Ghost Messages Part 9

After checking on Dimples and Rainbow that night, Ailish went to bed still without an answer. The stakes were so very high. Her da always said if you want to catch a rat, you have to bait the trap. Then he would add with a chuckle, "Of course, it doesn't hurt to think like the little rodent either!" She was going to have to be as devious and deceptive as Dalton. As she drifted off to sleep, her mind whirled with a thousand thoughts.

Wednesday morning, Ailish awoke from a vivid dream that had left her feeling excited and eager. Woven into that vaporous landscape of grey mist and black dust had been the blueprint for her master plan. She could remember it all with crystal clarity, especially the parts with Davy. He'd seemed so real in her slumber world and what was truly strange was that in her dream, Davy had held out his hands to her and she'd taken them, holding tight as a wonderful warm tingle made her want to laugh and dance. She had to admit, he was special. She'd never dreamt about a boy before, ever!

In the crew's mess, Ailish indulged herself in a large and hearty breakfast, noticing that she was putting on weight from the regular and abundant meals. Her borrowed clothes were becoming a little tight. Next, she stopped by the testing caboose for a quick visit with the lads before going on deck. Moving about the huge s.h.i.+p, she could sense that tension was still running high. It was like living in a powder keg with Rufus Dalton waiting to light the fuse.

She stood at the bow, watching a pod of dolphins jump and dive in their ocean playground. As they raced ahead of the s.h.i.+p, the sleek animals would leap from the water in a joyous display, then fall back, their splashes creating a brilliant rainbow in the bright morning sun.

Her dream plan would be dangerous to implement, but if she were going to get Dalton to lead her to the horse, she needed something daring. If anything went wrong, it would spell disaster not only for her, but for Paddy, because despite his warnings to stay away, she would need his help.

The one thing essential for her plan to succeed was smooth sailing from here to Heart's Content. She knew if there were any more problems with the cable, the captain would arrest Paddy, proof or no proof. It was only because Captain Anderson was such a fair man that he hadn't thrown the big Irishman in the brig already.

There was no time like the present to put her plan into action. She waved goodbye to the dolphins, then went to find Paddy.

After asking several crewmen if they'd seen him, Ailish finally discovered he was in the machinery storage hold. She found him near where she always met Davy. He was hoisting a large wheel out of a box and looked up when she walked over.

"I told you to stay away from me." He set the wheel down on a dolly then wiped the sweat from his forehead and added kindly, "It's for your own good, boy."

Ailish smiled. "I know you're only looking out for me, but I have a way we can solve both our problems and sink Dalton in the bargain." She clambered up on what she now thought of as Davy and Ailish's crate and sat swinging her leg.

He raised a quizzical eyebrow at her. "Both our problems? I'm the one he's going to throw to the sharks. What dark deed has he done to you?"

This was the opening she'd waited for. "Well now, Mr. Whelan, I'm glad you asked. Do you remember several days ago, I tried to tell you why I had to stay on the s.h.i.+p?"

Paddy waited for her to go on.

"It's because I'm following Rufus Dalton. He took something from my da and me in Foilhummerum Bay and I'm here to get it back."

Paddy frowned, and then he studied her face. "There was a young girl on the wharf the morning we sailed. She was looking for Dalton."

Ailish stopped swinging her leg. "That girl was me."

He stepped back. "What are you talking about?"

"She is me. Well, I am her." She began again. "My name is Ailish O'Connor and Rufus Dalton stole a small statue from my family and it's stashed somewhere on the s.h.i.+p. Our future is wrapped up in that horse figurine. My da and I are going to Newfoundland and he's going to be a fisherman and I'll run our grand house and maybe I can go to school anda"

"Whoa! Hang on, lad, I mean la.s.s." He ran his hand rapidly back and forth through his hair as though trying to shake out a confusing problem. "Start at the beginning and for the love of all the saints, go slowly."

She could see Paddy was now thoroughly confused. "Have a seat." She indicated one of the crates. "Davy likes that one." He settled himself and she told him the whole story, including her father's b.l.o.o.d.y injury, evading Dalton the day she ended up in the sheep pen and the frightening search of the crew chief's smelly room.

"I won't leave this s.h.i.+p without that horse," she concluded, sounding very sure of herself.

