Prisoners of Chance Page 6

  CHAPTER V

  ON THE DECK OF THE "SANTA MARIA"

  The Spanish sentries on the Place d'Armes were calling the hour ofmidnight when the priest and I stole silently past amid the shadows ofoverhanging trees. I find it impossible, even now, after the lapse ofyears, to dwell upon my parting with her who despatched me on sostrange an errand. My reluctant pen halts, while the tears, dimming myold eyes, bid me turn to other scenes. However, under God, the ventureof that night might terminate, I firmly believed I was gazing into herdear face for the last time; yet, honor sealed my lips, holding backunspoken those passionate utterances which burned upon my tongue. Icould merely clasp for one brief moment those hands she gave sounreservedly into my keeping, gaze into the unfathomed depths of herdark eyes, and murmur a few broken words of confidence and farewell.Then, half blinded from emotion, I tore myself away from her belovedpresence, and went forth into night and peril for her dear sake.

  However my heart throbbed with hidden anguish as I stepped forth fromthat fateful house, the nature of the adventure upon which we were nowfairly launched was sufficient to cool my brain, so that long before weskirted the guard-lines drawn around the camp of Spanish artillery, Ihad become once more the cool, resourceful adventurer, as befitted mynature and training.

  "Sentries are stationed only along the open side of the square, Ithink?" I whispered to my companion questioningly, striving vainly topenetrate the intense darkness in our front.

  "True," he responded in so low a voice I could scarcely catch thewords, a slight falter betraying that the strange conditions preyedupon his unaccustomed nerves. "It was thus they were posted lastnight."

  "Then we will assume the risk of finding clear passage. Keep close,and venture no speech, whatever happens."

  It proved slow work at the best, as it would never do to have a Spanishspy dogging our footsteps. I doubt not it tested good Father Petrenito the uttermost, yet I thought the better of him for the determinedway in which he clung to my heels through the darkness. As for myself,such dodging, twisting, climbing of walls, and skulking amid shadows,merely sufficed to warm the blood, and yielded greater zest for themore serious work to follow. I claim small credit for courage in suchmatters; they have ever been so much a portion of life to me that theirexcitement became scarcely more than a draught of heady wine. He wasthe truly brave man who, without any such incentive as I possessed,left his books and quiet cell that night to follow me abroad.

  At last we ran across the great deserted market-place, and paused,crouching breathlessly in the dense shadows of the huge warehousestanding upon the very brink of the broad river. As we rested thus wecould hear soft lapping of running water along the further wall, whileoccasionally some vagrant puff of air brought to our strained ears thedistant creaking of chains, as the great war-vessels swung by theircables against the swift current. Beyond this the night was intenselystill, black, unfathomable, mysterious. It seemed fairly to weigh downupon us with its noiseless burden of gloom.

  "Are you acquainted with the interior arrangement of this building?" Iasked the priest in some anxiety.

  "I was within it only once, and observed little of its features. I wascalled there in haste to speak words of peace to a sorely injured man."

  "Could you guide to the ladder leading up to the second floor in thedark?"

  I thought he gave a gesture of dissent, yet so dense was the night Icould barely note the movement.

  "I am not certain, my son, yet to my remembrance it leadeth up near thecentre upon the river side. The building is doubtless empty of all itscotton at this time of year, and we should be able to feel our wayacross if only once within. How do you purpose gaining entrance?"

  "Pah! that is the simplest portion of the whole venture," I saidconfidently. "I am not likely to overlook such a point. The thirdwindow from here has a loosened shutter; I brought this stick to pry itapart. Then the interior will be ours, unless they keep a watchmanstationed within."

  "Thou needst have small fear of that at this late season, and thebuilding empty."

  We crept cautiously forward, myself in the lead, and feeling blindly inthe darkness for the loosened shutter previously located. At last mygroping hand touched it, and drawing the bottom outward as far aspossible by mere grip of the fingers, I inserted the stout oaken barwithin the aperture, and, after listening intently to detect anypresence close at hand, exerted my strength upon the rude lever. Therefollowed a slight rasping, as if a wire dragged along a nail,--apenetrating shrillness there was to it which sent a tingle to thenerves,--then the heavy shutter swung outward, leaving ample space forthe passage of a man's body. I lifted myself by my hands and peeredcautiously within. Everywhere was impenetrable blackness, while thesilence was so profound as to give a sudden strange throb to my heart.Waiting no longer, I drew myself up on to the narrow ledge; then hungdownward until my groping feet touched the floor. Once safely landed Ileaned forth again, and in another moment the priest stood beside me,the shutter tightly drawn behind us. With a feeling of relief I facedthat black interior. Now, at least, we were beyond chance of discoveryby any prowling Spanish guard, and could advance more freely.

