CHAPTER XVI
THE ESCAPE
"In one respect," Geoffrey said, as they were talking over theirchance of escape, "I am sorry that the bey has behaved so kindlyto us."
"What is that?" Stephen Boldero asked in surprise.
"Well, I was thinking that were it not for that we might manageto contrive some plan of escape in concert with the galley slaves,get them down to the shore here, row off to the galley, overpowerthe three or four men who live on board her, and make off with her.Of course we should have had to accumulate beforehand a quantityof food and some barrels of water, for I have noticed that whenthey go out they always take their stores on board with them, andbring on shore on their return what has not been consumed. Still,I suppose that could be managed. However, it seems to me that ourhands are tied in that direction by the kindness of the bey. Afterhis conduct to us it would be ungrateful in the extreme for us tocarry off his galley."
"So it would, Geoffrey. Besides I doubt whether the plan wouldsucceed. You may be sure the Spaniards are as jealous as can beof the good fortune that we have met with, and were we to proposesuch a scheme to them the chances are strongly in favour of one ofthem trying to better his own position by denouncing us. I wouldonly trust them as far as I can see them. No, if we ever do anythingit must be done by ourselves. There is no doubt that if some nightwhen there is a strong wind blowing from the southeast we wereto get on board one of these fishing boats, hoist a sail, and runbefore it, we should not be far off from the coast of Spain beforethey started to look for us. But what better should we be there?We can both talk Spanish well enough, but we could not pass asSpaniards. Besides, they would find out soon enough that we werenot Catholics, and where should we be then? Either sent to rowin their galleys or clapped into the dungeons of the Inquisition,and like enough burnt alive at the stake. That would be out of thefrying pan into the fire with vengeance."
"I think we might pass as Spaniards," Geoffrey said; "for there isa great deal of difference between the dialects of the differentprovinces, and confined as you have been for the last ten years withSpanish sailors you must have caught their way of talking. Still,I agree with you it will be better to wait for a bit longer forany chance that may occur rather than risk landing in Spain again,where even if we passed as natives we should have as hard work toget our living as we have here, and with no greater chance of makingour way home again."
During the time that they had been captives some three or fourvessels had been brought in by the corsair. The men composingthe crews had been either sold as slaves to Moors or Arabs in theinterior or sent to Algiers, which town lay over a hundred milesto the east. They were of various nationalities, Spanish, French,and Italian, as the two friends learned from the talk of thenatives, for they always abstained from going near the point wherethe prisoners were landed, as they were powerless to assist theunfortunate captives in any way, and the sight of their distresswas very painful to them.
One day, however, they learned from the people who were runningdown to the shore to see the captives landed from a ship that hadbeen brought in by the corsair during the night, that there weretwo or three women among the captives. This was the first time thatany females had been captured since their arrival at the place, forwomen seldom travelled far from their homes in those days, exceptthe wives of high officials journeying in great ships that weresafe from the attack of the Moorish corsairs.
"Let us go down and see them," Boldero said. "I have not seen theface of a white woman for nine years."
"I will go if you like," Geoffrey said. "They will not guess thatwe are Europeans, for we are burnt as dark as the Moors."
They went down to the landing place. Eight men and two women werelanded from the boat. These were the sole survivors of the crew.
"They are Spaniards," Boldero said. "I pity that poor girl. Isuppose the other woman is her servant."
The girl, who was about sixteen years of age, was very pale, andhad evidently been crying terribly. She did not seem to heed thecries and threats with which the townspeople as usual assailed thenewly arrived captives, but kept her eyes fixed upon one of thecaptives who walked before her.
"That is her father, no doubt," Geoffrey said. "It is probably herlast look at him. Come away, Stephen; I am awfully sorry we camehere. I shall not be able to get that girl's face out of my mindfor I don't know how long."
Without a word they went back to their hut. They had no particularwork that day. Geoffrey went restlessly in and out, sometimes pacingalong the strand, sometimes coming in and throwing himself on thedivan. Stephen Boldero went on quietly mending a net that had beendamaged the night before, saying nothing, but glancing occasionallywith an amused look at his companion's restless movements. Late inthe afternoon Geoffrey burst out suddenly: "Stephen, we must tryand rescue that girl somehow from her fate."
