Charley Laurel: A Story of Adventure by Sea and Land, Page 2

  CHAPTER TWO.

  THE LIFE-RAFT.

  The _Laurel_ had for some days been becalmed, and though every one onboard, from the captain to the smallest powder-monkey, had beenwhistling for a breeze to carry her back to look after her prizes andconsorts, no breeze came.

  Dick had been the busiest of the busy. He now appeared, with no smallpride in his countenance, leading by the hand a little boy dressed in aseaman's jacket and trowsers, his shirt-collar turned down, and a littletarpaulin hat stuck on the top of his curly head. He went boldly aft,till he reached the captain, who, with several officers, was standing onthe quarterdeck.

  "Touch your hat, Charley," said Dick. Charley obeyed promptly with atrue sailor's manner, showing that his guardian had, according to hisown ideas, commenced his education, and had at all events taught him tobe obedient.

  "Please, sir, this here little chap is Charley Laurel, as I broughtaboard t'other night," began Dick. "Some wanted to call him one name,some another. We called him Charley, sir, after Mr Slings, theboatswain, who offered to stand godfather; and 'cause, as I may say, hebelongs to all of us, we have given him the name of Laurel, after theold barky, if that's agreeable to you, sir."

  "I have no objection to any name you may give him," answered thecaptain; "but I warn you that we shall have before many weeks to restorehim to his friends, when we shall find out his proper one, and I have nodoubt they will be glad to reward you for the care you have taken ofhim."

  "I want no reward, sir, except perhaps a glass of grog to drink theirhealths, and small thanks we will give them if they take him from us.It will be hard to lose him as well as our other booty, especially whenhe takes to us so kindly. To my mind, he will be much better off withus than among them niggers, who will just spoil him with sugar-cane andletting him have his own way. Besides, sir, the black woman gave him tome, and unless you says so, we will not hand him over to them."

  Dick slapped his leg as he spoke, as a clencher to his assertion, and inhis eagerness was going to use a strong expression, when, recollectingthat he was on the quarterdeck, and to whom he was speaking, he stoppedshort.

  "Well, my man," said the captain, good-naturedly, not offended withDick's freedom, "make the most of the little fellow while you have him,and we will see what to do with him by-and-by."

  There is an old saying which should never be forgotten, that "Manproposes, but God disposes."

  It was the hurricane season. Captain Blunt had been doing his best toget the damages the ship had received repaired. He was pacing the deck,and every now and then casting an anxious eye round the horizon, knowingwell that the gallant little _Laurel_ was ill able to withstand either agale or an enemy, by either of which she might be assailed, although,like a true sailor, he was ready to meet the one or the other withundaunted courage.

  The ocean was like a sheet of glass, and the hot sun struck down on thedeck with tremendous force. Those who could, sat in the shade, thosewho could not, as Dick observed, "had to grin and bear it, though it wasnot much odds where a man got to, it was hot everywhere."

  Now and then a covey of flying-fish might be seen skimming over theocean, but they came out of the water to avoid the jaws of theirpersevering foes, the dolphins or bonitos, not because they liked it, orwished to exhibit their brilliant wings, but the wiser leviathans of thedeep kept in the cooler regions below the surface. Gradually a thinmist filled the atmosphere; it seemed to come from nowhere, but there itwas, though the heat was in no way diminished by it, but ratherincreased. Still the pumps had to be kept going, and the crew had tostand at them, whether in sunshine or shade, stripped to the waist, theperspiration running down from every pore. No one grumbled, though"spell ho!" was oftener than usual cried, and numerous visits were paidto the water-cask by those who generally disdained the pure liquidunless mixed with rum.

  The captain's countenance wore an unwonted grave expression; theofficers, too, looked serious, and their eyes were constantly turnedround, now in one direction, now in the other. Presently the captainshouted with startling energy--

  "All hands shorten sail! clew up! haul down! Be smart, my lads!"

  The courses were quickly brailed up and furled, the fore-staysail alonebeing set. A dark cloud was seen away to the south-west, gathering asit approached a vast assemblage of black masses which appeared to comeout of space, advancing rapidly till they formed one dense column.

  The men were scarcely off the yards when a sheet of white foam camehissing over the hitherto calm surface of the ocean, followed by adeafening roar as wave after wave arose, each higher than itspredecessor, and then the hurricane in all its irresistible might struckthe sorely-battered ship. Over she heeled before it, the fore-staysailwith a loud report flew out of the bolt-ropes ere it had done its dutyof paying off the ship's head. Again and again the savage blast struckher side, pressing her still farther down, while the ever-increasingseas broke in foaming masses over her. The captain gave the order tocut away the mizzen-mast, and set another staysail. For a moment therewas a lull, the ship rose, and her head feeling the wind, away she flewbefore the howling gale. The carpenter sounded the well. He had analarming report to make to the captain--the water was gaining fasterthan ever on the ship. Dick heard it.

