Part 26 (1/2)

”He'll be up to some new 'gum-game',” said Norris.

And so it proved, as we came to know.

We weathered a number of severe squalls, and sizzled during some calm days. We followed the _Orion_ around a point of the island, and into a harbor of that south coast.

We were somewhat disturbed by that movement of Duran's, feeling that it meant some new trouble to meet. We picked a berth for the _Pearl_ rather close to the _Orion's_, for we must have a close eye on Duran.

”Perhaps he's going overland,” suggested Julian.

”If he does, we'll go overland too,” I offered.

”I believe he too lazy,” said Carlos. ”No railroad--big mountain.”

”Well,” said Norris, ”we'll keep a sharp lookout, and see.”

It was past noon when we cast anchor in that harbor. The officials of the place came and went. Duran did not go ash.o.r.e, though he sent some blacks. Carlos we sent with two sailors, after some needed provisions and water.

The hot tropic sun beat down on us unmercifully; there was scarce a breath of air coming into that place. I sauntered up to Grant Norris, where he leaned, dripping sweat on his tarpaulin-covered cannon, looking over toward the _Orion_.

”To think,” he said, ”that it depends on that skunk how long we're to lie in this blazing hole. I can almost see him sneering over there.”

”Never mind, Mr. Norris,” I told him. ”Maybe when our turn comes we can pay him back.”

”And, oh! Let me at him!” said Norris, ”when that time comes.”

Then the end of the day came; darkness fell. It turned almost chill, and we turned in below. The moon was due to rise some time after nine, so that there would be but a short time of darkness; and then would come moonlight, making the watch on Duran's movements easy. It was Julian took the first watch, eight to ten. When he called Norris, at four bells--or ten o'clock--the land breeze had already risen. I awoke at the change of watch, for I had come to be a light sleeper, and I heard the little waves rippling along the schooner's hull. I saw, too, that it was bright moonlight; the moon was just past the full.

It was not yet midnight, when I was aroused by a clamor in the cabin.

Norris had come in.

”Out with you! Every mother's son of you,” he said. ”We're sinking.”

There was much consternation as we all turned out, jerking on bits of clothing.

We followed Captain Marat into the hold. As we neared the bows, we heard the splash of the water. Marat sent two sailors to the pumps. The rest of us set to work to s.h.i.+ft the stores to places out of reach of the incoming water. To find the leak would require considerable time. Marat soon determined that the water was not coming in so fast but that the pump would be able to hold its own against it.

”We must put thee schooner on the beach,” said Captain Marat.

Both boats were manned, and tow-lines put aboard them. The tide was ebbing, so we had great labor to move the schooner toward the mouth of the little river, where Captain Marat looked for a favorable place to lay the bow of the _Pearl_. When we were in the boats and beginning to bend our backs to the labor, we heard the voice of Duran on the _Orion_ in a loud, hearty laugh.

”Laugh, you filthy skunk,” said Norris, who sat next to me, ”I'll never rest till you're paid for all your foul doings.”

It was not many minutes till we saw the sails of the _Orion_ go up, and the land breeze and ebbing tide, together, carried that schooner off into the open sea, at last beyond our vigilance. I felt a sinking within me at the realization. But I had already had thoughts of what should be done in case we were by some chance to lose sight of Duran.

We had been tugging at our oars for little above half an hour, making very poor progress, when the tide came to the turn. And then we had it with us, and it was not long till we were moving in at a rate almost to make us cheerful again.

It was a black sailor who had discovered the fact of the leak in the _Pearl_. He had heard an unusual sound. It was the trickling water more or less confused with the rippling of the waves against the hull. He had gone to Norris with the news. And Norris had given his ear to the thing only for a moment, before sounding the alarm.