CHAPTER XVII

A FORTUNATE ESCAPE

'After all, Sennit,' the old man exclaimed, as the vessel cleared the island on her passage to Honolulu, 'it has turned out most fortunate that our boats were broken up by that gale. We have been allowed to help those unfortunate people.'

'Yes, sir,' the mate replied; 'and help to choke the rascals down below, I hope.'

The little schooner proved to be a smart sailer, and ripped along in such splendid style that without further adventure she arrived at her destination, where all the prisoners went to gaol to await trial.

Captain Thorne, however, presently discovered that unless he was prepared to incur considerable expense in taking his men to San Francisco by steam, there was nothing left for him to do but to sail there in the captured vessel. He decided to take the latter course.

The Chinamen at first made complaint of their cramped quarters, but on finding that the entire hold was now at their service they agreed to remain. Whereupon more fresh stores and water were shipped, and exactly ten days after entering Honolulu harbour they again sailed for their original port of discharge.

With a rattling breeze and all sail set, out went the vessel on her voyage toward San Francisco.

Of that trip nothing need be said. A splendid breeze carried them safely across the last portion of the Pacific, and, as though fortune seemed determined to make up for all previous trials and difficulties, nothing worthy of the name of gale delayed their progress.

On passing through the entrance of the magnificent bay, under a full press of canvas, the schooner raced along on inclined bilge, until at last the anchor was dropped in two fathoms near the city, and there awaited the appearance of the health officer, to allow the surviving emigrants to land.

'Well, captain,' the doctor exclaimed, as he stepped on board, 'you are a good while overdue. Surely you have not come all across the Pacific in a cockle-shell like this?'

Captain Thorne laughed. 'Not exactly,' he said; 'yet small as she is she has brought us here much more quickly than was expected. I have not more than forty of my emigrants shipped at Hong Kong remaining.'

'By the way, captain, did not the "Alert" belong to a certain Liverpool firm?'

'Yes, sir, and I only joined her at Brisbane.'

'Well, then, I do not think you'll be long out of employment. In short, captain, one of your company's ships is here now loading grain for the United Kingdom, but, most unfortunately, her master met with a fatal accident--fell into the hold--last week, and died yesterday. You should see the agent, and secure the vacant position.'

'Is not her chief officer in charge?' the skipper inquired. 'He will likely take her home.'

'He is not qualified to do so,' the doctor returned. 'Lose no time, captain.'

Leaving the schooner in charge of the mate, the old man immediately acted on the advice; and on explaining how the 'Alert' was lost, and his connection with the firm owning the captainless ship, he was directed to take charge of her, and get ready for sea as quickly as possible.

'I must tell you, sir,' the agent added, 'that another vessel is on the point of sailing for England. She is a well-known clipper, and as your predecessor challenged her for a great race home, much excitement has been aroused here, and everyone hopes that you will do your utmost to win the prize of five thousand dollars for the first arrival at Stonewell, where both ships call for orders.'

'Well, sir,' the captain cheerily replied, 'since you are intrusting me with such a pleasing and exciting task, all I can say is, that every fathom of speed to be got out of our vessel shall be strictly reeled-off. Leave the matter with me.'

He immediately returned to the schooner, packed what clothing had been saved from the wreck of the 'Alert,' and in charge of Jack Clewlin he also sent his chronometers, charts, and other navigating gear on board the new ship.

When Jack there learned that she was bound to Stonewell for orders his joy knew no bounds. But parting from Readyman and all those with whom he had been so long associated would prove a painful matter, since, of course, he knew that he must follow Captain Thorne. But even those troubles were speedily dispelled.

Nearly half the crew of the 'Ocean Glory,' as the ship was named, had been induced to desert, for the sake of high wages ashore; their places were, however, immediately filled by his old comrades, while the mate and Mr. Statten accepted passages home as third and fourth officers. Thus all the friends were enabled to meet again on the new craft, which was a splendid clipper of nineteen hundred tons, and in every respect likely to prove both comfortable and speedy. She was as finely modelled and more loftily sparred than the 'Silver Crown,' and Jack looked knowingly at her three standing skysail and main moonsail yards, above the royals. With so strong a crew ready to 'put her through' on the run home, it soon became evident that she would more than hold her own, and her supporters became correspondingly jubilant of success.

