Chapter 34

THE REVENUE CUTTER

The vision, indistinct in the gloom, was blotted out from me by the intervening sail. It was only as I leaned well to one side that I could distinguish the dim outlines. By that time we were almost upon it, and I could only sheer away to avoid collision. It was hard to determine the nature of the vessel, the sides looming so close above us, but it was not the _Sea Gull_. I was certain of that from the height of the rail, and the outline of a square foresail showing dimly against the sky. From poop to bow there was not a light visible, and the hull moved through the water like that of a spectral ship. Apparently we were unnoticed, and as the stretch of water widened slightly between us, I called out:

"Ahoy there! Take us aboard!"

I shouted twice, before a head popped over the rail, and stared down in apparent amazement.

"Hullo, the boat! Who are you? What do you want?"

"Small boat adrift; two passengers; throw us a rope."

"All right; standby!"

I could hear his voice up above, shouting orders; there was a rush of feet, and a rope's end fell within reach. The head bobbed over the rail again, and, a moment later I had helped her up a swaying boarding ladder, and felt the solid deck under my feet. The intense darkness puzzled me, not a gleam of light showing anywhere. Suddenly a hand touched my arm.

"This way, sir; help the lady aft--the deck is clear."

I could see nothing, barely the planks underfoot, yet there was nothing to do but obey, with his fingers gripping me.

"What kind of a boat is this?" she whispered.

"I 'm sure I don't know; not big enough for a passenger liner."

"The officer is in uniform."

"Are you sure?"

We were at the head of the companion stairs, and descended carefully, clinging to the rail. The officer, groping in the darkness, opened a door at the bottom, and hurried us into the lighted cabin. Facing us, one hand resting on the table, stood a short, sturdy man in uniform. Before I could speak, or do more than glance about the interior, my eyes still blinded by the sudden blaze of light, he began questioning.

"Who are you? how did you come to be adrift in these waters? Answer up, sir--you 're no fisherman."

"We escaped from a vessel last evening, sir."

"Escaped! By Gad! are we in a state of war? What do you mean by escaped--run away?"

"Yes, sir," and I stepped aside so he could see her more clearly. "We were being held as prisoners."

His eyes flashed to her face, rested an instant, and then his cap was in his hand.

"I beg your pardon, young lady," he said gravely, "but this is all most strange. I could almost imagine this was a century or two earlier when pirates roamed these seas. You were prisoners you say, and escaped."

"Yes," I answered, before she could do so, "but you must pardon us details until we know who it is that questions us."

"Oh, exactly; you are unaware of the nature of this vessel."

"Yes, sir."

"Well, this is the revenue cutter _Saline_, which I have the honor to command."

I understood the situation in a flash, my heart leaping in fierce anticipation.

"Mr. Smith, assist the lady to a chair, and have the steward bring a glass of wine. Now, sir, are you ready to answer."

"I am; we were prisoners on board the _Sea Gull_. It is a long story, envolving a will, in which the master of that vessel was interested. We escaped in a small boat last evening, and have been floating about since."

"The _Sea Gull_? Do you remember the name, Mr. Smith?"

"No, sir; perhaps a description--"

"A schooner-rigged steam yacht," I explained briefly, "clearing from New Orleans for Santiago."

The two exchanged glances.

"I begin to see light," said the Captain calmly. "I think the _Sea Gull_ must have originally sailed as the _Mary Somers_. Do you happen to know, sir, where she was really bound, and the nature of her cargo?"

"I do; Spanish Honduras, with munitions of war."

"Exactly, under command of a half-breed named Henley. By Gad, Smith, this sounds too good to be true."

He walked across the cabin twice, thinking, not even glancing up as he passed us. Suddenly he stopped, facing me.

"Where did he get you two?"

"In a bayou off the Alabama coast."

"And you got away last evening--how?"

"By imprisoning the Captain and steward below; I was obliged to knock the first mate overboard, but we were unseen by any others. Let me tell you the whole story; it will scarcely require five minutes."

He nodded his head, walking back and forth as I reviewed the events swiftly. I hardly think he asked so much as a single question, his eyes upon my face and then upon the face of the girl.

