the crusade of the excelsior-第47节

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gently　placed　upon　what　seemed　to　be　a　moss…grown　bank。　　Opening

her　half　swimming　eyes　she　recognized　the　Indian　cross。　　The　crowd

seemed　to　recede　before　her。　　Her　eyes　closed　again　as　a　strong　arm

passed　around　her　waist。



〃Speak　to　me；　Miss　KeeneEleanormy　darling！〃　said　Hurlstone's

voice。　　〃O　my　God！　they　have　killed　her！〃



With　an　effort　she　moved　her　head　and　tried　to　smile。　　Their　eyes；

and　then　their　lips　met；　she　fainted。



When　she　struggled　to　her　senses　again；　she　was　lying　in　the　stern…

sheets　of　the　Excelsior's　boat；　supported　on　Mrs。　Markham's

shoulder。　　For　an　instant　the　floating　veil　of　fog　around　her；　and

the　rhythmical　movement　of　the　boat；　seemed　a　part　of　her

mysterious　ride；　and　she　raised　her　head　with　a　faint　cry　for

Hurlstone。



〃It's　all　right；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham；　soothingly；　〃he's

ashore　with　the　Padre；　and　everything　else　is　all　right　too。　　But

it's　rather　ridiculous　to　think　that　those　idiotic　Indians　believed

the　only　way　they　could　show　Mr。　Hurlstone　that　they　meant　us　no

harm　was　to　drag　us　all　up　to　THEIR　Mission；　as　they　call　that　half

heathen　cross　of　theirsfor　safety　againstwho　do　you　think；

dear？the　dreadful　AMERICANS！　　And　imagine　all　the　while　the　Padre

and　I　were　just　behind　you；　bringing　up　the　rear　of　the　procession

only　they　wouldn't　let　us　join　you　because　they　wanted　to　show　you

special　honor　as〃she　sank　her　voice　to　a　whisper　in　Eleanor's

ear〃as　the　future　Mrs。　Hurlstone！　　It　appears　they　must　have

noticed　something　about　you　two；　the　last　time　you　were　there；　my

dear。　　Andto　thinkYOU　never　told　me　anything　about　it！〃



When　they　reached　the　Excelsior；　they　found　that　Mrs。　Brimmer；

having　already　settled　herself　in　the　best　cabin；　was　inclined　to


extend　the　hospitalities　of　the　ship　with　the　air　of　a　hostess。

But　the　arrival　of　Hurlstone　at　midnight　with　some　delegated

authority　from　Senor　Perkins；　and　the　unexpected　getting　under　way

of　the　ship；　disturbed　her　complacency。



〃We　are　going　through　the　channel　into　the　bay　of　Todos　Santos；〃

was　the　brief　reply　vouchsafed　her　by　Hurlstone。



〃But　why　can't　we　remain　here　and　wait　for　Mr。　Brimmer？〃　she　asked

indignantly。



〃Because；〃　responded　Hurlstone　grimly；　〃the　Excelsior　is　expected

off　the　Presidio　to…morrow　morning　to　aid　the　insurgents。〃



〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　Miss　Chubb　and　myself　are　to　be　put　in

