Part 19 (2/2)

To give it time to gain strength we waited a full hour, then, spreading our joyous sails, away we sped. I might say we _tried_ to rival the express rate, but our actual progress was very parliamentary. We drew only three feet of water, but with a slack tide under us we touched ground several times between North Gate and the One-mile-house, so had to be very careful. From thence onward we had deep water and progressed faster.

It was nearly two o'clock as we lowered sail to pa.s.s Acle Bridge, and only about half our journey completed. Stepping the masts, hoisting sail, and having a gla.s.s of good Norfolk ale at the little inn alongside the bridge occupied half an hour, but now the river was deeper and the wind fresher, we went bowling along capitally, till taking the turn before reaching St. Benet's Abbey, where we lost the favour of the wind.

The flat miles of marsh land looked strange to me after hilly, toilsome Jethou. But now I was nearing home, and knew every tree and fence, every break in the river wall, and every house we pa.s.sed, and loved them all; greeting them as familiar friends as we glided silently by them.

St. Benet's Abbey pa.s.sed we turn into the river Ant, and again travel along with a fair wind till bothering old Ludham Bridge bars our progress; so we have again to ”down masts” to pa.s.s under the single gothic arch, which has been the _ultima Thule_ to many a large wherry.

Up sail once more, and on we glide up the tortuous narrow stream, till pa.s.sing quiet, quaint, little Irstead Church, with its two or three attendant cottages, we at last enter Barton Broad.[7] Now my excitement gives way to another feeling, that of suspense and fear as to how I shall find the old folks at home. Are they well? Who can tell what may have taken place during the past six months since my father wrote me, ”_All's well._” I feel a sudden chill as I think of _her_ from whom I have been absent for over eighteen months, and reproach myself for not having communicated to her in some way or other. Is _she_ well, and is she still _mine_? Then my dear old mother, what of her? With these thoughts crowding through my brain I feel as if I could leap out of the boat and swim the remaining half mile, so slowly does she go through the shallow water.

S-s-s-ssh, b.u.mp! and we come to a sudden stop, for my reverie has caused me to neglect my helm, and there we are, fast on a submerged muddy reed bed.

All this inland navigation is new to Alec, and he has been delighted to see how I have handled the craft so far, but I think this _contretemps_ rather shakes his faith in my knowledge, till I explain to him the cause of my neglect.

A few hearty pushes astern and we are off again, and as the sun begins to cast its long red rays across the tranquil Broad, with its reedy margin and water-lily nooks, the ”Happy Return” glides alongside our little lawn. Joy! I am home again! The wanderer has returned, and the erstwhile Crusoe has once more, like Rob Roy Macgregor, ”his foot upon his native heath.”

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FOOTNOTE:

7: See Appendix, page 277, ”Norfolk Broads and Rivers.”

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CHAPTER XX.

I SURPRISE THE OLD FOLKS AT HOME--ALL WELL--IS PRISCILLA FALSE--WE MEET--THE MISSING LETTERS--A SNAKE IN THE GRa.s.s--DREAMS OF VENGEANCE.

As I stepped upon the lawn no one was in sight, so treading lightly I walked up to the house, and looked quietly in at the window, peeping cautiously so as not to be seen. To my intense relief the picture I saw within quite a.s.sured me that all was well. There sat my jolly old dad and my dear mother, cosily taking their tea, quite unsuspecting who would shortly join them in a cup. They looked very happy; so did a couple of dogs gambolling on the hearthrug, while our old cat sat on a rush ha.s.sock close by, looking dreamily at them through her half-closed eyes, when they threatened to knock her off her perch in their play.

I quietly glided in at the side door, and gently opening the parlour door stood in the room before my parents. They both looked round as I made a slight sound; in a moment the quietude was broken. My mother half choked herself with the tea she was drinking, letting fall both cup and saucer on the dogs in her amazement, who scampered away, yelping at their sudden hot bath.

”Mercy me! my boy!” and she fell sobbing in my arms, or rather on my left arm, for my father had taken possession of my right hand with,

”Hang it all, Harry, do you mean to kill us all with fright? Why, my dear boy, I don't know what to say, I feel so glad to see you. However did you get home?” etc., etc.

It was some minutes before their nerves were restored, and I had time to get a few words in edgeways between their greetings. They wanted me to answer a hundred questions, without even pausing to give me a chance to speak; but presently having satisfied them as to the chief points, I thought it high time to fetch in my companion, whom I introduced as ”Mr.

'Monday' Ducas, Skipper of the 'Happy Return.'” They quickly made him welcome, taking him to be the Captain of the vessel I had come over in, but remarked aside, that both he and I would look better for a wash and a shave, while possibly a few inches off our hair would make us a little more in accord with the usual mode of dressing hair in these parts.

Truly on peeping at ourselves in the gla.s.s we did look a couple of wild men or North American trappers.

A tea was then prepared for us to which we did ample justice, but everything seemed so strange. We had not been used to chairs, carpets, window blinds, mutton chops, or even b.u.t.ter, but they soon came back to us as old friends, who had long been absent but not forgotten.

We had a couple of bedrooms a.s.signed to us, also a spare room, into which, on the morrow, I meant to convey our whole cargo; but at present I had neither mentioned our craft or its contents. These things I reserved as a surprise for my dad in the morning.

After we had tidied ourselves I ventured to ask about Priscilla, upon which my father beckoned me to another room, which greatly upset me.

Surely nothing was wrong with her; was she ill?

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