ONE MORE RUN
The next morning came bright and beautiful, with a pleasant fresh
breeze. It was just the day for a run in the yacht. So I thought when
I mounted on deck at eight o’clock in the morning. Watkins was there,
staring meditatively at the harbour and the street beyond. Perceiving
me, he touched his hat and observed:
‘It’s a queer little place, my lord.’
My eyes followed the direction of Watkins’s, and I gave a slight sigh.
‘Do you think the island is going to be quiet now, Watkins?’ I asked.
I do not think that he quite understood my question, for he said that
the weather looked like being fine. I had not meant the weather; my
sigh was paid to the ending of Neopalia’s exciting caprices; for,
though the end was prosperous, I was a little sorry that we had come
to the end.
‘The Lady Phroso will come on board about ten, and we’ll go for a
little run,’ I said. ‘Just look after some lunch.’
‘Everything will be ready for your lordship and her ladyship,’ said
Watkins. Hitherto he had been rather doubtful about Phroso’s claim to
nobility, but the news of last night planted her firmly in the status
of ‘ladyship.’ ‘Has your lordship heard,’ he continued, ‘that the
launch is to carry the Governor’s body to Constantinople? There she is
by the gunboat.’
‘Oh, yes, I see. They seem to be giving the gunboat a rub down,
Watkins.’
‘Not before it was necessary, my lord. A dirtier deck I never saw.’
The gunboat was evidently enjoying a thorough cleaning; the sailors,
half-naked, were scouring her decks, and some of the soldiers were
assisting lazily.
‘The officers have landed to explore the island, my lord. When Mouraki
was alive, they were not allowed to land at all.’
‘Mouraki’s death makes a good many differences, eh, Watkins?’
‘That it does, my lord,’ rejoined Watkins, with a decorous smile.
I left him, and, having landed, strolled up to the house. The yacht
was to have her steam up ready to start by the time I returned. I
sauntered leisurely through the street, such of the islanders as I met
saluting me in a most friendly fashion. Certainly times were changed
for me in Neopalia, and I chid myself for the ingratitude expressed in
my sigh. Neopalia in its new placidity was very pleasant.
Very pleasant also was Phroso, as she came to meet me from the house,
radiant and shy. We wasted no time there, but at once returned to the
harbour, for the dancing water tempted us: thus we found ourselves on
board an hour before the appointed time, and I took Phroso down below
to show her the cabin, in which, under the escort of Kortes’s sister,
she was to make the voyage. Denny looked in on us for a moment,
announced that the fires were getting up, and that we could start in
half-an-hour. Hogvardt appeared with his account of expenditure, and
disappeared far more quickly. Meanwhile, we talked as lovers will--and
ought--about things that do not need record; for, not being worth
remembering, they are ever remembered, as is the way of this perverse
world.
Presently, however, Denny hailed me, telling me that the captain
desired to see me. I begged Phroso to stay where she was--I should be
back in a moment--and went on deck. The captain was there, and he
began to draw me aside. Perceiving that he had something to say, I
proposed to him that we should go to the little smoking-room forward.
He acquiesced, and as soon as we were seated, and Watkins had brought
coffee and cigarettes, he turned to me with an aspect of sincere
gratification, as he said:
‘My dear Lord Wheatley, I am rejoiced to tell you that I was quite
right as to the view likely to be taken of your position. I have
received, by the launch, instructions telegraphed to Rhodes, and they
enable me to set you free at once. In point of fact, there is no
disposition in official quarters to raise any question concerning your
share in recent events. You are, therefore, at liberty to suit your
own convenience entirely, and I need not detain you an hour.’
‘My dear captain, I’m infinitely obliged to you. I’m much indebted for
your good offices.’
‘Indeed, no. I merely reported what had occurred. Shall you leave
to-day?’
‘Oh, no, not for a day or two. To-day, you see, I’m going for a little
pleasure expedition. I wish you’d join us;’ for I felt in a most
friendly mood towards him.
‘Indeed I wish I could,’ said he, with equal friendliness; ‘but I’m
obliged to go up to the house at once.’
‘To the house? What for?’
‘To communicate to the Lady Euphrosyne my instructions concerning
her.’
I was about to put a cigarette to my lips, but I stopped, suspending
it in mid-air.
‘I beg your pardon,’ said I, ‘but have you instructions concerning
her?’
He smiled, and laid a hand on my arm with an apologetic air.
