CHAPTER IX
THE MIDNIGHT MESSAGE
Harry clutched the rail involuntarily. It seemed as if at any momentthey would strike the shore with a crash, and yet he could not butbelieve that the captain knew what he was doing. He stood quietly at thewheel, scarcely moving it after he had once taken his course, but hiseyes were fixed intently ahead.
Nearer and nearer they rushed to the shore. Now they were almost uponit. Harry steadied himself, and cast one quick glance at the captain.Now the bow cut the thick foliage like a knife, but there was no shock,and the _Mariella_, with trees and vines scraping her sides and risingalmost to her funnel-top, shot into a broad lagoon that lay completelyhidden by the dense foliage at the entrance.
As they passed in, Harry looked back. The passage through which they hadentered was scarcely wider than the steamer, and formed on either sideby two points of rock. It needed a bold and skillful hand to bring themsafely through that naturally-masked channel. The foliage dropped partlyback again but there still remained a gaping hole to show where thesteamer had pushed her way through.
Again the bells in the engine-room clanged, the screw churned the waterviolently; there was a roar and rattle of the anchor chains, and withintwice her own length the _Mariella_ came to a standstill and herdangerous voyage was safely terminated.
"Washington," called the captain, leaning out of the wheelhouse; "shutthe door."
"Aye, aye, sah," responded the negro, as he emerged from the galley."George Wash Jenks knows his duty."
Two of the men lowered a boat and jumped in. The negro followed with along boat hook. They rowed back to the entrance of the inlet, and Jenkswith his hook, deftly pulled the vines and creeping plants across itagain. In five minutes none could have told that the luxurious growthhad been disturbed.
The tropical night now began to settle rapidly over the still lagoon.The business of making the steamer snug at her anchorage, which isusually attended by the creaking of cordage, the clanking of chains, andthe discordant shouts of sailors and commanders, was carried on almostin silence. The orders of the captain and mate were given in tonesscarcely louder than used in ordinary conversation, but the menresponded with alacrity. Within half an hour the _Mariella_, herthrobbing engines stilled, lay silently at anchor and not a sound brokethe stillness of the night. The shore of the main coast piled up in ablack mass, without shape or color, in front of them, while theprotecting arm that shielded them from the ocean loomed high above thesteamer's funnel, showing in silhouette against the star-lighted sky infantastically waving lines of palm leaves.
Tired out with the exciting and unusual events of the day, the boys,after gazing for a time at the strange, silent scene around them,retired to their bunks, and were soon fast asleep.
Captain Dynamite lay dreamily back in a steamer chair on the quarterdeck, lazily puffing a cigarette, but his eyes were intently fixed onthe black shore. The steamer was in total darkness. Not a lamp waslighted except a small red lantern, like a signal light, that hung overthe side facing the shore.
The captain lighted a match and looked at his watch.
"Five minutes to midnight," he murmured. "They are late. Can anythinghave gone wrong? Ah, there's the signal now."
A small red light flashed out of the darkness of the shore. Three timesit showed, and then disappeared. A dark figure that had been standingby the light on the _Mariella_ swung it three times from side to side.
Captain Dynamite rose from his chair, stretched his great body lazilyand walked to the rail. As he did so, he threw open his coat and easedup one of the pistols in its holster. His hand remained resting on thebutt.
A small boat with two rowers, and a man in the stern, shot out from theblack shadow of the shore onto the star-lighted surface of the lagoon.They rowed without the splash of an oar straight to the _Mariella_.
"Who goes there?" called Dynamite in a whisper, as the boat shot underthe steamer's quarter.
"_Independencia_," came the prompt reply, and in a second the dark formamidships tossed over a rope ladder. In a moment more the man in thestern of the small boat had scrambled over the rail of the _Mariella_and strode rapidly aft. He sprang lightly up the steps to thequarter-deck, and seizing the hand of Captain Dynamite, who met him atthe companionway, shook it vigorously.
"Captain Morgan, sure it's glad I am to see ye again."
"God bless you, O'Connor. Another of your dare-devil expeditions safelyended. We didn't look for you for two nights yet."
"Fair weather and only one little brush with a small gunboat.Altogether, quite an uneventful trip. And how goes the cause ofindependence, Captain?"
"We still hold our own, O'Connor, despite the butcher's boasts. We leftthem two hundred dead and wounded at our last three meetings, while ourloss was only five killed and ten wounded."