"I supposed that was what it was coming to," Boldero said quietly."Well, let me hear all about it. I know you have been thinking itover ever since morning. What are your ideas?"
"I do not know that I have any ideas beyond getting her and herfather down to a boat and making off."
"Well, you certainly have not done much if you haven't got fartherthan that," Stephen said drily. "Now, if you had spent the daytalking it over with me instead of wandering about like one outof his mind, we should have got a great deal further than that bythis time. However, I have been thinking for you. I know what youyoung fellows are. As soon as I saw that girl's face and lookedat you I was dead certain there was an end of peace and quietness,and that you would be bent upon some plan of getting her off.It did not need five minutes to show that I was right; and I havebeen spending my time thinking, while you have thrown yours awayin fidgeting.
"Well, I think it is worth trying. Of course it will be a vastlymore difficult job getting the girl and her father away than justtaking a boat and sailing off as we have often talked of doing.Then, on the other hand, it would altogether alter our positionafterwards. By his appearance and hers I have no doubt he is awell to do trader, perhaps a wealthy one. He walked with his headupright when the crowd were yelling and cursing, and is evidentlya man of courage and determination. Now, if we had reached theSpanish coast by ourselves we should have been questioned rightand left, and, as I have said all along, they would soon have foundthat we were not Spaniards, for we could not have said where wecame from, or given our past history, or said where our familieslived. But it would be altogether different if we landed withthem. Every one would be interested about them. We should only betwo poor devils of sailors who had escaped with them, and he wouldhelp to pass it off and get us employment; so that the difficultythat has hitherto prevented us from trying to escape is very greatlydiminished. Now, as to getting them away. Of course she has beentaken up to the bey's, and no doubt he will send her as a presentto the bey of Algiers. I know that is what has been done severaltimes before when young women have been captured.
"I have been thinking it over, and I do not see a possibility ofgetting to speak to her as long as she is at the bey's. I do notsee that it can be done anyhow. She will be indoors most of thetime, and if she should go into the garden there would be other womenwith her. Our only plan, as far as I can see at present, would beto carry her off from her escort on the journey. I do not supposeshe will have more than two, or at most three, mounted men withher, and we ought to be able to dispose of them. As to her father,the matter is comparatively easy. We know the ways of the prison,and I have no doubt we can get him out somehow; only there is thetrouble of the question of time. She has got to be rescued andbrought back and hidden somewhere till nightfall, he has got to beset free the same evening, and we have to embark early enough tobe well out of sight before daylight; and maybe there will not bea breath of wind stirring. It is a tough job, Geoffrey, look at itwhich way you will."
"It is a tough job," Geoffrey agreed. "I am afraid the escortwould be stronger than you think. A present of this kind to the beyis regarded as important, and I should say half a doze
n horsemenat least will be sent with her. In that case an attempt at rescuewould be hopeless. We have no arms, and if we had we could not killsix mounted men; and if even one escaped, our plans would be alldefeated. The question is, would they send her by land? It seemsto me quite as likely that they might send her by water."
"Yes, that is likely enough, Geoffrey. In that case everything woulddepend upon the vessel he sent her in. If it is the great galleythere is an end of it; if it is one of their little coasters itmight be managed. We are sure to learn that before long. The beymight keep her for a fortnight or so, perhaps longer, for her torecover somewhat from the trouble and get up her good looks again,so as to add to the value of the present. If she were well andbright she would be pretty enough for anything. In the meantime wecan arrange our plans for getting her father away. Of course if shegoes with a big escort on horseback, or if she goes in the galley,there is an end of our plans. I am ready to help you, Geoffrey, ifthere is a chance of success; but I am not going to throw away mylife if there is not, and unless she goes down in a coaster thereis an end of the scheme."
"I quite agree to that," Geoffrey replied; "we cannot accomplishimpossibilities."
They learned upon the following day that three of the newly arrivedcaptives were to take the places of the galley slaves who hadbeen killed in the capture of the Spanish ship, which had defendeditself stoutly, and that the others were to be sold for work inthe interior.