‘I don’t think that there is any cause for serious uneasiness,’ said
he, ‘though the delay will, I fear, be somewhat irksome to you. I must
say, also, that it is impossible--yes, I admit that it is
impossible--altogether to ignore the serious disturbances which have
occurred; and these Neopalians are old offenders. Still I’m confident
that the lady will be most leniently treated, especially in view of
the relation in which she now stands to you.’
‘What are your instructions?’ I asked shortly.
‘I am instructed to bring her with me, as soon as I have made
provisional arrangements for the order of the island, and to carry her
to Smyrna, where I am ordered to sail. From there she will be sent
home, to await the result of an inquiry. But, pray, don’t be uneasy. I
have no doubt at all that she will be acquitted of blame or, at least,
escape with a reprimand or a nominal penalty. The delay is really the
only annoying matter. Annoying to you, I mean, Lord Wheatley.’
‘The delay? Is it likely to be serious?’
‘Well,’ admitted the captain, with a candid air, ‘we don’t move
hastily in these matters; no, our procedure is not rapid. Still I
should say that a year, or, well, perhaps eighteen months, would see
an end of it. Oh, yes, I really think so.’
‘Eighteen months?’ I cried, aghast. ‘But she’ll be my wife long before
that--in eighteen days, I hope.’
‘Oh, no, no, my dear lord,’ said he, shaking his head soothingly. ‘She
will certainly not be allowed to marry you until these matters are
settled. But don’t be vexed. You’re young. You can afford to wait.
What, after all, is a year or eighteen months at your time of life?’
‘It’s a great deal worse,’ said I, ‘than at any other time of life.’
But he only laughed gently and gulped down the remainder of his
coffee. Then he went on in his quiet placid way:
‘So I’m afraid I can’t join your little excursion. I must go up to the
house at once, and acquaint the lady with my instructions. She may
have some preparations to make, and I must take her with me the day
after to-morrow. As you see, my ship is undergoing some trifling
repairs and cleaning, and I can’t be ready to start before then.’
I sat silent for a moment or two, smoking my cigarette; and I looked
at the placid captain out of the corner of my eye.
‘I really hope you aren’t much annoyed, my dear Lord Wheatley?’ said
he, after a moment or two.
‘Oh, it’s vexatious, of course,’ I returned carelessly; ‘but I suppose
there’s no help for it. But, captain, I don’t see why you shouldn’t
join us to-day. We shall be back in the afternoon, and it will be
plenty of time then to inform the Lady Phroso. She’s not a fashionable
woman who wants forty-eight hours to pack her gowns.’
‘It’s certainly a lovely morning for a little cruise,’ said the
captain longingly.
‘And I want to point out to you the exact spot where Demetri killed
the Pasha.’
‘That would certainly be very interesting.’
‘Then you’ll come?’
‘You’re certain to be back in time for--?’
‘Oh, you’ll have plenty of time to talk to Phroso. I’ll see to that.
You can send a message to her now, if you like.’
‘I don’t think that’s necessary. If I see her this afternoon--’
‘I promise you that you shall.’
‘But aren’t you going to see her to-day? I thought you would spend the
day with her.’
‘Oh, I shall hope to see her too; you won’t monopolise her, you know.
Just now I’m for a cruise.’
‘You’re a philosophical lover,’ he laughed. I laughed also, shrugging
my shoulders.
‘Then, if you’ll excuse me--no, don’t move, don’t move--I’ll give
orders for our start, and come back for another cigarette with you.’
‘You’re most obliging,’ said he, and sank back on the seat that ran
round the little saloon.
At what particular point in the conversation which I have recorded my
resolution was definitely taken, I cannot say, but it was complete and
full-blown before the captain accepted my invitation. The certainty of
a separation of such monstrous length from Phroso and the chance of
her receiving harsh treatment were more than I could consent to
contemplate. I must play for my own hand. The island meant to be true
to its nature to the last; my departure from it was to be an escape,
not a decorous leave-taking. I was almost glad; yet I hoped that I
should not get my good friend the captain into serious trouble. Well,
better the captain than Phroso, anyhow; and I laughed to myself, when
I thought of how I should redeem my promise and give him plenty of
time to talk to Phroso.
I ran rapidly up to the deck. Denny and Hogvardt were there.
‘How soon can you have full steam up?’ I asked in an urgent cautious
whisper.
‘In ten minutes now,’ said Hogvardt, suddenly recognising my
eagerness.
