A MORE IMPORTANT OBLIGATION
IT was in the late afternoon of the same day and over toward the west
appeared the flaming colors of an African sunset.
Since mid-day hundreds of the Martha Washington's passengers had been
landed at Gibraltar. They had been shown through the famous English
stronghold, where guns and ammunition are so strangely stored for
defense and had seen the town at the northwest foot of the rock
protected by formidable batteries. Then, weary in mind and body, they
had been again transferred to the special tender and put aboard their
steamer.
Standing at the edge of the water and leaning on Olive's arm waiting her
turn to be taken back, Jack wondered if among all their fellow
passengers there was one half so fatigued as she? She had not mentioned
it, but this was hardly worth while, for Jack's face, except for her
lips and the shadows under her eyes, was perfectly colorless, yet that
morning she had thought herself as strong as anyone else. However, Jack
need not have felt discouraged, for every member of the Rainbow Ranch
party looked almost equally used up. The truth is that, through Captain
Madden's guidance, they had seen more of the great fort than the other
ship's passengers. Then by accident they had lost their return places in
the tender, and so been obliged to wait until a later trip.
The celebrated Rock of Gibraltar runs north and south three miles and is
about three-quarters of a mile in width. The entire rock is undermined
with subterranean galleries containing cannon in great number. Some of
the lower galleries that are not in use may be visited by travelers, but
both Frieda and Jean assured Captain Madden that if there were any
possible passages which they had not journeyed through, it was indeed
hard to believe.
Each member of the expedition was cross. For there is nothing more
trying to the nerves and disposition than too strenuous sight-seeing.
Ruth was worried at having permitted Jack to undertake a trip that was
so plainly too much for her strength. Jean was annoyed because the
Princess Colonna, who had been one of their party all day, had scarcely
spoken to any of her friends. Even Captain Madden she had acknowledged
only by the coldest greeting, while absolutely ignoring every one else.
And although Dick Grant and his mother had been included in the Ranch
girls' immediate party, solely on Frieda's account, she and the young
man had been on the verge of quarreling at least half a dozen times.
However, it was not altogether the young people's fault, because Mrs.
Grant had been trying. Every once in a while Frieda had felt obliged to
decide that in the future she must have nothing more to do with the son.
If there was a possible stupid question to be asked, always Mrs. Grant
had asked it; if there was a place where the rules forbade her entrance,
that was the particular place which she had insisted upon seeing.
Indeed, if Frieda had been able to foretell how Mrs. Grant was to end
the long day with them, she would have wished that their original
uncomfortable acquaintance could have closed on the morning it begun.
Suddenly from the signal station on top the Rock of Gibraltar the little
company in waiting on shore heard the loud report of the six o'clock
gun. Six o'clock and yet here they were on land! The ship's officer had
announced that the Martha Washington must steam away again promptly at
six! Nevertheless there seemed no real danger of the Rainbow Ranch
party's being left behind. For half a mile out at sea their ship still
waited at anchor, while approaching within a few yards of the Spanish
shore was the small boat known as the tender.
Watching it come toward them Jack swayed and might have fallen except
that Olive kept a tight hold on her.
"Please help me up the gang-plank when we go on board, Olive dear?" Jack
whispered, "I don't want any one to guess how wobbly I feel."
And Olive nodded reassuringly.
A little later and the tender had reached the big ship. Now, however,
the transference of the passengers was not to be so easily made. The
waves were no longer blue and quiet as they had been all day. From
somewhere a high wind had blown up off the land and each time the
smaller boat attempted anchoring alongside the big one, a breaker drove
it backward or forward. There was grave danger of the tender's being
shattered against the great ship.
Nevertheless no one aboard either of the two boats seemed seriously
frightened, excepting Mrs. Grant. Frieda was so scornful in watching the
stout, elderly woman clutching at her son, asking dozens of hysterical
questions that she quite forgot to be nervous herself. Indeed, she
almost failed to appreciate the scene, so unique to her experience.
Ruth and the other three Ranch girls were not so oblivious. For the time
being they were standing close together, having in the excitement
forgotten all past weariness. The Spanish and English sailors, manning
their small boat, were splendidly capable. Through a megaphone orders
were called out to them from the big steamer, and instantly the men made
ready to obey. But whatever the discipline and intelligence, the will of
the sea was not to be soon conquered.
Had there been more time the smaller boat could have been finally
brought alongside the larger one and her few remaining passengers safely
put on board, but the night was coming down, and both the officers and
travelers were growing impatient. A few moments afterward and the tender
was brought to anchor within a safe distance of the Martha Washington.
Then a life boat was lowered. When this came alongside the tender a
ladder was dropped overboard and the Ranch party and their friends
ordered to embark. The method appeared a simple enough one. One had only
to climb down the ladder and be lifted into the small boat.
Nevertheless, five persons looked anxiously at Jacqueline Ralston, and
Jack purposely refused to return any gaze. Not for worlds would she have
Ruth or the girls guess that she felt any nervousness at having to do so
easy a thing, with several persons at hand to help her.
During this period of waiting, Captain Madden had been standing not far
away, talking in low tones to the Princess. Now he moved quietly
forward. His face was flushed as though his conversation had not been
agreeable. However, his manner toward Jack was extremely kind.
"If the climbing down the ladder will be too much for you, Miss Ralston,
won't you allow me--"
Jack shook her head. Already Jean was descending the side of the boat,
the Princess following soon after. And although the small tender plunged
with the movement of the waves and the rowboat rocked unceasingly, half
a dozen hands held the ladder firm.
