by Guy Boothby
CHAPTER VI.
THE 'ISLAND QUEEN.'
Fortunately for the success of the escape from Valparaiso, the wind blewalmost a hurricane from the schooner's most favourable quarter, and, asCaptain Boulger was careful to impress upon his passengers, "the _IslandQueen_ hadn't her equal in the whole of the South Pacific for foot."(She was his own property, and for that reason, perhaps, he was ratherinclined to over-estimate her capabilities.) In the present instance,however, she was called upon to put forward all her good qualities, forin spite of the large sum it had cost Veneda to charter him, the captainwas fully aware of the risk he had taken upon himself, and he hadtherefore no desire that anything should occur to impede or delay hisdeparture. As far as his own powers went he had small fear, for he wasin every way a capable seaman; but he knew that it required not onlyconsiderable skill, but a fair amount of luck besides, to manoeuvresuccessfully out of such an admittedly awkward harbour on a dark night.
Regarded in cold blood, the hairbreadth escapes of that evening readalmost like a nightmare. Twice the schooner came unpleasantly nearcolliding with anchored vessels, and once they felt certain they hadattracted the notice of a Congressionalist cruiser; for a voice hailedthem out of the darkness as they swept past, and receiving no answergave utterance to a succession of orders, which were followed by theshrill chirruping of a bosun's pipe. But though every moment theyexpected to see the flash of a gun, nothing occurred, and inhalf-an-hour they were clear of the land, steering a direct courseacross the Pacific for Tahiti, _via_ Pitcairn Island.
Throughout the exit Veneda and Juanita remained side by side on deck,anxiously watching events. The experiences they had lately passedthrough supplied them with plenty to think about, while the repeatedclose things they were then undergoing served to remind them that theymust not be in too great a hurry to believe themselves safe. Though theymight count themselves almost out of the frying-pan, there was still thefire yawning to receive them, and both agreed it would be worse thandeath to be captured and taken back just when safety seemed within theirreach.
With the recollection of the dangers they had passed through came theremembrance of the Albino on the wharf, and his exhibition of futilerage. A smile crossed Veneda's face as he recalled the scene, but it wasinstantly obliterated and succeeded by a scowl as he reflected that, inorder to have been there at all, the dwarf must in some measure havebecome cognizant of their plans; and in that case it would not bebeyond the bounds of possibility to suppose him aware of theirdestination. The outcome of these thoughts was a serious reflection.Could Juanita be in league with his enemy? He asked himself thisquestion with a good deal of anxiety. That they had had dealingstogether in the past he was perfectly aware; what therefore moreprobable than that in such a gigantic enterprise as the present, wheresuch a fortune was concerned, she should deem it the safest policy tostand in with both parties, and if possible to hoodwink and outwit both?With these thoughts in his mind he glanced at her as she stood clingingto the taffrail by his side, her fine figure swaying to every motion ofthe ship. No; he would not believe it. He told himself that, as far asbeauty went, she was a queen among women, and that whatever happened hemust not let her suspect he was anything but devotedly attached to her.Meanwhile he would set his brains to work to devise some scheme by whichhe might rid himself of her.
By this time only a few twinkling lights remained to them of Valparaiso.The loud churning of the water under her nose, and the boiling froth inher wake, evidenced the fact that the schooner was putting her best footforemost. The breeze whistled merrily, and from the appearance of thesky there was every prospect of its continuing. Overhead the stars shoneas only tropic stars can, and their myriad radiances were reflected inthe coal-black water, till it had all the appearance of an ebony floorpowdered with gold-dust. But they would not be reflected there long, forthe sea was not now what it had been inside the bay. A heavy swell hadset in, and the little vessel was beginning to roll unpleasantly; somuch so, that once or twice Veneda had to clutch Juanita to save herfrom falling. Standing side by side, they watched the last signs ofChili vanish beneath the waves. As the land disappeared a sudden gustswept Juanita's broad-brimmed hat from her head away into the swirlingdarkness.
"Come, Juanita," Veneda said, slipping his arm through hers with thefirst real sign of protectorship he had shown, "this is no place foryou; let me help you below."
But it was easier to talk of going below than actually to get there; forthe schooner was heeling over at an angle that made walking almostimpossible. Eventually, however, with the assistance of the mate, whohad taken charge, to allow the skipper to obtain his supper, it wasaccomplished, and the shelter of the companion reached.