‘Why, what’s up, man?’ asked Denny.
‘They’re going to send Phroso to Constantinople to be tried; anyhow
they’d keep her there a year or more. I don’t mean to stand it.’
‘Why, what will you do?’
‘Do? Go. The captain’s on board; the gunboat can’t overtake us.
Besides they won’t suspect anything on board of her. Denny, run and
tell Phroso not to show herself till I bid her. The captain thinks
she’s up at the house. We’ll start as soon as you’re ready, Hog.’
‘But, my lord--’
‘Charley, old man--!’
‘I tell you I won’t stand it. Are you game, or aren’t you?’
Denny paused for a moment, poising himself on his heels.
‘What a lark!’ he exclaimed then. ‘All right. I’ll put Phroso up to
it;’ and he disappeared in the direction of her cabin.
I stood for a moment looking at the gunboat, where the leisurely
operations went on undisturbed, and at the harbour and street beyond.
I shook my head reprovingly at Neopalia; the little island was always
leading me into indiscretions. Then I turned and made my way back to
where my unsuspecting victim was peacefully consuming cigarettes.
Mouraki Pasha would not have been caught like this. Heaven be thanked,
I was not dealing with Mouraki Pasha.
‘Demetri had some good in him, after all,’ I thought, as I sat down by
the captain, and told him that we should be on our way in five
minutes. He exhibited much satisfaction at the prospect.
The five minutes passed. Hogvardt, who acted as our skipper, gave his
orders to our new and smiling crew of islanders. We began to move. The
captain and I came up from below and stood on deck. He looked seaward,
anticipating his excursion, I landward, reviewing mine. A few boys
waved their hands, a woman or two her handkerchief. The little harbour
began to recede; the old grey house on the hill faced me in its
renewed tranquility.
‘Well, good-bye to Neopalia!’ I had said, with a sigh, before I knew
it.
‘I beg your pardon, Lord Wheatley?’ said the captain, wheeling round.
‘For a few hours,’ I added, and I went forward and began to talk with
Hogvardt. I had some things to arrange with him. Presently Watkins
appeared, announcing luncheon. I rejoined the captain.
‘I thought,’ said I, ‘that we’d have a run straight out first and look
at Mouraki’s death-place on our way home.’
‘I’m entirely in your hands,’ said he most courteously, and with more
truth than he was aware of.
Denny, he and I went down to our meal. I plied the captain with the
best of our cheer. In the safe seclusion of the yacht, the
champagne-cup, mixed as Watkins alone could mix it, overcame his
religious scruples; the breach, once made, grew wider, and the captain
became merry. With his coffee came placidity, and on placidity
followed torpor. Meanwhile the yacht bowled merrily along.
‘It’s nearly two o’clock,’ said I. ‘We ought to be turning. I say,
captain, wouldn’t you like a nap? I’ll wake you long before we get to
Neopalia.’
Denny smiled indiscreetly at this form of promise, and I covertly
nudged him into gravity.
The captain received my proposal with apologetic gratitude. We left
him curled up on the seat and went on deck. Hogvardt was at the wheel;
a broad smile spread over his face.
‘At this rate, my lord,’ said he, ‘we shall make Cyprus in no time.’
‘Good,’ said I; and I did two things. I called Phroso and I loaded my
revolver; a show of overwhelming force is, as we often hear, the
surest guarantee of peace.
Denny now took a turn at the wheel; old Hogvardt went to eat his
dinner. Phroso appeared, and she and I sat down in the stern, watching
where Neopalia lay, now a little spot on the horizon; and then I
myself told Phroso, in my own way, why I had so sorely neglected her
all the morning; for Denny’s explanation had been summary and
confused. She was fully entitled to my excuses and had come on deck in
a state of delightful resentment, too soon, alas, banished by surprise
and apprehension.
An hour or two passed thus very pleasantly; for the terror of
Constantinople soon reconciled Phroso to every risk; her only fear was
that she would never again be allowed to land in Neopalia. For this
also I tried to console her and was, I am proud to say, succeeding
very tolerably, when I looked up at the sound of footsteps. They came
evenly towards us: then they suddenly stopped dead. I felt for my
revolver; and I observed Denny carelessly strolling up, having been
relieved again by Hogvardt. The captain stood motionless, three yards
from where Phroso and I sat together. I rose with an easy smile.
