CHAPTER XXXIV.THE CRUISE.
The captain of theXyphiasstood on deck to receive his passengers.
The deck was a scene of great bustle, with the seamen getting ready to make sail. Some were weighing anchor, some loosing the topsails and courses, and others coiling down the ropes.
Through the crowd the captain led his passengers to the head of the gang-ladder, and took them down below to the gundeck where his own quarters were situated, and he assigned them berths in his own cabin.
Britomarte and her attendant had a stateroom to themselves, and Justin had a share in the captain’s stateroom. It appeared from all this that they were to be received as the captain’s own guests, and have seats at his private table as well as berths in his cabin.
Having introduced his guests to their new quarters, the captain returned to his post on deck. And the noise of getting under way roared and thundered overhead.
Britomarte and Judith went into their stateroom to inspect it and lay aside the small parcels that they had brought from the house in their hands. And then Britomarte asked Justin to attend them up on deck that they might watch their island as long as it should continue in sight.
They went up and stood in the stern of the ship, leaning over the taffrail, and looking upon the island, until theXyphiasbegan to heave and turn, and then, as the wind filled her canvas, to sail away from the open sea. They watched the lonely isle as it gradually receded from their sight, until palm trees, rocks and caverns were mingled in one undistinguishable maze of color—they watched it until it dropped lower and lower down toward the horizon—until its outline became confused with the boundaries of sky and sea—and then they turned away. Britomarte drew her veil to hide her fast-falling tears.
When she lifted it again there was nothing around her but the lonely sea and sky.
The second day of their voyage was a pleasanter one than the first, principally because the captain, having discovered the temperate habits of his passengers, did not insist upon their making five meals a day.
They were steering for Cape Town, where the captain hoped to anchor by the end of that current week.
“We may meet a homeward-bound vessel there,” he said; “if so, we will put you on board of her.”
“It is you who are now anxious to get rid of us, captain,” said Miss Conyers, archly.
And the jolly captain put on the air of a very much injured man, and vowed that Miss Conyers did him great wrong.
The ship was constantly on the lookout for rebel privateers, and kept a man at the masthead day and night, relieving him every two hours. But night followed day, and day succeeded night, and still no sail of any sort was to be seen on all the lonely sea.
Nevertheless, this was one of the happiest periods that our three friends ever passed. The weather was charming, the sky clear, the sea calm, the wind light, and the ship flew on over the waters at the rate of ten knots an hour. The ship’s captain and officers were all extremelypleasant companions, and unaffectedly glad to have these guests along with them to break the monotony of their sea life.
During the continuance of the fine weather, the three passengers spent every day on deck and every evening in the captain’s cabin.
Usually the captain, the chaplain, Justin and Britomarte formed a party, and played a rubber or two of whist.
Sometimes, to vary the evening’s pastime, Miss Conyers would exercise her talent for dramatic reading, and on these latter occasions, all the officers that could be spared from the deck would be invited into the captain’s cabin to receive their share of the entertainment.
Sometimes, also, Miss Conyers sang for her friends. And this singing was perhaps the greatest treat she could give them. A woman’s sweet voice caroling their favorite songs on the blue water was a novelty and a delight indeed.
Thus pleasantly passed the days until Saturday morning, when they made Table Mount. And on Saturday noon they anchored in Table Bay.
Justin and Britomarte went on shore to call upon their friends at Cape Town.
They went first to the South African College, but learned there that their old acquaintance, Professor Jack, had gone to Europe to collect certain rare scientific works for his library.
Then they went out to Silver Tree Villa to see their esteemed friends the Burneys.
They found the reverend doctor and his family at home and in good health, but immeasurably astonished and delighted to see Mr. Rosenthal and Miss Conyers, for they had heard of the wreck of theSultana, and had supposed their young friends to have been lost.
And next it was the turn of Justin and Britomarte to be equally astonished and delighted, for they learned that the lifeboat containing the missionary party, after drifting about the ocean for several days, had been picked up by a Dutch merchantman bound for the Cape of Good Hope, and all the passengers rescued; that the Elys and the Bretons had remained guests at Silver Tree Grove for amonth, during which subscriptions had been taken up in all the churches to raise a fund for their relief, and at the end of which, being entirely refitted out, they had sailed in the East IndiamanDjalmafor Calcutta,en routefor their distant field of missionary labor, where in due time they had safely arrived.
Mrs. Burney was able to assure Miss Conyers that her friends were well and doing well, for she heard from them by every Indian mail.
Great was the surprise and joy of Justin and Britomarte on hearing this news.
“Then, after all, the crew of that boat must have relented and taken the two men on board,” said Justin.
“I suppose when Captain McKenzie refused to leave the ship he left room in the boat for one, and they managed to make room for the other,” observed Britomarte.
They dined with the Burneys, but were obliged to decline all further hospitality, as the length of their ship’s stay at Cape Town was very uncertain.
So they took an affectionate leave of their friends, and returned on board theXyphias, in good time for the captain’s early supper table, which was spread with all the luxuries to be obtained at Cape Town.
“I have news of theSea Scourge. She touched here on the day before yesterday, remained a few hours to get in wood and water, and also to pick up a few seamen, and then she sailed again,” said the captain, as they sat down to supper.
“Where?” eagerly inquired Justin.
“East and north. Going, no doubt, to meet returning East Indiamen from Calcutta. We must go in pursuit of her, and lose no time about it either. So, Mr. Rosenthal, we sail with the first tide to-morrow.”
“I am rejoiced to hear it,” said Justin.
“I have caused inquiries to be made, and find that there are no homeward-bound ships in the harbor. So this young lady, I am selfishly glad to know, has no option but to go on with us for the present,” added the captain.
“Unless she prefers to accept the hospitality tendered her by the Burneys; in which case she can remain at Silver Tree Villa, and wait for a homeward-bound ship.What do you say, Miss Conyers?” inquired Justin, turning toward her.
“I say that, with the captain’s kind permission, I will stay where I am,” replied Britomarte.
And so that matter was settled.