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diff --git a/old/69130-0.txt b/old/69130-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index c80830a..0000000 --- a/old/69130-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8267 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The island of the stairs, by Cyrus -Townsend Brady - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The island of the stairs - -Author: Cyrus Townsend Brady - -Illustrator: The Kinneys - -Release Date: October 10, 2022 [eBook #69130] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Emmanuel Ackerman, David E. Brown, and the Online - Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This - file was produced from images generously made available by - The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ISLAND OF THE -STAIRS *** - - - - - -THE ISLAND OF THE STAIRS - - -[Illustration: THE FLIGHT FROM THE PLACE OF HORROR] - - - - - The - Island of the Stairs - - By CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY - - Author of “The Island of Regeneration,” “As the - Sparks Fly Upward,” “The West Wind,” Etc. - - [Illustration] - - With Four Illustrations By - - THE KINNEYS - - A. L BURT COMPANY, PUBLISHERS - 114-120 East Twenty-third Street - - New York - - PUBLISHED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH A. C. MCCLURG & COMPANY - - - - -COPYRIGHT - -A. C. McCLURG & CO. - -1913 - -Published November, 1913 - -Copyrighted in Great Britain - - - - - _This story is affectionately - dedicated to my far-off adventurous - Brother-in-law_, - - _E. S. BARRETT_ - - - - -EDITOR’S NOTE - - -In order to safeguard the reputation of that worthy seaman and most -gallant gentleman who writes this memoir, the editor thereof deems it -proper to call attention to the fact that Master Hampdon has described -accurately the Island of Mangaia of the Cook, or Hervey, group in the -South Seas. It is still completely encircled by the unbroken barrier -reef, over which the natives ride in their light canoes. The stairs -still exist despite the earthquake to which Master Hampdon refers--and -other upheavals which may have followed--and are still traversed by the -feet of curious, if infrequent, visitors. For the rest, such altars and -platforms as he and his little lady found still abound in the South -Seas. Also on Easter Island, and on others, too, such statues of the -grotesque and hideous “Stone Goddes” as he describes may be seen. Who -made them and why, as well as when they were put there, are as much -mysteries today as they were when, in that far-off time, Master Hampdon -and his lady sailed those then unknown seas in that brave little -barque _The Rose of Devon_. - - C. T. B. - - _Mount Vernon, N. Y._ - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - The flight from the place of horror _Frontispiece_ - - PAGE - - “The treasure is thereabouts” 122 - - Then she bent over me 190 - - She had stepped out by my side 290 - - - - -BOOK I - -WITHIN THE CASTLE WALLS - -_The Bequest of the Old Buccaneer_ - - - - -THE ISLAND OF THE STAIRS - - - - -CHAPTER I - -WHEREIN I BAIT THE LIVING OVER THE DEAD - - -I cannot say that I was greatly surprised when I stumbled across the -body of Sir Geoffrey in the spinney, which is not for a moment meant to -convey the impression that I was not shocked. Many times before that -morning in my long and adventurous life I had, as I have often since, -seen many people die in all sorts of sudden and dreadful ways, in all -parts of the globe, too. And in some cases where the sufferer was past -hope and the suffering great, I have prayed for the good mercy of a -quick end; but never, even under such circumstances, have I been able -to look upon death philosophically, at least afterwards. The shock is -always there. It always will be, I imagine; indeed I would not have -it otherwise. I hope never to be indifferent to the passing of that -strange mysterious thing we call life. But I digress. - -Truth to tell, I had expected that Sir Geoffrey would come to some -such sad end, therefore, I repeat that I was not surprised; but as I -stood over him in the gray dawn, looking down upon him lying so quietly -on his back with the handsome, silver-mounted, ivory-handled dueling -pistol, with which he had killed himself, still clasped in his right -hand, I was fascinated with horror. I was younger then and not so -accustomed to sudden death as I have become since so many years and so -much hard service have passed over my head. - -And this was in a large measure a personal loss. At least I felt it so -for Mistress Lucy’s sake, and for my own, too. Sir Geoffrey had been my -ideal of the fine gentleman of his time. I liked him much. He had often -honored me with notice and generally spoke me fair and pleasantly. - -In his situation some men would have blown out their brains--and there -would have been a singular appositeness in the action in his case--but -Sir Geoffrey had carefully put his bullet through his heart. It was -less disfiguring and brutal, less hard on those left behind, less -troublesome, more gentlemanly! I divined that was his thought. He was -ever considerate in small matters. - -The red stain that had welled over the fine ruffled linen, otherwise -spotless, of his shirt and the powder marks and burns still visible -thereon in spite of the dried blood, all indicated clearly what had -happened. The pistol was a short one, heavy in build, made for close -work, else he could never have used it so effectively. For the rest, -he was clad in his richest and best apparel. His sword lay underneath -him, the diamond-studded hilt protruding. He must have fallen lightly, -gently, I thought, because his body lay easily on its back and his -dress was not greatly disturbed. - -I guessed that he was glad enough, after all, that the end had come, -for his countenance had not that look of pain, or horror, or fear -upon it, which I have so often seen on the face of the dead. His -features were calm and composed. Evidently he had not been dead long. I -remember the first thing I did was to reach down and gently close his -eyes. I shall never forget them to my dying day. They were dreadfully -staring. As I bent over him for this purpose I noticed that he had -something in his left hand. That hand was resting lightly by the hilt -of his sword as if he had stood with his left hand on his sword in that -gallant defiant position which I had often enough seen him assume, -when he pressed the trigger with his right hand. As he had fallen, his -hand had been lifted a little away from the sword and in his fingers -there was a paper. A nearer look showed it to be an envelope. I drew it -away and, glancing at it, saw that it was addressed to Mistress Lucy. -Thrusting it in the pocket of my coat, I rose to my feet. - -At that instant I heard steps and voices. Now I had nothing on earth -to fear from anybody. The death of Sir Geoffrey was too obviously a -suicide for anyone to accuse me, even if there had been any reason -whatever for bringing me under suspicion. The letter which I carried -in my pocket addressed to Mistress Lucy would undoubtedly explain -everything there was to explain. Something, however, moved me to seek -concealment. I am a sailor, as you will find out, and act quickly in -an emergency by a sort of instinct. On the sea men have little time -for reflection. The crisis is frequently upon one with little or no -warning, and generally it must needs be met on the instant and without -deliberation. - -Sir Geoffrey lay on the side of the path which ran through the spinney -and beyond him the coppice thickened. The path twisted and turned. From -the sound of the footsteps, I judged that men were coming along it. I -instantly stepped across the body and concealed myself behind a tree -trunk in the leafy foliage of the undergrowth. I could see without -being seen, and hear as well. - -The approaching footsteps might belong to some of the gamekeepers, -to a stray poacher, to some of the servants of the castle, or to -someone who, like myself, had been abroad in the gray dawn and had -been attracted to the spot by the sound of the shot, although they -approached over leisurely for that. I was prepared for any of these -things but I did not expect that any of the guests of the castle would -make their appearance at that hour. The footsteps stopped. Two men, -one of whom had been pointed out to me as Baron Luftdon in the lead -followed by another who was strange to me, suddenly appeared. A voice -which I recognized as the baron’s at once exclaimed in awe-struck tones: - -“By gad, he’s done it!” - -“Yes,” drawled the other, whose cold blooded calmness was in marked -contrast with the unwonted excitement of the first speaker, “I rather -expected it.” - -“Here’s a pretty affair,” said the first man. - -“Oh, I don’t know,” said the second indifferently, “it might be worse.” - -“Worse for him? Great heavens, man, he’s dead!” - -“Worse for us.” - -“What d’ ye mean? I don’t understand.” - -“Well, for instance, he might have shot himself before we--ah--plucked -him.” - -“Oh, I see,” returned my lord with a rather askant glance at his -companion, for which I almost respected him for the moment. - -The two stepped a little nearer. The first speaker, Lord Luftdon, one -of the young bloods who had been having high carouse with Sir Geoffrey -for the past week at the castle, bent over him. - -“There’s no doubt about his being dead, I suppose?” he asked after a -brief inspection. - -“Good gad, no,” replied the second man with a contemptuous laugh. -“Where are your wits, man? He must have held the muzzle of the pistol -close to his breast. See how his shirt is burned and powder blackened. -He must have died instantly.” - -“I suppose you are right.” - -“Well,” continued the drawler nonchalantly--as for me I hated them both -but the latter speaker the more if possible, for reasons which you will -presently understand--“this relieves me greatly.” - -“What do you mean?” - -“You are very stupid this morning, _mon ami_,” returned the other, -gracefully taking a pinch of snuff and laughing again with that -horrible indifference to the dead man who had been his host and friend. - -“After such a night as we had, to come thus suddenly upon--this--’tis -enough to unsettle any man,” muttered Luftdon apologetically. - -“Pooh, pooh! man, you’re nervous.” - -“Well, I don’t know how it relieves you. And after all’s said and done, -Wilberforce was a gentleman, a good player and a gallant loser, and I -liked him.” - -“Exactly, I liked him too, well enough. And he lost his all like a -gentleman.” - -“And you got it, at least most of it.” - -“Patience, my friend, you had your share, you know,” returned the other -with his damnable composure. - -“I don’t know but I’d give it back to have poor old Geoff with us once -again,” retorted Luftdon with some heat. - -“That is a perfectly foolish statement, my buck,” returned the -other, philosophically taking snuff. “Somebody was bound to get it; -Wilberforce has been going the pace for years; we happened to be in at -the death, that’s all.” - -“Well, how does it relieve you, then? Do you think Wilberforce would -have attempted to get you to support him?” - -The drawler laughed. - -“Of course not, this”--he pointed to the dead body--“is proof enough of -the spirit that was in him; but of course, I cannot marry the girl now.” - -“You can’t?” - -“Certainly not. Her father a bankrupt and a suicide--” - -“But the castle and this park?” - -“Mortgaged up to the hilt. Speaking of hilts--” he stooped down and -daintily avoiding contact with the corpse, drew from the scabbard the -diamond-hilted sword--“this belongs to me. It’s worth taking. You -remember he staked it last night on the last deal.” - -“Good God, man,” protested the first speaker, “don’t take the man’s -sword away. Let him lie with his weapons like a gentleman.” - -“Tut, tut, you grow scrupulous, it seems. We will provide him a cheaper -badge of his knighthood, if necessary,” returned the other lightly. - -“And about the girl?” - -“’Tis all off.” - -“You will have some trouble breaking your engagement with her, I am -thinking.” - -“Not I. To do her justice, the wench has the spirit of her father. -A whisper that I am--er--disinclined to the match will be quite -sufficient.” - -“Aye, but who will give her that whisper?” - -“We will arrange that some way. Truth to tell, I am rather tired of -the minx, she bores me with her high airs. She does not know that she -is penniless and disgraced. And as for her good looks--’tis a country -beauty after all.” - -“Poor girl--” began Luftdon, whose face, though bloated and flushed and -seamed with the outward and visible evidences of his evil life, still -showed some signs of human kindness. - -At that point I intervened. I could bear no more. When they spake so -slightingly of my little mistress it was more than I could stand. -I burst out of the brush and stood before them--mad, enraged all -through me. I will admit that I lacked the composure and breeding of -that precious pair. What I had heard had filled me with as hot an -indignation as ever possessed the soul of man, and with every moment -the fire of my resentment burned higher and more furiously. They -started back at my sudden appearance, in some little discomfiture, from -which he of the slower speech the more speedily recovered. He was the -greater man, and eke the greater villain. The younger, the one with the -red face, looked some of the discomposure he felt. The other presently -leered at me in a deliberate and well intentioned insulting way and -began: - -“Now who may you be, my man, and what may you want?” - -“Who I may be matters nothing,” said I, “but what I want matters a -great deal.” - -“Ah! And what is it that you want that matters so much?” - -“In the first place, that sword.” - -“This?” asked the sneering man, holding Sir Geoffrey’s handsome weapon -lightly by the blade and smiling contemptuously at me. - -“That,” answered I with equal scorn. - -I am accustomed to move quickly as well as to think quickly, and before -he knew it, I had it by the hilt and but that he released the blade -instantly I would have cut his hand as I withdrew it. He swung round -and clapped his hand on his own sword, a fierce oath breaking from his -lips, his face black as a thundercloud. - -“Don’t draw that little spit of yours,” I said, “or I will be under the -necessity of breaking your back.” - -I towered above both of them and I have no doubt that I could have made -good my boast. Yet, to do him justice, the man had the courage of his -race and station. He faced me undaunted, his hand on his sword hilt. - -“Would you rob me of mine own, Sirrah?” he asked more calmly if not -less irritatingly. - -“I might do so, and with justice,” I replied. “You had no hesitation in -robbing the living or the dead.” - -“Zounds!” cried the other man, touched on the raw of a guilty -conscience apparently, “’twas in fair play. We risked each what we had -and Sir Geoffrey lost.” - -“Yes, I see,” I replied. “Having paid you with everything else, and -possessing nothing beside, he had to throw away his life in the end. I -heard what you said. You wonder how Mistress Wilberforce is to learn -the situation--you who have doubtless once borne the reputation of a -man of honor! You wonder who is to tell her that you discard her. I -will.” - -“That is good, well thought of, yokel,” said the drawler with amazing -assurance, and keeping his temper in a way that increased mine, “I -could not have wished it better. As for your reflections upon me they -interest me not at all. You are doubtless some servant of the house--” - -“I am no man’s servant,” I interrupted in some heat. - -“Somebody born on the place who probably cherishes a peasant’s humble -admiration for the lady of the manor,” he continued. - -I displayed the red ensign in my weather-beaten cheeks at this. I never -was good at the dissimulation that goes on in polite society and I -never could control my color for all I am bronzed with the wind and -spray of all the seas, to say nothing of tropic suns. - -“Ah,” he laughed sneeringly, taking keen note of my confusion, “see the -red banner of confession in the brute’s face, Lord Luftdon.” - -“I see it, of course,” said the other, whose frowning face was far -redder than my own, though from drink--“but I must confess that -personally I don’t like the allusion.” - -“That for your likes, Luftdon,” cried the other as contemptuous of his -companion as of me apparently. “Tell her, my man, tell her. Tell her -that she is a beggar and her father a suicide, and that I have all her -property without her. She can go to your arms or those of any other she -fancies. She is not meet for the Duke of Arcester.” - -So this was Arcester! I had heard of him, as I had of Luftdon, two -of the most debauched, unprincipled rakes, idlers, fortune hunters, -gamblers, men-about-town, in all England. But of the two he bore much -the worse reputation. Indeed, no one in that day surpassed him in -baseness and villainy. But that he was a duke, he had been branded, -jailed, or even hanged long since in England. But I cared nothing for -his dukedom. As he spoke thus slightingly of my lady, I stepped closer -to him and struck him with the palm of my hand. I suppose a gentleman -would have tapped him lightly but not being of that degree I struck -hard across the face, not so hard as I might have, to be sure, for I -could doubtless have killed him, but hard enough to make him reel and -stagger. His sword was out on the moment but before he could make a -pass I wrenched it from him, broke the blade over my knee and hurled -the two pieces into the coppice. - -“I can match you with swords,” said I, coolly enough now that the issue -was made and the battle about to be joined. “I have fought with men, -not popinjays, in my day, all over the world, and I know the use of the -weapon; but I would not demean myself, being an honest man though no -gentleman, much less a duke, by crossing blades with such a ruffian.” - -“By God!” cried the duke furiously, “I will have you flogged and flung -into the mill pond, I will clap you in jail, I will--” - -“You will do nothing of the sort,” said I, composedly. “There is no man -on the estate who would not take my part against you, especially when I -repeat what you have said about Mistress Lucy. They love her and they -loved him. With all his drink and extravagance he was a good master and -you have been a bad friend.” - -“And who would believe you?” queried the duke, whose anger was at a -frightful height in being thus braved and insulted. In his agitation -he tore at his neckcloth and almost frothed at the mouth like a man in -a fit--I doubt he had ever been so spoken to before. “’Twould be your -word against mine, you dog, and--” - -“For the matter of that, my word will not be uncorroborated,” I -interrupted swiftly. - -“What d’ ye mean, curse you?” - -“This gentleman--” - -“By gad,” said Lord Luftdon, decisively, responding to my appeal more -bravely than I had thought, “you are right to appeal to me and you were -right to strike Arcester. ’Fore God, I’m sorry for the girl and for Sir -Geoffrey and ashamed for my--my--friend.” - -“Would you turn against me in this?” asked the duke, surprised at this -amazing defection. - -“I certainly would,” answered the other with dogged courage. - -“God!” whispered his grace hotly, fumbling at the empty sheath, “I wish -I had my sword. I’d run the two of you through!” - -“There is Sir Geoffrey’s sword,” said Lord Luftdon, who did not lack -courage, it seemed, clutching his own blade as he spoke and making as -if to draw it. - -“No,” said I, master of the situation as I meant to be, “there shall -be no more fighting over the dead body of Sir Geoffrey. You and Lord -Luftdon can settle your differences elsewhere. I am glad for his -promise to tell the truth in case you attempt to carry out your threat -and I am just as grateful as if it had been necessary.” - -“On second thought, there will be no further settlement,” said Luftdon, -regaining his coolness and thrusting back into its scabbard his -half-drawn blade. “His grace and I are in too many things to make a -permanent difference between us possible.” - -“I thought so,” I replied. - -“By gad,” laughed Luftdon, “I like your spirit, lad. Who are you, what -are you?” - -“The late gardener’s son.” - -“Do they breed such as you down here in these gardens?” - -“As to that, I know not, my lord. I am a sailor. I have commanded my -own ship and made my own fortune. I come back here between cruises -because I am devoted to--” - -“The woman!” sneered the duke, and I marveled at the temerity of the -man, seeing that I could have choked him to death with one hand. - -“Mention her name again,” I cried, “and you will lie beside your victim -yonder!” - -“Right,” said Luftdon approvingly. - -“I come back here because I am fond of the old place. Lord Luftdon, it -is my home. My people have served the Wilberforces for generations. -Their forebears and mine lie together in the churchyard around the hill -yonder. You can’t understand devotion like that,” said I, turning to -the duke, “and ’tis not necessary that you should.” - -“And indeed what is necessary for me, pray?” he sneered. - -“That you and Lord Luftdon leave the place at once.” - -“Without speech with my lady?” - -“Without speech with anyone. There is a good inn at the village. I -will take it upon myself to see that your servants pack your mails and -follow you there at once.” - -“I will not be ordered about like this,” protested the duke -blusteringly. - -“Oh, yes you will,” said Luftdon. “The advice he gives is good. We have -nothing more to do here.” - -“No,” said I bitterly, “you have done about all that you can. The man -is dead but the woman’s heart will not be broke because of you. Now go.” - -“If I had a weapon,” said Arcester slowly, shooting at me a baleful -and envenomed glance, “I believe I would even send one of his faithful -retainers to accompany Sir Geoffrey.” - -I never saw a man who was more furiously angry, baffled, humiliated -than he. As for me, I was glad of his rage. If I had known any way to -make him more angry and humiliated I confess I would have followed it. - -“Don’t be a fool, Arcester,” said the other; “you’ve got everything you -wanted in this game and ’tis only just that you should pay a little for -it. What’s your name, my man?” - -“Never mind what it is.” - -“Are you ashamed of it?” - -“Hampdon!” - -“Master Hampdon, you may not be a gentleman,” said Luftdon, “but by -gad, you are a man, and here’s my hand on ’t.” - -He had played a man’s part, so I clasped it. - -“You will be embracing him next, inviting him to your club, I -suppose,” said Arcester in mocking contempt. - -“No,” said Luftdon, sarcastically, “he would not be congenial company -for you and me, neither would we be for him. He seems to be an honest -man. Let’s go.” - -And so they went down the path, leaving me not greatly relishing my -triumph, for now I had to tell Mistress Lucy all that had happened. I -had to say the words that would tell of the loss in one fell moment of -her father, of her property, and of her lover. I was greatly puzzled -what to say and how to say it, for Mistress Lucy Wilberforce was no -easy person to deal with at best. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -WHICH SHOWS HOW I BROKE THE NEWS - - -The path from the spinney to the ancient castle which antedated King -Henry VIII, and which in its older parts goes much farther back into -the past, led through the park full of noble oaks and beeches, many -of them older even than the ancient and honorable family which now, -alas, bade fair to lose them all forever. As I trudged over it with -lagging footsteps, misliking my duty more and more as the necessity for -discharging it drew closer, I caught a glint of rapidly moving color on -the long driveway that led from the lodge to the steps of the hall. The -scarlet of my lady’s riding coat as she galloped up the tree bordered -road, it was that attracted my attention. I quickened my pace and we -arrived at the steps leading up to the terrace at the same instant. She -was alone, for she had either chosen to ride unaccompanied, as was her -frequent custom, or else, being the better mounted, she had left her -groom far behind. - -I stood silent before her with that curious dumbness I generally -experience--even at this day--when first entering her presence, while -she drew rein sharply. She was a little thing compared to me, small -compared even to the average woman, but in one sense she was the -biggest thing I had ever confronted. No burly shipmaster had ever -impressed me so, not even when I was a raw boy on my first cruise. -I actually looked upon her with a feeling of--well, shall I say -awe?--mingled with other emotions which I would not have breathed to -a soul. The chance hit by the Duke of Arcester had brought the color -to my cheek and it takes something definite and apposite to bring the -color to a bronzed, weather-beaten cheek like mine, which has been -thrust into the face of wintry seas and exposed to tropical suns all -over the globe. That is the way I thought of her. I was almost afraid -of her! I, who feared nothing else on land or sea! What she thought of -me was of little moment to her. - -It was Mistress Lucy’s regular habit to take a morning gallop every -day. It was that usual custom that caused her to look so fresh and -young and beautiful, that put the color in her cheek and the sparkle in -her eye. Although she had left her father playing hard late the night -before when she had gone to bed, there had been nothing in that to -cause her to intermit her practice. Poor girl, she had left her father -doing that more nights than she could remember in her short life, and I -suppose she had become used to it, to a certain extent, at any rate. - -She nodded carelessly, yet kindly to me. It was her habit, that -careless kindness. When she was a little girl and I had been a great -boy we had played together familiarly enough--children caring little -for distinctions of rank, I have observed--but that habit was long -since abandoned. Then she looked about for her groom. The steps that -led to the terrace were deserted. Sir Geoffrey of late had grown slack -in the administration of affairs on account of his troubles, therefore -no attendant was at hand. Like master, like man! I suspected that the -servants had kept late hours, too. Indeed they probably plundered Sir -Geoffrey in every way and he, seeing that all was gone or going, -perhaps shut his eyes to their peculations. They might as well get what -was left as his creditors. Mistress Lucy after that first nod stared at -me frowning. - -“Master Hampdon,” she said at last, “since nobody else seems to be -about, suppose you attempt the task.” - -She loosed her little foot from the stirrup and thrust it out toward -me. I am nothing of a horseman. I was very early sent off to sea and -I have a sailor’s awkwardness with horses. Naturally I did not know -how a lady should be dismounted from her horse. I had never attempted -the thing and I did not recall ever to have seen it done, otherwise I -might have managed, for I am quick enough at mechanical things; but her -desire was obvious and I must accomplish it the best I could. I stepped -over to her, disregarding her outthrust foot, for all its prettiness, -seized her about the waist with both hands, lifted her bodily from the -saddle and set her down gently on the gravel. She looked at me very -queerly and gave a faint shriek when her weight came upon my arms. -Indeed, I have no doubt that I held her tightly enough through the air. - -“I dare say there is not a man among my father’s friends or mine, who -could have done that, Master Hampdon,” said she, smiling up at me a -little and looking flushed and excited. - -“’Tis no great feat,” said I stupidly enough, “I have lifted bigger--” - -“Women!” flashed out Mistress Lucy slightly frowning. - -“Things,” I replied. - -“It amazes me,” she said. “I have never been dismounted that way -before. However, I remember you always were stronger than most -men, even as a boy. There seem to be no grooms about, the place is -wretchedly served. Will you take my horse to the stables?” she asked me. - -There was a certain flattery to me in that request. If I had not shown -her how strong I was, in all probability she would have thrown me -the bridle and with a nod toward the stables to indicate her wishes -would have left me without a word. Now it was different. I took the -bridle, not intending, however, to take the horse around, not because -I disdained to do her any service but because I had other duties to -discharge more important than the care of horses. - -“Have you seen my father this morning?” she asked as I paused before -her and then, not giving me time to answer, looked up at the sun. “But -of course not,” she continued, a little bitterly, “he probably only -went to bed an hour or two since and ’tis not his habit to rise so -early as you and I.” - -As luck would have it, while she spoke a sleepy groom chanced to come -round the house. I flung the reins to him, bade him take the horse away -and turned to my lady. - -“Madam,” said I, my voice thickening and choking, “as it happens, I -have seen your noble father this morning.” - -There was something in my voice and manner, great stupid fool that I -was, that instantly apprised her that something was wrong. With one -swift step she was by my side. - -“Where?” - -“In the spinney.” - -“When?” - -“But just now.” - -“What does he there at this hour?” - -“Nothing.” - -“I don’t understand.” - -“Sir Geoffrey--” I began racking my brains, utterly at loss what to say -next and how to convey the awful tidings. - -She made a sudden step or two in my direction, then turned toward the -coppice, her suspicions fully aroused. - -But now I ventured upon a familiarity, that is, I turned with her and -caught her by the arm before she could take a step. - -“I will see him myself,” she began resolutely. - -“Madam,” said I swiftly, “you cannot.” - -“Master Hampdon,” she said, “something dreadful has happened.” - -I nodded. - -This was breaking it gently with a vengeance, but what could I do? She -always did twist me around her little finger and I was always more or -less helpless before her. I admit that. I am still, for that matter, -although she will not have it so. - -“What is it? Is my father--what is he doing in the spinney? He never -rises at this hour.” - -“Mistress Wilberforce,” I said, “you come of a brave stock and the -time for your courage is now.” - -“Is my father dead?” she asked, after a sudden, awful stillness. - -I nodded while she stared at me like one possessed. - -“Killed in a duel?” she whispered. I shook my head. - -“Would to God I could think so,” I replied. - -“You mean that he was--murdered?” - -“Mistress,” said I bluntly, seeing no other way, “he died by his own -hand.” - -“Oh, my God!” she cried, clapping her hands to her face and reeling -back. - -I caught her about the waist. She had no knowledge that she was held or -supported, of course; all her interest and attention were elsewhere. -She did not weep or give way otherwise. She was a marvelous woman and -her self-mastery and control amazed me, for I knew how she had loved -her father. - -“When? Why?” she gasped out. - -“I was early awake and abroad,” I answered--and I did not tell her it -was my habit to see her gallop off for that morning ride, for even -a glimpse of her was worth much to me--“and I heard a shot in the -spinney. I hurried there and found Sir Geoffrey--” - -“Dead?” - -“Stone dead, mistress, with a bullet in his heart.” - -“Let us go to him.” - -“No,” said I, and I marveled to find myself assuming the direction as -if I had been on the deck of my own ship, “that you cannot. It is no -sight for your eyes now. I was coming to the castle to tell you and to -send the servants to fetch--him. Meanwhile, do you go into the hall and -summon your women and--” - -“I will do what you say, Master Hampdon,” she whispered, very small, -very forlorn, very despairing. “My father, oh, my good, kind father!” - -She turned, and I still supporting her, we mounted the steps of the -terrace. Suddenly she stopped, freed herself, and faced me. - -“Lord Luftdon and the Duke of Arcester,” she explained, “they are -staying at the castle; they must be notified.” - -“Madam,” said I, “they already know it.” - -“And why then have they left the duty of telling me to you? Where are -they? Summon them at once.” - -“They are gone,” I blurted out, all my rage at the duke reviving on the -instant. - -“Gone!” - -“Having won everything from Sir Geoffrey they have left him alone in -his death,” I retorted bitterly. - -“Impossible!” - -“I ordered them off the place,” I said bluntly. - -“You!” she flashed out imperiously. “And who gave you the power to -dismiss my--my father’s friends?” - -“I heard what they said, being close hid myself in the coppice.” - -“And what said they?” - -“It concerned you, mistress.” - -“The Duke of Arcester,” she promptly began, “is my betrothed husband. I -will hear no calumny against him.” - -“Madam,” I said, keenly aware that I had made no charges yet and -wondering at her thought, “your engagement is broken.” - -“Broken!” she cried in amaze. - -“The duke declared himself to his friend to be too poor to marry the -penniless child of a--disgraced man--his words, not mine, believe me.” - -The awful death of her beloved father had been shock enough to her, but -with this insult added I thought she would have swooned dead away. She -turned so white and reeled so that I caught her again. I even shook her -while I cried roughly, - -“You must not give way.” - -“It is a lie, a dastardly lie!” she panted out at last. - -“It is God’s truth,” said I. “He repudiates you.” - -“No man could be so base,” she persisted, “he swore that he loved me.” - -“I would it were otherwise, madam, but he is gone, leaving that message -for you.” - -“And he made you his messenger?” - -“I volunteered.” - -“Why? Why?” - -“Because he is a low coward.” - -“And you stood by and let him insult me, your patron’s daughter, your -mistress?” - -Now so far as that went, I had got mightily little out of the late Sir -Geoffrey’s patronage, but whatever duty I could compass I would gladly -pay the little lady who stood before me. - -“Mistress, you misjudge me. He had taken Sir Geoffrey’s sword, saying -that he had won it with everything else. I took it from him. When he -said those words about you I struck him across the face, no light blow, -I assure you. When he grasped his own sword I wrenched it away from -him, broke it, and cast it away. You may find the broken pieces in the -spinney. I told him that you were meet for his betters and that you -were well rid of him, and bade him begone.” - -“In that,” she said in a certain strained way, “you acted as a loyal -servitor of the house and I thank you.” - -“I am to give orders to have his baggage sent to the inn at once,” said -I. - -“And Lord Luftdon?” - -“He came to your defense as if he were still the gentleman he had once -been. But he goes hence with his friend. His baggage will also follow -him.” - -“I will attend to that for them both,” said Mistress Lucy, growing -strangely and firmly resolved again, and even I could guess the -tremendous constraint she put upon herself. “Enough of Arcester. I am -well rid of him and of his companion. Summon the servants to bring my -father’s body to the castle. I suppose the crowner will have to be -notified.” - -“Yes,” said I. “I will see to that myself.” - -“Of all my friends,” said she piteously, almost giving way, “you seem -to be the only one left me, Master Hampdon.” - -“I have been your faithful servant always, Mistress Lucy,” I answered -as I ushered her into the hall. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -IN WHICH I DELIVER A LETTER - - -I delivered my little mistress to her woman who came at my call, and -then I summoned the steward and butler and told them what had happened. -In a moment all was confusion. But presently they brought the body of -Sir Geoffrey back to the castle which was no longer his. As the duke -had said, it was mortgaged to its full value. The unfortunate baronet -had gambled away everything in his possession, the family jewels, the -heirlooms of his daughter, and even the property that had been left to -her by her dead mother, of which he was trustee. Everything that he -could get his hands on had been sacrificed to his passion for play. - -Following the inquest, and after a due interval to show a decent -respect for the dead, there was a great funeral, of course, during -which what little ready money there was available was of necessity -spent. The gentry came for miles around, even Luftdon was there in -the background, although Arcester had the decency to keep away. I was -there, too, finding my place among the upper servants of the household. -Although I was in no sense a servant of the house, being a free and -independent sailorman and my own master, still I found no place else -to stand. I was glad that I had taken that position for I happened to -be immediately back of Mistress Lucy. From under her veil she shot a -forlorn, grateful look at me as she came in, as if she felt I was the -only real friend she had in that great assemblage of the gentry of the -county and the tenants and dependents of the estate. - -Sir Geoffrey, except Mistress Lucy, was the last of his race. The -brave, fine old stock had at last been reduced to this one slender slip -of a girl. Kith or kin, save of the most distant, she had none. Nor did -she enjoy a wide acquaintance. She had never been formally introduced -to society. Sir Geoffrey had loved her and had been kind enough to her -in his careless, magnificent way, but she had been left much alone -since the death of her mother some years before, and she had grown up -under the care of a succession of wandering and ill-paid governesses -and tutors. The neighboring gentry had assembled for the funeral with -much show of sympathy but in my heart I knew that Mistress Lucy felt -very much alone and I rather gloried in the position which made me, -humble though I was, her friend. Well, she could count upon me to the -death, I proudly said to myself. She would find I was always devoted -to her and I solemnly consecrated myself anew to her service in her -loneliness and bereavement. - -The show and parade were over soon enough. The parson’s final words -of committal were said. We left Sir Geoffrey in his place in the -churchyard and went back to the hall, after which the company began to -disperse. I had nothing to do at the time. No one paid any attention -to me. I held myself above the servants and the gentry held themselves -above me. I wandered into the hall and stood waiting. No one spoke to -me save Lord Luftdon, who expressed a heart-felt regret that he had had -anything to do with the final plundering of the unfortunate baronet, -which in a measure had brought about this sorry ending to his career. - -“You seem to be a man of sense, Master Hampdon,” he whispered, drawing -me apart, after it was all over, “and I noticed the way Mistress -Wilberforce looked at you when she first came in.” - -“What do you mean?” I asked hotly, not liking to hear her name on his -lips, and especially resenting what I thought was a reflection upon her. - -“Nothing but the best,” he answered equably. “I have still unspent some -of the proceeds of our last bout at the table with her father that -could be conveyed to the lady, and--” - -“She would burn her hand off rather than accept anything,” said I -promptly. - -“But, man, I wish to--” he persisted. - -“It is not to be thought of.” - -“You speak with authority?” he asked, looking at me strangely. - -“I have known her from a child,” said I, “and her father before her. It -is not in the breed to take favors, and--” - -“But this is--er--restitution.” - -“Did you win it fairly?” I asked. - -“By God,” he answered, clapping his hand to his sword, “if another had -asked me that I would have had him out.” - -“Your answer?” I persisted, undaunted by his fierceness. - -He smiled, his sudden heat dying out apparently as he realized how -foolish it was to quarrel with me and discovered the meaning of my -question. - -“Of course we won it fairly. Sir Geoffrey was the most reckless and -even the most foolish gambler I ever played with. We took advantage of -that, but there was no cheating, Master Hampdon, no, on my honor, as I -am a gentleman.” - -“Under the circumstances then,” said I, “there is nothing further to be -said.” - -“But what will the poor girl do?” he demanded. - -I shook my head. I did not know how to answer that question for I did -not know what she would do. Nevertheless I was not a little touched and -pleased with his interest and desire. Surely the man had some good in -him still. Association with such a scoundrel as Arcester had not yet -wholly ruined him. - -“You should have thought of this before,” said I. - -“Yes, I suppose so,” he admitted rather woefully. - -“It is too late to make reparation now, although the wish does you -honor, my lord.” - -“Well, Hampdon, if you have a chance to tell her what I wanted,” he -said, “please do. I should do it myself,” he continued, “only since -her repudiation by that blackguard Arcester she will not admit me to -speech. By gad--” he looked over at her where she stood in the doorway -going through the dreary process of bidding farewell to the guests -after the funeral meal that had followed the interment, “by gad, if I -were a bit younger and not so confoundedly in debt I would marry the -woman myself.” - -“She is meet for a better man, my lord,” said I, exactly as I had -answered the duke. - -He looked at me curiously for a moment and then laughed loudly. - -“Doubtless,” he said, “you may tell her that, too.” - -With that he turned on his heel and walked away and I saw no more of -him. I stood idle on the terrace until the last of the gentry had -gone. As before, I did not know just what to do or just where to go. -My position was most anomalous. I wanted to be of service, but how to -offer myself without intrusion, I could not readily discover. It was my -lady herself who solved the problem. - -“Master Hampdon,” she began wearily, “will you come into the house? -Master Ficklin, the lawyer, is here, waiting to go over my father’s -papers with me. You have stood by me manfully, your people and my -people have been--” she stopped a moment, “friends,” she added with -kindly condescension, “for five hundred years. I have no one else with -whom to counsel. Come with me.” - -Sir Geoffrey’s will, as Master Ficklin read it, was a simple affair. -It left everything of which he died possessed to his daughter. -Unfortunately, he died possessed of nothing; the document was mere -waste paper. Everything was mortgaged, every family portrait, even. -Mistress Lucy appeared to have no legal right to anything in or out of -the castle apparently, save the clothes she wore. - -“Sir Geoffrey,” said Master Ficklin, endeavoring to put a good face on -the matter, “was well meaning--most well meaning. Not only did he play -high and long at the gaming table but he speculated also, for he was -always trusting to recoup himself; in which event doubtless there would -have been a handsome patrimony for his daughter.” - -“You may spare me any encomiums of my father, Master Ficklin,” said -Mistress Lucy very haughtily; “I knew his devotion and affection better -than anyone possibly could.” - -In her mind there was no double meaning to these brave words she -uttered so quickly, although I listened amazed. To rob his daughter -of her all in the indulgence of a wicked passion for gaming and -speculation was no great evidence of devotion or affection, I thought. -However, Master Ficklin was only putting the best face upon a sorry -matter, and for that I honored him, for all my mistress’ haughty and -imperious manner. - -“The point is, however,” she continued, as Master Ficklin bowed -deferentially toward her, “that I have nothing.” - -“Nothing from your father, madam,” answered the man of law. - -“But my mother’s estate?” - -“I regret to say,” said Master Ficklin, “that most of it has been -converted into money and--er--lost by your father. Strictly speaking -he had no--er--legal right to dispose of your property and we might -recover by suits at law from those--” - -“I gave him the right,” interrupted Mistress Lucy quickly. - -She had never given him any such right, of course, but she was jealous -for the honor of her father and the family and I could only admire her -action, although the plain, blunt truth ever appeals to me, let it hurt -whom it may. - -“In that case, there is nothing to be said or done,” returned the old -attorney, who knew the facts as well as I. - -“I forget,” she went on, “just how much of my mother’s property was -devoted to--to our needs, by my father and myself.” - -“There is left in my hands, madam, a matter of some two thousand -pounds out at interest which you, being now of full age--” - -“I was eighteen on my last birthday.” - -“Exactly, so that the two thousand is at your present disposal.” - -“In what shape is it?” - -“It is invested in consols.” - -“Can they be realized upon?” - -“Instantly.” - -“To advantage?” - -“Most certainly.” - -“I thank you, Master Ficklin, for your provident care of my little -fortune. It is most unexpected,” she faltered, almost overwhelmed at -the sudden realization that she was not altogether a pauper. - -“Believe me, Mistress Lucy, it is a happiness to do anything for you,” -said the old attorney, rising and gathering up his papers, and bowing -low before her. “My father, and his father before him served the -estates of the Wilberforces, and for how many generations back I know -not. You may command me in everything. A temporary loan, or--” - -“Thank you, Master Ficklin,” said Mistress Lucy, “you touch me -greatly, but I need nothing at present. My father made me an allowance -and generally paid it. It was a generous one; living alone as I did -I could not spend it all. I have a few hundred pounds in my own name -at the bank, and with that for temporary use and my mother’s legacy I -shall lack nothing.” - -“But where will you live, Mistress Lucy?” - -“It matters little,” she answered listlessly. - -“My sister and I,” said the old attorney, “live alone in the county -town. The house is large. If you would accept our hospitality until -your future is decided we should be vastly honored.” - -“Master Ficklin--” began my lady. - -“I know that the accommodations are poor,” interrupted the attorney -hastily, “and we are humble folk, but--” - -“I accept your kindly proffer most thankfully,” was her prompt reply. -“I have been invited to various homes here and there in the county, -but those who invited me have sought to convey a favor to me by their -courtesy and I prefer to go to you.” - -“Good,” said Master Ficklin briskly. “That is settled then. No one has -either a legal or a moral claim to your clothes or personal belongings -or such jewelry as you have been accustomed to wear or have in your -possession. You may pack everything of that sort and take away with -you any little keepsake. In fact, I am empowered by those who held the -mortgage to tell you that the pictures of your father or mother or -anything strictly personal they waive their claim to.” - -“Thank you,” said Mistress Lucy, “I shall take but small advantage of -their generosity.” - -“I know that,” answered Master Ficklin, “and now I will return to the -town. If you will be ready about six o’clock--” it was then about -two--“I will return and fetch you to our home.” - -“I shall be ready. Good-by.” - -The little lawyer bent over her hand and left the room. I had sat dumb -and silent during the whole interview, although I had listened to -everything with the deepest interest. As usual it was she who broke the -silence when we were alone again. - -“Master Hampdon,” she began, “to what a sorry pass am I reduced! What -shall I do now?” - -“My lady,” said I, “the sorriest part of the pass to which you have -been brought is that you have in me such a poor counselor, a rough -sailor, but one who would, nevertheless, give his heart’s blood to -promote your welfare, or do you any service.” - -Now as I said that I laid my hand on the breast of my coat and as I -bent awkwardly enough toward her--I could not even bow as gracefully as -the little attorney just departed--I felt the paper which I had taken -from Sir Geoffrey’s hand and which I had entirely forgot in the hurry -and confusion of the days that had followed his death. I stood covered -with surprise and shame at my careless forgetfulness, and stared at her. - -“What is it?” she asked, instantly noting my amaze. - -“I am a fool, madam, a blundering fool,” said I, drawing forth the -paper. “Here is a letter addressed to you which I should have delivered -at once,” I continued extending it toward her. - -“To me? From whom?” she asked. - -“Your father.” - -“My father!” she exclaimed. - -“Yes, I took it from his dead hand that morning and thrust it into the -breast of my coat and forgot it until this very moment. It may be vital -to your future, my carelessness may have lost you--” - -“It can lose me nothing,” said the girl with unwonted gentleness. I -looked for her to rate me sharply, as I deserved, for my forgetfulness, -but she was in another mood. “I can read it now with more composure and -understanding than before,” she went on. - -She tore open the envelope as she spoke and drew forth a letter, -unfolded it, and there dropped from it a little piece of parchment -which I instantly picked up and extended to her. But she was so -engrossed in the letter that she did not see my action and paid no -attention to my outstretched hand. