"THE MOON FLOODING PICTURESQUELY UPON THE WILDNESS OF THE BAY"
Now Kenner, as the earlier record shows, was, in spite of his ever-ready braggadocio, a superstitious man. He had gone through the whole of this adventure with the feeling that ill to him personally was like to come of it; and on this particular evening his fears gripped him incessantly. For one thing, he could not rest assured that the Nero was really outpaced, and he went often to the deck to ask of Parker if there was any sign of her on the near sea, or show of her lights which would allow an estimate of the distance between them. But Parker invariably assured him that it was all right—"perfectly right, sir"—and he went back to the book he could not read and the cigar which he did not care to smoke. Toward six bells in the middle march his uneasiness became as profound as Fisher's had been some nights gone, and he even went the length of waking Messenger, who started up at once and felt for his pistol, expecting to hear of a new trouble with the men, or of anticipation of it.
"Well, what is it?" said he, when he had blinked awhile in the light, and looked into the chambers of his Colt to be sure that they contained cartridges. "What's the matter with you?"
"That's what I'm asking myself," said Kenner. "I've got as many jumps as a colt in a corral."
"You?"
"Yes, me!" replied Kenner. "I've not a strong love for nights. I've shot men, you'll remember, and it ain't particular pleasant to hear 'em talking. The sea's full of 'em to-night; I can see 'em every way I turn!"
Messenger shrugged his shoulders.
"That comes of having an imagination; it's a dangerous thing to cultivate recollections. I'll have to sit up with you; or, better still, you'll have to go to bed."
"I think not," said Kenner. "I guess I'd want a draught stronger than any medicine-man could give me to sleep tonight. I'm going to see it through, if it's a week."
"It won't be that," answered Messenger shortly; "tomorrow should pretty well settle it. But let's get above and learn what's stirring."
They went on deck, to find a night of weighty darkness, and no show of a single ship's light anywhere upon the horizon. The sea was still very rough, but the combat of fierce breakers had in part given way to a tremendous swell which followed the fall of the hurricane; and a long roll of the ship was welcome after the constant lurching which they had known for some days. Indeed, there was great vigour in the cold of the night air, and the flecks of surf which the wind scattered in their faces brought a freshness and a sense of strength which can only be had afloat and in the teeth of an ocean wind. Kenner especially seemed to get courage the moment he had escaped the close atmosphere of the saloon; and as he lighted a fresh cigar he bawled up to the bridge where Parker was, and asked for the tenth time, "What news?"
"There's no change, if it please you, gentlemen," said the meek Parker.
"Was there any sight of the ship when the wind fell?" asked Kenner.
"Not a sight, gentlemen," replied Parker. "I hope I do my duty, gentlemen; I try to—indeed, I do, gentlemen; and if it depends upon me, there'll be no danger—not the least, I assure you,"
"What does the tachometer show now?" enquired Messenger.
"It shows sixteen knots, I believe; I may say with confidence sixteen knots and a fraction which can scarcely be of moment."
"Isn't it rather dangerous to keep it down to that with dark about us like this?" asked Messenger, who had been looking aft over the port quarter for some time.
"That's what I told the skipper; but I may say without any offence that he is short, very short, gentlemen," answered Parker apologetically.
"What did he say when you told him?" interposed Kenner.
"Really, sir, I couldn't venture to repeat the words—so short, so very short."
"That's Burke all over" said Kenner; "he'd swear away his own head for the sake of getting an oath off. I'd quicken up a bit, if I were you, and take his warm language on a thick hide. I guess I don't like the look of it at all, eh, Prince?"
"I haven't liked the look of it for twenty hours past," replied Messenger, as the wind scattered fire from his cigar, and it went away glowing to leeward. "If I were Parker, I'd put her at twenty knots, and let him ramp; but it's not my business, as I said before. Have a cigar, Parker?"
"Well, gentlemen," said the mate unctuously, "you are very kind. I'm sure I hope I give satisfaction, gentlemen. I'll ring down for twenty knots; but he'll be very angry when the watch changes."
"Refer him to me," said Messenger, taking Kenner's arm; and then they walked aft, where the tarpaulin covered the damaged skylight, and, getting what shelter they could from wind and spray, they continued the conversation.
"I may be thick, Prince," said Kenner, "but I'm blessed if I can realize that we're afloat on this job."
"Well," answered Messenger, "if you've any doubts, you'd better go and wash in the money down stairs."
"Ay, it's there right enough," continued Kenner, "though a man's got to be good at figgers to know what's the meaning of a million sterling, even in dollars, by thunder! To think that you and I closed on it from a bit of a talk with a kid at Monaco!"
"Three months ago exactly," said Messenger, "and not a week since I told you that my plans were perfect. Well, there's always a rift in a lute like this, and you've got to mend it before you've any music. My mistake was a small one comparatively, but its effects have been wide. I've no doubt whatever that the mate was picked up, and that this business is written about in London now with letters as big as your foot—and that's pretty big, Kenner."
"I can't think why on earth you took the chap aboard," said Kenner thoughtfully; "I'd have seen him stretched first."
"Exactly. It's amazing how many things you think of when they can't possibly be of any use to anyone. I had my doubts about him, it is true, and was weak enough to take another man's estimate of them. That's where the folly came in."
"There," replied Kenner, "I'm with you all along; a big project means a big mind, and only one. We've had too many minds in this since the start of it, and what's the result? Why, we're on the road to be straightened out, every one of us. Look at it any way you like, you can't bluff it, for the hand ain't good enough. And I've had the notion ringing in my head ever since last night, when I dreamed we were took."
"Look here!" said Messenger angrily, "Don't let us have that woman's nonsense again. I can't see that the danger's insurmountable. It's great, of course; but we'll have to go into Corunna under a false name for coal, and then to risk it through the Doldrums. I should call the chance an even one."
Kenner had more words to say; but he stopped of a sudden as a figure joined them by the skylight, and he saw it was the figure of Fisher.
"Hello, young 'un!" cried he, "what brings you crawling out of bed?"
"I can't sleep," said Fisher; "I've done nothing but dream ridiculously ever since I turned in."
"You've caught it from Kenner," interposed Messenger a little contemptuously; "he's had a mountain on his chest for three days past."
"I dreamed the cruiser bad picked us up, and we were hit," said Fisher; "in fact, I saw the water rushing into my cabin, and it wasn't until I got on deck here that I knew I'd made a fool of myself."
"Wait a bit," said Kenner; "I guess you needn't be so ready. Look there!"
As he spoke the three men who had been standing in darkness were held to their places