Part 51 (1/2)
Having led Norah to a sofa and desired his other guests, as he choose to call them, to be seated, he hurried from the cabin.
The light from a handsome silver lamp hung in the usual position showed them that no change had been made in its arrangements since the _Ouzel Galley_ had sailed from Waterford.
”We might have been worse off, faith! but it's somewhat trying to find one's self on board one's own s.h.i.+p in the character of a prisoner,”
observed Captain Tracy. ”However, our captor appears inclined to behave with as much courtesy as can be expected, and as I hope we shall not again be interrupted, I wish, Norah, you would try to obtain some sleep.
O'Brien and I will watch by you, and you will be the better able to endure what you may have to go through.”
”I cannot sleep; I don't wish to sleep,” murmured poor Norah. ”I should only dream of the dreadful events which have occurred.”
After some persuasion, however, she consented to try and obtain the rest she so much needed, and in spite of her a.s.sertions, her father saw that she had dropped off into a calm slumber. He and Captain O'Brien could now speak more freely than they had hitherto done. Their firm resolution was not, on any account, to be parted from her. They had each retained their pistols, which they had concealed in their pockets, and Captain O'Brien vowed that, should any violence be threatened, he would shoot O'Harrall, and trust to win over the piratical crew by promising them the most ample rewards.
”If we kill their chief, the fellows will be awed, and we shall have time to throw the bait in their mouths; for the chances are that many of them will be glad enough to escape from the perilous course they are now compelled to follow, and if we can gain over some, the rest will not long hold out,” he observed.
Captain Tracy thought his friend's plan too desperate, but he was at length won over to consent to it should O'Harrall's behaviour render some such proceeding necessary.
By a compa.s.s fixed in the forepart of the cabin, they saw that the vessel was standing to the westward, and that the wind must have s.h.i.+fted, as she appeared to be directly before it. After running on this course for some distance, they found that she was then hauled up to the northward. From this she appeared to deviate but slightly, sometimes a point or two to the eastward, and sometimes to the westward.
They thus surmised that she was threading her way between reefs with which the pirates must have been well acquainted. Daylight at length streamed through the cabin windows, and as the sun rose above the horizon, they saw his rays glancing across the tiny wavelets which rippled the surface of the water, showing that a moderate breeze was blowing, and that the s.h.i.+p was under the lee of an island, which impeded the progress of the undulations rolling in from the wide ocean.
”Wherever we are going, it would be a hard matter, I suspect, without an experienced pilot, to get out again,” observed Captain O'Brien.
”We must trust to protection from above, and we may hope to find the means of escape,” answered Captain Tracy.
In spite of their intentions to keep awake, the two old captains could not avoid dozing off, till they were aroused by the entrance of a black, who announced himself as the steward.
”Me Jumbo--come to lay breakfast, and cappen say you hab what you like ask for, especially someting nice for de young lady.”
”We shall be thankful for anything you are able to bring us, Jumbo,”
said Captain O'Brien. ”We do not wish to give you more trouble than necessary.”
”Dat berry good,” answered the black, nodding as he went out of the cabin.
Before long he returned with an ample repast, consisting of several West Indian dishes and some others, the materials of which had probably been brought from the _Research_. The prisoners in reality cared but little for the food, but it was satisfactory to believe that the pirate intended to treat them with courtesy. Norah, who had taken nothing for many hours, was persuaded to eat some breakfast.
”You will feel all the better for it, my dear,” said Captain O'Brien.
”I never saw any use in starving one's self, even though one might be in the midst of an ocean of troubles. Matters always look worse when people are hungry, and perhaps now that we have had some food, we shall be able to see things in a brighter light. I have been thinking a good deal about Owen Ma.s.sey, and should not be at all surprised that we, after all, accomplish the object of our voyage and find him. We shall have paid a high price, to be sure, by the loss of our good s.h.i.+p, but even that you will, at all events, not think too much if we get him back safe.”
Norah smiled faintly. She almost dreaded the effect her presence might produce on the treatment of Owen, should he be in the pirate's power.
The terrible thought had even occurred to her mind that the pirate might offer her the dreadful alternative of becoming his wife or seeing Owen murdered before her eyes. The idea, however, was too horrible to allow her to give it utterance.
Captain O'Brien endeavoured to amuse Norah by talking on in his usual way. He succeeded but ill in his attempts. Impossible was the task to draw her thoughts from present circ.u.mstances. ”I wonder if we are to be kept prisoners below all day, or whether our piratical captor will take it into his head to invite us on deck?” he continued. ”I should have no objection to smoke my pipe and enjoy a little fresh air. When Jumbo next appears, I'll send our compliments and request the favour.”
The old captain carried out his intentions, and Jumbo returned with a message from the pirate captain, to the effect that they were welcome to come on deck if they chose.
Norah would have far rather remained in the cabin, but, as she dreaded being left alone, she agreed to accompany her father and Captain O'Brien. The pirate bowed as she appeared, and placed a seat for her on the p.o.o.p, inquiring simply whether she had been supplied with everything she required. She briefly thanked him, and turned aside her head to avoid the gaze of the ruffianly crew, as they moved towards the after-part of the deck in the prosecution of their various duties.
O'Harrall merely nodded to the two old captains, who stood by her side.
The wind was baffling, and he was continually engaged in tr.i.m.m.i.n.g sails, so that he was prevented for some time from again addressing her.
The _Ouzel Galley_ had now got into a more open part of the sea, though neither of the old captains could tell exactly where they were. Again the wind became steady, and O'Harrall was coming up, apparently to speak to Norah, when the look-out from the mast-head shouted, ”A sail on the starboard quarter!”