There was no danger. Jack joined Frieda in frowning impatiently at Mrs.
Grant, who was nervously protesting to her son that she could never make
the necessary effort. Then her gray eyes lighted with amusement. With a
slight inclination of the head she suggested that Captain Madden play
knight errant to the only female in distress.
Olive and Frieda went down one after the other. Ruth, however, would not
leave the tender until she saw Jack safely through the climb overboard.
And in the meantime the rowboat had made a journey to the steamer, put
its occupants aboard and returned once more to the smaller ship.
But by this time the gorgeous sunset colors had faded and the twilight
was fast closing down. And although Mrs. Grant, having at last mustered
sufficient courage, insisted on being allowed to enter the rowboat
first, Ruth Drew would not hear of it. She had waited, watching the
other girls in order to see how difficult the climb might be for Jack.
Now it was wiser to have no further delay.
If Jack had felt any nervousness previously it had now entirely passed.
How absurd to be frightened by anything so simple! With a gesture to the
man in the boat below she flung her heavy white coat down to him. Then
she swung herself over the side of the boat and commenced descending the
ladder with all the ease of her athletic days. The distance was not
great. Although the boats were rocking and plunging the experience was
exhilarating.
It happened during the few moments required for Jack's descent that
Captain Madden and Dick Grant chanced to be standing on either side of
Mrs. Grant. Therefore, what afterwards occurred could hardly have been
prevented.
Of course Mrs. Grant was under the impression that Jack had reached the
end of the ship's ladder. Some call from below or some mental
hallucination must have given her the idea. For without a word she
suddenly darted forward and before any one could speak or move seized
hold of the top rung of the overhanging rope ladder. It was only for an
instant. Immediately the sailor standing alongside, grasped her firmly
by the arm, but the single movement had been sufficiently disastrous.
Jack had nearly reached the end of her climb. So near was she to
stepping into the rowboat that one of the men below had his arms
outstretched to receive her. So possibly she had relaxed the firmness of
her hold. For when the surprising jerk came from the top of the ladder
the girl wavered half a second and then appeared to let go altogether.
She fell not backwards but over to one side. And only her own family
understood why she had happened to collapse in this fashion.
Instantly, however, before an other sound could be heard, there came the
queer rushing noise of the water closing over her. And then followed a
cry that seemed to come from a hundred throats at once. Above them all
Ruth believed she heard Frieda on the deck of the big steamer.
Ruth did not utter a sound. Really there seemed not to be time. Almost
instantaneously did Captain Madden's coat drop at her feet. Then
followed his dive overboard. There were plenty of people nearby to have
pulled Jack out of the water. Perhaps his action was unnecessary.
However, Captain Madden had at once recognized Jack's grave danger. They
were only half a mile from shore, where he suspected the undertow was
dangerously strong. It was now almost dark so that her body might be
drawn under one or the other of the two large boats. And his suspicion
must have been true, because Jack did not come up near the spot where
she had gone down. There were half a dozen sailors ready to offer aid
had it been necessary. But the moment after Captain Madden's dive, he
rose again holding the girl easily with one hand and swimming. When they
reached the side of the life-boat the sailors pulled them in, wet of
course, but otherwise unhurt.
"I am exceedingly sorry and ashamed and grateful," Jack murmured in
Captain Madden's ear later when, safely wrapped in his coat, she was
being rowed back to the Martha Washington. "In the words of Mr. Peggoty,
if it hadn't been for you I might have been 'drowndead.'"
Captain Madden shook his head. More than anything else he admired
Jacqueline Ralston's courage. Indeed, he was beginning to think that the
task which he had set for himself might not be so disagreeable to
perform.
"Oh no, there were dozens of other men equally ready to do just what I
did, only I managed to have the honor first," he returned lightly. And
of course by his ignoring his own action, Jack was the more impressed by
it.
For she looked at the older man gravely. "I can understand that you
don't want to be thanked for what you have done. I know that from my own
experience once. But just the same I shall always be grateful to you.
And if ever there is a time when I can in any way show my gratitude--"
To do Captain Madden justice he felt uncomfortable over Jack's excessive
gratitude, for whatever his other faults of character, he was a
physically brave man.
Although insisting that she was perfectly well and that her wetting had
not done her the least harm, Jack was straightway put to bed and dosed
with warm drinks. So that Olive, in order to talk with the other girls
and yet allow Jack to sleep, was obliged to slip into Ruth's stateroom
soon after dinner.
There she found Ruth and Jean engaged in argument.
"Of course I am grateful to Captain Madden," Jean was saying in an
irritated tone of voice, "but just the same, I don't see why he could
not have waited for one of the sailors whose business it was to rescue
Jack. We all of us know what a queer disposition Jack has and how if she
once likes a person she sticks to him through thick and thin. And
I--well, candidly, I don't want her to like this Captain Madden any too
much. I don't trust him and I would write to old Jim tonight if I knew a
single thing to say against him or any reason for saying it."
"But you are simply prejudiced, Jean dear. Anyhow we will be landing in
Naples in a few days and after that see no more of our ship friends,"
Ruth argued. "So if I were you I would say and think nothing more about
this. Really, such a casual acquaintance is not of so great importance."
And Ruth frowned, because Frieda was staring at her cousin with her big
blue eyes wide open with the effort to guess what possible reason Jean
could have for showing so much unnecessary feeling. For her own part,
her anger was directed entirely against Mrs. Grant and her son. And she
firmly made up her mind not to speak to either one of them again, no
matter how humble their apologies.