The Missing Ship Part 47

"Mammy always sleep wid one eye open and ear wide-awake," he observed.

"Suppose we get out and she not raise a hullabaloo, where we go to?

Wait a bit, and den we see what we do."

Pompey, in truth, was no more able than the rest of the party to devise any feasible plan for getting away.

Imprisonment is galling to all men, but it was especially so to Owen, who had hoped to make a successful voyage, and to marry his beloved Norah at the end of it. He had no means of communicating with her, and she, naturally supposing him to be lost, would be plunged in grief. He felt that he could better bear his hard fate if he could but let her know that he was alive. He might some day regain his liberty. He had no doubts about her constancy; he was sure that she would be faithful to him; and although her friends might try to induce her to marry, he felt confident that she would not do that.

At length, one evening when Pompey was sitting with his s.h.i.+pmates in the loft, voices were heard below.

"Hi, dat de pirate cappen," he exclaimed; and Owen prepared himself for an interview with O'Harrall.

Before long the pirate came up the ladder. A dark scowl was on his brow. Owen rose to receive him. O'Harrall advanced and threw himself into a chair, scarcely glancing at the men as he pa.s.sed them.

"I am glad to see you, Captain O'Harrall, for I hope that you will allow me and my companions to quit this place, and we shall be ready to enter into any arrangement you may dictate not to betray its position," said Owen.

"I am not in the habit of placing myself in the power of others when I can help it," answered O'Harrall. "Your word may be as good as your bond, but both may be broken. I tell you plainly I intend to keep you prisoners as long as I remain in these seas. Circ.u.mstances may induce me to return to Europe, and if so, I may either carry you with me or land you at some island, from whence you may find your way to Jamaica.

When that may be I cannot say. In the mean time, you must make up your mind to be content with your lot."

"You might land me, when you next sail from this, at some such place as you speak of without any detriment to yourself," said Owen; and, bethinking him that he would appeal to the pirate's better feelings, he added, "You have deprived me of my vessel and ruined my prospects of advancement. I was engaged to marry a young lady who is sincerely attached to me, and for her sake I plead for my liberty, that I may be able to return to her, or at all events inform her that I am still alive."

"Who is she?" asked O'Harrall, "although I need scarcely put the question."

"Captain Tracy's daughter--you have often seen her," answered Owen.

"I thought so," exclaimed O'Harrall. "You have counted too much on my generosity. I have not only seen her, as you say, but admire her more than any woman I have met, and should I ever wed I intend to make her my wife. Is it likely, then, that I should allow you to return home and forestall me?"

Owen's heart sank: he could not reply.

"You have but ill pleaded your cause," continued O'Harrall in the cold sarcastic tone in which he often spoke. "You saved my life, and I have preserved yours; more you cannot expect from me. Those men there behaved well to me on board the _Ouzel Galley_, and I therefore could not allow them to be killed. My sense of justice does not go further than that. You and they must make up your minds to remain where you are for an indefinite period. I came to see how you had acted, and if you behave as wisely as you have hitherto done you need not fear being subjected to any further restraint. I will, by-the-by, send you some books for your amus.e.m.e.nt. You will see by this that I do not wish to treat you with greater severity than is necessary. Now, good evening."

O'Harrall rose as he spoke, and without further remark descended the ladder, drawing the trap after him.

A parcel of books was delivered through Mammy the next day; they consisted chiefly of voyages and travels, and proved a great boon to the prisoners. O'Harrall, however, did not again appear until some weeks after this. He was, when he then came, evidently in a bad humour, his manner being even threatening towards his prisoners. He spoke as if he regretted having spared their lives, exhibiting by the expressions he used his abandoned disposition. Owen knew that his only safe course was not to answer him. He felt that it would be hopeless to attempt to arouse any better or more generous feelings. He, however, was more than ever resolved to try and escape.

Dan proposed, could they ascertain that the pirates had sailed on any expedition, to secure the old woman, make their way down to the harbour during some dark night, and attempt to gain the open sea. Once clear of the island, they might hope to get picked up by some s.h.i.+p, and under their circ.u.mstances they might trust even to an enemy, or they might succeed in reaching Jamaica. They must wait, however, until the hurricane season was over, and they might then, even in a canoe, navigate these calm seas without much danger.

Owen thought the plan feasible, although it might prove difficult and dangerous. It could scarcely be hoped that the pirates would leave the harbour unguarded. It might be a hard matter to find a canoe suitable for their object, and they must also obtain a supply of provisions and water. Mammy's watchful eye would effectually present them from doing this, and herein lay their first and chief difficulty.

O'Harrall had now been for some time absent. It struck Owen that perhaps the account he had given of the savage character of the inhabitants was to prevent then from leaving the house, and he resolved to try how Mammy would behave should they attempt to go out.