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -SHOWS HOW TWO PIECES OF PARCHMENT WERE FITTED TOGETHER - - -Under the circumstances, therefore, and without a thought that my -action might be considered a possible violation of confidence, I -looked at the parchment I held in my hand. It was evidently the half -of a larger sheet which had been torn in two. The right half was in my -possession. A glance showed me that it was a part of a rudely-drawn -map, apparently of an island, although, lacking the other half, of that -I could not be quite certain. Being a seafaring man, I was familiar -with maps and charts of all sorts but I must admit that I had never -seen a map that looked exactly like that one. It was lettered in -characters which were very old and quaint, and some figures in the -upper right-hand corner appeared to indicate a longitude. The outlines -of the map and the letters and figures were all very dim and faded and -a longer and closer inspection than I could give it then would be -needed to show just what they were. - -My lady’s letter was a short one, for she looked up from it presently, -her eyes filled with tears, the first I had seen there, and for that -reason I was glad she could enjoy this relief. I suppose the fact that -she was so alone and had no one else induced her to confide in me. At -any rate, she extended the paper to me. - -“Read it,” she said. “’Tis my father’s last word to me.” - -I took it from her and this is what I read:-- - - _My Dear Lucy_: - - As an ancient King of France once said, everything is lost but honor, - and that trembles in the balance. I have speculated, gambled, tempted - fortune; first because I loved it and at last hoping to win for you. - But everything has gone wrong. You are penniless, even your mother’s - fortune, of which she foolishly made me trustee, has followed my own. - Master Ficklin may save something from the wreck. I hope so. I can do - no more and perhaps, nay certainly, the best thing I can do for you - is to leave you. May God help you since I cannot. - - Your shamed and unhappy father, - GEOFFREY WILBERFORCE. - - Post Scriptum: The last thing that I possess is this scrap of - parchment. It has been handed down from father to son for five - generations. The tradition of it is lost, but there has always been - attached to it a singular value. Perhaps some day the missing part - may turn up. There used to be a little image with it, but that has - disappeared, too. At any rate, of all that I once had, this alone is - left. Should you marry and have children pass it to them, a foolish - request, but I am moved to make it as my father made it to me. - - G. W. - -I read it slowly. It was not a brave man’s letter. I liked Sir Geoffrey -less then than ever before. Some of the ancient awe and reverence I -felt for the family went out of my heart then. Well, the man was dead, -and there was no use dwelling on that any longer. I handed the letter -back to Mistress Lucy without comment. As she took it I extended the -parchment in the other hand. - -“Here,” said I, “is the enclosure to which your father refers. It seems -to be a chart or map but in its torn condition it is of but little use.” - -She took it listlessly, but as her glance fell upon it her face -brightened. - -“Why!” she exclaimed, brushing aside her tears, “I, myself, have the -other half and also the image.” - -I stared at her stupidly, not in the least taking in her meaning and -she evidently resented my dullness. - -“I have the other half of the parchment, the missing portion of the -map, and the little idol, I tell you,” she urged. - -“You don’t mean to say--” I began in amazement. - -“Yes,” she interrupted, “they came to me from my mother. When she died -five years ago she gave them to me with much the same account as my -father writes. I have never shown them to anyone, never mentioned the -circumstances, even.” - -“Why not?” I asked. - -“I scarcely know. The torn map was valueless. I attached no special -importance to the hideous little image. But now, now--” - -“It is a miracle,” I said, “that the two pieces should have come -together in your hands.” - -“I don’t yet understand what it all means,” she said, “but--” - -“Meanwhile,” said I, “may I respectfully suggest that you get the -other piece and the idol or image and let me look at them? I know -something about such matters.” - -“You!” she flashed out in one of those sudden changes of mood, -sometimes so delightful and sometimes the reverse. - -“I am a seafaring man, as you know, Mistress,” said I humbly, “and -I have seen many strange gods in different parts of the world. Also -I am accustomed to study maps and charts. Perhaps this may contain -information vital to your fortunes which I can decipher more easily -than another.” - -She nodded and went rapidly out of the room. In a few moments she came -back with another piece of parchment and a little stone figure, which -I glanced at and laid aside for the moment, fixing my attention on the -parchments. I placed them side by side and the torn and jagged edges -fitted into each other perfectly. I had laid them on a table and bent -over them in great excitement, excitement on my part caused by her -proximity rather than by the faded, yellow sheepskin. - -“It is an island!” she exclaimed. - -“Yes,” said I. - -“Where is it?” she asked. - -I pointed with my huge index finger to the figures in the upper -left-hand corner and the upper right-hand corner marked respectively -latitude and longitude. - -“That will tell us exactly.” - -“And you can find it?” - -“If it be there, where the figures say it is, I can, as easily as I can -find the park gate yonder.” - -She looked at me with a certain amount of awe. Evidently the nice -possibilities of the art of navigation had not been brought to her -attention. I went up several degrees in her respect it seemed because I -knew something she did not. Well, she was to find out that I knew many -things that she did not--but I must not boast. - -“Why, that is wonderful!” she exclaimed. - -“Not at all. It is done by seamen every day.” - -“Have you ever been there?” - -“No,” said I, “I have crossed the South Seas several times but I have -never chanced upon that island or in fact sailed anywhere near that -latitude or longitude.” - -“But you know where it is?” - -“Exactly, and if I had my great chart of the South Seas here, I could -put my finger upon it and show it to you.” - -“What,” she asked, pointing with her own dainty finger in her turn, “is -that ring around the island?” - -“That will be a coral reef, I take it. They usually are broken at some -point so that ships can sail within, but here is a complete circle -enclosing the island. There seems to be no entrance anywhere. ’Tis -unusual and most strange.” - -“Perhaps the man that drew the map made a mistake.” - -“I think not. The map has been made by a seafaring man, that is plain.” - -“I see, and the island itself is a circle,” she said, bending to -inspect it more closely. - -“Yes,” said I, “and it is like no island that I have ever seen, for -here be two great rings like a gigantic wall and a hill or something -of the sort in the middle.” I bent lower over it in my turn. My eyes -are unusually keen and I saw words written on the outside of the island -proper and between it and the coral reef. “See,” said I, “the words ‘ye -stairs’!” - -“Stairs!” exclaimed the girl in amazement, “did you ever see stairs on -such an island?” - -“No, I have not. But these may only be some natural means of ascent.” - -“It is most strange and meaningless,” she said. - -“Not so, my lady,” I said, “these torn halves of the map have not been -preserved through generations and handed down from father to son, or -daughter, so carefully unless there be some meaning attached to them. -What do you know about it? Forgive the presumption of my inquiry, but -in this matter perhaps I can be of more service to you than I could be -in anything else.” - -“You have been a faithful, devoted servitor, Master Hampdon,” she said, -“and I have no hesitation in telling you all I know. My mother and -father were distantly related, that is they were descendants in the -fifth generation from two brothers.” - -“Exactly,” said I, “your father’s note says this piece of parchment -has been in possession of his family for five generations and evidently -the other was in the possession of your mother’s people for the same -time.” - -“Why, that must be so,” said the girl amazed, “indeed, I think you are -very acute to have reasoned it out.” - -“I have but anticipated your own reflections, I am sure,” said I. “Who -was the father of these two brothers?” - -She thought a moment. - -“Sir Philip Wilberforce was his name. He was--” - -“A sailor!” I exclaimed on a venture. - -“You have guessed rightly; he voyaged in distant seas in Queen -Elizabeth’s time. It is reported that he was one of the first who went -around the world after Sir Francis Drake showed all Englishmen the way.” - -“Exactly,” I cried, “we are on the right track now. What further?” - -“It is in my mind,” she said, “that Geoffrey and Oliver, his sons, -quarreled over his property after his death, and--” - -“There you have it. They divided his fortune and tore the parchment -apart, it being thought valuable for some reason, and each kept half,” -I returned confidently. - -“That is the tradition as regards the fortune, and it may account for -the parchment,” she admitted in admiration of my conclusion, though -indeed it was an easy one to draw. - -“What next, madam?” - -“The families drifted apart and gradually died out until Sir Geoffrey -and my mother were alone left of their respective lines, and without -knowing the relationship at the time they met and married, and I--” she -faltered and put her hand over her face--“am the only one left of the -family, of either branch.” - -“Now here,” said I devoutly, for I fully believed what I said, “are the -workings of Divine Providence. The parchment came from old Sir Philip, -it was torn apart by his sons, and the pieces came not together until -in you the ancient lines were united.” - -“Yes, but what does it mean?” she asked turning to the table again. - -As she did so the sleeves of her dress caught the parchment and -separated the two pieces. One of them fell to the floor face downward. -I picked it up. - -“Why, there is writing on it!” I exclaimed. - -“So there is. I had forgotten that. It was unintelligible to me and, in -fact, I put it in my jewel case and forgot about it.” - -“And the image?” - -“It was so hideous and so repellent I thrust it into a drawer of my -cabinet and forgot it too.” - -“Let’s put the two pieces together and take them to the light and see -if we cannot decipher it,” said I. “Mistress Wilberforce,” I continued, -“I have a sailor’s premonition that we are on the track of something -that may greatly better your fortunes.” - -There was no table near the window but I spread the two pieces of -parchment on my two broad hands, from which you can get an idea of how -large they were. The writing was dim and faded with age. It seemed -to have been done with some sharp pointed instrument which cut into -the sheepskin, and where the ink which had been used had faded, the -scratches still remained. This that follows is what I made out. I have -reproduced exactly the old spelling and capitalization, and for your -further illumination I have copied as best I could the map, or chart, -upon the other side, so you can easily comprehend the story of our -adventures upon it as I am now endeavoring to relate them. Of course -my memory may be at fault in some particulars, but if so they are -unimportant. As for the image, I can never forget its grinning, malign, -evil hideousness, no, not to my dying day. - - In ye yeare of oure Lorde 1595, I, Philip Wilberforce, Bt., of ye - countie of Devon, being ye captaine of ye good shippe _Scourge of - Malice_, didde take ye grate Spanish Galleon _Nuestra Senora de la - Concepcion_ after a bloudie encountre, wherein mine own shippe was - sunke. Ye lading of ye galleon was worthe muche monaie, milliones - of pounds esterling, I take yt. Withe manie jewelles and stones - of price, pieces of eight and bullione, together with silkes and - spicerie. Being blowne to ye southe and weste manie days in a grate - tempeste, ye galleon was caste awaye on Ye Islande of ye Staires. - Wee landed ye tresor and hidde yt in ye walle. Alle my menne being - in ye ende dead ye natives came over ye seas from ye other Islandes - in their grate cannos and tooke me, being like a madde manne. Godde - mercifullie preserving my life, I escaped frome themm and at last am - comme safe intoe mine own sweet lande of Englande once more. Toe - finde ye mouthe of ye tresor cave, take a bearing alonge ye southe - of ye three Goddes on ye Altar of Skulles on ye middel hille of ye - islande. Where ye line strykes ye bigge knicke in ye walle withe ye - talle palmme tree bee three hoales. Climbe ye stones. Enter ye centre - one. Yt. is there. Lette him that wille seek and finde. Here bee two - of ye littel goddes I picked uppe and fetched awaye. Ye others are - lyke onlie muche larger. - -[Illustration] - -I spelt out the letters slowly, deciphering the quaint, faint writing -with difficulty. Mistress Lucy drew near to me, bending over the -parchment closely, following my efforts, indeed anticipating them with -her quicker eye. Her presence was a distraction to me, yet I was so -glad to have her near me that I wished the parchment letter as long as -this story I am writing bids fair to be. Well, we finished it at last. - -Then I turned to the table in the center of the room where I had left -the image. I stooped over it, picked it up and brought it to the light. -It was a head, with the neck and the top of the shoulders showing, -mounted on a pedestal roughly cut in imitation masonry. It was made of -some hard pinkish stone like granite. There was no skill or nicety in -its carving; it was rough and rude, inexpressibly so, and the marks of -the chisel, or whatever the tool with which it had been carved, were -quite apparent here and there; and yet years of exposure to wind and -weather had smoothed it off in part. The evil face was long and the dog -teeth fell over the protruding lip in a peculiarly brutal and ferocious -way. There was sort of a crown on the head, the eyes were sightless, -and the whole expression was revolting and beastly. - -What kind of people made and what kind of people worshiped such a god -I wondered. I was not surprised that my little mistress had hid it -away, nor that the one that came down through Sir Geoffrey’s line had -been lost. If I had possessed it, I would have destroyed it long since. -It fairly radiated evil, and the contrast between my lady’s face, -all sweetness, purity, and light and this hideous image was the more -marked. She has since confessed that she drew the same contrast between -it and what she was pleased to call my brave and honest countenance! -But of that more anon. We stared from the image to the parchment and -then looked wonderingly at each other. - -There was much in the letter, of course, that we could not possibly -understand. We could only comprehend it fully if we were lucky enough -to stand beneath “ye Stone Goddes,” of which I held a sample in my -hand, on the island itself. Still the general purport was sufficiently -clear. Sir Philip Wilberforce had evidently concealed a very -considerable treasure there. If we could find it our fortunes would be -made, or hers rather, for I swear I never thought of myself at all. - -“Think you,” my little mistress began at last, her pale face flushing -for the first time, her bosom heaving quickly, “that the treasure may -still be there watched over by those awful gods?” - -She glanced at the image I still held in my hand as she spoke. - -“Who can tell?” I answered. “I am probably as familiar with the South -Seas and their islands as any sailor; which is not saying a very great -deal, for there are thousands of islands in those unknown seas which -have never been visited by man, by white men, that is, or by any race -which preserves records. I have never heard even a rumor of the Island -of the Stairs, yet it would seem to be sufficiently different from all -other islands to have been published abroad if it had been discovered. -Its latitude and longitude place it in unfrequented seas among others -peopled by races of savage cannibals. I think it not at all unlikely -that it may have remained unvisited by any who would appreciate the -value of the treasure since Sir Philip’s day.” - -“But would such treasure last so long?” - -“Stored in a cave, gold and silver and jewels would last forever. -Everything else would have rotted away probably.” - -“It says to the value of millions of pounds, you notice,” she repeated -thoughtfully, pointing to the parchment again. - -“Aye,” I answered, “there is nothing unusual or unbelievable in that; -the cargoes of those old Spanish galleons ran up into the millions -often, I have read.” - -“How could we get there?” she asked. - -“If you had a ship,” said I, “well commanded and found and manned you -could reach the spot without difficulty.” - -“How much would it cost?” - -Well, I quickly and roughly estimated in my mind the necessary outlay. -Such a vessel as she would require might be bought for perhaps -twenty-five hundred or three thousand pounds; provisioning, outfitting, -together with the pay of the officers and the crew, would require -perhaps from fifteen hundred to two thousand five hundred pounds more, -or a total of between five and six thousand pounds. And she had but two! - -I was about to tell her the prohibitive truth when the solution of -the problem suddenly came to me. In one way or another I had been a -fortunate voyager and I had saved up or earned by trading and one or -two adventures in which I had taken part, something over four thousand -pounds, which was safely lodged to my credit in a London bank. Her -fortune was two thousand pounds. Alone she could do nothing, together -we could accomplish it. I had no right to put the suggestion in her -mind, but I did it. - -“I should think,” I said slowly, “that two thousand pounds would be -ample to cover everything.” - -“Ah,” she said triumphantly, “exactly the sum that Master Ficklin said -was left of my mother’s fortune.” - -“Yes,” said I, and then I added in duty bound, “but you surely would -not be so foolish, Mistress Wilberforce, as to risk your all in this -wild goose chase?” - -“If you were in my position, Master Hampdon, what would you do?” she -asked pointedly. - -“I am a man,” I answered, “accustomed to shift for myself. I might take -a risk which I would not advise you to essay.” - -“I must shift for myself, too,” she said, her eyes sparkling. The -Goddess Fortune which had ruined her father was evidently jogging her -elbow. “Indeed, I shall take the chance,” she persisted. “I am resolved -upon it.” - -“But you could easily live on two thousand pounds for a long while,” I -urged, against my wish, for I was keen to go treasure hunting with her -for a shipmate. - -“Not such life as I crave. If I cannot have enough for my desires I -would be no worse off had I nothing.” - -“But it is a long chance,” I persisted, “upon which to risk your all.” - -“Master Hampdon,” she said solemnly, “the fact of the separation of -those two pieces of parchment for a century and a half, and the fact -that they come together in me, one half received from each of the dead -who in neither case knew of the existence of the other half, the fact -that I am Sir Philip Wilberforce’s last descendant through both the -original heirs--see you not something providential in all this?” - -“A strange coincidence,” I admitted. - -“More than that,” she protested. - -Well, I was arguing against my wishes and from a sense of duty, so I -at last gave way. After all, the treasure might be there. If so, it -was hers and it would be a shame not to get it. The pulse of adventure -leaped in my veins. - -“So be it,” I said. - -“Will you help me to make my arrangements, you are accustomed to the -sea, and--” - -“I will do more than that,” said I, “with your gracious permission I -will go with you.” - -“To the island?” - -“To the end of the world,” I replied, whereat she stared at me a -moment, then looked away. - -She extended her hand to me and I tried to kiss it like a gentleman. -I made, no doubt, a blundering effort, but at least it was that of an -honest man. - -“I must go and get ready to go to Master Ficklin’s in the town,” she -said softly. “You know the house.” - -I nodded. - -“Come to me there tomorrow and we will talk further about the project.” - -“Can I be of any other service?” - -“Not now,” she answered, “you have been of great service already. I -shall not forget it.” - -And so I turned and walked out of the hall, leaving her standing there -for the last time, at least so we thought, the last little descendant -of a brave race. But you never can tell what the future will bring -forth. I little dreamed that she and I were to stand there again some -day under quite different circumstances. It is a good thing for me that -I did not dream that dream then. It would have turned my head if I had. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -WHEREIN THE DUKE IS MARKED IN FAREWELL - - -When we broached the subject of our treasure hunting expedition to -Master Ficklin the next day at his house, he would not hear of it. He -examined the parchment with interest, but pooh-poohed the tale because, -forsooth, it had no legal standing and was couched in the language of -the sea rather than in the dry verbiage of the law. He pointed out -that he had only succeeded in saving this last two thousand pounds of -my lady’s fortune because he had skillfully concealed its existence -from Sir Geoffrey, foreseeing that all that he could come at would be -recklessly flung away in the baronet’s mad battle with fortune. He -felt, he admitted to us, some compunctions of conscience about having -hidden this little remainder from his friend and patron, and then he -pleaded artfully that as he had gone against his sense of right for the -sake of preserving this money, his wishes as to the spending of it -ought to be respected, especially when they concerned so intimately the -welfare of my lady; for, he asked pertinently, what would happen to her -when all was gone and she had found no treasure, the very existence of -which he affected to disbelieve? - -A very hard-headed, practical person was Master Ficklin. He was not -cut out for an adventurer, that was patent. Still his statements and -propositions were entitled to the highest consideration. His arguments, -indeed, appealed to my better judgment and I seconded them to the best -of my ability in spite of my own desires. I was born with a roving -spirit, and in my own blood ran something of the gambling strain, and -the longer I dwelt upon possible treasure the more alluring grew the -prospect of searching for it, and the more certain I became that it was -there. It is so easy to persuade ourselves of what we wish. - -Besides, even if there were no treasure, I luxuriated in spirit at -the thought of the long months’ intimate companionship at sea with my -Little Mistress. It is true she already honored me with her friendship, -but in no other way could I hope to enjoy much of her society in the -future. She was too young and too beautiful for obscurity. Sooner or -later true men would love her, the gay world would seek her out, she -would enter upon her proper station again, and then where would I be? -Selfish! Aye, but I am frankly telling the truth in these rambling -recollections, even to my own discredit, though my lady will not have -it so. - -But I had stern ideas of duty, too, and Master Ficklin’s good sense -ever appealed to me. Yet when did mere good sense serve to persuade a -woman against her wish? My lady would fain challenge fortune on her own -account. She was of age and what she had left was absolutely in her -control, but had she been but sixteen I make no doubt she would have -had her way. She has ever had that way and ever will have it, so far as -I am concerned. Worthy Master Ficklin has gone to his well-earned rest -these many years as I write, but I am quite warranted, I am sure, in -saying the same thing for him. - -Well, the end of it was she made over her two thousand pounds to me -without requiring me to give any bond, which Master Ficklin would fain -have insisted upon. This would have been embarrassing indeed for me for -my bond would have been my own capital which I was going to embark in -the enterprise in secret. I had saved up that money with no one knows -what foolish dreams. I now realized these dreams possibly would come to -nought. Well, what difference? I had no one dependent upon me, brother -or sister I had never been blessed with, and father and mother were -both dead long since. I was alone in the world. What need had I for the -money? - -I could always get a berth on a good ship as mate, or perhaps as -master, for which I was fully qualified; and I could always earn enough -for my needs and to spare. Let her have it whose need was great and -whose desire was greater. - -I might have bargained for a share of the treasure did we find any, but -I scorned to do it. I would fain give all and expect nothing. There -was a certain salve to my pride in becoming a benefactor to the woman -I--But I must not anticipate in my story, trouble came soon enough, as -you shall see. - -At any rate, not being in too great a hurry, although I was constantly -urged to action by my lady, who could scarce possess her soul in -patience before she began her treasure hunting once she was resolved -upon it, I looked about a good deal in order to get just what I wanted. -Finally from a merchant of Plymouth I purchased a stout little ship of -three hundred and fifty tons burden called _The Rose of Devon_, which -had been engaged in the West Indian and the American colonial trade. -The name caught my fancy, too, for was not my Little Mistress the Rose -of Devon herself? You that read may laugh at me for my posying thought -if you will; I care not, for it is true. - -It was my first design to have gone as master of her myself and my -lady would fain have had it so, but after reflection I decided it -were better to have a much older man than I to command so long as she -went as passenger, so I engaged a worthy seaman, one Samuel Matthews, -old enough to be my father, with whom I had often sailed, in fact the -man under whom I made my first cruise. I did engage myself as mate, -however, and I even tried to induce Master Ficklin and his sister to -go with us, whereat that worthy couple held up their hands in horror, -preferring the one his musty parchments and suits at law, and the other -her well ordered house and spacious garden. I was not sorry for their -decision. I wanted to be alone on that ship with Mistress Wilberforce, -with what vague idea or aspiration I dared not admit even to myself. - -It seemed proper, in venturing among islands filled according to common -report with savage peoples, to make ready for fighting; therefore, -after consulting with Captain Matthews, whom I fully acquainted with -the entire project in all its details, I shipped a crew of thirty -men and I provided in the equipment plenty of muskets, pistols, and -cutlasses with the necessary powder and ball and, in addition, a small -brass cannon which I mounted on the forecastle. Nor did our cargo lack -means for friendly trading and barter among the natives should such be -found practicable. - -Naturally, the unusualness of these preparations attracted some little -attention and although Captain Matthews and I kept the destination -of the ship and the purpose of the cruise strictly private, we were -overwhelmed with applications from adventurous men who desired to make -the voyage, surmising that it was after treasure of some sort and that -it would be vastly different from the monotony of an ordinary merchant -trading cruise. Clearance papers were got out for the South Seas, which -added the touch of romance that those waters always have, for an appeal. - -Being so engaged with these larger matters, perforce I left the work of -signing on a crew to Captain Matthews. He had as boatswain a veteran -seaman named Pimball in whom he placed great confidence. He was a -villainous looking man with a white scar running from his left eye -across his cheek, caused by a cut he had received in some fight, and -the line of white showing against the bronzed, weather-beaten cheek he -sported, did not improve his appearance. But that he was a prime seaman -was evident. Captain Matthews reposed much trust in him, somewhat to -my surprise, for I was not prepossessed by his appearance, but the -contrary. In answer to my objections he pointed out that many a man’s -looks belied his character, and although Pimball was certainly ugly, -he was undoubtedly able. He had cruised several voyages with Captain -Matthews and had always shown himself both experienced and dependable, -so I let it go and he and Pimball selected the rest of the crew. It had -been better for us in the end if I had got rid of the man as I wished. -Or would it? Well, it would certainly have been better for Master -Pimball and his friends. - -To anticipate, when we boarded the ship I liked the crew not much -better than the boatswain. I will say this for them, however, that a -smarter, quicker set of seamen never hauled on brace or lay out on -yardarm. It was not their skill or strength or courage that I misliked, -no man could fault that, but they were not the sort of men I would have -sought for a ship of my own; and the presence of my lady and her maid, -a worthy woman, a long time servant at the castle, who had elected to -follow her fortunes, perhaps made me unduly timorous; yet I was not -unusually or extremely apprehensive. I had a sublime confidence in my -own ability to deal with any man or any group of men. I had no doubt -that Captain Matthews and I would be able to master them and bend -their wills to ours at the cost of a few hard words backed by a ready -rope’s end or a well-used marlinspike or belaying pin. - -I did not stint the outfitting of the ship, and when I finished, having -left nothing out of her manifest that either mine own or Captain -Matthew’s experience or imagination could suggest, including everything -conceivable for the comfort of my lady, there remained of our joint -funds enough to pay the wages of the officers and of the men out and -back and no more. That is allowing a year for the round voyage. The -lines of _The Rose of Devon_ were unusually good; she had a reputation -for being a speedy vessel, and that was more time than enough. It was -my purpose to go on around the world with her rather than retrace our -course about Cape Horn after we reached the island, if we ever reached -it. So we staked everything we had on the future. If my lady had -possessed the least knowledge of the value of ships, she would have -seen how little way her two thousand pounds had gone, but she was as -guileless as any other woman on that subject, and Master Ficklin was -not much better. I lied to them both, although with a somewhat uneasy -conscience. Yet it was for her sake. My family had followed hers for I -know not how many centuries. They had spent themselves for hers. I was -only keeping up the traditions in placing all that I had at her service. - -But one thing which happened before we embarked occurs to me as worthy -to be chronicled. When all was ready and everything aboard, I went back -to Master Ficklin’s in Tavistock, which was an easy day’s journey from -Plymouth Sound, where _The Rose of Devon_ lay, to fetch my lady and her -maid. Master Ficklin’s house was a somewhat large one for an attorney -and was surrounded by a walled garden, perhaps two acres in extent, -which ran from the back of the house to a little brook which bounded -the village. There were a number of fine old trees in it and much -shrubbery and it was a pleasant place in which Mistress Wilberforce and -I had spent some, to me, very delightful hours in perfecting the plans -for our great undertaking. - -Master Ficklin was at his office, although it was yet early in the -morning when I called, intending to fetch my lady to Plymouth by -coach, a special coach which I had engaged for her particular use, by -the way. His sister said that Mistress Wilberforce was in the garden -and that she had company. She offered to show me to her presence, but -I said I knew the way and could go myself. I did not like the word -company over much. Her fine friends had more or less forgot her. One or -two of the old families which had been associated with hers had offered -her such hospitality and such comfort as they had, until she could -decide otherwise; some of the women had called upon her, one or two -men had sought her out, but she was a proud little woman, as you can -divine, and would have none of them. She had dropped out of their lives -and latterly no one had disturbed her, therefore I was perturbed at the -tidings. - -I passed though the hall, out of the back door and into the garden. -The path to the brook wound and twisted so that you could not see -the stream for the trees and shrubs. I stood a moment, hesitating, -wondering whether after all I had the right or the privilege to break -in upon such company as she might be entertaining, when a scream which -came faintly from the end of the garden, decided me. - -I broke into a run and in a few moments came upon my lady struggling -in the arms of a man. What man, do you ask? None other than his grace, -the Duke of Arcester! He had his arms around her and although he was no -great figure of a man, he was much stronger than the slight girl he was -grappling so roughly. He held her tightly by the waist with one arm and -with the other was trying to turn her head so that he could kiss her -fairly on her lips. - -I was upon them before either realized my arrival. In my fury I grasped -the duke by the collar of his coat with my left hand and with my right -I ruthlessly tore him away from my lady. - -“Thank God, you have come!” she cried, reeling and staggering, her face -flushed, her hair disheveled, her dress in disarray. - -I heard that much and then the duke was upon me. Gritting his teeth -and swearing frightful oaths, he got to his feet--I had thrown him -prone--dragged out his sword and rushed at me. - -“You dog!” he cried, “you have balked me before and you interfere now. -I have had enough of you, and the world has.” - -He did not intend to give me any chance to defend myself apparently. -My little mistress screamed. I heard her call my name and I suppose -she thought I was done for, but sailors are proverbially quick-witted, -footed, and handed, and I was not the least alert of seamen for all my -size. I was wearing a hanger, a much heavier and more unwieldly weapon -than the duke’s dress sword, but its weight was a matter of no moment -to an arm like mine. I sprang aside as he lunged furiously at me, drew -it, and the next moment our blades clashed in earnest. For myself, I -rejoiced in the opportunity. Some men of humble birth might have been -disturbed at the thought of crossing swords with a great noble, but -nothing of that occurred to me. I wanted to show my lady, I confess, -that even with gentlemen’s weapons I was this man’s master. And so I -fell to it eagerly. - -Now I am a good fighter and no mean fencer. I can cross blades with -anyone on earth. I did not know all the niceties and refinements of -the game. I lacked grace perhaps--but when it came to attack and -defense, there were few men who could beat me--certainly the duke was -not one of them. My swift play must have looked to the duke as if I -were surrounded by a wall of steel. Therefore, he realized at once that -his only chance lay in the energy and rapidity of his fence. He was as -passionately incensed as I, if from a different cause. Lunge succeeded -lunge with lightning-like speed. I will admit that I was hard put to it -for a time. The play of light on his blade fairly dazzled me. It was -with the greatest difficulty that I parried. But my lord was not built -for the long continuance of such violent exercise. Sweat ran into his -eyes, his thrusts grew less swift, less sure, if not less vicious in -their intent. I could feel his growing weakness with my blade. After -a few moments I saw that I had him. It was now my turn to attack. -Something of the berserk madness of my Saxon ancestors suddenly filled -my veins. I beat down his defense by a series of terrific blows and -finally shivered his sword. He stood before me panting, weaponless, yet -to give him his due, more or less undaunted. I raised my own blade. - -“Would you strike a defenseless man, cur?” he cried haughtily, still -not blenching. - -“You had no scruple in attacking a defenseless woman,” I replied. -“Nay,” I thundered as he made a sudden movement, “stand where you are. -What I shall do to you depends upon what I hear. If you move I swear to -you that I will beat you down like the villain that you are.” - -I was amazed afterward at my temerity in thus addressing a duke, but -you will understand my feelings. Without taking my eyes off of him, I -next addressed myself to my lady, who had shrunk aside and watched us -breathlessly. - -“Will you tell me now, Mistress Lucy,” said I softly, “what this man -proposed or said? I can see what he did, but what were his meaning and -intent?” - -“He--he--wanted--me to go with him,” faltered my lady. - -“He renewed his offer of marriage?” I asked with a sudden sinking of -heart. - -I had a good deal of reverence for the nobility except in the heat of -battle, and even as bad a man as Arcester was nevertheless a duke and -a great personage. That should mean something to a woman. Perhaps my -lady might wish to marry him after all! - -“No,” whispered the girl, and at her answer my blood burned for her. - -“My God!” I cried, “did you dare to--” - -“Why should I marry a penniless baggage?” he sneered. It was a reckless -thing to do, seeing his helpless position. “She would not go with me, -she refused even to take my hand, the little fool, so I seized her. Was -it because she preferred you, yokel?” he added. - -“For whatever reason she refused the proffered honor, she has had a -lucky escape.” - -“Perhaps so, clodhopper, for I should have discarded and forgot her -when her prettiness had faded, but you--” - -“I shall ensure that you will remember all the days of your life what -you tried to do; the insult that you put upon this lady,” I said -quietly, although I was blazing inside. - -“Would you kill me?” he cried, and I believe I detected a note of alarm -in his voice for the first time, as I stepped nearer to him. - -“No,” said I, “that would be too quick and easy an end to your -punishment. I will put my mark upon you, her brand as a blackguard. -Everybody who sees you will ask you about it and you can explain it as -you will. Two persons at least will know what the mark signifies, my -lady and myself.” - -He stared at me absolutely uncomprehending, but before he could make a -move I caught him around the breast, pinioned both his arms to his side -with one arm and then I deliberately shortened my sword, holding it by -the blade, and cut two long, deeply scored, rough gashes crosswise in -his right cheek. He struggled and shrieked horribly as I did so and my -lady screamed as well, but I held him close until I finished. He was a -handsome man, but those two scars, roughly crisscrossed, would never be -eradicated, for I had cut deep with deliberate purpose. - -“Now,” said I to my little mistress, “before I release him one more -question. Did he--did he kiss you?” - -“No,” answered Mistress Wilberforce faintly. - -“Good,” I continued grimly, “had he done so I had marked the other -cheek.” - -After that assurance of hers I released him and he staggered back, -trembling and shaking, spitting blood, his cheek bleeding, a horrible -looking object. - -“That will be a lesson to your grace,” said I grimly, “not to insult an -honest woman. I have no doubt there are many who would rejoice to see -you now and to know why I have put my mark upon you.” - -“I will have the law on you. I will have your life,” he sputtered out. - -“You can have anything you want,” said I recklessly. “I am your master -with the sword, and your master with everything else. Now go.” - -He turned and staggered away and that was the last I saw of him. I -heard later that he had had the devil’s own time explaining those -marks. He proclaimed that they had been inflicted by a madman, which -was nearly the truth, but in some way the story leaked out and I should -judge that my vengeance for the insult to my lady was as adequate as -anything could be. He never lived down the tale, and I take it he was -glad when he received a mortal wound in a duel from the hand of some -other avenger of a woman’s wrong some years later. - -“Master Hampdon,” whispered Mistress Lucy, in an awe-struck voice, -as we went together through the garden, while I wiped my sword with -leaves, “why did you do that? ’Twas horrible.” - -“Why, mistress,” said I, striving to speak formally, “when I saw you in -his arms I could have killed him.” - -“But to mark him thus forever--” she began. - -“Enough,” said I, with one of those flashes of imperiousness which -always amazed me afterward and which really seemed to affect her -strangely, “he only got his deserts.” - -“But he will take his revenge on you,” she persisted. - -“Let him try,” said I indifferently. “But I am come to take you to the -ship. We must get there tonight to sail with the beginning of the ebb -tomorrow morning.” - -“I am ready,” she said, putting her hand upon my arm with unwonted -humility. - -We went into the house and from there to the coach with her maid and -her baggage, after making her farewells to her kind host and hostess. -In the evening we got aboard the ship where I saw her safely bestowed -in the comfortable cabin I had arranged for her and for her woman. When -day broke and she came on deck, we were under way for the Island of the -Stairs. The great adventure had begun. - - - - -BOOK II - -ABOARD SHIP IN THE SOUTH SEAS - -_The Murderous Mutineers and the Woman_ - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -IN WHICH I AM PUNISHED FOR MY PRESUMPTION - - -I pass over the events of the next six months without comment, but -not because they were uninteresting. Oh, no. One could not sail -from Plymouth, England, to the South Seas, touching at Madeira, the -Canaries, Rio and Buenos Ayres and rounding the mighty and fearsome -Cape Horn, without seeing many things of interest and participating in -scenes as dangerous as they were exciting. But I am not writing a book -of travels, though perchance I may some day endeavor to set forth for -your delectation some of my far voyagings in unknown seas. Suffice it -to say that we passed safely from the much traversed Atlantic to the -lonely Pacific, and were drawing near to the island we sought according -to the calculations of good Captain Matthews and myself, when something -happened. - -I had brought it on myself, I realized, but that made it no more -bearable. Indeed, I was mad, mad all through; outraged in dignity, -humiliated in self-respect, and were it not foolish to speak so of -a man of my years and standing, I should say I was broken in heart. -I suppose that I should feel the wound to my affections more than -that to my pride later, but at that present moment feelings of -indignation predominated. I had been a fool, of course, and I should -have expected nothing else; equally, of course, perhaps I should even -have anticipated this, and probably if I had been in my right senses -on that day I would have known it. But then you see, I was not in -my right senses, and that was the secret of my disgrace. And that -it all happened after half a year of the friendliest, most pleasant -intercourse between a man and a maid only intensified the bitterness of -the situation. - -My little mistress had been so kind to me that I had dwelt in a fool’s -paradise. I awoke to realize that she had not forgot the difference -between our stations. She had been born in the castle, I in the -gardener’s lodge; she was of the great house, I was of the cottage. I -had forgot it in these long months at sea--by heaven, the sight of -her was enough to make a man forget anything if he loved her as I! -There, the secret is out, though I make no doubt you guessed it long -before--but it seems she had not. There was no mirror in the cabin, -but I could well guess that the sight of me was not sufficiently -prepossessing to make any woman forget our respective merits and -stations. - -In birth, in breeding, in education, in everything, she stood -immeasurably removed from me; so far removed that