HUNTING FOR THE SWAN
For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the
wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on
the deck above and the grinding of pulleys. A sail was hoisted, then
suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock. In a few moments
it was pitching heavily on the rough sea.
"Poor Mattia," I said, taking his hand.
"I don't care, we're saved," he said; "what if I am seasick?"
The next day I passed my time between the cabin and deck. Mattia wanted
to be left alone. When at last the skipper pointed out Harfleur I
hurried down to the cabin to tell him the good news. As it was late in
the afternoon when we arrived at Harfleur, Bob's brother told us that we
could sleep on the boat that night if we wished.
"When you want to go back to England," he said the next morning, as we
wished him good-by, and thanked him for what he had done for us, "just
remember that the _Eclipse_ sails from here every Tuesday."
It was a kind invitation, but Mattia and I each of us had our reason for
not wishing to cross the sea again ... yet awhile.
Fortunately we had our profits from Bob's performance. In all we had
twenty-seven francs and fifty centimes. Mattia wanted to give Bob the
twenty-seven francs in payment for the expenses he had been put to for
my flight, but he would not accept a penny.
"Well, which way shall we go?" I asked when we landed in France.
"By the canal," replied Mattia promptly, "because I have an idea. I
believe the _Swan_ is on the canal this summer, now that Arthur's been
so ill, and I think we ought to find it," he added.
"But what about Lise and the others?" I asked.
"We'll see them while we're looking for Mrs. Milligan. As we go up the
canal, we can stop and see Lise."
With a map that we bought, we searched for the nearest river: it was the
Seine.
"We'll go up the Seine and ask all the fishermen along the banks if
they've seen the _Swan_. It isn't like any other boat from what you say,
and if they've seen it they'll remember."
Before beginning the long journey that was probably ahead of us I bought
some soft soap to clean Capi. To me, Capi yellow--was not Capi. We
washed him thoroughly, each one taking it in turns until he was tired
out. But Bob's dye was an excellent quality and when we had finished he
was still yellow, but a shade paler. It would require many shampoos
before we could get him back to his original color. Fortunately Normandy
is a country of brooks and each day we gave him a bath.
We reached the top of a hill one morning and Mattia spied the Seine away
ahead of us, winding in a large curve. From then on, we began to
question the people. Had they seen the _Swan_, a beautiful barge with a
veranda? No one had seen it. It must have passed in the night. We went
on to Rouen, where again we commenced our questions, but with no better
result. We would not be discouraged but went forward questioning every
one. We had to stop to get money for our food as we went along, so it
took us five weeks to reach the suburbs of Paris.
Fortunately, upon arriving at Charenton, we soon knew which direction we
had to take. When we put the important question, we received for the
first time the answer for which we had longed. A boat which resembled
the _Swan_, a large pleasure boat, had passed that way; turning to the
left, it had continued up the Seine.
We were by the docks. Mattia was so overjoyed that he commenced to dance
amongst the fishermen. Stopping suddenly he took his violin and
frantically played a triumphal march. While he played I questioned the
man who had seen the barge. Without a doubt it was the _Swan_. It had
passed through Charenton about two months ago.
Two months! What a lead it had! But what did that matter! We had our
legs and they had the legs of two good horses and we should join them
some day. The question of time did not count. The great thing, the
wonderful thing was that the _Swan_ was found!
"Who was right?" cried Mattia.
If I had dared I would have admitted to Mattia that I had very great
hopes, but I felt that I could not analyze my thoughts, not even to
myself. We had no need to stop now and question the people. The _Swan_
was ahead of us. We had only to follow the Seine. We went on our way,
getting nearer to where Lise lived. I wondered if she had seen the barge
as it passed through the locks by her home. At night we never complained
of weariness and we were always ready the next morning to set out at an
early hour.
"Wake me up," said Mattia, who was fond of sleeping. And when I woke him
he was never long in jumping to his feet.
To economize we ate hard-boiled eggs, which we bought from the grocers,
and bread. Yet Mattia was very fond of good things.
"I hope Mrs. Milligan has that cook still who made those tarts," he
said; "apricot tarts must be fine!"
"Haven't you ever tasted them?"
"I've tasted apple puffs, but I've never tasted apricot tarts. I've seen
them. What are those little white things they stick all over the fruit?"
"Almonds."
"Oh...." And Mattia opened his mouth as though he were swallowing a
whole tart.
At each lock we had news of the _Swan;_ every one had seen the
beautiful barge and they spoke of the kind English lady and the little
boy lying on a sofa under the veranda.
We drew nearer to Lise's home, two more days, then one, then only a few
hours. We came in sight of the house. We were not walking now, we were
running. Capi, who seemed to know where we were going, started ahead at
a gallop. He was going to let Lise know that we were coming. She would
come to meet us. But when we got to the house there was a woman standing
at the door whom we did not know.
"Where's Madame Suriot?" we inquired.
For a moment she stared at us as though we were asking a foolish
question.
"She doesn't live here now," she said at last; "she's in Egypt."
"In Egypt!"
Mattia and I looked at one another in amazement. Egypt! We did not know
just where Egypt was situated, but we thought, vaguely, it was far away,
very far, somewhere beyond the seas.
"And Lise? Do you know Lise?"
"The little dumb girl? Yes, I know her! She went off with an English
lady on a barge."
Lise on the _Swan!_ Were we dreaming? Mattia and I stared at one
another.
"Are you Remi?" then asked the woman.
"Yes."
"Well, Suriot was drowned...."
"Drowned!"
"Yes, he fell into the lock and got caught below on a nail. And his
poor wife didn't know what to do, and then a lady that she lived with
before she married was going to Egypt, and she told her she would take
her as nurse to look after the children. She didn't know what to do with
little Lise and while she was wondering an English lady and her little
sick son came along the canal in a barge. They talked. And the English
lady, who was looking for some one to play with her son, for he was
tired of being always alone, said she would take Lise along and she
would educate the little girl. The lady said she would have doctors who
would cure her and she would be able to speak some day. Before they
went, Lise wanted her aunt to explain to me what I was to say to you if
you came to see her. That's all."
I was so amazed that I could find no words. But Mattia never lost his
head like me.
"Where did the English lady go?" he asked.
"To Switzerland. Lise was to have written to me so that I could give you
her address, but I haven't received the letter yet."