"A rather strange tale," he commented when I had concluded, "and, perhaps, the whole is not told. However that is none of my affair. Now listen; this is a revenue cutter. We were ordered out of Pensacola four days ago to intercept this boat on which you two were prisoners. We have n't even sighted the vessel, and if we did would be perfectly helpless; as she can steam three knots to our one. Only some streak of wonderful good luck would ever enable us to capture her. I half believe you are the good luck, if you do what I suggest."

"What?" I asked. "I will be willing. Would you need Mrs. Henley also?"

"Yes," he turned to the officer who was still standing.

"How large was the boat, Mr. Smith?"

"Capable of transporting about fifteen, sir."

"Hardly enough; still I don't know; we could afford to take a chance. What crew did the _Sea Gull_ carry?"

"I do not know how many were below, sir," I answered, beginning dimly to conceive his purpose. "I never saw to exceed a dozen on deck in a watch."

"Any evidence they were armed?"

"I know they were not; the officers carried weapons, but would never trust the crew."

"And only two officers remaining?"

"There may be an engineer, sir."

He pondered a moment, grave-faced, and silent.

"It is not a very complicated plan, but we will try It. I don't think Henley will leave these waters without an effort to recover his boat, and prisoners. He will want those papers, and revenge on Craig here. He has no warning that we are after him. I believe the fellow will cruise about in the same neighborhood until daylight. What do you say, Smith?"

"I agree with you, sir."

"Good; then all we have got to do is lay a trap; the boat's the trap."

"You mean conceal a squad of men in the bottom, and send it adrift again?"

"Exactly; lower the mast, as though Craig here had been unable to step it; or, better still, heave it overboard; the loss of weight will give room for another man. Then cover the lads over with the canvas. They will never suspect the ruse on the _Sea Gull_, or study it out through glasses. They 'll simply recognize their boat, and steer for it."

"The fighting odds will be pretty heavy, sir," said Smith soberly.

The Captain's smile lit up his stern features.

"I would not so consider if it was my privilege to be along," he replied. "We must trust to surprise, and get the crew below fastened down before an alarm is sounded on board. A dozen armed men ought to clear the decks. How do you look at the affair, Craig? Will the plan work?"

"I am not sure I understand exactly what is proposed, sir?"

"My thought is, that this man Henley will be sufficiently anxious to get hold of you two again, and regain those papers, so that he will steam about slowly all night, hoping to get sight of the missing boat at daylight. He has no means of knowing that the revenue officers are after him. If he sights us at daybreak, he 'll make a run, and show us a clean pair of heels. He 'd be hull down in five hours, for this is a slow old tub. Now what I propose is this," and the Captain counted off the points on his fingers. "There is about an hour of darkness left--sufficient to enable me to run this cutter in behind Cosmos Island safely out of sight. In the meanwhile we 'll dismantle that small boat a bit, slip a dozen good men under the canvas, and turn her adrift."

"And you wish me to go also?"

"Yes, if you will."

"And Mrs. Henley?"

"That would be the only way to allay suspicion on the _Sea Gull_."

I hesitated, half turning so as to look at her. Our eyes met, and she must have instantly read the question in mine, for she arose to her feet, and rested one hand on my arm.

"You wish to say yes?" she asked quietly. "You believe the plan will succeed?"

"It sounds feasible. I would gladly go myself, but I hesitate at exposing you; there will be fighting."

"But my being there is one of the requisites of success?"

"I suppose so. If you were not visible in the boat, they might suspicion the truth."

She glanced toward the waiting Captain, and then back into my face.

"Then I will go, of course," she said smilingly. "Let us not discuss it any more."

The Captain stepped forward, bowing, bare-headed.

"Most bravely spoken," he said soberly. "I owe you a debt, madam. Mr. Smith, have the boat prepared at once to carry out my idea."

"To leave the impression that an incompetent seaman had been in charge of it through the night, sir?"

"Exactly; the mast overboard, and the canvas stowed badly."

"Yes, sir, a big sheet."

"Bunch it so as to leave all the space possible; leave the jib set; it will help conceal the men. Send Lieutenant Hutton here."

"He will have command of the party?"

"Yes; let him pick his own men, and then report to me; arm them with a revolver apiece. Be lively about it."

He turned to us as Smith left the cabin.

"I cannot offer you much at this hour," he said genially, "but the boy has some hot coffee ready. Bring on what you have, Joe."