diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:37:14 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:37:14 -0700 |
| commit | 4cfa6bd89fd0176f27f3af2383042b980a2e2b43 (patch) | |
| tree | c51979fc0ebaa27065e2eb9cb0d5ff493c448976 /old/11556-h | |
Diffstat (limited to 'old/11556-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/11556-h/11556-h.htm | 5458 |
1 files changed, 5458 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/11556-h/11556-h.htm b/old/11556-h/11556-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..675d0d5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11556-h/11556-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5458 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>The Project Gutenberg EBook of Facing the Flag, by Jules Verne</TITLE> +<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> +<STYLE type= "text/css"> + <!-- + P { text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: .75em; + font-size: 12pt; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + margin-left: 2%; + margin-right: 2% } + P.normal {text-indent: 0em } + P.center {text-align: center} + blockquote.center {text-align: center } + blockquote {text-align: ; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%;} + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; } + HR { width: 33%; } + PRE { font-family: Courier, monospaced;} + .toc { margin-left: 15%; font-size: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0em;} + CENTER { padding: 10px;} + // --> +</STYLE> +</HEAD> +<BODY bgColor="#ffffec"> +<PRE> +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Facing the Flag, by Jules Verne + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Facing the Flag + +Author: Jules Verne + +Release Date: March 13, 2004 [EBook #11556] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FACING THE FLAG *** + + + + +Produced by Norm Wolcott and PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Linked Table of Contents produced by David Widger + + + + +</PRE> +<HR> + +<H4>Facing the Flag by Jules Verne</H4> +<P class=normal><B>[Redactor’s Note:</B> <I>Facing the Flag</I> {number +<B>V044</B> in the T&M listing of Verne’s works} is an anonymous translation +of <I>Face au drapeau</I> (1896) first published in the U.S. by F. Tennyson +Neely in 1897, and later (circa 1903) republished from the same plates by Hurst +and F.M. Lupton (Federal Book Co.). Two apparent errors, which occur also in the +french editions, have been made: the replacement of “Sivan” by “Swan” and of +“Roandoke” by “Roanoke”. This is a different translation from the one published +by Sampson & Low in England entitled <I>For the Flag</I> (1897) translated +by Mrs. Cashel Hoey.<B>]</B></P> +<HR> + +<DIV align=center> +<H2>FACING THE FLAG</H2> +<H5>BY</H5> +<H3>J U L E S V E R N E</H3> +<H5>AUTHOR OF "AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS"; "TWENTY<BR>THOUSAND LEAGUES +UNDER THE SEA"; "FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON," ETC.</H5> +<P> </P> +<P class=center>New York</P> +<P class=center>THE F. M. LUPTON PUBLISHING COMPANY</P> +<P class=center>PUBLISHERS</P> +<HR> + +<P class=center>Copyright, 1897<BR>by<BR>F. TENNYSON NEELY</P> +<HR> + +<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="70%" border=0> + <CAPTION><B>CONTENTS</B></CAPTION> + <TBODY> + <TR> + <TD>CHAP </TD> + <TD> </TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD width="20%"><a href="#I">I</a></TD> + <TD>Healthful House</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#II">II</a></TD> + <TD>Count d'Artigas</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#III">III</a></TD> + <TD>Kidnapped</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#IV">IV</a></TD> + <TD>The Schooner “Ebba”</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#V">V</a></TD> + <TD>Where am I.--(Notes by Simon Hart, the Engineer.)</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#VI">VI</a></TD> + <TD>On Deck</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#VII">VII</a></TD> + <TD>Two Days at Sea</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#VIII">VIII</a></TD> + <TD>Back Cup</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#IX">IX</a></TD> + <TD>Inside Back Cup</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#X">X</a></TD> + <TD>Ker Karraje</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#XI">XI</a></TD> + <TD>Five Weeks in Back Cup</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#XII">XII</a></TD> + <TD>Engineer Serko’s Advice</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#XIII">XIII</a></TD> + <TD>God Be with It</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#XIV">XIV</a></TD> + <TD>Battle Between the “Sword” and the Tug</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#XV">XV</a></TD> + <TD>Expectation</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#XVI">XVI</a></TD> + <TD>Only a few more Hours</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#XVII">XVII</a></TD> + <TD>One against Five</TD></TR> + <TR> + <TD><a href="#XVIII">XVIII</a></TD> + <TD>On Board the “Tonnant”</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV> +<HR> + +<H4>FACING THE FLAG.</H4> + +<a name="I" id="I"></a> + +<H4>CHAPTER I.</H4> +<H4>HEALTHFUL HOUSE.</H4> +<P>The <I>carte de visite</I> received that day, June 15, 189—, by the director +of the establishment of Healthful House was a very neat one, and simply bore, +without escutcheon or coronet, the name:</P> +<P class=center>COUNT D’ARTIGAS.</P> +<P>Below this name, in a corner of the card, the following address was written +in lead pencil:</P> +<P>“On board the schooner <I>Ebba</I>, anchored off New-Berne, Pamlico +Sound.”</P> +<P>The capital of North Carolina—one of the forty-four states of the Union at +this epoch—is the rather important town of Raleigh, which is about one hundred +and fifty miles in the interior of the province. It is owing to its central +position that this city has become the seat of the State legislature, for there +are others that equal and even surpass it in industrial and commercial +importance, such as Wilmington, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Edenton, Washington, +Salisbury, Tarborough, Halifax, and New-Berne. The latter town is situated on +estuary of the Neuse River, which empties itself into Pamlico Sound, a sort of +vast maritime lake protected by a natural dyke formed by the isles and islets of +the Carolina coast.</P> +<P>The director of Healthful House could never have imagined why the card should +have been sent to him, had it not been accompanied by a note from the Count +d’Artigas soliciting permission to visit the establishment. The personage in +question hoped that the director would grant his request, and announced that he +would present himself in the afternoon, accompanied by Captain Spade, commander +of the schooner <I>Ebba</I>.</P> +<P>This desire to penetrate to the interior of the celebrated sanitarium, then +in great request by the wealthy invalids of the United States, was natural +enough on the part of a foreigner. Others who did not bear such a high-sounding +name as the Count d’Artigas had visited it, and had been unstinting in their +compliments to the director. The latter therefore hastened to accord the +authorization demanded, and added that he would be honored to open the doors of +the establishment to the Count d’Artigas.</P> +<P>Healthful House, which contained a select <I>personnel</I>, and was assured +of the co-operation of the most celebrated doctors in the country, was a private +enterprise. Independent of hospitals and almshouses, but subjected to the +surveillance of the State, it comprised all the conditions of comfort and +salubrity essential to establishments of this description designed to receive an +opulent <I>clientele</I>.</P> +<P>It would have been difficult to find a more agreeable situation than that of +Healthful House. On the landward slope of a hill extended a park of two hundred +acres planted with the magnificent vegetation that grows so luxuriantly in that +part of North America, which is equal in latitude to the Canary and Madeira +Islands. At the furthermost limit of the park lay the wide estuary of the Neuse, +swept by the cool breezes of Pamlico Sound and by the winds that blew from the +ocean beyond the narrow <I>lido</I> of the coast.</P> +<P>Healthful House, where rich invalids were cared for under such excellent +hygienic conditions, was more generally reserved for the treatment of chronic +complaints; but the management did not decline to admit patients affected by +mental troubles, when the latter were not of an incurable nature.</P> +<P>It thus happened—a circumstance that was bound to attract a good deal of +attention to Healthful House, and which perhaps was the motive for the visit of +the Count d’Artigas—that a person of world-wide notoriety had for eighteen +months been under special observation there.</P> +<P>This person was a Frenchman named Thomas Roch, forty-five years of age. He +was, beyond question, suffering from some mental malady, but expert alienists +admitted that he had not entirely lost the use of his reasoning faculties. It +was only too evident that he had lost all notion of things as far as the +ordinary acts of life were concerned; but in regard to subjects demanding the +exercise of his genius, his sanity was unimpaired and unassailable—a fact which +demonstrates how true is the <I>dictum</I> that genius and madness are often +closely allied! Otherwise his condition manifested itself by complete loss of +memory;—the impossibility of concentrating his attention upon anything, lack of +judgment, delirium and incoherence. He no longer even possessed the natural +animal instinct of self-preservation, and had to be watched like an infant whom +one never permits out of one’s sight. Therefore a warder was detailed to keep +close watch over him by day and by night in Pavilion No. 17, at the end of +Healthful House Park, which had been specially set apart for him.</P> +<P>Ordinary insanity, when it is not incurable, can only be cured by moral +means. Medicine and therapeutics are powerless, and their inefficacy has long +been recognized by specialists. Were these moral means applicable to the case of +Thomas Roch? One may be permitted to doubt it, even amid the tranquil and +salubrious surroundings of Healthful House. As a matter of fact the very +symptoms of uneasiness, changes of temper, irritability, queer traits of +character, melancholy, apathy, and a repugnance for serious occupations were +distinctly apparent; no treatment seemed capable of curing or even alleviating +these symptoms. This was patent to all his medical attendants.</P> +<P>It has been justly remarked that madness is an excess of subjectivity; that +is to say, a state in which the mind accords too much to mental labor and not +enough to outward impressions. In the case of Thomas Roch this indifference was +practically absolute. He lived but within himself, so to speak, a prey to a +fixed idea which had brought him to the condition in which we find him. Could +any circumstance occur to counteract it—to “exteriorize” him, as it were? The +thing was improbable, but it was not impossible.</P> +<P>It is now necessary to explain how this Frenchman came to quit France, what +motive attracted him to the United States, why the Federal government had judged +it prudent and necessary to intern him in this sanitarium, where every utterance +that unconsciously escaped him during his crises were noted and recorded with +the minutest care.</P> +<P>Eighteen months previously the Secretary of the Navy at Washington, had +received a demand for an audience in regard to a communication that Thomas Roch +desired to make to him.</P> +<P>As soon as he glanced at the name, the secretary perfectly understood the +nature of the communication and the terms which would accompany it, and an +immediate audience was unhesitatingly accorded.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch’s notoriety was indeed such that, out of solicitude for the +interests confided to his keeping, and which he was bound to safeguard, he could +not hesitate to receive the petitioner and listen to the proposals which the +latter desired personally to submit to him.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch was an inventor—an inventor of genius. Several important +discoveries had brought him prominently to the notice of the world. Thanks to +him, problems that had previously remained purely theoretical had received +practical application. He occupied a conspicuous place in the front rank of the +army of science. It will be seen how worry, deceptions, mortification, and the +outrages with which he was overwhelmed by the cynical wits of the press combined +to drive him to that degree of madness which necessitated his internment in +Healthful House.</P> +<P>His latest invention in war-engines bore the name of Roch’s Fulgurator. This +apparatus possessed, if he was to be believed, such superiority over all others, +that the State which acquired it would become absolute master of earth and +ocean.</P> +<P>The deplorable difficulties inventors encounter in connection with their +inventions are only too well known, especially when they endeavor to get them +adopted by governmental commissions. Several of the most celebrated examples are +still fresh in everybody’s memory. It is useless to insist upon this point, +because there are sometimes circumstances underlying affairs of this kind upon +which it is difficult to obtain any light. In regard to Thomas Roch, however, it +is only fair to say that, as in the case of the majority of his predecessors, +his pretensions were excessive. He placed such an exorbitant price upon his new +engine that it was practicably impossible to treat with him.</P> +<P>This was due to the fact—and it should not be lost sight of—that in respect +of previous inventions which had been most fruitful in result, he had been +imposed upon with the greatest audacity. Being unable to obtain therefrom the +profits which he had a right to expect, his temper had become soured. He became +suspicious, would give up nothing without knowing just what he was doing, impose +conditions that were perhaps unacceptable, wanted his mere assertions accepted +as sufficient guarantee, and in any case asked for such a large sum of money on +account before condescending to furnish the test of practical experiment that +his overtures could not be entertained.</P> +<P>In the first place he had offered the fulgurator to France, and made known +the nature of it to the commission appointed to pass upon his proposition. The +fulgurator was a sort of auto-propulsive engine, of peculiar construction, +charged with an explosive composed of new substances and which only produced its +effect under the action of a deflagrator that was also new.</P> +<P>When this engine, no matter in what way it was launched, exploded, not on +striking the object aimed at, but several hundred yards from it, its action upon +the atmospheric strata was so terrific that any construction, warship or +floating battery, within a zone of twelve thousand square yards, would be blown +to atoms. This was the principle of the shell launched by the Zalinski pneumatic +gun with which experiments had already been made at that epoch, but its results +were multiplied at least a hundred-fold.</P> +<P>If, therefore, Thomas Roch’s invention possessed this power, it assured the +offensive and defensive superiority of his native country. But might not the +inventor be exaggerating, notwithstanding that the tests of other engines he had +conceived had proved incontestably that they were all he had claimed them to be? +This, experiment could alone show, and it was precisely here where the rub came +in. Roch would not agree to experiment until the millions at which he valued his +fulgurator had first been paid to him.</P> +<P>It is certain that a sort of disequilibrium had then occurred in his mental +faculties. It was felt that he was developing a condition of mind that would +gradually lead to definite madness. No government could possibly condescend to +treat with him under the conditions he imposed.</P> +<P>The French commission was compelled to break off all negotiations with him, +and the newspapers, even those of the Radical Opposition, had to admit that it +was difficult to follow up the affair.</P> +<P>In view of the excess of subjectivity which was unceasingly augmenting in the +profoundly disturbed mind of Thomas Roch, no one will be surprised at the fact +that the cord of patriotism gradually relaxed until it ceased to vibrate. For +the honor of human nature be it said that Thomas Roch was by this time +irresponsible for his actions. He preserved his whole consciousness only in so +far as subjects bearing directly upon his invention were concerned. In this +particular he had lost nothing of his mental power. But in all that related to +the most ordinary details of existence his moral decrepitude increased daily and +deprived him of complete responsibility for his acts.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch’s invention having been refused by the commission, steps ought to +have been taken to prevent him from offering it elsewhere. Nothing of the kind +was done, and there a great mistake was made.</P> +<P>The inevitable was bound to happen, and it did. Under a growing irritability +the sentiment of patriotism, which is the very essence of the citizen—who before +belonging to himself belongs to his country— became extinct in the soul of the +disappointed inventor. His thoughts turned towards other nations. He crossed the +frontier, and forgetting the ineffaceable past, offered the fulgurator to +Germany.</P> +<P>There, as soon as his exorbitant demands were made known, the government +refused to receive his communication. Besides, it so happened that the military +authorities were just then absorbed by the construction of a new ballistic +engine, and imagined they could afford to ignore that of the French +inventor.</P> +<P>As the result of this second rebuff Roch’s anger became coupled with +hatred—an instinctive hatred of humanity—especially after his <I>pourparlers</I> +with the British Admiralty came to naught. The English being practical people, +did not at first repulse Thomas Roch. They sounded him and tried to get round +him; but Roch would listen to nothing. His secret was worth millions, and these +millions he would have, or they would not have his secret. The Admiralty at last +declined to have anything more to do with him.</P> +<P>It was in these conditions, when his intellectual trouble was growing daily +worse, that he made a last effort by approaching the American Government. That +was about eighteen months before this story opens.</P> +<P>The Americans, being even more practical than the English, did not attempt to +bargain for Roch’s fulgurator, to which, in view of the French chemist’s +reputation, they attached exceptional importance. They rightly esteemed him a +man of genius, and took the measures justified by his condition, prepared to +indemnify him equitably later.</P> +<P>As Thomas Roch gave only too visible proofs of mental alienation, the +Administration, in the very interest of his invention, judged it prudent to +sequestrate him.</P> +<P>As is already known, he was not confined in a lunatic asylum, but was +conveyed to Healthful House, which offered every guarantee for the proper +treatment of his malady. Yet, though the most careful attention had been devoted +to him, no improvement had manifested itself.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch, let it be again remarked—this point cannot be too often insisted +upon—incapable though he was of comprehending and performing the ordinary acts +and duties of life, recovered all his powers when the field of his discoveries +was touched upon. He became animated, and spoke with the assurance of a man who +knows whereof he is descanting, and an authority that carried conviction with +it. In the heat of his eloquence he would describe the marvellous qualities of +his fulgurator and the truly extraordinary effects it caused. As to the nature +of the explosive and of the deflagrator, the elements of which the latter was +composed, their manufacture, and the way in which they were employed, he +preserved complete silence, and all attempts to worm the secret out of him +remained ineffectual. Once or twice, during the height of the paroxysms to which +he was occasionally subject, there had been reason to believe that his secret +would escape him, and every precaution had been taken to note his slightest +utterance. But Thomas Roch had each time disappointed his watchers. If he no +longer preserved the sentiment of self-preservation, he at least knew how to +preserve the secret of his discovery.</P> +<P>Pavilion No. 17 was situated in the middle of a garden that was surrounded by +hedges, and here Roch was accustomed to take exercise under the surveillance of +his guardian. This guardian lived in the same pavilion, slept in the same room +with him, and kept constant watch upon him, never leaving him for an hour. He +hung upon the lightest words uttered by the patient in the course of his +hallucinations, which generally occurred in the intermediary state between +sleeping and waking—watched and listened while he dreamed.</P> +<P>This guardian was known as Gaydon. Shortly after the sequestration of Thomas +Roch, having learned that an attendant speaking French fluently was wanted, he +had applied at Healthful House for the place, and had been engaged to look after +the new inmate.</P> +<P>In reality the alleged Gaydon was a French engineer named Simon Hart, who for +several years past had been connected with a manufactory of chemical products in +New Jersey. Simon Hart was forty years of age. His high forehead was furrowed +with the wrinkle that denoted the thinker, and his resolute bearing denoted +energy combined with tenacity. Extremely well versed in the various questions +relating to the perfecting of modern armaments, Hart knew everything that had +been invented in the shape of explosives, of which there were over eleven +hundred at that time, and was fully able to appreciate such a man as Thomas +Roch. He firmly believed in the power of the latter’s fulgurator, and had no +doubt whatever that the inventor had conceived an engine that was capable of +revolutionizing the condition of both offensive and defensive warfare on land +and sea. He was aware that the demon of insanity had respected the man of +science, and that in Roch’s partially diseased brain the flame of genius still +burned brightly. Then it occurred to him that if, during Roch’s crises, his +secret was revealed, this invention of a Frenchman would be seized upon by some +other country to the detriment of France. Impelled by a spirit of patriotism, he +made up his mind to offer himself as Thomas Roch’s guardian, by passing himself +off as an American thoroughly conversant with the French language, in order that +if the inventor did at any time disclose his secret, France alone should benefit +thereby. On pretext of returning to Europe, he resigned his position at the New +Jersey manufactory, and changed his name so that none should know what had +become of him.</P> +<P>Thus it came to pass that Simon Hart, alias Gaydon, had been an attendant at +Healthful House for fifteen months. It required no little courage on the part of +a man of his position and education to perform the menial and exacting duties of +an insane man’s attendant; but, as has been before remarked, he was actuated by +a spirit of the purest and noblest patriotism. The idea of depriving Roch of the +legitimate benefits due to the inventor, if he succeeded in learning his secret, +never for an instant entered his mind.</P> +<P>He had kept the patient under the closest possible observation for fifteen +months yet had not been able to learn anything from him, or worm out of him a +single reply to his questions that was of the slightest value. But he had become +more convinced than ever of the importance of Thomas Roch’s discovery, and was +extremely apprehensive lest the partial madness of the inventor should become +general, or lest he should die during one of his paroxysms and carry his secret +with him to the grave.</P> +<P>This was Simon Hart’s position, and this the mission to which he had wholly +devoted himself in the interest of his native country.</P> +<P>However, notwithstanding his deceptions and troubles, Thomas Roch’s physical +health, thanks to his vigorous constitution, was not particularly affected. A +man of medium height, with a large head, high, wide forehead, strongly-cut +features, iron-gray hair and moustache, eyes generally haggard, but which became +piercing and imperious when illuminated by his dominant idea, thin lips closely +compressed, as though to prevent the escape of a word that could betray his +secret—such was the inventor confined in one of the pavilions of Healthful +House, probably unconscious of his sequestration, and confided to the +surveillance of Simon Hart the engineer, become Gaydon the warder.</P> + +<a name="II" id="II"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER II.</H4> +<H4>COUNT D’ARTIGAS.</H4> +<P>Just who was this Count d’Artigas? A Spaniard? So his name would appear to +indicate. Yet on the stern of his schooner, in letters of gold, was the name +<I>Ebba</I>, which is of pure Norwegian origin. And had you asked him the name +of the captain of the <I>Ebba</I>, he would have replied, Spade, and would +doubtless have added that that of the boatswain was Effrondat, and that of the +ship’s cook, Helim—all singularly dissimilar and indicating very different +nationalities.</P> +<P>Could any plausible hypothesis be deducted from the type presented by Count +d’Artigas? Not easily. If the color of his skin, his black hair, and the easy +grace of his attitude denoted a Spanish origin, the <I>ensemble</I> of his +person showed none of the racial characteristics peculiar to the natives of the +Iberian peninsula.</P> +<P>He was a man of about forty-five years of age, about the average height, and +robustly constituted. With his calm and haughty demeanor he resembled an Hindoo +lord in whose blood might mingle that of some superb type of Malay. If he was +not naturally of a cold temperament, he at least, with his imperious gestures +and brevity of speech, endeavored to make it appear that he was. As to the +language usually spoken by him and his crew, it was one of those idioms current +in the islands of the Indian Ocean and the adjacent seas. Yet when his maritime +excursions brought him to the coasts of the old or new world he spoke English +with remarkable facility, and with so slight an accent as to scarcely betray his +foreign origin.</P> +<P>None could have told anything about his past, nor even about his present +life, nor from what source he derived his fortune,—obviously a large one, +inasmuch as he was able to gratify his every whim and lived in the greatest +luxury whenever he visited America,—nor where he resided when at home, nor where +was the port from which his schooner hailed, and none would have ventured to +question him upon any of these points so little disposed was he to be +communicative. He was not the kind of man to give anything away or compromise +himself in the slightest degree, even when interviewed by American +reporters.</P> +<P>All that was known about him was what was published in the papers when the +arrival of the <I>Ebba</I> was reported in some port, and particularly in the +ports of the east coast of the United States, where the schooner was accustomed +to put in at regular periods to lay in provisions and stores for a lengthy +voyage. She would take on board not only flour, biscuits, preserves, fresh and +dried meat, live stock, wines, beers, and spirits, but also clothing, household +utensils, and objects of luxury—all of the finest quality and highest price, and +which were paid for either in dollars, guineas, or other coins of various +countries and denominations.</P> +<P>Consequently, if no one knew anything about the private life of Count +d’Artigas, he was nevertheless very well known in the various ports of the +United States from the Florida peninsula to New England.