It was Carlos and Rufe, together, who routed us all out long before day; and soon we were set on shore—Captain Marat, Norris, Julian, Ray, Robert and myself. We moved to the eastern edge of the city, and there awaited Carlos, who had hurried off to consult with his friend. We hadn't long to wait. He came with the intelligence that Duran had gone from the city at dusk the evening before. He had doubtless gone to the old ruin, since he had been attended by a man who was wont to wait on him, carrying his burdens, when going inland. When going direct to his ship, his attendants were always two or more sailors.
"Well, then it's for another visit to that old palace, where we had so much fun, eh Wayne?" said Norris.
Carlos led us over an old, seldom used trail; one that ran back of the old ruin.
It was a long, tedious march. And yet the morning was still fresh when we found ourselves at the bottom of the rear wall of the palace, looking up to where that escape door was hidden among the vines. I went up first. With my stick through the hole, I had up the latch, and pushed the door open. Next came Robert.
"Say," spoke up Grant Norris, "is that ladder of yours going to hold two hundred ten pounds?"
"It'll hold three times that," I assured him. And so he came up with ease, in spite of his weight.
Ray, Julian, Carlos, and Marat, soon were standing with us in the dark passage. Flashing my light, I led the way up the stone steps, and along the passage.
We came at last to that little door opening into Duran's room—that door through which I had made my rash entry, and hasty retreat.
There was no light shining through the chinks of the shrine this time. But I put my ear close, and in a little I distinguished the sound of heavy breathing within. Someone slept there. I communicated that piece of intelligence to the others in a low whisper. And we waited for the sleeper to waken.
Near half an hour must have passed and Norris had moved back down the passage, to calm his impatience. It was then we heard a loud knocking on a door of that room. The sleeper was aroused, and then light shone through the crevices.
Captain Marat and Carlos gave ear to the talk of those in the room. Duran, in sleeping garb, and a lame black attendant, were the occupants, as a peek through those chinks showed.
By Marat's report the following was the talk of the two:
"Well," said Duran, "any news of those dogs of Americans having gone?"
"Gani, just come," said the black. "He say French man and woman, and baby, and Brill woman, go way in steamer; schooner stay."
"So! The schooner stay!" thundered Duran. And he cursed and fumed a spell. "The schooner stay! Why do they stay?—It is that Carlos Brill. He has told them something. It is the gold now they want. Why did I not kill him?"
"The men have try," spoke the black. "They cannot—"
"They have try!" thundered Duran. "They try a little, and because he escape one, two bad shots, the fools they say the Zombi protect him. Well, no Zombi protect him when I see him!—They shall not find the gold.—Go, make ready my breakfast."
The black left the room. Duran turned to his toilet, manifesting his ill humor the while with grumbling to himself. The man presently brought in his food, and again retired. The meal finished, Duran sat in deep contemplation for some minutes, staring before him, and intermittently pulling on the lobe of his ear in his characteristic manner.
Finally he stepped to the door, and called. The black man again appeared.
"Tell Gani I go to theOrion," he said. The door closed and again Duran fell into soliloquy.
"Yes, I make the gold safe," he said. "That Carlos Brill—I should kill him long ago."
We could hear him in the room, but his activities were, for the most part, out of our range of vision.
Then presently he brought a box to the table. He laid out a money-belt. Then from the box he took bundles of bills, of money; and then came a half dozen fat pouches. That this was gold we had no doubt. The paper money and bags of gold Duran soon had transferred to the money-belt. And this he hung about his waist, with straps over the shoulders. A light jacket concealed the whole. He put away the box again.
His preparations were soon completed, and he went out of the room, having put out the lights.
It was then Marat gave us the account of that which he had heard.
"Well," I said, "if he's going to his schooner, we'll have to get a move on us."
I professed that I wanted to see the place Duran got that box from. And Norris confessed a like curiosity. "And I want to see how this door works," he said. So we two lingered, while the others hurried down the passage, meaning to have an eye on Duran when he should start off toward his ship.
Norris and I crawled through the little door. We first put lights to the candles, and looked to the security of the door. And then came search for a secret recess. After some minutes survey, we found a marble slab of the floor, next the wall, showing dust about the edges. Hung on the wall was a hook of metal. With this we succeeded to pull up an end of the slab.
To take out the stone and thrust our hands into the recess, where it extended under the wall, was the effort of two moments. We pulled forth the box.
It now held only two objects: a small account book, and a gold ring having the form of a serpent. The ring I pocketed. The book held some figures—amounts with many ciphers, and a number of addresses. One in Paris, others in Porto Rico, Jamaica, Cuba—the Cambons' among them. I tore out a leaf and made copies of them.
"That's right, Wayne," said Grant Norris. "They might be of value."
Soon we were out in the passage.
Down in the bed of the stream we found Robert awaiting us.
"He's gone," said Robert. "We were in time to see him and one black man go off through the woods."
Robert led the way; and soon we were on a trail going toward the sea.
We hurried to catch up with the others, and in a little, came upon Julian and Ray, lingering to make sure we'd found the way.
"I suppose you two are now sporting a money-belt apiece," said Ray.
I showed him the serpent ring.
"Ugh!" he grunted. "That voodoo's coat of arms, I guess."
We'd covered about two miles when we got sight of Captain Marat and Carlos. Carlos kept well ahead; and he was never long without a glimpse of Duran and his black, whose progress was slow, because of a burden.
That Duran was on his way to the gold mine, there was little doubt. Carlos assured us that it was always this way he went when he meant to conceal his movements. And on these occasions he would sail away in his schooner in the night. And it was this had made it impossible for Carlos to follow him to the place. That his father had never travelled to the mine by a water route Carlos was quite sure, though he had been much too young to have much judgment in the matter, or over much curiosity.
Duran's sailors had proven uncorruptible. Voodoo superstition had had much to do with it, doubtless, and they were liberally paid by their master. Carlos knew of only one black who had deserted Duran's service; and he had afterward been found murdered, in the city.
The character of the growth changed as we approached the sea. The greater trees were less plentiful; there were more open spaces; bamboo, tall grasses, came in our way; cocoa palms, royal palms, cabbage palms, looked down upon us as we passed. And then came vistas, giving view of the blue sea. Here the course turned east.
