Part 24 (1/2)

Hal darted to the ladder, and, thrusting his head through the opening above, hung there listening.

”There are men coming along the quay,” he said. ”What can they want?

This is the only boat moored over in this direction.”

They looked into each other's faces in the dim light given by the fire, and each noticed that the other had turned deathly pale.

”They must be coming here,” gasped Gerald.

”Then we must disappoint them,” answered Hal. ”Quick! throw off the for'ard mooring, Gerald. No, not that way; you will get at it sooner by hopping ash.o.r.e. Then do the same aft, and jump on board. Quick! hop, I say; for we have very little time to lose.”

He turned at once to the furnace, and commenced to shovel coal into it at a rapid pace, keeping his eye all the time fixed on the pressure gauge.

”One hundred and fifteen pounds,” he said. ”Good! That will help us finely. Now we'll get the bearings warmed.”

He turned the steam c.o.c.k slightly, and sent a cloud of hot vapor rus.h.i.+ng into the cylinders.

”Below there! she's loose. I've cast off the moorings,” whispered Gerald at this moment, thrusting his head down into the stoke-hole.

”Then give her a good push off, and go to the wheel,” answered Hal.

Gently, and without a sound, save the low drone of the fire, and the roar of flames rus.h.i.+ng through the funnel, the launch left the quay, and, propelled by a thrust of Gerald's foot, glided some yards into the harbor. She was away only just in time, for, a minute or two later, some twenty soldiers marched up, and voices were heard.

”Halt, men, and see that you keep in your places,” someone was heard to exclaim, in far from pleasant tones. ”Now, senor, what is it? These beggarly Americans seem to have disturbed the whole town. First, my comrade is so upset by a blow in the face that I have to take his duty; and then you must needs turn me out at this uncomfortable hour to follow some wild-goose chase. Why could you not use your own ruffians?”

”Grumbling will not mend matters,” was the suave answer, in a voice which Hal and his comrade recognized as Jose d'Arousta's. ”These two Americans escaped from a fool of a jailer, and are still about. We have reason to believe that they are in the harbor, for their boots were found not an hour ago, beneath the Morro Castle. I received orders to call you and your men, and to instruct you to come here, so that you might get on board the launch. Caramba, but it is dark! It is like the bottom of a pit. Where can the boat be?”

”Alongside, you said, senor,” the other answered sourly. ”Where is it, then?”

Footsteps were heard on the paving as Jose d'Arousta and some of the soldiers hunted along the quay. Meanwhile the launch lay off at a distance of a few yards, her pa.s.sengers crouching in the stoke-hole, and hoping to remain undiscovered.

”Look, Senor Capitan, there is the boat!” one of the men suddenly cried, ”I can see flames and smoke coming from the funnel.”

”What? The furnaces in full blast!” Jose shouted. ”The fires were banked for the night, and no one was aboard her.”

”Perhaps the engineer in charge has got here before us,” the officer remarked. ”Why not hail him?”

”Hi! Aboard there! Put in alongside the quay,” Jose promptly sang out.

The only answer was a shower of sparks from the funnel, and the splash and noise of churning water, for Gerald had been listening to all that pa.s.sed, and had rapidly interpreted to Hal.

”Sing out that you are coming,” said the latter, ”and then steer her for the harbor mouth. I'll give her steam.”

He turned to the throttle and opened it wide, at the same time allowing the steam-blast to come into action.

”She's moving now,” he cried. ”Keep her well away, Gerald, and dodge the searchlight, whatever you do.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: HAL AND HIS COMPANION ESCAPE FROM SANTIAGO.]

”Hi there! Where are you going? Where are you steering to?” a voice cried from the quay; and then, as the launch sped on into the harbor basin, Jose d'Arousta was heard calling to the soldiers to open fire.

”Ah, treachery!” he shouted. ”Something is wrong; for see, she is running away. I have it; those rascally spies are aboard. Let your men open fire at once, senor.”