CHAPTER XI
IN PERIL OF THE WATERS
Again I hazarded a glance about me. The shallow-draughted craft hadalready drifted a distance off-shore, and was listing over under thepressure of the wind upon her lofty mast. The white ripples had grown toshort angry surges, and because darkness was approaching and the narrowbay difficult to work into, it was evident we must lose no time ingetting back again. There was no anchor on board, and if I reefed thesail (or rolled up the foot of it to reduce the area) the boat wouldmeanwhile increase her distance from the beach. It therefore seemednecessary to attempt to thrash back under the whole mainsail.
"Will you shove the centerboard down by the iron handle, and then takehold of the tiller, Miss Haldane?" I said.
The girl, stooping, thrust at the handle projecting from the trunkcontaining the drawn-up center keel. The iron plate should have droppedat a touch, but did not, and I sprang to her side when she said:"Something must be holding it fast."
She was right. Caryl had either bent the plate by striking a rock or apiece of driftwood had jammed into the opening, for, do what I would,the iron refused to fall more than a third of its proper distance, andit was with a slight shock of dismay I relinquished the struggle. Asailing craft of any description will only work to windward in zigzagsdiagonally to the breeze, and then only provided there is enough of herunder water to provide lateral resistance, which the deep center keelshould have supplied. As it was, I must attempt to remedy the deficiencyby press of canvas at the risk of a capsize.
Fortunately my companion was quick-witted and cool, and, standing atthe helm, followed my instructions promptly, while I dragged at thehalliards, and the loose folds of sailcloth rose thrashing overhead. Iwas breathless when the sail was set, but sprang aft to the helm, liftedthe girl to the weather deck, and perched myself as high on that side asI could, with the mainsheet round my left wrist and my right hand on thetiller, wondering if the mast would bear the strain. The boat swayeddown until her leeward deck was buried in a rush of foam and her bendingmast slanted half way to the horizontal. Little clouds of spray shot upfrom her weather bow as, gathering way, she swept ahead, and then theygave place to sheets of water, which lashed our faces, and, sluicingdeep along the decks, poured over the coaming ledge into the open well.Still, we were in comparatively smooth water where one could risk alittle, and while the straining mainsheet, which I dare not make fast,sawed into my wrist, I glanced at my companion. Her hat wassodden--already her hair clung in soaked clusters to her forehead, andher wet face showed white against the dark water which raced past us.Yet it was still confident, and her voice was level as she said: "Let mehelp you. That rope is cutting your wrist."
I could have smiled at the thought of those slender fingers sharing thatstrain; but thinking it would be well to keep her attention occupied,nodded, and was a trifle surprised at the relief when the girl seizedthe hard wet hemp. "If I say--let go--lift your hands at once," I said.
We were now tearing through the water at such pace that the boat flung agood deal of what she displaced all over her, but a glance at the darkpines ashore showed that she was making very little to windward, while,when I looked over my shoulder at the boiling wake astern, it was tooplainly evident that, owing to the loss of the centerboard, we weredriving bodily sideways as well as ahead. Also the snowy froth whichlapped higher up the lee deck was perilously near the coaming protectingthe open well. Still, our expectant friends stood clustered among theboulders fringing one horn of the bay, and I saw that Caryl held a ropein his hand. We might just pass within reach of it on the next tack.
"We must come round. Slip down, and climb up on the opposite side as thesail swings over," I said, carefully shoving the tiller down.
There was a thrashing of canvas as the boat came round, and I breathedmore easily as, gathering way on the opposite tack, she headed well upfor the boulder point where Caryl was somewhat awkwardly swinging thecoil of rope. The point drew nearer and nearer, and I could see BeatriceHaldane standing rigidly still against the somber pines, when, asill-luck would have it, the dark branches set up a roaring as a wildgust swept down. The boat swayed further over. Most of her forward wasburied in a rush of foam, and the water poured steadily into the well;but I still held fast the sheet which would have loosed the sail, for wemight reach the rope in another two minutes. The gust increased inviolence. Foam and water poured over the coamings in cataracts, and,seeing that otherwise a capsize was inevitable, I released the sheet.The canvas rattled furiously, the craft swayed upright and commenced toblow away sternforemost like a feather, while I dropped into the bottomof her, ankle deep in water.
"There is no help for it--we must reef. Take the tiller, and holdit--so," I said.
