CHAPTER XIV
"Captain 'Enery"
While the boat was away on its errand Captain Jeremy turned to me.
"You see, Master Clifford, that I am in a very awkward position. As master of this vessel I look upon mutiny and similar uprisings against authority as an offence of the blackest dye. 'Tis certain that Master Oddicombe and his following have dealt hardly with the captain of the Neptune and his crew, and for that they deserve to be delivered up to justice at the first English settlement we touch. On the other hand, they were fighting for their liberty 'gainst a tyrant, while, to go farther, they fought side by side with us under Monmouth's banner. But for the workings of Providence, I and a score of my men now on board this vessel would have been similarly dealt with. Had we been in their place, how should we have acted, had the means of regaining our freedom been opened to us?"
"Same as they, Cap'n," exclaimed 'Enery, who, with Touchstone and myself, formed a little council in the cabin.
"I did but sound your inclinations," continued Captain Jeremy. "Sink me! I cannot blame them. But now, by the laws of the sea, the Neptune is in our keeping till we bring her into a port, when the Admiralty courts shall decide our share of the salvage. But if we do that, what is to become of the yokels that are on board? Nay, that will not serve."
"We could do with another ship and a sprinkling of fighting men," observed the master gunner tentatively.
"You have spoken mine own mind," rejoined Captain Jeremy. "If we can but make yon peasants see that therein lies the best chance of safety, I'll tranship half of them, and send thirty of our men under you, bos'n, to work the leavening of the rest. I know these men. They are full of fight, and only need a stiffening of good seamen to turn them into a passable crew."
"Then you expect we shall have opposition, sir?" I asked. "From whom?"
"From the buccaneers, unless I be greatly mistaken. With the Golden Hope alone 'twould be necessary to avoid an engagement should these rogues think fit to molest us, for they swarm all over the Caribbean Sea; but with a consort like the Neptune we can hold our own. Is she a seaworthy craft?"
"As sweet a craft as I could wish for--saving our own," replied 'Enery.
"And well found?"
"Both in stores and munitions of war, though I have not made a full search. Eight twelvepounders and an eighteen on her fo'c'sle, and a goodly store of muskets, cutlasses, and pikes, to say naught of a stock of bilboes."
"And water?"
"Enough and to spare."
"Excellent!" exclaimed Captain Jeremy. "But here is the boat alongside. We'll hear what Master Oddicombe hath to say to our proposals."
Master Oddicombe needed but little persuasion to fall in with Captain Jeremy's suggestions. He realized only too well that his bold step in taking possession of the Neptune brought the greater chance of difficulties and dangers; and that, had they been overhauled by a King's ship, every man would assuredly have graced a halter.
Captain Jeremy next proceeded to explain the mission of the Golden Hope, and our expectation of securing a vast treasure.
"Although I can offer you no share in the matter," he continued, "I shall require you and your companions to pledge yourselves to serve us faithfully for the space of not more than two years. At the end of that time, or before, should we attain the object of our search, I'll warrant your safe discharge at some settlement, where you will be free men. More than that, should we be able, by the united work of both vessels, to capture any buccaneering craft who think to molest us, their cargoes will be equally divided betwixt all hands. So if you and your men are willing to serve us faithfully, and engage in an enterprise of adventure and profit, now is the chance of that and your freedom."
Nothing loath, Master Oddicombe gave the required promise on behalf of his men, and the compact having been sealed over a bottle of Madeira, we all repaired on deck, where Captain Jeremy gave orders for our crew to assemble.
"My lads," said he, "You know I'm a bluff sailor and not given to making speeches, so I come straight to the point. Yon brig is now our consort. Together we'll make a match for any buccaneer that dares to assail us. You need not fear that your shares in the expedition will be lessened by our increased numbers--if anything, you stand to gain. I hope you'll welcome your new messmates. Some of you will greet them as old companions on the battlefield. That's all I'm going to say. Now, thirty men are wanted to serve aboard the Neptune under Captain 'Enery." Here our former bos'n almost lost his balance, at the shock of hearing his new title. "Seven of our men are already aboard her," continued Captain Jeremy, with a sweep of his arm in the direction of the Neptune, which, like the Golden Hope, had been hove-to during the last hour or so. "Those willing to serve under Captain 'Enery will muster on the larboard side."
To my surprise, not a man crossed over to the larboard, but with one accord all stepped briskly and resolutely to the starboard side.
"What's this I see?" shouted Captain Jeremy.
"Do you want to cruise single-handed? Are you afraid that, against my word, your shares will go down? Do I scent mutiny aboard the Golden Hope? Bestir yourselves, my hearties!"
"'Tain't neither, Cap'n," replied one of the men, Tom Cherry by name. He had been one of the Captain's comrades in the cave, and was a stanch, honest fellow. "We'll all go if you gives the word, but we don't want you to think as 'ow we wants to leave you."
"You won't be leaving me; it's the Golden Hope you're leaving, to join a consort under my orders. I thank you all for your expression of loyalty, but as some of you must ship aboard the Neptune we'll leave it to chance. Master Touchstone, do you draw the men into two ranks."
Thereupon the crew took up their position, fifty-one all told, for Captain 'Enery and the master gunner were, with Captain Miles and me on the poop.
"Down you go, Master Clifford, and pick out a man at random," said our Captain; and, descending the poop ladder, I walked between two rows of as fine a set of men as ever served afloat.
"Fall out, you," ordered Captain Jeremy, as I touched a smart lower-yard man on the shoulder.
"Now, count out every seventh man."
"There you are, Captain 'Enery," he continued, when the counting out was completed; "a proper crew for you, and no favouritism. I trust they'll do you credit. Now, lads, there's no time to be lost, so dismiss and pack up your traps."
With this there was a wild skelter, as the men dived into the forepeak to gather together their personal property; and a quarter of an hour later the backbone of the Neptune's crew rowed off to our consort.
An hour or more elapsed ere the sixty peasants were brought on board the Golden Hope, for Captain 'Enery, with considerable tact, had allowed them to settle amongst themselves who should stay and who were to go. Thus there was no separation of relations or friends--for, poor fellows, they had had enough of that when they left England--and each band of yokels had the satisfaction of finding themselves made up of practically the manhood of their respective villages.
Our westward course was now resumed, the two vessels keeping their stations with commendable precision, the Golden Hope leading at about a cable's length from the Neptune's larboard bow.
From early morn to late afternoon, day after day, the new arrivals were trained in the use of arms, manning the guns under Master Touchstone's supervision, and going through the musketry exercises and the cuts and guards of the cutlass drill. It was not long before their smocks and other homely garments had given place to clothes of a nautical cut, while each day added to their transformation into stout-hearted British seamen.
Nor were the conditions under which the crew of the Neptune lived less strenuous. Although we were unable to go aboard her, for the Trades blew steadily during this time, and both vessels kept up a good eight knots, I could see by the aid of a glass that her men were hard at work with their ordnance and small arms; while it seemed that Captain 'Enery rarely quitted his quarter-deck. Whenever I chanced to look that way I could distinguish his tall, gaunt, bearded figure slowly pacing his domain; and I realized that, should we ever find ourselves in a tight fix, we should have reason to be thankful for the aid of Captain 'Enery.