Dutch the Diver: or, A Man's Mistake

“I wish he would be a little more kind. There, I’ll say no more. Good-night. He has the watch to-night on deck – the first watch.”

“Has he?”

“Yes; and if he were my husband I should go to him and ask him if this wicked estrangement was to last, because, if so, it should last for ever, for I would never make another advance to him.”

“Are you sure he has the watch to-night?”

“Yes,” said Bessy, kissing her; “and it’s as dark as pitch on deck. Shall I go with you, dear?”

“No, no,” whispered Hester, eagerly, as her heart began to throb. “Good-night, good-night.”

“But where are you going?” said Bessy, playfully.

“I am going to speak to my husband,” said Hester, whose face was as white as ashes, but her voice very firm, for the strength that she had prayed for seemed to have come at last, and she felt that at any hazard she must go and tell Dutch of the impending danger to them both. For it was evident from the Cuban’s words, as much as from his presence, that he held some deep design on hand, and perhaps she might be saving others as well as her husband by the step she was about to take.

But he had said that he would kill Dutch if she betrayed him, and her heart seemed to stand still at the horrible thought. But no – Dutch was so strong and brave, and he would seize this villain, and, by taking rapid action, secure safety to himself, perhaps to the ship as well.

“You had better let me go too,” said Bessy, smiling.

“No, no,” said Hester, shaking her head; “stop here. I shall be back almost directly.”

“I am not so sure,” said Bessy, laughing. “There, dear, all happiness come of your meeting. You will find him right forward, I think.”

Hester took a step towards the door, and then realised how weak she was, for she trembled and felt as if she should drop. But this was no time for hesitation, and she came back to say farewell.

“Put out the light or turn it down. I do not want any one to see me go on deck.”

Bessy smiled, and turned down the lamp until it was almost out; and then, opening the door gently, Hester stepped to the foot of the cabin stairs, where, as she laid her hand upon the cold brass rail, the trembling fit again seized her, for her heart whispered that Lauré should be watching her.

She recovered herself directly and ascended the cabin stairs, leaving the deep voices of the captain and the others talking behind her; and as she went on her courage seemed to increase, and whispering to herself that it was to save him she loved, she stepped cautiously upon the deck.

All was perfectly silent, and the darkness was intense, save ashore, where the fireflies glanced and played in scintillations amongst the trees. She turned from them with a shudder, for it reminded her of the evening’s encounter, and, trying to make out where her husband was watching, she went cautiously on, for there was not a sound to be heard.

The distance was very short, but she had to go to the side so as to avoid the masts and deckhouse, beyond which she felt that Dutch would be standing, and she had already reached the mainmast, when she heard a slight cough, which she knew to have been uttered by Dutch.

“He will believe me and love me again,” she said to herself, with her heart beginning to throb with joy, “and I shall save him from some dreadful death – save myself too, from that wretch.”

As these words were pronounced silently by her lips a chill of horror and a curse made her cower shivering back as something dark rose before her, an arm was passed tightly round her quivering form, and a damp, cold hand laid upon her mouth checked the shriek with which she was about to pierce the darkness of the night.

Story 1-Chapter XXI.

The Shadow Darkened

In the horror of those moments Hester Pugh felt nerveless, and after the first spasmodic attempt to shriek there was no necessity for the hand pressed so tightly over her lips as she was lifted by a strong arm and carried back a few paces, and then held firmly against the bulwarks.

The next moment, as with starting eyes she gazed wildly about in search of help, her captor’s lips were placed close to her, and words that seemed to scorch her brain were hissed into her ear.

“Have I not warned you sufficiently? But for the intense love I bear you, this moment would be your last. One plunge, and it would be impossible to save you in this darkness, and no one would realise who did the deed. Do you wish me to make use of the knowledge I gained to-day with those dynamite experiments; because, listen, I have not looked on in vain. One touch of a wire – one that I have laid – and this ship and all on board would be in fragments. That would have happened if you had gone forward to-night and betrayed me. Once more, listen; it is useless for you to fight against your fate, for I am not alone here; and when I cease watching you others take up the task. There. See, I release and trust you after what I have said.”

He took his hand from the trembling woman’s lips, but grasped her tightly still, lest she should sink down fainting.

“Now return quietly to your cabin,” he continued, “and remember this. You think to save Dutch Pugh and the rest by betraying me. Instead of that you will send them to their death. Now go back without a sound.”

Hester felt her arm released, and that she was free. Her first wild thought was to run forward, shrieking for help; her next that Lauré would keep his word, and, controlling herself she tottered with outstretched hands back to the cabin stairs, and reached the little cabin where Bessy was already asleep, and then, sinking on her knees, prayed for help in this time of need.