</P> +<P>It is therefore in no way surprising that the director of Healthful House +should have felt greatly flattered by the Count’s visit, and have received him +with every mark of honor and respect.</P> +<P>It was the first time that the schooner <I>Ebba</I> had dropped anchor in the +port of New-Berne, and no doubt a mere whim of her owner had brought him to the +mouth of the Neuse. Otherwise why should he have come to such a place? Certainly +not to lay in stores, for Pamlico Sound offered neither the resources nor +facilities to be found in such ports as Boston, New York, Dover, Savannah, +Wilmington in North Carolina, and Charleston in South Carolina. What could he +have procured with his piastres and bank-notes in the small markets of +New-Berne? This chief town of Craven County contained barely six thousand +inhabitants. Its commerce consisted principally in the exportation of grain, +pigs, furniture, and naval munitions. Besides, a few weeks previously, the +schooner had loaded up for some destination which, as usual, was unknown.</P> +<P>Had this enigmatical personage then come solely for the purpose of visiting +Healthful House? Very likely. There would have been nothing surprising in the +fact, seeing that the establishment enjoyed a high and well-merited +reputation.</P> +<P>Or perhaps the Count had been inspired by curiosity to meet Thomas Roch? This +curiosity would have been legitimate and natural enough in view of the universal +renown of the French inventor. Fancy—a mad genius who claimed that his +discoveries were destined to revolutionize the methods of modern military +art!</P> +<P>As he had notified the director he would do, the Count d’Artigas presented +himself in the afternoon at the door of Healthful House, accompanied by Captain +Spade, the commander of the <I>Ebba</I>.</P> +<P>In conformity with orders given, both were admitted and conducted to the +office of the director. The latter received his distinguished visitor with +<I>empressement</I>, placed himself at his disposal, and intimated his intention +of personally conducting him over the establishment, not being willing to +concede to anybody else the honor of being his <I>cicerone</I>. The Count on his +part was profuse in the expression of his thanks for the considerations extended +to him.</P> +<P>They went over the common rooms and private habitations of the establishment, +the director prattling unceasingly about the care with which the patients were +tended—much better care, if he was to be believed, than they could possibly have +had in the bosoms of their families—and priding himself upon the results +achieved, and which had earned for the place its well-merited success.</P> +<P>The Count d’Artigas listened to his ceaseless chatter with apparent interest, +probably in order the better to dissemble the real motive of his visit. However, +after going the rounds for an hour he ventured to remark:</P> +<P>“Have you not among your patients, sir, one anent whom there was a great deal +of talk some time ago, and whose presence here contributed in no small measure +to attract public attention to Healthful House?”</P> +<P>“You refer to Thomas Roch, I presume, Count?” queried the director.</P> +<P>“Precisely—that Frenchman—that inventor—whose mental condition is said to be +very precarious.”</P> +<P>“Very precarious, Count, and happily so, perhaps! In my opinion humanity has +nothing to gain by his discoveries, the application of which would increase the +already too numerous means of destruction.”</P> +<P>“You speak wisely, sir, and I entirely agree with you. Real progress does not +lie in that direction, and I regard as inimical to society all those who seek to +follow it. But has this inventor entirely lost the use of his intellectual +faculties?”</P> +<P>“Entirely, no; save as regards the ordinary things of life. In this respect +he no longer possesses either comprehension or responsibility. His genius as an +inventor, however, remains intact; it has survived his moral degeneracy, and, +had his insensate demands been complied with, I have no doubt he would have +produced a new war engine—which the world can get along very well without.”</P> +<P>“Very well without, as you say, sir,” re-echoed the Count d’Artigas, and +Captain Spade nodded approval.</P> +<P>“But you will be able to judge for yourself, Count, for here is the pavilion +occupied by Thomas Roch. If his confinement is well justified from the point of +view of public security he is none the less treated with all the consideration +due to him and the attention which his condition necessitates. Besides, +Healthful House is beyond the reach of indiscreet persons who might....”</P> +<P>The director completed the phrase with a significant motion of his head—which +brought an imperceptible smile to the lips of the stranger.</P> +<P>“But,” asked the Count, “is Thomas Roch never left alone?”</P> +<P>“Never, Count, never. He has a permanent attendant in whom we have implicit +confidence, who speaks his language and keeps the closest possible watch upon +him. If in some way or other some indication relative to his discovery were to +escape him, it would be immediately noted down and its value would be passed +upon by those competent to judge.”</P> +<P>Here the Count d’Artigas stole a rapid and meaning glance at Captain Spade, +who responded with a gesture which said plainly enough: “I understand.” And had +any one observed the captain during the visit, they could not have failed to +remark that he examined with the greatest minuteness that portion of the park +surrounding Pavilion No. 17, and the different paths leading to the +latter—probably in view of some prearranged scheme.</P> +<P>The garden of the pavilion was near the high wall surrounding the property, +from the foot of which on the other side the hill sloped gently to the right +bank of the Neuse.</P> +<P>The pavilion itself was a one-story building surmounted by a terrace in the +Italian style. It contained two rooms and an ante-room with strongly-barred +windows. On each side and in rear of the habitation were clusters of fine trees, +which were then in full leaf. In front was a cool, green velvety lawn, +ornamented with shrubs and brilliantly tinted flowers. The whole garden extended +over about half an acre, and was reserved exclusively for the use of Thomas +Roch, who was free to wander about it at pleasure under the surveillance of his +guardian.</P> +<P>When the Count d’Artigas, Captain Spade, and the director entered the garden, +the first person they saw was the warder Gaydon, standing at the door of the +pavilion. Unnoticed by the director the Count d’Artigas eyed the attendant with +singular persistence.</P> +<P>It was not the first time that strangers had come to see the occupant of +Pavilion No. 17, for the French inventor was justly regarded as the most +interesting inmate of Healthful House. Nevertheless, Gaydon’s attention was +attracted by the originality of the type presented by the two visitors, of whose +nationality he was ignorant. If the name of the Count d’Artigas was not +unfamiliar to him, he had never had occasion to meet that wealthy gentleman +during the latter’s sojourn in the eastern ports. He therefore had no idea as to +who the Count was. Neither was he aware that the schooner <I>Ebba</I> was then +anchored at the entrance to the Neuse, at the foot of the hill upon which +Healthful House was situated.</P> +<P>“Gaydon,” demanded the director, “where is Thomas Roch?”</P> +<P>“Yonder,” replied the warder, pointing to a man who was walking meditatively +under the trees in rear of the pavilion.</P> +<P>“The Count d’Artigas has been authorized to visit Healthful House,” the +director explained; “and does not wish to go away without having seen Thomas +Roch, who was lately the subject of a good deal too much discussion.”</P> +<P>“And who would be talked about a great deal more,” added the Count, “had the +Federal Government not taken the precaution to confine him in this +establishment.”</P> +<P>“A necessary precaution, Count.”</P> +<P>“Necessary, as you observe, Mr. Director. It is better for the peace of the +world that his secret should die with him.”</P> +<P>After having glanced at the Count d’Artigas, Gaydon had not uttered a word; +but preceding the two strangers he walked towards the clump of trees where the +inventor was pacing back and forth.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch paid no attention to them. He appeared to be oblivious of their +presence.</P> +<P>Meanwhile, Captain Spade, while being careful not to excite suspicion, had +been minutely examining the immediate surroundings of the pavilion and the end +of the park in which it was situated. From the top of the sloping alleys he +could easily distinguish the peak of a mast which showed above the wall of the +park. He recognized the peak at a glance as being that of the <I>Ebba</I>, and +knew therefore that the wall at this part skirted the right bank of the +Neuse.</P> +<P>The Count d’Artigas’ whole attention was concentrated upon the French +inventor. The latter’s health appeared to have suffered in no way from his +eighteen months’ confinement; but his queer attitude, his incoherent gestures, +his haggard eye, and his indifference to what was passing around him testified +only too plainly to the degeneration of his mental faculties.</P> +<P>At length Thomas Roch dropped into a seat and with the end of a switch traced +in the sand of the alley the outline of a fortification. Then kneeling down he +made a number of little mounds that were evidently intended to represent +bastions. He next plucked some leaves from a neighboring tree and stuck them in +the mounds like so many tiny flags. All this was done with the utmost +seriousness and without any attention whatever being paid to the onlookers.</P> +<P>It was the amusement of a child, but a child would have lacked this +characteristic gravity.</P> +<P>“Is he then absolutely mad?” demanded the Count d’Artigas, who in spite of +his habitual impassibility appeared to be somewhat disappointed.</P> +<P>“I warned you, Count, that nothing could be obtained from him.”</P> +<P>“Couldn’t he at least pay some attention to us?”</P> +<P>“It would perhaps be difficult to induce him to do so.”</P> +<P>Then turning to the attendant:</P> +<P>“Speak to him, Gaydon. Perhaps he will answer you.”</P> +<P>“Oh! he’ll answer me right enough, sir, never fear,” replied Gaydon.</P> +<P>He went up to the inventor and touching him on the shoulder, said gently: +“Thomas Roch!”</P> +<P>The latter raised his head, and of the persons present he doubtless saw but +his keeper, though Captain Spade had come up and all formed a circle about +him.</P> +<P>“Thomas Roch,” continued Gaydon, speaking in English, “here are some visitors +to see you. They are interested in your health—in your work.”</P> +<P>The last word alone seemed to rouse him from his indifference.</P> +<P>“My work?” he replied, also in English, which he spoke like a native.</P> +<P>Then taking a pebble between his index finger and bent thumb, as a boy plays +at marbles, he projected it against one of the little sand-heaps. It scattered, +and he jumped for joy.</P> +<P>“Blown to pieces! The bastion is blown to pieces! My explosive has destroyed +everything at one blow!” he shouted, the light of triumph flashing in his +eyes.</P> +<P>“You see,” said the director, addressing the Count d’Artigas. “The idea of +his invention never leaves him.”</P> +<P>“And it will die with him,” affirmed the attendant.</P> +<P>“Couldn’t you, Gaydon, get him to talk about his fulgurator?” asked his +chief.</P> +<P>“I will try, if you order me to do so, sir.”</P> +<P>“Well, I do order you, for I think it might interest the Count +d’Artigas.”</P> +<P>“Certainly,” assented the Count, whose physiognomy betrayed no sign of the +sentiments which were agitating him.</P> +<P>“I ought to warn you that I risk bringing on another fit,” observed +Gaydon.</P> +<P>“You can drop the conversation when you consider it prudent. Tell Thomas Roch +that a foreigner wishes to negotiate with him for the purchase of his +fulgurator.”</P> +<P>“But are you not afraid he may give his secret away?” questioned the +Count.</P> +<P>He spoke with such vivacity that Gaydon could not restrain a glance of +distrust, which, however, did not appear to disturb the equanimity of that +impenetrable nobleman.</P> +<P>“No fear of that,” said the warder. “No promise would induce him to divulge +his secret. Until the millions he demands are counted into his hand he will +remain as mute as a stone.”</P> +<P>“I don’t happen to be carrying those millions about me,” remarked the Count +quietly.</P> +<P>Gaydon again touched Roch on the shoulder and repeated:</P> +<P>“Thomas Roch, here are some foreigners who are anxious to acquire your +invention.”</P> +<P>The madman started.</P> +<P>“My invention?” he cried. “My deflagrator?”</P> +<P>And his growing animation plainly indicated the imminence of the fit that +Gaydon had been apprehensive about, and which questions of this character +invariably brought on.</P> +<P>“How much will you give me for it—how much?” continued Roch. “How much—how +much?”</P> +<P>“Ten million dollars,” replied Gaydon.</P> +<P>“Ten millions! Ten millions! A fulgurator ten million times more powerful +than anything hitherto invented! Ten millions for an autopropulsive projectile +which, when it explodes, destroys everything in sight within a radius of over +twelve thousand square yards! Ten millions for the only deflagrator that can +provoke its explosion! Why, all the wealth of the world wouldn’t suffice to +purchase the secret of my engine, and rather than sell it at such a price I +would cut my tongue in half with my teeth. Ten millions, when it is worth a +billion—a billion—a billion!”</P> +<P>It was clear that Roch had lost all notion of things, and had Gaydon offered +him ten billions the madman would have replied in exactly the same manner.</P> +<P>The Count d’Artigas and Captain Spade had not taken their eyes off him. The +Count was impassible as usual, though his brow had darkened, but the captain +shook his head in a manner that implied plainly: “Decidedly there is nothing to +hope from this poor devil!”</P> +<P>After his outburst Roch fled across the garden crying hoarsely:</P> +<P>“Billions! Billions!”</P> +<P>Gaydon turned to the director and remarked:</P> +<P>“I told you how it would be.”</P> +<P>Then he rushed after his patient, caught him by the arm, and led him, without +any attempt at resistance, into the pavilion and closed the door.</P> +<P>The Count d’Artigas remained alone with the director, Captain Spade having +strolled off again in the direction of the wall at the bottom of the park.</P> +<P>“You see I was not guilty of exaggeration, Count,” said the director. “It is +obvious to every one that Thomas Roch is becoming daily worse. In my opinion his +case is a hopeless one. If all the money he asks for were offered to him, +nothing could be got from him.”</P> +<P>“Very likely,” replied the Count, “still, if his pecuniary demands are +supremely absurd, he has none the less invented an engine the power of which is +infinite, one might say.”</P> +<P>“That is the opinion expressed by competent persons, Count. But what he has +discovered will ere long be lost with himself in one of these fits which are +becoming more frequent and intense. Very soon even the motive of interest, the +only sentiment that appears to have survived in his mind, will become +extinct.”</P> +<P>“Mayhap the sentiment of hatred will remain, though,” muttered the Count, as +Spade joined them at the garden gate.</P> + +<a name="III" id="III"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER III.</H4> +<H4>KIDNAPPED.</H4> +<P>Half an hour later the Count d’Artigas and Captain Spade were following the +beech-lined road that separated the Healthful House estate from the right bank +of the Neuse. Both had taken leave of the director, the latter declaring himself +greatly honored by their visit, and the former thanking him warmly for his +courteous reception. A hundred-dollar bill left as a tip for the staff of the +establishment had certainly not belied the Count’s reputation for generosity. He +was—there could be no doubt about it—a foreigner of the highest distinction, if +distinction be measured by generosity.</P> +<P>Issuing by the gate at the main entrance to Healthful House, they had skirted +the wall that surrounded the property, and which was high enough to preclude the +possibility of climbing it. Not a word passed between them for some time; the +Count was deep in thought and Captain Spade was not in the habit of addressing +him without being first spoken to.</P> +<P>At last when they stood beneath the rear wall behind which, though it was not +visible, the Count knew Pavilion No. 17 was situated, he said:</P> +<P>“You managed, I presume, to thoroughly explore the place, and are acquainted +with every detail of it?”</P> +<P>“Certainly, <I>Count</I>” replied Captain Spade, emphasizing the title.</P> +<P>“You are perfectly sure about it?”</P> +<P>“Perfectly. I could go through the park with my eyes shut. If you still +persist in carrying out your scheme the pavilion can be easily reached.”</P> +<P>“I do persist, Spade.”</P> +<P>“Notwithstanding Thomas Roch’s mental condition?”</P> +<P>“Notwithstanding his condition; and if we succeed in carrying him off——”</P> +<P>“That is my affair. When night comes on I undertake to enter the park of +Healthful House, and then the pavilion garden without being seen by +anybody.”</P> +<P>“By the entrance gate?”</P> +<P>“No, on this side.”</P> +<P>“Yes, but on this side there is the wall, and if you succeed in climbing it, +how are you going to get over it again with Thomas Roch? What if the madman +cries out—what if he should resist—what if his keeper gives the alarm?”</P> +<P>“Don’t worry yourself in the least about that. We have only got to go in and +come out by this door.”</P> +<P>Captain Spade pointed to a narrow door let into the wall a few paces distant, +and which was doubtless used by the staff of the establishment when they had +occasion to go out by the river.</P> +<P>“That is the way I propose to go in. It’s much easier than scaling the wall +with a ladder.”</P> +<P>“But the door is closed.”</P> +<P>“It will open.”</P> +<P>“Has it no bolts?”</P> +<P>“Yes, but I shot them back while we were strolling about, and the director +didn’t notice what I had done.”</P> +<P>“How are you going to open it?” queried the Count, going to the door.</P> +<P>“Here is the key,” replied Spade, producing it.</P> +<P>He had withdrawn it from the lock, where it happened to be, when he had +unbolted the door.</P> +<P>“Capital!” exclaimed the Count. “It couldn’t be better. The business will be +easier than I expected. Let us get back to the schooner. At eight o’clock one of +the boats will put you ashore with five men.”</P> +<P>“Yes, five men will do,” said Captain Spade. “There will be enough of them to +effect our object even if the keeper is aroused and it becomes necessary to put +him out of the way.”</P> +<P>“Put him out of the way—well, if it becomes absolutely necessary of course +you must, but it would be better to seize him too and bring him aboard the +<I>Ebba</I> Who knows but what he has already learned a part of Roch’s +secret?”</P> +<P>“True.”</P> +<P>“Besides, Thomas Roch is used to him, and I don’t propose to make him change +his habitudes in any way.”</P> +<P>This observation was accompanied by such a significant smile that Captain +Spade could entertain no doubt as to the rôle reserved for the warder of +Healthful House.</P> +<P>The plan to kidnap them both was thus settled, and appeared to have every +chance of being successful; unless during the couple of hours of daylight that +yet remained it was noticed that the key of the door had been stolen and the +bolts drawn back, Captain Spade and his men could at least count upon being able +to enter the park, and the rest, the captain affirmed, would be easy enough.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch was the only patient in the establishment isolated and kept under +special surveillance. All the other invalids lived in the main building, or +occupied pavilions in the front of the park. The plan was to try and seize Roch +and Gaydon separately and bind and gag them before they could cry out.</P> +<P>The Count d’Artigas and his companion wended their way to a creek where one +of the <I>Ebba’s</I> boats awaited them. The schooner was anchored two cable +lengths from the shore, her sails neatly rolled upon her yards, which were +squared as neatly as those of a pleasure yacht or of a man-of-war. At the peak +of the mainmast a narrow red pennant was gently swayed by the wind, which came +in fitful puffs from the east.</P> +<P>The Count and the captain jumped into the boat and a few strokes of the four +oars brought them alongside of the schooner. They climbed on deck and going +forward to the jib-boom, leaned over the starboard bulwark and gazed at an +object that floated on the water a few strokes ahead of the vessel. It was a +small buoy that was rocked by the ripple of the ebbing tide.</P> +<P>Twilight gradually set in, and the outline of New-Berne on the left bank of +the sinuous Neuse became more and more indistinct until it disappeared in the +deepening shades of night. A mist set in from the sea, but though it obscured +the moon it brought no sign of rain. The lights gleamed out one by one in the +houses of the town. The fishing smacks came slowly up the river to their +anchorage, impelled by the oars of their crews which struck the water with +sharp, rhythmical strokes, and with their sails distended on the chance of +catching an occasional puff of the dropping wind to help them along. A couple of +steamers passed, sending up volumes of black smoke and myriads of sparks from +their double stacks, and lashing the water into foam with their powerful +paddles.</P> +<P>At eight o’clock the Count d’Artigas appeared on the schooner’s deck +accompanied by a man about fifty years of age, to whom he remarked:</P> +<P>“It is time to go, Serko.”</P> +<P>“Very well, I will tell Spade,” replied Serko.</P> +<P>At that moment the captain joined them.</P> +<P>“You had better get ready to go,” said the Count.</P> +<P>“All is ready.”</P> +<P>“Be careful to prevent any alarm being given, and arrange matters so that no +one will for a minute suspect that Thomas Roch and his keeper have been brought +on board the <I>Ebba</I>.”</P> +<P>“They wouldn’t find them if they came to look for them,” observed Serko, +shrugging his shoulders and laughing heartily as though he had perpetrated a +huge joke.</P> +<P>“Nevertheless, it is better not to arouse their suspicion,” said +d’Artigas.</P> +<P>The boat was lowered, and Captain Spade and five sailors took their places in +it. Four of the latter got out the oars. The boatswain, Effrondat, who was to +remain in charge of the boat, went to the stern beside Captain Spade and took +the tiller.</P> +<P>“Good luck, Spade,” said Serko with a smile, “and don’t make more noise about +it than if you were a gallant carrying off his lady-love.”</P> +<P>“I won’t—unless that Gaydon chap—”</P> +<P>“We must have both Roch and Gaydon,” insisted the Count d’Artigas.</P> +<P>“That is understood,” replied Spade.</P> +<P>The boat pushed off, and the sailors on the deck of the schooner watched it +till it was lost to sight in the darkness.</P> +<P>Pending its return, no preparations for the <I>Ebba’s</I> departure were +made. Perhaps there was no intention of quitting the port after the men had been +kidnapped. Besides, how could the vessel have reached the open sea? Not a breath +of air was now stirring, and in half an hour the tide would be setting in again, +and rising strongly and rapidly for several miles above New-Berne.</P> +<P>Anchored, as has already been said, a couple of cable-lengths from the shore, +the <I>Ebba</I> might have been brought much nearer to it, for the water was +deep enough, and this would have facilitated the task of the kidnappers when +they returned from their expedition. If, however, the Count d’Artigas preferred +to let the vessel stay where she was, he probably had his reasons.</P> +<P>Not a soul was in sight on the bank, and the road, with its borders of beech +trees that skirted the wall of Healthful House estate, was equally deserted. The +boat was made fast to the shore. Then Captain Spade and his four sailors landed, +leaving the boatswain in charge, and disappeared amid the trees.</P> +<P>When they reached the wall Captain Spade stopped and the sailors drew up on +each side of the doorway. The captain had only to turn the key in the lock and +push the door, unless one of the servants, noticing that the door was not +secured as usual, had bolted it. In this event their task would be an extremely +difficult one, even if they succeeded in scaling the high wall.</P> +<P>The captain put his ear to the key-hole and listened.</P> +<P>Not a sound was to be heard in the park. Not even a leaf was rustling in the +branches of the beeches under which they were standing. The surrounding country +was wrapt in the profoundest silence.</P> +<P>Captain Spade drew the key from his pocket, inserted it in the lock and +turned it noiselessly. Then he cautiously pushed the door, which opened +inward.</P> +<P>Things were, then, just as he had left them, and no one had noticed the theft +of the key.</P> +<P>After assuring himself that nobody happened to be in the neighborhood of the +pavilion the captain entered, followed by his men. The door was left wide open, +so that they could beat a hurried and uninterrupted retreat in case of +necessity. The trees and bushes in this shady part of the park were very thick, +and it was so dark that it would not have been easy to distinguish the pavilion +had not a light shone brightly in one of the windows.</P> +<P>No doubt this was the window of the room occupied by Roch and his guardian, +Gaydon, seeing that the latter never left the patient placed in his charge +either by night or day. Captain Spade had expected to find him there.</P> +<P>The party approached cautiously, taking the utmost precaution to avoid +kicking a pebble or stepping on a twig, the noise of which might have revealed +their presence. In this way they reached the door of the pavilion near which was +the curtained window of the room in which the light was burning.</P> +<P>But if the door was locked, how were they going to get in? Captain Spade must +have asked himself. He had no key, and to attempt to effect an entrance through +the window would be hazardous, for, unless Gaydon could be prevented from giving +the alarm, he would rouse the whole establishment.</P> +<P>There was no help for it, however. The essential was to get possession of +Roch. If they could kidnap Gaydon, too, in conformity with the intentions of the +Count d’Artigas, so much the better. If not—</P> +<P>Captain Spade crept stealthily to the window, and standing on tiptoe, looked +in. Through an aperture in the curtain he could see all over the room.</P> +<P>Gaydon was standing beside Thomas Roch, who had not yet recovered from the +fit with which he had been attacked during the Count d’Artigas’ visit. His +condition necessitated special attention, and the warder was ministering to the +patient under the direction of a third person.</P> +<P>The latter was one of the doctors attached to Healthful House, and had been +at once sent to the pavilion by the director when Roch’s paroxysm came on. His +presence of course rendered the situation more complicated and the work of the +kidnappers more difficult.</P> +<P>Roch, fully dressed, was extended upon a sofa. He was now fairly calm. The +paroxysm, which was abating, would be followed by several hours of torpor and +exhaustion.</P> +<P>Just as Captain Spade peeped through the window the doctor was making +preparations to leave. The Captain heard him say to Gaydon that his (the +doctor’s) presence was not likely to be required any more that night, and that +there was nothing to be done beyond following the instructions he had given.</P> +<P>The doctor then walked towards the door, which, it will be remembered, was +close to the window in front of which Spade and his men were standing. If they +remained where they were they could not fail to be seen, not only by the doctor, +but by the warder, who was accompanying him to the door.