LOLO'S GRATITUDE AND JACK'S DELIGHT--THE SIGNAL--UNEXPECTED TURN OF
LUCK--A FAMILIAR VOICE--WHO IS IT?--"SURELY! NEVER!"--READ AND LEARN.
"That's a good job done!" said Jack, looking after the wretches he had
pushed over.
The fair Circassian burst into tears now that the peril was over.
Falling upon her knees, she seized Jack's hands and pressed them to her
lips.
She poured out a long string of thanks in the most eloquent language.
Although the language was so far wasted upon Jack, he could not fail to
comprehend her meaning.
"There, there," said Jack, squeezing her hand in reply to her caresses,
"don't take on so, my dear girl. The danger's over now."
But was it?
They had yet to get away.
Jack was no worse off than when in his prison ten feet higher up, it is
true.
But what of Lolo?
How was she to manage?
While he was cogitating over this he heard a shrill whistle from below.
He ran to the window.
"Hist, Jack!" cried a familiar voice from the water.
"Hullo!"
"Drop down, Jack," returned Harry's voice. "Here I am, in a boat, as
snug as a domestic pest in a railway wrapper."
Comic and tragic were so jumbled up in this startling series of
adventures, that Jack scarce knew whether to laugh or to cry.
He did neither.
There was a rope close, handy upon a sack--its destination had
certainly not been to save life--and Jack, with the quickness of
thought itself, fastened it around the Circassian girl's waist.
She understood his meaning, and lent him all the assistance she could.
Once at the window, he fastened it securely, and proceeded to lower it
down.
She looked down the dizzy height, and slightly shuddered.
And then, before trusting herself down, she threw her arms around her
young preserver's neck, and embraced him tenderly.
"Bless you," said Jack, with emotion. "If I only bring you safe through
this, it will be the proudest day in my life."
Now for it.
It was a perilous moment, for the poor girl could not help herself in
any way.
But she was lowered in safety.
"Look out," said Jack, in a good loud whisper; "I'm coming now."
"Look sharp, then," called out Harry. "I smell danger."
"Make haste, dear boy," added a familiar voice.
The sound thrilled Jack strangely.
He was so full of the present adventure and its perils, that he could
not give much thought to the voice now.
Yet it rang on his ears as of old days.
"You're nearly down," said Harry Girdwood. "Drop now, old fellow."
Jack obeyed.
As soon as he reached the boat, he was seized in the arms of the
Circassian girl, Lolo, who hugged him as if she would never part with
him again.
"Now, my love," said that same familiar voice, "when you've done with
that boy, I should like to have one touch at him. What do you say,
Jack, my lad?"
"Heaven above!" ejaculated Jack "Why, it's Mr. Mole."
"Right, dear boy," returned Mr. Mole. "Isaac Mole himself, turned up in
the very nick of time. God bless you, Jack."
"And you, too, sir. How are they all at home? My mother, my----"
"There, there," interrupted Harry; "we'll have the family history when
we're fairly out of musket-shot range. If they find out any thing,
they'll pot us off as easily as shooting for nuts at a fair."
"All right," said Jack, laughingly. "Pull away."
"Pull away, boys."
"Aye, aye, sir."
They had a good boatload, yet they moved through the water pretty
smartly.
* * * *
The vessel which had anchored in the bay, and which showed the British
ensign at her masthead, was the identical ship that our old friend Mr.
Mole had come in.
The messages that they had sent back to the different stations upon
their journey had been successful in guiding Mr. Mole aright, happily
enough.
They had barely cast anchor, when Mr. Mole had been lowered in a boat,
his intention being to come ashore, and get information, if possible,
regarding the object of his cruise.
But little did he think of picking up his information in the water.
Yet such was the case.
When half-way to shore, they came upon Bogey swimming swiftly along.
A few words of hurried explanation sufficed, and the astounded Mole had
the boat pulled flush up beneath the windows of the Konaki, first
rescuing Harry Girdwood and then Lola the Circassian girl, and Jack, as
we have described.