The Golden Harpoon — page 18: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

16 “Ay, ay, sir,” said the Portuguese, in a cringing tone of voice; “me glad to do what you tell me!” and he mounted to the beams. The lashings were soon unfastened, and, by means of a tackle, which had been rigged over the steerage hatch, a few days previously, the boat was hoisted, and then lowered alongside. “Tt leaks bad,” said Driko, who had jumped into the vessel, for the purpose of receiving the oars, and the other articles which Lark had ordered to be passed into it. “ Never mind the leak,” said the giant; “the little craft is good enough for those that are to occupy it. I shall let °em have some provisions for the sake of the gal. ‘That’s what I call equal rights!” ‘‘A breaker of fresh-water, another of hard bread, together with pork and beef, were accordingly placed in the vessel. Then fol- lowed a couple of lime-tubs, a boat-sail, and a bucket of tar with a brush. “The two rascals can make a tent with them things for the gal. I haven't anything against her, and so don’t see why she shouldn’t be made as comfortable as she can he, considering the circumstances, and according to the law of equal rights.” The ship was now running at the rate of about seven knots, along the eastern edge of the floe, and, as the boat had been lowered upon the larboard side, it was between the ship and the ice—the latter not being further than five’ fathoms from it. “Tf me may be so bold,” said the steward, obsequiously, to the self-constituted captain, “me would like to ask whether you be going to put de prisoners in de boat?” “Ay, ay,” answered Lark, roughly; “but why do you ask?” “Because me wanted to know whether me shouldn’t go into de cabin and tell Miss Alice to get ready, and gag the mouths of dat Stump and Marline.” “And why should they be gagged?” cried the giant. ‘“ You must be mad!” “Qh, because me t’ink you no like to hear dem—especially dis Stump—talk to you, and eal you bad names!” stammered the fright- ened Portuguese, who readily foresaw that, the instant the hatch was opened, the villainous trick which he had performed, without the sanction of Lark, would be discovered. The reader will, therefore, understand the reason why he wished to obtain the consent of the giant to the measure he had proposed. Should he succeed in doing this, he might make his way rapidly from the run to the spot occupied by the prisoners, and conceal the furnace before the main hold could be opened. The smoke, that had already emanated from the coal, would, of course, be perceived, and would ex- cite much astonishment. But the gags in the mouths of the prisoners would prevent them from betraying the anthor of the mischief. “Yer, you inust be mad!” cried the giant, as he fixed his great, round eyes upon the livid face of the steward; ‘‘and I don’t know but what it would be as well for me to set you THE GOLDEN HARPOON, adrift with the prisoners. That would be equal | 17? ‘ rights “Oh, no! no!” cried Joseph, trembling from head to foot; “‘me no like to go with dem. Dey kill me, sure!” “Very well, then, don’t talk any more about gags, and such nonsense. If you do, I shail think you are mad, and I don’t want any mai- men in this ship. Off with the main-haica, men!” he added, turning to the two islanders at his elbow; “and move about lively, for we've lost time enough already.” He was obeyed with alacrity, but the hotd. had scarcely been opened, when an exclamation of astonishment from the Kanakas drew the giant to the spot in time to inhale the gas, and to perceive the thin puffs of smoke that curled upward from the hatch. With a loud oath, he leaped through the opening, and he then perceived the burning coal, and also, that his two prisoners were gagged. ‘To pass the heated furnace to the KKanakas, with an order to throw it overboard at once, was, with the mutineer, the work of an instant; then, lifting each of the two pros- trate men, one after the other, in his herculean arms, he scon had them placed on deck. ‘“Now then!” he cried, as he climbed to the combings of the hatch, “take those gags from the mouths of the prisoners.” The islanders obeyed, and as soon as the sufferers had recovered sufficiently to speak, Lark addressed them : “Tt was against 3 orders that you were served in the way you have been; for, although I owe you a grudge for disputing my authority, I wouldn't go to work to satisty if in apy suca sneaking manner as charcoal and gags, which ain't in the vocabulary of equal rights. Who was the man that did this mischief? I wish to know, so that I can punish him.” “Ay, ay!” cried Stump, for, thanks to an excellent constitution, both himself and his friend were rapidly recovering from the effects of the deadly carbonie acid gas. { Ay, ay; that’s a square question, and deserves to be squarely answered. In the first place, then, you are parfectly correct when you say that the way we’ve been treated isn’t in the ‘ vocalbub- blery’ of equal rights. Them that has suffered as we have can be reasonably sartain upon that pint, and I'll say, in concluding, that if I ever get hold of the head of Portuguese Joe—which was the creatur’ that caused all our woes—I shall give it a miraculous punching.” The eyes of the giant flashed fire, and, rush- ing aft to the mizzen-mast, near which tho steward had stationed himself, he caught the trembling wretch by the throat, and skook him until he was almost senseless. “You miserable imp! Do you dare to go against the orders of Captain Lark? Do you dare to set my authority at defiance? Do you dare——” “Mercy! mercy! mercy!” shrieked the Por- tuguese, trembling in every limb. ‘' Me won't doit any more! Me will do anything you want me to.” “Tf I wasn’t so short-handed, I should blow ~ Comichoo KS (EO)