Hurricane Island Page 9

  CHAPTER IX

  THE FLAG OF TRUCE

  We were not interrupted during all this time, and from the sound of thescrew we could tell that the yacht was still ploughing her way, butclearly it was not now for Buenos Ayres. At six we took some foodprepared by the cook, and considered the position with more equanimity.Counting the cook, who had not been reckoned in our previous numbering,we were now reduced to a party of ten men, if Pye could be accounted aman after his cowardly behaviour. There were six sailors in the hold atpresent useless, and the mutineers, even after their losses, were notfar short of thirty. Of Legrand we knew nothing, but could only hopefor the best. So long as we could hold the saloon we had plenty of foodand water, and our stock of ammunition was ample. The outlook did notappear so bad. Only on the other side we had to remember that Holgatehad the ship and could go whither he wished. Even if coal failed him hehad the auxiliary power of the sails. Our main hope was to hold outuntil his provisions should be exhausted and he should be obliged toput into some port. Then would come the hour of reckoning, for we wereprobably better supplied with provisions than was the forecastle.

  The ladies breakfasted in their cabins, but the Prince was present atour common table, showing a right democratic attitude.

  "We are all in a common peril, gentlemen," he said with spirit. "Wemust not make differences. But there must be discipline," he added.

  There was, therefore, a certain _camaraderie_ reigning which had beenforeign to the yacht before, and Lane gave way to his native garrulity,enlivening the table by some anecdotes, at which even Barracloughcondescended to smile.

  "My hat!" cried the purser suddenly, slapping his flank. "They've notgot what they fought for, and we've none of us thought of it."

  There was a pause. It was true, none of us had thought of it; we hadbeen too busy thinking of other things.

  "Are you sure?" said I.

  Lane rose. "Let's go and see," said he. "But I've all the keys, andI'll swear no one came down in the neighbourhood of the strong-roomwhile I was there."

  We trooped down, Prince and all, and it was as the purser had said. Thesafes were untouched. Barraclough elevated his eyebrows.

  "The fools!" he commented.

  "Well, it doesn't seem to me quite that," said I slowly. "It only looksas if Holgate was certain."

  "What do you mean?" he asked, and they all looked at me.

  "Why, if he did not take the trouble to touch this, he cannot be in ahurry. I never came upon a man with a cooler head. He's not in a hurry,that's a fact. It's been deliberate all through, from the very momentwe left the Thames."

  We looked at each other now. "Jerusalem!" said Lane. "What a savage!He's made sure of us, then."

  "He can wait his time," I said. "He has waited, and can wait longer.The ship's in his hands."

  "You take a gloomy view, sir," observed the Prince with a frown.

  "Well, Mr. Morland," I replied drily. "I don't think we're here toglaze matters over. We've got to face things, and one of these thingsis that Holgate hasn't worried us since he got possession. How are yougoing to account for that, save on my hypothesis?"

  "They shall be hanged--every one," he exclaimed angrily, the Germanaccent emerging roughly now.

  "Well, we'll do our best, sir," I replied lightly.

  I shut the strong-room door, and Lane locked it; and, as I turned, Isaw the white face of Pye in the background. He had been missing frombreakfast, and he looked very sickly, very pale, and very much abashed.The Prince noticed him, too, and addressed him sharply.

  "Why are you here, sir? What do you mean by leaving your quarters? Iwill have discipline kept on this ship."

  "I have no quarters," pleaded Pye humbly. "I was feeling sick, and laydown in my bunk."

  "You shall get to your quarters now, sir," declared the Princeseverely. "Sir John, order this man to his post."

  The little man was so downcast, and was obviously so unwell, that Itook pity on him, and cheered him as he went upstairs.

  "Never mind, Pye," I said. "We'll pull through."

  He shook his head. "Ah, it isn't that," he said. "But I disgracedmyself, doctor. I'm not built that way. It was awful--awful." Heshuddered.

  "Yes, we'll get our little tum-tums full of it now, I guess," remarkedLane cheerfully. "You freeze on to your barker, boy. You'll need itbefore we fetch up at Albert Docks again. It's Execution Docks for someof us, I'll lay. Have a cigar, doctor?"

