Prisoners of Chance Page 4

  CHAPTER III

  A VISIT TO THE FLAG-SHIP

  I had seldom assumed disguise, except when wearing Indian garb upon thewar-trail. Yet in boyhood I had occasionally masqueraded as a negro sosuccessfully as to deceive even my own family. With this in mind theresolve was taken that in no other guise than that of a foolish,huckstering darky could I hope to attain the guarded deck of thatSpanish frigate. This offered only the barest chance of success, yetsuch chances had previously served me well, and must be trusted now.Opportunity frequently opens to the push of a venturesome shoulder.

  Once determined upon this I set to work, perfecting each detail whichmight aid in the hazardous undertaking. Much was to be accomplished,and consequently it was late in the afternoon before the two of us,myself as much a negro to outward appearance as my sable companion,floated anxiously down the broad river in a battered old scow heapedhigh with every variety of country produce obtainable. Drifting withthe current, I kept the blunt nose pointed directly toward the bulgingside of the "Santa Maria," yet without venturing to glance in thatdirection, until a sharp challenge of the vigilant sentinel warned usto sheer off.

  Slowly shipping the heavy steering oar, finding it difficult even inthat moment of suspense to suppress a smile at the expression of terroron Alphonse's black face, I stood up, awed by the solemn massiveness ofthe vast bulk towering above me, now barely thirty feet away. For thefirst time I realized fully the desperation of my task, and my heartsank. But the gesticulations of the wrathful guard could no longer beignored, and, smothering an exclamation of disgust at my momentaryweakness, I nerved myself for the play.

  "_Caramba_!" the fellow shouted roughly in his native tongue. "Stopthere, you lazy niggers; don't let that boat drift any closer. Come,sheer off, or, by all the saints, I 'll blow a hole clear through theblack hide of one of you!"

  "Hold her back, boy!" I muttered hurriedly to the willing slave. "Thatsoldier means to shoot."

  Then I held up a handful of our choicest fruit into view.

  "I have got plenty vegetables, an' lot fruit fer sell," I shoutedeagerly in negro French, putting all the volume possible into my voice,hopeful my words might penetrate the hidden deck above. "Plenty'tatoes, peaches, olibs--eberyting fer de oppercers."

  "Don't want them--pull away, and be lively about it."

  It was a moment of despair, every hope suspended in the balance; myheart beating like a trip-hammer with suspense. The thoroughly enragedguard lifted his gun to the shoulder; there was threat in his eyes, yetI ventured a desperate chance of one more word.

  "I got de only _olibs_ on dis ribber."

  "_Bastenade_!" yelled the infuriated fellow. "I 'll give you a shot topay for your insolence."

  Even as he spoke, fumbling the lock of his gun, that same head observedbefore suddenly popped over the high rail like Punch at a pantomime.

  "Vat zat you say, nigger?" its owner cried doubtingly. "Vas it ze olifyou haf zare in ze leetle boat?"

  I eagerly held up into view a choice handful of green fruit, my eyeshopeful.

  "Oui, Senor Oppercer--fresh olibs; same as ob your lan'."

  The Spaniard was standing upright on the rail by this time, clingingfast to a rope dangling from above, leaning far over, no slightinterest depicted upon his pinched, sallow countenance.

  "It's all right, sentry," he said sharply to the soldier, who loweredhis gun with a scowl indicating his real desire. My newly found friendlifted his squeaking voice again in unfamiliar speech.

  "Bring ze leetle boat along ze side of ze sheep, you black fellar, an'come up here wiz ze olif fer ze Capitaine."

  "Scull in close against those steps, Alphonse," I muttered, overjoyedat this rare stroke of good fortune. "Then pull out a few strokes; butstay alongside until I come back. Don't let any one get aboard, andkeep a quiet tongue yourself."