As they entered the cuddy, Captain Boulger emerged from his cabin, andwith a bow made his passengers welcome. He was a tall man, thin as alath, with a long, hatchet-shaped face, to which an idea of additionallength was imparted by a carefully-trimmed goatee beard. His eyes, apeculiar shade of grey, peered at one from beneath enormous bushyeyebrows. His voice was deep and rumbling, his utterance slow andpedantic, and when he could think of nothing to say or was absorbed inanything, it was his habit to whistle quaint almost forgottenhymn-tunes, of which he had managed to acquire a wonderful collection.
Juanita was too much a woman of the world to have failed to note hisweak point, and bearing in mind the peculiar nature of her position onboard the schooner, and the need she might some day stand in of afriend, she resolved to address herself to his subjugation withoutunnecessary delay. On his side, in spite of her manly attire, he couldnot but admit her attractions, and when she complimented him on thesailing qualities of the _Island Queen_, she had laid the foundation ofhis capture.
On the skipper's return to the deck, the mate, whose name by the way wasCrawshaw (a Hampshire man he called himself, though he confessed tonever having been in England in his life), descended in search ofsupper. He was a nice-looking young fellow, well set up, very muscular,and tanned by constant exposure the colour of mahogany. Seeing Venedaand Juanita at the table he doffed his cap politely, at the same timejerking out an embarrassed "Good-evening," as though he had not seenthem five minutes previously.
"It seems to be freshening up," Veneda remarked, for the sake of sayingsomething. "The schooner rides easier than I would have expectedconsidering what she's carrying. By the way, have you such a thing as acabin-boy aboard?"
Jamming an enormous piece of salt junk into his mouth, Crawshaw rose tohis feet, and, without a word, vanished up the companion-ladder, toreappear a few minutes later with a shock-headed, shambling urchin, ofabout sixteen years of age. Cuffing him towards Veneda, he saidsheepishly, as though ashamed of possessing so much knowledge--
"His name's Nicodemus,--'Old Nick' they call him forrard; he knows allabout everything, and he's a son of a gun for laziness. Can I make himdo anything for you?"
Veneda explained that he desired to see and arrange their respectivecabins. Whereupon Crawshaw resumed his cuffing of the boy, remarking--
"Now, you young swab, turn to and get those berths cleaned out, or I'llbreak every second rib in your body; d'ye hear me now?"
The _Island Queen_ boasted four cabins aft, the dimensions of which wereabout half those of the smallest pattern prison-cells, and wereevidently intended to contain human beings of less than the averagesize. The captain had his furthest aft on the starboard side, the matethat nearest the companion on the port. Juanita had therefore one oneither hand to choose from. She ultimately decided upon that adjoiningthe skipper's; Veneda taking the berth next to Crawshaw. It was afortunate thing for both of them, but especially for Juanita, whootherwise would have been compelled to make the whole voyage to Tahitiin man's attire, that Veneda had been able to have a small quantity ofluggage conveyed on board. By the time her cabin was prepared, and hercomfort as far as possible assured, it was nearly eleven o'clock, andshe expressed herself ready for bed. Bidding her "good-night," Venedalit a cigar in the cuddy and returned to the deck.
It was a perfect night, with hardly a cloud visible in the whole lengthand breadth of the sky. The wind still blew fresh and strong, and nowand again sharp dashes of spray rattled on the deck like hail. As shehad everything in her favour, the schooner's motion was comparativelysteady. Looking about him, Veneda spied the captain leaning against thetaffrail; on crossing, he found him whistling "The Old Hundredth" withexceptional fervour.
"A fine night, Captain Boulger," he said, proffering a cigar; "if thisweather continues, we shan't be long picking up Tahiti."
"Not if it does," the skipper replied, taking a squint aloft at thebellying canvas; "but don't you reckon we're always going to be as luckyas this. It's not all plain sailing across these waters, especially atthis time of year, I can tell you."
"Well, at any rate I must congratulate you on the way you got us out ofthe harbour; it was a fine bit of seamanship."
"It's all very well for you to say so, Mr. Veneda," the skippercontinued, lugubriously. "But what about the next time I want to go intoValparaiso; d'you think they won't remember me for this? I'll beboycotted for ever."