</P> +<P>Before they made their appearance, however, the sailors, at a sign from their +chief, had dispersed and hidden themselves behind the bushes, while Spade +himself crouched in the shadow beneath the window. Luckily Gaydon had not +brought the lamp with him, so that the captain was in no danger of being +seen.</P> +<P>As he was about to take leave of Gaydon, the doctor stopped on the step and +remarked:</P> +<P>“This is one of the worst attacks our patient has had. One or two more like +that and he will lose the little reason he still possesses.”</P> +<P>“Just so,” said Gaydon. “I wonder that the director doesn’t prohibit all +visitors from entering the pavilion. Roch owes his present attack to a Count +d’Artigas, for whose amusement harmful questions were put to him.”</P> +<P>“I will call the director’s attention to the matter,” responded the +doctor.</P> +<P>He then descended the steps and Gaydon, leaving the door of the pavilion +ajar, accompanied him to the end of the path.</P> +<P>When they had gone Captain Spade stood up, and his men rejoined him.</P> +<P>Had they not better profit by the chance thus unexpectedly afforded them to +enter the room and secure Roch, who was in a semi-comatose condition, and then +await Gaydon’s return, and seize the warder as he entered?</P> +<P>This would have involved considerable risk. Gaydon, at a glance, would +perceive that his patient was missing and raise an alarm; the doctor would come +running back; the whole staff of Healthful House would turn out, and Spade would +not have time to escape with his precious prisoner and lock the door in the wall +after him.</P> +<P>He did not have much chance to deliberate about it, for the warder was heard +returning along the gravel path. Spade decided that the best thing to be done +was to spring upon him as he passed and stifle his cries and overpower him +before he could attempt to offer any resistance. The carrying off of the mad +inventor would be easy enough, inasmuch as he was unconscious, and could not +raise a finger to help himself.</P> +<P>Gaydon came round a clump of bushes and approached the entrance to the +pavilion. As he raised his foot to mount the steps the four sailors sprang upon +him, bore him backwards to the ground, and had gagged him, securely bound him +hand and foot, and bandaged his eyes before he began to realize what had +happened.</P> +<P>Two of the men then kept guard over him, while Captain Spade and the others +entered the house.</P> +<P>As the captain had surmised, Thomas Roch had sunk into such a torpor that he +could have heard nothing of what had been going on outside. Reclining at full +length, with his eyes closed, he might have been taken for a dead man but for +his heavy breathing. There was no need either to bind or gag him. One man took +him by the head and another by the feet and started off with him to the +schooner.</P> +<P>Captain Spade was the last to quit the house after extinguishing the lamp and +closing the door behind him. In this way there was no reason to suppose that the +inmates would be missed before morning.</P> +<P>Gaydon was carried off in the same way as Thomas Roch had been. The two +remaining sailors lifted him and bore him quietly but rapidly down the path to +the door in the wall. The park was pitch dark. Not even a glimmer of the lights +in the windows of Healthful House could be seen through the thick foliage.</P> +<P>Arrived at the wall, Spade, who had led the way, stepped aside to allow the +sailors with their burdens to pass through, then followed and closed and locked +the door. He put the key in his pocket, intending to throw it into the Neuse as +soon as they were safely on board the schooner.</P> +<P>There was no one on the road, nor on the bank of the river.</P> +<P>The party made for the boat, and found that Effrondat, the boatswain, had +made all ready to receive them.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch and Gaydon were laid in the bottom of the boat, and the sailors +again took their places at the oars.</P> +<P>“Hurry up, Effrondat, and cast off the painter,” ordered the captain.</P> +<P>The boatswain obeyed, and pushed the boat off with his foot as he scrambled +in.</P> +<P>The men bent to their oars and rowed rapidly to the schooner, which was +easily distinguishable, having hung out a light at her mizzenmast head.</P> +<P>In two minutes they were alongside.</P> +<P>The Count d’Artigas was leaning on the bulwarks by the gangway.</P> +<P>“All right, Spade?” he questioned.</P> +<P>“Yes, sir, all right!”</P> +<P>“Both of them?”</P> +<P>“Both the madman and his keeper.”</P> +<P>“Doesn’t anybody know about it up at Healthful House?</P> +<P>“Not a soul.”</P> +<P>It was not likely that Gaydon, whose eyes and ears were bandaged, but who +preserved all his sang-froid, could have recognized the voices of the Count +d’Artigas and Captain Spade. Nor did he have the chance to. No attempt was +immediately made to hoist him on board. He had been lying in the bottom of the +boat alongside the schooner for fully half an hour, he calculated, before he +felt himself lifted, and then lowered, doubtless to the bottom of the hold.</P> +<P>The kidnapping having been accomplished it would seem that it only remained +for the <I>Ebba</I> to weigh anchor, descend the estuary and make her way out to +sea through Pamlico Sound. Yet no preparations for departure were made.</P> +<P>Was it not dangerous to stay where they were after their daring raid? Had the +Count d’Artigas hidden his prisoners so securely as to preclude the possibility +of their being discovered if the <I>Ebba</I>, whose presence in proximity to +Healthful House could not fail to excite suspicion, received a visit from the +New-Berne police?</P> +<P>However this might have been, an hour after the return of the expedition, +every soul on board save the watch—the Count d’Artigas, Serko, and Captain Spade +in their respective cabins, and the crew in the fore-castle, were sound +asleep.</P> + +<a name="IV" id="IV"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER IV.</H4> +<H4>THE SCHOONER EBBA.</H4> +<P>It was not till the next morning, and then very leisurely, that the +<I>Ebba</I> began to make preparations for her departure. From the extremity of +New-Berne quay the crew might have been seen holystoning the deck, after which +they loosened the reef lines, under the direction of Effrondat, the boatswain, +hoisted in the boats and cleared the halyards.</P> +<P>At eight o’clock the Count d’Artigas had not yet appeared on deck. His +companion, Serko the engineer, as he was called on board, had not quitted his +cabin. Captain Spade was strolling quietly about giving orders.</P> +<P>The <I>Ebba</I> would have made a splendid racing yacht, though she had never +participated in any of the yacht races either on the North American or British +coasts. The height of her masts, the extent of the canvas she carried, her +shapely, raking hull, denoted her to be a craft of great speed, and her general +lines showed that she was also built to weather the roughest gales at sea. In a +favorable wind she would probably make twelve knots an hour.</P> +<P>Notwithstanding these advantages, however, she must in a dead calm +necessarily suffer from the same disadvantages as other sailing vessels, and it +might have been supposed that the Count d’Artigas would have preferred a +steam-yacht with which he could have gone anywhere, at any time, in any weather. +But apparently he was satisfied to stick to the old method, even when he made +his long trips across the Atlantic.</P> +<P>On this particular morning the wind was blowing gently from the west, which +was very favorable to the <I>Ebba</I>, and would enable her to stand straight +out of the Neuse, across Pamlico Sound, and through one of the inlets that led +to the open sea.</P> +<P>At ten o’clock the <I>Ebba</I> was still rocking lazily at anchor, her stem +up stream and her cable tautened by the rapidly ebbing tide. The small buoy that +on the previous evening had been moored near the schooner was no longer to be +seen, and had doubtless been hoisted in.</P> +<P>Suddenly a gun boomed out and a slight wreath of white smoke arose from the +battery. It was answered by other reports from the guns on the chain of islands +along the coast.</P> +<P>At this moment the Count d’Artigas and Engineer Serko appeared on deck. +Captain Spade went to meet them.</P> +<P>“Guns barking,” he said laconically.</P> +<P>“We expected it,” replied Serko, shrugging his shoulders. “They are signals +to close the passes.”</P> +<P>“What has that to do with us?” asked the Count d’Artigas quietly.</P> +<P>“Nothing at all,” said the engineer.</P> +<P>They all, of course, knew that the alarm-guns indicated that the +disappearance of Thomas Roch and the warder Gaydon from Healthful House had been +discovered.</P> +<P>At daybreak the doctor had gone to Pavilion No. 17 to see how his patient had +passed the night, and had found no one there. He immediately notified the +director, who had the grounds thoroughly searched. It was then discovered that +the door in rear of the park was unbolted, and that, though locked, the key had +been taken away. It was evident that Roch and his attendant had been carried out +that way. But who were the kidnappers? No one could possibly imagine. All that +could be ascertained was that at half-past seven on the previous night one of +the doctors had attended Thomas Roch, who was suffering from one of his fits, +and that when the medical man had left him the invalid was in an unconscious +condition. What had happened after the doctor took leave of Gaydon at the end of +the garden-path could not even be conjectured.</P> +<P>The news of the disappearance was telegraphed to New Berne, and thence to +Raleigh. On receipt of it the Governor had instantly wired orders that no vessel +was to be allowed to quit Pamlico Sound without having been first subjected to a +most rigorous search. Another dispatch ordered the cruiser <I>Falcon</I>, which +was stationed in the port, to carry out the Governor’s instructions in this +respect. At the same time measures were taken to keep a strict lookout in every +town and village in the State.</P> +<P>The Count d’Artigas could see the <I>Falcon</I>, which was a couple of miles +away to the east in the estuary, getting steam up and making hurried +preparations to carry out her mission. It would take at least an hour before the +warship could be got ready to steam out, and the schooner might by that time +have gained a good start.</P> +<P>“Shall I weigh anchor?” demanded Captain Spade.</P> +<P>“Yes, as we have a fair wind; but you can take your time about it,” replied +the Count d’Artigas.</P> +<P>“The passes of Pamlico Sound will be under observation,” observed Engineer +Serko, “and no vessel will be able to get out without receiving a visit from +gentlemen as inquisitive as they will be indiscreet.”</P> +<P>“Never mind, get under way all the same,” ordered the Count. “When the +officers of the cruiser or the Custom-House officers have been over the +<I>Ebba</I> the embargo will be raised. I shall be indeed surprised if we are +not allowed to go about our business.”</P> +<P>“With a thousand pardons for the liberty taken, and best wishes for a good +voyage and speedy return,” chuckled Engineer Serko, following the phrase with a +loud and prolonged laugh.</P> +<P>When the news was received at New-Berne, the authorities at first were +puzzled to know whether the missing inventor and his keeper had fled or been +carried off. As, however, Roch’s flight could not have taken place without the +connivance of Gaydon, this supposition was speedily abandoned. In the opinion of +the director and management of Healthful House the warder was absolutely above +suspicion. They must both, then, have been kidnapped.</P> +<P>It can easily be imagined what a sensation the news caused in the town. What! +the French inventor who had been so closely guarded had disappeared, and with +him the secret of the wonderful fulgurator that nobody had been able to worm out +of him? Might not the most serious consequences follow? Might not the discovery +of the new engine be lost to America forever? If the daring act had been +perpetrated on behalf of another nation, might not that nation, having Thomas +Roch in its power, be eventually able to extract from him what the Federal +Government had vainly endeavored to obtain? And was it reasonable, was it +permissible, to suppose for an instant that he had been carried off for the +benefit of a private individual?</P> +<P>Certainly not, was the emphatic reply to the latter question, which was too +ridiculous to be entertained. Therefore the whole power of the State was +employed in an effort to recover the inventor. In every county of North Carolina +a special surveillance was organized on every road and at every railroad +station, and every house in town and country was searched. Every port from +Wilmington to Norfolk was closed, and no craft of any description could leave +without being thoroughly overhauled. Not only the cruiser <I>Falcon</I>, but +every available cutter and launch was sent out with orders to patrol Pamlico +Sound and board yachts, merchant vessels and fishing smacks indiscriminately +whether anchored or not and search them down to the keelson.</P> +<P>Still the crew of the <I>Ebba</I> prepared calmly to weigh anchor, and the +Count d’Artigas did not appear to be in the least concerned at the orders of the +authorities and at the consequences that would ensue, if Thomas Roch and his +keeper, Gaydon, were found on board.</P> +<P>At last all was ready, the crew manned the capstan bars, the sails were +hoisted, and the schooner glided gracefully through the water towards the +Sound.</P> +<P>Twenty miles from New-Berne the estuary curves abruptly and shoots off +towards the northwest for about the same distance, gradually widening until it +empties itself into Pamlico Sound.</P> +<P>The latter is a vast expanse about seventy miles across from Swan Island to +Roanoke. On the seaward side stretches a chain of long and narrow islands, +forming a natural breakwater north and south from Cape Lookout to Cape Hatteras +and from the latter to Cape Henry, near Norfolk City, in Virginia.</P> +<P>Numerous beacons on the islands and islets form an easy guide for vessels at +night seeking refuge from the Atlantic gales, and once inside the chain they are +certain of finding plenty of good anchoring grounds.</P> +<P>Several passes afford an outlet from the Sound to the sea. Beyond Swan Island +lighthouse is Ocracoke inlet, and next is the inlet of Hatteras. There are also +three others known as Logger Head inlet, New inlet, and Oregon inlet. The +Ocracoke was the one nearest the <I>Ebba</I>, and she could make it without +tacking, but the <I>Falcon</I> was searching all vessels that passed through. +This did not, however, make any particular difference, for by this time all the +passes, upon which the guns of the forts had been trained, were guarded by +government vessels.</P> +<P>The <I>Ebba</I>, therefore, kept on her way, neither trying to avoid nor +offering to approach the searchers. She seemed to be merely a pleasure-yacht out +for a morning sail.</P> +<P>No attempt had up to that time been made to accost her. Was she, then, +specially privileged, and to be spared the bother of being searched? Was the +Count d’Artigas considered too high and mighty a personage to be thus molested, +and delayed even for an hour? It was unlikely, for though he was regarded as a +distinguished foreigner who lived the life of luxury enjoyed by the favored of +fortune, no one, as a matter of fact, knew who he was, nor whence he came, nor +whither he was going.</P> +<P>The schooner sped gracefully over the calm waters of the sound, her flag—a +gold crescent in the angle of a red field—streaming proudly in the breeze. Count +d’Artigas was cosily ensconced in a basket-work chair on the after-deck, +conversing with Engineer Serko and Captain Spade.</P> +<P>“They don’t seem in a hurry to board us,” remarked Serko.</P> +<P>“They can come whenever they think proper,” said the Count in a tone of +supreme indifference.</P> +<P>“No doubt they are waiting for us at the entrance to the inlet,” suggested +Captain Spade.</P> +<P>“Let them wait,” grunted the wealthy nobleman.</P> +<P>Then he relapsed into his customary unconcerned impassibility.</P> +<P>Captain Spade’s hypothesis was doubtless correct. The <I>Falcon</I> had as +yet made no move towards the schooner, but would almost certainly do so as soon +as the latter reached the inlet, and the Count would have to submit to a search +of his vessel if he wished to reach the open sea.</P> +<P>How was it then that he manifested such extraordinary unconcern? Were Thomas +Roch and Gaydon so safely hidden that their hiding-place could not possibly be +discovered?</P> +<P>The thing was possible, but perhaps the Count d’Artigas would not have been +quite so confident had he been aware that the <I>Ebba</I> had been specially +signalled to the warship and revenue cutters as a suspect.</P> +<P>The Count’s visit to Healthful House on the previous day had now attracted +particular attention to him and his schooner. Evidently, at the time, the +director could have had no reason to suspect the motive of his visit. But a few +hours later, Thomas Roch and his keeper had been carried off. No one else from +outside had been near the pavilion that day. It was admitted that it would have +been an easy matter for the Count’s companion, while the former distracted the +director’s attention, to push back the bolts of the door in the wall and steal +the key. Then the fact that the <I>Ebba</I> was anchored in rear of, and only a +few hundred yards from, the estate, was in itself suspicious. Nothing would have +been easier for the desperadoes than to enter by the door, surprise their +victims, and carry them off to the schooner.</P> +<P>These suspicions, neither the director nor the <I>personnel</I> of the +establishment had at first liked to give expression to, but when the <I>Ebba</I> +was seen to weigh anchor and head for the open sea, they appeared to be +confirmed.</P> +<P>They were communicated to the authorities of New-Berne, who immediately +ordered the commander of the <I>Falcon</I> to intercept the schooner, to search +her minutely high and low, and from stem to stern, and on no account to let her +proceed, unless he was absolutely certain that Roch and Gaydon were not on +board.</P> +<P>Assuredly the Count d’Artigas could have had no idea that his vessel was the +object of such stringent orders; but even if he had, it is questionable whether +this superbly haughty and disdainful nobleman would have manifested any +particular anxiety.</P> +<P>Towards three o’clock, the warship which was cruising before the inlet, after +having sent search parties aboard a few fishing-smacks, suddenly manoeuvred to +the entrance of the pass, and awaited the approaching schooner. The latter +surely did not imagine that she could force a passage in spite of the cruiser, +or escape from a vessel propelled by steam. Besides, had she attempted such a +foolhardy trick, a couple of shots from the <I>Falcon’s</I> guns would speedily +have constrained her to lay to.</P> +<P>Presently a boat, manned by two officers and ten sailors, put off from the +cruiser and rowed towards the <I>Ebba</I>. When they were only about half a +cable’s length off, one of the men rose and waved a flag.</P> +<P>“That’s a signal to stop,” said Engineer Serko.</P> +<P>“Precisely,” remarked the Count d’Artigas.</P> +<P>“We shall have to lay to.”</P> +<P>“Then lay to.”</P> +<P>Captain Spade went forward and gave the necessary orders, and in a few +minutes the vessel slackened speed, and was soon merely drifting with the +tide.</P> +<P>The <I>Falcon’s</I> boat pulled alongside, and a man in the bows held on to +her with a boat-hook. The gangway was lowered by a couple of hands on the +schooner, and the two officers, followed by eight of their men, climbed on +deck.</P> +<P>They found the crew of the <I>Ebba</I> drawn up in line on the +forecastle.</P> +<P>The officer in command of the boarding-party—a first lieutenant—advanced +towards the owner of the schooner, and the following questions and answers were +exchanged:</P> +<P>“This schooner belongs to the Count d’Artigas, to whom, I presume, I have the +honor of speaking?”</P> +<P>“Yes, sir.”</P> +<P>“What is her name?”</P> +<P>“The <I>Ebba</I>.”</P> +<P>“She is commanded by?—”</P> +<P>“Captain Spade.”</P> +<P>“What is his nationality?”</P> +<P>“Hindo-Malay.”</P> +<P>The officer scrutinized the schooner’s flag, while the Count d’Artigas +added:</P> +<P>“Will you be good enough to tell me, sir, to what circumstance I owe the +pleasure of your visit on board my vessel?”</P> +<P>“Orders have been received,” replied the officer, “to search every vessel now +anchored in Pamlico Sound, or which attempts to leave it.”</P> +<P>He did not deem it necessary to insist upon this point since the <I>Ebba</I>, +above every other, was to be subjected to the bother of a rigorous +examination.</P> +<P>“You, of course, sir, have no intention of refusing me permission to go over +your schooner?”</P> +<P>“Assuredly not, sir. My vessel is at your disposal from peaks to bilges. Only +I should like to know why all the vessels which happen to be in Pamlico Sound +to-day are being subjected to this formality.”</P> +<P>“I see no reason why you should not be informed, Monsieur the Count,” replied +the officer. “The governor of North Carolina has been apprised that Healthful +House has been broken into and two persons kidnapped, and the authorities merely +wish to satisfy themselves that the persons carried off have not been embarked +during the night.”</P> +<P>“Is it possible?” exclaimed the Count, feigning surprise. “And who are the +persons who have thus disappeared from Healthful House?”</P> +<P>“An inventor—a madman—and his keeper.”</P> +<P>“A madman, sir? Do you, may I ask, refer to the Frenchman, Thomas Roch?”</P> +<P>“The same.”</P> +<P>“The Thomas Roch whom I saw yesterday during my visit to the +establishment—whom I questioned in presence of the director—who was seized with +a violent paroxysm just as Captain Spade and I were leaving?”</P> +<P>The officer observed the stranger with the keenest attention, in an effort to +surprise anything suspicious in his attitude or remarks.</P> +<P>“It is incredible!” added the Count, as though he had just heard about the +outrage for the first time.</P> +<P>“I can easily understand, sir, how uneasy the authorities must be,” he went +on, “in view of Thomas Roch’s personality, and I cannot but approve of the +measures taken. I need hardly say that neither the French inventor nor his +keeper is on board the <I>Ebba</I>. However, you can assure yourself of the fact +by examining the schooner as minutely as you desire. Captain Spade, show these +gentlemen over the vessel.”</P> +<P>Then saluting the lieutenant of the <I>Falcon</I> coldly, the Count d’Artigas +sank into his deck-chair again and replaced his cigar between his lips, while +the two officers and eight sailors, conducted by Captain Spade, began their +search.</P> +<P>In the first place they descended the main hatchway to the after saloon—a +luxuriously-appointed place, filled with art objects of great value, hung with +rich tapestries and hangings, and wainscotted with costly woods.</P> +<P>It goes without saying that this and the adjoining cabins were searched with +a care that could not have been surpassed by the most experienced detectives. +Moreover, Captain Spade assisted them by every means in his power, obviously +anxious that they should not preserve the slightest suspicion of the +<I>Ebba’s</I> owner.</P> +<P>After the grand saloon and cabins, the elegant dining-saloon was visited. +Then the cook’s galley, Captain Spade’s cabin, and the quarters of the crew in +the forecastle were overhauled, but no sign of Thomas Roch or Gaydon was to be +seen.</P> +<P>Next, every inch of the hold, etc., was examined, with the aid of a couple of +lanterns. Water-kegs, wine, brandy, whisky and beer barrels, biscuit-boxes, in +fact, all the provision boxes and everything the hold contained, including the +stock of coal, was moved and probed, and even the bilges were scrutinized, but +all in vain.</P> +<P>Evidently the suspicion that the Count d’Artigas had carried off the missing +men was unfounded and unjust. Even a rat could not have escaped the notice of +the vigilant searchers, leave alone two men.</P> +<P>When they returned on deck, however, the officers, as a matter of precaution +looked into the boats hanging on the davits, and punched the lowered sails, with +the same result.</P> +<P>It only remained for them, therefore, to take leave of the Count +d’Artigas.</P> +<P>“You must pardon us for having disturbed you, Monsieur the Count,” said the +lieutenant.</P> +<P>“You were compelled to obey your orders, gentlemen.”</P> +<P>“It was merely a formality, of course,” ventured the officer.</P> +<P>By a slight inclination of the head the Count signified that he was quite +willing to accept this euphemism.</P> +<P>“I assure you, gentlemen, that I have had no hand in this kidnapping.”</P> +<P>“We can no longer believe so, Monsieur the Count, and will withdraw.”</P> +<P>“As you please. Is the <I>Ebba</I> now free to proceed?”</P> +<P>“Certainly.”</P> +<P>“Then <I>au revoir</I>, gentlemen, <I>au revoir</I>, for I am an +<I>habitué</I> of this coast and shall soon be back again. I hope that ere my +return you will have discovered the author of the outrage, and have Thomas Roch +safely back in Healthful House. It is a consummation devoutly to be wished in +the interest of the United States—I might even say of the whole world.”</P> +<P>The two officers courteously saluted the Count, who responded with a nod. +Captain Spade accompanied them to the gangway, and they were soon making for the +cruiser, which had steamed near to pick them up.</P> +<P>Meanwhile the breeze had freshened considerably, and when, at a sign from +d’Artigas, Captain Spade set sail again, the <I>Ebba</I> skimmed swiftly through +the inlet, and half an hour after was standing out to sea.</P> +<P>For an hour she continued steering east-northeast, and then, the wind, being +merely a land breeze, dropped, and the schooner lay becalmed, her sails limp, +and her flag drooping like a wet rag. It seemed that it would be impossible for +the vessel to continue her voyage that night unless a breeze sprang up, and of +this there was no sign.</P> +<P>Since the schooner had cleared the inlet Captain Spade had stood in the bows +gazing into the water, now to port, now to starboard, as if on the lookout for +something. Presently he shouted in a stentorian voice:</P> +<P>“Furl sail!”</P> +<P>The sailors rushed to their posts, and in an instant the sails came rattling +down and were furled.</P> +<P>Was it Count d’Artigas’ intention to wait there till daybreak brought a +breeze with it? Presumably, or the sails would have remained hoisted to catch +the faintest puff.</P> +<P>A boat was lowered and Captain Spade jumped into it, accompanied by a sailor, +who paddled it towards an object that was floating on the water a few yards +away.</P> +<P>This object was a small buoy, similar to that which had floated on the bosom +of the Neuse when the <I>Ebba</I> lay off Healthful House.</P> +<P>The buoy, with a towline affixed to it, was lifted into the boat that was +then paddled to the bow of the <I>Ebba</I>, from the deck of which another +hawser was cast to the captain, who made it fast to the towline of the buoy. +Having dropped the latter overboard again, the captain and the sailor returned +to the ship and the boat was hoisted in.</P> +<P>Almost immediately the hawser tautened, and the <I>Ebba</I>, though not a +stitch of canvas had been set, sped off in an easterly direction at a speed that +could not have been less than ten knots an hour.</P> +<P>Night was falling fast, and soon the rapidly receding lights along the +American coast were lost in the mist on the horizon.</P> + +<a name="V" id="V"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER V.</H4> +<H4>WHERE AM I?