The Hero of Panama: A Tale of the Great Canal, Page 2

  CHAPTER II

  En route for New York

  "Wanted, hands to help in building construction down town, New York."

  The advertisement caught Jim's eye as soon as he looked at the newspaperwhich happened to be aboard the coaster on which he and Sadie and theothers were voyaging to New York, and fascinated him.

  "See here, Sadie," he said. "It'll be just the thing. There must beheaps of jobs which I could do, even though I have no knowledge ofbuilding. Carrying bricks and so on, you know. There will be good wages,and the money will keep us going while I look round. Eh?"

  "And perhaps there'll be a firm working in the docks round New York,"ventured the wise Sadie. "Then you'd be able to get a job at diving. Ishouldn't mind there; it isn't as dangerous. This building work wouldgive Tom and Sam and Ching jobs too."

  "Sure!" exclaimed Jim, beginning at once to feel less despondent. Notthat this young American was apt to be downcast for long. But we musttell the whole truth concerning him. The heavy responsibilities sosuddenly cast upon his shoulders, and the persistent ill fortune of thefamily, had somewhat upset his nerves, and robbed him of a little ofhis accustomed jollity. Still, with five hundred dollars behind him, andthis advertisement before his eyes, he felt that the far future might beleft to take care of itself; for the immediate prospects werebrightening.

  "We'll take the job, the whole lot of us," he said, as they sat on thedeck in the dusk discussing matters. "We'll take a little tenement downin the working quarters. You'll housekeep, Sadie, and we four will goand earn dollars. Gee! There's no frightening me. This thing wasbeginning to get on top of me, and bear me down; but now, not a bit ofit. I'll win out; one of these days I'll own a salvage plant of my own."

  It is better to face difficulties brightly and with full courage thantackle them half-heartedly. Jim felt all the stronger for his courage,and paced the deck alone that night with hopes raised, and with fullassurance for the future.

  "I'll get a widow woman, or someone respectable like that, to come andhelp Sadie keep house," he said to himself. "It'll be company for herwhile I'm away. And of course there's her education: she'll have to havemore schooling. We've rather forgotten that she's still only a child,for she behaves as if she were grown up."

  That was, indeed, one of the pathetic items in the history of Jim'sfamily. His father, Silas, had been pressed as it were into a course ofaction which meant a sudden cessation of all home life for Sadie, andwhich brought the child amongst grown-up men when she should have beenat school, with some of her own sex about her, and playmates to rompwith. Circumstances had, in fact, acted adversely both for Silas andhis daughter.

  "But we'll alter all that," Jim told himself. "Heigho! I'm for turningin."

  He paced the deck once or twice more, then crept down the companion. Hewas nearing the bottom, when his progress was suddenly arrested by ashout.

  "What's that?" he wondered. "Came from right forward."

  Curiosity caused him to run nimbly up the steps again. His head was justemerging from the opening when the shout was repeated, while it wastaken up instantly by men above his head, on the bridge of the ship. Atthe same moment there came the tinkle of the engine telegraph.

  "Port! Port your helm! Hard a port!" he heard the lookout shout from hispost on the forecastle. "Ship ahead! Port your helm!"

  "Hard astern, Mr. Dingle! hard astern!" came in steady but sharp tonesfrom the bridge, then there followed once more the tinkle of thetelegraph. Jim felt the tremble and throb of the engines suddenly diedown; indistinct shouts came to him from somewhere in the interior ofthe coaster. Then the engine throbs recurred furiously, as if the shipwere making a frantic effort. Crash!

  He was thrown hard against the combing of the gangway, his head strikingthe woodwork heavily, so that he was partially stunned. That and thesucceeding jar, as the coaster came end on into the bows of anothersteamer, toppled Jim over. He lost his foothold, and rolled down thesteps into the gangway down below. Then he picked himself up, feelingdazed and giddy, and for a moment held tight to a pillar supporting thedeck.

  "A collision," he told himself. "A bad one too--full tilt into oneanother. It's shaken the electric light out. Lucky they keep anemergency oil lamp going."

  The temptation to dash up on deck was strong within him, and had he beenalone on the vessel, with none to care for, no doubt he would haveobeyed the inclination. But there was Sadie; Jim was her protector. Hedashed at once towards her cabin, and came upon her at the doorway,looking frightened.

  "There's been a collision, Sadie, dear," he said, endeavouring to keephis voice quiet. "Guess we may have to move; let me come in and fixyou."

  The child was not undressed, fortunately, and Jim at once pushed intothe cabin, groped for one of the cork life preservers which are placedin overhead racks, and adjusted it to her body.