"It is pretty certain," Boldero said, "that the trader will not beone of the three chosen for the galley. The work would break himdown in a month. That makes that part of the business easier, forwe can get him away on the journey inland, and hide him up hereuntil his daughter is sent off."
Geoffrey looked round the bare room.
"Well, I do not say as how we could hide him here," Boldero saidin answer to the look, "but we might hide him somewhere among thesand hills outside the place, and take him food at night."
"Yes, we might do that," Geoffrey agreed. "That could be managedeasily enough, I should think, for there are clumps of bushesscattered all over the sand hills half a mile back from the sea.The trouble will be if we get him here, and find after all that wecannot rescue his daughter."
"That will make no difference," Boldero said. "In that case wewill make off with him alone. Everything else will go on just thesame. Of course, I should be very sorry not to save the girl; but,as far as we are concerned, if we save the father it will answerour purpose."
Geoffrey made no reply. Just at that moment his own future was avery secondary matter, in comparison, to the rescue of this unhappySpanish girl.
Geoffrey and his companion had been in the habit of going upoccasionally to the prison. They had won over the guard by smallpresents, and were permitted to go in and out with fruit and otherlittle luxuries for the galley slaves. They now abstained fromgoing near the place, in order that no suspicion might fall uponthem after his escape of having had any communication with theSpanish trader.
Shortly after the arrival of the captives two merchants from theinterior came down, and Geoffrey learned that they had visited theprison, and had made a bargain with the bey for all the captivesexcept those transferred to the galley. The two companions hadtalked the matter over frequently, and had concluded it was bestthat only one of them should be engaged in the adventure, for theabsence of both might be noticed. After some discussion it wasagreed that Geoffrey should undertake the task, and that Bolderoshould go alone to the house where they were now at work, and shouldmention that his friend was unwell, and was obliged to remain athome for the day.
As they knew the direction in which the captives would be takenGeoffrey started before daybreak, and kept steadily along until hereached a spot where it was probable they would halt for the night.It was twenty miles away, and there was here a well of water and agrove of trees. Late in the afternoon he saw the party approaching.It consisted of the merchants, two armed Arabs, and the fivecaptives, all of whom were carrying burdens. They were crawlingpainfully along, overpowered by the heat of the sun, by the lengthof the journey, and by the weight they carried. Several times theArabs struck them heavily with their sticks to force them to keepup.
Geoffrey retired from the other side of the clump of trees, andlay down in a depression of the sand hills until darkness came on,when he again entered the grove, and crawling cautiously forwardmade his way close up to the party. A fire was blazing, and a mealhad been already cooked and eaten. The traders and the two Arabswere sitting by the fire; the captives were lying extended on theground. Presently, at the command of one of the Arabs, they roseto their feet and proceeded to collect some more pieces of woodfor the fire. As they returned the light fell on the gray hair ofthe man upon whom Geoffrey had noticed that the girl's eyes werefixed.
He noted the place where he lay down, and had nothing to do nowbut to wait until the party were asleep. He felt sure that no guardwould be set, for any attempt on the part of the captives to escapewould be nothing short of madness. There was nowhere for them togo, and they would simply wander about until they died of hungerand exhaustion, or until they were recaptured, in which case theywould be almost beaten to death. In an hour's time the traders andtheir men lay down by the fire, and all was quiet. Geoffrey crawledround until he was close to the Spaniard. He waited until he feltsure that the Arabs were asleep, and then crawled up to him. Theman started as he touched him.
"Silence, senor," Geoffrey whispered in Spanish; "I am a friend,and have come to rescue you."
"I care not for life; a few days of this work will kill me, andthe sooner the better. I have nothing to live for. They killed mywife the other day, and my daughter is a captive in their hands.I thank you, whoever you are, but I will not go."
"We are going to try to save your daughter too," Geoffrey whispered;"we have a plan for carrying you both off."
The words gave new life to the Spaniard. "In that case, sir, I amready. Whoever you are whom God has sent to my aid I will followyou blindly, whatever comes of it."
