That night an event which had been long pending was precipitated.
Captain Daniel had given way to his fierce temper so often during the voyage, and had behaved with such cruel tyranny to his crew, that they had resolved to stand it no longer. His harsh conduct to the mate, in particular, who was a favourite with the men, had fostered the spirit of indignation, and the mate himself, being a man of no fixed principles, although good-natured enough when not roused, had at last determined to side with the men. He was a man of fierce passions, and had been roused by his superiors tyranny and insolence to almost uncontrollable fury; but he had not at that time been guilty of absolute insubordination.
When the vessels course had been laid that nightwhich chanced to be a Friday, as some of the crew afterwards rememberedand the cabin lamp had been lighted, the captain sent for the mate, who saw by his looks that a storm was brewing.
What did you mean, sir, began the captain at once, by that insolent reply you made to me on shore yesterday?
The young man might have answered temperately if they had been alone, but Zeppa was lying on a locker reading, and his son was also present, and Rosco knew that the captain meant to put him to shame before them. His spirit fired.
Scoundrel! he cried, the measure of your iniquity is filled. You shall no longer command this schooner
Thus far he got when the captain, livid with rage, sprang up to rush at him. Zeppa also leaped up to aid in putting down what he clearly perceived was premeditated mutiny, but the mate sprang out of the cabin, and, shutting the door with a bang, locked it. At the same instant the man at the wheelknowing what had occurredclosed and fastened the cabin sky-light. The captain threw himself several times with all his weight against the door, but it opened inwards and could not be forced.
There were two square windows in the stern of the schooner, one of which was open. Orlando perceived this, sprang up, clambered through it, gained the deck unperceived, and, running down the companion stair, past all the men, rushed against the cabin door, and burst it open.
Zeppa was endeavouring at the moment to wrench off the lock and was nearly thrown back. Recovering, he struck fiercely out at those who thronged the dark passage.
Oh! father, groaned Orlando, as he fell before the blow.
With a terrible cry of consternation Zeppa stooped to pick up his child. He was felled with a handspike as he did so; the crew then rushed into the cabin and the captain was overpowered and bound.
Overboard wi them all! shouted one of the men.
There were some among these villains who, having once given the reins to their rage, were capable of anything. These, ready to act on the diabolical suggestion, attempted to drag Zeppa and the captain up the companion ladder, but their great size and weight rendered the effort difficult. Besides, Zeppas consciousness was returning, and he struggled powerfully. It was otherwise with poor Orlando. One of the ruffians easily raised the lads light frame and bore him to the deck. Next moment a sharp cry and splash were heard. Zeppa understood it, for he had seen his son carried away. With a wild shout he burst from those who held him, and would certainly have gained the deck and leaped overboard had not a mutineer from behind felled him a second time.
When Rosco heard what had been done he ran furiously on deck, but one glance at the dark sea, as the schooner rushed swiftly over it sufficed to show him that the poor boys case was hopeless.
But Orleys case was not as hopeless as it seemed. The plunge revived him. Accustomed to swim for hours at a time in these warm waters, he found no difficulty in supporting himself. Of course his progress was aimless, for he could not see any distance around him, but a friend had been raised up for him in that desperate hour. At the moment he had been tossed overboard, a sailor, with a touch of pity left in his breast had seized a life-buoy and thrown it after him. Orlando, after swimming about for a few minutes, struck against this buoy by chanceif we may venture to use that word in the circumstances.
Seizing the life-preserver with an earnest thank God in his heart if not on his lips, he clung to it and looked anxiously around.
The sight was sufficiently appalling. Thick darkness still brooded on the deep, and nothing was visible save, now and then, the crest of a breaking wave as it passed close to him, or, rolling under him, deluged his face with spray.
Chapter Two
When Antonio Zeppa recovered consciousness, he found himself lying on a mattress in the schooners hold, bound, bleeding, and with a dull and dreadful sense of pain at his breast, which at first he could not account for. Ere long the sudden plash of a wave on the vessels side recalled his mind to his bereavement; and a cryloud, long, and terriblearose from the vessels hold, which caused even the stoutest and most reckless heart on board to quail.
