the main island I had noticed, and all eyes wereturned anxiously to that. It was a queer place, truly, to set up alight, and I don't wonder that the men remarked it.
"An odd kind of a lantern to help poor mariners," said Mister Jacob,sagely. "Being kind to it, sir, I should say that it's not more than amile too much to the northward."
"Lay your course by that, and a miracle won't carry you by the reef,"added Peter Bligh, sagaciously; "in my country, which is partlyIreland, sir, we put up notice-boards for the boys that ride bicycles:'This Hill is Dangerous.' Faith, in ould Oireland, they put 'em up atthe bottom of the hills, which is useful entirely."
Some of the crew, grouped about the ladder's foot, laughed at this;others began to mutter among themselves as though the beacon troubledthem, and they did not like it. A seaman's the most superstitiouscreature that walks the earth or sails on the sea, as all the worldknows. I could see the curiosity, which had followed my men fromSouthampton, was coming to a head here about twelve thousand miles fromhome.
"Lads," cried I, quick to take the point up, "Mister Bligh says that anIrishman built yon light, and he knows, being a bit of a one himself.We're not going in by it, anyway, so you can ask questions to-morrow.There's a hundred pounds to be divided among you for your goodbehaviour outward, and there'll be another hundred when we make CalshotLight. To-night we'll find good sea-room, and leave their beacon to thelumber-heads that put it up. I thank you, lads, for honest work in anhonest ship. Ask the purser for an extra tot of grog, and say theskipper told you to."
They gave a hearty "Aye, aye, sir," to this, and without more ado weput the ship about and went dead slow against a stiff tide setting eastby north-east. For my part, I reckoned this the time to tell myofficers what my intentions were, and when I had called them into thecabin, leaving our "fourth"--a mere lad, but a good one--upon thebridge, I ordered Joe, the steward, to set the decanters upon thetable. Mister Jacob, as usual, put on his glasses (which he always didin room or cabin, just as though he would read a book), but Peter Blighsat with his cap between his knees and as foolish an expression uponhis face as I have ever seen.
"Now, gentlemen," I said, "no good talking in this world was ever doneupon a dusty table, so we'll have a glass round and then to business.Mr. Bligh, I'm sure, will make no objection to that."
"Faith, and I know when to obey my superior officer, captain. A glassround, and after that----"
"Peter, Peter," said I, "'tis the 'after that' which sends many a goodhulk to the bottom."
"Not meaning to apply the term to Peter Bligh, but by way of what thelandsmen call 'silime,'" said Mister Jacob.
"'Simile' you mean, Mister Jacob. Well, it's all the same, and neitherhere nor there in the matter of a letter. The fact is, gentlemen, Iwish you to know why I have sailed this ship to Ken's Archipelago, andunder what circumstances I shall sail her home again."
They pricked up their ears at this, Peter turning his cap nervously inhis hands and Mister Jacob being busy with his glasses as he loves tobe.
"Yes," I went on, "you have behaved like true shipmates and spokennever a word which a man might not fairly speak. And now it's my dutyto be open with you. Well, to cut it short, my lads, I've sailed to thePacific because my mistress, Ruth Bellenden, asked me."
They had known as much, I imagine, from the start; but while MisterJacob pretended to be very much surprised, honest Peter raised hisglass and drank to Mistress Ruth's good health.
"God bless her," he said, "and may the day come when I ship alongo' such a one again. Aye, you would have come out for her sake,captain--no other, I'm sure!"
"She being Ruth Bellenden no longer, but the wife of a gentleman with aname none but a foreigner can spell," added Mister Jacob; and then hewent on: "Well, you surprise me very much, captain--very much indeed.Matrimony is a choppy sea and queer things swim in it. But this--this Ihad not looked to hear."
I knew that this was only Mister Jacob's way, and continued my story.
