THE GOLDEN PRECIPICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13722, 11 April 1908, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE GOLDEN PRECIPICE.

—p -SHED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH CASP,„„ottSHED COMPANY, PROPRIETORS PSsf AKD COMPANY, LTD., PROPRIETORS • 0 I • 'IB COPYRIGHT.]

-—' —-— 'V - BY H. 3. MARRIOTT WATSON, Author of " The Web of the Spider," " Gal- " Toning Dick," "The Skirts of Happy Chance," "Captain Fortune," "A, ,; Midsummer Day's Dream, '■ Etc., Etc

[COP HEIGHT.] ' . CHATTER V.—{Continued.) . Therb was uo trouble among'the partners , for some days, and we appeared to have '' .'' L - - weathered the threatened storm. That, however, was but a delusive interlude, as you shall see. It was not many days before Line Signs of insubordination were visible "' • ftmong the crew. I noticed louder voices «nd less reputable behaviour than is consistent" with good seamanship and strict discipline. And at last, as I was descending into the- lower deck, one of the hands ran ~ into me, obviously drunk. -What the "he began, and lurched „ff I gave Wade the information, and he caused inquiries to be made. Marley, having'investigated, came back with a bad re- ■ P0 "I'm very sorry, old man," he said, seat- ' ; ed '.opposite his captain, whom no thus ' cavalierly addressed, "but there's gome mischief down there. And I can't get at the ■ bottom of it. I found two of the beggars • drunk, and several had had quite as much ■ as was good for them. I gave the blighters ' • a dressing down, but they're a cheeky lot, and I wouldn't trust some of-them. ■- - "Oh!" said Wade, rising, "we 11 soon get ■ to the bottom of this. Give me the names." * "Atkins and Desprez drunk, said Marley, consulting his notes, "and a lot of others—Santoni, Millevois, Carsch, Anton, Peter*—had been drinking." "Air. Marley, be so good as to instruct Mr.Davenant to have the crew piped on deck," said Wade formally. Marley went out, and presently the boatswain's whistle was beard. 1 think it was , ft great occasion for Digby, " part owner. r V . No one knew what was coming, not even J, though I had looked interrogatively at Wade. His face was set like a bulldog s, his jaw stiff. It was dark, and the men were assembled facing the upper deck, the captain on the "'My lads," shouted Wade from above, "there's some bad eggs among you, halfseas over. I want to know where you come by that stuff before I take action." ' There was no reply from below, but a sort of deep murmur passed along the ranks. " Very well. I'll have it sooner or later out of you, if I've got to hammer it out. Best be sensible," said Wade's cool voice.. " I'm not going to come down hard on you. Only this has got to end." . Still there was no reply. *' 1.1 give you four minutes," said Wade, and left; the bridge. He joined me, breathing heavily. You can see it now, Herapath," he said. "It's warming up. We've bit off as much ;-"'';- ; M we can chew. I've seen crews all my life, and I know it." f _.„ j ■What's old glory at?" inquired Clifford *i be brushed past me."/.;-_ "He's discovered that some of Ins hands . 7 are drunk," I replied deliberately, "and more are fractious." » "Crikey!" he exclaimed. " Here a go! -■■ I wish I'd not left my mammy. Let's see the fun." He pushed on precipitately, and :; when I turned Wade had remounted to the " v bridge. '.:";'•.// ' :■■■''■'• - "Well?" he shouted. "There's nothing to say, sir," shouted back several voices. " Very well," said he. '." Atkins, Desprez, . Santom, Carsch, Millevois, Peters, Anton—" he completed the list. "Remain! Ail others resume duty, or go below." There was a movement visible among the squad, a' movement of disintegration, and then suddenly, and without a further word on anyone's "part, a fierce stream of water from two hoses began to play upon 1 them ''' from the upper deck. ' There followed at once a stampede and confusion, and savage oaths reached us. "]■ . .- But the hoses played on, and the victims :; bolted in various directions. The batteries sought them in hiding-places ; the ' deck was searched, until at last it was empty, untenanted, and dripping in the faint light. Wade descended from the - bridge now, ' and not a muscle of his face moved. fie went to his .