CHAPTER XIII
THE FOG
My watch ended at ten o'clock, and I went direct to my cabin. I was alight sleeper, and could depend upon awaking at the slightest sound.Thus I had no fear that I should be wanting in an emergency, quiteapart from the fact that the steward was stationed at the opening intothe saloon with strict orders.
I suppose it must have been three hours later that I sat up in my bunkwith a consciousness that something was wrong. I listened, but I couldhear no sound, and I rose to my feet, seizing my revolver. Then Iunderstood. It was precisely that there was no sound, or rather thatsounds had dwindled, that I awoke. The screw had stopped. I opened thedoor and went along the passage towards the saloon. Grant was at thefoot of the stairs, and I hailed him.
"No, sir, I don't know, sir," he answered me in respect of myquestions.
Well, one had to find out at any cost, and I ran up the stairs and gotaccess to the corridor of the state-rooms. Here were gathered thePrince, Barraclough, Lane, and the quartermaster.
"I believe he's been on the P.S.N.C," Lane was saying as I came up. "Heought to be able to pull her through."
"The question is, does he want to?" asked Barraclough grimly.
"Good heavens, who wants to lock his ship in these accursed bilboes?"cried the purser. "It's enough to freeze one's hair stiff. Can you seeanything?"
For answer, Barraclough threw open the door that led upon the deck, andit was as if a vent had yawned in the night. It was pitch black, and,what was worse, banks of fog rolled along the thwarts. Lane drew back astep, and shivered.
"Oh! my uncle!" he exclaimed.
"You do not see any sign of them?" inquired the Prince imperturbably.
Barraclough shook his head. "If they're coming they'll have their workcut out to find their way," he said.
"Oh, let 'em all come this weather," said Lane agreeably. "'I wish I'dbought ducks'--I mean fires."
He was shivering continuously and I pushed him back. "Don't be a fool,"said I. "We want all hands in good form during the next four-and-twentyhours."
I peered out of the door, but the screen of sea fog shut off the view;it was as if I gazed at a blank wall, and the cold was intense.
"What do you guess has happened?" I asked Barraclough.
"He's got her in a narrow gut somewhere and is frightened. I've onlybeen through here twice in my life, and in both cases it was broaddaylight. This is where they melt fogs for the world. Oh, hang it,let's have the door shut."
He shut it as he spoke, and I looked round. The Prince sat on a sofaand waited. Lane blew on his fingers and whistled. Ellison stood, therespectful seaman as ever.
"They've been kind about the electric light," observed Barraclough,with a grin at me.
I said nothing, for there was nothing I could rejoin in thecircumstances. I retraced my way to the door and opened it.
"Oh! confound it all!" roared Barraclough, as the fog rolled in. "Don'tyou see the ladies are here?"
I turned back, but only Princess Alix was visible. She moved white andtall under the lights. I shut the door again.
"Why has the yacht stopped, Frederic?" she asked her brother.
"The fog," he answered, with a gesture towards the door.
She looked towards us, her upper lip lifted in a charming excitementand the colour flying in her cheeks. Then she came forward swiftly,and, even as she did so, the _Sea Queen_ heeled over, rolling andtrembling from her copper sheathing upwards. The shock sent me againstthe wall, and Barraclough also staggered. Princess Alix in her flightwas precipitated forward and ran upon me. She put up her handsinstinctively to save herself, but in the rush she gathered momentum,and swung across the dozen paces between where she had been and thedoor with the speed of an arrow discharged in the air. Her palms struckthe woodwork with a resounding slap, but the full force of her sweetbody fell on me. For one instant I held her in my arms quite closely,her breath upon my face.
"Are you hurt, Princess?" I gasped.
"Oh! my hands!" she cried pitifully, and then ceased suddenly. Shewithdrew a little. "They sting," she said, also breathlessly. "Butyou--you must be injured."
"I am a little out of breath," I answered, "but I was never better inmy life." I cannot say why I blurted this forth. Somehow I was beyondmyself.
"She has struck!" cried Barraclough.
The _Sea Queen_ righted herself slowly.
"I can't stand this," I said. "I'm going to find out."
I glanced at the Princess, but she stood clinging to the wall, herbosom heaving, her eyes on Barraclough. I opened the door, and,stepping out, closed it again behind me. I was determined to find outwhat had happened.
