Part 21 (1/2)
”The _Mary Ellen_, from New York,” answered Captain Brisco. ”Out on a moving picture cruise. We're in a hurry.”
”Better not be,” was the exasperating comment. ”There's someone here who wants to ask you a few questions.”
Another figure joined the speaker, and at the sight of this second officer, old Jack Jepson groaned.
”I knew it! I knew it,” he whispered to Alice. ”That's the man in charge of the revenue cutter who arrested me years ago. See! He recognizes me!
I thought this would happen.”
It was evident that something out of the ordinary was taking place.
”_Mary Ellen_ ahoy!” called the second officer. ”If you didn't used to be the _Halcyon_, I miss my guess. And there's a man aboard you I want!
There he stands!” and he pointed an accusing finger at Jack Jepson.
CHAPTER XVII
THE STORM
The old sailor seemed to shrink down in his clothes and become smaller.
He cast an appealing glance at Alice who stood near him.
”See!” he murmured. ”What did I tell you?”
”It may be all right yet,” she answered. ”Surely after these years they can do nothing to you, especially when you were not guilty.”
”Ah, but it's the escape from the prison that hangs over me,” he said.
”They want me more for that than on the mutiny charge. Oh, what shall I do?”
”Stay here and 'face the music,' as Russ or Paul would say,” suggested Alice. ”I'll speak to my father, and to Mr. Pertell. You are an American citizen, and----”
But she had no time for further advice. Again came the hail from the steamer.
”Stand by there, _Mary Ellen_, or _Halcyon_, as your name used to be,”
was the sharp order. ”I'm going to send a boat aboard you. We want that man!” and once more he pointed accusingly at Jack.
”I don't know what you're talking about,” bl.u.s.tered Captain Brisco.
”That man is my second mate, and you can't take him from me that way.
This isn't war time,” and he seemed disposed to protect Jack.
”Don't let them take me, Captain!” the old sailor pleaded. ”You know what it means. Don't let them take me away!”
”I won't!” declared Captain Brisco, and for the moment the heart of Alice warmed to him. She fancied she had misjudged him. But as she looked at him, she saw a look on his face that made her doubt. It was a look that made his words seem insincere. And when the moving picture girl saw the captain speaking in an aside to Hen Lacomb, her doubts were redoubled.
”Stand by!” someone on the steamer ordered. ”We're sending a boat to take the prisoner.”
”This is a pretty how-d'-do!” bl.u.s.tered Captain Brisco. ”They're going to leave me short-handed, and just at a time when I'm likely to need every man I can get, too,” and he cast an anxious look around the horizon. It had suddenly become quite dark. A bank of clouds, slate colored, and fringed with an ominous yellow, had gathered in the west, and there was a moaning in the air as though a far-off wind were sending a message to those in peril to beware of its breath.