovice. 


Marvel. 

Unsatisfactory  Lover. 
In  Durance  Vile. 
A  Modern  Circe. 
Lady  Patty. 
A  Mental  Struggle. 
Lady  Verner's  Flight. 
The  Rea-House  Mystery. 
The  Three  Graces. 

By  Mrs.  ALFRED  HUNT. 
The  Leaden  Casket.  I  Self-Condemned. 

•That  Other  Persoa.  I  Mrs.  Juliet. 

By  R.  ASHE   Klf-JG.- A  Drawn  Game. 
By  GEORGE  LAMBERT.— President  of  Boravia 

By  EDMOND  LEPELLETIER. 
Madame  Sans-Grne. 
By  ADAM   LILBURN.— A  Tragedy  in  Marble 

By  HARRY  LINDSAY. 
Rhoda  Roberts.  I  The  Jacobite. 

By  E.  LYNN   LINTON 


Patricia  Kemball. 
Under  which  Lord? 

My  Love!'         |  lone. 
Paston  Carew. 
Sowing  the  Wind 
•With  a  Silken  Thread. 


Atonement  Learn  Dundas 
The  One  Too  Many. 
Dulcie  Everton. 
Ti.e  Rebel  of  the  Family 
An  Octave  of  Friends. 
The  World  Well  Lost. 


By  HENRY   W^.  LUCY.-Gideon  Fleyce. 

Bsr  JUSTIN  McCarthy. 


A  Fair  Saxon. 
Linley  Rochford. 
Dear  Lady  Disdain. 
Tamiola.         |  Monouia. 
Waterdale  Neighbours. 
My  Enemy's  Daughter. 
Miss  Misanthrope. 


D  Ulna  Quixote. 

M.'tid  of  Athens. 

The  Comet  of  a  Season. 

The  Dictator. 

Red  Diamonils. 

The  Riddle  Ring. 

The  Three  Disgraces. 


Bob  Martin  s  Little  Girl, 
Time's  Revenges. 
A  Wasted  Crime, 
In  Direst  Peril. 
Mount  Despair. 
A  Capful  o'  Nails. 
Tales  in  Prose  and  Verse. 
A  Race  for  Millions. 
This  Little  World. 
His  Own  Ghost, 
Church  of  Humanity. 
Despair's  Last  Journey 


A  Life's  Atonement, 

Joseph's  Coat. 

Coals  of  Fire. 

Old  Blazer's  Hero. 

Val  Strange.    |      Hearts. 

A  Model  Father. 

By  the  Gate  of  the  Sea. 

A  Bit  of  Human  Nature, 

First  Person  Singular. 

Cynic  Fortune. 

The  Way  of  the  World, 

V.C. 

By  MURRAY  and  HERMAN. 
The  Bishops'  Bible  |  Paul  Jones's  Alias. 

One  Traveller  Returns. 
By  HUME  NISBET.— 'BailUpl' 
By  W.  E.  NORRIS. 
Saint  Ann's,  I  Billv  Bellew. 

Miss  Wentworth's  Idea. 
By  G.  OHNET.-A  Weird  Gift. 
Love's  Depths.  |  The  Woman  of  Mystery, 

The  Money-maker. 
By  Mrs.  OLIPHANT. 
Whiteladies.  I  The  Sorceress. 

By  OUIDA 


JUSTIN  H.  McCARTHY,-A  London  Legend 
By  GEORGE  MACOONALD. 

I  leather  and  Snow. 

By  W.  H,  MALLOCK.-TheNew  Republic. 

By  P.  *  V.   MARGUERITTE.-The  Disaster. 

By    RICHARD    MARSH. -A  Spoiler  of  Men, 


Held  in  Bondage. 
Strathmore.    |  Chandos. 
Under  Two  Flags. 
Cecil  Castlemaine's  Gage, 
Tricotrin.       1  Puck, 
Folle-Farine. 
A  Dog  of  Flanders, 
Pascarel.         1  Signa. 
Princess  Napraxine. 
Two  Wooden  Shoes. 
In  a  Winter  City. 
The  Massarenes. 

By  MARGARET  A 
Gentle  and  Simple. 

By  JAMES  PAYN 


Friendship.      Idalia. 
Moths.  Rufiino, 

Pipis'"rello.       Ariadne. 
A  Village  Commune. 
Bimbi.  I  Wanda. 

Frescoes.       I  Othmar, 
In  Maremma. 
Syrlin.  I  Guilderoy. 

Santa  Barbara. 
Two  Offenders. 
The  Waters  of  Edera. 
A  Rainy  June. 
PAUL. 


High  Spirits.  I  Bv  Proxy. 
The  Talk  of  the  Town. 
Holiday  Tasks. 
For  Cash  Only. 
The  Burnt  Million. 
The  Word  and  the  Will. 
Sunny  Stories. 
A  Trying  Patient. 
Modern  Dick  Whittington 


Lost  Sir  Massingberd. 
The  Clylfards  of  Clyffe. 
The  Family  Scapegrace. 
ACounty  Family.  [Painted. 
Less    Black    than  We're 
A  Confidential  Agent. 
A  Grape  Irom  a  Thorn. 
In  Peiil  and  Privation. 
Mystery  of  Mirbridge. 

By  WILL   PAYNE Jerry  the  Dreamer 

By  Mrs.  CAMPBELL  PRAED. 

Outlaw  and  Lawmaker.      I  Mrs.  Tregdskiss. 

Christina  Chard.  |  Nulma.       |  Madame  IzaiL 

•  As  a  Watch  in  the  Night.' 