Richard Rosconow a pirate captainheard it as he sat alone in his cabin, his elbows resting on the table, and his white face buried in his hands. He did not repenthe could not repent; at least so he said to himself while the fires kindled by a first great crime consumed him.
Men do not reach the profoundest depths of wickedness at one bound. The descent is always graduatedfor there are successive rounds to the ladder of sinbut it is sometimes awfully sudden. When young Rosco left England he had committed only deeds which men are apt lightly to name the follies of youth. These follies, however, had proved to be terrible leaks through which streams of corruption had flowed in upon his soul. Still, he had no thought of becoming a reckless or heartless man, and would have laughed to scorn any one who should have hinted that he would ever become an outlaw and a pirate. But oppression bore heavily on his hasty, ill-disciplined temper, and now the lowest round of the ladder had been reached.
Even in this extremity he did not utterly give way. He would not become an out-and-out pirate. He would merely go forth as a plunderer to revenge himself on the world which had used him so ill. He would robbut he would not kill; except of course in self-defence, or when men refused to give up what he demanded. He would temper retributive justice with mercy, and would not suffer injury to women or children. In short, he would become a semi-honourable, high-minded sort of pirate, pursuing wealth without bloodshed! True, in the sad case of poor Orlando, he had not managed to steer clear of murder; but then that deed was done without his orders or knowledge. If his comrades in crime had agreed, he would have preferred some sort of smuggling career; but they would not listen to that, so he had at last consented to hoist the black flag.
While the wretched youth was endeavouring to delude himself and gather crumbs of comfort from such thoughts as these, the awful cry from the ships hold again rang out, and as his thoughts reverted to the bereaved father, and the fair, light-hearted little mother on Ratinga Island, the deadly pallor that overspread his countenance was intensified.
Rising hastilywith what intent he himself hardly knewhe proceeded to the hold. It was broad day at the time, and sufficient light penetrated the place to reveal the figure of Antonio Zeppa crouching on his mattress, with his chin upon his knees, his handsome face disfigured with the blood that had dried upon it, and a wild, fierce light gleaming in his eyes.
He did not speak or move when Rosco entered and sat down on the head of a cask near him.
Zeppa, he said, with intense earnestness, as God shall be my judge, I did not mean totothrowto do this to your boy. It was done without my knowledge.
He did not speak or move when Rosco entered and sat down on the head of a cask near him.
Zeppa, he said, with intense earnestness, as God shall be my judge, I did not mean totothrowto do this to your boy. It was done without my knowledge.
Hah! burst from the stricken father; but nothing more, while he continued to gaze in the pirate captains face.
Indeed it is true, continued Rosco hurriedly. I had no intention of letting murder be done. I would not even slay the captain who has used me so ill. I would give my life if I could alter it nowbut I cannot.
Hah! gasped Zeppa again, still keeping his eyes fixed on Roscos face.
Dont look at me that way, pleaded the pirate, as if I had done the deed. You know I didnt. I swear I didnt! If I had been there, I would have saved Orlando at the cost of
He was interrupted at this point by the repetition of the cry which had before reached him in the cabin; but how much more awful did that despairing cry sound near at hand, as it issued full, deep-toned, and strong, from the chest of the Herculean man! There was a difference in it also this timeit terminated in a wild, fiendish fit of laughter, which caused Rosco to shrink back appalled; for now he knew that he confronted a maniac!
For some minutes the madman and the pirate sat gazing at each other in silent horror. Then the latter rose hastily and turned to leave the hold. As he did so, the madman sprang towards him, but he was checked by the chains which bound him, and fell heavily on the deck.
Returning to the cabin, Rosco went to a locker and took out a case bottle, from which he poured half a tumbler of brandy and drank it. Then he summoned the man who had been appointed his second in command.
Redford, he said, assuming, by a mighty effort of self-restraint a calm tone and manner, you told me once of a solitary island lying a long way to the south of the Fiji group. Dyou think you could lay our course for it?
Im sure I could, sir; but it is very much out of the way of commerce, and
There is much sandal-wood on it, is there not? asked Rosco, interrupting him.
Ay, sir, plenty of that, an plenty of fierce natives too, who will give us a warm reception. I would
So much the better, returned the captain, with a cynical smile, again interrupting; we may be able to obtain a load of valuable wood for nothing, and get rid of our cowards at the same time. Go, lay our course forwhats the islands name?