association on any -terms scarcely seemed possible. Yet she had been so kind. I was her -only confidant or companion in the ship. I had forgot all that lay -between, or else, remembering, I had yet endeavored to leap the gap. -I had fondly hoped that the one thing in me that was truly great, my -passion for her, would land me safely by her side. I did not see how -she could fail to comprehend it, though I did try to disguise it. - -Well, that love of mine--it had not brought her nearer. On the contrary -it had put me under lock and key! And here I was, shut up like a -criminal in my own cabin in her ship, or mine for that matter. Come to -think of it, that moment I believe love had completely disappeared. I -could recall--and can to this day--the fierce, burning rush of color to -her cheek where I had kissed it; the fire of rage and surprise mingled -which sparkled in her eyes. The Duke of Arcester I had marked for life -for less than this, I recalled in shame. - -I hardly recollected the fierce blow of her hand upon my face. That was -nothing. I had laughed at it as she had recoiled from me when I had -released her--actually laughed! I was not laughing at her, God knows, -but at her impotence physically compared to my strength. She was a -small slender little body, I could have carried her easily with my one -hand--and I have often done so since--yet she struck hard when she did -strike. - -As I recalled it, I suppose that laugh was my undoing. Perhaps she -thought I laughed at her. Well, what mattered it? Whatever the cause, I -was undone. All the patient devotion of years, all the restraint of the -long voyage had come to naught. - -There had been plenty of bright starlight on deck. She had stepped -out from the dark shadow of the spencer and I had followed hard on her -heels. The first night watch had not yet been called and the men idle -about the decks, waiting the boatswain’s shrill whistle, had noted it -all. I can see their sneering, laughing faces even now. God! I could -bear anything from her but nothing from them, and but for the sorry -figure I must have cut in a low brawl with the ruffians, I would have -leaped upon them and fought them until they killed me. - -As it was, I drew myself up and waited while she sent for good old -Captain Matthews and, vouchsafing no explanations, imperiously bade -him stow me below as a prisoner in my cabin. He didn’t relish the job -but went about it forthwith. Indeed, I did not wait for further orders -after her look and glance. I stalked below as haughtily as you please. -It was her ship, as she had said and as she certainly believed, and -had it not been, who could deny her anything? Not I, forsooth. I could -steal a kiss but not balk her will. - -So here I was, the mate of _The Rose of Devon_--and but for my own -renunciation I had been her captain--engaged in this wild goose chase, -this foolish search for treasure, for so it seemed to me then, locked -up below like any mutinous dog at the behest of a woman that I could -have broke between my thumb and finger. And after all I had done and -sacrificed for her, too. - -The hot blood came into my cheeks again. I remember I raised my arm and -shook it toward the door and then let it fall. What was the use? I was -her prisoner. I loved her, fool that I was. I thought then and I think -now I had rather be her prisoner than be free and away from her, than -be free and know her not. No lovesick boy could have been more foolish -than I about her--and, in your ear, I am so yet. - -Come to think of it, I had always loved her, ever since those days when -I, the gardener’s boy, had been her faithful and devoted slave. And -through the long years when I had been far voyaging in distant seas I -had kept her memory fresh and sweet and true. I had been in many rough -places, I had seen life from the seamy side, the common lot of a sailor -of my day had been mine. I was not what you would call a religious -man; no, not nearly religious enough, but the thought of her and my -mother had kept me a clean man. In that respect, at least, I was worthy -of her; doubtless, I dare say, more worthy of her than Arcester and -Luftdon and all the young gallants who had paid court to her before her -father lost his all and had blown out his brains, leaving her but the -parchment and enough gear with my aid to charter and equip the ship. - -Such as it was, my heart was hers, and my life had always been. As -often as I could I had come back to the old cottage where I was born -and for old time’s sake she had been kind to me. I had craved even -her condescension, although it made me mad to see her surrounded by -the other men and women, so that I would fling myself away and take -the first ship that offered to the farthest port. Yet, I always came -back--to her. - -And I had been so glad that I was there when Sir Geoffrey had killed -himself and that I had bought the ship and fitted it out and had been -able to do so much for her. As I said, she would fain have given me -command of the saucy little _Rose of Devon_ had I willed it--and -sometimes, now for instance, I cursed myself that I had not taken it -rather than insisted that she should have an older man, not a better -seaman, than I. There are no better seamen in narrow seas or broad than -I, if I do say it myself, who should not. - -I had worked my way up through the forecastle to the quarter-deck. I -had a natural gift for figures. I could take a sight and work out a -position as well as any book-taught navigator, and I had been a great -reader, too. My private cabin was crowded with books. A goodly portion -of my earnings was ever spent that way. I had wit enough to choose good -books, too, and perseverance enough to study them well. And they stared -at me then from shelves built in the bulkhead. What fond dreams I had -indulged in while I had pored over them, turning their thin pages with -my tarred, blunt fingers! I walked over to them that night and struck -them with my fist in impotent rage. What was the use of it? The stain -of tar was on me forever in her eyes. - -And yet I knew more than she. Oh, much more about everything but the -usages of good society, and I had at least learned something of good -manners in her company since her father’s death. Many a time I have -caught her tripping as to facts of knowledge, not daring, not even -caring to tell her; or, perhaps I had better say, not wishful to -humiliate her by showing her that she was wrong, content to know that -much myself, and hugging my poor little superiority to my heart. I knew -more than she and more than most of the men with whom she associated. -My shipmates used to laugh at me for being a book delver, a worm, they -were wont to call me. Well, they didn’t laugh very long. There was -nothing physical for which I need stand aside for any man. I was over -six feet high and built in proportion. I could unaided, and alone, hold -the wheel of the best ship in the fiercest storm. I had matched myself -against man and against storm, not once but many times, and neither the -one nor the other had ever made me back down. - -Now I was a prisoner. I said I didn’t feel that blow on the cheek, but -as I thought on it, it fairly seared me. I hated her, I hoped that--no, -I might as well be honest with myself--I didn’t care how she treated -me, how disdainful were her words, how unjustly she punished me, I -loved her. I couldn’t help it, I didn’t want to help it. I would fain -kiss the deck planks she hallowed with her footsteps. - -There was another side to my confinement and I presently took thought -on that. I swear that I was not thinking of myself but of her. I was -ever thinking of her. I could see dangers that beset her as perhaps -no one else could, and my confinement added to her peril. She didn’t -realize that; nobody aft on the ship realized it. I did not see any -present way to make her understand the situation. I had not cared to -alarm her before, and any attempt on my part to set it forth now would -be looked upon as a personal plea, and yet there was a peril, imminent, -menacing, about to break, I feared. - -You see, the fact that we were treasure hunting had got about. Who told -it I could not discover, but the unusualness of our proceedings, the -arming of a peaceful merchant ship, the indefiniteness of the articles, -the clearing from Plymouth for the South Seas, the absence of any great -amount of cargo, and the high wages promised had aroused suspicions. I -had not thought much about the crew, except of Pimball. We had shipped -a lot of smart seamen; about the average in quality and above the -average in smartness, I decided as the days had passed with nothing -happening; but times were good and ships were plenty, and we had sailed -rather late in the season, and Pimball had signed many I could wish had -been left ashore. - -Her presence on the ship, too, was a mystery. Alone in the little _Rose -of Devon_ with thirty men! By evil mishap the maid she had brought with -her had died after a brief illness two weeks out. Captain Matthews and -I were for turning back, but she said no, she would go on. We had lost -too much time already and her all was embarked. We were now plowing the -blue waters of the Pacific and I, mate of the ship, and the only other -officer to be trusted, locked up! Pimball, the boatswain, seemed to me -to be the least trustworthy of the lot. I had not got over my initial -dislike for him at all! - -We were nearing the latitude and longitude of the island. Suppose -the men rose in mutiny! I ground my teeth in rage at the thought. -The men liked me well enough, and I had been particular to keep them -in good humor, passing over many a thing for her sake that I would -have followed with a blow had she not been there. Captain Matthews -had complained once or twice of my laxity, but I knew things that he -didn’t, and I had done what I deemed best for her. I pledge you my word -that I didn’t care a farthing for the treasure. I had never given it -much thought. I grew to believe in it less and less as we got further -from home, and if I had been stronger for my duty and weaker in my love -I would have dissuaded her from the voyage, following Master Ficklin’s -lead. - -Now that she was poor and alone, neglected and forgotten, I had -enjoyed a foolish dream that I could be a companion to her--a life -shipmate!--for the captain was a rough, plain old sailor. What a fool I -was! and yet it had worked in some way as I had intended. We had been -thrown into closer intimacy by the loneliness of her position, and by -my faithful and, until that night, most unobtrusive, self-effacing -devotion. I was thinking too much of her to give my attention to any -other kind of treasure anyway, and I’d rather have had her than all -the golden argosies that plowed the seas. - -I supposed it never entered her head that I could presume to love her, -consequently she was less careful than she had been otherwise, and that -very night when I had poured out my declaration to her, she had found -no words with which to meet it. I thought her motionless silence was -consent. I see now that it was petrified amazement. I seized her in -my arms, like the brute she must have thought me, lifted her up and -kissed her fair on the lips and then on her averted cheek. Arcester, -the blackguard, could have done no worse. I will never forget how she -stigmatized me, brute, coward, lowborn. I don’t believe she had railed -at that scoundrel duke so fiercely. Well, I didn’t care what she called -me. Her safety, her life, her honor demanded that I be released. That -was the paramount concern. - -I listened--I thought I heard a footfall in the outer cabin. Could she -be there? I suppose that I had been locked up for perhaps an hour, -aye, on the instant the bell forward struck three. We kept man-o’-war -customs at her fancy. The sound came to me faintly as I listened. Half -past nine. She could not have gone to her berth yet. She must be there -in the great cabin. I ventured to call. - -Any man can imagine what it cost me to humble myself to ask her mercy. -Stop, I ought to apologize. No gentleman--I do not mean the dandies -that made love to her--but no real gentleman such as I, in spite of my -low birth and rough breeding, hoped I might prove myself to be, would -have taken advantage of her as I did. Yes, an apology was certainly -owing from me. Even had it not been I should have been compelled to -make it for her sake. - -I am a man of fierce temper, as you have deemed and as you shall see, -if you go with us further in this history, but I can control it on -occasion, and I did it now. I shook the door of the cabin gently at -first and then vigorously and called once and again. There was no -answer. I beat upon it. I raised my voice. I scarcely thought I could -be heard on deck. The wind was blowing, the sea was heavy and the ship -was pitching wildly, the straining, the creaking, the groaning of the -timbers would have prevented such a noise as I made from attracting -attention unless someone were in the cabin. - -But all in vain. No heed was paid to me and yet I could swear that -somebody was there. I don’t know how exactly, but I was conscious of -her presence. Perhaps because I was so in love with her that I could -always tell whether she was about. I can to this day. Many a time in -after years she has stepped into the room where I have been sitting, -without a sound, and has come to me and laid her hand on my shoulder, -but I have had knowledge before she touched me that she was there. - -It made me madder than before to go thus unheeded. I was on the point -of giving over my endeavor, but the thought of that peril in which she -stood, and the fact that I was removed from the deck and a prisoner, -made me resolve on one more effort. She must be made to hear, and if to -hear, to answer. - -“Madam,” I whispered softly, and then more loudly, “Madam!” - -I did not venture to say any other name. I called again and yet a -fourth time and then for the last time with the full power of my -voice. I heard a movement outside and then a voice, beloved, blessed -voice even when it rated me! - -“Well, sir.” - -The words came to me through the partition. She was there then, as I -had divined. She had been there all the time, trying me. - -“I would fain have a word with you,” I answered, putting everything -else by and speaking most entreatingly and with a humility I did not -altogether feel. - -“I desire no speech with you,” was her cold and measured answer. - -I could hear her turn as if to move away. She had come very softly, but -she went loudly as if to show me her intention. - -“Think of my long and faithful service,” I urged, “and of your gracious -friendship for me, often expressed.” - -“You yourself forgot it tonight.” - -“For God’s sake,” I cried desperately as I heard her go, “just one -word.” - -“An apology? Do you beg for forgiveness?” - -“No--yes--anything,” I finished in confusion. - -“I will not listen. I wish to convince you of the enormity of what you -have done, the grossness of your presumption. I will give you time for -quiet reflection, sir.” - -“I am convinced already,” I urged hurriedly. - -“So easily,” she mocked. - -“Madam, if you love life and honor, I pray you hear me. It is not of -myself I think but of you. You are in grave peril,” returned I with the -utmost seriousness. - -“What peril?” - -There was a note of alarm in her voice in spite of her effort to be -indifferent. I seized upon its promise eagerly. - -“The men of the ship, they are not what they should be. Captain -Matthews is alone. Pimball is a villain. I trust no one but--” - -“And is that the plea on which you seek your freedom?” - -“That is the only plea.” - -“You did not discover this danger until I locked you up, did you?” - -She laughed mockingly, but there was music in her voice for me, albeit -her words were harsh and unjust. - -“I tell you that it is not for myself I fear, but for you,” I -persisted. - -“And was it for that you insulted me on the quarter-deck before the men -and--” - -“No,” said I savagely. “By heavens, I did that for myself.” - -“Arcester could have done no worse,” she said cuttingly. - -“Curse Arcester!” I burst out, the mention of the man’s name always -inflaming me, “he would have made you his--” - -“Silence!” cried the woman. “I will hear no more. It is a foolish plea, -the men are devoted to me and--” - -“For God’s sake, Mistress Wilberforce,” I cried, but this time she was -gone. - -I heard the door of her cabin shut violently. There was no help for it. -Well, I must devise some way unaided. For I must get out for her sake. -The cabin was lighted by an air port closed by a deadlight. I measured -it, drew back the thick glass and examined the opening, although I knew -it was a futile proposition. A slender boy might have slipped through -but not a man such as I. My mighty thews and sinews and great bulk -required a door and no small one, either. - -The wind had increased, it was blowing hard outside and some spray came -in through the port as the waves slapped the side of the ship. I closed -and secured it; there was nothing to be gained there. I must seek some -other way. - -I was not weaponless. Nobody had thought to search my cabin, and a -brace of pistols which I always kept loaded and ready for an emergency -were locked securely in my chest. My hanger, none of your dandified -French rapiers but a stout ship’s cutlass, ground to a razor’s edge, -heavy enough to paralyze any arm but one muscled like mine, hung at the -side of my berth. It was the same with which I had marked the duke. - -The cabin door was a strong one. It was locked and barred without. -I might have broken through it. I could have done so if I had had -space enough in which to run and hurl myself against it. I might even -have kicked it to pieces with my heavy seaman’s boot. Certainly I -could easily have blown the lock off with my pistol, but any of these -endeavors would have aroused the ship. - -To let the sleeping dogs lie when you have no means of controlling -them should they awaken, I have ever found to be a good maxim. I had -one other hope. If Captain Matthews should come to the cabin I would -appeal to him. For the rest I determined not to sleep that night. Some -strange foreboding possessed me, such a feeling a man has when his own -hand is taken from the helm and no other is near by to grasp it, as if -the uncontrolled ship must surely broach to and founder. - -We were near the latitude and longitude of the island we were seeking, -if indeed there were such an island as was thought to be, and I -reasoned that the men would argue that now would be a good time for an -outbreak, especially since I was removed. Would it come that night? -Would it come at all? Was I mistaken in the men? - -I have often wondered why women were made and, since they were made, -why men should be such fools about them--yet I would by no means unmake -them! Here I was helpless just because I had snatched a kiss from one. -Although I had ever been a decent man as man goes, I had ventured as -far as kisses with maidens here and there in this little world around -which I had gone so many times, and none of them had ever taken it -quite like that. To be sure, none of them was like her. And now that -I am in the mood for confession, I might as well say that I fully -rejoiced in that kiss. It had not been on the cheek first but full and -fair on her lips, and I had held her tight and drunk my fill--no not -that, of course; I could never do that, but still it had been a man’s -kiss on a maiden’s lips fairly given, and-- - -Well, whatever happened, I had the memory of that kiss. She would never -forgive me. Of course, there was absolutely no hope that she would -return my suit even in her poverty. She was not for such as I, and if -there was anything in this old buccaneer’s parchment, if there was an -island, if she did get the treasure, why the world would be at her feet -again; and I, like the fool I was, was helping her get it, to bring -that about. I was mad, aye, mad, with impotent helplessness that night. - -I sat there in the dark, no light being vouchsafed to me and the -lanterns in the outer cabin not having been lighted, for a long time. -The wind rose and rose. The ship was pitching madly. My room was on -the starboard side of the cabin and presently I heard all hands called -to reef the topsails. Captain Matthews was alert and ready, of course. -Presently he put the ship about and with some of the canvas off her -she was steadier. There did not seem to be any especial danger in the -weather and for that I was thankful. - -I must have dozed. I was awakened by the last echoing of the bell -forward. I didn’t know what time it was because I didn’t know whether I -had heard it begin to strike, but I could count three couplets, which -meant that it was eleven o’clock at least. I didn’t know, of course, -that it was eight bells, midnight, until after a shrill piping of his -whistle the long-drawn-out voice of the boatswain came to me through -the low bulkhead that separated the trunk cabin from the quarter-deck -above and the ’tween decks below. - -“A--a--all the port watch! Show a leg, lively, lads!” - -I could hear the men of the watch below grumbling and cursing as they -turned out. They had evidently been sent to their hammocks after the -topsails had been reefed for a couple of hours in. I could also hear -scraps of conversation as they struggled into their jackets and coats. - -“Let’s do it.” - -“Now?” - -“Yes!” - -“Shall we kill him?” - -“This is the best time!” - -“Aye, aye.” - -“The old man’s alone!” and so on. - -What I heard filled me with dismay. The purport was plain. I picked -up the pistol and pointed it at the lock in the door. I had made up -my mind, come what might, to blow off the lock and get free. Perhaps -I could even yet prevent and overawe them. Before I could press the -trigger, however, I heard a call on the deck above me, a shot, a rush -of feet, a scuffle, oaths, curses, a cry for help, a groan, a fall! - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -WHEREIN I BARGAIN FOR A WOMAN - - -What dire misfortune had happened I could well guess. Captain Matthews -had been attacked. He had promptly shot one of the mutineers, and -thereafter the rest had killed him. My next impulse was to blow open -the lock of the door as I had intended, and rush to avenge him, but -wiser counsel prevailed and I did nothing. I am, I think, somewhat -cool-headed in a crisis, and surely this was one. I could wait. A -loaded pistol was better than an empty one, and to deal with me they -would have to come to me for whatsoever purpose they might entertain, -either to murder me or to release me. In either event I could do more -than if I rushed headlong into the fray now. I could not help poor -Captain Matthews. I was sure that whatever fell purpose they might -entertain for my little mistress would be in abeyance until they had -settled with me. I flattered myself that I was too important to be -disregarded by the mutineers. Therefore, I carefully looked to my -weapons, seeing to the priming and slipping an additional bullet in the -barrel. After that I stood by the door, weapon in hand, grimly ready -for the murderous mutineers. - -I waited with every nerve strained to the utmost. I also listened most -anxiously for the opening of the door of the after cabin which was her -own, but she must have been in a sound sleep, indeed, for the door did -not open. Evidently she had heard nothing, mercifully she had not been -awakened. After all, if she had come into the main cabin I think I must -have come out also, one way or another; but so long as she slept, and -so long as I could force the door when I wished, I waited. It was not -an easy task, but I judged it best. - -Fortunately, I had not long to wait, for in less time by far than -I have taken to tell it, the hatch was opened and a number of -heavy-booted men clattered down the companionway. The cabin steward, -of course, knew the arrangement of the after part of the ship and he -brought them straight to my door. The key was in the lock outside and -I could hear them turn it. I loosened my sword which I had slung by its -belt around my waist, grasped my two pistols more firmly, set my back -against the side of the ship and made ready for whatever came. - -The door was pushed open abruptly and I saw the cabin was crowded with -men. At least half the crew was assembled there, and it was a little -cabin, _The Rose of Devon_ being but a small ship. The rest, I guessed, -were on watch. I could not see the boatswain, evidently he had the -deck. The vessel could not be left unwatched on such a night as this -and in such a sea, and he was the fittest man to take charge of her. -The steward had lighted both the cabin lanterns, several of the men -carried hand lanterns which they had brought from the forepeak. There -was plenty of illumination to show their villainous faces. - -They were surprised to find me so prepared and I gave them no time to -recover. - -“The first man,” I hissed out, raising my firearms and leveling them at -the group, “that tries to enter this berth without my permission gets a -bullet through him!” - -“We mean you no harm, sir,” gruffly spoke out one who seemed to be a -ringleader, a man rated as boatswain’s mate, whose name was Glibby. - -“What are you doing here,” I asked, “in the cabin at this time of -night?” - -“Softly, softly, sir,” replied Glibby, “we’re here to arsk questions, -not to answer ’em.” - -“What do you mean?” I cried. - -“We’re masters of the ship.” - -“Captain Matthews?” - -“He’ll cap’n no more ships on this or any other seas,” answered Glibby -with truculent emphasis. - -Now it rose in my mind to shoot him then and there, murderous brute -that he was--if I had been alone perhaps I would have done it without -reckoning the consequences to myself, but I had another to think of. -Unless craft stood me in good stead her case was hopeless. And bad as -Glibby was, Pimball was the chief villain. No, I decided, nothing much -would be gained by killing the boatswain’s mate when the boatswain -lived. I trust no man will think me a traitor or craven for what I said -next. The idea came to me on the instant and it seemed I could do no -better than adopt it. God forgive me if it was wrong. - -“Curse him!” I broke out with well simulated heat, “serves him right. -He disrates me and locks me up here just for stealing a kiss from a -maid, and--” - -“Spoke like a man of spirit, Mister Hampdon,” cried Glibby, greatly -pleased evidently. “What did I tell ye, mates? He’s with us.” - -“With you,” said I, carelessly pointing my weapons downward but taking -good care to keep them ready, “I am with you, all right. What do you -propose? I am sick of the treatment I received, and--” - -“We want that ’ere treasure for ourselves.” - -“And you shall have it, provided I get my share with the other men,” I -answered, scarcely startled by their words, for this I had expected. - -“We’ll share an’ share alike in everything,” answered Glibby. “Am I -right, mates?” - -“Right you are,” came from the deep voices of the men. - -“Aye,” said Glibby, “ship an’ treasure, an’--er--” with a frightful -leer--“woman!” - -God! How I longed to clutch him by his throat and choke him! My temper -rose again, but this time, as before, I managed to keep it down though -with immense difficulty, as you may suspect. - -“Come out into the cabin, Mr. Hampdon,” said Glibby with a certain -complacent civility in his manner which he doubtless meant to be -engaging, but for which I hated him the more if possible, “an’ we’ll -talk it over.” - -“Wait,” said I. “Who is in command of you?” - -“Why, Mr. Pimball, the bo’s’n, he’ll be in charge of the ship,” -answered Glibby. - -“Very good,” I said, “I must talk with him about the future. Do you go -on deck, Glibby, and send Pimball below and he and I with the rest of -you will soon settle this matter.” - -“All right,” answered the boatswain’s mate, turning to the -companionway. “Pimball can talk, him an’ you can come to terms, I make -no doubt.” - -Now I couldn’t allow myself to hesitate for the thousandth part of -a second. They say when a woman hesitates she is lost, but in a -situation like mine the man who hesitated would have been lost, too. -Ostentatiously again I shoved one pistol into the belt that hung at my -right side, the other I dropped carelessly into the pocket of my coat, -and as Glibby clattered up the ladder, I walked fearlessly, to all -appearances, out of the berth and into the cabin, the men giving back -respectfully enough to leave me gangway. - -“Now what is it that you propose, Master Bo’s’n?” I began, sitting down -at the cabin table, while the rest ranged themselves about it, some -standing, some sitting on the transoms at the sides, as Pimball came -lumbering down into the cabin. - -For a second he was nearer death than ever before in his life, or -ever after but once, as you shall see, but prudence as before held my -itching hand. - -“We know,” began Pimball insolently without further preliminaries, -“that this ship’s cruisin’ for treasure. We know all we’ll git out of -the cruise is what we signed for an’ nothin’ more. We’ve made a good -guess that the island lays hereabouts, an’ we mean to have more’n our -wage. We’re goin’ to have our share of whatever’s found that we’re -after.” - -“So you shall,” I said, “I’m with you in that. I want something more -than my wages, too.” - -“What’s this woman, anyway?” broke out another. “Why should she git it -all? She’s a mere girl.” - -“You have said right, mate, who and why indeed?” I answered smoothly, -marking him down for my vengeance when my turn came. “Now what are your -plans?” - -“We want that ’ere map or chart that you’ve been seed readin’ in your -cabin,” said Pimball. - -Now it happened that I was the keeper of that parchment and of the -little stone god. She had appointed me their custodian. No one had -sought to steal them, but I kept the chart ever on my person, and the -idol in a locked drawer in my berth. I didn’t know as to the value of -the chart; it might be immensely worth while, it might not. At any -rate, it was in a little bag around my neck. I reached down, pulled out -the bag, took the torn parchment from it, and threw the two halves on -the table. There was not the least use in my pretending ignorance or -in refusing to give it up. They could kill me and take it anyway. - -“There,” said I coolly, “you have it.” - -Pimball picked it up and looked at it searchingly, matching the halves -and scrutinizing it dubiously. - -“I can make but little out of it,” he said, staring hard at it, and -scratching his head, and I doubted if the rascal could read a line for -all his assumption of knowledge. - -“You can at least see the latitude and longitude on it in the upper -corner, can’t you?” I asked, hardly suppressing my contempt for the man. - -“Aye, that’s plain enough,” he answered, his face lighting a little as -he laid the chart down on the table so that the others might see. - -“And you see that little wavy line that runs up from the lagoon -over the top of what looks like a wall to an opening in the side?” -I continued, determining suddenly to inflame their minds with the -treasure so that they would give less heed to other things more -important to me. - -“Yes, I can make that out, too.” - -“You see that little mark there?” - -[Illustration: “The treasure is thereabouts.”] - -Pimball turned around and faced the others crowding about him in -great and growing excitement. - -“Here, lights here,” he growled. - -The men nearest him shoved forward with their lanterns, illuminating -the torn sheepskin as they crowded around, and bent over the table, as -I drew back to give them room. - -“Aye, I can make that out, too.” - -“By--” burst out one hoarsely, “that’s the spot.” - -“What does it mean?” the boatswain asked after a long stare. - -“It means, if there is any truth in it, that the treasure is -thereabouts.” - -“What treasure?” - -“The plunder of a Spanish galleon.” - -“An’ how did it git on the island?” - -“It was buried in that cave there a hundred and fifty years ago by one -Philip Wilberforce, an English buccaneer.” - -“And how come this girl by news of it?” - -“The story goes that this Wilberforce was one of her forebears. His -ship was wrecked and finally he alone survived. He escaped, was picked -up and brought back to England with nothing but the clothes he wore -and this parchment in a bag round his neck. With all that he had gone -through he lost his mind for a space. He recovered before he died -enough to tell some story. His sons quarreled. The story, with one -half of the parchment, went to one branch of the family and the other, -with the other half, to another. They never got together again until -her father and mother, strangely enough the last survivors of the two -branches of the family which had been so long separated, came together -by marriage, and after their death she pieced out the secret.” - -I told them the exact truth as you see. How much of it they understood -I could not tell. Probably but little, yet the idea of the treasure -was real enough undoubtedly and my glib way of rehearsing the story -evidently made a great impression on them. - -“Is that all?” asked Pimball, as I stopped for breath. - -“All that I know.” - -“And you think there is treasure there?” - -Now of late I had changed my mind, why I know not, but I had; yet it -would not do to tell them that, for I wanted so to fill their mind -with gold as to leave no place for woman. - -“I am sure of it,” I answered vehemently--“gold, silver, jewels, God -knows what, everything to make us rich forever.” - -“And what do you reckon the value of it all?” - -“Oh, several millions of pounds,” I answered lightly as if the treasure -was so great that a million more or less was of no moment. - -To the end of my life I shall never forget the gleaming of their eyes, -the covetousness in their faces and their bearing, the tense silence -broken only by their deep breathing, the vulgar passion for greed that -suddenly filled the little cabin. - -“Hurrah!” cried out one old seaman suddenly, and the cabin on the -instant was filled with wild cries, bestial, brutal shouts. - -As the sound partially died away, I heard the door back of me open. Now -I had purposely so placed myself as to be between the crowd and the -door. The door was opened but a little way. I was conscious that my -lady was at last awake and listening. - -“You’re the only navigator among us, Mr. Hampdon,” began Pimball, -smoothly enough, after the men got measurably quiet again, “an if -you’re really with us, you shall sail the ship there to that island. -We’ll git the treasure aboard, sail away an’ sink her on the South -American coast, an’ then every man for himself with all he can carry.” - -“Am I to be captain?” I asked. - -“There’ll be no cap’n, every man for hisself, I say, but me an’ my -mate, Glibby, will take the watches in turn. You’ll navigate the ship -an’ whatever is necessary for our safety we’ll do at your order. Is it -understood?” he went on with a manner that was meant to be ingratiating. - -“Yes,” answered I promptly, “but under one condition.” - -“We makes no conditions but what pleases us,” said Pimball darkly. -“We’re masters of the ship, remember, an’ this is our last word.” - -“It is not mine,” said I resolutely, yet without heat, for I had yet -the hardest part of the bargain to drive and I must command myself if I -were to command them. - -“Well, it’s got to be,” continued Pimball with vicious menace, starting -toward me with the marlinspike he carried upraised, while others drew -their sheath knives evidently prepared to back up their leader. - -“Now, my friends,” said I, coolly, “we might just as well understand -each other. You can kill me if you want to, it would be easy enough, -but when you have killed me you have killed your last chance at the -treasure. You don’t know what latitude or longitude we are in now, -there is not one of you that knows enough to take a sight or to sail -the ship to the island. You are completely helpless without me. My life -means the difference between treasure and no treasure to you. You are -all smart enough to see that.” - -“He speaks right,” said an old seaman at the back of the crowd. - -“There stands a man of sense,” said I, “therefore you will hear my -conditions and accede to them.” - -“Heave ahead,” said Pimball roughly enough, evidently not liking the -situation but failing utterly to see how it could be amended since I -completely held the whip hand of them all. - -“What I stipulate is very simple. First of all, I am to have my full -and equal share of the treasure with the rest. I am to be treated -exactly like the others in the division, and my life and liberty, which -are just as valuable to me as yours to any of you, are to be granted -me, as I grant those of others.” - -“Why, we told you that in the first place,” growled out the boatswain, -“if that’s all you’ve got to say--” - -“But it isn’t.” - -“What else?” - -“The woman.” - -“Ah, the woman,” said Pimball slowly. - -“What had you proposed to do with her?” I asked. - -“Why--er I--er,” the man faltered, he actually did not dare to say what -had been in his mind, and I’ve no doubt that my pistol never looked -bigger than it did when I quietly laid my hand on its butt. - -It was probable that the others had not as yet decided what was to -be done with her, whatever Pimball may have determined upon. I took -advantage of their hesitation and pushed the matter to a speedy -conclusion. - -“Well,” I said quickly, “I want her for myself.” Did I hear a groan in -the cabin back of me? If I did, I could not afford to hesitate, I could -not let them hear. “You saw how she treated me,” I cried, raising my -voice and banging on the table with my fist; “she struck me, she had me -imprisoned. I want her to be given over to me alone.” - -“But--” began Pimball, not relishing the abandonment of this prize -which he had evidently marked for his own. - -“I tell you what it is, mates,” said I, disregarding him and addressing -the rest directly, “I am a poor man and the treasure, or my share of -it, means a great deal to me, but revenge means much more. You give the -woman to me and I will divide my share of the treasure among the crew.” - -“Well,” began Pimball uncertainly, but the sentiment of the crew under -this appeal to their greed was palpably against him. - -“Don’t be a fool, man,” cried the sailor who had spoken before. “Give -the lad the wench. When we git the treasure we can buy all the women we -need.” - -“Aye, let him have her!” urged a second. - -“He’ll bring her to her knees,” said a third. - -“This very night,” added a fourth with a hideous leer and a horrible -laugh. - -“Stop it,” I cried, doubling my fist,--this was no assumed rage either, -for my blood was boiling and I could scarce restrain myself longer. -“This is my own affair.” - -The men fell back. They forgot for the moment their advantage in -numbers. - -“Well, that is agreed at last,” said Pimball reluctantly enough, “you -takes the woman, we takes the treasure.” - -“Agreed,” said I. - -“Is that right, mates?” he asked of the rest. - -“Right O,” was the answer. - -“It’s all settled then,” said I, “but no--” - -“Bring out the gal then an’ let’s see her,” suddenly began one of the -men, stepping forward. - -I don’t know whether I could have controlled myself any further or not. -I rose to my feet, my hand clutching the pistol. The lights danced -before my eyes I was so furiously angered. I was about to raise my arm -when she saved me. The door back of me was thrown open wide and she -stepped out into the cabin. How I thrilled to see her, erect, fearless, -more beautiful than ever. She had thrown some sort of a robe about her, -and thrust her bare feet into slippers. She had gathered the cloak over -her breast with one hand. Her hair was disheveled, but how beautiful -she appeared. The men recoiled and I stepped back myself. - -“I have heard all,” she cried, “you murderous villains, to have killed -my captain and seized my ship, and you--you--” she turned to me, “to -have bargained for me and to have bought me like an animal, a horse, a -dog-- Oh, if I had a weapon!” - -My pistol was still in my hand and she made a clutch at it, but I was -too quick for her. I caught her by the wrist. The spell she had cast -upon us by her sudden entrance, her beautiful presence, by her proud, -brave demeanor was broken by that touch. The men laughed. God, the -remembrance of that laugh makes my blood boil even now. - -“I wish you joy of her,” said one. - -“You’ll have a time tamin’ her,” cried a second. - -“Ah, you think so,” I cried, determining to carry out the deception to -the bitter end and to leave no chance for the least suspicion to arise. -I seized her by the shoulders, secretly praying God to forgive me for -what I was about to do, and shook her violently back and forth. It was -easy enough. A baby in my hands would not have been more helpless. -“Silence, you fools,” I cried as the men began to laugh again, and -then to her, “You belong to me, woman. Do you hear? I’ve bought you. I -am your master. Get back into your cabin. I will have speech with you -later.” Helpless, amazed, petrified with terror, she could do nothing. -I thrust her into the cabin, shut the door and faced the men. “Will you -gentlemen leave me alone to tame this she devil for a little while, and -I will be on deck presently,” I panted out. - -“Very well,” said Pimball, “but before we goes--” he pointed to a heavy -bottle in the rack, “I proposes that we drinks the health of the new -navigator an’ his lady.” - -“Right you are,” said I, making the best of that situation. - -I reached for the glasses that were in the rack and poured out a stiff -dram for each man and added mighty little water to it. The room was -soon filled with mocking, jeering toasts to my health and happiness. -I drank with them. I have ever believed that when you attempt a thing -it is better to give your whole heart to it, or you had better not try -at all, and I did not propose to spoil the game that had progressed -successfully so far, by not joining in. So I drank with the others -although I would rather have swallowed poison. They went out one by -one, Pimball last. - -“You’ll play fair with us, Mr. Hampdon,” he said earnestly and -suspiciously, too, “or--” - -“You will play fair with me, or--” I retorted. - -“There’s my hand on it,” he interrupted and I took it, aye and shook it. - -“I wish you joy of your woman,” he sneered. - -“You will see how tame she is tomorrow,” I laughed, as he climbed up -the ladder and soon disappeared. - -My first instinct was to draw the hatch covers and bolt them, but I -didn’t dare. In fact, Pimball himself kicked them together. I turned to -the shut door of her cabin. To throw open the door was the work of a -minute. There she stood. She had twisted some kind of a rope out of the -sheets of her berth which she had hastily torn in strips. Her purpose -was plain. She had intended to end her life by hanging herself from the -hook in the deck beam above to which one end of her rope was secured; -and she would have done it, too, if I had not come in in the nick of -time. - -I stared at her for a moment and then reached forward and tore the -plaited strands out of her hand and from around her neck and threw -them to the deck. It was evidence to me of the deepness of her despair -that she had attempted such a thing. It showed me for one thing the -excellence of my acting for I couldn’t have conceived that she would -try to do away with herself if she had the slightest suspicion that -I was a true man still. I had convinced even her of my villainy I -realized with a sudden pang. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -WHEREIN I MAKE ALL CLEAR TO MY LITTLE MISTRESS - - -Hard as I stared at her, the glance that she shot back at me matched -my own. I never want to see such loathing, such contempt, such scorn -on a human countenance again--much less on her sweet face. It cut me -to the heart. Conscious of my own innocence of wrong and unaware of -the excellence of my acting, I could not understand it for a moment. -That she had so far believed my own words against her knowledge of -my character and the memory of my long, devoted, faithful service, -confounded me. I was appalled, paralyzed for the time being. I didn’t -know what to say, how to begin an explanation. I stood there gaping -like a fool. It was she who broke the silence that was becoming -insupportable between us. Come to think of it, the initiative--in -speech at least!