WAITING AND WATCHING.
When they were in the tent, and while Ben was taking the gold from its
hiding-place, it occurred to Jake that perhaps he was selfish in going
to Key West without first learning whether his companion would like to
make the trip, and he said:
“I reckon you could do the business as well as I can, lad, an’ perhaps
better. Now, s’posen you go; I’ll stay here and take care of things,
an’ won’t be sorry at gettin’ out of the job.”
“You’re the one who must do the work, for I couldn’t manage anything
larger than a row-boat, an’ besides, I’d never be able to find this key
again.”
“I’m willin’, of course, but thought perhaps you wanted the job. You’ve
got provisions an’ water enough to last three days, with what fish can
be caught, so none of the crowd will suffer if I don’t hurry right
back.”
“Take plenty of time to get all that’s needed, an’ be sure to have a
good talk with the lawyer, if it ain’t safe to see the captain himself.
We shall get along in fine style, even if you’re away four days, now
that we’re no longer worryin’ about water.”
“I won’t say good-by to Gertie, for I don’t want to run the risk of
her bein’ seen by those strangers. Watch out for me after forty-eight
hours, for that will give me plenty of time in case we reach Key West
to-morrow mornin’.”
Then Jake hurried away, and when Ben reached the shore, after having
replaced his gold in its hiding-place, the boat was being poled out
into deeper water before the sails were set.
“Enjoy yourself fishin’,” the ex-cook shouted as the little craft was
swallowed up in the gloom, and Ben barely had time to reply before the
sound of halliards running through the blocks was heard.
“I’ll be all right, so take your time to attend to business.”
Then the hum of conversation died away in the distance as the yacht
forged ahead under the influence of the strong night wind, and when he
could hear nothing more Ben started toward the south side of the key to
tell Gertie and Chloe that they might safely return to the camp.
He found the child in the greatest distress, for, not having been
summoned as soon as it was possible to learn the stranger’s errand, she
felt sure they had come in search of her; but after Ben had explained
all that had happened, she soon recovered her usual good spirits, and
it was a very jolly party which gathered around the fire, bent on
preparing once again the interrupted supper.
“You needn’t be saving of either the provisions or the water, mammy,”
Ben said as he fed the flames with a huge bundle of wood. “Jake will be
back before we can use half the stuff we’ve got, an’ when he does come
you may be certain the second boat won’t get away.”
Old Chloe had been as anxious as either Ben or Jake regarding the
supplies; but now that all necessity for economy was removed she set
about preparing a most elaborate meal, and a merry, care-forgetting
party was it which partook of the viands on that tiny key.
The meal was prolonged until a very late hour in the evening, and when
the castaways sought shelter in the tents it was with the happy belief
that before the sun had set twice more they would have the means of
leaving the reef whenever it should be their pleasure so to do.
“We’se got no call to fuss any mo’,” old Chloe said as she and Gertie
went into their tent, “an’ de Lawd is so good to us dat we’ll get
’roun’ dat medicine doctor yet. We ain’t out here in de wilderness like
de children of Israel for nothin’, an’ whenebber we do get to a home
we’ll fin’ it oberflowin’ wid milk an’ honey, same’s dey did.”
Just at that moment the surf beat against the sandy shore unusually
loud, and Chloe remembered that they had no other defender than Ben,
which caused her to grow very nervous.
“Wha’ dat noise?” she asked in a whisper, and after waiting a few
seconds without receiving any reply from Gertie, she cried: “Don’ go
tryin’ fur ter skeer yer ole mammy, Ben, jes’ kase she’s pretty nigh
alone on dis h’yar little bunch ob sand.”
“I ain’t doin’ anything,” Ben said sleepily. “There’s nothin’ to be
afraid of if Jake is away, for we’re sure that nobody but us is on the
key, an’ it isn’t likely we’ll have any more visitors before morning at
the soonest.”
Now that Chloe had begun to be timid it was not possible to quiet
her rising fears. During the next two hours she called to Ben at
least twenty times, asking the cause of certain imaginary noises, and
insisting that he get up and search over the key to learn whether or
no maliciously disposed persons had landed for the purpose of working
some injury to the party.
It was not until slumber closed her eyelids that either of the children
could go to sleep; but when the occupants of the camp did sink into
a state of repose, they remained unconscious of all fancied danger
until a late hour next morning, when Ben was awakened by the sunlight
streaming through the open flap of the tent across his face.
