for the term of his natural life-第20章

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　presented　itself　to　the　eyes　of　the　convicts　was　as　momentary　as　are　those　of　the　thaumatoscope。　The　period　of　time　that　had　elapsed　between　the　opening　and　the　shutting　of　the　door　could　have　been　marked　by　the　musket　shot。

The　report　of　another　shot；　and　then　a　noise　of　confused　cries；　mingled　with　the　clashing　of　arms；　informed　the　imprisoned　men　that　the　ship　had　been　alarmed。　　How　would　it　go　with　their　friends　on　deck？　Would　they　succeed　in　overcoming　the　guards；　or　would　they　be　beaten　back？　They　would　soon　know；　and　in　the　hot　dusk；　straining　their　eyes　to　see　each　other；　they　waited　for　the　issue　Suddenly　the　noises　ceased；　and　a　strange　rumbling　sound　fell　upon　the　ears　of　the　listeners。


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What　had　taken　place？

Thisthe　men　pouring　out　of　the　darkness　into　the　sudden　glare　of　the　lanterns；　rushed；　bewildered；　across　the　deck。　　Miles；　true　to　his　promise；　did　not　fire；　but　the　next　instant　Vickers　had　snatched　the　firelock　from　him；　and　leaping　into　the　stream；　turned　about　and　fired　down　towards　the　prison。　　The　attack　was　more　sudden　then　he　had　expected；　but　he　did　not　lose　his　presence　of　mind。　　The　shot　would　serve　a　double　purpose。　　It　would　warn　the　men　in　the　barrack；　and　perhaps　check　the　rush　by　stopping　up　the　doorway　with　a　corpse。　　Beaten　back；　struggling；　and　indignant；　amid　the　storm　of　hideous　faces；　his　humanity　vanished；　and　he　aimed　deliberately　at　the　head　of　Mr。　James　Vetch；　the　shot；　however；　missed　its　mark；　and　killed　the　unhappy　Miles。

Gabbett　and　his　companions　had　by　this　time　reached　the　foot　of　the　companion　ladder；　there　to　encounter　the　cutlasses　of　the　doubled　guard　gleaming　redly　in　the　glow　of　the　lanterns。　　A　glance　up　the　hatchway　showed　the　giant　that　the　arms　he　had　planned　to　seize　were　defended　by　ten　firelocks；　and　that；　behind　the　open　doors　of　the　partition　which　ran　abaft　the　mizenmast；　the　remainder　of　the　detachment　stood　to　their　arms。　　Even　his　dull　intellect　comprehended　that　the　desperate　project　had　failed；　and　that　he　had　been　betrayed。　With　the　roar　of　despair　which　had　penetrated　into　the　prison；　he　turned　to　fight　his　way　back；　just　in　time　to　see　the　crowd　in　the　gangway　recoil　from　the　flash　of　the　musket　fired　by　Vickers。　　The　next　instant；　Pine　and　two　soldiers；　taking　advantage　of　the　momentary　cessation　of　the　press；　shot　the　bolts；　and　secured　the　prison。

The　mutineers　were　caught　in　a　trap。

The　narrow　space　between　the　barracks　and　the　barricade　was　choked　with　struggling　figures。　　Some　twenty　convicts；　and　half　as　many　soldiers；　struck　and　stabbed　at　each　other　in　the　crowd。　　There　was　barely　elbow…room；　and　attacked　and　attackers　fought　almost　without　knowing　whom　they　struck。　Gabbett　tore　a　cutlass　from　a　soldier；　shook　his　huge　head；　and　calling　on　the　Moocher　to　follow；　bounded　up　the　ladder；　desperately　determined　to　brave　the　fire　of　the　watch。　　The　Moocher；　close　at　the　giant's　heels；　flung　himself　upon　the　nearest　soldier；　and　grasping　his　wrist；　struggled　for　the　cutlass。　　A　brawny；　bull…necked　fellow　next　him　dashed　his　clenched　fist　in　the　soldier's　face；　and　the　man　maddened　by　the　blow；　let　go　the　cutlass；　and　drawing　his　pistol；　shot　his　new　assailant　through　the　head。　　It　was　this　second　shot　that　had　aroused　Maurice　Frere。

As　the　young　lieutenant　sprang　out　upon　the　deck；　he　saw　by　the　position　of　the　guard　that　others　had　been　more　mindful　of　the　safety　of　the　ship　than　he。　　There　was；　however；　no　time　for　explanation；　for；　as　he　reached　the　hatchway；　he　was　met　by　the　ascending　giant；　who　uttered　a　hideous　oath　at　the　sight　of　this　unexpected　adversary；　and；　too　close　to　strike　him；　locked　him　in　his　arms。　　The　two　men　were　drawn　together。　　The　guard　on　the　quarter…deck　dared　not　fire　at　the　two　bodies　that；　twined　about　each　other；　rolled　across　the　deck；　and　for　a　moment　Mr。　Frere's　cherished　existence　hung　upon　the　slenderest　thread　imaginable。

