All Aboard: A Story for Girls

by Frank V. Webster

  CHAPTER XXI.

  FRIENDS ASHORE.

  As the Hosmers returned to the hotel, each noted a handsome carriagebefore the door, with liveried outriders, and while themselvesalighting young Allyne and his friend, Mr. Donelson, came down thesteps to reach it, but, seeing our party, made haste to intercept them.

  "We've just been to call on you," cried the former, his face radiant atthe fortunate meeting, "and were about departing utterly crestfallen.Do you notice our style?" with a merry glance at the grand equipage.

  "Notice it! It fills all the horizon," laughed Hope, with reddeningcheeks. "We supposed that the Governor-General, at the very least, hadcome to bid us welcome, and inquire after our health. Of course wecould not admit the idea that he had come here for any other purpose."

  "Well, we may not be the Governor-General--who, by the way, might notfeel like a journey from Calcutta just for a friendly call even upontwo charming young ladies," observed Mr. Donelson, "but I haven't adoubt you'll find us quite as interesting!"

  "And a great deal younger," added Allyne suggestively.

  "Oh! such conceit," cried Faith, as they bubbled over with laughter.

  "And we're much obliged for your valuable information," added Hope,rather taken aback at her own blunder.

  "About the location of the Residency, or our relative ages?" askedAllyne.

  "We make no charge for either!" continued Donelson, airily.

  "Better come back inside then, gentlemen," proposed the captain. "It'sa bit warm here."

  But they felt they must get back for dinner, now, though it evidentlycost Allyne something to decline.

  "We will sometime meet again?" he questioned, as he clasped Hope's handand looked beseechingly into her eyes.

  "Possibly," she returned, flushing slightly, then with a mischievousglance, "But are you certain which of us you are speaking to? Have youlearned to distinguish us yet?"

  "I have--perfectly!" was the tart response. "When the rose gives me ataste of its thorns it is you; Miss Faith is never sarcastic."

  "Indeed!"

  "But,"--quickly--"I like thorns! They give zest to the loveliest rose."

  "Come," admonished her father in a dry tone, "this glare and glitterwill give you a headache. It isn't healthy."

  The girls somewhat slowly followed him in. The young men rode away.In the heart of one was a deadly fear that, by one hour's foolishness,he might have forfeited some privileges which had become most preciousin his sight of late. The other broke into his musings with a ruthlessword,

  "The captain does not specially favor us, Tom."

  "I am sure he treated us politely," was returned with some resentment.

  "Yes, too politely. I wouldn't get foolish in that direction, my boy;it won't work."

  Tom Allyne did not answer, and his face was sober. But presently itsexpression lightened. He recalled what Carnegie had said of thecaptain's comment, after that dreadful night of fire and flood, andtook courage.

  "I've got to prove myself a man first," he told himself, "and it won'tbe an easy thing to do, with my surroundings. Is she worth it?" Then,as the color flamed into his cheeks, "Heaven help me to be worthy ofher! And remember that you are worth saving, or you wouldn't have beengiven this chance, Tom Allyne!"

  It was late the next afternoon when, trying to keep cool in their shadybalcony in sheer white gowns of India lawn, another guest wasannounced, and to the surprise of both Mr. Carnegie entered, with theTraveler.

  "Why, we thought you had gone on!" said Faith, with a flush, doubtlessproduced by the heat, which was great.

  "I expected to," returned Carnegie, as the others exchanged greetings,the captain appearing in a duck coat and trousers which quitetransformed him, "but found a day's reprieve awaiting me, which haslengthened out, as my men have had to undergo some formalities ofregistration here. I have been too busy to see you sooner, though itwas hard to keep away. I met old Quint on the street to-day, andreally longed to shake hands with him, just because he was from the'International.' How attached I did get to that dear old steamer!"

  "Yes, these attachments to steamers are really wonderful!" observed theTraveler with a dry air that sent the captain and Hope off into a pealof merriment, while the other young people looked very sheepish. ButCarnegie soon rallied.

  "I think they are, myself!" he allowed with frankness. "And I don'tpropose to let the attachment die out in my case, either," he addedboldly. "Captain Hosmer, may I write to you and your daughtersoccasionally?"

  The captain gave him a keen glance, which presently broadened into asmile.

  "I shall be happy to hear from you," he said heartily, "but I am not avery good correspondent, myself. I usually get Faith, here, to answermy letters. Of course she may not make them so interesting as Ishould, but, barring a little too much tendency to long words andpoetical quotations, she does very well. Yes, indeed, let us hearoccasionally, Mr. Carnegie. I shall be interested to learn how yousucceed in your new work."

  Though all were smiling at the captain's raillery, Carnegie turned anearnest face upon him.

  "I have some idea that I may go back with you. You will have to behere much longer than you had intended, won't you?"

  "Considerably longer, yes. All right, if you can. The old'International' will give you a welcome."

  The two callers lingered almost beyond the limits of etiquette, andwhen they separated it was with an "Au revoir" from the young officer.

  "I won't say good-by," he declared; "I shall see you again."

