His recent experience of the great physical changes that may be wrought by an earthquake shock had already impressed upon him a strong conviction of the possibility that a second shock might at any moment bury the treasure irrecoverably; and this conviction was as strong an argument against the adoption of the alternative course as a man need wish for. No; he felt that it would be equally unwise for him to ship it aboard the stranger, and to leave it on the island until he could return to fetch it. If he desired to make sure of it--as he most certainly did--his proper course was to carry it away in the cutter, as he had always intended. And as to Nicholls and Simpson, he felt that, despite the appearance of this mysterious barque upon the scene, his liberal offer to them would quite suffice to hold them to their bargain with him. The ground thus cleared, there remained only Flora to be considered; and d.i.c.k very quickly arrived at the conclusion that she, and she only, was the one who could decide whether she would leave the island in the barque or accompany him in the cutter. But he had not much doubt as to what her decision would be.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

THE MYSTERIOUS BARQUE.

When Leslie returned to the camp he found the tent lighted up, and Flora and dinner awaiting him. He was tired, for the day had been an unusually fatiguing one; and when a man is tired he usually prefers to be silent. Nevertheless, he recapitulated in detail to Flora all that had been in his mind during his walk home; and finally put the question to her whether she would rather leave in the barque, or in the cutter; the former, perhaps, offering her more comfortable--because more roomy-- quarters than the latter.

"What have _you_ decided to do, d.i.c.k?" she asked.

"Oh," he replied, "so far as I am concerned, I have quite made up my mind to adhere to my original plan of going home in the cutter, and taking our treasure with me."

"Then, of course, that settles everything," said Flora, simply. "Where you go, d.i.c.k dear, I go also--that is to say, if you will have me."

This last with a most angelic smile.

There was but one reply possible to such a remark, so that matter was settled; after which, having lighted his pipe, he strolled over to the hut, to discuss with Nicholls and Simpson the unexpected appearance of the barque in their neighbourhood.

"If she means to touch here, as I feel pretty certain that she does,"

remarked Leslie, after he had related to the two men the result of his observations, "she will doubtless dodge off and on until daylight--as of course she cannot know the whereabouts of the channel through the reef-- and then we can go out in the canoe and pilot her in. Meanwhile, what do you two men think of doing? Are you going to keep to your arrangement with me; or would you prefer to get the skipper of the barque to take you?"

Nicholls regarded Leslie with some surprise. "I hope, sir," he said, "that you don't want to cry off your bargain with us! I've already been planning in my mind what I'll do with that five hundred--"

"Certainly not," interrupted d.i.c.k, with a laugh; "_I_ have no wish to cry off my bargain, as you term it. I merely wish you to understand that I will not attempt to hold you to it if you would prefer the barque to the cutter. The barque would doubtless be more comfortable than the cutter in heavy weather."

"May be she would, or may be she wouldn't," observed Nicholls. "Anyhow, the difference wouldn't be so very great, one way or the other. But there's no five hundred pound to be got out of the barque; and I'm bound to have that money, Mr Leslie--"

"Same here," cut in Simpson.

"All right," laughed Leslie. "Then that matter is settled for good and all; so we need say no more about it."

"Question is: What's she comin' here for?" inquired Simpson, volunteering a remark for the first time on record.

"Oh, who can tell?" returned Leslie. "She may be a whaler--although I do not believe that she is--putting in here in the hope of finding water. That is the only explanation that has occurred to me as accounting for her presence in this locality--which is really a long way out of any of the usual ship tracks. She is the first craft that I have sighted since my arrival upon this island. But no doubt we shall learn to-morrow--"

"Why, there she is," interrupted Nicholls, pointing. "By Jingo, just look at that; coming in through the channel as confidently as though she had been in the habit of sailin' in and out of it every day of her life!

And with nothing better than the starlight to see her way by. Well, dash my wig, but that's a rum go, and no mistake!"

