AT DEAD OF NIGHT
Consciousness flowed back upon me slowly, and I emerged in pain and in
intense bewilderment from my swoon. The first sound that came to me in
my awakening was the terrific roar of the water against the side of the
yacht, the next a woman's scream. Recalling now the incidents exactly
preceding my fall, I stirred and endeavoured to sit up, and then I was
aware 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 was
Princess 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? I
answered the second query first. It was Mademoiselle. Well, she could
wait. My first concern must be for the Princess, who lay upon me a dead
weight, but, as I knew, a living, breathing body. I carefully
extricated 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 been
only light and I had known which way to move! I laid the Princess on
the 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. The
noise of its beating was not among the many noises I heard. If it had
stopped, only one thing could have happened. The _Sea Queen_ must be
ashore. That was the explanation. We had struck.
I was now the more anxious, as you may conceive, to get out of the
cabin, for if we had struck it was essential to know how we stood and
what degree of risk we ran. For all I knew, the yacht might be sinking
at that moment or breaking up upon rocks. Finding egress through the
door 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 now
able to locate the sounds of the screaming. They came from the cabin
beyond, which I knew to be Mademoiselle's. I guided myself as well as I
could to the door giving access to the corridor and unlocked it. As I
did so a speck of light gleamed in the darkness and arrested me. It
enlarged and emerged upon me till it took the shape of a candle, and
underneath 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," I
explained. "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 have
embraced her.
"The yacht has gone aground," I said. "I will find out how much damage
has been done. I will bring back what is necessary. The Princess lies
in there. See to her."
With that I left her and stepped into the corridor. Like the cabins, it
was opaque with the night, but I groped my way across it without
hearing any sounds of living people--only that terrible turmoil of
waters without. I knew where my bag was. It was in the small cabin
which the Prince used as his smoking-room, and in which we had
sometimes played cards to pass the time during those days of anxiety
and trouble. The first door I opened seemed to give me access to the
open 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 have
opened the door to the deck until I remembered that that had been
destroyed in the fight. I put out a hand, and it touched a piece of
furniture, and then once again the sea broke over me. There could be no
other solution of the puzzle than this--that the outer wall of the
cabin 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 in
the shelter of the corridor, felt my way along the railing. There
seemed to be a foot of water about my legs, and it was icy chill. The
next handle I hit upon I turned as before, and the door came back upon
me with a rush, almost sending me headlong. I entered the cabin, and by
dint of groping I reached the upholstered couch at the back. My bag was
not where I had left it, but it could not be far away. The salt water
flowed and oozed on the floor, but I dropped to my knees and hunted for
it, and was at last rewarded by finding it jammed into a corner under a
cupboard. Getting back into the corridor, I had now to determine
whether 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, and
yet conscious that it would be wiser to ascertain the extent of our
damages. Happily the decision was not forced upon me, for I saw in the
distance a swinging lantern, which seemed to be advancing towards me
down the corridor. I shouted, and the dim figure behind it stopped and
turned 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. But
where 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 with
him. 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 I
made use of my flask of cognac with beneficial results. Then I was
plucked by the arm, and Barraclough claimed my attention.
"Mademoiselle Trebizond is ill," he called. "Give her something. You
must see to her."
Of course that was my duty, and I took such steps as seemed necessary
for one of so neurotic a nature.
"She is all right," I explained. "If the ship's in no danger just now
they are best here. The maid has a candle."
I returned to Princess Alix and found her recovered, and I bade her be
of good cheer, shouting (for it was always shouting) that we had defied
the mutineers successfully, and that we should also successfully defy
the elements. Then I went back, for I had other work to do.
Barraclough informed me that the Prince had been taken to the music
saloon, and Lane also was there. I therefore joined the relics of our
company in that devastated chamber, and did what my skill availed to do
for the injured. The Prince had been struck on the head and in the
body, but the marks were not very apparent. He breathed heavily, but
had still his old air of authority. Lane bubbled over with alternate
fumes of petulance and passion; but he had his excuse, as he was
suffering a great deal of pain. Ellison, too, wounded as he was, had
dragged himself from his temporary hospital to the music-room. But one
of Legrand's men had vanished, and it was supposed he had gone
overboard in one of the great tides of sea that swept over the yacht.
Legrand had ventured on deck, and clinging to the railings, had
endeavoured to get some notion of the position of things. But he had
seen 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's
moderating and the wind's dropping. We shall know presently."