</H4> +<P>(Notes by Simon Hart, the Engineer.)</P> +<P>Where am I? What has happened since the sudden aggression of which I was the +victim near the pavilion?</P> +<P>I had just quitted the doctor, and was about to mount the steps, close the +door and resume my post beside Thomas Roch when several men sprang upon me and +knocked me down. Who are they? My eyes having been bandaged I was unable to +recognize them. I could not cry for help, having been gagged. I could make no +resistance, for they had bound me hand and foot. Thus powerless, I felt myself +lifted and carried about one hundred paces, then hoisted, then lowered, then +laid down.</P> +<P>Where? Where?</P> +<P>And Thomas Roch, what has become of him? It must have been he rather than I +they were after. I was but Gaydon, the warder. None suspected that I was Simon +Hart, the engineer, nor could they have suspected my nationality. Why, +therefore, should they have desired to kidnap a mere hospital attendant?</P> +<P>There can consequently be no doubt that the French inventor has been carried +off; and if he was snatched from Healthful House it must have been in the hope +of forcing his secret from him.</P> +<P>But I am reasoning on the supposition that Thomas Roch was carried off with +me. Is it so? Yes—it must be—it is. I can entertain no doubt whatever about it. +I have not fallen into the hands of malefactors whose only intention is robbery. +They would not have acted in this way. After rendering it impossible for me to +cry out, after having thrown me into a clump of bushes in the corner of the +garden, after having kidnapped Thomas Roch they would not have shut me up—where +I now am.</P> +<P>Where? This is the question which I have been asking myself for hours without +being able to answer it.</P> +<P>However, one thing is certain, and that is that I have embarked upon an +extraordinary adventure, that will end?—In what manner I know not—I dare not +even imagine what the upshot of it will be. Anyhow, it is my intention to commit +to memory, minute by minute, the least circumstance, and then, if it be +possible, to jot down my daily impressions. Who knows what the future has in +store for me? And who knows but what, in my new position, I may finally discover +the secret of Roth’s fulgurator? If I am to be delivered one day, this secret +must be made known, as well as who is the author, or who are the authors, of +this criminal outrage, which may be attended with such serious consequences.</P> +<P>I continually revert to this question, hoping that some incident will occur +to enlighten me:</P> +<P>Where am I?</P> +<P>Let me begin from the beginning.</P> +<P>After having been carried by the head and feet from Healthful House, I felt +that I was laid, without any brutality, I must admit, upon the stretchers of a +row-boat of small dimensions.</P> +<P>The rocking caused by the weight of my body was succeeded shortly afterwards +by a further rocking—which I attribute to the embarking of a second person. Can +there be room for doubt that it was Thomas Roch? As far as he was concerned they +would not have had to take the precaution of gagging him, or of bandaging his +eyes, or of binding him. He must still have been in a state of prostration which +precluded the possibility of his making any resistance, or even of being +conscious of what was being done. The proof that I am not deceiving myself is +that I could smell the unmistakable odor of ether. Now, yesterday, before taking +leave of us, the doctor administered a few drops of ether to the invalid and—I +remember distinctly—a little of this extremely volatile substance fell upon his +clothing while he was struggling in his fit. There is therefore nothing +astonishing in the fact that this odor should have clung to him, nor that I +should have distinguished it, even beneath the bandages that covered my +face.</P> +<P>Yes, Thomas Roch was extended near me in the boat. And to think that had I +not returned to the pavilion when I did, had I delayed a few minutes longer, I +should have found him gone!</P> +<P>Let me think. What could have inspired that Count d’Artigas with the +unfortunate curiosity to visit Healthful House? If he had not been allowed to +see my patient nothing of the kind would have happened. Talking to Thomas Roch +about his inventions brought on a fit of exceptional violence. The director is +primarily to blame for not heeding my warning. Had he listened to me the doctor +would not have been called upon to attend him, the door of the pavilion would +have been locked, and the attempt of the band would have been frustrated.</P> +<P>As to the interest there could have been in carrying off Thomas Roch, either +on behalf of a private person or of one of the states of the Old World, it is so +evident that there is no need to dwell upon it. However, I can be perfectly easy +about the result. No one can possibly succeed in learning what for fifteen +months I have been unable to ascertain. In the condition of intellectual +collapse into which my fellow-countryman has fallen, all attempts to force his +secret from him will be futile. Moreover, he is bound to go from bad to worse +until he is hopelessly insane, even as regards those points upon which he has +hitherto preserved his reason intact.</P> +<P>After all, however, it is less about Thomas Roch than myself that I must +think just now, and this is what I have experienced, to resume the thread of my +adventure where I dropped it:</P> +<P>After more rocking caused by our captors jumping into it, the boat is rowed +off. The distance must be very short, for a minute after we bumped against +something. I surmise that this something must be the hull of a ship, and that we +have run alongside. There is some scurrying and excitement. Indistinctly through +my bandages I can hear orders being given and a confused murmur of voices that +lasts for about five minutes, but I cannot distinguish a word that is said.</P> +<P>The only thought that occurs to me now is that they will hoist me on board +and lower me to the bottom of the hold and keep me there till the vessel is far +out at sea. Obviously they will not allow either Thomas Roch or his keeper to +appear on deck as long as she remains in Pamlico Sound.</P> +<P>My conjecture is correct. Still gagged and bound I am at last lifted by the +legs and shoulders. My impression, however, is that I am not being raised over a +ship’s bulwark, but on the contrary am being lowered. Are they going to drop me +overboard to drown like a rat, so as to get rid of a dangerous witness? This +thought flashes into my brain, and a quiver of anguish passes through my body +from head to foot. Instinctively I draw a long breath, and my lungs are filled +with the precious air they will speedily lack.</P> +<P>No, there is no immediate cause for alarm. I am laid with comparative +gentleness upon a hard floor, which gives me the sensation of metallic coldness. +I am lying at full length. To my extreme surprise, I find that the ropes with +which I was bound have been untied and loosened. The tramping about around me +has ceased. The next instant I hear a door closed with a bang.</P> +<P>Where am I? And, in the first place, am I alone? I tear the gag from my +mouth, and the bandages from my head.</P> +<P>It is dark—pitch dark. Not a ray of light, not even the vague perception of +light that the eyes preserve when the lids are tightly closed.</P> +<P>I shout—I shout repeatedly. No response. My voice is smothered. The air I +breathe is hot, heavy, thick, and the working of my lungs will become difficult, +impossible, unless the store of air is renewed.</P> +<P>I extend my arms and feel about me, and this is what I conclude:</P> +<P>I am in a compartment with sheet-iron walls, which cannot measure more than +four cubic yards. I can feel that the walls are of bolted plates, like the sides +of a ship’s water-tight compartment.</P> +<P>I can feel that the entrance to it is by a door on one side, for the hinges +protrude somewhat. This door must open inwards, and it is through here, no +doubt, that I was carried in.</P> +<P>I place my ear to the door, but not a sound can be heard. The silence is as +profound as the obscurity—a strange silence that is only broken by the +sonorousness of the metallic floor when I move about. None of the dull noises +usually to be heard on board a ship is perceptible, not even the rippling of the +water along the hull. Nor is there the slightest movement to be felt; yet, in +the estuary of the Neuse, the current is always strong enough, to cause a marked +oscillation to any vessel.</P> +<P>But does the compartment in which I am confined, really belong to a ship? How +do I know that I am afloat on the Neuse, though I was conveyed a short distance +in a boat? Might not the latter, instead of heading for a ship in waiting for +it, opposite Healthful House, have been rowed to a point further down the river? +In this case is it not possible that I was carried into the cellar of a house? +This would explain the complete immobility of the compartment. It is true that +the walls are of bolted plates, and that there is a vague smell of salt water, +that odor <I>sui generis</I> which generally pervades the interior of a ship, +and which there is no mistaking.</P> +<P>An interval, which I estimate at about four hours, must have passed since my +incarceration. It must therefore be near midnight. Shall I be left here in this +way till morning? Luckily, I dined at six o’clock, which is the regular +dinner-hour at Healthful House. I am not suffering from hunger. In fact I feel +more inclined to sleep than to eat. Still, I hope I shall have energy enough to +resist the inclination. I will not give way to it. I must try and find out what +is going on outside. But neither sound nor light can penetrate this iron box. +Wait a minute, though; perhaps by listening intently I may hear some sound, +however feeble. Therefore I concentrate all my vital power in my sense of +hearing. Moreover, I try—in case I should really not be on <I>terra firma</I>—to +distinguish some movement, some oscillation of my prison. Admitting that the +ship is still at anchor, it cannot be long before it will start—otherwise I +shall have to give up imagining why Thomas Roch and I have been carried off.</P> +<P>At last—it is no illusion—a slight rolling proves to me, beyond a doubt, that +I am not on land. We are evidently moving, but the motion is scarcely +perceptible. It is not a jerky, but rather a gliding movement, as though we were +skimming through the water without effort, on an even keel.</P> +<P>Let me consider the matter calmly. I am on board a vessel that was anchored +in the Neuse, waiting under sail or steam, for the result of the expedition. A +boat brought me aboard, but, I repeat, I did not feel that I was lifted over her +bulwarks. Was I passed through a porthole? But after all, what does it matter? +Whether I was lowered into the hold or not, I am certainly upon something that +is floating and moving.</P> +<P>No doubt I shall soon be let out, together with Thomas Roch, supposing them +to have locked him up as carefully as they have me. By being let out, I mean +being accorded permission to go on deck. It will not be for some hours to come, +however, that is certain, for they won’t want us to be seen, so that there is no +chance of getting a whiff of fresh air till we are well out at sea. If it is a +sailing vessel, she must have waited for a breeze—for the breeze that freshens +off shore at daybreak, and is favorable to ships navigating Pamlico Sound.</P> +<P>It certainly cannot be a steamer. I could not have failed to smell the oil +and other odors of the engine-room. And then I should feel the trembling of the +machinery, the jerks of the pistons, and the movements of the screws or +paddles.</P> +<P>The best thing to do is to wait patiently. I shan’t be taken out of this hole +until to-morrow, anyway. Moreover, if I am not released, somebody will surely +bring me something to eat. There is no reason to suppose that they intend to +starve me to death. They wouldn’t have taken the trouble to bring me aboard, but +would have dropped me to the bottom of the river had they been desirous of +getting rid of me. Once we are out at sea, what will they have to fear from me? +No one could hear my shouts. As to demanding an explanation and making a fuss, +it would be useless. Besides, what am I to the men who have carried us off? A +mere hospital attendant—one Gaydon, who is of no consequence. It is Thomas Roch +they were after. I was taken along too because I happened to return to the +pavilion at the critical moment.</P> +<P>At any rate, no matter what happens, no matter who our kidnappers may be, no +matter where we are taken, I shall stick to this resolution: I will continue to +play my role of warder. No one, no! none, can suspect that Gaydon is Simon Hart, +the engineer. There are two advantages in this: in the first place, they will +take no notice of a poor devil of a warder, and in the second, I may be able to +solve the mystery surrounding this plot and turn my knowledge to profit, if I +succeed in making my escape.</P> +<P>But whither are my thoughts wandering? I must perforce wait till we arrive at +our destination before thinking of escaping. It will be time enough to bother +about that when the occasion presents itself. Until then the essential is that +they remain ignorant as to my identity, and they cannot, and shall not, know who +I am.</P> +<P>I am now certain that we are going through the water. But there is one thing +that puzzles me. It is not a sailing vessel, neither can it be a steamer. Yet it +is incontestably propelled by some powerful machine. There are none of the +noises, nor is there the trembling that accompanies the working of steam +engines. The movement of the vessel is more continuous and regular, it is a sort +of direct rotation that is communicated by the motor, whatever the latter may +be. No mistake is possible: the ship is propelled by some special mechanism. But +what is it?</P> +<P>Is it one of those turbines that have been spoken of lately, which, fitted +into a submerged tube, are destined to replace the ordinary screw, it being +claimed that they utilize the resistance of the water better than the latter and +give increased speed to a ship?</P> +<P>In a few hours’ time I shall doubtless know all about this means of +locomotion.</P> +<P>Meanwhile there is another thing that equally puzzles me. There is not the +slightest rolling or pitching. How is it that Pamlico Sound is so +extraordinarily calm? The varying currents continuously ruffle the surface of +the Sound, even if nothing else does.</P> +<P>It is true the tide may be out, and I remember that last night the wind had +fallen altogether. Still, no matter, the thing is inexplicable, for a ship +propelled by machinery, no matter at what speed she may be going, always +oscillates more or less, and I cannot perceive the slightest rocking.</P> +<P>Such are the thoughts with which my mind is persistently filled. Despite an +almost overpowering desire to sleep, despite the torpor that is coming upon me +in this suffocating atmosphere, I am resolved not to close my eyes. I will keep +awake till daylight, and there will be no daylight for me till it is let into my +prison from the outside. Perhaps even if the door were open it would not +penetrate to this black hole, and I shall probably not see it again until I am +taken on deck.</P> +<P>I am squatting in a corner of my prison, for I have no stool or anything to +sit upon, but as my eyelids are heavy and I feel somnolent in spite of myself, I +get up and walk about. Then I wax wrathful, anger fills my soul, I beat upon the +iron walls with my fists, and shout for help. In vain! I hurt my hands against +the bolts of the plates, and no one answers my cries.</P> +<P>Such conduct is unworthy of me. I flattered myself that I would remain calm +under all circumstances and here I am acting like a child.</P> +<P>The absence of any rolling or lurching movement at least proves that we are +not yet at sea. Instead of crossing Pamlico Sound, may we not be going in the +opposite direction, up the River Neuse? No! What would they go further inland +for? If Thomas Roch has been carried off from Healthful House, his captors +obviously mean to take him out of the United States—probably to a distant island +in the Atlantic, or to some point on the European continent. It is, therefore, +not up the Neuse that our maritime machine, whatever it may be, is going, but +across Pamlico Sound, which must be as calm as a mirror.</P> +<P>Very well, then, when we get to sea I shall soon, know, for the vessel will +rock right enough in the swell off shore, even though there be no wind,—unless I +am aboard a battleship, or big cruiser, and this I fancy can hardly be!</P> +<P>But hark! If I mistake not—no, it was not imagination—I hear footsteps. Some +one is approaching the side of the compartment where the door is. One of the +crew no doubt. Are they going to let me out at last? I can now hear voices. A +conversation is going on outside the door, but it is carried on in a language +that I do not understand. I shout to them—I shout again, but no answer is +vouchsafed.</P> +<P>There is nothing to do, then, but wait, wait, wait! I keep repeating the word +and it rings in my ears like a bell.</P> +<P>Let me try to calculate how long I have been here. The ship must have been +under way for at least four or five hours. I reckon it must be past midnight, +but I cannot tell, for unfortunately my watch is of no use to me in this +Cimmerian darkness.</P> +<P>Now, if we have been going for five hours, we must have cleared Pamlico +Sound, whether we issued by Ocracoke or Hatteras inlet, and must be off the +coast a good mile, at least. Yet I haven’t felt any motion from the swell of the +sea.</P> +<P>It is inexplicable, incredible! Come now, have I made a mistake? Am I the +dupe of an illusion? Am I not imprisoned in the hold of a ship under way?</P> +<P>Another hour has passed and the movement of the ship suddenly ceases; I +realize perfectly that she is stationary. Has she reached her destination? In +this event we can only be in one of the coast ports to the north or south of +Pamlico Sound. But why should Thomas Roch be landed again? The abduction must +soon have been discovered, and our kidnappers would run the greatest risk of +falling into the hands of the authorities if they attempted to disembark.</P> +<P>However this may be, if the vessel is coming to anchor I shall hear the noise +of the chain as it is paid out, and feel the jerk as the ship is brought up. I +know that sound and that jerk well from experience, and I am bound to hear and +feel them in a minute or two.</P> +<P>I wait—I listen.</P> +<P>A dead and disquieting silence reigns on board. I begin to wonder whether I +am not the only living being in the ship.</P> +<P>Now I feel an irresistible torpor coming over me. The air is vitiated. I +cannot breathe. My chest is bursting. I try to resist, but it is impossible to +do so. The temperature rises to such a degree that I am compelled to divest +myself of part of my clothing. Then I lie me down in a corner. My heavy eyelids +close, and I sink into a prostration that eventually forces me into heavy +slumber.</P> +<P>How long have I been asleep? I cannot say. Is it night? Is it day? I know +not. I remark, however, that I breathe more easily, and that the air is no +longer poisoned carbonic acid.</P> +<P>Was the air renewed while I slept? Has the door been opened? Has anybody been +in here?</P> +<P>Yes, here is the proof of it!</P> +<P>In feeling about, my hand has come in contact with a mug filled with a liquid +that exhales an inviting odor. I raise it to my lips, which, are burning, for I +am suffering such an agony of thirst that I would even drink brackish water.</P> +<P>It is ale—an ale of excellent quality—which refreshes and comforts me, and I +drain the pint to the last drop.</P> +<P>But if they have not condemned me to die of thirst, neither have they +condemned me to die of hunger, I suppose?</P> +<P>No, for in one of the corners I find a basket, and this basket contains some +bread and cold meat.</P> +<P>I fall to, eating greedily, and my strength little by little returns.</P> +<P>Decidedly, I am not so abandoned as I thought I was. Some one entered this +obscure hole, and the open door admitted a little of the oxygen from the +outside, without which I should have been suffocated. Then the wherewithal to +quench my thirst and appease the pangs of hunger was placed within my reach.</P> +<P>How much longer will this incarceration last? Days? Months? I cannot estimate +the hours that have elapsed since I fell asleep, nor have I any idea as to what +time of the day or night it may be. I was careful to wind up my watch, though, +and perhaps by feeling the hands—Yes, I think the little hand marks eight +o’clock—in the morning, no doubt. What I do know, however, is that the ship is +not in motion. There is not the slightest quiver.</P> +<P>Hours and hours, weary, interminable hours go by, and I wonder whether they +are again waiting till night comes on to renew my stock of air and provisions. +Yes, they are waiting to take advantage of my slumbers. But this time I am +resolved to resist. I will feign to be asleep—and I shall know how to force an +answer from whoever enters!</P> + +<a name="VI" id="VI"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER VI.</H4> +<H4>ON DECK.</H4> +<P>Here I am in the open air, breathing freely once more. I have at last been +hauled out of that stifling box and taken on deck. I gaze around me in every +direction and see no sign of land. On every hand is that circular line which +defines earth and sky. No, there is not even a speck of land to be seen to the +west, where the coast of North America extends for thousands of miles.</P> +<P>The setting sun now throws but slanting rays upon the bosom of the ocean. It +must be about six o’clock in the evening. I take out my watch and it marks +thirteen minutes past six.</P> +<P>As I have already mentioned, I waited for the door of my prison to open, +thoroughly resolved not to fall asleep again, but to spring upon the first +person who entered and force him to answer my questions. I was not aware then +that it was day, but it was, and hour after hour passed and no one came. I began +to suffer again from hunger and thirst, for I had not preserved either bite or +sup.</P> +<P>As soon as I awoke I felt that the ship was in motion again, after having, I +calculated, remained stationary since the previous day—no doubt in some lonely +creek, since I had not heard or felt her come to anchor.</P> +<P>A few minutes ago—it must therefore have been six o’clock—I again heard +footsteps on the other side of the iron wall of my compartment. Was anybody +coming to my cell? Yes, for I heard the creaking of the bolts as they were drawn +back, and then the door opened, and the darkness in which I had been plunged +since the first hour of my captivity was illumined by the light of a +lantern.</P> +<P>Two men, whom I had no time to look at, entered and seized me by the arms. A +thick cloth was thrown over my head, which was enveloped in such a manner that I +could see absolutely nothing.</P> +<P>What did it all mean? What were they going to do with me? I struggled, but +they held me in an iron grasp. I questioned them, but they made no reply. The +men spoke to each other in a language that I could not understand, and had never +heard before.</P> +<P>They stood upon no ceremony with me. It is true I was only a madhouse warder, +and they probably did not consider it necessary to do so; but I question very +much whether Simon Hart, the engineer, would have received any more courtesy at +their hands.</P> +<P>This time, however, no attempt was made to gag me nor to bind either my arms +or legs. I was simply restrained by main force from breaking away from them.</P> +<P>In a moment I was dragged out of the compartment and pushed along a narrow +passage. Next, the steps of a metallic stairway resounded under our feet. Then +the fresh air blew in my face and I inhaled it with avidity.</P> +<P>Finally they took their hands from off me, and I found myself free. I +immediately tore the cloth off my head and gazed about me.</P> +<P>I am on board a schooner which is ripping through the water at a great rate +and leaving a long white trail behind her.</P> +<P>I had to clutch at one of the stays for support, dazzled as I was by the +light after my forty-eight hours’ imprisonment in complete obscurity.</P> +<P>On the deck a dozen men with rough, weather-beaten faces come and go—very +dissimilar types of men, to whom it would be impossible to attribute any +particular nationality. They scarcely take any notice of me.</P> +<P>As to the schooner, I estimate that she registers from two hundred and fifty +to three hundred tons. She has a fairly wide beam, her masts are strong and +lofty, and her large spread of canvas must carry her along at a spanking rate in +a good breeze.</P> +<P>Aft, a grizzly-faced man is at the wheel, and he is keeping her head to the +sea that is running pretty high.</P> +<P>I try to find out the name of the vessel, but it is not to be seen anywhere, +even on the life-buoys.</P> +<P>I walk up to one of the sailors and inquire:</P> +<P>“What is the name of this ship?”</P> +<P>No answer, and I fancy the man does not understand me.</P> +<P>“Where is the captain?” I continue.</P> +<P>But the sailor pays no more heed to this than he did to the previous +question.</P> +<P>I turn on my heel and go forward.</P> +<P>Above the forward hatchway a bell is suspended. Maybe the name of the +schooner is engraved upon it. I examine it, but can find no name upon it.</P> +<P>I then return to the stern and address the man at the wheel. He gazes at me +sourly, shrugs his shoulders, and bending, grasps the spokes of the wheel +solidly, and brings the schooner, which had been headed off by a large wave from +port, stem on to sea again.</P> +<P>Seeing that nothing is to be got from that quarter, I turn away and look +about to see if I can find Thomas Roch, but I do not perceive him anywhere. Is +he not on board? He must be. They could have had no reason for carrying me off +alone. No one could have had any idea that I was Simon Hart, the engineer, and +even had they known it what interest could they have had in me, and what could +they expect of me?</P> +<P>Therefore, as Roch is not on deck, I conclude that he is locked in one of the +cabins, and trust he has met with better treatment than his ex-guardian.</P> +<P>But what is this—and how on earth could I have failed to notice it before? +How is this schooner moving? Her sails are furled—there is not an inch of canvas +set—the wind has fallen, and the few puffs that occasionally come from the east +are unfavorable, in view of the fact that we are going in that very direction. +And yet the schooner speeds through the sea, her bows down, throwing off clouds +of foam, and leaving a long, milky, undulating trail in her wake.</P> +<P>Is she a steam-yacht? No—there is not a smokestack about her. Is she +propelled by electricity—by a battery of accumulators, or by piles of great +power that work her screw and send her along at this rate?</P> +<P>I can come to no other conclusion. In any case she must be fitted with a +screw, and by leaning over the stern I shall be able to see it, and can find out +what sets it working afterwards.</P> +<P>The man at the wheel watches me ironically as I approach, but makes no effort +to prevent me from looking over.</P> +<P>I gaze long and earnestly, but there is no foaming and seething of the water +such as is invariably caused by the revolutions of the screw—naught but the long +white furrow that a sailing vessel leaves behind is discernible in the +schooner’s wake.</P> +<P>Then, what kind of a machine is it that imparts such a marvellous speed to +the vessel? As I have already said, the wind is against her, and there is a +heavy swell on.</P> +<P>I must—I will know. No one pays the slightest attention, and I again go +forward.</P> +<P>As I approach the forecastle I find myself face to face with a man who is +leaning nonchalantly on the raised hatchway and who is watching me. He seems to +be waiting for me to speak to him.