At the Fall of Port Arthur/Chapter 9
CHAPTER IX
CLOSE TO A WATERSPOUT
It was decided to leave the mutineers in the hold undisturbed until morning. This done, those who had been hurt in the scrimmage had their wounds attended to, and then Jeff was set to work to prepare a good meal for all the loyal party. The galley was in a state of disorder, but this counted for nothing, and Jeff soon had matters straightened out.
After so much excitement nobody thought of retiring. Luke was stationed over the fore hatch, to give warning of any attempt on the part of the mutineers to regain their liberty. He was armed and he threatened to "blow the hull head off" of anybody who dared to show himself or make a noise. As a consequence the mutineers did nothing. Two made their way to the nailed-up door, but finding they could not open it, gave up the attempt as a bad job.
As a punishment for his misdeeds Conroy was kept at the wheel during the whole of the night. He was willing enough to do the extra work if only the captain would forgive him for his actions. The master of the ship questioned him closely, and in the end reached the conclusion that only Semmel, Peterson, and Shamhaven were the leaders in the attempt to seize the ship and that the others had followed after them like so many sheep.
"I am glad to hear this," he said to Grandon and Larry. "I think after I read them a strong lecture they'll behave themselves."
"But we shall have to watch 'em closely," said the first mate.
"What will you do with Semmel, Peterson, and Shamhaven?" asked Larry.
"Put them in irons and keep them there until the end of the trip. When we reach Nagasaki they can take their choice of leaving or of being kicked off the ship. If they raise a row I'll hand them over to the authorities."
"You ought to have them locked up."
"True, lad; but with this war on hand the courts won't want to bother with such a case."
It was not until nine o'clock in the morning that Captain Ponsberry had the forward hatch raised once more. Those below were almost dying for fresh air and water.
"I want Wilbur to come up," he said.
"Can't we have some water?" demanded Shamhaven.
"Yes, if you'll behave yourselves," was the short answer.
There was a babble of voices, but the master of the ship paid no attention. Each man who had been thrown below was unarmed, so there was no danger of any shooting. Presently Wilbur came up the rope ladder thrown to him, looking sheepish enough.
"What have you to say for yourself?" demanded the captain, when Wilbur threw himself on his knees.
"Don't count it against me, cap'!" he groaned. "I didn't want to go into it, I tell you! I didn't want to go in!"
"If I forgive you, will you give me your word to behave yourself?"
"Yes, sir!"
"You won't do any more underhanded work?"
"You can shoot me if I do, captain."
"Very well; I'll remember that. Now go forward and help put the ship in good order. Larry, set him to work, and see that he does just what you tell him." And Wilbur went off, with the young second mate following, thanking his stars that he had not been swung to the yardarm, for mutiny on the high seas is a capital offense.
One by one the mutineers were allowed to come on deck, until only Semmel, Peterson, and Shamhaven remained below. Those to come up pleaded to be forgiven and promised to obey orders in the future and let the captain run the ship to suit himself.
During the night, Groot had had a bitter quarrel with Semmel, and the Russian appeared presently with a black eye and two of his front teeth loose. He was promptly put in irons, and the handcuffing of Peterson and Shamhaven followed.
"I have allowed the other men their liberty because you three led them into this affair," said Captain Ponsberry to the trio of rascals. "I intend to keep you in irons until the end of the trip."
At this there was a loud complaint, and the three made all manner of protestations, but the master of the Columbia was obdurate, and at last threatened to throw them into the hold again. This quieted them for the time being, and after being given a square meal and a drink of water, they were marched off to the brig, which was cleaned of everything else for their accommodation.
Fortunately for the Columbia the weather remained fair, so that the loss of the prisoners was not felt when it came to handling the schooner. Those who had mutinied were only too glad to get back into Captain Ponsberry's good graces and they did whatever was required with an alacrity which was as astonishing as it was gratifying. They ate whatever was set before them, and soon reached the conclusion that the food was really better than they deserved.
"We were fools to follow Semmel," said Wilbur; and Conroy and some others fully agreed with him.
But though it now looked as if the men could be trusted, Captain Ponsberry determined to keep his eyes on them. Vincent was placed at the head of one watch and Luke at the head of the other, so that, with one or the other of the mates, the deck was always guarded by at least two persons that could be depended upon.