In the comparative sparsity of the growth, there was less need for a path, so now Carlos soon had lost the trail of Duran and his black. He recommended that we remain where we then were, while he was gone forward, to seek for signs of the two.
"Thanks, Carlos," said Ray, throwing himself on the ground, "I never was so hot, and done up."
All were glad of a rest, except perhaps Grant Norris, who was always for going forward. Now, though, the heat must have taken, temporarily, some of the go out of him, for he lay immovable for so much as ten minutes. The mid-day sun was almost directly overhead, and there was scarcely a breath of air stirring.
When an hour had passed, Norris was on nettles again. He had smoked three pipefuls, to calm his nerves. Again and again he made short excursions to the east to anticipate the return of Carlos.
Ray had been observing him. "Say, Norris," he said, "there won't be slow music at your funeral."
Then, finally, Carlos turned up. He beckoned us to follow him. We tramped two more miles, much of it through a heavy bushy growth. And then at last he halted us in a screen of bush, whence we looked out on the waters of a small cove, almost surrounded by palms, whose tall trunks leaned over the white sand beach. Resting in that cove was a schooner—theOrion.
"Duran, he go on board," said Carlos.
We could see the figures of black sailors on the deck; and with binoculars distinguished their white master, Duran.
"Well, and now then?" said Norris.
"Yes, what next, Wayne?" said Ray, "Norris and I are ready to bust."
There was only one thing to do. We must have thePearlready to follow when theOrionshould sail.
"And when do you think she'll sail?" asked Julian.
"Sometime after dark, more than likely," said Robert.
It was Captain Marat, Robert and Julian, that went for thePearl. They were to bring her to within a few miles of this cove, and pick up the rest of us in a small boat. They had ten miles ahead of them, most of it along the beach, and the going all good, where the sand was hard with moisture.
The hot tropic sun beat down on us in the brush, where we crouched, sweltering, till Carlos found us a less ovenlike lookout, under the palms of a tongue of land to the west of the cove. Our move got us some closer, too, to the object of our interest. And it was but a short run to the opposite side of the point, where we could have an eye on the coming of thePearl.
I took occasion to show Carlos that gold ring I had found in Duran's hiding-place. He showed surprise and some emotion at sight of it.
"That my father's ring," he declared. "He have that ring on his finger that day he went away with Duran—an' never come back. My father he tell us he in the city have that ring made of gold he take from hees mine. He was no voodoo, my father, but I do not know why he have thee ring made like the serpent. He was mostly negro—my mother was Carib."
Carlos refused the ring. He asked that I keep it for him, till he should ask for it. It was when we were all at sea one day, he asked for the ring. I handed it toward him, and he held up a belaying pin, asking me to thrust it on the point. And then with much tapping with a hammer, he blotted out the serpent; and on the broad part, where the head had been, he contrived a cross, using hammer and chisel. This done, he was content to take the ring his father had worn.
"Now thee ring be good luck," he said. And he placed it on his finger.
There was apparently little activity on board theOrion, though once or twice we heard the laugh of a sailor wafted in on the light breeze.
The hot, tedious hours dragged along, one after the other, with tropic lassitude; till finally the shadows of the palms had spread over the waters of the cove. And at last, too, Grant Norris came to tell us that thePearlhad come to anchor, about three miles away.
It was then activity began on board Duran's schooner: The binoculars showed us sailors throwing off the gaskets. And then—and this to us was a surprise—up went her sails.
"Surely," said Ray, "they can't be going to make a start yet?"
"We'd better hump," began Norris, "or they'll be getting away before we get aboard thePearl."
"Wait," I said, "I don't believe they'll sail before dark."
"Always," offered Carlos, "when they sail from the city it is dark."
"I'm thinking," said Ray, "that what that Duran finds to do in daylight wouldn't make a long sermon."
One thing led to another, and soon we were in the midst of that newly popular discussion of the probable location of the gold mine. "Well," concluded Grant Norris, "it can't be very far, if Carlos's father made the trip overland, there and back, in five or six days."
Carlos re-affirmed his statement. "The first time he is away some weeks, when he come back very happy, and say he have find gold mine, and he show us gold. But he have been away five and six day and come back."
It was then the schooner again took our notice, for the sails began to come down again, and soon they were all snug between gaffs and booms.
"Just shaking the wrinkles out of them," suggested Ray.
The sun was now nearing the horizon. Norris and Ray hurried up the beach, to get themselves aboard thePearl, and have Captain Marat move down, after dark, close to the point on its west. Thus this tongue of land with its tall palms, would still hold a screen between the two schooners.
Night, with the precipitancy peculiar to the tropics, rose up and lay its black cloak over everything. While the stars were out bright, the moon was not due till near daylight. An hour Carlos and I waited, watching that dark spot in the cove that represented theOrion. Then Norris and Robert joined us. Our schooner now lay about a mile from shore, they told us. The land breeze soon sprung up, and still there was no movement in the cove.
"Looks like they've settled down there for the night," suggested Robert.
"Don't say that," said Norris.
Then came a faint flash of light over there, and in another minute we heard the squeak of a block.
"The sails are going up!" I said. "Now back to thePearl."
We hurried on among the pillar-like trunks of palms; in a little we were in the small boat, and at last thePearltook us in.
"They're making sail," I told Captain Marat.
He took me into the cabin, and showed me the chart. There was there shown a long shoal, that would necessitate theOrionpassing us and going some miles west, to round the end of the shoal, and so out to sea, for a run down the coast to the east. "Unless," said Captain Marat, "they have some safe passage through the shoal, say through here." And he pointed to a place opposite the point, where the depth figures indicated such a possible passage.
We got on a jib, and crawled out a bit nearer to the place indicated; and again we let down the anchor.
We had not long to wait this time. A dark object moved into our view. With a distant squeak of a block or two, it turned seaward. We were not many minutes getting under way. We lost sight of theOrionbefore we got way on, and when we were well beyond the shoal, we took our course east at a guess.
We had sailed there an hour, covering some miles, before that dark mass again showed before us. We then almost ran the other schooner down, for she lay hove to, her sails flapping. With quick work Captain Marat likewise brought thePearlabout.
During the maneuver I had had opportunity to note that a small boat of theOrionhad separated itself from that vessel, and was a little way shoreward. But at our coming the boat turned about, and made back to theOrionagain.
