CHAPTER XVIII
AT DEAD OF NIGHT
Consciousness flowed back upon me slowly, and I emerged in pain and inintense bewilderment from my swoon. The first sound that came to me inmy awakening was the terrific roar of the water against the side of theyacht, the next a woman's scream. Recalling now the incidents exactlypreceding my fall, I stirred and endeavoured to sit up, and then I wasaware of being pinned down by a weight. It was, as will be remembered,pitch dark, but I put out my hand and felt the beating of a heart.There was also unmistakably a woman's bodice under my fingers. It wasPrincess Alix, who had fallen with me.
But what had happened? And what noise was screaming through the night,even above all that awful tumult of waste water and wild wind? Ianswered the second query first. It was Mademoiselle. Well, she couldwait. My first concern must be for the Princess, who lay upon me a deadweight, but, as I knew, a living, breathing body. I carefullyextricated myself and raised her. The yacht was stooping at an angle,and I was forced back against the wall with my burden. If it had beenonly light and I had known which way to move! I laid the Princess onthe couch, which I discovered by groping, and tried to open the door.It was jammed. Then it dawned upon me that the screw had stopped. Thenoise of its beating was not among the many noises I heard. If it hadstopped, only one thing could have happened. The _Sea Queen_ must beashore. That was the explanation. We had struck.
I was now the more anxious, as you may conceive, to get out of thecabin, for if we had struck it was essential to know how we stood andwhat degree of risk we ran. For all I knew, the yacht might be sinkingat that moment or breaking up upon rocks. Finding egress through thedoor impossible, I made my way with difficulty to the other side of the_boudoir_, where I knew there was a communication with the bedrooms.This door stood open, as it had been flung by the shock, and I was nowable to locate the sounds of the screaming. They came from the cabinbeyond, which I knew to be Mademoiselle's. I guided myself as well as Icould to the door giving access to the corridor and unlocked it. As Idid so a speck of light gleamed in the darkness and arrested me. Itenlarged and emerged upon me till it took the shape of a candle, andunderneath it I beheld the capable face of the French maid Juliette.
"It is necessary I should have something to quiet Mademoiselle,monsieur," said she in her tranquil way.
"I am in search of something now for the Princess, Juliette," Iexplained. "Thank God for your light. How did you get it?"
"I always have a candle with me when I travel, Monsieur," she replied.She was the most sensible woman I had ever met, and I could haveembraced her.
"The yacht has gone aground," I said. "I will find out how much damagehas been done. I will bring back what is necessary. The Princess liesin there. See to her."
With that I left her and stepped into the corridor. Like the cabins, itwas opaque with the night, but I groped my way across it withouthearing any sounds of living people--only that terrible turmoil ofwaters without. I knew where my bag was. It was in the small cabinwhich the Prince used as his smoking-room, and in which we hadsometimes played cards to pass the time during those days of anxietyand trouble. The first door I opened seemed to give me access to theopen sea. The wind ramped in my face, and would have thrown me back,and I was drenched with a cascade of water. I thought I must haveopened the door to the deck until I remembered that that had beendestroyed in the fight. I put out a hand, and it touched a piece offurniture, and then once again the sea broke over me. There could be noother solution of the puzzle than this--that the outer wall of thecabin had been carried away. I judged that I was in the Prince's room.
I retraced my way, opening the door with difficulty, and, once more inthe shelter of the corridor, felt my way along the railing. Thereseemed to be a foot of water about my legs, and it was icy chill. Thenext handle I hit upon I turned as before, and the door came back uponme with a rush, almost sending me headlong. I entered the cabin, and bydint of groping I reached the upholstered couch at the back. My bag wasnot where I had left it, but it could not be far away. The salt waterflowed and oozed on the floor, but I dropped to my knees and hunted forit, and was at last rewarded by finding it jammed into a corner under acupboard. Getting back into the corridor, I had now to determinewhether to return at once to the Princess or to go in search of news.
I stood wavering, reluctant to leave her in her swoon all untended, andyet conscious that it would be wiser to ascertain the extent of ourdamages. Happily the decision was not forced upon me, for I saw in thedistance a swinging lantern, which seemed to be advancing towards medown the corridor. I shouted, and the dim figure behind it stopped andturned the light upon me.
"You, Phillimore?"
It was Barraclough's voice. "What has happened?" I asked.
"Struck on a reef," he roared back. "She's tight yet, I think. Butwhere are the ladies?"
"Let me have your lantern and I'll take you to them," said I, and,thanking Providence for that signal mercy, I crossed the corridor withhim. The lantern shed a benign light upon the wreck of the _boudoir_.The Princess lay where I had left her; but her eyes were open, and Imade use of my flask of cognac with beneficial results. Then I wasplucked by the arm, and Barraclough claimed my attention.
