Part 25 (1/2)

”I'm peckish again,” he said, climbing to the deck, and wiping the perspiration from his forehead with a piece of oily waste. ”Skip along, old man, and see whether you can manage to find some grub and something to drink.”

Gerald at once left the wheel, and going to the forward part of the launch, descended into the cabin. He had little difficulty in discerning his surroundings, for by this time the sky had lightened considerably, and dawn was close at hand. But he was unsuccessful, and returned with a very long face.

”Not a crust to be seen,” he said dismally. ”I say, Hal, what shall we do if there is no food aboard, for we shall starve if we do not fall in with a s.h.i.+p pretty soon?”

”Then that is just exactly what we must do,” cried Hal cheerfully, ”and we'll have to be precious careful that she is not a Spaniard. Yes, it's rough having nothing to eat, but we must not grumble. Just think of what we have escaped. We have left prison and that fellow Jose d'Arousta behind, and are safe for the present. I'd rather starve for a week than take my place before a file of soldiers at this hour of the morning.”

He shuddered when he thought of what a narrow escape they had had, and what fate would have been theirs, had they still occupied their cell in the Morro Castle.

Then away flew his thoughts to the hacienda. Why? Did they dwell for the s.p.a.ce of more than a moment upon Mr. Brindle and any of the hands he knew? No, certainly not! Hal would have flushed very red had you suddenly asked him the question; for, in truth, he was thinking of someone else--of Dora, picturing her as he had seen her many a morning, standing at the top of the steps leading from the veranda, a vision of loveliness in white, with a welcoming smile that showed two rows of dainty pearls, and a glance from a pair of dancing blue eyes that always made him feel happy. That was how he had seen her every morning as he rode in from his work, and those were the happy thoughts which invariably filled his mind during the morning meal.

But the scene suddenly changed, Jose d'Arousta and the rascally Pedro appearing in his mind's eye in place of his employer's daughter, and they were again threatening the hacienda. At the thought, Hal sprang to his feet, his hands clenched, and a look of excitement spreading over his handsome face.

”Yes,” he cried, ”it is good indeed to live; for I have work to do. I have escaped from the island, but I must return again at the very first opportunity.”

”Why should you? It would be madness!” exclaimed his comrade.

”Why, Gerald? Think of the hacienda, and of Jose d'Arousta's threat.

That is my reason, for real danger threatens your father and Dora.”

”Phew! I hadn't thought of that,” Gerald answered, and then suddenly lapsed into silence, while a queer and sly little smile stole over his face.

”Oh, it's like that, is it?” he murmured a moment later. ”But, I say, what about falling in with a s.h.i.+p? What do you propose?”

”As there is no food on board, and we are both famis.h.i.+ng, I vote we turn the steam on again, and get as far away from the island as we possibly can. The chances are that it is blockaded by the American fleet, and, as Santiago is a most important harbor, some of the vessels are bound to be down this way. Naturally they would steam up and down within sight of the coast, running in closer at night. We must keep a bright look-out for them, and must hope for their appearance soon. I fancy that we are safe from the Spanish torpedo boats, for they would scarcely dare to run out so far.”

”What's that over there, then?” asked Gerald, suddenly pointing to the west.

A big black cloud was floating on the horizon, and Hal looked at it long and earnestly.

”I believe it's the smoke of a fleet,” he said at length. ”If it is, I am for chancing the Spaniards, and running down towards that cloud.”

Gerald hastily agreed, whereupon Hal dived below again, and having seen to the lubricating of his engine, opened the throttle-valve. Every minute as they ran to the west the cloud became more certainly one of smoke, and within an hour they had made out that six large battles.h.i.+ps were bearing down upon them at an easy pace. Then a breeze got up and blew the smoke away, the masts and funnels of the on-coming fleet becoming at once visible, sharply silhouetted against the clear morning sky.

”They're wagging their signals,” said Hal, poking his head up above the deck, and taking a long look. ”No doubt they have spotted us, and will send at once to find out who we are.”

He had scarcely finished speaking, when a long, low hull shot out from behind one of the bigger s.h.i.+ps, and came steaming at a great pace towards them.

”A torpedo boat,” said Hal. ”We'll lie to, and wait for her.”

Turning off the steam, he mounted to the deck, and sat down by Gerald's side. A quarter of an hour later the torpedo boat was close at hand, and, surging up beside the launch, rounded to, and circled completely about her, setting the tiny vessel dancing to the swell.

”Hooray! She's flying the Stars and Stripes,” shouted Gerald, flinging his cap into the air. ”We're safe at last, old boy, and there is a good square meal in sight.”

”Aboard there! Who are you?” came the hail across the water. ”Where on earth do you come from? and what port are you bound for?”

”We're from Santiago. We left there this morning,” Hal shouted back, making a funnel of his hands.

The boat, with its murderous-looking quick-firers, ranged up alongside, and a sailor flung a rope to them.