That vessel's sails directly filled once more, its bowsprit pointing down the coast. ThePearlwas not long in falling into its wake. And then came a flash and report from theOrion. Norris rushed into the cabin, brought out his rifle and sent a bullet after that vessel.
"Tit for tat!" he said. "I'll bet that that cooled his enthusiasm."
The enemy did not see fit to continue the exchange.
"Humph—'tit for tat'" mused Ray. "Norris and Duran talk to one another in the old code."
"Oh, and maybe you can tell what we were saying," bantered Norris.
"Sure," said Ray. "That fellow's 'tat' said—'Don't you dare follow me!' and your 'tit' said—'You're another.'"
"You're a mighty wise gazabo," said Norris.
"Of course," said Ray. "And I'm a mind reader, too."
"You, a mind reader!" said Norris. "And do you mean to say you can tell what I'm thinking?"
"Sure," said Ray. "You're thinking—a—you're thinking that I don't know what you're thinking."
And he had to dodge Norris's moccasin.
We were now keeping pretty much in that other schooner's wake. It gave us much satisfaction to find that thePearlhad superiority in speed, at least in a moderate breeze.
TheOrionapparently had on all her sail; we were obliged to shorten sail a bit, to avoid overhauling the other. The waning moon came out of the horizon an hour before daybreak.
It was then we began to draw off a little, for we now had but one purpose—to keep an unwavering eye on theOrion. That vessel, it became plain, had come to have its single aim—to shake thePearlfrom her trail. And now day after day, and night after night, the contest was on. TheOrionat first put on every effort to outsail us; that was vain. Then she sought to hang us on dangerous shoals; but Captain Marat's charts told him where they lay. TheOriontried at night, by sudden changes in her course, to lose us in the dark. But sundown always found us clinging to her apron strings, and a sharp eye on every shift of her.
A week passed thus, and then the island of—well, suffice it to say it was an important island of the West Indies—This island hove in sight. TheOrionmade straight in, thePearlat her heels. The frowning guns of a fort guarded the harbor and city, which lay on the west coast.
At ten of the morning the two schooners came to anchor. ThePearlchose a berth less than a hundred fathoms from the other. And it was little thought that these ships would go out of that harbor with rather a different distribution of passengers than that with which they went in.
The white buildings of that city, with the green mountain background, and the white beach, overhung with its graceful palms, presented a pleasing picture. I remember I thought what a place this would be to spend a peaceful holiday; to fish, to hunt, to feast on the luscious fruits, and explore those forests of mountain and valley, and the wonders of the caves. If only we had never come up with that fiend, Duran.
When Captain Marat had seen to it that all was snug, and the awning stretched, he turned his eyes toward theOrion, who likewise had stowed her cloth under gaskets.
"I did not think that Duran would come in to thees place," he said.
"He tried to shake us off his tail by running fast," said Ray; "and he tried to scrape us off on reefs; and now I guess he's come in here to try to crawl through some hole that'll be too small for us."
"Well, that skunk is here to try some devilment, that's sure," observed Norris.
We kept a sharp eye on theOrion. Within the hour we saw a small boat from the city boarding her. In twenty minutes that boat came to thePearl. The port doctor came over the rail. He was a Spaniard, but with a good command of English. He asked the usual questions of Captain Marat.
"Well," he said, when he had his answers, "I am afraid we'll have to hold you in quarantine. I learn there is yellow fever in the port from which you came."
"I believe there is some mistake," said Marat, "we heard of no yellow fever there."
"Pardon me," I interposed, "but did you get your information from theOrion?"
"Yes," admitted the doctor, "from Monsieur Duran."
"And is theOrionto be quarantined?" I asked.
"No," he said, "theOrionhas not been in that port for months. The outbreak of yellow fever is less than three weeks old. Duran was hailed by a ship that gave him the news."
"We know," I told him, "that that man Duran was in the port on the day preceding that on which we sailed."
There was a dubious look in the official's face. And now he had come to dividing his attention between myself and a steamer that was just moving in. He put his binoculars to his eyes. Some moments he looked, and then he turned to us.
"Wait," he said. "There is a steamer from your port. I shall be back presently."
With that he got over the rail and went off in his boat to the steamer.
"Now then," said Norris, when he was gone, "there's that skunk's trick."
"But it's a monkey trick," said Ray. "He ought to know we'd have our story to tell."
"Maybe," suggested Julian, "he thought his wines—and maybe some gold—would give greater weight to his story."
I, too, had got the smell of liquor from the doctor's breath. It was quite probable Duran had been making very friendly with this official.
"Perhaps Duran counted on our going outside the harbor rather than be delayed in quarantine," said Robert.
"Yes, and that would suit him ver' well," said Marat. "He could then try and slip by in thee dark."
The doctor came back, as he had promised. And he spoke us without again coming aboard.
"That was some mistake about the yellow fever," he said. "You will be free to go ashore."
"Well, and what will our voodoo priest try next?" said Grant Norris.
"Next, he'll have us arrested, for disturbing the peace," said Julian.
"His peace of mind," added Ray.
Our discussion became serious now. The more Duran sought to shake us, the more important that we observe his every movement.
That he would be going ashore into the city was reasonably certain. If we were to see what he did there, it might be well to precede him, and lie in wait. Grant Norris, Robert Murtry, and Julian Lamartine, were selected for this expedition. Julian, like Jean Marat, had a fair command of the Spanish, which was the language of this port.
The three were in the small boat, ready to push off, when I recollected the bit of paper in my pocket, on which I had copied the addresses from Duran's book in the old ruin. There was among them an address in this port. I had out the paper, and called out the name to Julian, Paul Marcel was the name.
We saw the boat of our friends go among the wharves. It was not long till—"There he goes now!" cried Ray, and we saw a small boat moving shoreward from the schoonerOrion.
The moon, approaching its first quarter, set at ten that night, and our three had not returned from the city. The anchor-light on theOrionwas all we could see of her.
It was near midnight when I heard the dip of oars approaching, and directly Norris, Julian, and Robert climbed over the rail.
"It was a tame party we had," grumbled Norris. "Our friend Duran is back on his schooner."
"But the address was right," said Robert.
