CHAPTER VI.
CONCLUSION.
Once we had left her side and turned our boat's nose shoreward, the yacht lay behind us, a black mass half absorbed in the general shadow. Not a light showed itself, and everything was as still as the grave; the only noise to be heard was the steady dip, dip of the oars in the smooth water and the chirp of the rowlocks. For nearly an hour we pulled on, pausing at intervals to listen. But nothing of an alarming nature met our ears. Every moment the island was growing larger, the beach more plain to the eye, and the hill more clearly outlined.
As soon as the boat grounded we all sprang out and, leaving one hand to look after her, made our way ashore. It was a strange experience, that landing on a strange island on such an errand and at such an hour, but we were all too much taken up with what lay before us to think of that. Having left the water, we came to a standstill beneath a group of palms and discussed the situation. As the command of the expedition had been given to me, I decided upon the following plan: First and foremost, I would leave the party behind me and set out by myself to ascertain the whereabouts of the hut. Having discovered this, I would return, and we would thereupon make our way inland and endeavour to capture it. I explained this in as few words as possible to my followers, and then, bidding them wait for me where they were, at the same time warning them against letting their presence be discovered, I set off up the hill in the direction I knew the plateau to lie. The undergrowth was very thick and the ground rocky, so for this reason it was nearly twenty minutes before I reached the top of the hill. Then down on the other side I crept, picking my way carefully, and taking infinite precautions not to allow any noise to give evidence of my coming.
At last I reached the high ground above the plateau and looked about me. A small perpendicular cliff some sixty feet or so in height was before me, so throwing myself down flat I wriggled my way to its edge. When I got there I looked over and discovered three well-built huts upon a little plateau at the cliff's base. At the same moment a roar of laughter greeted my ears from the building on the left. It was followed by the voice of a man singing to the accompaniment of a banjo. Under cover of his music I rose to my feet and crept back through the bushes on the track by which I had come. I knew enough now to locate my forces.
Having reached my friends again, I informed them of what I had seen, and we then arranged the mode of attack as follows: The mate of the yacht with two of the hands would pass round the hill to the left side of the plateau, Wetherell and another couple of the hands would take the right side, while Beckenham and myself crept down at the back. Not a sound was to be made or a shot fired until I blew my whistle as a signal. Then, with one last word of caution, we started on our climb.
By this time the clouds had cleared off the sky and the stars shone brightly. Now and again a bird would give a drowsy caw as we disturbed it, or a wild pig would jump up with a grunt and go trotting off into the undergrowth; but beyond these things we hardly made a sound. Once more we arrived at the small precipice behind the huts and, having done so, sat down for a few moments to give the other parties time to take up their positions. Then signing to Beckenham to follow me, I followed the trend of the precipice along till I found a place where we might in safety descend. In less than a minute we were on the plateau below creeping towards the centre hut. Still our approach was undetected. Bidding Beckenham, in a whisper, wait for me, I made my way cautiously round to the front, keeping as much as possible in the shadow. As soon as I had discovered the door I made my way towards it and prepared to force my way inside. But I had an adventure in store for me which I did not expect. Seated in the doorway almost hidden in the shadow was the figure of a man. He must have been asleep, for he did not become aware of my presence until I was within a foot of him. Then he sprang to his feet and was about to give the alarm, but before he could do so I was upon him. Then commenced a desperate hand-to-hand struggle, in which I was fighting solely for his throat. This once obtained, I tightened my fingers round it and squeezed until he fell back unconscious. It was like a horrible nightmare, that combat without noise in the dark entry of the hut, but I was thankful that it had ended so satisfactorily for me. As soon as I could I rose to my feet and proceeded past his body into the hut itself. A swing door led from the porch, and this I pushed open. "Who is it, and what do you want?" said a voice which I should have recognised everywhere.
In answer I took her in my arms and, whispering my name, kissed her over and over again. Then, bidding her step quietly, I passed out into the starlight and led her after me. As we were about to make for the path by which I had descended, Beckenham stepped forward, and at the same instant the man with whom I had been wrestling gave a shout of alarm. In an instant there was the noise of scurrying feet and the shouting of orders.
"Make for the boats!" I cried at the top of my voice, and then, taking Phyllis by the hand, set off as quick as I could up the path, Beckenham assisting her on the other side. If I live to be a hundred I shall never forget that rush up the hill. Like rabbits we dashed in and out of trees and bushes, scratching ourselves and tearing our clothes, but conscious only of the necessity for speed. Before we were half way down the other side Phyllis's strength was quite exhausted, so I took her in my arms and carried her for the remainder of the distance. At last we reached the boats and jumped on board. The rest of the party were already there, and, the word being given, we prepared to row out to the yacht. But before we could push off a painful surprise was in store for us. Suddenly the Marquis cried, "Where is Mr. Wetherell?"
