Mother Carey's Chicken Part 35

"You may make yourself easy," said the first-mate quietly; "these are savage beasts more than men. It is life for life."

"Ah! that's comforting, Gregory, and I take it as kindly of you, for I'm not fond of this sort of work, though I say I am. Well, let's see how they are getting on yonder."

He went out of the cabin, leaving the first-mate to resume his watch over the boat, for during the time this episode of rifle practice was in progress another furious attack had been made upon the barricaded door.

Spears had been thrust and darted through, blows struck through cracks and holes with krises and the deadly sword-like parang, and in spite of the fierce and slowly-sustained fire kept up, the defences were rapidly becoming more dilapidated, and several fresh wounds had been received.

But the determination of the men had not failed for a moment, while just at the worst time a change was made for the better by the fresh force put into the defence by Small and Mr Morgan.

The attack through the sky-lights had not been renewed, and, weary with sitting and watching through the films of blue smoke which filled the cabin their captain and the men so sorely pressed, these two suddenly dashed into the fray, each going to a hole and firing rapidly.

This checked the Malays for the time, but they came on again, and when the major joined in with a couple of shots from his little rifle the fight was still furiously raging.

Suddenly, however, just as the barriers were giving way, and every opening seemed to bristle with spears, there was a terrible shout, and the attack ceased.

"Failure of the rear movement, cease firing ordered from the front,"

said the major quietly. "Now we shall have time to repair damages."

"Ah, major," cried the captain, "if I could only be as cool as you!" and he wrung his hand.

"My dear Strong, you are a regular lion," replied the major. "You were getting hard pressed there."

"And you were as calm as if nothing were the matter."

"Way to win, my dear sir: way to win; but I say, between ourselves, things were looking ugly just then."

"I believe you saved us--you," said Morgan.

"Humph!" replied the major. "It's my belief, sir, that if those scoundrels had not let themselves be damped by the failure of the plan, and had kept on, we should have been all prisoners by now. Or--"

"I understand you," said the captain gravely. "Well, we must still hope."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

HOW THE MAJOR GAVE HIS ADVICE.

As the major and Captain Strong hurried into the ladies' cabin on the cessation of the fighting it was to find them all ready, even to Mary, with bandages and pieces of linen to staunch the blood and help the poor fellows who had been wounded in their service; while as soon as Mark found that his services were no longer required as distributor of ammunition, he got together refreshments, and without being told handed them round to the wearied and bleeding sailors.

The food and the kindly words of sympathy they received seemed to put heart into the men, who had been ready to give up as soon as the rage and excitement of the fighting was over, but now they strung themselves up and patted their bandages, as if proud of having received them in the ladies' defence; though as the men grew more cheery the captain grew more serious.

"We shall have hard work to get through this afternoon," he said to the major, who lit a cigar and smoked as coolly as if there were no pirates for a hundred miles.

"No, you will not," was the blunt reply.

"Why, the savage wretches are swarming upon the decks," said the captain.

"Yes; but this afternoon is already gone. We shall have darkness soon."

"Gone! Why, it is five bells!"

"Yes, sir; fighting takes time. I say, how the smoke has cleared away!"

"Yes; it is less choking now," said the captain thoughtfully; and he went slowly to where Gregory was waiting and watching still for an attack upon the boat.

The captain said nothing further for some few minutes, and then returned to Morgan, who was very silent, and evidently weak and in great pain.

Here he had a long discussion, and as Mark watched him wonderingly, trying the while to make out what steps his father would take next, the captain went slowly to where the major was talking calmly enough to Mrs O'Halloran and his child.

"Nonsense!" he was saying; "there is no such a fine bit of Latin anywhere as nil desperandum. You never know what course a battle may take. Old Nap thought he had won Waterloo; but he had not. Cheer up, my dears! Look how young Mark Strong takes it. Well, captain, he added, leaving the cabin and joining him, what news? Have you naval gentlemen hatched the conspiracy?"

"It is no conspiracy, major," said the captain quietly; "but we have been trying to arrive at the best course of proceeding."

"Well, captain, and brother in affliction, what's to be done?"

"I propose a bold attempt to clear the deck of these scoundrels, major, during the night. Once get them over the side, we could keep them out.

Will you give me your advice as a brave soldier who understands these things better than I, and will you fight with me?"

"My dear Strong," said the major sharply, as he caught the captain's hand; "you ought to have been a soldier, sir."

"But you see I am a sailor," said the captain with a sad smile.

"There's the pity, sir. Now to business. Will I fight with you!

Bedad, sir, I've proved that."

"You have, my dear major, like the bravest of men."

"No, no. Tut, tut! Like a soldier should, sir. But now about this plan of yours."

"Yes, major, yes."

"Well, sir, there must be about eighty or ninety of these tawny rascals, and we are all more or less damaged, and, counting our young friend Mark, eleven men and three hospital nurses. Now the nurses can't fight, and Mark must still be powder-monkey, so there we are ten men, and, as I said, all damaged, to fight eighty."

"Yes," said the captain, "the odds are very great; but I think we might do it."

"Humph!" said the major. "I don't. No, my dear Strong; it would be a failure. I should like it immensely. I've been in several fights, and I was never in one yet which stood at eight to one. Yes, I should like it immensely; but there are the women."

"Yes," said the captain sadly; "there are the women."

"You don't think me turning tail because I speak so plainly?" said the major.

"No;--how could I, major!"

"Well, I don't know, sir. The world is far more ready to think a man a coward than a hero. But set aside that, it would not do, my dear fellow. We are Englishmen and Irishmen, and can do a great deal; but when it comes to eight to one there isn't room for one to move."

"You are right," said the captain with a groan. "My poor s.h.i.+p! my poor wife and boy!"

"Get out with you! Why, what now!" cried the major, whose eyes were wet with tears as he grasped the captain's hands. "We're not beaten yet, my dear boy, and we're not going to be. Now I tell you what is our duty, sir."