CHAPTER TIL

Clutha Leader, Volume XXVI, Issue 1376, 16 February 1900, Page 7

CHAPTER TIL

A FRILLED NIGHTCAP. At ten o'clock as 1 walked to the bell and struck it, the Captain, tossing away his cigar stump, suddenly came up to me and asked quietly, ' How much did you heir, Mr Morris, when you were in your berth, whilst, tny brother and I were talking 1 ? For a moment I was taken flat aback. Then, evasive words of subterfuge rose to my lips. But suddenly the notion came into my mind that now, as he knew so munh, it would be far better to have it out and done with. Thus I replied after the momentary pause, speaking quietly as himself, ' Well, sir, pretty nearly everything that was said, I imagine.' 'So V he replied. ' And what do ysu think of the affair, looking at it from a speculative point of view V ' I think,' I replied boldly, and staring him squarely, • that it's about the most cunning, rascally scheme of wholesale robbery I every heard of ; and I that if I had anyone besides myself who had heard as much as I heard, penal servitude for life would be the share of its promoters.' ' Aha,' replied he, ' I'm glad you see your weak point. You're alone, fortunately, and no statements you could make would be entertained for a moment as against my name and reputation. You've more sense than I credited you with. I thought when I picked you off (he dock a week age, starving and shabby that you were the common type of sea dog who is onh' too glad to bark when he'd told, and leave well alone.' This made me argry, and I tried a chance shot with, ' Anyhow, Captain Baleston, you'll hardly aitempt the game now, whilst I'm with you. And perhaps, in port, I may find somebody to at least believe me as far as a sworn statement will go respecting the nature of your cargo.' It was a rash and utterly reckless speech, but 1 was p'eased to hear his teeth gritting against each other with rage, and know that my wild words had hit a mark. Taking a few paces along the deck he looked into the binnacle, muttered something in German to the man at the wheel, and came back to me, saying — 'You shall have L5OO to stand in with us V ' Far too much for a mere sea-dog with no more brains than a servingmallet,' I replisd poHtely. ' Thank God,' I continued, ' I'm a fairly honest man, and want no share in such tricks as you've made your money by, and which'll yet land you behind iron I bars !' * Another L5OO for poor old honesty,' he retorted, in a jeering tone, ' and that's as far as I'm inclined to go. You'd better take it. But please yourself.' 'Not for fifty times the amount,' I replied, angrily. ' And now wreck the ship, if you dare ! You won't n'nd it such simple tea-drinking as the Agenoria business seems to have been. Now you can do your worst, and plague on you and all such cursed pirates I 1 1 was by this time thoroughly vexed and losing my temper. As T spoke the captain walked away, and disappeared down the companion, making no answer whatever. Presently, looking through the open skylight, I saw him come out of his stateroom and pour whisky from the decanter in the swinging tray. He took nearly half a tumblerful — neat. Then he went into his brother's berth ; and I could well imagine the pair plotting to counteract this unexpected check. At eight bells, when the mate relieved me, I could detect nothing out of the common in his manner, which was always pretty cordial. As was my invariable custom before turning in, I mixed myself a tumbler of grog, taking the whisky out of the same decanter I had seen the captain use. Then I went to my berth, and—first, however, doing what I never had done before — viz., slipping the bolt of my door — I lit my pipe and the lamp, undressed, and lay down to think matters over. Gradually, I became aware of a sense of lethargy taking possession of me, accompanied by a not unpleasant feeling of drowsiness. My pipe fell out of my mouth on to the floor, and I watched unconcernedly the hot ashes making little black holes in the strip of carpet. Presently the smell of the smouldering wool became disagreeable, and I wished to rise and extinguish ifc. To tny dismay I found that I could

move neither hand nor foot, My brain was active as ever, but all power of slightest motion had completely disappeared. I imagined at first that I had received ' a stroke ' of some mysterious description. But, in that, case, T argued, surely I should feel er'uk and iI. And I never felt better internally. I made tremendous efforts to stir — 1 liinfTpr even — but without avai'. What was this dreadful thins; that ' had come upon me in a fl .sh, and without the least warning 1 Probably it would disappear as quickly. I <vas lying- on my side, facing th« door. Over thf» latter was a glass fanlight that moved on a 'midship swivel. A noise at this made me look up. It was turning, and the next moment J saw the captain's face framed in the square apertnrp. He was grinning, with a row of white teeth showing under his j straw-coloured moustache ; and I caught quite clearly the dancing devil in his eyes as he fixed them intently i on mine. For fully three minutes we stared at each other. I tried to speak ; but, to my horror, tongue and jaws refused their office. Presently the face at the fanlight disappeared, with a noise as of a person stepping off a chair or a stool. There was some whispering outside, and all at once I saw my door giving slowly but sure.ly. The bolt was but a flimsy thing at best ; and now, under heavy pressure, it first bent, then .the brass socket carried away, and the door flew open, disclosing the two Balfistons. • He's all right, Fred,' said the skipper. 'Let me introduce you to the gentleman whoa going to play up with us in such s'yle. Your grog was doctored, Mr Morris ; the nightcap had a frill to it,' he <vent on, as, one at my head, the other at my lfgs, they lifted me out of the bunk like a log. .' And now you're going down amongst the dead men, to tell 'em the Urania's coming. Grntly through ihe door, Fred, or you'll bump his head. 1 Out on the quarterdeck, with the fresh breeze blowing cool on my face, they carried me* It was dark, much darker than when I cane below, and clouds were gathering over the stars. Between them, panting, they hoisted me on to the rail just be-aft the main j rigging. ' The beggar's heavy,' exclaimed the Captain, 'and he'll make a devil of a splash ! Take the t'gall&nt halliards, Fred, and shovp the bight of 'em round him under tb^ arms, and we'll lower him down easily.' The mate, who had not spoken a i word, silentl} 7 obeyed, whilst the other held me half on the pin-rail, half on , the t'gallant one, in a reclining posture, with my back against the rigging Again and again I strove to utter a cry ; but my tongue felt like a Jump of lead in a throat swollen to the verge of suffocation. In vain rriy despairing eyes — the only members I could use — swept the deck, Not a soul was to be seen, not a sound heard except the steady hum of the wind as it blew under the foot of the mainsail. The high break of the poop sheltered us from the sight of the helmsman, even bad the darkness not sufficed. Gjzing outboard, my glance swept the black wasto of white'tipped furrows,and the bitterness of death entered into my soul, as already I seemed to feel them closing over mj dumb and helpless body. ' Better take a round turn,' muttered the captain, 'or he'll slip before we're ready. Now, then, good-bye, good-bye, Mr Morris. A thousand pounds or Davy Jones ! Vow chose the last. You've got no choice lift. Take a turn under the pin. So, together ! Over he goes !' {To be continued.)