Something was now drawing me irresistibly back to the Princess. My
heart pined for the sight of her and the assurance that she had
suffered no injury. I grew restless at the inaction, and, weary and
bruised as I was, I think passion gave me wings and endurance. I left
the music saloon and emerged into the lobby where the stairs went down
to the saloon below. The sea was breaking through the shattered door on
the one side, but on the lee the _Sea Queen_ was tilted upwards, and it
was there she lay in irons, no doubt upon some rocks, or shores. If
only the day would dawn! As I stood awhile, before entering the
corridor through another shattered doorway, the glimmer of a light
caught my eye. It came from the door upon the farther side of the
lobby, seeming to shine through the keyhole. As I watched, the door
opened and let in a blast of wind that shook the broken woodwork; it
also let in the figure of a man, and that man, seen dimly in the shades
of the light he carried, was Holgate. I drew myself up into the
fastness of the gloom and stared at him. He had turned the shutter in
his lantern now, for it was a bull's-eye, and the darkness was once
more universal, but I had a feeling that he had a companion, and
although I necessarily lost sight of Holgate I was assured in myself
that he had descended the stairway. Any noise his heavy feet might make
would be absorbed into the general racket of the night. I stood and
wondered. What was Holgate's object in this silent expedition?
I confess my curiosity rose high--to a pitch, indeed, at which it might
not be denied. A surmise sprang into my mind, but I hardly allowed it
time to formulate, for not a minute after the recognition I, too, was
on 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 had
the balustrade under my hand. When I had reached the floor below I
caught the gleam of the lantern in the distance, and I pursued it down
one of the passages. This pursuit took me past the cabins towards the
kitchen; and then I came to an abrupt pause, for the lantern, too, had
stopped.
I could make out Holgate's bulky form and the light flashing on the
walls, and now, too, I found that my senses had not deceived me, and
that there was a second man. He stood in the shadow, so that I could
not identify him; and both men were peering into an open door.
My position in the passage began to assume a perilous character, and I
made investigations in my neighbourhood. Near me was the door of a
cabin, which I opened without difficulty and entered. Now, by putting
out my head, I could see the mutineers, while I had a refuge in the
event of their turning back. They were still bent forwards, peering
into the room. I thought that, with good luck, I might venture farther
while they were so engrossed with their occupation. So, leaving my
hiding-place, I stole forwards boldly to the next cabin and entered it
as I had entered the former. I was now quite close to them, and
suddenly I saw who was Holgate's companion. It was Pye.
With equal celerity did my brain take in the situation and interpret
it. Indeed, I should have guessed at it long before, I think, had not
the events of the night thrown me into a state of confusion. It was the
treasure they looked at, and this was where Pye had concealed it. As
this truth came home to me Holgate lifted his head and I drew back,
setting the cabin door ajar. Presently after the bull's-eye flashed
through the crack of the door, and stayed there. For a moment I thought
all was up, and that my retreat had been discovered, but I was soon
reassured. The noise of the water had fallen, and above it, or rather
through it, I could hear Holgate's voice fatly decisive.
"She'll hold, I tell you, for twenty-four hours at any rate, even
without 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 it
lie for a bit and take our opportunity."
Pye's voice followed; I could not hear what he said, but Holgate's was
in answer and coldly impatient.
"You've the stomach of a nursery governess. Good heavens, to run in
harness with you! What the deuce do I know? We're cast away, that's
certain. 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 and
looked out upon profound darkness.
I knew my way about the yacht by that time, and was not discomposed by
the situation. The mutineer and his treacherous confederate were gone,
and I must make the best of my time to follow them. Nothing could be
effected without a light, and I had no means of procuring one in those
nether regions. I retraced my way more or less by instinct until I came
out at the foot of the stairway, and knew it was easy to regain the
upper regions. Instead of going to the _boudoir_, I sought the group in
the music-room, and was challenged by Barraclough.
"Who's that?"
"Phillimore," I answered. "We must have more light. Have we no more
lanterns?"
"Yes, sir," said Ellison's cheerful voice. "There's some in the
steward's room."
"Good for you," said I. "If some one will give me matches I think I'll
go on a hunt."
The other sailor produced a box of vestas from his pocket, and as he
was unwounded I took him with me on my return journey. In the steward's
room we found several lanterns, as well as some bottles of beer and
some cold fowl. We made a selection from this and got safely back to
our friends. Here we lit two or three of the lanterns, and I opened
some of the beer and left them to a repast. You will be thinking that I
had not kept my word, and had neglected what should have been my prime
duty. I had not forgotten, however. Was it likely? And I made haste at
once to the quarters of the ladies, taking with me something which
should make me welcome--which was a lighted lantern. Princess Alix was
quite recovered, but showed great anxiety for news of her brother. I
was able to quiet her fears by describing the supper at which I had
left him, and her eyes brightened.
"He is so good and brave!" she said simply. "He is so noble! He has
always 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 away
and was thus imperilled. Yet I should not have attributed to him
inordinate unselfishness. I made no reply, however, beyond urging her
to follow her brother's example and fortify herself with food. She
waved it aside.
