The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-09-22 00:00:00

IHAPTER XVII.
A FAILURE.

TUE next morning the men had the satisfaction of
finding that they were to be treated just as if they
wcre prisoners. A supply of food was sent to them,
and left on the shore, without a word. Afterwards,
by degrees, the whole of the contents of their cabin
were sent ashore, with another spare sail, a spar, and
some rope, with plenty of ammunition.
This was all done by four of the women, led by
the girl named Lee; and they did it all in silence,
refusing to answer when spoken to, and returning
hastily when their task was done.
A feW hours after, a party came ashore, under the
leadership of Deborah, when an attempt was made
, to get an explanation; but the men were kept at a
di,t Ines, and, after a while, the party returned on
board.
" Well," said Holston, quietly, as they sat in their
improvised tent, "they seem as if they can get on
without us, so I suppose we had better show them
that we can get on without them."
"If I could only feel at rest as to their treatment
of those two poor girls," said Laurent, "I should
not mind. But how long is this to last ?"
"Till we take the upper hand," said Helstor..
"But will'you— shall we do it ?"
" I feel very much disposed:" replied Helston.
"With Deborah Burrows made a prisoner, the others
would be tractable enough."
" I don't know about that," said Laurent; "but,
at all events, we might get a new queen, whose
behaviour towards us would be a little more
bearable."
Time went on, and as the small working parties
came ashore it was evident tha't they were carefully
watched with a glass by Deborah, the consequence
being that not a word could be obtained with any
one, though it seemed evident that, under different
circumstances, the visitors to the shore would have
been more lenient.
After a day or two, orders came from the vessel,
signed by Deborah, to the effect that the men were
to shoot pigs, catch fish, and work at the gardenng,
if they expected to receive supplies from the ship.
So, in a sullen, dissatisfied way, they set to, and a
system of barter was kept up.
"Shall we try to send a couple of notes on
board ? " said Laurent. "It would be as well to
have friends there.''
"And do you think you can find a messenger?"
said Heiden. "No : depend upon it you would
fail. If you begin to pay attentions to either of
these women who come ashore' I dare say she will
listen to you; but she will not help you to woo one
on board, you may depend upon that. 'Thello," he
said, turning to the cook.
" Sah, I am listen to what you say," said the black
with dignity.
"Go down to the beach as soon as it is dark, and
roll four of the water-casks round:to the back of the
point."