</P> +<P>I recognize him instantly. He is the person who accompanied the Count +d’Artigas during the latter’s visit to Healthful House. There can be no +mistake—it is he right enough.</P> +<P>It was, then, that rich foreigner who abducted Thomas Roch, and I am on board +the <I>Ebba</I> his schooner-yacht which is so well known on the American +coast!</P> +<P>The man before me will enlighten me about what I want to know. I remember +that he and the Count spoke English together.</P> +<P>I take him to be the captain of the schooner.</P> +<P>“Captain,” I say, “you are the person I saw at Healthful House. You remember +me, of course?”</P> +<P>He looks me up and down but does not condescend to reply.</P> +<P>“I am Warder Gaydon, the attendant of Thomas Roch,” I continue, “and I want +to know why you have carried me off and placed me on board this schooner?”</P> +<P>The captain interrupts me with a sign. It is not made to me, however, but to +some sailors standing near.</P> +<P>They catch me by the arms, and taking no notice of the angry movement that I +cannot restrain, bundle me down the hatchway. The hatchway stair in reality, I +remark, is a perpendicular iron ladder, at the bottom of which, to right and +left, are some cabins, and forward, the men’s quarters.</P> +<P>Are they going to put me back in my dark prison at the bottom of the +hold?</P> +<P>No. They turn to the left and push me into a cabin. It is lighted by a +port-hole, which is open, and through which the fresh air comes in gusts from +the briny. The furniture consists of a bunk, a chair, a chest of drawers, a +wash-hand-stand and a table.</P> +<P>The latter is spread for dinner, and I sit down. Then the cook’s mate comes +in with two or three dishes. He is a colored lad, and as he is about to +withdraw, I try to question him, but he, too, vouchsafes no reply. Perhaps he +doesn’t understand me.</P> +<P>The door is closed, and I fall to and eat with an excellent appetite, with +the intention of putting off all further questioning till some future occasion +when I shall stand a chance of getting answered.</P> +<P>It is true I am a prisoner, but this time I am comfortable enough, and I hope +I shall be permitted to occupy this cabin for the remainder of the voyage, and +not be lowered into that black hole again.</P> +<P>I now give myself up to my thoughts, the first of which is that it was the +Count d’Artigas who planned the abduction; that it was he who is responsible for +the kidnapping of Thomas Roch, and that consequently the French inventor must be +just as comfortably installed somewhere on board the schooner.</P> +<P>But who is this Count d’Artigas? Where does he hail from? If he has seized +Thomas Roch, is it not because he is determined to secure the secret of the +fulgurator at no matter what cost? Very likely, and I must therefore be careful +not to betray my identity, for if they knew the truth, I should never be +afforded a chance to get away.</P> +<P>But what a lot of mysteries to clear up, how many inexplicable things to +explain—the origin of this d’Artigas, his intentions as to the future, whither +we are bound, the port to which the schooner belongs, and this mysterious +progress through the water without sails and without screws, at a speed of at +least ten knots an hour!</P> +<P>The air becoming keener as night deepens, I close and secure the port-hole, +and as my cabin is bolted on the outside, the best thing I can do is to get into +my bunk and let myself be gently rocked to sleep by the broad Atlantic in this +mysterious cradle, the <I>Ebba</I>.</P> +<P>The next morning I rise at daybreak, and having performed my ablutions, dress +myself and wait.</P> +<P>Presently the idea of trying the door occurs to me. I find that it has been +unbolted, and pushing it open, climb the iron ladder and emerge on deck.</P> +<P>The crew are washing down the deck, and standing aft and conversing are two +men, one of whom is the captain. The latter manifests no surprise at seeing me, +and indicates my presence to his companion by a nod.</P> +<P>This other man, whom I have never before seen, is an individual of about +fifty years of age, whose dark hair is streaked with gray. His features are +delicately chiselled, his eyes are bright, and his expression is intelligent and +not at all displeasing. He is somewhat of the Grecian type, and I have no doubt +that he is of Hellenic origin when I hear him called Serko—Engineer Serko—by the +Captain of the <I>Ebba</I>.</P> +<P>As to the latter, he is called Spade—Captain Spade—and this name has an +Italian twang about it. Thus there is a Greek, an Italian, and a crew recruited +from every corner of the earth to man a schooner with a Norwegian name! This +mixture strikes me as being suspicious.</P> +<P>And that Count d’Artigas, with his Spanish name and Asiatic type, where does +he come from?</P> +<P>Captain Spade and Engineer Serko continue to converse in a low tone of voice. +The former is keeping a sharp eye on the man at the wheel, who does not appear +to pay any particular attention to the compass in front of him. He seems to pay +more heed to the gestures of one of the sailors stationed forward, and who +signals to him to put the helm to port or to starboard.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch is near them, gazing vacantly out upon the vast expanse which is +not limited on the horizon by a single speck of land. Two sailors watch his +every movement. It is evidently feared that the madman may possibly attempt to +jump overboard.</P> +<P>I wonder whether I shall be permitted to communicate with my ward.</P> +<P>I walk towards him, and Captain Spade and Engineer Serko watch me.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch doesn’t see me coming, and I stand beside him. Still he takes no +notice of me, and makes no movement. His eyes, which sparkle brightly, wander +over the ocean, and he draws in deep breaths of the salt, vivifying atmosphere. +Added to the air surcharged with oxygen is a magnificent sunset in a cloudless +sky. Does he perceive the change in his situation? Has he already forgotten +about Healthful House, the pavilion in which he was a prisoner, and Gaydon, his +keeper? It is highly probable. The past has presumably been effaced from his +memory and he lives solely in the present.</P> +<P>In my opinion, even on the deck of the <I>Ebba</I>, in the middle of the sea, +Thomas Roch is still the helpless, irresponsible man whom I tended for fifteen +months. His intellectual condition has undergone no change, and his reason will +return only when he is spoken to about his inventions. The Count d’Artigas is +perfectly aware of this mental disposition, having had a proof of it during his +visit, and he evidently relies thereon to surprise sooner or later the +inventor’s secret. But with what object?</P> +<P>“Thomas Roch!” I exclaim.</P> +<P>My voice seems to strike him, and after gazing at me fixedly for an instant +he averts his eyes quickly.</P> +<P>I take his hand and press it. He withdraws it brusquely and walks away, +without having recognized me, in the direction of Captain Spade and Engineer +Serko.</P> +<P>Does he think of speaking to one or other of these men, and if they speak to +him will he be more reasonable than he was with me, and reply to them?</P> +<P>At this moment his physiognomy lights up with a gleam of intelligence. His +attention, obviously, has been attracted by the queer progress of the schooner. +He gazes at the masts and the furled sails. Then he turns back and stops at the +place where, if the <I>Ebba</I> were a steamer, the funnel ought to be, and +which in this case ought to be belching forth a cloud of black smoke.</P> +<P>What appeared so strange to me evidently strikes Thomas Roch as being +strange, too. He cannot explain what I found inexplicable, and, as I did, he +walks aft to see if there is a screw.</P> +<P>On the flanks of the <I>Ebba</I> a shoal of porpoises are sporting. Swift as +is the schooner’s course they easily pass her, leaping and gambolling in their +native element with surprising grace and agility.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch pays no attention to them, but leans over the stern.</P> +<P>Engineer Serko and Captain Spade, fearful lest he should fall overboard, +hurry to him and drag him gently, but firmly, away.</P> +<P>I observe from long experience that Roch is a prey to violent excitement. He +turns about and gesticulates, uttering incoherent phrases the while.</P> +<P>It is plain to me that another fit is coming on, similar to the one he had in +the pavilion of Healthful House on the night we were abducted. He will have to +be seized and carried down to his cabin, and I shall perhaps be summoned to +attend to him.</P> +<P>Meanwhile Engineer Serko and Captain Spade do not lose sight of him for a +moment. They are evidently curious to see what he will do.</P> +<P>After walking towards the mainmast and assuring himself that the sails are +not set, he goes up to it and flinging his arms around it, tries with all his +might to shake it, as though seeking to pull it down.</P> +<P>Finding his efforts futile, he quits it and goes to the foremast, where the +same performance is gone through. He waxes more and more excited. His vague +utterances are followed by inarticulate cries.</P> +<P>Suddenly he rushes to the port stays and clings to them, and I begin to fear +that he will leap into the rigging and climb to the cross-tree, where he might +be precipitated into the sea by a lurch of the ship.</P> +<P>On a sign from Captain Spade, some sailors run up and try to make him +relinquish his grasp of the stays, but are unable to do so. I know that during +his fits he is endowed with the strength of ten men, and many a time I have been +compelled to summon assistance in order to overpower him.</P> +<P>Other members of the crew, however, come up, and the unhappy madman is borne +to the deck, where two big sailors hold him down, despite his extraordinary +strength.</P> +<P>The only thing to do is to convey him to his cabin, and let him lie there +till he gets over his fit. This is what will be done in conformity with orders +given by a new-comer whose voice seems familiar to me.</P> +<P>I turn and recognize him.</P> +<P>He is the Count d’Artigas, with a frown on his face and an imperious manner, +just as I had seen him at Healthful House.</P> +<P>I at once advance toward him. I want an explanation and mean to have it.</P> +<P>“By what right, sir?”—I begin.</P> +<P>“By the right of might,” replies the Count.</P> +<P>Then he turns on his heel, and Thomas Roch is carried below.</P> + +<a name="VII" id="VII"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER VII.</H4> +<H4>TWO DAYS AT SEA.</H4> +<P>Perhaps—should circumstances render it necessary—I may be induced to tell the +Count d’Artigas that I am Simon Hart, the engineer. Who knows but what I may +receive more consideration than if I remain Warder Gaydon? This measure, +however, demands reflection. I have always been dominated by the thought that if +the owner of the <I>Ebba</I> kidnapped the French inventor, it was in the hope +of getting possession of Roch’s fulgurator, for which, neither the old nor new +continent would pay the impossible price demanded. In that case the best thing I +can do is to remain Warder Gaydon, on the chance that I may be allowed to +continue in attendance upon him. In this way, if Thomas Roch should ever divulge +his secret, I may learn what it was impossible to do at Healthful House, and can +act accordingly.</P> +<P>Meanwhile, where is the <I>Ebba</I> bound?—first question.</P> +<P>Who and what is the Count d’Artigas?—second question.</P> +<P>The first will be answered in a few days’ time, no doubt, in view of the +rapidity with which we are ripping through the water, under the action of a +means of propulsion that I shall end by finding out all about. As regards the +second, I am by no means so sure that my curiosity will ever be gratified.</P> +<P>In my opinion this enigmatical personage has an all important reason for +hiding his origin, and I am afraid there is no indication by which I can gauge +his nationality. If the Count d’Artigas speaks English fluently—and I was able +to assure myself of that fact during his visit to Pavilion No. 17,—he pronounces +it with a harsh, vibrating accent, which is not to be found among the peoples of +northern latitudes. I do not remember ever to have heard anything like it in the +course of my travels either in the Old or New World—unless it be the harshness +characteristic of the idioms in use among the Malays. And, in truth, with his +olive, verging on copper-tinted skin, his jet-black, crinkly hair, his piercing, +deep-set, restless eyes, his square shoulders and marked muscular development, +it is by no means unlikely that he belongs to one of the extreme Eastern +races.</P> +<P>I believe this name of d’Artigas is an assumed one, and his title of Count +likewise. If his schooner bears a Norwegian name, he at any rate is not of +Scandinavian origin. He has nothing of the races of Northern Europe about +him.</P> +<P>But whoever and whatever he may be, this man abducted Thomas Roch—and me with +him—with no good intention, I’ll be bound.</P> +<P>But what I should like to know is, has he acted as the agent of a foreign +power, or on his own account? Does he wish to profit alone by Thomas Roch’s +invention, and is he in the position to dispose of it profitably? That is +another question that I cannot yet answer. Maybe I shall be able to find out +from what I hear and see ere I make my escape, if escape be possible.</P> +<P>The <I>Ebba</I> continues on her way in the same mysterious manner. I am free +to walk about the deck, without, however, being able to go beyond the fore +hatchway. Once I attempted to go as far as the bows where I could, by leaning +over, perceive the schooner’s stem as it cut through the water, but acting, it +was plain, on orders received, the watch on deck turned me back, and one of +them, addressing me brusquely in harsh, grating English, said:</P> +<P>“Go back! Go back! You are interfering with the working of the ship!”</P> +<P>With the working of the ship! There was no working.</P> +<P>Did they realize that I was trying to discover by what means the schooner was +propelled? Very likely, and Captain Spade, who had looked on, must have known +it, too. Even a hospital attendant could not fail to be astonished at the fact +that a vessel without either screw or sails was going along at such a speed. +However this may be, for some reason or other, the bows of the <I>Ebba</I> are +barred to me.</P> +<P>Toward ten o’clock a breeze springs up—a northwest wind and very +favorable—and Captain Spade gives an order to the boatswain. The latter +immediately pipes all hands on deck, and the mainsail, the foresail, staysail +and jibs are hoisted. The work could not have been executed with greater +regularity and discipline on board a man-of-war.</P> +<P>The <I>Ebba</I> now has a slight list to port, and her speed is notably +increased. But the motor continues to push her along, as is evident from the +fact that the sails are not always as full as they ought to be if the schooner +were bowling along solely under their action. However, they continue to render +yeoman’s service, for the breeze has set in steadily.</P> +<P>The sky is clear, for the clouds in the west disappear as soon as they attain +the horizon, and the sunlight dances on the water.</P> +<P>My preoccupation now is to find out as near as possible where we are bound +for. I am a good-enough sailor to be able to estimate the approximate speed of a +ship. In my opinion the <I>Ebba</I> has been travelling at the rate of from ten +to eleven knots an hour. As to the direction we have been going in, it is always +the same, and I have been able to verify this by casual glances at the binnacle. +If the fore part of the vessel is barred to Warder Gaydon he has been allowed a +free run of the remainder of it. Time and again I have glanced at the compass, +and noticed that the needle invariably pointed to the east, or to be exact, +east-southeast.</P> +<P>These are the conditions in which we are navigating this part of the Atlantic +Ocean, which is bounded on the west by the coast of the United States of +America.</P> +<P>I appeal to my memory. What are the islands or groups of islands to be found +in the direction we are going, ere the continent of the Old World is +reached?</P> +<P>North Carolina, which the schooner quitted forty-eight hours ago, is +traversed by the thirty-fifth parallel of latitude, and this parallel, extending +eastward, must, if I mistake not, cut the African coast at Morocco. But along +the line, about three thousand miles from America, are the Azores. Is it +presumable that the <I>Ebba</I> is heading for this archipelago, that the port +to which she belongs is somewhere in these islands which constitute one of +Portugal’s insular domains? I cannot admit such an hypothesis.</P> +<P>Besides, before the Azores, on the line of the thirty-fifth parallel, is the +Bermuda group, which belongs to England. It seems to me to be a good deal less +hypothetical that, if the Count d’Artigas was entrusted with the abduction of +Thomas Roch by a European Power at all, it was by the United Kingdom of Great +Britain and Ireland. The possibility, however, remains that he may be acting +solely in his own interest.</P> +<P>Three or four times during the day Count d’Artigas has come aft and remained +for some time scanning the surrounding horizon attentively. When a sail or the +smoke from a steamer heaves in sight he examines the passing vessel for a +considerable time with a powerful telescope. I may add that he has not once +condescended to notice my presence on deck.</P> +<P>Now and then Captain Spade joins him and both exchange a few words in a +language that I can neither understand nor recognize.</P> +<P>It is with Engineer Serko, however, that the owner of the <I>Ebba</I> +converses more readily than with anybody else, and the latter appears to be very +intimate with him. The engineer is a good deal more free, more loquacious and +less surly than his companions, and I wonder what position he occupies on the +schooner. Is he a personal friend of the Count d’Artigas? Does he scour the seas +with him, sharing the enviable life enjoyed by the rich yachtsman? He is the +only man of the lot who seems to manifest, if not sympathy with, at least some +interest in me.</P> +<P>I have not seen Thomas Roch all day. He must be shut in his cabin, still +under the influence of the fit that came upon him last night.</P> +<P>I feel certain that this is so, when about three o’clock in the afternoon, +just as he is about to go below, the Count beckons me to approach.</P> +<P>I do not know what he wishes to say to me, this Count d’Artigas, but I do +know what I will say to him.</P> +<P>“Do these fits to which Thomas Roch is subject last long?” he asks me in +English.</P> +<P>“Sometimes forty-eight hours,” I reply.</P> +<P>“What is to be done?”</P> +<P>“Nothing at all. Let him alone until he falls asleep. After a night’s sleep +the fit will be over and Thomas Roch will be his own helpless self again.”</P> +<P>“Very well, Warder Gaydon, you will continue to attend him as you did at +Healthful House, if it be necessary.”</P> +<P>“To attend to him!”</P> +<P>“Yes—on board the schooner—pending our arrival.”</P> +<P>“Where?”</P> +<P>“Where we shall be to-morrow afternoon,” replies the Count.</P> +<P>To-morrow, I say to myself. Then we are not bound for the coast of Africa, +nor even the Azores. There only remains the hypothesis that we are making for +the Bermudas.</P> +<P>Count d’Artigas is about to go down the hatchway when I interrogate him in my +turn:</P> +<P>“Sir,” I exclaim, “I desire to know, I have the right to know, where I am +going, and——”</P> +<P>“Here, Warder Gaydon,” he interrupted, “you have no rights. All you have to +do is to answer when you are spoken to.” “I protest!”</P> +<P>“Protest, then,” replies this haughty and imperious personage, glancing at me +menacingly.</P> +<P>Then he disappears down the hatchway, leaving me face to face with Engineer +Serko.</P> +<P>“If I were you, Warder Gaydon, I would resign myself to the inevitable,” +remarks the latter with a smile. “When one is caught in a trap——”</P> +<P>“One can cry out, I suppose?”</P> +<P>“What is the use when no one is near to hear you?”</P> +<P>“I shall be heard some day, sir.”</P> +<P>“Some day—that’s a long way off. However, shout as much as you please.”</P> +<P>And with this ironical advice, Engineer Serko leaves me to my own +reflections.</P> +<P>Towards four o’clock a big ship is reported about six miles off to the east, +coming in our direction. She is moving rapidly and grows perceptibly larger. +Black clouds of smoke pour out of her two funnels. She is a warship, for a +narrow pennant floats from her main-mast, and though she is not flying any flag +I take her to be an American cruiser.</P> +<P>I wonder whether the <I>Ebba</I> will render her the customary salute as she +passes.</P> +<P>No; for the schooner suddenly changes her course with the evident intention +of avoiding her.</P> +<P>This proceeding on the part of such a suspicious yacht does not astonish me +greatly. But what does cause me extreme surprise is Captain Spade’s way of +manoeuvring.</P> +<P>He runs forward to a signalling apparatus in the bows, similar to that by +which orders are transmitted to the engine room of a steamer. As soon as he +presses one of the buttons of this apparatus the <I>Ebba</I> veers off a point +to the south-west.</P> +<P>Evidently an order of “some kind” has been transmitted to the driver of the +machine of “some kind” which causes this inexplicable movement of the schooner +by the action of a motor of “some kind” the principle of which I cannot guess +at.</P> +<P>The result of this manoeuvre is that the <I>Ebba</I> slants away from the +cruiser, whose course does not vary. Why should this warship cause a +pleasure-yacht to turn out of its way? I have no idea.</P> +<P>But the <I>Ebba</I> behaves in a very different manner when about six o’clock +in the evening a second ship comes in sight on the port bow. This time, instead +of seeking to avoid her, Captain Spade signals an order by means of the +apparatus above referred to, and resumes his course to the east—which will bring +him close to the said ship.</P> +<P>An hour later, the two vessels are only about four miles from each other.</P> +<P>The wind has dropped completely. The strange ship, which is a three-masted +merchantman, is taking in her top-gallant sails. It is useless to expect the +wind to spring up again during the night, and she will lay becalmed till +morning. The <I>Ebba</I>, however, propelled by her mysterious motor, continues +to approach her.</P> +<P>It goes without saying, that Captain Spade has also begun to take in sail, +and the work, under the direction of the boatswain Effrondat, is executed with +the same precision and promptness that struck me before.</P> +<P>When the twilight deepens into darkness, only a mile and a half separates the +vessels.</P> +<P>Captain Spade then comes up to me—I am standing on the starboard side—and +unceremoniously orders me to go below.</P> +<P>I can but obey. I remark, however, ere I go, that the boatswain has not +lighted the head-lamps, whereas the lamps of the three-master shine +brightly—green to starboard, and red to port.</P> +<P>I entertain no doubt that the schooner intends to pass her without being +seen; for though she has slackened speed somewhat, her direction has not been in +any way modified.</P> +<P>I enter my cabin under the impression of a vague foreboding. My supper is on +the table, but uneasy, I know not why, I hardly touch it, and lie down to wait +for sleep that does not come.</P> +<P>I remain in this condition for two hours. The silence is unbroken save by the +water that ripples along the vessel’s sides.</P> +<P>My mind is full of the events of the past two days, and other thoughts crowd +thickly upon me. To-morrow afternoon we shall reach our destination. To-morrow, +I shall resume, on land, my attendance upon Thomas Roch, “if it be necessary,” +said the Count d’Artigas.</P> +<P>If, when I was thrown into that black hole at the bottom of the hold, I was +able to perceive when the schooner started off across Pamlico Sound, I now feel +that she has come to a stop. It must be about ten o’clock.</P> +<P>Why has she stopped? When Captain Spade ordered me below, there was no land +in sight. In this direction, there is no island until the Bermuda group is +reached—at least there is none on the map—and we shall have to go another fifty +or sixty miles before the Bermudas can be sighted by the lookout men. Not only +has the <I>Ebba</I> stopped, but her immobility is almost complete. There is not +a breath of wind, and scarcely any swell, and her slight, regular rocking is +hardly perceptible.</P> +<P>Then my thoughts turn to the merchantman, which was only a mile and a half +off, on our bow, when I came below. If the schooner continued her course towards +her, she must be almost alongside now. We certainly cannot be lying more than +one or two cables’ length from her. The three-master, which was becalmed at +sundown, could not have gone west. She must be close by, and if the night is +clear, I shall be able to see her through the porthole.</P> +<P>It occurs to me, that perhaps a chance of escape presents itself. Why should +I not attempt it, since no hope of being restored to liberty is held out to me? +It is true I cannot swim, but if I seize a life buoy and jump overboard, I may +be able to reach the ship, if I am not observed by the watch on deck.</P> +<P>I must quit my cabin and go up by the forward hatchway. I listen. I hear no +noise, either in the men’s quarters, or on deck. The sailors must all be asleep +at this hour. Here goes.</P> +<P>I try to open the door, and find it is bolted on the outside, as I might have +expected.</P> +<P>I must give up the attempt, which, after all, had small chance of +success.</P> +<P>The best thing I can do, is to go to sleep, for I am weary of mind, if not of +body. I am restless and racked by conflicting thoughts, and apprehensions of I +know not what. Oh! if I could but sink into the blessed oblivion of slumber!</P> +<P>I must have managed to fall asleep, for I have just been awakened by a +noise—an unusual noise, such as I have not hitherto heard on board the +schooner.</P> +<P>Day begins to peer through the glass of my port-hole, which is turned towards +the east. I look at my watch. It is half-past four.</P> +<P>The first thing I wonder is, whether the <I>Ebba</I> has resumed her +voyage.</P> +<P>No, I am certain she has not, either by sail, or by her motor. The sea is as +calm at sunrise as it was at sunset. If the <I>Ebba</I> has been going ahead +while I slept, she is at any rate, stationary now.</P> +<P>The noise to which I referred, is caused by men hurrying to and fro on +deck—by men heavily laden. I fancy I can also hear a similar noise in the hold +beneath my cabin floor, the entrance to which is situated abaft the foremast. I +also feel that something is scraping against the schooner’s hull. Have boats +come alongside? Are the crew engaged in loading or unloading merchandise?</P> +<P>And yet we cannot possibly have reached our journey’s end. The Count +d’Artigas said that we should not reach our destination till this afternoon. +Now, I repeat, she was, last night, fully fifty or sixty miles from the nearest +land, the group of the Bermudas. That she could have returned westward, and can +be in proximity to the American coast, is inadmissible, in view of the distance. +Moreover, I have reason to believe that the <I>Ebba</I> has remained stationary +all night. Before I fell asleep, I know she had stopped, and I now know that she +is not moving.</P> +<P>However, I shall see when I am allowed to go on deck. My cabin door is still +bolted, I find on trying it; but I do not think they are likely to keep me here +when broad daylight is on.</P> +<P>An hour goes by, and it gradually gets lighter. I look out of my porthole. +The ocean is covered by a mist, which the first rays of the sun will speedily +disperse.