  "Now," he said, "bring a warm coat, and leave the other things. Ah,here's Tom!"

  "Sah; me here, right enough. You's not hurt, nor missie?"

  "Not a scratch, Tom. Just take Sadie right up on deck and stand besideher. That Sam?"

  In the dusk outside there was a second figure, and behind that another.The faithful negroes, and Ching Hu, the Chinaman, had rallied at once totheir youthful master.

  "Me, in course," cried the little Sam. "Guess this here's a collision.But we ain't got no cause to mind; not at all, not at all, missie."

  "Get life belts, put them on, and then go on deck," said Jim shortly."Sadie, take charge of this bag of dollars. I'm going up to see what'shappened."

  Conscious that he had done all that was possible, and that Sadie was nowin excellent hands, he turned and made for the companion, directing Tomto take the whole party on deck, and wait for him near the companion.With a few active steps he was there himself, and able to look abouthim. There was a slight sea fog enveloping the ship, through which, ahundred yards away, shone the lights of a steamer. Shouts came from herdeck, while her siren was blowing frantically. On board the craft onwhich he himself stood there was also considerable noise and confusion.A couple of lights were swaying right forward, and running there Jim sawthat a man was being slung over the bows in a rope's end. Right aft,where were quarters for steerage passengers, there was the sound of manyvoices, shouts, and hoarse cries of alarm, and once the shrill shriek ofa woman.

  "How'd it happen?" he asked one of the deck hands standing near him.

  "How do most of these here things happen, siree?" came the answer. "Thishere fog did it. The lookouts war bright enough; but reckon the twoships jest bumped clean into the same course, and didn't see one anothertill their bows was touchin'. We're holed badly, I'm thinking. You takemy advice, and get hold of your traps."

  Jim leaned over the rail, and stared at the man swinging in the rope'send. The lantern he carried showed a huge rent in the bows of the ship,while the sound of rushing water came to his ears.

  "Six feet by five, down under the water line, mostly," came from theman. "You'd better be slinging me over a sailcloth or something, or elsethe water'll fill her."

  "They'll never do it," thought Jim, staring at the rent. "I've beenenough on board ships to know what this means. I'll get back and seethat Sadie's safe."

  He ran back to the companion, where he discovered his friends seated onthe hatchway.

  "Tom," he said, "come along below with me. We shall have to take to theboats, and the sooner we've food with us the better. Lead along to thegalley."

  "Purser's store, sah; I knows very well. You say we gwine ter leave deship."

  "She's holed badly; she's bound to founder, I guess."

  "Den de Lor' help us!" groaned Tom. "You listen here, sah. FortySpaniard workmen living aft. Dey play de dickens. Dey fight for deboats. Not like dat at all. Tom say dat dere be trouble."

  The mention of the men who had taken passage aft caused Jim some amountof perturbation. He had noticed them as he came aboard, and it wasbecause of their presence on the ship that he had taken passage forhimself and Sadie amidship
s.

  "I'd have gone steerage with her had it not been for those dagoes," hehad told himself. "There's little enough money to spare nowadays forluxuries; but they're a rough crowd, and I wouldn't like Sadie to beamongst them."

  It had followed that he and Sadie had taken berths amidships, while Tomand Sam and Ching had, as a natural course, got places aft. Jimrealized, now that Tom reminded him of the fact, that the Spaniards onthe ship might prove a greater danger to them than the foundering of thevessel.

  "Guess they're a rough crowd, and likely to lose their heads," he saidaloud. "Let's get some food quick, Tom, and then see what's happening.We'll keep close together."

  They ran along the alley way towards the purser's store, and, findingthe door closed, Tom burst it in with a mighty heave from his shoulder.Jim snatched one of the hanging oil lanterns, and together they made ahurried survey of the contents.

  "Here's a sack; hold it open, Tom," commanded Jim.

  He ran his eyes round the shelves, then, without hesitation, pitchedtins of preserved beef, of milk, and of other foodstuffs into the sack.In little more than a minute it was full to the neck.

  "Get ahead," said Jim promptly. "I'll bring along this cask."

  He stuffed a metal cup into one pocket, and hoisted a small cask of beeron to his shoulder. Had he been able to make a careful selection hewould have sought for water; but in an emergency beer would do as wellas anything, and already he knew that time was very limited. Indeed theship had already a bad list on her; she leaned so much to one side thatwalking was difficult, while she was down at the head so that his returnto the companion was made uphill. But in a little while the two arrived,panting, at the top of the companion, Tom bearing the lantern with him.

