IN WHICH ERNEST IS AWAKENED BY A LOUD KNOCKING.
THE Splash continued on her course up the lake, after I had landed Bob
Hale. It was quite dark, and I told Kate she need not stay in the cuddy
any longer. She came out, and sat down near me. I was still in doubt as
to what I should do with her; and now that Bob had left me, the problem
seemed more difficult than before. Mrs. Loraine was not a woman to let
the matter rest where it was. She was full of spirit and vindictiveness,
and as she was the legal guardian of Kate, she would not let her escape
pass unnoticed.
In the morning, if not before, it would be discovered that the bird had
flown. After the interest Bob and I had manifested in the welfare of the
young lady, her guardian would know where to apply for information, and
I might expect to hear from her in the course of twenty-four hours, and
it was not improbable that the search would be commenced that very
evening. I told Kate, as we sailed along, that her absence would create
a tempest in the household of her step-mother, and that we must be
prepared for vigorous proceedings on her part.
"I hope I haven't got you into trouble, Ernest Thornton," said she, her
tones indicating much anxiety.
"Never mind me, Kate. I am used to trouble, and I can stand anything. I
only hope I shall be able to keep you safe from your enemies."
"Can't I stay in this boat? That cabin is a nice place; I am sure it
seems like a fairy palace to me, compared with my prison house in the
attic chamber."
"You might stay in the cabin a day or two; but of course you can't live
there for any great length of time. You say you have an uncle in New
York city."
"I have. If I could only find him I should be safe. I never saw him, at
least not since I can remember; but as he is my father's brother, he
must be something like my father, and he will take care of me."
"How can we get you to New York? That's the question."
"If I could only reach the railroad, I should not be afraid to go
alone," she added, earnestly. "I am sure I could find my uncle, for his
name is not a very common one."
"But I don't think it would be safe for you to go alone. We must manage
that some way or other, though I hardly know how. It will need some
money to pay your fare."
"Dear me! so it will!" exclaimed she, blankly. "And I haven't a single
cent!"
"Never mind, Kate; we will manage that. I can raise the money for you,
and see that you get to New York."
"You are very kind, Ernest Thornton," replied she, warmly. "I shall have
plenty of money some time, and will pay you back every cent."
"There will be no trouble about that," I added. "I am only thinking how
I shall get you safely to your destination; but I am going to do it
somehow or other. Are you not afraid to stay in the boat all night?"
"O, no! I'm not afraid of anything but my attic chamber."
"My cabin isn't a bad place to stay in. I have slept there a great many
nights, in all parts of the lake, sometimes miles from any house."
"I'm not a bit afraid, Ernest Thornton. Why, the cabin is a splendid
place, and there are two nice beds there. I'm sure I don't want any
better room than that. I could live there a whole year."
"You will not have to stay there long. Just as soon as I can get the
money, and find some one to go with you to New York, I shall sail up the
creek, where there is a railroad station, and you shall start for New
York. Now we are almost to the cottage of my uncle, and you had better
keep out of sight, for I don't want any one to see you."
She crawled into the cuddy, and sat down on one of the berths. I always
moored the Splash about ten rods from the shore, so that she could lie
in the deep water. The row-boat in which I came off to her was fastened
to the buoy, so that I easily found the place in the darkness, and made
fast to the moorings. I lowered my sails, and put every thing in order
as usual.
"Now, Kate, I think you will be perfectly safe here. I will bring you
off some supper very soon."
"I don't need any supper. Mrs. Loraine sent me some before she went out
to ride; but I could not eat a mouthful."
"No matter; I will bring off something, and see you again to-night."
I went ashore in the row-boat. My supper was waiting for me in the
dining-room. After I had finished the meal, I buttered several slices of
bread, and wrapped them in a napkin, with some cheese and some cake.
Probably old Betsey, the housekeeper, thought I had a ravenous appetite
that night; but she never asked any questions, or expressed any surprise
at anything which occurred at the cottage. I pulled off to the boat
again, and gave the contents of the napkin to Kate.
"I am sorry I can't light the lantern, Kate," I added, as I handed her
the provisions; "but I'm afraid it would betray you, if Mrs. Loraine
should happen to come here in search of you to-night."
"I don't care to have a light. I am so rejoiced to get away from my
prison that I don't care for anything," said she, with enthusiasm. "You
don't know how much I have suffered over there, Ernest Thornton."
"I hope you have seen the last of it; but we must be very careful. In
the morning you must stay in your cabin, for my uncle gets up very
early, and walks all about the place. You must not let him see you on
any account."
"I will not. I will be as careful as you can desire."
"In the morning I hope I shall be able to do something with you."
