the crusade of the excelsior-第5节

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They　turned　quickly　towards　the　benevolent　face　of　Senor　Perkins；

who　had　just　joined　them。



〃I　differ　from　my　young　friend；〃　continued　the　Senor　courteously；

〃because　the　accident　must　have　happened　at　about　daybreak；　when　we

were　close　inshore。　　It　would　not　be　impossible　for　a　good　swimmer

to　reach　the　land；　or　even；〃　continued　Senor　Perkins；　in　answer　to

the　ray　of　hope　that　gleamed　in　Miss　Keene's　soft　eyes；　〃for　him　to

have　been　picked　up　by　some　passing　vessel。　　The　smoke　of　a　large

steamer　was　sighted　between　us　and　the　land　at　about　that　time。〃



〃A　steamer！〃　ejaculated　Banks　eagerly；　〃that　was　one　of　the　new

line　with　the　mails。　　How　provoking！〃



He　was　thinking　of　his　lost　letters。　　Miss　Keene　turned；　heart…

sick；　away。　　Worse　than　the　ghastly　interruption　to　their　easy

idyllic　life　was　this　grim　revelation　of　selfishness。　　She　began　to

doubt　if　even　the　hysterical　excitement　of　her　sister　passengers

was　not　merely　a　pleasant　titillation　of　their　bored　and　inactive

nerves。



〃I　believe　the　Senor　is　right；　Miss　Keene；〃　said　Brace；　taking　her

aside；　〃and　I'll　tell　you　why。〃　　He　stopped；　looked　around　him；　and

went　on　in　a　lower　voice；　〃There　are　some　circumstances　about　the

affair　which　look　more　like　deliberation　than　an　accident。　　He　has

left　nothing　behind　him　of　any　value　or　that　gives　any　clue。　　If　it

was　a　suicide　he　would　have　left　some　letter　behind　for　somebody

people　always　do；　you　know；　at　such　timesand　he　would　have　chosen

the　open　sea。　　It　seems　more　probable　that　he　threw　himself

overboard　with　the　intention　of　reaching　the　shore。〃



〃But　why　should　he　want　to　leave　the　ship？〃　echoed　the　young　girl

simply。



〃Perhaps　he　found　out　that　we　were　NOT　going　to　Mazatlan；　and　this

was　his　only　chance；　it　must　have　happened　just　as　the　ship　went

about　and　stood　off　from　shore　again。〃



〃But　I　don't　understand；〃　continued　Miss　Keene；　with　a　pretty

knitting　of　her　brows；　〃why　he　should　be　so　dreadfully　anxious　to

get　ashore　now。〃



The　young　fellow　looked　at　her　with　the　superior　smile　of　youthful

sagacity。



〃Suppose　he　had　particular　reasons　for　not　going　to　San　Francisco；

where　our　laws　could　reach　him！　　Suppose　he　had　committed　some

offense！　Suppose　he　was　afraid　of　being　questioned　or　recognized！〃



The　young　girl　rose　indignantly。



〃This　is　really　too　shameful！　　Who　dare　talk　like　that？〃



Brace　colored　quickly。



〃Who？　　Why；　everybody；〃　he　stammered；　for　a　moment　abandoning　his

attitude　of　individual　acumen；　〃it's　the　talk　of　the　ship。〃



〃Is　it？　　And　before　they　know　whether　he's　alive　or　deadperhaps

even　while　he　is　still　struggling　with　deathall　they　can　do　is　to

take　his　character　away！〃　she　repeated；　with　flashing　eyes。



〃And　I'm　even　worse　than　they　are；〃　he　returned；　his　temper　rising

with　his　color。　　〃I　ought　to　have　known　I　was　talking　to　one　of　HIS

friends；　instead　of　one　whom　I　thought　was　MINE。　　I　beg　your

pardon。〃



He　turned　away　as　Miss　Keene；　apparently　not　heeding　his　pique；

crossed　the　deck；　and　entered　into　conversation　with　Mrs。　Markham。



It　is　to　be　feared　that　she　found　little　consolation　among　the

other　passengers；　or　even　those　of　her　own　sex；　whom　this　profound

event　had　united　in　a　certain　freemasonry　of　sympathy　and　interest

to　the　exclusion　of　their　former　cliques。　　She　soon　learned；　as

the　return　of　the　boats　to　the　ship　and　the　ship　to　her　course

might　have　clearly　told　her；　that　there　was　no　chance　of　recovering

the　missing　passenger。　　She　learned　that　the　theory　advanced　by

Brace　was　the　one　generally　held　by　them；　but　with　an　added　romance

of　detail；　that　excited　at　once　their　commiseration　and　admiration。

Mrs。　Brimmer　remembered　to　have　heard　him；　the　second　or　third

night　out　from　Callao；　groaning　in　his　state…room；　but　having

mistakenly　referred　the　emotion　to　ordinary　seasickness；　she　had　no

doubt　lost　an　opportunity　for　confidential　disclosure。　　〃I　am

sure；〃　she　added；　〃that　had　somebody　as　resolute　and　practical　as

you；　dear　Mrs。　Markham；　approached　him　the　next　day；　he　would　have

revealed　his　sorrow。〃　　Miss　Chubb　was　quite　certain　that　she　had

seen　him　one　night；　in　tears；　by　the　quarter　railing。　　〃I　saw　his

eyes　glistening　under　his　slouched　hat　as　I　passed。　　I　remember

thinking；　at　the　time；　that　he　oughtn't　to　have　been　left　alone

with　such　a　dreadful　temptation　before　him　to　slip　overboard　and