-; "cabin without a remark. It was Clifford who made the comment. "Gosh! How's that for high? The dook is on his hind legs." " ' silly thing to do," growled Marley m my ears. "It wasn't bad fun, and it'll sober them up. But —— silly thing to do.'* . • Davenant was beside us, blinking s through his glasses at the scene. * CHAPTER VI. ;.•"- MCLEOD. •. ... Halliday was confined to his cabin again, for the wind nad swollen to half a gale, and the sea was running heavily. He had stood out against his weakness in a gallant manner, but had been forced to capitulate. Red-eyed, pink-nosed, and pinched of face, he had retired, and we ,■ did not see him for two days. But c r n ing those two days we 1 ' were not idle. In- - deed, things became very lively for us, owing •in the main to Wade's high-hand-ed action., He had the temper of an autocrat, and he had a right, but 1 question if it was wise to take the step he did. And yet when one thinks of what alterwards" Happened at the island, it is impossible to say whether events would have been affected had no stayed his hand. The trouble begin; as usual, with Clifford, that cheerful, leering scoundrel., who seemed absolutely to delight in disorder and rows out of sheer wantonness. With this news of the cr«w in his ears Wade summoned the storekeeper before him again. He did not beat about the bush with useless threats, but went straight to the point. He demanded of Clifford his accounts and books. "Books." said this Beelzebub, staring ' *' 1 didn't know you had to keep books !" "Think they kept themselves?" sneered Wade. . " Clifford grinned. Nothing could per- ; turb that shameless bosom. " it, if I'd known there was any of that tommy-rot I wouldn't have taken it on," he said. " Anyway, I've got the cash, and I'll shell out." He reappeared presently, with a piece of paper on which were some accounts, and Wade inspected it. t) "This isn't the slightest use to me, he remarked shortly. " This purports to give the amount of stores dispensed, but ' where is the account of the stores Ship- - .. ped?" ••' , ■ .'■'. "How the deuce was I to know that was wanted?" asked Clifford with apparent vexation ; but I could see the glint in his eves that spoke of vicious laughter. '..' .■ "I've Jot some of the invoices,' he added, as if in mitigation of his negligence. .. Including those for wine and rum. _ - asked Wade, once more with his sneer. "It's possible. I couldn't say, said Clifford easily. " I'll have a look it you "Pray do," said Wade politely, and "Pray do," said Wade politely, and we waited. "That man's very clever, - -he remarked in an even voice. it s a rare combination, cunning, and audacity, \ . and goes far to make a first-class scoundrel." ... . ({ M i Clifford returned jauntily. _ Wo, i ffis \ find there's no wine or spirits ™™™ '« he said cheerfully, and grinned at bo«i ot • us. Then he went off into laughter. "You may go," said Wade curtly, and when he was gone, turned tome. lie s one of mv owners ! Great Scott. Ihe • mhchief of it is we can't discover how much of the snirits they've cached. JNo one but this cherub knows sow much ■ . came aboard. We must oniy reckon on this now. that they've got their separate •4dlar, and are going to use it when they like." ■:• --■■''■■}■ , w . This was exactly what happened. We • ..- were unable to trace the sou ce af the drinking, Sot drinking con'mueci. The men were well sup- • plied wirii rum from some secret iount. and the discipline of the ship deteriorated in a marked degree. Both Marley. and . Hi venant reported their inability to stem '-he growing disorder. It was not that j the hands were mutinous, *but they were ' in a las state, and resented the routine J W^s^^M^^ : M.-:.^; : '•mii'^-i >.:-'.;■" ).■-:;'■ ' .'.,"■ - : ..-'--. kj'. \ * ::-:■'

