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Middy and Ensign, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 47. How Bob Roberts Burned The Prahu |
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_ CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN. HOW BOB ROBERTS BURNED THE PRAHU The victory was dearly bought; for now that the breathless excitement was over, and there was time to make an examination, it was found that fully half the crew had injuries, more or less serious, the men, though, bearing their sufferings with the greatest fortitude as their two officers, for want of a doctor, bound up the wounds. It almost seemed as if those who had most exposed themselves had come off best; for neither Lieutenant Johnson, Bob Roberts, Ali, nor Adam Gray, who had been brave even to recklessness, had received a scratch. "I have only one regret about you, Gray," said Lieutenant Johnson, shaking his hand warmly. "May I ask what that is, sir?" replied Gray. "Yes, that you are not a sailor; that is all," said the lieutenant, smiling. "I shall not forget this affair. I believe you twice over saved my life." "And you, too, friend Ali," continued the lieutenant, laying his hand upon the young chief's shoulder. "I have often called the Malays a set of treacherous wretches, but I find that there are Malays and Malays. Sir, I hope some day that you may rise to power, as in you England will always have a trusty ally." Ali bowed gravely, and his eyes betokened the pleasure he felt as he thought of the possibility of his raising the people of this land to something better than the slothful, betel-chewing, piratical race they were. The steamer was now rapidly making her way back, the men furling the sails, and the screw as it revolved sending a wave washing in amidst the roots of the trees on either side of the river; while, now that the present danger was over, the lieutenant went round to visit his patients, leaving Bob Roberts in command, and a man with the lead in the chains. "I think the central channel is safe enough, Roberts," said the lieutenant; "but keep him heaving the lead." "Trust me, sir," said Bob rather importantly. "Yes, I'll trust you, Roberts," said the lieutenant. "I'll be frank with you, my lad, and tell you something that will please you, I know." "What is it, sir?" said Bob eagerly. "I don't think I shall ever look upon you again as a boy?" Bob coloured with pleasure as soon as he was left alone; but his common sense prevailed the next moment. "That's very kind of him," he thought, "but it's all gammon; I am only a boy yet. And there--hang it all! since Miss Linton spoke to me as she did, hang me if I care if I am!" Fortunately for the party on board the steamer, the Malays had carried off their wounded as they fell, so that there was no trouble with either them or prisoners, who would have been highly inconvenient at such a time, especially as there was no knowing how soon there might be another attack. For though beaten as to their prahus, the Malays almost to a man succeeded in reaching the shore, to join those besieging the fort, and at any time a new attack might be made. As they came abreast of the prahu that was run ashore and forsaken, Lieutenant Johnson determined to run no risk of its being floated once more, and used, after patching, to annoy; for giving the order to reverse the engine, the steamer was kept abreast, while Bob Roberts and a party of marines and Jacks went ashore and made preparations to burn her. Ali stepped into the boat with his friend, and advised caution; for he warned Bob that, although severely punished, the rajah was in no wise beaten, and that, as likely as not, a force of men were lying hidden amongst the reeds to protect the injured prahu. "All right!" said Bob, "I'll be careful." And to show how careful he intended to be, he let the cutter run up amidst the reeds, and jumped out with a dozen men, provided with some fiery spirit, and some spun yarn and matches. "I think you ought to search the reeds first with a few shots from your marines' rifles," said Ali, who was gazing around very distrustfully; and no wonder, for there was every likelihood of some of the Malays being in ambush. "No need," said Bob, laughing. "We've given them such a lesson as they won't forget for some time, my lad. Come along." Ali leaped ashore, and they tried to get on board the prahu, which seemed close in to the bank; but finding this was not the case, they returned to the boat, and pushed off through the rustling reeds to row round to the other side, and there board her by means of a rope. It was well for the little party that they returned as they did, for in twenty places dark figures were stealing through the thick, long reeds quite unseen, but all converging upon the spot where the cutter ran to the shore. The return to the boat upset the plans of the ambush, but the Malays who formed the party were not beaten; and finding their first plan hopeless, they immediately adopted another, and began creeping through the reeds, hardly making them rustle as they made now for the prahu. "Heave up a rope, one of you," said Bob, "unless anybody can climb up." This was as the bowman held the cutter close up against the prahu's side with his boat-hook. "If one on 'em keeps the cutter alongside, sir, I can get up, and then make fast a rope," said the bowman. "All right! up with you," said Bob; and as another man held on by one of the big oars that hung in its place, the boatman hooked on his boat-hook in one of the rattan-twisted ropes, and cleverly climbed up, catching the rope that was