Richard Rosco sits in the cabin of the vessel3, for it is he who commands her. He had taken her as a prize, and, finding her a good vessel in all respects, had adopted her in preference to the old piratical-looking schooner4. A seaman5 stands before him.
“It is impossible, I tell you,” says Rosco, while a troubled expression crosses his features, which have not improved since we saw him upwards6 of three years ago. “The distance between the two islands is so great that it is not probable he traversed it in a canoe, especially when we consider that he did not know the island’s name or position, and was raving7 mad when I put him ashore8.”
“That may be so, captain,” says the sailor: “nevertheless I seed him with my own eyes, an no mistake. Didn’t you say he was a man that nobody could mistake, tall, broad, powerful, handsome, black curly hair, short beard and moustache, with sharp eyes and a pleasant smile?”
“The same, in every particular—and just bordering on middle age,” answers the perplexed9 pirate.
“Well, as to age, I can’t say much about that,” returns the seaman; “he seemed to me more like a young man than a middle-aged10 one, but he had coolness and cheek enough for a hundred and fifty, or any age you like.”
“Strange,” muttered Rosco to himself, paying no regard to the last observation; “I wish that I or Mr Redford had gone with you, or some one who had seen him the last time we were here; but I didn’t want to be recognised;” then checking himself—“Well, you may go, and send Mr Redford to me.”
“I cannot account for Zeppa turning up in this way,” he said, when the mate entered.
“No more can I, sir.”
“Do all the men agree in saying that he seems to be quite sane11.”
“All. Indeed most of them seemed surprised when I asked the question. You see, what with death by sword, shot, and sickness, there’s not a man in the ship who ever saw him, except yourself and me. The last of the old hands, you know, went with Captain Daniel when you sent him and the unwilling12 men away in the old schooner. I have no doubt, myself, from what they say, that Zeppa has got well again, and managed to return home as sound and sane as you or I.”
“If you and I were sane, we should not be here,” thought the pirate captain; but he did not give expression to the thought, save by a contemptuous curl of his lip.
“Well, Redford,” he said, after a few seconds’ pause, “my chief reason for going to Sugar-loaf Island is removed, nevertheless we shall still go there for a fresh load of sandal-wood and other things that will fetch a good price.”
“I fear, sir,” returned the mate after some hesitation13, “that the crew will be apt to mutiny, if you insist on going there. They are tired of this mixture of trade with free-roving, and are anxious to sail in seas where we shall be more likely to fall in with something worth picking up.”
“Stop, Redford, I want to hear no more. The crew shall go where I please as long as I command them; and you may add that I will guarantee their being pleased with my present plan. There, don’t refer to this subject again. Where did you say the British cruiser was last seen?”
“Bearing nor’-east, sir, hull14 down—on our starboard quarter. I called you at once, but she had changed her course to nor’-west and we lost sight of her.”
“That will just suit us,” said Rosco, going into his private cabin and shutting the door.
Well might the pirate captain be perplexed at that time, for he was surrounded by difficulties, not the least of which was that his men were thoroughly15 dissatisfied with him, and he with them. He did not find his crew sufficiently16 ready to go in for lucrative17 kidnapping of natives when the chance offered, and they did not find their captain sufficiently ferocious18 and bloodthirsty when prizes came in their way. Nevertheless, through the influence of utter recklessness, contemptuous disregard of death, and an indomitable will, backed by wonderful capacity and aptitude19 in the use of fist, sword, and pistol, he had up to this time held them in complete subjection.
In his heart Rosco had resolved to quit his comrades at the first favourable20 opportunity, and, with this intent had been making for one of the most out-of-the-way islands in the Pacific—there to go and live among the natives, and never more to see the faces of civilised men—against whom he had sinned so grievously. His intentions were hastened by the fact that a British man-of-war on the Vancouver station, hearing of his exploits, had resolved to search for him. And this cruiser did in fact come across his track and gave chase; but being a poor sailer, was left behind just before the pirate had reached Ratinga, where, as we have seen, she put in for water.
The discovery there made, as he supposed, that Antonio Zeppa had recovered his reason and returned home, not only amazed and puzzled Rosco, but disconcerted part of his plan, which was to find Zeppa, whose image had never ceased to trouble his conscience, and, if possible, convey him to the neighbourhood of some port whence he could easily return to Ratinga. It now struck him that, since Zeppa was no longer on Sugar-loaf Island, that spot would be as favourable a one as could be found for his purpose, being far removed from the usual tracks of commerce. He would go there, take to the mountains as Zeppa had done before him, leave his dissatisfied comrades to follow their own devices, and, crossing over to the other side of the island, ingratiate himself as well as he could with the natives, grow beard and moustache, which he had hitherto shaved, and pass himself off as a shipwrecked sailor, should any vessel or cruiser touch there.
“And shipwrecked I am, body, soul, and spirit,” he muttered, bitterly, as he sat in his cabin, brooding over the past and future.
Leaving him there, and thus, we will return to Ratinga, the peaceful inhabitants of which were destined21 at this time to be tickled22 with several little shocks of more or less agreeable surprise.