It was even as he said; for while the three men stood there talking together the shadowy form of the barque, under her two topsails and fore-topmast staysail, was seen gliding into the lagoon close past Cape Flora--her skipper evidently perfectly acquainted with the exact situation of the entrance channel--and presently her topsail halliards were let run and the sails clewed up, the rattle of the gear and the cheeping of the blocks being distinctly audible to the three on the beach. Then a minute or two later came the splash of the anchor and the rumbling rattle of the cable through the hawse-pipe, and the barque was seen to swing to her anchor.

"Well, it is perfectly clear that the man who has charge of her has been in here at least once before," remarked Leslie. "Evidently he knows the place quite well. Now, I wonder _what_ it is that has brought him here; I would give a trifle to know. And, of course, I could readily find out by taking the canoe and paddling off aboard to ask the question. But I will not do that; and, furthermore, it may be just as well not to let those people know--until to-morrow morning, at any rate--that there is anybody on the island, therefore pleads take care, both of you, that no light shows from your hut to-night. And I will just step up to the tent and give Miss Trevor a similar caution. Good night, men. We had better be stirring by dawn to-morrow morning." So saying, Leslie turned away, and made his way to the tent, where he not only cautioned Flora against showing a light, but took such simple precautions as were required to render it impossible that the necessary lights in the tent should be seen from the barque. Then, this done to his satisfaction, he lighted his pipe and, taking the telescope--which was both a day and a night-gla.s.s--once more sauntered down to the beach to watch the proceedings aboard the strange vessel. For although he could find no legitimate reason or excuse for the feeling, it was an undeniable fact that the appearance of this barque upon the scene affected him disagreeably, producing within him a vague sense of unrest that almost amounted to foreboding. _Why_ had she come to the island? That was the question that persistently haunted him, and to which he could find no entirely satisfactory reply. That her presence there was accidental he could not believe, else how came it that the person in charge of her knew so well where to find the channel giving access to the lagoon, and entered it so confidently, not even waiting for the daylight to enable him to see his way in? And as he mused thus he employed himself in intently watching the barque through the night-gla.s.s, again noting the fact that the vessel was curiously short-handed, for her people furled only one topsail at a time, and--so far as he could make out--had only four men available for the job, instead of at least twice that number.

Furthermore, he noticed that, even for that small number of men, the time consumed in rolling up and stowing the sails was quite unconscionable, arguing the existence of an exceedingly lax discipline-- if any at all--aboard the craft. He estimated that it occupied those four men fully two hours to furl the two topsails; and when it was at last done and the men had descended to the deck with exasperating deliberation, he came to the conclusion that, if the night-gla.s.s was to be trusted, the job had been done in a most disgracefully slovenly manner.

He patiently watched that barque until all visible signs of life aboard her had vanished, and then he walked thoughtfully back to the tent and turned in--Flora having retired some time before. But ere he could get to sleep he was disturbed by the sounds of a hideous uproar that came floating sh.o.r.eward from the stranger; and, going again into the open air to hear more clearly, he presently recognised the sounds as those of discordant singing, finally recognising the fact that a regular drunken orgie was in progress aboard the craft--still further evidence of a singularly lax state of discipline.

Leslie's couch was a sleepless one that night; for the fact was that, taking everything into consideration, he could neither account satisfactorily for the presence of the barque at the island, nor convince himself that her errand there was an altogether honest one.

