Carried Off Part 10

'You forget what I have told you. I take no part in the affairs of the buccaneers; I do not betray their secrets, because that would not be honourable, but far less would I betray yours. I work enough for them--work that pays for my victuals; but I will not help in their robberies.'

'Forgive me, Harry,' said Etta frankly. 'We are afraid of every one now; yet we heard truly how you defended Carlo. Felipa, where is the parchment? You must write to your uncle at once, and let the writing be very small, for Andreas must carry it in his mouth; he says that is the only safe hiding-place.'

Felipa sat down to write a few words to her uncle Don Alvarez, Governor of Chagres Castle; whilst Catalina, who could not write at all, looked on, giving her advice freely. Etta in the meanwhile told Harry of her plan, but she did not notice the start he gave as she mentioned that Don Alvarez was Governor of the castle of La Chagres, and a n.o.ble and brave gentleman who had sometimes paid them a visit at Santa Teresa.

When the note was at last written hopeful Etta went softly out of the room to the end of a long pa.s.sage. Opening a little window, she imitated the peculiar whistle which Carlo had taught her, and which was his signal between Andreas and himself. Harry had accompanied her, and he seemed as anxious as she was about the arrival of the faithful Indian.

'Did the Senorita Felipa,' he asked, 'say in what distress you were, and what was the reason of your needing help?'

'Nay; she said merely, "We are in great sorrow: come at once," and then something more about her poor father,' said Etta; and Harry could not help admiring the golden hair and sunny face of his new friend.

But though Etta repeated her whistle no one appeared for a long time, but just as she was giving up in despair all hope of seeing the Indian, she noticed Andreas below creeping towards the verandah which he was accustomed to climb in order to get within hearing of Carlo. Now, however, he merely shook his head and whistled softly a few notes which meant 'Come here at sunset'; and with this she was obliged to be contented, knowing that only real danger would keep him away.

'I fancy he is watched,' said Harry; 'to-night he had better escape, if he is wise.' And then, very sorrowfully, the girl led the way back to the sitting-room.

The girls dared not step out of their own chamber all the morning--indeed Catalina kept good guard over them, so that it was some comfort to listen to Harry Fenn's adventures and to hear what he liked best to talk of--the account of his home life. Felipa could not quite understand how he could be so clever, being neither a n.o.ble's son nor a young priest; but Etta had English ideas, imbibed from her parents, and her love of England made her listen eagerly to Harry's talk of the old church on the hill and of the learned and kind Mr. Aylett, who had taught him so much and whom she hoped to see some day. And, further, as misfortune draws hearts together, he told Etta of that last day at home, and how he had made the effort of renouncing his roving wishes, and yet how he had been forced to cross the ocean and see strange new sights in spite of himself.

'I have had it often on my conscience that G.o.d was punis.h.i.+ng me for my many discontented thoughts,' said the boy; 'and yet I think Mr. Aylett would not put it so. He must have told my parents that I was willing to stay.'

'No, no; he could not blame you,' said Etta, clasping her hands, 'for then you would have also to say that G.o.d is punis.h.i.+ng me for having been often in a pa.s.sion when I was but ten years old. We must always be friends now, Harry, for our stories are much alike; but some day you will get back home, and you will tell your parents all you went through and of all your adventures, and then you will remember me and send some good merchant to take me away from St. Catherine to my uncle's house in Kent. I will show you the letters I have some time.'

'If an English man-of-war was to touch here, then I would run away,'

said Harry. 'I have never given my word not to escape.'

'And did you really always say your prayers?' said Etta under her breath, who looked upon Harry as a very saintly hero. 'For sometimes I have forgotten them when n.o.body reminded me; and you must have found it very difficult.'

'Nay, but without them I think I should have despaired entirely.'

Catalina now broke in upon their talk by saying, 'Come, young Englishman, if you are as friendly as you pretend, why can you not get my poor Carlo out of that dungeon? He will die there, for I am sure those ruffians will give him no food.'

'I will do my best,' said Harry, 'and anyhow I will bring you news later in the day; and I will go now and see if I can do aught with the Captain for him.'

When he was gone, Felipa and Etta fell fast asleep on a low couch, being quite wearied out with the events of the long night and morning, and so for a little while they forgot their troubles.

CHAPTER XI.

THE SECRET Pa.s.sAGE.

Etta's courage came back with new energy after her long rest; the presence of Harry Fenn in the castle seemed to lessen the dangers which now evidently surrounded the little party; and, at all events, so long as he was here they would not be left in uncertainty. But it was nearly sunset before any one came to break their solitude in the sitting-room.

At last there was a sound.

'His.h.!.+ Open: it is Harry Fenn. Have no fears.'

Etta ran to the door and let him in. He had a basket in his hands full of fruit, and also some bread, on which Catalina seized with joy.