"Yes," offered Julian, "Duran spent most of his time at the home of a Monsieur Paul Marcel; and when he came out on the verandah to go, I heard him appoint to come back tomorrow. And they talked of some kind of party for tomorrow night."
Tame as Norris considered their excursion on shore, Robert recounted a feature of that adventure that had not a little to do toward putting Norris in a bad humour. When they saw Duran, accompanied by his two blacks, very evidently making to the boat, our party fell back, not to be seen by Duran at the wharf. But what should happen but that Duran should suddenly step from behind a corner of a shed and laugh derisively in their faces.
It occurred to me that, in view of the circumstance, there might be some talk on theOrionthat it should profit us to hear a word of. I said as much to Captain Marat; and we two set off forthwith in a small boat, to have a try.
We made a detour, and approached theOrionfrom the far side. There were other boats moving about, making us the less conspicuous, and besides, the inky darkness favored us. So that we came in under theOrion'sbows unnoted. Voices there were speaking on the deck, and Captain Marat cocked his ear to them, as we held to the stays.
He repeated it all to me afterward, and this is pretty much the way of the talk he heard:
"There will be no risk. Of course, if the big one is there, we will wait till the next night."
"But the noise will—"
"But there need be no noise. It must be—"
"Yes, that won't be so bad, and it will be dark. And now I want you to know, Monsieur, that the men are beginning to fear they will never see the gold you have promised them. This being pursued is a new thing for them. And then, you have always been all powerful, and never had to give over your plans and flee. And we have come so far from—"
"Bah! You must make them to understand again that these infernal Americans have Carlos Brill with them, and they are after my secrets—they want the gold. And I cannot afford to give them the least hint where it lies. We must finally shake them off; then we go back home; I land the regular place, at the foot of Twin Hills. Then no one can follow. And in the week I will have out all the gold that is mined. Then I will give the men more gold than they ever dreamed of having, and they will be free to go and spend. And for two years, maybe three years, I will not go near the mine.
"And no one will ever find it. No, it is safe; that is very sure. Tell them. And you—you know what I have promised you. I make you the most wealthy black, that ever lived, and I will never feel the loss of what I give you. But you must not fail me."
"Oh, monsieur, believe me, I will do my work well."
"If you succeed, you must make no mistake about the place to meet us; we must not leave them behind, here."
"Yes, monsieur; there will be no mistake. I know my work."
The voices became indistinct as the speakers moved away. Then Marat took up the oars again and quietly got our boat away in the dark.
It was then he repeated to me what he had heard.
"Then we came just too late to hear what this thing is they plan," I said.
"Yes," agreed Captain Marat, "but we got one clue to the mine. He say he weel 'land at foot of Twin Hills'—back home. We look on thee chart; that it is near that place where we begin the pursuit."
We were soon aboard thePearl, the chart on the table.
"There!" said Captain Marat. And he put the end of a match on the spot marked, "Twin Hills." It was close to the sea line, less than five miles from the cove in which we discovered theOrion.
And then I had a thought.
"That must be where we saw a small boat starting toward shore from theOrion," I said.
"Just so," said Marat. "It was Duran, going to land 'The regular place,' to go to his mine."
"Well, now," began Ray, who had followed us into the cabin, "you folks seem to know a heap. Where do you get all your wisdom?"
We got all our party together, and Marat repeated what we had learned.
"So the mine is away back up there where we started from, after all," said Norris. "And here we are a week's sail from the place we're after. If that skunk would only drop some decent clue to the place, I trust Wayne here to find it, and we could leave Mr. 'Monsieur voodoo priest' to sail the globe, if he likes, while we go back and take possession of Carlos's mine."
"But what is the meaning of the other talk," said Julian. "What is this thing they are up to?"
And this is the thing we got news of the following night, as shall be seen.
We were early astir in the morning. Most of us spent the greater part of the day ashore. And we had an eye on Duran's movements, for he, too, put in the day in the city. He was apparently well known among a number of the citizens, for he was often greeted familiarly. And he spent much money that day, for wines, flowers, and dainties for the palate, all of which were carted to the residence of Monsieur Marcel; so it became apparent it was Duran that was giving the party.
Night found Ray and myself among the lookers-on, made up of the poor of the neighborhood. They were allowed to encroach on the lawn, where they stood among the planted bushes and under the palms. And drink and dainties were sent out for the rabble, who gorged themselves at the expense of Duran.
The house was large, with extensive verandas, on which the guests danced to the music of an orchestra. There was a great hum of voices, and much laughter.
Ray and I could see Duran, from time to time, as he played the gay cavalier; and he was apparently very popular with the ladies, with whom he danced and promenaded. His deportment was that of a real gentleman, and his dress was most correct. I thought of that other night, when I had seen this same man in a red robe; in his blackened face, under a turban, the look of a fiend; in his hand a knife ready for a horrid deed. To fathom such a character was beyond my power of reasoning. A learned man has since sought to explain the thing to me, by saying that the little part of black blood in this man was doubtless descended from a cannibal; and those instincts would at times come to the fore. And then, too, he said, much of the white in this man might easily be descended from a "wolf in sheep's clothing," which is not so uncommon a phenomenon in society today.
The mob that was about us was all gone, long before eleven o'clock. But the dancing and gaiety at the house showed no abatement.
We two were in a bit of brush, at a point that gave us a good view of the premises. The moon was long gone, but the house lights made a halo all about.
"Well, I don't see what good we are doing here," said Ray at last. "That Duran will go to his schooner when this thing is over, and we don't care what he does before then."
"He might slip away in some other vessel," I said.
Another hour passed.
And then Duran came out on the verandah, and appeared to be looking directly toward us. I was sure he could not see us, for we crouched in the blackest of shadows.
"There is that white voodoo, again," said Ray. "I wonder if he's going to keep that crowd going till daylight. Folks ought to have some sense of—"
His speech was cut off. And that instant I was enveloped in a cloth, held about me with strong arms; and I felt a pressure on my mouth.
To struggle, I soon found to be useless. Many hands seemed to be holding me, and I was picked off the ground, my bearers pattering along at a rate.
Presently we came to a stop, and I was tumbled into some kind of a wagon, as the creak of the wheels told me. And there was a body jostling me in the wagon-bed—Ray.
