Part 21 (1/2)
Why he should send Ella to call me when he had a voice capable of making the little craft's whole interior ring again, I could not imagine; but as her light step touched the ladder I closed my eyes, feeling somehow that I would rather the sweet little thing should not know I had overheard the conversation just past.
I had scarcely composed my features when she stood beside me. I had the feeling that she was stooping over me, and I certainly felt her warm breath upon my face for an instant; then she seemed to draw back again, and I heard a soft whisper of Harry. Then there came a light touch upon my arm, and she said, much louder, ”Mr Collingwood, it is eight bells.”
”Ay, ay,” I answered, rubbing my eyes. Then I started to my feet, but the little fairy had gone fluttering away forward, so I took my s.e.xtant and went on deck. In a minute or two she reappeared, and, seeing me with the s.e.xtant in my hand, opened the chronometer and got the slate, in readiness for taking the time.
I obtained three most excellent sights, and from them worked up my longitude. I had obtained an accurate observation for my lat.i.tude at noon, and, on going below and laying off our position on the chart, I had the satisfaction of seeing that we were drawing well in with the islands, and that, if the breeze lasted, we should be fairly within the group by evening next day.
When I announced this intelligence to my companions, they were both delighted, Ella especially, she having seen no land since leaving the Sandwich Islands, which, she declared, was ”_ages_ ago.” The last land we had seen was Staten Island, though we caught the _loom_ of land, or thought we did, when about abreast of the western end of Magellan Straits.
We were all longing for a run ash.o.r.e; and, as I had resolved to thoroughly search the group, from end to end if need be, for traces of my father, I decided that we would commence with the eastern end, examining every island which in the slightest degree answered to the description given us of the spot on which the _Amazon_ had been cast away.
Our little lady guest spent much of her time on deck--sitting in a deck-chair, within easy conversational range of whichever had the tiller: and she favoured me with her company during the whole of the first watch (it being my eight hours out that night); but she was unusually silent gazing in an absent, dreamy manner for the most of the time, far away over the tranquil starlit sea, and softly humming a bar or two of some of her favourite songs occasionally. I made one or two attempts to draw her into conversation, fearing she was in low spirits, but she answered at random and in monosyllables; and, seeing after a while that I had no chance, I gave it up.
The next morning, when Bob came on deck to wash down, I said Bob, ”what is the matter with Miss Brand? have you any idea?”
He looked curiously at me for a moment, and then said:
”Matter? Nothing, as I knows on. What _should_ be the matter with the little dearie?”
”Nothing _should_ be the matter with her,” I answered, rather tartly perhaps; ”but she seemed unusually silent and unlike herself last night and, as you seem pretty deep in her confidence, I thought you might know the cause.”
”Ay, ay,” he returned; ”she _do_ speak pretty free to me, I'll allow which I accounts for by my being an old man--at least, _she_ seems to think me so, if I may judge by what she said yesterday and as to knowing the cause of her being out of sorts like, perhaps I do, and perhaps I don't. I has my suspicions, and pretty strong ones they be, too; but it ain't for the likes of me to say a word. Axe no questions, Harry, my lad, but just leave things to work themselves out; she'll be all right again shortly, you take my word for it.”
”Is she ill, do you think, Bob?” I inquired in some anxiety.
”Ill? do she look like it?” queried he with a loud laugh. ”No, no, she's well enough; but women's most oncommon difficult to understand, boy; and the only way is to let 'em alone and take no notice when they seems queer. Now, don't axe me no questions, for I don't know anything about it, and what I _guess_ I ain't going to tell.”
What the old fellow surmised it was quite impossible for me to imagine, and equally impossible to extract from him, for he was as stubborn as a mule; and if he made up his mind to a certain course nothing earthly had the power of turning him from it; so, with the unpleasant sensation that there was a mystery somewhere, I was obliged to hold my tongue and console myself with the reflection that, at all events, it could be nothing which concerned me personally.
Shortly after the conversation Ella made her appearance at the head of the companion-ladder, and, bidding us both a cheery ”Good-morning,”
summoned me to breakfast.
As soon as the coffee was poured out, and we had fairly commenced the meal, she said, ”If you ever have any secrets to discuss, Mr Collingwood, I would advise you to seek some other place than the deck of the _Water Lily_. You sailors appear to have the habit of talking loudly in the open air, and I was awakened by your voices this morning, and quite unintentionally heard much, if not all, of your conversation.
I am sorry that my quiet mood of last night should have given you any uneasiness, but I hope you will be relieved when I a.s.sure you that there was nothing whatever the matter with me. I am singularly susceptible to surrounding influences; and the solemn beauty of the night excited within me a feeling of--not sadness altogether, but of gravity almost amounting to it, which has now entirely pa.s.sed away. Your best plan will be to follow Bob's advice, and take no notice of my varying moods, for they really have no significance. I have not the least idea what it is that the worthy fellow suspects as being the matter with me; but, whatever it is, he is quite mistaken, for I am happy to say I am perfectly well both in body and mind.”
I felt greatly relieved at this explanation, and said so; and Ella, as though to make up for her silence of the previous night, was rattling away in a more lively strain than ever, when Bob shouted from the deck, ”Land ho!”
”Where away?” queried I, springing to my feet, and leaving my breakfast unfinished.
”Right ahead, and up among the clouds, by all that's wonderful!”
answered Bob.
I put my head above the companion, and there, sure enough, directly ahead, and about ten or twelve degrees above the horizon, appeared an island apparently floating in the air. It was low and, judging from a small grove of trees which distinctly appeared, of no great extent. I took the gla.s.s, but through it everything presented a wavering appearance, as though the island and all upon it consisted of an infinite number of separate and distinct particles, each revolving in a spiral direction upwards. I called Ella on deck to see the singular phenomenon, for it was a more perfect example of mirage than I had ever before witnessed or could have believed possible. As we continued to gaze upon the curious spectacle a faint foamy appearance revealed itself between us and the island, but still in the sky; and about half an hour afterwards this distinctly took the form of flying spray from breakers beating upon a reef. The mirage lasted rather more than an hour, and then faded gradually away.
”How far d'ye reckon that island is away, Harry, lad?” queried Bob, when we had finished breakfast and were all mustered on deck once more.
”Really,” said I, ”it is a very difficult matter to decide. By my reckoning we ought not to see it until about three this afternoon, with the wind as it is; and I hope we _shall_ see it by that time, so as to get inside the reef to-night. If it looks very enticing we will stay there a few days, and give the little craft an overhaul in hull, spars, and rigging; and Miss Brand will have an opportunity of getting a few runs on sh.o.r.e meanwhile, and perhaps a little fruit as a change of diet.”
My reckoning proved correct, for about three o'clock that afternoon, as I was sitting aft with the tiller-ropes in my hand, I saw the tops of the cocoa-nut trees appearing above the horizon. As I did not wish to disturb Bob (not feeling sure of our being able to lie at anchor all night without a watch), I requested Ella--who, as usual, was _a.s.sisting_ to keep the watch on deck--to take the tiller whilst I shortened sail.