</P> +<P>I can, however, see for a half a mile, and if the three-masted merchantman is +not visible, it is probably because she is lying off the other, or port, side of +the <I>Ebba</I>.</P> +<P>Presently I hear a key turned in my door, and the bolts drawn. I push the +door open and clamber up the iron ladder to the deck, just as the men are +battening down the cover of the hold.</P> +<P>I look for the Count d’Artigas, but do not see him. He has not yet left his +cabin.</P> +<P>Aft, Captain Spade and Engineer Serko are superintending the stowing of some +bales, which have doubtless been hoisted from the hold. This explains the noisy +operations that were going on when I was awakened. Obviously, if the crew are +getting out the cargo, we are approaching the end of our voyage. We are not far +from port, and perhaps in a few hours, the schooner will drop anchor.</P> +<P>But what about the sailing ship that was to port of us? She ought to be in +the same place, seeing that there has been and is no wind.</P> +<P>I look for her, but she is nowhere to be seen. There is not a sail, not a +speck on the horizon either east, west, north or south.</P> +<P>After cogitating upon the circumstance I can only arrive at the following +conclusion, which, however, can only be accepted under reserve: Although I did +not notice it, the <I>Ebba</I> resumed her voyage while I slept, leaving the +three-master becalmed behind her, and this is why the merchantman is no longer +visible.</P> +<P>I am careful not to question Captain Spade about it, nor even Engineer Serko, +as I should certainly receive no answer.</P> +<P>Besides, at this moment Captain Spade goes to the signalling apparatus and +presses one of the buttons on the upper disk. Almost immediately the <I>Ebba</I> +gives a jerk, then with her sails still furled, she starts off eastward +again.</P> +<P>Two hours later the Count d’Artigas comes up through the main hatchway and +takes his customary place aft. Serko and Captain Spade at once approach and +engage in conversation with him.</P> +<P>All three raise their telescopes and sweep the horizon from southeast to +northeast.</P> +<P>No one will be surprised to learn that I gaze intently in the same direction; +but having no telescope I cannot distinguish anything.</P> +<P>The midday meal over we all return on deck—all with the exception of Thomas +Roch, who has not quitted his cabin.</P> +<P>Towards one o’clock land is sighted by the lookout man on the foretop +cross-tree. Inasmuch as the <I>Ebba</I> is bowling along at great speed I shall +soon be able to make out the coast line.</P> +<P>In effect, two hours later a vague semicircular line that curves outward is +discernible about eight miles off. As the schooner approaches it becomes more +distinct. It is a mountain, or at all events very high ground, and from its +summit a cloud of smoke ascends.</P> +<P>What! A volcano in these parts? It must then be——</P> + +<a name="VIII" id="VIII"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER VIII.</H4> +<H4>BACK CUP.</H4> +<P>In my opinion the <I>Ebba</I> could have struck no other group of islands but +the Bermudas in this part of the Atlantic. This is clear from the distance +covered from the American coast and the direction sailed in since we issued from +Pamlico Sound. This direction has constantly been south-southeast, and the +distance, judging from the <I>Ebba’s</I> rate of speed, which has scarcely +varied, is approximately seven hundred and fifty miles.</P> +<P>Still, the schooner does not slacken speed. The Count d’Artigas and Engineer +Serko remain aft, by the man at the wheel. Captain Spade has gone forward.</P> +<P>Are we not going to leave this island, which appears to be isolated, to the +west?</P> +<P>It does not seem likely, since it is still broad daylight, and the hour at +which the <I>Ebba</I> was timed to arrive.</P> +<P>All the sailors are drawn up on deck, awaiting orders, and Boatswain +Effrondat is making preparations to anchor.</P> +<P>Ere a couple of hours have passed I shall know all about it. It will be the +first answer to one of the many questions that have perplexed me since the +schooner put to sea.</P> +<P>And yet it is most unlikely that the port to which the <I>Ebba</I> belongs is +situated on one of the Bermuda islands, in the middle of an English +archipelago—unless the Count d’Artigas has kidnapped Thomas Roch for the British +government, which I cannot believe.</P> +<P>I become aware that this extraordinary man is gazing at me with singular +persistence. Although he can have no suspicion that I am Simon Hart, the +engineer, he must be asking himself what I think of this adventure. If Warder +Gaydon is but a poor devil, this poor devil will manifest as much unconcern as +to what is in store for him as any gentleman could—even though he were the +proprietor of this queer pleasure yacht. Still I am a little uneasy under his +gaze.</P> +<P>I dare say that if the Count d’Artigas could guess how certain things have +suddenly become clear to me, he would not hesitate to have me thrown +overboard.</P> +<P>Prudence therefore commands me to be more circumspect than ever.</P> +<P>Without giving rise to any suspicion—even in the mind of Engineer Serko—I +have succeeded in raising a corner of the mysterious veil, and I begin to see +ahead a bit.</P> +<P>As the <I>Ebba</I> draws nearer, the island, or rather islet, towards which +she is speeding shows more sharply against the blue background of the sky. The +sun which has passed the zenith, shines full upon the western side. The islet is +isolated, or at any rate I cannot see any others of the group to which it +belongs, either to north or south.</P> +<P>This islet, of curious contexture, resembles as near as possible a cup turned +upside down, from which a fuliginous vapor arises. Its summit—the bottom of the +cup, if you like—is about three hundred feet above the level of the sea, and its +flanks, which are steep and regular, are as bare as the sea-washed rocks at its +base.</P> +<P>There is another peculiarity about it which must render the islet easily +recognizable by mariners approaching it from the west, and this is a rock which +forms a natural arch at the base of the mountain—the handle of the cup, so to +speak—and through which the waves wash as freely as the sunshine passes. Seen +this way the islet fully justifies the name of Back Cup given to it.</P> +<P>Well, I know and recognize this islet! It is situated at the extremity of the +archipelago of the Bermudas. It is the “reversed cup” that I had occasion to +visit a few years ago—No, I am not mistaken. I then climbed over the calcareous +and crooked rocks at its base on the east side. Yes, it is Back Cup, sure +enough!</P> +<P>Had I been less self-possessed I might have uttered an exclamation of +surprise—and satisfaction—which, with good reason, would have excited the +attention and suspicion of the Count d’Artigas.</P> +<P>These are the circumstances under which I came to explore Back Cup while on a +visit to Bermuda.</P> +<P>This archipelago, which is situated about seven hundred and fifty miles from +North Carolina is composed of several hundred islands or islets. Its centre is +crossed by the sixty-fourth meridian and the thirty-second parallel. Since the +Englishman Lomer was shipwrecked and cast up there in 1609, the Bermudas have +belonged to the United Kingdom, and in consequence the colonial population has +increased to ten thousand inhabitants. It was not for its productions of cotton, +coffee, indigo, and arrowroot that England annexed the group—seized it, one +might say; but because it formed a splendid maritime station in that part of the +Ocean, and in proximity to the United States of America. Possession was taken of +it without any protest on the part of other powers, and Bermuda is now +administered by a British governor with the addition of a council and a General +Assembly.</P> +<P>The principal islands of the archipelago are called St. David, Somerset, +Hamilton, and St. George. The latter has a free port, and the town of the same +name is also the capital of the group.</P> +<P>The largest of these isles is not more than seventeen miles long and five +wide. Leaving out the medium-sized ones, there remains but an agglomeration of +islets and reefs scattered over an area of twelve square leagues.</P> +<P>Although the climate of Bermuda is very healthy, very salubrious, the isles +are nevertheless frightfully beaten by the heavy winter tempests of the +Atlantic, and their approach by navigators presents certain difficulties.</P> +<P>What the archipelago especially lacks are rivers and rios. However, as +abundant rains fall frequently, this drawback is got over by the inhabitants, +who treasure up the heaven-sent water for household and agricultural purposes. +This has necessitated the construction of vast cisterns which the downfalls keep +filled. These works of engineering skill justly merit the admiration they +receive and do honor to the genius of man.</P> +<P>It was in connection with the setting up of these cisterns that I made the +trip, as well as out of curiosity to inspect the fine works.</P> +<P>I obtained from the company of which I was the engineer in New Jersey a +vacation of several weeks, and embarked at New York for the Bermudas.</P> +<P>While I was staying on Hamilton Island, in the vast port of Southampton, an +event occurred of great interest to geologists.</P> +<P>One day a whole flotilla of fishers, men, women and children, entered +Southampton Harbor. For fifty years these families had lived on the east coast +of Back Cup, where they had erected log-cabins and houses of stone. Their +position for carrying on their industry was an exceptionally favorable one, for +the waters teem with fish all the year round, and in March and April whales +abound.</P> +<P>Nothing had hitherto occurred to disturb their tranquil existence. They were +quite contented with their rough lot, which was rendered less onerous by the +facility of communication with Hamilton and St. George. Their solid barks took +cargoes of fish there, which they exchanged for the necessities of life.</P> +<P>Why had they thus abandoned the islet with the intention, as it pretty soon +appeared, of never returning to it? The reason turned out to be that they no +longer considered themselves in safety there.</P> +<P>A couple of months previously they had been at first surprised, then alarmed, +by several distinct detonations that appeared to have taken place in the +interior of the mountain. At the same time smoke and flames issued from the +summit—or the bottom of the reversed cup, if you like. Now no one had ever +suspected that the islet was of volcanic origin, or that there was a crater at +the top, no one having been able to climb its sides. Now, however, there could +be no possible doubt that the mountain was an ancient volcano that had suddenly +become active again and threatened the village with destruction.</P> +<P>During the ensuing two months internal rumblings and explosions continued to +be heard, which were accompanied by bursts of flame from the top—especially at +night. The island was shaken by the explosions—the shocks could be distinctly +felt. All these phenomena were indicative of an imminent eruption, and there was +no spot at the base of the mountain that could afford any protection from the +rivers of lava that would inevitably pour down its smooth, steep slopes and +overwhelm the village in their boiling flood. Besides, the very mountain might +be destroyed in the eruption.</P> +<P>There was nothing for the population exposed to such a dire catastrophe to do +but leave. This they did. Their humble Lares and Penates, in fact all their +belongings, were loaded into the fishing-smacks, and the entire colony sought +refuge in Southhampton Harbor.</P> +<P>The news that a volcano, that had presumably been smouldering for centuries +at the western extremity of the group, showed signs of breaking out again, +caused a sensation throughout the Bermudas. But while some were terrified, the +curiosity of others was aroused, mine included. The phenomenon was worth +investigation, even if the simple fisher-folk had exaggerated.</P> +<P>Back Cup, which, as already stated, lies at the western extremity of the +archipelago, is connected therewith by a chain of small islets and reefs, which +cannot be approached from the east. Being only three hundred feet in altitude, +it cannot be seen either from St. George or Hamilton. I joined a party of +explorers and we embarked in a cutter that landed us on the island, and made our +way to the abandoned village of the Bermudan fishers.</P> +<P>The internal crackings and detonations could be plainly heard, and a sheaf of +smoke was swayed by the wind at the summit.</P> +<P>Beyond a peradventure the ancient volcano had been started again by the +subterranean fire, and an eruption at any moment was to be apprehended.</P> +<P>In vain we attempted to climb to the mouth of the crater. The mountain +sheered down at an angle of from seventy-five to eighty degrees, and its smooth, +slippery sides afforded absolutely no foothold. Anything more barren than this +rocky freak of nature it would be difficult to conceive. Only a few tufts of +wild herbs were to be seen upon the whole island, and these seemed to have no +<I>raison d’être</I>.</P> +<P>Our explorations were therefore necessarily limited, and in view of the +active symptoms of danger that manifested themselves, we could but approve the +action of the villagers in abandoning the place; for we entertained no doubt +that its destruction was imminent.</P> +<P>These were the circumstances in which I was led to visit Back Cup, and no one +will consequently be surprised at the fact that I recognized it immediately we +hove in sight of the queer structure.</P> +<P>No, I repeat, the Count d’Artigas would probably not be overpleased if he +were aware that Warder Gaydon is perfectly acquainted with this islet, even if +the <I>Ebba</I> was to anchor there—which, as there is no port, is, to say the +least, extremely improbable.</P> +<P>As we draw nearer, I attentively examine Back Cup. Not one of its former +inhabitants has been induced to return, and, as it is absolutely deserted, I +cannot imagine why the schooner should visit the place.</P> +<P>Perhaps, however, the Count d’Artigas and his companions have no intention of +landing there. Even though the <I>Ebba</I> should find temporary shelter between +the rocky sides of a narrow creek there is nothing to give ground to the +supposition that a wealthy yachtsman would have the remotest idea of fixing upon +as his residence an arid cone exposed to all the terrible tempests of the +Western Atlantic. To live here is all very well for rustic fishermen, but not +for the Count d’Artigas, Engineer Serko, Captain Spade and his crew.</P> +<P>Back Cup is now only half a mile off, and the seaweed thrown up on its rocky +base is plainly discernible. The only living things upon it are the sea-gulls +and other birds that circle in clouds around the smoking crater.</P> +<P>When she is only two cable’s lengths off, the schooner slackens speed, and +then stops at the entrance of a sort of natural canal formed by a couple of +reefs that barely rise above the water.</P> +<P>I wonder whether the <I>Ebba</I> will venture to try the dangerous feat of +passing through it. I do not think so. She will probably lay where she is—though +why she should do so I do not know—for a few hours, and then continue her voyage +towards the east.</P> +<P>However this may be I see no preparations in progress for dropping anchor. +The anchors are suspended in their usual places, the cables have not been +cleared, and no motion has been made to lower a single boat.</P> +<P>At this moment Count d’Artigas, Engineer Serko and Captain Spade go forward +and perform some manoeuvre that is inexplicable to me.</P> +<P>I walk along the port side of the deck until I am near the foremast, and then +I can see a small buoy that the sailors are hoisting in. Almost immediately the +water, at the same spot becomes dark and I observe a black mass rising to the +surface. Is it a big whale rising for air, and is the <I>Ebba</I> in danger of +being shattered by a blow from the monster’s tail?</P> +<P>Now I understand! At last the mystery is solved. I know what was the motor +that caused the schooner to go at such an extraordinary speed without sails and +without a screw. Her indefatigable motor is emerging from the sea, after having +towed her from the coast of America to the archipelago of the Bermudas. There it +is, floating alongside—a submersible boat, a submarine tug, worked by a screw +set in motion by the current from a battery of accumulators or powerful electric +piles.</P> +<P>On the upper part of the long cigar-shaped iron tug is a platform in the +middle of which is the “lid” by which an entrance is effected. In the fore part +of the platform projects a periscope, or lookout, formed by port-holes or lenses +through which an electric searchlight can throw its gleam for some distance +under water in front of and on each side of the tug. Now relieved of its ballast +of water the boat has risen to the surface. Its lid will open and fresh air will +penetrate it to every part. In all probability, if it remained submerged during +the day it rose at night and towed the <I>Ebba</I> on the surface.</P> +<P>But if the mechanical power of the tug is produced by electricity the latter +must be furnished by some manufactory where it is stored, and the means of +procuring the batteries is not to be found on Back Cup, I suppose.</P> +<P>And then, why does the <I>Ebba</I> have recourse to this submarine towing +system? Why is she not provided with her own means of propulsion, like other +pleasure-boats?</P> +<P>These are things, however, upon which I have at present no leisure to +ruminate.</P> +<P>The lid of the tug opens and several men issue on to the platform. They are +the crew of this submarine boat, and Captain Spade has been able to communicate +with them and transmit his orders as to the direction to be taken by means of +electric signals connected with the tug by a wire that passes along the stem of +the schooner.</P> +<P>Engineer Serko approaches me and says, pointing to the boat:</P> +<P>“Get in.”</P> +<P>“Get in!” I exclaim.</P> +<P>“Yes, in the tug, and look sharp about it.”</P> +<P>As usual there is nothing for it but to obey. I hasten to comply with the +order and clamber over the side.</P> +<P>At the same time Thomas Roch appears on deck accompanied by one of the crew. +He appears to be very calm, and very indifferent too, and makes no resistance +when he is lifted over and lowered into the tug. When he has been taken in, +Count d’Artigas and Engineer Serko follow.</P> +<P>Captain Spade and the crew of the <I>Ebba</I> remain behind, with the +exception of four men who man the dinghy, which has been lowered. They have hold +of a long hawser, with which the schooner is probably to be towed through the +reef. Is there then a creek in the middle of the rocks where the vessel is +secure from the breakers? Is this the port to which she belongs?</P> +<P>They row off with the hawser and make the end fast to a ring in the reef. +Then the crew on board haul on it and in five minutes the schooner is so +completely lost to sight among the rocks that even the tip of her mast could not +be seen from the sea.</P> +<P>Who in Bermuda imagines that a vessel is accustomed to lay up in this secret +creek? Who in America would have any idea that the rich yachtsman so well known +in all the eastern ports abides in the solitude of Back Cup mountain?</P> +<P>Twenty minutes later the dinghy returns with the four men towards the tug +which was evidently waiting for them before proceeding—where?</P> +<P>They climb on board, the little boat is made fast astern, a movement is felt, +the screw revolves rapidly and the tug skims along the surface to Back Cup, +skirting the reefs to the south.</P> +<P>Three cable’s lengths further on, another tortuous canal is seen that leads +to the island. Into this the tug enters. When it gets close inshore, an order is +given to two men who jump out and haul the dinghy up on a narrow sandy beach out +of the reach of wave or weed, and where it will be easily get-at-able when +wanted.</P> +<P>This done the sailors return to the tug and Engineer Serko signs to me to go +below.</P> +<P>A short iron ladder leads into a central cabin where various bales and +packages are stored, and for which no doubt there was not room in the hold of +the schooner. I am pushed into a side cabin, the door is shut upon me, and here +I am once more a prisoner in profound darkness.</P> +<P>I recognize the cabin the moment I enter it. It is the place in which I spent +so many long hours after our abduction from Healthful House, and in which I was +confined until well out at sea off Pamlico Sound.</P> +<P>It is evident that Thomas Roch has been placed in a similar compartment.</P> +<P>A loud noise is heard, the banging of the lid as it closes, and the tug +begins to sink as the water is admitted to the tanks.</P> +<P>This movement is succeeded by another—a movement that impels the boat through +the water.</P> +<P>Three minutes later it stops, and I feel that we are rising to the surface +again.</P> +<P>Another noise made by the lid being raised.</P> +<P>The door of my cabin opens, and I rush out and clamber on to the +platform.</P> +<P>I look around and find that the tug has penetrated to the interior of Back +Cup mountain.</P> +<P>This is the mysterious retreat where Count d’Artigas lives with his +companions—out of the world, so to speak.</P> + +<a name="IX" id="IX"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER IX.</H4> +<H4>INSIDE BACK CUP</H4> +<P>The next morning I am able to make a first inspection of the vast cavern of +Back Cup. No one seeks to prevent me.</P> +<P>What a night I have passed! What strange visions I have seen! With what +impatience I waited for morning!</P> +<P>I was conducted to a grotto about a hundred paces from the edge of the lake +where the tug stopped. The grotto, twelve feet by ten, was lighted by an +incandescent lamp, and fitted with an entrance door that was closed upon me.</P> +<P>I am not surprised that electricity is employed in lighting the interior of +the cavern, as it is also used in the submarine boat. But where is it generated? +Where does it come from? Is there a manufactory installed somewhere or other in +this vast crypt, with machinery, dynamos and accumulators?</P> +<P>My cell is neatly furnished with a table on which provisions are spread, a +bunk with bedding, a basket chair, a wash-hand-stand with toilet set, and a +closet containing linen and various suits of clothes. In a drawer of the table I +find paper, ink and pens.</P> +<P>My dinner consists of fresh fish, preserved meat, bread of excellent quality, +ale and whisky; but I am so excited that I scarcely touch it. Yet I feel that I +ought to fortify myself and recover my calmness of mind. I must and will solve +the mystery surrounding the handful of men who burrow in the bowels of this +island.</P> +<P>So it is under the carapace of Back Cup that Count d’Artigas has established +himself! This cavity, the existence of which is not even suspected, is his home +when he is not sailing in the <I>Ebba</I> along the coasts of the new world or +the old. This is the unknown retreat he has discovered, to which access is +obtained by a submarine passage twelve or fifteen feet below the surface of the +ocean.</P> +<P>Why has he severed himself from the world? What has been his past? If, as I +suspect, this name of d’Artigas and this title of Count are assumed, what motive +has he for hiding his identity? Has he been banished, is he an outcast of +society that he should have selected this place above all others? Am I not in +the power of an evildoer anxious to ensure impunity for his crimes and to defy +the law by seeking refuge in this undiscoverable burrow? I have the right of +supposing anything in the case of this suspicious foreigner, and I exercise +it.</P> +<P>Then the question to which I have never been able to suggest a satisfactory +answer once more surges into my mind. Why was Thomas Roch abducted from +Healthful House in the manner already fully described? Does the Count d’Artigas +hope to force from him the secret of his fulgurator with a view to utilizing it +for the defence of Back Cup in case his retreat should by chance be discovered? +Hardly. It would be easy enough to starve the gang out of Back Cup, by +preventing the tug from supplying them with provisions. On the other hand, the +schooner could never break through the investing lines, and if she did her +description would be known in every port. In this event, of what possible use +would Thomas Roch’s invention be to the Count d’Artigas Decidedly, I cannot +understand it!</P> +<P>About seven o’clock in the morning I jump out of bed. If I am a prisoner in +the cavern I am at least not imprisoned in my grotto cell. The door yields when +I turn the handle and push against it, and I walk out.</P> +<P>Thirty yards in front of me is a rocky plane, forming a sort of quay that +extends to right and left. Several sailors of the <I>Ebba</I> are engaged in +landing bales and stores from the interior of the tug, which lays alongside a +little stone jetty.</P> +<P>A dim light to which my eyes soon grow accustomed envelops the cavern and +comes from a hole in the centre of the roof, through which the blue sky can be +seen.</P> +<P>“It is from that hole that the smoke which can be seen for such a distance +issues,” I say to myself, and this discovery suggests a whole series of +reflections.</P> +<P>Back Cup, then, is not a volcano, as was supposed—as I supposed myself. The +flames that were seen a few years ago, and the columns of smoke that still rise +were and are produced artificially. The detonations and rumblings that so +alarmed the Bermudan fishers were not caused by the internal workings of nature. +These various phenomena were fictitious. They manifested themselves at the mere +will of the owner of the island, who wanted to scare away the inhabitants who +resided on the coast. He succeeded, this Count d’Artigas, and remains the sole +and undisputed monarch of the mountain. By exploding gunpowder, and burning +seaweed swept up in inexhaustible quantities by the ocean, he has been able to +simulate a volcano upon the point of eruption and effectually scare would-be +settlers away!</P> +<P>The light becomes stronger as the sun rises higher, the daylight streams +through the fictitious crater, and I shall soon be able to estimate the cavern’s +dimensions. This is how I calculate:</P> +<P>Exteriorly the island of Back Cup, which is as nearly as possible circular, +measures two hundred and fifty yards in circumference, and presents an interior +superficies of about six acres. The sides of the mountain at its base vary in +thickness from thirty to a hundred yards.</P> +<P>It therefore follows that this excavation practically occupies the whole of +that part of Back Cup island which appears above water. As to the length of the +submarine tunnel by which communication is obtained with the outside, and +through which the tug passed, I estimate that it is fifty yards in length.</P> +<P>The size of the cavern can be judged from these approximate figures. But vast +as it is, I remember that there are caverns of larger dimensions both in the old +and new worlds. For instance in Carniole, Northumberland, Derbyshire, Piedmont, +the Balearics, Hungary and California are larger grottoes than Back Cup, and +those at Han-sur-Lesse in Belgium, and the Mammoth Caves in Kentucky, are also +more extensive. The latter contain no fewer than two hundred and twenty-six +domes, seven rivers, eight cataracts, thirty two wells of unknown depth, and an +immense lake which extends over six or seven leagues, the limit of which has +never been reached by explorers.</P> +<P>I know these Kentucky grottoes, having visited them, as many thousands of +tourists have done. The principal one will serve as a comparison to Back Cup. +The roof of the former, like that of the latter, is supported by pillars of +various lengths, which give it the appearance of a Gothic cathedral, with naves +and aisles, though it lacks the architectural regularity of a religious edifice. +The only difference is that whereas the roof of the Kentucky grotto is over four +hundred feet high, that of Back Cup is not above two hundred and twenty at that +part of it where the round hole through which issue the smoke and flames is +situated.