It was not without an effort I tied the tack, or forward corner of themainsail, down; then, floundering aft, hauled the afterside of it downto the boom. That accomplished and the sail thus reduced by some twofeet all along its foot, there remained to be tied the row of shortlines, or reef points, which would hold the discarded portion whenrolled up; and when part of these were knotted it was with misgivings Ileaped up on the after-deck. The long, jerking boom projected a fathombeyond the stern, and I must hold on by my toes while leaning out overthe water as I pulled the reef points at that end together.
"I am going to trust you with the safety of both of us, Miss Haldane," Isaid. "When you see the boom swing inwards pull the tiller towards youbefore it flings me off."
The girl had grown a little paler, and her hands trembled on the helm,but she answered without hesitation: "Don't be longer than you canhelp--but I understand."
She showed a fine intelligence and a perfect self-command, or our voyagemight have ended abruptly; so the reefing was accomplished, and Iresumed the helm. Meanwhile, however, we had drifted well out into thelake, and a few minutes of sailing proved that under her reduced canvasthe boat would not beat back to the windward shore. The figures amongthe boulders had faded into the deepening gloom, but, assuming acheerfulness I did not feel, I said: "It is quite impossible to return,and as it is growing too late to look for a safe landing or path throughthe bush, we must head for home and send back horses for the others. Itwill be a fair wind."
"I was afraid so," said the girl with a shiver. "But I hope we shall notbe very long on the way. We spent five hours coming."
I knew we should travel at a pace approaching a steamer's, provided thecraft could be kept from filling; but, enlarging upon the former point,I tried to conceal the latter possibility, as I put the helm up; and thecraft, rising upright, but commencing to roll horribly, raced awaydown-wind towards open water. Once out of the point's shelter, short butangry waves raced white behind her, for one may find sufficient turmoilof waters when a fresh gale sweeps the Canadian lakes. The rolling grewwilder, the long boom splashed heavily into the white upheavals thatsurged by on each side, and our progress became a series of upwardrushes and swoops, until at times I feared the craft would run her bowsunder and go down bodily. Once I caught my companion glancing over thestern, and, knowing how ugly oncoming waves appear when they heave upbehind a running vessel, I laid a hand on her shoulder and gently turnedher head aside.
"There! You must look only that way, and tell me if you see any islandsacross our course," I said.
It was practically dark now, but I could distinguish the whiteness ofher wet face, and see her shiver violently. My jacket was spongy, I hadnothing to wrap her in, but she looked so wet and pitiful that I drewher towards me and slipped a dripping arm protectingly about her.Lucille Haldane made no demur. The wild rolling, the flying spray, andthe rush of short tumbling ridges must have been sufficientlyterrifying, and perhaps she found the contact reassuring.
One hand was all I needed. There was now nothing any unassisted mancould do except keep the craft straight before wind and sea, but it wasquite sufficient for one who had lost much of his dexterity with thetiller, and at times the boat twisted on a white crest in imminent perilof rolling over. Worse than all, t
he waves that smote the flat sterncommenced to splash on board, and the water inside the boat roserapidly. Already the floorings were floating, and I dare not for asecond loose the tiller. It was Lucille Haldane who solved thedifficulty.
"Is not all that water getting dangerous?" she asked, with chatteringteeth; and, knowing her keenness, I saw there was no use attempting tohide the fact.
"Why did you not tell me so earlier?" she continued. "It is only rightthat I should do my share, and I can at least throw some of it out."
"You are not fit for such work, and must sit still. At this pace weshall see the lights of Leyland's house soon," I said, tightening myhold on her; but the girl shook off my grasp.
"I am not so helpless that I cannot make an effort to do what is sonecessary," she said. "Let me go, Mr. Ormesby, or I shall never forgiveyou. Where is the bailer?"
I pointed to it, and even in face of the necessity it hurt me to see heralternately kneeling in the water that surged to and fro and trying tohold herself upright while she raised and emptied the heavy bucket.Often she upset its contents over herself or me, and several times alurch flung her cruelly against the coaming; but she persevered withundiminished courage until she stumbled in a savage roll and struck herhead. Then she clung to the coaming, the water draining from her, and,not daring to move from the tiller, I could do nothing but growlanathemas upon the boat's owner, until the girl sank down in the sternsheets beside me.
"I must rest a little," she said. "But what were you saying, Mr.Ormesby?"
"Only that I should like to hang the man who invented this unhandy rig,and Caryl for tempting you on board such a craft," I answered, hopingshe had not heard the whole of my remarks. "You poor child, it isshameful that you should have to do such work; and, whatever happens,you shall not try again."