To be quite fair, however, there was no doubt that her rival would prove a formidable foe. She was also beautifully designed, was slightly larger and longer than her opponent, with wedge-like bow, clean run, and she also carried several sails above the royals. Both ships were 'like spick and span pins,' as sailors say, and each had all her canvas 'bent.'

'Well, she looks a clipper every inch, Sennit,' the skipper observed. 'All the same, though, if you and I cannot put our charge through several days ahead, things must have changed since we met.'

'That's so, sir,' the mate replied. 'Some believe we have no chance, but that's all bluff. The others, however, know their ship, and we've to discover everything for ourselves.'

'We'll smash her, Sennit'

For a couple of days both vessels were busily employed in shipping the last of their stores; and during that interval Jack received a long letter from home, in which his father hoped he was well, but said that some anxiety was aroused by the lengthened voyage of the 'Alert.' An explanatory letter was immediately despatched.

The rival clipper, 'Flying Scud' sailed first, and with canvas mounting from the rails to the moonsail yard made a fine show. The long black hull was relieved by a strip of painted ports, and careening gracefully she sped quickly out of the bay.

'Mark her time to the offing, Sennit!' the old man exclaimed; 'that will give us a fair idea of her speed. I take notice that they haven't sent a rope-yarn of stu'n's'l gear aloft yet. Perhaps she doesn't carry any. The younger skippers say it doesn't compensate for the cost and trouble.'

'We'll show them that this voyage, sir,' the mate said. 'I begin to think we have a good chance of getting the prize.'

'Chance! I'll smash her, Sennit.'

Owing to some mistake about the nationality of the 'black-birding' schooner, the 'Ocean Glory' was detained till nearly sundown, but when the chief officer sang out to man the windlass all hands rushed to the levers. The cable came in with a rattle, and across the beautiful bay went the chanty:

'The breeze is from the east-south-east, And she can sail ten knots at least. Our officers we will obey, So now to grog, my lads, I say. For we are homeward-bound, my boys, We are homeward-bound.'

'Cable's hove short, sir,' Mr. Fortune, the mate, sang out.

The youngsters at the main capstan 'pawled' it. The hands, knowing what would follow, left the forecastle-head.

'Loose all canvas fore and aft,' the skipper sang out.

'We'll race the after-guards for it!' a man cried in defiance, as he sprang up the main rigging.

'And we'll take you,' Jack Clewlin returned, as, smartly mustering all his younger associates of the half-deck, he had them skipping from yard to yard on the mizen mast, casting off the gaskets, and overhauling the running gear. Then, sliding down to the quarter-deck he forced the steward, carpenter, sailmaker, and boys to man the halyards. Up went the topsail and other yards with a leap, and before those forward had realised the fact every stitch of sail aft was set.

'Well done, Clewlin!' the skipper exclaimed. 'You've fairly beaten your opponents.'

As the anchor was broken out the 'Ocean Glory' canted her head seaward, and under all sail, and with bunting flowing bravely in the breeze, away toward the offing she glided with ever-increasing movement. A hearty cheer followed her from the shore. Not a moment was lost in getting more canvas spread. The studding-sail booms were dragged off the skids and sent aloft, that gear was promptly rove by experienced and nimble hands, and before sundown the clipper had reached well out beyond the Golden Gates, and the time taken by the old man proved that she had covered the distance much more quickly than her rival.

With a light five-knot breeze steady progress was made throughout the night, the anchors were secured on the forecastle-head, watches were 'picked' by the officers, and Jack Clewlin and his 'side' turned in till midnight.

The ship proved to be somewhat heavily laden, but of that no notice was taken, since long before Cape Horn was reached, the daily consumption of food and water would have made some difference in her trim, while the cargo of grain would also have settled down firmly in its place, and thus enable the captain to observe any slight peculiarity of trim.

Nothing whatever could be seen of the 'Flying Scud'; every day a bright lookout for her was maintained by men engaged at work aloft, and still the wind remained fair and moderately strong.