That night of agony seemed as if it would never pass away, for Hester crouched there sleepless and watching, starting at every sound, and trembling lest the Cuban should be already putting some diabolical scheme into action. At length the day broke, and quite exhausted she sank into a troubled slumber, from which she awoke affrighted with the feeling upon her that Lauré was bending down trying to read her face and tell whether she was going to warn her husband or not.

A smile of relief crossed her lips, though, as she saw that it was Bessy Studwick, and she listened calmly to her chidings, but refused to go to bed.

“It was so foolish,” said Bessy, “to sit there the night through. It is not the way to grow strong.”

From the noise on deck it was evident that preparations for diving were rapidly going on, and now another dread assailed Hester. She felt sure that Dutch would be one of the first to go down, and she shuddered as she thought of the sharks, and determined to make an effort to dissuade him.

She was on the point of going on deck when Lauré’s words stayed her. She was watched, and if she tried to communicate with her husband might he not interpret it as an attempt to betray him, and in an instant compass his destruction.

“If I only knew what to do?” she moaned. “If I could but warn him of the danger they might seize that villain in time. I will warn him at all hazards.”

She was ready to die to save Dutch from peril, but she was so circumstanced that her warning would compass his destruction, and she sank back feeling at last that she could not betray what she knew.

For the moment she was reassured by hearing Dutch’s voice, and directly after Bessy came to fetch her into the cabin to breakfast, where all save she were in high spirits, no one having a suspicion of the danger that threatened them. The talk was all of the treasure, and the specimen ingots that Lauré had shown them were mentioned, while to Hester’s horror she found that the Cuban was apparently forgotten.

It soon became evident to her that all the preparations had been made, and she followed the actors in the busy scene to be enacted on deck as soon as the hurried meal was at an end.

Dutch had glanced at her once, and her heart throbbed with pleasure as she read his look as one more of sorrow than anger, and this last determined her to speak to him at all hazards.

The air-pump was ready, with Rasp dictating and ordering the men about; and had Hester felt any hesitation before, the sight of Dutch drawing on the heavy india-rubber suit determined her to act.

“I don’t think their teeth would go through this,” he said coolly to Mr Parkley, “if they come; but we’ll do what we said, and that will keep them off.”

He went on with his preparations, and twice over, as she saw him nearing readiness, Hester approached, but, each time on glancing round, she saw that the Cuban had his eyes fixed upon her, and she shrank away.

At last, however, Dutch was ready, all but having the great copper diving-helmet screwed on. A stout leather belt was round his waist, heavy leaden-soled boots upon his feet; square weights of lead hung from the copper gorget round his neck and breast and back; the long tube was attached to helmet and air-pump, and a keen handy axe and a long sharp double-edged knife lay ready for placing in his belt, side by side with a heavy iron bar.

A stout wooden ladder, in joints, had been fitted together and secured to the gangway, its foot being within a few inches of the sand that lay in the midst of the sunken wreck, which, seen through the clear water, seemed, although five fathoms down, but a very little distance from the keel of the schooner.

There too was the signalling rope ready for placing round the diver; and to make the preparations more complete, the galvanic battery was charged, and half-a-dozen little dynamite cartridges, attached to as many thin wires, lay ready for hurling in the direction of any approaching shark and exploding in the water. This, it was considered, might kill it, but would certainly scare it away, while the size was not large enough to injure the diver, protected by his helmet. A careful investigation had resulted in not one of the monsters being seen, and all hoped that the explosions of the previous day had killed and scared all that they need fear for the present.

Very good theories all these, but those on board forgot that a good deal of refuse food was thrown overboard by ’Pollo every now and then, and that this floated away slowly on the current, and might act as an attraction to the fish some distance away.

The air-pump was tried, and proved, thanks to Rasp, in excellent condition. Such of the crew as were not to work at the pump were in good places for observation, partly to satisfy their own curiosity, for the novelty of the coming experiment quite excited them, partly to keep watch for sharks and give ample warning; while a portion of the deck was marked off, where the apparatus was placed, and no one but those at work was allowed to pass the ropes. Here Rasp had arranged his coils with mathematical exactness; the rope for signalling was as carefully arranged, and men stationed at the pump, to the use of which he had drilled them; and in addition a stouter coil with a spring hook was ready, the spring being held in Rasp’s hand.

“I think you had better have it attached, Pugh,” said Mr Parkley.

“Nonsense!” replied Dutch, smiling; and as his countenance lit up Hester thought he had never looked so true and brave before. “Why, anyone would think I was a novice, who had never been down.”

“’Taint that, Mr Pug,” said Rasp, “it’s on account of those long-nosed sharks. You just have it on, and if we sees one o’ the warmint coming we’ll haul you up in a way such as’ll startle him.”

“I’m not afraid of the sharks,” said Dutch, taking up and feeling the point of the great dagger-like knife. “A man can but the once.”