Paddy's jaw was set in a firm line. "That Dalton's a thief is no surprise, but the savagery of his attack on your father sickens me. He needs to pay for his misdeeds and return your property. As for me, Dalton knows he has me at the point of his sword. One more problem with the cable and I'll be lynched or in the brig, then there's no one to stand in his way as he steals my inheritance."

She could tell his eyes were gazing into the past when next he spoke.

"The Great Famine nearly wiped out my entire family. Without that money, those few that survived and escaped to Canada will end up in paupers' graves, as surely as the ones who starved to death in Ireland."

"We won't let him rob you too." Ailish took a deep breath and began to lay out her plan. "A little meeting with Mr. Dalton is called for where you say there's rumour someone on board found a treasure a" a statue of a golden horse all encrusted with jewels a" and that this mystery man plans on selling it as soon as we reach port."

Surprise lit up Paddy's face. "Golden? Jewel-encrusted? That sounds like something Dalton would kill for. I'd say your father had a lucky shamrock to survive that attack. Tell me la.s.s, how did your da come by this treasure?"

"He bought it from a Russian soldier who needed a wee bit of travelling money. He said it was out of the czar's palace in St. Petersburg."

"I can see why the likes of Mr. Dalton would find that irresistible."

"When he hears it's been taken, he'll want to go and check." She looked very pleased with herself. "That's when I follow him to his stash. Once he sees it's there and you're full of malarkey, he'll go back to tell you, probably with his fists," she added apologetically. "When he's talking to you, that's when I take it for real."

"That sounds like it will put your world right." He rubbed his stubbly chin. "But you said this plan would take care of my problem also. How do you propose we do that?"

"Simple. We offer to trade the horse for that incriminating picture out of the newspaper and Dalton's guarantee that he'll tell the lynch mob they have the wrong man."

Paddy shook his head vehemently. "No. You said that statue was all you and your da had to make a better future. I won't let you sacrifice it so I'll be safe."

Ailish felt positively impish when she answered. "Don't worry about that. Dalton forgets this is the Great Eastern a" the legendary s.h.i.+p that's laying the transatlantic cable from Ireland to Newfoundland! Now let's get started."

14.

Foiled Again!

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Paddy sent a message to Dalton that it was

important they meet in the machinery storage hold. While they waited, Ailish busied herself extinguis.h.i.+ng most of the gas lamps so that it was dimly lit and the shadows hard to see through. Not only would this help her spy on the meeting, but the darkness would also hide her when she followed Dalton out of the hold.

They didn't have long to wait.

"Have you found your senses, Whelan?" Dalton asked as he strode in, trailing two large crewmen behind him.

"I never lost them, Rufus, but my fortune isn't what I want to talk to you about, it's yours."

Dalton slouched back against one of the crates. "Is that so? Maybe you better explain yourself."

"It has to do with a certain valuable statuea"

Dalton immediately straightened up. "What the devil are you blathering about?"

"I think you know. A golden horse, decorated with jewels that you procured in Foilhummerum the night we left."

"What nonsense," he scoffed, but there was no conviction in his voice. "Why don't you tell me your story?"

Paddy looked around as though gathering his thoughts. "Let's see. What if the horse that you tucked away here on the s.h.i.+p had been found by a person who immediately recognized its worth? And what if this person had himself hidden it so that he could take it with him when we docked in Newfoundland? I'm guessing this fortunate soul would now be a wealthy gentleman in the making."

Dalton's face went an impressive shade of red and Ailish, watching from behind the safety of several artfully arranged boxes, wondered if his puffed up head was going to explode.

"Who has it?" Dalton raged.

Smiling, Paddy stroked his chin. "Well, now, I'd say you have five hundred suspects, including those lads you brought with you as muscle."

Dalton looked at his henchmen. "We'll get to the bottom of this right now. Keep him here until I get back."

The two enforcers hefted iron pipes threateningly as they moved toward Paddy. Dalton stormed out and Ailish, ghostlike, followed after him.

Dalton led her through the vast expanse of the s.h.i.+p and down pa.s.sageways she'd never seen before. Belowdecks was a labyrinth with intersecting hallways, stairs to unknown pa.s.sages and a dizzying number of doors to who knew where.

Ailish was grateful they were on a s.h.i.+p as she knew no matter how twisted around she became, if she kept going up, eventually, she would be topside and all made clear.