--was invariably hers. - -“A moment,” she said wildly, all her feeling in her voice, “and I had -done it, traitor!” - -“Nay,” I protested, “I am a true man.” - -“You bargained for me, you bought me.” - -“I was not in earnest,” I started to say, but she interrupted me in a -perfect tempest of outraged feeling. - -“My God!” she burst out, “why didn’t you stay away a little longer and -I had done it? You villain, you vile, low--” - -But at that I found voice again, for I was getting angry myself, my -temper naturally being none the sweetest, save ordinarily when she was -concerned. - -“Hear me,” I interrupted in turn. - -“Not a word,” she said imperiously. - -“But indeed you must,” I persisted almost roughly, stepping within her -cabin and carefully closing the door after me. “It is your welfare -alone that I seek. I think you should have known that.” - -“After the insult on the quarter-deck last evening?” she asked -cuttingly. - -Now I confess I had forgot that small affair in the graver matters that -ensued. - -“Never mind that,” I began most unwisely. - -“Never mind it!” she cried, her face flaming, “I shall never forget -your insolence as long as I live.” - -“Madam,” said I, controlling myself again but with added difficulty, -“our concern is not with kisses but with--” - -“What?” - -“Life and--” - -I hesitated. - -“What else? Speak on.” - -“Your honor,” I said slowly, whereat she stared at my face, now -doubtless stern enough in all conscience. - -She opened her mouth to speak, but I silenced her with a wave of my -hand as I found I could do on various occasions. I did not wish to hear -further from her then. What I had to say concerned us both so deeply -that I cared not what she said and perhaps that closed cabin into which -I had penetrated was the likeliest place for privacy in the whole ship. -I could by no means be overheard, so I determined to speak freely and -in a way not to be misunderstood. She shrank back against the farther -bulkhead as I approached her. Her mouth opened to scream evidently, -although she must have realized that a call for help would have but -added to her tormentors. But I stopped her before she made a sound. - -“I mean you no harm, can you not see it?” I began. “It was all a play.” - -“A play,” she panted, “the murder of the captain, the mutiny of the -men, the seizure of the ship, the giving up the chart, your purchase--” -she drew herself up--by heaven, she was a brave little thing--“of me,” -she added, “with your share of the treasure: was that a play?” - -“Part of it, madam,” I answered, stung by her scorn and stunned again -by the thought that she could ever have believed me capable of such -baseness, who had loved her, worshiped her, and--but for that fleeting -moment when I had kissed her--had ever treated her with such humble -consideration and respect. - -“Part of it,” she repeated, “what part?” - -“My part.” - -“Your part?” - -“I am your humble servant now as ever,” I said emphatically. - -“My master, isn’t it, since you bought me?” - -“God forbid, I bought not you.” - -“What then?” - -“The right to live and serve you, the right for you to live unharmed, -and--” - -“And what?” - -“And be served by me with no thought but for your safety and happiness.” - -She stared at me for some moments in deep perturbation and perplexity, -her brow furrowed. I had wit enough to be silent and let the speech -work. - -“Have I wronged you?” she asked falteringly at last. - -“As to that, madam,” I returned firmly--oh, I yearned to take her in my -arms, to press her to my heart, to call her sweet names, but I did not -dare--“you yourself must be the judge. But if you will think a moment -you will see that I had no other course. What would your fate have -been, left to that murderous rabble on the deck yonder?” - -“I could have died,” she faltered. - -“Aye, of course, but not until after they had done with you,” I said -with a grim plainness of speech, seeing no other way to convince her, -and pressing home my slight advantage accordingly. - -She shuddered as my meaning became clear to her. - -“You should have known me better,” I continued a little reproachfully, -“than to have suspected--” - -“But your insult to me this very night on the quarter-deck and your -indifference to it a moment ago!” - -Her cheek flushed at the thought of it in spite of herself, and mine -flushed, too, or it would have colored had it been less brown, I have -no doubt. - -“And is a man to be condemned beyond pardon who has served you truly, -because he snatches a kiss in a moment of madness and forgets it when -your life and honor tremble in the balance?” - -“I did not think even you could forget that--ever,” she said and I -could not fathom exactly her purpose in that remark. - -Did she not want me to forget it? Or would she have me remember it? But -this seemed like trifling. I turned away bitterly, but she caught me -by the arm instantly. - -“What are you about to do?” she began. “Don’t abandon me now. I believe -in you. I see now why you did it. It was to save me and help me. What -would I do, what could I do, without you? I am--” she hesitated, it was -hard for her proud spirit, and coming nearer faltered out a few broken -words. “I am sorry,” she finished humbly, with downcast head. - -“Say no more,” I answered, looking down at the little hand on my -sleeve, my soul thrilling to her words and touch. “No harm shall come -to you save over my dead body.” - -“I believe it.” - -“But that is not enough for me to promise. I mean to extricate you from -this peril, to save your life if I can, your honor in any case.” - -“But how?” - -“If the worst came I would kill you with my own hands rather than let -you fall into theirs.” - -“I would welcome death itself rather than that,” she answered proudly. - -“I believe it will not come to that,” I said. “I hope to save you -otherwise.” - -“But is it possible?” - -“I think so, I pray so.” - -“You are but one against so many.” - -“I have one ally in the ship, you forget,” said I, smiling at her, -relieved and thankful to see her in her right mind again and awake to -the truth and to my real feeling toward her. - -“And that is--” - -“Yourself.” - -“A feeble helper,” she rejoined, smiling in turn. - -“We shall see.” - -“And will you forgive me for having misjudged you?” she asked -pleadingly. - -“Gladly.” - -“My hand on it then,” she said, holding out her little palm, which I -swallowed up in my large one on the instant, standing silent as usual, -holding it the while. - -“And are you not sorry that you--you--kissed me?” she faltered at last. - -“No,” I answered bluntly enough--being a plain man I have always felt -compelled to tell the truth--except perhaps when her interests were at -stake--“I am not sorry,”--but as she swiftly tried to draw her hand -away I added, “I promise you I won’t do it again, and you will forgive -me, I know. Meanwhile, we have much to plan, we may be interrupted any -time, and we had best get at it.” - -I released her hand and she faced me calmly enough. - -“You don’t know how much safer I feel when I have you to depend upon,” -she said. - -How my heart leaped at that assurance for I saw by it that she had -indeed forgiven me. - -“I shall leave everything to you, Master Hampdon,” she continued. “Do -you tell me what to do and I will do it.” - -“I know you will. I could not ask a braver, better second,” I answered -heartily. - -At that moment I heard a step on the ladder. Somebody was coming. Quick -as a flash I realized the part we had to play in public. I balled my -fist and struck the bulkhead savagely. I suppose I must have changed my -expression as well for in her surprise, she screamed faintly. - -“That’s it,” I whispered, “cry out again, but louder, louder.” - -“What do you mean?” she asked hurriedly, with uncomprehending -amazement--in this crisis my wits working quicker than hers. - -“There is somebody outside. We have a part to play. I am abusing you -and you are fighting for your life,” I whispered swiftly, then louder, -fairly shouting at her, indeed, I cried out, “Down on your knees, -wench. You will find that you have met your master now.” - -I made some sound of scuffling and she did indeed scream loudly. In the -midst of the commotion the door was tried, but fortunately I had turned -the key. - -“Who’s there?” I shouted, and to my lady whispered, “beg for help, -loudly.” - -Entering into the spirit of the game and smiling at me since there was -none but me to see, albeit she infused strange terror in her voice so -that I was amazed myself, she cried at the top of her voice, - -“Help! Help!” - -I in turn called louder yet. - -“Silence woman!” and struck the bulkhead again. - -Finally turning to the door I opened it a bit and there stood one of -the younger seamen. - -“What want you?” I began sternly and stormily. “I don’t care to be -disturbed just now.” - -“Well, from the sound of your love makin’,” answered the sailor -insolently, “I shouldn’t judge that you was gittin’ any for-ader.” - -And here my little mistress showed her cleverness. She had pulled her -hair around her face and somewhat disarranged her dress. She sprang to -the door and striving to pass my outstretched arm, pathetically begged -the seaman’s assistance from this great brute, meaning myself! It was -well done and deceived the man completely. - -“I can’t help you,” he said. “I’d like to, Mistress, but yon man’s -bought you with his share of the treasure an’ a bargain’s a bargain. -We must e’en stick to it, though, as I live, I think you worth it,” he -leered out at her. - -“You see,” said I speaking harshly to her and thrusting her with -seeming violence away from the door, “get back into your corner, curse -you!” And then to the man, I said, “Now what’s the matter and what’s -wanted?” - -“You’re wanted on deck. It is jest dawn. Land’s been sighted an’ -there’s a heavy sea runnin’. Pimball an’ Glibby want your advice as to -what’s to be done.” - -“Good,” said I, “I will be with you in a moment. Tell them I have yet a -word or two to say to this woman, here.” - -The man turned on his heel, passed through the cabin and climbed the -ladder to the deck. - -“Now,” I said quickly, thrusting one of my pistols into my little -mistress’ hand, “we can talk no longer this time; I am going to do my -best for you and if I fail here is a weapon. You know what to do with -it?” - -“Shall I use it on them?” - -“No, madam,” I answered grimly, “on yourself if it comes to the worst.” - -“I understand,” she said, paling a little. - -“Lock the door when I go out and on no account open to any voice but -mine.” - -“I shall remember.” - -“And keep up the acting,” I said, “whimper and cower away whenever we -are seen together.” - -“I shall not forget,” she said, standing very straight, looking at me -bravely, her eyes shining. - -“And now, good-by.” - -I turned away but she caught me by the shoulder. She extended her hand -rather high. I was not so dumb as not to understand what she wanted and -so I bent and kissed it, and it was no light kiss of gallantry, but I -pressed my lips passionately against the little hand. - -“May God keep you,” she said, as I turned away, breathing the “Amen” I -dared not speak. - -I heard the key turn in the lock behind me and with a heart full of -misgivings in spite of my stern and resolute purpose, I came out on -deck again. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -IN WHICH WE ESCAPE TOGETHER FROM THE SHIP - - -I had no idea that it was morning already, the night had passed so -quickly. The eastern sky was already gray, and although the day -bade fair to be an unpleasant one there was already light enough to -distinguish land off to starboard; that side of the ship on the tack -on which we were then standing, was to leeward. We had run quite near -it in the night. It was still too gray to make out much more than the -existence of the land itself, but I thought I saw beyond the nearest -island others rising. - -At any rate, there it was where it ought to be, and I didn’t make any -doubt but that it was the island which we had been seeking these long -weary months at sea, especially as I recalled the results of the sights -which poor Captain Matthews and I had worked out the afternoon before. -I felt no little pride in my navigation, by the way. I had told her -that I could find it, and I had done so after sailing halfway round -the world. - -The observation which I had taken then and which I had checked off -later, and which Captain Matthews had also checked off by his own -shot at the sun, had shown us that we were in about the latitude and -longitude of the chart where we might hope to sight land, if the -island of our search was not purely an imaginary one. It had not been -marked on any chart, to be sure, and I had always felt some doubt -about it. The whole story was so strange and unreal, something like -a story-teller’s romance, that the longer I sailed on the voyage the -less real the whole undertaking seemed. With the passing days and the -passing leagues I had changed my once confident opinion. - -Yet I knew that these parts of the ocean had not been well charted, -they were very infrequently visited, and there might well be islands -here as well as in other parts of the South Seas that no one knew -anything at all about. I had thus sought to reassure myself, and lo -and behold, there it was. I was glad then that I had not spoken of my -growing doubts to my lady. - -Somehow the sight of that land set my pulses beating. If there was land -there, why should not the rest of the story be true, why should there -not be treasure? - -My confidence came suddenly back to me. Yes, that must be the island -and the treasure must be upon it. I had professed to give up all of -my share to the crew for her--nevertheless, I was not insensible to -its value if it were there, and I made up my mind if human strength, -human wisdom, human cunning, and unbounded devotion could work it out, -I would outwit the crew and get all of it for her, although I realized -that riches would remove her at once further than ever from me. - -What of it! I couldn’t be further from her than I was. She had shown me -my presumption and rebuked me properly for it, though indeed she had -forgiven me. She was born to be rich and happy and if I could make her -the one her friends, old and new, would doubtless make her the other. -As for me--well, I could go off on some longer cruise even than this -and never come back. Nobody would care. I didn’t have much time to -think about these things, but the resolution came to my mind then as I -set it down here. - -The whole crew was on deck. I didn’t see Captain Matthews’ body about, -although I looked hastily for it. I learned later that they had tumbled -the poor old man overboard after they had knocked him on the head. He -had shot a mutineer before the rest killed him, and he, too, had gone -into the sea with the same lack of ceremony--murdered and murderer -together to wait the final reckoning. Pimball, Glibby, and one or two -others of the older seamen were on the quarter-deck, the rest being -strung along the lee rail in the waist, staring at the island. Two good -hands were at the wheel. The ship was pitching and laboring heavily and -it required two men to hold her up to it. - -Everything above the topsail yards had been furled, of course, and -during the night they had taken a second reef in the topsails. A whole -gale was now blowing. _The Rose of Devon_ was a wet ship in a seaway, -and she was making heavy weather out of it. Every once in a while a -wave would slap her on the weather bow and send a cloud of spray as -high as the foreyard, followed by a torrent of water flooding aft. -Fortunately it was not cold. We were only a few degrees south from the -line so the water was warm and nobody minded an occasional ducking. - -I noticed one thing with satisfaction. They had evidently not thought -it worth while to break open the arms chest or to force the key from -me, which they could easily have done, and therefore none of them was -armed. The desirability of getting at the arms had not occurred to -them, or else, they being so many, and I but one, they had not thought -it worth while. At any rate, save their sheath knives, weapons they -had none. Even Captain Matthews’ pistols had been thrown over with the -body, in their hasty disposition of it. - -“Well,” I began, as I climbed over the hatch combing and turned aft. - -“I sent for you, Hampdon,” began Pimball insolently, and his -failure to ‘mister’ me or to give me any title indicated our -present relations--and of course I expressed no resentment over his -disrespect--“because o’ that,” he pointed to the leeward toward the -island, which we were now sufficiently close to see easily in the -growing light, and to which we were rapidly drawing nearer. “What do -you make of it?” - -“It looks like land,” I said to gain time. - -“It is land, of course,” he rejoined impatiently, “but what land?” - -“How can I tell?” I answered evasively. “I have never been in these -seas before.” - -“Well, you took a shot at the sun yesterday, didn’t you?” - -“Certainly.” - -“An’ where were we?” - -I named a latitude and longitude, not exactly what I had worked out -but near enough. For obvious reasons I didn’t want these ruffians to -know exactly where we were or to have any accurate information on any -subject. He pulled out the chart as I spoke and compared its figures -with those I had given them. Evidently he could read figures if not -letters. - -“At any rate,” he said after studying over the map for a little time, -“that ain’t far from the p’int we’re makin’ for, is it?” - -“No,” I admitted, “not very.” - -“Do you think that can be it?” - -“I can’t tell for certain,” I replied, determined not to commit -myself, “until I get another shot at the sun. I should think the -latitude about right, but as to the longitude--” - -“An’ you can’t git no shot at the sun ’til noon, can you?” -unceremoniously put in Glibby, casting a long look to the eastward -where the sky was thick and cloudy already. - -“I can’t even get an observation then unless we have clear weather,” I -answered. - -“There’ll be no clear weather today, I take it,” said an old seaman, -standing with the other two. - -“I don’t much think it,” I assented. - -“Well, what do you advise, then?” asked Pimball. - -“That we stand on slowly during the day and heave to at night, and if -we can’t get a shot at the sun, stay hereabouts until the sky is clear -and the sun visible, then we will know just exactly what course to take -and just what’s best to be done.” - -The advice was so self-evidently good, in fact, the only practicable -course, that there was no hesitation in accepting it. Pimball, -Glibby, and the older sailors conferred together for a few minutes -and decided that what I had said was sensible. The boatswain stepped -up to the horse block, grabbed the trumpet, and shouted his orders. -Presently the ship was hove to with the island well under her lee, -distant perhaps a league and a half or maybe two leagues. Personally I -should not have hove to a ship so close to a lee shore. I should not -have advised it and indeed would have protested against it, had I not -suddenly developed a plan, a plan as desperate as ever came into man’s -head, but then the situation required desperate remedies. And for the -accomplishment of the plan the ship was now in the very best position I -could have put her. - -There were thirty able-bodied men on that ship, not one of whom could -have matched me individually, but collectively I was nothing compared -to them. If that were the island for which we had been headed, I did -not want to leave it without an inspection. Privately I had no doubt -but that it was, because, as near as I could calculate from our last -observation, it was exactly in the spot where it ought to be, did the -parchment tell the truth. As I said before, I prided myself on my -navigation and I do still. It was no light thing to sail a ship from -England across the whole length of the Atlantic, round Cape Horn and -take her up into the tropics and put her just where she ought to be; -and I submit that I had a right to be proud. - -Well, if that were the island, I was minded to desert the ship with my -lady, get ashore and trust ourselves to the tender mercies of whatever -natives there were rather than stay with the vessel. The savages, -if any there were, couldn’t do any more than murder us, and, unless -I could shoot her first, the men would eventually treat her, and me -too, a deal worse than that. I took no stock in their promises and -agreements. Once they got the treasure it would follow that they would -kill me and take her. So I made up my mind to desert the ship with my -mistress just as soon as I could get away from her, and I thought I -could. Rather the natural savage than the civilized one for us both, I -decided. That was my desperate design. - -When we got _The Rose of Devon_ safely hove to, the men all knocked off -work at once, leaving the decks in a state of confusion. Indeed, save -to clear up the gear, there was nothing to do but wait. Two or three -men were stationed on watch and the rest were given the freedom of the -ship. I was in doubt as to what to say about the cabin, but strangely -enough nobody made any effort to take advantage of the mastery of the -crew to quarter himself there. Indeed, their quarters forward were -almost as good as ours and they evidently preferred to be together. -The ship was generously provisioned and the fare of the men had been -unusually good. They did, however, break into the lazarette and help -themselves to whatever they liked out of the cabin stores, including a -case of bottled spirits. - -I looked at that action with very considerable alarm at first, -wondering whether it would not be wise or better for me to interfere, -lest I should be unable to control them at all when drunk. I decided -in the end not to interpose any objections. In fact, I went further -in pursuance of my plan and I flatter myself that my design was a -brilliant one. From the cabin stores presently I brought out other -liquor and let them have as much as they wanted. I even plied them with -it, playing the host with much profession of generosity and hearty -hospitality. A little liquor would make them ugly and intractable, I -reasoned, a great deal would make them drunk, and enough would render -them completely helpless. I even joined them in their carousal. It was -easy enough to spill my portion and make a pretense at drinking which -soon deceived them. They took to the liquor like ducks to the water and -voted me a royal good fellow and the prince of pirates. I mixed the -raw spirits with very heady wines, too, being much astonished at their -capacity, by the way. - -The men on watch kept reasonably sober for a time, but even they were -not any too abstemious. I saw to that. Later on, the cook, who was not -yet too drunk, fixed them up a regular banquet out of the cabin stores, -and there was no objection to my taking a portion to my lady in the -stateroom below, where she needed no urgent entreaty to keep close and -remain out of the way. - -My communications that long day with my sweet charge were necessarily -much intermitted and very short. I did not dare to be long away from -the men on deck. I still wore my sword, and searching through the -captain’s cabin found two heavy pistols which I carefully charged, -concealing them in the deep pockets of my pea jackets. I passed among -the men freely, handing out the spirits, opening fresh bottles and -bandying rough jests, but took care never to be in any position where I -could not command the companion hatch which led to the cabin. - -The day did not pass without some altercations and quarrels. One man -did endeavor to get below but I was too quick for him. He was one of -the most unimportant among the crew and I fetched him a sound buffet -which laid him out--he was too drunk to resent it successfully even -then--and which was greeted with a roar of laughter by the rest. - -“Play fair, Jack,” yelled Pimball drunkenly; he was rather better -humored in his cups than out, it seemed; “he has give up his share of -the treasure for the girl. Let him have her,” of which sentiment the -rest of the villains apparently were pleased to approve. - -Our drift was slowly but surely in the direction of the island. Indeed, -I think we had made half a league or more to leeward since we had been -hove to. From time to time I searched the shore with a glass, seeing -that the land was protected and completely enclosed by a reef on that -side at least, which agreed with the chart; but the sky continued -overcast and the mist grew thicker, so I couldn’t make out much more -than that. It was land and that was enough. It was big enough to -support life, and I thought that I detected green patches here and -there that betokened vegetation, and if so, there must be water and -where there was water there was certainly life. - -Nobody took any care to strike the bells, but when darkness fell I -declared noisily that I would go below and turn in. All but the most -seasoned and hardy drinkers were by this time dead-drunk. There was -evidently some little remembrance of my rank, for no one yet conscious -made any objection. Pimball, lying supine on the deck, hiccoughed out -that he and Glibby, who was in no better case, would keep the watches, -so far as the ship needed watching. I ventured to suggest that the ship -could be left alone without watch at all under the circumstances and he -stuttered out a complete agreement over the bottle which he and Glibby -lovingly shared. The wind had moderated somewhat, although it was -still blowing hard. We set no more sail, however, and indeed, unless we -wished to drift past the island, it was not necessary, especially as -they still kept her hove to. With drunken effusiveness they assured me -that they would take care of the ship and I went below, having provided -all of them with a fresh supply of drink just before. - -I sometimes wonder if I would not have been justified in killing them -all while they were rendered thus helpless. But I could not bring -myself to such wholesale murder, richly as they deserved it and little -as I was inclined to mercy. I also thought of clapping them in irons -and stowing them below. But there were not irons enough aboard for that -purpose and Mistress Wilberforce and I could not work the ship unaided; -we could not even feed and water our prisoners. Yet, if I could have -counted on three or four true men’s assistance, I would have risked it. -So far as I could judge the whole crew had become thoroughly corrupt. I -did not dare to try any of them. No, to abandon the ship was our only -chance. - -How my little mistress had passed the dragging, anxious hours of that -awful day you can better imagine than I can describe. And my occasional -visits had scarcely reassured her greatly. Yet in an emergency I have -never known a woman who had more spirit, who could bear herself more -courageously, and I never want to be so loyally or efficiently backed -by anyone as she backed me. But I have often observed that it is the -waiting that is hardest. It is the standing still and not knowing what -is going to turn up, that takes strength out of a strong man and much -more out of a nervous woman. - -She had left her noon meal practically untouched, and was sitting there -in the cabin nervously clutching the pistol, frightened half to death. -Poor girl, I didn’t blame her. Whatever may have been the cause of it -she was genuinely glad to see me when I came in and lighted the cabin -lanterns. - -“Oh,” she cried, “I have been in agony the whole day. Every sound has -caused me to seize this weapon and when I have not been watching the -door I have been on my knees praying for you and for myself. I do not -think I can stand another day like this.” - -“Please God, dear lady, you shall not,” I said, smiling reassuringly at -her. - -“What do you mean? Have you a plan?” - -“I have. The men are all drunk.” - -“I heard them taking the spirits from the rack, and--” - -“I gave them all they wanted, and more,” I interposed. - -“Was that wise?” - -“Certainly.” - -“I don’t understand.” - -“A little liquor would have inflamed them, a great deal stupefies them. -They are as helpless as logs now, and if I had three good men besides -myself I could take the ship. As it is--” I hesitated--“I am here to -serve you. I am going to leave the ship and take you with me.” - -“But how--when?” - -For answer I threw open the stern window of her cabin. On a level with -it swung a small boat, a whaleboat. Now I had taken occasion during the -day to lower that boat little by little, a few inches at a time and -then a few inches at another time, as I had opportunity to get near -the falls and to manipulate them unobserved, being sheltered by the -trunk cabin, of which all the men were forward, and I had succeeded -in my purpose without attracting attention, although the risk had -been tremendous. Of course, I couldn’t lower it clear to the water, -but I had brought it down to the level of the cabin windows. Its sea -lashings were cast off and I had no doubt, if conditions on deck were -as I expected them to be, I could lower it all the way later on with -impunity. - -“What do you mean?” she asked, staring out of the window and into the -empty boat. - -“I mean that you and I are going to embark in that boat tonight and -leave this ship.” - -“But where are we going?” - -“There is land not a league and a half under our lee. It seems to be -the most easterly of a cluster of islands.” - -“Is it the island we seek, do you think?” - -“I have no doubt,” I replied, “if there is such an island, that it will -be one of the cluster. We are in exactly the latitude and the longitude -of the chart if my calculations are correct.” - -“The island was uninhabited when my ancestor was cast away upon it.” - -“Yes,” said I, “but there may be natives there now, and no savages of -the South Seas could be more cruel and ruthless than the men on this -ship. To be frank with you, I have no doubt that as soon as they are -sure that they have reached the island and that my services are no -longer necessary to enable them to find the treasure, they will murder -me out of hand.” - -“And me?” - -“They would not be so merciful to you.” - -“But wouldn’t they want to keep you to take the ship back?” - -“That is an easy matter,” I answered. “All they would have to do would -be to lay a course as nearly possible due east and they would bring up -on the South American coast, Peru, Chile, somewhere, it would not make -very much difference where, so long as it was near Spanish settlements. -Then they would divide the treasure, wreck the ship, and scatter -themselves and their gains. No, my usefulness ends as soon as they -determine that yonder is the island and that the treasure is there.” - -“Let us go,” she said, shuddering. - -“I thought you would see it that way,” I replied; “the worst the -natives can do, if there are any, is to murder us and I shall always -save the last shot--” I paused, I couldn’t bear to say it. - -“For me,” she added softly, laying her little hand again upon my -arm--and how I loved and prized those little touches, those little -evidences of trust and confidence. - -I nodded stupidly, speechless as usual. - -“What is your plan?” she asked. - -“I want you to dress yourself in your stoutest clothes with your -heaviest shoes, wrap yourself up in a boat cloak and take with you a -few necessaries for your comfort. I will go and rummage the lazarette -for provisions, and I will see if I can turn up any more weapons in the -captain’s room. I dare not go to the arms chest. It is below in the -hold anyway, and I can’t waste the time to hunt it out. We must hurry.” - -“Why, you said they were insensible.” - -“They carry liquor like a line-of-battle ship her tops’ls in a storm,” -I answered. “They’ll recover their senses before we know it. I want as -long a start as possible, and indeed I must hasten now.” - -“Wait a moment,” she said. She opened a drawer under her berth and -drew out a leather case, which she opened and placed before me. There -were two ivory-handled, silver-mounted pistols in it. “They belonged to -my father,” she said, “with one of them he--he--” her voice broke. I -nodded. I knew what he had done with one of them. She rummaged farther -and drew out an exquisite sword, quite unlike my heavy one, but if I -could judge anything about weapons, of fine temper and strength and -with its hilt studded with diamonds. “This was my father’s, too,” she -said, and I recognized it also. It was that I had taken from Arcester. -I have worn it many times since in the King’s service, for we found it -on the ship again, after--but I go ahead of my story! - -The pistols were smaller than my huge barkers, better suited for her -hand, and to load them from the flasks which accompanied them was the -work of a few minutes. I thrust my own heavy weapons back into my belt. -I then buckled her two pistols around her waist and bade her have the -sword handy also. We might need all these weapons, though I did not -think so. - -Then I left her and went out on deck. The men were in a profound -drunken stupor. Pimball was sound asleep, Glibby was nodding, the -lookout aft could hardly keep himself awake and the lookout forward -was in much the same condition. The rest of the men were as helpless -as logs, like dead men in fact. I made the circuit of the ship. Glibby -leered at me as I drew abreast of him. - -“Everyth-th-ing a-all-r-right?” he hiccoughed. - -“Everything,” I answered shortly, “the old barque doesn’t need much -watching tonight, you can see.” - -The wind had fallen somewhat and the sea was much calmer. - -“W-we w-will g-get a s-s-shot at the s-sun in the m-m-orning,” he -continued, “an’ t-then we will s-s-see where w-we are.” - -“Aye,” said I, “in the morning.” I yawned extravagantly. “I will go and -turn in, I think. If you need me, call me.” - -He flung a vile suggestion after me which made me want to turn and -heave him overboard, but I had to force a laugh as I went below into -the cabin. I saw that in a few moments he and the lookouts forward and -aft would be like the rest. - -The lazarette was well provided and I stocked the boat handsomely, -not forgetting compass, lantern, tinder box, and candles. There was -not much water, but I emptied some bottles of wine and filled them, -although I did not greatly worry on that account because there would be -plenty of water undoubtedly on the island. The boat was provided with a -mast and sail. I got into her as she swung at the davits and overhauled -spar and gear. Then I shipped the tiller and presently everything was -ready. A final search brought to light a narrow locker in the captain’s -room which I forced open, and found to contain a fine fowling piece, a -double-barreled shotgun, and a heavy musket with plenty of powder and -ball. These I passed into the boat also, with a sharp and heavy axe. - -“Have you got ready all that you wish to take?” I asked my little -mistress when all my own preparations were completed. - -“A change of linen, some toilet articles and necessaries, needles and -thread,” she answered, holding up her bundle. - -“Good,” said I. I judged it was about ten o’clock at night. “Now do you -get into the boat, madam.” - -She had not been on the ship for six months without having learned -something about it and she instantly asked me, - -“But how are you going to lower the boat away?” - -“I will have to go up on deck for that,” I said. - -“But won’t they see you?” - -“I don’t think so, but whether they do or not, we must chance it, but -if anything should happen to me, I’ll manage first to lower and then -to cut the boat adrift and you will be in God’s hands. I don’t think -they will see me and I am going to do my best to see that nothing does -happen, but always you will have to trust to Him.” - -“I do, I do,” she whispered, “and to you.” - -There was no irreverence in that, I am sure, and I bowed my head -silently, assisting her to take her place in the stern sheets. It was -not a large boat, yet she made but a small figure sitting there. Then I -went on deck. I had a can of oil with me to oil the blocks. It was as -I fancied. By that time everybody on the ship was asleep in a drunken -stupor and the bottle I had passed to the hard-headed Glibby as I had -left him had done its work, too. The two lookouts were sleeping with -the others. The man forward was sprawled on the deck. I went forward -to make sure. The ship was deserted so far as human supervision was -concerned. - -Still, I didn’t neglect any precaution. I oiled the sheaves of the -blocks and lowered the boat away carefully inch by inch until it was -water-borne. I reassured my mistress by whispered words as I did so. -She had had her instructions, and right well she followed them. She had -her boat hook out and fended off the minute the boat touched the water. -For me to belay the falls and slide down the forward one, to cast off -and take my place in the boat was but the work of an instant. The oars -had been carefully muffled. Although the noise of the waves rendered -conversation quite safe we neither of us spoke a word until I had rowed -some distance from the ship. - -As I pulled away I half regretted that I had not poured the remainder -of the oil down the fore hatch and set fire to it. But as I said, I -could not bring myself to wholesale murder like that, for drunk as they -were none could have escaped. No, the only thing I could do was to -leave them, though there came a time when I regretted my squeamishness -and was sorry I had not made way with them while I had a chance. - -We were very silent for the first ten minutes or so. I think my -mistress was saying her prayers, while I rowed as I had never rowed -before. I could see the stern cabin lights plainly as we drew away from -the ship, although for the rest she was in total darkness, no other -lights showing, and so soon as we did get far enough away to render -talking advisable I had too much to do to spend any time in discussion. -I had to get the mast stepped and the sail spread. Fortunately, the -breeze was blowing directly northwestward and that was the course -we wanted to steer. I suppose it was nearly midnight before we got -everything shipshape, my lady bravely helping me with her best efforts, -and the little vessel threshed gallantly through the big seas. - -The wind had gone down considerably but it was very different on -the dinghy to what it had been on the ship and my mistress cowered -close beside me, clinging to my arm with that instinctive craving -for human contact and for human society which we all feel under such -circumstances. - -I had carefully taken my bearings during the day, and as I had a good -compass on the boat I knew exactly how to steer. Fortunately the wind -held steady. I laid her course so as to clear the northeast end of the -island around which I intended to swing so as to be hidden from the -ship at daybreak. Of course we would eventually be pursued, but if I -could get a long start there might be other islands among which I could -choose my refuge. Many things might turn up of which a bold man might -take advantage. At any rate, I had escaped from them, and the one I -loved sat by my side. The clouds had gone, overhead the sky sparkled -with tropic stars. We looked to the Southern Cross and took courage. - -We didn’t talk much. I didn’t dare, and, for a wonder, she had nothing -to say. I managed the boat, even if I do say it myself, with great -skill. I told her after a while that she was safe. No sound had come -from the ship and the lights in the cabin, which at first we could -see dimly, presently disappeared. Our escape had not been discovered. -I suggested at last that she should go to sleep. I arranged the boat -cloak and blankets and although she had to be much persuaded, I finally -prevailed upon her to lie down in the boat, her head by my knees, and -thus we sailed on through the night. - - - - -BOOK III - -ON THE ISLAND OF MYSTERY - -_The Treasure is Found and Fought For_ - - - - -CHAPTER X - -IN WHICH WE CROSS THE BARRIER - - -When day broke I hauled aft the sheet and headed the boat to the -southward, for I had now crossed what I took to be the head of the -island and could run down the other side. By the time it was fairly -dawn I had made enough southing to place the north end of the island -between ourselves and the ship. My calculations had been remarkably -accurate again. I had weathered the islands fairly in good time, and -now as the sun rose I steered the boat directly toward the land, the -changed direction of the morning breeze permitting me to lay the -desired course. - -My hopes were high and I felt a kind of exhilaration at our escape, -although I was by no means inclined to minimize the possibilities of -grave peril we might soon be compelled to meet. The island was our -destination, however, and for it therefore I determinedly headed my -small craft with its precious and still peacefully sleeping cargo. -Poor girl, if ever a woman needed sleep and rest it was she. And her -easy slumber pleased me the more for it bespoke not only weariness -amounting to exhaustion but confidence and trust--and in me, and I was -stirred to even greater devotion. - -I had sailed in nearly all the waters of the globe, frequented and -unfrequented, and I fancied I had chanced upon most of the odd things -to be seen therein, but I am free to admit that the island was unlike -any I had ever looked upon. The chart should have prepared me for it, -but it had not. In the first place, like most Pacific islands, this was -enclosed by a barrier reef over which the waves broke in white caps as -far as I could see. I supposed that somewhere there would be an opening -in the reef through which we could sail, although the chart, rather -roughly drawn, had showed none. That an opening should exist was so -invariably the case with all such islands as I had ever known or read -about that I counted upon finding one here. But I could not see any -opening from the boat as yet. The lagoon enclosed by the barrier reef -seemed to be from a half to three-quarters of a mile wide. - -The strangest part of the whole game was that the island itself looked -like a whitish-gray wall rising straight up from the lagoon for, I -suppose, from one hundred and fifty feet in the lowest parts to three -hundred feet or more in the highest. And the wall appeared to be -without a break. It stood up like a solid rampart of stone, its top -covered with greenery. - -From where we were situated at just that moment I couldn’t see on -to the end of the island, although from my inspection of it the day -before, I judged it might be six or eight miles long, and as I had -sailed past it I estimated it was about the same breadth and nearly -circular in shape. - -A long distance away on the other side and hard to be seen at all from -the level of the sea in the small boat in which we were, lay other -islands, faintly outlined on the far horizon. I doubt if I could have -seen them at all had not the rising sun smote full upon them. They were -too far away for my purpose, which was to make a landing as soon as -possible and find some concealment or, at worst, some practical place -of defense. I therefore paid no attention to them, not realizing what a -part they were to play in the adventure following. - -I suppose I must have threshed about somewhat when I brought the dinghy -to the wind and changed her course, for presently my little mistress -awoke. She sat up instantly and after the briefest acknowledgment of -my good morning and the briefest reply to my inquiry as to how she -did, she stared at the land toward which we were heading in so far as -the wind would allow. It was a bleak, inhospitable looking place, that -gray rough wall, in spite of its infrequent cresting of verdure, I will -admit, and she too found it so. After she had stared hard at the land, -she cast an anxious glance to leeward, but of course could make nothing -definite of the distant islands there. - -“We have made good our escape from the ship, since she is not to be -seen,” she began. - -“For the present, yes.” - -“Do you think that they--” - -“They’ll be after us, of course, as soon as the drink wears off.” - -“And when will that be?” she asked anxiously. - -“This afternoon probably, but we’ve nought to fear from them for hours -yet,” I reassured her. - -“Well, Master Hampdon, what do you propose between whiles?” she said. - -“We must get ashore,” said I, “as soon as possible. By the time their -debauch will have worn off, they will either bring the ship here or -send the boat after us. Afloat we can do nothing, ashore we may find -some concealment and probably make some defense.” - -“It is a forbidding looking shore.” - -“Aye,” was my answer, “but any haven is better than none, and it may -prove better than it promises on a nearer view.” - -“Have you seen any evidence of human life?” she asked, nodding in -acquiescence to my proposition. - -“No,” I replied. - -Indeed, not a curl of smoke anywhere betrayed the presence of mankind. -Had it not been for depressions on the top of the wall here and there, -which were filled with vegetation, one might have supposed the island -to be nothing but a desolate and arid rock, but this reassured me. -I thought it strange that there was no mountain or hill rising from -beyond the top of the wall, but I was yet to see how strange the island -was. Indeed, I think there can be no other like it in the world. For I -have inquired of many mariners and they all confess that they have seen -nothing anywhere that in the least resembles it. Some, in truth, seem -incredulous to my tale, though I set down naught but what is true. - -But as it was full morning now, I decided that first of all the -creature comforts had to be thought of. I offered to relinquish the -tiller and prepare something to eat, but Mistress Lucy took that upon -herself. What we had was cold, but there was plenty of it, and at my -urging she ate heartily. For myself I needed no stimulus but my raging -hunger. I wanted her to be in fettle for whatever might happen and -myself too, and so we fed well. - -We had not much conversation the while, but I do remember that she did -say she had rather be there alone with me than on the ship, whereat my -heart bounded, but I had sense enough to say nothing. Her loneliness -and helplessness appealed to me. I might have been bold under other -circumstances, but not now. She was dependent upon me and I could not -bring myself to the slightest familiarity, so I only answered that I -would be glad to serve her with my life and I prayed God that we might -come safely out of the whole business, to which prayer she sweetly -added her own amen. - -Well, we coasted along that barrier reef a good part of the morning -until we reached the other end of the island, and discovered to our -dismay that there was absolutely no opening, no break in it through -which we could make our way. When we reached the lower end, my lady -was for sailing around on the other side to seek farther, but this I -did not dare. We had heard nothing from the ship or her boats, and I -did not propose to arouse any pursuit by coming within possible range -of her glasses. I did not know where the _The Rose of Devon_ lay; for -aught I knew, they might have put her about and she might be off the -south end of the island. It was better to let sleeping and drunken dogs -lie, I said. After my rather abrupt negative of her proposition she -watched me in silence as with clouded brow I pondered the situation. - -“Madam,” said I at last, “there is naught for us but to try to go over -the reef in some fashion. As I scanned the island yesterday through -the glasses I couldn’t see any opening in the reef on that side, and -although I never saw or heard of a case like this before, I make no -doubt but what the reef is continuous and there is no access to the -island except over it. And come to think of it, Sir Philip’s chart -showed no opening either.” - -“I recall that the reef completely encircles the island on the little -map,” assented my lady. - -“Then we must even pass over it as we can. I have had some experience -in taking a boat through the surf, and although it is a prodigious risk -I believe I can take this one over. For one thing, this dinghy is built -like a whaleboat; we may capsize it, but it is practicably unsinkable. -I propose to take a turn of the painter around your waist. If she goes -over you will not be thrown completely adrift. I am a stout swimmer and -can catch the boat and haul you in it or on it, and whatever happens -our lives will be preserved.” - -“Will it be so very dangerous?” she asked me. - -I could have minimized the danger, of course, but I thought she was -woman enough to hear the truth. She might have to face even greater -dangers presently and she might as well become accustomed to the idea -sooner or later. So I reasoned, and therefore I told her. - -“I don’t see how the danger could possibly be greater, and yet,” I -added, “I think we shall win through if you will sit perfectly quiet -and trust to me.” - -“I will do whatever you tell me,” she said, with a most becoming and -unusual meekness. “I think--I know--I trust you entirely, Master -Hampdon.” - -“Very well,” said I quietly, “and now may God help us.” - -Fortunately, the tide was making toward the shore of the island. I -selected a spot where the huge, rolling waves seemed to break more -smoothly than elsewhere, which argued a greater depth of water over -the barrier, less roughness, and fewer possibilities of being wrecked -on the jagged points of the coral reef. Dousing the sail, unshipping -the tiller and rudder, and pulling the oars with all my strength, after -an unuttered prayer, I shot the boat directly toward the spot I had -chosen. Just before I reached it, I threw the oars inboard, seized one -of them which I wished to use as a steering oar and stepped aft past my -lady, who sat a little forward and well down in the bottom of the boat. -I braced myself in the stern sheets and waited. We were racing toward -that reef with dizzy speed rising with the uplift of the wave. I had -just time for one sentence. - -“If we die,” I shouted, “remember that I have been your true servant -always.” - -She nodded her head, her eyes glistening, and then I turned to the -business in hand. A huge roller overtook us. The little boat rose and -rose and rose with a giddy, furious motion. Suddenly it began to turn. -If it went broadside to the reef and a wave caught it or one broke over -it, we should be lost; but I had foreseen the danger. I threw out my -oar and with every pound of strength in arm, leg, and body, I thrust -blindly, desperately against the heave of the sea. - -It was an unequal combat, a man against the Pacific Ocean. I could -not have maintained it for long. Yet the few seconds seemed hours. -The strain was terrific, of all the tasks I ever attempted that taxed -my strength the most--save one, as you shall see. If the oar broke we -should be lost. It bent and buckled but held like the good honest piece -of English ash that it was. Sweat poured from me, my heart throbbed, my -pulses beat, my head rang. It was not in human power to continue. I was -about to give way and let go all when I cast one glance at my mistress. -I saw her pale face, her bright eyes staring into mine. My strength -then was about gone, but that look of appeal, entreaty, and confidence -nerved me for one last supreme effort. - -There are not many men with as little experience in that sort of work -as I had enjoyed who could have done what I did, for I held the boat -steady, her bows fairly and squarely pointed to the reef in spite of -the thrust of the ocean, and I thought triumphantly that I was going to -make it safely in spite of all. I reckoned without my host, however. -The wave we were riding broke just as we reached the top. We sank down -into what seemed a valley of water, the breakers roared in our ears, -the spray fell over us like rain. We sank lower and lower, there was a -sound of grinding along the keel. We had struck the coral evidently. -The boat stopped a moment, motionless. - -Unshipping my oar, I thrust it violently at the reef. The blade caught -in the coral. I put all my weight against it. The water rose, the -trough of the sea into which we had fallen suddenly filled. I clenched -my teeth and closed my eyes and thrust again. The boat lifted a little, -moved a little, the keel grating along the reef. I heard a scream -faintly and opened my eyes. I caught a fleeting glimpse of my lady’s -face, but could give her no attention. I struggled desperately to drag -the oar free. The coral rock into which I had jammed it held the blade -like a vise. The boat rose and moved faster. The oar was wrenched from -my hands. The inrushing wave and the moving boat passing reef together, -the great sea finally broke upon us. - -We were over, but the wall of water struck the boat, now broached to, -full on the beam. She was lifted up, whirled over and swept inward. The -mountainous sea struck me on the back and side, knocking the breath -out of me and fairly hurling me clear of the boat so that I fell into -the boiling water alongside. My lady had half risen as the boat swung -broadside to the sea and she was also swept into the water. If she had -remained crouched down she would have fallen under it and probably -would have been killed. - -The sea rolling inward swept us toward shore. It was well that I had -taken precaution to pass the painter about her waist and tied the -lashing securely. For by means of it she regained the overturned boat -and climbing up clung to its keel in comparative safety for the moment. -I, on the contrary, was driven landward and away from her. I struggled -desperately, half-dazed, to regain the boat. I might better have -attempted other things, but to see my shipmate there on the overturned -boat, so drenched and forlorn, maddened me, and I fought flooding tide -and flooding sea to reach her. - -I could not call out, I was too spent and breathless for that, but I -struggled on and on. Whatever the cause, the wave which had so nearly -undone us was followed by a succession of the hugest rollers I have -ever seen. Usually the waters inside such reefs as we had passed are -smooth and calm, but on that day they were scarcely less rough than the -ocean. To attempt to make head against them was vain. - -I know now that my lady called to me to desist, seeing from her more -elevated position on the boat’s keel that we were rapidly being driven -toward a strip of sandy beach. But I did not hear. I did not become -aware of our nearness to the shore until my foot actually touched -bottom. - -The next wave carried me landward and left me prostrate on the sand. -I scrambled to my feet and leaped to meet the boat, also being rolled -toward the beach. - -[Illustration: “Then she bent over me.”] - -Mistress Lucy had cast off the lashing and had let herself into the -water, and none too soon, for the capsized boat, I think her mast -catching on the bottom, was suddenly righted by the waves, the mast -carrying away, and before I could avoid it I was struck by the prow -and knew no more. - -By this time, as I afterward learned, my brave shipmate had got to her -feet in the shallows. She saw the boat hurled upon me, saw me borne -backward on the beach, saw me carried up the sand, and left lying -senseless by the spent wave. - -With feelings which she did not attempt to describe until long after, -she ran to me, and with a strength, the source of which she could not -explain, dragged me further up the beach. I am a large man and with all -my inertness and the weight of my sodden clothes, I know not how she -compassed it. - -Then she bent over me. I did not ask her what she said or did until -she chose to tell me later of her own will, but I presently awoke to -find her looking into my face, holding my shoulders with her hands and -frantically calling me by name. - -“Master Hampdon! Master Hampdon!”