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Harley had read undeniable relief and welcome in her eyes, and it gave him a peculiar thrill, a thrill at first of absolute and unthinking joy, followed at once by a little catch. Before him rose the square and massive vision of "King" Plummer, and he had an undefined sense of doing wrong. "We've brought him back safely," he said, after slight hesitation.
"This," said Plummer sombrely, gazing over the rail into the darkness, "is the place where that fellow what's-his-name jumped off in the reign of thingummy, isn't it?" Maud understood now, and a thrill of the purest admiration for George's heroism swept over her. So rather than compromise her, he had done Leonard's leap! How splendid of him!
She could conceive no explanation of George's presence. He could not be there that was all there was to it; yet there undoubtedly he was. Her manner, as she accompanied Plummer down the stairs, took on such a dazed sweetness that her escort felt that in coming there that night he had done the wisest act of a lifetime studded but sparsely with wise acts.
"The lee side's blowing adrift," said the 'prentice. "And he says that the chap who made it fast is to go up and see to it as soon as the watch is relieved." "Oh! does 'e? Well 'twasn't me, any'ow," replied the man. "You'd better arsk sum of t'others." "Ask what?" inquired Plummer, getting out of his bunk, sleepily. The 'prentice repeated his message. The man yawned and stretched himself.
"Though I don't remember ever seeing anything just like it before." "Nor me," Plummer agreed. It could not have been a minute later when I looked up again, and was astonished to find that the whole ship was surrounded by a thinnish haze that quite hid the horizon. "By Jove! Plummer," I said. "How queer!" "Yes," he said, looking round. "I never seen anythin' like it before not in these parts."
"You mean that he may have some address in Holloway," suggested Plummer, "and we may get it from the bank?" "There's that possibility, and another," Hewitt answered. "He has had to bolt without warning or preparation, with nothing but the clothes he ran in probably very little money.
He had now time for meditation. There are few situations which provide more scope for meditation than that of the man penned up on a small balcony a considerable distance from the ground, with his only avenue of retreat cut off behind him. So George meditated. First, he mused on Plummer. He thought some hard thoughts about Plummer.
As he held it out to me, I saw the stolid expression on his face, change suddenly to a look of complete surprise. He opened his mouth. "By gum!" he said. "It's gone." I turned quickly, and looked. And so it had the whole sea showing clear and bright, right away to the horizon. I stared at Plummer, and he stared at me. "Well, I'm blowed!" he exclaimed.
They missed his timely, if now and then a trifle rough, jests, his vast knowledge of the mountains, which had some good story of every town to which they came, and his infinite zest and humor, which also communicated more zest and humor to every one with him. It was a grievous day for them all when "King" Plummer began to mourn.
When first I noticed it, like everybody else aboard, I took it to be some form of haze, due to the heat of the sun; for it was broad daylight when the thing came. The wind had died away to a light breeze, and I was working at the main rigging, along with Plummer, putting on seizings. "Looks as if 'twere middlin' 'ot," he remarked. "Yes," I said; and, for the time, took no further notice.
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