So strongly were the sympathies of the crew with Sturdy, more especially since he had shown himself capable of such disinterested and heroic self-sacrifice, and so decidedly were their feelings enlisted against Antonio, who acted like a fiend rather than a man in the execution of the welcome duty assigned him by the captain, that this sudden turning of the tables, the summary revenge taken by[231] Bill Sturdy in return for the additional blow Antonio had inflicted, was greeted with a triumphant shout from the sailors, which seemed to spring from them spontaneously.
Captain Brace bit his lip, and Randall's face darkened with rage. They felt that the humiliation which they had intended for Bill Sturdy had recoiled upon the head of their own agent.
The worst of it was they could not prudently resent it. Antonio had in the eyes of all been guilty of a glaring offence in exceeding his orders, and had justly brought upon himself the punishment he had received. However, the justice or injustice of the matter would have weighed little with Captain Brace if he had not been assured that it would not be safe for him to go further. The law, at the time of which I am speaking, gave almost unlimited power to the commander of a vessel over the lives and liberties of those who were placed under him, yet most were aware that there was a point at which it was wise to pause. At the commencement of the scene, there had been audible murmurs among the crew, the significance of which the captain and mate would understand. The habit of subordination, and the knowledge that this was in a certain sense a[232] voluntary act on the part of Bill Sturdy, had prevented anything more, but if the captain had gone to greater extremities, the consequences might have been serious.
Meanwhile Antonio picked himself up, smarting under the terrible wounds which had been inflicted by the lash wielded with the whole of Bill Sturdy's enormous strength. Indeed, although he had received but two stripes, and his enemy thirteen, it may be doubted whether the pain inflicted by those two were not equal to that of the greater number.
Antonio had slunk down into the forecastle to bathe his back and obtain fresh clothes, for his shirt had been rent asunder. Bill Sturdy, on the other hand, proceeded to attire himself on deck and went about his work, without showing outwardly the pain which he must have been suffering.
Captain Brace took no public notice of the retribution which had followed the punishment. He didn't dare to act as he wished, and therefore chose to pass it unnoticed. But an hour afterwards, as he sat in conference with the mate, his fury burst the bounds he had imposed upon it.
"Curse that fellow!" he exclaimed. "Is he forever destined to thwart my designs? I[233] felt that I could willingly have flogged him myself till the last breath left his body."
"It is a pity Antonio ventured to exceed his orders."
"Yes, the fool was richly repaid for his act, but I could wish it had been by a different hand."
"That extra blow gave Sturdy a pretext for his summary vengeance. But for that his conduct could have been construed into mutiny and disrespect to you."
"And then I might have put him in irons."
"You might do it now, but for——"
"But for the crew, you would say. That alone prevents me. The fellow, unluckily, has secured their sympathy. Would that I could devise some way for taking vengeance safely upon this rebellious scoundrel."
The mate leaned his head upon his hand, and gave himself up to reflection. Something occurred to him, for lifting his head again, he asked,—
"Have you ever been in Rio Janeiro, Captain Brace?"
"Never but once, and that some nine or ten years since."
"There are desperadoes in that city, as in others," pursued Randall, fixing his eyes intently upon the captain.
[234]
"I do not quite catch your meaning, Mr. Randall."
"Men who are little troubled by conscientious scruples, but are willing to undertake the most dangerous and illegal enterprises—for small consideration.
"I begin to understand you now," said the captain.
"Shall I proceed?"
"Do so."
The mate rightly construed this into an intimation that his proposition, though hinting at crime, would not prove distasteful to the captain. This, knowing the character of his superior officer, did not surprise him, and he proceeded.
"I think you apprehend my meaning, Captain Brace. This man is a thorn in our sides. He is exerting a bad influence on board the ship. He is undermining your influence with the crew."
"That is all true, Mr. Randall. What, then, is your advice in this state of affairs?"
"My advice is, that this fellow should be removed."
"To a place better fitted for him," suggested the captain, with a grim smile.
"Precisely so."
[235]
"And through the agency of such men as you have spoken of?"
"That is my proposition."
"It deserves thinking of. May I ask if you have any acquaintance among the fraternity, or whether you have ever had any occasion to employ their services?"
"I did on one occasion."
"Do you mind giving the particulars?"
"To you, no. Some years since I shipped as common sailor on board the Porcupine, bound from New York to Rio. On the voyage one of the sailors on several occasions insulted me, and I determined upon revenge. At Rio I fell in with a desperate character, who for a comparatively small sum engaged to do my bidding."
"Well?"
"There is not much to tell. One night this man was passing through a narrow street, quite unsuspicious of danger, when he was suddenly struck from behind by a bludgeon, and—he never came back to the ship."
"Did no suspicion attach to you?"
"How should there? Who was to betray me? Not my agent, or in so doing he would betray himself. This is the first time I have ever spoken of it, but I am safe with you."
[236]
"Perfectly. You say the consideration was small."
"Fifty dollars only. I dare say the fellow considered himself well paid. Besides he took whatever his victim had about him."
"Thank you for the suggestion, Mr. Randall. I will furnish the money, if you will undertake the management of the business when we reach Rio."
"With pleasure," replied the mate, and he probably spoke the truth.
While this conversation was going on, Charlie in another part of the vessel was commiserating Bill Sturdy on his injuries.
"And it was on my account, too," said the boy, regretfully.
"Better me than you, my lad," said the old sailor stoutly. "Don't trouble yourself about that. It was my own free will, and if I had been unwilling all the power of the captain couldn't have made me submit to it. Besides there was one thing that repaid me for it all. Antonio got something he'll remember to the latest day of his life, I reckon. However that ain't what I want to say now. It's just this. I haven't any particular inducements to stay aboard this vessel, and I've about made up my mind to give[237] them the slip at the first port we come to, if you'll go with me."
"Where do we touch first?"
"At Rio, I surmise."
"I'm ready to go with you, Bill, whenever you say the word," said Charlie, promptly.
"That's right, my lad."
And so the agreement was made.