  It was a day or so later. The Hosmers had taken the little steamlaunch for a trip to the island of Elephanta, containing the famouscaves of the same name. It was a glorious morning, and the short tripover the dancing, dazzling waves to the pretty islet, with its steepbanks and waving palms, was a delightful one. As they landed, thecaptain pointed out the mangrove swamps, and the rich growth of wildindigo and Karunda bushes, while Hope went wild over the splendidbutterflies, which settled down in showers before them, transformingthe green bushes into great nosegays of purple, crimson, and orangebloom. Only, these blossoms constantly changed and shifted, withfeathery, fluttering movements and kaleidoscopic changes.

  Birds were many and brilliant, also, and to add to this animal life ahorde of dark-skinned little Hindu boys started up at every turn,clamoring to sell the party all sorts of odd collections, from jungleflowers to the gilded wood lice, the name of which condemns them,though they are really beautiful insects, until death robs them oftheir glow, and makes them as repulsive as others of their kin.

  "Haven't I heard that snakes abound here?" asked Faith timorously, asthey ascended the stone steps leading up the hill from the swamplandbelow. "Don't they kill a good many every year?"

  Her father smiled knowingly, and, as they reached the top, turned to anEnglish soldier in charge, and said laughingly, "My daughter, here,imagines you keep snakes on hand--the idea!"

  The other seemed to find some fun in the remark, and grinned broadly.

  "The young ladies need have no fear," he returned politely, as hetouched his white helmet.

  But, as the girls passed on, he detained the Captain with a wink. "Isee you know," he whispered, "but don't be worried. We've just beenthe rounds and killed three, and I don't believe any more will troubleus to-day. Just keep your eyes open, though, for they make theninety-sixth this season. We'll soon get it up to the century mark;but it isn't like it used to be, when four and five hundred made theyearly score." His tone was positively regretful, though he referredto the cobra, deadliest of serpents, and the curse of every bright bitof glade and forest in India. It crawls out from its holes in thecaverns of this island of Elephanta, and, with the miasma just asdeadly that rises from the swamps, makes any residence upon itslovely-seeming hillsides a constant menace. But where will not peoplestay if prompted by self-interest? The dwellers on the sides ofVesuvius do not lie awake to wait for its eruption, and the dwellers onElephanta do not step any more ginge
rly in their bare feet because atany moment a sting may end their career.

  If "Death stalketh abroad at noonday," we always imagine he is on hisway to some other fireside; ours is not to be invaded.

  But the captain needed no warning. He had seen to it that the girlswere thickly shod for their tramp, and he himself carried a cane with aheavy silver top, while his eyes, trained to close observation, seldommissed seeing what they were looking for. He soon overtook the girls,and preceded them down the stone steps into the cavern, upon which mostof these poisonous reptiles are encountered in that special vicinity.

  If one _will_ visit a region devoted to a god whose power isrepresented by a hooded serpent, he should not complain at meeting thereal thing, occasionally. Elephanta is dedicated to Shiva, theDestroyer, her attributes being imaged in the person of the cobra.

  "Ugh! How gloomy!" muttered Hope, as they descended into the damp,cool cavern, keeping close to her father, but letting her roving eyestake in the mass of carving on every side.

  "What does it all mean, papa?" asked Faith, also drawing closer.

  "It is grand, and horrible!"

  "Dose be gods," replied the native guide, giving her a reproachfullook. "It is one s'rine to deir memory."

  "Dear me! I wouldn't want to remember them," she went on quaintly, notnoticing his look. "I am only afraid I shall, in my dreams. How canany people believe that supreme power can take such shapes as these?"

  Her father looked thoughtful.

  "Yet, after all, it is not so strange. When I think of the cruelforces in nature man had to overcome in early days, with his constantterror of the many he could not in the least understand--likeelectricity, or wind, even--and his danger from savage beasts anddeadly reptiles, is it any wonder he got hold of but one idea,--that ofpower? It took a Saviour to fully teach him love and salvation. Eventhe prophets and priests couldn't make him fully understand. No, Idon't wonder the ancients tried to propitiate all these harmful forcesand begged for their mercy--poor wretches!"

  As he spoke, in a low tone, they were passing slowly around the gloomyplace at the heels of the guide, and shudderingly gazing at the hideousrepresentations of a barbaric faith which seemed starting out of theshadows under the upheld torches. At first they could scarcelyseparate the crowding figures, so intermingled were they, butpresently, as their eyes became more accustomed to the weird lights andshades, they could separate them into distinct groups and figures.

  Before one gigantic, but peculiar form, which is the central one inthat cavern, they lingered long, while the guide explained that thisimage is an attempt to show how perfectly the highest of their gods,Brahma, unites both sexes, in character and personality. One sidegives the image of a man, rugged and muscular, the other, that of awoman, softly molded, and with long braids of hair.

  Into the midst of their still and thoughtful survey broke the noise offrivolous talk and laughter, and another party were heard at theopening. They did not at once enter. They seemed far more occupied inmaking arrangements for some prospective merry-making than in any studyof these curious relics. The girls could hear talk of champagne-cupand curry, and suddenly a voice sounded which made them look at eachother.

  "That is Mrs. Campbell," said Hope. "What is she doing here?"