All went well and we fled down the bitter stream of the Martian gulf at
a pace leaving me little to do but guide our course just clear of snags
and promontories on the port shore. Just before dawn, however, with a
thin mist on the water and flocks of a flamingo-like bird croaking as
they flew southward overhead, we were nearly captured again.
Drifting silently down on a rocky island, I was having a drink at the
water-pitcher at the moment, while Heru, her hair beaded with prismatic
moisture and looking more ethereal than ever, sat in the bows
timorously inhaling the breath of freedom, when all on a sudden voices
invisible in the mist, came round a corner. It was one of Ar-hap's
war-canoes toiling up-stream. Heru and I ducked down into the haze
like dab-chicks and held our breath.
Straight on towards us came the toiling ship, the dip of oars resonant
in the hollow fog and a ripple babbling on her cutwater plainly
discernible.
Oh, oh!
Hoo, hoo!
How high, how high!"
sounded the sleepy song of the rowers till they were looming right
abreast and we could smell their damp hides in the morning air. Then
they stopped suddenly and some one asked,
"Is there not something like a boat away on the right?"
"It is nothing," said another, "but the lees of last night's beer
curdling in your stupid brain."
"But I saw it move."
"That must have been in dreams."
"What is all that talking about?" growled a sleepy voice of authority
from the stern.
"Bow man, sir, says he can see a boat."
"And what does it matter if he can? Are we to delay every time that
lazy ruffian spying a shadow makes it an excuse to stop to yawn and
scratch? Go on, you plankful of lubbers, or I'll give you something
worth thinking about!" And joyfully, oh, so joyfully, we heard the
sullen dip of oars commence again.
Nothing more happened after that till the sun at length shone on the
little harbour town at the estuary mouth, making the masts of fishing
craft clustering there like a golden reed-bed against the cool, clean
blue of the sea beyond.
Right glad we were to see it, and keeping now in shadow of the banks,
made all haste while light was faint and mist hung about to reach the
town, finally pushing through the boats and gaining a safe hiding-place
without hostile notice before it was clear daylight.
Covering Heru up and knowing well all our chances of escape lay in
expedition, I went at once, in pursuance of a plan made during the
night, to the good dame at what, for lack of a better name, must still
continue to be called the fish-shop, and finding her alone, frankly
told her the salient points of my story. When she learned I had
"robbed the lion of his prey" and taken his new wife singlehanded from
the dreaded Ar-hap her astonishment was unbounded. Nothing would do
but she must look upon the princess, so back we went to the
hiding-place, and when Heru knew that on this woman depended our lives
she stepped ashore, taking the rugged Martian hand in her dainty
fingers and begging her help so sweetly that my own heart was moved,
and, thrusting hands in pocket, I went aside, leaving those two to
settle it in their own female way.
And when I looked back in five minutes, royal Seth had her arms round
the woman's neck, kissing the homely cheeks with more than imperial
fervour, so I knew all was well thus far, and stopped expectorating at
the little fishes in the water below and went over to them. It was
time! We had hardly spoken together a minute when a couple of
war-canoes filled with men appeared round the nearest promontory,
coming down the swift water with arrow-like rapidity.
"Quick!" said the fishwife, "or we are all lost. Into your canoe and
paddle up this creek. It runs out to the sea behind the town, and at
the bar is my man's fishing-boat amongst many others. Lie hidden there
till he comes if you value your lives." So in we got, and while that
good Samaritan went back to her house we cautiously paddled through a
deserted backwater to where it presently turned through low sandbanks
to the gulf. There were the boats, and we hid the canoe and lay down
amongst them till, soon after, a man, easily recognised as the husband
of our friend, came sauntering down from the village.
At first he was sullen, not unreasonably alarmed at the danger into
which his good woman was running him. But when he set eyes on Heru he
softened immediately. Probably that thick-bodied fellow had never seen
so much female loveliness in so small a bulk in all his life, and,
being a man, he surrendered at discretion.
"In with you, then," he growled, "since I must needs risk my neck for a
pair of runaways who better deserve to be hung than I do. In with you
both into this fishing-cobble of mine, and I will cover you with nets
while I go for a mast and sail, and mind you lie as still as logs. The
town is already full of soldiers looking for you, and it will be short
shrift for us all if you are seen."
Well aware of the fact and now in the hands of destiny, the princess
and I lay down as bidden in the prow, and the man covered us lightly
over with one of those fine meshed seines used by these people to catch
the little fish I had breakfasted on more than once.
Materially I could have enjoyed the half-hour which followed, since
such rest after exertion was welcome, the sun warm, the lapping of sea
on shingle infinitely soothing, and, above all, Heru was in my arms!