Ten days after leaving port the first vessel was seen, and proved to be, not the 'Flying Scud,' as was at first supposed, but a San Francisco-bound ship, one hundred and twenty days out from the Mersey, and she signalled need of a few fresh provisions. Captain Thorne immediately drew closer, and having sent what food could be spared to the stranger, he inquired if she had seen anything of his rival.

'A big painted-port craft, eh?' the other master inquired. 'Yes, we fell in with her three hours ago. Yet, in spite of my crippled condition and want of grub, she would not pay the slightest heed, but continued her voyage. She's nearly abreast of you now, but several miles farther west.'

'Then we have beaten her already,' Captain Thorne sang out. 'Thank you, sir, and a speedy arrival in port. I'm sorry I can afford no better assistance.'

'So long, captain. I'll tell them at 'Frisco that you're miles ahead. By the way, that other craft is not carrying stu'n's'ls. It's the new fashion, I believe.'

The 'Ocean Glory' continued her voyage, crossed the equator in good style, and after a delay of only one day she struck the first of the south-east trade winds, and in one long close-hauled board stood away about south-west-by-south, still keeping a sharp watch for the slightest sign of her opponent, and making rapid progress toward the bleak and stormy latitudes of Cape Horn.

Early one morning, in latitude 57°, 48' south, a hand aloft reported the 'Flying Scud' standing as themselves, some fifteen miles to the westward, and great excitement prevailed.

'I don't believe it can be that vessel!' the old man exclaimed. 'Clewlin, you have sharp eyes; here, take my glasses, and find out if she is really our rival.'

Within a few seconds Jack had perched himself snugly on the royal yard. He had some difficulty in picking up the vessel, yet, once he got her fairly focused she was not again lost sight of, but was certainly steering much 'freer' than themselves.

'It isn't the clipper, sir,' Jack presently sang out. 'She is all black fore and aft, and only carries royals.'

'I thought so,' the old man said. 'She's either a Sidney or a Melbourne packet, and is, of course, going easier.'

The stranger knew nothing of the 'Flying Scud.' As she drew up nearly abreast Captain Thorne eased his helm, and with yards slightly checked in the 'Ocean Glory' almost kept her place, despite the fact that the other was flying light with wool and passengers.

'Set our starboard topmast stu'n's'l,' the skipper sang out.

Mr. Fortune, unaccustomed to such 'carrying on,' eyed him nervously, but soon had the canvas set. It added half a knot, and made up the even ten knots an hour. Neither vessel now gained any advantage, and the old man smiled cheerfully.

Darkness soon hid both vessels. During the night the wind began to draw more aft, and although it was blowing 'pretty fresh' Captain Thorne immediately came on deck, and ordered the mate to set the lower and port topmast stu'n's'ls.

'I won't be passed even by a wool ship, if I can help it,' he added.

'I scarcely think she can stand them,' Mr. Fortune observed.

'Then call Sennit, sir,' was the sharp reply.

His own old mate was promptly to the fore. The extra canvas was 'bent' and also set. The strain on all the gear was tremendous, and in rising anxiety the watch alternately eyed it and the captain; but everything stood splendidly, and the skysails and main moonsail were stowed for the night.

Next morning the Australian was just visible astern, and she had nothing above a main top-gallant-sail set. Anyhow, she soon began to 'wake up' and set more canvas.

'What are we doing now, Fortune?' the skipper inquired.

A couple of hands were called aft, and the log was hove. The captain himself took the sandglass and awaited the order to 'Turn!'

The line flew out astern, the reel rattled and shook as it had never done before, and the old man shouted, 'Stop!'

'Fourteen and a half knots, sir,' Mr. Fortune said. 'I've been in her two voyages, but never saw anything like this.'

'But we've got to make up the even fifteen,' Captain Thorne replied; 'set the royals and skysails.'

The mate went forward wagging his head, and the watch began to talk; but the skipper got his fifteen knots, and the wool ship disappeared.

All that day the vessel flew before the wind; but toward evening the flying kites again came in.