Her tresses, released from whatever bound them, streamed in the windabout her, and she seemed to shrink a little from me as she struggledwith them. "It is not Caryl's fault. I clumsily let the rope go when Iwas pulling the boat in, and as it is some little time since I was achild, I do not care to be treated as one. Have I not done my best?" sheasked.
"You have done gallantly; more than many men unused toseamanship--Caryl, for instance--could. All this is due to hisstupidity," I answered; and fancied there was a trace of resentment inher voice as she said: "Poor Ted! He is brave enough, at least. I knowhe cannot swim, and yet he was about to plunge into deep water when youstopped him."
It appeared wholly ridiculous, but, even then, Lucille Haldane's defenseof Caryl irritated me. "He is responsible for all you are suffering, andI can't forgive him for it. Was that not rather the action of alunatic?" I answered shortly.
A wave, which, breaking upon the flat stern, deluged my shoulders anddrenched my companion afresh, cut short the colloquy; but I caught sightof a faint twinkle ahead, and restrained her with a wet hand when shewould have resumed the bailing. It was also by gentle force, for thistime she resisted, that I drew her down beside me so that I partlyshielded her from the spray, and the water came in as it willed as wedrove onwards through thick obscurity. Still, the light rose higherahead, and I strained my eyes to catch the first loom of Leyland'sisland. Large boulders studded the approach to it, and we might come togrief if we struck one of them.
It was now blowing viciously hard, the boat, half-buried in a whitesmother, would scarcely steer, and the bright light from a window aheadbeat into my eyes, bewildering my vision. I could, however, dimly makeout pines looming behind it, and the beat of yeasty surges, which warnedme it would be risky to attempt a landing on that beach. There would beshelter on the leeward side of the island, but a glance at theballoon-like curves of the lifting mainsail showed that we could notclear its end upon the course we were sailing. We must jibe, or swingthe mainsail over, which might result in a capsize.
"I want your help, Miss Haldane. Go forward and loose the rope you willfind on your right-hand side near the mast," I said; and as the girlobeyed, the light shone more fully upon the dripping boat. I had amomentary vision of several dark figures on the veranda, and then, whileI held my breath, saw only the slight form of the girl, with draggleddress and wet hair streaming, swung out above the whiteness of rushingfoam as she wrenched at the halliard, which had fouled. Then the head ofthe sail swung down, and as she came back panting, the steering demandedall my attention.
"Hold fast to the coaming here," I said, as, dragging with might andmain at the sheet, I put the tiller up.
The craft twisted upon her heel, the sail swung aloft, and then, whilethe sheet rasped through my fingers, chafing the skin from them, therewas a heavy crash as the boom lurched over. The boat swayed wildly underits impetus, buried one side deep, and a shout, which might have been acry of consternation, reached me faintly. Then she shook herself free,and reeled away into the blackness on a different course.
The head of the island swept by, and we shot into smoother water with aspit of shingle ahead, on which I ran the craft ashore, and it was withsincere relief I felt the shock of her keel upon the bottom. LucilleHaldane said something I did not hear while she lay limp and wet andsilent in my arms, as, floundering nearly waist-deep, I carried herashore and then towards a path which led to the house. The night wasblack, the way uneven, but perhaps because I was partly dazed I did notset down my burden. She had helped me bravely, and it was only now, whenthe peril had passed, I knew how very fearful I had been for her safety.Indeed, it was hard to realize she was yet free from danger, and inobedience to some unreasoning instinct I still held her fast, until sheslipped from my grasp. A few minutes later a light twinkled among thetrees, voices reached us, and Haldane, followed by several others, cameup with a lantern.
He stooped and kissed his daughter, then, turning, held out his hand tome. "Thank God!--but where is Beatrice?" he said.
I told him, my teeth rattling as I spoke, and without further words wewent on towards the house. Nevertheless, the fervent handclasp andquiver in Haldane's voice were sufficiently eloquent. When we enteredthe house, where Mrs. Leyland took charge of Lucille, Haldane, askingvery few questions, looked hard at me. "I shall not forget thisservice," he said quietly. "In the meantime get into some of Leyland'sthings as quickly as you can. We are going to pull the boat ashore undershelter of the island and requisition a wagon at Rideau's farm. Ibelieve we can reach the others by an old lumbermen's trail."
