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"Mr Vandean, sir help! help!" roared Tom Fillot just in the nick of time; and, striking out fiercely with his dirk, Mark returned to his men and released poor Dance, who was one of the weakest, by giving his assailant a sharp dig with the steel. "Now, my lads, never mind the boy," cried the Yankee skipper; "over with them."
"Not quite the sort of duty we expected, Vandean," said the lieutenant, "but we must take the rough with the smooth, I suppose." "Shall we have to stop on board here?" "Not a doubt about it, my lad; but she's a valuable prize, and by to-morrow we'll have her different from this, or know the reason why."
Mark Vandean sprang up, gave one glance toward the stern window as if he were going to spring out, and then flung himself between the burning train and the powder tins, rolling himself over and over in the hissing flame, and at the same time sweeping the powder, so carefully laid in zigzag curves, right and left and away toward the cabin window, where it sputtered and flashed innocuously.
Directly after the moon appeared from behind the thick mass of clouds and shed a path of silver over the sea, till it flooded the part where the cutter lay; and as Mark Vandean knelt there, he saw Tom Fillot standing before him with the Union Jack in his hand. For the full space of an hour there was utter silence in the boat, where the lieutenant and his stricken crew lay as in a stupor.
"Vandean, my lad," whispered the lieutenant, "that idea of yours saved us," and he caught and pressed the lad's cold hand. Then aloud: "Now, my lads, get the oars in under the thwarts, so that they don't float out, and then you, Dance, and you, Tom Fillot, in over the side and begin baling."
I'll be so careful in future." "I can't trust you, my lad." "You may indeed now, sir. It was all with being so glad that poor Vandean's better." "Glad! Why, you looked sorry. There, then, if you promise to be very quiet, you may stay. Vandean, he must not talk to you, and you must hardly say a word. I'll go and get you a little draught."
Another hour passed, and they were still completely shut up in the darkness, with a thick haze overhead; and at last the lieutenant whispered, "Lucky if we don't some of us catch fever to-night." "Look here, Vandean, if we don't soon see something I shall signal the ship for a recall. We shall do nothing to-night. Eh? what?" "I heard voices off to the left," Mark whispered.
They both stood at the head of the cabin stairs, and took another look round, to see if anything had been left undone; and just then Dance the coxswain came up and touched his hat. "Shall I hoist an anchor-light, sir, as soon as it's dark?" said the man, respectfully. "No," replied the lieutenant, decisively. "No one is likely to run us down, here. Now, Vandean."
"You shall take her, sir, as soon as you give the word; but, begging your pardon, sir, if I might ask a favour for me and the men " "Yes; what is it?" "Don't be too hard on us, sir, in the way of orders." "What do you mean? I won't ask you to do anything I shall not try to do myself." "Oh, it ain't that, Mr Vandean, sir. We know you for a fine, plucky young gent, as we'd follow anywhere.
He glanced at Mr Russell, where he lay in his stupor, and recalled some words that officer had once said to him respecting the management of his followers: "Always use them as if their lives were of greater value than your own, Vandean," he said. "Never risk them recklessly." "And that would be recklessly," Mark said, half aloud. "You speak to me, sir?" said Tom Fillot. "Eh?
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