"Bore no water, sah, behind de point."
"No," said Helston, "I know; but there is a con-
venient place for constructing a fresh raft out of
sight of the ship, and I dare say we can scrape
together enough materials."
"Golly, ash, you make noder raff, and go aboard,"
cried 'Thello. " I-yah ! Ma'am Deborah
be mad as bob-tail bull."
"Of course you will be silent about it—not a hint
to the women who come ashore."
" Sah, dis chile gib you him word of honour,"
said'] hello; and soon after he left to perform his
mission, for there were a dozen or two of water
Casks on the beach, which had ,been floated out of
the vessel.
It was now dark, and the two young men sat
looking across the smooth water, flashing with
lights from the ship, and thinking of their strange
position. It was a hot, sultry night, with the stars
looking dim and misty. Now and then a merry
laugh reached them from the ship; and, as if to wa,n
them of the dangers by which it was surrounded, a •
hew) splash and a phosphorescent gleam showed
Where some huge fish dashed over the shallows.
"Shirk, I should think," said Laurent, quietly.
"If you mean getting on board, we have only to wait
long enough, and we might walk, for the water gets
Shallower every day."
"Yes," said Helston, "more so than I can under-
stand; for there seems to be no tide strong enough
to wash the sand round the vessel, and the lagoon ig
certainly silting up."
"Well, and when we have made our raft, whardo
you mean to do?" said Laurent. "Never mind the
sand."
"Get on board, and put an end to this degrading
state of affairs."
Use force?"
"No more than is necessary," said Helston. "We
have only to master that woman, and we are safe."
"I believe you are right," said Laurent. "it is
time an alteration was made."
There was a pause, during which they heard the
rumbling of the casks over the sand as 'Thello busied
himself over his task.
"Helston," said Laurent, at last. •
"Yes."
"Do you think those girls care for us ?"
"I think we are going the way to make them de-
spise us for a pair of ours," said Helston, sharply.
"I give way over this nonsense at first—treating it
with contempt."
"And now madam has gone too far, you mean
business 1"
"I do," said Helston.
In the morning they watched their opportunity,
Cut down a few cocoa poles and by means of driving
gout pegs into the bungholes of the casks, formed
uprights t 3 which they could lash the poles, fitting
cross piecea, and by contriving, forming a tolerably
secure raft, which at last lay unobserved behind the
point upon the sands, ready for launching as soon ex
it was dark.
They saw very little of the women that day.
They made one or two expeditions ashore, and then
returned—the raft being carefully guarded—and at
last down went the sun, like a great orange globe,
in the purple sea, and the men prepared for their
expedition.
At Helston's wishwit was deferred till the lightr
were out, and then all they would have to do would
be to put off, climb softly on board by the stay
beneath the bowsprit, secure the hatches at the com-
panion, the forecastle, and the cabins—for the women
had now pretty well distributed themselves over the
Vessel—and wait for morning.
Fortunately for them, the night was very dark;
and when they went noiselessly over the sands
towards the 'point, which lay about a quarter of a
mile along the shore, the only sound to be heard was '
the lapping of the waves against the sand.
"What's that ? " said Laurent, suddenly, as a I
Sharp gleam of light rendered them visible for a
Moment.
" Dat lightning, ash," said 'Thello. "I see urn
twice to-night ober de top ob de mountain."
They looked in that direction, and saw that the
bla,ek was right; for twice over, during the next few
Minutes, they saw quivering gleams of light play
about the top of the mountain; and then they went
ort.
, The launching was no easy matter, for the raft.
he the sand, was heavy; but once they got the first
!ask in, the rest of the task came lighP, and soon after
`heY were poling their vessel softly through the
waters of the lagoon on their way towards the ship.
It had now 'grown so dark that it was with the
peatest difficulty they could find their way. Once
LII.V felt sure they had passed the ship; and after
going forward for some time, they determined to
Push back, when Helston's hand came in contact
Ivith the cable, and the rest .of their task was easy;
tor with the rope to guide them they soon reached
t,te side, carefully worked the raft along, and had
Just reached the ropes beneath the bowsprit, when
low whistle was heard, and in a moment lanterns
itiVeared upon the deck, a blue light shed its pale
lottre upon the scene, and Helston and his companions
nci that their chance' of success was gone, unless
L't":l chose to fight their way on board.
"Put back," said Laurent, savagely.
• And, seizing the pole, he thrust the raft-away, and
• rced it along into the darkness beyond the glare
113 'ea by the blue light, which, after a few moments,
liziled down, amidst the derisive laughter of the
/ronisa_on board.
-This is worse than ever," said Helston, angrily.
1,.."•Q0w could they have known? 'Thello, you must
"aye betrayed us."
"'Tray you, sah ? Die chile scorn de action."
Then how could they haye known?"
"They must have seen the raft," said Laurent.
t„Vropossible," said Helston. "'Thello, I saw you
orleg to Smith to-day. Did you give her a hint
What we were about to do ? "
d 'Well,sah, to tell the troofe," said 'Thello, "1
gib her juss a hint, 'cos she berry fond ob dis
lie;"_ but I tole under promise ob secresy."
tlelston said nothing, only blamed himself for
°t keeping the matter to themselves; and they
t°led ashore, having the satisfaction of seeing lan-
jPas displayed on the vessel for the remainder of
'43 night

• CHAPTER XVIII.
C
BETTER WOMBS. 12
tile following day, Deborah, who felt that she
Ziaw through the affair, which she concluded to be
Da, attempt to rescue Grace Monroe and Mary
vll—ce called the two girls to her, and, before the
1
the. 0 e of the women, launched out into a tirade upon
ha It indelicate behaviour, declaring that they must
13 been communicating' With the-shore, and rens-
'ref °race so that there was an angry piece of recri-
_ .4ation, ending
with Mar • in the poor girl being locked up
B°ller. Y in one of the cabins, and kept close pri-
viZhl believe," said Mary Dance, who was flushed
We Passion, "that if that wicked wretch, Laurent,
li,rae to come now, and ask me to run away with
12:1 I should do it; and, if tip doctor came, you'd
%ro,?litsh if you didn't do the 4ame."
q#l,ly, "don't