--her voice rose into a scream of -terror. - -“Fair and softly, my lady,” I answered slowly, sitting up and looking -about me. “I am dizzy, my head aches from the blow, but I believe -there are no bones broken. Let me see,” I continued, rising and -steadying myself by a great effort by the boat, which luckily enough -lay quietly on an even keel bedded in the sand near by, and unhurt save -for the broken mast. “And you, dear lady?” I asked as soon as I could -command myself. - -“Safe, safe, thank God and you!” she cried tremulously. - -“Nay,” said I, trembling from the violence of my efforts at control, -“give to Him alone the glory.” - -But she shook her head. I reached down my hand toward her and lifted -her up and for the first time got sight of her. She had worn a dress -of some silken stuff, over a petticoat, or skirt, of darker, heavier, -woolen cloth. Her overdress had been torn to rags by the sea. There was -a great rip in her underskirt, which she caught on a nail or splinter -when she slid from the boat into the water. Both her buckled shoes -were gone and one stocking had been stripped from her by the seas. Her -little bare foot gleamed whitely on the golden sands. Her hair was -undone, water dripping from her sodden raiment. - -Under my steady inspection she colored violently and instinctively -sought to conceal that bare foot beneath her tattered clothing. She -hath protested often since as to how she must have looked, but to me -then as ever, she was beautiful in her disarray and disorder and as to -her sweet, white foot I longed to kiss it; aye, and take no shame to -myself in this confession, either. And I have done so since, not once -but many times. - -Obviously the first thing was to provide her with clothes. She had her -other apparel in a little chest which I had lashed to the thwarts, but -when I searched for it in the boat it was gone, and the thwart too. The -weight of it and the final buffeting had wrenched both clear. In fact, -the boat was swept clean save for the weapons, which I had thrust under -the thwarts and lashed there, and the contents of the lockers. Even the -sail had been dragged clear of the boom which still clung to the foot -of the broken mast. - -The sea had gone down a little and as I stared out across the lagoon -I caught sight of the sail. Fortunately it had got foul of the broken -thwart, which had been wrenched loose by the drag of the box that had -been lost, and it was still afloat. It was a light canvas. It flashed -into my mind that it would do. Without a word I plunged into the lagoon -and a few strokes brought me to it. I dragged it ashore and spread it -in the sun before the inquiring gaze of my shipmate. - -“What is that for, a tent?” she asked. - -“Your clothes,” said I. “The first thing for me to do is to turn -cobbler and tailor. You couldn’t go about, like a South Sea islander, -bare armed and barefooted,” I continued calmly. “Out of the sailcloth -we can make you some sort of a dress.” - -“But my shoes and stockings,” she said facing me bravely, although the -color came and went at the untoward situation for a modest maiden. - -“I can manage the shoes,” said I, “but the stockings--” I paused. “When -we have made the dress,” I continued “you won’t need that red skirt and -you can make shift to slit it into lengths and wrap them about your -legs. They will protect you better than what you have lost.” - -Fortunately I brought along with me a sailor’s needle and palm with -stout thread aplenty still safe with other contents of the lockers. -It was intensely hot in the sun and it did not take the canvas spread -out upon the sand long to dry. Picking it up we moved inward across -the narrow strip of beach to the cool shadow of the cliff. There was -much to be done, but clothes and footgear for her had to be attended to -first of all. And as we had seen no one, we went about making them with -energy and a good heart. - -Here my little mistress could help. I am as good a tailor, I dare say, -as any man that sails the seas, but feminine rigging had never been my -experience or endeavor. Between us, with the aid of my sheath knife, -which I ever kept sharp, we managed to cut out a plain loose dress like -a tunic. Fortunately, she being but a small woman and understanding how -to use all the goods to the best advantage without wasting any, we were -able to get out a suitable garment which fell below her knees halfway -to the ground. - -While she was busy cutting it I had taken off my vest or jerkin of -stout leather, and with her remaining shoe as a model for shape and -size, I contrived the sort of a foot covering that the savages of North -America call a moccasin. It was shapely enough too, and I made the -soles of several thicknesses of leather, and protected the heel and toe -by additional strips. So I managed to knock together a very serviceable -pair of loose shoes. By the time I had finished them my lady had got -her pieces laid out, and the sewing of them devolved upon me, for she -could by no means with her small hands manage the rough cloth and large -needle. I worked hard and before noon I had the garment fit for her to -wear. - -My mistress then retired behind the protecting rock and donned the -tunic. She had taken my sheath knife with her and had made herself some -kind of a girdle which she had cut from her now useless skirt. She had -put on the shoes, and with further strips from the cloth had replaced -the stocking that she had lost, and the other one also. She must have -seen the admiration in my eyes as she came rather timidly forward to -my gaze. I suppose she had some doubts as to her appearance, but my -tailoring and cobbling became her vastly, I avowed. The canvas was new -and white, the scarlet about her waist, even the brown leather of my -moccasins with the red above, added a charming touch. - -From a woman of the world and society she became in one hour, it would -seem, a creature of simplicity, like the ancient Romans of whom I had -read. She still possesses that garment and those shoes, and sometimes -in the privacy of her chamber she dons them for me. The sight brings -back old days and brave days of hard fighting and true comradeship and -great adventure on that far-off island set in that tropic sea under -those blue skies. And I love her better than when in the diamonds and -powder and silk and brilliant array with which nowadays beauty obscures -itself under the demand of fashion. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -HOW WE EXPLORE THE WONDROUS SHORE - - -“Thanks to you, Master Hampdon,” she began, reassured by my glance, “I -am now clothed and shod comfortably and in my right mind.” - -“You are always in that, Mistress,” said I quickly. - -“You did not think so in the cabin of the ship,” she laughed, and -giving me no time to answer, for I am not quick at speech on some -occasions, as you who read must have noticed, she ran on, pointing to -the barrier reef as she spoke, and staring at the breakers smashing -against it, “but shoemaking and dressmaking are small things after what -you did out there.” - -“It was nothing,” said I. - -“I watched you. I was not too frightened to do that, and there is -not another man on earth who could have brought me over the fearful -maelstrom of water to safety here.” - -Well, that is true, why not admit it? I thought. - -“Not many white men,” I replied, glad for her praise, “but natives in -their canoes aplenty.” - -“But a canoe is light and easily managed, not like this heavy boat.” - -“No, I admit there is a difference”--as indeed there was--“but now we -must think on the future,” I added. - -“And what is to be done next?” she asked. - -The next thing to be done, I decided, was to overhaul the boat. I -pulled the plug out, drained the water from her, hauled her up on the -sand above high water mark, my lady helping me as if she had been a -man. I remonstrated with her about it, I begged her not to do it, -finally I even ventured on a command to which she paid not the least -heed. - -The precious powder and shot we found dry and safe in the flasks in the -air-tight lockers. From the same safe place, we got some hard bread, -some cold salt beef, and with water from a brook that gushed out from -under the rocky wall and ran across the beach we broke our fast again -on this plain rough fare. It was not yet near noon, but we had gone -through much since that early breakfast, and were healthily hungry -again--and so we made our meal. Dry, hard eating to be sure, but we -were thankful to God that we had it. - -Finishing, and feeling much refreshed, we decided that our first duty -was to explore the island to see if there was any break in the cliff -wall, and if there was any access to the inward parts in which I hoped -to find vegetation, trees, and the delicious fruits with which I knew -the tropics abounded. My lady was heartily in favor of such a course, -and we at once set about carrying it out. - -A hasty survey assured me that the cliff was of coral formation, jagged -and broken into many a crevice and cranny. If we were hard put to it, -I was sure we could find a cave in which to pass the night if it were -necessary. After we had made out what we could, I suggested to Mistress -Lucy that we start at once exploring, proposing that we follow the -course of the sandy strip and find out what we could of our island -refuge. And, so, taking with us some provisions, for we might have to -go clear round the island, and our arms, we presently started out. -My mistress professed herself well rested and ready for anything. My -own endurance was not yet at its limit, and I felt the necessity of -discovering the lay of the land at once, in view of the presence of -Pimball and the ship in those waters. - -Yet I felt very easy in my mind regarding any present peril from the -ship, for I knew that no boat she possessed could run the reef as I had -done, and even if she had had another like the dinghy I was confident -that there was no man aboard her that had the strength and skill, to -say nothing of the courage, to bring her through. Indeed, for all my -skill and ability we ourselves had only got through by the favor of -God. If there were no natives or wild animals to be feared we were at -least safe for the time being. I explained this to my companion as we -trudged along the hard, white sand, whereat she was greatly relieved -and her quick mind being freed of apprehension turned to other things. - -“Think you, Master Hampdon,” she said, “this is the island of which my -ancestor wrote?” - -“I am sure of it,” I replied. - -“He referred to it, if I remember right as ‘_Ye Islande of ye -Staires_,’ did he not?” - -“Yes,” was my answer. “You remember he indicated a stairway about the -middle of the island.” - -“Surely, if we are to get to the top of yonder wall it must be by -stairs of some sort.” - -“It would not be difficult to climb it,” I assented, “for a man, that -is, save for one thing.” - -“And what is that?” - -“Those pinnacles of rock are as sharp as needles. It would be like -climbing broken glass. The climber would be cut to pieces before he had -gone halfway. See,” we approached the wall closely and I pointed out to -her how sharp the edges were. “If it were granite rock these ridges and -splinters would be weatherworn and smooth, but this coral formation is -of a different quality.” - -“Then if we find no stairs we are in a bad situation,” she said -thoughtfully, examining the towering wall. - -“There must be stairs,” I answered, “or there must be some other way. -The latitude and longitude agree with your ancestor’s description, and -I make no doubt we shall chance upon them.” - -“But if there are none?” she persisted. - -“Doubtless we’ll find some break to let us up or in,” I answered -easily, evasively it may be, but hopefully, not being minded to pass -our existence on the narrow strip of sand on which we were walking. - -So we tramped along, searching the shore and sea and finding nothing. -After perhaps an hour’s monotonous going, when we had traversed about -a third of the distance of the island, we rounded a projection of the -cliff and there before us--rose the stairs! - -Now I know that you who read will accuse me of fond invention, yet I -have not the wit or the imagination of the romancer. I can only relate -the facts as they were. What we saw was a gigantic stairway, irregular, -but made of huge blocks of roughhewn stone--not coral rock, but harder -stone of firmer texture, like granite almost. I was not familiar with -the stone either. There was no symmetry about the stairs. Some of -the stones rose perhaps three feet, and others not more than as many -inches, but stairs they certainly were, and they surely had been made -by man. The stones were most carefully fitted, being laid up without -mortar, the joints so close that I could scarce thrust a knife blade -between. The huge blocks were of monstrous size, too; much too great -in bulk and weight to be handled by any but mechanical means. I never -could conceive how natives or primitive men could have shaped them, -moved them, and finally laid them up in the form of stairs. I have -since made inquiries of learned men and find that for all their study -they, too, are at sea as to who were those mighty builders and how they -builded. - -Nor did the stairs alone awaken our amazement and quicken our -curiosity. They ended in the circling belt of sand, here a little wider -than elsewhere. At the bottom on either side, two gigantic statues, -or busts, of stone had been erected. Their bases were buried in the -sand and they rose to quite twice my height above, and I am good six -feet tall and more. These stones were carved into the rough yet not -unreal likenesses of human faces. The carving had been done with -marvelous skill considering, and the faces were not of the native -type either. They were of our type, only distorted and exaggerated. -The carving included the breast; one was a man, the other a woman. -They were made of the same hard pinkish rock as the stairs, and the -angles and projections upon them apparently had been softened and -smoothed by hundreds of years of exposure to the weather. They were not -unfamiliar to us either, for they were, making due allowance for size, -just like the little image Sir Philip had brought back. They had the -same enormous sightless eyes, the same long protruding jaws, the same -hideous fang-like teeth, the same repulsive features. We looked at them -both, experiencing a perfectly natural and understandable feeling of -horror and disgust. One had lost his crown, but the other was intact as -he had left the carver’s hands. - -The very size of them intensified our disquiet. They were caricatures -of course, but withal they were intensely natural and lifelike and not -less wonderful than the stairs, over which for centuries they had been -the silent watchers and guardians. - -Certain I am that you will find it difficult to credit these marvels, -and will dismiss them perhaps as a traveler’s idle tale, yet I have -given you the latitude and longitude of the island and you may go there -and see them for yourself if you desire, and you may perhaps find what -treasure we left there, too, for a reward! When you return you can -testify that I lie not, but speak the sober truth. - -Why we had not discovered these stairs from seaward was because they -did not come squarely down to the water’s edge at right angles to the -wall, but instead lay, as it were, parallel to it in a niche within the -wall, so that they were somewhat sheltered from observation from the -sea. - -As we broke upon them suddenly, therefore, Mistress Lucy clutched my -arm. We naturally drew together at the sight of such gods, or devils, -in stone. - -“The giant stairway!” she cried in thrilled amazement. - -“It is indeed,” I said triumphantly, as I realized what our discovery -meant, “just as it was stated in the parchment.” - -“And the great stone faces,” she added in a voice in which there was a -note of horror. - -“They, too, were mentioned, you remember,” I said, striving to speak -cheerfully, though I was deeply impressed myself. - -“And just like the little one back in the ship.” - -“The very same,” was my reply. - -“They were very old two hundred years ago,” she commented. - -“Aye, it appears to me that they must have been old a thousand years -ago, or more,” I assented. - -“Could those stairs have just happened that way? Or did someone build -them, think you?” - -“Yes,” I replied, “those are the work of men, skilled men, too, for -they are too regularly laid up to be by chance.” - -“Yes, of course, and the images could never have come there by chance,” -she admitted. - -“Certainly not, but let us go nearer and ascend them,” I said, taking -her hand and leading the way, and she was so preoccupied that she did -not notice. - -I observed, as we approached the stairs that the rock had been worn -smooth by the wind and weather, or maybe by the passing of many feet, -and the steps were quite practicable for ascent. The angle at which -they rose was sharp, too. - -“What is on top, think you?” - -“I know not.” - -“Wild men or savage beasts?” she faltered. - -“The parchment said naught of animals or permanent inhabitants of this -island,” I reassured her. - -“No, that it did not,” she assented. - -“Well, then, let’s chance it.” - -I had thrust the pistols in my belt, save for the one she carried, and -had the musket in my hand. I looked to the priming of them so that I -could depend upon them in case of an emergency, although I confess I -did not expect anything to happen. Save for the sound of the wind and -waves and our own voices the place was pervaded by that sort of deadly -stillness which indicated the absence of humanity, or even the larger -forms of animal life. Except for the birds of gorgeous plumage and the -gulls and other sea fliers I believed we were absolutely alone on the -island. - -Then we began the ascent. It was easy enough for me, but hard for her, -and several times I made bold to lift her up the higher steps, which -she suffered without comment or resistance. She told me long afterward -that my manner toward her then and thereafter had been perfect. I had -determined in my heart to show her that although I could snatch a kiss -on the quarter-deck of a crowded ship, on an island, alone, I could -treat her with all the courtesy and consideration of the very finest -gentleman of her acquaintance. - -When we at last reached the top, before us lay a broad pathway rudely -paved with the same hard stone. This road led straight across the top -of the wall toward the interior of the island, of which we could see -as yet nothing, because the wall hereabouts was covered with dense, -luxurious vegetation and seemed of great thickness, perhaps a mile -or more, as we found as we traversed the way. Progress was difficult -even in the pathway. It would have been impossible in some places -but for my heavy cutlass with which I cut a path where the place had -become overgrown by trees and bushes which had forced their way -through the cracks, overturning and breaking the heavy flagstones and -blocking up the path, which, it was evident, had not been traversed for -generations; perhaps not since the old buccaneer himself had walked -along it beneath the spreading trees. - -There was naught for it but to continue along the rude paved way, for -it was impossible to penetrate the jungle on either side, even if we -had desired it, and once more looking to my weapons, one of which I -kept in hand, although I was sure now we should not need them, and had -indeed nothing to fear, we followed the ancient way. For perhaps a mile -we pursued our journey across the top of the wall, winding in and out -among the trees, through the jungle, the path evidently seeking the -most level direction, for the top of the wall was very much broken and -irregular. - -At last we came to an open spot on the inner edge overlooking the -whole island, and before us lay such a picture as few eyes, at least -of our race, had ever looked upon. The wall ended abruptly and fell -downward, on the inner or landward side, as precipitously as it rose -outwardly and to seaward. Before us lay a most entrancing valley, -perhaps three or four miles across, and maybe half as long again in -the other direction, and which was walled about in every direction. -It was sunk beneath this wall crest for perhaps one hundred feet or -more. In the center of the valley the land rose a little higher than -the island wall, making a very considerable hill, tree crowned on the -slopes, but largely bare save for more images, on the crest. Through -the valley ran a brook which ended in a little lake, which I suspected -had some subterranean connection with the ocean. As far as we could -see, and the whole circuit of the island was now clearly visible to us, -the enclosing wall was unbroken. The valley was filled with clusters -of trees and alternating stretches of grassy meadow. Why it was not -completely overgrown with trees I could not imagine. Perhaps the ground -was too shallow in places for trees to grow. - -We would have been hard put to it to descend the wall to the valley, -but for the fact that the same people who built the stairs that gave -access to the wall from the sea had also built a similar flight -which made the descent to the valley possible, indeed easy. Before we -essayed the descent of the stairs, we drank our fill of the beauty -and mysterious charm of it all. Indeed, there was no sound that came -to us except the twittering of the birds, of which there were many -brilliantly plumaged flitting in the trees. All else was still, lonely, -deserted, oppressively so in fact. - -I was constrained to think of our situation as we scanned the lonely -prospect in silence. A man and a maid cast away upon an absolutely -deserted island rising from the most unknown and unfrequented seas -on the globe, seemingly with no chance on earth of escape therefrom. -The one possibility of getting away, _The Rose of Devon_, worse than -useless to us because of her evil crew. What were we to do? What could -we expect? Suppose we found the treasure, of what value would it be to -us? - -I cursed myself for my weakness in allowing my lady to come upon -this voyage of death and disaster. I wished that I had destroyed Sir -Geoffrey’s letter. And yet as my glance fell upon her my thoughts -changed. A man and a maid, I have said. Distinctions of rank did not -exist in the Garden of Eden. This was the world’s first morning again, -and by my side, dependent utterly upon me, stood--Eve! My heart beat, -my face flamed at the thought. Here, if nowhere else, she might-- - -“What think you of this?” my lady broke the silence, and she broke more -than the silence, for her words recalled me to my better sense again. - -“I do not know,” I answered, shamed in my soul at my imaginings. - -“Is it not like the crater of an ancient extinct volcano?” she ventured. - -“No,” said I, “these are coral rocks and there is no sign of lava about -them, yet it has somewhat of the appearance, especially that flattened -hillock in the center.” - -I have since talked with many men and studied the writings of the most -learned geologists, and from what I have been able to glean from them, -and the suggestions I have been able to give, it has been fancied that -perhaps the rocky projection in the middle of the valley, where later -on we saw the great altar of sacrifice with its attendant idols, was -the original island which was once surrounded by a coral reef now -become a wall, and that some great upheaval had lifted the whole up -out of the water in ages gone by, and that the barrier reef over which -we had passed was the second attempt of the busy little insects to -surround the island again. And indeed, though I know but little about -such things, the theory may well be true, although it gives no solution -of stairs or images or altars. It seems easier to explain nature than -man, you see. But these things, naturally, did not occur to us then. - -“What is to be done now?” asked my little mistress. - -“I hardly know,” I answered, staring at the green cup of the island, -encircled by the white walls, like a great emerald wreathed in pearls. -I should not have thought of that comparison, myself, but it occurred -to my lady later, and she told me, so I have put it in to embellish -this rather dry narrative of mine. “I see no signs of human life or -of animals, except birds,” I continued, “I firmly believe that we are -absolutely alone on the island.” - -Involuntarily, I looked at her as I spoke, whereat she came instantly -toward me without hesitation. - -“We are alone,” she said, as if divining my thought, “and I am in your -power. I am weak and you are strong, but--” - -“Madam,” said I, with all the formality I could infuse in voice and -bearing, “you are as safe with me as if you were in your late father’s -arms, and surrounded by all the people you love.” - -“I know it and I trust you,” she answered. “Indeed, indeed, Master -Hampdon, I am glad to be here, to be away from that awful ship of death -and I believe this is the island which we have been seeking. Where else -in the world is there such a wall and such a flight of stairs? I am -sure the treasure will be here and when we search for it we shall find -it.” - -“Very likely,” I answered, “but what is exercising me most now is, -first of all, what is going on in that same mutinous ship, and next how -we shall finally get away from here.” - -“You are impatient,” returned my lady, smiling. - -“Impatient for you, madam,” I interrupted, checking myself from -further self-revealing speech just in time. - -“One thing at a time,” she continued. “By the favor of God, we have -escaped from the murderers and mutineers and by His providence we have -come safe across the reef. We shall not starve upon this island, and I -have no doubt that sooner or later you will devise some means for our -escape. You have done so well so far that I feel quite confident; in -fact, if Captain Matthews were with us, I should feel almost happy.” - -This was rating my power very highly I knew, and I felt that I might -not be able to justify her confidence, but if I failed it would not -be for lack of trying. It was long past noon by this time. I made -sure of it by looking at the sun and confirming it by my watch which -I most carefully kept running during all our sojourn on the island, -which indicated close on six bells, three o’clock. Our talk of the ship -recalled me to myself. - -“I think,” said I, “that we had better postpone the exploration of -the island until another day, and go back to our landing place. If I -know the men on that ship they will guess that we have escaped to this -island, and they will bring her round to this side, where we may have -them under view and they us. And I shall feel safer and more confident -and comfortable in my mind about your future if my present doubts as to -her whereabouts be settled.” - -“Think you that they can come at us?” she asked, in sudden alarm. - -“I think not,” I answered confidently, “but still, to make sure, I -should like to have them under observation.” - -Well, to make a long story short, we retraced our steps over the broken -path until we reached the stairs on the other side. The descent of them -was much easier than the ascent, and by four of the clock we stepped on -the sand again. There before us in the offing was the ship. - -We saw her people quite plainly and I doubt not they caught sight of us -immediately also. They were scarcely a third of a mile away from the -reef, perilously near, I thought, and we could mark them crowding the -rail and staring landward. We could see them brandishing their weapons -and we could imagine the yells which must have arisen from the decks -when they caught sight of us. - -I stared at them indifferently enough, but not so my little mistress. -She shrank closer to me, her face paled and I had all I could do to -keep from throwing my arm about her shoulders. I blessed God that she -was here on the island and that I was by her side, and that neither of -us was on the deck of the ship. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -INSIDE THE REEF WHICH WAS AT ONCE PROTECTION AND PRISON - - -The ruffians aboard the ship did not content themselves with simply -staring at us, for presently they assembled on the port quarter, the -ship was under all plain sail on the starboard tack at the time, the -wind having fallen to a gentle breeze during the day, and clambered -into the cutter swinging at the davits. As she was lowered into the -water fully manned, Mistress Lucy drew even closer to my side, seizing -my arm with both hands. - -“Let us fly, they are coming to take us!” she cried in great alarm. - -“But they are on a vain errand,” I reassured her calmly. - -“But why? How can you know that? Oh, Master Hampdon, let us hasten -away.” - -“We have a protector,” I answered confidently enough. - -“God?” asked she. - -“His handiwork,” I replied, as I indicated with a gesture the barrier -reef over which the waves were breaking. - -“But we passed it.” - -“Yes, in a light dinghy and you remember the difficulty and danger. -They will never surmount it in that heavy cutter. They will not even -attempt it, when they have seen it nearer, trust me.” - -“But if there should be an opening?” - -“I don’t believe there is one,” was my reassuring reply. “We know that -there is not one on this side, since we examined it ourselves, and my -careful inspection yesterday did not reveal any on the other, and with -that conclusion the chart agrees, you remember. No, I have no fear that -the crew of _The Rose of Devon_ can get at us.” - -“And we can’t get to them,” she answered more composedly. - -“I have no wish so to do,” I laughed. - -“You don’t understand me,” she persisted, “what keeps them out, keeps -us in.” - -“Yes,” I admitted, “that is true, but for the present I don’t mind -being kept in, so long as they are kept out.” - -She looked at me quickly and confessed afterward that my words begot -some quick suspicion which she admitted was unworthy of her and -unwarranted by any act of mine, but I looked so placid that it soon -passed from her mind. As a matter of fact, I had not appreciated the -significance of my words. I should have been perfectly willing, I -should be still, to pass the rest of my life alone on that island, or -anywhere else with my lady only. She was company enough for me and -although we have ruffled it bravely together since then, and have even -borne our part with dignity at the King’s court, I am happiest when -she is by my side and no one else is near. I was happy then. I had got -her to myself; my little mistress must look to me for everything. The -haughty queen of the quarter-deck was now the humble dependent of the -lonely island. - -I did not know what dangers lay before us, what perils encompassed -us. I could not foresee how we were to escape from the Island of the -Stairs, for so we had named it. Those thoughts did not trouble me -much. I had brought her safely from a ship filled with mutineers, -pirates, and murderers; I had landed her safely on the island despite -circling reefs and raging seas; the future could take care of itself. -Sufficient unto the day was the evil thereof--aye, and the good, too! - -We trudged along the sand parallel to the course of the boat which was -following the outward edge of the barrier reef seeking what I knew they -would not find, an entrance to the lagoon and thence to the island. -The lagoon narrowed in places, until, had it not been for the roar of -the waves on the barrier reef, a hail could easily have carried. I am -ashamed to say that I used insulting gestures on occasion, whereat some -of them stood up in the boat and shook their fists in our direction. - -I shall confess to having taken much delight in irritating them until -Mistress Lucy implored me to cease. Thereafter we watched them in grim -silence and contempt. Although I was sure they could not reach us, -their presence was nevertheless a menace and a barrier to us. After -they had rowed the length of the island they gave it up and went back -to the ship, which had followed their course. - -By this time the day was far spent and night was at hand. We retraced -our steps and came to the place where I had hauled up the dinghy. I now -observed with some pride that both the shoes and the dress I had made -for my lady would serve their purpose. Meanwhile we both were hungry. -The provisions we had taken with us we had eaten during the journey. -The next business was supper. I had noticed some cocoanut trees and -other strange tropical fruits, so I had no fear of starvation. We -could live on the island indefinitely, therefore I was not sparing -with the provisions. Feeling need of something warming we kindled a -fire with flint, steel, and tinder from their case in the locker, and -made shift to boil some coffee. We had neither milk nor sugar, but the -taste of civilization did us good, and our refreshment added to our -encouragement. - -For the night I capsized the boat and drew it close against the coral -wall, spread a spare sail I found in the after locker and her boat -cloak which had drifted ashore and dried out during the afternoon, -upon the clean, dry sand, and bade her take her rest. It was snug, dry -and comfortable. - -“But you?” she asked. - -“I shall do very well here with my heavy jacket and I shall lie across -the stern of the boat, between it and the cliff, out of sight but -within touch or call if you need me.” - -“I am afraid,” she said softly. - -“Nothing can come to you except over my body and I am a light sleeper. -A touch, a word will arouse me,” I said reassuringly. - -“I would not have you harmed, either,” she persisted. - -“I shall not be.” - -“There may be wild beasts.” - -“I do not think there is an animal on this island,” I laughed, “and we -have seen no signs of man. The ship certainly would have attracted the -attention of someone had not the island been deserted.” - -“But those men out there?” - -“You forget the rampart that God has flung about us. Now, madam, you -can go to sleep in safety, I assure you.” - -“Before that,” she said, dropping down on her knees in the sand and -motioning me to follow her example, which I did awkwardly enough--I -hope I was not a mocker or disbeliever, but I confess that I did not -often bend the knee then--“we will have a prayer together.” - -She had slipped a little prayer book within her bodice and she now -drew it forth from her canvas tunic and by the light of the fire read -the Psalm of David which begins, “_Out of the deep have I called unto -thee, O Lord, Lord hear my voice_.” And then she prayed, using some of -the old collects of the Church and adding one of her own making, in -which she besought God to care for us further, while she thanked Him -for having raised up a defense for her in my poor presence, I listening -very humbly and saying a heart-felt “Amen” at the end. - -I shall never forget that scene; the gray cliff towering high above us, -its crest lost in the darkness, the overturned boat, the white-clad -woman kneeling by the fire, its light playing upon her until her face -looked like the face of an angel, myself further back in the shadow. -It was a dark, moonless night but the stars shone with tropical -brilliance and in our ears echoed and reëchoed the crash of the mighty -waves upon the barrier which was at once our prison and our fortress. -There was a silence for a little space when she had finished and in -that silence I devoted myself before God to her service again, and then -we rose and she gave me her hand. - -“You have been a true knight and gentleman,” she said softly, her eyes -shining, “and I thank you.” - -I could only take it dumbly and stare at her, whereat she smiled -brightly, although her eyes suddenly filled with tears. - -“And now,” she added, “God keep you. Good-night.” - -I then kissed her extended hand, which she suffered without resistance. - -“I will leave you for a little space,” said I, “and so good-night and -God bless you, too.” - -When I came back she was snug in her place under the boat. I sat for a -long time before the fire, thinking and making plans for our escape. -The ship did not give me much concern because I was sure she could not -come at us, and in the end she must go away and leave us alone with -the treasure, maddening as that might be. - -It was a strange fortune that had brought us here. How mysteriously -things had worked out. The marriage of her father and mother, the last -representatives of the two lines that had come from the same ancestor -but had been separated for a hundred and fifty years, which had brought -together again the old story of the island, which had been handed down -from father to son, and now to only daughter, during those many years, -with the tradition explaining it; the indifference with which her -father, Sir Geoffrey, had received it, his leaving the parchment and -the image to her after his death, the discovery that her mother years -before had given her the other part of the chart; the saving of the two -thousand pounds by worthy Master Ficklin from the great estate which -had been dissipated by her father; my own opportune appearance on the -scene--I had returned from an American voyage a short time before his -death--her consultation with me; her determination to take the money -she had and charter a ship; our securing _The Rose of Devon_, the -enlisting of the crew and the starting off on this wild goose chase, -and what had happened since--I recalled them all. - -At first believing, I had come latterly to scoff at the whole matter, -and had at last laughed to myself at the prospect of finding an island -or treasure, and had discredited the story of the old rover buccaneer -who had captured the Spanish treasure ship, his own having been sunk in -the encounter. Now I could reconstruct the whole scene. He had manned -the galleon with his own crew and they had been wrecked on this island -reef--if this were the island--but the sea had subsided, and filling -the boats with the treasure they had hidden it in a cave on the other -side of the wall. The sailors had lived there for some years, but had -finally been attacked by some natives, probably from the islands I -could see dimly on the horizon, and they had all been killed except -Captain Wilberforce, who had feigned madness and become tabooed. - -He had escaped in a canoe from the other islands, whither he had been -carried, and had fallen in with a Spanish trader, after what voyaging -and suffering who could say? He had been trans-shipped from one vessel -to another and finally reached his home, a harmless madman on that -subject his friends and neighbors and even his family thought, with -the parchment, the image, and the tradition which he bequeathed to -his two children after he recovered his wits before he died. They had -quarreled, married apart, and lost sight of each other. And here we -were, a hundred and fifty years or more after the death of the old -Elizabethan buccaneer, on his very island. Was the treasure there -still, where the tradition said he had placed it? We should see. I now -believed that it was. - -A long time I sat there until I finally threw myself down and fell fast -asleep. I must have slept a long time and soundly for I was wearied. It -was she who awakened me. When I opened my eyes and saw her sweet face -bending over me and heard her dear voice calling me, I declare I almost -felt as if I had died and gone to heaven, and was being welcomed by an -angel. But that was only for the moment. I realized everything at once. -She herself had but just arisen. - -Our first waking thought was for the ship. She was still there in the -offing. She had been hove to during the night. I could imagine what -fierce debate and wrangling there had been aboard her. The fact that we -had landed would convince them that the island contained the treasure -for which they had committed murder, and which they could now by no -means come at. And that we had escaped them, cozened them, and now -could be seen on the beach braving them, in no way diminished their -anger. Even if there were no treasure, they would be anxious to get -possession of us and wreak their vengeance upon us. - -The day that passed was much like the afternoon before. Although we -were by this time persuaded that the reef was an absolute protection, a -vague possibility that they could devise means to pass it in some way, -kept us uneasy on the sand. We must have them under observation. We -were eager to explore the beautiful vale enclosed by the huge rampart, -but we did not dare to be where we could not watch the ship. We did -walk along the shore and ascend the giant stairs in the afternoon. Then -while she watched the sea within calling distance of me, I managed to -penetrate the jungle with axe in hand, so that finally I made shift -to cut down a cocoa palm tree and we gathered as many delicious nuts -as we could carry and returned to the shore. And we made plenty of -conversation easily during the hours of watching. - -On the ship we had conversed mainly about business. Now we had no -business and my lady was pleased to look at me in some surprise as I -told her what I