CHAPTER XVIII
MRS. CLIFF IS AMAZED
After the captain set sail in his little boat, the party which heleft behind him lived on in an uneventful, uninteresting manner,which, gradually, day by day, threw a shadow over the spirits of eachone of them.
Ralph, who always slept in the outer chamber of the caves, had been avery faithful guardian of the captain's treasure. No one, not evenhimself, had gone near it, and he never went up to the rocky promontoryon which he had raised his signal-pole without knowing that the twonegroes were at a distance from the caves, or within his sight.
For a day or two after the captain's departure Edna was very quiet, witha fancy for going off by herself. But she soon threw off this dangerousdisposition, and took up her old profession of teacher, with Ralph as thescholar, and mathematics as the study. They had no books nor even paper,but the rules and principles of her specialty were fresh in her mind, andwith a pointed stick on a smooth stretch of sand diagrams were drawn andproblems worked out.
This occupation was a most excellent thing for Edna and her brother, butit did not help Mrs. Cliff to endure with patience the weary days ofwaiting. She had nothing to read, nothing to do, very often no one totalk to, and she would probably have fallen into a state of nervousmelancholy had not Edna persuaded her to devote an hour or two each dayto missionary work with Mok and Cheditafa. This Mrs. Cliff cheerfullyundertook. She was a conscientious woman, and her methods of teachingwere peculiar. She had an earnest desire to do the greatest amount ofgood with these poor, ignorant negroes, but, at the same time, she didnot wish to do injury to any one else. The conviction forced itself uponher that if she absolutely converted Cheditafa from the errors of hisnative religion, she might in some way invalidate the marriage ceremonywhich he had performed.
"If he should truly come to believe," she said to herself, "that he hadno right to marry the captain and Edna, his conscience might make himgo back on the whole business, and everything that we have done wouldbe undone. I don't want him to remain a heathen any longer than it canpossibly be helped, but I must be careful not to set his priesthoodentirely aside until Edna's position is fixed and settled. When thecaptain comes back, and we all get home, they must be marriedregularly; but if he never comes back, then I must try to makeCheditafa understand that the marriage is just as binding as any otherkind, and that any change of religious opinion that he may undergo willhave no effect upon it."
Accordingly, while she confined her religious teachings to very generalprinciples, her moral teachings were founded upon the strictest code, andincluded cleanliness and all the household virtues, not excepting theproper care of such garments as an indigent human being in a tropicalclimate might happen to possess.
In spite, however, of this occupation, Mrs. Cliffs spirits were notbuoyant. "I believe," she thought, "things would have been more cheerfulif they had not married; but then, of course, we ought to be willing tosacrifice cheerfulness at present to future prosperity."
It was more than a month after the departure of the captain that Ralph,from his point of observation, perceived a sail upon the horizon. He hadseen sails there before, but they never grew any larger, and generallysoon disappeared, for it would lengthen the course of anycoasting-vessel to approach this shore. But the sail that Ralph saw nowgrew larger and larger, and, with the aid of his little spy-glass, itwas not long before he made up his mind that it was coming toward him.Then up went his signal-flag, and, with a loud hurrah, down went he toshout out the glad news.
Twenty minutes later it was evident to the anxiously peering eyes ofevery one of the party that the ship was actually approaching the shore,and in the heart of each one of them there was a bounding delight in thefeeling that, after all these days of weary waiting, the captain wascoming back.
As the ship drew nearer and nearer, she showed herself to be a largevessel--a handsome bark. About half a mile from the shore, she lay to,and very soon a boat was lowered.
Edna's heart beat rapidly and her face flushed as, with Ralph'sspy-glass to her eyes, she scanned the people in the boat as it pulledaway from the ship.
"Can you make out the captain?" cried Ralph, at her side.
She shook her head, and handed him the glass. For full five minutes theboy peered through it, and then he lowered the glass.
"Edna," said he, "he isn't in it."
"What!" exclaimed Mrs. Cliff, "do you mean to say that the captain is notin that boat?"
"I am sure of it," said Ralph. "And if he isn't in the boat, of course heis not on the ship. Perhaps he did not have anything to do with thatvessel's coming here. It may have been tacking in this direction, and socome near enough for people to see my signal."