  The whites of his eyes alone answered me, he being too badly frightenedfor speech. The situation was one to grate upon any nervesunaccustomed to danger, yet, trusting the long training of the slavewould hold him obedient, I turned away, and, in another moment, hadscrambled up the rope ladder, plunging awkwardly over the high rail onto the hitherto concealed deck. My pulses throbbed with excitementover the desperate game fronting me, yet, with a coolness surprising tomyself, I lost at that instant every sensation of personal fear, indetermination to act thoroughly my assumed character. More lives thanone hung in the balance, and, with tightly clenched teeth, I swore toprove equal to the venture. The very touch of those deck planks to mybare feet put new recklessness into my blood, causing me to marvel atthe perfection of my own fool play.

  The gaunt Spaniard commanding my presence stood waiting, hardly morethan five paces from where I landed, yet so intense became my immediateinterest in the strange scene--an interest partly real, but largelysimulated for the occasion--that he contented himself watching myconfused antics with much apparent amusement, and without addressingme. Even to this hour that scene lies distinct before my eyes.Possessed I skill with pencil I could sketch each small detail from theretina of memory--the solitary sentinel beside the rail, his well-wornuniform of blue and white dingy in the sun; another farther forward,where a great opening yawned; with yet a third, standing rigid before aclosed door of the after cabin. An officer, his coat richly decoratedwith gold braid, wearing epaulets, and having a short sword dangling athis side, paced back and forth across the top of a little house nearthe stern. I heard him utter some command to a sailor near the wheel,but he never so much as glanced toward me. Perhaps thirty or moreseamen, bronzed of face, and oddly bedecked as to hair, lounged idlyamid the shadows opposite, while, more closely at hand, that gaunt,cadaverous Spaniard, at whose invitation I was present, leaned againsta big gun, puffing nonchalantly at a cigarette, held between lean,saffron-colored fingers. The deck was white as the snows of a northernWinter, while the brass work along the railings and about the cannonglittered brilliantly in the sunshine. There was a gaudyyellow-and-white striped canopy stretched above a portion of the deckaft; the huge masts seemed to pierce into the blue of the skies; whileon every side were ranged grim guns of brass and iron.

  My role was that of an ignorant, green, half-frightened darky, and Ipresume I both appeared and acted the natural-born idiot, if I mightjudge from the expression upon the Spaniard's face, and the broad grinlighting up the fierce countenance of the sentry at the gangway. Yetback of this mask there was grim determination and fixed purpose, sothat no article of furniture was along that broad deck which I did notmentally photograph, so as to know its whereabouts if ever I chancedthat way again. Ay! even to a little cuddy door beside the cookhouse,apparently opening directly into the mysterious regions below, and agreat chest lashed hard against the rail, within which I distinguishedthe bright colors of numerous flags. I noticed also the odd manner inwhich queer rope ladders led up from either side of the broad deck tothe vast spars high above, rising tier on tier until my head grew dazedwith gazing at them.

  "Vel, Sambo, my black fellow," grinned the officer, whose eyes werestill lazily following my erratic movements as I peered innocently intothe muzzle of a brass carronade in apparent hope of discovering theball, "zis vus ze first time you vus ever on ze war-sheep, I sinklikely. How you like stop here, hey, an' fight wis dos sings?" And herested his yellow hand caressingly upon the breech of the gun.

  I shook my head energetically, rendering as prominent as possible thewhites of my eyes, at which he grinned wider than ever.

  "No, sah, Mister Oppercer Man; you don't git dis hyer nigger into nofought, sah," I protested with vehemence. "I done fought wid de Injunsonct, sah, an' I done don't want no mo'."

  "Veil, you not vorry, boy; you voud be no good on ze war-sheep. Butnow you come wis me to ze Capitaine--bring ze olif."

