Part 16 (1/2)

Tame as Norris considered their excursion on sh.o.r.e, Robert recounted a feature of that adventure that had not a little to do toward putting Norris in a bad humour. When they saw Duran, accompanied by his two blacks, very evidently making to the boat, our party fell back, not to be seen by Duran at the wharf. But what should happen but that Duran should suddenly step from behind a corner of a shed and laugh derisively in their faces.

It occurred to me that, in view of the circ.u.mstance, there might be some talk on the _Orion_ that it should profit us to hear a word of. I said as much to Captain Marat; and we two set off forthwith in a small boat, to have a try.

We made a detour, and approached the _Orion_ from the far side. There were other boats moving about, making us the less conspicuous, and besides, the inky darkness favored us. So that we came in under the _Orion's_ bows unnoted. Voices there were speaking on the deck, and Captain Marat c.o.c.ked his ear to them, as we held to the stays.

He repeated it all to me afterward, and this is pretty much the way of the talk he heard:

”There will be no risk. Of course, if the big one is there, we will wait till the next night.”

”But the noise will--”

”But there need be no noise. It must be--”

”Yes, that won't be so bad, and it will be dark. And now I want you to know, Monsieur, that the men are beginning to fear they will never see the gold you have promised them. This being pursued is a new thing for them. And then, you have always been all powerful, and never had to give over your plans and flee. And we have come so far from--”

”Bah! You must make them to understand again that these infernal Americans have Carlos Brill with them, and they are after my secrets--they want the gold. And I cannot afford to give them the least hint where it lies. We must finally shake them off; then we go back home; I land the regular place, at the foot of Twin Hills. Then no one can follow. And in the week I will have out all the gold that is mined.

Then I will give the men more gold than they ever dreamed of having, and they will be free to go and spend. And for two years, maybe three years, I will not go near the mine.

”And no one will ever find it. No, it is safe; that is very sure. Tell them. And you--you know what I have promised you. I make you the most wealthy black, that ever lived, and I will never feel the loss of what I give you. But you must not fail me.”

”Oh, monsieur, believe me, I will do my work well.”

”If you succeed, you must make no mistake about the place to meet us; we must not leave them behind, here.”

”Yes, monsieur; there will be no mistake. I know my work.”

The voices became indistinct as the speakers moved away. Then Marat took up the oars again and quietly got our boat away in the dark.

It was then he repeated to me what he had heard.

”Then we came just too late to hear what this thing is they plan,” I said.

”Yes,” agreed Captain Marat, ”but we got one clue to the mine. He say he weel 'land at foot of Twin Hills'--back home. We look on thee chart; that it is near that place where we begin the pursuit.”

We were soon aboard the _Pearl_, the chart on the table.

”There!” said Captain Marat. And he put the end of a match on the spot marked, ”Twin Hills.” It was close to the sea line, less than five miles from the cove in which we discovered the _Orion_.

And then I had a thought.

”That must be where we saw a small boat starting toward sh.o.r.e from the _Orion_,” I said.

”Just so,” said Marat. ”It was Duran, going to land 'The regular place,'

to go to his mine.”

”Well, now,” began Ray, who had followed us into the cabin, ”you folks seem to know a heap. Where do you get all your wisdom?”

We got all our party together, and Marat repeated what we had learned.