By  E.  C.  PRICE.— Valentina. 

By  RICHARD  PRYCB. 

Miss  Maxwell's  Affections. 

By  Mrs.  J.  H.  RIDDELL. 
Weird  Stories.  I  A  Rich  Man's  Daughter 


Ill   ST.  MARTIN'S  LANE,  LONDON,  W.C. 


29 


The  Piccadilly  (3/6)  iiovKVS— continued. 

By  CHARLES  RE ADE 


Peg  WoflBngton  ;  and 
Christie  Johnstone. 

Hard  Cash. 

Cloister  and  the  Hearth. 

Never  Too  Late  to  Mend. 

The  Course  of  True 
Love ;  and  Singleheart 
and  Doubleface. 

Autobiography  of  a 
Thief;  Jack  of  all 
Trades ;  A  Hero  and 
a  Martyr ;  and  The 
Wandering  Heir. 


Griffith  Gaunt. 

l.ove  Little,  Love  Long. 

The  Double  Marriage. 

Foul  Play. 

Put  Yourself  in  His  Place. 

A  Terrible  Temptation. 

A  Simpleton. 

A  Woman-Hater. 

The  Jilt,  &  other  Stories  ; 

&  Good  Stories  of  Man. 
A  Perilous  Secret. 
Readiana  ;       and      Bible 

Characters. 


By  FRANK  RICHARDSON. 

Man  Who  Lost  His  Past.   |  The  Bayswater  Mystery, 

By  AMBLIE  RIVES. 
Barbara  Dering.  i  Meriel. 

By  F.  W.  ROBINSON. 

The  Hands  of  Justice.         |  Woman  in  the  Dark. 

By  ALBERT  ROSS.— A  Sugar  Princess. 

By  J.  RUNCIMAN.— Skippers  and  Shellbacks, 

By  Vf.  CLARK  RUSSELL. 


Round  the  G.illey  Fire. 
In  the  Middle  Watch. 
On  the  Fo'k'sle  Head. 
A  Voyage  to  the  Cape. 
Book  for  the  Hammock, 
Mystery  of '  Ocean  Star. 
Jenny  Harlowe. 
An  Oc»an  Tragedy. 
A  Tale  of  Two  Turmels. 


My  Shipmate  Louise. 
Alone  on  Wide  Wide  Sea. 
The  Phantom  Death. 
Is  He  the  Man  1 
Good  Ship  '  Mohock. 
The  Convict  Ship. 
Heart  of  Oak. 
The  Tale  of  the  Ten. 
The  Last  Entry. 


The  Death  Ship. 

By  DORA  RUSSELL.— Drift  of  Fate. 

By  HERBERT  RUSSELL.— True  Blue. 

By  BAYLE  ST.  JOHN.— A  Levantine  Family. 

By  ADELINE  SERGEANT. 
Dr.  Endicott's  Experiment  |  Under  False  Pretences. 

By  WILLIAM  SHARP. 

Children  of  To-morrow. 

By  M.  P.  SHIBL.— The  Purple  Cloud. 

By  GEORGE  R.  SIMS. 


Dagonet  Abroad. 
Once  uponChristmasTime. 
Without  the  Limelight. 
Rogues  and  Vagabonds. 
Biographs  of  Babylon. 


In  London's  Heart. 
Mary  Jane's  Memoirs. 
Mary  Jane  Married. 
The  Small-part  Lady, 
A  Blind  Marriage. 


By  UPTON  SINCLAIR.— Prince  Hagen. 

By  J.  MO'X'R  SMITH.— The  Prince  of  Argolis. 

By  T.  ys.  SPEIGHT. 


The  Grey  Monk. 
The  Master  of  Trenance. 
The  Web  of  Fate. 
Secret  of  Wyvern  Towers. 


As  it  was  Written. 
Her  Ladyship. 
The  .Strange  Experiences 
of  Mr.  Verschoyle. 


The  Doom  of  Siva. 
By  ALAN  ST.  AUBYN. 


A  Fellow  of  Trinity. 
The  Junior  Dean. 
Master  of  St.  Benedict's. 
To  his  Own  Master. 
Gallantay  Bower. 
In  Face  of  the  World. 
Orchard  Damerel. 


The  Tremlett  Diamonds. 
The  Wooing  of  May. 
A  Tragic  Honeymoon. 
A  Proctors  Wooing. 
Fortune's  Gate. 
Bonnie  Maggie  Lauder. 
Mary  Unwin. 


By  R.  L.  STEYENSON.— The  Suicide  Club. 

By  FRANK  STOCKTON. 

The  Young  Master  oi  Hyson  Hall. 

By  SUNDO'WNER.— Told  by  the  TaffraiL 

By  SWEET  and  KNOX. 

On  a  Mexican  Mustang. 

By  ANNIE  THOMAS.-The  Siren's  Web. 

By  BERTHA  THOMAS. 

In  a  Crtthedral  Ci'.y. 
By  FRANCES  E.  TROLLOPE. 

Like  Ships  Upon  Sea.        1  Anne  Furness. 
Mabel's  Progress. 
By  ANTHONY  TROLLOPS. 

The  Way  we  Live  Now.     I  Marion  Fav. 
Frau  Frohmann.  Scarborough's  Family. 

The  Land-Leaguers. 

By  MARK  TWAIN 


Choice  Works. 
Library  of  Humour. 
The  Innocents  Abroad. 
Roughing    It;     and    The 

Innocents  at  Home. 
A  Tramp  Abroad. 
The  American  Claimant. 
Adventures  Tom  Sawyer. 
Tom  Sawyer  Abroad. 
Tom  Sawyer,  Detective. 