After calling the others, his first care was to look out over the
placid waters, for it was impossible to check the fear that Dr. Harlan
might send or come himself in search of Gertie; but nothing could be
seen. If the cask had not been filled this absence of a sail would have
caused him great disappointment, whereas he now felt a most intense
satisfaction.
“I don’t want to see the least little bit of a boat till Jake gets
back,” he said to himself as he built the fire, “for then we sha’n’t be
afraid that any one is comin’ for her.”
That this wish was to be gratified during one day at least seemed
positive, for nothing passed within view of the tiny key as the hours
wore on. Chloe fairly outdid herself in the preparation of breakfast,
and when that meal had been eaten the castaways, with the cat following
very close to Gertie, walked around their place of refuge, or out over
the water on the mangrove roots to watch the beautifully colored fish,
which darted to and fro among the coral branches, making their gorgeous
hues seem more vivid by contrast.
Those who have never witnessed such a sight can hardly conceive what
brilliant colors may be found in the sea. That ardent sportsman, Dr.
Henshall, says:
“The fishes about the keys are very handsome, both in form and
coloration; silvery, rosy, scarlet, brown and golden bodies, with
sky-blue, bright yellow, rosy, or black stripes and bands, or spotted,
stellated and mottled with all the hues of the rainbow, and with
jeweled eyes of scarlet, blue, yellow or black; fins of all colors and
shapes, and lips of scarlet, red, blue or silver.”
Ben did not attempt to catch any of these gaudy neighbors. His
experience of the previous day had shown him that they were not easily
coaxed from their natural element with no more alluring bait than salt
pork, and there was no longer the incentive of adding to the contents
of the larder, for they had sufficient food on hand to supply every
want till Jake returned, unless, indeed, he should be delayed by some
accident.
It was a happy day for all. Even old Chloe, who complained at every
opportunity that by wandering over the sand she was sure to “git de
rheumatiz powerful bad,” appeared to thoroughly enjoy herself, and when
they laid down to sleep there was not so much as the shadow of a fear
in the mind of either member of the party.
“We may expect to see Jake by to-morrow night if there is any wind,”
Ben said just before falling asleep, and when he next realized anything
some one was shaking him roughly by the shoulder and shouting:
“Turn out here, my hearty, unless you’re countin’ on stayin’ below all
day. If the doctor was anywhere round he could steal the whole crowd
before one of you could so much as open an eye.”
It was the ex-cook, as Ben saw after he leaped to his feet in alarm,
and an instant later all three were asking a perfect flood of questions
at the same time.
“The easiest way will be for me to spin a reg’lar yarn, ’cause it
would take too much time to answer all you want to know in sections.
You start the fire while my tongue keeps runnin’, Ben, for I’m hungry
enough to eat three men’s rations. I left Key West jest before sunrise
this mornin’, an’ haven’t had a bite since last night.”
Ben did as he was bidden. Chloe and Gertie made very hasty toilets, and
then came out into the open air where they could see the cook while he
told his story.
“We got into Key West about three hours after we left here, night
before last,” Jake said as he threw himself in a comfortable position
on the sand, and spoke slowly as if thoroughly enjoying his importance.
“I didn’t try to find that lawyer Captain Irwin told of till the next
mornin’, an’ then I’d been waitin’ at his office nigh onto two hours.
He wasn’t a bit surprised because I was there, but talked just as cool
an’ quiet like as if he’d met me every day.”
“Never mind that part of it,” Ben interrupted with a gesture of
impatience. “Tell us what he said about Gertie.”
“Now don’t hurry me, an’ you’ll git the yarn all the quicker,” Jake
replied with considerable dignity. “I told him I wanted every bit of
news, an’ he said as how the quack doctor brought a suit against the
captain jest as he threatened to do. If Gertie had been there he might
a’ got hold of her at the start, but it wasn’t hard to show what he
made her do when the Sea Queen stopped at Key West, an’ now the lawyer
says that it ain’t at all likely the judge would appoint any one except
the captain to take charge of her.”
“Isn’t the case settled yet?” Gertie asked in surprise. “It seems as
if there had been time enough to say I’d rather die than go away with
that man.”
