Chapter 16

THE WAY IT HAPPENED

When I recovered I was surrounded by my friends. Father and Uncle Naboth were administering restoratives while Ned Britton, Alfonso and Señor de Jiminez stood by in a sympathetic group with the sailors for a background. Lucia, squatted in a heap upon the deck, was sobbing into a wet handkerchief. Evidently, now that the adventure was over, the brave girl was wholly unnerved.

Still dazed, but trying to collect my thoughts, I sat up.

“Where’s Joe?” I asked.

My father was silent and Uncle Naboth shook his head. Lucia redoubled her sobs. This made me anxious. I got upon my feet with an effort and said:

“Isn’t he here?”

“No,” said Lucia, spreading out her hands with a piteous gesture. “He is in the Pearl City. I left him there.”

Then, by degrees, they explained it all to me. Joe could not rest contented while he knew I was in danger, and from his knowledge of King Attero he believed the savage ruler would drown me as soon as I ceased to interest him in my tales of the civilized world. He confided his fears to Lucia, and suggested that as the biplane was still reposing upon the roof of the house in the Pearl City, he might rescue me by its aid if he could succeed in getting there. He had already crossed the island twice, and believed he could make the trip in a single night. Lucia encouraged him to make the attempt, and offered to go with him; but he would not allow her to do that. When Joe mentioned the matter to father and Uncle Naboth they both disapproved the idea, considering it a hopeless and foolhardy adventure. They did not forbid him to go, however, but said if he undertook the thing he must do so on his own responsibility.

My friend would not be dissuaded, but he confided no further in my relatives and went about his preparations in his own way. With Lucia’s aid he made a stain that dyed his skin to a copper color, and then stripped himself of all clothing except a loin cloth such as the Faytans wore. He took a blanket and his revolvers and then, when all was ready and night came, Lucia let down a knotted rope for him and he climbed down the side unobserved and began his journey.

The girl, meantime, had made up her mind not to be deprived of the glory of a share in the adventure. With the impulsiveness of a Spaniard in her was united the athletic training of an American girl, and her romantic nature impelled her to an act that was no less than folly. She silently followed Joe and tracked him more than half way across the island before he discovered her. Then he was in a dilemma. She positively refused to return to the ship, and he did not like to have her do so unattended. On the other hand he had an intuition that I was in immediate danger and time pressed, so he dared not go back and postpone the event. Therefore he unwillingly permitted the girl to accompany him.

After they had succeeded in passing the warriors in the forest they met no delays on their journey and before daybreak arrived at the city. Joe found the house where we had left the airship, but could not get in. He secreted himself and Lucia in a nook between two rear buildings until morning, when the family that inhabited the place arose. By good luck they managed to creep in unobserved and made their way to the roof, where they found the biplane had been left undisturbed. The natives knew nothing of its operation and perhaps regarded the machine with superstitious awe.

In overhauling the machine Joe discovered that Lucia understood it as well as he did. She had watched us put it together and repair it after Alfonso’s accident and had listened carefully and intelligently while we were instructed in its use. Now she helped Joe adjust it, and they got it in order just as I was led out for my execution.

Peering over the edge of the roof Joe watched me being led away and at first could not understand what was up. But when the entire population not already gathered at the water front hurried after us, he gave a shrewd guess that the hour of my execution was at hand.

He knew pretty well what the programme would be. I was to be drowned in sight of the watching Faytans. The water front was not visible from their station on the housetop, but Lucia proposed she should take a flight in the airship and find out how seriously I was in danger.

He allowed her to go for two reasons. One was that he believed he could start the machine all right from the roof, which she could not do. And then, if she found a chance to rescue me, we could go back to the ship in the biplane and Lucia and I would both be saved. To go himself meant to leave her there alone upon the roof, in a strange city and surrounded by enemies.

Of course her mission was a desperate one at the best; but Joe considered it less hazardous than for her to be left upon the roof, and the biplane could not be trusted to carry three.

He questioned Lucia closely, and her knowledge of the machine was more accurate than his own. She had never operated it, but neither had he, for that matter, so in the end he let her go.

The biplane was started safely at the first attempt, and Lucia rose well into the air and circled around until she got her bearings and could overlook the tragedy being enacted on the bay. Then, seeing my danger, she headed directly for me—and the result you know.

“Where is he now?” I asked Lucia.

“Still in the Pearl City,” she replied. “Before I left him he said he would hide until to-night and then make his way back across the island.”

“Did he say where he would hide?”

“Yes. He was afraid some one would visit the roof as soon as the natives found that the airship had been taken away. So, while every one was on the water front, he intended to steal away and hide in the room that used to be your prison, at the back of the temple. He said no one would think of looking for him there, and he could get in through the windows and get out again when it grew dark.”

I didn’t like that plan very well, and began to be worried about my friend. I found my strength returning rapidly and as soon as I could get about I began to examine the airship, to see if it was in proper order. Alfonso, his arm in a sling and his head well bandaged, sauntered up to me and said:

“You fellows seem to have little respect for the property of others. See what trouble you’ve caused by stealing my Antoinette.”

“You are right,” I admitted. “What will you take for the machine?”

“I won’t sell it. It belongs to the revolution.”

“Well, the revolution can’t use it just now, and I can,” I returned. “So if you won’t sell it I’ll borrow it.”

“What are you going to do?” he inquired.

“I’m going to look for Joe. Those Faytans are in an ugly temper just now, and they’ll make a quick end of him if they find him.”

“Don’t be a fool, Sam,” cautioned Uncle Naboth.

“Joe can take care of himself,” added my father.

“I thought I could, too; but if Joe hadn’t tried to help me I’d be drowned by this time. Do you think I ought to desert a comrade, father?”

He looked at me thoughtfully a moment. Then he muttered as he turned away:

“Do as you like, Sam. You know best.”

I turned to Alfonso.

“How about the biplane?” I asked. “Can I borrow it, or must I steal it again?”

“Take it and welcome,” he replied. “Joe’s a good fellow. I wish I could go after him myself.”

Alfonso wasn’t half bad for a South American. He had his faults, but a lot of good qualities with them.

“You can’t go just now,” warned Lucia, who had been listening to us with nervous attention.

“Why not?” I asked.

“Look!” She pointed to the sky, and for the first time I noticed that it was a leaden gray. The sun had not wholly disappeared, but was a half luminous ball glowing through murky clouds.

“Another of them blamed storms is comin’,” remarked Uncle Naboth; “but we don’t have to shorten sail for ’em while we’re floatin’ on dry land.”

“The other storm didn’t come that way, sir,” observed Ned Britton, gravely.

We were silent now, for darkness fell upon us suddenly. It was almost as if a light had been extinguished at night. There wasn’t a breath of air stirring and the sea was like glass, but a queer moaning sound came to our ears and we could not discover what caused it.

“Better get below, Lucia, and look after your mother,” said Alfonso.

I could hear her move away obediently, but was unable to see any of the forms that stood around me.

We waited for we knew not what, and the unseen but recognized danger filled us with awe.