"Mademoiselle Trebizond is ill," he called. "Give her something. Youmust see to her."
Of course that was my duty, and I took such steps as seemed necessaryfor one of so neurotic a nature.
"She is all right," I explained. "If the ship's in no danger just nowthey are best here. The maid has a candle."
I returned to Princess Alix and found her recovered, and I bade her beof good cheer, shouting (for it was always shouting) that we had defiedthe mutineers successfully, and that we should also successfully defythe elements. Then I went back, for I had other work to do.
Barraclough informed me that the Prince had been taken to the musicsaloon, and Lane also was there. I therefore joined the relics of ourcompany in that devastated chamber, and did what my skill availed to dofor the injured. The Prince had been struck on the head and in thebody, but the marks were not very apparent. He breathed heavily, buthad still his old air of authority. Lane bubbled over with alternatefumes of petulance and passion; but he had his excuse, as he wassuffering a great deal of pain. Ellison, too, wounded as he was, haddragged himself from his temporary hospital to the music-room. But oneof Legrand's men had vanished, and it was supposed he had goneoverboard in one of the great tides of sea that swept over the yacht.Legrand had ventured on deck, and clinging to the railings, hadendeavoured to get some notion of the position of things. But he hadseen and heard nothing beyond the storm.
"She's firm so far," he shouted in my ears, "and the night's clearing.I can see a star."
"The Star of Hope," I answered.
He shrugged his shoulders. "They may be at the pumps. But the sea'smoderating and the wind's dropping. We shall know presently."
Something was now drawing me irresistibly back to the Princess. Myheart pined for the sight of her and the assurance that she hadsuffered no injury. I grew restless at the inaction, and, weary andbruised as I was, I think passion gave me wings and endurance. I leftthe music saloon and emerged into the lobby where the stairs went downto the saloon below. The sea was breaking through the shattered door onthe one side, but on the lee the _Sea Queen_ was tilted upwards, and itwas there she lay in irons, no doubt upon some rocks, or shores. Ifonly the day would dawn! As I stood awhile, before entering thecorridor through another shattered doorway, the glimmer of a lightcaught my eye. It came from the door upon the farther side of thelobby, seeming to shine through the keyhole. As I watched, the dooropened and let in a blast of wind that shook the broken woodwork; italso let in the figure of a man, and that man, seen dimly in the shadesof the light he carried, was Holgate. I drew myself up into thefastness of the gloom and stared at him. He had turned the shutter inhis lantern now, for it was a bull's-eye, and the darkness was oncemore universal, but I had a feeling that he had a companion, andalthough I necessarily lost
sight of Holgate I was assured in myselfthat he had descended the stairway. Any noise his heavy feet might makewould be absorbed into the general racket of the night. I stood andwondered. What was Holgate's object in this silent expedition?
I confess my curiosity rose high--to a pitch, indeed, at which it mightnot be denied. A surmise sprang into my mind, but I hardly allowed ittime to formulate, for not a minute after the recognition I, too, wason my way down the stairs. It was comparatively easy to descend, for,as I have said, there was no danger of discovery from noise, and I hadthe balustrade under my hand. When I had reached the floor below Icaught the gleam of the lantern in the distance, and I pursued it downone of the passages. This pursuit took me past the cabins towards thekitchen; and then I came to an abrupt pause, for the lantern, too, hadstopped.
I could make out Holgate's bulky form and the light flashing on thewalls, and now, too, I found that my senses had not deceived me, andthat there was a second man. He stood in the shadow, so that I couldnot identify him; and both men were peering into an open door.
My position in the passage began to assume a perilous character, and Imade investigations in my neighbourhood. Near me was the door of acabin, which I opened without difficulty and entered. Now, by puttingout my head, I could see the mutineers, while I had a refuge in theevent of their turning back. They were still bent forwards, peeringinto the room. I thought that, with good luck, I might venture fartherwhile they were so engrossed with their occupation. So, leaving myhiding-place, I stole forwards boldly to the next cabin and entered itas I had entered the former. I was now quite close to them, andsuddenly I saw who was Holgate's companion. It was Pye.
With equal celerity did my brain take in the situation and interpretit. Indeed, I should have guessed at it long before, I think, had notthe events of the night thrown me into a state of confusion. It was thetreasure they looked at, and this was where Pye had concealed it. Asthis truth came home to me Holgate lifted his head and I drew back,setting the cabin door ajar. Presently after the bull's-eye flashedthrough the crack of the door, and stayed there. For a moment I thoughtall was up, and that my retreat had been discovered, but I was soonreassured. The noise of the water had fallen, and above it, or ratherthrough it, I could hear Holgate's voice fatly decisive.