thrown up and making it fast, when half a dozen of the sailors, with Bob Roberts and Ali, were soon on the short, bamboo deck. "It seems almost a pity to burn her," said Bob, who was greatly taken by the workmanship of the craft. "No, no!" said Ali angrily, as his eyes wandered suspiciously about amidst the reeds; "burn her, burn her! the decks have been stained with blood, and many a poor, innocent creature has suffered outrage at the owner's hands. Rajah Gantang was a cruel, bloodthirsty pirate. Let the river be purified from his boats!" "But," said Bob, laughing, "we might give it a good washing down, and fumigate it below decks, and afterwards give it a coat of paint. It would be purified enough then, and it might be useful." "I do not understand you," said Ali seriously; "but let your men be quick; I fear danger." "What a suspicious chap you are, to be sure, Ali," replied Bob. "I'll be bound to say, if the truth was known, there isn't a nigger within a mile of us. Here, look alive, my lads; it seems a pity to burn such a boat; but orders are orders, and we shall have a gun fired directly, by way of recall. There, that will do; lay the oakum there, and pour the spirits over it. She'll burn like a firework." The men obeyed in a quiet leisurely manner, quite satisfied of there being no danger if their officer saw none; so the oakum and yarn they had brought were heaped up on the bamboo deck, and another lot thrust into a kind of cabin, plenty of the spirit poured on each, and nothing was needed but the application of a match or two for the work of destruction to begin. Still Bob seemed loth to fire so well-built a vessel, and he stood pointing out good points in the make of the long light boat, counting the number of sweeps she had carried, examining the shot holes and the like--partly in a bravado spirit, for Ali was all anxiety to get on board the steamer again, scenting danger as he did on every breath of wind, while Bob wanted to show him how matter-of-fact and cool a British officer could be. "Look!" said Ali suddenly, and he laid his hand upon Bob's shoulder. "Which way?" said Bob quietly. "I can see nothing." "You will not see," said Ali in a low passionate voice. "You are so brave, but you are so foolish too. Why risk life when there is danger." "I don't," said Bob coolly. "You do; there is great danger now," said Ali. "Gantang's men are creeping through the reeds to spear us." "Jump down in the cutter then," said Bob, "and you will be all right." Ali drew himself up angrily. "A Malay chief never knows fear," he said, as he leaned his hands upon the muzzle of the rifle he still carried, and stood there, proud and defiant, like a bronze statue, he was so motionless and calm. "I didn't mean to offend you, Ali, old fellow," cried Bob. And as the young Malay saw the open, frank, laughing face before him, and the extended hand, he seized it in his. "I am not offended," said Ali, "but I'm afraid for you and your men." "What of?" said Bob. "That!" said Ali, as a spear whizzed through the reeds and stuck in the bamboo deck. "Yes, it was close," said Bob coolly. "Who has the matches?" "Here you are, sir," said one of the men. "All right," said Bob, taking the box. "Down into the boat, all of you. Go on too, Ali." "No, I stay with you," said the young chief, just as another spear stuck quivering in the deck. "Ah! I left it a bit too long," said Bob, striking a match as he dived into the cabin, and the next moment a volume of smoke rolled up. He then lit another match, and held it to the soaked oakum on the deck, spear after spear being thrown, several of which he escaped as by a miracle. Another moment or two, and the thick smoke formed a veil between the two young men and their enemies, who threw spear after spear, but without effect. "Won't they be fine and mad?" cried Bob. "Here, give me your rifle, Ali, old fellow, and I'll have a couple of shots at them. No, I won't," he said, handing the rifle back; "I can't shoot in cold blood. Come along, or we shall be roasted ready for our friends there, if they are disposed to be cannibals. My word, how she burns!" His last words were not uncalled for, as the light wood of which the Malay vessel was composed began to blaze furiously; so fast indeed, that the middy and his friend were driven into making rather an undignified retreat before the great leaping tongues of flame and the rolling volumes of smoke that in a few minutes ran from end to end of the vessel. "Push off, my lads," cried Bob, as he took his place in the stern-sheets, coughing and sneezing from the effects of the pungent smoke. "Give way!" he cried; "there's a signal flying for our return." Just then a shot came from the steamer as well, and with the Malays beginning to fire at them from among the reeds, the cutter was rowed rapidly back to the steamer's side, the prahu meanwhile blazing furiously, and promising soon to burn down to the water's edge. "Come, Mr Roberts," cried the lieutenant impatiently; "you have been a long time." "Yes, sir," said Bob, smiling at Ali, "there was a good deal of spear-throwing towards the last, and we had to dodge them." "The enemy is not easily frightened," said the lieutenant, as the propeller once more rapidly revolved; "but we must get back, for I fancy I can hear firing below, and I am afraid they are attacking the fort now for a change." "What shall you do, sir?" said Bob eagerly. "It is not the custom, Mr Roberts, for the officer in command to explain his plans to his subordinates; but if you must know, I shall run the steamer as close up to the fort as I can, and there keep her, if the Malays do not prove too strong for us." Then walking to and fro for a few minutes, he ended by going up to where old Dick, with a bandage round his head, was calmly masticating a lump of tobacco. "I have never thanked you for your capital idea," said the lieutenant. "That hot water saved us in a terrible pinch." "Yes, sir," said Dick, grinning, "it saved us; but it warn't my idee at all. 