Geoffrey crawled away a short distance, followed by the Spaniard.As soon as they were well beyond the faint light now given out bythe expiring fire they rose to their feet, and gaining the tracktook their way on the backward road. As soon as they were fairlyaway, Geoffrey explained to the Spaniard who he was, and how hehad undertaken to endeavour to rescue him. The joy and gratitudeof the Spaniard were too deep for words, and he uttered his thanksin broken tones. When they had walked about a mile Geoffrey halted.
"Sit down here," he said. "I have some meat and fruit here and asmall skin of water. We have a long journey before us, for we mustget near the town you left this morning before daybreak, and youmust eat to keep up your strength."
"I did not think," the Spaniard said, "when we arrived at the well,that I could have walked another mile had my life depended uponit. Now I feel a new man, after the fresh hope you have given me.I no longer feel the pain of my bare feet or the blisters the sunhas raised on my naked back. I am struggling now for more thanlife--for my daughter. You shall not find me to fail, sir."
All night they toiled on. The Spaniard kept his promise, and utterlyexhausted as he was, and great as was the pain in his limbs, heldon bravely. With the first dawn of morning they saw the line ofthe sea before them. They now turned off from the track, and inanother half hour the Spaniard took shelter in a clump of bushesin a hollow, while Geoffrey, having left with him the remainderof the supply of provisions and water, pursued his way and reachedthe hut just as the sun was shining in the east, and without havingencountered a single person.
"Well, have you succeeded?" Boldero asked eagerly, as he entered.
"Yes; I have got him away. He is in hiding within a mile of thisplace. He kept on like a hero. I was utterly tired myself, and howhe managed to walk the distance after what he had gone through inthe day is more than I can tell. His name is Mendez. He is a traderin Cadiz, and owns many vessels. He was on his way to Italy, withhis wife and daughter, in one of his own ships, i
n order to gratifythe desire of his wife to visit the holy places at Rome. She waskilled by a cannon shot during the fight, and his whole heart isnow wrapped up in his daughter. And now, Stephen, I must lie downand sleep. You will have to go to work alone today again, and cantruly say that I am still unfit for labour."
Four days later it became known in the little town that a messengerhad arrived from the merchant who bought the slaves from the bey,saying that one of them had made his escape from their first haltingplace.
"The dog will doubtless die in the desert," the merchant wrote;"but if he should find his way down, or you should hear of him asarriving at any of the villages, I pray you to send him up to mewith a guard. I will so treat him that it will be a lesson to myother slaves not to follow his example."
Every evening after dark Geoffrey went out with a supply of foodand water to the fugitive. For a week he had no news to give himas to his daughter; but on the eighth night he said that he andhis companion had that morning been sent by the bey on board thelargest of the coasting vessels in the port, with orders to paintthe cabins and put them in a fit state for the reception of apersonage of importance.
"This is fortunate, indeed," Geoffrey went on. "No doubt she isintended for the transport of your daughter. Her crew consists ofa captain and five men, but at present they are living ashore; andas we shall be going backwards and forwards to her, we ought tohave little difficulty in getting on board and hiding away in thehold before she starts. I think everything promises well for thesuccess of our scheme."
The bey's superintendent came down the next day to see how matterswere going on on board the vessel. The painting was finished thatevening, and the next day two slaves brought down a quantity ofhangings and cushions, which Geoffrey and his companion assistedthe superintendent to hang up and place in order. Provisions andwater had already been taken on board, and they learnt that theparty who were to sail in her would come off early the next morning.
At midnight Geoffrey, Boldero, and the Spaniard came down to thelittle port, embarked in a fisherman's boat moored at the stairs,and noiselessly rowed off to the vessel. They mounted on to herdeck barefooted. Boldero was the last to leave the boat, giving hera vigorous push with his foot in the direction of the shore, fromwhich the vessel was but some forty yards away. They descendedinto the hold, where they remained perfectly quiet until the firstlight of dawn enabled them to see what they were doing, and thenmoved some baskets full of vegetables, and concealed themselvesbehind them.
