CHAPTER XV.
THE WRECKED STAGE.
John Craig takes all the precautions that the courier mentions, for hedoes not care to awaken in the night and find a dark-faced fanatic of aMohammedan in his room, sworn to accomplish his death.
Perhaps his safety is in part due to this; at any rate morning comes andfinds him undisturbed.
When he descends from his room he has a vague hope that some word mayhave come from Ben Taleb.
In this respect he is doomed to disappointment, for there is no letter.So another day of waiting begins. The doctor is determined by nature,and has made up his mind that he will not give up his mission until hehas accomplished that which he set out to perform, no matter if hespends weeks in the African city at the foot of the hills known asSahel.
The others join him by degrees.
Such charming weather; a dozen trips for the day are proposed andrejected. All conclude to wait until after breakfast, when they will bein a condition to discuss the matter and decide just what is best to bedone.
John is ready to join them and see the sights, for there is a chancethat he may in this way run across the one he seeks, if she be movingabout the city on errands of mercy, as becomes her order.
Besides, he places considerable dependence upon the promise of the oldMoor.
So he enters into the discussion with assumed vigor, being magnetizednow by the blue eyes of Lady Ruth.
They ask the advice of Mustapha Cadi, and he promises to show them manyqueer sights before the sun sinks behind the hills and the boom of thegun in the fortress announces the close of another day.
Thus, all of them prepare for a day's outing, and Lady Ruth looks quitecharming in her jaunty costume, especially suited for such business.
John no longer remembers the dazzling beauty of the Moorish girl whosat at the feet of old Ben Taleb on the preceding night; it could notcompare with the vivacious intelligence of an educated girl coming fromthe countries beyond the seas.
First of all they mount the terraces of Mustapha Superieur and enjoythe magnificent view of the city and harbor. Many modern yachts lieupon the blue waters, side by side with strange vessels peculiar to theMediterranean, while the incoming steamer from Oran is just entering theharbor.
Upon this ridge above the city lie numerous palatial residences nowoccupied by French and English families, but which were once owned bythe pirate kings of Algiers, whose names may often be found upon thegate post, cut in letters of gold.
From this eyrie they scanned the sea with their glasses, and theappearance of a sail in the dim distance would be the signal for a madchase to see which piratical felucca could first overhaul the stranger.
Uncle Sam had something to do with breaking up this tremendous pirates'den, and France has since redeemed it.
Thus a considerable portion of the morning is consumed in this pleasantengagement. They take an omnibus now for the Arab village of Birkadeen,in among the hills, where new and novel sights will be looked upon.
Every female they meet arouses John's interest, and he looks sharply atthe half-hidden face. The hope he cherishes is always before him, andwhen Lady Ruth notices his eager actions she understands just what itmeans, and is as anxious in one way as himself.
One thing annoys the American; this is the persistence with which SirLionel keeps up as a member of the little company. He makes himselfagreeable all around, and as John has had no proof of the Briton'smiserable work in the harbor of Malta, he is wise enough to restrain hisfeelings and hold his tongue, trusting to some future event to tear offthe mask and reveal him in his true colors.
At noon they are in the village, and stop to eat their lunch at an Arabtavern, where they fare pretty well, though John is ready to make a vownever to again touch the native dish of Kuskusu which is set beforethem.
They see strange things at Birkadeen, and from there continue theirjourney to other villages, Bermandries, and El-Biar, at each of whichMustapha has something odd to show them that will ever remain a pleasantmemory in the future.
It is a day John Craig will never forget for more reasons than one; aday marked with a white stone because of the pleasure he enjoys in thesociety of this bright English girl whom he has ere now learned to love,and a day that must always remain prominent in his mind because itprecedes a night that is the most memorable in all his history.
In more ways than one does Lady Ruth, while always acting as a lady,show that she prefers his society to that of Sir Lionel, and though theBritish soldier appears unruffled on the surface, he is undoubtedlydeeply piqued.
So the hours wear on.
The sun is low in the west, and the ever watchful Mustapha declares itis time they started for the city. They have enjoyed a ride on the shipof the desert, as the camel is called, admired the Arabian steeds, whichall the money of an unbeliever or Christian dog could not purchase, andlooked upon many strange scenes.
Several times during the afternoon they have been temporarily separated.The baronet appears to have a deep interest in the queer things to beseen in the Arab village, for more than once he lingers behind to askquestions as he explains, in the hope of purchasing some article thathas particularly caught his fancy.
John never once suspects that Sir Lionel may have another motive in hisactions.
When Mustapha announces that it is time they return, they look aroundfor the vehicle which was to take them back, but strangely enough itdoes not appear.
As the minutes pass Mustapha grows exceedingly impatient. He hasarranged matters to suit their convenience, and this delay is annoying.It does not suit him to return at night.
Just as patience ceases to be a virtue, and the guide has announced hisintention of finding some other means of transportation, they discoverthe omnibus coming into view from beyond the thicket of cactus and aloe.
It has been carrying a load of villagers from their homes to the highhills of Bouzaveah, to the native cemetery which crowns the summit.
