CHAPTER XXVII.
ESCAPED OVERBOARD.
“How in creation came you on board of this vessel, Wade Brooks?” repeated Matt, when he had found a tongue.
“How in creation came you on board of this vessel, Matt Swikes?” demanded Wade. “I thought you meant to stop at that big hotel a while. Did you spend all your money, and then have to go to sea?”
“No; we didn’t spend all our money; but we thought we would take a little cruise at sea,” replied Matt. “But when we heard the ship was going to the coast of Africa, where they have the fever very bad, we gave it up; and now we are going back to New York. Have you gone to work on this vessel?”
“No, I have not: I wish I could,” replied Wade.
“The captain says the two young gentlemen are to have their breakfast in the cabin,” interposed Pollish at this moment. “Won’t you come with me?”
Lon thought it was quite proper that they should be invited to the cabin; and he was ready to follow the steward without wasting a moment upon such a fellow as Wade Brooks. Pollish led them through the captain’s room into the cabin, where Capt. Bendig received them very politely. He gave them places at the table, and told the steward to bring the best there was on board for their meal.
“The steward tells me you know that boy we have on board,” said the captain, when the two guests were seated at the table.
“Yes, sir: we knew him in Midhampton, where we came from; but we don’t know any good of him. He ran away from the folks he lived with, and was charged with stealing two hundred dollars from them. Isn’t that so, Matt?” replied Lon, who was certainly a swift witness.
“That’s just the idea I formed of him,” added Capt. Bendig. “But I took him for a wharf-rat. He stowed himself away on board of the yacht, and tried to steal a passage; and he did steal my breakfast and part of my dinner.”
“I think they would like to see him in Midhampton,” said Lon.
Pollish was attending to the table, and heard all that was said by the captain and the two runaways. As soon as he had given the boys their breakfast, he told Wade what he had heard,--that they said he was a runaway, and that he was charged with stealing two hundred dollars.
“The coat fits them, and it don’t fit me,” replied Wade indignantly. “It was Matt Swikes that stole the money, and both of them ran away from home. I have no home to run away from.”
“But the captain is down upon you, and he likes to believe what those two fellows say. He always believes what suits him best; and, as soon as you have finished your breakfast, I think you had better put yourself out of sight,” said Pollish. “And don’t let any of the hands see you do it.”
“I will take care,” replied Ward.
He had about finished the meal, when he received this advice from the steward. He went to the forecastle; and, having assured himself that no one was in it, he stowed himself away under the berth, in the place which the steward had indicated for him. He arranged the old clothes so as to conceal him from any one who came into the forecastle; but he had not much faith in his fortress if a thorough search should be made for him. He lay down, and began to think of the events of the day. The runaways seemed to be in high favor with the captain: they had his ear. They had already told bad stories about him, which were all lies; but he did not care for this if he could only get out of the yacht. He had an immense sum of money in his pocket; and this time he would take care not to let any one steal it from him.
As soon as Capt. Bendig had finished his breakfast, he told Pollish to call Wade Brooks: he wanted to see him. The steward did call him, but he did not answer. He went into every part of the yacht; but Wade did not appear. He reported to the captain that he could not find the boy. Lon and Matt were with the captain on deck by this time; and they seemed to be greatly interested in the search.
“Pollish, I believe you are in league with that boy,” said the captain. “Now I want him, he can’t be found.”
“The last time I saw him he was in the kitchen, eating his breakfast,” replied Pollish. “Then, when I went to look for him, he was not there.”
“He hasn’t left the vessel; and, if you don’t find him very soon, I shall see what I can do about it,” added the skipper of the “Moonlight.”
Pollish visited every part of the yacht again; but, of course, with no better success than before. By this time the breeze had freshened into a steady wind, and the “Moonlight” was going along at the rate of four or five knots an hour. He hoped the yacht would reach New York before the boy was found; for he was afraid he might tell under pressure how he got into the vessel, and this would cause him to be discharged. Pollish reported to the captain that he could not find the stowaway.
Capt. Bendig called his mate and several of the hands, and directed them to search the forecastle while he looked through the cabin. The mate searched the bunks, and the space under them; and, when he came to the forward one on the starboard side, of course he pulled out the fugitive.
