Mr. Fortescue Part 41

The immediate question was how to dispose of these unfortunates. I could not take them away in the sloop, and I knew that they would prefer to remain in the neighborhood where they were born. But the oasis was uninhabitable. A few weeks and it would be merged once more in the desert from which it had been so painfully won. Therefore I proposed that they should settle at Alta Vista under charge of the priest. Alta Vista being above the volcano no outburst of lava could reach them, and the _azequia_ being intact beyond that point they could easily bring more land under cultivation and live in comfort and abundance.

To this proposal the survivors and the priest gladly and gratefully a.s.sented. They were very good, those poor Indians, and seemed much more concerned over our approaching departure than their own fate, beseeching us, with many entreaties, not to leave them. Angela would have yielded, but I was obdurate. I could not see that it was in any sense our duty to bury ourselves in a remote corner of the Andes for the sake of a score or two of Indians who were very well able to do without us. What could be the good of building up another colony and creating another oasis merely that the evil genii of the mountains might destroy them in a night? Had the abbe, instead of spending a lifetime in making Quipai, devoted his energies to some other work, he might have won for himself enduring fame and permanently benefited mankind. As it was, he had effected less than nothing, and I was resolved not to court his fate by following his example.

Those were the arguments I used to Angela, and in the end she not only fully agreed with me that it was well for us to go, but that the sooner we went the better. The means were at hand. Yawl could have the yacht ready for sea within twenty-four hours. There was little more to do than head the sails and get water and provisions on board. I had the casks filled forthwith--for the water in the channels was fast draining away--set some of the people to work preparing _tasajo_, and sent Ramon with the mules and two _arrieros_ to Alta Vista for the remainder of our clothing, bedding, and several other things which I thought would be useful on the voyage.

Ramon, I may mention, was my own personal attendant. He had been brought up and educated by Angela and myself, and was warmly attached to us. In disposition he was bright and courageous, in features almost European; there could be little doubt that he was descended from some white castaway, who had landed on the coast and been adopted by this tribe. He said it would break his heart if we left him behind, so we took him with us, and he has ever since been the faithful companion of my wanderings and my trusty friend.

My wife and I slept in our tent, Kidd and Yawl on the sloop. As the sails were not bent nor the boat victualled, I had no fear of their giving us the slip in the night. In the morning Ramon and the _arrieros_ returned with their lading, and by sunset we had everything on board and was ready for a start.

The next thing was to settle our course. I wanted to reach a port where I could turn some of my diamonds into cash and take shipping for England, the West Indies, or the United States. We were between Valparaiso and Callao, and the former place, as being on the way, seemed the more desirable place to make for. But as the prevailing winds on the coast are north and northwest a voyage in the opposite direction would involve much beating up and nasty fetches, and, in all probability, be long and tedious. For these reasons I decided in favor of Callao, and told Kidd to shape our course accordingly.

"Just as you like, sir," he said; "it is all the same to Yawl and me where we go. But it's a longish stretch to Callao. Don't you think we had better make for some nearer place? There's Islay, and there's Arica; and I doubt whether our water will last out till we get to Callao."

"We must make it last till we get to Callao," I answered, sharply; "except under compulsion I will put in neither at Islay nor Arica."

"All right, sir! We are under your orders, and what you say shall be done, as far as lies in our power."

Kidd's answer was civil but his manner was surly and defiant, and it struck me that he might have some special reason for desiring to avoid Callao. But I was resolved to go thither, so that in case of need I might claim the protection of the British consul, whom I was sure to find there.

I was by no means sure that I should find one either at Islay or Arica. I knew something of the ways of Spanish revenue officers, and as I had no papers, it was quite possible that (in the absence of a consul) I might be cast into prison and plundered of all I possessed, especially if Mr. Kidd should hint that it included a bag of diamonds.

The sloop's accommodation for pa.s.sengers was neither extensive nor luxurious. The small cabin aft was just big enough to hold Angela and myself, and once in it, we were like rats in a hole, as, to get out, we had to climb an almost perpendicular ladder. Kidd and Yawl were to sleep, turn and turn about, in a sort of dog-house which they had contrived in the bows. Ramon would roll himself in his _cobija_ and sleep anywhere.

Before going on board I made such arrangements as I hoped would insure us against foul play. I st.i.tched one half of the diamonds in my waist-belt; the other half my wife hid away in her dress. Among the things brought down from Alta Vista was an exquisite little dagger with a Damascened blade, which I gave to Angela. I had my hunting-knife, and Ramon his _machete_.

I laid it down as a rule from which there was to be no departure, that Ramon and I were neither to sleep at the same time nor be in the cabin together, and that when we had anything particular to say we should say it in Quipai. As it happened, he knew a little English; I had taught my wife my mother-tongue, and Ramon, by dint of hearing it spoken, and with a little instruction from me and from her, had become so far proficient in the language that he could understand the greater part of what was said.

This, however, was not known to Kidd and Yawl; I told him not to let them know; but whenever opportunity occurred to listen to their conversation, and report it to me. I thought that if they meditated evil against us I might in this way obtain timely information of their designs; and I considered that, in the circ.u.mstances (our lives being, as I believed, in jeopardy), the expedient was quite justifiable.

We sailed at sunset and got well away, and the clear sky and resplendent stars, the calm sea and the fair soft wind augured well for a prosperous voyage. Yet my heart was sad and my spirits were low. The parting with our poor Indians had been very trying, and I could not help asking myself whether I had acted quite rightly in deserting them, whether it would not have been n.o.bler (though perhaps not so worldly wise) to throw in my lot with theirs and try to recreate the oasis, as Angela had suggested. I also doubted whether I was acting the part of a prudent man in embarking my wife, my fortune, and myself on a wretched little sloop (which would probably founder in the first storm), under the control of two men of whom I knew no good, and who, as I feared, might play us false?

