Part 16 (1/2)
”Faith, dear Faith,” whispered Sophia, ”I cannot make it all out. Where are we? What is to be done with us? How came we here?”
”We are on Lake Katrine, Sophia, and we are sailing toward Ellen's Isle in a Pixie yacht. That much I am sure of. I know nothing more. But alas!
I dread the worst. What can we expect from our terrible foes? And then the hatred they bear father and uncle--oh, my poor, poor father!” The thought of their friends' grief and anxiety for them awakened a fresh train of anguish in the captives' hearts. They laid their heads down upon the leaves and wept together.
Forsaken! Lost! The waves laughed and danced merrily by them as the bow cut the water. The stars looked down coldly from the great solemn heights of the sky, and twinkled and winked upon them as though careless or ignorant, or even in mockery of their fate! Why had such a sorrow come upon them?
”Captain Spite,” said Hide, at last.
”Well, Hide, what is it?”
”Oh Faith, do you hear that?” whispered Sophia. ”We are in the hands of Spite the Spy and his Lieutenant! Heaven defend us now!”
Faith answered with a groan.
”I have thought,” said Hide, ”that we might sell our prisoners. If we keep them, they will be a world of trouble and risk. Dispose of them, we get out of our sc.r.a.pe handsomely, save the garrison and people in the fort, get vast credit for valor and strategy, and start a fresh campaign full handed, with good chance to regain our lost ground. I don't see any way out of this, but to put up our fair prizes at ransom.”
”Well,” said Spite sharply, ”go on!”
”Not much more to say, Cap'n. Let's go in, or send Raft in with a flag of truce. Offer to give up the Nurses if Bruce and the Commodore will raise the siege of Fort Spinder. I believe they'll do it.”
”Aye, aye, that they will!” said Raft heartily. ”It's a sensible plan, and as manly as sensible; for, the fact is, I don't relish this making war on women.”
”Faugh! no cant, please!” sneered Spite. ”Anything with Brownie blood is our game. But you're mistaken. Bruce and all the rest, that Sergeant True particularly, would take the high moral grounds about the business, and send back word: 'Better all die than compromise Truth and Duty, or give up the pursuit of wrong.' They wouldn't do what you expect. I doubt if they would even receive our flag of truce.”
The hearts of the prisoners fluttered between hope and fear as they heard these words. Home again! The very thought gave them joy.
”Faith, we shall be ransomed, I know!” exclaimed Sophia.
Faith was silent.
”Oh, Faith, you don't believe they would do that?” again whispered Sophia when Spite had ended. ”Surely your father would consent! and dear True also--” She stopped and caught her breath quickly as though a cruel doubt had suddenly seized her new fledged hope.
Faith was still silent.
Raft next spoke. ”Well, that's amazing to me! Now, I think if my gal was in the hands of two such--” he paused as though at loss for a word.
”Two such--accomplished villains;” he continued, ”I reckon you'll think that complimentary, gentlemen;--I wouldn't stop to split hairs very long, I can tell you. I like grit, too; but I can't say that I admire it at the expense of those pretty things over there.”
”Captain,” said Hide, ”wouldn't Bruce compromise by simply letting our folks retire from the fort unmolested? March out with arms, banners, and all the honors, and leave the Brownies to occupy the old sh.e.l.l, and destroy it at their leisure? I say try it anyhow.”
”So do I,” said Raft. ”That proposition ought to double the cape of the sharpest scruple. Say you'll land your cargo; hoist a flag of truce; and I'll run in sh.o.r.e within hailing distance. Or, if you like it better, I'll undertake the matter myself.”
The Pixie chief made no answer. Faith and Sophia listened to hear their fate p.r.o.nounced, with feelings wrought up to the highest pitch. Spite rose and walked excitedly up and down the deck. He stopped and looked at Faith. He seemed about to yield. He raised his eyes to the water, then cast them upon the island which was now just ahead of them. Then he stood like a statue gazing at some object which hung in the air beyond the bow of the yacht. A fiendish smile pa.s.sed over his face. For a long time he was silent and motionless.
”Gentlemen,” he said, ”I'm much obliged for your council. But I have a better way. Fort Spinder shall be empty before to-morrow's sunrise, and its garrison and contents safe on the orchard side of the lake in Big Cave Camp. Patience! You shall know my plans as soon as we have put our prisoners in a secure place.”