CHAPTER XVII. BERNARD'S PERIL.
|One evening Bernard was standing at the side of the vessel, looking outover the waste of waters, and wondering what was to be his future. Itwas quite dark, so that he was unable to see far.
He felt that this symbolized his own life. He could not see far ahead ofhim, and what he could see was obscure. He didn't dream that he was ingreat peril, and yet the greatest danger of his life hung over him.Whence did it come? The night was still, and the waves were calm. Naturewas kind, but the peril came from a human source.
All at once he felt himself lifted in a pair of powerful arms--liftedto a level with the rail, so that his startled eyes looked down inhelpless fear upon the cruel waves beneath. He uttered a sharp cry, andthis saved his life.
His stanch friend, Jack Staples, was close at hand. He sprang forwardand grasped Professor Puffer by the throat, at the same time tearingBernard from his grasp.
"You scoundrel!" ejaculated the indignant sailor.
"What are you' about? Do you mean to murder the boy?"
Professor Puffer, who had thought himself quite unobserved, was as muchstartled as his victim had been, but he was shrewd and tricky.
He passed his hand to his forehead, as he fell back, and said, in adazed tone: "What is the matter? Where am I?"
"Where are you?" retorted the incensed sailor. "If you were where youought, to be, you would now be on the gallows."
"What do you mean by your insolence, you low sailor?" exclaimed Puffer.
"I mean that I have a great mind to treat you as you were treating theboy. You were about to murder him, you scoundrel!"
"There is some mistake," said Puffer. "I--I had a severe headache, and Iwas out of my head. I must have been walking in my sleep. What was Idoing?"
"You were trying to throw the boy into the sea. You know that wellenough."
"Good heavens! You don't mean it?" ejaculated Puffer, with wellcounterfeited horror. "I can't believe it. And you prevented it?"
"Yes, I did. But for me, the boy would have been drowned."
"My honest friend," said the professor effusively, "you have done me agreat--the greatest service. You have saved me from a terrible crime.Let me shake your hand!"
"No," said Jack, drawing back, "I won't take the hand of amurderer--leastways, of one who attempted to murder."
"Don't say that, my worthy friend. You hurt my feelings. At least, letme show my appreciation of your great service. Here's a gold piece----"
"Keep your money; I don't want it," said Jack scornfully.
"At any rate," went on the professor, crestfallen, "let me hope that youwill keep this unfortunate affair to yourself. It would do no good toreveal it, and it would put me in a false position."
"I won't promise anything," said Jack suspiciously. "Only, if you try tohurt a hair of this boy's head again I'll have you in jail as soon as wereach port."
"Oh, how you mistake me!" murmured the professor sadly. "Yet I cannotblame you. It certainly did look suspicious."
"I should say it did."
"And I cannot blame you for your very natural prejudice against me. Howshould you know my kindness of heart? I would not even harm ananimal--much less a bright, promising boy, for whom I cherish a warmaffection."
Bernard was not deceived by the professor's protestations. He had nevernoticed any affection on the part of his companion, and felt sure thatthe action was premeditated. He realized, that Puffer was only carryingout the instructions of his guardian, and that it was in this way he haddecided to "get rid of him."
"Stow that," said Jack contemptuously. "You don't deceive me with yoursmooth talk."
"I must submit to your injustice, my worthy fellow, for I know that youare a true friend to the boy, and, therefore, I freely forgive you. Butyou, Bernard, I trust you acquit me of the terrible crime which thishonest sailor thinks I premeditated?"
"I won't express any opinion, Professor Puffer," replied Bernard coldly."I can only say that but for him you would have taken my life."
"This is indeed hard," whined the professor, "to feel that you hate anddistrust me. But I will prove to you that I am a better friend than youthink me. You asked me the other day for some money on account?"
"Yes, sir."
"I said I would wait till we landed. Now I will voluntarily anticipatepayment. Here are fifteen dollars. You can convert them into Englishmoney when you reach Liverpool."
"I will take the money, Professor Puffer, because it is rightfully mine,but I cannot forget the terrible fate to which you attempted to consignme."
