for the term of his natural life-第36章

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g　with　rage　at　the　manner　in　which　the　tables　had　been　turned　on　him；　had　determined　not　to　resign　his　lost　authority　without　a　struggle。　Disregarding　the　summons；　he　came　straight　on；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　vessel。　　It　was　now　nearly　dark；　and　the　figures　on　the　deck　were　indistinguishable。　　The　indignant　lieutenant　could　but　guess　at　the　condition　of　affairs。　　Suddenly；　from　out　of　the　darkness　a　voice　hailed　him

〃Hold　water！　　back　water！〃　it　cried；　and　was　then　seemingly　choked　in　its　owner's　throat。

The　voice　was　the　property　of　Mr。　Bates。　　Standing　near　the　side；　he　had　observed　Rex　and　Fair　bring　up　a　great　pig　of　iron；　erst　used　as　part　of　the　ballast　of　the　brig；　and　poise　it　on　the　rail。　Their　intention　was　but　too　evident；　and　honest　Bates；　like　a　faithful　watch…dog；　barked　to　warn　his　master。　　Bloodthirsty　Cheshire　caught　him　by　the　throat；　and　Frere；　unheeding；　ran　the　boat　alongside；　under　the　very　nose　of　the　revengeful　Rex。

The　mass　of　iron　fell　half　in…board　upon　the　now　stayed　boat；　and　gave　her　sternway；　with　a　splintered　plank。

〃Villains！〃　cried　Frere；　〃would　you　swamp　us？〃

〃Aye；〃　laughed　Rex；　〃and　a　dozen　such　as　ye！　　The　brig's　ours；　can't　ye　see；　and　we're　your　masters　now！〃

Frere；　stifling　an　exclamation　of　rage；　cried　to　the　bow　to　hook　on；　but　the　bow　had　driven　the　boat　backward；　and　she　was　already　beyond　arm's　length　of　the　brig。　　Looking　up；　he　saw　Cheshire's　savage　face；　and　heard　the　click　of　the　lock　as　he　cocked　his　piece。　　The　two　soldiers；　exhausted　by　their　long　pull；　made　no　effort　to　stay　the　progress　of　the　boat；　and　almost　before　the　swell　caused　by　the　plunge　of　the　mass　of　iron　had　ceased　to　agitate　the　water；　the　deck　of　the　Osprey　had　become　invisible　in　the　darkness。

Frere　struck　his　fist　upon　the　thwart　in　sheer　impotence　of　rage。　〃The　scoundrels！〃　he　said；　between　his　teeth；　〃they've　mastered　us。　What　do　they　mean　to　do　next？〃

The　answer　came　pat　to　the　question。　　From　the　dark　hull　of　the　brig　broke　a　flash　and　a　report；　and　a　musket　ball　cut　the　water　beside　them　with　a　chirping　noise。　　Between　the　black　indistinct　mass　which　represented　the　brig；　and　the　glimmering　water；　was　visible　a　white　speck；　which　gradually　neared　them。

〃Come　alongside　with　ye！〃　hailed　a　voice；　〃or　it　will　be　the　worse　for　ye！〃

〃They　want　to　murder　us；〃　says　Frere。　　〃Give　way；　men！〃

But　the　two　soldiers；　exchanging　glances　one　with　the　other；　pulled　the　boat's　head　round；　and　made　for　the　vessel。　　〃It's　no　use；　Mr。　Frere；〃　said　the　man　nearest　him；　〃we　can　do　no　good　now；　and　they　won't　hurt　us；　I　dare　say。〃

〃You　dogs；　you　are　in　league　with　them；〃　bursts　out　Frere；　purple　with　indignation。　　〃Do　you　mutiny？〃

〃Come；　come；　sir；〃　returned　the　soldier；　sulkily；　〃this　ain't　the　time　to　bully；　and；　as　for　mutiny；　why；　one　man's　about　as　good　as　another　just　now。〃

This　speech　from　the　lips　of　a　man　who；　but　a　few　minutes　before；　would　have　risked　his　life　to　obey　orders　of　his　officer；　did　more　than　an　hour's　reasoning　to　convince　Maurice　Frere　of　the　hopelessness　of　resistance。　　His　authorityborn　of　circumstance；　and　supported　by　adventitious　aidhad　left　him。　　The　musket　shot　had　reduced　him　to　the　ranks。　　He　was　now　no　more　than　anyone　else；　indeed；　he　was　less　than　many；　for　those　who　held　the　firearms　were　the　ruling　powers。　With　a　groan　he　resigned　himself　to　his　fate；　and　looking　at　the　sleeve　of　the　undress　uniform　he　wore；　it　seemed　to　him　that　virtue　had　gone　out　of　it。　　When　they　reached　the　brig；　they　found　that　the　jolly…boat　had　been　lowered　and　laid　alongside。　　In　her　were　eleven　persons；　Bates　with　forehead　gashed；　and　hands　bound；　the　stunned　Grimes；　Russen　and　Fair　pulling；　Lyon；　Riley；　Cheshire；　and　Lesly　with　muskets；　and　John　Rex　in　the　stern　sheets；　with　Bates's　pistols　in　his　trousers'　belt；　and　a　loaded　musket　across　his　knees。　　The　white　object　which　had　been　seen　by　the　men　in　the　whale…boat　was　a　large　white　shawl　which　wrapped　Mrs。　Vickers　and　Sylvia。

