In White Raiment

by William Le Queux

still tongue in your head."

  "And it will be wiser if you allow me my liberty, and just tell me howand why I came aboard here."

  "You were brought here, but for what reason I don't know."

  "And who brought me here?"

  "I don't know. I wasn't on board when you arrived."

  "The ship was lying in the Thames, wasn't it?"

  "Yes," he answered. "It wasn't on Clapham Common, that's a certainty."

  "And where are we now?"

  "At sea."

  "I'm aware of that, but in what sea--the Channel, the North Sea, or theAtlantic?"

  "You'll know soon enough. Just breathe the ozone, and make yourselfcomfortable. That's all you have to do," he responded, with his beardedchin thrust forward, in an air of unconcern.

  "Well, you haven't provided many creature comforts for me," I remarked,with a glance round the stuffy little place.

  "No, this isn't exactly a Cunarder," he admitted. "But I'll tell themen to bring you some grub, at any rate. Like some duff?"

  "You're very kind; but I'd rather take a walk on deck in order to get anappetite."

  "No; the sun's a bit too strong," he answered waggishly. "You might getsunstroke, you know."

  "I shall be asphyxiated if I remain here."

  "Well, that's a comfortable death, I believe. More than one chap hasdied for want o' breath in the hold of this ship when we've beentrimmin' coal."

  "Then you refuse me my liberty?" I said, feeling that to arguepleasantly was useless.

  "Yes, you've got to stay 'ere."

  "By whose orders?"

  "That's my own business," he growled.

  "And mine also," I responded firmly. "You may be skipper of this craft,but you are not a gaoler, you know."

  "I'm your gaoler, at any rate."

  "That remains to be seen," I answered. "I suppose you've been paid totake me out of the country, like this; but I may as well warn you thatyou are aiding and abetting a murder, and that when you get ashoreyou'll find yourself in a very nasty position."

  "With the Consul, eh?" he laughed. "Well, they're a decent lot, as arule. We don't get much trouble with 'em if we deposit our papers inorder."

  "But if I demanded your arrest for illegal imprisonment?"

  "I don't fancy you'd do that, mister," he responded with sarcasm. "Itmight be a bit of a bother for me in England, but the foreign police area bit chary of touching a British capt'n."

  There was, I knew, some truth in that. Yet I did not intend to remaincooped up there, a prisoner, for the remainder of the voyage.

  "Well, now, look here," I said, in a more conciliatory tone. "Why areyou not frank with me?"

  "Because you ain't responsible for your actions."

  "And that's why you won't allow me on deck?" He nodded.

  "Then I suppose when I was handed over to your tender charge they toldyou I was a lunatic?"

  "Well, they said you'd better be kept under restraint. I was told thatyou'd had a bad touch of the blues, it seems."

  "And yet you took me aboard while I was unconscious," I said. "That wasscarcely a wise proceeding was it?"

  "You were here when I returned; I've told you I found you here."

  "Then you mean to tell me that you don't know who paid you to take me onthis pleasure trip?"

  "No, I don't. I've only received orders, and just observed them."

  "Orders from whom?"

  "From my owners."

  "Your owners! What possible interest could your owners have in shippingme aboard while I was unconscious? Who are they?"

  "Hanways, of Newcastle."

  "And what ship is this?"

  "The _Petrel_, of Newcastle."

  "Bound for where?"

  "No," he replied. "I've strict orders to keep you confined in thecabin, to treat you as well as your behaviour will allow, and to tellyou nothing."

  "Well, captain, you're a sensible man, and surely you'll listen toreason."

  "What reason? I've got my orders. That's enough for me."

  "But I tell you that by this action you are aiding in the concealment ofa terrible crime--the dastardly murder of a lady in London," I burstforth.

  "Of course. That's the yarn they said you'd spin. Well, you can stowthat for the present. I'll come down and hear it over a pipe, when Iwant a bit of relaxation. For the time being, just you sniff the ozone,and fancy yourself in a drawin'-room."

  Then, without more ado, the burly fellow made his exit, slammed theheavy door and bolted it, leaving me still a prisoner within that tinycabin.

  CHAPTER SIX.

  CAPTAIN BANFIELD EXPLAINS.

  The hours passed but slowly. The man who had first answered my summonsbrought me some food but to all my arguments he remained obdurate.

  "The cap'n says you're to stay 'ere," he responded, "and if I let youout he'd put me in irons. Old Banfield ain't a skipper to be trifledwith, I can tell yer."

  So I remained there, filled with gloomy thoughts, and wondering where Iwas being taken, and what possible interest Messrs. Hanway, the ownersof the _Petrel_, could have in my forcible abduction.

  I sat there, helpless and puzzled, until it grew quite dark, then myhead feeling heavy, and my limbs exhausted on account of the drug thathad been so ingeniously administered to me, I threw myself down, and themotion of the vessel soon lulled me to sleep.

  The long green waves were sweeping past in the sunlight when I againopened my eyes, and from the porthole I could see a large steamer with apair of red and black funnels in the distance, leaving a long trail ofsmoke behind her. Soon, however, she was beyond the range of my vision,and I could do nothing except sit there and review the whole situation.

  The beautiful face of my murdered wife arose ever before me. It seemedto cry to me for vengeance. I was her husband, and I alone knew thetruth.

  Yet it was evident that I was still in the hands of enemies, and,imprisoned there, I could do nothing.

  The day passed, and fortunately I found myself feeling better. Theeffect of the noxious drug was slowly wearing off; yet the strain uponmy nerves was terrible, and the imprisonment, coupled with uncertaintyas to the future, was driving me to desperation.

  A third day passed, much as the second. The only person I saw was thesailor who brought me food from the cook's galley in the morning and atevening--badly cooked sailors' fare that I could scarcely touch. As thesun was sinking, we suddenly approached a blue line of coast, andcontinued to skirt it until it became swallowed up in the night mists.Then, wearied, I again lay down to sleep.

  I was awakened by the sudden stoppage of the engines, and found that itwas already day again, and that we were in calm water. Outside myporthole was a flat stone wall which shut out everything.

  Much shouting and tramping sounded above, and I knew that we were beingmade fast at a quay.

  My opportunity for escape had arrived. If only I could break open thedoor, and slip up on deck unobserved, I might regain my freedom.

  Now, I had during the past two days made a most careful examination ofmy cabin and of the door, during which I had noticed that, supportingthe box-like berth beneath, was an iron stay, the lower end of which wasflattened out so that it could be more easily screwed down to the floor.The screws were loose, like most of the fittings of the badly keptcraft; therefore, after some little trouble, I managed to remove it, andfound that I held in my hand a capital crowbar.

  Presently I managed to work the thin end between the door and thelintel, and then, throwing my whole weight against it, endeavoured toforce the outer bolt from its fastenings.

  My first attempt was abortive, but I saw that the screws were givingaway; therefore I continued my efforts carefully so as not to attractattention, until, of a sudden, the socket of the bolt flew off, and thedoor was burst open. Then, holding my iron bar in self-defence, Istepped along to the foot of a ladder, by which I climbed on deck.

  The vessel, it seemed, was not a large one, and of a particul
arly dirtyand forbidding appearance. With care I crept round the deck-houseunobserved, until I reached the gangway, and just as my presence wasdiscovered by the captain, I slipped across it nimbly, and was on thequay amid a crowd of labourers, custom officers, and the usual motleyassemblage which gathers to watch an arriving vessel.

  I heard the skipper shouting violently, and a couple of the crew startedin pursuit; but, taking to my heels I soon outdistanced them, and aftersome little time found myself