After all, it was not a very hazardous enterprise. Holgate had shown nodisposition to take advantage of my visits to the forecastle, and itwas pretty clear that no attack was possible at the moment.Nevertheless, I will confess that I experienced a little elation infeeling my way through the dense darkness along the saloon. It is notalways possible to analyse one's feelings, but I think afterwards (notat the time) I connected this mood with the Princess. I had held her inmy arms, her face to mine, and I was suddenly exalted to be capable ofgreat things. There was nothing I would not have dared then, no dangerfrom which I would have shrunk, no risk I would not have taken, howeverfoolhardy. In a sense I walked on air; I was lunatic; and all because Ihad held for an instant of time an adorable woman in my arms with noconsent of hers. I believe now (and I hope it will not be countedagainst me) that it was with a little swagger I opened the door andstepped forth into the rolling fog.
The _Sea Queen_ stirred a little as if to show she still lived, butthere was no motion perceptible. I had buttoned up my coat round myneck, but even so the mists from the ice-clad hills on either side ofthe passage bit hard into me. I groped to the chart-house and thenpaused. A twinkle of light was visible ahead and aloft. It was thebridge. I launched myself suddenly into the vacancy before me, and wentlike hoodman blind with arms outstretched towards the railing. I struckan iron pillar, and guiding myself from it to another, reached at lastthe foot of the ladder that ran up. This I mounted very deliberatelyand carefully until I had come to the bridge itself, where a dull lightburned by the binnacle. Instantly I was taken by the throat.
I struggled with my assailant at a disadvantage, as I was unable toreach his face, owing to his superior grip of me; but I managed to geta leg at the back of his, and though the pressure on my windpipe wasterrible, and I felt that I was weakening fast, I threw him backagainst the railings. As I did so a light was thrust into my face, andI heard Holgate's voice.
"It's the doctor. All right, Pierce. Hands off, man."
Even as he spoke my antagonist loosened his hold, and I drew off, therelaxed artery jumping in my throat painfully.
"By thunder, doctor, you were near gone," went on Holgate in hisruminating voice. "Pierce don't take his fingers off no more than abull-dog when he has once caught on. Lucky I had a suspicion of you. Ithought no one would be such a fool as to venture save you. Glad to seeyou as always, if unexpectedly. Any news?"
He lighted a cigar as he spoke, and the fog was roseate about his head.I recovered my breath as best I might.
"As you are reserving us--Holgate, for a destiny of your own," Ipanted, "and we are not--particularly anxious to anticipate it--thoughtI would find out--if we are going down."
He laughed fatly. "I like you, doctor. Upon my soul I do. It's a realpity we couldn't have hit it off. No; you can sleep calmly. There's nogoing down; well, not yet. I've been through these Straits a score oftimes, and in all weathers, and I've learned this much, that a fogspells the red flag. That's all, Dr. Phillimore. She's got no more thansteering way on her, and I'll pull her up presently."
"Well," said I. "I suppose it matters nothing to us, but a wreck is afrightening matter this weather."
He seemed to be studying me, and then laughed. "All serene. If you havemade up your mind to your fate there's nothing to be said. But I'm incharge here, and not Sir
John Barraclough. I suppose he has some use,but I've not made it out up till now."
"Holgate," said I suddenly, "this vessel's in your hands till she's outof the Straits, if she's ever out. I don't deny it. But I should like alittle further light on destiny, so to speak. You reckon you can takethe safes. What more do you want?"
"Nothing in the world, my lad," he said comfortably. "You've hit it.Nothing in the wide, wide world."
"Rubbish!" said I sharply. "Does any one suppose you're going to turnloose witnesses against you?"
He took the cigar from his mouth, and, though I could not discern hisface in the fog, I knew its expression.
"Well, now, that's a new idea, and not a bad idea," he said equably."Of course I should be running a risk, shouldn't I? But what's to bedone in conflict with a temperament like mine? I can't help myself.Take your oath on one thing, doctor, and that is I'll die game. If therespectable folk whom I take pity on and land somewhere--somewherenice--turn on me, why, I'll die game. But of course they won't. Youknow they won't, doctor."
This question was not worth answering: indeed, I knew it was not meantfor an answer; it was a palpable gibe. I held my tongue, but now I knewI should get no information out of this soft-voiced ruffian until itsuited him to give it. Our fate was still a mystery--if we were beatenin the struggle that was imminent, and I could not flatter myself withhopes of our victory.
I bade him good-night, for there was no reason to dispense withceremonies; we were still enjoying our armed truce. But I had got nofarther than the ladder when he hailed me through the gloom.