We looked round upon each other, and surely enough the old gentleman was not with us. At this Phyllis nearly gave way, and implored us to go back at once and find him. But having rescued her with so much difficulty, I did not wish to run any risk of her falling into her enemies' hands again, so selecting four volunteers from the party, I bade the rest pull the boat out to the yacht and give Miss Wetherell into the captain's charge, while we went ashore again in search of her father. Having done this, the boat was to return and wait for us.
Quickly we splashed our way back to the beach, and then, plunging into the undergrowth, began our search for the missing man. It was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, and as one of the hands remembered seeing him descending the hill we devoted our attentions to that side. For nearly two hours we searched, but without success. Not a sign of the gentleman was to be seen. Could he have mistaken his way and be even now searching for us on another beach? To make sure of this we set off and thoroughly searched the two bays in the direction he would most likely have taken. But still without success. Perhaps he had been captured and carried back to the huts. In that case we had better proceed thither and try to rescue him. This, however, was a much more serious undertaking, and you may imagine it was with considerable care that we approached the plateau.
When we got there the huts were as quiet as when I had first made their acquaintance. Not a sound came up to the top of the little precipice save the wind in the palms at its foot. It seemed difficult to believe that there had been such a tumult on the spot so short a time before.
Again, with infinite care, we crept down to the huts, this time, however, without encountering a soul. The first building was empty, so was the second, and so was the third. This was quite unexpected, and rendered the situation even more mysterious.
By the time we had thoroughly explored the plateau and its surroundings it was nearly daylight, and still we had discovered no trace of the missing man. Just as the sun rose above the sea line we descended the hill again and commenced a second search, with no more luck, however, than on the preceding occasion. Wetherell and our assailants seemed to have completely disappeared.
About six o'clock, thoroughly worn out, we returned to the beach, where the boat was in waiting for us. What was to be done? We could not, for obvious reasons, leave the island and abandon the old gentleman to his fate, and yet it seemed useless to remain there when he might have been spirited away elsewhere.
Suddenly one of the hands, who had been loitering behind, came into view waving something in his hand. As he came closer we could see that it was a sheet of paper, and when he gave it into my hands I read as follows:
"If you cross the island to the North beach you will find a small cliff with a large cave, a little above highwater mark. There you will discover the man for whom you are searching." There was no signature to this epistle and the writing was quite unfamiliar to me. But I had no reason to doubt its authenticity.
"Where did you discover this?" I inquired of the man who had brought it.
"Fastened to one of them prickly bushes up on the beach there," he answered.
"Well, the only thing for us to do now is to set off for the North beach and hunt for the cave. Two of you had better take the boat back to the yacht and ask the captain to follow us round."
As soon as the boat was under weigh we picked up our rifles and set off for the North beach. It was swelteringly hot by this time, and, as may be imagined, we were all dead tired. However, we should be amply repaid if we could effect the rescue of the man for whom we had been searching.
At last we turned the cape and entered the bay which constituted the north end of the island. It was not a large beach, but had, at its western end, a curious line of small cliffs, in the centre of which we could make out a small black spot looking remarkably like the entrance to a cave. Towards this we pressed, forgetting our weariness in the excitement of the search.
It was a cave, and a large one. So far the letter was correct.
Preparing ourselves, in case of surprise, we approached the entrance, calling Mr. Wetherell's name. As our shouts died away a voice came out in reply, and thereupon we rushed in. A remarkable sight met our eyes. In the centre of the cave was a stout upright post, some six or eight feet in height, and to this, securely tied, was the Colonial Secretary of New South Wales.
In less time almost than it takes to tell we had cast loose the ropes which bound him, and then led him—for he was too weak to stand alone—out into the open air. While he was resting he inquired after his daughter, and, having learned of her safety, gave us the following explanation. Addressing himself to me, he said:
"When you called 'Make for the boats!' I ran up the hill with the others as fast as I could go. But I'm an old man, and could not get along as fast as I wanted to, and was soon left far behind. I was half way down the hill, perhaps, when a tall man, dressed in white, stepped from behind a bush and, raising a rifle, bade me come to a standstill. Having no time to lift my own weapon, I was obliged to do as he ordered me, and he thereupon told me to lay down my rifle and right about face. In this fashion I was marched back to the huts, and then, another man having joined my captor, across the island to this beach, where a boat was in waiting. In this I was pulled out to a small schooner lying at anchor in the bay, and ordered to board her. Five minutes later I was conducted to the saloon, where two or three persons were collected.