  "Holy poker! but dere's the duce of a row aft, massa," sang out Sam,seeing them arrive. "I tink dem men is trying to put out de boats."

  "How many are there?" asked Jim quickly.

  "Seven, I tink. One just here; the others aft. Not like de noise demscum make."

  Jim had never been aboard a vessel under similar circumstances, and hadtherefore never experienced the confusion which follows a collision. Hehad read of such affairs, and had marvelled at the wonderful coolnessand discipline maintained in some cases. Then he had heard of veryopposite results, where men had lost their heads, and where they hadfought, each for his own individual safety, as if they were wild beasts.Remembering the class of individual who had taken passage aboard thiscoaster, he could not help but wonder whether discipline would bemaintained on this occasion. The shouts, the babel of sounds coming fromthe stern, seemed to indicate the opposite.

  "See here, Tom," he said, when he had listened for a while. "You andChing will stay right here by this boat, taking care of Sadie. Just givea look to the tackle, swing her out, and put all the grub on board. Bestput Sadie there also. Sam and I'll get along right now to see what'sbeing done. The captain maybe'll want some help. Those fellows alongthere appear to be fighting like demons."

  "Den you git along, sah. Me and Sadie'll be all right. Ching Hu, yoChinaboy, jest you hoist dat cask aboard, and mind yo don't let umtumble."

  That was the best of the huge negro; he could be depended upon to keephis head, while his devotion to Sadie was without question. Jim felt noqualms as to his sister's security as he dashed forward again, Sam closeat his heels. A minute later he met a little group coming towards himswiftly. It was the captain of the vessel, with his two officers, andsome half-dozen men.

  "It's a case with us," Jim heard him say as the group came to a halt.

  "She'll be down in half an hour, and that don't give us too much time toget ready. Mr. Jarvis, jest hop down to the engine room and tell 'em allto come up. Quartermaster, guess you'd best make a round of all thecabins; there's time for that, and we want to see that no one's left.You others had best come along with me: we've got to fix those fellowsaft. They tell me they're fighting like rats to get the boats out. We'llhave to stop 'em. Glad I am there's so few women aboard. What about theyoung lady amidships?"

  "She's safe, Captain," broke in Jim at once. "I've put her in charge ofone of my negroes and the Chinaman. She's been placed in the boat by thecompanion, and we've got food and drink there also. I'm ready to comealong and help you aft."

  There was a lantern swinging in the captain's hand. He lifted it coolly,for there was no trace of flurry about this solid-looking man, andclosely scrutinized Jim's features.

  "Gee!" he exclaimed, reaching out to shake his hand. "You're the sort ofchap a skipper's glad to know. You've seen to the safety of the sister,as is only right, and now you come along shoulder to shoulder with us.Guess there'll be bad trouble back there."

  "Guess there will," answered Jim. "They're fighting, if one can judge bythe noise."

  "Jest like tigers, and they'll take some quelling. Look here; get a holdof anything handy and don't stand no nonsense. We can't afford to takelip from any of those Spaniards. Ef a man shows a knife, lay him flat onthe deck. Come along."

  He led the way swiftly along the deck, and the handful of men with himfollowed closely, picking up any likely weapon as they went. Jimpossessed himself of an axe handle. It was long, and moderately heavy,while sufficiently tough to withstand any blow. He swung it up over hisshoulder and took his place beside the captain and his mate. In a minutethey had arrived at the rail from which one overlooked the small waistof the vessel, where the steerage passengers were accommodated. An oillamp hung from the boom, which was housed in its crutches over thewaist, and the feeble rays served to show what was happening. There werea couple of boats on either side of the deck, and about these a seethingmass of men fought. Without knowledge of the sea, having no idea how toswing the boats out, and no order or method, the result of the franticefforts of these foreign workmen had been disastrous in one case atleast. One of the boats hung suspended from the tackles, while its sternwashed in the water below, spars and oars and sails having been tumbledout of it. The other three still hung in their davits, and had beenhoisted by the tackles from the crutches placed between their keels andthe decks. As the captain and his men arrived, some of the men belowwere tugging at the tackles, while others were cutting the canvascovers of the boats adrift with their knives. In one corner of the waistof the ship three women were huddled, two men being engaged in adesperate fight within three feet of them.

  "Down below there!" bellowed the captain. "Stand away from those boats."

