CHAPTER 38
Meanwhile the shouts of the mutineers rang louder and louder as theirrafts edged in toward the land, so the three turned again and madedirectly inland. A hundred yards from the edge of the water they werein a dense jungle such as only exists in a Central American swampregion, but they waded and splashed on, and clambered over rottenstumps, slick with wet moss, and stepped on fragments of wood thatcrumbled under their feet. And all the time they kept the girl betweenthem, lifting her clear of the noisome water as much as possible.
The shouting of the mutineers, however, urged them on, and from thesound of the voices there was no doubt that Hovey and his men werecombing the marsh for the fugitives. Torches had been made by thesailors, and behind them, now and then, they caught a glimpse of awinking eye of light. This drove them on, and just when the shouts ofthe mutineers began to die away, the marsh ended as abruptly as it hadbegun, and they started to climb a slope where the thicket changed toan almost open wood. The rise was not long, for after some hours ofweary trudging, they reached a road.
Down this they straggled with stumbling feet. They had not spoken fornearly two hours, as though they wished to save even the breath ofspeech for some trial which might still await them. Kate was halfunconscious with fatigue, and McTee on her left and Harrigan on herright carried most of her weight.
In this manner they came in sight of a light which developed into alow-roofed, broad house with a hospitable veranda stretching about it.They made directly for it, traversing a level field until they came tothe door. McTee supported Kate while Harrigan knocked. There wassilence within the house, and then a whisper, a stir, the padding of aslippered foot, and the door was jerked open. A tall man with a narrow,pointed beard appeared. He held a lantern in one hand and a pistol inthe other; for those were troubled times in that republic. The lightfell full on the haggard face of Kate, and the man started back.
"Enter, my children," he said in Spanish, and tossing his weapon onto alittle hall table, he held out his hand to them.
With a great voice he brought his family and servants about them in afew seconds. To a wide-eyed girl with a frightened voice, he gave thecare of Kate, and the two went off together. The master of the househimself attended to the needs of Harrigan and McTee.
There were few questions asked. This was a question of dire need, andthe Spanish-American loves to show his hospitality. Talking was for themorning. In the meantime his guests would require what? Perhaps sleep?Perhaps a bath first? They answered him with one voice, for they bothspoke a little Spanish, picked up in their wanderings. Sleep!
The next day they woke about noon to find clothes laid out for them,the immaculate white clothes which the tropics require. They were ledto a high-ceilinged bathroom cool with glazed, white bricks which linedit, where the two servants poured over them bucket after bucket of coldwater, and the grime of the voyage and the labors in the fireroom andthe mighty weariness of their muscles disappeared little by little inslow degrees. Then a shave, then the white clothes, and they were readyfor presentation to Senor Jose, Barrydos y Maria y Leon and his family.
And here was a time of many words indeed. It was McTee who told thestory of the wreck, and even with his broken Spanish the tale was sovivid that Senor Jose was forced to rise and walk up and down the room,calling out upon a hundred various saints. In the end it was clear inhis eyes that he had to deal with two heroes. As such they could havelived with him as honored guests forever.
Then Kate came into the room with the daughter of the house. She wore agreen dress of some light material which fluttered into folds at everymove. The Spaniard straightened up from his chair. The two big menfollowed suit, staring wide-eyed upon her. It seemed as if some miraclehad been worked in her, for they looked in vain for any traces of herhelpless weariness of the night before.
There was a color in her cheeks and her eyes were bright and quiet. ToSenor Jose Barrydos y Maria y Leon she gave both her hands, and hebowed over them and kissed them both. His courtliness made Harrigan andMcTee exchange a glance, perhaps of envy and perhaps of disquiet, forshe accepted this profound courtesy with an ease as if she had beenaccustomed to nothing else all her life.
But what a smile there was for each of them afterward! It left themspeechless, so that they glowered upon each other and were glad of thesoft flow of Senor Jose's words as he led them in to the breakfasttable.
And when the meal had progressed a little and some of the edge of thenovelty of the situation and story had worn away, the Spaniard said:"But is it not true? Strange news floats in the air this week."
"What news?" asked Harrigan. "Our wireless was out of commission fordays."
"True! Then you must learn from me?"
