The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-07-21 00:00:00

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IVE AT THE-WHEEL.

G. MANVILLE PENN.
'Author of "Ship Ahoy," "Dutch, the Diver," "The
Foundry Belle," 4.c., ,S•c„
CHAPTER IV.—(Continued).

'Where are we now ? " said Helston.
"As far south as we have to go. We mi ve
rounded the Horn, doctor, and begin sailing
directly. A few days and we shall be entyliwr
genial climes again, sailing into the Pacific, and
getting sunshine and soft winds, in place of this
atrocious weather. What's that ?"

"Sounds like a hammering at the hatch," said
Helston.
The two young men walked to the entrance of the
vvomen's cabin and there the knocking was re-
doubled, the hatch being secured on the deck side.
" Well, what is it ?" said Laurent, removing the
fastening, and, taught by experience in such weather,
holding the hatch a very little way open, ready to
dap to again.
The answer came in the shape of the head of
Deborah Burrews, which she thrust eut with her
shoulders, and struggled to get further, but could
not for the hatch.
"Here, take away this trap-door thing," she cried,
angrily. "I want to come on deck."
"You can't come now," said Laurent, quietly,
"you must keep below."
_ "Take away your hand; let me come up," said
Deborah, angrily. "I did not come on board here
to be made a prisoner."
"You must be a prisoner, Mrs. Burrows, while
this weather lasts," said Laurent, firmly. "You
cannot come on deck."
"But I will come on deck," said Deborah,
siigri and with her voice rising in pitch. "It's
disgraceful, it's murderous. Are we to be keut
below there, and stifled for want of air? Do you
hear, below? They won't letme go up."
There was a murmur of women's voices heard
from below in answer to this appeal.
"My good woman," said Laurent, quietly; "go
down. The orders are that none of you are to come
on deck in this storm; so go down."
"I won't go down," cried Deborah. "Help rue
below there let's force our way on deck!"
And she there,
violently to get out.
"Why, you silly woman," cried Laurent, losing
patience, "it's for your good we want you to stay."
"It's not—it's oppression—it's cruelty—it's mar-
&rens treatment!" cried Deborah, fiercely. "Help
—help—they are hurting me!'
•' You are hurting yourself, Deborah Burrows,
said Holston, firmly. 'Go down directly. Where
is Mrs. Kent ?" he shouted at the opening
"I shall not go down to my death at your order,
Mr. Doctor,' said Deborah, struggling till she was
half out. "Yes, you may call Mts. Nutt, she's half
dead in her berth. It's murder—nothing better
than murder, to coop us up like this."
"I tell you, it's not safe on deck," cried Ireliten.
"If it's safe for you, it's safe for us," ( teed
Deborah, between her teeth.
" Here, doctor, take hold of her," cried Laurent;
"the mad woman will be ont directly."
"If either of you dares to lay a finger upon me,"
screamed Deborah, "I'll make you both rue it to
the end of your days. Let me out—let me
"Deborah Burrows, you must go down," said
Helsten, firmly, and he laid his hand upon her
shoulder.
"You said half an hour ago that the 'air was
enough to poison us all," cried Ceborah, and she
struck up the doctor's arm, and struggled fiercely to
get out, only Laurent still held tightly by the hatch.
"I'll make you both pay dearly for this—you
cowards! Call yourselves men ? "
"Confound the woman! she'll be out directly,"
cried I aurent, as Deborah struggled harder than
ever—" and if she comes, there'll be a rush. hold
her wrists, Helston."
"Shall I douse a bucket of water over her, sir ?"
said one of the watch coming up, attracted by the
struggle.
"No, confound her; let her have it if she will,"
cried Laurent.
' And with a shout of triumph, as he loosed his hold
teen the hatch, she forced her way out upon the
deck.
"Here, come up, quick," cried Deborah to those
of whom she was the ringleader.
But the moment her foot was free, Laurent had
dashed down the hatch and fastened it, just as a
great wave leaped on board, and came careering
along, deluging the spot where they stood, and
dashing them all beneath the bulwarks, where they
lay washing about with coops and ropes in four feet
of water.
The men were the first to recover themseves, an 4
stand shaking the water from their hair and eyes;
then they helped Deborah Burrows to her feet, and
she stood up, drenched--the water pouring from her
long hair and clothes, as she staggered and would
have fallen, blinded, choked, and half stunned by
the shock, but for Holston and the sailor.
"You—you wretches !" she gasped at last-
-you did that on purpose! I'll I'll "
"Here, what are you about there with that helm?
Ease her off a point or two,":roared Laurent to the
men at the wheel.
But he was too late.
Hiss !—sass!—woosh ! came another wave, and de-
luged them once more, Holston and Deborah Burrows
again losing their feet, to struggle up again