The　Moocher；　spattered　with　the　blood　and　brains　of　his　unfortunate　comrade；　had　already　set　his　foot　upon　the　lowest　step　of　the　ladder；　when　the　cutlass　was　dashed　from　his　hand　by　a　blow　from　a　clubbed　firelock；　and　he　was　dragged　roughly　backwards。　　As　he　fell　upon　the　deck；　he　saw　the　Crow　spring　out　of　the　mass　of　prisoners　who　had　been；　an　instant　before；　struggling　with　the　guard；　and；　gaining　the　cleared　space　at　the　bottom　of　the　ladder；　hold　up　his　hands；　as　though　to　shield　himself　from　a　blow。　　The　confusion　had　now　become　suddenly　stilled；　and　upon　the　group　before　the　barricade　had　fallen　that　mysterious　silence　which　had　perplexed　the　inmates　of　the　prison。

They　were　not　perplexed　for　long。　　The　two　soldiers　who；　with　the　assistance　of　Pine；　had　forced…to　the　door　of　the　prison；　rapidly　unbolted　that　trap…door　in　the　barricade；　of　which　mention　has　been　made　in　a　previous　chapter；　and；　at　a　signal　from　Vickers；　three　men　ran　the　loaded　howitzer　from　its　sinister　shelter　near　the　break　of　the　barrack　berths；　and；　training　the　deadly　muzzle　to　a　level　with　the　opening　in　the　barricade；　stood　ready　to　fire。

〃Surrender！〃　cried　Vickers；　in　a　voice　from　which　all　〃humanity〃　had　vanished。　〃Surrender；　and　give　up　your　ringleaders；　or　I'll　blow　you　to　pieces！〃

There　was　no　tremor　in　his　voice；　and　though　he　stood；　with　Pine　by　his　side；　at　the　very　mouth　of　the　levelled　cannon；　the　mutineers　perceived；　with　that　acuteness　which　imminent　danger　brings　to　the　most　stolid　of　brains；　that；　did　they　hesitate　an　instant；　he　would　keep　his　word。　There　was　an　awful　moment　of　silence；　broken　only　by　a　skurrying　noise　in　the　prison；　as　though　a　family　of　rats；　disturbed　at　a　flour　cask；　were　scampering　to　the　ship's　side　for　shelter。　　This　skurrying　noise　was　made　by　the　convicts　rushing　to　their　berths　to　escape　the　threatened　shower　of　grape；　to　the　twenty　desperadoes　cowering　before　the　muzzle　of　the　howitzer　it　spoke　more　eloquently　than　words。　The　charm　was　broken；　their　comrades　would　refuse　to　join　them。　The　position　of　affairs　at　this　crisis　was　a　strange　one。　　From　the　opened　trap…door　came　a　sort　of　subdued　murmur；　like　that　which　sounds　within　the　folds　of　a　sea…shell；　but；　in　the　oblong　block　of　darkness　which　it　framed；　nothing　was　visible。　　The　trap…door　might　have　been　a　window　looking　into　a　tunnel。　　On　each　side　of　this　horrible　window；　almost　pushed　before　it　by　the　pressure　of　one　upon　the　other；　stood　Pine；　Vickers；　and　the　guard。　　In　front　of　the　little　group　lay　the　corpse　of　the　miserable　boy　whom　Sarah　Purfoy　had　led　to　ruin；　and　forced　close　upon；　yet　shrinking　back　from　the　trampled　and　bloody　mass；　crouched　in　mingled　terror　and　rage；　the　twenty　mutineers。　　Behind　the　mutineers；　withdrawn　from　the　patch　of　light　thrown　by　the　open　hatchway；　the　mouth　of　the　howitzer　threatened　destruction；　and　behind　the　howitzer；　backed　up　by　an　array　of　brown　musket　barrels；　suddenly　glowed　the　tiny　fire　of　the　burning　match　in　the　hand　of　Vickers's　trusty　servant。

The　entrapped　men　looked　up　the　hatchway；　but　the　guard　had　already　closed　in　upon　it；　and　some　of　the　ship's　crewwith　that　carelessness　of　danger　characteristic　of　sailorswere　peering　down　upon　them。　　Escape　was　hopeless。

〃One　minute！〃　cried　Vickers；　confident　that　one　second　would　be　enough〃one　minute　to　go　quietly；　or〃

〃Surrender；　mates；　for　God's　sake！〃　shrieked　some　unknown　wretch　from　out　of　the　darkness　of　the　prison。　　〃Do　you　want　to　be　the　death　of　us？〃

Jemmy　Vetch；　feeling；　by　that　curious　sympathy　which　nervous　natures　possess；　that　his　comrades　wished　him　to　act　as　spokesman；　raised　his　shrill　tones。　〃We　surrender；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　no　use　getting　our　brains　blown　out。〃　And　raising　his　hands；　he　obeyed　the　motion　of　Vickers's　fingers；　and　led　the　way　towards　the　barrack。

〃Bring　the　irons　forward；　there！〃　shouted　Vickers；　hastening　from　his　perilous　position；　and　before　the　last　man　had　filed　past　the　still　smoking　match；　the　cling　of　hammers　announced　that　the　Crow　had　resumed　those　fetters　which　had　been　knocked　off　his　dainty　limbs　a　month　previously　in　the　Bay　of　Biscay。

In　another　moment　the　trap…door　was　closed；　the　howitzer　rumbled　back　to　its　cleatings；　and　the　prison　breathed　again。