"It was a promise to her upon her wedding day. Ten thousand pounds sheleft with her lawyers for this very purpose. 'My husband has strangeideas; I may not share them,' were her words to me. 'If his yachtshould not be at the islands when I wish to visit Europe again, Ishould like you to find me a vessel in its place. I trust you, JasperBegg,' she said; 'you will sail for Ken's Archipelago twelve monthsfrom today, and you will come to my house there, as you used to do inthe old time, for orders. Perhaps I shall send you home again, perhapsI may like to have a yacht of my own once more. Who knows? I am quitealone in the world,' she said, laughing, 'though my brother is alive.And the Pacific Ocean is a long way from London--oh, such a long way,'she said, or something of that sort."
"Aye, and right, too. A derned long way she meant, I don't doubt, ifwhat was in her mind came out," puts in Peter at this.
"Mr. Bligh," said I, "be pleased to hold your tongue until your opinionis asked. What I am telling you is a confidence which you two, and noothers, share with me. To-morrow, as soon as daylight, I shall rowashore and ask to see Mme. Czerny, as I suppose I must call little Ruthnow. If she says, 'Go home again,' very well, home we go with goodwages in our pockets. If she says 'Stay,' there's not a man on boardthis ship that will not stay willingly--she being married to aforeigner, which all the world knows is not the same as being marriedto an Englishman----"
"To say nothing of an Irishman," said Peter Bligh, whose mother wasfrom Dublin and whose father was named sometimes for a man ofRotherhithe and at other times put down to any country which it suitedPeter to boast about.
"Edmond Czerny was a Hungarian," said I, "and he played the fiddlewonderful. What mad idea took him for a honeymoon to Ken's Island, theLord only knows. They say he was many years in America. I know nothingabout him, save that he had a civil tongue and manners to catch a younggirl's fancy. She was only twenty-two when she married him, MisterJacob."
"Old enough to know better--quite old enough to know better. Not that Iwould say anything against Ruth Bellenden, not a word. It's the woman'spart to play the capers, sir, and we poor mortal men to be took bythem. Howsomever, since there was a fiddle in it, I've nothing more tosay."
We laughed at Mister Jacob's notion, and Peter Bligh said what it wasin my heart to say:
"Saving that if Ruth Bellenden needs a friend, she'll find twenty-sixaboard this ship, to say nothing of the cook's boy and the dog. You'vea nice mind, Mister Jacob, but you've a deal to larn when it comes towomen. My poor old father, who hailed from Shoreham----"
"It was Newport yesterday, Peter."
"Aye, so it were--so it were. But, Newport or Shoreham, he'd a preciousgood notion of the sex, and what he said I'll stand by. 'Get 'em ontheir feet to the music,' says he, 'and you can lead 'em anywheres.''Tis Gospel truth that, Mister Jacob."
"But a man had better mind his steps," said I. "For my part, Ishouldn't be surprised if Ruth Bellenden's husband gave us the coldshoulder to-morrow and sent us about our business. However, the sea'sfree to all men, lads, and the morn will show. By your leave we'll havea bit of supper and after that turn in. We shall want all our witsabout us when daylight comes." They agreed to this, and without furtherparley we went on deck and heard what the lad "Dolly" Venn had to tellus. It was full dark now and the islands were hidden from our view. Thebeacon shone with a steady white glare which, under the circumstances,was almost uncanny. I asked the lad if he had sighted any ships intowards the land or if signals had been made. He answered me that noship had passed in or out nor any rocket been fired. "And I do believe,sir," he said, "that we shall find the harbour on the far sight ofyonder height."
"The morning will show us, lad," said I; "go down to your supper, for Imean to take this watch myself." They left me on the bridge. The windhad fallen until it was scarce above a moan in the shrouds. I stoodwatching the beacon as a man who watches the window light of one whohas been dear to him.
CHAPTER II
WE GO ASHORE AND LEARN STRANGE THINGS
I have told how it came about that I sailed
for Ken's Island, and now Ishall tell what happened when I went ashore to find Ruth Bellenden.
We put off from the ship at six bells in the morning watch. Dolly Venn,who was rated as fourth officer, was with me in the launch, and HarryDoe, the boatswain, at the tiller. I left Mister Jacob on the bridge,and gave him my orders to stand in-shore as near as might be, and tolook for my coming at sunset--no later. "Whatever passes,"
The House Under the Sea: A Romance Page 2