Therefore, with the first faint flush of dawn he was again astir; and rousing Flora and the two men, he bade them get their breakfasts forthwith and make the best of their way out of the camp ere the barque's people should have had an opportunity to see them and become aware of their presence on the island. And he further gave Nicholls and Simpson instructions to proceed with and complete the rigging of the cutter and the bending of her sails, in readiness for getting under way at a moment's notice. Unfortunately the _Flora_ had still to be provisioned and watered for her voyage; and it was just this fact, and the possibility that the strangers might be disposed to interfere with these operations, that discomposed him. But for this he would most cheerfully have marched himself and his little party out of the camp and left it, with everything it contained, to the mercy of the barque's crew--whom he had already, in some unaccountable fashion, come to look upon as outlaws. He gave the men the strictest injunctions that Flora was to forthwith take up her quarters aboard the cutter, while they-- Nicholls and Simpson--were to camp in the natural fortress to which he had that same afternoon drawn their attention, holding it against all comers, and on no account leaving it altogether unguarded, either day or night. As for himself, he announced that he would remain, as sole occupant of the camp, to meet the strangers and ascertain the reason for their visit; after which his further actions would be guided by circ.u.mstances.

Leslie was of opinion that, after the orgie of the preceding night, the crew of the barque would be in no particular hurry to turn out; and his surmise proved to be quite correct, for although he kept a keen watch upon the vessel it was not until nearly nine o'clock that he detected the first signs of movement on board her, in the shape of a thin streamer of smoke, issuing from the galley funnel. He then watched for the usual signs of washing down the decks, the drawing of water, the streaming of the scuppers, and so on, but could detect nothing of the kind; neither was the bell struck on board to mark the pa.s.sage of time-- two additional indications of the absence of discipline that still further increased his fast-growing uneasiness respecting the character of his unwelcome visitors. As soon as the light was strong enough, it may be mentioned, he had taken a look at the barque through his telescope, and had read the words "_Minerva_, Glasgow," painted across her counter; he thus knew that the vessel was British, as, indeed, he had already suspected.

Now, it was d.i.c.k's purpose to learn as much as he possibly could about the strangers, and to let them know as little as possible about himself--and nothing at all about his companions--in return, until he had had an opportunity to get some notion of their true character. He had therefore determined to pose as a solitary castaway; and now, in that character, proceeded down to the beach, stepped into the canoe, and began to paddle laboriously off toward the barque. For he knew that one of the first things to be done by the skipper of that vessel would be to bring his telescope to bear upon the island, and this would immediately result in the discovery of his tent, his pile of salvage from the brig, the hut, and all the litter upon the beach; and as it was consequently impossible to conceal the fact of his presence upon the island, he judged that the natural action of such a castaway as himself would be to eagerly seize the first opportunity to communicate with a calling ship.

The canoe being a big, heavy craft for one man to handle, it took him a full hour to paddle off to the barque; but it was not until he was within a hundred yards of her that he was able to detect any open indication of the fact that his presence had been discovered. Then he saw a big, burly-looking individual come aft along the vessel's full p.o.o.p, and deliberately bring a pair of binocular gla.s.ses to bear upon him. He at once ceased paddling, and, placing his hands to his mouth, hailed--

"_Minerva_ ahoy!"

"Hillo!" came the response across the water, in a gruff voice that accurately matched the build and general appearance of the owner.

"May I come aboard?" inquired d.i.c.k resuming his paddle.

"Ay, ay; come aboard, if ye like," was the somewhat ungracious response.

Without further parley Leslie paddled up alongside under the starboard main channels, and, flinging his painter up to an individual who came to the side and peered curiously down upon him over the bulwarks, scrambled up the side as best he could in the absence of a side-ladder, and the next moment found himself on deck.

He cast an apparently casual but really all-embracing glance round him, and noted that the barque was evidently just an ordinary trader, with nothing in the least remarkable about her appearance save the extraordinary paucity of men about her decks. Under ordinary circ.u.mstances and conditions, at this hour all hands would have been on deck and busy about their preparations for the carrying out of the object of their visit to the island--whatever that might be; instead of which the man on the p.o.o.p, the man who had made fast his painter for him, and the cook--a fat-faced, evil-looking man with a most atrocious squint--who came to the galley door and stared with malevolent curiosity at him--were the only individuals visible. It was not, however, any part of Leslie's policy to exhibit surprise at such an unusual condition of affairs, so he simply advanced to the p.o.o.p ladder, with the manner of one a little uncertain how to act, and, looking up at the burly man who stood at the head of the ladder, glowering down upon him, said--

"Good morning! Are you the captain of this barque?"

