"One of those boats means to blow us out of existence if it can," mused Jack. "The other cannot know of our existence. And yet, if she doesn"t, what is she doing here, headed for the rock?"
With that Jack scrambled, slid and jumped down. Drummond was very quiet and serious. Repeating rifles stood in a row on the opposite wall, easy to get at, but as far off as might be from the effects of a possible sh.e.l.l. The two young men now mounted the stone bench by the door, which allowed them to look over the ledge at the eastern sea. Presently the craft appeared round the end of the island, pure white, floating like a swan on the water, and making great headway.
"By Jove!" said Jack, "she"s a fine one. Looks like the Czar"s yacht, but no Russian vessel I know of can make that speed."
"She"s got the ear-marks of Th.o.r.n.ycroft build about her," commented Drummond. "By Jove, Jack, what luck if she should prove to be English.
No flag flying, though."
"She"s heading for us," said Jack, "and apparently she knows which side the cannon is on. If she"s Russian, they"ve taken it for granted we"ve captured the whole place, and are in command of the guns. There, she"s turning."
The steamer was abreast of the rock, and perhaps three miles distant.
Now she swept a long, graceful curve westward and drew up about half a mile east of the rock.
"Jove, I wish I"d a pair of good gla.s.ses," said Drummond. "They"re lowering a boat."
Jack showed more Highland excitement than Russian stolidity, as he watched the oncoming of a small boat, beautifully riding the waves, and masterfully rowed by sailors who understood the art. Drummond stood imperturbable as a statue.
"The sweep of those oars is English, Jack, my boy."
As the boat came nearer and nearer Jack became more and more agitated.
"I say, Alan, focus your eyes on that man at the rudder. I think my sight"s failing me. Look closely. Did you ever see him before?"
"I think I have, but am not quite sure."
"Why, he looks to me like my jovial and venerable father-in-law, Captain Kempt, of Bar Harbor. Perfectly absurd, of course: it can"t be."
"He does resemble the Captain, but I only saw him once or twice."
"Hooray, Captain Kempt, how are you?" shouted Jack across the waters.
The Captain raised his right hand and waved it, but made no attempt to cover the distance with his voice. Jack ran pell-mell down the steps, and Drummond followed in more leisurely fashion. The boat swung round to the landing, and Captain Kempt cried cordially:
"h.e.l.lo, Prince, how are you? And that"s Lieutenant Drummond, isn"t it?
Last time I had the pleasure of seeing you, Drummond, was that night of the ball."
"Yes," said Drummond. "I was very glad to see you then, but a hundred times happier to see you to-day."
"I was just cruising round these waters in my yacht, and I thought I"d take a look at this rock you tried to obliterate. I don"t see any perceptible damage done, but what can you expect from British marksmanship?"
"I struck the rock on the other side, Captain. I think your remark is unkind, especially as I"ve just been praising the watermanship of your men."
"Now, are you boys tired of this summer resort?" asked Captain Kempt.
"Is your baggage checked, and are you ready to go? Most seaside places are deserted this time of year."
"We"ll be ready in a moment, captain," cried his future son-in-law. "I must run up and get the Governor. We"ve put a number of men in prison here, and they"ll starve if not released. The Governor"s a good old chap, though he played it low down on me a few days ago," and with that Jack disappeared up the stairway once more.
"Had a gaol-delivery here?" asked the Captain.
"Well, something by way of that. The Prince drilled a hole in the rock, and we got out. We"ve put the garrison in p.a.w.n, so to speak, but I"ve been mighty anxious these last few days because the sail-boat they had here, and two of the garrison, escaped to the mainland with the news. We were anxiously watching your yacht, fearing it was Russian. Jack thought it was the Czar"s yacht. How came you by such a craft, Captain?
Splendid-looking boat that."
"Oh, yes, I bought her a few days before I left New York. One likes to travel comfortably, you know. Very well fitted up she is."
Jack shouted from the doorway:
"Drummond, come up here and fling overboard these loaded rifles. We can"t take any more chances. I"m going to lock up the ammunition room and take the key with me as a souvenir."
"Excuse me, Captain," said Drummond, who followed his friend, and presently bundles of rifles came clattering down the side of the precipice, plunging into the sea. The two then descended the steps, Jack in front, Drummond following with the Governor between them.
"Now, Governor," said Jack, "for the second time I am to bid you farewell. Here are the keys. If you accept them you must give me your word of honor that the boat will not be fired upon. If you do not promise that, I"ll drop the bunch into the sea, and on your gray head be the consequences."
"I give you my word of honor that you shall not be fired upon."
"Very well, Governor. Here are the keys, and good-by."
In the flurry of excitement over the yacht"s appearance, both Jack and Drummond had temporarily forgotten the existence of the tramp steamer the former had seen beating toward the rock.
Now Lamont suddenly recalled it.
"By the way, Governor," he said, "the relief boat you so thoughtfully sent for is on her way here. She should reach the rock at almost any minute now. In fact, I fancy we"ve little time to waste if we want to avoid a brush. It would be a pity to be nabbed now at the eleventh hour.
Good-by, once more."
But the Governor had stepped between him and the boat.
"I--I am an old man," he said, speaking with manifest embarra.s.sment.
"I was sent to take charge of this prison as punishment for refusing to join a Jew ma.s.sacre plot. Governorship here means no more nor less than a life imprisonment. My wife and children are on a little estate of mine in Sweden. It is twelve years since I have seen them. I--"
"If this story is a ruse to detain us--"
"No! No!" protested the Governor, and there was no mistaking his pathetic, eager sincerity. "But--but I shall be shot--or locked in one of the cells and the water turned on--for letting you escape. Won"t you take me with you? I will work my pa.s.sage. Take me as far as Stockholm.
I shall be free there--free to join my wife and to live forever out of reach of the Grand Dukes. Take me--"
"Jump in!" ordered Jack, coming to a sudden resolution. "Heaven knows I would not condemn my worst enemy to a perpetual life on this rock. And you"ve been pretty decent to us, according to your lights. Jump aboard, we"ve no time to waste."
Nor did the Governor waste time in obeying. The others followed, and the boat shoved off. But scarcely had the oars caught the water when around the promontory came a large man-o"-war"s launch, a rapid-fire gun mounted on her bows. She was manned by about twenty men in Russian police uniform.
"From the "tramp,"" commented Alan excitedly. "And her gun is trained on us."
"Get down to work!" shouted Jack to the straining oarsmen.
"No use!" groaned Kempt. "She"ll cross within a hundred yards of us.
There"s no missing at such close range and on such a quiet sea. What a fool I was to--"
The launch was, indeed, bearing down on them despite the rowers" best efforts, and must unquestionably cut them off before they could reach the yacht.
Alan drew his revolver.
"We"ve no earthly show against her," he remarked quietly, "and it seems hard to "go down in sight of port." But let"s do what we can."