"Well, and if you are, you've been well paid for the unpleasantness, myfriend, so we'll hear no more on that score."
"And this lady, your wife you make her. Of course I don't say anythingabout that. But nothing was ever mentioned about females in thecontrac'. How much is it to be for her?"
"Half as much as for myself; I thought we were agreed upon that."
"Well, well, I suppose it must be so, but in my opinion it's dirt cheapat the money. And, look here, Mr. Veneda, my mate tells me somethingabout a grey-haired chap who wanted to come off too. Now what abouthim?"
"Never you mind about him, he won't trouble you. We've done with him forever."
"Don't you be too sure of that; if he wants you so badly that he had topull off after you, he's not going to let you slip so easily; and what'smore, if he knows the name of your boat, he'll nail you by cable inTahiti as soon as winkin'. There are more ways of killing a cat thanchoking him with butter, Mr. Veneda."
"I don't doubt it, but as he doesn't know the name of the boat, by yourown argument I'm quite safe," Veneda said, throwing the stump of hiscigar overboard into the curdling wake.
"Well, all I can say is, if he don't know it, he don't deserve to."
"But how the deuce could he know it?"
"Why, simply because, as I say, he followed you off," said the skipper,with the superiority of a man who makes a statement knowing his facts tobe all right, "and because, just as we'd got way on her, he camealongside and tried to hook on. If she hadn't been going too fast forhim, he'd 'a been aboard; as it was he had to slip astern."
"And you think he read her name?" Veneda muttered hoarsely.
"O' course he did. Why, he couldn't have helped it if he had eyes in hishead and knew his letters."
This unexpected news so staggered Veneda that for a moment it deprivedhim of speech. He began to experience an awful dread, not of thediscovery of the means whereby he had obtained his fortune, but of thedisclosure of the precious secret which guarded it. Instinctively hefelt for the locket he wore round his neck, and in which reposed theslip of paper Juanita was so anxious to obtain.
Crawling along the sloping deck to the companion, he proceeded to hisberth below. A swinging lamp lit the saloon, and in a gilt mirror uponthe bulkhead he caught sight of his own face. He was startled beyondmeasure at its pallor.
"This won't do," he told himself as he undressed; "it's full early to befrightened; besides, who knows? He was so excited that it's just withinthe bounds of possibility he may not have read her name."
But do what he would he could not divest his mind of the thought thatthe Albino was aware of his plans. He had had good reason in the past toknow that the dwarf really ruled the Society of which they were bothmembers, and remembering his vindictive nature, he felt certain thatneither pains nor money would be spared to ensure revenge for this lastand most glaring piece of treachery. Consideration of these matters kepthim tumbling and tossing in his bunk till long after midnight, to theaccompaniment of groaning timbers, skurrying rats, and the crash of seasagainst the slender hull. When sleep did overtake him, his dreams weretroubled; he imagined himself being hunted round the world by theAlbino, who jumped after him across oceans, and from continent tocontinent, and at last ran him to earth in the big hall of his oldfamiliar English school.
He was in the act of giving him the locket to square matters when heawoke to find a flood of bright sunshine streaming in through the dingylittle disc that served him as a porthole. His joy at finding it wasonly a dream was intense, and while under the influence of that reliefhe dressed and went on deck, to find the captain once more on watch andthe crew busily engaged in washing down.
The fresh breeze of the night before still continued, and if the foam ateither bow, or the swirling water under the counter could be taken asevidence, the _Island Queen_ was making the most of it. The sky was asblue and the sea as green as only Pacific skies and seas can be, andagainst it the taper masts, the hard-strained rigging, and the swellingsails, white as snow in the brilliant sunshine, made up a picture thatfound a responsive note in the relief which filled Veneda's heart. Acheerful smoke issued from the galley, at the door of which theshock-headed boy, "Old Nick," was engaged cleaning knives. Perhaps asthe effect of the lovely morning, the captain showed himself a littlemore affable than he had been on the previous night. He noddedfamiliarly to his passenger, and prefaced his conversation by inquiring,with a peculiar sort of courtesy, after his wife's health. Furtherconversation on that subject, however, was put a stop to by theappearance of the lady herself, once more clad in the garments of hersex.
