Chapter 6
CHAPTER VI. A Ducking Deserved. Captain Rycroft has been but a few minutes at his favourite fishing place. Just long enough to see his tackle in working condition and cast his line across the water, as he does the last, saying, I shouldn't wonder, Wingate, if we don't see a salmon to-day. I fear that sky's too bright for his dainty kingship to mistake feathers for flies. Ne'er a doubt the fish'll be a bit shy,
returns the boatman, but, he adds, assigning their shyness to a different cause, taint so much the colour of the sky, more like it's that lot of foresters as frightened them, with their hulk o'er boat, making as much noise as a Bristol steamer. Wonder what brings such rubbish on the river, anyhow? They ain't no business on't, and in my opinion there ought to be a law against it, same's for trespassin' after game. That would be rather hard lines, Jack. These mining gentry
need outdoor recreation as much as any other sort of people. Rather more, I should say, considering that they're compelled to pass the greater part of their time underground. When they emerge from the bowels of the earth to disport themselves on its surface, it's but natural they should like a little aquatics which you by choice an amphibious creature cannot consistently blame them for those we've just met are doubtless out for a holiday which accounts for the having taken too much drink in some sense an excuse for their conduct i don't think it at all strange seeing them on the water their faces an seed much o it anyhow observes the waterman seeming little satisfied with the captain's reasoning an as for their bein out on holiday if i ain't mistook it be holiday as lasts all year round two o em may be miners them as got the grimiest faces
as for t'other two i don't think either ever touched pick or shovel in their lives i've seed both angin about lidbrook which be a query place besides one i'd seen long wi a man whose company's enough to gi a saint a bad character that's coracle dick take my word for it captain there ain't an honest miner among that lot either in the way of iron or coal if there were i'd be the last man to go again them avin their holiday ceptin i don't think they ought to take it on the river ye see what comes a sich as they umbuggin about in a boat at the last clause of this speech its conservatism due to a certain professional jealousy the huzzah officer cannot resist smiling he had half forgiven the rudeness of the revellers attributing it to intoxication and more than half repented of his threat to bring them to a reckoning which might not be called for but might and in all likelihood would be inconvenient now reflecting on wingate's words the frown which had passed from off his face again returns to it he says nothing however but sits rod in hand less thinking of the salmon than how he can chastise the d-d scoundrels
as his companion has pronounced them should he as he anticipates again come in collision with them listen exclaims the waterman that's them shoutin come in this way i take it what shall we do to em cap'n the salmon fisher is half determined to reel in his line lay aside the rod and take out a revolving pistol he chances to have in his pocket not with any intention to fire it at the fellows but only frighten them yes goes on wingate they be droppin down again sure i dar say they found the tide a bit too strong from up above and i don't wonder sich louty chaps as they thinkin they could guide a boat bout the way just like mountain hogs o horseback at this fresh sally of professional spleen the soldier again smiles but says nothing uncertain what action he should take or how soon he may be called on to commence it almost instantly after he is called on to take action though not against the four riotous foresters but a silly salmon which has conceived a fancy for his fly
a pearl on the water with a pluck quick succeeding tells of one on the hook while the whizz of the wheel and rapid rolling out of catgut proclaims it a fine one for some minutes neither he nor his oarsman has eye or ear for aught save securing the fish and both bend all their energies to fighting it the line runs out to be spun up and run off again his river majesty maddened at feeling himself so oddly and painfully restrained in his desperate efforts to escape now rushing in one direction now another all the while the angler skilfully playing him the equally skilled oarsman keeping the boat in concerted accordance absorbed by their distinct lines of endeavour they do not hear high words mingled with exclamations coming from above or hearing do not heed supposing them to proceed from the four men they had met in all likelihood now more inebriated than ever not till they have well-nigh finished their fight and the salmon all but subdued is being drawn towards the boat wingate gaff in hand bending over ready to strike it
not till then do they note other sounds which even at that critical moment make them careless about the fish in its last feeble throes when its capture is good as sure causing ryecroft to stop winding his wheel and stand listening only for an instant again the voices of men but also now heard the cry of a woman as if she sending it forth were in danger or distress they have no need for conjecture nor are they long left to it almost simultaneously they see a boat sweeping round the bend with another close in its wake evidently in chase as told by the attitudes and gestures of those occupying both in the one pursued two young ladies in that pursuing four rough men readily recognizable at a glance the huzzah officer takes in the situation the waterman as well the sight saves a salmon's life and possibly two innocent women from outrage down goes ryecroft's rod the boatman simultaneously dropping his gaff as he does so hearing thundered in his ears to your oars jack make straight for them row with all your might jack wingate needs neither command to act nor word to stimulate him
