CHAPTER XXI
"WHAT THE NIGHT HELD"
"Oh--h, take me back to the cabin!" moaned Pola.
"I guess we might as well," muttered Mart. Their matches had been longsince exhausted; they had been of little avail for the one ship's lighton the boat was without oil.
One on each side of her, Mart and Sidney helped Pola down into thecabin. The boat was rolling heavily now in the rough sea, each lift anddrop sending terror to the three young hearts. In the blackness of thenight the waves looked mountain high. Even Mart was glad to shut themfrom view.
"If--if we're going to drown I'd rather drown in--a--room," gaspedPola, clinging to Sidney and burying her face in Sidney's shoulder.
It seemed to the girls as though months had passed since Lav hadplunged to what they felt certain was his death. The _Arabella_ hadtossed about on the roughening water like some wild thing, her oldtimbers creaking and groaning under their new living. Just at firstSidney and Mart had been too concerned in quieting the panic-strickenPola to face their danger; not until Pola had exhausted herself didthey think of their possible fate.
Unless Lav succeeded in reaching the beach and giving an alarm, theymight toss about for days or be dashed to pieces on some reef. Or,worse fate, Jed Starrow and his gang might find the boat and--
"Wh-at are you thinking about, Mart?" whispered Sidney after a longtime of silence, broken only by the howling of the wind and thepounding of the water. "Let's talk--and then we can't hear--"
"Don't be afraid, Sidney," Mart spoke calmly. "You sort o' belong tothe Cape and we Cape folks don't think anything of drowning. We sort ofexpect to, sometime--" But here her voice broke with a tremble. "I--Iwas thinking of gran'ma. I wish I'd been better to her. I talk back toher lots of times when I shouldn't."
"But you _are_ good to her, Mart. And--_I_ was thinking of Aunt Achsa.I shouldn't have deceived her--about coming out here. I fooled myselfinto thinking that even a lie didn't matter considering what we weretrying to do. But the honor of Cape Cod isn't worth anything happeningto Lav. And if anything does happen there won't be anyone to tell aboutJed Starrow, anyway! Oh, Mart, I can't bear to _think_ about Lav. Whydid we let him do it? Dear old Lav. I've been mean to him, too. Headores poetry and I--I never even told him that my father was a poetand that I know lots and lots of poems and--and--that I've written mosta book myself."
"Honest, Sid, was your father a poet? And you can write it yourself?Gee," softly. "I wish I could do something like that. I'd rather belike that than anything else. I just pretend that I hate school andbooks and such things--it's because I had to stop going to school tostay with gran'ma that I've put on that I didn't have any use for it.Even when I was sort of laughing at you, Sid, down in my heart I wasfeeling aw'fly proud that you'd want to fool 'round with anyone likeme--I'll _always_ be proud."
"Oh, Mart--" Sidney faltered. "I wish I could put into words what Mr.Dugald taught me when I first came here. That it's the big insidethings that really count. He told me so's I'd see Aunt Achsa and Lav asthey really are. And, Mart, your giving up school to take care of yourgrandmother is a big thing, a real thing! You don't want to forget it."
"Oh, I'm--I'm--sick!" broke in Pola.
"Sit up straight and talk and you won't think about it," commandedMart, so sternly that Pola straightened, her white face wan in thedarkness.
"I don't see how you _can_ talk when you're--may be--going--to die!"
"Well, talking helps you more than crying."
"But I--I don't _want_ to--die."
"Who does?" retorted Mart roughly. Nevertheless, touched by Pola'shelplessness, she found Pola's hand and held it close in hers. "Butlet's face whatever happens with our heads up!"
"To the wind," breathed Sidney, shivering.
"I--I just can't be brave like you two. I--I'm an awful coward. I can'thelp it. I've always been afraid to even try to swim. I'm afraid oflots of things. Oh, I'm afraid to--to--"
Sidney caught Pola's other hand.
"Don't say it, Pola. Maybe someone will find us. And probably you can'thelp feeling afraid."
Mart suddenly remembered the cookies she had brought. She found themwhere she had hidden them at the back of one of the bunks.
"Here, eat a cookie and you'll forget things. I'm hungry, aren't you,too?"