</P> +<P>Another peculiarity, and a very important one, that requires to be pointed +out, is that whereas the majority of the grottoes referred to are easily +accessible, and were therefore bound to be discovered some time or other, the +same remark does not apply to Back Cup. Although it is marked on the map as an +island forming part of the Bermuda group, how could any one imagine that it is +hollow, that its rocky sides are only the walls of an enormous cavern? In order +to make such a discovery it would be necessary to get inside, and to get inside +a submarine apparatus similar to that of the Count d’Artigas would be +necessary.</P> +<P>In my opinion this strange yachtsman’s discovery of the tunnel by which he +has been able to found this disquieting colony of Back Cup must have been due to +pure chance.</P> +<P>Now I turn my attention to the lake and observe that it is a very small one, +measuring not more than four hundred yards in circumference. It is, properly +speaking, a lagoon, the rocky sides of which are perpendicular. It is large +enough for the tug to work about in it, and holds enough water too, for it must +be one hundred and twenty-five feet deep.</P> +<P>It goes without saying that this crypt, given its position and structure, +belongs to the category of those which are due to the encroachments of the sea. +It is at once of Neptunian and Plutonian origin, like the grottoes of Crozon and +Morgate in the bay of Douarnenez in France, of Bonifacio on the Corsican coast, +Thorgatten in Norway, the height of which is estimated at over three hundred +feet, the catavaults of Greece, the grottoes of Gibraltar in Spain, and Tourana +in Cochin China, whose carapace indicates that they are all the product of this +dual geological labor.</P> +<P>The islet of Back Cup is in great part formed of calcareous rocks, which +slope upwards gently from the lagoon towards the sides and are separated from +each other by narrow beaches of fine sand. Thick layers of seaweed that have +been swept through the tunnel by the tide and thrown up around the lake have +been piled into heaps, some of which are dry and some still wet, but all of +which exhale the strong odor of the briny ocean. This, however, is not the only +combustible employed by the inhabitants of Back Cup, for I see an enormous store +of coal that must have been brought by the schooner and the tug. But it is the +incineration of masses of dried seaweed that causes the smoke vomited forth by +the crater of the mountain.</P> +<P>Continuing my walk I perceive on the northern side of the lagoon the +habitations of this colony of troglodytes—do they not merit the appellation? +This part of the cavern, which is known as the Beehive, fully justifies its +name, for it is honeycombed by cells excavated in the limestone rock and in +which these human bees—or perhaps they should rather be called wasps—reside.</P> +<P>The lay of the cavern to the east is very different. Here hundreds of pillars +of all shapes rise to the dome, and form a veritable forest of stone trees +through the sinuous avenues of which one can thread one’s way to the extreme +limit of the place.</P> +<P>By counting the cells of the Beehive I calculate that Count d’Artigas’ +companions number from eighty to one hundred.</P> +<P>As my eye wanders over the place I notice that the Count is standing in front +of one of the cells, which is isolated from the others, and talking to Engineer +Serko and Captain Spade. After a while they stroll down to the jetty alongside +which the tug is lying.</P> +<P>A dozen men have been emptying the merchandise out of the tug and +transporting the goods in boats to the other side, where great cellars have been +excavated in the rocks and form the storehouses of the band.</P> +<P>The orifice of the tunnel is not visible in the waters of the lagoon, and I +remember that when I was brought here I felt the tug sink several feet before it +entered. In this respect therefore Back Cup does not resemble either the +grottoes of Staffa or Morgate, entrance to which is always open, even at high +tide. There may be another passage communicating with the coast, either natural +or artificial, and this I shall have to make my business to find out.</P> +<P>The island well merits its name of Back Cup. It is indeed a gigantic cup +turned upside down, not only to outward appearance, but inwardly, too, though +people are ignorant of the fact.</P> +<P>I have already remarked that the Beehive is situated to the north of the +lagoon, that is to say to the left on entering by the tunnel. On the opposite +side are the storerooms filled with provisions of all kinds, bales of +merchandise, barrels of wine, beer, and spirits and various packets bearing +different marks and labels that show that they came from all parts of the world. +One would think that the cargoes of a score of ships had been landed here.</P> +<P>A little farther on is a large wooden shed the nature of which is easily +distinguishable. From a pole above it a network of thick copper wires extends +which conducts the current to the powerful electric lights suspended from the +roof or dome, and to the incandescent lamps in each of the cells of the hive. A +large number of lamps are also installed among the stone pillars and light up +the avenues to their extremities.</P> +<P>“Shall I be permitted to roam about wherever I please?” I ask myself. I hope +so. I cannot for the life of me see why the Count d’Artigas should prohibit me +from doing so, for I cannot get farther than the surrounding walls of his +mysterious domain. I question whether there is any other issue than the tunnel, +and how on earth could I get through that?</P> +<P>Besides, admitting that I am able to get through it, I cannot get off the +island. My disappearance would be soon noticed, and the tug would take out a +dozen men who would explore every nook and cranny. I should inevitably be +recaptured, brought back to the Beehive, and deprived of my liberty for +good.</P> +<P>I must therefore give up all idea of making my escape, unless I can see that +it has some chance of being successful, and if ever an opportunity does present +itself I shall not be slow to take advantage of it.</P> +<P>On strolling round by the rows of cells I am able to observe a few of these +companions of the Count d’Artigas who are content to pass their monotonous +existence in the depths of Back Cup. As I said before, calculating from the +number of cells in the Beehive, there must be between eighty and a hundred of +them.</P> +<P>They pay no attention whatever to me as I pass, and on examining them closely +it seems to me that they must have been recruited from every country. I do not +distinguish any community of origin among them, not even a similarity by which +they might be classed as North Americans, Europeans or Asiatics. The color of +their skin shades from white to yellow and black—the black peculiar to Australia +rather than to Africa. To sum up, they appear for the most part to pertain to +the Malay races. I may add that the Count d’Artigas certainly belongs to that +particular race which peoples the Dutch isles in the West Pacific, while +Engineer Serko must be Levantine and Captain Spade of Italian origin.</P> +<P>But if the inhabitants of Back Cup are not bound to each other by ties of +race, they certainly are by instinct and inclination. What forbidding, +savage-looking faces they have, to be sure! They are men of violent character +who have probably never placed any restraint upon their passions, nor hesitated +at anything, and it occurs to me that in all likelihood they have sought refuge +in this cavern, where they fancy they can continue to defy the law with +impunity, after a long series of crimes—robbery, murder, arson, and excesses of +all descriptions committed together. In this case Back Cup is nothing but a lair +of pirates, the Count d’Artigas is the leader of the band and Serko and Spade +are his lieutenants.</P> +<P>I cannot get this idea out of my head, and the more I consider the more +convinced I am that I am right, especially as everything I see during my stroll +about the cavern seems to confirm my opinion.</P> +<P>However this may be, and whatever may be the circumstances that have brought +them together in this place, Count d’Artigas’ companions appear to accept his +all-powerful domination without question. On the other hand, if he keeps them +under his iron heel by enforcing the severest discipline, certain advantages, +some compensation, must accrue from the servitude to which they bow. What can +this compensation be?</P> +<P>Having turned that part of the bank under which the tunnel passes, I find +myself on the opposite side of the lagoon, where are situated the storerooms +containing the merchandise brought by the <I>Ebba</I> on each trip, and which +contain a great quantity of bales.</P> +<P>Beyond is the manufactory of electric energy. I gaze in at the windows as I +pass and notice that it contains machines of the latest invention and highest +attained perfection, which take up little space. Not one steam engine, with its +more or less complicated mechanism and need of fuel, is to be seen in the place. +As I had surmised, piles of extraordinary power supply the current to the lamps +in the cavern, as well as to the dynamos of the tug. No doubt the current is +also utilized for domestic purposes, such as warming the Beehive and cooking +food, I can see that in a neighboring cavity it is applied to the alembics used +to produce fresh water. At any rate the colonists of Back Cup are not reduced to +catching the rain water that falls so abundantly upon the exterior of the +mountain.</P> +<P>A few paces from the electric power house is a large cistern that, save in +the matter of proportions, is the counterpart of those I visited in Bermuda. In +the latter place the cisterns have to supply the needs of over ten thousand +people, this one of a hundred—what?</P> +<P>I am not sure yet what to call them. That their chief had serious reasons for +choosing the bowels of this island for his abiding place is obvious. But what +were those reasons? I can understand monks shutting themselves behind their +monastery walls with the intention of separating themselves from the world, but +these subjects of the Count d’Artigas have nothing of the monk about them, and +would not be mistaken for such by the most simple-minded of mortals.</P> +<P>I continue my way through the pillars to the extremity of the cavern. No one +has sought to stop me, no one has spoken to me, not a soul apparently has taken +the very slightest notice of me. This portion of Back Cup is extremely curious, +and comparable to the most marvellous of the grottoes of Kentucky or the +Balearics. I need hardly say that nowhere is the labor of man apparent. All this +is the handiwork of nature, and it is not without wonder, mingled with awe, that +I reflect upon the telluric forces capable of engendering such prodigious +substructions. The daylight from the crater in the centre only strikes this part +of the cavern obliquely, so that it is very imperfectly lighted, but at night, +when illuminated by the electric lamps, its aspect must be positively +fantastic.</P> +<P>I have examined the walls everywhere with minute attention, but have been +unable to discover any means of communicating with the outside.</P> +<P>Quite a colony of birds—gulls, sea-swallows and other feathery denizens of +the Bermudan beaches have made their home in the cavern. They have apparently +never been hunted, for they are in no way disturbed by the presence of man.</P> +<P>But besides sea-birds, which are free to come and go as they please by the +orifice in the dome, there is a whole farmyard of domestic poultry, and cows and +pigs. The food supply is therefore no less assured than it is varied, when the +fish of all kinds that abound in the lagoon and around the island are taken into +consideration.</P> +<P>Moreover, a mere glance at the colonists of Back Cup amply suffices to show +that they are not accustomed to fare scantily. They are all vigorous, robust +seafaring men, weatherbeaten and seasoned in the burning beat of tropical +latitudes, whose rich blood is surcharged with oxygen by the breezes of the +ocean. There is not a youth nor an old man among them. They are all in their +prime, their ages ranging from thirty to fifty.</P> +<P>But why do they submit to such an existence? Do they never leave their rocky +retreat?</P> +<P>Perhaps I shall find out ere I am much older.</P> + +<a name="X" id="X"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER X.</H4> +<H4>KER KARRAJE.</H4> +<P>The cell in which I reside is about a hundred paces from the habitation of +the Count d’Artigas, which is one of the end ones of this row of the Beehive. If +I am not to share it with Thomas Roch, I presume the latter’s cell is not far +off, for in order that Warder Gaydon may continue to care for the ex-patient of +Healthful House, their respective apartments will have to be contiguous. +However, I suppose I shall soon be enlightened on this point.</P> +<P>Captain Spade and Engineer Serko reside separately in proximity to D’Artigas’ +mansion.</P> +<P>Mansion? Yes, why not dignify it with the title since this habitation has +been arranged with a certain art? Skillful hands have carved an ornamental +façade in the rock. A large door affords access to it. Colored glass windows in +wooden frames let into the limestone walls admit the light. The interior +comprises several chambers, a dining-room and a drawing-room lighted by a +stained-glass window, the whole being perfectly ventilated. The furniture is of +various styles and shapes and of French, English and American make. The kitchen, +larder, etc., are in adjoining cells in rear of the Beehive.</P> +<P>In the afternoon, just as I issue from my cell with the firm intention of +“obtaining an audience” of the Count d’Artigas, I catch sight of him coming +along the shore of the lagoon towards the hive. Either he does not see me, or +wishes to avoid me, for he quickens his steps and I am unable to catch him.</P> +<P>“Well, he will have to receive me, anyhow!” I mutter to myself.</P> +<P>I hurry up to the door through which he has just disappeared and which has +closed behind him.</P> +<P>It is guarded by a gigantic, dark-skinned Malay, who orders me away in no +amiable tone of voice.</P> +<P>I decline to comply with his injunction, and repeat to him twice the +following request in my very best English:</P> +<P>“Tell the Count d’Artigas that I desire to be received immediately.”</P> +<P>I might just as well have addressed myself to the surrounding rock. This +savage, no doubt, does not understand a word of English, for he scowls at me and +orders me away again with a menacing cry.</P> +<P>I have a good mind to attempt to force the door and shout so that the Count +d’Artigas cannot fail to hear me, but in all probability I shall only succeed in +rousing the wrath of the Malay, who appears to be endowed with herculean +strength. I therefore judge discretion to be the better part of valor, and put +off the explanation that is owing to me—and which, sooner or later, I will +have—to a more propitious occasion.</P> +<P>I meander off in front of the Beehive towards the east, and my thoughts +revert to Thomas Roch. I am surprised that I have not seen him yet. Can he be in +the throes of a fresh paroxysm?</P> +<P>This hypothesis is hardly admissible, for if the Count d’Artigas is to be +believed, he would in this event have summoned me to attend to the inventor.</P> +<P>A little farther on I encounter Engineer Serko.</P> +<P>With his inviting manner and usual good-humor this ironical individual smiles +when he perceives me, and does not seek to avoid me. If he knew I was a +colleague, an engineer—providing he himself really is one—perhaps he might +receive me with more cordiality than I have yet encountered, but I am not going +to be such a fool as to tell him who and what I am.</P> +<P>He stops, with laughing eyes and mocking mouth, and accompanies a “Good day, +how do you do?” with a gracious gesture of salutation.</P> +<P>I respond coldly to his politeness—a fact which he affects not to notice.</P> +<P>“May Saint Jonathan protect you, Mr. Gaydon!” he continues in his clear, +ringing voice. “You are not, I presume, disposed to regret the fortunate +circumstance by which you were permitted to visit this surpassingly marvellous +cavern—and it really is one of the finest, although the least known on this +spheroid.”</P> +<P>This word of a scientific language used in conversation with a simple +hospital attendant surprises me, I admit, and I merely reply:</P> +<P>“I should have no reason to complain, Mr. Serko, if, after having had the +pleasure of visiting this cavern, I were at liberty to quit it.”</P> +<P>“What! Already thinking of leaving us, Mr. Gaydon,—of returning to your +dismal pavilion at Healthful House? Why, you have scarcely had time to explore +our magnificent domain, or to admire the incomparable beauty with which nature +has endowed it.”</P> +<P>“What I have seen suffices,” I answer; “and should you perchance be talking +seriously I will assure you seriously that I do not want to see any more of +it.”</P> +<P>“Come, now, Mr. Gaydon, permit me to point out that you have not yet had the +opportunity of appreciating the advantages of an existence passed in such +unrivalled surroundings. It is a quiet life, exempt from care, with an assured +future, material conditions such as are not to be met with anywhere, an even +climate and no more to fear from the tempests which desolate the coasts in this +part of the Atlantic than from the cold of winter, or the heat of summer. This +temperate and salubrious atmosphere is scarcely affected by changes of season. +Here we have no need to apprehend the wrath of either Pluto or Neptune.”</P> +<P>“Sir,” I reply, “it is impossible that this climate can suit you, that you +can appreciate living in this grotto of——”</P> +<P>I was on the point of pronouncing the name of Back Cup. Fortunately I +restrained myself in time. What would happen if they suspected that I am aware +of the name of their island, and, consequently, of its position at the extremity +of the Bermuda group?</P> +<P>“However,” I continue, “if this climate does not suit me, I have, I presume, +the right to make a change.”</P> +<P>“The right, of course.”</P> +<P>“I understand from your remark that I shall be furnished with the means of +returning to America when I want to go?”</P> +<P>“I have no reason for opposing your desires, Mr. Gaydon,” Engineer Serko +replies, “and I regard your presumption as a very natural one. Observe, however, +that we live here in a noble and superb independence, that we acknowledge the +authority of no foreign power, that we are subject to no outside authority, that +we are the colonists of no state, either of the old or new world. This is worth +consideration by whomsoever has a sense of pride and independence. Besides, what +memories are evoked in a cultivated mind by these grottoes which seem to have +been chiselled by the hands of the gods and in which they were wont to render +their oracles by the mouth of Trophonius.”</P> +<P>Decidedly, Engineer Serko is fond of citing mythology! Trophonius after Pluto +and Neptune? Does he imagine that Warder Gaydon ever heard of Trophonius? It is +clear this mocker continues to mock, and I have to exercise the greatest +patience in order not to reply in the same tone.</P> +<P>“A moment ago,” I continue shortly, “I wanted to enter yon habitation, which, +if I mistake not, is that of the Count d’Artigas, but I was prevented.”</P> +<P>“By whom, Mr. Gaydon?”</P> +<P>“By a man in the Count’s employ.”</P> +<P>“He probably had received strict orders about it.”</P> +<P>“Possibly, yet whether he likes it or not, Count d’Artigas will have to see +me and listen to me.”</P> +<P>“Maybe it would be difficult, and even impossible to get him to do so,” says +Engineer Serko with a smile.</P> +<P>“Why so?”</P> +<P>“Because there is no such person as Count d’Artigas here.”</P> +<P>“You are jesting, I presume; I have just seen him.”</P> +<P>“It was not the Count d’Artigas whom you saw, Mr. Gaydon.”</P> +<P>“Who was it then, may I ask?”</P> +<P>“The pirate Ker Karraje.”</P> +<P>This name was thrown at me in a hard tone of voice, and Engineer Serko walked +off before I had presence of mind enough to detain him.</P> +<P>The pirate Ker Karraje!</P> +<P>Yes, this name is a revelation to me. I know it well, and what memories it +evokes! It by itself explains what has hitherto been inexplicable to me. I now +know into whose hands I have fallen.</P> +<P>With what I already knew, with what I have learned since my arrival in Back +Cup from Engineer Serko, this is what I am able to tell about the past and +present of Ker Karraje:</P> +<P>Eight or nine years ago, the West Pacific was infested by pirates who acted +with the greatest audacity. A band of criminals of various origins, composed of +escaped convicts, military and naval deserters, etc., operated with incredible +audacity under the orders of a redoubtable chief. The nucleus of the band had +been formed by men pertaining to the scum of Europe who had been attracted to +New South Wales, in Australia, by the discovery of gold there. Among these +gold-diggers, were Captain Spade and Engineer Serko, two outcasts, whom a +certain community of ideas and character soon bound together in close +friendship.</P> +<P>These intelligent, well educated, resolute men would most assuredly have +succeeded in any career. But being without conscience or scruples, and +determined to get rich at no matter what cost, deriving from gambling and +speculation what they might have earned by patient and steady work, they engaged +in all sorts of impossible adventures. One day they were rich, the next day +poor, like most of the questionable individuals who had hurried to the +gold-fields in search of fortune.</P> +<P>Among the diggers in New South Wales was a man of incomparable audacity, one +of those men who stick at nothing—not even at crime—and whose influence upon bad +and violent natures is irresistible.</P> +<P>That man’s name was Ker Karraje.</P> +<P>The origin or nationality or antecedents of this pirate were never +established by the investigations ordered in regard to him. He eluded all +pursuit, and his name—or at least the name he gave himself—was known all over +the world, and inspired horror and terror everywhere, as being that of a +legendary personage, a bogey, invisible and unseizable.</P> +<P>I have now reason to believe that Ker Karraje is a Malay. However, it is of +little consequence, after all. What is certain is that he was with reason +regarded as a formidable and dangerous villain who had many crimes, committed in +distant seas, to answer for.</P> +<P>After spending a few years on the Australian goldfields, where he made the +acquaintance of Engineer Serko and Captain Spade, Ker Karraje managed to seize a +ship in the port of Melbourne, in the province of Victoria. He was joined by +about thirty rascals whose number was speedily tripled. In that part of the +Pacific Ocean where piracy is still carried on with great facility, and I may +say, profit, tho number of ships pillaged, crews massacred, and raids committed +in certain western islands which the colonists were unable to defend, cannot be +estimated.</P> +<P>Although the whereabouts of Ker Karraje’s vessel, commanded by Captain Spade, +was several times made known to the authorities, all attempts to capture it +proved futile. The marauder would disappear among the innumerable islands of +which he knew every cove and creek, and it was impossible to come across +him.</P> +<P>He maintained a perfect reign of terror. England, France, Germany, Russia and +America vainly dispatched warships in pursuit of the phantom vessel which +disappeared, no one knew whither, after robberies and murders that could not be +prevented or punished had been committed by her crew.</P> +<P>One day this series of crimes came to an end, and no more was heard of Ker +Karraje. Had he abandoned the Pacific for other seas? Would this pirate break +out in a fresh place? It was argued that notwithstanding what they must have +spent in orgies and debauchery the pirate and his companions must still have an +enormous amount of wealth hidden in some place known only to themselves, and +that they were enjoying their ill-gotten gains.</P> +<P>Where had the band hidden themselves since they had ceased their +depredations? This was a question which everybody asked and none was able to +answer. All attempts to run them to earth were vain. Terror and uneasiness +having ceased with the danger, Ker Karraje’s exploits soon began to be +forgotten, even in the West Pacific.</P> +<P>This is what had happened—and what will never be known unless I succeed in +escaping from Back Cup:</P> +<P>These wretches were, as a matter of fact, possessed of great wealth when they +abandoned the Southern Seas. Having destroyed their ship they dispersed in +different directions after having arranged to meet on the American +continent.</P> +<P>Engineer Serko, who was well versed in his profession, and was a clever +mechanic to boot, and who had made a special study of submarine craft, proposed +to Ker Karraje that they should construct one of these boats in order to +continue their criminal exploits with greater secrecy and effectiveness.</P> +<P>Ker Karraje at once saw the practical nature of the proposition, and as they +had no lack of money the idea was soon carried out.</P> +<P>While the so-called Count d’Artigas ordered the construction of the schooner +<I>Ebba</I> at the shipyards of Gotteborg, in Sweden, he gave to the Cramps of +Philadelphia, in America, the plans of a submarine boat whose construction +excited no suspicion. Besides, as will be seen, it soon disappeared and was +never heard of again.</P> +<P>The boat was constructed from a model and under the personal supervision of +Engineer Serko, and fitted with all the known appliances of nautical science. +The screw was worked with electric piles of recent invention which imparted +enormous propulsive power to the motor.</P> +<P>It goes without saying that no one imagined that Count d’Artigas was none +other than Ker Karraje, the former pirate of the Pacific, and that Engineer +Serko was the most formidable and resolute of his accomplices. The former was +regarded as a foreigner of noble birth and great fortune, who for several months +had been frequenting the ports of the United States, the <I>Ebba</I> having been +launched long before the tug was ready.</P> +<P>Work upon the latter occupied fully eighteen months, and when the boat was +finished it excited the admiration of all those interested in these engines of +submarine navigation. By its external form, its interior arrangements, its +air-supply system, the rapidity with which it could be immersed, the facility +with which it could be handled and controlled, and its extraordinary speed, it +was conceded to be far superior to the <I>Goubet,</I> the <I>Gymnote</I>, the +<I>Zede</I>, and other similar boats which had made great strides towards +perfection.</P> +<P>After several extremely successful experiments a public test was given in the +open sea, four miles off Charleston, in presence of several American and foreign +warships, merchant vessels, and pleasure boats invited for the occasion.</P> +<P>Of course the <I>Ebba</I> was among them, with the Count d’Artigas, Engineer +Serko, and Captain Spade on board, and the old crew as well, save half a dozen +men who manned the submarine machine, which was worked by a mechanical engineer +named Gibson, a bold and very clever Englishman.</P> +<P>The programme of this definite experiment comprised various evolutions on the +surface of the water, which were to be followed by an immersion to last several +hours, the boat being ordered not to rise again until a certain buoy stationed +many miles out at sea had been attained.