"She'll hold, I tell you, for twenty-four hours at any rate, evenwithout pumps. Hang it, man, do you suppose I can take the risk now?They're sick enough as it is--all blood and no money. We must let itlie for a bit and take our opportunity."
Pye's voice followed; I could not hear what he said, but Holgate's wasin answer and coldly impatient.
"You've the stomach of a nursery governess. Good heavens, to run inharness with you! What the deuce do I know? We're cast away, that'scertain. But I will be hanged if I lose what I've played for, Mr. Pye;so put that in your pipe."
The light went out and the voice faded. Presently I opened the door andlooked out upon profound darkness.
I knew my way about the yacht by that time, and was not discomposed bythe situation. The mutineer and his treacherous confederate were gone,and I must make the best of my time to follow them. Nothing could beeffected without a light, and I had no means of procuring one in thosenether regions. I retraced my way more or less by instinct until I cameout at the foot of the stairway, and knew it was easy to regain theupper regions. Instead of going to the _boudoir_, I sought the group inthe music-room, and was challenged by Barraclough.
"Who's that?"
"Phillimore," I answered. "We must have more light. Have we no morelanterns?"
"Yes, sir," said Ellison's cheerful voice. "There's some in thesteward's room."
"Good for you," said I. "If some one will give me matches I think I'llgo on a hunt."
The other sailor produced a box of vestas from his pocket, and as hewas unwounded I took him with me on my return journey. In the steward'sroom we found several lanterns, as well as some bottles of beer andsome cold fowl. We made a selection from this and got safely back toour friends. Here we lit two or three of the lanterns, and I openedsome of the beer and left them to a repast. You will be thinking that Ihad not kept my word, and had neglected what should have been my primeduty. I had not forgotten, however. Was it likely? And I made haste atonce to the quarters of the ladies, taking with me something whichshould make me welcome--which was a lighted lantern. Princess Alix wasquite recovered, but showed great anxiety for news of her brother. Iwas able to quiet her fears by describing the supper at which I hadleft him, and her eyes brightened.
"He is so good and brave!" she said simply. "He is so noble! He hasalways thought of others."
That the Prince was fond of his sister was manifest, and it was patent,too, that he was attached to the woman for whom he had thrown all awayand was thus imperilled. Yet I should not have attributed to himinordinate unselfishness. I made no reply, however, beyond urging herto follow her brother's example and fortify herself with food. Shewaved it aside.
"No, no, I am not hungry! I am only anxious," she said. "Tell me, arewe safe?"
"For the present," I said. "I gather that most of the mutineers are atthe pumps."
"Then we are sinking?" she cried.
"It does not follow," I answered. "Holgate has his own hand to play,and he will play it. We are safe just now. God answered your prayers,Princess."
She looked me earnestly in the face and sighed.
"Yes," she said softly.
Meanwhile I discovered that Mademoiselle had picked up her spirits. Shecomplained of the noise, of the darkness, and of the lack of sleep, butshe found some compensations, now that it was clear that we were notgoing to the bottom.
"It was magnificent, Monsieur, that storm!" she exclaimed. "I could seethe demons raging in it. Oh, _ciel_! It was like the terrors of the ErlKoenig, yes. But what have you there, doctor? Oh, it is beer, Englishbeer. I am tired of champagne. Give me some beer. I love the bocks. Itcalls to mind the boulevards. Oh, the boulevards, that I shall not see,never, never in my life!"
I consoled her, comforting her with the assurance that we were nearerthe boulevards now than we had been a few hours ago, which in a way wastrue enough. She inquired after the Prince pleasantly, also afterBarraclough, and asked with cheerful curiosity when we were going toland.
I said I hoped it would be soon, but she was content with her new toy,which was English bottled ale, and I left her eating daintily andsipping the foam from her toilette glass with satisfaction. I returnedto the music-room and joined the company; and, after a little, silencefell upon us, and I found myself drift into the slumber of the weary.
I awoke with the grey dawn streaming in by the shattered skylights,and, sitting up, looked about me. My companions were all wrapped inslumber, Lane tossing restlessly with the pain of his wound. I walkedto the door and looked out. The sea had gone down, and now lapped andwashed along the sides of the _Sea Queen_. The sky was clear, and farin the east were the banners of the morning. The gentle air of the dawnwas grateful to my flesh and stimulated my lungs. I opened my chest todraw it in, and then, recrossing the lobby, I peered out through thewindows on the port side. The dim loom of land saluted my eyes, andnearer still a precipice of rocks, by which the seafowl were screaming.We had gone ashore on some sort of island.
