_ CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.
Our heads, on comparing notes, began to feel more bearable, and as the throbbing gradually died away we could feel that the effort to think was easier, while our thoughts were clearer, and before long we began to feel about so as to learn what kind of place we were in, and made out that it was an oblong kind of space between cases, and with barrels underneath, and upon which we had been lying when we began to come to. We could learn nothing further, and there were no replies now to the tappings we gave from time to time, a fact which made my heart sink rather low. For I knew that there must be some reason for this, and I was trying to puzzle it out, when Barney Blane said suddenly--
"Say, messmates, arn't it 'bout time as some 'un came round to feed the crew?"
"Ay," said Bob, "and the sooner they do it the better. I'm getting wild for want o' somethin' to stow in my hold. They've got to bring something too, or I'll soon let 'em know."
"Know what, Bob?" I said anxiously, for the man's voice sounded fierce and strange.
"Why, sir, they threatened us as to what they'd do; fired it right into my ear, Jarette did. He says to me he says, 'If yer don't soon let us out, I'll set fire to the ship.'"
"Yes, I know he did," I said.
"That's 'robborative evidence, messmates, when yer orficer says you're right. Well, then, what I says to him is this, I've got a box o' matches in my pocket, and if they don't soon let us out, or put us somewhere so as we can breathe, I'll set the blessed old Burgh Castle alight myself and burn our way out."
"Nonsense," I cried; "you're mad."
"And 'nuff to make me, sir. That there stuff we took's set up a reg'lar fierce annymile or something in my inside, as goes on gnaw, gnaw, gnaw, till I shan't be able to stand it much longer, and shall have to break out."
"Well, you are a rum 'un, Bob," said Barney. "Why, you're not going to turn canniball, are yer, at your time o' life?"
"What d'yer mean?"
"Talking about eating your messmates."
"Who did? What yer talking about? Nobody wouldn't want to eat you, Barney. If I wanted to get the flavour o' 'bacco in my mouth I'd get it from a quid, and while a man could get at a bit o' oak or an old shoe he wouldn't think o' trying to gnaw old Neb. What d'yer mean?"
"Then what d'yer talk o' roasting us for in that there mad way, matey?"
"Oh, well, I don't know as I meant it, messmate, but I'm that hungry just now as never was."
"That will do," I said, asserting my position as officer. "Silence, please."
"All right, sir; all right," growled Bob. "I'm ready. What yer going to do?"
"Try and feel about, Bob, to find where the hatch is. We must get some air somehow."
"That's right, sir. Come on, lads, and have a try. Who's got knives?"
"I have," said Barney. "Me too," growled Dumlow. "That's right, then; we may have to use 'em."
Then a rustling sound began, and I knew that the men were feeling about overhead; while being able to think pretty clearly now, I came to the conclusion that we had been thrown down here, the hatches put on again, and the tarpaulin spread over them, and that was why it was so airless and hot.
I had an endorsement of my opinion a minute later, for Bob growled out--
"Here's the hatches, sir, and they're all battened down and the 'paulins is nailed over 'em. I'll soon have some fresh air in." And before I could grasp what he was going to do, I heard a curious ripping sound, which told me that he had passed the blade of his long Spanish spring-knife through between two of the cross-hatches, and was cutting through it.
"There!" he said, as a gleam of light struck through, so brilliant that I knew it must be broad daylight; and even that ray sent a thrill of hope through me, for it seemed to bring me nearer to the living world after feeling as if I had been buried alive.
"Don't cut any more yet, Bob," I whispered.
"But that there hole won't give enough air for one man to sniff, sir. You must have another to let out the steam."
"But listen first," I said. "Can you hear any one on deck?"
There was perfect silence for some minutes, and then came a deep--
"No."
"What time should you think it is?"
"'Bout four bells, I should say, sir. Sun's shining down so as the tarpaulin's made the hatch hot."
"Then the lubbers are all having a caulk," growled Dumlow. "Tell him to have another cut, sir, and a good long 'un this time."
I hesitated for a few moments, shrinking from doing anything to let the enemy know that we were trying to get out; but the heat was so terrible that I was obliged to give the order at last.