half-drowned, with the sailor, who had held on,
stamping about the deck, roaring with laughter, and
looking, in his yellow oilskins, like a mirthful dried
haddock, holding his sides with glee.
"Well, Miss Burrows," said Laurent, laughing,
"you see the waves don't respect women's rights.'
"I'll be even with you for this," gasped Del orah.
"Thank you," said Laurent. "Will you have a
chair on deck ?"
"You villains—you did it on purpose I" she'gasped,
wringing the water from her clothes.
"There, it's time you saw your folly, Deborah
Burrows," said Helston, quietly. "Now, take my
advice, and go below and change your things; and if
you are the true woman you profess to be, show your
friends below that this is a time to let others think
for them."
"If I live to get ashore," cried Deborah: turning
on him savagely, "I'll report your behaviour, and
your goings-on with that pale-faced wench, Grace
Monroe; and yours too, Mr. Chief Mate, with Mary
Dance, Pretty wretches to have office on board a
vessel full of unprotected women! Let's see what
the shipowners will say to you both then."
"Here's a regular buster comin', marm," said the
sailor—" it'll be aboard directly."
Deborah rushed to the hatch, but it was fast, and
the wave struck the ship and streamed along the
deck, but only to wash over their ankles.
"Let the vindictive wretch go down, Wilkins,"
laid Laurent; "or let her stay on deck—it will
Wash some of the poison out of her."
And he turned to Holston, who stood biting his
IIP with annoyance.
But Deborah Burrows did not wish to stay on
deck, she was quite satisfied; and, seizing the
oPportunity, she crept down in a terribly quenched
atate—a merry burst of laughter saluting her as she
reached the 'tween decks, heard plainly enough
before the hatch was fastened down.
"Don't take any notice of her sharp tongue,
Helston," said the mate, laying his hand upon the
doctor's glistening waterproof.
" I was thinking about how unpleasant it would
be tor those poor girls below," said Helston, quietly.
"So was I," said Laurent to himself, as he went
aft, to give a iI3N9 directions to the men at the wheel;
While the young doctor walked to the side, and,
holding on by a belaying pin, stood with Deborah
Burrows' words still buzzing in his ears, and asking
himself if there was any truth in them, and whether
he had paid the sweet, soft-eyed girl more attention
than was consistent with his duty as the medical
man who had her in his charge.
Charles Helston had worked out many problems
. berme new, Let this m.atstred him; and the snore he
questioned himself, the more he saw always before
.• him the slight form, and pale, gentle, winning fce
s of the gixl, who seemed always to avoid him when-
, ever he went his rounds amongst his sick.
The vessel had rounded the Cape, but fine weather
Metal ensue. The crew were exhausted with irm s-
sant toil, and the lull that came in the weather now
- and then only seemed to be the resting of the winds
to gather fresh strength for their next assault upon
the ship.
Halston's time was pretty well taken up with the
ninny patients he had amongst the emigrants, the
confined space and close ventilation seeming to brie g
on with many a state of despondency that baffled all
• lii
efforts to make them shake it away.
t. To make matters worse, the matron was ill, and
el)t her :cot, leaving an opportunity for Deboiah
• Burrows to usurp her authority almost unquestioned.
-nut she did not have it all her own way, for Mary
- Dance had her following, many of the younger girls
believing thoroughly in the frank, plain-spoken
04.1fatry girl, whom Deborah never let 4ip an oppor-
uunity of directly or indirectly annoying by some
blerela or bitter remark to Grace Monroe.
aix days had elapsed, and not once had they been
the
deck. At times they had had hot food, at for
the most pert it was cold, for Othello could not
keep his galley fire alight; and biscuit and cold beef
s Was the general diet, hot water not being attainable
for tea or coffee.
"De great bull alligator veoman—l like to'see her
fr°w the booful mealy tater now," said Othello, with
;! a grin, as he helped distribute the provisions in the
comfortless way in which they were taken; and
he looked very hard at Deborah Burrows as she
• same up for the portion for her table.
"Berry sorry, Ma'am Burrows, ma'am," he said,
obe •
ocPuously ; "but de water wash up agen de galley
are, and put urn out, so Ino cook no tater. You
raerrY sorry, ma'am, dat no tater, ma'am."
4c
Don't you laugh at me, you black Apollyon,"
• 'l"ied Deborah, "or you'll regret it."
aitAhnoudgheh7aleooked at him so viciously that the cook,
Wide berth.grin
ned hugely, did not fail.to give her
CO Monroe was much prostrated, but she would
.` twill" ; for once or twice when she had felt
• lo 7.14) take to her berth she had seen the malicious
• °Z V 2 Deborah Burrows' OM and fought it back.

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