Here was a mishap entirely unexpected. And it flashed on me that here at last was the explanation of the enigmatic part of the talk Marat heard the night before. That some of us were keeping an eye on him in town, Duran had known; and "the big one" whose absence was desired, was doubtless Norris. And, "there need be no noise," Duran had said. Verily the capture could not have been effected with less.
Where we were to be taken, and what was to be done to us, filled my mind. There was something in the talk last night about a place to meet. And—"We must not leave them behind here," Duran had said. So then the captors were to meet the others at some appointed place, and the captured were not to be left behind. What could that mean other than that we were to be finally taken aboard the schoonerOrion.
The thing cleared in my mind. Duran counted on thePearlrefusing to sail without Ray and myself—that our friends would remain and seek us, even at the risk of losing the trail of Duran. And so theOrionwould sail away to the mine without fear of discovery. The thought of defeat in the thing we had so much suffered for, caused my heart to sink. I had no real fear that our lives were in danger. Duran had but the one thought now—to save the gold. Now that at last there were those who had penetrated to his lair in the hills, he would not add zest to the pursuit of himself by a needless crime, a crime that would be easily laid to his door.
The wagon went bumping along over the rough road, shaking us thoroughly, while these thoughts were passing in my mind. Hot as was the night, I was almost stifled by this thing over my head, reinforced by the tight binder on my mouth.
We must have traveled at least five miles, I judged, when the wheels ceased to turn. The cloths were taken from our heads. The bonds on our arms and legs remained. There was one black who spoke some English, and he warned us to make no noise.
"We put them on again, if you do," he said.
Once more the wagon moved on. The stars shone overhead, and I could see trees and palms looking down on me, now and then.
"This is a pretty pickle you've pulled me into," Ray said. "My mouth all tied up for more than an hour; and my liver's all scrambled." Ray would make a joke of the rope, if the hangman's noose were round his neck. I've never known a situation so bad as to dampen his spirits. I would have liked to talk with him about our present unhappy situation, and try to devise something by way of bettering it; but there was that black man who spoke English. With him on the seat, and in the wagon box were four other blacks,—as I finally made out—Duran was making sure of our security. I wondered how far it would be to this place on the coast, where we were to be met by theOrion.
Day finally came, and we were allowed to sit, thus having our heads more in the air. Ray grumbled about the hardness of the springs—the wagon had none—; and the meat, and bread, and water, that were thrust into his mouth did not make a breakfast to his liking. The morning was not yet half gone, when we came to a stop, at a hut by the roadside. Then came an opportunity that I had not even ventured to hope for—an opportunity to send a message back to our friends.
The black who spoke English came and leaned on the wagon wheel. He had something to say to us. He offered us freedom, on condition that we should prepare a message to be taken back to our friends on thePearl, a writing that should induce them to remain in harbor, and cease to follow theOrion.
"You will then let us go back to our friends?" I asked.
"Yes, you go back," he said.
I felt that the fellow lied, for he would not have time to learn the result of the message before meeting with theOrion; for that would not appear until theOrionhad sailed away. And Duran was little likely to permit us to go back and point out to our friends the way theOrionhad gone. But of course I jumped at the proposal.
"Just plain letter," the black said. "No trick letter," he warned.
A piece of wrapping paper was brought out from the hut, and a pencil to write with.
My arms were freed for the purpose. The black looked on expectantly. How was I to make the most of this opportunity? I had not slept, my mind was confused. I must have time to think. I exaggerated my drowsiness, and my eyes winked and drooped.
"I am too tired now," I told that black. "I must have a little rest, first."
He grunted. "Rest, then write," he said.
The man was himself fatigued, and so, doubtless, eager for a snack of slumber. He went into the hut, leaving one black to guard us.
"Well, I'm going to have a snooze," murmured Ray. "If you need me, ring." And in another minute he was breathing heavily.
I pretended to doze while I sought in my mind to contrive a secret message that should be concealed in this note I was to write our friends on thePearl. First, I must make it very plain to them that they should continue on the trail of theOrion, and that we two were to be taken on board that vessel. And then, in order that they might safely stay behind for some hours, when theOrionsailed, and thus seem to have given over the chase without actually losing the trail, I must contrive to let them know which way theOrionwould go to meet us. That it was to the north coast of the island was plain, for the stars had kept me informed as to the general direction we had been moving. But how to conceal all that intelligence in a letter of apparently contrary import?
I had fallen asleep. I awoke with a start, much refreshed. And when I opened my eyes, it was with the feeling that my problem was solved. The thing was now quite clear; it was as if I had dreamed the thing to a conclusion. Years back, we boys, particularly Robert and myself, had worked on various means of secret communication by writing. It was one of those methods that I would now employ. I had the pencil that was brought from the hut, where the English-speaking black still lingered; and beside, I had by habit long carried a bit of indelible pencil in my trousers pocket. Those words I wished to convey to our friends in secret I would write with the indelible pencil; the words I wished to be ignored I would put with the ordinary pencil. I immediately set to work on the message. I have here italicized the words—and the part of a word—that were done with the indelible pencil.
Donotfollow the Orion.We willnotbe on board of her. We are promised freedom ifyou gonot fromthe northwestcoast, where you are, for three days.Then keep a lookout for us, and we will come to you as soon as we can.Wayne Scott.
Donotfollow the Orion.We willnotbe on board of her. We are promised freedom ifyou gonot fromthe northwestcoast, where you are, for three days.Then keep a lookout for us, and we will come to you as soon as we can.
Wayne Scott.
Now I had not the least doubt that when our friends should come to read this note, they would search for some hidden message. And I was sure that Robert would finally recollect our old practices, and finally put the proper test to it that should bring out the words that I wished to convey to them. I contrived so to use the pencils, that even a sharp eye would not readily detect the fact that two pencils had been employed in the writing. The color in the piece of wrapping paper on which I wrote helped me in this.
I had little doubt that the paper would come under Duran's sharp eye before being delivered to thePearl. But when I surveyed my work, I had little fear that he would discover the trick.
It was still far from noon when the blacks came out of the hut. I gave the note I had written to the one who came for it. He gazed at the writing—I believe pretending to read. He then gave it, well wrapped, to the driver, who was to carry it back to the city.
