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Entering the narrow passage, she was held to the edge of the low but steep bank to windward; so close that where the low-lying reeds grew outward we could hear them swishing against her sides as we passed on. Miss Cunningham, having seen her father comfortably established with Ubbo in the cabin, had come on deck, and Captain Blaise, busy though he was, took time to make her welcome.
I was still too weak to be of much help to Ubbo with the strong-box, and so it took us some time to get it to the top of the hill. We covered it with sand and brush to guard against a possible landing party from the frigates. Shiela's idea that was, and it delayed us another few minutes. I turned to go. Shiela, she was nervous too, but smiling. "Shiela " "You're not going back to the ship?"
Through the skylight I saw Captain Blaise take the chart from Ubbo, unroll and scan it. "I was right. Yes, here's the spot." He was addressing Shiela. "In red ink, see, and here's about where we are now not ten miles from here, north by east." Shiela was bending over the chart when "Sail-ho!" rang out from the lookout in the foretop. He had a grand voice, that man on watch.
An' de missy know you come too, suh. I been watchin', suh, for long time. I see de ship, suh, an' I know you come over de bar, suh, to-night. An' I tell de marster, suh. An' marster waitin', an' Missy Shiela waitin', Marster Carpt'n, to take um away to take um home, suh. He very sick, suh." "After us, Ubbo." We raced to where was the long-boat, screened under a bank.
We were almost to the other entrance when he ordered the Bess hove-to and the gig lowered. Into it went the strong-box and the Cunninghams and Ubbo. "And you, too, Guy." He was looking at me queerly. "Mr. Cunningham is still weak. And Shiela, brave as she is, is only a woman a girl. Will you see that they are landed safely? That is the main shore.
A mulatto girl came hurrying from within the house. "The American missy, I cannot find her. She not in her room, suh." "What!" The fat old potentate almost jumped into the air. But the son kept his head. "Not in her room, Charlotte? And Ubbo gone, too? Had I not better make the guard ready, sir?" "Yes, yes; have the guard fall in."
From her crew we took four good men and followed Ubbo. The roof of a low building loomed above the jungle growth. Ubbo uttered a warning sound. We could hear the regular tread and presently a form showed around the corner of the house. It was a negro in uniform with a musket held carelessly over his shoulder. Captain Blaise whispered to his men: "When he comes around again get him. No noise.
Ubbo came down for a chart, a particular chart which Captain Blaise has always kept apart from the others. I pointed out to him where he would find it. And my eye followed his figure up the cabin steps. In a sailor's costume Ubbo was proud but perspiring, though devotion shone out in every drop of perspiration.
Odun, the valiant ealderman who led them, fled, with his thanes and their followers, to the castle of Kwineth, a stronghold defended only by a loose wall of stones, in the Saxon fashion. But the fortress occupied the summit of a lofty rock, and bade defiance to assault. Ubbo saw this. He saw, also, that water must be wanting on that steep rock.
But in the morning, my shrewd Hassan " Naked feet padded beside us. "O Marster Carpt'n, Marster Carpt'n, suh " "You, Ubbo!" "Yes, suh, Marster Carpt'n." It was a short, very stout, and very black negro who stood at attention before Captain Blaise. "Where's your master?" "Waitin', Carpt'n, suh. He sick, suh, but not so he die, he say, suh." "And Miss Shiela?" "Missy Shiela at de Governor's, suh.
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