CHAPTER XX.
AN UNEXPECTED PERIL.
How the long hours between then and sunrise pa.s.sed away those two hardly knew. Bessie Stuart, exhausted by her long nervous strain, sank into a restless slumber. And Clif sat with his eyes fixed on the gradually lightening doorway.
Clif wanted to feel happy, but he scarcely dared. For he had before his mind the thought of that lonely Spanish officer, waiting somewhere in the distance to see them depart and leave him to his fate.
It was a solemn thought, and it made Clif tremble. He almost wished that the man had not rescued him.
But then again he thought of Ignacio and his frenzied cruelty, and he felt that he would have died himself to save any man from such a fate as that.
And now it was done and there was no undoing it. There was no way of aiding the lieutenant, no way of persuading him, nothing but death for him to face.
But as Clif sat there through the early hours of the morning and gazed upon that silent figure by his side he felt that his love for that girl was consecrated by that hero"s sacrifice. There was a light of high purpose in the brave man"s eyes; he was accepting his life and hers at the cost of another"s, and the terms were such as made him feel the meaning of his existence. It was to be no child"s play, no blind hunt for pleasure or wealth or fame, but a life with a purpose and meaning, a struggle for the right.
"I think his face will always be watching me," thought Clif.
And there were moments in his after life when the thought that that quiet Spaniard"s eyes were watching made him shrink from the base things of life.
The light that shone in from the eastern sky gradually grew brighter and brighter, and Clif awakened from his solemn reverie to the duty that lay before him then.
He had Bessie Stuart to protect, and to lead from that position of peril.
It would indeed be a frightful calamity, he thought, if that sacrifice of Lieutenant Hernandez should avail nothing. If that girl should fall once more into the clutches of the Spaniards.
"For they are not all like that man," thought the lad.
And so he waited nervously until the light was bright enough. And then very gently he awakened her and a.s.sisted her to rise.
The girl was weak and exhausted, but she gathered her strength for this last final effort.
"We have not far to go," Clif said. "And we will soon be safe."
The two halted for a moment at the doorway of the hut and gazed out.
In the faint gray light they could not make out the line of the sh.o.r.e beyond, but they heard the noise of the breakers and knew that it was not far away.
And so half carrying his friend, Clif set out in the direction of the sound. Once only he turned again.
That was to take a parting look in the direction he knew Lieutenant Hernandez to be.
But he could make out only a dim line of woods behind him. No one could be seen, and the place was lonely and silent and gray.
But Clif fancied those quiet eyes were watching him from the distance.
There was no time to be lost, however, for no one knew when they might chance to meet with some of the enemy; they were in the midst of a thickly settled country.
And so they made their way swiftly down to the sh.o.r.e.
There they found a rowboat, drawn up on the beach a little beyond them.
Clif was startled to see a figure standing by it.
But it proved to be only a boy, and he hailed them and then disappeared.
Clif knew that he had been sent there to guard the boat; it was more of the lieutenant"s thoughtfulness.
The sight of that guarantee of safety revived Bessie Stuart"s spirits considerably; her step grew quicker and in a few moments they reached the spot.
There were a pair of oars in the boat, which was a small one. Without a word, Clif set to work to put it off from the sh.o.r.e.
That was as hard a task as could have been given him; for great waves were rolling upon the beach. But Clif was an athlete and a sailor besides; and the realization of their danger nerved his arm.
He seated the girl in the bow and ran the boat out with a rush; he caught a favorable moment. He plunged on until the water was up to his waist, and then he leaped into the boat and seized the oars just as another great wave swept them in toward sh.o.r.e again.
But Clif pulled for his life and held his own; and when the current set out again, he breasted the line of breakers and reached the sea beyond.
Bessie Stuart sat perfectly motionless, grasping the gunwale, until she saw that they were safe. Then she gave a slight gasp and closed her eyes wearily.
Clif had but one object, and that was to get as far from the coast of Cuba as he could; every stroke that he rowed put him further away from that dreaded sh.o.r.e.
And he knew, though he could not see them then, that far out to sea lay the vessels of the blockading squadron. Once in sight of them and the anxious fugitives were safe.
And so Clif put every ounce of muscle he had into that task. Not a word more was spoken; but the man"s lips were set in a desperate resolve and his broad back heaved as he fought his way on.
There was a heavy sea, and progress was frightfully slow. Now that they were so near to safety, to be recaptured would be frightful indeed.
But yet the cadet knew that Spanish soldiers on the sh.o.r.e might catch sight of them at any moment, and come rushing down the beach to open fire.
Clif had rescued one man from just such a plight as that; and so as he rowed he glanced nervously along the sh.o.r.e.
But he saw no one, and no one saw him. The light brightened until he could make out everything along the coast, but there was no sign of any one"s having noticed them.
An so with his heart growing lighter at every moment Clif tugged at the oars and forced the frail boat ahead through the waves. It was but natural that his relief should be great, for his adventures upon that island had been terrible ones indeed.
A warship is far from a safe place of residence, especially in war time.
But Clif felt that if he once got under the American flag again all his worry would be at an end.
And so every stroke nearer was a cause for joy.
For perhaps five minutes he rowed on in silence. By that time he was some distance from sh.o.r.e, though their progress was slow in the heavy sea.
But they felt that they were safe. They felt that there was no longer anything to be feared. And there was a silent prayer of thanksgiving in Clif Faraday"s heart.
And such being his feelings, the reader may imagine the horror and consternation that swept over him a moment later.
For an appalling discovery was made, one that seemed fairly to freeze Clif"s blood.
He was struggling with his back toward Bessie Stuart. And the joy that was in his heart was turned to horror by hearing the girl give a shrill scream.