Pudd'nhead  Wilson. 
The  Gilded  Age. 
Prince  and  the  Pauper. 
Life  on  the  Mississippi, 
Huckleberry  Finn. 
A  Yankee  at  Court. 
Stolen  White  Elephant. 
^1.000,000  Bank-note. 
A  Double-barrelled  Detec- 
tive Story. 


C.  C.  FRASER-TYTLER.— Mistress  Judith. 
By  SARAH  TYTLER. 

What  She  Came  Through.  |  Mrs.    Carmichael's    God' 
desses. 
Rachel  Langton. 
A  Honeymoon's  Eclipse. 
A  Young  Dragon. 
The  Queen  against  Owen. 


Mrs.  Dunbar's  Secret. 

By  JOHN  STAFFORD.— Doris  and  I. 

By  R.  STEPHENS.- The  Cruciform  Mark. 

R.  NEILSON  STEPHENS.— Philip  Winwood. 

By  R.  A.  STERNDALE The  Afghan  Knife. 


Buried  Diamonds. 

The  Blackball  Ghosts. 

The  Macdonald  Lass. 

Witch- Wife.     I     Sapphira. 

ALLEN  UPW^ARD.- 

By  ALBERT  D.  'YANDAM.- A  Court  Tragedy 

By  E.  A.  YIZETELLY. 

The  Scorpion.  I  The  Lover's  Progress. 

By  LEW.  WALLACE. -BenHur, 

By  FLORENCE  IVARDEN. 

Joan,  the  Curate.  |  A  Fight  to  a  Finish. 

By  CY  WARMAN.— Express  Messenger. 

By  A.  WERNER.— Chapenga's  White  Maa 

By  WILLIAM  WESTALL 


Red  Ryvington. 

Ralph  Norbreck's  Trust 

Trust-money. 

Sons  of  Belial. 

Roy  of  Roy's  Court. 

With  the  Red  Eagle. 

A  Red  Bridal. 

Strange  Crimes. 

Her  Ladyship's  Secret. 


For  Honour  and  Liie 

A  Woman  Tempted  Him. 

Her  Two  Millions. 

Two  Pinches  of  Snuff. 

Nigel  Fortescue. 

Birch  Dene.  |  Ben  Clough 

The  Pnantom  City. 

A  Queer  Race. 

The  Old  Factory. 

As  Luck  would  have  it. 
By  ATHA  WESTBURY. 
The  Shadow  of  Hilton  Fernbrook, 
By  FRED  WHISHAW^. 
A  Forbidden  Name  I  Many  Ways  of  Love. 

By  C.  J.  WILLS.— An  Easygoing  Fellow. 
By  JOHN  STRANGE  WINTER. 
Cavalry  Lite  :  and  Regimental  Legends. 
By  LOUIS  ZANGWILL. 
A  Nineteenth  Century  Miracle. 
By  EMILE  ZOLA. 
The  Honour  of  the  Army.  |  Jlis  Masterpiece. 
Germinal.     I  The  Dream. 
Abbe      Mouret's     Trans- 
gression.     I       Money. 
The  Conquest  of  Plassans. 
Dram-Shop.    |    Downfall. 
His  Excellency. 


The  Fat  and  the  Thin. 
Dr.  Pascal.    |  Joy  of  Life 
Fortune  of  the  Rougons. 
Lourdes.      |  Fruitlulness. 
Rome  Work. 

Paris.  I  Truth. 


CHEAP  EDITIONS  OF  POPULAR  NOYELS. 

Post  8vo,  illustrated  boards,  2s.  each. 


By  Mrs.  ALEXANDER. 

Blind  Fate.  I  A  Life  Interest, 

Valerie's  Fate.  |  Mono's  Choice. 

By  Woman's  Wit. 

By  E.  LESTER  ARNOLD. 

Phra  the  Phcenician. 

ARTEMUS  'SarABP'S  WORKS,  Complete. 


By  GRANT  ALLEN. 


Philistia.         I        Babylon. 

StraBge  Stories. 

For  Mamiie's  Sake. 

In  all  Shades. 

The  Beckoning  Hand. 

The  Devils  Die. 

The  Tents  of  Shem. 

The  Great  Taboo, 


Dumaresq's  Daughter. 
Duchess  of  Powsyland. 
Blood  Royal. 
IvanGreet's  Masterpiece. 
The  Scallywag. 
This  Mortal  Coil. 
At  Market  Value. 
Undei  Sealed  Orders. 


30 


CHATTO  &  WINDUS,  PUBLISHERS, 


Two-Shilling  Novels — continued. 

By  Rev.  S.  BARlHG-GOUIiD. 

Red  Spider.  I  iLve. 

By  FRANK  BARRETT. 


Fettered  for  L-ife. 
Little  Lady  Linton. 
Between  Life  and  Deatli. 
Sin  of  Olj^a  Zassoulich. 
FoUy  Morrison. 
Lieut.  B.irnabas. 
Honest  Davie. 


A  Prodigal's  Progress. 

Found  t.Fuilty. 

A  Recoiling^  Vengeance 

For  L^ve  and  Honour. 

John  Ford,  &c. 

Woman  of  Iron  Bracelets. 

The  Harding  Scandal. 


A  Missing  Witness. 
By  Sir  W.  BHSANT  and  J.  RICE. 


Ready-Money  Mortiboy. 
My  Little  Girl. 
With  Harp  and  Crown. 
This  Son  of  Vulcan. 
The  Golden  Butterfly. 
The  Monks  of  Thelema. 


