Part 31 (2/2)
The old man, who had found that he had been very much too severe to Nina during the last absence of Zappa, was glad of an opportunity of regaining her favour, and accordingly promised to obey her directions.
In spite of the violence of the storm, he immediately set out to collect some more youthful and active men to attend him; and he was soon again seen crossing the causeway in the direction of the place towards which the vessel was driving.
As it was scarcely possible for Nina to reach her own tower, she continued, with Ada Garden, watching the awful progress of the mistico.
On came the little vessel, scarcely visible, amid the foam and spray which surrounded her.
She had now got completely to the east side of the tower, whereas, when first seen at the greatest distance, she was in the south-west. Her course must, therefore, have been about northeast, as nearly as possible, directly before the wind; and whatever old Vlacco might have said to the contrary, she must have been steered by no timid or ignorant hands.
”She may even now get round the east end of the island!” exclaimed Nina, whose eye had seldom been off her. ”If she can once do that, the unhappy men on board her may yet escape with their lives.”
”But suppose she does not, will not the old Greek and his followers be able to rescue them?” asked Ada; who, though less apparently excited, felt an equal, if not a greater interest in the fate of the stranger.
”Ah! she appears even now to be full a mile short of the point. And see yonder wave which lifts her up--in another instant, it will dash her on those frowning rocks, and all on board must perish. Oh! Heaven, have mercy on them. There--there--they are lost.”
As she spoke, a huge wave came rolling on, lifting the little vessel on its curling summit, and, with a loud roar, bore her, with the wildest impetuosity, towards the frowning cliffs. Downward it came with a terrific crash, its crest flying upwards in showers of foam, and hurling the bark, she was lost to sight among the rocks. All the females, as they beheld the sad spectacle, uttered a cry of horror, and they fancied that they could hear, amid the howling of the storm, the despairing shrieks of the drowning mariners, and could distinguish, among the foam, their dying forms, with their arms stretched out, in their agony, for a.s.sistance, where none could come.
”They are all lost!” cried Nina, hiding her face in her hands to shut out the dreadful sight her imagination had conjured up. ”May the saints intercede for their souls!”
Her example was followed by Marianna and Mila, while Ada, though pale and trembling, had pointed the telescope towards the spot, for the purpose of discovering whether any human beings had succeeded in gaining the sh.o.r.e. Not a vestige of the wreck could she see; but on the summit of the cliff, above where she supposed the vessel must have struck, she beheld a person, whom she concluded was old Vlacco, waving, as if to some one below. He and his followers then disappeared down the cliffs.
”There is hope yet, Nina--there is hope yet!” she exclaimed joyfully.
”Thank Heaven! some may have escaped.”
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.
The morning preceding the storm I have described was very lovely, and the pirate chief had gone out at an early hour; and was standing on the edge of the cliff overlooking the harbour and the sea, while he meditated on the plan of some future predatory expedition he had proposed to himself to undertake on board the _Sea Hawk_. He was interrupted in a short time by the appearance of one of his followers, who had come up the ravine from the bay below.
”Pardon, chief, for my thus coming on you without warning; but I have tidings of importance to communicate,” said the man, making a reverential obeisance.
”What is it, Baldo?” asked Zappa. ”Haste, I am always impatient of news.”
”It is this, chief. A boat arrived this morning, soon after break of day, from the island of Naeiri, and a man, who has come in her, Gera.s.simo Listi, one of the scouts, states that a British s.h.i.+p of war has been anch.o.r.ed some days at the farther end of it, and that he suspects--”
”Where is the man, this Gera.s.simo Listi?” exclaimed Zappa, interrupting him suddenly. ”I want not to hear his suspicions--I will examine him-- where is he, I say?”
”Under the walls of the tower, chief, waiting your return,” replied the man.
”Send him hither instantly,” said Zappa. ”Then go in search of Vlacco, and tell him I would speak with him--I may have need of his counsel.”
The man hurried off to obey the orders he had received, while Zappa stood, with his arms folded on his bosom, waiting the coming of the messenger.
”A s.h.i.+p of war, and British,” he muttered. ”There must be some cause for her coming here. She may possibly be in search of me; but yet, how can it be known where I am to be found? and that English merchant vessel, I took good care that neither she nor any on board should tell tales. Well, friend, what news do you bring me?” he asked, turning to a man in the costume of a Greek fisherman, who now approached. ”Haste, tell it me.”
”Why, chief, for the last six days, in a sheltered bay, to the west end of our island, a brig of war, carrying eighteen guns, has been at anchor. When she first came in, I thought she had come to remain one or two nights only, to supply herself with water, for there is a fine spring there, and perhaps with fuel; but she hoisted no flag, and seemed to have no intention of communicating with the sh.o.r.e; and, instead of going away, there she remained, day after day, till my suspicions of her intentions were excited. I watched her narrowly for some time, and even pulled close round her two days ago; and I am convinced, from her appearance, and the language I heard spoken, that she is British. Now, it struck me, knowing what sort of character were the people of that nation, that she had come there for the purpose of looking out after the _Sea Hawk_, or the mistico; and as soon as I arrived at this conclusion, I hurried off to bring you the information.”
”I believe your suspicions are turned in the right direction; and it will be necessary to be on our guard,” replied the pirate, who had listened somewhat impatiently to the man's account.
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