‘I hope you’ve enjoyed your nap, captain,’ said I; and at the same
moment I covered him with my barrel.
He was astounded. Indeed, well he might be. He stared helplessly at
Phroso and at me. Denny was at his elbow now and took his arm in
tolerant good humour.
‘You see we’ve played a little game on you,’ said Denny. ‘We couldn’t
let the lady go to Constantinople. It isn’t at all a fit place for
her, you know.’
I stepped up to the amazed man and told him briefly what had occurred.
‘Now, captain,’ I went on, ‘resistance is quite useless. We’re running
for Cyprus. It belongs to you, I believe, in a sense--I’m not a
student of foreign affairs--but I think we shall very likely find an
English ship there. Now if you’ll give your word to hold your tongue
when we’re at Cyprus, you may lodge as many complaints as you like
directly we leave; indeed I think you’d be wise, in your own
interests, to make a protest. Meanwhile we can enjoy the cruise in
good-fellowship.’
‘And if I refuse?’ he asked.
‘If you refuse,’ said I, ‘I shall be compelled to get rid of you--oh,
don’t misunderstand me. I shall not imitate your Governor. But it’s a
fine day, we have an excellent gig, and I can spare you two hands to
row you back to Neopalia or wherever else you may choose to go.’
‘You would leave me in the gig?’
‘With the deepest regret,’ said I, bowing. ‘But I am obliged to put
this lady’s safety above the pleasure of your society.’
The unfortunate man had no alternative and, true to the creed of his
nation, he accepted the inevitable. Taking the cigarette from between
his lips, he remarked, ‘I give the promise you ask, but nothing more,’
bowed to Phroso, and, going up to her, said very prettily, ‘Madame I
congratulate you on a resolute lover.’
Now hardly had this happened when our look-out man called twice in
quick succession, ‘Ship ahead!’ At once we all ran forward, and I
snatched Denny’s binocular from him. There were two vessels visible,
one approaching on the starboard bow, the other right ahead. They
appeared to be about equally distant. I scanned them eagerly through
the glass, the others standing round and waiting my report. Nearer
they came, and nearer.
‘They’re both ships of war,’ said I, without taking the glass from my
eyes. ‘I shall be able to see the flags in a minute.’
A hush of excited suspense witnessed to the interest of my news. I
found even the impassive captain close by my elbow, as though he were
trying to get one eye on to the lens of the glass.
My next remark did nothing to lessen the excitement.
‘The Turkish flag, by Jove!’ I cried; and, quick as thought, followed
from the captain:
‘My promise didn’t cover that, Lord Wheatley.’
‘Shall we turn and run for it!’ asked Denny in a whisper.
‘They’d think that queer,’ cautioned Hogvardt, ‘and if she came after
us, we shouldn’t have a chance.’
‘The English flag, by Jupiter!’ I cried a second later, and I took the
glass from my strained eyes. The captain caught eagerly at it and
looked; then he also dropped it, saying,
‘Yes, Turkish and English; both will come within hail of us.’
‘It’s a race, by Heaven!’ cried Denny.
The two vessels were approaching us almost on the same course, for
each had altered half a point, and both were now about half a point on
our starboard bow. They would be very close to one another by the time
they came up with us. It would be almost impossible for us by any
alteration of our course to reach one before the other.
‘Yes, it’s a race,’ said I, and I felt Phroso’s arm passed through
mine. She knew the meaning of the race. Possession is nine points of
the law, and in a case so doubtful as hers it was very unlikely that
the ship which got possession of her would surrender her to the other.
Which ship was it to be?
‘Are we going to cause an international complication?’ asked Denny in
a longing tone.
‘We shall very likely run into a nautical one if we don’t look out,’
said I.
However the two approaching vessels seemed to become aware of this
danger, for they diverged from one another, so that, if we kept a
straight course, we should now pass them by, one on the port side and
one on the starboard. But we should pass within a couple of hundred
yards of both, and that was well in earshot on such a day. I looked at
the captain, and the captain looked at me.
‘Shall we take him below and smother him?’ whispered Denny.
I did not feel at liberty to adopt the suggestion, much to my regret.
The agreement I had made with the captain precluded any assault on his
liberty. I had omitted to provide for the case which had occurred.
Well, that was my fault, and I must stand the consequences of it. My
word was pledged to him that he should be treated in all friendliness
on one condition, and that he had satisfied. Now to act as Denny
suggested would not be to treat him in all friendliness. I shook my
head sadly. Hogvardt shouted for orders from the wheel.