"'Good evening, Mr. Wetherell, this is indeed a pleasure!' said a man sitting at the end of the table playing with a big black cat. Directly I heard his voice I knew that I was in the presence of Dr. Nikola.
"'And what do you think I am going to do with you, my friend?' he said, when I made no reply to his remark.
"'You dare not do anything,' I replied; 'I demand that you shall let me go this instant.'
"'If you will be warned by me you will cease to demand,' he answered, his eyes the while burning like live coals. 'Though you have put me to much trouble and expense I will forgive that and come to terms with you. Give me'
"At that moment the little vessel gave a heavy roll, and in trying to keep my footing on the sloping deck I fell over upon the table. As I did so, the little Chinese stick slipped out of my pocket and went rolling along the table almost into Nikola's hands. He sprang forward and seized it, and you may imagine his delight. With a cry of triumph that made the cat leap from his shoulder, he turned to a tall man by his side and said:
"'Let a boat's crew take this man ashore and tie him to the stake in the cave. Then devise some means of letting his friends know his whereabouts. Be quick, for we sail in an hour.' Then turning to me again he said:
"'Mr. Wetherell, this is the last transaction we shall probably ever have together. All things considered, you are lucky in escaping so easily. I congratulate you upon your charming daughter. Now, good-bye; in an hour I am off to effect a coup with this stick, the magnitude of which you would never dream. One last word of advice—Pause a second time, I entreat you, before you think of trying to balk Dr. Nikola.'
"I was then led upon deck, where that scoundrel Baxter had the impudence to make me a low bow, and in less than half an hour I was fastened to the post in that cave. The rest you know. Now let us get on board. I see the boat is approaching."
As soon, therefore, as the surf boat had drawn up on the beach we embarked upon her and were pulled out to the yacht. In a quarter of an hour we were on deck, and Phyllis was in her father's arms again. Over that meeting, with its rapturous embraces and general congratulations, I must draw a curtain. Suffice it that by midday the island had disappeared under the sea line and we were well on our way back to Sydney.
That evening, after dinner, Phyllis and I patrolled the deck and finally came to a standstill aft. It was as beautiful an evening as any man or woman could wish for. All round us was the glassy sea, while overhead the Tropic stars shone down with radiant brilliance.
"Phyllis," I said, taking my darling's hand and looking into her face, "what a series of adventures we have both passed through since that afternoon I first saw you in the Domain! Do you know your father has now consented to our marriage?"
"It is to you, Dick, I owe my rescue," said she, coming a little closer to me. "You have a perfect right to me, for you have won me nobly."
"Hush!" I answered, "you must not say that. If anything had happened to you I should never have been happy again."
"But, Dick, there is one thing I don't understand. At dinner this evening the captain addressed you as Sir Richard—what does that mean?"
"Well, it means this: that though I cannot make you a duchess, I can make you a baronet's wife. It remains with you to say whether you will be Lady Hatteras or not."
"But are you a baronet, Dick? How did that come about?"
"I'll tell you. Do you remember my writing to you of the strange call I paid when in England on my only two relatives in the world?"
"The old man and his daughter in the New Forest? Yes, I remember."
"Well they are dead, and, as the next of kin, I have inherited the title and the estates. What do you think of that?"
Her only reply was to kiss me softly on the cheek.
She had scarcely done so before her father and Beckenham came along the deck towards us.
"Now, Phyllis," said the former, leading her to a seat, "suppose you give us the history of your adventures. Remember we have heard nothing yet."
"Very well. Where shall I begin? At the moment I left the house for the ball? Very good. Well, you must know that when I arrived at Government House I met Mrs. Mayford, the lady who had promised to chaperon me, in the cloak-room, and we passed into the ball-room together. I danced the first dance with Captain Hackworth, one of the aides, and engaged myself for the fourth to the Marquis of Beckenham."
"The sham marquis, I'm sorry to say," put in the real one.
"Unfortunately for me also," continued Phyllis.
"As it was a square, we sat it out in the ante-room off the drawing-room. While we were there the young gentleman, I must tell you, did me the honour of proposing to me. It was terribly embarrassing, but I allowed him to see as unmistakably as possible that I could give him no encouragement, and, as the introduction to the next waltz started, we parted the best of friends. About half an hour later, just as I was going to dance the lancers, Mrs. Mayford came towards me and drew me into the drawing-room. Mr. Baxter, his Lordship's tutor, was with her and both looked supernaturally grave.