Frere　muttered　an　oath　of　relief　when　he　saw　this　white　bundle。　He　had　feared　that　the　child　was　injured。　　By　the　direction　of　Rex　the　whale…boat　was　brought　alongside　the　jolly…boat；　and　Cheshire　and　Lesly　boarded　her。　　Lesly　then　gave　his　musket　to　Rex；　and　bound　Frere's　hands　behind　him；　in　the　same　manner　as　had　been　done　for　Bates。　Frere　attempted　to　resist　this　indignity；　but　Cheshire；　clapping　his　musket　to　his　ear；　swore　he　would　blow　out　his　brains　if　he　uttered　another　syllable；　Frere；　catching　the　malignant　eye　of　John　Rex；　remembered　how　easily　a　twitch　of　the　finger　would　pay　off　old　scores；　and　was　silent。　〃Step　in　here；　sir；　if　you　please；〃　said　Rex；　with　polite　irony。　〃I　am　sorry　to　be　compelled　to　tie　you；　but　I　must　consult　my　own　safety　as　well　as　your　convenience。〃　Frere　scowled；　and；　stepping　awkwardly　into　the　jolly…boat；　fell。　　Pinioned　as　he　was；　he　could　not　rise　without　assistance；　and　Russen　pulled　him　roughly　to　his　feet　with　a　coarse　laugh。　　In　his　present　frame　of　mind；　that　laugh　galled　him　worse　than　his　bonds。

Poor　Mrs。　Vickers；　with　a　woman's　quick　instinct；　saw　this；　and；　even　amid　her　own　trouble；　found　leisure　to　console　him。　　〃The　wretches！〃　she　said；　under　her　breath；　as　Frere　was　flung　down　beside　her；　〃to　subject　you　to　such　indignity！〃　Sylvia　said　nothing；　and　seemed　to　shrink　from　the　lieutenant。　　Perhaps　in　her　childish　fancy　she　had　pictured　him　as　coming　to　her　rescue；　armed　cap…a…pie；　and　clad　in　dazzling　mail；　or；　at　the　very　least；　as　a　muscular　hero；　who　would　settle　affairs　out　of　hand　by　sheer　personal　prowess。　If　she　had　entertained　any　such　notion；　the　reality　must　have　struck　coldly　upon　her　senses。　　Mr。　Frere；　purple；　clumsy；　and　bound；　was　not　at　all　heroic。

〃Now；　my　lads；〃　says　Rexwho　seemed　to　have　endured　the　cast…off　authority　of　Frere〃we　give　you　your　choice。　　Stay　at　Hell's　Gates；　or　come　with　us！〃

The　soldiers　paused；　irresolute。　　To　join　the　mutineers　meant　a　certainty　of　hard　work；　with　a　chance　of　ultimate　hanging。　Yet　to　stay　with　the　prisoners　wasas　far　as　they　could　see　to　incur　the　inevitable　fate　of　starvation　on　a　barren　coast。　As　is　often　the　case　on　such　occasions；　a　trifle　sufficed　to　turn　the　scale。　The　wounded　Grimes；　who　was　slowly　recovering　from　his　stupor；　dimly　caught　the　meaning　of　the　sentence；　and　in　his　obfuscated　condition　of　intellect　must　needs　make　comment　upon　it。　　〃Go　with　him；　ye　beggars！；〃　said　he；　〃and　leave　us　honest　men！　　Oh；　ye'll　get　a　tying…up　for　this。〃

The　phrase　〃tying…up〃　brought　with　it　recollection　of　the　worst　portion　of　military　discipline；　the　cat；　and　revived　in　the　minds　of　the　pair　already　disposed　to　break　the　yoke　that　sat　so　heavily　upon　them；　a　train　of　dismal　memories。　　The　life　of　a　soldier　on　a　convict　station　was　at　that　time　a　hard　one。　　He　was　often　stinted　in　rations；　and　of　necessity　deprived　of　all　rational　recreation；　while　punishment　for　offences　was　prompt　and　severe。　　The　companies　drafted　to　the　penal　settlements　were　not　composed　of　the　best　material；　and　the　pair　had　good　precedent　for　the　course　they　were　about　to　take。

〃Come；〃　says　Rex；　〃I　can't　wait　here　all　night。　　The　wind　is　freshening；　and　we　must　make　the　Bar。　　Which　is　it　to　be？〃

〃We'll　go　with　you！〃　says　the　man　who　had　pulled　the　stroke　in　the　whale…boat；　spitting　into　the　water　with　averted　face。　　Upon　which　utterance　the　convicts　burst　into　joyous　oaths；　and　the　pair　were　received　with　much　hand…shaking。

Then　Rex；　with　Lyon　and　Riley　as　a　guard；　got　into　the　whale　boat；　and　having　loosed　the　two　prisoners　from　their　bonds；　ordered　them　to　take　the　place　of　Russen　and　Fair。　　The　whale…boat　was　manned　by　the　seven　mutineers；　Rex　steering；　Fair；　Russen；　and　the　two　recruits　pulling；　and　the　other　four　standing　up；　with　their　muskets　levelled　at　the　jolly…boat。　　Their　long　slavery　had　begotten　such　a　dread　of　authority　in　these　men　that　they　feared　it　even　when　it　was　bound　and　menaced　by　four　muskets。　　〃Keep　your　distance！〃　shouted　Cheshire；　as　Frere　and　Bates；　in　obedience　to　orders；　began　to　pull　the　jolly…boat　towards　the　shore；　and　in　this　fashion　was　the　dismal　little　party　conveyed　to　the　mainland。

It　was　night　when　they　reached　it；　but　the　clear　sky　began　to　thrill　with　a　late