How sweet and childlike she was! I could feel her little heart beating
through her scanty clothing, while every now and then she turned her
gazelle eyes to mine with a trust and admiration infinitely alluring.
Yes! as far as that went I could have lain there with that slip of
maiden royalty for ever, but the fascination of the moment was marred
by the thought of our danger. What was to prevent these new friends
giving us away? They knew we had no money to recompense them for the
risk they were running. They were poor, and a splendid reward, wealth
itself to them, would doubtless be theirs if they betrayed us even by a
look. Yet somehow I trusted them as I have trusted the poor before
with the happiest results, and telling myself this and comforting Heru,
I listened and waited.
Minute by minute went by. It seemed an age since the fisherman had
gone, but presently the sound of voices interrupted the sea's murmur.
Cautiously stealing a glance through a chink imagine my feelings on
perceiving half a dozen of Ar-hap's soldiers coming down the beach
straight towards us! Then my heart was bitter within me, and I tasted
of defeat, even with Heru in my arms. Luckily even in that moment of
agony I kept still, and another peep showed the men were now wandering
about rather aimlessly. Perhaps after all they did not know of our
nearness? Then they took to horseplay, as idle soldiers will even in
Mars, pelting each other with bits of wood and dead fish, and thereon I
breathed again.
Nearer they came and nearer, my heart beating fast as they strolled
amongst the boats until they were actually "larking" round the one next
to ours. A minute or two of this, and another footstep crunched on the
pebbles, a quick, nervous one, which my instinct told me was that of
our returning friend.
"Hullo old sprat-catcher! Going for a sail?" called out a soldier, and
I knew that the group were all round our boat, Heru trembling so
violently in my breast that I thought she would make the vessel shake.
"Yes," said the man gruffly.
"Let's go with him," cried several voices. "Here, old dried haddock,
will you take us if we help haul your nets for you?"
"No, I won't. Your ugly faces would frighten all the fish out of the
sea."
"And yours, you old chunk of dried mahogany, is meant to attract them
no doubt."
"Let's tie him to a post and go fishing in his boat ourselves," some
one suggested. Meanwhile two of them began rocking the cobble
violently from side to side. This was awful, and every moment I
expected the net and the sail which our friend had thrown down
unceremoniously upon us would roll off.
"Oh, stop that," said the Martian, who was no doubt quite as well aware
of the danger as we were. "The tide's full, the shoals are in the
bay--stop your nonsense, and help me launch like good fellows."
"Well, take two of us, then. We will sit on this heap of nets as quiet
as mice, and stand you a drink when we get back."
"No, not one of you," quoth the plucky fellow, "and here's my staff in
my hand, and if you don't leave my gear alone I will crack some of your
ugly heads."
"That's a pity," I thought to myself, "for if they take to fighting it
will be six to one--long odds against our chances." There was indeed a
scuffle, and then a yell of pain, as though a soldier had been hit
across the knuckles; but in a minute the best disposed called out, "Oh,
cease your fun, boys, and let the fellow get off if he wants to. You
know the fleet will be down directly, and Ar-hap has promised something
worth having to the man who can find that lost bit of crackling of his.
It's my opinion she's in the town, and I for one would rather look for
her than go haddock fishing any day."
"Right you are, mates," said our friend with visible relief. "And,
what's more, if you help me launch this boat and then go to my missus
and tell her what you've done, she'll understand, and give you the
biggest pumpkinful of beer in the place. Ah, she will understand, and
bless your soft hearts and heads while you drink it--she's a cute one
is my missus."
"And aren't you afraid to leave her with us?"
"Not I, my daisy, unless it were that a sight of your pretty face might
give her hysterics. Now lend a hand, your accursed chatter has already
cost me half an hour of the best fishing time."
"In with you, old buck!" shouted the soldiers; I felt the fisherman
step in, as a matter of fact he stepped in on to my toes; a dozen hands
were on the gunwales: six soldier yells resounded, it seemed, in my
very ears: there was the grit and rush of pebbles under the keel: a
sudden lurch up of the bows, which brought the fairy lady's
honey-scented lips to mine, and then the gentle lapping of deep blue
waters underneath us!
There is little more to be said of that voyage. We pulled until out of
sight of the town, then hoisted sail, and, with a fair wind, held upon
one tack until we made an island where there was a small colony of
Hither folk.
Here our friend turned back. I gave him another gold button from my
coat, and the princess a kiss upon either cheek, which he seemed to
like even more than the button. It was small payment, but the best we
had. Doubtless he got safely home, and I can but hope that Providence
somehow or other paid him and his wife for a good deed bravely done.
Those islanders in turn lent us another boat, with a guide, who had
business in the Hither capital, and on the evening of the second day,
the direct route being very short in comparison, we were under the
crumbling marble walls of Seth.