"Don't suppose things," said Edna, a little sharply. "Wait until the boatcomes in, and then we will know all about it.--Here, Cheditafa," saidshe, "you and Mok go out into the water and help run that boat ashore assoon as it is near enough."
It was a large boat containing five men, and when it had been run up onthe sand, and its occupants had stepped out, the man at the tiller, whoproved to be the second mate of the bark, came forward and touched hishat. As he did so, no sensible person could have imagined that he hadaccidentally discovered them. His manner plainly showed that he hadexpected to find them there. The conviction that this was so made theblood run cold in Edna's veins. Why had not the captain come himself?
The man in command of the boat advanced toward the two ladies, lookingfrom one to the other as he did so. Then, taking a letter from thepocket of his jacket, he presented it to Edna.
"Mrs. Horn, I believe," he said. "Here is a letter from your husband."
Now, it so happened that to Mrs. Cliff, to Edna, and to Ralph thisrecognition of matrimonial status seemed to possess more force and valuethan the marriage ceremony itself.
Edna's face grew as red as roses as she took the letter.
"From my husband," she said; and then, without further remark, shestepped aside to read it.
But Mrs. Cliff and Ralph could not wait for the reading of the letter.They closed upon the mate, and, each speaking at the same moment,demanded of him what had happened to Captain Horn, why he had not comehimself, where he was now, was this ship to take them away, and a dozensimilar questions. The good mariner smiled at their impatience, but couldnot wonder at it, and proceeded to tell them all he knew about CaptainHorn and his plans.
The captain, he said, had arrived at Callao some time since, andimmediately endeavored to get a vessel in which to go after the partyhe had left, but was unable to do so. There was nothing in port whichanswered his purpose. The captain seemed to be very particular aboutthe craft in which he would be willing to trust his wife and the restof the party.
"And after having seen Mrs. Horn," the mate politely added, "and you two,I don't wonder he was particular. When Captain Horn found that the barkout there, the Mary Bartlett, would sail in a week for Acapulco, Mexico,he induced the agents of the company owning her to allow her to stop totake off the shipwrecked party and carry them to that port, from whichthey could easily get to the United States."
"But why, in the name of common sense," almost screamed Mrs. Cliff,"didn't he come himself? Why should he stay behind, and send a ship totake us off?"
"That, madam," said the mate, "I do not know. I have met Captain Hornbefore, for he is well known on this coast, and I know he is a man whounderstands how to attend to his own business, and, therefore, I supposehe has good reasons for what he has done--which reasons, no doubt, he hasmentioned in his letter to his wife. All I can tell you is that, after hehad had a good deal of trouble with the agents, we were at last orderedto touch here. He could not give us the exact latitude and longitude ofthis spot, but as his boat kept on a straight westward course after heleft here, he got a good idea of the latitude from the Mexican brig whichhe boarded three days afterwards. Then he gave us a plan of the coast,which helped us very much, and soon after we got within sight of land,our lookout spied that signal you put up. So here we are;
and I haveorders to take you all off just as soon as possible, for we must not liehere a minute longer than is necessary. I do not suppose that, under thecircumstances, you have much baggage to take away with you, and I shallhave to ask you to get ready to leave as soon as you can."
"All right," cried Ralph. "It won't take us long to get ready."
But Mrs. Cliff answered never a word. In fact, the injunction toprepare to leave had fallen unheeded upon her ear. Her mind wascompletely occupied entirely with one question: Why did not the captaincome himself?
She hastened to Edna, who had finished reading the letter, and now stoodsilent, holding it in her hand.
"What does he say?" exclaimed Mrs. Cliff. "What are his reasons forstaying away? What does he tell you about his plans? Read us the letter.You can leave out all the loving and confidential parts, but give us hisexplanations. I never was so anxious to know anything in all my life."
"I will read you the whole of it," said Edna. "Here, Ralph."
Her brother came running up. "That man is in an awful hurry to get away,"he said. "We ought to go up to the caves and get our things."
"Stay just where you are," said Mrs. Cliff. "Before we do anythingelse, we must know what Captain Horn intends to do, and what he wantsus to do."
