The Castaways of the Flag Page 17

  While M. Zermatt and Ernest helped the women to make everything as comfortable as possible, Mr. Wolston and Captain Gould, the boatswain and Fritz and Jack and Frank surveyed Shark's Island on foot. Almost all round the coast it was easily accessible on little beaches lying between the projecting points of the coast-line. The best protected part was that commanded by the battery knoll, which rose at the south-west extremity, overlooking Deliverance Bay. At its foot there were enormous rocks, among which it would be very difficult to effect a landing. Everywhere else, light boats, such as these pirogues were, could find quite enough water to enable them to reach land. Consequently it was indispensable that they should keep all the approaches to the island under careful supervision.

  In the course of their inspection Fritz and Frank had opportunity to observe the fine condition of the plantations. The mangroves, palms, and pines were in full fruit. Thick grass carpeted the pastures where the herd of antelopes capered and played. Many birds, flitting from tree to tree, filled the air with their myriad cries. The magnificent firmament poured light and warmth upon the surrounding sea.

  The day after that on which the two families had taken refuge on the island, a bird arrived, to receive the warmest of welcomes. It was the albatross of Burning Rock, which Jenny had found again at Turtle Bay, and which had flown away from the top of Jean Zermatt peak in the direction of the Promised Land. When it arrived, the piece of thread that was still fastened round one of its legs attracted Jack's attention, and he caught the bird without any trouble. But, unfortunately, on this occasion, the albatross brought no tidings.

  The men went up to the battery. From the top of the knoll an uninterrupted view could be obtained north as far as False Hope Point, east as far as Cape East, and south as far as the end of Deliverance Bay. To west, about two miles away, ran the long line of trees which bordered the shore between Jackal River and the Falconhurst woods. But they could not see whether the natives were roaming about the Promised Land.

  Just at this moment, at the mouth of Deliverance Bay, a few canoes came paddling out to sea, keeping well beyond range of the guns in the battery. By this time the savages had learned the danger of coming too near Shark's Island, and if they should attempt to land upon it they would most certainly wait for a very dark night.

  Looking out to the open main in the northward, one saw nothing but deserted boundless space, and it was from that quarter that the Unicorn, or any other ship despatched from England, must appear.

  After having satisfied themselves that the battery was in order, the men were just preparing to come down, when Captain Gould asked:

  "Is there not a powder magazine at Rock Castle?"

  "Yes," Jack answered, "and I wish to goodness it were here instead of there! The three barrels that the Unicorn left us are in it."

  "Where are they?"

  "In a little cavity at the end of the orchard.'' The boatswain guessed the captain's thought.

  "Probably," he said, "those rascals may have discovered that magazine?"

  "It is to be feared they may," Mr. Wolston answered.

  "What is most to be feared," Captain Gould declared, "is that in their ignorance they may blow up the house."

  "And themselves with it!" Jack exclaimed. "Well, if Rock Castle had to go to blazes in the explosion, it would be one solution, for I imagine that those left of the filthy creatures would decamp, without any heart to come back!"

  Leaving the boatswain on sentry-go at the battery, the others went back to the storehouse. Breakfast was eaten together; how happy a meal it would have been if all the party had been gathered in the big hall at Rock Castle!

  The next four days brought no change in the situation. Beyond keeping proper watch over the island, they did not know how to fill the long hours. How different everything would have been if the Unicorn had not been compelled to put in to Cape Town for repairs. They would all have been settled down at Rock Castle more than two months ago! And now that Fritz and Jenny were married, who could say that another wedding would not be celebrated soon, the union of Ernest and Hannah, which the corvette's chaplain might have blessed in the chapel of Rock Castle? There might have been whispers of a third union— by and by—when Dolly should be eighteen.

  Everyone fought bravely against despondency. As for John Block, he had lost none of his native good humour. They took long walks among the plantations. They watched Deliverance Bay, although no attack by the pirogues was to be apprehended while the sun was in the sky. Then, with night, all their anxiety returned, anticipating an attack in force.

  So while the women retired within the second room of the store-house, the men made the rounds of the shore, ready to concentrate at the foot of the knoll if the enemy approached the island.

  On the 29th of January, during the morning, there was still nothing unusual to be noted. The sun rose in a horizon undimmed by the faintest haze. The day would be very hot, and the light sea-breeze could hardly last until the evening.

  After the mid-day meal Captain Gould and Jack left the store and went to relieve Ernest and Mr. Wolston, who were on sentry-go at the battery.

  Those two were just coming away when Captain Gould stopped them.

  "There are several canoes at the mouth of Jackal River," he said.

  "They are probably going fishing as usual," Jack replied. "They will take care to go by out of range of our guns."

  Jack was scanning the place through the telescope.