! of duty. Also they assumed * a familiarity ! to, : .which they were ordinarily foreign. . I cannot imagine that the man Crashaw ! could ever have developed a greater ofj .fence of manner than was natural to his j bold gait, but the demoralisation showed in almost all the others, who were wont I on occasion to indulge in winks and nudges and significant grins in the presence I of any of their officers. If the sousing I to which some of them had been, subjected rankled in their minds we saw nothing i of that. It was merely now that they shared a joke against us. Marley fumed, Davenant shrugged his shoulders, and Wade was philosophically silent. I think he expected something worse and was saving up for it. Halliday reappeared for a short time, and in his sharp way noted the altered behaviour of the crew. But he took it with nonchalance. His indomitable spirit could be nothing but optimistic. "Say, they'll settle down, the boys will," he remarked. "They're going a bit free, I don't doubt, but that's the liquor. If I thought it was that blamed Clifford— But, anyway, they'll settle down." I inquired on this occasion as to his progress in discovering the thief, and he looked down his nose. "Fact is, Mr. Herapath," he said, -" I didn't have time to get a hold of it. 1 quite cottoned to your notion, and I acted on it." "Well?" I queried with interest. He stroked his clean-shaven face demurely. "Well, I told each of them in private that I had lost a document, and that of the whole lot I was only perfectly sure of him. Do you see? That was the lay, wasn't it? Well," his voice became dry, and his manner drier, " they each said they guessed that was so, and that they suspected the other six. That didn't seem, to get us much^further." A furtive smile dawned on his face. " What, did Marley and Davenant say that?" I asked. "I kinder left them out," he answered. "But the other four did, and Digby gave me to understand bluntly that he had never kept company with such trash in his life, having been born a gentlest N ■ man." i " He drinks with them," said I; and, after all, it is possible they were all born i gentlemen." It's a word that puzzles me," said Halliday. "What does it signify anyway? Still, if it is going to count as an umbrella, I'll bet my last greenback that it doesn't cover Clifford." No, Clfford defies analysis. He quoted the classics, and he had a varied vocabulary, but he had no pretensions to having ever once been a gentleman. He was born a "bounder." And an amazing bounder! For here my narrative touches farce. Halliday driven back into his cabin by stress of weather, Clifford approached * Wade, and offered his assistance to quell the insubordinate crew ! I was not present at the interview, and I never heard exactly what happened, but I know Clifford ran the risk of having his head broken a second time. " I sent him to the right about," was all Wade said. r But having been cheated of his office of peace-maker, Clifford apparently decided to go out as a volunteer. He mingled with the men a good deal, hobnobbed with / them, and chaffed them, but I did not observe that his missionary efforts were much rewarded. On the contrary, the hands' familiarity -was increased, though it was good-natured enough. Meanwhile the voyage had been uneventful for Miss Sylvester and her uncle, but both seemed quite satisfied with their surroundings. The girl enjoyed the novelty of her position, and pelted me, and all ot us, with questions as to the island and the treasure. I could honestly say I knew nothing, but that could not be McLeod's excuse for silence. And, indeed, I have reasons to believe that he told her as much as he knew. Clifford, of course, she never condescended to notice in any way. and to Byrne, his constant associate and boon companion, she paid scant attention. She concentrated herself socially upon Wade, McLeod, the two officers, and myself, and of these McLeod was most in her company. Davenant was polite but formal, and Marley was too roughly-hewn to take a'young girl's fancy. In an ordinary way shipboard intimacy is easily established, and given that ingenuous and open nature of the girl, it was not difficult to account for the friendly relations which she maintained with McLeod. The man himself was improved by this association, as cii« had grudgingly to admit. It removed him a good deal from the society of Byrne and Clifford, and brought out better ponds in a wild nature. . Yet he was still listed as dangerous in ray private books, and not without justice. In the dusk of one evening, when we had fairly run into the. West Indian water, I was upon the lower deck on some errand, and at the back of some kegs I came upon a seaman stooped over something. "What is it, Carter?" I inquired. He raised bis head as a turtle raises his, and straightened himself, laughing awkwardly. "It's