end　his　sorrow　or　his　crime。〃　　Mrs。　Markham　also　remembered　that　it

was　about　five　o'clockor　was　it　six？that　morning　when　she

distinctly　thought　she　had　heard　a　splash；　and　she　was　almost

impelled　to　get　up　and　look　out　of　the　bull's…eye。　　She　should

never　forgive　herself　for　resisting　that　impulse；　for　she　was

positive　now　that　she　would　have　seen　his　ghastly　face　in　the

water。　　Some　indignation　was　felt　that　the　captain；　after　a　cursory

survey　of　his　stateroom；　had　ordered　it　to　be　locked　until　his　fate

was　more　positively　known；　and　the　usual　seals　placed　on　his

effects　for　their　delivery　to　the　authorities　at　San　Francisco。　　It

was　believed　that　some　clue　to　his　secret　would　be　found　among　his

personal　chattels；　if　only　in　the　form　of　a　keepsake；　a　locket；　or

a　bit　of　jewelry。　　Miss　Chubb　had　noticed　that　he　wore　a　seal　ring；

but　not　on　the　engagement…finger。　　In　some　vague　feminine　way　it

was　admitted　without　discussion　that　one　of　their　own　sex　was　mixed

up　in　the　affair；　and；　with　the　exception　of　Miss　Keene；　general

credence　was　given　to　the　theory　that　Mazatlan　contained　his

loadstarthe　fatal　partner　and　accomplice　of　his　crime；　the　siren

that　allured　him　to　his　watery　grave。　　I　regret　to　say　that　the

facts　gathered　by　the　gentlemen　were　equally　ineffective。　　The

steward　who　had　attended　the　missing　man　was　obliged　to　confess

that　their　most　protracted　and　confidential　conversation　had　been

on　the　comparative　efficiency　of　ship　biscuits　and　soda　crackers。

Mr。　Banks；　who　was　known　to　have　spoken　to　him；　could　only　remember

that　one　warm　evening；　in　reply　to　a　casual　remark　about　the

weather；　the　missing　man；　burying　his　ears　further　in　the　turned…up

collar　of　his　pea…jacket；　had　stated；　〃'It　was　cold　enough　to

freeze　the　ears　off　a　brass　monkey；'a　remark；　no　doubt；　sir；

intended　to　convey　a　reason　for　his　hiding　his　own。〃　　Only　Senor

Perkins　retained　his　serene　optimism　unimpaired。



〃Take　my　word　for　it；　we　shall　yet　hear　good　news　of　our　missing

friend。　　Let　us　at　least　believe　it　until　we　know　otherwise。　　Ah！

my　dear　Mrs。　Markham；　why　should　the　Unknown　always　fill　us　with

apprehension？　　Its　surprises　are　equally　often　agreeable。〃



〃But　we　have　all　been　so　happy　before　this；　and　this　seems　such　an

unnecessary　and　cruel　awakening；〃　said　Miss　Keene；　lifting　her　sad

eyes　to　the　speaker；　〃that　I　can't　help　thinking　it's　the　beginning

of　the　end。　　Good　heavens！　what's　that？〃



She　had　started　at　the　dark　figure　of　one　of　the　foreign…looking

sailors；　who　seemed　to　have　suddenly　risen　out　of　the　deck　beside

them。



〃The　Senor　Perkins；〃　he　said；　with　an　apologetic　gesture　of　his

hand　to　his　hatless　head。



〃You　want　ME；　my　good　man？〃　asked　Senor　Perkins　paternally。



〃Si；　Senor；　the　mate　wishes　to　see　the　Patrono；〃　he　said　in

Spanish。



〃I　will　come　presently。〃



The　sailor　hesitated。　　Senor　Perkins　took　a　step　nearer　to　him

benignantly。　　The　man　raised　his　eyes　to　Senor　Perkins；　and　said；



〃Vigilancia。〃



〃Bueno！〃　returned　the　Senor　gently。　　〃Excuse　me；　ladies；　for　a

moment。〃



〃Perhaps　it　is　some　news　of　poor　Mr。　Hurlstone？〃　said　Miss　Keene；

with　an　instinctive　girlish　movement　of　hope。



〃Who　knows？〃　returned　Senor　Perkins；　waving　his　hand　as　he　gayly

tripped　after　his　guide。　　〃Let　us　believe　in　the　best；　dear　young

lady；　the　best！〃





CHAPTER　III。



〃VIGILANCIA。〃





Without　exchanging　another　word　with　his　escort；　Senor　Perkins

followed　him　to　the　main　hatch；　where　they　descended　and　groped

their　way　through　the　half　obscurity　of　the　lower　deck。　　Here　they

passed　one　or　two　shadows；　that；　recognizing　the　Senor；　seemed　to

draw　aside　in　a　half　awed；　half　suppressed　shyness；　as　of　caged

animals　in　the　presence　of　their　trainer。　　At　the　fore…hatch　they

again　descended；　passing　a　figure　that　appeared　to　be　keeping　watch

at　the　foot　of　the　ladder；　and　almost　instantly　came　upon　a　group

lit　up　by　the　glare　of　a　bull's…eye　lantern。　　It　was　composed　of

the　first　and　second　mate；　a　vicious…looking　Peruvian　sailor　with　a

bandaged　head；　and；　to　the　Senor's　astonishment；　the　missing

passenger　Hurlstone；　seated　on　the　deck；　heavily　ironed。



〃Tell　him　what　you　know；　Pedro；〃　said　the　first　mate　to　the

Peruvian　sailor　curtly。



〃It　was　just　daybreak；　Patrono；　before　we　put　about；〃　began　the　man

in　Spanish；　〃that　I　thought　I　saw　some　one　gliding　along　towards

the　fore…hatch；　but　I　lost　sight　of　him。　　After　we　had　tumbled　up

to　go　on　the　other　tack；　I　heard　a　noise　in　the　f