  Bearing a tempting sample of the Spaniard's favorite fruit tightlyclutched in my black hand, and pulling my battered straw hat lower inconcealment of my telltale hair, I made awkward attempt to shufflealong behind him, a
s he carelessly advanced toward the after part ofthe vessel. But I loitered along our passage to examine so manyobjects of curiosity, asking such a multitude of extremely absurdquestions, that we consumed considerable time in traversing even thecomparatively short distance to where the rigid sentinel fronted usbefore the cabin door. My queries were simple enough to have birth inthe brain of a fool, yet my guide was of rare good humor, and evidentlyso amused at my ignorant curiosity that his patience withstood thestrain. On my part none were blindly asked, but were intended to opena way toward others of the utmost importance. My sole purpose at thatmoment was to lull suspicion to rest; when that had been accomplished,then I might confidently hope to pump my trustful victim of suchinformation as I imperatively required. The ignorant questions of animbecile will oftentimes be frankly responded to, where a wise manmight ask in vain, and my first play was to establish my character as afool. That I had succeeded was already evident.

  The statuesque guard before the cabin brought his musket up at ourapproach with so smart a snap as to startle me into a moment's apparentterror. To the officer's request that we be admitted to the presenceof the Captain, he responded briefly that that officer had gone forwardhalf an hour before. My guide glanced about as if uncertain where hehad better turn in search.

  "Did he go down the hatch?" he queried shortly.

  "I know not, Senor Gonzales," was the respectful reply. "But I believehe may be with the prisoners' guard below."

  The officer promptly started forward, and, awaiting no formalinvitation, I shambled briskly after, keeping as close as possible tohis heels. Could I gain a brief glimpse below the deck it would beworth more to me than any amount of blind questioning, and my heartthumped painfully in remembrance of what hung upon his movements. Witha single sharp word to the sentry at the hatch he swung himselfcarelessly over the edge, mysteriously disappearing into the gloombeneath. That was no time for hesitancy, and I was already preparingto do likewise, when the guard, a surly-looking brute, promptlyinserted the point of his bayonet into my ragged garment, accompanyingthis kindly act with a stern order to remain where I was.

  "An' what fo' yo' do dat, Senor Sojer?" I cried, in unaffected anguish,rubbing the injured part tenderly, yet speaking loud so that my wordsshould be distinctly audible below. "Dat oppercer man he done tol' meto foller him to de Captain. What fo' yo' stop me wid dat toastin'fork?"

  "It's all right, Manuel," sung out a voice in Spanish from the lowerdarkness. "Let the fool nigger come down."

  The thoroughly disgusted soldier muttered something about his orders,that his lieutenant had not ever authorized him to pass fools.Overlooking this personal allusion, and fearing more serious oppositionfrom some one higher in authority, I took advantage of his momentarydoubt, promptly swung my legs over the edge of the hatch opening,groped blindly about with my bare feet until they struck the rungs of anarrow ladder, and went scrambling down into the semi-darkness ofbetween-decks, managing awkwardly to miss my final footing, thusflopping in a ragged heap at the bottom.

  "Holy Mother! you make more noise zan a sheep in action," grumbled thestartled officer, as I landed at his feet. "Vat for you come down zeladder zat vay?"

  Rubbing my numerous bruises energetically, I contented myself withstaring up at him as if completely dazed by my fall. Reading in hisamused countenance no symptom of awakening suspicion I ventured a quickglance at my new surroundings. We were in what appeared a largeunfurnished room, with doors of all sizes opening in every direction,while I could perceive a narrow entry, or passageway, extending towardthe after part of the vessel. The roof, formed of the upper deck, waslow, upheld by immense timbers, and the apartment, nearly square, wasdimly flooded by the sparse light sifting down through the singlehatch-opening above, so that, in spite of its large dimensions, it hada cramped and stuffy appearance. The vast butt of the mainmast arosedirectly in front of me, and, upon a narrow bench surrounding it, adozen soldiers were lounging, while near the entrance to thepassageway, scarcely more than a shadow in that dimness, stood asentry, stiff and erect, with musket at his shoulder. They were mostlyslightly built, dark-featured men, attired in blue and white uniforms,the worse for wear, and were all laughing at my crazy entrance. Nodoubt my coming afforded some relief to their tiresome, dull routine.While lying there, apparently breathless from my fall, my brainseffectively muddled, a young officer advanced hastily from out thegloom to inquire into so unusual an uproar.

