Arthur Ransome - Swallows and Amazons (Complete Series)

“None of that,” said Captain Nancy, “or it’ll be worse for you. Far worse.”

One end of the rope was still wound round and round his arms and body. They made it fast, so that the other end served as a sort of painter or leading-string. Nancy and Peggy took hold of the rope, and went first along the narrow gangway. The prisoner, balancing himself as well as he could, walked next. John and Susan followed close behind him. Roger and Titty ran forward over the cabin roof.

On the fore-deck there was a capstan, from which the chain went to the big barrel buoy to which the houseboat was moored. There was the little brass cannon. There was the white sun helmet lying by the fore-hatch. There was a locker close to the little mast at the foot of which on the deck lay the green and white elephant flag. On the starboard side of the deck there was a springboard, from which, on happier days, the owner of the houseboat was accustomed to take his morning dive. It might have been designed for the use of prisoners on their way to feed the sharks. At the sight of it Captain Flint shuddered so violently that he nearly upset the determined buccaneers who had captured him and his ship and were now holding him to prevent any attempt at escape.

“Belay that,” growled Captain Nancy. Captain John was really commodore, but in some things Captain Nancy could not help taking the lead.

“Tie the prisoner to the mast,” she said, and it was done.

“Don’t laugh,” she roared at the prisoner.

“Then help that pirate out of my sun helmet,” said Captain Flint.

Roger, the boy, had picked up the big sun helmet, and put it on, and the whole of his head was inside it. There was a moment’s pause while Mate Susan freed him from it.

“Would you mind putting it on my head,” said the prisoner. “A last wish, you know. My bald head can’t stand the sun.”

Mate Susan put it on for him, and the prisoner, wagging his head, shook it into place.

“Now, Captain John,” said Nancy. “We must consider his crimes. The worst is treachery. All this summer he has been in league with the natives.”

“Desertion,” said Peggy. “He deserted us.”

“He came to Wild Cat Island, and went into our camp when we were not there,” said Titty.

“He called Captain John a liar,” said Nancy.

“That was a mistake,” said Captain John hurriedly. “We’ve made peace over that.”

“We can let him off that, then,” said Captain Nancy. “But it doesn’t matter. His other crimes are quite enough. Hands up for making him walk the plank!”

Her hand and Peggy’s went up at once. So did Titty’s. So did Roger’s. John and Susan hesitated.

“Oh, look here,” said Nancy, “no weakening. It’s far too good a plank to waste.”

“I think we ought to give him a chance,” said John. “Untie his arms, and let him swim for it.”

“Right,” said Nancy. “We’ll agree to that. All hands up?”

All hands went up.

Roger was looking over the side.

“Are there plenty of sharks?” he said.

“Millions,” groaned the prisoner.

“Bandage his eyes,” said Captain Nancy. “Here’s a handkerchief.”

“A clean one?” asked the prisoner.

“Well, let him have Peggy’s. Hers was clean yesterday,” said Nancy.

Peggy’s handkerchief had not even been unfolded. It was quickly made into a bandage, and tied over Captain Flint’s eyes.

“Untie him from the mast, and get him on the plank,” said Nancy.

Mate Susan and John loosed him from the mast. Then they unbound his arms. The prisoner swayed heavily this way and that. At last, with Titty and Roger pushing behind, Peggy, John, and Susan between them guided him to the plank. Captain Nancy watched with folded arms.

“Now walk!” she cried.

Captain Flint, blindfolded, moved his feet little by little along the springboard. He stopped, shaking all over, while the springboard bent and quivered under his weight.

Captain Nancy stamped her foot. “Walk, you son of a sea-cook,” she cried.

Captain Flint took another step or two, until he was at the very end of the plank, high over the water.

“Mercy,” he begged. “Mercy!”

“Walk,” shouted Nancy, “or . . . !”

Captain Flint stepped desperately forward, taking a long stride into thin air. Head over heels he fell. There was a colossal splash that even wetted the Swallows and Amazons on the deck of the houseboat. Captain Flint had disappeared, and the white sun helmet floated alone, tossing lightly on the ripples.

“Perhaps he can’t swim,” said Titty. “I never thought of it.”

But just then the big bald head of Captain Flint rose out of the water. He blew and spluttered mightily, tore the handkerchief from round his eyes, and sank again.

He came up once more, this time close to the sun helmet. He grabbed it and threw it, spinning, up on the deck of his ship.

“He can swim all right,” said Titty.

Suddenly he let loose a yell. “Sharks, sharks!” he shrieked, and, splashing as hard as he could, swam to the houseboat’s big mooring buoy. He climbed on to it, though it upset him once or twice. At last he was sitting astride on the top of it.

“This place is stiff with sharks,” he called. “One of them’s nibbling at my foot.”

He slipped sideways off the buoy, and swam to the side of the houseboat, splashing tremendously.

“A rope, a rope!” he shouted, bobbing in the water and splashing with his arms, while the Swallows and Amazons looked down at his struggles.

CAPTAIN FLINT WALKS THE PLANK

“Shall we let him have one?” said Susan. “He’s been a good long time in the water.”

“You’ll never be in league with natives again?” said Nancy.

“Hard-hearted pirate, never,” said Captain Flint, blowing like a walrus that has come up to breathe.

“We’ll give you a rope,” said Nancy.

“I’d much rather have a rope ladder,” said Captain Flint. “At my age I’m getting too fat for ropes. There’s a rope ladder just by the springboard, the plank, I mean. It’s made fast. You’ve only got to throw the loose end overboard.”

John threw over the rope ladder, and a moment later Captain Flint stood once more on the deck of his ship with the water pouring from him, and running away into the scuppers. He sat down on the capstan and swung his arms about his chest. “Well, that’s that,” he said. “Not even the Amazon pirates are ruthless enough to make a man walk the plank twice on one day. Hullo, Roger, looking for the sharks?”

Roger had been looking down into the water from the houseboat’s deck.

“I don’t believe there are any,” he said. “None big enough, anyway.”

“The young ruffian’s sorry I haven’t left a leg or an arm behind with them,” said Captain Flint. “What are you going to do with me now?” he added. “You’ve captured my ship, you’ve hauled down my noble elephant, you’ve trussed me like a chicken, you’ve made me walk the plank. I’ve walked it, dodged the sharks, and come aboard to report for duty. Do you think my crimes are wiped out? Because if they are . . .” He paused.

“What?” said Captain Nancy.

“All the best sea fights end with a banquet,” said Captain Flint. “And there’s one waiting in the cabin and nobody but the parrot on guard there. Just let me go below and start the Primus while I get into some dry things, and then there’s nothing to keep us from it.”

Nobody had anything to say against that.

Captain Flint lowered himself through the fore-hatch. A moment later he put his head out.