The Golden Rock Part 23

"Thank you, sir," she said, with another rippling laugh, "though you might have turned me over to the Captain more gracefully. And you, Mr Hume?"

"We are plain men," he began stiffly.

"Yes, you are very plain, and very stupid."

At this unexpected retort the two men fell into a gloomy silence, being too much in earnest and too greatly surprised to laugh.

"Ah, dear," she said, "that I had one woman with me, then I could laugh, and rage, and weep upon her neck within a minute, and have no ill looks in return. Come, my friends, be not angry."

She gave each one a hand, and each raised it to his lips, which showed that they could express themselves well in deeds, though not in words.

She placed both hands to her cheeks, and her fine eyes glowed as she looked at them.

"It is the kiss of brave men," she said in low, thrilling tones; "the pledge of your lives to me. Ah, my friends, I read that little act more clearly than what you could tell me in words, and see, for those who love you, for the mother who has treasured you, in return for the homage the strong and brave pay to woman, I kiss you."

She leant forward, and pressed her lips to their cheeks in turn.

They stood back and straightened themselves with kindling eyes, feeling as the young knight who has received his spurs.

"Out with all lights!" It was the Captain's voice, ringing out loud and stern.

There was a breathless pause, followed by a confused murmur of voices.

"Silence, forward, there. Is that you, Mr Dixon?"--a quiet, grave man, whose heart was with his wife and child at home.

"Yes, sir."

"Get up steam, but be careful with your fire."

"What can the matter be?" gasped Miss Anstrade, at the sound of men moving quietly from the _Irene_ into the _Swift_.

Webster, at the first cry from the Captain, had sprung to the bulwark, holding to a wire rope-stay.

"There's a steamer's lights away aft. I wonder she has escaped us."

The Captain's dark form appeared on the p.o.o.p.

"Mr Webster, see the fires relit on this ship."

"Ay, ay, sir. What do you make her out to be?"

"When did you mark her?"

"When you called, sir."

"Ah! She appeared an hour since, and I judge from her movements and her lights she is a man-of-war, probably the same cruiser which surprised this ship before."

"Do you think she has seen us?"

"I'm afraid so, though our lights must be very dim, for she altered her course and is bearing down. She may pa.s.s us, unless she brings the spars of the _Irene_ against a star. I won't leave this prize, however, until I am obliged."

Webster moved off, and the others, including the sailors on board, watched the approaching vessel; while Mr Commins, who could not, of course, see the stranger from the hidden catcher, hurried on board to find out the cause of the commotion.

"You think she is the Brazilian steamer?" he said in a voice of alarm, listening to the explanation. "Curse it! Misfortune dogs us. I wish we were out of this!"

"Speak for yourself," answered the Captain in a growl.

Mr Commins lingered awhile, and then went off to give the news to Juarez, who received it with a savage laugh.

The red light rapidly approached through the black of the night, and it was evident she would pa.s.s very near. The excitement grew rapidly as the news was pa.s.sed from mouth to mouth in rapid whispers.

"Mr Hume, will you help Miss Anstrade to the _Swift_; pa.s.s the word to the men to get on board, and have them stationed at the guns."

In a few minutes Captain Pardee was the only man on board the _Irene_, with the exception of the stokers, who were busily preparing the fires.

To those in the _Swift_ who could see nothing there followed a long and anxious state of suspense, broken at last by the low voice of the Captain speaking from above.

"Mr Hume, stand by to slip the fastenings."

They held their breath, listening, and to them came the regular beat of engines.

Louder and louder grew the noise, but they could see nothing of the danger, and its imminence seemed to them the nearer. There was a movement in the air, the pulsation of the distant screw affected them so that they believed the _Swift_ itself was throbbing, and presently the _Irene_ leant over towards them gently, and as gently rolled away.

"'Tis the wave from her wake," muttered the Quartermaster.

The sound of the engines gradually lessened.

The Captain's figure appeared above. "She has pa.s.sed," he said.

There was a rush for the tall sides of the _Irene_, and presently everyone was staring forward at a green light fast diminishing in the dark, now at its blackest before the dawn.

"Thank G.o.d for His mercy," murmured Miss Anstrade, who had stood near Hume silent and white, though without a sign of fear.

"You may well say that, Miss Laura," said the Captain.

The green light sunk rapidly, and had almost disappeared, when suddenly a brilliant glare shot up, throwing a sickly light over the group on the p.o.o.p.

The Captain gave a bound to the side, and next minute there was a hoa.r.s.e cry as his pistol rang out.

"It is that villain Juarez; send his black soul to h.e.l.l! Overboard with him!" roared the Captain.

The black-bearded Quartermaster, balancing himself on the rail a moment, sprang to the iron deck below, and next minute there was a howl of mingled fear and rage, followed by a splash.

"Launch the boat, and smother that light with a sail!"

The Captain gnashed his teeth as he glared at the brilliant flare from a life-saving light floating on the quiet waters, and sending forth an appeal to the distant battleship. Mr Commins stood in the catcher near the spot where the slinking figure of Juarez had been shot down, seemingly without power to move, as he looked horror-struck at the dark waters.

Without a second's delay the boat was launched, and a strip of canvas thrown over the light, when the darkness settled down blacker than before. But the mischief had been done, and sullen looks were directed at the dim speck in the distance.