My hands were again bound to my body, but they loosed the legs of us, and stood us on the ground. When the wagon was gone on the back trail, Ray and I were placed between the four men remaining, and conducted afoot over the rough way to the northward. It was an uneven road we trod; and, tied as our arms were, it was extremely hard to keep balance; so that we would stumble, and bump into one another, at times. Once, when an irregularity caused me to find Ray's shoulder with an unusually hard thump from mine, he said—"Say! Lean on your own flapjacks." Which was by way of ironical pretending he'd had some for his breakfast; and he knew he would have had them of Rufe for the asking, had he been wise, and had not left thePearlto go on shore with me, adventuring. Subtle Ray! And he knew I was fully conscious that he (in his playful way) implied all this.
Cocoa palms were more and more in evidence as we went, so it was plain we were nearing the north coast of the island. And after perhaps two hours laboring over that trail, we turned off to the left, into a narrow path, going through a thicket. Times, crossing open ground, where the hot tropic sun beat down on us unmercifully; times, threading a piece of forest whose shade was most welcome; we at last came to a stop in a grove of palms. For some little while I had seemed to hear a distant sound that was familiar. Now it was become plain; we were near the sea, for the rolling of the surf on the beach was distinct to our ears.
We were denied a sight of the blue expanse, however, for the blacks kept us well within the shelter of the trees, and our legs again were well trussed, and hands freed. They set about preparing a meal; it was some time past the noon hour; and Ray and I were given a portion of the mess, whose chief ingredient was salt codfish. A spring was found, which supplied drink.
Once a wet squall came and gave us a most agreeable, cool wetting, though Ray complained to the blacks of the leaky roof.
The blacks, two and two, turn about, stood guard and slept. We two slept soundly, refreshed by that shower.
Night had come, when I awoke to hear again the rumbling of the surf. Ray still slept, and I refrained from disturbing him. Now and again one of the guards would make an examination of our cords, to see that we were not tampering with them; they had doubtless been well instructed by Duran. Ray finally stirred and sat erect.
"Well," said he, "who blew out the light?" One of the guard crawled close. "Hello, Uncle Tom," said Ray, observing the black. "This is a cheerful crowd. Haven't you got a banjo, or something?"
The fellow grunted in noncomprehension.
"Ugh," continued Ray. "Colored gentlemen where I come from have got some music in them. If Rufe was here he'd show you a double-shuffle that'd make your mouth water."
And thus he continued to babble, until at last he stretched out with a final grumble—"This is a rum crowd. The only way to pass the time is to sleep." And in a minute he was breathing heavily again.
I remained awake for a considerable period. The continued chirping of a cricket, and the bellowing of distant bull-frogs, finally lulled me to sleep.
Day brought us both awake. The two blacks on guard observed us dully.
"See here," began Ray. "Is breakfast ready? I want my breakfast."
The man who had some English chanced to be one of the pair. "You get breakfas' when we ready—not befo'."
"Huh?" grunted Ray, feigning astonishment, and glaring at the black. "I want you to understand I pay my board. I want my money's worth, and if I don't get it, I'll change my hotel."
The fellow had enough comprehension to finally sense Ray's playfulness. He grinned; and forthwith he routed out the two sleeping blacks, and sent them scampering for wood.
And thus had begun the second day of our captivity. We were most carefully watched, the guards—always two—made frequent inspection of the cords; and I should say, they had two guns between them, one a shot-gun, perhaps loaded with buck-shot. So that any thoughts we had of escape found little encouragement. The morning hours dragged, and the heat increased. I had my thoughts much on our friends on board thePearl; wondered when they had got my note, and if they had finally picked out the words I had meant for their understanding; and so, if they had acted on them. During occasional absences on the part of that one black, Ray and I had found opportunity to exchange words on this theme, and I got much encouragement from that cheerful comrade's observations.
"Leave it to Bob," he said, "he's figured it out. He's got his mind so saturated with you, he'll feel out your meaning in anything you put your finger to."
Our captors, one or two at a time, got to absenting themselves with marked regularity. They always went in the direction from which came the music of the surf. We had no difficulty to divine the cause. "It must be getting time for their brother cannibals to show up," said Ray.
And then, at last, two came in, showing some excitement; and there was much jabbering among them. An hour passed. And it was then we were hustled down to the edge of the palms; and the sea opened before us. And there was a schooner, perhaps a mile from the beach, and a small boat coming in. We were thrust forward into the water, and we climbed in. And soon we stood on the deck of theOrion, which vessel pointed her bow out to sea. Duran's grinning face confronted us.
"And so," said Duran, "you like very much to sail in my company. I like very much to have you." His smile was derisive.
It was dark when we parted with Wayne and Ray, who went to the Marcel place, where Duran was to give a ball. I gathered from the talk I heard that he had often visited the Port, where he loved to display his wealth; and he seemed even to nurse the curiosity people had as to the source of it. I talked with a French tobacconist, who said it was given out that Duran claimed descent from a king.
When we climbed aboard thePearl, Grant Norris had his usual good-natured grumble. "I don't see the sense in losing sleep watching that skunk of a Duran," he said. "If we watch his schooner, that he travels by, he isn't going to slip far to that gold mine without our knowing."
"Yes, if we could be sure," said Captain Marat, "that would be all right. But it may be he give this party to confuse us; and then he sneak away, and go off in some other boat. And then, what I hear las' night when we are by theOrion, show he isup to some theeng, as you say; and Wayne and Ray they fin' out what it is, maybe."
Most of us on thePearlwent to sleep early. Robert alone said he would stay awake till Wayne and Ray should come.
It was long past midnight when Robert came and wakened us. He said he was sure something was wrong. At midnight he had rowed off in the boat, and hovered around the schoonerOrionto see when Duran should return. He said it was a feeling of uneasiness that prompted him. He had had that uneasiness all evening, though he hadn't liked to talk about it. He said—"Duran went aboard his schooner a little bit ago; and he seemed an awful sight pleased about something. I heard that voice of his laughing while he talked with those black fellows of his."
"I wish you had taken me with you," I told him. "I might have heard what he said."
Robert's fears quickly permeated the rest of us, and soon we were in a small boat, moving toward shore. We passed near theOrionin the dark. Duran must have made us out, for we heard his laugh from the rail. It was such a laugh as a villain laughs—with derision in it. Norris almost exploded with rage when he heard. "I'll plug your d——d carcass yet, you low skunk!" he hissed under his breath. Carlos grunted his sympathy with Norris's mood.