  "STAND AWAY FROM THOSE BOATS"]

  He might have spoken to a party of dead men for all the effect his wordshad. The frantic individuals down below seemed not to have heard them.They still went on with the work of preparing the boats, though it wasclear to everyone that, what with their eagerness and their utterselfishness, the hoisting out, if left to them, would end only indisaster.

  "Down below there, you dogs!" shouted the captain. "Stand away there!Fall in in the centre of the deck."

  He repeated his words in Spanish, for a skipper who sails those seassoon acquires a considerable vocabulary; but his orders fell upon deafears only, and all the while time was flying, the ship was settling, themoment when she would founder was drawing dangerously nearer.

  "Guess we've got to fix 'em in our own way," said the captain, turningon his little party. "See here, we'll get down this port ladder, beatthe men back from the two boats there, and then tackle the others. Jestkeep close together, and ef there's opposition don't be too gentle. Thisain't the time for gentleness; they'll understand hard knocks when thereain't anything else that'll knock sense into their silly heads."

  He led the way promptly, looking in the feeble rays of his own lantern,and that suspended from the boom, a regular commander. With hisclear-cut but anxious features, his peaked beard and short moustaches,this skipper gave one the impression of power, of coolness, and ofcourage. Indeed he was just the sort of man required in such anemergency, for he inspired his followers with confidence, and took hispost at their head as a matter of course. The mate slid down the ladderimmediately
on his heels and Jim took the whole flight in one bound.

  "Now," said the captain.

  "Lummy! Dis someting like, dis am," murmured Sam, his eager little facelooking up into Jim's. The diminutive negro had armed himself with anenormous stake which he had discovered in some odd corner, and heflourished it. There was a little grin on his face, while his sharpteeth flashed. In fact, in one brief moment, the negro, who had alwaysworked so well and so quietly, who had never displayed any pugnacity ortraces of excitement, had become an altered individual. There was asomething about him which seemed to say that fighting was a pursuitwhich pleased him, that he was longing for the fray. But by now thewhole party was gathered in the waist. The captain led them to the portboats, flinging aside all who stood in his path. In fact, to clear theSpaniards into the centre of the deck was no difficult matter. They wereso absorbed in their task that they were taken by surprise. But a momentor two later, when they found a group of resolute-looking men lined upbetween them and the boats, which seemed to be their only hope ofsafety, the frantic people became furious and desperate.

  "Two of you men just see that the tackles are free and all ready forhoisting," said the captain, his eye on the passengers. "We've gottrouble to meet here, and when it's over we shall want to get the boatsout precious slippy. Ah, you would, would you?"

  In the short space of time which had elapsed since he had come to thewaist the fury of the Spaniards had risen perceptibly. It wanted only amaddened leader now to turn the whole pack upon the captain and his men;and, in a trice, the man made his appearance. A huge fellow, withglittering ear-rings, whipped something from his belt and snarled at thecaptain. Then, with a shout as if he were a maddened beast, he dashedforward, a huge dagger held before him.

  "I've got more of that for the likes of you," said the captain, steppingswiftly forward and meeting the man with a terrific blow from his fist.Indeed the Spaniard turned a half-somersault, and landed with a thud onthe deck. But his mates were too desperate to notice his discomfiture;they came at the little band in a mob, and in a moment Jim and hiscomrades were fully engaged. A little active man bent low and ran in atour hero, while the latter caught the glint of something bright in hishand. Crash! The staff with which he had provided himself fell on theSpaniard's head and sent him sprawling. Bang! Sam's ponderous weaponmissed the mark at which it was aimed and struck the deck heavily. Nextinstant the negro was locked in the arms of one of the attackers and wasrolling with him on the decks.

  But Jim had no time to watch him, nor opportunity of assisting, for thehorde of men threw themselves on him and his comrades furiously. Onemanaged to come to close quarters with him and struck with his knife;but the blade did not reach his person. A quick leap to one side savedhim. Then the staff swung downwards and the man collapsed.

  "A rare blow, lad. A rare one!" shouted the captain. "Boys, we'll bemoving forward."

  But the command was easier to give than to obey. Not all the efforts ofthe little party could make an impression. It seemed as if the captainwould be defeated in his efforts to control the boats. But suddenlyothers arrived on the scene. It was the engine hands, headed by anenormous negro. Was it wonderful that Tom should itch to join in thefray? He had seen his mistress into a place of safety and had left Chingto guard her. Then, realizing that instant victory in this strugglecould alone save everyone on board, he had led the engineering staffdown the companion.

  "By de poker! not stand quiet and 'low boats to be hoisted out," hebellowed, forcing his way to the front. "Not 'bey de captain and helpwhen de ship sinkin'. By de poker, but dis not go on! Yo, what yodoin'?"