"Cut, Bob," I whispered, and there was a low buzz of satisfaction as the knife ripped through the tarred canvas, and we could see a long streak of bright light.
"'Nother, sir?" said Bob.
"Yes," I said desperately, "we shall be suffocated if you don't."
Rip went the tarpaulin again, and another streak of light a short distance from the others appeared, while directly after, without waiting for orders, Bob lengthened the first cut he had made till it equalled the two latter.
"Won't be much better," he growled, "but it's better than nothing. Shall I get under the end of one of the hatches now, sir, and try and push it up?"
"No, not yet. If we do that it ought to be after dark. But I don't think there will be any chance, for they are sure to be well fastened down. Listen again. There must be some one on deck."
"Yes, sir, for sartain, but they'll be up at the other end. Dessay they're a-feeding o' themselves, and got plenty to drink."
"Ay, trust 'em, messmate," growled Dumlow, "but it's no use to grumble. Ups and downs in life we see. We're down now, and it's their turn."
"Now," said Barney.
"Hush!" I whispered.
We all listened, and plainly heard a step overhead, as if a man was walking along the deck. It passed by, sounding fainter, and died away, but at the end of a minute we heard it again, and knew that whoever it might be, he was returning and would pass by us again.
This happened, and I feared that he would notice the cuts in the tarpaulin, but he went on, the footsteps grew fainter, and I fancied that I heard them continue on the ladder as the man ascended to the poop-deck.
"Could you tell who that was, Bob?" I said.
"Ay, sir. No mistaking that pair o' legs. They don't go like an Englishman's would. That was old Jarette."
I set my teeth hard, and almost writhed at the feeling of impotence which troubled me. To have been so near success, and then for that scoundrel, who had promised to work faithfully for us if he were forgiven, to have played the spy, and contrived after hearing our plot to change the contents of the tins. For it was all clear enough now in my memory, and I could recall every word the man had said to the cook.
"We ought to have kept some one on the watch while we made our plans," I said to myself, but felt how absurd it was to murmur now that the mischief was done.
The heat seemed a little less intense now, but it was so terrible that the throbbing in my head commenced again, and I was ready to order an attempt to be made to force up one side of the hatch, when there was a whisper.
"What say, Bob?" I replied.
"Didn't speak, sir," was the reply.
"You then, Dumlow?"
"No; not me, sir."
"Well then, Barney, it was you," I said tetchily. "What do you want?"
"I never spoke, sir," said Barney, in an ill-used tone. "What do they want to say it was me for?"
"Cheer up!" came now quite plainly.
"Eh? Who spoke?"
"Friend," was whispered again.
"Yes, what? Who is it?"
"Pst!"
I waited for whoever it was to speak again, but there was not another sound, and I turned to where I believed Bob to be lying.
"Who could that be?" I said.
"Well, sir, when a man blows his words down through a slit in a tarpaulin--"
"You think it came down through the hole you cut?"
"Yes, sir, sure on it; but as I was a-saying, when a man blows his words down like that he might just as well be whistlin' a hornpipe for all you can tell who it is. But if I was put upon my oath afore a judge I should swear as it were Plum Duff."
"What do you mean?" I said.
"Well, sir, old Byled Salt Pork."
"The cook?"
"That's him, sir."
"But he whispered 'Friend,'" I panted excitedly.
"Yes, and that's what bothered me. If it had been any one else it would ha' been all right, but one can't quite believe in a cook being your friend at any time. After what has taken place just lately I should say he was the worsest enemy we ever had."
"No, no," I cried eagerly, "the man could not help it. He was innocent enough. It was that scoundrel who did the mischief."
"All right, sir; have it your own way. I'm willing."
"Then we have one friend on deck."
"Yes, sir, and s'pose he'll doctor the lot of 'em this next time and have us all up on deck again. Good luck to him. I hope he'll look sharp about it."
"Hist! What's that?"
It was the three knocks again plainly heard from forward somewhere, and plain proof that we had other friends who would gladly join us in a combination against our common enemy. _