guessed about the formation of the island and displayed -unthinkingly the knowledge of the South Seas and other parts of the -globe which I had acquired in my long studying and wide cruising. - -“Why, Master Hampdon,” she exclaimed, opening wide her beautiful eyes, -after I had explained to her something of the nature of the island and -how I thought it had been made and the use of the great quantities of -fruits thereof, “you seem to know more than any of the finest gentlemen -I have ever been thrown with.” - -Whereat I was flattered beyond measure and showed it, but she was kind -enough not to rebuke me for my foolish vanity. And indeed there were -not many--perhaps even none at all--among her acquaintance who could -have done for her what I had; they were men of spirit, in truth, but -they lacked my experience and my strength. - -That night the sun set amid lowering clouds. With a sailor’s weather -sense, I was sure that we should have a storm. Pimball and Glibby -sensed it too. We could see them making things snug alow and aloft -on _The Rose of Devon_. They were good enough seamen, as far as that -goes. The wind, if it came, would be offshore, and there would be no -danger of the ship being driven upon our reef, but there were islands -to leeward which they seemed to have forgot but which I remembered. If -it came to blow hard I would not want to be in the position of _The -Rose of Devon_, even if I do prefer a ship to the shore in a storm, but -I want plenty of sea room and that the poor little _Rose of Devon_ had -not. I surmised that the attention of the crew had been so persistently -fixed upon us that they had scarcely ever glanced to leeward even. - -I explained all this to Mistress Wilberforce as I made things snug -for the night. She would be perfectly protected by the overhang of -the cliff and the overturned boat, and I showed her, before I left -her alone beneath the boat, that the same overhang of the cliff would -protect me from the wind and the rain if the storm broke. And so after -prayers again and a long look seaward we went to sleep. - -About midnight, so far as I could judge, I was awakened. The storm -broke with all the suddenness and intensity of the tropics. Such -peals of thunder and such flashes of lightning I have never witnessed -although I had been in many storms throughout the world. To sleep -further was impossible. Mistress Lucy came out from her boat and -stood beside me as we leaned against the cliff while the storm drove -harmlessly over our heads. - -We could see the ship at intervals by the vivid flashes of lightning. -She was making fearful weather of it. She was always a wet ship and -the huge waves fairly rolled over her. Once she went over nearly on -her beam ends and I thought she was gone. I did not view her position -with a great deal of regret, either. Although she could not come at -us, she was a terrible menace. But the next flash of lightning showed -that her main topmast had gone by the board, or had been cut away, so -she righted. Presently she drove off before the wind with a rag of her -foretops’l still showing, and that was the last we were to see of her, -we thought. - -Praise God, that was not true after all! - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -IN WHICH WE ENTER THE PLACE OF HORROR - - -Storm bound under the lee of the cliffs, we passed long and anxious -hours the next day, although our only misfortune was in the inclemency -of the weather which kept us close and prevented our further -exploration of the island and a search for the treasure. We were -completely sheltered and we had plenty of the refreshing milk of the -cocoanut to vary our other food. Nor did we neglect to improve the -rainy hours by much pleasant converse and by further work upon my -lady’s tunic and shoes. Also I made her a sort of hat out of palm -leaves which she could tie upon her head by further strips from that -invaluable and seemingly inexhaustible skirt of hers. And I made myself -a head covering of some of the cloth, letting it fall low over my neck, -as I had observed the Arabs at Aden do, it being there that the fierce -heat of the tropic sun centers its attack--at least I have heard so. - -The second day after it began the tempest finally blew itself out, -although the great surging seas still broke tremendously over the -barrier reef and the spray shot a score of feet or more above the -crests of the highest waves. It was only the reflex of the storm, -however, for during the night the wind had subsided into a gentle -breeze. All was calm and peaceful; nature never looked so bright and -smiling, it seemed to me, as at the dawn of that eventful day. - -When we scanned the sea early in the morning there was of course no -sign of the ship. I imagined that the hazy islands dimly seen in -the bright sunlight on the far-off horizon could tell a tale of sea -disaster if they would. Any way, I did not believe that we should ever -see _The Rose of Devon_ or her crew again. In both those beliefs I was -mistaken, as you shall find out, if having read thus far, you have -patience to continue until the end. - -Our first inclination, and there was none now to intimidate us, was to -mount the stairs again, cross over the wall once more and look for that -cave. We had neither chart nor record left, we had but our memories to -trust to, but we were both agreed that the cave lay in the inner wall, -and that the parchment said it was the central one of three adjacent -openings which gave entrance to the treasure chamber. - -Now I had noticed that the great coral wall, both on the outer and -inner sides, was honeycombed with openings, rifts, fissures, and caves -which, by the way, were more frequent and deeper on the inside face; -why, I knew not. We should have been hard put to it to decide where the -cave lay, and should have been compelled painfully and laboriously to -search the whole face of the cliff in its extent of fifteen miles or -so, but for the further direction of the parchment. I remembered that, -sailorlike, old Sir Philip had given us a bearing. How did his words -run? Something like this my memory told me: - - Toe fynde ye mouthe of ye tresor cave take a bearing alonge ye southe - of ye three Goddes on ye Altar of Skulles on ye middel hille of ye - islande. Where ye line strykes ye bigge knicke in ye walle with ye - talle palmme, his tree, bee three hoales. Climbe ye stones. Enter ye - centre one. Yt is there. - -Plainly, our first duty was to descend into the enclosed valley and -explore the hillock in the center. I made no doubt but that we should -find some sort of an altar and more of those curious and hideous stone -images there. If they still remained, the rest of our task would be -comparatively easy. - -With this determination, therefore, we set out. As I did not know -how long our exploration would require, and as I rather thought we -should have to make a day of it, we started betimes after a very early -breakfast; indeed, as we invariably retired shortly after sunset, we -naturally rose at break of day. I took along food enough for the day, -knowing that we could get water from the brooks, and fruit which I -judged would be good for us from the trees. - -We went directly to the stairs, mounted them, and stared about us in -amazement. The storm had been a frightful one. We had not been able to -estimate its power from where we had been sheltered on the lee side of -the island, but here the uprooted trees and the wide swaths cut in the -jungle on the top of the wall showed its terrific force. I had no need -for my axe. There were cocoanuts upon the ground and other fruit which -would all rot away before we could consume a hundredth part of it. -Within the shelter of the island cup, as we were presently aware, less -damage had been done, still even there the ravages of the tempest were -widely manifest. - -Delaying but little on the top of the wall, we crossed it rapidly -and finally entered the valley. It was with a feeling of awe that we -stood for the first time fairly within the vast cup at the foot of the -inner stairs, completely shut out from the world by the great towering -rampart of rock which entirely enclosed us. I had never felt so far -removed from the world as then. Outside, of course, the limitless ocean -ran beyond the barrier reef, but one could follow it unto the dim, -far-off distance with his vision; within the cup the glance fell upon -the rocky wall on every hand. It was almost like being in a prison, for -all its tropic loveliness. It was strangely still, too. There was no -wind down where we were. We could no longer hear the ceaseless splash -of the breakers on the barrier. The calm must have been like that of -the world’s first morning, when God walked in the garden and saw that -it was fair. We were alone in it too. Ah, this Adam dared not look at -this Eve, lest he should find her all too fair. - -Beneath the trees and quite invisible from above, a paved road or path, -barely wide enough for four to walk abreast, extended straight across -the island to the hillock in the middle, while smaller paths seemed to -follow the course of the walls on either side. The ground was gently -rolling, and the road, though overgrown in places and badly broken, -was in much better condition than the broader path on the top of the -wall. I suppose the fact that it was sheltered protected it. We passed -along it for a mile and a half without much difficulty; as usual, -hearing nothing, except the breeze in the palms and the birds in the -thicket. We went in silence mainly. We had so far progressed in good -comradeship that talking, unless we had something especial to say, was -not necessary. And the stillness about us did not move us to speech. - -Finally we arrived at the foot of the hillock. As I observed from the -wall, it was grass-grown and palm tree clad. Indeed we should have been -hard put to it to have ascended it, so dense was the vegetation, had -it not been for the fact that the path was continued around the hill -constantly mounting. Where it ran the somewhat shallow earth had been -cut away on the hillside, and the rocky surface laid bare. Of course, -this path was frightfully overgrown, and rendered further impassable -by the trunks of trees which had fallen across it; some, from their -freshness, probably cast there by the storm of the night before. We -managed it, however, and as our identification of the place of the -treasure depended upon our reaching the crest of the mound, we were -compelled to climb it or give over the search. Leaving most of our -baggage behind, including my coat, for the day was now hot, we began -the ascent. - -We went on with the utmost care. I cautioned my lady that she must on -no account move recklessly. A broken leg or a sprained ankle would -place us at a terrible disadvantage, and be a most serious hardship, -and she must avoid the possibility at all costs. I assure you I was -equally careful of myself, too. It was intensely hot under the thick -shade of the trees where the breeze had no chance to penetrate, and -I was sweating mightily when I finally drew my companion, her face -bedewed almost as much as my own, up the last steep ascent and stood -upon the crest. - -We could see now why the top of the hill had seemed level when we first -looked at it from the wall. Indeed, the coral rock rose in a kind -of sharp, bold escarpment eight or ten feet above the adjacent tree -tops, making a sort of tableland or platform. This level, probably -artificial, had been paved with the reddish-gray rock of the stairs -and statues, and pathways and trees, perhaps artificially planted or -more probably the result of Nature’s sowing, grew here and there in -open places in the pavement. I may say in passing, that in all our -exploration of the island, which however was not very thorough or -complete owing to our limited stay upon it, we saw no quarry whence -this hard, pink rock could have been taken. - -The only satisfactory solution was that it had been brought there -across the seas by the makers of the monuments and stairs, whoever -they might have been. They must have had large, seaworthy vessels -and adequate means of land transportation, to say nothing of a most -considerable engineering ability to accomplish these mighty works. - -Well, the level top of the hillock was in shape a parallelogram, in -extent perhaps an acre and a half. It was the most curious place I have -ever seen. In the middle of it, with its four sides parallel to the -sides of the plateau, was a huge stone platform or altar, perhaps one -hundred feet long by seventy feet wide. Completely surrounding this -altar, some distance away from it so as to make an aisle perhaps ten -feet in width, rose a line of huge statues carved, like those at the -foot of the stairs, into the semblance of monstrous and repulsive human -faces. I judged that some of them were at least thirty feet from mid -breast to the top of their crowns. Not one of them was like another. -There was variation in each just as there is variation in human faces. - -All were ugly and horrible, namelessly evil, but all were lifelike -and were, singularly enough, European. Yet that a European could have -carved these statues was beyond the wildest possibility. I have since -thought, and others have thought also, that perhaps the primitive men -who erected that altar to some unknown god might have been men of the -same racial stock as ourselves way back in the dim days of the world’s -first morning. - -At any rate, these statues or images rose at the breast from a kind -of terrace a foot or so above the level of the platform, paved as -elsewhere. They formed a sort of cloister or colonnade around the -central platform which rose twenty or twenty-five feet above. A few of -them had fallen down, but the more part were standing as their carvers -or builders had left them. On the center of the raised platform or -altar, stood three more of the same monster busts, placed one after -another, the largest one being in the middle. They were in line, -all looking in the same direction which my pocket compass told me -was somewhat to the north of northwest by west. They were staring, -therefore, into the general direction of the setting sun. - -At the front, or west, end, the great platform was approached by a -flight of steps. The stones of the pavement were so cunningly fitted -together that only here and there had a seed lodged and grass-grown, -except where the palm trees had sprung up, breaking the pavement. The -stones of the platform or altar and the approaching stairs were also -laid up without mortar and fitted in the same way. How savages with -probably nothing but stone knives could have so perfectly trued and -fitted the surfaces of such huge stones, to say nothing of moving them -at all, was, I confess, beyond me; but so it was. The altar was in good -repair, indeed so massive was it, and so well made, that nothing short -of an earthquake could disturb it. - -Standing so high, the fierce winds that swept over the plateau and -platforms had probably assisted in keeping it clear of vegetation, of -anything in fact, for save for the few scattered palm trees, it was as -bare as the palm of my hand. And indeed, cleaner, for although my lady -had brought with her some soap, I, not knowing how long we should be -on the island and realizing her dainty habit and what a deprivation it -would be to her to be without it, refrained from using it and cleaned -myself as well as I could with water and sea sand, a poor substitute -for soap as you can well imagine. - -Well, we stood upon the platform and surveyed the scene in silent -awe. Nothing in the parchment had led us to suspect all this, although -I recollected the mention of the stone faces looking toward the niche -under the big palm tree, the spot in the wall by which we were to -locate the treasure cave. - -“Come,” said I at last, breaking the silence, “we will have a nearer -look at these gentry.” - -“It seems like the temple of a vanished race,” breathed my lady softly, -staring about her in growing wonder. - -“Aye, and of vanished gods,” said I, extending my hand. - -There was something weird and eerie about the plateau and we felt -better for the warm touch of each other’s hand; at least I did. I -always felt happier when I touched her little hand, but in this -instance the feeling was somewhat different. In a certain sense it -seemed like profanation for us to be there, yet we went on steadily, -if slowly. We passed by the colonnade of statues, around the inner -platform, and deliberately mounted the stairs. - -Something, I know not what, made me bid my mistress pause before we -reached the top, and I looked to my pistol, and loosened my sword in -its sheath as I did so, although why I did so, and what I anticipated, -I cannot say. At any rate, I mounted to the top alone. There before -me lay a platform which was sunk beneath me for a depth of two feet -and which was surrounded by a low wall on the top of which I stood. -The three images rose from a smaller platform on a level with the -top of this wall in the midst, and the whole place was filled with a -horrible and frightful mass of human bones. Skulls, legs, thighs and -smaller bones heaped in terrible confusion lay bleaching before me, -and the space between them was filled with a fine dust, doubtless the -dust of earlier bones which had moldered away through centuries. Those -that still preserved their shape were the top layer and were bleached -perfectly white. They lay in all directions as if they had been cast -aside carelessly and at random, yet there were indications that there -had been a path from where I stood to the platform of the three images, -which platform I perceived was just about wide enough to lay a human -body on it at the base of the first image. - -I stared apprehensively, I must confess, at this frightful charnel -house of the centuries. The only evidence of humanity we had discovered -on that island were these bleached and moldering skeletons. I would -have prevented her, but my mistress suddenly came up and stood by my -side. Then I thought she would have fainted as the full horror of the -scene burst upon her. - -“Men have been here,” she faltered, “horrible, cruel men.” - -“Yes,” said I, “but centuries ago. Look, the bones are bleached white. -You have naught to fear.” - -“Let us leave this frightful place,” she whispered. - -“Presently,” I answered, “but you will remember the directions of the -chart. I must stand upon yonder altar and get my bearings. The treasure -cave should be in line with the statues and a niche or depression in -the wall on the further side.” - -“Yes,” she replied, “I remember.” - -“Well then,” I said, “will you go down to the platform out of sight of -this horrible place and wait for me there?” - -“No,” she answered nervously, “Master Hampdon, wherever you go I must -go. I can never be left alone upon this island.” - -I tried gently to dissuade her, but, as usual, she would have her way -so that at last I gave in perforce. - -“Well then,” said I, “at least let me go before.” - -I stepped down into the great receptacle meaning to clear the way with -my feet by kicking aside the layer of bones, and, on my extending my -arm behind me with both her hands caught in mine, she followed me down -into the enclosure. Of course we had to walk upon the broken remnants -of humanity, but I thrust aside as well as I could the larger pieces -and skulls, and she, I afterward learned, followed with her eyes -tightly closed, trusting entirely to my guidance. Indeed she clung to -my hand with all the nervous strength and power she possessed. - -So we finally reached the platform. I lifted her up on it and followed -myself. We were not the first human beings who had been lifted to that -ghastly platform, I was sure, and as I stood there I could hear in my -imagination the protesting, shrieking, struggling captives about to be -immolated. I could close my eyes and see the blood dripping down the -sides of the altar, as the breast of the bound victim was pierced with -the stone knife and his beating heart torn out and lifted up in the -face of these devilish and horrible gods by the terrible priests of the -ghastly sacrifice. It required little effort to reconstruct the fearful -cannibalistic orgies on the platform below, in honor of whatever awful -deity they worshiped. I did not let myself dwell upon it, nor did I say -anything about it; and my mistress knew too little about such matters -in her sweetness and innocence and purity to have such thoughts as -mine--thank God! - -I led her carefully around the altar platform therefore, until we could -stand at the rear end by the side of the line of statues and look -across the island. Sure enough, there was the niche or depression in -the wall which Sir Philip had mentioned, although the “bigge palmme -tree” was gone, or else lost amid hundreds of trees like it. Beneath -it, careful scrutiny showed a rough pyramid of stone leading up to what -seemed to be openings in the cliff wall. - -So far every detail in the old buccaneer’s parchment was absolutely -correct. I was certain now that the treasure was there, and that we -could find it. And a certain exaltation filled me. At least, we had not -come upon a fool’s errand, though what good the treasure would do us in -our present case after we had found it, I did not stop to consider. - -“See,” I pointed out to my little lady, “following the edge of the -three statues here with your eyes, the nick or break in the wall of the -cliff is right in line.” - -“I see,” she said. - -“And below it,” I continued, “for your bright eyes are perhaps keener -than mine which have looked into the salt seas and over the glare of -water blazing in the sun for so many years, what can you make out?” - -“I see above the tree tops what looks like a pyramid-shaped heap of -stones, the stones of which Sir Philip spoke, perhaps.” - -“Yes,” I replied excitedly, “and at the top, at the apex, what?” - -“There is a darker opening in the wall between two others.” - -“The treasure will be there,” said I confidently. - -“Let us go to it,” she shuddered, looking about her. “I don’t wonder -that Sir Philip came back a madman if he lived for long in the presence -of this.” - -“We have nothing more to do here,” I answered, as I led the way to the -edge of the low altar. - -I leaped down and then turned to help her. She was very white and I -thought she was going to faint. I don’t blame her, the surroundings -were so terrible. I acted promptly, reaching up and taking her in my -arms and carrying her as if she had been a baby; and indeed she was no -great burden for me. Her head dropped to my shoulder. I did not know -whether she had fainted or not. Her eyes were closed. I ran swiftly -across the enclosure, descended the steps and without hesitation turned -to the edge of the cliff. I stopped there, cursing myself for not -having brought any water, but as I stopped she opened her eyes. - -“You are safe,” said I gently, setting her on her feet again, “the -horrors are all behind us. See, there is before you naught but the -beautiful greenery of the island, and--” - -An expression of gratitude came across her face. - -“Let us go down,” she replied. “We must never come near here again.” - -“Please God, no,” I repeated, as we retraced our steps down the cliff -and along the winding path, Mistress Lucy gaining strength and color as -we passed at last out of sight of the hideous platform. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -WHEREIN WE FIND THE TREASURE - - -It was necessary to retrace our steps along the path to the foot of -the great stairs in the island wall. There were treeless meadows here -and there on the way, where we rested, and a lovely brook of cool, -delicious water where we broke our fast, though it was not yet noon; -but the openings or clearings all stopped before they reached the foot -of the outer wall which was almost hidden in vegetation. I remembered -the paths which had led off on either side from the stairs, too. We -followed one to the north easily enough. It was not like the highway -over which we had just come, being only partially paved, although it -had once been thoroughly cleared, and the rise of the wall was such -that it was still practicable. We turned to the right, plunged beneath -the trees and pressed resolutely on, keeping as close to the main wall -as possible. - -This wall to our left was dotted with openings of caves, but none of -them seemed to fit the description we carried in our memories. The -undergrowth deepened and grew denser as we progressed, and finally I -had to open a way with my axe. The tangled masses soon gave way before -my sturdy energy, and at last we entered a considerable open space -which extended to the wall. There above us were the three openings -beneath the depression in the crest; surely enough, the one in the -middle being greater than the others. I deemed that the entrance would -be high enough to admit me, who am much above the usual stature, -without bending my head. It was elevated halfway up the surface of the -cliff, and the only approach to it was by the great heap of stones, -not laid up with the order and regularity of the giant stairs, but -apparently piled together haphazard by people unskilled to make any -other practical way of ascent. - -It was difficult enough for us to climb just as it was. The heap of -stones evidently had not been mounted for years, and the stones had -broken and fallen away in many places. Indeed, we had to rebuild the -pile here and there, which entailed some hours of arduous labor on my -part, in which my lady would participate until I laughingly threatened -to take my belt and strap her to the nearest tree unless she desisted. -Whereat, smiling strangely, she stopped and, sitting down near by, -watched me at work in silence. - -Reaching the top at last we stood on a shelf in front of the cave -mouth. I peered within but could see nothing but the blackness. When we -left the ship we had taken a lantern and a few candles, you remember. -I had brought the lantern with me that day. We now lighted it with the -flint and steel and tinder and stepped silently in. My lady followed -me close, being, as she had said, unwilling to be left alone, and ever -ready to face any peril in my company. - -Above the low entrance the cave wall within rose to a height of perhaps -twenty feet, making a vast vaulted chamber with Gothic suggestions -about it, for the coral, before it hardened, had been built into -curious shapes and fantastic figures. We did not notice this so much at -first, for with a wild shriek, my gentle companion suddenly caught my -arm and pointed downward. - -The floor, like that of the central altar on the hill we had just -left, was covered with human bones, a gruesome sight for anyone, and -certainly for a woman, and made more gruesome because of the dull -lighting of the cave. These bones also were bleached white and had -evidently been there a long time. We could scarcely take a step without -treading upon them. I had all I could do to keep my mistress from -running back toward the mouth and thence to the ground and it was not -until I had reassured her again and again that she would consent to go -on further. - -As we had been compelled to pass on by our desire to get our bearings -before, so if we were to get the treasure we would have to suffer -this now. I think if it had not been that her previous experience on -the hillock had somehow given her some confidence, my lady could not -have endured this sight, treasure or no treasure. But she was a brave -woman and when I urged that we were not to be balked in our search of -thousands of leagues by dead men’s bones which, though horrible, were -after all quite harmless, she summoned her courage and we went on. - -As our eyes became accustomed to the light, for indeed the candle -lantern cast but a dim radiance over the vast apartment and the -entrance was so small comparatively that little daylight came through, -we saw off to the right against that side of the cave the same kind of -an altar built of the same stones as on the hill, though much smaller -and surmounted by a similar image as ugly as the others, though nearer -the human size. Bones of human beings, men, women and children I judged -from the difference in sizes, lay before it, and there were heaps of -bones on the floor around it. It came across me that it was another -altar of sacrifice, and that the worshipers had also been eaters of -flesh--cannibals! For I reasoned that in that island and especially in -that dry cave, the bodies of the sacrificed would have been dried up, -assuming the shape of mummies, if left to themselves. And I wondered -if every cave possessed a similar altar, and if the whole island -had simply been a place of sacrifice and death for some prehistoric -race living in other islands round about, like those on the horizon -we could still see; or perhaps long ages ago engulfed in some great -cataclysm of nature and sunk beneath the ocean these thousands of years -and then raised again. - -Turning away from the altar to the right we found the way clear, and -with a sigh of relief I drew Mistress Lucy reluctantly on. She clung -to me and was so frightened that I finally slipped my arm about her -waist, whereat she made no objection. She has confessed since that she -was indeed greatly pleased and that it was a comfort to her to feel the -strength and power of my grasp. - -Holding the lantern before me, I cautiously proceeded further into the -cave toward the inner wall. The cave wall apparently opened out into -rooms. I did not dare go any distance from the main entrance for fear -that I should lose my way, so I stopped undecided what to do; which -opening to enter, that is. - -“Oh, let us go back,” begged my mistress, “there is no treasure here, I -am sure.” - -“Nay,” I answered, “with your permission, Mistress Wilberforce, I -intend to explore further into the matter. Let us see.” I held the -lantern high above my head as I spoke. There above the entrance I saw a -rude Latin cross! “Look,” I continued, “someone has been here, ’tis the -sign of the cross!” - -“Yes,” she said, her hopes reviving and her spirits returning a little -at the unwonted sight of that sacred symbol of our faith in this place -of idolatry and superstition, “don’t you remember on the map marking -the position of the cave there was a little cross?” - -“So there was,” I exclaimed, “although the reading did not mention it.” - -“No, but it is there, nevertheless.” - -I stooped down--the entrance was scarcely three feet high but quite -broad--and made to go through. - -“Wait!” She seized me in great alarm. “You cannot go in there and leave -me here,” she cried. - -“I promise you that I will not stir three feet from the entrance, if -you will suffer me that far,” I answered. - -“I must come, too, then,” she urged. - -“I will see what is there first, and if it is safe you shall come with -me immediately,” I answered, giving her no time for further objection. - -As I spoke, I crawled through and found myself in another smaller -chamber. There being no visible danger, I stretched out my hand to her -and brought her through after me. From some distant crevice the air -came to us, we could feel it blow upon us, and it was sweet. Also I -could hear water bubbling over rocks in the distance. It was a little -damp in the cave, perhaps because of that. There was little light, -however, save that cast by the lantern. I could not see the further -wall. - -We did not need to go further into the cave, for there before us, -clearly enough revealed by the dim radiance of the lamp, lay a number -of large wooden boxes or chests, moldy and ancient. The boxes had once -been iron strapped, but we found the iron had rusted and the wood had -rotted. I stepped over to one of them, lifted the lid which crumbled -at my touch, and there was the treasure--ingots of gold and silver! -Thousands of pounds lay to our hands! The old buccaneer had told the -truth. The story of the parchment was not a romance, the plunder of -the ancient galleon was there. - -I have read, as you all have, the great romance of Daniel DeFoe, and -the uselessness of this mass of gold and silver of which the Spaniards -had robbed the natives, making them toil to death in the mines, for -which Sir Philip Wilberforce’s men had fought and died, for which the -men on _The Rose of Devon_ had committed murder, and which, had we -been able to dispose of it, would have bought anything the world had -to offer, came home to me, as in similar circumstances Robinson Crusoe -had the same thought. For my part I would gladly have exchanged it all -for a stout boat and a clear passage through the reef with a chance for -freedom. - -“Well, your great-great-great-grandfather, for how many generations -back I know not, was right,” I said at last. “The treasure is here and -we have found it. It is yours.” - -“Yes,” she said, to whom the same thought had come, “but now that we -have found it of what value or use is it?” - -“None,” I admitted, “that I can see that is, but there is a certain -satisfaction in having found it, and in knowing that you can own it -even if you cannot take it away. I am glad that events have proved that -we came on no fool’s errand.” - -“And what may be its value, think you?” - -“It would make good ballast for a ship,” I answered lightly. - -“But if we could take it hence to England?” - -“Millions, I can only guess.” - -“I will give you one-half of it for your share,” she said, laughing -softly. - -“I want none of it,” I returned seriously enough. - -What possessed her to do it, I know not, and she has since confessed -she knows not either. We stood there, looking down upon the useless -heap of treasure, when she turned to me on a sudden. - -“Now that you have seen it, are you still of the same mind,” she -asked mischievously, “that you would give up your portion of the -treasure--for me?” - -“Great God!” I exclaimed, moved beyond measure by her imprudent remark, -and thrown off my balance by her--dare I say coquetry? “I would give -up the world itself for you. Don’t you know it?” - -And I made a step toward her, but she put up her hand. - -“Hush! stay! Master Hampdon,” she cried affrighted at the consequences -of her pleasantry, “remember--” - -“I shall never forget,” I said grimly. “This treasure removes you -further away from me than ever.” - -“What mean you?” - -“When you get back to England and take your place once more among your -friends in that society to which your birth entitles you and which this -wealth will enable you to sustain--” - -“And who is to take me back to England?” - -“I.” - -“How?” - -“I know not, but I shall do it.” - -“And with the treasure?” - -“With the treasure, too, at least a sufficiency of it for all your -needs.” - -“And when you have done this amazing thing for me, you expect to -disappear from my life, Master Hampdon?” - -“Aye, if need be.” - -She laughed, and I did not understand the meaning of that laugh, either. - -“Is it not idle for us to speculate upon treasures which we cannot -carry hence, and which in our present situation are not so useful to us -as the little pieces of flint and steel with the tinder in the pocket -of your coat?” she asked, smiling. - -“You are right,” I answered, smiling in turn, although what it cost me -to smile in the face of the picture of the future that came to me, you -cannot imagine. “But let us search and see if there be anything else. -Your ancestor spoke of jewels.” - -“Yes,” she said, “there should be a smaller casket, let us look -further.” - -There were perhaps a dozen large boxes. I opened them all. Some were -quite empty, with little piles of dust in them, and a few shreds of -color here and there which indicated silk had been packed in them. -There were also broken barrels around which still clung a faint odor of -spices. There were piles of rotted débris further on, and as I stirred -one of them with my sheath sword I struck something more solid. I -brushed aside what seemed to be the decayed remains of cordage and -wood and finally came upon a smaller casket bound, strapped, hinged, -and cornered with some kind of metal which I afterward found to be -silver--iron would have rusted long since. The casket was about a foot -long by six inches wide and six inches deep. The metal which completely -covered it was curiously chased. The casket was locked. I crumbled the -wood in my hands, but could not open the lock. The edge of my axe, -however, proved a potent key and at last I forced it apart. As I did so -out fell a little heap of what I judged to be precious stones. There -were green, red, blue, and white ones, among them many pearls sadly -discolored and valueless. The stones glistened with an almost living -energy. My mistress was more familiar with these things than I, and I -presented a handful to her. - -“Why, they are precious stones!” she cried, in an awe-struck whisper. -“Look,” she held up a diamond as big as her thumb nail; it sparkled -like a sun in the candlelight. “And there is an emerald,” she cried, -picking up one of the green stones, “this blue one is a sapphire, this -a ruby. Why,” she exclaimed, “here is a fortune alone. These jewels -must be of fabulous value. The gold and silver we might leave behind, -but these we can carry with us.” - -In my heart I was sorry we had found them, yet I had the grace -immediately to say, - -“I am glad for that. We must gather them up, but where shall we put -them?” - -“In the pockets of your coat for the present,” she answered. - -Now there were not so many of them, perhaps three or four handfuls, not -nearly enough to fill the casket. I figured that it had been a jewel -box with little trays or drawers, and that the stones had been wrapped -separately but had all fallen together when the partitions rotted away. -I easily found room for them in the capacious side pockets of my coat -and then we turned back to the outer room. Passing by the hideous altar -we gained the open day again. It was now late in the afternoon, we -found to our surprise. And yet how sweet it was, that outer air, after -those caves of death and treasure! - -We had spent hours over the search, and we had just time to retrace our -steps and get back to the boat on the beach and partake of our evening -meal when night fell. As we sat by the fire that night, I made two -little bags out of a piece of canvas taken from a bread bag, and we put -the jewels into them, dividing them into equal parts. One bag she wore -constantly thereafter on her person, and I the other. - -My mistress was at first anxious to stow them away in some crack or -cranny of the rock, but I said, I scarcely knew why, that it would be -better to keep them always with us, and so we did. She insisted that -the rough and ready division we had made was permanent, that the bag I -carried belonged to me and the bag she carried belonged to her. But I -refused to have it so in spite of her argument and there we left it. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -WHEREIN THE SERPENT ENTERS THE EDEN - - -During the next two or three days we leisurely explored the island. -There was much in it of interest, of course, but nothing else which -merits any particular description or has any bearing on this story. We -did not again visit the central hill, nor did we enter any other cave. -We did not even go near the treasure cave again, on the contrary we -kept to the open. There were charming groves within the walls, but we -could not bear to be shut up within the great cup. It seemed not unlike -a prison to us. Outside we could at least see the vast expanse of the -restless ocean. We chose to live near the sea on the beach which was -high above all tides and which was far removed from the charnel spots -which made a mockery of the sylvan groves within the walls. The island -was well provided with tropical fruits, many being good for food, as I -knew. We caught fish in the lagoon and turtle on the sand. We could -make a fire and cook our food. There was salt in plenty. My tailoring -and cobbling stood the test. We lacked nothing to make us comfortable, -even happy, except the means of escape. My comrade was never in better -health in her life. Roses bloomed in her cheeks again and I--I was more -than contented in her society. - -We spent our days in trying to devise some means of getting across the -reef and back home again, that is when I was not idly lying at the feet -or following the footsteps of the woman I loved. I didn’t want to get -away so far as I was concerned. I didn’t care whether we ever got away. -I had wit enough not to let her see, not to let her suspect that for a -moment, however--at least I made the endeavor--and I tried to convince -her by my actions at least that my kissing her on the ship had been but -a momentary madness, but I learned later that I failed lamentably. She -says now that a baby could see that I was dying for her, and I suppose -it is true, but at least I didn’t say anything. After that outbreak in -the cave I kept silence. - -As I look back upon those days I scarcely think she treated me kindly, -and yet I know not. I was at once happy and miserable--very happy in -her presence, very miserable in the thought that I was and could be -nothing to her. She played upon me as if I had been a pipe, she led -me on and she repelled me, she drew me and she drove me. I had wit, -however, to see that she was enjoying it, even if I did not; and I -was in some measure content that she should be glad. It was a fool’s -paradise in which we lived. We had no care, nothing could touch us, -nothing could hurt us--at least so we fancied. We had water in plenty -and enough to eat of pleasant variety, fruit, fish fresh caught from -the lagoon, the meat and eggs of the turtle, relieved by the edibles we -had brought from the ship, of which we still had some small store left. -The air was soft and balmy, the birds sang, the flowers bloomed. We -were young, I loved blindly, passionately; she, as I know now though I -never suspected it then, with her beautiful eyes open--that is if eyes -that love are ever open. Eden, Eden! Ah it was there! - -We made frequent trips up the stairs and into the cup of the island, -we traversed as much of the wall as possible, although that was but -little because the sharp, jagged edges when we left the path would -have cut our feet to pieces. We fished, we launched the boat on the -lagoon and rowed clear around the island. I left her sometimes that she -might refresh herself in dips within the cool water, while I did the -same further away and out of sight. Like Adam and Eve we lived in that -Garden and dallied with the forbidden fruit even if we did not eat it. -Aye, and the serpent came, as of old, into that soft Pacific Paradise. - -Late one afternoon we stood at the head of the stairs looking seaward. -We had come from a long ramble throughout the cup of the island and as -we stood on the top our gaze as usual instinctively turned toward the -sea, perhaps seeking for the sail of some rescuing ship. The water was -black with great formidable looking war canoes! - -We could not believe our eyes at first. We stared at the water in -amazement, motionless, awe-struck, appalled. This time it was I who -came to my senses first. - -“Great God!” I cried, “look yonder.” - -“I see, I see,” she cried, in turn. “Who can they be?” - -“Dwellers from the other islands to the westward,” I answered. - -They could not see us yet fortunately but, after all, that mattered -little save as a temporary respite. Strangely enough, my lady did not -seem to be nearly so disturbed as I. - -“The reef will protect us again,” she said at last, looking at me -confidently. - -“Not for a moment,” I answered, “they will ride that reef in those -light canoes more easily than we did.” - -“And you think--” she instantly began. - -“Our lives are in God’s hands. If I know anything these will be -ferocious, bloodthirsty savages. See, they are armed.” - -I pointed to one tall brown man who stood up in the bow of the nearest -canoe, flourishing a broad-bladed spear. - -“We must hide,” she said. - -“But where? They will search the whole island as soon as they discover -our boat and other belongings and realize that some strangers are here. -Where can we find concealment?” - -“In the treasure cave, of course,” she answered promptly. - -And indeed that was the most likely spot. We had brought but little -with us that afternoon. I had thrust a brace of pistols in my belt and -she herself, by my advice, always carried her two smaller ones, and -I had my sword and axe, but everything else was with the boat on the -beach under the cliff. For a moment I thought of running down there and -getting some of our things, but as I half turned to descend the stairs, -she detained me, divining my purpose. - -“No, no,” she urged, clasping my arm with both hands, “we must make -shift with what we have. You could not go and come in time. Perhaps -they may not discover us, they may not understand the boat if they are -only savages. We can hide safely until they depart, it may be. Come, -let us go.” - -There was sense in her remarks. It might be that after performing some -awful worship these most unwelcome visitors would return as they came. -And by keeping closely hid we might escape an encounter with them. -As ever in the emergency she gave the better counsel. Nevertheless, -I deplored more than I can say that I could not get to the arms and -other things under the cliff on the beach near the boat. They would -certainly find everything as soon as they crossed the reef and landed, -although what it would tell them and what they would do only time would -determine. But there was no help for that now. We had to make the best -of a bad situation. - -We turned and ran back down the path across the wall. I had forethought -to gather a number of cocoanuts and some other fruit as we passed. -I filled my own pockets and then she made a bag out of her tunic -and carried the rest. Presently I reflected that we had no need for -such haste. There would be plenty of time for us to reach the cave -and conceal ourselves long before they landed, so we progressed more -slowly. It was almost dusk when we reached our shelter. I had uprooted -a small tree just before we started to climb the pile of stones which I -used as a lever to push down the heap in every direction as we climbed -so that it would be impossible for anyone else to enter the cave -without piling up the stones again. We passed by the stone altar and -its skeletons, crept into the inner room, flung ourselves panting upon -the sand and there we waited. - -In that secret and secluded shelter I thought that we were safe for -the time being. Especially was I sure that they would make no effort -to find us at night, as the place had anciently been some sort of a -shrine and was probably held sacred still. And in the morning I did -not think that they would chance upon that particular cave out of the -many in the coral walls without a long search, unless they had proposed -coming just there for other reasons than we attributed to them. Even -if they did stumble upon our hiding place early in the hunt, which I -felt sure would be made for us as soon as they discovered evidences of -our presence on the island