Part 27 (1/2)
”I regret to inform you that some of them have met the fate they deserve, of traitors and rebels, and have been shot,” answered the general, mustering up his courage to make this announcement.
”Shot!” exclaimed Murray, in a tone of deep anxiety, as the consul interpreted the general's last remark; ”inquire who they are that have been thus treated,” said Murray.
”The officers and others found on board the two vessels. The common seamen were not worth the powder and shot, or they would have met the same fate,” answered the general, with as much _sang-froid_ as he could command.
Murray could hardly restrain his indignation on hearing this, for he could not doubt that Colonel O'Regan was among the sufferers; he thought, especially, of the grief into which Stella would be plunged, and he was more than ever resolved to carry matters with a high hand.
”Tell the general that his s.h.i.+ps are under the guns of my brig, and that I have left orders with the officers in command to blow them up should I not return with the prisoners within two hours.”
”You speak very boldly, sir!” exclaimed the general; ”suppose I were to treat you as I have done your countrymen--shoot you.”
”Then my countrymen would very soon arrive with their s.h.i.+ps of war, and not only knock your town about your ears, but hang up you and every officer they may catch at their yard-arms,” answered Murray.
The Spaniards, so they may be called, pulled their moustaches, and the remark had, evidently, its due effect.
”I must insist, also, that the two vessels captured by your squadron be brought into this harbour and anch.o.r.ed astern of my brig before to-morrow evening. I give you until then as the winds are light, but there must be no delay. Now, general, I must have your answer, as time is pa.s.sing, or, before long, we shall have your vessels blown into the air. I require the immediate liberation of all the prisoners still alive. With regard to the rest, my government will settle with you by-and-by,” and Murray took out his watch, and carelessly held it up, so that the general and his officers might see the time.
The action had an electric effect on all present; the general held a brief consultation with his officers, and, though he attempted to bl.u.s.ter a little, they agreed forthwith to give up the prisoners.
”You have got on admirably, captain,” observed the consul, as he and his companions left the hall. ”Your mode of proceeding will always be successful when practised on people like those with whom we have at present to deal, and on a larger scale, probably, with most of the nations of the earth.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
TOM AND ARCHY IN PRISON--THEIR TRICK ON THE GAOLER--SOLDIERS APPEAR-- TAKEN FROM PRISON--MEET COLONEL O'REGAN--MARCHED THROUGH THE TOWN-- PRISONERS GOING TO EXECUTION--DISTANT CANNONADING HEARD--THE FIRING-PARTY--DEATH OF COLONEL O'REGAN--THE MIDs.h.i.+PMEN TRY TO HELP HIM-- CARRIED BACK TO PRISON--THEY AND STELLA LIBERATED BY MURRAY.
We must return to the night when Gerald Desmond and Needham made their escape from the prison.
As soon as they were gone, Tom Rogers and Archy Gordon set to work on the bar, and by hauling and pulling gradually worked it back into its former position. They then stuck on the rust as before, and swept the windows clear of the filings and remaining bits of rust, which might have betrayed them.
”Now, Miss O'Regan, do lie down and take some rest,” said Tom, ever thoughtful of others. ”You need it much already, and you cannot tell what fatigue you may have shortly to go through. I have hopes that before long we shall get out of prison, and in the meantime it will puzzle the gaoler to know how our friends have escaped, unless he happens to hit upon this bar, and that I hope he will not do.”
Tom and Archy returned to their own room.
”The longer the gaolers remain ignorant of the escape of Desmond and Needham the better,” observed Tom. ”I think that I can contrive to rig up two figures which may help to do so. Fortunately, Needham has left his red handkerchief behind him, that must serve as his night-cap. I will make the head of straw, and cover it with my handkerchief, the body we must form by heaping up the straw and then throwing a rug over it.
Now, Archy, your handkerchief must serve as Desmond's head, and we will put your cap on the top of it.”
Gordon, of course, agreed to the proposal. They set to work at once and as far as the pale light of the moon, which came through tie windows, could enable them to judge, they were well satisfied with their performance. They then laid down to sleep with clear consciences, on their own somewhat diminished heaps of straw.
The gaoler who brought their breakfast seldom did more than put it in at the door, being satisfied with a glance round the room at its four inmates. He looked in, as was his custom, the following morning, and seeing two figures in the dark corners of the room, supposed that the seaman and one of the mids.h.i.+pmen were indulging in a longer sleep than usual. Tom and Archy put their hands to their heads, and shook them, as much as to say that their friends were suffering from head-ache. This seemed to satisfy the gaoler, who departed, much to the satisfaction of the mids.h.i.+pmen, without making a closer inspection.
”At all events, it shows that our friends have not been caught, or we should have had the room searched,” observed Tom. ”I hope that they have found the Consulate, and if so, we shall probably be liberated before the day is over. I wish, however, we could hear something about the colonel, for the sake of his poor daughter.”
The mids.h.i.+pmen naturally had got very weary at being so long shut up.
Their spirits, however, now rose at the thoughts of their speedy liberation, and they made a hearty meal off their somewhat coa.r.s.e fare.
A couple of hours or more pa.s.sed, when Polly knocked at the door, and said that Miss O'Regan would be glad to see them.
”I have been thinking more than ever about my poor father,” she said, ”and I cannot help fearing from the remarks let drop by the gaoler's wife, that he must be very ill. I have in vain begged her to let me go and see him--can you think of any plan by which I may do so? If the old lady would take me down into the common cell, I would gladly consent to be shut up with him.”