Part 13 (2/2)

The English flag waves over these islands, and they are supposed to be neutral ground.”

”Neutral with a vengeance!” exclaimed Christy.

”If Colonel Pa.s.sford had been carried off in the manner you thought of, the United States government would have been compelled to return him to these islands, with all his drafts and other property. I am very glad you found it unnecessary to carry out such a plot,” said the detective, as a knock at the door announced that their supper was ready.

As Christy's plan was not in order, would be inutile, the business of the visitors at the islands was finished. Both of them slept till very late in the morning, and after breakfast lay down again and slept all the forenoon. The young man was afraid to go out of the hotel in the afternoon, fearful that he might meet his uncle. But his companion walked about the place, and visited the Hamilton, where he again encountered Captain Rombold, who introduced him to Colonel Pa.s.sford; informing him that he was to be his fellow pa.s.senger. When the commander of the Dornoch told him that he might not make a Confederate port for some weeks, if at all, M. Rubempre decided not to take pa.s.sage with him.

Of course nothing was said that could be of any service to the detective, for he had already obtained the information he needed; but he a.s.sured himself that the steamer would sail at the time stated the day before.

Towards night the detective informed the landlord that he was to go to St. George's in the evening, paid his bill, and liberally rewarded the waiters. He had been over to the pier to look after the Eleuthera, and had found Joseph at his house. The boat was all right; her keeper had washed her out, and put everything in order on board of her. M. Rubempre returned to the hotel, and after supper Joseph came for the valises. It was quite dark when they left the place, and made their way to the pier.

No one asked any questions, and the detective had caused it to be understood that he had engaged a boatman to take him to St. George's by water.

They went on board of the boat, and the fisherman a.s.sisted them in getting under way. The liberal skipper gave him another sovereign, adding that he need not say anything to any person about him and his servant. Joseph was profuse in his expressions of grat.i.tude, for with so much money in his pocket he need not go a-fis.h.i.+ng again for a month or more, and protested with all his might that he would not mention them to anybody.

The night was dark enough to conceal the Eleuthera after she got away from the sh.o.r.e, but not so dark that the skipper could not find his way around the reefs to Hogfish Cut. It was high tide, as it had been when they came inside of the rocks, and the boat went along quite briskly in the fresh west wind that was still blowing. Without accident or incident of importance, though the wind was ahead a portion of the way, the boat reached the Cut at about midnight. She stuck on a reef at this point, but very lightly, though it required half an hour or more to get her off. She made no water, and did not appear to be injured.

Without further mishap the Eleuthera pa.s.sed through the opening in the reefs, and, taking the bearing of the light on Gibbs Hill, Mr. Gilfleur, as Christy began to call him from this time, laid his course to the south-west. The Chateaugay was not to show any lights, and there was nothing but the compa.s.s to depend upon; but a light was necessary to enable the skipper to see it. The lantern was used for this purpose, but it was carefully concealed in the stern.

”We are all right now, Mr. Pa.s.sford; and you may turn in for about three hours, for I don't think we shall sight the s.h.i.+p in less than that time,” said the detective, as he put on his overcoat, for the night air was rather chilly, and his companion had already done so.

”I have no occasion to turn in, for I have slept enough at that hotel to last me for a week,” replied Christy. ”It looks now as though we had made a good job of this visit to the Bermudas.”

”I think there can be no doubt of that, Mr. Pa.s.sford; and there is an unpleasant surprise in store for your worthy uncle,” said Mr. Gilfleur, chuckling as he spoke.

”And perhaps for your accomplished friend Captain Rombold. We have both heard him say that he was regularly commissioned as a commander in the Confederate navy, and that his s.h.i.+p is armed with all proper authority to capture, burn, and destroy the mercantile marine of the United States.”

”But Captain Rombold is an ex-officer of the Royal navy, and you may depend upon it he will fight. There will be a naval battle somewhere in the vicinity of these islands to-morrow, and Captain Chantor will find that it will be no boy's play,” added Mr. Gilfleur.

”My father told me that he was a very able officer, and had already rendered good service, good enough to procure his rapid promotion.

I liked the looks of his officers and crew, and I have no doubt they will give a good account of themselves.”

”I hope so, for I am to be an American citizen: I have filed my first papers.”

”I doubt not you will make a good and useful citizen; and your wonderful skill as a detective will make you very serviceable to your new country.”

The conversation was continued for full three hours longer; at the end of which time they saw a dark body ahead on the port bow, and heard some rather gentle screams from a steam whistle.

CHAPTER XIII

AT THE END OF THE CHASE

Mr. Gilfleur estimated that the Eleuthera was at least fifteen miles from the light, and the whistles were not loud enough to be heard at that distance. Neither of the voyagers had any doubt that the dark ma.s.s ahead was the Chateaugay, and the skipper headed the boat for her. If it were not the s.h.i.+p that was expecting to pick up the visitors to the island, she would not be whistling in mid-ocean; and any other vessel would carry a head and side lights.

In half an hour more, for the Chateaugay appeared to have stopped her screw, the boat was within speaking distance, and the hail of Christy was answered. When she came alongside the steamer, the accommodation ladder was rigged out, several seamen came on board, and the voyagers hastened to the deck of the s.h.i.+p. Captain Chantor grasped the hand of the lieutenant, and then of the detective.

”I had some doubts whether or not I should ever see you again,” said the commander. ”If they had discovered that one of you was a United States naval officer, they would have mobbed you.”

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