We found the other small boat where it was left for the boys. Captain Marat remained with the two boats, while Norris and Robert and I hurried to the Marcel place for traces of Wayne and Ray. Our uneasiness increased with every moment. We got amongst the shrubbery with our lights, for we knew their plan. At last Robert called us to a spot where there were many prints of bare feet, among one or two shoe marks, in the dew-moist sand. Those prints we were able to follow to the edge of a palm grove, where they were lost in a path that was much used. We held to the trail for some way; till finally we came to many branchings, and were compelled to give it up.
"There's no telling which way they went," said Robert. "But those voodoos of Duran's got the boys all right."
It was a disheartening speech.
"If they did," said Norris, "and if they harm them, I'll put a bullet in every d——d carcass; and I'll hang that skunk, Duran, by a hook in his tongue, gold or no gold." And he said more that was not altogether fit to repeat. And he meant it, for he was no mere boaster.
Day was just burst when we came back to Captain Marat.
"Ah," he said, "thad was the theeng, Duran, he talk about las' night. He plan it all, for he feel sure we watch heem at the ball."
"And what will he do to those boys? That's what I want to know," said Norris. And there was fire in his eyes.
"He weel not harm them, I theenk," said Captain Marat, "for he know we suspect him."
"He'll keep them hid," said Robert; "and while we're looking for them, he'll up and run off to the gold mine. That's his game."
"And I, for one," declared Norris, "will stay and hunt for them, gold or no gold."
We rowed back to thePearlfor breakfast, and to prepare for the search. It was arranged that I remain on board with Rufe, and if anything should occur, to require the others to return, I was to hoist a red ensign; for back of the town were hills all round, and they would be never far from a vantage-point whence they could have a good view of every vessel in the harbor.
They went, intending to scour the region all about town, beginning the search where we lost that trail beyond the pine grove. They hoped to discover the boys locked in some hut. That they were not over-sanguine was plain. Even Norris must have some notion of the sagacity of Duran.
I used a slit in the awning for my view-port. My binoculars were powerful, and I kept a sharp eye on theOrion. Duran I saw using his ship's glasses to observe thePearl'sboat going to shore. And some time in each hour I would see him training them on some particular point landward. I speculated much on what might be the object of his interest.
The heat of the afternoon was stifling; the pitch bubbled in the seams of the deck; and the barefoot sailors stepped only on the shadowed places.
It was nearing four o'clock, when I saw Duran go into a boat and start shoreward. Instantly I sent aloft the red ensign.
Twenty minutes must have passed. Cats' paws began to show on the bay, suggesting a squall. I observed a skiff making directly to thePearl. It had but one occupant—a black boy. He came alongside, and held up some paper, folded. I reached down and took it. And the boy was for making off at once. I told him to come aboard, speaking in French. He did not understand, so I tried him in Spanish. No, he said, he was told not to remain. I showed him a handful of silver, at which his expression changed, and he tarried.
"Wait a moment," I said. And I opened the paper. Inside was a small sheet bearing writing, and signed by Wayne. I read hastily.
"Who gave you this?" I asked.
"A black man," he said.
"Was a white man there?" I asked.
"I can't tell," he answered, faltering.
"Not for all this money?" I asked.
"You won't tell on me?" he asked.
"No, I'll not tell," I assured him.
"Yes, a white man gave it to me. He is that rich white man from the schooner."
I gave the boy the money.
Then it was not long till I saw Duran go back to theOrion.
Dark clouds had begun to gather and I looked anxiously for thePearl'sboat. At last I saw it come into view.
I gave them the writing, telling them the circumstances of its coming. Captain Marat held the paper while all read as follows:
Do not follow theOrion. We will not be on board of her. We are promised freedom if you go not from the northwest coast, where you are, for three days. Then keep a lookout for us, and we will come to you as soon as we can.Wayne Scott.
Do not follow theOrion. We will not be on board of her. We are promised freedom if you go not from the northwest coast, where you are, for three days. Then keep a lookout for us, and we will come to you as soon as we can.
Wayne Scott.
The wind was on us, so we hurried down into the cabin. Directly the rain was pattering on the roof.
"So we must give up the gold for the present," spoke Captain Marat. "Ah, thad was it—just like we suspect: Duran plan thees thing to give us the slip."
"Let me see that," said Robert. And he took the paper in his fingers, studying the writing with intentness, and holding it in varying positions.
"It's Wayne's writing, all right, isn't it?" said the wondering Norris.
"Yes," said Robert, "but I know Wayne."
He dug out from the papers on the table a piece of blotting paper; and he called to Rufe to bring him some water. The wondering Rufe jumped for it. Robert wet the blotting paper; then laying Wayne's writing on the table, he pressed the wet blotter on it. When he uncovered the paper we were astounded to see some of the words standing out in purple letters, the purple reading thus:
Do follow theOrion. We will be on board of her. you go northcoast, Then keep a lookout for us, and we will come to you as soon as we can.Wayne Scott.
Do follow theOrion. We will be on board of her. you go north
coast, Then keep a lookout for us, and we will come to you as soon as we can.
Wayne Scott.
"Ah!" said Captain Marat. "Thad look ver' deeferent. They want we shall follow theeOrion—and they are to be on board of theeOrion. And so that what Duran mean w'en he say—'We must not leave them behind.'"
"And," offered Robert, "he wants us to look out for them. That means that when we get near enough, they'll escape overboard if they get a chance; and they want us to pick them up if they succeed."
"Say," broke in Norris, holding the paper and addressing Robert. "What you kids can't think up isn't in the dictionary, or Shakespeare. That Duran is a sharp one, but let Wayne and Robert, here, alone—we'll beat that skunk yet."
There was much discussion now, and the storm having passed, we got up on deck again. It was decided to make it appear to Duran that we meant to remain, waiting for the return of the boys. We got a boat ready, put into it blankets and provisions, and the like, as if for a sojourn on shore. We made certain Duran would be watching our preparations. An hour before night we pushed off, Robert and Rufe, only, remaining aboard with the sailors.
