After custom, I signaled loud and often with the boat's whistle, so
that the men might come to the landing for us; and, in order that
Edouard himself might be warned, I gave orders to my hardy mates to
make proper nautical salute of honor.
"Cast loose the stern-chaser, Jean Lafitte," said I: "and do you and
L'Olonnois load and fire her often as you like until we land; or until
you burst her."
Gleefully they obeyed, and soon the roar of our deck gun echoed
formidably along the slopes, as had no gun since the salt-seeking
Union navy, in the Civil War, had pounded at the gates of Edouard's
father: and until scores of coots and rail chattered in excited chorus
for answer, and long clouds of wild ducks arose and circled over the
marsh. Again and again, my bold mates loaded and fired: and now,
turning back by chance from my own place at the wheel, I saw that they
had assumed full character, and each with a red kerchief bound about
his brow, was armed with, I dare not say how many, pistols, dirks,
swords and cutlasses thrust through his belt or otherwise suspended
on his person.
I saw now the two ladies, their fingers in their ears, also on deck,
protesting at this cannonading at their cabin door; and so I raised my
hat to a very radiant and radiantly appareled Helena, for the first
time that day; and heard the answer of L'Olonnois to the dour protest
of Auntie Lucinda.
"We follow Black Bart the Avenger, an' let any seek to stop us at
their per-rul! Jean, run up the flag, while I load her up again."
And Jean having once more hoisted the skull and cross-bones at our
masthead, and assumed a specially savage scowl as he stood with folded
arms on our bow deck, we made what a mild imagination might have
called rather an impressive entry as we swept into the Manning
landing.
I was not surprised to see Edouard himself there, and his wife, and
some thirty odd dogs and as many blacks, waiting for us at the wharf.
Nor was I surprised to see that all seemed somewhat to marvel at our
manner of advent, though I knew that Edouard, through his
field-glasses, had recognized both my boat and myself long before we
made the last curve and came gently in to the wharf where the grinning
darkies could catch our line.
What did surprise me--and perhaps for a time I may have shown
surprise--was to see, in all this gay throng, two forms not usual on
the Manning landing. One was the elegantly garbed and rather stunning
figure of Sally Byington; and the other the robust, full-bodied,
gorgeously arrayed form of my old friend, Cal Davidson! How or why
they came there I could not for the moment guess.