As she emerged from the companion, Veneda hastened forward to receiveher, and when she had recognized the captain's presence they fell topromenading the deck together. Fortunately she was an excellent sailor,and the bright fresh morning and the brisk breeze brought a colour intoher cheeks that made her, so Veneda could not help owning to himself,more than usually lovely. For half a moment he wondered why he shouldnot trust her, and the temptation came upon him to forget his originalintentions and to embody this splendid creature in his plans for thefuture. She was fitted to adorn any station in life, he told himself.But then, certain episodes in her past history obtruded themselves uponhis recollection, and he was compelled to admit that such a thing mustnot be dreamt of for an instant.
But if a life's partnership were impossible, it was at least verypleasant to skim over summer seas in the company of one so evidentlyintended by nature to be all that was charming and agreeable to man. Andindeed Juanita exerted herself prodigiously to please, so much so, thatbefore they had been a week upon the voyage Veneda had once moreentertained serious thoughts of casting his previous apprehensions tothe winds and risking everything. Her behaviour was certainly calculatedto disarm suspicion. Never, by even as much as a hint, did she lead himto suppose that she was in any way desirous of learning his secret. Hertrust in him was the only thing self-evident, and even this she was tooclever to exaggerate. Only once did she refer, and that indirectly, tothe treasure which was the sole inducement of their flight, and I haveoften thought that that conversation was as strange as anythingconnected with that extraordinary voyage.
It originated in this way. They were leaning over the taffrail, watchingfor the rising of the moon. The schooner, racing along over the curlingseas under reefed canvas, seemed like a thing of life. Her canvastowered aloft into the ghostly darkness, and the wind in the rigging andthe drum of the seas against the hull were the only things that could beheard. The mate, Crawshaw, patrolled the opposite side of the deck withthe regularity of a pendulum.
Juanita had been peculiarly quiet all the evening, out of which stateVeneda had in vain tried to rally her.
"Marcos," she said suddenly in Spanish, nestling closer to his side,"does it ever occur to you to wish you had left me behind inValparaiso?"
"Why, what on earth makes you ask such a
question?" he replied. "Do youthink I should grow tired of you so soon?"
"So soon!" she answered, looking up into his face. "You have had me withyou a fortnight now, and there is not much variety on board a boat thesize of the _Island Queen_. I should not be at all surprised if you saidyou were tired of my company."
"Well, I am not. So that settles it, doesn't it?"
"Marcos, why did you not let us go to England in a mail-boat? It wouldsurely have been quicker and safer?"
"Because in that case Macklin could not help but have discovered ourdeparture, and we should have been followed, if not murdered--that'swhy."
"And now?"
"Now no one knows our whereabouts; we can choose our own route when weleave Tahiti."
"And which way will it be, Marcos?"
"I have not decided yet."
She was silent for a minute or two. Then she said slowly, still keepingher eyes fixed on him--
"I think I understand. You have decided, but you dare not trust me."
His first and most natural impulse was to deny the accusation. But onsecond thoughts he adopted another course.
"You are quite right," he said with a laugh, "I certainly do not trustyou. And what is perhaps more to the point, I don't intend to. Allthings considered, I don't think you have the right to blame me."
With a little laugh, and without a sign of vexation in her tone, sheanswered, "Perhaps you're right. At any rate, you're wiser than I am insuch matters."
Then taking his arm, they returned to their constitutional up and downthe deck, just as if nothing out of the common had occurred.
And so day by day sped by, glorious weather, smooth seas, blue skies,and fair winds accompanying them. It was more like a pleasure trip thana flight for life. Captain Boulger improved upon acquaintance, and eventhe mate, Crawshaw, rubbed off some of his angles as they grew to knowhim better.
Three weeks almost to a day after dropping Pitcairn behind them, theywere on the fringe of the Society Islands; and at Papeete the captainproposed to touch, to obtain supplies. His passengers, he knew, thoughgrudging the delay, would not be sorry for an opportunity to stretchtheir legs; for the size of the schooner did not, necessarily, permitmuch pedestrian exercise.
One morning, coming on deck, Crawshaw called Veneda to his side, andpointed to a low smudge showing faintly on the horizon.
"What is it?" the other asked.
"Tahiti," was the reply, and with the word, like the opening of amill-sluice, Veneda's old anxieties rushed back upon him. In an hour ortwo he would know whether or not the Albino was aware of hisdestination.