  "What is all this noise about?" he questioned sharply, striding towardus. "Ah, Gonzales; whom have you here? Another bird to add to ourfine collection?"

  "If so, it must be a rare blackbird, Senor Francisco," returned myfriend, vainly endeavoring to recover his customary gravity. "By SaintCristobal! I have not laughed so heartily for a year past as at thispoor black fool. Faith, I sought to enlist him in the service of HisMost Christian Majesty, yet his method of coming down a companionladder convinced me he sadly lacks the necessary qualifications for asailor. Hast seen aught of the Captain here below?"

  "Ay, comrade, thou wilt find him aft. He hath just had speech oncemore with the chief rebel, the graybeard they call Lafreniere, and wasin raging temper when last we met. _Caramba_! he even called me anass, for no more serious fault, forsooth, than that I made the round ofmy guard unattended. Hath your darky news for him?"

  "Nay; the fellow possesseth not sufficient sense to be a messenger,except it may be a message for his stomach to make his humor better,"was the reply. "Come, trot along now, boy, and mind where you put downthose big feet in the passage."

  I struggled upright in response to his order, assisted by the sharp tapof a boot accompanying it, tripped over a gun barrel one of the guardfacetiously inserted between my legs, and went down once more, utteringsuch howl of terror as could be only partially drowned beneath theuproarious laughter of my merry tormentors. It developed into agantlet, yet I ran the line with little damage, and, after much duckingand pleading, managed to regain my position close to the heels of SenorGonzales before he turned into the passageway, which, as I nowperceived, was dimly illumined by means of a single lantern, hung to ablackened upper beam.

  "Well, good luck to both of you," called out the young officer of theguard laughingly as we disappeared. "Yet I 'd hate to have thesteering of such a crazy craft as follows in your wake, Gonzales, and Iwarn you again the Senor Captain will be found in beastly humor."

  "I fear nothing," returned my guide, his lean yellow face turnedbackward over his shoulder. "I have what will bring him greaterhappiness than a decoration from the King."

  Shambling awkwardly forward, simulating all the uncouthness possible, Iretained my wits sufficiently to note our surroundings--the long,narrow passage, scarcely exceeding a yard in width, with numerous doorsopening on either side. Several of these stood ajar, and I perceivedberths within, marking them as sleeping apartments, although one uponthe right was evidently being utilized as a linen closet, while yetanother, just beyond, and considerably larger, seemed littered with amedley of boxes, barrels, and great bags. This apartment appeared somuch lighter than those others, even a stray ray of sunshine pouringdirectly down into it from above, that I instinctively connected it inmy mind with the cook-house on the upper deck, and the open cuddy doorI had chanced to notice.

  As we approached the farther end this passage suddenly widened into ahalf circle, sufficiently extended to accommodate the huge butt of themizzenmast, which was completely surrounded by an arm-rack crowded withshort-swords, together with all manner of small arms. A grimly silentguard stood at either side, and I perceived the dark shadow of a thirdstill farther beyond, while the half-dozen cabins close at hand hadtheir doors tightly closed, and fastened with iron bars.

  Instinctively I felt that here were confined those French prisoners,the knowledge of whose exact whereabouts I sought amid suchsurroundings of personal peril, and my heart bounded from suddenexcitement. In simulated awkwardness, I unfortunately overdid my part.Shuffling forward, more eage
r than ever to keep at the heels of myprotector, yet with eyes wandering in search of any opening, my barefeet struck against a projecting ring-bolt in the deck, and over Iwent, striving vainly to regain my balance. Before that human statueon guard could even lower his gun to repel boarders, my head struck himsoundly in the stomach, sending him crashing back against one of thosetightly closed doors. Tangled up with the surprised soldier, whopromptly clinched his unexpected antagonist, and, with shockingprofanity, strove to throttle me, I yet chanced to take note of thenumber "18" painted upon the white wood just above us. Then the dooritself was hurled hastily open, and with fierce exclamation of rage agray-hooded Capuchin monk bounded forth like a rubber ball, andinstantly began kicking vigorously right and left at our strugglingfigures. It gives me pleasure to record that the Spaniard, being ontop, received by far the worst of it, yet I might also bear testimonyto the vigor of the priest's legs, while we shared equally in thevolubility of his tongue.

