The Mysterious Island Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Captain Grant's Children

Chapter 160 The Mysterious Island (45)
"How many people are there? That's the crux of the problem," said the reporter. "If there are only about ten of them, we can drive them out of the island, but if there are forty or fifty, or even more Too many words!..."

"Mr. Cyrus," said Ayrton, coming forward at this moment, "will you please let me do one thing?"

"What is it, my friend?"

"I'm going to the ship to scout the opponent's strength."

"But, Ayrton..." replied the engineer hesitantly, "you are risking your life..."

"Why not, sir?"

"This is beyond the scope of your responsibility."

"I should also do extra things," replied Ayrton.

"You mean to kayak to that boat?" Jardine Splane asked.

"No, sir, I'm going to swim. They'll see you in a canoe, but you can swim by yourself."

"But did you know that the ship was 1.25 miles from shore," said Hubbert.

"Don't worry, I'm fine, Mr. Harbert."

"In any case, you are risking your life in doing so, and you must understand that," added the engineer.

"Never mind," answered Ayrton, "I beg you, Mr. Cyrus, to grant my request. It will do me good, too, and perhaps I will feel worthwhile again!"

"In that case, go, Ayrton," replied the engineer, feeling that repeated refusals would grieve the ex-convict, who was now converted.

"I will go with you," said Pencroft.

"You don't believe me!" Ayrton responded immediately.

Then, he sighed more humbly: "Oh!"

"No! no!" said Cyrus Harding passionately, "no, Ayrton! Pencroft does not distrust you! You have misunderstood him."

"I have no distrust of you, indeed," replied Pencroft, "but I only wished to accompany Ayrton to the island. In case, however unlikely, some of those rascals might have disembarked. In case If so, even two would not be too much to prevent the pirates from sounding the alarm to the others. I remained on the island to wait for Ayrton, while he went into the ship alone, since he offered to do it alone. !"

The matter was thus settled, and Ayrton began to prepare for departure.I have to say his plan was daring, but thankfully it was dark that night and he still had a chance to succeed.Once on board, Ayrton grasped either the bowsprit stays, or the iron chains which fastened the shrouds, and could detect the number of the enemy, and, if he was lucky, further the intentions of the criminals.

Thus Ayrton and Pencroft left Granite House, and came down to the coast, and their companions came down with them.Ayrton undressed and spread a thick layer of grease on his body, which would help him avoid the cold, as the water was still cold at this time of year.

Indeed, preparations must be complete, and he may even have to stay in the water for several hours in order to scout for information.

While Ayrton was preparing, Pencroft and Neb went to fetch the canoe, which was moored on the steep bank of the River Grateful, a few hundred paces from here.When they returned, Ayrton was making his final preparations for departure.

Ayrton had a blanket wrapped around his waist, and the settlers came to shake his hand one by one.

Ayrton and Pencroft got into the canoe together and set off.

At 10:30 in the evening, the two disappeared into the darkness, while their companions returned to the grotto to wait for them.

The little canoe crossed the strait without difficulty, and docked on the other side of the island.Whether rowing or docking, their actions are cautious, in case the pirates walk here.However, after observation, it seems certain that the island is now empty.Ayrton led the way, and Pencroft followed.The two walked quickly across the island, scaring away the birds that lived in the cave.Then, without hesitation, Ayrton jumped into the sea and swam silently towards the direction of the ship.The few lights on the ship that had just been turned on had already shown them the exact location of the ship.

As for Pencroft, he ducked discreetly into a recess on the shore, till the return of his companions.

At this time, Ayrton was struggling to swim in the sea.He moved very lightly, not making the slightest sound as he swam across the great expanse of water.His head was barely above the water, but his eyes were fixed on the dark hull of the ship, its lights reflecting off the sea.He was preoccupied with the mission he had promised to accomplish, and it never occurred to him that he was taking risks, not only from the pirates on board, but from the sea as well.Because there are often sharks here.In this way, driven by the current, he quickly left the coast.

An hour later, Ayrton swam across the middle sea unnoticed, slowly approached the ship, and grabbed the ship's staystay with one hand.Then he caught his breath and climbed up the chain to the end of the bowsprit pallet.There were some pairs of sailor pants hanging out to dry.He found one and put it on, then stood still and listened quietly to the sound of the boat.

At this time, the people on board were still awake. On the contrary, some of them were arguing, some were singing, and some were laughing.What shocked Ayrton the most was the following, as they hurled insults:

"What a marvelous brig we've got!"

"It runs so fast, no wonder it's called 'Endeavour'!"

"Well, all the boats in Norfolk can come after him! But they're only fit to run after him!"

"Long live the captain!"

"Hats off to the great Captain Bob Harvey!"

Ayrton's agitation was unimaginable at hearing a scrap of this conversation, after he had just recognized this Bob Harvey, a dissolute sailor, a fellow of his old days in Australia. , he completed the second half of his sinful plan.