"No, no, I am not hungry! I am only anxious," she said. "Tell me, are
we safe?"
"For the present," I said. "I gather that most of the mutineers are at
the 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. She
complained of the noise, of the darkness, and of the lack of sleep, but
she found some compensations, now that it was clear that we were not
going to the bottom.
"It was magnificent, Monsieur, that storm!" she exclaimed. "I could see
the demons raging in it. Oh, _ciel_! It was like the terrors of the Erl
Koenig, yes. But what have you there, doctor? Oh, it is beer, English
beer. I am tired of champagne. Give me some beer. I love the bocks. It
calls 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 nearer
the boulevards now than we had been a few hours ago, which in a way was
true enough. She inquired after the Prince pleasantly, also after
Barraclough, and asked with cheerful curiosity when we were going to
land.
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 and
sipping the foam from her toilette glass with satisfaction. I returned
to the music-room and joined the company; and, after a little, silence
fell 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 in
slumber, Lane tossing restlessly with the pain of his wound. I walked
to the door and looked out. The sea had gone down, and now lapped and
washed along the sides of the _Sea Queen_. The sky was clear, and far
in the east were the banners of the morning. The gentle air of the dawn
was grateful to my flesh and stimulated my lungs. I opened my chest to
draw it in, and then, recrossing the lobby, I peered out through the
windows on the port side. The dim loom of land saluted my eyes, and
nearer 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 the
ocean, but also from the murderous ruffians who had possession of the
yacht. It was, therefore, with a lighter heart that I descended into
the cabins and made my way along the passage to the point where I had
seen Holgate and Pye stop. I identified the door which they had opened,
and after a little manoeuvring I succeeded in getting it open. It was
the cook's pantry in which I now found myself, and I proceeded to
examine carefully every drawer and every cupboard by the meagre light
of the dawn. I had not been at work ten minutes before I came upon the
contents of the safes, safely stowed in a locker. Well, if the
documents and gold could be shifted once they could be shifted again;
and forthwith I set about the job. It pleased me (I know not why) to
choose no other place than Pye's cabin in which to rehide them. I think
the irony of the choice decided me upon it, and also it was scarcely
likely that Holgate and his accomplice would think of looking for the
treasure in the latter's room.
It took me quite an hour to make the transfer, during which time I was
not interrupted by any alarm. Whatever Holgate and his men were doing,
they evidently did not deem that there was any center of interest in
the saloon cabins at that moment. My task accomplished, I returned to
the music-room, in which the wounded men still slept restlessly. I
occupied my time in preparing a meal, and I took a strong glass of
whisky and water, for my strength was beginning to ebb. I had endured
much and fought hard, and had slept but little. As I stood looking down
on my companions, I was aware of a grey shadow that the slender
sunlight 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 her
face 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 never
sleep again. The sound of the storm and the noises of the fight--the
oaths--the cries--they are forever beating in my brain."
"They will pass," I replied encouragingly. "I do believe we are
destined to safety. Look forth there and you will see the morning mists
on the island."
"Yes," she assented. "I saw that we had struck on an island, and that
is 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," she
pursued; "he will see things in another light. He has done all for
honour that honour calls for."
"He has done too much," said I somewhat bitterly, for I realised how
greatly he had imperilled his sister.
She made no answer to that, but approached and looked down at the
Prince, 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 them
low. At any rate, Prince Frederic stirred and sat up slowly.
"Good-morning, Alix," he said affectionately, and his eyes alighted on
me, as if wondering.
The Princess went forward and embraced him. "Dr. Phillimore has kindly
got breakfast for you," she said. "You must eat, Frederic, for we are
going to leave the yacht this morning."
She spoke decisively, as if she had taken control of affairs out of his
hands, 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--only
you."
He patted her hand and glanced at the food I had obtained. "We owe to
Dr. Phillimore a debt of gratitude," he said in his friendliest manner.
The talking had disturbed Barraclough also, who now awoke and saluted
us. He made no difficulty of beginning at once on his breakfast,
cracking a joke at my expense. It was a strangely pacific gathering
after the terrible night; but I suppose we were all too worn to take
things in duly.
There is a limit to the power of facts to make impressions on one's
senses, and I think we had reached it. For the most part we were just
animals with an appetite. But there was my news, and I hastened to
break it. It was not startling, but it had an interest for us all. The
Prince 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 to
us. 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 his
deep voice.
"Frederic," said Princess Alix in a quick, impulsive way, "let us
escape while there is time. The way is clear now. We can get to the
island and be quit forever of those dreadful men and horrible scenes."
The Prince let his glance fall on her. "There is something to be done
here," he said at last. "The luck of the Hochburgers holds."
He was ill for certain; perhaps he was more than ill; but at that
moment I had no patience with him. I turned on my heel and left the
room.