CHAPTER LXXI.
LOLO'S GRATITUDE AND JACK'S DELIGHT--THE SIGNAL--UNEXPECTED TURN OFLUCK--A FAMILIAR VOICE--WHO IS IT?--"SURELY! NEVER!"--READ AND LEARN.
"That's a good job done!" said Jack, looking after the wretches he hadpushed over.
The fair Circassian burst into tears now that the peril was over.
Falling upon her knees, she seized Jack's hands and pressed them to herlips.
She poured out a long string of thanks in the most eloquent language.
Although the language was so far wasted upon Jack, he could not fail tocomprehend her meaning.
"There, there," said Jack, squeezing her hand in reply to her caresses,"don't take on so, my dear girl. The danger's over now."
But was it?
They had yet to get away.
Jack was no worse off than when in his prison ten feet higher up, it istrue.
But what of Lolo?
How was she to manage?
While he was cogitating over this he heard a shrill whistle from below.
He ran to the window.
"Hist, Jack!" cried a familiar voice from the water.
"Hullo!"
"Drop down, Jack," returned Harry's voice. "Here I am, in a boat, assnug as a domestic pest in a railway wrapper."
Comic and tragic were so jumbled up in this startling series ofadventures, that Jack scarce knew whether to laugh or to cry.
He did neither.
There was a rope close, handy upon a sack--its destination hadcertainly not been to save life--and Jack, with the quickness ofthought itself, fastened it around the Circassian girl's waist.
She understood his meaning, and lent him all the assistance she could.
Once at the window, he fastened it securely, and proceeded to lower itdown.
She looked down the dizzy height, and slightly shuddered.
And then, before trusting herself down, she threw her arms around heryoung preserver's neck, and embraced him tenderly.
"Bless you," said Jack, with emotion. "If I only bring you safe throughthis, it will be the proudest day in my life."
Now for it.
It was a perilous moment, for the poor girl could not help herself inany way.
But she was lowered in safety.
"Look out," said Jack, in a good loud whisper; "I'm coming now."
"Look sharp, then," called out Harry. "I smell danger."
"Make haste, dear boy," added a familiar voice.
The sound thrilled Jack strangely.
He was so full of the present adventure and its perils, that he couldnot give much thought to the voice now.
Yet it rang on his ears as of old days.
"You're nearly down," said Harry Girdwood. "Drop now, old fellow."
Jack obeyed.
As soon as he reached the boat, he was seized in the arms of theCircassian girl, Lolo, who hugged him as if she would never part withhim again.
"Now, my love," said that same familiar voice, "when you've done withthat boy, I should like to have one touch at him. What do you say,Jack, my lad?"
"Heaven above!" ejaculated Jack "Why, it's Mr. Mole."
"Right, dear boy," returned Mr. Mole. "Isaac Mole himself, turned up inthe very nick of time. God bless you, Jack."
"And you, too, sir. How are they all at home? My mother, my----"
"There, there," interrupted Harry; "we'll have the family history whenwe're fairly out of musket-shot range. If they find out any thing,they'll pot us off as easily as shooting for nuts at a fair."
"All right," said Jack, laughingly. "Pull away."
"Pull away, boys."
"Aye, aye, sir."
They had a good boatload, yet they moved through the water prettysmartly.
* * * *
The vessel which had anchored in the bay, and which showed the Britishensign at her masthead, was the identical ship that our old friend Mr.Mole had come in.
The messages that they had sent back to the different stations upontheir journey had been successful in guiding Mr. Mole aright, happilyenough.
They had barely cast anchor, when Mr. Mole had been lowered in a boat,his intention being to come ashore, and get information, if possible,regarding the object of his cruise.
But little did he think of picking up his information in the water.
Yet such was the case.
When half-way to shore, they came upon Bogey swimming swiftly along.
A few words of hurried explanation sufficed, and the astounded Mole hadthe boat pulled flush up beneath the windows of the Konaki, firstrescuing Harry Girdwood and then Lola the Circassian girl, and Jack, aswe have described.
Jack Harkaway's Boy Tinker Among The Turks Page 13