This discovery relieved one of the anxieties that had weighed upon me.At last we had a refuge not only from the violence and treachery of theocean, but also from the murderous ruffians who had possession of theyacht. It was, therefore, with a lighter heart that I descended intothe cabins and made my way along the passage to the point where I hadseen Holgate and Pye stop. I identified the door which they had opened,and after a little manoeuvring I succeeded in getting it open. It wasthe cook's pantry in which I now found myself, and I proceeded toexamine carefully every drawer and every cupboard by the meagre lightof the dawn. I had not been at work ten minutes before I came upon thecontents of the safes, safely stowed in a locker. Well, if thedocuments and gold could be shifted once they could be shifted again;and fo
rthwith I set about the job. It pleased me (I know not why) tochoose no other place than Pye's cabin in which to rehide them. I thinkthe irony of the choice decided me upon it, and also it was scarcelylikely that Holgate and his accomplice would think of looking for thetreasure in the latter's room.
It took me quite an hour to make the transfer, during which time I wasnot interrupted by any alarm. Whatever Holgate and his men were doing,they evidently did not deem that there was any center of interest inthe saloon cabins at that moment. My task accomplished, I returned tothe music-room, in which the wounded men still slept restlessly. Ioccupied my time in preparing a meal, and I took a strong glass ofwhisky and water, for my strength was beginning to ebb. I had enduredmuch and fought hard, and had slept but little. As I stood looking downon my companions, I was aware of a grey shadow that the slendersunlight cast as a ghost upon the wall. I turned and saw the Princess.
She was clad as for a journey, and warmly against the cold, and herface was pale and anxious.
"You are astir, Dr. Phillimore," she said.
"Yes," said I. "I could not sleep."
"Nor I," she returned with a sigh. "I sometimes feel that I shall neversleep again. The sound of the storm and the noises of the fight--theoaths--the cries--they are forever beating in my brain."
"They will pass," I replied encouragingly. "I do believe we aredestined to safety. Look forth there and you will see the morning mistson the island."
"Yes," she assented. "I saw that we had struck on an island, and thatis why I am here. Our chance is given us, Dr. Phillimore. We must go."
I looked doubtfully at the sleeping men.
"Yes, yes, I know, but my brother will be more reasonable now," shepursued; "he will see things in another light. He has done all forhonour that honour calls for."
"He has done too much," said I somewhat bitterly, for I realised howgreatly he had imperilled his sister.
She made no answer to that, but approached and looked down at thePrince, who lay with his head pillowed on the cushioned seat.
"He is well enough?" she asked.
"He is well enough to leave the yacht if he will consent," I answered.
Perhaps it was the sound of our voices, though we had both pitched themlow. At any rate, Prince Frederic stirred and sat up slowly.
"Good-morning, Alix," he said affectionately, and his eyes alighted onme, as if wondering.
The Princess went forward and embraced him. "Dr. Phillimore has kindlygot breakfast for you," she said. "You must eat, Frederic, for we aregoing to leave the yacht this morning."
She spoke decisively, as if she had taken control of affairs out of hishands, and he smiled back.
"Are those your orders, Alix? You were always wilful from a child."
"No, no," she cried, smiling too, "I always obeyed your orders,Frederic. It was you who were hero to me, not Karl or Wilhelm--onlyyou."
He patted her hand and glanced at the food I had obtained. "We owe toDr. Phillimore a debt of gratitude," he said in his friendliest manner.The talking had disturbed Barraclough also, who now awoke and salutedus. He made no difficulty of beginning at once on his breakfast,cracking a joke at my expense. It was a strangely pacific gatheringafter the terrible night; but I suppose we were all too worn to takethings in duly.
There is a limit to the power of facts to make impressions on one'ssenses, and I think we had reached it. For the most part we were justanimals with an appetite. But there was my news, and I hastened tobreak it. It was not startling, but it had an interest for us all. ThePrince deliberated.
"It is fate," he said slowly. "It is the luck of the Hochburgers."
Barraclough's comment was from a different aspect. "That's a trick tous. We've a shot in the locker yet."
"What is it you mean?" asked the Prince.
"Why, that we can drive a bargain with them," replied Barraclough."We've got the whip-hand."
"There shall no bargain be made with murderers," said the Prince in hisdeep voice.
"Frederic," said Princess Alix in a quick, impulsive way, "let usescape while there is time. The way is clear now. We can get to theisland and be quit forever of those dreadful men and horrible scenes."
The Prince let his glance fall on her. "There is something to be donehere," he said at last. "The luck of the Hochburgers holds."
He was ill for certain; perhaps he was more than ill; but at thatmoment I had no patience with him. I turned on my heel and left theroom.