Syd Belton

"Hold on to him!" he shouted. "Don't let him go. Where's he ketched?"

"Don't talk," yelled Syd, running along the planks to stretch out a hand. "Here, quick, let me help you out."

"Oh, I'm all right, sir, so long as the rope holds," cried the young sailor, coolly. "He won't think of me while he's got that bit of line about him." But he climbed out all the same, and stood rubbing his s.h.i.+n.

"Never thought of the rope hitching on to me like that," he said.

"Whereabouts is he ketched, mates?"

"The rope has slipped down pretty close to his tail," cried Roylance, as he watched the creature's frantic plunges in the limited s.p.a.ce.

"Something like fis.h.i.+ng this, Roy," said Syd, excitedly, while the men held on, and they could see amid the flying, foaming water the long, lithe body quivering from end to end like a steel spring.

"I'd haul him out, sir, 'fore he shakes that noose right over his tail."

"Yes. Look alive, my lads. Now then!" cried Syd, "haul him out.

Quick!"

The men gave a cheer, and hauling together, they ran the writhing monster right out of the water, and over the edge of the natural pier, fifty feet or so up among the loose rocks, where it leaped and bounded and pranced about for a few minutes in a way which forbade approach.

Then there was a loud cheer as Rogers seized his opportunity, and brought down the axe he had s.n.a.t.c.hed up with so vigorous a stroke on the creature's back, about a couple of feet above the great lobe of the tail, that the vertebra was divided, and from that moment the violent efforts to get free lost their power.

It was an easy task now to give the savage monster its _coup de grace_, and as it lay now quivering and beyond doing mischief, the men set up another cheer and crowded round.

"There," cried Rogers, "that means shark steak for dinner, lads, and--"

"Sail ho!" came from above; and the shark was forgotten as the words sent an electric thrill through all.

"Come on, Roylance!" cried Syd, climbing up the rope-ladder to run and get his gla.s.s.

"Ay, ay," cried Roylance, following.

"Let's get a better hold with the rope, mates," said Rogers, "and haul the beggar right up on deck. They're artful beggars is sharks, and if we leave him here he'd as like as not to come to life, shove a few st.i.tches in the cut in his tail, and go off to sea again."

The men laughed, and the prize was hauled right up to the perpendicular wall below the tackle, willing hands making the quivering ma.s.s fast, and hauling it right up into the gap, and

CHAPTER FORTY.

A good deal had been done to make the way easy, but still it was an arduous and hot climb up to the flagstaff, on his way to which Syd had found time, in case they had not heard, to announce the sail in sight to Mr Dallas and the boatswain.

There it was, sure enough, a vessel in full sail right away in the east; and as Syd gazed at it through the gla.s.s, his spirits sank.

"It isn't the _Sirius_," he said, as he handed the gla.s.s to Roylance.

"No, sir," said the man on the look-out; "she's a Frenchy, I think."

"How do you know it isn't the _Sirius_?" said Roylance, as he used the gla.s.s.

"Because her masts slope more than those do," replied Syd, and then he felt how ignorant he was, and how old Strake would have told the nationality of a vessel "by the cut of her jib," as he would have termed it. His musings were interrupted by Roylance.

"Yes, I think she's a French s.h.i.+p," he said. "Bound for Saint Jacques, evidently, and I dare say she'll come by here."

"Well, we can't stop her," said Syd, shortly, for he felt annoyed that his companion should know so much more of seafaring matters than he.

"No," replied Roylance; "but she can stop us perhaps. I should not be surprised if she is coming on purpose; for the people, you see, must know we have taken possession of this rock, and that is why all s.h.i.+pping has kept away."

"Perhaps so," said Syd, a little more testily, for it was painful to be so ignorant. "Well, I suppose we can do nothing."

"Do nothing? Well, you are at the head of affairs; but if it was my case I should go and have a word with the lieutenant, and take his advice."

These were his words of wisdom, and Syd hurried down to the hospital and reported.

"And me a-lying here like a log," muttered the boatswain.

"In all probability a French man-of-war come to see what we mean by settling down here. Well, Mr Belton," said the lieutenant, "I do not suppose it means fighting; but, if I were you, I should get out my ammunition, and have it well up to the guns."

"Why don't you tell me to do it, sir?" cried Sydney, humbly.

"Because the command has fallen upon you, my lad; and I'm only a poor feeble creature, hardly able to lift an arm. Come; you have no time to spare. Draw up your ropes, beat to quarters, and if the enemy does come near, and send a boat to land, you can warn them off."

"And if they will not go, sir?"

"Send a shot over their heads."

"And if they don't go then?"

"Send one through their boat."

"But that will hurt somebody, sir."

"I hope so," said the lieutenant, dryly. "Why, Strake, what are you doing?" he continued, excitedly, as the boatswain slowly sat up, uttering a groan as he lowered down his feet.

"On'y going to see to that there ammunition, sir. There's no gunner aboard, and some one ought to do it."

"But you are too weak and ill, my man."

"I shall be weaker and iller ever so much, sir, if I stop here," said the boatswain. "Oh, I arn't so very bad."

"But really, my man--"

"Don't stop me, your honour, sir. How could I look his father in the face again if I didn't lend a hand just when it's wanted most?"

"Well, I cannot stop you, Strake," said the lieutenant. "I only wish I could stir. I could do nothing but take up the men's strength, and make them carry me about. Go on, Mr Belton; play a bold part, and recollect you are acting in the King's name."

Syd flushed up, and went to work at once. The preparations did not take long. The rope-ladder was hauled up and stowed away, the men were called to quarters, ammunition served out under the boatswain's orders, and the guns loaded. Every man had his cutla.s.s, and the British colours had been laid ready for hoisting at a moment's notice.

When these arrangements had been made, Syd took Roylance and Terry into consultation, and asked them if there was anything else that could be done.