as a man he remembers the late indignity to himself as a gallant fellow he now sees others submitted to the like no matter about their being ladies enough that they are women suffering insult and more than enough at seeing who are the insulters in ten seconds time he is on his thwart oars in hand the officer at the tiller and in five more the mary brought stem up-stream is surging against the current going swiftly as if with it she is set for the big boat pursuing not now to shun a collision but seek it as yet some two hundred yards are between the chased craft and that hastening to its rescue ryecroft measuring the distance with his eyes is in thought tracing out a course of action his first instinct was to draw a pistol and stop the pursuit with a shot but no it would not be english nor does he need to resort to such deadly weapon true there will be four against two but what of it i think we can manage them jack he mutters through his teeth i'm good for two of them-the biggest and best an i t'other two sich clumsy chaps as them you can trust me takin care of em captain
i know it keep to your oars till i give the word to drop them they don't peer to a sight at us yet too drunk i take it like as not when they can see what's comin they'll sheer off they shan't have the chance i intend steering bow dead on to them don't fear the result if the mary gets damaged i'll stand the expense of repairs ne'er mind about that cap'n i gee the price of a new boat to see the lot chastised specially that big black fellow as did most of the talkin you shall see it and soon he lets go the ropes to disembarrass himself of his angling accoutrements which he hurriedly does flinging them at his feet when he again takes hold of the steering tackle the mary is within six lengths of the advancing boats both now nearly together the bow of the pursuer overlapping the stern of the pursued only two of the men are at the oars two standing up one amidships the other at the head both are endeavouring to lay hold of the pleasure-boat and bring it alongside so occupied they see not the fishing skiff while the two rowing with backs turned are equally unconscious of its approach they only wonder at the wenches as they continue to call them taking it so coolly for these do not seem so much frightened as before
come sweet lass cries he in the bow the black fellow it is addressing miss wynn tain't no use you tryin to get away i must hae my kiss so drop your oars and git to me insolent fellow she exclaims her eyes ablaze with anger keep your hands off my boat i command you but i ain't to be commanded you minx not till i've had a smack o them lips and by gad i shall have it saying which he reaches out to the full stretch of his long ape-like arms and with one hand succeeds in grasping the boat's gunwale while with the other he gets hold of the lady's dress and commences dragging her towards him gwen wynne neither screams nor calls help she knows it is near hands off cries a voice in a volume of thunder simultaneous with a dull thud against the side of the larger boat followed by a continued crashing as her gunwale goes in the roughs facing round for the first time see the fishing skiff and know why it is there but they are too far gone in drink to heed or submit at least their leader seems determined to resist turning savagely on ryecroft he stammers out here here go the blazes be you mr whitecap and what do you want wi me you'll see
at the words he bounds from his own boat into the other and before the fellow can raise an arm those of ryecroft are around him in tight hug in another minute the hulking scoundrel is hoisted from his feet as though but a feather's weight and flung overboard wingate has meanwhile also boarded grappled on to the other on foot and is threatening to serve him the same a plunge with a wild cry the man going down like a stone another as he comes up among his own bubbles and a third yet wilder as he feels himself sinking for the second time the two at the oars scared into a sort of sobriety one of them cries out lord o mercy rob'll be drownded he can't swim a stroke he's a drownding now adds the other it is true for rob has again come to the surface and shouts with feebler voice while his arms tossed frantically about tell of his being in the last throes of suffocation ryecroft looks regretful rather alarmed in chastising the fellow he has gone too far he must save him quick as the thought off goes his coat with his boots kicked into the bottom of the boat then himself over its side
a splendid swimmer with a few bold sweeps he is by the side of the drowning man not a moment too soon just as the latter is going down for the third likely the last time with the hand of the officer grasping his collar he is kept above water but not yet saved both are now imperilled the rescuer and he he would rescue for far from the boats they have drifted into a dangerous eddy and are being whirled rapidly round a cry from gwen wynn a cry of real alarm now the first she has uttered but before she can repeat it her fears are allayed set to rest again at sight of still another rescuer the young waterman has leaped back to his own boat and is pulling straight for the strugglers a few strokes and he is beside them then dropping his oars he soon has both safe in the skiff the half-drowned but wholly frightened bob is carried back to his comrade's boat and dumped in among them wingate handling him as though he were but a wet coal-sack or piece of old tarpaulin then giving the forest chaps a bit of his mind he bids them be off
and off they go without saying word as they drop down-stream their downcast looks showing them subdued if not quite sobered and rather feeling grateful than aggrieved the other two boats soon proceed upward the pleasure craft leading but not now rowed by its owner for captain ryecroft has hold of the oars in the haste or the pleasurable moments succeeding he has forgotten all about the salmon left struggling on his line or caring not to return for it most likely will lose rod line and all what matter if he has lost a fine fish he may have won the finest woman on the wye and she has lost nothing risks nothing now not even the chiding of her aunt for now the pleasure-boat will be back in its dock in time to keep undisturbed the understanding with joseph chapter six