I dont know its right name, sir; but we call it Sugar-loaf Island from the shape of one end of it.
That will do. And hark ye, friend, when I give orders or ask questions in future, dont venture to offer advice or raise objections. Let the crew understand that we must be able to pass for lawful traders, and that a load of sandal-wood will answer our purpose well enough. It will be your wisdom, also, to bear in mind that discipline is as useful on board a Free Rover as on board a man-of-war, and that there is only one way to maintain it.
The pirate captain pointed to a brace of pistols that lay on the table beside him, and said, Go.
Redford went, without uttering another word. His was one of those coarse natures which are ever ready to presume and take advantage when there is laxity in discipline, but which are not difficult to subdue by a superior will. He forthwith spread the report that the new captain was a stiff un, a fact which nearly all the men were rather glad than otherwise to hear.
For some days after leaving Ratinga a stiff breeze enabled the schoonerwhich had been re-named by its crew the Free Roverto proceed southward rapidly. Then a profound calm succeeded, and for a couple of days the vessel lay almost motionless on the sea.
During all this time the poor maniac in her hold lay upon his blood-stained couch, for no one daredat least no one caredto approach him. At meal times the cook pushed a plate of food within his reach. He usually took no notice of this until, hunger constrained him to devour a little, almost savagely. No word would he speak, but moaned continually without intermission, save when, in a burst of uncontrollable anguish, he gave vent to the terrible cry which so weighed on the spirits of the men, that they suggested to each other the propriety of throwing the father overboard after the son. Redfords report of his interview with the captain, however, prevented the suggestion being acted on.
It is possible that the two tremendous blows which Zeppa had received during the mutiny may have had something to do with his madness; but there can be no doubt that the intense mutual affection which had subsisted between him and his only child, and the sudden and awful manner of that childs end, were of themselves sufficient to account for it.
For Orlando had been all that a father could wish; loving, gentle, tender, yet lion-like and courageous in action, with a powerful frame like that of his father, and a modest, cheerful spirit like that of his mother. No wonder that both parents doted on him as their noblest terrestrial gift from God.
And now, thought the crushed man, as he crouched on his mattress in the hold, he is gone,snatched away before my eyes, suddenly and for ever!
It was when this thought recurred, again and again, that the cry of agony burst from him, but it was invariably succeeded by the thought, No, not for ever. Orlando is with the Lord. We shall see him again, Marie and I, when we reach the better land.
And then Zeppa would laugh lightly, but the laugh would merge again into the bitter cry, as the thought would recur persistentlygonegonefor ever!
Oh! it was pitiful to see the strong man thus reduced, and reason dethroned; and terrible were the pangs endured by the pirate chief as he heard and saw; but he had now schooled himself to accept what he called his fate, and was able to maintain a calm, indifferent demeanour before his men. Of course he never for a moment, during all that time, thought of crying to God for mercy, for as long as a man continues to ascribe his sins and their consequences to fate, he is a rampant and wilful, besides being an unphilosophical, rebel against his Maker.
At last, one afternoon, the peak of Sugar-loaf Island was descried on the horizon, close to where the sun was descending amid a world of golden clouds.
Which side is the best for landing on! asked the captain of his mate.
The southern end, sir, which is steep and uninhabited, said Redford.
In half an hour they were under the shelter of the cliffs close to a creek, at the inner end of which there was a morsel of flat beach. Beyond this lay a richly wooded piece of land, which seemed to be connected with a gorge among the hills.
Lower the boat said Rosco. Have three men ready, and, when I call, send them to the hold.
He descended as he spoke, and approached Zeppa, who looked at him with unmistakable ferocity.
You are going on shore, he said to the poor madman, who seemed neither to comprehend nor to care for what he said.
Once again, continued Rosco, after a pause, I tell you that I had no hand in the death of your son. My men, if they had their way, would soon treat you as they treated him. They want to get rid of you, so, to save your life, I must send you on shore. It is an islandinhabited. I hope the natives will prove friendly to you. I hope you will get wellin time. Do you understand what I say?
Zeppa neither spoke nor moved, but continued to glare at the man whom he evidently regarded as his deadliest foe.