Pompey undertook to try and persuade her to allow them to take some exercise, as their health was suffering from their long confinement. He got her, therefore, one day into conversation, when she appeared to be in a better humour than usual, and after some time he made a signal to Tim, who was on the watch, to come down. Owen and Dan followed. Then, telling her that they would go out and take a short walk, they left the house without further ceremony, notwithstanding her expostulations.

"Nebber mind, Mammy," said Pompey; "dey come back. Me help you cook dinner meantime."

Owen took a path in the first instance away from the harbour, but as his great object was to obtain a view of it, he doubled back on the other side, and then hurried towards it. Just as they had caught sight of the water through the trees, they came upon a hut, near which they were about to pa.s.s, when Owen heard the voice of a man, as if in pain, proceeding from it. Prompted by a kind feeling and a wish to relieve the sufferer, he entered. On a rude bunk lay a white man, apparently ill of fever. He appeared greatly astonished at seeing Owen and his companions.

"Who are you?" he asked. "I thought the s.h.i.+p had sailed."

"I would inquire who you are?" said Owen.

"Well, sir, I am an unfortunate fellow, who wishes that he was anywhere but where he is. I see that you are not one of the _Eagle's_ crew, and so I don't mind telling you. I joined her to save my life, and now that I am ill I am allowed to die like a dog by myself, with no one to look after me. I was left on sh.o.r.e sick, and since I grew worse I have been unable to get any food, and I am too weak to walk."

Owen promised to try and induce Mammy to supply the poor fellow with nourishment. He would at once have hurried back, but he was anxious, having got thus far, to obtain a view of the harbour. Accordingly, telling the man he would send him relief as soon as possible, he, with Dan and Tim, left the hut, and made their way on, keeping themselves concealed as much as possible among the trees and bushes till they came in full view of the harbour.

It was a wide lagoon, which narrowed towards the southern end, where a perpendicular cliff of some extent rose directly out of the water, its summit covered with trees. Both Owen and Dan were of opinion that this formed one end of the channel leading to the sea. No boats or canoes could be discovered on the beach. Further along it to the northward were seen a number of huts and buildings of larger size, probably storehouses. People were moving about among them, but it was impossible at the distance they were to know if they were blacks or whites. In the centre of the harbour lay the _Ouzel Galley_, much in the condition in which she had been when captured, and there were several smaller vessels at anchor, completely dismantled.

So far the inspection of the harbour had been satisfactory; there was nothing that Owen could see to prevent the possibility of their escaping. The party hastened back to the house. Mammy scolded them for being so long absent. "If cappen here, you no do it," she observed; by which remark they guessed that, though she held O'Harrall in awe, she had herself no ill-feeling towards them. On Owen's telling her of the sick man, she consented to let Pompey take him some food, and undertook to visit him herself, provided they would promise not to leave the house during her absence. This they readily agreed to do.

Some days afterwards, when Owen again managed to get as far as the hut, he found the man greatly recovered. John Hempson (as he said was his name) professed himself very grateful, and declared his intention of escaping from the pirates on the first opportunity. "I suppose that they will take me to sea the next time they go," he observed, "and if I then have the chance, I will leave them. They are likely to be back soon, and, indeed, I wonder they have not come in before this."

"Well, then," said Owen, "if you ever return to the old country, you must promise to find out Captain Tracy, living near Waterford, and tell him that I am alive, and hope some day to get back. Depend on it, the captain will reward you for your trouble."

"How will he believe me?" asked Hempson.

"I will write a letter for you to deliver," said Owen. He, however, recollected that he possessed no writing materials, and he might not again have the opportunity of communicating with Hempson. That moment it occurred to him that he had a small book in his pocket. It contained but a portion of a blank leaf. He tore it out, and with the end of a stick he wrote the letters "O.M."

"When my friends see this, they will know that you are speaking the truth," he said, giving the man the paper.

Just then Dan, who had gone on ahead, came hurrying back with the information that a s.h.i.+p was entering the lagoon, and Owen thought it prudent at once to return to the house. Mammy, on hearing this, told her captives that they must not again venture forth, and they, of course, saw the prudence of obeying her.

O'Harrall, who had returned in the s.h.i.+p, paid them but one visit, when he evidently wished to find a cause for quarrelling with Owen. Owen wisely kept his temper, though Dan looked as if he would like to try the strength of his s.h.i.+llelagh on the pirate's head. Whether or not O'Harrall suspected that his prisoners contemplated trying to make their escape, it was difficult to say; but they found that a hut was put up close to their abode, and that it was occupied by two Spaniards, ill-looking fellows, who seemed to have nothing to do but to sit at the door and smoke all day. They did not, however, prevent Mammy going out, accompanied by Pompey, to obtain provisions; and the latter brought them word that the s.h.i.+p had again sailed. Pompey also found out that Hempson had gone on board the s.h.i.+p, and Owen hoped that he would carry out his intention of escaping. Slight as was the chance that he would convey any information to Captain Tracy, it yet raised Owen's spirits.