"I shall trust myself wholly to you, Ernest Thornton, and one of these
days I hope to be able to repay you for your goodness to me."
"Never mind that, Kate; I am going to do what I think is right because
it is right. I suppose you thought it was rather hard in me to take you
ashore at the pier over there, this afternoon; but I'm sure I shouldn't
have dared to do what I have done if I hadn't seen Mrs. Loraine, and
satisfied myself that she ill-treated you."
"I think you did just right, Ernest Thornton; but I was willing to
suffer rather than get you into trouble."
"I don't care for myself; it don't make much difference what happens to
me. If I can only enable you to reach your uncle in New York city, that
is all I want. But it is getting late now, and I think you had better go
to sleep. You can do as I do, Kate, when I sleep on board. I always lock
myself in."
I explained to her how this was done. There were two doors opening into
the cuddy, one on each side of the mainmast, with a slide over each.
Outside of these doors were two round holes, which I had sawed in the
bulkhead for ventilation. By reaching the arm through one of these
apertures the slide could be locked. I fastened Kate into the cuddy, and
then gave her the key, with which she opened the door without difficulty
herself.
"I shall keep a good lookout for you," said I, as I pulled my tender
alongside.
"I am not a bit afraid, Ernest Thornton," replied she. "I shall pray for
you, and thank God for giving me such a good friend."
"Good night," I added, speaking through the round hole.
"Good night; and don't worry about me," replied she.
So far as her comfort was concerned, there was not the least need of
worrying about her, for the cabin of the Splash was a miniature parlor.
There were two good hair mattresses in the berths, with plenty of
bed-clothes. The floor was carpeted, and there was every convenience
which so small an apartment could contain. I had slept there for a week
together; and when my uncle had banished me from his house, I had
intended to live on board of her all the time, and earn my living by
carrying out parties. So long as no one disturbed her, I had no fears in
regard to my guest in the boat.
But I was very much troubled about the final disposal of her. It would
not be safe for her to go to New York alone. It might be several days
before she found her uncle, and it was not proper to subject a young
girl like her to the perils of the great city without a protector. I had
no objection to making a trip to New York myself. The spring vacation
would commence on the following Monday, and I could be absent from home
a whole week without being missed, if I kept the Splash out of sight,
for my uncle would suppose I was off on a cruise in her.
This plan pleased me, and I determined to carry it out. School kept but
two days more before the vacation, and if I could only keep Kate out of
sight till Monday, everything would work well. The financial question
was not a difficult one to manage. I calculated that about thirty
dollars would pay the expenses of the trip to the metropolis; and uncle
Amos would give me this sum or more, without asking a single question. I
had about ten dollars on hand, which would be a sufficient margin for
contingencies.
The whole matter was as luminous now as youth and enthusiasm could wish;
and I went to my chamber satisfied that I had solved the problem. It
seemed to me that the only possible obstacle to the complete success of
my scheme would be the interference of Mrs. Loraine and her friends. In
the morning, at farthest, the search for the escaped prisoner would be
commenced. But I could do nothing to provide against emergencies in this
direction. I could only wait till I saw how "the land lay" in the
morning, and then trust to my own skill and dash to overcome the
difficulties as they presented themselves. In my prayers I remembered
poor Kate, and asked the blessing of Heaven upon her. I felt sure that
the Good Father would help me to save her from the cruel persecution to
which she was subjected. Having thus commended myself and Kate to the
care of Him who watches over the innocent, I turned over and went to
sleep.
My slumber was soon disturbed by a violent pounding at the front door of
the cottage, which was just beneath my window. I leaped up in the bed
and listened. They were not doubtful sounds that I heard, and they
appeared to be made by the heel of a heavy boot. The person who demanded
admission to the cottage at that unseemly hour was evidently in earnest,
and the door groaned under the vigorous assaults he made upon it. Of
course I could not be uncertain in regard to the errand of the midnight
visitor--for such the striking of the clock in the hall below now
assured me he was. "The tug of war" was at hand, and I was to be called
upon at once to "face the music."
I decided not to be forward in meeting the messenger from Mrs. Loraine,
whoever he was. It was possible, if not probable, that she had sent the
deputy sheriff after me; and this terrible official might hurry me off
from my bed to a cell in the Cannondale lockup, heedless of the fact
that I was found in another county. If I was arrested, what would become
of poor Kate? The cold sweat stood on my brow as I thought of her. But I
came to the conclusion that I would not be arrested by any deputy
sheriff, or any one else, if I could possibly avoid it; and it was a
satisfaction for me to hear the wind piping merrily at my window, for
that would give heels to the Splash, if a hurried departure became
necessary.