VOYAGING SOUTHWARD
It was certainly very wonderful that little Inez Hawthorne should have
been transferred from the steamer to the schooner, and that many hours
should have passed before the discovery was made by the respective
captains of the craft.
Yet such was the fact, and Captain Bergen and Mate Storms had no
sooner learned the real situation than Hyde Brazzier was sent for to
tell how it occurred. As he was the one who rowed the small boat,
there could be no doubt that he knew. The story he told was the true
one, with the exception of the supplement--that he actually forgot
about the little girl after she went into the cabin and fell asleep.
It was impossible, it may be said, that such could be the fact, and
the officers looked knowingly at each other. They knew he was
falsifying, but they made no comment, except to declare that she must
be taken back to the steamer without an hour's delay.
Captain Bergen learned from Inez that she had no relatives on board
the steamer, and she did not show any special distress over being
where she was. But, for all that, the honest New Englander felt that
she should be restored, and he immediately took every means for doing
so.
His supposition was that she would be speedily missed from the
_Polynesia_, which would at once make search for the schooner.
Accordingly, the _Coral_ was headed northwest, under all sail, the sun
just rising at the time this change of course was made.
"The steamer will go so much faster than we," said the captain, "that
there is no possibility of overhauling her, unless her shaft should
give out again."
"There's no danger of that. More likely she'll turn about and look for
us."
As the sun climbed the heavens, the horizon was anxiously scanned for
some point where the black column of a steamer's smokestack could be
seen staining the clear sky. Far away to the northward, a vapor was
observed, which at first was set down as the sight for which they were
searching; but it was soon learned that it was a peculiarly-formed
cloud, resting almost upon the water.
The upper rigging and sails of possibly an American whaler were
descried a long distance to the northward, and a full-rigged ship was
detected closer in, and further to the eastward. But no sign of the
_Polynesia_ was discovered through the powerful binocular glasses
with which Captain Bergen swept the horizon. There was strong hope, in
spite of this, that she would be seen before sunset, and the _Coral_
held to her course toward the southwest, not only for that day and
night, but for the two succeeding ones. But it is useless to dwell
upon the search made by the smaller vessel, which was without the
faintest glimmer of success.
Captain Bergen and Mate Storms did their utmost to undo the wrong act
of their sailors, but at the end of the third day they held an anxious
consultation as to what was the right course left to pursue. They had
given up hope of meeting the _Polynesia_ except by chasing her all the
way to Japan, they having learned that Tokio was her destination.
Should the _Coral_ follow her there, or first fulfil its own destiny
in the Paumotu Islands? This was the all-important matter to be
settled.
When a man makes a great invention or discovery, his first dread is
that some one else will anticipate him and gather to himself all the
glory and profit. This had been a constant fear in the case of the
captain and mate of the schooner _Coral_ ever since they began their
preparations for the journey to the South Seas. It cost them a pang of
dread when, therefore, they headed the schooner about in the hunt for
the steamer, for, as will be readily understood, the apprehension of
which we have spoken intensifies the nearer one gets to the goal.
There were other considerations which entered into the question as to
whether they should go on or turn about. Inez Hawthorne had, as might
have been expected, adapted herself to her new position as passenger
on the schooner, and ran hither and thither at will, just as she did
on the _Polynesia_, and she climbed all over the captain and mate, as
if they were Captain Strathmore and his officer, or some of the
passengers.
She occasionally expressed a longing to see the grizzled old
sea-captain, whom she called her second, or new "papa," but there was
no one else for whom she particularly longed. Her affection was
distributed so equally and spontaneously that among several hundred it
could not be very profound. Only in the case of the brave old Captain
Strathmore was it deep and steadfast.
It would delay the voyage to the Pearl Islands not for weeks, but for
months, to sail away to Asia, and then turn about and put back to the
southern seas, and during that interval what might not take place?
What assurance could there be that the precious pearl-bed would not be
devastated?
With the plans which Abe Storms had perfected on the way from home, it
was believed that a week's time after their arrival at their
destination would be sufficient to make them enormously wealthy, and
thus the voyage which they would afterward take to Japan would be
delayed only a month or two, perhaps. Furthermore, the parents and
friends of Inez would have every reason to believe she was in safe
hands, and would soon be restored to them. All these were weighty
considerations, it must be confessed, and they decided the question.
"We have done all that can be done," said Captain Bergen, standing at
the stern with his hand upon the wheel, while Abe Storms, thoughtfully
smoking his pipe, was at his elbow, with his arms folded and his eyes
gazing dreamily toward the western horizon, where the sun was about to
dip into the ocean.
"I agree with you," was the reply of his mate, who was as conscientious
in everything he did as was the captain. "I consider that the chance is
as one in a thousand that we shall meet the steamer this side of
Tokio, and if we undertake to follow, we shall lose several months
of most precious time, without accomplishing any commensurate good. The
child is contented and happy here."
As if to emphasize this assertion, the laugh of Inez was heard at that
moment as she came bounding up the steps of the cabin, and ran toward
the bow, where the giant negro, Pomp, was leaning against the
gunwale, his arms also folded, and an expression of contentment upon
his broad, shiny countenance.
The instant he caught sight of Inez his face lighted up and his white,
even teeth were displayed with pleasure, as she ran toward him.
It was singular, indeed, that, ever since her first awaking on board
the _Coral_, Inez had shown not a positive dislike of Redvig and
Brazzier, but what may be called a lack of friendship toward them. She
was trusting and loving to Pomp and the two officers, but it was
evident that she avoided the others. Possibly she could not have told
the reason had she tried, and it is equally possible that she was not
aware of it herself. But every one else on board saw it plainly.
When two men in authority talk as did the captain and mate of the
schooner _Coral_, the conclusion is inevitable. The decision was made
to go on to the Paumotu Islands, after which the voyage would be made
to Japan, and, alas! that it was so.