  "Lead on," I commanded shortly, resting my hand upon his shoulder tomake sure of his presence. "I will keep hold upon your robe, so weshall not part company in the darkness."

  Very slowly we felt uncertain passage across the uneven floor. Itappeared littered with innumerable articles of the box and barrelorder, with here and there a pile of loose lumber, altogether makingsuch a jumble of obstruction that keeping our direction became simplyimpossible in that intense darkness which seemed to fairly swallow us.We did well to proceed at all, and escape creating a racket bystumbling over some of the many unseen obstacles in our path. As tomyself, I became so thoroughly confused by constant turning andclimbing as to grow completely lost, but fortunately the priest kept asomewhat clearer brain, and, after groping blindly for some time,pausing occasionally as though he would smell his way like a dog,managed to put hand at last upon the object of his patient search.

  "'T is here," he whispered. "Shall I go up?"

  "Ay!" I returned hopefully, glad I had restrained the impatience of mytongue. "But try each rung before you venture stepping on it; they mayprove rotten and give way beneath your weight."

  He swung himself up, after carefully tucking in his robe about thewaist, but the ladder creaked so alarmingly beneath his tread I durstnot venture my heavier weight upon it until he had safely reached thetop. Finally the noise of his climbing ceased, and I could hear aboard move high above me.

  "Are you up safe?" I questioned in a low voice.

  "All safe, praise be to God," came the cautious response; "but thouwilt do well, friend, to exercise grave care, as the way is bad."

  It required brief exploration to convince us that this second storypossessed a strong, firm floor, although there remained some danger ofthere being traps in it for the hoisting of cotton, while the boardsmight not extend over the entire surface. By this time, however, oureyes had grown somewhat accustomed to the intense blackness envelopingus, so the slightest change in the prevailing gloom became quicklyapparent. The air was so fresh and pure, with such a taste of thenight in it, I became convinced there must be an opening somewhereclose at hand, and whispered the suggestion to my companion. He provedkeener of vision than I, for even as we thus spoke he plucked my sleeveand pointed upward.

  "Then surely it will be yonder," he exclaimed, with more eagerness ofvoice than I had before marked in him. "There is certainly a lightnessto the atmosphere overhead, as if it came from a direct opening to thesky."

  It appeared true even to me, now that he had pointed out the spot.

  "It must be the roof hatch uplifted. Now if we discover a ladderleading thereto I shall accept it as proof that God guideth us thisnight, and feel new courage."

  "Our work is of God," said the _pere_ solemnly, "or I should never behere with you, and engaged upon it."


  "Nor have I ever doubted it, father," I made haste to answer, creepingcautiously forward across the ill-matched flooring. "Yet you have beena luckier man than I if never you found yourself in the wrong when youbelieved it to be right."

  There was a ladder there spliced with bits of rope, as we discovered,yet proving of sufficient strength to up-bear us one at a time. Thuswe were soon out upon the great flat roof, lying prone at the edge,whither we had crept silently, peering cautiously forth upon the blackriver. That is, we gazed into the silent mystery where we knew theriver must be, yet it was like peering into an impenetrable bank ofcloud. There was something awesome about it, for out yonder, within afew yards of us, swung twenty great vessels of war, manned by thousandsof fighting men, while not a sound reached us, except the slightcreaking of strained cables, or the occasional dash of a wave againstsome obstruction in the stream; nor could anything be seen, if I exceptflitting sparks of light glimmering here and there like lost stars,serving to locate the positions of the various ships in their nightanchorage.

  I felt, rather than saw, the devout priest at my side piously crosshimself, and there was a mumbling of his lips in prayer, but Icontented myself with searching through the gloom for a glimpse of thetowering masts of the "Santa Maria," which must be close at hand. Theyremained invisible, shrouded behind the mist cloud. For one moment Icursed the intense blackness of the night, losing confidence in ourventure. Yet, even as hope failed me, the dull creaking of a nearbycable sounded farther up stream. Guided by this I crept cautiouslyalong the edge of the roof, aware as I proceeded that Father Petreni,imitating my example, pressed closely behind.

  Near the northern extremity of the long building we came to a halt,and, leaning well over the roof edge, I peered anxiously into theenveloping fog. A deeper density of shadow showed directly in front,which I felt convinced could be caused only by one of those vast sparsaround which canvas had been rolled, as noted that afternoon from theship's deck. Vainly endeavoring to pierce the thick mist, Idistinguished the steady tramping of some one pacing far beneath us.The sound came from farther out in the stream, where I might reasonablysuppose the stern of the vessel to lie. I drew back, and placed mylips close to the priest's ear.