By  Celia's  Arbour. 
Chaplain  of  the  Fleet. 
The  Seamy  Side. 
The  Case  of  Mr.  Lucraft. 
In  Trafalgrar's  Bay. 
The  Ten  Years'  Tenant. 


By  Sir  WALTER  BESANT, 


All  Sorts  and  Conditions. 
The  Captains'  Room. 
All  in  a  Garden  Fair. 
Dorothy  Forster. 
Uncle  Jack.  [Then. 

The  World  Went  Very  Well 
Children  of  Gibeon, 
Herr  Paulus. 
For  Faith  and  Freedom, 
To  Call  Her  Mine. 
The  Master  Craftsman. 
AMBROSE  BIERCS 


The  Bell  of  St.  Paul's. 
The  Holy  Rose. 
Armorel  of  Lyonesse. 
St.  Katherine'sliy  Tov/er. 
Verben.-i  Canieilia  Stepha- 
The  Ivory  Gate.      [itotis. 
The  Rebel  Queen. 
Beyond  Dreams  Avarice. 
The  Revolt  of  Man. 
In  Deacon's  Orders. 
The  City  of  Retuge. 
In  the  Midst  of  Life. 


By  FREDERICK  BOYLE 

Camp  Notes.  I  Chronicles    of     No-man's 

Savage  Life.  I      Land. 

By  BRET  HARTE. 


Califomian  Stories. 
Gabriel  Conroy. 
Luck  of  Roaring  Camp. 
An  Heiress  of  Red  Dog. 


Flip.  I  Maruja. 

A  Phyllis  of  the  Sierras. 
A  Waif  of  the  Plains. 
Ward  of  Golden  Gate. 


By  ROBERT   BUCHANAN. 


Shadow  of  the  Sword. 
A  Child  of  Nature. 
God  and  the  Man. 
Love  Me  for  Hver. 
Foxglove  M;mor. 
The  M.isterofthe  Mine. 
Annan  Water. 


The   Martyrdom  of  Ma- 
deline. 
The  New  Abelard. 
The  Heir  of  Linne. 
Woman  and  the  Man. 
Rachel  Dene.      |      Matt, 
Lady  Kilpatrick. 


BUCHANAN  and  MURRAY.— The  Charlatan. 

By  HALL  CAINE. 

A  Son  of  Hagar.  |  The  Deemster 

The  Shadow  of  a  Crime. 

By  Commander  CAMERON, 

'The  Cruise  of  the  '  Black  Prince.' 

By  HASTDBN  CARRUTH. 

The  Adventures  of  Jones. 

By  AUSTIN  CLARE For  the  Love  of  a  Lass. 

By  Mrs.  ARCHER  CLIVE 

Paul  Ferroll.       |       Why  Paul  FerroU  Killed  his  Wife. 

By  MACLAREN  COBBAN. 
The  Cure  01  Souls.  |  The  Red  Sultan. 

By  C.  ALI.STON  COLLINS.-  The  Bar  Sinister, 

By  MORT.  and  FRANCES  COLLINS. 
Sweet  .\niie  Page. 
Transmii^ration. 
From    Midnight    to   Mid- 
night. 
A  Fight  with  Fortune. 


Sweet  and  Twenty. 
The  Village  Comedy. 
You  Play  .Me  False. 
Blacksmith  and  Scholar. 
Frances. 


By  WILKIE  COLLINS. 


Armadale.    |    After  Dark. 
No  Name.      1      Antonina, 
Basil.     I     Hide  and  Seek. 
The  Dead  Secret. 
Queen  of  Hearts. 
Miss  or  Mrs.  ? 
The  New  Magdalen. 
The  Frozen  Deep. 
Tlie  Law  and  tha  Lady. 
The  Two  Destinies. 
The  Haunted  Hotel. 
A  Rogue's  Life. 
My  Miscellanies, 


The  Woman  in  White. 
The  Moonstone. 
Man  and  Wife 
Poor  Miss  I'inch. 
The  Fallen  Leaves. 
Jezebel's  Dauj^hter, 
The  Black  Kobe. 
Heart  and  Science. 
'  I  Say  No  ! ' 
The  Lvil  Genius. 
Little  Novels. 
Legacy  of  Cain. 
Blind  Love, 


By  ffl.  J.  COLQUHOUN.— Every  Inch  a  Soldier. 

By  C.  EGBERT  CRADDOCK. 

The  Prophet  of  the  Great  Smoky  Mountains. 

By  H.  N.  CRELLIN.— Tales  of  the  Caliph. 

MATT  CRIM.— The  Adventures  of  a  Fair  Rebe. 

By  B.  M.  CROKER. 

Pretty  Miss  Neville. 
Diana  Barrinyton. 
A  Bird  of  Passage. 
Proper  Pride.  |   '  "To  Let' 
A  Family  Likeness. 
A  Third  Person, 


Village  Tales  and  Jungle 
Tragedies.  |  Mr.  Jervis. 
Two  Masters. 
The  Real  Lady  Hilda. 
Married  or  SingleJ 
Interference. 


By  yiVLPHONSB  DAUDET. 
The  Evangelist  ;  or.  Port  Salvation. 

By  JAMES  DE  MILLE.— A  Strange  Manuscript 
By  DICK  DONOVAN. 


Michael  Danevitch. 
In  the  Grip  of  the  Law. 
From    Information     Re- 
ceived. 
Tracked  to  Doom. 
Link  by  Link. 
Suspicion  Aroused. 
Riddles  Read. 


