CHAPTER XXXII.
A SUCCESSFUL MISSION.
There was no one in sight, but it was evident that a party from anAmerican ship had visited the island. Had they departed? That was amomentous question. Instinctively the eyes of both sought the sea. Theysaw an American ship riding at anchor a mile or more from shore.
"Give me your handkerchief, Robert," said Bates; "I'll signal them."
"It isn't very clean," said our hero.
"It'll do. See, they are looking at us."
"Your eyes must be good."
"I'm used to looking out to sea, lad."
He waved the handkerchief aloft, and felt sure that he had attracted theattention of those on board. But there was no motion to put off a boat.
"Do they see it?" asked Robert, eagerly.
"I think so."
"Do you think they will come for us? If not, we can put off in ourboat."
"I think the party that planted that flagstaff hasn't got back. It isexploring the island, and will be back soon."
"Of course it is," said Robert, suddenly. "Don't you see their boat?"
"Ay, ay, lad; it's all right. All we've got to do is to stay here tillthey come."
They had not long to wait. A party of sailors, headed by an officer,came out of the woods, and headed for the shore. They stopped short insurprise at the sight of Robert and Bates.
"Who are you?" asked the leader, approaching.
Bates touched his hat, for he judged this was the captain of the vesselhe had seen.
"I am a sailor from the ship _Argonaut_, bound from New York toCalcutta, and this young gentleman is Robert Rushton, passenger aboardthe same ship."
"Where is your ship?"
"I don't know, captain."
"How came you here?"
"We were left here. The vessel went without us."
"How long have you been here?"
"Six weeks."
"There is something about this which I do not understand. Are you hereof your own accord?"
"We are anxious to get away, captain," said Robert. "Will you take us?"
"To be sure I will. There's room enough on my ship for both of you. ButI can't understand how you were left here."
"It's a long yarn, captain," said Bates. "If you haven't time to hear itnow, I will tell you aboard ship."
"You look like a good seaman," said the captain, addressing Bates. "I'mshort-handed just now. If you will engage with me, I will enroll youamong my crew."
"That I'll do," said Bates, with satisfaction. "I wasn't made for apassenger."
"My ship is the _Superior_, bound from Boston to Calcutta; so yourdestination will be the same. My name is Smith. Do you know the name ofthis island?"
"I never heard of it before."
"I have taken possession of it in the name of the United States,supposing myself the first discoverer."
"That's all right. To my mind, the Star-Spangled Banner is the best thatcan wave over it."
"We might offer the captain our boat," suggested Robert.
The offer was made and accepted; and, while the captain and his partyreturned in one boat, Robert and Bates rowed to the ship in their own,and were soon on the deck of the _Superior_ to their unboundedsatisfaction.
"This is something like," said Bates. "The island is well enough, butthere's nothing like the deck of a good ship."
"I don't think I wholly agree with you," said Robert, smiling; "but justat present I do. I am glad enough to be here. We may meet Captain Haleyat Calcutta," he added, after a pause.
"Likely he'll have got away before we get there."
"I hope not. I should like to meet him face to face, and charge him withhis treachery. I don't think he'll be over glad to see me."
"That's so, lad. He don't expect ever to set eyes on you again."
Robert soon felt at home on the new vessel. Captain Smith he found to bea very different man from Captain Haley. When he heard the story toldhim by our hero, he said:
"I like your pluck, Robert. You've had contrary winds so far, but you'veborne up against them. The wind's changed now, and you are likely tohave a prosperous voyage. This Captain Haley is a disgrace to theservice. He'll be overhauled some time."
"When I get back to New York I shall tell Mr. Morgan how he treated me."
"That will put a spoke in his wheel."
"There's one thing I want to speak to you about, Captain Smith. Howmuch will my passage be?"
"Nothing at all."
"But I have some money with me. I am willing to pay."
"Keep your money, my lad. You will need it all before you get through. Iwas once a poor boy myself, obliged to struggle for my living. I haven'tforgotten that time, and it makes me willing to lend a helping hand toothers in the same position."
"You are very kind, Captain Smith," said Robert, gratefully.
"I ought to be. How long do you want to stay in Calcutta?"