But whether I had acted wisely or unwisely, there was no going back now, and as I did not want Angela to perceive that I was either dubious or downcast, I pulled myself together, put on a cheerful countenance, and spoke hopefully of our prospects.

She was with us on deck, Kidd being at the helm.

"I have no very precise idea how far we maybe from Callao," I said, "but if this wind lasts we should be there in five or six days at the outside.

Don't you think so, Kidd?"

"May be. You still think of going to Callao, then?"

"Still think of going to Callao! I am determined to go to Callao. Why do you ask? Did not I distinctly say so before we started?"

"I thought you had maybe changed your mind. And Callao won't be easy to make. Neither Yawl nor me has ever been there; we don't know the bearings, and we have no compa.s.s, and I don't know much about the stars in these lat.i.tudes."

"But I do, and better still, I have a compa.s.s."

"A compa.s.s! Do you hear that, Bill Yawl? Mr. Fortescue has got a compa.s.s.

Go to Callao! Why, we can go a'most anywhere. Where have you got it, sir--in the cabin?"

"Yes, Abbe Balthazar and I made it, ever so long since. It is only rudely fashioned, and has never been adjusted, but I dare say it will answer the purpose as well as another."

"Of course it will, and if you'll kindly bring it here, it'll be a great help. I reckon if I keep her head about--"

"Nor' by west."

"Ay, ay, sir, that's it, I have no doubt. If I keep her head nor' by west, I dare say we shall fetch Callao as soon as you was a-saying just now. But Bill and me should have the compa.s.s before us when we're steering; and to-morrow we'll try to rig up a bit of a binnacle. You, perhaps, would not mind fetching it now, sir?--Bring that patent lantern of yours, Bill."

I fetched the compa.s.s and Yawl the lantern, made of a gla.s.s bottle and a piece of copper sheeting (like the rest of our equipments, the spoil of the sea).

Kidd was quite delighted with the compa.s.s, the card of which was properly marked and framed in a block of wood, and said it could easily be suspended on gimbals and fixed on a binnacle.

After a while, Angela, who felt tired, went below, and I with her, but only to fetch my _cobija_ and a pillow, for, as I told Kidd, I intended to remain on deck all night, the cabin being too close and stuffy for two persons. This was true, yet not the whole truth. I had another reason; I saw that nothing would be easier than for Kidd or Yawl to slip on the cabin-hatch while I was below, and so have us at their mercy, for Ramon, though a stalwart youth enough, could not contend with the two sailors single-handed.

"Just as you like, sir; it's all the same to me," answered Kidd, rather shortly, and then relapsed into thoughtful silence.

I felt sure that he was scheming something which boded us no good, though, as yet, I had no idea what it could be. His motive for desiring to take the sloop to Islay or Arica, rather than to Callao, was pretty obvious, but why he should change his mind on the subject simply because of the compa.s.s, pa.s.sed my comprehension. We could make Callao merely by running up the coast, with which, despite his disclaimer, I had not the least doubt he was quite familiar; and even if he were not, there was nothing in a compa.s.s to enlighten him.

But whatever his scheme might be I did not think he would attempt to use force--unless he could take us at a disadvantage. Man for man, Ramon and I were quite equal to Kidd and Yawl. We were, moreover, better armed, as so far as I knew, they had no weapons, save their sailors' knives. In a personal struggle, they might come off second best; were, in any case, likely to get badly hurt, and unless I was much mistaken, they wanted to get hold of my diamonds with a minimum of risk to themselves. Wherefore, so long as we kept a sharp lookout, we had little to fear from open violence. As for the scheme which was seething in Kidd's brain, I must needs wait for further developments before taking measures to counteract it.

When I had come to this conclusion I told Ramon, in Quipai, to lie down, and that when I wanted to sleep I would waken him.

I watched until midnight, at which hour Yawl relieved Kidd at the helm, and Kidd turned in. Shortly afterward I roused Ramon, and bade him keep watch while I slept.

CHAPTER x.x.xII.

FOUND OUT.

When I awoke it was broad daylight, Yawl at the helm, the sloop bowling along at a great rate before a fresh breeze. But, to my utter surprise, there was no land in sight.

"How is this, Yawl?" I asked; "we are out of doors. How have you been steering?"

"The course you laid down sir, nor' by west."

"That is impossible. I am not much of a seaman, yet I know that if you had been steering nor' by west, we should have the coast under our lee, and we cannot even see the peaks of the Cordillera."

"Of course you cannot; they are covered with a mist," put in Kidd.

"I see no mist; moreover, the Cordillera is visible a hundred miles away, and by good rights we should not be more than thirty or forty miles from the coast."

"It's the fault of your compa.s.s, then. The darned thing is all wrong.

Better chuck it overboard and have done with it."

"If you do, I'll chuck you overboard. The compa.s.s is quite correct. You have been steering due west for some purpose of your own, against my orders."

"Oh, that's your game, is it? You are the skipper, and us a brace of lubbers as doesn't know north from west, I suppose. Let him sail the cursed craft hissel, Bill."

Yawl let go the tiller, on which the sloop broached to and nearly went on her beam ends. This was more than I could bear, and calling on Ramon to follow me, I sprang forward, seized Kidd by the throat, and, drawing my dagger, told him that unless he promised to obey my orders and do his duty, I would make an end of him then and there. Meanwhile, Ramon was keeping Yawl off with his _machete_, flourishing it around his head in a way that made the old salt's hair nearly stand on end. Seeing that resistance was useless, Kidd caved in.