"Ay," answered the individual addressed; "I'm Cap'n Turnbull. Who may you be, mister? and how the blazes do you come to be on that there island? And how many more are there of ye?"

"As you see, I am alone, unfortunately," answered Leslie; "and a pretty hard time I have had of it. But, thank G.o.d, that is all over now that you have turned up--for I presume you will be quite willing to give me a pa.s.sage to the next port you may be calling at?"

"_Give_ ye a pa.s.sage?" reiterated the burly man, scornfully; "give nothin'! I'm a poor man, I am, and can't afford to give anything away, not even a pa.s.sage to the next port. But if you'm minded to come aboard and _work_ your pa.s.sage, you're welcome. For I'm short-handed, as I dare say you can see; and it's easy enough to tell that you're a sailor-man. It you wasn't you wouldn't be here, would ye?" This last with a grin that disclosed a set of strong irregular, tobacco-stained teeth, and imparted to the speaker the expression of a satyr.

The conversation thus far had been conducted as it had started, with Leslie down on the main deck and Turnbull on the p.o.o.p. The incongruity of the arrangement now seemed to strike the latter, for he added--

"Come up here, mister; we can talk more comfortably when we're alongside of one another; and you can spin me the yarn how you come to be all alone by yourself on yon island."

In acceptance of this graciously worded invitation, Leslie ran lightly up the p.o.o.p ladder and, slightly raising his cap, said--

"Permit me to introduce myself, Captain Turnbull. My name is _Leslie_,"--with emphasis--"and the recital of the chain of circ.u.mstances which ended in my being cast away upon the island yonder will be so lengthy that, with your permission, I will smoke a pipe as I tell it."

And therewith he calmly drew his pipe from his pocket and, filling it, lighted up. Meanwhile his manner, language, and appearance had been steadily impressing the other man, who insensibly began to infuse his own manner with a certain measure of respect as the interview lengthened itself out.

Having lighted his pipe, Leslie proceeded to relate the whole story of his adventure, beginning with his embarkation on board the _Golden Fleece_, and ending up with the stranding of the _Mermaid_, but carefully suppressing all reference whatsoever to Miss Trevor; and representing himself not as an ex-naval officer, but as an amateur yachtsman. He was careful also to mention nothing about the existence of the cutter, but, on the other hand, dwelt at some length upon the idea he had entertained of building a craft capable of carrying him and a sufficient stock of provisions away from the island. "I doubt, however, whether I should ever have managed it, single-handed. But your arrival renders all further trouble on that score unnecessary," he said, in conclusion.

"Well, yes," returned Turnbull, somewhat more genially than he had yet spoken; "there's no call for you to worry about buildin' a boat now, as you says, 'specially as you're a good navigator. You can come home with us, workin' your pa.s.sage by navigatin' the ship. For a good navigator is just exactly what I happens to want."

"Ah, indeed! Cannot you rely upon your mate, then?" inquired Leslie, blandly.

"My mate?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the burly man; "well, no, I can't. That's to say," he continued confusedly, "he's the only navigator I've got now, and--well, no, I _can't_ depend upon him."

"Do you find, then, that your own observations and his yield different results?" asked Leslie, still in the same bland, quiet manner.

"My own observations?" reiterated Captain Turnbull. "_I_ don't take no observations. Ye see," he added, looking hard at Leslie's impa.s.sive face to discover whether the latter had noticed anything peculiar in such an extraordinary admission, "my sight's a little bit peculiar; I can see ordinary things plain enough, but when it comes to squintin'

through a s.e.xtant I can't see nothin'."

"Ah, indeed; that must be exceedingly awkward for you, Captain,"

returned Leslie. "I am not surprised at your anxiety to secure the services of another navigator. By the way, how long do you propose to remain here? I should like to know, so that I may make my preparations accordingly."