"'What is the matter?' I asked, being alarmed by her face.
"'My dear,' said she, 'you must be brave. I have come to tell you that your father has been taken seriously ill and has sent for you.'
"'Papa ill?' I cried. 'Oh, I must go home to him at once!'
"'I have facilitated that,' said Mr. Baxter, 'by ordering the servants to call up your carriage, which is now waiting for you at the door. If you will allow me I will conduct you to it.'
"I apologised to my partner for leaving him and then went to the cloak-room. As soon as I was ready I accompanied Mr. Baxter to the door, where the brougham was waiting. Without looking at the coachman, I got in, at the same time thanking Mr. Baxter for his kindness. He shut the door and cried 'Home!' to the coachman. Next moment we were spinning down the drive."As I was too much occupied thinking of you, papa, I did not notice the direction we were taking, and it was not until the carriage stopped before a house in a back street that I realised that something was wrong. Then the door was opened and a gentleman in evening dress begged me to alight. I did so, almost without thinking.
"'I am sorry to say your father is not at all well, Miss Wetherell,' he continued. 'If you will be good enough to step into my house I will let the nurse take you to him.'
"Like a person in a dream I followed him into the house and the door was then shut upon me.
"'Where is my father, and how is it that he is here?' I cried, beginning to get frightened.
"'You will know all when you see him,' said my companion, throwing open the door of a room. I went in, and that door was also shut upon me. Then I turned and faced the man."
"What was he like?"
"He was the man you were telling us about at dinner—Dr. Nikola."
"Ah! And then?"
"He politely but firmly informed me that I was his prisoner, and that until you did certain things he would be compelled to detain me. I threatened, entreated, and finally wept. But he was not to be moved. He promised that no effort should be spared to make me comfortable, but he could not let me go free. And so I was kept there until late one night, when I was informed that I must be ready to leave the house. A brougham was at the door, and in this, securely guarded, I was conducted to the harbour where a boat was in waiting. In this we were rowed out to a schooner and I was placed aboard her. A neatly arranged cabin was allotted to me and everything I could possibly want was given me. But I could gather nothing of where we were going or what my fate was to be. About midnight we got under weigh and commenced our voyage. Our destination was the island where you found me."
"And how did Nikola treat you during the voyage and your stay on Pipa Lannu?" I asked.
"With invariable courtesy," she replied. "A more admirable host no one could desire. I had but to express a wish for anything and it was instantly forth coming. When we were clear of land I was allowed on deck, my meals were served to me in a cabin adjoining my own, and a stewardess was there to wait upon me. As far as my own personal treatment went I have nothing to complain of. But I was so thankful to get away. I had begun to imagine all sorts of horrors."
"Well, thank goodness, it's all done with now!"
And so it was, for a week later we were back in Sydney again, and the eventful voyage was over.
Then came our marriage. But with your permission I will only give you a bare outline of it. It took place at the Cathedral, the Primate officiating. The Marquis was kind enough to act as my best man, while the Colonial Secretary of course gave his daughter away. But now I think of it, there is one point I must touch upon in connection with this happy occasion, and that was the arrival of a present on the evening prior to the event.
We were sitting in the drawing-room when the butler brought in a square parcel on a salver and handed it to Phyllis.
"Another present, I expect," she said, and began to untie the string that bound it. When the first cover was removed a layer of tissue paper revealed itself, and after that a large Russia leather case came into view. On pressing the spring the cover lifted and revealed a superb collet, as I believe it is called, of diamonds, and resting against the lid a small card bearing this inscription:
"With heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Lady Hatteras,
"From her sincere admirer,
"Dr. Nikola."
Now what do you think of that?
Well, to bring my story to a close, the event passed off with considerable éclat. We spent our honeymoon on the Blue Mountains, and a fortnight later sailed once more for England in the "Orizaba." Both Mr. Wetherell, who has now resigned office, and the Marquis of Beckenham, accompanied us, and it was to the latter's seaside residence that we went immediately on our arrival in the mother country. My own New Forest home is being thoroughly renovated, and will be ready for occupation in the spring.
Of Nikola, Baxter, Eastover, or Prendergast I have never heard since. What gigantic coup the first-named intends to accomplish with the little Chinese stick is beyond my power to tell. I am thankful, however, to feel that I am not in any way concerned in it. And so I ring the curtain down upon the narrative of my extraordinary Bid for Fortune.
THE END.