A quarter of an hour later they heard a boat come alongside, andthe voices of the sailors. Then they heard the creaking of cordageas the sails were let fall in readiness for a start. Half an hourlater another boat came alongside. There was a trampling of feeton the deck above them, and the bey's voice giving orders. A fewminutes later the anchor was raised, there was more talking ondeck, and then they heard a boat push off, and knew by the rustleof water against the planks beside them that the vessel was underway.
The wind was light and the sea perfectly calm, and beyond theslight murmur of the water, those below would not have known thatthe ship was in motion. It was very hot down in the hold, butfortunately the crew had not taken the trouble to put on the hatches,and at times a faint breath of air could be felt below. Geoffreyand his companion talked occasionally in low tones; but the Spaniardwas so absorbed by his anxiety as to the approaching struggle, andthe thought that he might soon clasp his daughter to his arms, thathe seldom spoke.
No plans could be formed as to the course they were to take, forthey could not tell whether those of the crew off duty would retireto sleep in the little forecastle or would lie down on deck. Then,too, they were ignorant as to the number of men who had come onboard with the captive. The overseer had mentioned the day beforethat he was going, and it was probable that three or four otherswould accompany him. Therefore they had to reckon upon ten opponents.Their only weapons were three heavy iron bolts, some two feetlong. These Boldero had purchased in exchange for a few fish, whena prize brought in was broken up as being useless for the purposesof the Moors.
"What I reckon is," he said, "that you and I ought to be able tosettle two apiece of these fellows before they fairly know what ishappening. The Don ought very well to account for another. So thatonly leaves five of them; and five against three are no odds worthspeaking of, especially when the five are woke up by a suddenattack, and ain't sure how many there are against them. I don'texpect much trouble over the affair."
"I don't want to kill more of the poor fellows than I can help,"Geoffrey said.
"No more do I; but you see it's got to be either killing or beingkilled, and I am perfectly certain which I prefer. Still, as yousay, if the beggars are at all reasonable I ain't for hurting them,but the first few we have got to hit hard. When we get matters alittle even, we can speak them fair."
The day passed slowly, and in spite of their bent and cramped positionGeoffrey and Stephen Boldero dozed frequently. The Spaniard neverclosed an eye. He was quite prepared to take his part in thestruggle; and as he was not yet fifty years of age, his assistancewas not to be despised. But the light hearted carelessness ofhis companions, who joked under their breath, and laughed and ateunconcernedly with a life and death struggle against heavy oddsbefore them, surprised him much.
As darkness came on the party below became wakeful. Their time wascoming now, and they had no doubt whatever as to the result. Theirmost formidable opponents would be the men who had come on boardwith the bey's superintendent, as these, no doubt, would be fullyarmed. As for the sailors, they might have arms on board, but thesewould not be ready to hand, and it was really only with the guardsthey would have to deal.
"I tell you what I think would be a good plan, Stephen," Geoffreysaid suddenly. "You see, there is plenty of spare line down here;if we wait until they are all asleep we can go round and tie theirlegs together, or put ropes round their ankles and fasten them toring bolts. If we could manage that without waking them, we mightcapture the craft without shedding any blood, and might get themdown into the hold one after the other."
"I think that is a very good plan," Stephen agreed. "I do not likethe thought of knocking sleeping men on the head any more than youdo; and if we are careful, we might get them all tied up beforean alarm is given. There, the anchor has gone down. I thought verylikely they would not sail at night. That is capital. You may besure that they will be pretty close inshore, and they probably willhave only one man on watch; and as likely as not even one, for theywill not dream of any possible danger."
For another two hours the sound of talk on deck went on, but atlast all became perfectly quiet. The party below waited for anotherhalf hour, and then noiselessly ascended the ladder to the deck,holding in one hand a cudgel, in the other a number of lengths ofline cut about six feet long. Each as he reached the deck lay downflat. The Spaniard had been told to remain perfectly quiet whilethe other two went about their task.
First they crawled aft, for the bey's guards would, they knew,be sleeping at that end, and working together they tied the legsof these men without rousing them. The ropes could not be tightlypulled, as this would at once have disturbed them. They were thereforefastened somewhat in the fashion of manacles, so that although themen might rise to their feet they would fall headlong the momentthey tried to walk. In addition other ropes were fastened to theseand taken from one man to another. Then their swords were drawnfrom the sheaths and their knives from their sashes.