  "To my mind the old barky will be going down," he said to himself. "Imust look after Master Charley, for if she does, it won't do to have thelittle chap going to Davy Jones' locker. It is all very well for thoseas are bred to it, but, bless his young heart! I must do what I can tokeep him afloat."

  Dick was a man of action rather than words. He immediately filled hiscapacious pockets with all the provisions he could lay hands on. In thelaunch on deck he found a basket which had been brought on board withvegetables. There were a number of broken spars and other fragments ofwood, the remains of the boats which had been carried away. He began tolash them firmly together in a mode which a seaman only could haveaccomplished; and in the centre of the raft he had thus formed hesecured the basket, which had a lid to it. One of the officers saw him,and told him to knock off.

  "Ay, ay!" he answered; but it was not a moment, he conceived, to standon ceremony, and immediately again went on with his work. The boatswainalso set his eyes on him.

  "What are you about there, Dick?" he asked. "Off with you to the pumps;it will be your spell directly."

  "I am building a raft for your godson, Mr Slings," answered Dick. "Youwould not wish the pretty little chap to be drowned if there's a chanceof saving him, and please Heaven, I will try and do it, though I am asready as any on myself to stick to the old barky to the last."

  "Don't you be talking of the ship going down," exclaimed the boatswain,gruffly; "you will be making the rest chicken-hearted."

  "You know as well as I do, Mr Slings, that go down she will, beforemany hours are over, unless old `Harry Cane' takes himself off prettysmartly."

  Dick could not resist the sailor's common joke even at that moment.

  "I cannot say you nay, Dick," answered the boatswain; "but all thiscomes of having babies aboard; we must try and keep the ship abovewater, anyhow."

  The raft being completed, Dick got hold of a small beaker of water,which he secured to it; he also formed a paddle, and laid alongside ofit a spar of considerable length. Having finished his work, he slippedbelow, and brought up little Charley, with a bundle of bedding and ablanket. The child greatly objected to go to bed in the basket, andstill more so to be lashed in, as Dick was doing. Dick knew that nobodywould interfere with the child, but still he placed him as much out ofsight as possible, just abaft the fore-mast.

  "You be good boy, Charley, and don't cry out," he said, trying to soothehim. "There is a biscuit--chaw it, lad. I have to take a spell at thepumps, and will be back directly."

  As soon as Dick could leave his work at the pumps, he hurried back tothe child, and threw himself down to rest by his side.

  The ship flew on before the gale. Every one, knowing that their livesdepended on their
exertions, laboured away with desperation: some weresent below to bale with buckets, which were passed up to othersstationed on deck, but all their efforts, it appeared too likely, wouldbe of no avail. Still the water gained on them. The only hope was thatthe hurricane might cease, and that a sail might be got under the ship'sbottom. Preparations were made for doing this as soon as it waspracticable, but the wind blew harder and harder. The main-mast hadbefore been badly sprung, and during one of the fearful lurches theill-fated ship made, down it came, crushing the launch, on whichdepended the only hope of saving the lives of some of them. Dick rushedforward, fearing his little charge had suffered, but Charley still layunhurt in his basket on the raft. Suddenly there came a lull, and thehurricane ceased almost as rapidly as it had commenced: the sea,however, still tumbled and tossed about fiercely on either side, theship lying helpless in the midst of the foaming waves. The crewlaboured as gallantly as before, though their stout arms were givingway, and many knew too well that all hope was nearly gone. Some withthe sharpest eyes were sent to the mast-head, to look out for any shipwhich might have approached before the calm came on; but as they casttheir anxious eyes around the horizon, not a sail was to be seen risingout of the dark tumbling waters.

  Dick had gone again to the pumps. "Spell ho!" he cried, for he hadworked till he could work no longer. He had just thrown himself down bythe side of the raft when a fearful cry arose.

  "The ship is sinking! the ship is sinking!"

  Dick seated himself on the raft, with a spar in his hand which he hadprepared. Lower and lower the gallant ship sank. Many of the crew wereat the pumps; some were still below, some running to the forecastle,others aft. Dick kept his post. The water rushed in at the ports--theraft floated--a surge carried it overboard, Dick urging it by a shovewhich sent it far away from the ship's side.

  The _Laurel_ gave one plunge forward--her stern rose in the air--anddown she glided beneath the tumultuous waters. One fearful shriek aroseof strong men in their agony. Some few attempted to reach the raft, butthey were drawn down in the vortex caused by the sinking ship. Dickvigorously plied his paddle, and though tumbled and tossed fearfullyabout, he got far enough off to escape the danger of being drawn downwith the rest. Had he not had Charley to look after, he would haveshared the fate of his shipmates, he thought; and so he would, I amsure. Though he was himself frequently under water, and often almostwashed off the little raft, the child, protected in the basket, remainednearly dry. As Dick gazed back towards where the stout ship had latelyfloated, he could see a few struggling forms with arms outstretched, andhear their last cries for help ere they sank for aye, till that awfulday when the sea shall give up its dead; and in a few minutes he andlittle Charley were the only living beings of all the gallant fellowswho had formed the crew of the ill-fated _Laurel_.