"Yes, I know. The boat we intended to take met with an accident, while the one we did take proved the slowest tub that ever sailed. How is it here? Are there suspicions?"
"None, Senor. We have cruised outside most of the time. Only once were we hailed; while Manuel, with a boat crew, was ash.o.r.e for nearly a week, picking up such news as he might. There is no warship in these waters."
"So I discovered on landing; indeed I was told as much in England.
However your disguise is perfect."
Estada laughed.
"There is no mistaking where the _Namur_ came from, Senor; she"s Holland from keel to topmast, but the best sailing Dutchman I ever saw. You said you were being watched on the sloop. Are you known?"
The other uttered an oath snarling through his teeth.
""Tis nothing," he explained contemptuously. "No more than the bite of a harmless snake in the gra.s.s. A dog of a servant who came over with us--one of Monmouth"s brood. He has no knowledge of who I am, nor suspicion of my purpose. It is not that, yet the fellow watches me like a hawk. We had some words aboard and there is hate between us"
"If he was indentured, how came he on the sloop?"
"Fairfax bought him. The fellow won the interest of the girl coming over, and she interceded in his behalf. It was my plan to get him into my own hands. I"d have taught him a lesson, but the papers were signed before we landed. Yet the lad is not through with me; I do not let go in a hurry."
"May I ask you your plans, Senor?"
"Yes, I am here to explain. Are we out of ear-shot?"
"None can hear us. Manuel has gone back to the boat."
"Then listen. This planter, Fairfax, has returned from England with a large sum. It is in gold and notes. I have been unable to learn the exact amount, but it represents the proceeds in cash of the tobacco crop of himself, and a number of his neighbors. They pooled, and made him their agent. Without doubt, from all I could ascertain, it will be upward of fifty thousand pounds--not a bad bit of pocket money. This still remains in his possession, but a part will be dispersed tomorrow; so if we hope to gain the whole, we must do so now."
"Fifty thousand pounds, you say? Gracioso Dios! a sum worth fighting for."
"Ay; we"ve done some hard fighting for less. It is here under our very hands, and there could be no better place than this in which to take it. Everything is ready, and there is not the slightest suspicion of danger--not even a guard set over the treasure. I a.s.sured myself of this before coming down."
"Then it is at the house?"
"In an iron-bound chest, carried up from the sloop, and placed in the room a.s.signed to Fairfax for the night. He considers it perfectly safe under his bed. But before we attempt reaching this, we must attend to those men left below on the boat. They are the only dangerous ones, for there are none of the fighting sort up above. Only two servants sleep in the main house, the cook, and a maid, both women. The others are in the slave quarters, a half mile away. Fairfax is vigorous, and will put up a fight, if he has any chance. He must be taken care of, before he does have any. Travers is an old man, to be knocked out with a blow. All we have to fear are those fellows on the sloop, and they will have to be attended to quietly, without any alarm reaching the house. I am going to leave that job to you--it"s not your first."
"The old sea orders, Captain?"
"Ay, that will be quicker, and surer," The voice hardened in gust of sudden ferocity. "But, mark you, with one exception--the Englishman is not to be killed, if he can be taken alive. I would deal with him."
"How are we to recognize him from the others?"
"Pish! a blind man would know--he is the only one of that blood on board, taller, and heavier of build, with blond hair. A mistake, and you pay for it. Besides him there are two negroes, and an Irish fool.
It matters not what happens to them; a knife to the heart is the more silent; but I would have this Geoffry Carlyle left alive to face me.
You will do well to remember."
"I will pa.s.s the word to the men."
"See that you do. Then after that," Sanchez went on deliberately, as though murder was of small account, "you will follow me up the bluff.
Who are the others with you?"
"Carl Anderson, Pedro Mendez, and Cochose."
