The Eternal Adam and other stories Read Online Free Page A

calm fresh tropical nights.
    The lieutenant tried to make out in the
gloom who was on watch. He could recognise José and two of the men who had been
at the meeting in Guajan.
    He then went up to the man at the helm. He
said a couple of words to him in low tones, and that was all.
    But it might have been noticed that the
helm had been put a little more a-weather than before, so that the brig soon
drew perceptibly towards the larger ship.
    Contrary to the usual custom, Martinez
paced up and down on the lee side, keeping an eye on the Asia. Uneasy
and almost frightened, he kept playing with the speaking trumpet he was
holding.
    Suddenly an explosion was heard on the
larger ship.
    At this signal Martinez leapt on to the
hammock-nettings and shouted: ‘All hands on deck! Brail up the courses.’
    At that moment Don Orteva, followed by his
officers, emerged from his cabin and demanded, ‘Why was that order given?’
    Without replying, Martinez sprang down from
the hammock-nettings and ran to the forecastle.
    ‘Down with the helm!’ he shouted. ‘Brace
the yards to port! Quick! Haul away! Let fly the jib-sheet!’
    At that moment some more explosions were
heard on the Asia.
    The crew obeyed the lieutenant’s orders,
and the brig, coming quickly to the wind, hove to under her fore top-sail.
    Don Orteva, turning towards the handful of
men who had gathered round him exclaimed, ‘Stand by me, good lads!’ Then,
striding towards Martinez, ‘Arrest that officer!’ he exclaimed.
    ‘Death to the commander,’ Martinez
retorted.
    Pablo and two of the officers drew their
swords and grasped their pistols. A few of the men, led by Jacopo, were rushing
to their help. But these were at once stopped by the mutineers, disarmed, and
rendered powerless.
    Don Orteva pointed his pistol at Martinez.
    Then a rocket soared above the Asia.
    ‘They’ve won!’ shouted Martinez.
    Don Orteva’s bullet was lost in space.
    The scene did not last long. The captain
grappled with the lieutenant: but, overcome by numbers and seriously wounded,
he was easily mastered, and a few moments later his officers shared his fate.
    Blue lights were now let off in the rigging
of the brig, and they were replied to by those of the Asia. The mutiny
had broken out and been successful on both ships.
    Lieutenant Martinez had mastered the Constanzia and his prisoners were thrust pell-mell into the main cabin. But
the sight of blood had aroused the crew’s ferocious instincts. It was not
enough to have overcome, they wanted to kill.
    ‘Cut their throats!’ yelled some of the
most ferocious. ‘Kill them! Dead men tell no tales!’
    Lieutenant Martinez, at the head of these
bloodthirsty mutineers, was rushing towards the cabin, but the rest of the crew
protested against the massacre, and the officers were saved.
    ‘Bring Don Orteva up on deck!’ Martinez
gave the order.
    It was obeyed.
    ‘Orteva,’ Martinez addressed him. ‘I’m in
command of both vessels now. Don Roque is my prisoner, too. Tomorrow we’re
going to maroon you both on some lonely shore; then we’re going to steer for
the Mexican coast, to sell these ships to the Republican Government.’
    ‘Traitor!’ was Don Orteva’s only reply.
    ‘Set the courses! Trim sails! Fasten this
man on the poop.’
    He pointed to Don Orteva, and again his
orders were obeyed.
    ‘Put the others down in the hold. Prepare
to go about! Be smart about it, boys!’
    The manoeuvre was promptly executed. Don
Orteva had been fastened on the lee side of the brig, hidden by the sails, and
he could be heard still denouncing his lieutenant as a scoundrel and a traitor.
    Suddenly Martinez, now completely beside
himself, leaped on to the poop with an axe in his hand. He was kept from
reaching the captain: instead, with one vigorous stroke, he cut the main sheet.
The boom, swinging before the wind, struck Don Orteva and smashed his skull.
    A cry of horror arose.
    ‘Killed by accident,’ commented Martinez.
‘Heave that