By this time the captain had satisfied himself that the boy was not in the cabin; and he was in his state-room when he was informed by the mate that Wade had been found.
“I knew the young scamp could not be far off,” said the captain, and he followed the mate into the forecastle. “So you have come out of your hole.”
“No, sir; I did not: I was pulled out,” replied Wade.
“You may go on deck,” added the skipper to the mate and the men.
In a moment more Wade was alone with the captain in the forecastle. He looked ugly; and the poor boy concluded that the time had come for his flogging. He did not like the idea of being flogged; and he did not mean to submit if he could possibly escape.
“I have you now where I want you,” said Capt. Bendig.
“Then I suppose you want me in here,” added Wade, for the want of something better to say.
“Yes, I want you in here. I promised the gentleman who was fool enough to give you some money, that I would not flog you for stealing my breakfast and dinner. I am a man of my word, and I’m not going to flog you for that; but I’m going to flog you for hiding away when I wanted you,” said Capt. Bendig, making a spring at the boy.
Wade dodged, and attempted to get by the skipper and reach the door of the forecastle, so that he could escape to the deck. But the tyrant, as he had proved himself to be, caught him by the leg, and held him fast.
“Now I have you in hand, there is one other thing I have to settle with you,” said Capt. Bendig, transferring his hold from the leg to the collar of his prisoner.
Wade struggled with all his might to get away; but the skipper held him as in a vise. When the victim struggled, the captain tightened his grasp, and shook his prisoner, till Wade was glad to hold still.
“You have a hundred dollars that belongs to me,” said the captain, when Wade had been still for a moment.
“It don’t belong to you,” protested Wade; and the fear of losing the treasure was vastly more terrible than the fear of getting the flogging.
“Do you think I am going to see a little scalawag like you steal into this vessel, and get a hundred dollars for it?” demanded the skipper savagely. “That would be giving you a reward for your rascality.”
“The gentleman gave me the money because he wanted me to keep still,” sobbed Wade, exhausted by his violent exertions.
“I don’t care what he gave it to you for: that job was mine; and all the pay for it comes to me.”
“I told him I would keep still if I was allowed to keep the money; and I won’t without,” said Wade spunkily.
“I haven’t any time to talk about it: I have said what I mean; and now will you give me the money, or shall I take it from you?” demanded the skipper savagely.
“I won’t give it to you; and it is stealing for you to take it from me,” protested Wade with all the strength of his lungs.
The captain did not wait for any thing more: he threw his prisoner on the floor, and, after a short search through his pockets, found the old wallet in which Wade had put the money. He took it from him; and, while his victim was getting up from the floor, he put it in his pocket. At this moment the mate came to the door. As he opened it, Wade made a dive through it.
“Stop him!” shouted the captain.
But it was too late: Wade had gained the deck.
“What did you open that door for?” said the skipper angrily.
“I wanted to report to you that that revenue-steamer is bearing down upon us, and, for aught I know, means to board us,” replied the mate.
“Why didn’t you report it before?”
“I came down here; but you seemed to be busy, and I did not like to disturb you,” answered the mate with a smile.
“Is she headed for the yacht?” inquired the captain; and he appeared to be anxious on the subject.
“She seems to be doing so.”
“Do you suppose her people saw the ‘Housatonic’s’ boat carry off those passengers?”
“If they used their glasses, they couldn’t well help seeing it,” replied the mate, who did not seem to be at all troubled about the matter. “What odds does it make if they did? I suppose the transaction was all right wasn’t it?”
“Of course it was. But where is that boy?”
“He went on deck.”
Capt. Bendig, afraid that Wade would tell the other two stowaways what he had seen, hastened on deck to secure him again. He saw the cutter was headed directly towards the “Moonlight.” Wade stood in the waist, with both eyes open. The skipper was intent on catching him again, intending to lock him into his state-room until the cutter had passed, and then give him the promised flogging. Wade retreated towards the stern, and then around the mast to the forecastle.
“Stop, you little villain!” said he. “You will get an extra flogging for this.”
When Wade saw he could not escape, he leaped upon the rail, and then jumped overboard.