They were deep in the lower decks and the dim lighting, instead of working in her favour, now made it hard to see which way they were going. It was dusty and dirty down here and they were alone. Her footsteps seemed very loud as she trailed after Dalton. She was afraid to move closer as he might discover her following and then he'da she didn't want to think of what he'd do if he caught her.

Ailish rounded another of the thousand corners, to find Dalton hurrying down a particularly long corridor that opened onto three possible exits. She darted back out of sight and waited to see which of the identical doors he would choose. As she watched, he approached the hatchways at the end of the pa.s.sage. He reached his large hand out for one of the doorsa "O'Connor, what are you doing skulking around down here, lad?"

With a start, she spun to see Cyrus Field and Captain Anderson approaching.

"Me, Mr. Field? What am I doing down here, sir?" She didn't know what to say, nothing brilliant came to her. She had no choice but to tell the truth. "Actually sir, I'm quite lost. I've never been in this part of the s.h.i.+p before and I seem to have gotten myself turned about." Truer words had never been spoken. She had no idea where she was.

Captain Anderson looked sympathetic. "I know boy, this s.h.i.+p is as big as a floating city and one needs a guide to navigate. We only took this black pa.s.sageway because it's a shortcut to the bridge. Where were you heading and we'll give you directions?"

At that moment, Ailish heard the clang of an iron door banging shut.

The two gentleman stood waiting. Ailish tried to think of an appropriate answer. "Where was I goinga?" She must sound like a right eejit. She stepped into the hallway where she'd last seen Dalton. He was gone and there was no way to tell which of the doors he'd taken.

"I'm going to the machinery storage hold," she said dejectedly. It had been a good plan a" unless you ran into the captain and a wealthy American. She had failed again and wherever Dalton had secreted that statue, it would remain hidden.

15.

Treasure Chest

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Following the captain's directions, Ailish made her way from the dank lowest decks where she'd been following Dalton and up to the machinery hold where the henchmen had Paddy. As she navigated, she tried to think of how to fix the mess she was in. She needed a new plan. Unbidden, her mind filled with images of last night's dream. It had seemed so real, so vivid, and in it she had been successful not only in finding the horse, but in clearing Paddy. Now she could do neither.

She turned into the companionway that led to the hold. With a whoof the wind was knocked out of her. Her arms were grabbed so hard she thought they were going to be ripped out of their sockets.

"Why are you following me, boy?"

She looked up into the sweaty, red face of Rufus Dalton. "I'm not following you, sir!" She squeaked. Sadly true, she wasn't any more.

"You're lying! That was you below just now. You've been up to something from the first time I laid eyes on you." He squeezed her arms and she winced in pain.

"No, Mr. Dalton." Her pulse was pounding now. "I was on my way to see Mr. Field and I took a wrong turn. Maybe I was on the same deck as you, but that was merely coincidence. I have to deliver an important messagea from Captain Anderson, sir." She hoped this would make him free her. No one interfered with the captain's business.

"I've had it with you, O'Connor."

He roughly thrust her away from him and she smashed into the bulkhead. Pain lanced down her spine.

Dalton pointed a dirty finger at her. "Now, shove off and remember, stop messing where you don't belong."

She inched away from him, her aching back hugging the wall, then turned and fled up the stairs. Rubbing her sore arms, she glanced down at her sleeves and stopped. There were black smudges where his big hairy mitts had grabbed her.

She remembered the filth on Dalton's s.h.i.+rt and trousers, and the coal dust in the tunnel in the boiler room where he'd nearly caught her. Swirling black dust, like in her dream last night. Davy's smiling face seemed to float before her. This is a dusty business, he'd said.

Everything came together at once and it hit her like a rogue wave. The coal bunkers! It had been there in front of her all the time, black dirty coal dust pointing the way to her golden horse. She was sure of it.

Scrambling back to the stairs, Ailish raced down flight after flight to the lowest deck on the s.h.i.+p. She came to the weighty door that led to the giant boilers and shouldered her way through. The noise was deafening as steam escaped in boiling jets and furnaces roared with a fiery fury.

Ahead, she saw the tunnel through the coal bunkers. Her footfalls echoed in the confined s.p.a.ce as she ran through the cold iron pa.s.sage.