The  Man-Hunter. 
Tracked  and  "Taken. 
Cauyht  at  Last! 
Who       Poisoned      Hetty 
Duncan?      |      Wanted  1 
Man  irom  Manchester. 
A  Detective's  Triumphs. 
Mystery  Jamaica  Terrace. 

By  Mrs.  ANMIB  EDWARDES. 
A  Point  of  Honour.  |  Archie  Lovell. 

By  EDIYARD  EGGLESTON.— Roxy, 

By  G.  MANVILLE  FBKN. 
The  New  Mistress.  I  The  Tiger  Lily. 

Witness  to  the  Deed.  |  The  White  Virgin, 

By  PERCY  FITZGERALD, 


Seventy  -  five       Brooke 

Street. 
The  Lady  of  Brantome, 


Bella  Donna.  |  Fatal  Zero. 
Never  Forgotten.  |  Polly, 
Second  Mrs.  Tillotson. 

By  PERCY  FITZGERALD  and  others. 

Strange  Secrets. 
By  R.  E.  FRA^^CILLON. 


King  or  Knave  T 
Romances  of  the  Law. 
Ropes  of  Sand. 
A  Dog  and  his  Shadow. 


Olympia, 
One  by  One. 
A  Real  Queen. 
Queen  Cophetua, 

By  HAROLD  FREDERIC. 

SetU's  Brother's  Wife.  |  The  Lawton  Girl. 

Prefaced  by  Sir  BARTLB  FREiKQ. 

Pandurang  Hari, 

By  CHARLES  GIBBON 


Robin  Gray. 

Fancy  Free, 

I-'or  Lack  of  Gold, 

What  will  the  World  Say  ? 

In  Love  and  War. 

For  the  King. 

In  Pastures  Green. 

Queen  of  ihe  Meadow. 

A  Heart's  Problem. 

The  Dead  Heart. 


In  Honour  Bound. 
Flower  of  the  Forest, 
The  Braes  of  Yarrow, 
The  Golden  Shaft. 
Of  High  Degree. 
By  Mead  and  Stream, 
Loving  a  Dream. 
A  Hard  Knot. 
Heart's  Delight. 
Biood-Money. 
By  y/ILLIAM  GILBERT.-James  Duk«. 
By  ERNEST  GLANVILLE. 
The  Lost  Heiress.  ^    |  The  Possicker, 

A  Fair  Colonist, 

ANDREW  HALLIDAY.-Every-day  Papers. 
By  THOMAS  HARDY. 

Under  the  Greenwood  Tree. 

By  JULIAN  HAWTHORNE. 


llllice  Quentiii.    |  Garth, 
I'^ortune's  Fool. 
■Miss  Cadogna.    |  Dust 
Beatrix  Randolph. 


Love— or  a  Name 
David    Poindexter  s    Dis- 
appearance,     (Camera. 
The      Spectre      of      the 

By  Sir  ARTHUR  HELPS.— Ivan  de  Biron. 

By  G.  A.  HENTY.—Rujub  the  Juggler, 

By  HEADON  HILL.-Zambra  the  Detective. 

By  JOHN    HILL.— Treason-Felony. 

By  Mrs.  HUNGERFORD. 


A  Maiden  all  Forlorn. 
In  Durance  Vile. 
Marvel.         [  Peter's  V/ife. 
A  Mental  Strugj^lc, 
A  Modern  Circe, 
April's  L^dy. 


Lady  Verner's  Flight. 
The  Red-House  Mystery. 
The  Three  Graces. 
Unsatisfactory  Lover. 
Lady  Patty.  |  .\oraCreina 
Pro;essor's  Experiment.   ' 


Ill  ST.  MARTIN'S  LANE,  LONDON,  W.C. 


31 


Two-Shilling  NovB-LS—cofttinued. 

By  IHrs.  CASHEIj  HOEY.— The  Lover's  Creed. 

Mrs.  GEORGE  HOOPER.-The  House  of  Raby. 

By  Mrs.  ALFRED  HUNT. 
That  Other  Person.  |  The  Leaden  Casket. 

Self- Condemned. 
By  mAKK  KERSHAW. 
Colonial  Facts  and  Fictions. 

By  R.  ASHE  KING. 
A  Drawn  Game.    [Green.'  I  Pa-^sion's  Slave. 
•The    Wearing     of    the  |  Bell  Barry. 

By  EBMOND  LEPEULETIER. 

Madame  Sans-Gene. 

By  JOHN  LEYS.— The  Lindsays. 
By  E.  LYNN  LINTOK. 


Patricia  Kemball, 
The  World  ^\'ell  Lost. 
Under  which  Lord! 
Paston  Carew. 
•My  Love  ! '    |    lone. 
With  a  Silken  Thread. 


The  Atonement  of  Learn 

Dundas. 
Rebel  of  the  Family. 
Sowing  the  Wind. 
The  One  Too  Many. 
Dulcie  Everton. 


By  HENRY  W.  LUCY.-Gideon  Fleyce. 
By  JUSTIN  MCCARTHY. 


Dear  Lady  Disdiiiii 
Waterdale  Neighbours. 
My  hnemy's  Daughter. 
A  Fairbaxon.  \  Camiola. 
Linley  Rochford. 
Miss  Misanthrope. 


Donna  Ouixote. 

Maid  of  Athens. 

The  Comet  of  a  Season. 

The  Dictator. 

Red  Uianionds. 

The  Riddle  Ring. 


By  HUGH  MACCOIiL. 

Mr.  Stranraer's  Sealed  Packet. 