Pola ate with nervous greed. Sidney bit off a piece but found it dry inher mouth. She was thinking of her sisters and the safety of the dearold house; as vividly as though it hung in a picture before her eyesshe saw the little circle around the dining room table, the embroideredsquare of Indian cloth, the green shaded lamp, Issy's books and Trude'ssewing, Vick's sketching things, the girls at their beloved tasks--andher chair empty! Oh, what if she never sat again in that dear circle?Her heart broke in an agony of longing for Trude.
A sudden thought roused Pola to a feeble show of spirit.
"If I had known how to swim we'd all be ashore now! And you two stayedwith me! I--I don't believe I'm worth that, girls." She spoke withgloomy conviction.
But Mart answered with a promptness that settled that question forever."Forget it. Why, you don't think we could a' done anything else, doyou? And now I'm going up on deck and get some air. We must be most toHalifax by this time."
"_Halifax!_" But this time Pola did not scream.
* * * * *
Lavender, after his first plunge, had struck out toward the lighthouse.His Mr. Dugald had taught him the science of swimming and because itwas the one thing he could do easily and well, in spite of hismisshaped body, Lavender had taken pride in perfecting the practice.His assurance helped him now; he had no fear, he knew how to save hisstrength; he swam first with one stroke, then with another, alwayskeeping in sight the beacon of light.
But after a little it came to him that the yellow gleam did not seemany closer; in fact, it grew fainter; he knew then, with a moment'spanic, that the tide and wind were too strong for him. He cursed hisfrail strength, with a smarting in his eyes that did not come from thesalt water.
There was only one thing he could do. Turn his back on the friendlylight and strike out in the direction of the beach. It would befurther, but the cross currents of the tide would not impede hisprogress so much.
For a long time he fought ahead stubbornly, changing his strokes, evenswimming on his back. But his breath came with increasing difficulty, asharp pain stabbed at his side. He labored on. The pain grew sharperand caught at him like a horrible vise. Once he yielded to it and sankdown, down into the black water. But it passed and, as he rose, hestruck out again, blindly, now, for he had lost all sense of direction.
"Oh, God! Oh, God!" he shouted in his heart. His Aunt Achsa's God,whose All-embracing Love he had questioned because that God had madehim crooked, must help him now! "I _got_ to get help!" God _must_ hearhim.
A great exhaustion seized him. He sank again with a quivering breath.But now his feet touched sand. With new strength he plunged ahead.Again he was in deep water but he swam with eager strokes. The dreadfulpain stabbed but he did not heed. Now he saw moving lights. He was nearthe beach! With a heartbreaking effort he fought the strength of thewater, finally gaining the shallow depths. He heard voices nearby inthe darkness.
Knee-deep in the water he tried to shout but he had no strength. Aterrible faintness was creeping over him. His arms outstretched, hestumbled forward toward the voices. Oh, he must _not_ yield to thatoverpowering sleepiness until he had made them know!
"Help--help!" he gasped, reeling toward the shadowy forms.
"What the blazes--" A man ran forward. Two others came at his heels.
"Why, _it's Lav Green_!" one of them cried.
"The _Arabella_--adrift out there--Sidney's on it--oh--_help_! And thenLavender slipped into the strong arms that reached out to catch him.
"Quick, the _Sally_! She's at Rockman's!" Captain Davies ran towardRockman's wharf. Before Jed Starrow's men, concealed behind the
shedcould guess their intention, three men had jumped into the big motorboat and had swung her free of the wharf.
"What the hell--" shouted an ugly voice after them, but the _Sally_only chugged out into the darkness of the bay.
* * * * *
"Look, Sid--light! It's--it's--morning!" Mart's voice came in a thinwhisper. For a long time the girls had lain huddled against thetaff-rail of the boat, too weary and disheartened to even talk.
Sidney lifted her face to the tiny streak of light that gleamed palelyin the east.
Then she shook Pola ever so slightly. Poor Pola had fallen into a sleepof exhaustion. She stirred now with a little cry. "What is it?"
"It's morning--daylight. See--there--"
"Oh--h!" Pola whimpered. "Is that all?" She clung to Sidney in freshterror. "If we're going to die--I'd rather not _see_--"
"Hark," cried Mart, suddenly leaning forward. "Don't you hearsomething? Girls, that's a motor boat! I _know_! Quick. Let's signal!Yell! Wave something! _Anything!_" She sprang to her feet, leaning herbody against the rail for support as the boat rolled in the heavy sea.She cupped her hands to her lips and shouted lustily. "Come on, girls!"she commanded.