"That's so!" cried Ralph, suddenly remembering his guardianship. "Weought to know what he says about leaving that mound. Read away, Edna."
The three stood at some little distance from the sailors, who were nowtalking with Cheditafa, and Edna read the letter aloud:
"Lima, May 14, 1884.
"MY DEAR WIFE: I reached this city about ten days ago. When I left youall I did not sail down the coast, but stood directly out to sea. Myobject was to reach a shipping-port, and to do this my best plan was toget into the track of coasting-vessels. This plan worked well, and inthree days we were picked up by a Mexican guano brig, and were taken toCallao, which is the port of Lima. We all arrived in good health andcondition.
"This letter will be brought to you by the bark Mary Bartlett, whichvessel I have engaged to stop for you, and take you and the whole partyto Acapulco, which is the port of the City of Mexico, from which place Iadvise you to go as soon as possible to San Francisco. I have paid thepassage of all of you to Acapulco, and I inclose a draft for one thousanddollars for your expenses. I would advise you to go to the PalmettoHotel, which is a good family house, and I will write to you there andsend another draft. In fact, I expect you will find my letter when youarrive, for the mail-steamer will probably reach San Francisco before youdo. Please write to me as soon as you get there, and address me here,care of Nasco, Parmley & Co."
An exclamation of impatience here escaped from Mrs. Cliff. In heropinion, the reasons for the non-appearance of the captain should, havebeen the first thing in the letter.
"When I reached Lima, which is six miles from Callao," the lettercontinued, "I disposed of some of the property I brought with me, andexpect to sell it all before long. Being known as a Californian, I findno difficulty in disposing of my property, which is in demand here, andin a very short time I shall have turned the whole of it into drafts orcash. There is a vessel expected here shortly which I shall be able tocharter, and as soon as I can do so I shall sail in her to attend to thedisposition of the rest of my property. I shall write as frequently aspossible, and keep you informed of my operations.
"Of course, you understand that I could not go on the Mary Bartlett tojoin you and accompany you to Acapulco, for that would have involved toogreat a loss of time. My business must be attended to without delay, andI can get the vessel I want here.
"The people of the _Mary Bartlett_ will not want to wait any longer thancan be helped, so you would all better get your baggage together as soonas possible and go on board. The two negroes will bring down yourbaggage, so there will be no need for any of the sailors to go up to thecaves. Tell Ralph not to forget the charge I gave him if they do go up.When you have taken away your clothes, you can leave just as they are thecooking-utensils, the blankets, and _everything else._ I will write toyou much more fully by mail. Cannot do so now. I hope you may all have aquick and safe voyage, and that I may hear from you immediately after youreach Acapulco. I hope most earnestly that you have all kept well, andthat no misfortune has happened to any of you. I shall wait with anxietyyour letter from Acapulco. Let Ralph write and make his report. I willask you to stay in San Francisco until more letters have passed and plansare arranged. Until further notice, please give Mrs. Cliff one fourth ofall moneys I send. I cannot insist, of course, upon her staying in SanFrancisco, but I would advise her to do so until things are more settled.
"In haste, your husband,
"Philip Horn."
"Upon my word!" ejaculated Mrs. Cliff, "a most remarkable letter! Itmight have been written to a clerk! No one would suppose it the firstletter of a man to his bride! Excuse me, Edna, for speaking so plainly,but I must say I am shocked. He is very particular to call you his wifeand say he is your husband, and in that way he makes the letter avaluable piece of testimony if he never turns up, but--well, no matter."
"He is mighty careful," said Ralph, "not to say anything about the gold.He speaks of his property as if it might be Panama stock or somethinglike that. He is awfully wary."
"You see," said Edna, speaking in a low voice, "this letter was sent byprivate hands, and by people who were coming to the spot where hisproperty is, and, of course, it would not do to say anything that wouldgive any hint of the treasure here. When he writes by mail, he can speakmore plainly."
"I hope he may speak more plainly in another way," said Mrs. Cliff. "Andnow let us go up and get our things together. I am a good deal moreamazed by the letter than I was by the ship."