GEORGE  MACDONALD.— Heather  and  Snow. 

By  AGNES  MACDONELIi.— Quaker  Cousins. 

By  W.  H.  MAIiLOCK.— The  New  Republic. 

By  BRANDER  MATTHEWS. 

A  Secret  of  the  Sea. 

By  L.  T.  MEADE.— A  Soldier  of  Fortune. 

By  LEONARD  MERRICK. 

The  Man  wiio  was  Good. 

By  Mrs.  MOLESWORTH. 

Hathercourt  Rectory. 

By  J.  E.  MUDDGCK. 

Dead  Man's  Secret.  |  From  Bosom  of  the  Deep. 

Stories  Weird  and  Wonderful. 

By  D.  CHRISTIE   MURRAY. 


A  Bit  of  Human  Nature, 
First  Person  Sintfiilar. 
Bob  ^L^rtin's  Little  Girl. 
Time's  Revenges. 
A  Wasted  Crime, 
In  Direst  Peril. 
Mount  Despair. 
A  Capful  o'  Nails. 


A  Model  Father 

Joseph's  Coat. 

Coals  of  Fire. 

■Val  Stranije.    |    Hearts. 

Old  Blazer's  Hero. 

The  Way  of  the  World. 

Cynic  Fortune. 

A  Life's  Atonement. 

By  the  Gate  of  the  Sea, 

By  MURRAY  and  HERMAN. 

One  Traveller  Returns.      |  The  Bishops'  Bible. 

Paul  Jones's  Alias. 

By  HUME   NI3BET. 

'Bail  Up  r  I  Dr.  Bernard  St.  'Vincent. 

By  W.  E.  NOEKIS. 

Saint  Ann's.  |  Billy  Bellew. 

By  GEORGES  OHNET. 
Dr.  Rameau.  |  A  Weird  Gilt. 

A  Last  Love. 

Ey  Mrs.  OI-IPHAWT. 
Whiteladies.  I  The  Greatest   Heiress  in 

The  Primrose  Path.  |      England. 


By  O 

Held  in  Bonaape. 
Strathmore.  I  Chandos. 
Idalia.  _[Tricotrin. 

Under  Two  i^lags. 
'Cecil  Castlemaiue's  Gag'e. 
Puck.  1  Pascarel. 

Folle-Farine, 
A  Dog  of  Flanders. 
Signa.  I  Ariadne. 

Princess  Napraxinc. 
In  a  Winter  City. 
''Friendship. 


UIDA. 

Two  Little  Wooden  Shoes 
Moths.  I  Bimbi. 

Fipistrello. 
A  'Village  Commune. 
^'v'anda.  I  Cithmar. 

Frescoes.       |  Guilderoy. 
In  Marenima. 
Rullino.         I  Syrlin, 
Santa  Barbara. 
Two  OlTenders, 
Ouida's     Wisdom,      Wit, 
and  Pathos 


By  MARGAEiST  AGNES  PAUL. 
Gentle  and  Simple. 

By  JAMES  PAYN. 


Bentinck's  Tutor. 

Murphy's  Master. 

A  County  Family. 

At  Her  Mercy.      I      Kit. 

Cecil's  Tryst.    |     Halves, 

The  Clyffards  of  Clylfe. 

The  Foster  Brothers. 

Found  Dead. 

The  Best  of  Husbands. 

Walters  Word. 

Fallen  Fortunes. 

Humorous  Stones. 

/^2oo  Reward. 

A  Marine  Residence. 

MirkAbbey.  |  HiphSpirits 

Under  One  Roof. 

Carlyon's  'Vear. 

For  Cash  Only. 

The  Canon's  AVard. 

The  Talk  01  the  Toivn. 

Holiday  Tasks 


A  Perfect  Treasure. 
What  He  Cost  Her. 
A  Confidential  Agent. 
Glow-worm  Talcs. 
The  Burnt  MiUion. 
Sunny  Stones. 
Lost  Sir  Massingberd. 
A  Woman's  Vengeance. 
The  Family  Scapegrace 
Gwendoline's  Harvest. 
Like  Father,  Like  Son. 
Married  Beneath  Him. 
Not  Wooed,  but  Won. 
Le^s    Black    than    We're 

Painted.     |     By  Proxy, 
Some  Private  'Views. 
A  Grape  from  a  Thorn. 
The     Mystery    of     Mir- 

bridge.     I     Frcm  Exile. 
The  Word  and  the  NVill. 
A  Prince  of  the  Blood. 


A  Trying  Patient. 

By  Mrs.  CawrPBELL  PR  RED. 
The  Romance  ot  a  Station  t  Christina  Chard. 
Outlaw  and  Lawmaker.        j  Mrs.  Tregaskiss 
The  Soul  of  Countess  Adrian. 

By  RICHARD  PHYCE. 

Miss  Maxwells  Affections. 

By  CHARLES  RBADE. 


It  is  Never  Too  Late  to 

Mend.  ITheJUt. 

Christie  Johnstone, 
I  he  Double  Marriage. 
Put  Yourself  iu  His  Place. 
I.ove  Little,  Love  Long. 
Cloister  and  the  Hearth. 
Course  of  True  Love. 
Autobiography  of  a  Thief. 
A  Terrible  Temptation. 


I-nul  Play.      |  Hard  Cash. 

The  Wandering  Meir, 

Singlcheart,  I  'oubleface. 

Good  Stor.es  of  Man,  &c. 

Ve^  "W^olhngton, 

Grilfith  Gaunt, 

A  Perilous  Secret. 

A  Simpleton. 

