Doctor Syn on the High Seas - Thorndike Russell - Страница 37
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No doubt we shall be back before you have out slept your drinking.”
The rascals needed no second bidding to attack the rum casks. In an
hour they were well on the way to being very drunk. Syn went amongst
them drinking and jesting, until he knew that there was no suspicion of
their planned escape. The boat had already been lowered in readiness,
and was alongside. Mipps had stored their seachests, fresh water,
provisions, ammunition and a compass. These precautions had not
attracted much attention from the pirates, who were satisfied that both
leaders had indeed left their share of the plunder on the table.
“Maybe we’ll have to lie low up river,” explained Mipps. “In which
case you wouldn’t wish us starved.”
There was no need to say farewell to their companions, for had they
wished to it would not have been possible; for the whole crew were
raving drunk by midnight, and before dawn were fast asleep. Even the
watch were past all waking. Syn went the rounds pretending to be drunk
himself, and was quite satisfied with what he saw.
“The sooner we start he better,” he whispered to Mipps.
Syn stepped i nto the cabin to take a last look round, and to buckle
on his sword. His eye fell on the table, and he saw that the bundles of
their treasure had disappeared. When Mipps joined him for his cutlass he
remarked on this.
“The rascals have moved them somewhere,” he said.
“I put ‘em in the boat,” explained Mipps. “No use being too honest
with dishonest men, and we’ll need all we have to help us find this
enemy of yours. You get down in the boat, sir, and I’ll follow. Got your
pistols, sir?”
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Syn nodded. “And I see you have. Oh, we shall do very well, I think.”
He left the cabin for the last time, went to the side and climbed the
rope ladder down into the boat. “Hurry, man,” he whispered, looking up
the ship’s side.
But Mipps had disappeared.
For some minutes he waited with what patience he could, and thinking
something must be wrong, was about to climb aboard again when Mipps
reappeared and scrambled down into the boat. “A little matter I had to
see to, sir,” he explained. “Ready, sir. Cas t off.”
Syn took the tiller, and Mipps fell to the oars, pulling vigorously.
“Conserve your strength, man,” advised Syn. “There’s no need of such
haste.”
“Sooner we’re away from them the better,” replied Mipps.
“There’s a breeze that will save you your pains,” said Syn. “I’ll up
sail. And, what is more, we’ll change our plans. since we are not
watched by those drunken swine, we’ll head up-coast. Why should we
break our backs with trading across difficult country with our seachests, when this boat can carry us right up to Charleston? The breeze
will be behind us when we clear the promontory.”
“Aye, aye, sir, that’s game. I was wondering myself how the devil we
was going to carry all this clutter without a horse and trap.”
The sail up and cat ching the wind, Mipps shipped his oars and the boat
spanked along magnificently. When they were safely round the head of the
river-bank, and headed north, Mipps signed with relief.
“No danger now, sir,” he said. “I was very anxious to get the head
between us and the ship. You never know with all them drunken dogs
about, and the magazine so full of powder.”
“Tut, man, the magazine is locked and the key in our cabin,” said
Syn. “They’re not likely to want powder with so much rum in ‘em.”
“Well, I was only wishful of warning you, sir, that should the
magazine blow up, don’t get jumping and upsetting the trim. Queer things
happens even on pirate ships. And the very name of Sulphur Pit puts one
thinking of explosions.”
These words were hardly out of hi s mouth when the sky was reddened
with flame, and a mighty roar rolled over the sea.
“Good God, man, that’s the ship!” cried Syn.
“Must be,” agreed Mipps. “It ain’t the fifth of November, certainly.
Good thing I warned you about trimming boat.”
Suddenly Syn suspected the truth. “Mipps,” he said, “was that what
you were doing when I was waiting in the boat? Did you go into the
magazine?”
“Yes, sir, and I must have left a lighted candle there,” he said
shamefacedly. “Very careless.”
“And a train of powder, too, no doubt,” added Syn grimly.
“Dead men tells no tales, sir,” said the little man. “And you and I
ain’t going to hang for scum like that. I didn’t want it on your
conscience, sir, you being a parson and all, but when you think it over,
you must own I took a good opportunity. We’re clear now of the Sulphur
Pit. Not a man could live through a bang like that, and I’ve done
nothing but what a man-o’-war wouldn’t have been proud to do. We’ve rid
the seas of a very dirty mob. Confess, sir. Am I right? I’ll be glad to
know what you think.”
“I think you’re more of a little devil than I suspected. But if your
case was put to a vote, I believe the rights would be more than the
wrongs.”
“Thankee, sir,” groaned Mipps. “You’ve took it handsome. And how
about a nice little nip of rum to keep out the cold?”
“Aye, pass the bottle,” answered Syn.
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Chapter 13
Redskins
The two hundred miles from St. John’s River to Charleston were
navigated in less days than they had hoped to be possible. The breeze
held steadily behind them and the weather fine, so that on the whole,
the way was pleasant. Clear of the pirates, they could now talk freely,
and the liking which had always existed between the companions ripened
into a real friendship. But no familiarity in Syn’s conversation could
break down the respectful attitude of Mipps, and the parson thanked God
for his ally. By the time they sighted Charleston, they understood each
other well, and each knew that he could depend upon the other in any
circumstances. They concocted a ringing-true story which Syn was to
carry to the Governor, and during sailing hours he had rehearsed this
over and over again, till both were satisfied. Each time some little
detail was added, till on one occasion at the end of his recital Syn saw
that the little pirate’s eyes were filled with tears, and asked him what
was wrong.
“It’s so pathetic,” blubbered Mipps. “I ain’t had a cry for years.
No, not since a friend of mine had an aunt, that died, who was very fond
of him. And if our story you keep telling me was true, I think I should
never stop crying. It’s a most wonderful yarn, I considers, and if the
Governor don’t cry hisself silly over our misfortunes, he’s a cold
pebble.”
But the Governor was no pebble. I ndeed, he proved himself a very
sympathetic friend. As luck would have it, he was walking with a wealth
merchant on the quay, when the wayfarers put in, and being curious as to
what they, were he sent a servant to inquire.
Now, although Mipps had considered it advisable to arrive in port
disheveled, dirty and unshaven, in order to heighten the effect of the
imagined hardships they had undergone, Syn had insisted upon making a
careful toilet before appearing.
“Elegance and cleanliness will gain more sympathy,” he had argued.
“In all tribulations a gentleman possessing fresh linen and a razor
should take the pains to use them.”
It was obvious, therefore, to the Governor, as he watched Syn’s
striking figure coming towards him on the quay, that there was a man of
parts, a gentleman. The manner in which he swept off his threecornered
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