"We, must wait, howeber, to get 'way till we can manage dese rascal Spaniards," said Pompey. "Dey keep de eye too wide open to let us go just now."

Days and weeks and months went by, and nothing occurred to vary the monotony of their existence. The Spaniards kept too strict a watch to enable them to make any excursions out of the house, and Mammy herself seemed as cautious as she had been on their first arrival. Had it not been for the interest Owen felt in teaching his two countrymen to read, his own spirits would have broken down. Pompey also begged to go to school and join their cla.s.s, but he had great trouble in learning his letters, although after he knew them he got on as rapidly as either of his companions.

Thus several months more pa.s.sed by. Twice the _Eagle_ came in, and again sailed without their receiving a visit from O'Harrall. Owen was becoming more and more sick at heart. It may seem strange that he and his three companions should have been kept in such thraldom by an old woman and two Spaniards, but could these ever-watchful guardians have been overpowered, and even a canoe secured, it would have been madness to have put to sea without provisions and water, with the chance of being pursued or picked up by the pirate s.h.i.+p. He waited, therefore, for an opportunity, which, however, he at times thought might never arrive.

Pompey had at length one day gone out with Mammy, when on his return he brought the news that the _Eagle_ had been lost, and that the captain, with a portion only of the men, had returned in a small vessel they had captured. Owen naturally feared that O'Harrall, after his misfortune, would be in a worse temper than before, and was thankful that he did not make his appearance. Pompey accounted for it by informing them that he and all hands were on board the _Ouzel Galley_, busily employed in fitting her out.

It was now again the hurricane season, and some time would probably elapse before the pirates would venture to put to sea. For the same reason Owen considered that it would not be prudent to try and make their escape. Their chance, however, of getting off undiscovered was less than it had been before, for so great was the demand for hands to man the _Ouzel Galley_ that the two Spaniards were called away from their post, and no others were sent to take their places. One evening, about this time, Pompey made his appearance in a great state of agitation.

"What do you tink, Cappen Ma.s.sey?" he exclaimed. "I talk berry often to Mammy, and not 'spect anyting, but dis berry morning I'se tell her dat, when I was one piccaninny, I'se carried away from Africa wid my mudder; when I'se come to Jamaica, one ma.s.sa buy her and anoder buy me, and from dat day I neber set eyes on her. We talkee for some time, and den she cry out, 'You Pompey, my son,' and she trew her arms round my neck and burst into tears. Den I kiss her and tell her dat she right, and we laugh and cry togeder for two 'ole hours."

Owen, upon further questioning Pompey, was convinced that he was not mistaken. It greatly raised his spirits, and he had now hopes that Mammy would connive at their escape, even if she would not venture to a.s.sist at it. Pompey was very sanguine about the matter. "She so happy to find me dat she do anyting I ask," he said positively. "Neber fear, cappen, we get away soon."

It was, of course, necessary to wait till the _Ouzel Galley_, now fitted out as a piratical s.h.i.+p, should sail. With varied feelings Owen saw her one morning gliding out of the harbour. He, accompanied by Pompey, had gone as near to her as he could venture. He had but little to fear of being discovered, as the whole population of the place were watching the departing s.h.i.+p. It was certainly trying to see his own vessel sailing away in the hands of the miscreants who had captured her, on an expedition which boded ill for any merchant vessels she could overtake.

She was rigged exactly as before.

Owen would not have delayed making the attempt to escape, but the nights were moonlight, and they would run a great risk of being discovered.

After this bad weather came on, and a further delay occurred. Pompey had undertaken to look out for a suitable craft. It was necessary to use caution in the search lest their intention might be suspected. He had made several trips along the sh.o.r.e, and had discovered places where boats and canoes were hauled up, but some were too large and heavy, and others too small. At last he said that he had found one of a proper size to hold five persons, and provisions and water sufficient to last them for a week or ten days. "Five persons!" exclaimed Owen.

"Yes, cappen. Mudder says she go too. If she stop, dat fellow cut her troat."

Although Owen would rather have dispensed with the company of the old woman, yet, in common humanity, he felt bound to take her if she wished to go. It showed, also, that she had confidence in their success, and would contrive to obtain the necessary provisions. About this she had been engaged for some time, getting some in one place and some in another, so that no suspicions might be raised as to her object.

The _Ouzel Galley_ had sailed a fortnight or more, when Pompey announced that all was ready. Mammy packed up all the provisions in bundles, and had obtained two small casks of water, besides a number of gourds filled with the precious liquid. Pompey and Dan started as soon as it was dark, carrying loads, which they intended to hide near where the canoe was drawn up.