"Well chosen; Mendez is the least valuable, and we will leave him with the prisoner at the boat. The big negro, Cochose, together with Manuel, can attend to Travers, and the two negresses--they sleep below. That will leave you and the Swede to get the chest. No firearms, if they can be avoided."
"You are certain of the way, Senor--in the dark?"
"I have been over the house, and drawn a rude diagram. You can look it over in the cabin of the sloop, after affairs have been attended to there. The stairs lead up from the front hall. I will go with you to the door of Fairfax"s room."
Estada hesitated, as though afraid to further question his chief, yet finally, in spite of this fear, the query broke from his lips.
"And you, Senor--the girl?"
"What know you of any girl?"
"That there was one on the deck of the sloop--an English beauty. It was when you turned to greet her that you gave me the signal. I merely thought that perhaps--"
"Then stop thinking," burst forth Sanchez enraged. "Thinking has nothing to do with your work. If there is a girl, I attend to her. Let that suffice. Dios! am I chief here, or are you? You have my orders, now obey them, and hold your tongue. Bring the men up here."
Without a word, evidently glad to escape thus easily, Estada vanished into the gloom, leaving behind only the vague figure of Sanchez pacing the sands, his lips muttering curses. I dared not move, scarcely indeed to breathe, so closely did he skirt my covert. To venture forth would mean certain discovery; nor could I hope to steal away through the bushes, where any twig might snap beneath my foot. What could I do? How could I bring warning to those sleeping victims? This heartless discussion of robbery and murder left me cold with horror, yet helpless to lift a hand. I had no thought of myself, of my possible fate when once delivered into the hands of this monster, this arch villain, but all my agony of mind centered on the imminent danger confronting Dorothy Fairfax, and those unsuspecting men. All my preconceived impressions of Sanchez had vanished; he was no longer in my imagination a weakling, a boastful, cowardly bravado, a love-sick fool; but a leader of desperate men, a villain of the deepest dye--the dreaded pirate, Black Sanchez, whose deeds of crime were without number, and whose name was infamous. Confronted by Fairfax"s ill-guarded gold, maddened by the girl"s contemptuous indifference, no deed of violence and blood was too revolting for him to commit. What he could not win by words, he would seize by force and make his own.
As coolly as another might sell a bolt of cloth, he would plan murder and rape, and then smilingly watch the execution. And I--what could I do?
The little band of men emerged from the concealment of the fog noiselessly, and gathered into a group about the figure of Sanchez, where he stood motionless awaiting them. I could distinguish no faces, scarcely indeed the outlines of their separate forms in the gloom, but one was an unusually big fellow, far taller and heavier than his companions. When he spoke he possessed a negro"s voice, and I recognized him at once for Cochose. The Captain swept his impatient eyes about the circle.
"Lads," he said, incisively, a sharper note of leadership in the tone "it has been a bit quiet for you lately; but now I am back again, and we"ll try our luck at sea once more. There must be many a laden ship waiting for us. Does that sound good?"
There was a savage growl of response, a sudden leaning forward of dark figures.
"I thought it would. We"ll begin on a job tonight. There are fifty thousand pounds for us in that house yonder, and I waive my share.
Estada will explain to you the work I want done; see that you do it quietly and well. By daylight we shall be on blue water, with our course set for Porto Grande. How is it, bullies, do you sniff the salt sea?"
"Ay, ay, Captain."
"And see the pretty girls waiting--and hear the c.h.i.n.k of gold?"
"Ay, Senor."
"Then do not fail me tonight--and remember, it is to be the knife.
Estada."
"Here, Senor."
"I have forgotten one thing--scuttle the sloop before joining me. "Tis better to make all safe; and now, strong arms, and good luck. Go to your task, and if one fails me, it will mean the lash at the mast-b.u.t.t."
They moved off one by one, Estada leading, along the narrow strip of sand, five of them, on their mission of murder. The leader remained alone, his back toward where I crouched, his eyes following their vanishing figures, until the night had swallowed them.
CHAPTER VIII