By breakfast-time they were closing up on it. The high mountain peakshad risen well above the horizon, and from being a simple blotch uponthe clear-cut sea-line, the land had developed a decided personality ofits own. An hour later they were close enough to it to be able toplainly distinguish objects on shore, and were prepared to catch thefirst view of Papeete.
By midday they were abreast of the entrance to Papeete harbour, lookingacross the reef with its thundering surf to where the quaint little townlay nestling among the trees. As soon as they were sighted the pilot putoff, and upon his gaining the deck the work of entering the harbour wasproceeded with. Once they were inside and at a standstill, Veneda andJuanita departed ashore in search of luncheon. It was a new sensationfor them to wander about together as strangers in a strange place, andVeneda watched to see what effect it would have upon his companion. Shehad lost something of her vivacity, and was inclined to be more wrapt upin her own thoughts than was usual with her.
Those who know Tahiti will know Charons (or the hostelry disguised underthat name), and those who know Charons will remember Alphonse, the mostobsequious of _garcons_, with his accumulated knowledge of traders andtheir schooners, missionaries, pilots, copra merchants, and all mannerof strange beings and things appertaining to those delightful seas.Therefore, when I say that Veneda and Juanita were fortunate enough tosecure the corner table in the big room, and the services of thatindefatigable person, I am, as you will agree, ensuring them thepleasantest of times. With palates improved by the simple fare of the_Island Queen_, they investigated every course, enjoyed some excellentwine, trifled with dessert, and when they had drunk their coffee,proceeded to stretch their legs along the beautiful Broom Road.
It was a most luxurious day; a soft breeze played in fitful gusts amongthe tropic foliage, bearing upon its breast a thousand gentle, and toour travellers unaccustomed, odours. There was only one blot upon it;since his last glass of champagne, Veneda felt strangely sleepy, so muchso, that when they had walked but a little way he expressed a wish to beallowed to sit down and admire the view. Nothing loth, Juanitaconsented, so down they sat awhile, talking, and gazing upon thepanorama of sea and islands stretched before them. Her voice soundedwonderfully soothing as he listened, and bit by bit he found thismysterious desire for sleep overcoming him. His head gradually sought apillow by her side, his eyes closed, and in less than five minutes hewas unconscious.
Now Juanita, who had by no means been unmindful of his state (nor am Iprepared to authoritatively state that she had not, in some measure,been the occasion of it), was too precipitate for her own safety. Suchwas her impatience that, without waiting to make certain that he wassound asleep, she must needs commence her search for the mysteriouslocket round his neck, which contained, she was convinced, the paper shewas so desperately anxious to obtain. Perhaps in her hurry her touch wastoo rough, or Veneda was not so much overpowered with slumber as sheimagined; at any rate, just as she had the precious locket in her hand,and was about to broach its contents, his eyes opened, and his handsclosed on hers. Awkward as the situation was, her presence of mind neverdeserted her, and she prepared to laugh it off with the excuse she hadprepared beforehand.
"Ah! my Marcos," she said jestingly, "it is well that you woke; for I amgoing to be furiously jealous. And pray what fair lady's portrait do youwear round your neck?"
For the moment Veneda was too amazed at her coolness to reply; then hereplaced the locket, and assuming a pensive air, said--
"You may be as jealous of her as you please. That is my poor mother'sminiature; the only remembrance I have of her. I will show it to youthis evening, if you would care to see it. Now we must be getting backto the schooner."
His explanation was so simple and sincere that she was baffledcompletely. If he were telling the truth her surmises must be all wrong;if not, she had put him on his guard for the future.
But though he allowed no sign to escape him to show that he understoodher attempt, he was none the less concerned about it.
"I was more than a fool," he said to himself when he was alone in hiscabin, "to imagine that she could be anything but what I had alwaysthought her. However, Madame Juanita, the game is by no means finishedyet. There is an old saying that those laugh best who laugh last. Weshall see."
Next morning at daylight the _Island Queen_ bade farewell to Tahiti.
As soon as it was open, a stranger, who had arrived in the island fromSouth America the previous week, sought the telegraph office, and placedthe following message upon the counter--
"_John Macklin, General Post Office, Sydney, N. S. W._
"_Island Queen_ sailed this morning. Destination Thursday Island. Both on board."