Sea Urchins | Page 5

resumed his slumbers. The cook went up
again and prowled round the deck, looking in all sorts of unlikely
places for the boy. He even climbed a little way into the rigging, and,
finding no traces of him, was reluctantly forced to the conclusion that
he had gone overboard.
"Pore little chap," he said solemnly, looking over the ship's side at the
still water.
He walked slowly aft, shaking his head, and looking over the stern,
brought up suddenly with a cry of dismay and rubbed his eyes. The
ship's boat had also disappeared.
"Wot?" said the two seamen as he ran below and communicated the
news. "Well, if it's gorn, it's gorn."

"Hadn't I better go an' tell the skipper?" said the cook.
"Let 'im find it out 'isself," said Jem, purring contentedly in the blankets.
"It's 'is boat. Go' night."
"Time we 'ad a noo 'un too," said Dobbs, yawning. "Don't you worry
your 'ed, cook, about what don't consarn you."
The cook took the advice, and, having made his few simple
preparations for the night, blew out the lamp and sprang into his bunk.
Then he uttered a sharp exclamation, and getting out again fumbled for
the matches and relit the lamp. A minute later he awoke his exasperated
friends for the third time.
"S'elp me, cook," began Jem fiercely.
"If you don't I will," said Dobbs, sitting up and trying to reach the cook
with his clenched fist.
"It's a letter pinned to my pillow," said the cook in trembling tones, as
he held it to the lamp.
"Well, we don't want to 'ear it," said Jem. "Shut up, d'ye hear?"
But there was that in the cook's manner which awed him.
"Dear cook," he read feverishly, "I have made an infernal machine with
clockwork, and hid it in the hold near the gunpowder when we were at
Fairhaven. I think it will go off between ten and eleven to-night, but I
am not quite sure about the time. Don't tell those other beasts, but jump
overboard and swim ashore. I have taken the boat I would have taken
you too, but you told me you swam seven miles once, so you can eas--"
The reading came to an abrupt termination as his listeners sprang out of
their bunks, and, bolting on dock, burst wildly into the cabin, and
breathlessly reeled off the heads of the letter to its astonished
occupants.
"Stuck a wot in the hold?" gasped the skipper.

"Infernal machine," said the mate; "one of them things wot you blow
up the 'Ouses of Parliament with."
"Wot's the time now?" interrogated Jem anxiously.
"'Bout ha'-past ten," said the cook trembling. "Let's give 'em a hail
ashore."
They leaned over the side, and sent a mighty shout across the water.
Most of Lowport had gone to bed, but the windows in the inn were
bright, and lights showed in the upper windows of two or three of the
cottages.
Again they shouted in deafening chorus, casting fearful looks behind
them, and in the silence a faint answering hail came from the shore.
They shouted again like madmen, until listening intently they heard a
boat's keel grate on the beach, and then the welcome click of oars in the
rowlocks.
"Make haste," bawled Dobbs vociferously, as the boat came creeping
out of the darkness. "W'y don't you make 'aste?"
"Wot's the row?" cried a voice from the boat.
"Gunpowder!" yelled the cook frantically; "there's ten tons of it aboard
just going to explode. Hurry up."
The sound of the oars ceased and a startled murmur was heard from the
boat; then an oar was pulled jerkily.
"They're putting back," said Jem suddenly. "I'm going to swim for it.
Stand by to pick me up, mates," he shouted, and lowering himself with
a splash into the water struck out strongly towards them.
Dobbs, a poor swimmer, after a moment's hesitation, followed his
example.
"I can't swim a stroke," cried the cook, his teeth chattering.

The others, who were in the same predicament, leaned over the side,
listening. The swimmers were invisible in the darkness, but their
progress was easily followed by the noise they made. Jem was the first
to be hauled on board, and a minute or two later the listeners on the
schooner heard him assisting Dobbs. Then the sounds of strife, of
thumps, and wicked words broke on their delighted ears.
"They're coming back for us," said the mate, taking a deep breath.
"Well done, Jem."
The boat came towards them, impelled by powerful strokes, and was
soon alongside. The three men tumbled in hurriedly, their fall being
modified by the original crew, who were lying crouched up in the
bottom of the boat. Jem and Dobbs gave way with hearty goodwill, and
the doomed ship receded