in the shape of the dinghy, or at least at -daybreak, it would take them some time to rebuild the pyramid of rock -against the wall again; and when they did enter the outer room they -would find it a matter of extreme difficulty to get into the inner -chamber so long as I was there. Unfortunately, we had brought no powder -and ball with us. We had no means of reloading our firearms, once they -had been discharged. I resolved to reserve the four pistols we had for -the last emergency. For other weapons I had my axe and sword, to say -nothing of the loose stones and even of the human skulls about the -altar. - -I have said, I think, that the inner cave was slightly damp. The -dampness rose from a spring of water which bubbled away in some dark -corner which we had not cared to explore. We had what provisions we -had brought with us left over from our luncheon, which I had luckily -preserved instead of throwing them away, and an armful of cocoanuts and -other fruit. These, however, would last us but a short while. If they -could not come at us by force, they could easily starve us out. Also -they could, without too much trouble or danger, make themselves masters -of the outer cave. Indeed, I scarcely thought it would be wise for me -to attempt to prevent that, and in that case they could wall up the -entrance and leave us there. - -It did not occur to us for a single moment that they had any knowledge -of the treasure, and that they could be after that. Not for even -the thousandth part of a second did I dream the savages were led by -Pimball, Glibby, and most of the other seamen of _The Rose of Devon_. -I did not know then, although I have since heard the whole story -from the survivors, that _The Rose of Devon_ had gone ashore in the -terrific storm I have described, there had been a battle with the -savages who sought to plunder the ship, but which was prevented at -frightful loss to the islanders who were unable to contend successfully -against the firearms with which the ship was so abundantly provided. A -means of communication between the ship and the shore had been found -subsequently, through one of the seamen who had sailed the South Seas. -The savages had been told of the treasure, of which indeed they had -some dim traditions from days gone by; they also held the cave as one -of their most sacred spots, scarcely less sacred than the great altar -on the hillock in the center of the island, for what reason I cannot -tell. - -By some persuasion, I know not what, Pimball and Glibby had won them -over. Together they had organized an expedition to come and seize us -and take the treasure. _The Rose of Devon_ was not badly damaged, she -had been floated and found to be still seaworthy. The savages naturally -cared little or nothing for the gold or silver, and I divined later -that Pimball had promised to turn us over to them for such purposes as -the reader can well imagine. After tortures, we would inevitably be -killed and eaten. - -I did not figure this out then, of course. If I had guessed it, I -believe I should have been so blindly furious that I should have -sallied out and attacked them at the giant stairs. Indeed, that would -have been no bad place for defense if the stairway had been but a -little narrower. Had I been alone perhaps I should have defied them -there, but I had my lady to look to and I dared take no chances. I -could not force the fighting. - -We sat silent in the cave for a long time. I had not lighted the -ship’s lantern we had left there at our last visit, having no use for -it elsewhere on the island, since we went to bed at dark and rose at -dawn, for some of the light of the dying day filtered through from the -outside cave. There was nothing that we needed light for anyway. We sat -close together on the remains of one of the chests to protect us from -the damp sand. I always carried with me a flask of spirits. Not that I -am a drinking man, I left and still leave that practice to the gallants -of the day, but I have found it useful in some dire emergency, and now -as Mistress Lucy shivered in the chill, damp air, I heartened her and -strengthened her with a dram. - -As it was summer and not far from the line, I had not brought the boat -cloak with us. I had not even worn my sailor’s jacket, but my mutilated -leather waistcoat was heavy and warm and I was thankful that I had it. -The pieces which I had cut from it for the soles of her little shoes -had not spoiled it for wear either, since I had been careful in their -selection. I took it off and despite her protestations slipped it on -her. In girth it was big enough to encircle her twice, which was all -the better for her comfort. I drew it around to cover her breast with -a double fold and with a length of line I had in my pocket I made it -fast. We sat close together and talked in low whispers and I thrilled -at the contact of her sweet presence in spite of our peril. - -How long we talked or how long we waited I have no means of telling. It -grew dark in the cave very early and when I ventured into the outside -room after what seemed an interminable wait, I found night had fallen. -I felt pretty sure that we need apprehend no attack that night and yet -it was necessary to keep watch, so I proposed that one of us should -sleep while the other listened. Naturally she was the first to take -rest. It was too damp and cold to lie down on the sand, so I wedged -myself against one of the least rotted of the chests whose shape had -been kept intact by the pile of gold and silver bars it had contained, -and somewhat hesitatingly offered her the shelter of my arm. - -“Madam,” I said, with all the formality I could muster, “you must have -sleep. You cannot lie upon this damp sand, it is bad enough to sit upon -it; but upon my shoulder and within the support of my arm you shall -have rest.” - -“I trust you,” she replied, coming closer to me, “and if I am to sleep -I know that I shall be safe within your arms.” - -“As my sister, had I one, or as my mother, were she alive and here, -will I support you,” said I, which was, I must admit, untrue, for I -had a great to-do to keep my arm from trembling, and I felt sure she -would hear my heart throbbing madly when she nestled close to me, her -head upon my shoulder. And she has since admitted that she did feel -the tremor and hear the throb, whereat she was most glad. But I knew -nothing of that then, nor for a long time after. - -Before she closed her eyes, however, she made her evening prayer for -herself and for me, and then she made me promise that I would awaken -her when I judged it to be midnight, and upon my promise she nestled -down and went to sleep, her head upon my shoulder. Surely never had man -a more precious charge than I that night! - -I sat there motionless, my bared sword at my side, listening. I could -hear nothing, no sound except her soft breathing and once in a while -the sough of the night wind through the trees outside, which penetrated -faintly into the cave, and at more infrequent intervals the cry of some -night bird came to me, but there was no sound of humanity. How long -I sat there, I know not. It was my purpose to keep awake the night -through, and I think I must have kept awake the greater part thereof, -but toward morning my head dropped back on the pile of ingots and I -fell asleep. Yet I did not relax my clasp upon the sleeping figure -lying upon my breast. It was she who awakened when the dim light began -to sift through the narrow opening into the little cave where we sat. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -IN WHICH WE ARE BELEAGUERED IN THE CAVE - - -“Master Hampton,” she said, bending over me, having arisen without -disturbing me, “it is morning.” - -I sprang to my feet instantly, as she shook me gently, and grasped my -sword as I did so, whereat she laughed. - -“Why did you not awaken me?” she asked reprovingly. - -“I don’t know, I must have--” I began in great confusion. - -“You must have gone to sleep yourself,” she laughed again, and I -marveled, but thankfully, to see her so cheerful. - -“I am ashamed,” I replied, “that I should have failed in my duty to -keep good watch. I didn’t awaken you when I might because you needed -sleep yourself, and then like a great animal I went to sleep myself.” - -“I am glad,” she said, smiling at me, and I could just see her lovely -face faintly in the dark twilight of the cave, “that you did since -nothing happened.” - -“It is just as well then,” I said, smiling in turn, “we have both slept -soundly and well. I feel greatly refreshed.” - -“And I.” - -“Thank God,” I said fervently. - -“What is to be done now?” she asked. - -“First breakfast.” - -I broke open a cocoanut with my axe, I had become expert at it, and -we had food and drink in plenty, and for variety some of the hard -bread which still remained and other fruit. I lighted the lantern -for a moment and went toward the sound of the falling water. The -cocoanut shell made an excellent cup and I brought her enough clear, -cool, sweet water to lave her face and hands. Save for the stiffness -of the constrained position and some slight pain caused by the damp -we were both fit for any adventure. Well, we should have need of all -our strength doubtless. When we finished our meal and our refreshing -ablutions, she looked at me inquiringly. - -“Well, what next?” - -“The next thing,” said I, “is to see what is toward.” - -“You won’t leave the cave,” she said, catching me by the shoulder. - -“I should find it difficult were I so minded,” I answered, smiling and -thrilling to her touch again as always. Indeed, I have never got used -to it even after all these years. As I look back on the scenes of the -past now I do not think I have ever had happier moments in my life than -those in which she clung to me and was dependent upon me. - -“Why not?” she asked. - -“You forget that we broke down the way last night.” - -“But you are a sailor, you might make shift.” - -“Yes, but not you,” I answered. - -“Without me?” - -“Without you I go nowhere.” - -She looked at me with shining eyes. - -“Come,” said I, “let us go into the outer room. We may find out -something.” - -I had wound my watch in the dark and looked at it now as we came -into the light. It was three bells in the morning watch, or about -half after nine. We went past the altar with its grim bony circle -of attendants, and stared through the entrance. There was an open -space at the foot of the cliff forty or fifty yards wide perhaps -before the jungle began. After looking some time and seeing nothing I -foolishly--and yet it would have made no difference in the end--stepped -out upon the shelf which made a sort of platform in front of the cave -and Mistress Lucy fearlessly came with me. - -We had scarcely appeared in view when to our astounded surprise we -heard the report of a firearm and a heavy bullet struck the coral wall -just over our heads. I had just time to mark the spot whence it came, -by the betraying smoke, as I leaped back into the shelter carrying my -precious charge before me. I was puzzled beyond measure. I was certain -that the savages in these parts of the South Seas knew nothing about -firearms and I could not account for it. The shower of arrows and -spears that now came through the opening and fell harmlessly on the -sand I could easily account for, but not that shot. What could it mean? -I felt that I could hold my own against savages without difficulty, -but if there were European enemies there the case was different. - -“That,” said I solemnly, “was a narrow escape.” - -“Do these islanders have firearms?” she asked, the same thought in her -mind. - -“I never heard of it,” I replied. “I cannot account for it.” - -“I can, though,” she said; “just before the discharge of that gun I -caught sight of a man in clothes such as you wear. Is it possible that -it could be one from _The Rose of Devon_?” - -I nodded my head, a light at once breaking upon me. - -“It is quite likely,” I answered, “now it is certain.” - -At this moment our further conversation was interrupted by a hail. To -our great amazement we heard in that lonely island my own name called! -That hail could only come from a survivor of the ship. It confirmed our -surmises about the shot. - -“Master Hampdon,” the cry came to us, “will you respect a flag of -truce? If so, show yourself at the opening and I shall do the same.” - -“Don’t go,” cried my little mistress, hearing all, “they are utterly -without honor, and--” - -“I think it will be best for me to appear,” I said. “Stand clear so -that if any treacherous movement be made I shall have space to leap -backward, and meanwhile look to your weapons.” - -I examined my own pistols and then calling out loudly that I would -faithfully observe the flag of truce, I stepped out into the open. -There below me on the edge of the glade, convenient to a tree behind -which he could leap, for the rascal trusted me apparently as little as -I trusted him, stood the wretch, Pimball. Back of him beneath the trees -I distinguished Glibby and a number of the crew, nearly all of them, I -should judge, and back of these were massed the savages. Pimball had a -white neckcloth tied to the muzzle of his gun. - -“Good morning, Master Hampdon,” he began suavely. - -To that salutation I made no reply. I did not deign even to pass the -time of day with such a man as he. - -“Say what you have to say and be quick about it,” I said haughtily, -but he looked past me and took off his hat with a profound sweep. - -“Good morning, Mistress Wilberforce,” he cried. - -I turned in a hurry and found that she had stepped out by my side, -completely disobeying my positive direction. The two of us presented a -fair mark for any weapon; one might escape, but hardly two if Pimball’s -men opened fire. - -“Get back!” I cried harshly in mingled amazement and dismay. - -“I stay where you are,” she answered firmly. “See, I, too, am armed,” -her little hand lifted her own pistol. - -“I can talk with the two of you jest as well as with one, or even -better,” interposed Pimball smoothly, “an’ the lady won’t need her -pistol.” - -“Talk on and be brief,” I returned, seeing there was no use in arguing -with my little mistress who always did have her own way in the end. - -[Illustration: “She had stepped out by my side.”] - -Yet I did take the precaution to interpose my bulk between the man on -the ground and my lady who strove to move around me, but I stubbornly -held my position and compelled her to keep in the background where -she was in less danger. - -“You’ve found the treasure,” he began, “there ain’t no use denyin’ -it; we’ve l’arnt from our savage friends that the stuff is there. In -years gone by they sacrificed here an’ on the cone yonder, but for -generations the island has been taboo. The comin’ of the white man has -broke the ban an’ we’re here to take the treasure away with us.” - -“Indeed!” said I sarcastically, whereat he turned pale with anger but -still mastered himself. - -“We offer you,” he continued, “safety. We can’t take you with us, but -we’ll leave you here on the island arter we have fetched away the -treasure.” - -“Thank you,” I returned, “you are vastly kind.” - -He bit his lip at that and then his eyes turned from me to my companion. - -“If you are willin’ to give up the woman,” he said suddenly, revealing -his real villainy, “I’ll enroll you with our followin’ an’ we’ll all -git away together on _The Rose of Devon_.” - -“What of the ship?” I asked. - -It was a hard thing to control my temper, but I wanted the information -and until I got it I must command myself. - -“She was badly damaged when she took ground on the sand durin’ the -storm but not entirely wrecked, an’ is still seaworthy. We’ve patched -her up, too. We can git away in her an’ you can navigate her, or we can -do without you, for that matter, an’ make shift to git her back to the -South American coast at least.” - -“So you offer me free passage and my share of the treasure if I will -give up Mistress Wilberforce, do you?” - -“That’s just it,” answered Pimball. “Eh, mates?” whereat a deep chorus -of approval came from Glibby and the men. - -“And this is my answer,” I said furiously, leveling my pistol at him. -“Get back, you villain, or you will have looked your last on life.” - -“But the flag of truce,” he cried, dropping his weapon in surprise. - -“It is not meant to cover such propositions as yours. As for the -treasure, you shall have it when you can get it.” - -As I spoke he sprang behind the tree and motioned to his men to fire, -but I was too quick for him, and we were safely behind the walls of -the cave when the sound of the reports came to us. I had carried my -mistress there before me in my unceremonious backward rush. - -“It was bravely said,” began my lady, “but if I were not here, you--” - -I laughed. - -“You are here and if you were not they would murder me like a sheep -when they had got out of me all they wanted.” - -“Yes,” said she, “I suppose so. Now what is to be done?” - -“The next move,” said I, “is with them.” - -“Shall we go further back into the cave?” - -“No, we will stay here for the moment,” I replied. - -We were not long left in suspense for I could hear them breaking -through the woods and rushing toward the entrance. Missiles in the way -of weapons there were none in the cave, but I picked up a skull that -lay on the floor and hurled it out of the opening into the unseen crowd -below on a venture. A shriek told me that I had hit someone, but I saw -at once that the game was one I could not play longer, for a rain of -missiles, stones, arrows, what not, fell in the entrance. - -These villainous white men had some skill at warfare, it seemed. -They had posted covering parties to protect the workmen who had been -detailed to repair and make possible the approach. I stepped cautiously -toward the entrance and peered down. I could see them working hard, -piling up the stones to enable them to get at us, while back of them -others stood with drawn bows and presented weapons. - -I did not come off unscathed, for as I sprang back after having thrown -another skull and taken my look, an arrow hit me in the fleshy part of -my arm. My mistress noticed it instantly. The stone head had broken off -and it was the work of an instant to draw out the slender wood shaft. -It was not at all a bad wound but it was quite painful. The next thing -she did amazed me beyond measure, for before I could prevent it my -mistress had put her lips to the wound. - -“What mean you?” I cried when I could recover myself. - -“It might have been poisoned,” she said quietly, looking at me with -luminous eyes, “and I cannot have you die!” - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -HOW WE FIGHT FOR LIFE IN THE CAVERN OF THE TREASURE - - -I was amazed, astounded even, at her hardihood in sucking any possible -poison out of that wound in my arm at so great a risk to her own life, -if the weapon had been envenomed. And I was most profoundly touched, -too. But as I had had my lesson on the ship I presumed no further; I -viewed it as done out of common humanity and to preserve a life useful -to her--nothing more. I dared not put any other construction upon her -noble action, even in thought. Meanwhile in my turn, I took such hasty -precautions for her safety as I could while I thanked her. I bade her -rinse out her mouth thoroughly with a mixture of the cold water and the -strong spirit of which I still had my flask nearly full. - -By this time we had withdrawn to the back of the outer cave. Indeed, -that was the only safe place for us, for a constant succession of -weapons was being thrown through the opening. We needed no further -warning to keep us out of reach. Master Pimball was showing himself -something of a general, too. He was keeping us away from the entrance -and with the great host of men at his command he was building up the -broken-down heap of stones which would presently enable them to come at -us in force. At least that was what I guessed from what I had seen and -what I now heard. - -While my little mistress busied herself with tying up my wounded arm -with strips torn from the sleeve of my shirt which I had offered for -the purpose--she had wanted to make bandages out of her underwear but I -stayed her--I considered what was to be done. I had four loaded pistols -and therefore four lives in my hand. No man could show his head in -that entrance without receiving a shot. After that I could account for -a few more, perhaps, with sword, axe, or naked fist, but in the end -they would inevitably master me. Unfortunately, the entrance was broad -enough for four or more to enter abreast easily. - -Should I open the battle there or retreat into the inner cave and -wait, was the question that had to be decided. Perhaps the latter would -be the safer plan but I had a strange unwillingness to adopt it, for -once within I feared we should never get out alive except as prisoners, -so long as they held the outer cave and I could never dislodge them -from it. There was not much more chance of getting out alive from the -outer cave, for that matter, but still it seemed so. We could at least -see the sky and the sunlight. Should we stay there or go further into -the wall? - -I decided upon the former course. I explained to my mistress that I -would keep the outer cave as long as I could, begging her to retreat -to the inner chamber. She demurred at first, but when I spoke to her -peremptorily at last--God forgive me--she acceded to my request humbly -enough. Indeed, she saw that in this matter I could not be denied and -also perhaps that I had right and prudence on my side. Her presence -would only have embarrassed me in my fighting although I could quite -understand that she wanted to fight, too. It was in her blood and she -has since confessed that she never expected that we would come through -the conflict alive and she would fain have died by my side. But that -was not to be, and so, for the once she obeyed me. - -I thrust the best pistol into her hand and told her to reserve it for -herself in case her capture was inevitable, but not to pull the trigger -until the last moment. And I promised her faithfully that I would not -foolishly or uselessly jeopard myself but that after I had made what -fight I could, I would join her if it were in any way possible. - -Even then she hung in the wind awhile, seeming loath to go when all had -been said between us. Finally she approached me, laid her hand on my -arm and looked up at me. Seeing that she had previously decided to go -and said so, I wondered what was coming now. - -“Master Hampdon,” she said softly, “here we be a lone man and woman -among these savages and murderers with but little chance for our -lives, I take it. I am sorry that I struck you on the ship--and--you -may--kiss--me--good-by.” - -With that she proffered me her lips. I could face a thousand savages, -a hundred Pimballs, without a quiver of the nerves, but at these -unexpected words and that wonderful condescension, my knees fairly -smote together before this small woman. I stood staring down at her. - -“You were once over eager to take from me by force what I now offer -you willingly,” she said, half turning away in a certain--shall I say -disappointment? - -With that I caught her to me and once again I drank the sweetness of -her lips. We were bound to die and I kissed her as a man does when he -loves a woman. I forgot the savages outside, the stones, the spears, -the arrows streaming through the entrance, the yells and curses that -came to us. I held her in my arms and without resistance. I could have -held her there forever, quite willing to die in such sweet embrace. She -pushed me away from her at last and I could swear that my kisses had -been returned, and then with a whispered blessing she dropped to her -knees and crawled within the adjoining cave. - -I could have fought the world, thereafter, for her kisses intoxicated -me like wine. Yet even then I did not delude myself. I felt that on -her part at least, it was a farewell kiss such as two true devoted -comrades might give to each other in the face of death. I said to -myself that to her the pressure of my lips had only been as the salute -of an ancient gladiator about to die was to the Cæsar who watched the -struggle. To me--well I blessed her even for that crowning mercy. - -With a pistol in each hand and the third upon a rock close at hand I -waited. I had not long to wait. There was a sudden fiercer rain of -arrows and spears, some of which struck at my feet or by my side. I -gathered up a sheaf of them and laid them at hand beside the pistol on -the rock. - -The next instant two tremendous savages and a white man appeared in -the entrance. The shot was easy, the target fine. I couldn’t miss. The -first bullet went into the brain of Master Glibby, the next tore off -the head of the leading chief. Reserving the third pistol, I seized a -spear and drove it through the throat of the other savage. I shouted -with triumph, and Mistress Lucy has since confessed to me that, -kneeling down and peering through the opening, contrary to my explicit -order which was for her to seek safe cover, she saw all and that my -call of victory was the sweetest sound she had ever heard. - -I thought we had done, but they were an indomitable lot, those South -Sea islanders, and they were well urged. Four others took their places -at once, spears in hands, which they threw at me. I dodged them with -some difficulty and let fly the third pistol. They came crowding this -time and the bullet from the heavy weapon accounted for two others, -but the survivors had gained a footing, and the shelf behind them was -suddenly filled with lifting heads and climbing men. - -I clubbed my weapons and hurled them one after another fair and square -into the mass. One man went down with a broken skull. The rush was -checked, they gave back a little. I cast spears and arrows at them -but now the shield men had come up and they caught the missiles on -their shields. The front rank wavered and perhaps if they had been -unsupported, they might have been driven below, but the crowd behind -would not let them retire. Slowly they began to move toward me. - -I doubt not I was a terrible figure, for I had whipped out my cutlass -by this time and stood at bay. I had forgotten for the moment all else -but the lust of the conflict and in another second I had flung myself -upon them in a fury. It was my mistress who recalled me to myself. - -“Save yourself,” she shrieked, “they are upon you. Come hither.” - -With that I dropped down and made a spring for the opening. I had -waited too long. The leading man would have pinned me to the earth -with his spear. The entrance was wide fortunately, and Mistress Lucy -would see through the part I did not block with my huge bulk. Again -disregarding entirely my instructions, she fired the last pistol at -that nearest man. He went down like a ninepin, both legs broken, -which gave me time to gain the inner chamber and stand upright. I was -bleeding for I had been cut here and there, but was otherwise all right. - -“That shot saved my life,” I cried panting, “you should have kept it -for yourself.” - -“I can find means to die,” she answered, “if by naught else, by your -sword blade.” - -“Good,” I exclaimed, proud of her prowess and her resolution. - -They gave us no time for further speech for urged by what promises of -reward, what passionate hatred, what bestial desire, I know not, they -came on. The narrow entrance was suddenly black with the islanders who -thrust their spears at us. Fortunately my mistress had moved aside and -was out of range, but I was perilously near being cut down. Mistress -Lucy had the sword which I had thrust into her hand, and I the great -axe which I had cast into the inner cave ahead of me. - -Those outside were even less able to see than we and perhaps they -thought we had withdrawn, or been driven back, for they crept forward -with assurance. - -While I had lived in the gardener’s lodge at Wilberforce Castle, I had -got to be quite an axe-man. I brought down the heavy weapon on the -first head, striking with just enough force to kill and yet leave me -able to recover myself without delay, and when three heads had been -knocked that way in rapid succession with no more damage to me than a -trifling spear cut on the ankle, the battle stopped for a moment. I -laughed. - -“Come on, you dogs!” I shouted, “I can play at that game until you are -more tired of it than I.” - -I spoke without thought, however, for those outside the opening drew -back the bodies by their legs and thus cleared the entrance. I judged -that the outer cave, which was large and spacious, was now filled with -men. They were shouting and gesticulating in great excitement. But -none made any effort to enter. Finally, I heard a human voice speaking -English. It was Pimball. - -“Master Hampdon?” he cried. - -“Speak not to me, murdering villain,” I answered. - -“Now this is madness,” he shouted. “You are trapped like rats; we have -only to wall up the entrance or build a fire in front of it an’ you -will both die.” - -“It is a thousand times better to die so,” I answered shortly, “than to -live with craven men like you.” - -“You are a fool,” he exclaimed. - -He dropped down on his knees as he spoke and I could see his face in -the opening but too far away for me to swing my axe. If it were my -last effort I was determined that I would get him, and so I waited. - -“Don’t lose the sword,” I cried to my lady across the chamber where her -white face stared at me out of the dimness. - -“I shall not,” she answered undauntedly. - -Then I lifted the axe and waited for Master Pimball and his men to come -on, but he had a better plan. Bullets and powder they had in plenty -and he knew from the fact that I had thrown my pistols at them that I -had none left. With a deafening roar a storm of bullets from a dozen -weapons swept the cave. I leaped back. I had to, or I should have been -shot where I stood. Of the way thus opened they took instant advantage -and under cover of a second volley they sought to enter. Well, it was -all up, all I could do was to leap upon them as they rose and-- - -But that moment the solid rock beneath my feet began to sway. It was -as if I had been instantly translated to the deck of a tossing ship. -I stood rooted to the spot trying to maintain a balance. Pimball had -lifted himself upon one knee and was almost clear of the entrance, but -he too stopped, appalled. A sickening feeling of apprehension that all -the savages on earth would not have inspired came over me. My mistress -screamed faintly. The natives outside broke into terror stricken shouts -and cries, an oath burst from the lips of the leader of the mutineers. - -The next moment, with a crash like a thousand thunder peals the earth -was rent in twain. - -The earthquake shook that rocky island like a baby’s cradle. A great -mass of rock over the entrance fell. With another roar like to the -first the cliff was riven in every direction. The noise outside ceased. -The men with Pimball were ground to death. Upon his legs lay fifty feet -of broken rock. Darkness, total and absolute, succeeded the dim light. -I remember realizing that the attack had failed and then something -struck me. Down upon the wet, still quivering sand I fell and knew no -more. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -IN WHICH WE PASS THROUGH DARKNESS TO LIGHT AND LIBERTY - - -Water, icy cold, trickling upon me from some spring opened in the -wall by the earthquake, presently brought me to myself. I lay for -a moment listening. I could hear nothing at first, but in a little -while a deep groan and then a faint whispered prayer came to me. I -strove desperately to collect my senses and finally I realized where I -was--the cave, the battle, the earthquake, the savages, Pimball, and -the woman! - -“Mistress Lucy!” I cried. - -“Oh, thank God,” her voice came through the darkness hysterically, “I -thought you were killed.” - -“No,” I answered, slowly rising to my knee and stretching my members -to see if I had control of them, which fortunately I soon discovered I -had, “I was stunned by falling rock, but otherwise I believe I am not -much hurt. How is it with you?” - -“I am well and unharmed.” - -“Now God be praised,” I exclaimed fervently. - -“For Christ’s sake, water!” interposed a trembling, hoarse, anguished -voice. - -“Who speaks?” I asked. - -“I, Pimball, I’m pinned to the ground, my back is broke, I’m dyin’.” - -“There should be a lantern here,” I said. “I placed it--let me think, -where did I place it?” - -“It was just to the left of the opening,” answered my little mistress. - -I was turned around and giddy, but I managed to fix the direction of -the entrance by Pimball’s groans and by good fortune presently found -the lantern. It would burn but a few hours, but we never needed a light -as we did then, I decided. My flint and steel I carried ever in my -pocket and to kindle a flickering flame was but the work of a moment. -If I had not possessed it, I would have given years of my life for even -that feeble light which threw a faint illumination about the place. - -There, opposite me where I had stationed her, by God’s providence -protected by a niche in the cave from the rain of rocks which had -beaten me down, stood my mistress, safe and unharmed. I stepped toward -her and with a low cry of thankfulness she fell into my arms. I soothed -her for a moment and then turned to the other occupant of the chamber. -The entrance was completely blocked up, the wall had settled down. -Pimball’s legs were broken and his back as well. It was impossible to -release him, what lay upon him weighed tons and tons. - -“You murdering hound,” I cried, “you have brought this upon us,” but he -would only plead piteously for water, disregarding my bitter reproaches. - -I was for killing him outright with my cutlass, which I picked up, but -she would not have it so. She got a half cocoanut shell, filled it with -water, and brought it to him. She bathed his brow and gave him some to -drink. It gave him temporary relief but his minutes were numbered. His -life was going out by seconds. - -“God!” he cried, as his eyes caught the gleam of the gold and silver -bars, “the treasure!” He stretched out his hand toward it, and then -stopped. “I’m undone,” he choked out with a fearful scream. “Mistress!” - -“Yes?” - -“Forgive--” - -Indeed she forgave him, I make no doubt, but her forgiveness came too -late, for his head dropped--he had been looking sideways--and his face -buried itself in the wet sand. - -“Is he dead?” she asked, awe-struck. - -I nodded. No closer inspection was needed to establish the truth of -that fact. - -“He died with a prayer for forgiveness.” - -“And few men have ever had greater need for that forgiveness,” said I, -drawing her away. - -“And we too shall die,” she said shuddering. “We are buried here in the -bowels of the earth, in this treasure lined prison.” - -“Well, we won’t die without a struggle,” I returned with more -confidence than I felt. - -“What mean you?” - -“The earthquake which closed the mouth of the cave may have opened the -other end.” - -“It is possible,” she answered, “but not very likely.” - -“And besides, you remember the running stream on the other side of the -cave, which we did not follow?” - -“Yes.” - -“It must run somewhere.” - -“Well?” - -“Where water runs men and women may find a way.” - -“At least it will do us no harm to try.” - -“Come then,” said I, extending my hand to her and holding the lantern -before me for pitfalls. - -We went down the cave. To find the water was easy. Sure enough, it -led away through a narrow rift, in what direction we could not tell, -although its tendency was downward and I knew that it must come out -upon the beach somewhere. It had not seemed to me, as I had examined -it before the earthquake, that the rift was more than large enough to -carry the water, but it might have been opened wider by the shock, -and so we followed it. Although sometimes the walls closed over the -watercourse, making low and narrow tunnels, we managed to force our way -through them. I went in the advance, for I knew that what my body could -pass would present no difficulty for her. We wandered in and out among -the coral until it seemed to me that we had gone miles, although in -reality it might have been but a few hundred yards. - -At last we came to a place too low and too narrow for me, although I -might have perhaps thrust her through. - -“You see,” she said, “this is the end.” - -“No, not yet,” I answered, resolved never to give over the attempt -while I could move hand or foot or draw a breath. - -I still had the axe with me and the sword which I had thrust into my -belt. The rock seemed soft and pliable. Lying down upon my back and -covering my eyes with one hand, I struck at it overhead with the axe, -which I grasped near the head, thus gradually enlarging the passage. -The water flowing beneath me was deathly cold, the candle in the -lantern was burning lower and lower, but I hung on. Never did I work so -hard, so rapidly, so recklessly in my life as then. At last I loosened -a huge piece of the rock which fell suddenly upon me. Had I not seen it -coming and dropped the axe and stayed its progress with both upraised -hands, it might have crushed me. As it was, it fell fairly upon my -breast. I could not throw it aside, the way was too narrow. I held it -off with my hands and forced my way through the opening, now barely -enough to admit my passing, although what I should meet with or where -I should bring up on the other side, I knew not. I had no idea how -large the fallen rock was, for all its weight, but my mistress has told -me that it was a monster stone, and that none but a giant could have -carried it. I thrust hard and harder with my feet and presently my way -was clear and I shoved myself through the opening. With one great final -effort I rolled the rock aside and then lay on my back on the sand, -breathless, exhausted. - -She dragged herself through the passage I had thus made and over my -body, and then knelt by my side, kissed me, murmuring words I did not -dare to listen to lest I should go mad with joy. And indeed, I was so -exhausted that I could scarcely credit that I had heard anything real. -Presently, however, I staggered to my feet again. She had forgot the -precious lantern, but I went back after it. - -We were now in a more spacious cave; the stream fed by other brooks had -become larger; the descent was much more rapid. The cliff wall was, I -believe, narrower at the cave than anywhere else in the island. It was -perhaps not more than half a mile wide. We stumbled rapidly down the -long vaulted passage to the outer wall. As we approached it, I half -feared that the rock might be solid and that the brook might plunge -beneath it, but fortune did not do its worst for us yet. There was a -rift in the wall around which the brook ran into a sort of tunnel or -passageway, tall enough for me to stand upright and broad enough to -enable us to walk side by side. A long distance away appeared to me a -spot of dimness. Recklessly we clasped hands and ran. - -Alas, when we reached the light, we found that the entrance was closed -by a huge stone. It did not exactly fit the opening and light filtered -around it. I stood panting, staring at it. - -“Are we to be ended now,” I cried, “after having come thus far? Stand -clear, madam,” I shouted, not giving her time to answer. - -Then with all my strength I swung the axe and struck the rock fair and -square and by good fortune upon some fissure, for it shivered and a -crack started. Once again, this time with even more tremendous force, -I swung and struck. The axe sank into the stone, the helve shivered in -my hand. It was a right good blow, if I do say it myself, for the rock -was now fairly split in two, the pieces falling to the right and left. -Still, the two halves yet lay within the entrance, blocking it. We had -not achieved a clear passage. - -I was mad now, as mad as I had been in the outer cave fighting for her, -or when I had cut the Duke of Arcester. The blood rushed to my face, a -mist to my eyes. I stooped down and with my naked hands I seized one -piece of that rock and with such strength as Hercules or Samson might -have used, I drew it back, lifted it up and hurled it aside. The second -piece followed in the same way. My mistress stood staring at me in awe -mingled with terror. The way was opened and we stepped out upon the -sand. - -Never before or since did sunshine seem so sweet. My muddy clothes were -torn to rags, blood was clotted in my hair and on my forehead, my face -was black with sweat and dust, there were wounds upon my legs and arms. -I was a gory and horrible spectacle. Mistress Lucy had suffered no -wounds, but her clothes were rent and torn. Her face, too, was grimy, -but beneath the dust and earth stain it showed as white as the cap of a -wave. - -“Thanks be to God,” she said at last, “and you, we have won through.” - -I thought she would have fainted. I caught her by the arm, set her down -upon the sand and sprinkled the water from the brook in her face until -presently she revived. - -“We are not safe yet,” I urged. “There were hundreds of savages upon -the island; they may not all have been at the cave. We must go warily, -we cannot rest now.” - -“I am ready,” she answered with great spirit, getting to her feet and -stretching out her hand. “If you will help me I can go anywhere.” - -I still had my sword. I drew it out and led on, keeping well under the -shelter of the cliffs. We walked up the sand toward the giant stairs. -There we saw men, islanders, on the top of the wall, but my first -glance told me that we had nothing to fear from them, for the stairs -were gone. They were but a scattered heap of stones. The false gods -were down, too. I wondered what had come to those at the main altar in -the center of the island. The earthquake had crumbled the work of the -builders of bygone years, and as the stairs had fallen away they had -left the cliff sheer and bare for a hundred feet or more. Those above -could not come at us, nor could we approach them, for which indeed we -had no mind. - -“It is an act of God,” said I, “that has broken down the stairs.” - -“But there may be another way of descent,” she said after a moment. -“Oh, let us leave this dreadful island!” - -I had no hope that the dinghy had been spared, but its place was not -far away and we walked to it in silence. It was gone. A tidal wave had -followed the earthquake. The canoes in which the islanders had come -had been dashed to pieces and their few keepers killed. The survivors -were prisoners on the island unless their friends came to their help, -and even then, until they could devise some way of getting down the -cliff. And we, too, were prisoners. Some of our gear, the compass, some -provisions which I had stored in the crannies of the rock were still -there, but they were useless to us. Something else had happened. The -earthquake had broken the barrier reef. Before us was a practicable -passage to the sea. - -If we only had a boat! I turned to the canoes hopeful of finding one -seaworthy, and as I did so my Mistress Lucy caught me by the arm. - -“Look,” she cried, pointing down the lagoon. - -I turned and there, bottom upward, floated the dinghy. The sight of her -was like a draught of wine. I turned and ran down the sand, followed by -my lady. When opposite the boat I kicked off my shoes, I had on little -else but shirt and trousers, jumped into the lagoon, swam to the dinghy -and towed her ashore. - - - - -BOOK IV - -ONCE MORE UPON THE SEAS - -_The Treasure Is Brought Home and All Is Well_ - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -WHEREIN WE CAPTURE THE SHIP - - -We were so excited and exhausted by the terrific experiences which we -had just gone through that a sort of frenzy possessed us. I know that -word described my feelings and I think it also described my lady’s -feelings. We threw the things that we had saved, or that had escaped -the earthquake and the tidal wave that followed it, into the boat -pell-mell, climbed in ourselves, and shoved off. We could not get away -from that island quick enough and we could not get far enough away once -we started. - -Luckily the oars had been secured to the thwarts, and I shipped them -on the rowlocks forthwith, and then I rowed across the lagoon and -through the opening in the reef. Indeed, the tidal wave had shattered -the reef in various places and for the first time in centuries the sea -made clean sweeps of the beach through the many openings. It was not -altogether easy to row through the surf but it was child’s play to our -first passage over the reef. In spite of all that I had gone through, -I felt as one possessed, and the stout ash oars fairly bent to my -vigorous strokes. When we cleared the entrance, and got into smoother -water, I shipped the oars, stepped the mast I had made during our -sojourn on the island to take the place of the broken one, set a small -sail I had improvised in idle moments out of some spare canvas which -I had luckily found in the after locker together with the remaining -pieces left over from my tailoring, and then I came aft and seized the -tiller. - -My lady had sat silent most of the time, closely watching me, but now -she asked a pertinent question. - -“Whither are we bound?” - -Her interrogation recalled me to myself. I had really given the matter -no thought at all. All that I had permitted myself to decide upon was -to get away from the island, and I had hoisted the sail and put the -boat before the wind without a thought as to its direction. - -It so happened--indeed, I humbly submit that perhaps it did not happen -by chance but was so ordered by that Providence which had watched over -us--that the wind blew directly off the island and the boat was headed -toward the distant shores of the other islands whence the marauders had -come and where _The Rose of Devon_ had been wrecked. I recollected from -the conversation I had had with Pimball that they had somehow floated -the ship and that she was seaworthy, and as my mistress questioned me -the daring design of seizing the ship flashed into my mind. - -Indeed, the enterprise was in a measure forced upon me. We had no water -in the boat, practically no provisions. We were thousands of miles away -from the possibility of passing ships. Unless some vessel should be -blown far out of her course by continued storms there was absolutely -no chance of our being picked up. That small boat with its patched-up, -makeshift equipment was in no condition anyway for a long voyage, even -if we had plenty of food and water. _The Rose of Devon_ would provide -everything we needed if we once got aboard her, and while two would be -an almost impossible crew for such a ship, as I had said or thought, -yet if any of her spars still stood, by means of tackles I might make -shift to hoist a rag of sail. If the vessel were still tight she could -carry us indefinitely, and perhaps by taking advantage of every wind -that was favorable we might in the end make the South American Coast. -Of course the work would all have to be done by me, but my lady had -often steered _The Rose of Devon_ during the outward voyage, for her -pleasure, and she could relieve me long