the　attitude　of　arraying　ourselves　against　the　constituted

authoritiesand；　perhaps；　Mr。　Brimmer　himself？〃　asked　Mrs。

Brimmer；　in　genuine　alarm。



〃It　looks　so；〃　said　Hurlstone；　a　little　maliciously；　〃but；　no

doubt；　your　husband　and　the　Senor　will　arrange　it　amicably。〃



To　Mrs。　Markham　and　Miss　Keene　he　explained　more　satisfactorily

that　the　unexpected　disaffection　of　the　Indians　had　obliged　Perkins

to　so　far　change　his　plans　as　to　disembark　his　entire　force　from

the　Excelsior；　and　leave　her　with　only　the　complement　of　men

necessary　to　navigate　her　through　the　channel　of　Todos　Santos；

where　she　would　peacefully　await　his　orders；　or　receive　his　men　in

case　of　defeat。



Nevertheless；　as　the　night　was　nearly　spent；　Mrs。　Markham　and

Eleanor　preferred　to　await　the　coming　day　on　deck；　and　watch　the

progress　of　the　Excelsior　through　the　mysterious　channel。　　In　a　few

moments　the　barque　began　to　feel　the　combined　influence　of　the　tide

and　the　slight　morning　breeze；　and；　after　rounding　an　invisible

point；　she　presently　rose　and　fell　on　the　larger　ocean　swell。　　The

pilot；　whom　Hurlstone　recognized　as　the　former　third　mate　of　the

Excelsior；　appeared　to　understand　the　passage　perfectly；　and　even

Hurlstone　and　the　ladies；　who　had　through　eight　months'　experience

become　accustomed　to　the　luminous　obscurity　of　Todos　Santos；　could

detect　the　faint　looming　of　the　headland　at　the　entrance。　　The　same

soothing　silence；　even　the　same　lulling　of　the　unseen　surf；　which

broke　in　gentle　undulations　over　the　bar；　and　seemed　to　lift　the

barque　in　rocking　buoyancy　over　the　slight　obstruction；　came　back

to　them　as　on　the　day　of　their　fateful　advent。　　The　low　orders　of

the　pilot；　the　cry　of　the　leadsman　in　the　chains；　were　but　a　part

of　the　restful　past。



Under　the　combined　influence　of　the　hour　and　the　climate；　the

conversation　fell　into　monosyllables；　and　Mrs。　Markham　dozed。　　The

lovers　sat　silently　together；　but　the　memory　of　a　kiss　was　between

them。　　It　spanned　the　gulf　of　the　past　with　an　airy　bridge；　over

which　their　secret　thoughts　and　fancies　passed　and　repassed　with　a

delicious　security；　henceforth　they　could　not　flee　from　that

memory；　even　if　they　wished；　they　read　it　in　each　other's　lightest

glance；　they　felt　it　in　the　passing　touch　of　each　other's　hands；　it

lingered；　with　vague　tenderness；　on　the　most　trivial　interchange　of

thought。　　Yet　they　spoke　a　little　of　the　future。　　Eleanor　believed

that　her　brother　would　not　object　to　their　union；　he　had　spoken　of

entering　into　business　at　Todos　Santos；　and　perhaps　when　peace　and

security　were　restored　they　might　live　together。　　Hurlstone　did　not

tell　her　that　a　brief　examination　of　his　wife's　papers　had　shown

him　that　the　property　he　had　set　aside　for　her　maintenance；　and

from　which　she　had　regularly　drawn　an　income；　had　increased　in

value；　and　left　him　a　rich　man。　　He　only　pressed　her　hand；　and

whispered　that　her　wishes　should　be　his。　　They　had　become　tenderly

silent　again；　as　the　Excelsior；　now　fairly　in　the　bay；　appeared　to

be　slowly　drifting；　with　listless　sails　and　idle　helm；　in　languid

search　of　an　anchorage。　　Suddenly　they　were　startled　by　a　cry　from

the　lookout。



〃Sail　ho！〃



There　was　an　incredulous　start　on　the　deck。　　The　mate　sprang　into

the　fore…rigging　with　an　oath　of　protestation。　　But　at　the　same

moment　the　tall　masts　and　spars　of　a　vessel　suddenly　rose　like　a

phantom　out　of　the　fog　at　their　side。　　The　half　disciplined　foreign

crew　uttered　a　cry　of　rage　and　trepidation；　and　huddled　like　sheep

in　the　waist；　with　distracted　gestures；　even　the　two　men　at　the

wheel　forsook　their　post　to　run　in　dazed　terror　to　the　taffrail。

Before　the　mate　could　restore　order　to　this　chaos；　the　Excelsior

had　drifted；　with　a　scarcely　perceptible　concussion；　against　the

counter　of　the　strange　vessel。　　In　an　instant　a　dozen　figures

appeared　on　its　bulwarks；　and　dropped　unimpeded　upon　the

Excelsior's　deck。　　As　the　foremost　one　approached　the　mate；　the

latter　shrank　back　in　consternation。



〃Captain　Bunker！〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　figure；　advancing　with　a　mocking　laugh；　〃Captain

Bunker　it　is。　　Captain　Bunker；　formerly　of　this　American　barque

Excelsior；　and　now　of　the　Mexican　ship　La　Trinidad。　　Captain　Bunker

ez　larnt　every　foot　of　that　passage　in　an　open　boat　last　August；

and　didn't　forget　it　yesterday　in　a　big　ship！　　Captain　Bunker　ez

has　just　landed　a　company　of　dragoons　to　relieve　the　Presidio。

What　d'ye　say　to　that；　Mr。　M'Carthyeh？〃



〃I　say；〃　answered　M'Carthy；　raising　his　voice　with　a　desperate

effort　to　recover　his　calmness；　〃I　say　that　Perkins　landed　with

double　that　number　of　men　yesterday　around　that　point；　and　that

he'll　be　aboard　here　in　half　an　hour　to　make　you　answer　for　this

insult　to　his　ship　and　his　Government。〃



〃His　Government！〃　echoed　Bunker；　with　a　hoarser　laugh；　〃hear　him！

HIS　Government！　　His　Government　died　at　four　o'clock　this　morning；

when　his　own　ringleaders　gave　him　up　to　the　authorities。　　Ha！　　Why；

this　yer　revolution　is　played　out；　old　man；　and　Generalissimo

Leonidas　Perkins　is　locked　up　in　the　Presidio。〃





CHAPTER　IX。



LIBERATED。





The　revolution　was；　indeed；　ended。　　The　unexpected　arrival　of　a

relieving　garrison　in　the　bay　of　Todos　Santos　had　completed　what

the　dissensions　in　the　insurgents'　councils　had　begun；　the

discontents；　led　by　Brace　and　Winslow；　had　united　with　the

Government　against　Perkins　and　his　aliens；　but　a　compromise　had

been　effected　by　the　treacherous　giving　up　of　the　Liberator　himself

in　return　for　an　amnesty　granted　to　his　followers。　　The　part　that

Bunker　had　played　in　bringing　about　this　moral　catastrophe　was；

however；　purely　adventitious。　　When　he　had　recovered　his　health；

and　subsequent　events　had　corroborated　the　truth　of　his　story；　the

Mexican　Government；　who　had　compromised　with　Quinquinambo；　was

obliged　to　recognize　his　claims　by　offering　him　command　of　the

missionary　ship；　and　permission　to　rediscover　the　channel；　the

secret　of　which　had　been　lost　for　half　a　century　to　the　Government。

He　had　arrived　at　the　crucial　moment　when　Perkins'　command　were

scattered　along　the　seashore；　and　the　dragoons　had　invested　Todos

Santos　without　opposition。



Such　was　the　story　substantially　told　to　Hurlstone　and　confirmed　on

his　debarkation　with　the　ladies　at　Todos　Santos；　the　Excelsior

being　now　in　the　hands　of　the　authorities。　　Hurlstone　did　not

hesitate　to　express　to　Padre　Esteban　his　disgust　at　the　treachery

which　had　made　a　scapegoat　of　Senor　Perkins。　　But　to　his　surprise

the　caut