Readiana, 

A  VVoman-Hater. 


H.  RID3ELL. 

The   Uninhabited  House, 
The    Mystery    in    Palace 

Gardens. 
Idle  Tales, 


By  Mrs.  3 

^Veird  Stories, 
l-airy  Water. 
Her  Mother's  Darling. 
The    Prince    of    'Wales  s 
Garden  Party. 

By  F.  W.  ROBINSON. 

Women  are  Strange.  |  The  \Voman  in  the  Dark, 

The  Hands  of  Justice, 

By  VT.  CLARK  RUSSELL, 


Round  the  Galley  Fire, 
On  the  Fo'k'sle  Head. 
In  the  Middle  Watch- 
A  Voyage  to  the  Cape, 
Hook   for    the  Hammock. 
The      Mystery     of     the 

'Ocean  Star.' 
Romance  Jenny  Harlowe. 
An  Ocean  Tragedy. 


My  Shipmate  Louise. 
Alone  on  Wide  Wide  .Sea. 
Good  Ship  "Mohock.' 
The  Phantom  Death. 
Is  He  the  Man2 
Heart  of  Oak. 
The  Convict  Ship. 
The  Tale  of  the  Ten. 
The  Last  Entry. 


By  GEORGE  AUGUSTUS  SALA. 

Gaslight  and  Daylight. 

By  GEORGE  R.  SIMS 


The  Ring  o'  Bells. 
Mary  Jane's  Memoirs. 
Mary  Jane  MarriecL 
Tales  of  To-day, 
Dramas  of  Liie. 
Tinkletop's  Crune. 


eph,      I  .My  Two  Wives. 
Memoirs  of  a  Landlady, 
Scenes  from  the  Show 
Ten  Comniandmcnts, 
Dagonet  Abroad, 
Rogues  and  Vagabonds, 


ARTHUR  SKETCHLB  Y.— A  Match  in  the  Dark. 
By  R.  A.  STERNDALE.-The  Afghan  Knife. 


By  T.  W. 

The  Mysteries  of  Heron 

Dyke, 
The  Golden  Hoop, 
Hoodwinked, 
By  Devious  'Ways. 


SPEIGHT. 

Back  to  Life, 
The  Loudwater  Tragedy, 
Burgo's  Romance, 
Quittance  in  Full 
I  A  Husband  from  th«  Saa. 


32 


CHATTO   &  WINDUS,   PUBLISHERS. 


Two-Shilling  '!>!o\'BI,s— continued. 

By  AI.AN   ST.  AUBYN. 

A  Fellow  of  Trinity.  I  Orchard  Damerel. 

The  Junior  Dean.  In  the  Face  of  the  World 

Master  of  St.  Benedict's.    |  The  Trenilett  Diamonds. 
To  His  Own  Master. 
By  K.  LOUIS  STEVENSON. 
New  Arabian  Ni^'lits. 

By  ROBERT  8URTEES.— Handley  Cross. 
by  IVALTER  THORNBURY. 
Tales  for  the  Marines. 

By  T.  ADOIiPHUS  TROLIiOPB. 
Diamond  Cut  Diamond. 

By  ANTHONY  TBOLLOPE. 


By 

A  Pleasure  Trip. 
The  Gilded  Aee. 
Huckleberry  Finn. 
Torn  Sawyer 


The  Land- Leaguers. 
The  American  Senator. 
Scarborough's  Family. 
Golden  Lion  of  Granpere, 


MARK   TWAIN. 

Stolen  White  Elephant. 
Life  on  the  Mississippi. 
;£i, 000,000  Bank-Note. 
Sketches. 


By  C.  C.FRASER-TYTLER.— Mistress  Judith 

By  SARAH   TYTLER. 

'     "  '        The  Huguenot  Family 


Bride's  Piiss.  |  Lady  Bell 
Buried  Diamonds. 
St.  Mungo's  City. 
Noblesse  Oblige. 


The  Blackball  Ghosts. 
What  She  Came  Through. 
Beauty  and  the  Beast. 


Disappeared. 

By  ALLEN  UPVTARD.— Queen  against  Owen. 

By  MSria.  WESTALL.— Trust-Money. 

By  Mrs.  WILLIAMSON.— A  Child  Widow 

By  JOHN  STRANGE  WINTER. 

Cavalry  Life.  I  Regimental  Legends. 

By  H.  F.  WOOD. 
The  Passenger  from  Scot- I  The    Englishman    of  the 
land  Yard.  |      Rue  Cain. 

By  MARQ.  WYNMAN.— My  Flirtations. 


Frau  Frohinann 
Marion  Fay. 
Kept  in  the  Dark. 
The  Way  We  Live  Now. 

By  F.  ELEANOR  TROLLOPE. 
Like  Ships  upon  the  Sea.  |  Anne  Furness. 
Mabel's  Progress. 

THE  NEW  SERIES  OF  TWO-SHIIiliING  NOVELS. 

Bound  in  picture  cloth,  flat  backs. 

By  EDWIN  LESTER  ARNOLD. 

The  Constable  of  St.  Nicholas. 
By  Sir  WALTER  BESANT. 

St.  Katherine's  by  Tower,  |  The  Rebel  Queen. 


By  H.  BINDLOSS.-Ainslie's  Ju-ju 
By  McD.  BODKIN,  K.C. 

Dora  Myrl,  the  Lady  Detective. 

By  DICK  DONOVAN. 

Man  from  Manchester.        I  The  Man-Hunter. 

Wanted  !  1  The  Mystery  of  Jamaica 

Dark  Deeds.  Terrace. 

