The Golden Harpoon — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

= THE CHASE, —who recovered his senses by the time these little preliminaries had been gone through, was also secured with handcuffs—there are always plenty of these articles in a whaleship _—and Ss ee in the hold to enjoy the company of his fellow-conspirators. It was about this time that the man at the wheel, upon casting a careless glance over his shoulder, saw the boat of the second mate, which was faintly distinguishable in the fog astern. He notified the captain, who immedi- diately had the main-topsail backed and the ship brought up into the wind. But he felt so much anxiety with regard to his niece and her companions—for Driko had at once informed him of the disposition that had been made of them by the chief mutineér —that he scarcely heeded the boat when it dashed alongside. The hearty shake of the hand which he received from Mr. Spooner, however, as. the oe man confronted him, recalled him to him- self. “This has been a bad business,” said the poor fellow, as a contortion caused by the pain in his wounded hand passed over his face. “'Tom Block was killed 1” “What!” cried the captain, with a start, Cas Tom ” “Ay, ay!” interrupted the mate, “ killed by a harpoon thrown by one of the mutineers,” and he proceeded to give a graphic description of the incident. “T am sorry—very sorry that this has hap- pened!” cried the captain, with much emotion. “Shall we hoist the boat?” inquired Briggs, | at this juncture. “Ay, ay, the waist-boat, but not mine,” replied the captain, “for I shall presently go in search of Alice.” “And what shall we do with the body of Tom Block?” “Sew it up immediately. We will have the burial as soon as we can.” When the funeral was over, the captain or- dered the men to wear ship, and as soon as this task had been accomplished, two men were posted upon the knightheads to keep a good look-out. This duty, however, was soon rendered almost unnecessary, by a dead calm, which fell upon the sea before the vessel had advanced e mile upon her new course. The sails hung motionless upon the yards, and a feeling of unaccountable drowsiness stole over the weary helmsman. He could scarcely keep his eyes open, and it was only the presence of the cap- tain, who, with rapid and impatient strides, was walking the quarter-deck, that prevented him from indulging in sleep. “Mr. Spooner,” said the skipper, addressing the second mate, who was near the companion- way bathing his wounded hand in cold water, “T can’t endure this fearful suspense much longer. I shall have my boat manned imme- ee! after supper, and shall go in search of ice, “Hadn't you better wait until morning?” 21 said the old man. “ We are at the least about four leagues from the ice, by this time, and then in the darkness of the night—it is getting dark even now—coupled with this fog, you won't stand much chance of finding your niece.” “T can’t endure this suspense. I should lose my senses before morning! I must look for her, and that as soon as possible !” = rey Be is ready, sir!” cried, at this mo- ment, the Portuguese steward, Joseph, thrust- ing his head through the companion-way. Joe had escaped the handcuffs by a plausible tale, in which he made it appear that he had no hand in the conspiracy to take the ship, and had exhibited the red stripes upon his back, stating that Lark had flogged him because he rebelled against his measures. Howard, wh» was not of a suspicious nature, credited this story; but the steward fearing that the pri- soners in the run—or if not they, the young harpooner, Harry Marline, and his friend Stump—(in case they should ever be picked up)—would eventually betray him, had resolved to make his escape from the ship as soon as possible. ; ‘The helmsman, whose drowsiness had been noticed, had been drugged by the Portuguese, who had presented him with a glass of drugged liquor soon after he took his position at the wheel. ‘The consequence was that, by the time the decks were deserted by the officers afd crew—who had gone below to get their suppers —the steersman’s head dropped upon his breast and he fell into a deep slumber. The next moment the steward—who, under pretence of going to the locker for a certain dish, had contrived to make his way stealthily to the deck—glided to the waist-boat, cau- tiously glancing round him to make sure that he was not observed, and quickly severed with his knife the lashings and also the falls. Then he pushed the vessel overboard, and making his way to the captain’s boat,-he sprang into it, severed the rope that held it to the ship, and seized the steering-oar. “Done!” he muttered, exultantly, as he rapidly sculled the craft away from the “ Mont- pelier,” and gave the other boat a shove with his foot, ‘“me clear of dis vessel at last, and me soon be picked up by some other ship, for de Okhotsk Sea is full of ’em. De cap’n can no come after me,” he added, glancing towards the waist-boat, which was drifting off with the current. ©‘ He! he! he! me serve ’em fine trick. Good idee dat, to cut adrift Spooner’s boat, so dey no can catch me. Dey hang me, sure, if dey did!” As he spoke he redoubled his exertions, and he was soon so far from the “ Montpelier” that he would have been completely shrouded by the fog from the gaze of any person on deck. The boats were not missed until half an hour afterwards. ‘The captain was the first to per- ceive the loss, which overwhelmed him with astonishment, indignation, and grief. The helmsman was awakened and questioned, but he could throw no light upon the subject ;' Comichoo S = (©)