Lost in the Forest | Page 4

your blood. Ho! there-- lower one of the quarter boats."
This order was obeyed with promptitude. Some provisions were thrown into the boat, and the captain was cast loose and ordered to get into it. He turned to make a last appeal to the crew, but Griffin presented a pistol at his head and ordered him peremptorily to get into the boat. It is probable that he would have made another effort, had not two of the men forced him over the side. Seeing this, Will Osten was so indignant and so anxious to quit the ship, that he stepped forward with alacrity to follow him.
"No, no, my fine young fellow," said Griffin, thrusting him back, "we want your help as a doctor a little longer. It may be that you are not inclined to serve us, but we can find a way of compelling you if you're not. Come, Mr Dall, be good enough to go next."
When Captain Dall's hands were loosed, he shook his fist in the second mate's face, and said, "Rascal, you'll swing for this yet; mark my words, you'll swing for it." Having relieved his feelings thus, he went over the side.
While this was going on, Larry O'Hale, Muggins, and Mr Cupples, with several others, were brought to the gangway. Griffin addressed these before ordering them into the boat.
"My lads," he said, "I have no objection to your remaining aboard, if you choose to take part with us."
"I, for one, will have nothing to do with 'e," said Mr Cupples sternly.
"Then you may go," said Griffin, with a sneer. Muggins, who, to use one of his own phrases, looked "as sulky as a bear with a broken head," made no reply, but Larry O'Hale exclaimed, "Sure, then, what better can I do than take part with yees? It's a heavenly raigin o' the arth this, an good company. Put me down on the books, Capting Griffin, dear. I'd niver desart ye in your troubles,--be no mains."
There was a slight laugh at this, and Larry was graciously cast loose, and permitted to remain. Both Will Osten and Muggins gazed at him, however, in amazement, for they had supposed that their comrade would rather have taken his chance in the captain's boat. Suddenly an intelligent gleam shot athwart the rough visage of Muggins, and he said--
"Of coorse I'll remain too. It would be madness for an old salt like me to go paddlin' about the ocean in a cockleshell of a boat when he has the chance of sailin' in a good ship. Put me down too, capting. I'm game for anything a'most, from pitch an' toss to manslaughter."
So Muggins was added to the ship's company, and poor Mr Cupples went over the side with a face almost as long as his thin body, because of what he deemed the depravity and desertion of his old shipmates. Several of the ship's crew, who refused to join, also went into the boat, which was then cast loose, and dropped rapidly astern.
The whole of this exciting scene passed so quickly, that it was only when the boat was far away, like a speck on the sea, that Will Osten realised the fact that he had actually said farewell, perhaps for over, to his late comrades. But he had not much time given him for reflection, for the new captain, after changing the course of the ship, and making a few arrangements to suit the altered state of affairs, ordered him to go forward and do duty as a common seaman, telling him that he did not intend to have any land-lubbers or idlers aboard, and that he would be called to do doctor's work when his services should be required.
That night our hero contrived to hold a whispering interview, in a dark corner of the forecastle, with his friends Larry O'Hale and Muggins. He found that the former had resolved to join the crew in order to be near himself; that Muggins had joined, because of his desire to share the fortunes of Larry; and that both had made up their minds to effect their escape on the first favourable opportunity.
"Now, ye see, boys," said Larry, "this is how it is--"
"Don't open your bread-basket hatch so wide," growled Muggins, "else you'll be overheerd--that's wot it is."
"This is how it is," repeated Larry, "not bein' fish, nor gulls, nor say sarpints, we haven't the ghost of a chance of gettin' away from this ship till we're close to land, an' even then we wont have much chance if it's suspected that we want to escape. What then?--why, let us from this hour agree to give each other the cowld shoulder, and go at our work as if we liked it."
"You're right, Larry," said Will. "If they see us much together, they'll