Bob Harvey presumably snatched the brig Endeavor from the waters of Norfolk Island, which was loaded with advanced weapons, large quantities of ammunition, and various utensils and implements, which were supposed to be Shipped to a neighboring island in the Sandwich Islands.He took all the scoundrels on board, formerly criminals, and now full-fledged pirates.They burned, killed, plundered, destroyed ships, and slaughtered crew members in the Pacific Ocean. They did all kinds of evil, even more cruel than the Malay pirates.

These criminals are talking loud and clear.They drank strong alcohol while bragging about their "heroic deeds".Here's what Ayrton could understand:

All the men on board of the Endeavor at the present time were some of the worst British criminals who had escaped from Norfolk Island.

Next, let's talk about the situation of Norfolk Island.

At 29°2' south latitude and 165°42' east longitude, that is, in the east of Australia, there is a small island with a circumference of 24 kilometers. On the island stands Walter Peak, which is [-] feet above sea level.This is Norfolk Island, where the most difficult prisoners in the British penitentiary prison are held.

At that time, there were 150 prisoners on the island, and their lives were not easy.These people were subject to severe discipline and unbearable punishment, and they were guarded by 150 soldiers and [-] staff under the banner of a governor.It's hard to imagine a more brutal group of gangsters than this.But sometimes—although these were very rare—a few cunning fellows escaped though they were closely guarded.They raided unsuspecting ships, snatched them, and roamed around the Polynesian islands, killing and looting.

That's what Bob Harvey and his cohorts did, and, of course, what Ayrton once wanted to do.Bob Harvey took the Endeavor anchored off Norfolk Island and brutally murdered its occupants.For a year, this sailing ship, which was reduced to a pirate ship, has been wandering in the Pacific Ocean under the command of Harvey.As for Harvey, the former captain of the ocean liner, the current pirate - Ayrton knows it very well!
By this time the convicts were mostly gathered in the stern bay at the back of the boat, but a few guys were lying on the deck, talking loudly.

The pirates kept shouting and drinking, and Ayrton soon learned that the reason why the "Endeavour" came to the vicinity of "Lincoln Island" was purely accidental.Bob Harvey had never been in this area before.But, as Cyrus Harding had foreseen, as he chanced upon this strange island, whose location was not shown on any map, he intended to go up and see it.Make it a home base for this boat if the conditions are right.

As for the black flag erected on the mast of the "Endeavour" and the salute fired in imitation of the battleship's lowering of the flag, these are purely the pirates' self-boasting, not a communication signal.There is no connection between the escapees from Norfolk Island and "Lincoln Island".

The peaceful and happy territory of the immigrants is now facing a huge threat. "Lincoln Island" has easy access to water, small ports for entry and exit, various resources fully exploited by the immigrants with their own industrious hands, and the hidden hiding places of "Granite Palace".These are very suitable for those criminal activities, and "Lincoln Island" should be in their hands, it will be an excellent hiding place for criminals, and just because it is never marked on the map, it may ensure that They have long suffered impunity from law and justice.Obviously, the lives of the immigrants will be greatly threatened, and the first thought of the ruthless Bob Harvey and his accomplices will be to kill them ruthlessly.

It is evident that neither Cyrus Harding nor his good company can escape and hide on the island, since the convicts intend to settle there, and since... if the Endeavor were to set out to plunder, there might be several crew members Stay and guard the base camp.So you have to fight them, you have to wipe out these irredeemable villains.

These were the thoughts which Ayrton had in his head at the time, and he was sure that Cyrus Harding, if he had been there, would have approved of him.

But is it possible to rise up to resist and win in the end?It depends on the weaponry of the sailboat and the number of people on board.

Ayrton made up his mind to find out these key information no matter what.An hour had passed since he swam to the sailboat, and the wild shouts from the boat were beginning to die down, and many of the convicts were fast asleep in a drunken stupor.Ayrton did not hesitate to venture up to the deck.At this time, the lantern had been extinguished, and the "Endeavour" was plunged into darkness.

So he boarded the bow and climbed onto the foredeck by the mast.Having to pass among the slumped convicts, he circled the ship to scout the enemy and discovered that the Endeavor had four cannons on board.These cannons were used to fire eight to ten pound shells.He felt it with his hand to make sure that the cannons were breech-loading guns.In other words, these are new guns that are easy to use and incredibly powerful.

As for those lying on the deck, there were about ten or so.Of course, this is not all pirates, more people sleep in the cabin.And when eavesdropping on their conversation, Ayrton had already found out that there were about fifty people on board.For the six righteous immigrants on "Lincoln Island", it was still too difficult to fight so many pirates!But at any rate, thanks to Ayrton's loyalty and bravery, Cyrus Harding would at least not be caught off guard in the face of his enemies, but would know his opponent's strength, and act accordingly.

According to the plan, all Ayrton has to do is to complete his mission and sneak back to report the situation to his companions.So, he prepared to go back to the bow and dive into the sea from there.