He drew a breath and stiffened in his chair, then with a gesture ofapology and a smile he added: "Why should I hunt for pompous words? Ican tell you in one phrase: the world is at war, gentlemen!"
They merely gaped upon him.
"German troops have entered Belgium; France, England, and Russia are atwar with Germany and Austria!"
He waited for the astonishment to die away in their eyes.
Kate was shaking her head. "It is impossible," she said. "There may bea disturbance, but the world is past the time of great wars. Men arenow too civilized, and--"
Here she stopped, for her eyes fell on the faces of Harrigan and McTee.Civilized? No; she had seen enough to know that civilization strikes nodeeper in human nature than clothes go to change the man.
"Civilized?" Don Jose had taken her up. "Ah, madam, already wild talesreach us of the Germans in Belgium."
"But there was a treaty," she cried, "and the greatest nations in theworld have guaranteed the neutrality of Belgium. Germany herself--"
"True!" said Jose; "but it is because of the violation of Belgianneutrality, among other things, that England has entered the war, it issaid."
"Ah-h!" said Harrigan, lapsing suddenly from Spanish into his Irishbrogue. "Thrue for ye, man! John Bull will take the Kaiser by thethroat. In time of peace, why, to hell with England, say I, like allgood Irishmen; but in time av war-r, it's shoulder to shoulder, JohnBull an' Paddy, say I, an' we'll lick the wor-r-rld!"
And McTee broke in savagely. "You forget the Scotch. Without theScotch, England and Ireland--what could they do? Nothing!"
"Could they not?" said Harrigan, with rising temper. "I tell ye, yeblack Highlander, that wan Irishman--"
"Hush," said Kate earnestly; for the Spaniard was staring at them inamaze. "It is a world war, and no time for jealousy. England--Scotland--Ireland--and America, too, in time--we will all be fighting for onepurpose. And when the last test comes, the United States--"
She stopped with a gesture of pride, and Harrigan said with deepfeeling: "Aye, they're a hard lot, the Yankees. But as for the Scotch,"he went on in a murmur which only McTee could hear--"as for the Scotch,I wouldn't be wipin' my feet on 'em, when it comes to the fightin'.D'ye hear me, McTee?"
"And understand," said McTee, smiling broadly, so that none of the restmight understand; "our time is close at hand, Harrigan. We're on dryland."
"We are--thank God," answered Harrigan, "but play the game, McTee, tillthe girl is cared for."
In the meantime Senor Jose had explained to Kate the nearness of thecity--El Ciudad Grande--for she had been asking many urgent questions.The upshot of their conversation was that their host offered to takethem immediately into the town, where they could find accommodation atthe one hotel--if they refused his further hospitality. So in half anhour Senor Jose's carriage of state was harnessed and the fourjourneyed into El Ciudad Grande.
Senor Jose went with them to explain to the hotel owner that these werehis guests--his dear friends--his friends of many years' standing--infact, his relatives in close blood. In short, he recommended the partyto the special care of the hotelkeeper. Business called the hospitableSpaniard away. He refused to accept any consideration for the clotheswhich he donated to the party, and McTee jingled a handful of Henshaw'sgold
in vain. Senor Jose must depart, but he would return the next day.So the three stood alone together at last. Harrigan was the first tospeak.
"I've an engagement. I'm afther havin' some important business on hand,Kate, colleen, so I'll be steppin' out." And he turned to go.
"Wait," she called. "I know what your engagements are when the Irishcomes so thick on your tongue, Dan. You were about to have anengagement also, Angus?"
McTee glowered on Harrigan for having so clumsily betrayed them.
"You are like children," she said softly, "and you let me read yourminds."
She bowed her head in long thought.
Then: "Didn't we pass the sign of the British consul down the streetover that little building?"
"Yes," said McTee, wondering, and again she was lost in thought.
Then she raised her head and stepped close to them with that smile,half whimsical and half sad.
"I'm going to ask you to let me be alone for a time--for a long time.It will be sunset in five hours. Will you let me have that long to dosome hard thinking? And will you promise me during that time that youwill not fly at each other's throats the moment you are out of mysight? For what I will have to say at sunset I know will make a greatdeal of difference in your attitude to each other."
"I'll promise," said Harrigan suddenly. "I've waited so long--I canstand five hours more."
"I'll promise," said McTee; but he scowled upon the floor.