“It won’t be fixed for good till you go back and tell your story in
court, an’----”
“Then he would be sure to catch me,” Gertie cried as a look of fear
came over her face. “I had rather stay right here ’till the captain
gets ready to go to New York.”
“You can’t do that,” and Jake spoke very decidedly now. “The lawyer
says we must get there on Monday or Tuesday about eleven o’clock in the
forenoon, an’ he’ll have a man waitin’ at the dock for us so’s there
won’t be any chance of the doctor’s doin’ mischief. You’ve got to tell
your story before the thing can be wound up, an’ there’s no gettin’ out
of it. To-morrow is Sunday, an’ we’ll stay here quiet an’ snug till the
next mornin’.”
“Did you see the captain?” Ben asked.
“No; an’ the lawyer advised me to keep away from him, ’cause what
he don’t know he can’t be made to tell. I run plump into the quack
yesterday afternoon, an’ he wanted to stop an’ have a talk, but I kept
straight on about my business.”
“Do you suppose there was any chance he followed to see which way you
came?” and Gertie’s face began to grow pale with apprehension as she
thought such a contingency possible.
“I don’t reckon he did. He was nosin’ ’round the docks last night, but
I didn’t get under-weigh, although everything was ready. That’s why I
started so early this mornin’, an’ if he saw my boat when she left the
harbor, he must a set up all night.”
This reminded Ben of the new craft, and while Chloe was cooking
breakfast he went with Gertie and Jake to inspect her.
She was much larger than the one which had gone adrift, and was
schooner-rigged, with a beam so broad it seemed as if she could not
draw more than ten inches.
“I didn’t buy her,” Jake said quickly, fancying Ben looked anxious
because of the possible cost. “She was layin’ down at that New York
firm’s dock--they’ve been usin’ her for a sponger--an’ by gettin’ the
lawyer to guarantee that she’d be brought back safe and sound, I hired
her for three dollars a day. She’s a pretty fair sailer, has a cabin
big enough to hold all hands, an’ acts like a good sea-boat. I thought
perhaps we might start out this afternoon an’ hunt for our sloop.”
Before Ben could make any objections to this plan Gertie cried, as she
pointed toward the south:
“See! there’s a boat coming this way from the direction of Key West!
Are you sure, Jake, that no one saw when you left?”
“I allowed I’d given ’em all the slip,” the ex-cook muttered half to
himself as, shading his eyes with his hands, he gazed out over the
water at a small craft of not more than three or four tons burden,
which was coming toward the key at a spanking rate.
“They’re headin’ straight for us,” Ben said nervously. “Did you notice
a boat near here when you landed?”
“I didn’t look, an’ that’s a fact. It was too dark to make out if any
craft left the harbor behind me, and an hour afterward I was among that
nest of keys where one would have been hidden even if it was only two
or three miles astern. Say, Ben, can you tell the color of her hull?”
“I should say it was white with a red ribbon,” the boy replied, after
a close scrutiny of the approaching stranger, and as he spoke Jake
brought his hand down on his thigh with a resounding slap.
“It’s the very craft that anchored pretty close alongside of me about
eleven o’clock last night. I’ll bet a doughnut agin’ a big apple that
the quack was aboard at the time, an’ when I got under-weigh they up
anchor an’ follered. Oh, what a fool I can make of myself without much
tryin’!”
“If he is coming you and Ben can’t prevent him from taking me away,”
Gertie said with quivering lips, and a look of agony shone in the big,
brown eyes which aroused Ben very suddenly from his stupor of surprise.
“We needn’t stay here!” he cried. “They can’t make the key for half an
hour, and there’s nothin’ to stop us from leavin’ at once. If our boat
doesn’t sail any faster than that craft, we can at least reach Key West
in time to put you under the lawyer’s care.”
“You’re right, lad, you’re right, and there isn’t a minute to spare,”
Jake shouted as he ran at full speed toward the tents. “Let’s get this
stuff on board an’ be off.”
“Don’t wait for anything,” Ben cried. “We had better lose all we’ve got
than have him catch Gertie.”
“But we must take a portion, lad, for there’s no knowin’ how long we’ll
be cruisin’ around, an’ we may need all the provisions an’ water.”
Recognizing the truth of this remark, Ben followed Jake’s example
without delay, and while three of the party were exerting themselves to
the utmost, the strange craft was steadily drawing nearer the key.