Joyce," he said; and added, "I reckon he ought to have the hose, sir.' . I saw now what it was. The drunk*n man lay stertorous and helpbss. I eyed ■Carter,"a slow-moving, bulky, dull-witted fellow, with huge, capable hands. "I oughtn't to say it," I said, "but it would be. wiser for him to be out of this. If I were you and yourfriends, Carter I'd get him below." That's what I was going to do, sir," said Carter in a confidential manner. "Very well," said I. "I haven't seen anything. But when you've disposed of him I-wouldn't take it" amiss if you came to my cabin, Carter." " Very well, sir," he said, staring heavily. And I left him. Now this was deliberately designed on my part. I was using a sprat, so to speak, to catch.a mackerel. If I '-ad not shown myself sympathetic over Joyce's inanimate body, I should have alienated Carter. At any rate, he would not have been likely to give me any assistance. It remained to see if he would in any case. He knocked half an hour later, "when the dark had fully descended. , "I couldn't come before, sir," he oxplained, "as well, I hadn't the chance." He displayed some confusion, and I drew my own inferencenamely, that he had not wanted to bo seen visiting me, and hence had waited until the dusk had deepened.' "Well, Carter," I said diplomatically, " sit down, I want to have a talk. Joyce all right?" "Yes, sir—nicely laid in lied." Carter was ill at ease, and ponderous of manner. The machinery of his brain turned so rustily that he hardly recognised it was in motion. "About this drinking, Carter?" " Yes, sir." " You know it won't do. I'm not going to say anything about Joyce, or what I've seen, but it's got to stop if we're not going to get into trouble. I don\even ask Where it comes from. All I want to; have is an assurance that the men wMgo slow on it." '' • Carter fumbled with his thoughts. ■ "I don't know, sir. Some of them's a bit hard to .head off." "True; but, I suppose, there's someone in authority over the supplies?" I spoke as if it was quit© a natural thing that they should have their private cellar, and my tone was lather that of one who begs a friend for assistance. Oh, Heaven's no good," he s£id thoughtlessly, and then it dawned on , him what he had said. I gave no signs of receiving this information with astonshment or satsfaction, but ignoring the trouble in his eyes, continued in the same tone. "Well, any way, Carter, there ought to be someone able "to put a stop to this excessive drinking.. It's bound to lead to trouble." "There ought, sir," he agreed, looking relieved. "Understand me," I pursued. "It's for the sake of the ship I say this. I'm not blaming the men for enjoying themselves within reason. I like a drop myself. But there are evidently some of them who can't help making pigs of themselves." \ That's true, sir," said Carter "and I could put a name to them, too, but"' I don't like splitting on pals." "I wouldn't ask you to," I replied. "Of course, we know that Heaven distributes the rum, but we don't know where it is." "Oh, you knew that, sir?" said Carter, staring. , ~.,,„, "Why, do you suppose we're blind?" I asked. "I don't like Heaven, and I don't trust him." ; . ■ •

Carter glanced about cautiously before speaking. "Well, it isn't for me to say, sir, but I don't like his goings-on. Of course, I wouldn't say anything to come between my shipmates and myself; but I don't like 'Eaven, and that's fiat." "Ah, Carter," said I sadly, shaking my head, and drawing a bow at a venture, it's not so much Heaven as those who are above and ought to know better than he. I blame them." I had to angle him, you see, but the operation repaid me. He leaned forward mysteriously. " You're right, sir. I don't want to open my mouth about no one, but I wouldn't trust that there doctor, not for nuts." "Ah, you've observed then?" I said, nodding. "You've a shrewd mind, Carter." "Observed?" he said, now quite lumberingly confidential. "Why, I seed him." "That day?" said I vaguely. He nodded, and went on in a lower voice, " I was swabbin' the deck by the chart house, and it was pretty dark, and I see him go into Mr. Hafiiday's cabin. "i'was him took the key, sir, sure enough." " Carter," said . I, clapping him on the back, " this is important. You're a very important .witness." He looked