"I've pitched her to, now, doctor. You can sleep like a babe, and thePrincess too."
I stopped--I knew not why; perhaps I had still a faint hope ofdiscovering something.
"That means you will attack," I said calmly.
His figure loomed out upon me in the fog, the red cigar end burningin his mouth. "You don't mean that, my lad," said he, in an easy,affectionate tone. "I'm Lancashire born and Lancashire bred, and I'mshrewd enough to know a bit. You don't mean that, bless you. Look yehere, doctor; go and take your rest, and pray God to deliver you fromyour folly. A foolish man you were and that you be. You'll die that, mylad, I fear. Yet I would give you another chance. I liked you when Isat opposite to you in the tavern there."
"Ah, Holgate," said I, sighing deeply. "How many weary years ago, andyour doing!"
I admit that this was theatrical; it was designed as such, and as alast appeal. I was afraid of that man, and that is the truth. I drew abow at a venture. From the change in the position of the burning edge Igathered that he took his cigar out of his mouth. He was perceptiblysilent for a time. Then the light went back.
"Well, you'll have a sound sleep if you take my advice," he said in hisnormal tones.
"And then ... a sounder," I said lightly.
"You always take too much for granted, doctor," he replied, laughing."By the Lord, I wish I had your forward mind."
"You shall have anything you like of mine directly," I said flippantly,and began the descent of the ladder.
I was conscious that he leaned over the barrier of the bridge watchingme, for I saw the point of his cigar, but that was soon swallowed up inthe darkness, and I saw nothing more. The cold was so intense that myfingers had grown numb as I talked with Holgate, and I could hardlyfeel the iron; moreover, my feet were like lumps of ice and seemed torest on nothing as they met the rungs. This, I imagine, was the reasonof my mishap. At any rate, I missed a rung, lost my catch, and tumbledheavily down the last three or four steps, falling, to my surprise, notupon the hard deck, but upon some warmer, softer body. Rememberingvividly and painfully my struggle with Pierce, I was on my guard, andgrabbed the man that lay under me.
"For heaven's sake--" he gasped. "It's me--it's Pye."
I was astounded, and relaxed my hold! What was the little craven clerkdoing there at this time of night, and in such weather?
"What----" I began, when he uttered an exclamation of terror, as itseemed.
"Dr. Phillimore!"
"That is so," I answered. "What on earth are you doing here?"
There was almost a whimper in his voice as he replied:
"The fog, doctor. I was foolish enough to wander out on the deck, and Ilost my way. I've been straying about for twenty minutes or more. Icouldn't find the door again."
"Well, you won't in this direction," I assured him. "This part of thecountry belongs to the enemy. You've strayed afield, my friend, so, ifyou'll give me your arm, I'll do my best to put you straight."
He thanked me, and did as I asked him, but, as I thought, somewhattimorously. His hand rested nervously inside my arm, as if he wouldhave withdrawn it and fled at a moment's notice. And so we stumbledalong the deck together to the state cabins.
I gave the signal on the door, and we were admitted by Ellison. Therewas no one else in the corridor except Lane at the farther end, and, tomy surprise, the Princess. She was seated on a couch under the electriclight, reading, clad in a long and flowing morning-gown. Her hand withthe book had dropped a little as we entered, and her eyes sought us.
"There will be no alarm to-night, Ellison," I said on the spur of themoment, and I caught the Princess's eye. She rose, shut her book, andcame towards us.
"You have come back safely," she said in a quick way.
"The fog was the only danger," I answered. "And it nearly did for Mr.Pye. You may confide your head to the pillow with a security to-night,Miss Morland. To-night Mr. Holgate is a sailor."
She did not seem to understand.
"His care is his ship to-night," I explained.
"You have placed us in your debt," she said. "I do not think my brotherknows how much we are indebted to you."
I looked at Pye. The praise was pleasant on her lips, but I felt alittle embarrassed. The clerk's eyes were fastened on the Princess Alixwith a certain definite avidity of gaze. It was as if some strangeanimal had suddenly stiffened at the sight of prey and was watchinggreedily. The look repelled me; it struck horror to my marrow. I couldhave seized him, shaken his miserable little bones and thrown him intoa weeping, cowardly heap on the floor. But as I looked his gaze cameround to me, and behold! it was only the feeble watery eyes behind thegold-rimmed spectacles that I saw. With a bow to the Princess Iproceeded on my way to give my report to her brother.