"Maybe it's the pirates," wailed Pola.
"I don't care if it is! I don't care _what_ it is!" And Mart and Sidneylifted their chorus.
Out of the mist that lay over the surging water a small, gray objectgradually shaped. The chug-chug of an engine now came distinctly totheir ears. After a little they could make out the forms of two menstanding. And then someone shouted faintly.
Pola, a solemn happiness transfiguring her face, clung to Sidney.
"Girls," she whispered, "We're going to be saved! And I'll never forgetthis night--never. Or you two. Or what you've done! Or what you _are_.And I'm never going to get over being ashamed of myself!"
Sidney had some solemn resolutions of her own shaping in her heart butthe moment gave her no time to pronounce them.
"Mart!" she cried. "It's _not_ Jed Starrow! It's--it's--Cap'n PhinDavies! And that means that--_Lav_--_made_--_it_!" And happy tears randown her cheeks.
Under the skilled guidance of the man at its wheel the _Sally_ sooncame alongside of the _Arabella_. Cap'n Davies promptly boarded theschooner and the next instant Sidney was in his arms.
"All I'll say is praise be to God!" the old mariner muttered. "And nowI cal'late you and your mates here are 'bout ready to abandon yourcruisin'--"
"Lav, is he--all right?" demanded Sidney, still clinging to Cap'n Phin.
"Well, he jest about made port and how he is now I can't say for Ididn't waste any time shippin' in the _Sally_. Lucky for us it waslyin' there at Rockman's. Give us a hand, Saunders, while we load onthis cargo of distress!" A roughness in the old man's voice betrayedthat the big heart was not as light as he would have the girls think.For hours they had searched the bay with only their knowledge of tidesand winds to guide them; more than once the others had been ready toabandon the search as futile, but the Captain had held them stubbornlyto it.
Pola needed no urging but leaped into the _Sally_ and sank to itsbottom with a long gasp of relief. Sidney and Mart were about to followher example when a word from Cap'n Davies held Sidney.
"We'll let a government boat pick up the _Arabella_. We'll take nochances tryin' to tow her in with the _Sally_." And then Sidney thoughtof the treasure.
"But the diamonds!" she cried.
"_Diamonds_--" Cap'n Davies stared at her, his mouth open.
"Why, yes, they're on this boat. They _must_ be! We were in the forwardcabin watching and Jed Starrow came on board and they talked rightwhere we could hear. They were going to take them off and then theydecided it wasn't safe and they'd wait and they went away. And thenthey must have cut the boat adrift. But we're _sure_ they're on thisboat."
"So that was it! Of all the low-down dastardly tricks! Well, never mindyour diamonds, now. We got to get back to shore and let a few folksknow--"
"But I won't _go_ until we've looked!" Sidney protested, almost intears. "Why, that was why we risked everything! And Lav wants to savethe name of the Cape--the--the way--you do! Oh, please look!"
The old Captain dropped his hold of the girl's arm. "Well, I'll beding-blasted!" he stormed. But he motioned to Saunders. "Climb aboardand give us a hand. 'Taint likely they'd hide their stuff above deck.You look round the stern and the girls and me'll give a hunt forward.Of all the stubborn, crazy-headed female pieces you'll beat 'em all!"
While Saunders searched the stern of the schooner the Captain andSidney and Mart searched the fo'castle cabin. Sidney, tugging away theheavy tarpaulins, disclosed a small wooden box.
"I'm _sure_ it wasn't there before--" she cried. "Why--why, I was_sitting_ on it--"
Cap'n Davies lifted the box. "It's pretty big to be diamonds but itlooks suspicious like! And you're sure it wasn't there before? That itain't the property of that summer boarder of Miss Green's?"
Sidney's face was flaming with excitement. "Oh, I'm _sure_! The otherstuff was there but there wasn't any box under it. If I hadn't been soexcited listening I'd have realized I was sitting on somethingdifferent. Can't we look inside?"
"We won't take the time to look at anything now, mate. We'll getashore. I reckon by this time there are folks strainin' their eyes fora sight o' you--"
He fairly pushed Sidney and Mart ahead of him and toward the _Sally_.Saunders lifted the girls into the smaller boat, then took the box.
"To Rockman's. Quick as you can make it," snapped Cap'n Phin.