"Bravo, Morgan, we'll wear them out yet. Let them pour their troops intoCuba by the thousand. Disease, our insidious ally and insurgent bulletswill take care of all they can send."
"Aye, but the bullets are getting scarce, O'Connor."
"Ah, but there are enough here to do for ten thousand Spaniards," criedDynamite, stamping excitedly on the deck, "and there will always beenough to go around so long as O'Connor lives, and the planks of the_Mariella_ hold together."
The woolly head and grinning countenance of George Washington Jenksshowed above the top step of the companionway.
"And what of Gomez, Morgan?"
"Gomez is now with President Betancourt at Cubitas, waiting for a reportof your expedition."
"He shall have it within forty-eight hours Are your men ready for thelanding?"
"The lagoon is guarded inland and shore. There is not a Spaniard withintwenty miles."
"Then we will begin at once. What are you doing on the quarter-deck, youblack rogue?"
The captain had just discovered Jenks as he stood respectfully at thehead of the companionway, apparently awaiting orders.
"Sut'nly, the Cap'n call?"
"No, I didn't call, blockhead. Get below."
"Ah, ain't such a mucher as a guesser, but sut'nly I guess the cap'nstamp him foot."
"You're right, Washington. I did stamp, but I didn't want you. However,as long as you are here bring out a chair for Captain Morgan and thatbox of cigars on my cabin table."
"Well, Washington, you are back in Cuba with a whole skin again," saidMorgan, cordially extending his hand to the negro.
"Cap'n Morgan, suah," said Jenks, carefully rubbing his hand on histrousers before accepting the captain's. "Ah'm right glad to see youagain, sah. O yes, sah, George Wash Jenks' skin am whole, sah. Cap'nDynamite, he see to that, sah. Nevah leave Cap'n Dynamite, sah."
"That's right, Washington, stick to the captain and he'll pull youthrough, and Cuba needs a few more honest hearts like yours."
"Ah serve Cap'n Dynamite, sah. He serve Cuba."
With great dignity the negro turned away and entered the cabin.
"An honest fellow, O'Connor, and seems devoted to you."
"Yes, I think Washington would follow me to the ends of the earth; butwhat are the orders, captain? We must be up and doing. I should not liketo lie here long enough for the Spaniards to discover ourlanding-place."
"Ah, there I am as ignorant as you. Here are sealed instructions fromGomez."
Captain Morgan handed a packet to O'Connor, who broke the seal eagerly.When he had read what the message contained the hand that held itdropped nervelessly by his side. He gasped as if for breath, and pullednervously at the collar of his shirt like a man choking. Morgan, whonoticed his singular actions started toward him.
"What's the matter, O'Connor?" he asked, anxiously. "Are you ill?"
For a moment the captain did not answer, and then he said, faintly:
"Wait. I must think."
Morgan, wondering, but respecting his mood, stepped back. CaptainDynamite folded his arms and his head sank low on his chest. For fullyfive minutes he sat thus, and then suddenly leaped to his feet, clenchedhi
s hands, straightened up to his full heighth, and stamped his foot,loudly on the deck. The negro appeared with the steamer chair. Hestopped in terror at the wild appearance of Captain Dynamite, andbelieving that he was the cause of his anger, stammered and stuttered inan effort to speak.
"Ah, sut'nly, came as fast as ah could, sah. George Wash Jenks noloafing nigger, sah."
"Call Suarez," said Dynamite, in a low voice, ignoring the negro'sattempted apologies.
"Misser Suarez turned in, sah."
"Call Suarez," roared the captain, taking a threatening step in thedirection of Jenks.
"Yas, sah," answered Jenks, his eyes big with wonder. "Needn't be souppish. Ah shall sut'nly call Misser Suarez." Jenks backed away to thecompanionway in an effort to keep his face to the angry skipper andmiscalculating his distance rolled backward down the stairs.
"You clumsy idiot," bellowed Dynamite, stepping to the top of the stairsand peering down into the darkness, out of which came a whisper:
"Yas, sah. Ah shall sut'nly call Misser Suarez."
Dynamite stepped back, and without speaking to Morgan, who watched himanxiously, paced the quarter-deck with nervous strides. Suarez appearedin his pajamas, rubbing his eyes. The captain stopped as he saluted, andlooked from one to the other of the men. Finally he said, holding outthe message to Suarez:
"Suarez--Morgan--here are the instructions regarding the removal of thecargo. They are simple. There is also news--bad news--but that concernsonly me. Take this paper, Suarez, and with Captain Morgan's assistancecarry out the orders to the letter. You are in command."