  "Can you distinguish any outline yonder?" I queried eagerly, pointingas I spoke, and feeling fearful lest my eyes had been deceived byfleeting night shadows.

  Resting upon his breast, one hand shading his eyes, he peered long inthe direction indicated before venturing to reply.

  "There is a shade of something yonder," he admitted at last. "It risesa trifle above us, and almost directly out from this edge. 'T is hardto say of what it consists, yet 'tis of a peculiar shape, causing me tothink of the foreyard of a big ship."

  "Exactly what I name it," I replied, set at ease by his promptdecision. "How far would you suppose the thing to lie from where weare?"

  He studied the barely visible object long and carefully, shading hiseyes again with his hands the better to concentrate his gaze upon thatmisty blot.

  "It is like a jump in the dark, my son, to attempt guessing at sovisionary a thing. At times it seemeth to fade away altogether, yetback it cometh once more into the same spot; from where I lie it mightbe twenty, or it might be forty, feet."

  "Saint Giles! not so bad a guess either. I figured it at thirty thisafternoon from the bank below, nor am I apt to prove far wrong in suchjudgment. Truss up this confounded skirt of mine, while I uncoil therope for a toss."

  He opened his eyes wide in amazement.

  "Do you hope to cast the loop over the end of the spar?"

  "Ay, that offers the only opening to get aboard unobserved," I replied,loosening as I spoke the slender rope coil from about my waist. "Norwould it be any trick if the light were a trifle better. As it is, Imay miss a throw or two in getting firm hold. It would prove riskybusiness attempting to pass across a line insecure at one end. Liedown now, _pere_, and keep as quiet as if you were dead."

  In instant obedience to my words the priest stretched himself at fulllength behind the low wooden gutter. Rising cautiously to my feet, Ipassed the cord with utmost care through my fingers, testing itsstrands again, making certain it remained perfectly free for the toss.For a moment I stood thus, swaying forward at the very edge of theroof, my eyes measuring again and again the hazy, uncertain distancestretching away toward that slight undulating shadow. It waspractically impossible to determine where the extreme end of the sparterminated in air, yet as nearly as possible I made selection for mypoint of aim, and, with three noiseless circles about my head to giveit impetus, shot the rope forth into the dense gloom. I heard theopening noose strike something which rattled sharply in the intensesilence. Then the line slipped, hung limp, and finally fell danglingdown over the edge of the roof. It had failed to catch, and I crouchedlow, making no effort to draw the loose end back. With the first soundof the blow against the spar the steady tramping across the deckceased. A moment, and a gruff voice hailed in vigorous Spanish fromout the darkness:

  "Aloft there! Who is on the foreyard?"

  For a brief space there came no answer, although we were made aware ofother movements more directly below us. Then some one answered:

  "The watch are all here on the forecastle, Senor. It must have been aloose block that rattled."

  "Two of you jump into the foretop, and make all fast."

  The steady tramping was resumed, while a moment later we became awareof the approach of men climbing through the darkness toward us. Wewere unable to perceive their shadows, yet their muttered conversation,as they lay out upon the yard, served to fix its actual position moreclearly in my mind. I believed I knew where I had so grievouslyovershot the mark.

  "_Boca del Dragon_!" grumbled one of the fellows hoarsely, seemingly inour very ears. "The Captain is as nervous over those cursedfrog-eaters down between decks as if we were anchored off Paree."

  "Think you that is the trouble, Jose?" returned the other in thesprightly voice of a younger man. "I tell thee, comrade, 'tis onlythat bloody demon of an O'Reilly he is fearful of. I have sailed withthe 'old man' in many seas since first I left Sargon, and never expectto see him affrighted of any Johnny Frenchman. But I heard the Admiralsay two days agone, as I hung over his boat in the main chains, that ifthe Captain lost so much as a single prisoner it should cost him hisship. That, I make it, comrade, is why he has n't taken so much as aglass of wine since first they were put aboard of us. _Bastante_! buthe must have acquired a thirst by this time to make his temper red-hot."

  The other laughed sourly.

  "Poh! I know even a better reason for his going dry than that, Juan.He does n't have chance for a drink alongside of that gray-belliedFrench priest below. _Caramba_! it takes him to polish off the redliquor."

  "How know you that?"

  "Saint Christopher! how know I? Did I not just meet him at the mainhatch so drunk he fell over the coamings. The sojer on guard set himup against the butt of the foremast to sober off in the night air."

  I experienced difficulty in repressing a laugh at the words, but thetwo fellows were going down by this time, grumbling in their beardsbecause they had discovered nothing wrong as reward for their tripaloft, so I contented myself by silently pressing my companion's arm,although doubtless he had comprehended no word of the conversation.