  "Ah!" he exclaimed. "There are a lot of canoes this time. Wait: five—six—nine; and two more coming out of the creek; eleven— twelve! Can the whole fleet be going fishing f''

  "Perhaps they are getting ready to attack us," Mr. Wolston said.

  "We will be on our guard," said Captain Gould; "let us go and warn the others."

  "Let us see first which way the canoes are going," Mr. Wolston replied.

  "Anyhow, all our guns are ready," Jack added.

  During the few hours that Jack had spent in the hands of the savages he had observed that their pirogues were in number fifteen, each able to carry seven or eight men. Twelve of these canoes could now be counted, rounding the point of the creek. With the help of the telescope they were able to calculate that the whole band of savages had gone aboard, and that there could not be a single aborigine remaining at Rock Castle.

  "Can they be clearing out at last?" Jack exclaimed.

  "It isn't very likely," Ernest answered. "More likely that they mean to pay a visit to Shark's Island."

  "When does the ebb begin?" Captain Gould enquired.

  "At half-past one," Mr. Wolston told him.

  "Then it will soon make itself felt, and as it will be in the favour of the canoes we shall then know what to expect."

  Ernest went to inform M. Zermatt, his brothers, and the boatswain, and all came and took up their posts under the hangar of the battery.

  It was a little after one o'clock and, with the ebb only just beginning to run, the pirogues moved but slowly along the east coast. They kept as far away from the island as possible, in order to escape the projectiles whose range and power they now knew very well.

  "Yet—suppose it were a final departure!" said Frank again.

  "Then good luck to them and good-bye!" said Jack.

  "And here's hoping we shall never see them back!" John Block added.

  As yet no one would venture to prophesy such a happy contingency. Were not the canoes only waiting for the ebb to run strongly in order to make for the island?

  Fritz and Jenny stood side by side, watching in silence, hardly daring to believe that the situation was drawing to so immediate an end.

  It soon became apparent that the canoes were feeling the action of the out-going tide. Their speed increased, although they did not cease to hug the coast, as if it were the natives' intention to go round Cape East.

  At half-past three the fleet was midway between Deliverance Bay and Cape East. At six o'clock there could be no further doubt on the matter. The last boat roun
ded the cape and disappeared behind the point.

  Neither M. Zermatt nor anyone else had left the knoll for a moment.

  What relief was theirs when not a single pirogue remained in sight! At last the island was freed from the savages' presence! The whole party would be able to settle down in Rock Castle again. Perhaps there would be only trifling damage to make good. They would do nothing but watch for the arrival of the Unicorn! Their last fears were forgotten, and, after all, they were all together again after surviving so many dreadful trials!

  "Shall we start for Rock Castle?" Jack exclaimed, eager to quit the island.

  "Yes, yes!" said Dolly no less eagerly. Frank had just joined her.

  "Would it not be better to wait until to-morrow?" Jenny suggested. "What do you think, Fritz dear?"

  "What Mr. Wolston and Captain Gould and papa think," Fritz replied; "and that certainly is to spend this next night here."

  "Yes," said M. Zermatt. "Before we return to Rock Castle we must be absolutely sure that the savages have no intention of going back there."

  "They have gone to the devil already," Jack exclaimed, "and the devil never lets go of anything he has once got in his claws! Isn't that so, good old Block?"

  "Yes—sometimes," the boatswain answered.

  Despite Jack's protests and arguments, it was decided to postpone the start until the morrow, and all assembled at the last meal which they expected to take on Shark's Island.

  It was a very merry one, and when the evening came to an end all were ready for bed.

  Everything suggested that this night of the 29th of January would be as tranquil as the many others spent in the quietude of Rock Castle and Falconhurst.

  Nevertheless, neither M. Zermatt nor his companions would depart from their custom? ary caution, although all danger seemed to have gone with the last of the canoes. It was therefore arranged that some should make the usual nightly rounds while the others remained on guard at the battery.

  As soon as the women and Bob had gone into the store, Jack, Ernest, Frank, and John Block, with their guns over their shoulders, set out to the north end of the island. Fritz and Captain Gould went up the knoll and took their place under the hangar, as it was their turn to go on guard until sunrise.

  Mr. Wolston, M. Zermatt, and James stayed in the store, where they were free to sleep until dawn.

  The night was a dark one, with no moon. The atmosphere was thick with the evaporations from the heated earth. The breeze had fallen at evening. Profound silence reigned. Nothing was audible save the surf of the incoming tide, which began to flow about eight o'clock.

  Harry Gould and Fritz sat side by side, recalling memories of all the events, good and ill, that had followed each other after the Flag had cast them adrift. From time to time one or other of them went out and looked carefully about, more especially in the direction of the dark arm of the sea lying between the two capes.

  Nothing disturbed their utter solitude until, at two o'clock in the morning, the captain and Fritz were startled out of their conversation by a report.

