When Elsie heard of the duplicity practised by Suarez it was good to
see the hot indignation which reddened her brow. She realized that the
man was unscrupulous enough to remain silent concerning the captured
sailors, whose unhappy fate had contributed, in no small degree, to the
chance which brought him to safety. She instantly fastened on to the
theory that the Indians paid their first nocturnal visit to the ship in
the belief that the vessel would prove as easy a prey as the castaways,
whereas Suarez must have fallen beneath their stones and rude hatchets
if he had attempted to board the Kansas in broad daylight. With all
a woman's single-mindedness, she regarded the Argentine miner as being
directly responsible for Courtenay's hazard, nor would she listen to
Christobal's mild protest that nothing could have been done earlier, no
matter how outspoken Suarez chose to be.
The Spaniard encouraged her to debate this point--anything was better
than the dumb pain of thought--but their talk ceased abruptly when a
muttered exclamation from Gray sent Walker flying to the charthouse.
Forthwith the trumpet shriek of the siren sent its wild boom across the
silent waters. Elsie needed no explanation of this tumult. Otter
Creek was not so far distant that canoes quitting its shelter could not
be seen with the naked eye. She counted sixteen putting forth in a
cluster, and they all made for the adventurous life-boat.
"That is exactly what our captain expected," Christobal was ready to
assure her. "He was certain he would reach the head of the bay before
the Indians awoke to the meaning of his scheme. By this time, unless
his plan fails, the men on shore should have joined him, no matter what
number of savages may seek to oppose their passage to the boat. The
only doubtful question is-- Will he be able to beat off the rascals
who are now cutting his line of retreat?"
"Huh!" growled Boyle, "the skipper's out of sight now. Gone into a
small creek or something of the sort. Hope he heard the horn. Let her
rip!" he added in a loud shout over his shoulder, and again the siren
flung a warning to the foot of the mountain range.
It was evident that the wonderful eyesight of the Indians practically
equalled the range of the telescope. The men in the canoes were aware
of the lifeboat's disappearance, and their wet paddles flashed in the
sun as they tore across the three miles of open water which separated
the southern promontory from the inner shore of the island. After a
phenomenal spell of fine weather in that storm-swept latitude, the
atmosphere was transparent and bright as that of Stornoway on a clear
day in December. The rays of the sun were reflected from many a blue
glacier and ice-covered slope. Even the green of the higher belt of
firs was dazzling in its emerald luster, and the copper-hued beeches
beneath shone in patches of burnished gold. Elsie was sick at heart
with the knowledge that red-eyed murder was stalking its prey under the
resplendent mantle spread by nature over a scene of rare beauty. In an
agony of apprehension she followed the progress of the canoes.
Creeping nearer Boyle, she whispered: "For Heaven's sake, say the life-boat is visible again!"