One of these shocks was the sudden disappearance23 of Zariffa, the native missionary24’s brown baby. It was an insignificant25 event in itself, and is only mentioned because of its having led indirectly26 to events of greater importance.
Zariffa had, by that time, passed out of the condition of brown-babyhood. She had, to her own intense delight, been promoted to the condition of a decently-clad little savage27. In addition to the scuttle28 bonnet29 which was not quite so tremulous as that of her mother, she now sported a blue flannel30 petticoat. This was deemed sufficient for her, the climate being warm.
Zariffa was still, however, too young to take care of herself. Great, therefore, was Betsy Waroonga’s alarm when she missed her one day from her little bed where she should have been sleeping.
“Ebony!” cried Betsy, turning sharply round and glaring, “Zariffa’s gone.”
“Quite dead,” exclaimed the negro, aghast.
“Not at all dead,” said Betsy; “but gone—gone hout of hers bed.”
“Dat no great misfortin’, missis,” returned Ebony, with a sigh of relief.
“It’s little you knows, stoopid feller,” returned the native missionary’s wife, while her coal-scuttle shook with imparted emotion; “Zariffa never dis’beyed me in hers life. She’s lost. We must seek—seek quick!”
The sympathetic negro became again anxious, and looked hastily under the chairs and tables for the lost one, while her mother opened and searched a corner cupboard that could not have held a child half her size. Then the pair became more and more distracted as each excited the other, and ran to the various outhouses shouting, “Zariffa!” anxiously, entreatingly31, despairing.
They gathered natives as they ran, hither and thither32, searching every nook and corner, and burst at last in an excited crowd into the presence of Waroonga himself, who was in the act of detailing the history of Joseph to a select class of scholars, varying from seven to seventeen years of age.
“Oh! massa, Zariffa’s lost!” cried Ebony.
Waroonga glanced quickly at his wife. The excessive agitation33 of her bonnet told its own tale. The missionary threw Joseph overboard directly, proclaimed a holiday, and rushed out of the school-house.
“No use to go home, massa,” cried Ebony; “we’s sarch eberywhere dar; no find her.”
“Has you been to the piggery?” demanded the anxious father, who was well aware of his child’s fondness for “little squeakers.”
“Oh, yes; bin2 dar. I rousted out de ole sow for make sure Zariffa no hides behind her.”
At this juncture34 Orlando came up with a sack of cocoa-nuts on his back. Hearing what had occurred he took the matter in hand with his wonted energy.
“We must organise35 a regular search,” he said, throwing down the sack, “and go to work at once, for the day is far advanced, and we can do little or nothing after dark.”
So saying he collected all the able men of the village, divided them into bands, gave them minute, though hurried, directions where they were to go, and what signals they were to give in the event of the child being found; and then, heading one of the bands, he joined eagerly in the search. But, before going, he advised Betsy Waroonga to keep his mother company, as women could not be of much use in such work.
“No,” said Mrs Waroonga, with decision; “we will go home an’ pray.”
“Right, that will be better,” said Orlando. “You go back with her, Ebony, and fetch my gun. I left it in Waroonga’s house when I went in for a sack to hold the cocoa-nuts. It is behind the door. You’ll find me searching in the palm-grove. Now, boys, away; we’ve no time to lose.”
Returning to her house with her sable36 attendant, poor Betsy rushed into her private apartment threw herself on her knees and half across her lowly bed in an agony of alarm.
She was startled and horrified37 by a sharp, though smothered38 cry, while some living creature heaved under the bed-clothes. Instantly she swept them off, and lo! there lay Zariffa safe and well, though somewhat confused by her rude awaking and her mother’s weight.
“You’s keep up heart, missis,” said the sympathetic Ebony, looking hastily into the room in passing; “we’s sartin sure to find—”
He stopped. Blazing amazement39 sat on his countenance40 for about six moments—a pause similar to that of an injured infant just preparing for a yell—then he exploded into a fit of laughter so uncontrollable that it seemed as if a hurricane had been suddenly let loose in the room, insomuch that Betsy’s remonstrances41 were quite unheard.
“Oh! missis,” he exclaimed at last, wiping his eyes, “I’s a-goin’ to bust42.”
“Yes, an’ I’ll help you to do it,” she replied impatiently, seizing an old shoe, and laying it on the negro’s bare back with a crack like a pistol-shot.
Ebony strove to calm himself.
“Go ’long, you noisy feller, an’ tell Waroonga to stop the search.”
It was plain that Ebony had not sufficiently relieved his feelings, for his broad chest heaved, and ominous43 sounds came out of his nose.
“On’y tink,” said he, “dat you hoed down to say yous prayers on de berry top ob de babby!”
The thought was too much for him. He exploded again, and, rushing from the house, ascended44 the hills, and filled the groves45 as he went with hilarious46 melody.
But he did not find Orlando, who had completed his search of the palm-grove and passed over the ridge47 that formed the summit of the island in that part. It was by no means the highest part, but from it could be seen a large bay which lay on the side of the island opposite to the mission village. And here he beheld48 the cause of another of the little surprises with which we have said the people of Ratinga were visited at that time. It was a stately man-of-war, with the union Jack49 flying from her peak, and her sails backed so as to check her way.