  "A gun!" said Harry Gould.

  "Yes: fired over there," Fritz answered, pointing to the north-west of the island.

  "What's up, then?" Captain Gould exclaimed.

  Both rushed out of the hangar and peered for any light in the midst of the profound darkness.

  Two other reports rang out, nearer this time than the first one.

  "The canoes have come back," said Fritz.

  And leaving Harry Gould at the battery he ran to the store at top speed.

  M. Zermatt and Mr. Wolston had heard the reports, and were already on the threshold.

  "What is the matter?" M. Zermatt asked sharply.

  "I am afraid, papa, that the savages have tried to effect a landing," Fritz answered.

  "And the rascals have succeeded!" exclaimed Jack, who now approached with Ernest and the boatswain.

  "They are on the island?" said Mr. Wolston.

  "Their canoes touched the north-east point just at the very moment we got there," said Ernest, "and our shots were not enough to frighten them off. And now nothing remains but –"

  "To defend ourselves!" Captain Gould finished for him.

  The ladies had just left their room. In anticipation of an immediate attack they had to carry all the arms, ammunition and stores they could, and get to the battery as quickly as possible.

  The departure of the pirogues had been merely a ruse. Taking advantage of the incoming tide, the savages had returned towards Shark's Island, which they hoped to take by surprise. The manoeuvre had been highly successful. Although their presence was known and they had been welcomed with guns, they were in occupation of the point, whence it would be easy for them to get to the central store.

  The situation was thus desperate, for the pirogues had succeeded in landing the entire band. M. Zermatt and his companions could not offer a serious resistance to so large a number of assailants. That they must succumb when their ammunition and supplies ran out was only too certain.

  They could do nothing but take refuge on the knoll, within the battery. That was the only place where there was any possibility of putting up a defence.

  The women and Bob crept under cover in the hangar which sheltered the two guns. They did not let a murmur escape them.

  For one moment M. Zermatt thought of carrying them over to the Falconhurst shore in the boat. But what would become of the unfortunate women if, after the islet had been invaded, their companions were unable to join them? Besides, they would never have consented to go.

  It was a little after four o'clock when a confused noise announced the presence of the savages, a couple of hundred yards away. Captain Gould, M. Zermatt, Mr. Wolston, Ernest, Frank, James, and the boatswain, armed with carbines, were ready to fire, while Fritz and Jack stood with matches lighted near the two little cannon, only waiting for the moment to rake the slopes of the knoll with grape-shot.

  When the black shadows showed against the early light of dawn, Captain Gould gave the order in a low tone to fire in that direction.

  Seven or eight reports rang out, followed by horrible cries which proved that more than one bullet had found its billet in the crowd.

  Three attacks had to be repelled before sunrise. In the last a score or so of natives succeeded in reaching the crest of the knoll. Although some of them had been mortally hit, the carbines could no longer keep them in check, and but for a double discharge of the ordnance the battery would probably have been carried in this assault.

  At daylight the band withdrew among the trees, near the store, as if they meant to wait until the next night to renew the attack.

  Unfortunately the defenders had almost exhausted their cartridges. When they were reduced to the two guns, which could only be directed towards the base of the knoll, how could they cover the summit?

  A council was held to consider the situation. If they could not carry on the resistance under these conditions, would it not be possible to leave Shark's Island, land on Falconhurst beach, and seek refuge within the Promised Land or in some other part of the island— all of them together, this time? Or would it be better to make a rush on the savages and, with the advantage of carbines over bows and arrows, compel them to take to the sea again? But M. Zermatt and his party were only nine against the scores who surrounded the knoll.

  Just at this moment, as if in answer to this last suggestion, the air was filled with the whistling of arrows, some of which stuck in the roof of the hangar, fortunately without wounding anyone.

  "The attack is beginning again!" said John Block.

  "Let's get ready for them!" Fritz replied.

  This assault was the fiercest of all, for the natives were furious, and seemed no longer afraid to face the bullets and grape-shot. Moreover, the ammunition was almost exhausted, and the fire slackened. Several of the savages crawled up the knoll and got to the hangar. The two carronades fired point blank at them, cleared the ground of a few, and Fritz, Jack, Frank, J
ames, and John Block fought hand to hand with the others. Then they retired over the corpses which strewed the foot of the hill. They had used a weapon between axe and club, which, in their hands, was a formidable thing.

  Plainly the struggle approached its end. The last cartridges were spent. Numbers must tell. M. Zermatt and his party were trying to make a stand around the hangar, which must soon be entered. At grips with several natives, Fritz and Frank and Jack and Harry Gould were in imminent peril of being borne down to the foot of the hill. The fight would be over in a few minutes now, and defeat meant massacre, for they could expect no mercy from these savage foes.