  I accepted, but Pye refused, turning a sallow hue. His nerves had notyet recovered, and he had certainly drunk a good deal of brandy.Ellison and Jackson were on watch below, and when we reached thecorridor Grant signalled us in a whisper from his peep-hole.

  "Some one coming along this way, sir."

  Barraclough sprang to his side. "By Heaven, it's Holgate, damn him," hesaid, "with a flag of truce."

  "Open that door," said the Prince evenly.

  Grant turned the key and drew the bolt, and the door fell ajar.Holgate's big form was stationed before it, and he waved a flag.

  "A truce, gentlemen," he said wheezily.

  I looked at the Prince and Barraclough for the answer, and to myamazement saw that the former had his revolver at the level. His fingerwas on the trigger. I leaped forward and struck it up, and the bulletburied itself in the walls of the cabin.

  "What do you mean, sir?" he thundered, turning on me savagely. "Howdare you?"

  "Mr. Morland," said I. "You spoke of discipline a little ago. Well, howdo you keep it?"

  "This is my ship," he said furiously.

  "Yes," said I, "and it is in the charge of Sir John Barraclough here,who will tell you, perhaps, that it is against the laws of equity, notto say common sense, to fire on a flag of truce."

  Sir John looked uneasy. "The doctor is right, sir," he said. "We oughtto hear what he's got to say."

  "He is a villainous murderer. I will see that they are hanged," saidthe Prince, with a scowl at me. But he let his arm fall. Behind him Icould see the Princess, but her face was averted.

  Holgate's figure blocked the doorway. "If I may come in," he saidsmoothly, "and you're quite done with your pistol practice, gentlemen,I should like to make a proposal to you."

  "It shall be unconditional surrender, Sir John Barraclough," said thePrince morosely; "I will have no other terms."

  "You may come in," said Barraclough shortly.

  Holgate edged himself through. "I claim the protection of this flag,"said he flatly, and looked about him. "I hope my men haven't knockedyou about too much. Doctor, my respects to you. You've got a head onyou."

  "Come to business, sir," said Barraclough harshly.

  "Sir John, I've saved your ship, and I hope you'll lay that to mycredit," said Holgate in his leisurely voice. "I found her drifting ona lee shore when I took charge, and, by thunder, she'd have flounderedin another half-hour. So whatever you set on one side of the ledger,there's that lump on the other."

  "We're not here to talk about these matters," said Barraclough sternly.

  "Excuse me, Sir John, we are," said Holgate sweetly. "We're just onthat and nothing else. It's pretty clear how you stand, but if you likeI'll rehearse the situation. And I want you to understand where_I_ stand. See? I don't think that's so clear to you; and I wantventilation. This is a duffing game for his Royal Highness there. Hestands to make nothing out of it, as things go, and there's preciouslittle in it for any of you. Here you are prisoners in these palatialrooms, outnumbered by more than two to one, and not a man of his handsamong you, if I except the doctor. Well, you can hold out, I daresay. Iknow all about that. You've got a call on the food cupboard, and you'rewelcome to it. But I've got the yacht, and she'll canter under myhands, not Sir John's. Don't you make any mistake. You're not in afirst-class position, gentlemen."

  "You're a long time coming to the point," said Barraclough withexemplary curtness. "We have no time to waste."

  "Well, gentlemen, I'm willing to make a deal--that's the short of it--adeal that will suit both parti
es. That's the pith of the situation."

  He gazed from one to another of us unembarrassed, and even with anexpression of amiable cheerfulness. "And my proposal's this----"

  "Unconditional surrender," broke in the Prince's harsh voice.

  "That so?" says Holgate without concern, directing a glance at thespeaker. "I guess, Mr. Morland, you're in this for more than yourhealth. So am I. But I should like to know before starting whom I'vegot to deal with, just by way of encouragement, so to say." He paused."I don't want to pry into any secrets, but it would suit me better if Iknew whom to address. Owing to the unfortunate decease of the lateCaptain Day----"

  "You infernal ruffian; you murderer!" broke fiercely out of Lane'sthroat. "You'll hang yet, by heaven, or I'll eat my hat."