11 I don't believe thik were coining to see us," said
Mary, after a pause; "it was tome plan they had in
their heads_ Oh, if I were a man, would I put up
with such behaviour P"

"Pray say no more," said Grace.
"If I was Mr. Holston, I'd poison the woman,
that I would," said Mary, shedding tears of rage.
"Oh, when is this to end?"
Perhaps sooner than Mary Danoe expected
In the course of the day, advantage was taken of
the men's absence from the shore to destroy their
raft; and they had the satisfaction of seeing the
casks all secured on deck when they came back that
evening; so that, if they intended to get on board,
another plan must be formed._ _ _

This emanated from the brain of Laurent, and was
immediately put in force. The wood at the back of
their tent was never visited by the women, who kept
quite away; and here the men quietly set to work,
Deborah Burrows being quite ignorant of the fact
that she had furnished them with the means of
boarding the vessel in the large tarpaulin sent ashore
as a protection from the damp.
iCanes were in abundance of all sizes; and out of
these a canoe framework was soon lashed together,
over which the tarpaulin was stretched, sewn to-
gether, and tarred ov,r where it needed it, forming,
when finished, a very clumsy but thoroughly trust-
worthy canoe, buoyant enough to have carried half
a dozen instead of three.

This time 'Thello had promised faithfully that he
would keep his own counsel, and so as to avoid all
risk of betrayal, one or the other remained with him
day after day.
At last the trial was to be made, and waiting this
time till what they judged to be an hour before sun-
rise, the canoe was pushed off, and easily poled in
the direction of the great black vessel, lying slug-
gishly there with its keel deep in the sand.
It was nearer daylight than the adventurers
thought—so near, indeed, that Mary Dance had
awoke, and gone to the cabin window t pen it, and
let in the pure morning air to the close and stifling
cabin. _ _

--She had hardly thrown open the window, and
looked out, than she uttered an explanation, which
awoke Grace, who looked IT in astonishment to see
her drawn back, but gazing
_horror-strioken. and
wondering from the window.
She was by her side in a moment.
"What is it ? " she exclaimed. "Savages 2"
" Yes' " said Mary, pointing, " savages ; " and a
strange smile played on her lip, as Grace could just
see through the clim light the three figures in the
canoe.

" What are you going to do P 7 said Mary, as
Grace started towards the door.
"Alarm Deborah—the ship," said Grace.
" Why ? " said Mary, quietly.
"Because those men must be coming with some
evil design," said Grace, agitatedly, "and it is our
duty."
"I don't think it is," said Mary, putting her arms
round her, "and I think their evil design is to get
possession of the ship."
"Then let's give the alarm," said Grace.
"No, dear, don't," said Mary, whose face was .re
fire; "I begin to think that it would be better to be
ruled by men than such as these on board. And
you, don't you think they have been punished
enough?"
Grace stood silent, her cheeks flushed, and her
hands trembling.
"Shall I speak to them P " laid Mary.
"No, for heaven's sake, no," cried Grace. "Let
them do what they will, but by no help of ours."
She threw her arms round Mary, and they stool
listening to the soft plash•plash of the pole with
which the canoe was propelled. Then there was
silence for some time, and they began to think that
the adventurers had gone, when a sharp click at
the door of the next cabin, plainly heard through the
bulkhead, roused Deborah Burrows, who started up
in her cot.

"What's that?" they heard her exclaim.
A moment after they heard her hurriedly dressing,
and they silently followed her example.
Soon they heard her try her door, to find it
fast on the other side, when she appeared to be
listening.
Then came a knock at the bulkhead, and Mary
signalled Grace to answer.
"Is your door unfastened ?" said Deborah.
"How can it be," said Mary, sharply, "when you
locked it, and keep the key ?"
There was no further conversation the occupants
of.both cabins listening attentively for what was to
come; while lielston and his companions, having
securely placed their enemies in prison by the
simple 'proceeding of fastening door and hatch, stood
on deck debating where it was likely Deborah Bur-
rows would be sleeping

(To Iv continual.)