'There's lots of boiling water, Dick,' says Mr Roberts, yonder; 'screw on the hose, and tell the engineer what you want. Then when all's ready, and it seems a good time, lay hold of the branch, and play up among the niggers,' sir; and I did as soon as I could, but my head were in that muzzy state that--" "There is firing going on," said the lieutenant. "Mr Roberts, clear again for action." "Action, eh?" said old Dick. "Then I can't do better than say another word to the engineer, for of all the ways to clear the decks this hot water system's about the best." So saying, Dick went to screw the hose on the valve once more, muttering and talking to himself the while, and ever and again slapping one of his legs and bursting into a series of chuckles. "Lor' a mussy me," he said; "and how I argyed with Mr Roberts there about the niggers not being clean. Why that's what put it into his precious head. I wonder what they looks like to-day, after their washing." "Took the skin off, I should say, Dick," said Bob Roberts, who had heard the old man's words. "And sarve 'em right, sir," said the old sailor. "What did they mean to do to us but take us right out of our skins, and end us right off at once? And them as plays at bowls must expect rubbers." So saying, Dick, who had finished his speech without an audience, seemed quite forgetful of his wound, and went down to the engine-room, where the engineer and firemen saluted him with a broad grin; to which Dick responded with one a little broader, as he stood mopping the perspiration from his face. "Why, Dick, old man," said the engineer, "after this I think we can show them gunners a trick or two. It would have puzzled them to clear the decks like that. However came you to think of it?" "Think of it?" said Dick. "I shouldn't never have thought of such a game; it was young Mr Roberts, you know. But did you see 'em run?" "Run!" said the engineer. "Running was nothing to it; you cleared the deck like a shot." "Shot!" said Dick scornfully; "I should like to see the shot or shell that would do it half as well. Why, look here, my lads, your shot and your shell kills and murders people, knocks off their legs and wings, and precious often their heads. A shot goes bang in amongst a lot o' folk, and there's an end of it. But here I was with the copper branch in my fisties, and I just sprinkled 'em here and there like a shower and--" "Give it 'em hot," interposed one of the firemen leaning on his shovel. "Ay, I just did," said Dick; "not as it was much hotter than it is down here, my lads, but hot I did give it 'em, and there wasn't one who would face it. And that brings me down to why I come here." "Oh, we know why you come here, Dicky," said another of the firemen, who had just been stoking a furnace, and whose face shone with perspiration. "You said to yourself, you did, there's them poor chaps down there in the engine-room getting half-roasted, and with their throats as dry as brown paper; now, being a good-hearted sort of fellow as I am, I'll just go down below and say to 'em, a nice cooling drink o' lime juice and water with a dash o' rum in it, is what you all wants in a big tin can. Shall I get it for you? That's what you come down here to say." "Blest if ever I see such a clever chap as you are, Sam Walsh," cried Dick, slapping his leg and laughing. "You can read a fellow just as if he was made up o' large print and big leaves. You've really hit it, but you see a drink like that wants mixing; and don't you see, though you may drink it cold it wants hot water to mix it? and that's what I did come about--more hot water." "To mix up for us, Dick?" said the engineer, laughing. "No," said Dick, "I didn't say that, my lad," and a bigger grin came over his face; "what I want is the hot water to mix the grog for the niggers, as it seems they liked the last dose so much, that I'm to get ready some more." "There's plenty--hot enough for anything, Dick," said the engineer, "and I'll keep up the supply." "Silence below there!" cried a voice; and the engineer gave his subordinates a nod. "You'd better get on deck, Dick, old man," he said quietly; and then in response to a signal from above, he seized and altered a couple of handles, listened for a fresh order, and slackened the speed of the engine; while Dick went back on deck, satisfied that there was an abundant supply of hot water ready for the next action, and seeing that the island was once more in sight. A party of Malays were at the head, but they disappeared amidst the trees as the steamer came steadily down stream, while now as they drew nearer the sounds of smart firing could be heard, telling that an engagement was in progress. Smoke, too, was rising slowly above the feathery palm-trees, but not in such dense volumes as that which could still be seen spreading out like a cloud above the jungle, where the prahu was burning. A sharp series of orders followed, and every man stood at his post; for boats could be seen going to and from the island, and it was plain enough to the meanest comprehension on deck that if they meant to aid the occupants of the fort they had come none too soon. _ |
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