The captain had hoped for favorable breezes following the heavy storm, but these did not come, and day after day passed with the old Columbia making slow progress toward Nagasaki. Formosa was passed during a bit of thick weather, so that nothing was seen of that island. Then the sun came out again, hotter than ever, so that Larry was glad to keep in the shade as much as possible.
"It's not so exciting as it was a few days ago," remarked Luke to Larry one day, when both were seated in the shade of the forecastle.
"I am glad that mutiny is at an end," answered Larry. "It's a great wonder that somebody wasn't killed or seriously wounded."
"The men didn't have their hearts in the rumpus, thet's why, Larry. If they had really meant business—well, I reckon some on us wouldn't be here now to tell the tale."
"I think Semmel meant business."
"Yes, he's a heap sight worse nor any o' the others."
"It was a mistake to take him on board. I tell you, a captain can't be too careful who he puts in his forecastle."
"Well, you know the reason—those other hands gettin' sick at Manila. But I can tell you, I'd rather have a crew of Americans any day."
"They are hard to get."
"True fer you." The old Yankee tar heaved a sigh. "The old days are gone, sure enough. My! my! what times we used to have, when we'd go out, every man a-knowin' every other man on the ship, an' all about him, too! Then it was like a big family settin' sail. Now, if you go on a new ship ye don't know nobody an' nobody knows nobody else."
"I guess you expect to live and die a sailor, don't you, Luke?"
"Don't know but what I do, unless somebody leaves me money enough to live like a millionaire," and the old tar grinned.
Day after day passed and the Columbia kept on her course, making as straight a passage for Nagasaki as possible. One day there would be a fair breeze and the next a dead calm.
"This is unusual weather for this quarter of the globe," said Captain Ponsberry to Larry. "Like as not it will end in another hurricane."
"In that case what will you do, release Semmel and the others?"
"I may release Peterson and Shamhaven, but not Semmel, for he was the real ringleader."
There were strong signs of a storm in the air that night, but they brought forth nothing, and on the following morning the sun came up as full and bright as before. The breeze came by fits and starts, from first one direction and then another, and the man at the wheel had all he could do to keep the schooner to her course. Sails were shifted half a dozen times, but without making any improvement.
"The weather is certainly queer," said Grandon. "Puts me in mind of the time I was caught in a tidal wave in the South Seas. Before the wave struck us we had just such cuttings-up."
"I trust we don't strike a tidal wave," answered Larry. "If it was high enough it might swamp us."
"True; but when you're on the deep blue sea, lad, you've got to take whatever comes," replied the first mate, solemnly.
Dinner was a quiet affair for all on board, and shortly after the repast Larry went to the forward deck, to have another chat with Luke. While the two were talking they were joined by Captain Ponsberry; and soon the three were conversing about old times once more.
"Do you remember the swim we once took in the Pacific?" said Larry to Luke. "The time the sawfish smashed the boat and came after us?"
"Reckon I do," was the Yankee tar's response. "We had a lively swim fer it, didn't we?"
"And the time we visited the island and you turned the turtles?" went on Larry. "And do you remember that snake that chased us into the water?"
"I do, Larry. Tell you what, we've had our share of adventures. When Admiral Dewey What is it, captain?"
Luke broke off short and looked at Captain Ponsberry inquiringly. The master of the Columbia was gazing over the port bow in an earnest, puzzled fashion.
"Do you see that little black cloud, Striker?"
"I do, sir!" And now Luke became all attention and so did Larry. "Kind o' funny lookin', ain't it?"
"It is odd," answered the captain. "Do you see how it seems to be dancing around in the sky?"
"Is it a cloud?" questioned Larry. "If so, I never saw its like before."
" I'll take a look at it through my glass," went on the captain, and sent a sailor for the article.
The cloud came swiftly closer and they heard a most unusual roaring and hissing. Then of a sudden the cloud seemed to dip down into the sea. When it came up, the waters of the ocean followed, and there loomed up before those on the ship a waterspout ten or fifteen feet thick.
"A waterspout!" cried half a dozen in concert.
"And a mighty powerful one, too," said the captain. "I trust it don't come this way."
"It is coming this way!" yelled Larry. "Look! look!"
The young second mate was right, the waterspout appeared to be headed directly for the schooner. But then it shot off to the westward, churning the water into a foam behind it.
"It's going away," murmured Luke, when once more the waterspout made a curve and then shot directly toward them. It was off the port bow and less than a hundred feet away. It looked as if the old Columbia was surely doomed!