"Only long enough to look about for my father."
"Then you can return to New York in my ship. It shall cost you nothing."
This offer was gratefully accepted--the more so that our hero had begunto realize that two hundred dollars was a small sum to carry on ajourney of such length.
At last they reached Calcutta. Robert surveyed with much interest thegreat city of India, so different in its external appearance from NewYork, the only great city besides that he knew anything about.
"Well, Robert," said Captain Smith, on their arrival, "what are yourplans? Will you make your home on board the ship, or board in the city,during our stay in port?"
"I think," said Robert, "I should prefer to live in the city, if youwould recommend me to a good boarding place."
"That I can do. I am in the habit of boarding at a quiet house kept by awidow. Her terms are reasonable, and you can do no better than go therewith me."
"Thank you, Captain Smith. I shall be glad to follow your advice."
So it happened that Captain Smith and Robert engaged board at the houseof Mrs. Start, where, it will be remembered, that Captain Rushton wasalso a boarder, passing still under the name of Smith. Physically he hadconsiderably improved, but mentally he was not yet recovered. His mindhad received a shock, which, as it proved, a shock equally great wasneeded to bring it back to its proper balance.
"By the way," said Mrs. Start to Captain Smith, "we have anothergentleman of your name here."
"Indeed?"
"You will see him at dinner. Poor gentleman, his mind is affected, andwe only gave him this name because we didn't know his real name."
Robert little dreamed who it was of whom Mrs. Start was speaking, nordid he look forward with any particular curiosity to seeing the otherMr. Smith.
When dinner was announced, Robert and the captain were early in theirseats, and were introduced to the other boarders as they came in.Finally Captain Rushton entered, and moved forward to a seat beside thelandlady. Robert chanced to look up as he entered, and his heart made amighty bound when in the new Mr. Smith he recognized his father.
"Father!" he exclaimed, eagerly, springing from his seat, andoverturning his chair in his haste.
Captain Rushton looked at him for a moment in bewilderment. Then all atonce the mists that had obscured his faculties were dispelled, and hecried, "Robert! my dear son, how came you here?"
"I came in search of you, father. Thank Heaven I have found you aliveand well."
"I think I have been in a dream, Robert. They call me Smith. That surelyis not my name."
"Rushton, father! You have not forgotten?"
"Yes, that is it. Often it has been on the tip of my tongue, and then itslipped away from me. But, tell me, how came you here?"
"I am indebted to the kindness of this gentleman--Captain Smith,father--who rescued me from great peril."
This scene, of course, excited great astonishment among the boarders,and the worthy landlady who had been uniformly kind to Captain Rushton,was rejoiced at his sudden recovery. Feeling that mutual explanations
inpublic would be unpleasant, she proposed to send dinner for both toCaptain Rushton's room, and this offer was gladly accepted.
"And how did you leave your mother, Robert?" asked the captain.
"She was well, father, but mourning for your loss."
"I wish I could fly to her."
"You shall go back with me in Captain Smith's vessel. I am sure he willtake us as passengers."
"So we will. You are sure your mother is well provided for? But Mr.Davis has, no doubt, supplied her with money?"
"Not a cent, father."
"Not a cent! I deposited five thousand dollars with him for her benefit,just before sailing!"
"So you wrote in the letter which you sent in the bottle."
"Was that letter received?"
"Yes; it was that which led me to come in search of you."
"And did you go to Mr. Davis?"
"He denied the deposit, and demanded to see the receipt."
"The villain! He thought I was at the bottom of the sea, and the receiptwith me. He shall find his mistake!"
"Then you have the receipt still, father?"
"To be sure I have," and Captain Rushton drew it from the pocket whereit had laid concealed for two years and more.
Robert regarded it with satisfaction.
"He won't dare to deny it after this. I wish we were going back atonce."
"Now, Robert, tell me all that has happened in my absence, and how youraised money enough to come out here."
So father and son exchanged narrations. Captain Rushton was astonishedto find that the same man, Ben Haley, who had been the cause of hismisfortunes, had also come so near compassing the destruction of hisson.
"Thanks to a kind Providence," he said, "his wicked machinations havefailed, and we are alive to defeat his evil schemes."