The operation was a long one, as it had to be conducted with thegreatest care and caution. They then crept back to the hatchway andtold the Spaniard that the most formidable enemies had been madesafe.
"Here are a sword and a knife for you, senor; and now as we areall armed I consider the ship as good as won, for the sailors arenot likely to make much resistance by themselves. However, we willsecure some of them. The moon will be up in half an hour, and thatwill be an advantage to us.
The captain and three of the sailors were soon tied up like theothers.
Two men were standing in the bow of the vessel leaningagainst the bulwarks, and when the moon rose it could be seen bytheir attitude that both were asleep.
"Now, we may as well begin," Geoffrey said. "Let us take those twofellows in the bow by surprise. Hold a knife to their throats, andtell them if they utter the least sound we will kill them. Then wewill make them go down into the forecastle and fasten them there."
"I am ready," Stephen said, and they stole forward to the twosleeping men. They grasped them suddenly by the throat and held aknife before their eyes, Boldero telling them in a stern whisperthat if they uttered a cry they would be stabbed to the heart.Paralysed by the sudden attack they did not make the slighteststruggle, but accompanied their unknown assailants to the forecastleand were there fastened in. Joined now by the Spaniard, Geoffreyand his companion went aft and roused one of the sleepers therewith a threat similar to that which had silenced the sailors.
He was, however, a man of different stuff. He gave a loud shout andgrappled with Boldero, who struck him a heavy blow with his fist inthe face, and this for a moment silenced him; but the alarm beinggiven, the superintendent and the two men struggled to their feet,only however to fall prostrate as soon as they tried to walk.
"Lie quiet and keep silence!" Boldero shouted in a threateningvoice.
"You are unarmed and at our mercy. Your feet are bound and you areperfectly helpless. We do not wish to take your lives, but unlessyou are quiet we shall be compelled to do so."
The men had discovered by this time that their arms had gone, andwere utterly disconcerted by the heavy and unexpected fall theyhad just had. Feeling that they were indeed at the mercy of theircaptors, they lay quiet.
"Now then," Boldero went on, "one at a time. Keep quiet, you rascalsthere!" he broke off shouting to the sailors who were rolling andtumbling on the deck forward, "or I will cut all your throats foryou. Now then, Geoffrey, do you and the senor cut the rope thatfastens that man on the port side to his comrades. March him tothe hatchway and make him go down into the hold. Keep your knivesready and kill him at once if he offers the slightest resistance."
One by one the superintendent, the three guards, the captain andsailors were all made to descend into the hold, and the hatcheswere put over it and fastened down.
"Now, senor," Geoffrey said, "we can spare you."
The Spaniard hurried to the cabin, opened the door, and calledout his daughter's name. There was a scream of delight within asDolores Mendez, who had been awakened by the tumult, recognized herfather's voice, and leaping up from her couch threw herself intohis arms. Geoffrey and his companion now opened the door of theforecastle and called the two sailors out.
"Now," Boldero said, "if you want to save your lives you have got toobey our orders. First of all fall to work and get up the anchor,and then shake out the sails again. I will take the helm, Geoffrey,and do you keep your eye on these two fellows. There is no fear oftheir playing any tricks now that they see they are alone on deck,but they might, if your back were turned, unfasten the hatches.However, I do not think we need fear trouble that way, as for aughtthey know we may have cut the throats of all the others."
A few minutes later the vessel was moving slowly through the waterwith her head to the northwest.
"We must be out of sight of land if we can by the morning," Stephensaid, when Geoffrey two hours later came to take his place at thehelm; "at any rate until we have passed the place we started from.Once beyond that it does not matter much; but it will be best eitherto keep out of sight of land altogether, or else to sail prettyclose to it, so that they can see the boat is one of their owncraft. We can choose which we will do when we see which way thebreeze sets in in the morning."
It came strongly from the south, and they therefore determined tosail direct for Carthagena.