"You will think better of me in time, Bernard. I can bring you a medicalcertificate to prove to you that I am subject to fits of sleep walking."
"Have you ever attempted to kill any one in these fits before?"
"No, thank heaven! I can't account for my action to-night. But it isgetting late; we had better go to bed."
"I will never occupy the stateroom with you again!" said Bernardhastily.
"Don't be foolish," returned the professor testily. "You surely don'tsuppose you are in any further peril?"
"I don't know about that. According to your own statement, you aresubject to fits of sleep walking, when you are not responsible for whatyou do."
"They occur only at rare intervals. The last one was two months since.Come to the stateroom. Your omission to do so will only create scandal."
"Let it," said Bernard resolutely. "It won't be my fault. There isnothing that I am afraid to have revealed."
"But can't you see what a position it will put me in?"
"I can't help that, Professor Puffer."
"But you can't go without sleep."
"No, I shall not like to, but I would rather lie down on deck thanoccupy the stateroom with you."
"You are making a fool of yourself," said the professor, biting his lip.
"The lad is right," said Jack. "He won't have to sit up all night. Thereis a vacant bunk near mine, and if he isn't too proud to sleep withrough sailors, he can pass the night there."
"I will do it Jack," said Bernard. "I haven't any foolish pride. If theforecastle is fit for you to sleep in, it's fit for me."
He walked off with Jack, and Professor Puffer was left gnawing his lip.
"What a scrape I have got into!" he said to himself. "But for thatrascally sailor the boy would have dropped into the water and that wouldhave been the last of him. Then I would have got a thousand dollars fromMr. McCracken, and had a hold on him that would have amounted to a greatdeal more. As it is, unless the sailor and the boy keep silent, I shallbe in the worst scrape of my life."
A little reflection, however, allayed the fears of Professor Puffer. Ina short time the boy and Jack would part company, and if Bernard everbrought up this subject again, and charged him with attempted murder,his testimony would be unsupported, and would carry very little weightwith it, especially as Mr. McCracken would side with him against theboy.
Bernard slept that night in the forecastle, and enjoyed as good anight's rest as usual. The next day he was transferred, at Mr. Puffer'srequest, to a vacant stateroom, on the ground that he could not sleep aswell with another person in the same room. The purser asked why he hadwaited so long before suggesting the change.
"I didn't want to make trouble," replied the professor carelessly.
As Professor Puffer agreed to pay extra for the additional stateroom, noobjections were made, and henceforth--though it was only for threenights--Bernard had a room to himself.
Nothing more, happened worth noting till the Vesta reached Liverpool.
Bernard was exercised in mind. He had fully determined to leave theprofessor, but it was not necessary to do so immediately. He was afraidalso that Puffer, claiming guardianship, would have him pursued if hefled from him. He would easily be able to establish the fact thatBernard was under his charge, and this might embarrass him.
"Come, Bernard," said Professor Puffer, "I want you to get your luggageready. We shall go ashore as soon as the cus
tom officers have examinedit."
"Where are you going, sir?"
"To the Albion Hotel."
"If I go with you, you must have a separate room for me."
"Haven't you got over that old folly? That will make an extra expense."
"I can't help that, sir. You have made it necessary."
Professor Puffer was very angry, but he reflected that it would not bewise to make a fuss, as it would lead to a revelation from Bernard thatwould embarrass him, at the least, especially as Jack Staples was athand ready to confirm any allegation that his ward might make.
"Very well," he said shortly.
They were conveyed to the Albion Hotel, and a small room was assigned toBernard, adjoining the larger one occupied by Professor Puffer.
"Good-by, Jack," said Bernard, grasping the honest sailor's hand warmly."You have been a good friend to me. But for you I wouldn't have lived toreach Liverpool."
"How long are you going to stay with the professor?" asked Jack.
"Not long."
"That's right, lad. You can't trust him. He's a snake in the grass."
"I have the same opinion of him that you have, Jack. I won't trust him,and I shall leave him very soon. But I want a little time to think aboutmy plans."
"God bless you, lad! If you ever get into trouble, think of JackStaples."
"I will, Jack;" and so the two friends parted.