A boat was being lowered from her side, and Orlando with his party hastened to the beach to meet it.
The officer in command was evidently not aware that he had come to an island where the peaceful influences of the gospel of Jesus prevailed, for, on landing, he drew up his men, who were all armed to receive either as friends or foes50 the party of natives who advanced towards him. The officer was not a little surprised to observe that the natives were led by a white man, who halted them when within about three hundred yards off, and advanced alone and unarmed to the beach.
“I am happy to welcome you and offer hospitality,” said Orlando, taking off his cap.
“Thanks, good sir, I accept your offer most gladly,” returned the officer, holding out his hand; “all the more heartily51 that I had expected to meet with none but savages52 here.”
“We are Christians53, thank God,” said Orlando.
“Then this must be the island of Ratinga, of which we have heard so much of late.”
“Even so.”
“But where, then, is your village, your church?” asked the officer, looking round.
“It is on the other side of the island. If you will take your ship round there you will find good anchorage and fresh water, of which last, if I may judge from the casks in your boat you are in search.”
The officer at once acted on this advice, and Orlando accompanied him on board to pilot the vessel round.
On the way the captain—Fitzgerald—asked if any suspicious craft had been seen lately, and, on hearing that a barque, flying British colours, had put in there only a day or two before, said that he had been sent out in chase of that barque, as she was commanded by a celebrated54 and rather eccentric pirate, named Rosco.
“I know him well,” said Orlando quickly, “he was mate of a schooner which called here between three and four years ago. It was commanded by a poor fellow named Daniel, who, I fear, was murdered by his crew. Alas55! I have only too good reason to remember it.”
He then related the visit of the piratical-looking schooner to Ratinga; its departure with his father and himself on board; the mutiny, and all the other circumstances connected with that memorable56 event.
“And have you never heard of your father since then?” asked Captain Fitzgerald.
“Never. I am almost forced to the conclusion that he must have been murdered by the mutineers, for if he had escaped them, he would surely, long ere now, have managed to find his way home. And yet I cannot help feeling that perhaps God may have spared his life, and may yet restore him to us.”
“It is, perhaps, cruel to encourage hopes which may be doomed57 to bitter disappointment,” returned the captain, regarding Orlando’s sad face with a look of sympathy; “but it is by no means impossible that your father may be alive. Listen. I, too, know something of this affair, and will tell you all I know. Captain Daniel, of the schooner whose crew mutinied, was not murdered. This Rosco seems to have had, all through his career, a strong tendency to mercy. So much so that his men have threatened his own life more than once. At the same time, he possesses great power over them, and has held them for many years under command. We have heard of him more than once from persons whom he has set free, after taking their vessels58; among others from Captain Daniel, who turned up in Vancouver’s Island. It seems that after you were thrown overboard and supposed to be drowned, your poor father went—went—that is to say, his mind was unhinged, owing, no doubt, to the combined effect of your supposed murder and the two terrible blows by which he was felled during the mutiny.”
“My father—mad!” exclaimed Orlando, in a low, horrified tone, clasping his hands, and gazing into Captain Fitzgerald’s face.
“Nay, I did not say mad. It was a great shock, you know, and quite sufficient to account for temporary derangement59. Then Rosco sailed away to a distant island, where he put your father ashore, and left him.”
“What island—did you hear its name?” asked Orlando, quickly.
“It is an almost unknown island, not marked or named in any chart; but it had been seen by one of the mutineers on one of his early voyages, and named Sugar-loaf Island, from its shape. Well, after leaving the island Rosco attacked, and easily captured, a large merchantman. Finding it both good and new, he transhipped all that was worth retaining, including arms and guns, into this barque, and took command; then he assembled his men, asked who were willing to follow him, put those who were unwilling into the old schooner with Captain Daniel at their head, and left them to sail where they pleased. They landed, as I have said, at Vancouver’s Island. The pirate Rosco, and his barque, the ‘Flame,’ have become notorious since then, both for daring and eccentricity60, and I have been ordered to get hold of them, if possible. Now, I mean to go to Sugar-loaf Island, because, from various things I have heard of this scoundrel, I think it not unlikely that he will go there.”
“And you will let me go with you?” suddenly exclaimed Orlando, in a voice of earnest entreaty61.
“I will, my poor fellow,” returned the captain; “but don’t be too sanguine62; and let me advise you to say nothing of all this to your mother.”
“You are right. She must not know—at least not now. It will be the first time in my life I have had a secret from my mother; but she must not know till—till we return.”
That night there was great rejoicing in Ratinga, because of the recovery, if we may so call it, of Zariffa, and the visit of the British man-of-war.
In the midst of the rejoicings a huge, lustrous63 pair of black eyes gazed earnestly into Orlando’s face, and an enormously thick pair of red lips said, “I go too, massa—eh?”
“Well, you may, Ebony, if the captain will let you. He has already agreed to take the missionary and the chiefs Tomeo and Buttchee; but, mind, not a whisper of our secret hope to any one.”
Thus, with the approval of Madame Zeppa and Betsy Waroonga, these five representatives of Ratinga embarked64 on board the British man-of-war, and left the island.