‘What am I to do, my lord?’ he cried. ‘Full speed ahead?’
I looked at the captain. I knew he would not pass the Turkish ship
without trying to attract her attention. We were within a quarter of a
mile of the vessels now.
‘Stop,’ I called, and I added quickly, ‘Lower away the gig, Denny.’
Denny caught my purpose in a moment; he called a hand and they set to
work. The pace of the yacht began to slacken. I glanced at the two
ships. Men with glasses were peering at us from either deck,
wondering, no doubt, what our manœuvre meant. But the captain knew
as well as Denny what it meant, and he leapt forward suddenly and
hailed the Turk in his native tongue. What he said I don’t know, but
it caused a great pother on deck, and they ran up some signal or
other; I never remember the code, and the book was not about me.
But now the gig was afloat and the yacht motionless. Looking again, I
perceived that both the ships had shut off steam, and were reversing,
to arrest their course the sooner. I seized Phroso by the arm. The
captain turned for a moment as though to interrupt our passage.
‘It’s as much as your life is worth,’ said I, and he gave way. Then,
to my amazement, he ran to the side, and, just as he was, leapt
overboard and struck out towards the Turk. One instant later I saw
why: they were lowering a boat. Alas, our ship was not so eager. The
captain must have shouted something very significant.
‘Signal for a boat, Hog,’ I cried. ‘And then come along. Hi, Watkins,
come on! Are you ready, Denny?’ And I fairly lifted Phroso in my arms
and ran with her to the side. She was breathing quickly, and a little
laugh gurgled from her lips as Denny received her from my arms into
his in the gig.
But we were not safe yet. The Turk had got a start, and his boat was
springing merrily over the waves towards us. The captain swam
powerfully and gallantly; his fez-covered head bobbed gaily up and
down. Ah, now our people were moving! And when they began to move they
wasted no time. We wasted none either, but bent to our oars, and, for
the second time since I reached Neopalia, I had a thorough good
bucketing. But for the Turk’s start we should have managed it easily,
as we rowed towards the English boat and the divergence which the
vessels had made in their course prevented the two from approaching us
side by side; but the start was enough to make matters very equal. Now
the boat and the captain met. He was in in a second, with wonderful
agility; picking him up hardly lost them a stroke. They were coming
straight at us, the captain standing in the stern urging them on; but
now I saw that the middy in the English boat had caught the idea that
there was some fun afoot, for he also stood up and urged on his crew.
The two great ships lay motionless on the water, and gave us all their
attention.
‘Pull, boys, pull!’ I cried. ‘It’s all right, Phroso, we shall do it!’
Should we? And, if we did not, would the English captain fight for my
Phroso? I would have sunk the Turk, with a laugh, for her. But I was
afraid that he would not be so obliging as to do it for me.
‘The Turk gains,’ said Hogvardt, who was our coxswain.
‘Hang him! Put your backs into it.’
On went the three boats. The two pursuers were now converging close on
us.
‘We shall do it by a few yards,’ said Hogvardt.
‘Thank God!’ I muttered.
‘No; we shall be beaten by a few yards,’ he said, a moment later.
‘They pull well, those fellows.’
But we too pulled well then--though I have no right to say it--and the
good little middy and his men did their duty--oh, what a tip these
blue-jackets should have if they did the trick!--and the noses of all
the boats seemed to be tending to one spot on the bright dancing sea.
To one spot, indeed, they were tending. The Turks were no more than
twenty yards off, the English perhaps thirty. The captain gave one
last cry of exhortation, the middy responded with a hearty oath. We
strained and tugged for dear life. They were on us now--the Turks a
little first. Now they were ten yards off--now five--and the English
yet ten.
But for a last stroke we pulled; and then I dropped my oars and sprang
to my feet. The nose of the captain’s boat was within a yard, and they
were backing water so as not to run into us. The middy had given a
like order. For a single instant matters seemed to stand still and we
to be poised between defeat and victory. Then, even as the captain’s
hand was on our gunwale, I bent and caught Phroso up in the arms that
she sprang to meet, and I fairly flung her across the narrow strait of
water that parted us from the English boat. Six strong and eager arms
received her, and a cheer rang out from the English ship, for they
saw now that it had been a race, and a race for a lady; and I, seeing
her safe, turned to the captain, and said:
‘Fetch her back from there, if you can, and be damned to you!’