Part 20 (1/2)

”G.o.d help Wayne and Ray!” said Norris at last.

”They're safe,” said Robert, pointing southward.

In the dim light we could make out a vessel lying some hundreds of yards away and in the lee of that same land.

”Thank G.o.d!” said Norris. ”Then this is an islet that lies across the outside of this harbor.”

”Yes,” said Captain Marat. ”They come in the other side.”

The storm presently lost its fury; in a half hour it was gone, and full light came to show us the _Orion_ with her foresail in shreds.

And so it is now that Wayne will take up the story again.

CHAPTER XV

AN EXCHANGE OF PRISONS

Ray and I were escorted down the companionway into the cabin of the _Orion_, and were thrust into a room on the port side. A pair of blacks cut away the cords from our arms; and when they went out we heard a bolt pushed home in the door.

”We travel in style,” observed Ray, surveying the pair of bunks, one above the other. ”Let's see,” he continued, ”does your ticket call for an upper or a lower?”

A small, round, glazed porthole gave light, and a porcelain wash-bowl with faucets was fixed in the wall.

”And even a bathtub,” said Ray, fingering the piece. ”It's almost like being back on the _Pearl_ again.”

We were waited on by the blacks, who brought our food. The day pa.s.sed uneventfully; though we spent much time at the porthole (which we finally succeeded to open, or we must have stifled) we saw not so much as a sail, nor a glimpse of the land. This last would be explained either on the score that the island lay on the other--the starboard--side, or that the _Orion_ had sailed out of view of the land.

She might even be on a course to the west, going back home again, now.

It was not till the stars were out that this point was settled. It was by those twinklers we learned we were on an eastern course.

The next morning we got a view of the land. It was just after the _Orion_ had gone about on the starboard tack. The mountains loomed up but four or five miles away. And while the vessel slowly came up into the wind, I eagerly scanned the horizon for a sail that should seem to be the _Pearl_. But there was no s.h.i.+p of any kind in view. My heart sank. Could it be that after all they had not ferreted out our secret message?

The day following, sometime before noon, we heard sounds of excitement on the vessel. And we heard Duran's voice; ”cussing in French,” Ray said he was doing.

We got to the porthole.

”They must have got sight of the _Pearl_,” I said. Our hopes were high.

Even on the starboard tack, we saw nothing but the sea, now fallen almost calm.

A half hour pa.s.sed; we were again at the porthole.

”There she is!” cried Ray and I together. The _Pearl_ was in view.

Soon the wind was on us, as we could hear; and it grew dark. There was much scurrying on the deck overhead. Spray began to come in through our porthole, and we must close it. We could see birds rus.h.i.+ng by. Our course was changed; no longer could we see the _Pearl_. The roar of the storm increased every moment.

”It must be a hurricane,” said Ray.

At last we saw land close by our porthole. Directly, we were in lee of it, and we heard the anchor go overboard.