enough for me to get the -absolutely necessary sleep so long as we were aboard her. At any rate, -half-naked, hungry, thirsty, as we were in a small boat stripped of -everything, she was our only resource. Therefore I answered briefly. - -“I am going to seize _The Rose of Devon_ if I can find her.” - -“But there will be men aboard her,” said my mistress apprehensively. - -“Doubtless,” I returned, “but at most there cannot be many of them. We -saw enough on the island to know that.” - -“Yes,” admitted the brave woman by my side, “that is true.” - -“No one would offer to stay on the ship when he had a chance to hunt -for treasure and for you and me.” - -“No, I suppose not.” - -“They would have to be constrained to stay there, and as I take it that -the native fighting force of the island on which the ship was cast -was in the canoes, there would not be any necessity for guarding her -heavily. Besides, two or three with firearms could stop any attack that -might be made.” - -“But we have no firearms,” said my lady. - -“We have weapons,” I returned. I had picked up the musket from a shelf -of rock where I had laid it, and she still clung to the pistol with -which she had saved my life by her adroitness. “We have firearms,” I -continued, “but they are useless to us without powder and shot”--all -that we had, had either been washed away or wetted so that it was of no -use--“but I have my cutlass and I consider myself a match for all the -murdering pirates that may be left on that ship.” - -“I believe that, too,” she said, looking at me admiringly, “when I -think of your determination, your feats of strength, your--” - -“They were nothing. They did not measure up to the inspiration I had,” -said I. - -But she shook her head at this and I continued, not daring to notice -her overmuch. - -“I take it that those islands are four or five leagues away,” I looked -over the side, “and this boat is making not more than three-quarters of -a league an hour. That is all we can do with such a poor makeshift for -a sail.” I looked up into the sky, then at my watch. It was high noon. -I had not dreamed that we had been so long in our adventures that day. -“It will be dusk before we reach the nearest island. It may be that -haply we shall find _The Rose of Devon_ there.” - -“And if we do, what will be your plans?” - -“I propose to douse the sail when we get near enough to see her, which -will be long before she can see us, then wait until nightfall, take to -the oars, row alongside, fasten the boat aft, and clamber aboard. If -there are only two or three on her there will probably be but one on -watch. I can throttle him without arousing the attention of the others. -Perhaps I can confine the others below. Then we can cut the cable, -hoist a rag of sail somehow, and be away before morning.” - -“But if there are savages aboard?” - -“I do not think there will be any, but if there are I must even chance -it.” - -“It sounds terribly dangerous.” - -“It is dangerous, but it is our only chance. How long do you think we -would last in this open boat? In two or three days we would be mad for -food and drink, burning up under this tropic sun.” - -“Could we not land on one of the other islands?” - -“They are all populated, I take it, and our end would be certain.” - -“And what do you propose that I should do while you are fighting for me -on the ship?” - -“You will stay in the boat which I shall make fast to the ship, and if -I should fail--” - -“Oh, don’t say that!” - -“But I must say it. It is not beyond possibility that I shall, -although I do not think it, because I believe God Who has preserved us -hitherto does not intend that we shall finally fail. But if I should -be overpowered or killed, there is a plug in the bottom of the boat. -All you have to do is to cast off the painter and pull out the plug -and--drift away.” - -“I understand,” she said. “And if anything happens to you,” she looked -at me directly as she spoke, “I would rather drift away and drown--than -live without you.” - -“Let us not dwell upon that,” said I. “Let us hope that nothing will -happen.” - -She nodded her head. - -“Now,” I continued, “I am going to ask you a strange thing.” - -She looked at me fearlessly and the trust and confidence of her next -words repaid all my efforts a thousandfold. - -“You can ask me anything you like,” she said instantly. - -“I am frightfully weary. I shall need what strength I have for the work -of the night. The breeze is gentle and fair. There is no likelihood -that it will change. All you have to do is to keep the boat on its -course and awaken me if anything should change. Will you try it and -help me thus far? I must have some sleep.” - -“I understand perfectly,” was her brave and direct reply, “and you -can go to sleep with perfect confidence. I will watch over you and -the boat as best I can, God helping me. You know, I slept most of the -night, myself, and I feel in no need of rest now.” - -With my cutlass I broke open a cocoanut, the milk and meat of which -refreshed us both, and then, as I was, I threw myself down on the -bottom of the boat, a hard bed, but one made soft by great weariness -and want of sleep. The last thing I remember was the picture of -Mistress Wilberforce, beautiful in her disarray, sitting in the stern -sheets, holding the tiller in one hand and the sheet in the other, -looking down upon me with a gaze I did not dare to think upon. I had -no idea how weary I was, for I was asleep almost instantly, and it was -five o’clock according to my watch before she awakened me with a touch -of her little foot. - -Although I was strained and stiff from the cramped position and the -hard planking on which I lay, I knew that a stretch or two would fix me -and I was greatly refreshed by my sleep and ready for a giant’s work. - -“I had to wake you,” she said, reluctantly I thought, “because the -island is in sight, and--” - -“The ship!” I cried. - -“Yes, you may see it dead ahead.” - -Whereat I got to my knees and shaded my eyes, for the sun had not yet -set, and stared over the water. - -Sure enough, there lay _The Rose of Devon_. She was still hull down -in the shadow, but we could see the masts, that is, what was left of -them. The mizzenmast was gone at the deck and the main topmast at the -hounds, but the foremast still stood and the fore-topmast. The mainyard -was still across, as were the two yards of the foremast. That was all I -could make out then. - -The island merited no particular description, for it was like hundreds -of other South Seas Pacific islands. It was low and hilly and -surrounded by a reef, but there was a broad opening through the reef, -at least we thought so because the breakers suddenly ceased and there -was a long stretch of smooth black water before they began again. - -We had no time for many details, and indeed I came instantly to action. -The breeze had practically died out and although the earthquake and -tidal wave still caused a heavy sea, it was gradually quieting down to -long, gentle undulations. I turned aft, unstepped the mast and doused -the sail, carefully placing both where they might be of use in an -emergency. Then I decided to let the boat drift for a while, until it -grew dark enough to enable me to approach the ship without danger of -observation. - -We made a good meal off the scanty provisions we had left. My mistress -was for saving them, but I bluntly pointed out that either we should -have plenty in a few hours or be in no need of anything to eat forever -after, so we satisfied our hunger and thirst abundantly, and then as -it wanted an hour or two of night, I made my lady lie down, using the -sail and my waistcoat to soften the planking, and rest in her turn. She -obeyed me without question and, in spite of her declaration that she -was not tired, I had the satisfaction of seeing in a few minutes that -she had fallen asleep. - -I sat silently watching her through the hours while the sun sank, while -the dusk was followed by darkness, until the stars came out and then -I stepped across her, seized the oars and started on my long pull -toward the ship. We had drifted southward I opined, but I had taken my -bearings carefully by the stars and I knew exactly in what direction to -send the dinghy. The noise of the oars in the rowlocks finally awakened -my lady. She got to her feet, went aft, took the tiller and, upon my -giving her directions, steered a true course for the ship. - -I suppose it was close on to nine o’clock when we reached her vicinity. -I could not see my watch. We had no means of making a light, if we had -dared upon the experiment. The night was dark and moonless and, save -for the stars, as black as Egypt was fabled to be. The waves rolling -through the opening of the reef and crashing on the shore drowned -the noise of the oars in the rowlocks. The tide was in full flood, I -judged, in fact just beginning to ebb, and the breeze which had sprung -up after sunset was, as usual, offshore, two things greatly to our -advantage. - -We did not see the ship until we were almost upon her. Suddenly she -loomed blackly out of the darkness, like a smudge of soot of darker hue -than the rest. There was not a light upon her. I rowed close to her, -rounded her counter, and discovered the Jacob’s ladder which usually -hung there still in place. I fastened the boat with a turn of the -painter around the ladder and belayed it to a cleat aft, drew my sword -from my sheath, and then turned for a last word. - -“You know what to do if I don’t come back?” I whispered. - -She nodded. I put out my hand and she took it in both of hers. I was -standing at the time and she was sitting, and before I could stop -her she bent and kissed my great hand. I could not trust myself any -further. With a prayer, silent but none the less fervent, I seized the -rungs of the Jacob’s ladder and slowly mounted to the level of the rail -abaft the trunk cabin which served as a sort of poop deck. I had taken -off my shoes before I did so, and save for the creaking caused by the -swaying induced by my weight on the ladder, I went up without a sound. - -I swung my leg over the rail, after having taken a quick look along -the deck and having seen nothing. Before I disappeared over the side I -turned and peered down through the blackness at her upturned face. I -could see dimly its whiteness. I waved my hand to her and she waved -hers in turn. She had the hardest part, that of sitting still, not -knowing whether success was to attend our efforts or failure. The -line that was attached to the boat plug was in her hand. The next few -moments would determine whether she would rejoin me on the ship or -whether she would cast off the painter, pull out the plug, and drift -away with the young ebb. - -I had that picture in my mind’s eye, too, and if I had needed anything -to nerve me to the service of my mistress it would have been that. -I had carried my cutlass in my teeth as I climbed up the ladder. I -instantly shifted it to my hand, peering carefully about me as I made -my way along the top of the cabin. The deck was in a frightful state of -confusion. One of the deck houses had been blown in by the storm and -pieces of wreckage lay all about. The starboard rail had been shattered -along the waist. They had made little effort it seemed to clear up the -raffle and the wreckage. - -I made my way forward slowly and with all the softness of a great cat -until I came to the break of the cabin. Everything was in shadow and -darkness, of course, yet I thought I detected someone leaning against -the starboard rail on the quarter-deck abreast the mainmast, looking -toward the land. I stared and the longer I stared the more convinced -I became that someone was there. I crossed over to the port side and -slipped down to the quarter-deck. Silently as before, I made my way -over the littered deck in the direction of the standing figure. - -If the deck had been clear, I could have reached him without attracting -his attention, but within a few feet of him I stepped upon a round -marlinspike which slid under my feet and the effort to recover my -balance aroused the watcher’s attention. He looked around suspiciously, -but the next moment I was upon him. I did not know how many people were -on that ship and I could not afford to make any noise. If I were to -succeed I must deal with the enemy one at a time. I caught this man by -the throat with one hand. The next instant I saw a flash of something -in the air and I was just in time to seize his descending arm grasping -his sheath knife. - -I held him in an iron grip. He kicked at me viciously but I lifted -him higher into the air and sank my fingers tighter and tighter in -his throat. Thereafter I held him there waiting. God knows how I -accomplished it, but I did. Presently I felt him grow limp in my hands. -I had broken his wrist I discovered afterward, and had nearly choked -him to death. I laid him down on the deck and with a piece of rope I -lashed him hand and foot. I didn’t know whether he was dead or not but -I couldn’t afford to take any chances. I doubled another piece of rope -and thrust it tightly between his jaws which I pried open, and so left -him bound and gagged. - -I thought I had worked silently, but either I had made more noise -than I fancied or else it had come time for them to relieve the -watch. But for whatsoever cause it may be, as I was bending over him, -a ray of light suddenly shot through the darkness. It came from the -companion hatchway which opened on the deck from the low break of the -trunk cabin, rising a few feet above the quarter-deck. I sprang to my -feet and turned instantly, sword in hand, and the next instant three -figures broke out of the light. The lantern they carried illuminated -me completely. If I had had more time I should have jumped back into -the shadows--I was quick-witted enough to think of it--but the time was -lacking. - -The next moment the three precipitated themselves upon me. They were -half dressed, two of them had sheath knives and the third a cutlass. -Fortunately none of them had brought a pistol. They were courageous -enough, I will say that for them. And his daring brought the first man -who had the drawn sword to his fate, for as he lunged at me I spitted -him with my own cutlass. I drove the blow home to the hilt. The man -went down like a ninepin, dragging the sword from my hand, and as -fortune would have it he fell in front of number two, staggering him so -that he dropped the lantern, leaving the deck in darkness save for the -light which came from the after cabin. Being otherwise weaponless, I -received number two with a mighty blow on the jaw from my clenched fist -which temporarily accounted for him. Number three wavered indecisively -for a moment giving me time to draw out my cutlass from the body of the -dead man. The blade was broken off about six inches from the point, but -nevertheless in a hand like mine it was a terrible weapon. I did not -give him time to recover, for I sprang upon him. He thrust at me with -his own knife half-heartedly, but in a moment I struck it out of his -hand and sent it flying over the rail and into the sea. - -“Now,” said I, “get down on your knees and beg for your life.” - -There must have been something compelling in my manner for he instantly -obeyed me. He threw himself flat before me and it was not until I -prodded him with my blade that he stopped howling. - -“Tell me quickly,” I said, “and tell me truly, who are on the ship?” - -“There were four of us,” he began. - -“That is enough for the present,” I answered, for I had accounted for -the whole four. “Any natives?” - -“None.” - -“Come with me,” I said. - -I caught him by the collar of his shirt, dragged him to his feet, -marched him along the deck, and bundled him to the forepeak. I drew the -hatch cover, battened it down and locked it. I knew that he could not -get out until I let him. Then I walked back to the man I had struck -with my fist but discovered no signs of returning consciousness in -him. He was still helpless but I lashed and gagged him as I had the -first man. Having made sure that I had nothing to fear from these men I -sprang to the rail on the top of the trunk cabin. - -“Mistress Lucy,” I cried. - -“Oh, thank God, thank God,” came her voice in the darkness. “I heard -the shouting, I saw the light. Are you unharmed?” - -“Entirely,” I answered, “and I have the ship. Leave the boat fast as it -is and climb aboard. Stay, perhaps I would better descend and help you.” - -“No,” she said, “I can manage it myself.” - -I leaned far over the rail and as soon as she came within reach I -caught her arm and presently I had the satisfaction of lifting her up -on the top of the trunk cabin by my side. - -“Safe now!” I cried triumphantly, resisting an overwhelming temptation -to take her in my arms and shout for joy. - -“What next?” she asked. - -Singular how she asked me that question in every emergency. Well, I -had, as I generally had, an answer for her. - -“I will get another lantern out of the cabin,” I answered, “and then we -shall see.” - -To leap down the companion ladder and fetch the lantern burning there -was the work of a few seconds. I had forgot the dead man whom I had -thrust through with my sword, but there he lay in full view. My -mistress screamed faintly. I cursed myself for my forgetfulness. I had -her turn her back and without more ado I picked the dead man up and -hurled him overboard, praying that God might have mercy on his soul, -but otherwise giving him little thought. - -“Here are two men,” said I, flashing the lantern over them, “they are -still alive but bound and helpless. I must get the ship under way -and I must depend upon you. If you will come forward with me we will -make shift to hoist the jib or staysail, it is all we can do in this -darkness. We will cut the cable, and as the wind is offshore and the -tide beginning to ebb, we will get away from these horrible islands.” - -Hand in hand we ran rapidly forward. Fortunately, the bowsprit still -stood, even the flying jib boom was in place. I overhauled the gear -and the two of us hoisted the jib, my lady pulling on the halyards with -me like a little man. - -“Now,” said I, “do you go aft and take the wheel. Take the lantern with -you. I will hold out the jib sheet, cast her head to port, and tell you -in what direction to steer.” - -She hesitated a moment, fearful at leaving me. - -“There is no danger,” I said. “There were but four men on the ship, one -is dead and overboard, another locked up in the forepeak beneath my -feet, and two are as helpless as logs.” - -“I will go,” said the girl resolutely, “although it is frightfully -dark.” - -“The least call will bring me to your side,” said I. “Take the lantern -with you. I need it not.” - -I watched her walk rapidly along the deck, lantern in hand. When -she reached the wheel I told her to cast off its lashings, put it -amidships, and then with an axe, which I had found lying where they had -left it after they had cut the wreckage of the masts away, I severed -the cable. Thereafter I called aft to my lady to put the helm hard -astarboard. The bow of _The Rose of Devon_ slowly swung around, the -sail filled and presently I had the satisfaction of seeing her slip -through the entrance in the lagoon, past the reef and into the open sea. - -I belayed the jib sheet, ran aft and took the helm. We were free. My -mistress refused to go below, refused to leave my side in fact, so -until daybreak we remained on deck, I steering, she seated close by. -And so we sped on through the sweet summer night. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -SHOWS HOW WE SAILED TO SAFETY AGAIN - - -I do not suppose that a man and a woman were ever confronted with a -greater task than that which we faced that morning. The problem met -me in so many ways that I was fairly puzzled at it. The two men lying -bound and gagged on the deck had, of course, recovered consciousness. -The man below in the forepeak had given some noisy signs of his -presence. These three had to be dealt with in some way. The ship itself -was wrecked, aloft that is, and I had as yet no means of telling -whether she were tight below, although, as I deemed she sat about as -usual in the water, I concluded that if she had sprung a leak they had -succeeded in stopping it. - -The dawn disclosed a white-faced man and woman staring at each other -near the wheel. Breakfast was a problem in itself, too. On the one -hand, I did not like to send my lady below without at least having made -some sort of inspection myself, nor did I like to leave her alone on -deck, on the other. - -“Of what are you thinking?” she asked presently, seeing my brows -knitted with the stress of my mental effort. - -“Breakfast, first of all, something to eat.” - -“Let me go below and get it.” - -“No,” I replied, “I must see what’s below first myself.” - -“Very well then,” was her prompt, brave answer. She rose as she spoke -and seized the spokes of the wheel. “I will steer the ship, only do you -hurry back.” - -“If I only had a pistol to leave with you,” I said. - -“There is no danger,” she answered bravely enough, “there were only -four men on the ship you said. One is dead, one is locked up forward, -and the other two--” - -“I will make sure about them,” I interrupted, going over and examining -the lashings of the two. - -They were frightened to death and the man with the broken wrist, -although I didn’t know it then, was suffering greatly. Their eyes were -mutely appealing, but I had no pity to waste. Seeing that they were -tightly bound and the hatch forward securely battened, I turned and ran -below. - -As fortune would have it a brace of pistols lay on the table in the -cabin. One of them was loaded and primed and ready for use. It was -lucky for me that they had not used it last night, I thought. I -snatched it up, returned to the deck, and laid it at my lady’s side. -Thereafter I felt much safer for I knew she could use it on occasion. -I then went below and resumed my search. The cabin was frightfully -untidy and disorderly. Some of the mutineers at least had made it their -headquarters and the table was covered with an accumulation of soiled -dishes. On a platter I found some cold salt beef and bread and other -things. There was no time to be dainty, but I did make shift to clean -a plate, heaped it with hard bread and beef, drew a pannikin of water, -and returned to the deck with it. We made our first breakfast by the -wheel. - -I had been thinking hard and I had come to the conclusion that our only -safety lay in keeping the three members of the crew securely locked -up. If I could have depended upon one of them the problem would have -been simplified immensely, and if I could have depended upon two we -could have got along with some degree of comfort, for the three of -us with the aid of tackles could have handled the ship while my lady -steered. But it was not to be thought of. - -First I took the gags out of the mouths of the two men, whereat he -of the broken wrist told me of his hurt. I cast off the lashings to -verify his statement. I had brought up from my cabin and from Captain -Matthews’ several sets of irons for wrists and ankles. They had not -disturbed them although they had otherwise rummaged and plundered the -cabins and had destroyed much in them wantonly. I clapped double irons -on the villain who was unhurt and irons on the ankles of the man with -the broken wrist. He was in great pain and more or less helpless. -I fastened his feet to a ring bolt in the deck and then took the -other man and stowed him below in my cabin which I carefully cleared -of everything and which I securely locked on the outside. He was a -small, slight man and I knew that the door would hold him, but to make -assurance doubly sure, I intended to put up a bar when I had time. - -Him of the broken wrist I put in the fourth cabin which had not been -occupied during the cruise, as we had carried no second mate. Before I -turned the lock on him I set his wrist and put it in splints as best I -could. It was his right wrist and little danger could be expected from -him. Nevertheless, I locked him up securely. I saw that each room was -provided with bread and meat and water. I told them that I would visit -them once a day and give them food enough for the day, and that if they -attempted to break out I would give them short shrift indeed. - -Taking the pistol from my mistress, I then went forward, opened the -fore hatch and descended into the forepeak. It was well I had a weapon, -for the man had possessed himself of a cutlass and I have no doubt, -if I had not presented the pistol at him so soon as I put foot on the -ladder, he would have cut me down. I had some trouble in getting him to -put down his weapon, he was so ugly and disobedient, and I had about -made up my mind to pull the trigger and end it, as I had no time to -waste on a murderer like that one. I guess he must have seen in my -face that my patience was at an end for finally I had him in double -irons as well. I left him in the forecastle, first making a thorough -search for and removing everything that he would be able to use as -a weapon. A good many of the seamen’s chests were there but they -were locked and I didn’t disturb them, as he had no means of getting -into them. I told him what I had told the others. He was the biggest -and strongest man and he had the strongest prison. The forepeak was -separated from the rest of the ship by a stout bulkhead and the only -way he could get out was by the hatch, which I drew over until it was -but six inches open and there I secured it. The first part of the -problem was thus solved. - -During all this, my mistress had stood bravely by the helm. I shall -never forget how beautiful she looked, with the fresh breeze bringing -color into her pale cheeks and blowing back wisps of her golden hair, -lovely in its disarray. We were both of us exactly as we had been when -we came out of the cave. I was about to go on further business when she -interrupted me. - -“If you please,” she began with unusual humility, “Master Hampdon, -if you can spare me a little while to myself now I should like to go -below. Perhaps the villains have left some of my clothes intact and I -may change my dress and wash my face, and--” - -“I am a brute not to have thought of it,” I said. “Keep the pistol -with you. Who knows what may chance? I will take the wheel. Come to -me as soon as you may, for I shall be anxious when you are out of my -sight. When I have finished on the deck I expect to make a thorough -investigation of the ship to see what condition she is in and what is -best to be done.” - -“I shall hasten,” she said, turning away and tripping lightly down the -ladder. - -In an incredibly short time she was back transformed. Although her -cabin had been occupied by some of the men and her things had been -overhauled and were in a state of confusion, yet she had found suitable -clothing and she presently came up on deck looking as fresh and dainty -as if she had never been on an adventure in her life. And yet, will you -believe me? it was with a certain very vivid regret I saw her put aside -the tunic I had made her, which had served her so well. - -“I suppose,” said I, “that I ought to be doing the same thing, but -there will be time enough for that later on. How do you feel?” - -“Fit for anything.” - -“And you will take the wheel?” - -“Gladly.” - -“Very well,” said I, “you have nothing to do but keep her before the -wind.” - -With that, axe in hand I went forward. I put in the hardest hour or -two of work in my life. I never stopped a moment except to throw back -a word or two to my little mistress guiding the ship. By the time I -had finished, the decks of _The Rose of Devon_ presented an entirely -different appearance. I had chopped away and thrown overboard the mast -wreckage. When it was too heavy, I clapped a tackle to it to assist me. -The tangled gear had been overhauled and each brace, line, and halyard -had been coiled and hung to its proper pin. Although the ship looked -desolate and forlorn enough to a sailor, and to anyone else perhaps, -there was no confusion or disorder. - -By this time it was high noon. I knocked off work therefore and, upon -her insistence, relieved her at the wheel while she went below to the -lazarette where the cabin stores were kept, to prepare us something to -eat. She said that was her task, and although it irked me to see her -compelled to do anything, there was truth in her words. I can do most -things but cook. There, I confess, I fail. I did kindle a fire for her -in the galley, however, and about one o’clock we had a royal dinner, -the first civilized meal, so to speak, that we had enjoyed since the -day of the mutiny. She brought it up on deck and we ate it together. -After dinner she surprised me by proffering me a pipe which she had -found below--it had been Captain Matthews’--and a pouch of tobacco, -and nothing would do but that I must smoke before turning to again. -I confess that it tasted sweet to me, and felt sorry that she could -not enjoy the luxury, and told her so, which seemed to give her great -amusement. - -Her light-heartedness cheered me immensely. To be sure she did not -quite imagine the extent of the problem that lay before us, or perhaps -she knew more about it than I fancied, but whatever be the facts, I -could not feel downhearted or downcast when she smiled at me as she did -then. - -Well, the hour of refreshment and rest at last came to an end. -Surrendering the wheel to her, I went forward. I had determined to -loose the mainsail first, if I could, and then loose the foresail -and topsail. The first was an easy enough task. It took me some time -to climb out on each of the yardarms and cast off the gaskets, but -presently the huge sail hung in the buntlines. I came down by the -backstays, clapped a watch tackle on each sheet and finally succeeded -in getting the sail set as taut as the bolt ropes would allow. My -mistress clapped her hands with joy when I had succeeded. The slow pace -of the ship was much increased by the draw of the big mainsail. - -I did the same thing with the foresail and then boldly tackled the -fore-topsail, but here I met with greater difficulties for the topsail -yard--it was a single topsail--had to be mastheaded if the sail was -to be of any use. Although I clapped several tackles on it and pulled -and hauled lustily, it taxed my strength beyond its limit. It was my -mistress who came to my assistance. She lashed the wheel amidships -while watching me pull at the halyards, and came and seized the tarred -rope with her own hands and laid back with a will. - -It was just the added pound or two that was needed, and slowly, -readjusting the tackles from time to time, we at last mastheaded the -fore-topsail yard. I was glad that _The Rose of Devon_ was a small -ship, for had that yard been a foot longer or a pound heavier, we had -never done it. When I had finished I carefully braced the yards, then -I cast off the lashings of the wheel and shifted it until the wind -came from the starboard quarter and lo and behold we were headed due -eastward! - -The breeze was growing stronger but it was still gentle. It blew fair -and held steady. If it would only blow long enough and hold without -change we would inevitably fetch the South American coast, which I -estimated something more than fifteen hundred leagues away. - -I rested a while but not for long. It was late in the afternoon, yet I -felt it necessary further to overhaul the ship; so leaving my mistress -again in charge, a solitary woman on a half wrecked ship in a great -waste of unknown seas!--I tell you this that you may see how brave she -was--I went below, having first sounded the well and found to my joy -that there was no more than the usual amount of water in it and that -the ship evidently was tight. She must have gone on the sand in the -storm in such a way as not to start a leak, although it might be that -a plank had been started and that the men aboard her, one of whom was -an expert carpenter, had been able to get at it and caulk it up. At any -rate, she was tight. - -Everything below was in a state of disorder but no especial damage -had been done. I cleaned out the cabin, washed the dishes and made -everything snug. In the cabin that Pimball had occupied after my -departure I found the famous chart and the little image, both of which -I put carefully away. I was glad to see them again. We have them still -and often show them to our children and friends as we tell again this -tale. - -I also estimated the provisions in the lazarette. There was plenty of -food for our immediate needs, although most of the liquor was gone. -Then I went down into the hold. I found enough supplies there to last -the five of us who were on board indefinitely. The arms chest had been -broken open and most of the arms were gone--I suspected that they were -back on the Island of the Stairs! Those that remained I carefully -removed, and finding powder and shot, I charged them and placed them -under lock and key in Captain Matthews’ cabin, which I had reserved for -my own use. - -By the time I had finished, night had almost fallen. I stopped before -the doors where I had confined the prisoners and asked them how they -did and if they wanted anything, being met with oaths and curses -from one man and cries of pain from the other, to which I was alike -indifferent. I also visited the man in the forecastle and then came -back to take the wheel while my lady got our supper. - -I don’t think I was ever so tired in my life. As I look back upon it it -seems to me that I had done ten men’s work. And yet there was nothing -but thankfulness in my heart as I hung over the spokes and watched the -ship rush toward safety through the gently rolling seas. How mercifully -God had protected us. How He had used me to keep harm from this poor, -helpless young woman. I thanked Him for all His kindness and prayed for -a continuance of that favor until we got safely home. - -Supper was soon ready and it was a fine one. My shipmate’s skill at -cookery surprised me. She had not stinted in her preparations, and -the best that the ship afforded, and I have told you that she was -expensively, even luxuriously, stocked, was spread before me. How I did -eat! I am ashamed to think on it, even to this day. After supper I had -another pipe, and then plans for the night had to be adjusted. - -“Do you go below, Mistress Lucy,” I said, “and turn in. I have my watch -and I will awaken you at midnight. You can then take the wheel, and--” - -“No,” said the girl, “I can’t think of going below where those men are -confined. It is balmy out here. I shall sleep here on the deck at your -feet, within touch and call. I’d rather have it so.” - -I sought to change her decision but, as in all matters which were not -really vital, I was more or less helpless. - -“Well,” said I, “since you are resolved, take the wheel and I will -bring up your things to make you comfortable.” - -With that I descended to her cabin and brought up a mattress, pillow, -and blankets, which I laid on the deck. The sea had gone down and the -ship was steady so my lady could lie comfortably without being cast -against anything, but for precaution’s sake I put the mattress against -the foot of the trunk cabin in the angle formed by the companionway. -Before Mistress Lucy went to sleep we had our evening prayers. I had -lighted the binnacle lamp in order to see the compass course and she -stood by it, reading a psalm from her prayer book, which she had -carried ever with her, and so on until we said good-night. She lay down -at once and closed her eyes and I thought she was asleep. - -The steering of the ship was not very exhausting. Under the diminished -sail, which was all that we could carry, she steered easily and the -wheel did not make many demands upon me. I confess frankly that I never -was so utterly weary in my life. I had not had a regular sleep for -three days and I had worked to the extreme limit of my strength during -all that time. I found myself nodding over the wheel and finally I must -have gone sound asleep. The pressure of my body as I leaned on the -spokes brought the ship around and it was the tremendous slatting of -the sails in the wind, which was ever freshening, that awoke me. - -The noise awoke my mistress too. She had learned the sailor’s trick -of waking with all her faculties at her command, and this time she -realized the situation and came to her senses quicker than I did. - -“You were asleep,” she said, rising. - -“Aye, that I was,” I answered shamefacedly, bringing the ship before -the wind again. - -“What time is it?” she asked. - -When the sails began to draw once more, I pulled out my watch and soon -discovered that it was only nine o’clock. - -“I have had one hour’s sleep,” she said, “and am able to take the watch -now. I should not have taken advantage of your offer before. You have -done enough in the past three days to have killed half a dozen ordinary -men. Now, do you go to sleep and I will watch.” - -“You will wake me at midnight?” I asked. - -She nodded. At this I put my watch into her hand and started to go -below. - -“No,” she said, “you must not leave me. Go to sleep here on the deck -where I can call you if necessary.” - -I tumbled down on the mattress I had fixed for her and almost before I -could draw the blanket over me I was asleep. I say it to my shame and -her glory that she let me sleep the long night through, for it was the -sunlight that awakened me, and when I opened my eyes, there she stood, -erect and dauntless, matchless, holding the wheel. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -AND LOVE ROUNDS OUT THE TALE - - -There is little more to tell. One day was like another. For once that -ocean which I had always thought ill-called Pacific, did not belie its -name. The wind blew us steadily and gently toward the haven we wished -to reach. It was hard work but we equally divided watches and duties, -I attending to all the trimming of the yards, my mistress doing the -cooking, and after that first night we honorably kept watch and watch -at night. I do not know what would have happened if it had come on to -blow, for I never could have reefed or furled those sails, but the same -Providence which had watched over us kept us in recollection still. -Indeed, save for a certain nervous strain, I was never better in my -life, and my mistress also. - -After many days’ sailing we approached the South American coast and -there were lucky enough to fall in with a Spanish frigate. Her -commander, Don Antonio Recaldé, came aboard when he heard from the -officer whom he had sent off to us something of our story. He was -incredulous at first and not until we showed him some of the jewels did -he believe us. There was a great risk, perhaps, in showing an ordinary -man such a valuable treasure, but we were both agreed, my lady and I, -that Don Antonio was to be trusted absolutely. - -Indeed, he proved himself a royal fellow in that he took the three -mutineers on his own ship and sent a lieutenant and a dozen seamen -aboard _The Rose of Devon_, and as he was cruising on a roving -commission he convoyed us into Valparaiso. The prisoners we turned -over to the English representative, to be tried for piracy and murder. -A trading ship bound through the Straits of Magellan for Buenos Ayres -offered us an opportunity to return to the Atlantic. We took advantage -of this, disposing of _The Rose of Devon_ to a firm of Spanish -merchants at Valparaiso for a good price which provided us with more -than enough money for our return voyage, and which relieved us of the -necessity for offering some of the jewels for sale which would have -involved explanations and possibly delay and confiscation. - -We did press upon Don Antonio an emerald of great size and brilliancy -which, generous seaman that he was, he was loath to take but which my -mistress insisted upon, in addition to which he received a certain -percentage of the proceeds of the sale of _The Rose of Devon_ as -salvage, so that he and his men were well rewarded for their kindness -to us. - -From Buenos Ayres, which we reached without mishap, we took a coasting -vessel, the only one that served, for Rio de Janeiro, the capital -of the Portuguese possessions in the Brazils. There we were lucky -enough to find a large Portuguese man-of-war frigate homeward bound to -Lisbon, whose captain obligingly received us as passengers, being moved -thereto, I more than suspect, by the beauty of my lady. From Lisbon by -roundabout ways we finally landed in Plymouth Harbor, whence we had set -forth more than a twelvemonth before. How good it was to set foot on -English ground once more! Yet I was sadder that morning than I had been -during all our far voyaging. I hired a private coach and by nightfall -we ended all our long journey at Master Ficklin’s door. He, with that -worthy kindly woman his sister, greeted us as if we had risen from the -dead, and greatly rejoicing in my lady’s good fortune, gave us the -warmest of welcomes. - -That night I had what I expected would be my last interview with her. -We had been thrown constantly together during the six months that had -elapsed since our great adventure on the Island of the Stairs and our -arrival in England. We had discussed everything else, I think, but -I had said naught of my love. Indeed, each league of sea over which -we passed on our way homeward seemed to remove her farther from me. -Although she was tender, she was considerate, she was inviting, she -was intimate, when she was not arch, I could not bring myself to a -declaration. - -We were alone. Good Mistress Ficklin had given us her parlor for the -evening. I took from my pockets the canvas pouch filled with her -treasure which I had detached from my belt as I had dressed that -morning, and laid it on the table. - -“This, Mistress Wilberforce,” said I, formally enough, although my -heart was beating rapidly, “is yours.” - -She waved her hand as if it was of small moment. - -“We have discussed that before,” she said, “what of yourself?” - -“Last night,” I replied, “I went down to the docks. A ship sails for -the East Indies next week. They want a chief mate and if my references -serve they will engage me.” - -“And have you these references?” - -“I thought, madam, that your friends in the city might give them to me -when they know.” - -“But I have no friends in the city,” she answered promptly. - -“These,” said I, pointing to the table, “will buy them for you.” - -She stepped over to the table, untied the strings and upon the velvet -cloth fell the sparkling gems. - -“Would they not buy friends for you as well?” she asked. - -“Mistress Lucy,” said I, “I want but one thing in this world. No money, -no jewels could buy that, nor all the treasure we left behind upon -that island.” - -“But if one should give you that,” she said very softly, her eyes on -the table and her white hand lifting the stones and letting them fall. - -“I am not worthy--to receive it,” said I. - -“And so,” she said, without looking at me, “and so it is good-by then. -May you be happy.” - -She extended her hand to me and I caught it and kissed it passionately, -but when I made to let it go she would not. - -“Master Hampdon,” she said, looking at me, her eyes brighter than the -diamonds and bluer than the sapphires upon the table, “you are a fool.” - -“Right well I know that, Mistress,” said I, striving to fetch a smile -to match her own. - -“And a blind man as well.” - -Whereat I was a blind man, indeed, for my eyes misted up, but not with -blood as in the battle. And I, as strong and tough as a mountain ash, -was as like to faint as any lovesick girl. - -“John, John,” came the sweetest voice on earth to me through the -darkness, “don’t you see? Don’t you know that I love you and you only, -that you have all my heart and that my life, which is yours a thousand -times on sea and shore, is not worth living without you?” - -“But your friends, your world,” I protested as she came nearer. - -“I have no other friends, I want no other, and you are my world.” - -Well, it was not in me to resist after that, and for the third time in -my life I held her in my arms, where since that hour she has often been -again, and for the third time I drank the sweetness of her lips. She -laughed presently and I let her go a little, yet still held her close, -and she looked at me. - -“Do you remember the night on _The Rose of Devon_ when first you kissed -me?” - -“If I should kiss you a million times, sweetheart, as I mean to do,” I -answered boldly, “I should not forget a single one of them, much less -that.” - -“And to punish you for your presumption, although my heart went out -to you I do confess, I struck you; and to teach you to be a dutiful -husband, loving, devoted to me,” she paused and laughed again, “I -strike you once again.” - -Whereat she laid her hand once more, but in tenderness, upon my cheek, -following it with a kiss. I have had his Majesty’s sword laid upon my -shoulder after I had led one of the King’s ships to victory in the -French wars, and I am now, if you please, Sir John Hampdon. We live at -Wilberforce Castle and our children play on the sward, but the royal -accolade meant not so much to me as that light blow upon my cheek with -which my dear mistress sealed our plighted troth. - - -_Note_ - -I am often asked what became of the surviving English on the island, -and I can only answer that I do not know. So far as I have learned, no -white man has ever visited that island since that day, although the -publication of these memoirs may induce someone to go there for the -balance of the treasure, which is undoubtedly still where we left it. -They were resourceful sailors, however, and I have no doubt if any of -them survived the earthquake, they managed to get down the wall in some -way, repaired their canoes perhaps and returned to the island whence -they came, with the surviving natives, and they and their descendants -may be living there, awaiting the arrival of some ship. - -I heard also after some years, of the prisoners we left in the hands of -the British representative at Valparaiso. One died, one escaped, and -one was hanged for the mutiny. Should anyone be inspired by the recital -of this story to seek the Island of the Stairs--where what remains of -the treasure is theirs for the taking--and come upon these mutineers, -they may assure them that, so far as my lady and I are concerned, no -proceedings will be instituted against them. The lapse of years and the -punishment their ringleaders suffered have rendered any prosecution -of them impossible, and so far as we are concerned they may return to -England or go where they will without molestation. God has undoubtedly -dealt with them, and we can leave their future to Him. - - JOHN HAMPDON, KT. - - -THE END - - - - -TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: - - - Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. - - Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. - - Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. - - Archaic or variant spelling has been retained. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ISLAND OF THE STAIRS *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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