At the wharf we hired a mule and cart, and transferred the cargo; and directly, we were moving to the back of the town, stopping only when we had reached a little wooded eminence. We did not unload, but unhitched the mule and put him to graze.
We had not been long at the place, when Norris went off, saying he had an errand, and would meet us at the boat-landing.
We could see both schooners from the little hill, until darkness came. Then we kept watch for Robert's signal.
"What do you think Norris can be up to?" I said.
"Ah!" returned Marat, "Thad Englishman, he got some buzz in hees bonnet. He ver' good man. He—"
"There thee light!" said Carlos.
I looked, and out of the black harbor, dotted with anchor lights, there appeared a wee flashing, repeated at frequent intervals. We answered with a few flashes from our lantern. Then Robert's signal ceased.
The mule was put to the cart again, and we returned to our boat.
There was Norris, waiting. He sat on the bow of the small boat, twirling his thumbs. While we were transferring our property from the cart to the boat again, I noted a pair of white men seated in a flatboat of some bulk, lying nose on the beach, nearby. When we started for thePearl, Norris made a gesture to the two men who immediately followed with their boat in our wake.
"What have you got there?" I asked of Norris.
"Oh, that's just a couple of dagos doing a job for me," Norris answered.
"TheOrion'sgone," said Robert, as we drew near thePearl.
We threw our outfit aboard. And then Norris unlashed the block from the main gaff and swung it down to the "Dagos," who had come alongside with their boat. They hitched the tackle to a tarpaulin-wrapped article. From its shape, it might be a piece of cordwood. When that had been pulled aboard, the block went down into the boat again, and soon up came a gun carriage. It was that type so much seen in the old fortifications, the supports of wood, with small wheels at the base. Next came about fifty rounds of, perhaps, two-pound balls, and powder in kegs, not forgetting ram-rod and swabber.
The "Dagos" moved quietly away, money in their fists.
"Never heard of a ship on such a chase as ours without some kind of a cannon," explained Norris.
He had seen some old cannon lying useless in an old fortification on shore. He fastened his liking on a brass gun, of not too great size, and 'by hook or by crook,' had made a deal for it—"With the fixin's," as he said. One little wheel of the carriage was broken, but he contrived a temporary prop in its place. He did not rest till he had the brass barrel mounted and lashed up near the bows, and hid under its tarpaulin.
"What are you going to do with that 'barker'?" said Robert.
"First of all," said Norris, "I'm going to polish her up—to decorate the ship. And then, if ever that skunk voodoo gives me an excuse, I'm going to find out what my old training in gunnery has done for me."
The land breeze had been blowing for a long time. Though Captain Marat had his clearing papers all in proper form long ago, we waited till theOrionhad got near a good three hours start, before we got up our anchor and set thePearl'sbow out to sea.
It was past midnight, the moon—in its first quarter—was just setting. In half an hour we went about, and made toward the north. Daylight found us rounding the northwest corner of the island.
"How long do you think it will take us to get sight of that skunk's ship?" asked Norris.
"Ah!" mused Captain Marat, "Maybe one day, maybe two."
"And if theOrionis going back home," said Norris, "after she picks up Wayne and Ray, which way will she turn—north and then back, or down around the east end of the island?"
"I theenk," said Marat, "thad she go aroun' thees island. She make faster sail thad way, and Duran weel think we have not so much chance to head him off thad way—if we should happen to come after heem."
That first day, while thePearlplowed steadily eastward, the coast always in view, Norris busied himself with repairs on his gun-carriage. The second day broke with no sight of theOrion. And this day Norris gave to polishing his brass cannon; a job that took grit and elbow-grease, for that barrel carried the accumulations of many years of exposure to all weathers.
That afternoon he got out powder and a ball, and charged the gun, and ten minutes before we were to turn on the starboard tack, he set adrift a little raft on which he had rigged a square bit of canvas. And then when we got round on that tack, he called Rufe, who came running with a red hot poker. Norris sighted the gun on that raft, the while shouting orders to the man at the helm. A touch of the red poker, and "Boom!" We saw the splash, perhaps forty feet to the right of the raft, which now floated some three hundred yards distant.
"If that had been theOrion," said Norris, "I'd have got her in the bows. That's a good enough shot, I'll say."
It was near nine of the following morning that we sighted the sails of a vessel. There was excitement on thePearl. In two hours we could see a little of the hull. She was a schooner.
"I think thad theOrion," said Captain Marat then. The impulsive Norris had declared it that vessel from the first. Finally came an experience I dread to recollect. We had passed the eastern end of the island, and were abreast of some lesser islands. The schooner ahead was on the starboard tack. We held also on the same tack. The other schooner went about on the port tack. We followed suit. In half an hour black clouds suddenly rose out of the southwest. They were preceded by gray clouds that curled like billows.
Captain Marat at once shortened sail—reefed to the uttermost. The schooner ahead went about and made for a small island to the east. ThePearldid the same.
The wind struck us. Rapidly it increased in fury. Captain Marat got a loop of rope round the mainmast, whence he called his orders to Norris and two sailors at the wheel. I never had realized that a vessel could skim the sea with such terrific speed. Spray hissed over the deck. The masts bent; the schooner groaned under the strain. The tempest howled in the rigging. Belated birds flew past, shoreward.
Rapidly that island loomed ahead in the semi-night. Marat used his glasses.
"Hard on!" he yelled at last.
We bore down directly on the land, now close aboard. Robert and I braced ourselves for a shock, for we expected thePearlto strike on the shoals.
Another minute and we saw land on both sides of us.
"Luff! Luff!" shouted Captain Marat.
ThePearlwent about; the sails flapped angrily; the anchor went overboard, and we lay in the lee of a wooded hill. Bits of trees flew over us—some debris lodged in our rigging, as the fury continued overhead.
In ten minutes all our sails were snug.
"God help Wayne and Ray!" said Norris at last.
"They're safe," said Robert, pointing southward.
In the dim light we could make out a vessel lying some hundreds of yards away and in the lee of that same land.
"Thank God!" said Norris. "Then this is an islet that lies across the outside of this harbor."
"Yes," said Captain Marat. "They come in the other side."
The storm presently lost its fury; in a half hour it was gone, and full light came to show us theOrionwith her foresail in shreds.
And so it is now that Wayne will take up the story again.