Then he turned to Washington, who had followed Suarez to thequarter-deck.
"Bring me my night coat, Washington, and my rifle. Suarez, have the giglowered. I am going ashore."
"Alone, captain?"
"Alone."
"And may I ask the captain where at this hour of the night?"
"To Gomez."
"Take a file of my men, O'Connor. The country between here and Cubitasis full of Spaniards."
"Thank you, Morgan. I have good, true men of my own who know the countryas well as I do myself, but they would only hamper me. I must makespeed--speed, do you hear? Suarez, why do you stand there like a woodenIndian? Get my gig into the water."
"If you are bent upon going, O'Connor, and I know how useless it is totry to swerve you, why not take my boat. It is manned and lying at theladder."
"That is better, Morgan. I will send it back to you. Come on, you lazyrascal, with that coat."
He seized his coat and rifle, and ran down the stairway to thecompanionway, and along the deck to the point where Morgan's boat lazilyfloated on the black water.
"Take your orders from Captain Dynamite," called Morgan to his men asO'Connor slid down into the boat. The negro who had followed close athis heels peered over the side and whispered pleadingly:
"Cap'n Dynamite, sah, you'se not going without George Wash Jenks?"
"To the shore, lads, and pull for your lives," said O'Connor. The boatshot away from the steamer's side and was soon lost in the dark shadowof the shore.
Washington shook his head deprecatingly, and returned to thequarter-deck, where he gravely saluted the mate.
"Your servant, sah," he said. "Cap'n Dynamite he say you in command."
"Bring a lantern, Washington, quick," said Suarez. Then turning toMorgan, he continued:
"What do you suppose the bad news can be that has so affected the chiefand which he says concerns only him?"
"Gomez's message will tell. Quick, boy, with that lantern."
As Jenks stepped into the cabin, Harry, fully dressed, came out of hisstateroom. The unusual noise on deck and the loud commands of thecaptain had awakened him.
"What's up, Wash?" he asked.
"Plenty. Cap'n Dynamite get bad news in message, and bang--he scoot forshore."
"Captain gone ashore, to-night?"
"Suah, enough."
"What's the bad news, Wash?"
"Nobody knows yet. George Wash Jenks get cap'n's lantern and then wefind out."
He took the lantern from the hook, and with Harry behind him returned tothe deck. Morgan took the light and held it so that Suarez could readthe message.
"Ah, here it is" said the mate, after he had scanned the instructions.He read aloud:
"'My heart is full of grief for you. Notwithstanding the heavy guardmaintained around the house the Spaniards succeeded last night inseizing Juanita and have taken her to prison. She is charged with aidingthe rebels. Come to me at once that we may plan together to effect herescape or rescue.'"
"Spaniards got Missee Juanita?" shouted Washington, who had listenedeagerly while Suarez read. "I guess I go to cap'n."
The negro made a flying leap for the rail and in another instant wouldhave dived into the sea toward the shore. Morgan was too quick, though,and seizing him by the collar dragged him back to the deck.
"Never was such a mucher at guessing," murmured the negro.
"What do you say to putting the boy ashore and letting him joinO'Connor?" asked Morgan. "He knows the country and might be of muchassistance to that stubborn man in his dangerous journey."
"Please, Misser Suarez, sah, lemme go after Cap'n Dynamite. He andMissee Juanita need George Wash Jenks."
The negro dropped on his knees as he pleaded with the mate.
"And we will go with you, Washington."
It was Harry who spoke, and the men turned to him in astonishment.
"You do not know the danger, my boy," said Suarez, quietly.
"We'll chance it. We owe Captain Dynamite a big debt. If there is achance to help him in his trouble it is our duty to do so."
"It is a question whether you would help or hinder him."
Suarez was undecided. While he bore the boys no malice he had alwayschafed at their presence on the ship. No interest in them as individualswould have caused him to oppose their wishes. His thoughts, hopes,desires, and ambitions were all Cuba's. The fate of the three boys whoselives meant nothing to the cause, was nothing to him. Deep down in hisheart he would be glad to rid the ship of them. But he feared the wrathof his chief. He walked the deck in silence for a few minutes and then,as if speaking to himself he said:
"If any one should take one of the boats and make the shore during thenight, their escape might not be discovered until daylight."
As he finished speaking, George Washington Jenks beckoned to Harry, andtogether they made their way silently down to the main deck.