It was in vain I offered my services as guide. Haldane would not acceptthem, and set out with the assistants whom, fearing some accident, hehad brought with him, while I had changed into dry clothing when hisdaughter came in. What she had put on I do not know, but it was probablysomething of Mrs. Leyland's intended for evening wear; and, in contrastto her usual almost girlish attire, it became her. She had suddenlychanged, as it were, into a woman. Her dark lashes were demurelylowered, but her eyes were shining.
"You are none the worse," I said, drawing out a chair for her; and shelaughed a little.
"None; and I even ventured to appear in this fashion lest you shouldthink so. I also wanted to thank you for taking care of me."
Lucille Haldane's voice was low and very pleasant to listen to, but Iwondered why I should feel such a thrill of pleasure as I heard it.
"Shouldn't it be the reverse? You deserve the thanks for the way youhelped me, though I am sorry it was necessary you should do what youdid. Let me see your hands," I said.
She tried to slip them out of sight, but I was too quick and, seizingone, held it fast, feeling ashamed and sorry as I looked down at it. Thehard ropes had torn the soft white skin, and the rim of the bucket orthe coaming had left dark bruises. Admiration, mingled with pity, forcedme to add: "It was very cruel. I called you child. You are the bravestwoman I ever met!"
The damask tinge deepened a little in her cheeks, and she strove to drawthe hand away, but I held it fast, continuing: "No man could havebehaved more pluckily; but--out of curiosity--were you not just a littlefrightened?"
The lashes fell lower, and I was not sure of t
he smile beneath them. "Iwas, at first, very much so; but not afterwards. I thought I could trustyou to take care of me."
"I am afraid I seemed very brutal; but I would have given my life tokeep you safe," I said. "That, however, would have been very littleafter all. It is not worth much just now to anybody."
I was ashamed of the speech afterwards, especially the latter part ofit, but it was wholly involuntary, and the events of the past few hourshad drawn, as it were, a bond of close comradeship between my companionin peril and myself.
"I think you are wrong, but I am glad you have spoken, because I wantedto express my sympathy, and feared to intrude," she said. "We heard thatbad times had overtaken you and your neighbors, and were very sorry.Still, they cannot last forever, and you will not be beaten. You mustnot be, to justify the belief father and I have in you."
The words were very simple, but there was a naive sincerity about themwhich made them strangely comforting, while I noticed that Mrs. Leyland,who came in just then, looked at us curiously. I sat out upon theveranda until late that night, filled with a contentment I could notquite understand. To have rendered some assistance to Beatrice Haldane'ssister and won her father's goodwill seemed, however, sufficient groundfor satisfaction, and I decided that this must be the cause of it.
The rest of the party returned overland next day, and during theafternoon Haldane said to me: "I may as well admit that I have heard alittle about your difficulties, and Leyland has been talking to me. Ifyou don't mind the plain speaking, one might conclude that you aresomewhat hardly pressed. Well, it seems to me that certain incidentshave given me a right to advise or help you, and if you are disposed tolet the mortgaged property go, I don't think there would be any greatdifficulty in finding an opening for you. There are big homesteads inyour region financed by Eastern capital."
He spoke with sincerity and evident goodwill; but unfortunately Haldanewas almost the last person from whom I could accept a favor. "I am,while grateful, not wholly defeated, and mean to hold on," I said."Would you, for instance, quietly back out of a conflict with somewealthy combine and leave your opponents a free hand to collect theplunder?"
Haldane smiled dryly. "It would depend on circumstances; but in ageneral way I hardly think I should," he said. "You will, however,remember advice was mentioned, and I believe there are men who wouldvalue my counsel."
I shook my head. "Heaven knows what the end will be; but I must worrythrough this trouble my own way," I said.
Haldane was not offended, and did not seem surprised. "You may be wrong,or you may be right; but if you and your neighbors are as hard toplunder as you are slow to take a favor, the other gentlemen willprobably earn all they get," he said. "I presume you have no objectionsto my wishing you good luck?"
It was the next evening when I met Beatrice Haldane beside the lake."And so you are going back to-morrow to your cattle?" she said.
"Yes," I answered. "It is the one course open to me, and the only workfor which I am fitted." And Miss Haldane showed a faint trace ofimpatience.
"If you are sure that is so, you are wise," she said.
Before I could answer she moved away to greet Mrs. Leyland, and sometime elapsed before we met again, for I bade Leyland farewell nextmorning.