  We rested there motionless, with no attempt at speech, for fully twentyminutes before I ventured to haul in the line which dangled downwardfrom my hand. Everything remained quiet below, and, coiling itcarefully over my arm, I noiselessly arose to my feet once more,poising myself to essay a second cast. As straight this time as anarrow from the taut string of a bow the noose sped silently away intothe darkness. I felt a thrill of delight tingle through me as the endsettled softly over the end of the vague, distant spar. I drew thecord taut and firm, not a sound breaking the intense stillness closingus in like a wall. A heavy wooden post, with a pulley attachment,stood behind where we rested, probably fitted there
for hauling upheavy bales of cotton. Creeping back, I wound the slack of the ropeabout its base, drawing it as tight as possible, and then placed theend in the hands of the observant and wondering priest, who continuedto creep after me like a shadow.

  "Now all I expect of you is to hold hard on this rope until I getacross on to the spar," I whispered. "When I give three distinct jerkson the cord, then let loose of your end; but drop it slowly, mind you,_pere_, so I can draw it in without noise. You had better creep to theedge of the roof with it before you release your hold. Do youunderstand?"

  He nodded silently, his eyes gazing unwaveringly into mine. I heldforth my hand to him, moved by the sudden impulse of such a movement.As he gave me his own in response it felt as cold as ice, yet I markedhis grip was strong.

  "As soon as I coil in the rope you had better creep down and go home,"I explained, speaking slowly, for somehow I felt it strangely hard topart with this last tie between the present and the uncertain future."You can be no further use to me; Madame will be anxious to hear yourreport, while it might prove exceedingly awkward for one of your clothto be trapped here after this night's work is discovered by the Dons.So now good-bye; you are a man of nerve, even if you are a priest, andI am glad to have been comrade with you."

  I heard him answer something as I slowly crept down to the edge,testing again the feel of the rope before venturing to swing off uponit. I was not unaccustomed to those adventures incident to rough lifeon the frontier; my nerves were not easily jarred by strangeexperiences, yet I hold it no pleasant sensation to swing out on athirty-foot line at that height, amid utter darkness, especially whenyou feel uncertain as to its secure fastening at the farther end.Moreover, the priest's robe hampered my movements sadly, while, beingno light-weight, the strands of the small cord cut my hands. I durstnot hurry, but took the passage inch by inch, gritting my teeth as Ihung suspended above the abyss, lest I might emit a cry. In truth Ithought my arms would pull out of the sockets before I finally camealongside the spar. Yet, thanks be to God, the rope held nobly, thoughit required every pound of remaining strength to haul my dangling bodyup, that I could rest across the wood before I felt after the standingrope beneath. I clung there weak as a child, trembling like afrightened woman, the cold perspiration standing in drops upon my face.

  I have been in far happier situations than that--lying bent nearlydouble across the yard of an enemy's ship on a black night, but at themoment, so sincerely rejoiced was I to be off that sagging rope, I feltlike humming a tune. Yet I contented myself with sliding along thesmooth spar until I discovered a firm strand of rope beneath my feet,ventured then to stand upright, and clung for support to the cloth ofthe sail. At last I gave our signal, and, as the line slackened to myhand, drew it cautiously in, coiling it as it came, until all was onceagain in my possession. Waiting a moment, to give the _pere_opportunity to begin his retreat, I undid the noose yet wound about thesmall end of the spar, and, with much care, feeling my uncertain waythrough the darkness, worked myself slowly along, inward bound towardthe mast. Finally, close beside it I again made fast the end of mycord, lowering it, paying out the long coil inch by inch, until I feltconvinced from its limpness it must extend to the deck.

  I acknowledge it was several minutes before I mustered sufficientcourage to slip down into that intense blackness. It was not so muchfear of men which deterred me, but the oppressive silence, the mysteryof what awaited me below, rested heavily upon the nerves, binding me tothe spar, intently gazing and listening for either sight or sound. Itwas recollection of that last, trustful look within the dark eyes ofEloise which finally aroused me to action. Muttering an imprecationupon my faint-heartedness, I instantly swung off on to the danglingrope, slipping silently downward through the shadows to meet whatsoeverfate might lurk below.

  It was a confused tangle of ropes I was compelled to traverse, yet nonegreatly interfered with my progress, except to render it slower, andthe consequent strain harder upon the arms. The huge foremast, closeagainst which I swung, grew bulkier as I descended. Suddenly my feettouched the solid deck. I discovered myself between the foremast andthe rail, so dropping upon hands and knees I crept silently around,hoping thus to gain clearer view forward. As I circled the vast buttof the mast I came suddenly face to face with the friar, sitting uponthe deck and blinking at me with drunken gravity.