'I knew you must be hungry,' said Harry, 'so I took these when no one was looking. All the slaves are working with unusual activity. In truth, the Captain has enough to do, and the Marquis has been sent to San Salvador to make the garrison deliver up all the guns that are there. It is sad to see him so cast down.'

'But what other news is there? Can we soon go out of this room? It is so cool under the trees, whilst here we are so hot, and everything is miserable,' said poor Felipa, who felt the burden of her life greater than she could bear now her father was away and Carlo in prison, and she herself was not far removed from being a prisoner.

'I fancy, Senorita, that in a few days Captain Morgan will have decided something. He found great difficulty to-day in preventing his men scattering themselves after booty. All the main forts are in his hands, and he is busy ordering the removal of guns and ammunition to the fleet; and those who will show him hidden treasure get a t.i.tle to his favour.

You can see some of the s.h.i.+ps from the windows of this castle. As soon as he can finish this work, I expect he will set sail. He does say he will not leave a musket in the island; but I fancy some of the negroes have already hidden away powder and muskets, for the men are inclined to handle them too roughly.'

'They may take all the guns they like,' said Catalina impatiently, 'if they will release the Senorito Carlo to me. I wish I could hang up these villains on our tall groogroos!'

'Unfortunately the man who has the key of the Senorito's dungeon has gone away to the other island,' said Harry, 'but as I pa.s.sed by the gate just now an old man asked me if I would tell the nurse Catalina that the young Senor was not so fast locked but that she could get at him if she so wished. I know not what he meant, but I thanked him for his good offices.'

At this Catalina clapped her hands, saying that Pedro was more cunning than he seemed to be, and that Carlo need not now starve; but no one understood her.

'It is close on sunset,' said Harry to Etta, 'and if you are going to keep your appointment with the Indian, I would like to come with you. I suppose you are sure he is to be trusted, for some of these Indians are none too brave, our men say, and fly like crows when they smell powder.'

'Andreas! Yes, indeed, he loves Carlo as his own son. They often have gone hunting together.'

So the two returned softly to the place of meeting at the window above the verandah, and, after waiting till the sun had sunk and darkness had suddenly come on, they heard the sound of soft whistling, and in another moment Andreas had swung himself over the balcony and stood by their side.

Etta seized his hand.

'Good Andreas, do you know all our misfortunes? Senor Carlo is still in the dungeon, the Marquis has gone to deliver up some guns, and if it were not for this kind friend we should be almost forsaken.'

Andreas made a low salutation, but, all the same, eyed Harry rather suspiciously.

'Do not be afraid,' continued Etta; 'he is a prisoner as we are, and will help us. Look, Andreas, could you manage to escape and take this note of the Senorita Felipa to her uncle at the Castle of Chagres? He would bring us help if he knew how badly we wanted it.'

Andreas shook his head.

'It is impossible, I fear. I am only at liberty because I can be useful with the cattle and the horses in the compound.'

'But, good Andreas, you cannot know how important it is that this Spanish gentleman should know that Captain Morgan has taken St.

Catherine,' said Harry quickly. 'If you cannot go, could you find some one else? Surely we have had enough horrors here and elsewhere,' he added, half to himself.

'The blacks cannot be trusted, and none of my tribe would care to go.

However, give it me, Senora; if I cannot go no one shall take the writing from me.' And with this Etta had to be satisfied; but she added in English:

'If Andreas says no, it means no; for he is the cleverest and bravest Indian there is in all the island.'

'When do you think the pirates will go, Andreas?' she asked anxiously.

'The Captain is asking for men who know the roads on the mainland. I believe they intend to attack Panama; and yet that is a big rich city, and is not badly defended, so that I can hardly believe that such is really their intention.'

After this, Andreas said he must not stay longer, as he was obliged to go back to the compound, but that he would come the next day at sundown to the same place, if in the meanwhile he were unable to escape from the vigilance of his new masters in order to go to the mainland, where, some short distance down the Chagres River, stood the castle of that name, strongly garrisoned by Spanish soldiers.

As Harry and Etta returned towards the sitting-room the former promised he would come back early the next morning and bring what food he could find, only begging that the Senorita and Etta would not dream of showing themselves below stairs; for indeed the scenes that went on--the drinking, swearing, and quarrelling--were no fit sight for them--'or, indeed, for any Christian man,' added Harry. 'They will soon fall to and begin to cross their cudgels, fancying they are full of wit and valour; though, indeed, there are many who have only joined them because misfortunes have come upon them in the old country, and they fancy this wild life is better than starving. Some, too, were trained to fight in the late wars, and say that life is naught without a sword and a war-cry; yet I know that many of them disapprove of the cruel deeds they see.'

'But you would escape if you could?' asked Etta.

'Yes, indeed; but Captain Morgan knows that, and I feel sure I am often watched. Good-night, Mistress Etta. I will do my best to free you out of this distress.'