Blue Jackets Part 87

"Gleat blow storm," said Ching, nodding. "Hullicane."

"There you are, sir," said Jecks. "Hurricanes or tyc.o.o.ns."

"Typhoons," I said.

"Yes, sir, that's it, on'y you pernounces it different to me. Don't make no difference in the strength on 'em," he continued testily, for his wound was evidently painful, "whether you spells it with a kay or a phoo. Why, I seed big vessels arterwards, as had been blowed a quarter of a mile inland, where they could never be got off again."

"Yes, I've heard of that sort of thing," I said. "They ride in on a great wave and are left behind."

"Lookye here, sir," whispered the c.o.xswain, who seemed to ignore his wound; "I don't want to show no white feathers, nor to holler afore I'm hurt, but if I was you, I should ask Mr Brooke to run straight for the nearest sh.o.r.e--say one o' them islands there, afore the storm comes; you arn't got no idea what one o' them tyc.o.o.ns is like. As for this boat, why, she'll be like a bit o' straw in a gale, and I don't want to go to the bottom until I've seed you made a skipper; and besides, we've got lots more waspses' nests to take, beside polis.h.i.+ng off those three junks--that is, if they're left to polish when the storm's done."

"Stand up, Mr Herrick," cried the lieutenant. "Look yonder, due north.

What do you see?"

I held the tiller between my knees as I stood up and gazed in the required direction, but could see nothing for a few minutes in the dusk.

"Can't you see?"

"Yes, sir, now. Small round black cloud."

"Yes, of smoke."

"Ay, ay, sir, I see it," said one of the sailors. "Hooray! it's the _Teaser_ with the wind blowing hard astern and carrying the smoke of her funnel right over her and ahead."

"The _Teaser_ or some other steamer; and she's running fast for harbour.

Let's see: those are the Black Gull Islands to port there. Were you with us when the cutter's crew landed, Jecks?"

"Yes, sir; I rowed stroke-oar, sir."

"To be sure. The second one from the north had the highest ground."

"Yes, sir; but you couldn't land for the surf and the shark-fin rocks, if you remember."

"Exactly; and we rowed along the south channel till we found a sheltered sand-cove, where we beached the cutter, and then explored the island.

We must make for that channel, and try to reach it before the storm comes down. We could not get half-way to the river, and, thank heaven, the _Teaset_ will soon be in safety."

"No, sir, you couldn't make no river to-night."

"It will be dark too soon."

"Not to-night, sir," said Jecks st.u.r.dily.

"Yes, man; there will be no moon."

"No, sir; but in less nor an hour's time the sea 'll be white as milk, and all of a greeny glow, same as it is some still nights in port.

There won't be no difficulty, sir, about seeing."

"But you think it will be hard to make the channel?"

"I hope not, sir, but I'm afraid so; we can only try."

"Yes, we can only try," said Mr Brooke slowly, as he came and sat beside me. "And we must try, Herrick--our best. For this is no night to be out in almost an open boat."

"Then you think there is danger, sir?" I said anxiously.

"No, Herrick," he replied, smiling; "sailors have no time to think of danger. They have enough to think about without that. We must get in the lee of that island to-night, and it the storm holds back, and the little boat spins along like this, we ought to do it."

"And if it doesn't, sir?"

"If it doesn't? Ah, well, we shall see. Stand by, two of you, ready to lower that sail at a moment's notice."

"Ay, ay, sir," was the ready reply as two of the men changed their places; and just then I looked at Ching, to see that his face was lit up by the reflection of the strange light on our right and behind, which grew more striking, while away before us the land disappeared, and we were gazing at a bank of clouds of an inky black.

The effect was very curious: behind us the dull coppery glow becoming fainter minute by minute, as the darkness increased the blackness before us; and one's instinct seemed to warn one to turn from the black darkness to sail away towards the light. Tom Jecks took the same idea, and said, in an irritable whisper, exactly what I thought--

"Seems rum, sir, don't it, sir?--makes believe as that's the best way, when all the time the wussest looking is the safest."

Just then, after a glance round, Mr Brooke uttered another warning to the men to be ready, and settled himself down to the tiller.

"Sit fast, all of you; the hurricane may be down upon us at any moment now."

I looked at him wonderingly, for it was painfully still, though the darkness was growing intense, and the great junk seemed to have been swallowed up by the clouds that hung low like a fog over the sea.

"There will be such a turmoil of the elements directly," continued Mr Brooke in a low voice, but only to me, "that I don't suppose a word will be heard." Then aloud, "Look here, my lads; I shall try and run the boat high upon the sands at the top of some breaker. Then it will be every man for himself. Never mind the boat--that is sure to be destroyed--but each man try to save his arms and ammunition; and if the two wounded men are in difficulties, of course you will lend a hand.

Now then, one more order: The moment I say, 'Down with the sail,' drag it from the mast, and two oars are to be out on either side. The wind will catch them and send us along, and I want them to give a few dips to get on the top of a roller to carry us in."

"Ay, ay, sir."

"That's all."

His words in that terrible stillness sounded to me as almost absurd, for the sea was still calm, and save that sighing in the air of which I have before spoken, there was no further sound; and at last I said to him--

"Do you really think we shall have a hurricane?"

"Look at the sky, my lad," he replied; "and take this as a lesson to one who will have men's lives depending upon his knowledge and skill some day. If ever there were signs of an awful night in the Chinese seas, it is now. Hark at that!"

"Guns! The _Teaser_!" I exclaimed excitedly.

"Heaven's artillery that, my lad," he said solemnly. Then in a whisper, "Shake hands! I'll help you all I can, Herrick, but heaven knows how we shall be situated soon."

I felt a strange sensation of awe creep over me, as he gripped my hand warmly, and then s.n.a.t.c.hed his away, and sat up firm and rigid, turning his head to the east as all now became suddenly black--so dark that I could hardly see the men before me and the sail. But still we glided rapidly on over the long smooth rollers, on and on toward the islands, which lay a short distance from the mainland.

"It will be all guess work," whispered Mr Brooke. "I am keeping her head as near as I can guess for the channel, but the breakers will soon be our only guide."

Then came the heavy roar again, which I had taken for guns, but it did not cease as before, when it sounded like a sudden explosion. It was now continuous, and rapidly increasing.

"Thunder?" I asked in a low voice.