uncomfortable. "I wouldn't do anything that was unfriendly to my mates," he said in a crestfallen way. "You needn't," I said. " I think lean promise you won't be called upon to do anything. . But we must maintain discipline aboard. You know that as well as I, don't you?" "Yes, sir; of course, sir," he said, cheering up. " And now, Carter," J went on, " as this is an exceptional occasion, I think I may ask you to join me in a glass." "Thank ye, sir," he said, now quite at his ease. I took the information forthwith to Wade, who heard me out, frowned, and rang a bell. "Heaven we'll deal with in due course," he said.' "But McLeod is a more important matter. We'll settle that right away." " I don't want to bring in Carter's name if possible," I isaid. "I took advantage of him, and I feel rather mean about it." " You're so thin-skinned, my son," said he. " But I think I can bluff it all right without him," and broke off to give an order. "Ask Mr. Marley, Mr, Davenant, and Dr. McLeod if they will be good enough to join me here." Marley arrived be'ore the others, anci saw by Wade's face that something was wrong. " What's the row?" he asked. *' Court of justice," said Wade. " McLeod," said I, Marley whistled. " I thought the blighter would tumble into it sooner or later," he said. There was a noise outside, and the door opened, Davenant slipping in so."' but with rather a flushed face. On his'heels came McLeod, tall, wiry, and swaggering. At a glance I saw he had been with his friends. "What's up?" he. asked. Wade eyed him steadily. "Last week," he said abruptly, "Mr. Halliday's cabin was entered, his bureau was broken into, and a key was abstracted. The thief was seen and identified by witnesses who have only just come forward. He was Dr. McLeod." - Marley called out in surprise : " The devil!" Davenant looked from one to the other, from the accuser to the accused. McLeod did not break out, as I had expected, but a sneer spread over his face. Is that what you've summoned me here to tell me?" he asked in his brusque Scottish voice. " I charge you, sir, in the presence of these gentlemen," said Wade sternly, '' and give you warning of the proceedings which will follow. You have been guilty of theft." Oh," said McLeod quietly enough, but the anger swelling within him was visible through all. "Is that it? It's verra confederate of you, Captain Mark Wade, as. they call ye—very conseederate indeed: and I take it friendly like to —" "There is another matter, also," broke in Wade coldly. "You stole not only a key, but a chart and a document, both the private property of Mr. Halliday, who—" " It's a lie, you liar'." cried the Scotsman, his fury suddenly overflowing in passion; and lifting his fist he struck Wade over the forehead, and drove his head against the woodwork. CHAPTER VII. CONCERNING THE CHART. Davenant took hold of the savage, and Wade recovered himself. In tnat moment I admired his self-control, for his hands were trembling, and his face had whitened. But he remembered even then that he was on the bench, and there was a perceptible pause before any word was said. McLeod, restrained between Davenant and Marley, was unabashed, but he made no attempt to renew his outrage. "This is a case for irons," said Wade quietly. " Mr. Herapath, will you kindly get a couple of men." < "Irons be " cried McLeod, and strove to throw off the hands that held him. Davenant remonstrated with him in the struggle that followed, and I caught the words. " The man called me a thief. I'll let blood out of any man that calls me thief." I ended the struggle by putting my arms over his from behind, so that he could make no movement; and meanwhile Wade, had rung. It was not a pleasant sight, but it had to be endured, and Wade watched the operation of ironing unperturbed. McLeod, having ceased to resist, had turned sullen, and malevolence kindled in his eyes as he was taken away. " I don't know, gentlemen," remarked Wade carefully, " if t'ris is going to do us any good. We've got the thief, but 1 don't quite see what we are going to do with him. It isn't as if we were' able to hand him over to port authorities.. We're not likely to trouble port authorities much at present, as far as I can make out. Anyway, the gentleman is better where he is for a time." _ This was admirably -restrained, but I think that blow on the head determined a good deal for Wade, and lor the rest o! us. He hTd Tieen up to that point a shipmaster beyond reproach, holding his position with exemplary manner. From the incident dates the development of his bravado which was characteristic of one side of his nature. The unusual conditions of this curious expedition had hitherto just faneff to «vert mm from his course; now he fell. And the first sign of his changing demeanour was apparent the very next morning. News had gone about the shin, and even our passengers were acquainted early with McLeod's disgrace. Something un- ; intelligible in the nature of the woman, perverse and irrational, but sympathetic, stirred Miss Sylvester to a display of agitation and even indignation. It was horrid; it was unjust; it was cruel. She knew there must be a mistake. And if McLeod had hit the captain, anyone with spirit would do the same if he were accused of stealing. This you. might have looked .upon_ as the amiable but embarrassinfi complaints of a child. It was to me she pleaded thus, distressfully and angrily, and a sense of her vivacious beauty moved me. " It's the gravest nautical offence," I said. "To look over it would be to dissolve the whole discipline upon which the safety of the- crew and passengers depends." . ~ „ , "It was Captain Wade fault, she repeated vehemently, "and I'll tell him so. And I'll ask him to release Dr. McLeod from his shameful position." And Wade making his appearance negligently at that moment, she fulfilled her promise by rushing upon him. "Captain Wade, you must just release Dr. McLeod. It's abominable of you to have put him in irons. He was quite justified in striking you when you told him he was a thief. And he didn't hurt you much anyway." Wade's eyes lighted up with amusement. " Not much," he assented. "But it might have been awkward if he had caught me a little lower— just there, Miss Sylvester." And he indicated a spot above his ear. "I don't think a week to cool down will harm him." si A week J"- she thrilled, horror-struck., ,

Wade's eyes admired her. " Oh, my dear Miss Sylvester, he's a, lneky man to have enlisted such an advocate. Say six days." - , .. . . "Six days!'* She looked despair at him. : ,-. ~' ■ , , "Five," he relented; and she shook tier head decisively. "Come then, four," he pursued, smiling. ~ '.". ~ " I won't consent to four, said the girl, displaying now in her change of voice a recognition of her intervening influence. . ~ "If you are going to be very kind, I heard Wade say in his _ most wooing voice, "I'll make it three." _ . Again she shook her head. The affair had dropped her straightway out of the category of tragedy, and was becoming a mere "nothing, owing to his treatment of it. She had expected a grim tyrant and an executioner's cell, and here was a pleasant cavalier ready to grant a lady s whim. With that tier own portentous emotion vanished, and she returned his smile. "It was very cruel of you, she said. "You oughtn't" to have done it at ail. Dr. McLeod —" _ I passed out of hearing, and I never heard the end of that haggling, but it represented the new order in Wade. McLeod was not released that day, and even I was disposed to think he had been hardly treated. After all, we had no proof that he had rifled the bureau, and his violent outbreak seemed to indicate his good faith. Carter might have been ntistaken. Anyway, we had not tried him, and though it was for his assault he had been sentenced, he went to gaol, so to speak, with the stain of a crime on his reputation which had not been demonstrated. . Wade was about with Miss Sylvester most of the day. He had a very facile, gallantry, and took to it naturally. Women were to* him objects of flirtation, to whom you were bound to make love. His sentiments never soared higher than-this. And with the-e ideas he kept himself, and, as, a rule, the ladies very well amused. A« for Miss Sylvester, I thought she exchanged the company of the imprisoned man for the man who had imprisoned him with surprising indifference. To all accounts, and to judge by her laughter on deck, she had wholly forgotten the victim languishing in bis cell— odd contrast with her emotion in the morning on learning of his fate. (To be continued on Saturday next.)