Then they suddenly remember that it is Friday, or the Mohammedan Sunday,on which day great throngs repair to the grave-yards and visit the tombsof the _marabouts_ or saints, gazing upon some ancient relic which thedeparted wore in his life-time, and which on account of its disreputablecondition no respectable European would touch.
They have the omnibus to themselves, which, of course, pleases them.
John shakes his head dubiously as he enters the vehicle. He has glancedat its condition, and declares they will be lucky indeed to reachAlgiers without a break-down.
The driver has been scored by Mustapha for his tardiness, and appears tofeel the sting of the reproach, for no sooner are they seated in the oldvehicle than he uses his whip with some vim, the horses start away, andthey head for the city.
When the road is smooth it is all very good, but after leaving Birkadeenthey will strike a rough section that must try the staying powers of thewretched vehicle.
As they whirl through Birkadeen in a cloud of dust, with several mangycurs howling at the heels of the steaming horses, it is just sunset.There is no mosque here with its minaret, from which the _muezzin_chants his call to prayer, but the faithful do not need such a summons,and can be seen here and there prostrating themselves on the ground withfaces toward the holy city.
One grows accustomed to such spectacles when traveling in orientalcountries where Mohammed is looked upon as the great prophet of Allah,and the novelty inspired by the first sight dies away.
After leaving the Arab village they strike the rough section of the road.
It would be natural to suppose that the driver has by this time gottenover his anger at being chided by Mustapha, and might moderate his pace,out of respect to his antiquated vehicle, if not the safety of those whooccupy it.
Not so.
If anything, as darkness steals over the scene, he uses his whip withgreater energy, and his voice urges on the sweating horses.
Now they have it surely.
The ruts in the road cause the vehicle to bounce
from side to side, andthose inside are tossed about much like rubber balls.
At first they are disposed to treat it as a joke, and laugh over theludicrous situation, but as it increases, their sufferings begin.
The dust is disagreeable, the jolting actually dangerous, as they areshot from one side of the vehicle to the other with tremendous force.
Besides, John is in momentary expectation of the rickety affair breakingdown and spilling them all out on the roadway.
Indeed, he is surprised that this accident has been so long delayed.
He shouts to the driver to slacken the pace, but evidently the fellowfails to hear. Then he puts his head out of the window and once moreelevates his voice, but the rattle of the plunging vehicle, togetherwith the noise made by the driver himself, as he shouts at his steedslike a crazy Bedouin, combine to deaden all other sounds.
At any rate there is no result.
John has by this time become excited; they are mounting a littleelevation, and temporarily their pace is reduced. Once at the top anda long slant lies beyond, down which they must go at lightning speed.
It is now or never.
He is bound to stop this mad race against time if he has to climb to thetop of the swaying vehicle and toss the reckless driver off.
It is with this intention before him that he bids the ladies hold onwith all their power, while he seeks an interview with the fellow whohandles the ribbons.
Then he seizes the window-frame, intending to get hold of somethingabove which will serve as a fulcrum to move his body.
It is just at this interesting moment that the expected event occurs.
There is a sudden, tremendous shock, as they strike some obstacle;shrieks from the women, a swaying of the coach, which immediately fallsover on one side.
A wheel has come off.
They are wrecked among the hills, and a considerable distance fromAlgiers, the lights of which illumine the heavens beyond.
"Is anyone injured?" calls out John, with some anxiety in his voice, forthe shock has been quite serious.
They are all in a confused heap in the corner that is down, and theprofessor is the first to crawl out.
Then comes Lady Ruth, excited, but, thank Heaven, uninjured.
They help Sir Lionel out. He limps around, feeling his left leg andgroaning a little as even the bravest of men may do on occasions, andhoping the pain he feels is nothing serious.
Aunt Gwen alone remains, and there is heard no sound from her. Theusually vociferous voice seems to have been utterly hushed.
"Oh! is she dead?" exclaims the young girl, with horror in her voice, asDoctor Chicago and the professor carry Aunt Gwen out.
"I trust not. I think she has only fainted. Can you lift one of thecushions from the wreck, Lady Ruth, and we will place her upon it here."
She shows immediate animation instead of going into hysterics, as manygirls would do under the circumstances, and flies to assist to theextent of her ability.
Thus Aunt Gwen is soon in a comfortable position, and the doctor startsto bring her to, for he believes she has only swooned.
This he soon accomplishes, and when she is able to declare that she isnot in pain, only badly broken up by the shock, he feels that it is timehe turned his attention to another quarter.
They are in a bad fix, wrecked several miles from their destination.
Darkness has now set in.
John rises from his knees and takes in the situation. It is evident thatsomething must be done in order that they may be rescued from theirunpleasant position.
Where are Mustapha and the driver? Both of them have utterly vanished inthe most mysterious manner. Who, then, will mount one of the pantinghorses and ride back to Birkadeen for succor?
"Let me go?" says Sir Lionel, staggering forward, and clutching anolive tree for support.
John sees his weak state.
"You are not in a condition to go. Stay here and protect the ladies, forit is a lonely place, and there may be wild animals in these woods, whoknows?" With which words the young American throws himself on thehorse's back and urges the animal along over the road they havetraveled, followed by the anxious eyes of Lady Ruth.