  Holgate turned his heavy face and still sombre eyes upon the purser,but said nothing nor otherwise remarked his outburst. It wasBarraclough who spoke:

  "Excuse me, Mr. Lane, this is my affair, not yours," he said abruptly."Go on, sir," to Holgate.

  "I can wait, of course," said the mutineer with cool irony. "Thereisn't much hurry about the matter now the ship lays her course. But Ishould prefer a business deal with business people, and I take it thatthat means with you, Sir John."

  Barraclough nodded. "You may address me," he said. "And you will getyour answer from me."

  "That's all right, then. And having settled so much, this is what I'vegot to lay before you," proceeded Holgate placidly, breathing out hiswords. "There's been a certain amount of pawn-taking in this game, andwe've both got to pass it over if we're coming to business. Now youknow what I want, and by this time you pretty well ought to know whatyou want also. You're in a tight fix. Well, if you'll hand over thecontents of the strong-room we'll get out a proper contract, as thus:self to take the said contents, agreeing therewith to allow his RoyalHighness, or Mr. Morland (which you will), a moiety of the same,provided that the party be landed at a suitable place not more than tenmiles from a civilised town, and provided always that no more be heardof the steps leading up to this contract."

  He came to a pause, and eyed us, with a gaze divested of any eagerness,even of any significance. The Prince uttered a loud laugh, butBarraclough, as became his position, kept his expression. I was alittle out of the group, and I could pick out the faces of the company.The Princess had moved forward and leaned now with her chin on her openpalm, and one foot upon the settee near the door. She was franklystaring at the mutineer who made these astounding proposals. The Princeand Barraclough conferred in whispers, and presently the latter resumedhis position.

  "If you want the contents of the strong-room," he said, "it issuggested that you had better come and take them."

  Holgate's eyebrows went up. "Well, I could do that, of course," he saidslowly. "Don't suppose I've overlooked that solution of the littleproblem. But I'm dealing with you squarely when I say I'd rather not.For why? Because I don't want any further mess. We've slopped aboutenough for the present, and I should say you gentlemen know it."

  He paused again, as if to give us an opportunity of revising ourdecision, and once more the Prince and Sir John interchanged whispers.Barraclough shook his head vigorously, and a frown gathered on hisfeatures. In the fine light of the skylights Princess Alix's silhouettestood out, and the soft hair on her forehead was ruffled by the breeze.She was still gazing at Holgate. His bull-neck turned and he facedtowards her, and their glances met. Neither gave way nor winced beforethe salvos of the other, and I had the odd thought that some strangeduel was in progress, in which the antagonists were that fair woman andthat villainous, gross man. Holgate's eyes shifted only whenBarraclough spoke next.

  "If you leave the yacht at the next port or place of call we shall bepowerless to prevent you and the men under you," said Barraclough in adry, formal voice. "But the mutiny will be, of course, reported to theBritish Consul at the most accessible port."

  "That's a compromise, I reckon," observed Holgate with a grin, whichshowed his fang. "That's owner and first officer commanding rolled intoone and halved, or I'm Dutch. Well, I'll let it go; but I've offeredfair terms. And I'll tell you frankly that I wouldn't even have offeredthose had it not been for the doctor." He shook his head, wagging it atme. "Oh, doctor, doctor, to think what I lost in you! Why, we couldhave taken our time over the strong-room, barring your littleintervention. You're a real daisy, and I won't forget it. But now it'sin the hands of Providence. It's war. Sir John, I congratulate thedouble-barrelled leaders. There's two captains here, and that's one toomany. I only allow one in my quarters. All right, gentlemen." He tookup his flag and waddled towards the door. "Good-morning. I've done whatI could. Don't blame me."

  On the threshold he paused, and his glance marched deliberately over usall, landing at last upon the Princess. "May the Lord help you," sayshe in his voice of suet. "May the Lord be merciful to you--all!"