Tales  of  Terror.  I  Vincent  Trill,  Detective. 

By  G.  M.  FENN.— A  Crimson  Crime. 

By  PAUL  GAULOT.— The  Red  Shirts. 

By  MajOF  ARTHUR  GRIFFITHS. 

No.  95  ;  and  Blue  Blood. 

By  OWEN  HALL.— Track  of  a  Storm. 

By  BRET  HARTE 


Luck  Roaring  Camp,  &c 
In  a  Hollow  of  the  Hills 
Sappho  of  Green  Springs. 


Col.  Starbottlo.'s  Client 
Protegee  of  Jack  Haiulin'S 
Sally  Dows. 


By  HEADON  HILL.-Zambra,  the  Detective. 

By  FERGUS  HUME.— The  Lady  from  Nowhere 

By  EDMUND  MITCHELL. 

Plotters  of  Paris.  I  The  Temple  of  Death. 

Towards  the  Eternal  Snows.  


By  BERTRAM  MITFORD. 

The  Luck  of  Gerard  Ridgeley.  |   The  King's  Assegai. 

By  J.  E.  MUDDOCK. 

Maid  Marian  and  Robin  Hood. 

By  CHRISTIE  MURRAY.— His  Own  Ghost 

By  OUIDA. 

Syrlin.  I  The  Waters  of  Edera. 

By  JAS.  PA YN.— Modern  Dick  Whittington. 

By  DORA  RUSSELL. 

A  Country  Sweetheart.        I  The  Drilt  of  Fate. 

By  GEORGE  R.  SIMS. 
In  London's  Heart.  |  Rogues  and  Vagabonds- 

By  FRANK  STOCKTON. 

The  Young  Master  of  Hyson  Hall. 

By  SUNDOWNER.— Tale  of  the  Serpent. 

By  SARAH  TYTLER.— Citoyenne  Jacqueline, 

ALLEN  UPWARD.— Queen  against  Owen. 

By  F.  ■WARDEN. -Joan,  the  Curate. 
BYRON  WEBBER.— Sport  and  Spangles. 

By  JOHN  STRANGE  WINTER. 

Cavalry  Life  ;  and  Regimental  Legends. 

By  LOUIS  ZANGWILL.  f 

A  Nineteenth-Century  Miracle.     1 


SIXPENNY  COPYRIGHT  NOVELS. 


By  GRANT  ALLEN.-The  Tents  of  Shem. 

BvFBP  NK  BARRBTT.-Fettered  for  Life. 

By    ARNOLD   BENNETT. 

The  Grand  Babylon  Hotel. 
By  WALTER  BESANT.  . 

Children  of  Gibeoa  I  All  Sorts  and  Conditionsof 

For  Faith  and  Freedom.  Men. 

Dorothy  Forster.  |  The  Orange  Girl. 

By  BESANT  and  RICE. 
The  Golden  Butterfly.         I  Ready-Money  Mortibey 
The  Monks  of  Thelema.       The  Chaplain  of  the  Fleet 

By  ROBERT  BUCHANAN. 
The  Shadow  of  the  Sword.  |  God  and  the  Man. 

By  S.   BARING-GOULD. 
Red  Spider.  I  Eve 

By  HALL  CAINE. 
A  Son  of  Hagar.  I  The  Deemster. 

The  Shadow  of  a  Crime. 
By  WILKIB  COLLINS. 
Armadale.     I    No  Name.      Man  and  Wife. 
The  Moonstone.  The  Dead  Secret. 

Tha  Woman  in  White.  The  New  Magdalen. 

By  B.  M.  CROKER. 

Pretty  Miss  Neville. 


Diana  Harrington. 
A  Bird  of  Passage. 


Beyond  the  Pale. 


V  Bird  ot  Passage.  oeyuuu  uic  1  mc 

By  B.  LEPELLETIBR.— Madame  Sans-GOne 
By  E-I<YNN  LINTON.-Patricia  Kemball. 


By  D.  CHRISTIE  MURRAY.- Joseph's  Coat, 

By  HUME  NISBET.— Bail  Up  1 

By  OUIDA. 

Puck.       I       Moths       I       Strathiuore.      |      Tricotrin. 

Held  in  Bondage.    |    Under  Two  Flags.    |    Chandos. 

The  Massarenes.       |      Friendship.      |      Ariadne. 

By  JAMES  PAYN. 

Walter's  Word.  |  Lost  Sir  Massingberd. 

By  CHARLES  READE. 


Grithth  Gaunt. 

Foul  Play.    |     Hard  Cash. 

Peg      Woffington  ;      and 

Christie  Joiinstone. 
A  Terrible  1  emptation 


Put  Yourself  in  His  Place. 
The    Cloister     and     the 

Hearth. 
Never  Too  Late  to  Mend. 
Tlio  Double  Marriage. 


By  W.  CLARK  RUSSELL.-The  Convict  Ship. 

By  GEORGE  R.  SIMS.— Mary  Janes  Memoirs. 
By  ROBERT  LOUIS  STEVENSON. 

New  Arabian  Nights; 

By  WILLIAM  WESTALL.-TheOld  Factory, 

By  EMILE  ZOLA. 

The  Downfall.  I     The  Dram-Shop. 

Lourdes.         |         Rome.         I         Pans. 

By  JUSTIN  McCarthy. 

A  Short  History  of  Our  Own  Times. 


Unwin  Brothers,  Ltd.,  Printers,  37,  Pilgrim  Street,  Ludgate  Hill,  London,  E.C. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 

This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


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