  "_Sacre_!" he screamed in French, punctuating each sentence with afresh blow. "Get away from here, you drunken, quarrelling brutes! Hasit come to this, that a respectable priest of Holy Church may not holdprivate converse with the condemned without a brawl at the very door?Mother of God! what meaneth the fracas? Where is the guard? Why don'tsome of them jab their steel in the blasphemous ragamuffins who thusmake mock of the holy offices of religion? Take that, you black,sprawling beast!"

  He aimed a vicious stroke at my head, which I ducked in the nick oftime to permit of its landing with full force in my companion's ribs.I heard him grunt in acknowledgment of its receipt.

  "Where is the guard, I say! If they come not I will strangle the dogswith my own consecrated hands to the glory of God. By the saintedBenedine! was ever one of our Order so basely treated before? Getaway, I tell you! 'Tis a disgrace to the true faith, and just as I wasabout to bring the Chevalier to his knees in confession of his sins!"

  Gonzales was fairly doubled up with laughter at the ludicrous incident,choking so that speech had become an utter impossibility. By this timethe aroused guards began hurrying forward on a run down the passagewayto rescue their imperilled comrade, yet, before the foremost succeededin laying hands upon me, a newcomer, resplendent in glittering uniform,with an inflamed, almost purple face, leaped madly forth from theopposite side of the mast and began laying about him vigorously with aniron pin, making use meanwhile of a vocabulary of choice Spanishepithets such as I never heard equalled.

  "By the shrine of Saint Gracia!" shouted this new arrival hoarsely,glaring about in the dim light as if half awakened from a bad dream."What meaneth this aboard my ship? _Caramba_! is this a travellingshow--a place for mountebanks and gypsies? Shut the door, youshrieking gray-back of a monk, or I 'll have you cat-o'-nine-tailed bythe guard, in spite of your robe. Get up, you drunken brute!"

  The crestfallen soldier to whom these last affectionate words wereaddressed limped painfully away, and then the justly irate commander ofHis Christian Majesty's flag-ship "Santa Maria" glowered down on mewith an astonishment that for the moment held him dumb.

  "Where did this dirty nigger come from?" he roared at last, applyingone of his heavy sea-boots to me with vehemence. "Who is the villainwho dared bring such cattle on board my ship?"

  Gonzales, now thoroughly sobered by the seriousness of the situation,attempted to account for my presence, but before he had fairly begunhis story, the Captain, who by this time was beyond all reason, burstroaring forth again:

  "Oh, so you brought him! You did, hey? Well, did n't I tell you tolet no lazy, loafing bumboat-man set foot on board? Do you laugh at myorders, you good-for-nothing scum of the sea? And above all things whydid you ever drag such a creature as this down between decks todisgrace the whole of His Majesty's navy? Get up, you bundle of rags!"

  I scrambled to my feet, seeking to shuffle to one side out of hisimmediate sight, but a heavy hand closed instantly on my ragged collarand held me fronting him. For a moment I thought he meant to strikeme, but I appeared such a miserable, dejected specimen of humanity thatthe fierce anger died slowly out of his eyes.

  "Francisco," he called sternly, "heave this thing overboard, and belively about it! Saints of Mercy! he smells like a butcher-boat in thetropics."

  Hustled, dragged, cuffed, mercilessly kicked, the fellows got me outupon the open deck at last; I caught one fleeting glimpse of the greatmasts, the white, gleaming planks under foot, the horrified, upturned,face of Alphonse in the little boat beneath, and then, with a heave anda curse, over I went, sprawling down from rail to river, as terrified adarky as ever made hasty departure from a man-of-war.