  He seized a man who rushed at him, as if he were merely a child, twistedhim round till his feet were in the air, and threw him back at hiscomrades. Then, smiling all the while, he rushed at the attackers,regardless of their knives, striking them down in all directions.

  "Hooray! Now, boys," shouted the captain, "that darkie's done it for usfine. Beat 'em back; there's still time to mend matters."

  Bunched together, and led by Tom, the little party threw themselves uponthe Spaniards, striking right and left remorselessly. And in the spaceof a few seconds they had borne them back as far as the bulkhead, abovewhich was the poop.

  "If some of you men don't drop those knives precious quick I'll knowwhy," commanded the skipper.

  "By de poker--yes! Tom know why, yo bet!"

  The huge negro strode in front of all, his big fists doubled, his headthrust forward as if he were a bull about to charge. His eye fell uponthe rascal who had begun the attack, and who, meanwhile, had recoveredhis senses. There was a dagger in the villain's hand, and Tom did notfail to see it. In a trice he had pounced upon the man.

  "What yo not obey for?" he demanded wrathfully. "Yo not hear de cap'nsay yo to drop all knives? By de poker, but in two seconds yo sorry yoever born! Yo drop that knife."

  There was no disobeying such an order. Tom seized the Spaniard, grippedhim with both powerful hands, and shook him till the man's headthreatened to fall from his shoulders. Then he turned and grinned at thecaptain.

  "Ready now to do as yo order, Cap'n," he smiled. "S'pose yo say fall inhalf here and half dere, get ready to haul on tackle. Dey ready to do asyo say."

  "George, you're a real treasure! You're a brave man, Tom. Jest get 'emranged up in order, and quick with it. Young sir, I'll be obliged efyou'll help him."

  He nodded to Jim, left three of the men to stand by him, and at onceturned to the boats. As for the Spaniards, Tom's huge frame and theprowess he had already displayed seemed to cow them. They obeyed hisorders with alacrity, and were soon ranged up in two lines. By thentheir aid was wanted.

  "Yo jest get to dem tackles yo in dat row," commanded Tom. "Haul whenyou told. If one ob yo try to get into de boats before I say yo can, mecarve yo into little pieces--so."

  He brandished an enormous knife, which he had picked up from the deck,and showed his teeth. The result might have been anticipated, for thepassengers who had been fighting like a pack of beasts but a few momentsbefore were absolutely cowed. They would rather face drowning than theanger of this terrible negro. It followed, therefore, that, now thatthey were helping in the task, the boats were swiftly swung out.

  "Put the women aboard this one," said the captain. "We'll lower themwith the boat. The others can go down by a rope ladder; it's smooth,thank goodness, or things would be worse. Now, lads, quick with it; shewon't swim much longer."

  Riot and fury had now been replaced by order and calm method. One by onethe boats were lowered, passengers entered, and a crew was placedaboard. Moreover the purser and his men found time to make a raid on thestores, so that each boat was victualled. As for Sadie, she and Chingsat in the boat lowered from amidships, and waited anxiously for herbrother and the others. Presently they came, the captain being the lastto step over the rail. By then the decks forward were awash, while thestern of the vessel was pitched high in the air. Her propeller wasplainly visible, lifted clear of the water.

  "She'll plunge in a few moments. Best get clear away," said the captain."The other ship, I hear, is foundering also. We'll have to stand by tillmorning. Is everyone with us?"

  The answer had hardly left the mate's lips when there came a cry fromSadie. Her finger shot out, and in a moment all saw the object which hadattracted her attention. It was the figure of a man standing on thesinking steamer. Instantly a groan escaped the captain.

  "Couldn't risk going back for him," he said; "he must swim for it."

  "But he's disabled; he's the man with a broken arm," sang out Jim. "Hecouldn't swim if you paid him to."

  "Can't help it; I've the boat's crew to think of," declared the captain,shaking his head sadly. "That ship's on the point of diving; we're tooclose as it is. If I go nearer we risk the lives of all, your sister'sinto the bargain."

  "A fact," cried the mate emphatically. "The skipper's saying only what'strue."

  "Ah! I thought she was going then!" shouted one of the crew aboard theboat, seeing the steamer
lurch suddenly. "'Tain't more'n a matter ofseconds."

  "Then I'll chance being in time; I'm going for him."

  Jim tore off his coat, and kicked his shoes away. Before they realizedhis intentions he had stepped on to the gunwale, and had plunged headforemost into the sea.