  The door went behind him with a snap. I turned almost unconsciously inthat direction in which the last shafts of his eyes had flown. Theaccent on the "all" had been perceptible. Princess Alix had lifted herchin from her hand and set down her foot. She held on to the arm of thesettee, and I could perceive her trembling. Her face had gone whitelike paper, and she stared at the closed door. I moved quickly towardsher, for I was a doctor, if I had no other right there. My arrivalbroke upon her thought; she started, and the colour flowed back slowlyinto her face.

  "That man is the most awful man I have ever seen," she said with ashudder.

  "He is not so awful as he thinks," I said encouragingly.

  She shook her head, and moved away. I followed her. "If I mightsuggest, I would advise you to take a rest," I said. "You have had amost trying night."

  "Yes--I will rest," she returned with a sigh; and then, as we walkeddown the corridor together, "I thought you were right when you spoketo--to my brother in regard to the revolver; but now I don't know. Ithink anything that would rid the world of such a monster isjustifiable."

  "Perhaps," I replied. "But he is making war, and we are on terms ofwar, and more or less bound by them. At least, that is one's generalnotion. But who can tell? The ethical boundaries, and the borders ofhonour, are indefinable and intangible."

  "I think I would have shot him myself," she said vehemently.

  "I hope we shall hang him yet," I answered.

  She looked at me out of her blue lustrous eyes, as if deliberating.

  "We depend a good deal on you, Dr. Phillimore," she said next.

  "We are all dependent on one another," said I.

  "Do you suppose that man meant what he said?" she asked.

  "No," I said. "I would distrust every statement of his. I can'tdetermine what was in his mind or what he is aiming at. But this Iknow, that to make a compact with him would be to be at his mercy. Heis ruthless; he would not consider what blood he shed; and, besides, hehas committed himself too deeply, and is no fool to ignore that."

  She sighed again. "I am glad," she murmured. "I thought perhaps that itwould be wise. But my brother would never consent. Only I was afraid.But I am glad it would have been of no use. That makes only one coursepossible."

  "Only one," I said gravely. We came to a pause by the door of thecabin. "I think I had better see to Mademoiselle," I said, "in case ofemergencies."

  "Yes, please," she said with a start, and opened the door of the_boudoir_.

  Mademoiselle, clad in a wonderful dishabille, was seated under theelectric light, engaged in a game of dominoes with her maid, and justthrew a glance at us as we entered.

  "There ... _tenez_ ... _la_, _la_ ..." she said excitedly, and markedher board and scrambled up the dominoes in a heap.

  "Juliette has won never," she cried in her broken English. "I have wonthree times. Where is Frederic, _ma cherie_? He is not fighting?_Non?_"

  "There is no fighting now, Yvonne," replied the Princess with admirablerestraint, as seemed to me. "Frederic is well."

  "Oh, but the noise in the night," she rattled on in her own tongue. "Itwas dreadfu
l. I could not sleep for the guns. It was abominable tomutiny. Ah, it is the doctor. Pardon, this light is not good, and theyhave boarded up the windows. We must live in darkness," she addedpeevishly. "But how are you, doctor? You have not been to cheer uslately. It is a dull ship."

  "Why, we consider it pretty lively, Mademoiselle," I answered lightly."It keeps us occupied."

  "Ah, yes," she laughed. "But that is over now, and you will only haveto dispose of the prisoners, to guillotine? ... No, to hang?"

  "It is we who are prisoners," said the Princess abruptly.

  Mademoiselle stared. "_Mon Dieu!_ Prisoners! Oh, but it is not so,Alix. Juliette, shuffle, or I will box your ears, silly... Whoseprisoners are we?"

  "The anterooms, Mademoiselle, are cut off from the rest of the ship," Iexplained. "Are you prepared to stand a siege?"

  "Oh, but we have gallant defenders enough," she said with her prettylaugh. "I am not afraid. It will be experience. Juliette, open, open,stupid. Do not stare at Monsieur like a pig. Play."

  I passed on, the Princess following me. "When I left her she was intears," she said in a low voice.

  "She may be in tears again," I said. "But at present she wants no helpfrom me. She suffices entirely for herself."

  Our eyes encountered, and I am sure of what I saw in hers; if we met onno other ground we met on a curious understanding of Mademoiselle. Itook my leave ceremoniously.