But, like he said before he came, he wanted to do more than he was supposed to.So he suddenly had a bold and tragic idea, that is to sacrifice his life to save the island and the immigrants.There can be no doubt that Cyrus Harding and his companions were no match for fifty armed bandits.These bandits either relied on sophisticated weapons to forcibly break into the "Granite Palace", or with a little less effort, firmly besieged the grotto and let the immigrants starve inside. In short, they could win.His mood became more and more agitated. Think about it, his benefactors will be mercilessly killed by these villains, the fruits of their hard work will be destroyed, and their beautiful island will become a hidden treasure. The filthy pirate lair... It must not be forgotten that it was these friendly and honest immigrants who made him a man again, and a decent man at that.Everything he has today is all because of them!Everything should end by himself, he thought—isn't it?He, Ayrton, was responsible for so many disasters.Because his former accomplice, Bob Harvey, said that he only realized the plan he had made.He couldn't help feeling a deep sense of disgust with himself.So he had the idea of ​​blowing up the boat and all those people on board.Of course, Ayrton will die as well, but at least he has done something for his honest friends, and he has done his part.

Ayrton hesitated no longer.A ship engaged in such dirty work has no shortage of gunpowder. It only needs a spark to blow it up into the sky in an instant.And the gunpowder magazine is not difficult to find, it is usually located at the stern of a ship.

Ayrton slid cautiously along the ropes to the middle deck, which was full of sleeping people.To be more precise, they were actually drunk rather than asleep.In short, they maintain this dull state.There was also a lantern burning under the mainmast of the ship, and near the mainmast stood a large gun rack with various firearms.

Ayrton took a revolver from the rack, and made sure it was loaded and ready to fire.Well, with the help of this little guy, he can complete the work of destruction.

So he went straight aft in order to reach the after cabin, where the powder magazine was supposed to be.

However, the process was not smooth. It was almost pitch black in the middle cabin, and one had to be cautious while moving. It was not easy to bend over to avoid bumping into a criminal who was not fully asleep, and it was inevitable. will be tripped.Whenever he tripped over them, they swore or kicked.Ayrton was forced to stop more than once.At last, however, he reached the rear panel and found the door leading to the powder magazine.

But the lock was so secure that Ayrton had to force it open.The padlock on the door had to be broken with a loud noise, which might have alarmed some criminals, but Ayrton had a strong hand, and the lock was turned, and the door opened. . .

At this critical moment, an arm suddenly pressed on Ayrton's shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" asked stiffly a tall man standing in the shadows, who quickly shone his lamp on Ayrton's face.

Encountered with this unexpected situation suddenly, Ayrton had to retreat hastily.The lights flickered.So he recognized his former accomplice - Bob Harvey, but the other party did not recognize him, because he probably thought he had passed away.

"What are you doing here?" asked Bob Harvey again, this time grabbing Ayrton's belt.

But Ayrton ignored him, but pushed the pirate captain away vigorously, and continued to rush towards the gunpowder magazine.Just shoot in the middle of these gunpowder barrels, and you're done!
But it was too late, and Bob Harvey cried out for help: "Come on, guys! Grab him!"

Two or three were awakened by his cry.They got up quickly and fell upon Ayrton, trying to pin him to the floor.But the nimble and brave Ayrton broke free from their siege, and fired twice with the gun in his hand, and the two criminals fell down immediately, but he couldn't escape the stabbing knife next to him, and his shoulder was scratched up.

Ayrton knew that he had no chance of carrying out his plan.Bob Harvey had reclosed the powder magazine door, and there was a commotion in the middle cabin, which indicated that the pirates had been awakened.Ayrton had to preserve himself so that he could fight alongside Cyrus Harding later on.All he can do now is to run away!

But is it still possible to escape now?doubtful.In spite of the danger of the situation, Ayrton resolved to do his best to get back to his companions.

He still had four rounds in his pistol.Now he fired two more rounds, one of which hit Bob Harvey, but didn't kill him, only slightly wounded him.Ayrton took advantage of the short retreat time of his opponents and rushed quickly towards the ladder covered with a rain cover in order to escape on the deck.As he ran past the lantern, he smashed it with the butt of his rifle, so that darkness facilitated his escape.

At this time, two or three pirates who had been awakened came down from the ship's ladder and met Ayrton.Ayrton fired a fifth shot quickly and knocked one of them down at the foot of the ladder, while the others escaped by narrow escape.Until this time they were still ignorant, completely unaware of what was going on.Ayrton jumped onto the deck in two big strides, and three seconds later, he aimed the last shot at the pirate who had rushed over and grabbed him by the neck.The shot caught him in the face, and he jumped over the bulwark into the sea.

Ayrton had just swam less than six meters in the sea when bullets crackled around him like a hailstorm.

The sound of gunfire on the ship was heard far away. I wondered how anxious Pencroft was hiding under a rock on the island, and what should Cyrus Harding, the reporter, Harbert, and Neb hiding in the "chimney" be? How disturbing.In fact, Cyrus Smith and the others had quickly raised their guns and rushed to the beach, ready to resist the enemy's attack at any time.

(End of this chapter)