</P> +<P>At the appointed time the lid was closed and the boat at first manoeuvred on +the surface. Her speed and the ease with which she turned and twisted were +loudly praised by all the technical spectators.</P> +<P>Then at a signal given on board the <I>Ebba</I> the tug sank slowly out of +sight, and several vessels started for the buoy where she was to reappear.</P> +<P>Three hours went by, but there was no sign of the boat.</P> +<P>No one could suppose that in accordance with instructions received from the +Count d’Artigas and Engineer Serko this submarine machine, which was destined to +act as the invisible tug of the schooner, would not emerge till it had gone +several miles beyond the rendezvous. Therefore, with the exception of those who +were in the secret, no one entertained any doubt that the boat and all inside +her had perished as the result of an accident either to her metallic covering or +machinery.</P> +<P>On board the <I>Ebba</I> consternation was admirably simulated. On board the +other vessels it was real. Drags were used and divers sent down along the course +the boat was supposed to have taken, but it could not be found, and it was +agreed that it had been swallowed up in the depths of the Atlantic.</P> +<P>Two days later the Count d’Artigas put to sea again, and in forty-eight hours +came up with the tug at the place appointed.</P> +<P>This is how Ker Karraje became possessed of the admirable vessel which was to +perform the double function of towing the schooner and attacking ships. With +this terrible engine of destruction, whose very existence was ignored, the Count +d’Artigas was able to recommence his career of piracy with security and +impunity.</P> +<P>These details I have learned from Engineer Serko, who is very proud of his +handiwork,—and also very positive that the prisoner of Back Cup will never be +able to disclose the secret.</P> +<P>It will easily be realized how powerful was the offensive weapon Ker Karraje +now possessed. During the night the tug would rush at a merchant vessel, and +bore a hole in her with its powerful ram. At the same time the schooner which +could not possibly have excited any suspicion, would run alongside and her horde +of cutthroats would pour on to the doomed vessel’s deck and massacre the +helpless crew, after which they would hurriedly transfer that part of the cargo +that was worth taking to the <I>Ebba</I>. Thus it happened that ship after ship +was added to the long list of those that never reached port and were classed as +having gone down with all on board.</P> +<P>For a year after the odious comedy in the bay of Charleston Ker Karraje +operated in the Atlantic, and his wealth increased to enormous proportions. The +merchandise for which he had no use was disposed of in distant markets in +exchange for gold and silver. But what was sadly needed was a place where the +profits could be safely hidden pending the time when they were to be finally +divided.</P> +<P>Chance came to their aid. While exploring the bottom of the sea in the +neighborhood of the Bermudas, Engineer Serko and Driver Gibson discovered at the +base of Back Cup island the tunnel which led to the interior of the mountain. +Would it have been possible for Ker Karraje to have found a more admirable +refuge than this, absolutely safe as it was from any possible chance of +discovery? Thus it came to pass that one of the islands of the Archipelago of +Bermuda, erstwhile the haunt of buccaneers, became the lair of another gang a +good deal more to be dreaded.</P> +<P>This retreat having been definitely adopted, Count d’Artigas and his +companions set about getting their place in order. Engineer Serko installed an +electric power house, without having recourse to machines whose construction +abroad might have aroused suspicion, simply employing piles that could be easily +mounted and required but metal plates and chemical substances that the +<I>Ebba</I> procured during her visits to the American coast.</P> +<P>What happened on the night of the 19th inst. can easily be divined. If the +three-masted merchantman which lay becalmed was not visible at break of day it +was because she had been scuttled by the tug, boarded by the cut-throat band on +the <I>Ebba</I>, and sunk with all on board after being pillaged. The bales and +things that I had seen on the schooner were a part of her cargo, and all unknown +to me the gallant ship was lying at the bottom of the broad Atlantic!</P> +<P>How will this adventure end? Shall I ever be able to escape from Back Cup, +denounce the false Count d’Artigas and rid the seas of Ker Karraje’s +pirates?</P> +<P>And if Ker Karraje is terrible as it is, how much more so will he become if +he ever obtains possession of Roch’s fulgurator! His power will be increased a +hundred-fold! If he were able to employ this new engine of destruction no +merchantman could resist him, no warship escape total destruction.</P> +<P>I remain for some time absorbed and oppressed by the reflections with which +the revelation of Ker Karraje’s name inspires me. All that I have ever heard +about this famous pirate recurs to me—his existence when he skimmed the Southern +Seas, the useless expeditions organized by the maritime powers to hunt him down. +The unaccountable loss of so many vessels in the Atlantic during the past few +years is attributable to him. He had merely changed the scene of his exploits. +It was supposed that he had been got rid of, whereas he is continuing his +piratical practices in the most frequented ocean on the globe, by means of the +tug which is believed to be lying at the bottom of Charleston Bay.</P> +<P>“Now,” I say to myself, “I know his real name and that of his lair—Ker +Karraje and Back Cup;” and I surmise that if Engineer Serko has let me into the +secret he must have been authorized to do so. Am I not meant to understand from +this that I must give up all hope of ever recovering my liberty?</P> +<P>Engineer Serko had manifestly remarked the impression created upon me by this +revelation. I remember that on leaving me he went towards Ker Karraje’s +habitation, no doubt with the intention of apprising him of what had passed.</P> +<P>After a rather long walk around the lagoon I am about to return to my cell, +when I hear footsteps behind me. I turn and find myself face to face with the +Count d’Artigas, who is accompanied by Captain Spade. He glances at me sharply, +and in a burst of irritation that I cannot suppress, I exclaim:</P> +<P>“You are keeping me here, sir, against all right. If it was to wait upon +Thomas Roch that you carried me off from Healthful House, I refuse to attend to +him, and insist upon being sent back.”</P> +<P>The pirate chief makes a gesture, but does not reply.</P> +<P>Then my temper gets the better of me altogether.</P> +<P>“Answer me, Count d’Artigas—or rather, for I know who you are—answer me, Ker +Karraje!” I shout.</P> +<P>“The Count d’Artigas is Ker Karraje,” he coolly replies, “just as Warder +Gaydon is Engineer Simon Hart; and Ker Karraje will never restore to liberty +Engineer Simon Hart, who knows his secrets.”</P> + +<a name="XI" id="XI"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER XI.</H4> +<H4>FIVE WEEKS IN BACK CUP.</H4> +<P>The situation is plain. Ker Karraje knows who I am. He knew who I was when he +kidnapped Thomas Roch and his attendant.</P> +<P>How did this man manage to find out what I was able to keep from the staff of +Healthful House? How comes it that he knew that a French engineer was performing +the duties of attendant to Thomas Roch? I do not know how he discovered it, but +the fact remains that he did.</P> +<P>Evidently he had means of information which must have been costly, but from +which he has derived considerable profit. Besides, men of his kidney do not +count the cost when they wish to attain an end they have in view.</P> +<P>Henceforward Ker Karraje, or rather Engineer Serko, will replace me as +attendant upon Thomas Roch. Will he succeed better than I did? God grant that he +may not, that the civilized world may be spared such a misfortune!</P> +<P>I did not reply to Ker Karraje’s Parthian shot, for I was stricken dumb. I +did not, however, collapse, as the alleged Count d’Artigas perhaps expected I +would.</P> +<P>No! I looked him straight in the eyes, which glittered angrily, and crossed +my arms defiantly, as he had done. And yet he held my life in his hands! At a +sign a bullet would have laid me dead at his feet. Then my body, cast into the +lagoon, would have been borne out to sea through the tunnel and there would have +been an end of me.</P> +<P>After this scene I am left at liberty, just as before. No measure is taken +against me, I can walk among the pillars to the very end of the cavern, which—it +is only too clear—possesses no other issue except the tunnel.</P> +<P>When I return to my cell, at the extremity of the Beehive, a prey to a +thousand thoughts suggested by my situation, I say to myself:</P> +<P>“If Ker Karraje knows I am Simon Hart, the engineer, he must at any rate +never know that I am aware of the position of Back Cup Island.”</P> +<P>As to the plan of confiding Thomas Roch to my care, I do not think he ever +seriously entertained it, seeing that my identity had been revealed to him. I +regret this, inasmuch as the inventor will indubitably be the object of pressing +solicitations, and as Engineer Serko will employ every means in his power to +obtain the composition of the explosive and deflagrator, of which he will make +such detestable use during future piratical exploits. Yes, it would have been +far better if I could have remained Thomas Roch’s keeper here, as in Healthful +House.</P> +<P>For fifteen days I see nothing of my late charge. No one, I repeat, has +placed any obstacles in the way of my daily peregrinations. I have no need to +occupy myself about the material part of my existence. My meals are brought to +me regularly, direct from the kitchen of the Count d’Artigas—I cannot accustom +myself to calling him by any other name. The food leaves nothing to be desired, +thanks to the provisions that the <I>Ebba</I> brings on her return from each +voyage.</P> +<P>It is very fortunate, too, that I have been supplied with all the writing +materials I require, for during my long hours of idleness I have been able to +jot down in my notebook the slightest incidents that have occurred since I was +abducted from Healthful House, and to keep a diary day by day. As long as I am +permitted to use a pen I shall continue my notes. Mayhap some day, they will +help to clear up the mysteries of Back Cup.</P> +<P><I>From July 5 to July 25.</I>—A fortnight has passed, and all my attempts to +get near Thomas Roch have been frustrated. Orders have evidently been given to +keep him away from my influence, inefficacious though the latter has hitherto +been. My only hope is that the Count d’Artigas, Engineer Serko, and Captain +Spade will waste their time trying to get at the inventor’s secrets.</P> +<P>Three or four times to my knowledge, at least, Thomas Roch and Engineer Serko +have walked together around the lagoon. As far as I have been able to judge, the +former listened with some attention to what the other was saying to him. Serko +has conducted him over the whole cavern, shown him the electric power house and +the mechanism of the tug. Thomas Roch’s mental condition has visibly improved +since his departure from Healthful House.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch lives in a private room in Ker Karraje’s “mansion.” I have no +doubt that he is daily sounded in regard to his discoveries, especially by +Engineer Serko. Will he be able to resist the temptation if they offer him the +exorbitant price that he demands? Has he any idea of the value of money? These +wretches may dazzle him with the gold that they have accumulated by years of +rapine. In the present state of his mind may he not be induced to disclose the +composition of his fulgurator? They would then only have to fetch the necessary +substances and Thomas Roch would have plenty of time in Back Cup to devote to +his chemical combinations. As to the war-engines themselves nothing would be +easier than to have them made in sections in different parts of the American +continent. My hair stands on end when I think what they could and would do with +them if once they gained possession of them.</P> +<P>These intolerable apprehensions no longer leave me a minute’s peace; they are +wearing me out and my health is suffering in consequence. Although the air in +the interior of Back Cup is pure, I become subject to attacks of suffocation, +and I feel as though my prison walls were falling upon me and crushing me under +their weight. I am, besides, oppressed by the feeling that I am cut off from the +world, as effectually as though I were no longer upon our planet,—for I know +nothing of what is going on outside.</P> +<P>Ah! if it were only possible to escape through that submarine tunnel, or +through the hole in the dome and slide to the base of the mountain!</P> +<P>On the morning of the 25th I at last encounter Thomas Roch. He is alone on +the other side of the lagoon, and I wonder, inasmuch as I have not seen them +since the previous day, whether Ker Karraje, Engineer Serko, and Captain Spade +have not gone off on some expedition.</P> +<P>I walk round towards Thomas Roch, and before he can see me I examine him +attentively.</P> +<P>His serious, thoughtful physiognomy is no longer that of a madman. He walks +slowly, with his eyes bent on the ground, and under his arm a drawing-board upon +which is stretched a sheet of paper covered with designs.</P> +<P>Suddenly he raises his head, advances a step and recognizes me.</P> +<P>“Ah! Gaydon, it is you, is it?” he cries, “I have then escaped from you! I am +free!”</P> +<P>He can, indeed, regard himself as being free—a good deal more at liberty in +Back Cup than he was in Healthful House. But maybe my presence evokes unpleasant +memories, and will bring on another fit, for he continues with extraordinary +animation:</P> +<P>“Yes, I know you, Gaydon.—Do not approach me! Stand off! stand off! You would +like to get me back in your clutches, incarcerate me again in your dungeon! +Never! I have friends here who will protect me. They are powerful, they are +rich. The Count d’Artigas is my backer and Engineer Serko is my partner. We are +going to exploit my invention! We are going to make my fulgurator! Hence! Get +you gone!”</P> +<P>Thomas Roch is in a perfect fury. He raises his voice, agitates his arms, and +finally pulls from his pockets many rolls of dollar bills and banknotes, and +handfuls of English, French, American and German gold coins, which slip through +his fingers and roll about the cavern.</P> +<P>How could he get all this money except from Ker Karraje, and as the price of +his secret? The noise he makes attracts a number of men to the scene. They watch +us for a moment, then seize Thomas Roch and drag him away. As soon as I am out +of his sight he ceases-to struggle and becomes calm again.</P> +<P><I>July 27.</I>—Two hours after meeting with Thomas Roch, I went down to the +lagoon and walked out to the edge of the stone jetty.</P> +<P>The tug is not moored in its accustomed place, nor can I see it anywhere +about the lake. Ker Karraje and Engineer Serko had not gone yesterday, as I +supposed, for I saw them in the evening.</P> +<P>To-day, however, I have reason to believe that they really have gone away in +the tug with Captain Spade and the crew of the <I>Ebba</I>, and that the latter +must be sailing away.</P> +<P>Have they set out on a piracy expedition? Very likely. It is equally likely +that Ker Karraje, become once more the Count d’Artigas, travelling for pleasure +on board his yacht, intends to put into some port on the American coast to +procure the substances necessary to the preparation of Roch’s fulgurator.</P> +<P>Ah! if it had only been possible for me to hide in the tug, to slip into the +<I>Ebba’s</I> hold, and stow myself away there until the schooner arrived in +port! Then perchance I might have escaped and delivered the world from this band +of pirates.</P> +<P>It will be seen how tenaciously I cling to the thought of escape—of +fleeing—fleeing at any cost from this lair. But flight is impossible, except +through the tunnel, by means of a submarine boat. Is it not folly to think of +such a thing? Sheer folly, and yet what other way is there of getting out of +Back Cup?</P> +<P>While I give myself up to these reflections the water of the lagoon opens a +few yards from me and the tug appears. The lid is raised and Gibson, the +engineer, and the men issue on to the platform. Other men come up and catch the +line that is thrown to them. They haul upon it, and the tug is soon moored in +its accustomed place.</P> +<P>This time, therefore, at any rate, the schooner is not being towed, and the +tug merely went out to put Ker Karraje and his companions aboard the +<I>Ebba</I>.</P> +<P>This only confirms my impression that the sole object of their trip is to +reach an American port where the Count d’Artigas can procure the materials for +making the explosive, and order the machines in some foundry. On the day fixed +for their return the tug will go out through the tunnel again to meet the +schooner and Ker Karraje will return to Back Cup.</P> +<P>Decidedly, this evildoer is carrying out his designs and has succeeded sooner +than I thought would be possible.</P> +<P><I>August 3.</I>—An incident occurred to-day of which the lagoon was the +theatre—a very curious incident that must be exceedingly rare.</P> +<P>Towards three o’clock in the afternoon there was a prodigious bubbling in the +water, which ceased for a minute or two and then recommenced in the centre of +the lagoon.</P> +<P>About fifteen pirates, whose attention had been attracted by this +unaccountable phenomenon, hurried down to the bank manifesting signs of +astonishment not unmingled with fear—at least I thought so.</P> +<P>The agitation of the water was not caused by the tug, as the latter was lying +alongside the jetty, and the idea that some other submarine boat had found its +way through the tunnel was highly improbable.</P> +<P>Almost at the same instant cries were heard on the opposite bank. The +newcomers shouted something in a hoarse voice to the men on the side where I was +standing, and these immediately rushed off towards the Beehive.</P> +<P>I conjectured that they had caught sight of some sea-monster that had found +its way in, and was floundering in the lagoon, and that they had rushed off to +fetch arms and harpoons to try and capture it.</P> +<P>I was right, for they speedily returned with the latter weapons and rifles +loaded with explosive bullets.</P> +<P>The monster in question was a whale, of the species that is common enough in +Bermudan waters, which after swimming through the tunnel was plunging about in +the narrow limits of the lake. As it was constrained to take refuge in Back Cup +I concluded that it must have been hard pressed by whalers.</P> +<P>Some minutes elapsed before the monster rose to the surface. Then the green +shiny mass appeared spouting furiously and darting to and fro as though fighting +with some formidable enemy.</P> +<P>“If it was driven in here by whalers,” I said to myself, “there must be a +vessel in proximity to Back Cup—peradventure within a stone’s throw of it. Her +boats must have entered the western passes to the very foot of the mountain. And +to think I am unable to communicate with them! But even if I could, I fail to +see how I could go to them through these massive walls.”</P> +<P>I soon found, however, that it was not fishers, but sharks that had driven +the whale through the tunnel, and which infest these waters in great numbers. I +could see them plainly as they darted about, turning upon their backs and +displaying their enormous mouths which were bristling with their cruel teeth. +There were five or six of the monsters, and they attacked the whale with great +viciousness. The latter’s only means of defence was its tail, with which it +lashed at them with terrific force and rapidity. But the whale had received +several wounds and the water was tinged with its life-blood; for plunge and lash +as it would, it could not escape the bites of its enemies.</P> +<P>However, the voracious sharks were not permitted to vanquish their prey, for +man, far more powerful with his instruments of death, was about to take a hand +and snatch it from them. Gathered around the lagoon were the companions of Ker +Karraje, every whit as ferocious as the sharks themselves, and well deserving +the same name, for what else are they?</P> +<P>Standing amid a group, at the extremity of the jetty, and armed with a +harpoon, was the big Malay who had prevented me from entering Ker Karraje’s +house. When the whale got within shot, he hurled the harpoon with great force +and skill, and it sank into the leviathan’s flesh just under the left fin. The +whale plunged immediately, followed by the relentless sharks. The rope attached +to the weapon ran out for about sixty yards, and then slackened. The men at once +began to haul on it, and the monster rose to the surface again near the end of +the tunnel, struggling desperately in its death agony, and spurting great +columns of water tinged with blood. One blow of its tail struck a shark, and +hurled it clean out of water against the rocky side, where it dropped in again, +badly, if not fatally injured.</P> +<P>The harpoon was torn from the flesh by the jerk, and the whale went under. It +came up again for the last time, and lashed the water so that it washed up from +the tunnel end, disclosing the top of the orifice.</P> +<P>Then the sharks again rushed on their prey, but were scared off by a hail of +the explosive bullets. Two men then jumped into a boat and attached a line to +the dead monster. The latter was hauled into the jetty, and the Malays started +to cut it up with a dexterity that showed they were no novices at the work.</P> +<P>No more sharks were to be seen, but I concluded that it would be as well to +refrain from taking a bath in the lagoon for some days to come.</P> +<P>I now know exactly where the entrance to the tunnel is situated. The orifice +on this side is only ten feet below the edge of the western bank. But of what +use is this knowledge to me?</P> +<P><I>August 7</I>.—Twelve days have elapsed since the Count d’Artigas, Engineer +Serko, and Captain Spade put to sea. There is nothing to indicate that their +return is expected, though the tug is always kept in readiness for immediate +departure by Gibson, the engine-driver. If the <I>Ebba</I> is not afraid to +enter the ports of the United States by day, I rather fancy she prefers to enter +the rocky channel of Back Cup at nightfall. I also fancy, somehow, that Ker +Karraje and his companions will return to-night.</P> +<P><I>August 10</I>.—At ten o’clock last night, as I anticipated, the tug went +under and out, just in time to meet the <I>Ebba</I> and tow her through the +channel to her creek, after which she returned with Ker Karraje and the +others.</P> +<P>When I look out this morning, I see Thomas Roch and Engineer Serko walking +down to the lagoon, and talking. What they are talking about I can easily guess. +I go forward and take a good look at my ex-patient. He is asking questions of +Engineer Serko With great animation. His eyes gleam, his face is flushed, and he +is all eagerness to reach the jetty. Engineer Serko can hardly keep up with +him.</P> +<P>The crew of the tug are unloading her, and they have just brought ashore ten +medium-sized boxes. These boxes bear a peculiar red mark, which Thomas Roch +examines closely.</P> +<P>Engineer Serko orders the men to transport them to the storehouses on the +left bank, and the boxes are forthwith loaded on a boat and rowed over.</P> +<P>In my opinion, these boxes contain the substances by the combination or +mixture of which, the fulgurator and deflagrator are to be made. The engines, +doubtless, are being made in an American foundry, and when they are ready, the +schooner will fetch them and bring them to Back Cup.</P> +<P>For once in a while, anyhow, the <I>Ebba</I> has not returned with any stolen +merchandise. She went out and has returned with a clear bill. But with what +terrible power Ker Karraje will be armed for both offensive and defensive +operations at sea! If Thomas Roch is to be credited, this fulgurator could +shatter the terrestrial spheroid at one blow. And who knows but what one day, he +will try the experiment?</P> + +<a name="XII" id="XII"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER XII.</H4> +<H4>ENGINEER SERKO’S ADVICE.</H4> +<P>Thomas Roch has started work and spends hours and hours in a wooden shed on +the left bank of the lagoon that has been set apart as his laboratory and +workshop. No one enters it except himself. Does he insist upon preparing the +explosive in secret and does he intend to keep the formula thereof to himself? I +should not wonder.</P> +<P>The manner of employing Roch’s fulgurator is, I believe, very simple indeed. +The projectile in which it is used requires neither gun nor mortar to launch it, +nor pneumatic tube like the Zalinski shell. It is autopropulsive, it projects +itself, and no ship within a certain zone when the engine explodes could escape +utter destruction. With such a weapon as this at his command Ker Karraje would +be invincible.</P> +<P><I>From August 11 to August 17</I>.—During the past week Thomas Roch has been +working without intermission. Every morning the inventor goes to his laboratory +and does not issue therefrom till night. I have made no attempt to stop him or +speak to him, knowing that it would be useless to do so.</P> +<P>Although he is still indifferent to everything that does not touch upon his +work he appears to be perfectly self-possessed. Why should he not have recovered +his reason? Has he not obtained what he has so long sought for? Is he not at +last able to carry out the plans he formed years and years ago?</P> +<P><I>August 18</I>.—At one o’clock this morning I was roused by several +detonations.</P> +<P>“Has Back Cup been attacked?” was my first thought. “Has the schooner excited +suspicion, and been chased to the entrance to the passes? Is the island being +bombarded with a view to its destruction? Has justice at last overtaken these +evil-doers ere Thomas Roch has been able to complete the manufacture of his +explosive, and before the autopropulsive engine could be fetched from the +continent?”</P> +<P>The detonations, which are very violent, continue, succeeding each other at +regular intervals, and it occurs to me that if the schooner has been destroyed, +all communication with the bases of supply being impossible, Back Cup cannot be +provisioned.</P> +<P>It is true the tug would be able to land the Count d’Artigas somewhere on the +American coast where, money being no object, he could easily buy or order +another vessel. But no matter. If Back Cup is only destroyed before Ker Karraje +has Roch’s fulgurator at his disposal I shall render thanks to heaven.</P> +<P>A few hours later, at the usual time, I quit my cell. All is quiet at the +Beehive. The men are going about their business as usual. The tug is moored near +the jetty. Thomas Roch is going to his laboratory, and Ker Karraje and Engineer +Serko are tranquilly pacing backwards and forwards by the lake and chatting. The +island therefore could not have been attacked during the night. Yet I was +awakened by the report of cannon, this I will swear.</P> +<P>At this moment Ker Karraje goes off towards his abode and Engineer Serko, +smilingly ironical, as usual, advances to meet me.</P> +<P>“Well, Mr. Simon Hart,” he says, “are you getting accustomed to your tranquil +existence? Do you appreciate at their just merit the advantages of this +enchanted grotto? Have you given up all hope of recovering your liberty some day +or other?”</P> +<P>What is the use of waxing wroth with this jester? I reply calmly:</P> +<P>“No, sir. I have not given up hope, and I still expect that I shall be +released.”</P> +<P>“What! Mr. Hart, separate ourselves from a man whom we all esteem—and I from +a colleague who perhaps, in the course of Thomas Roch’s fits of delirium, has +learned some of his secrets? You are not serious!”</P> +<P>So this is why they are keeping me a prisoner in Back Cup! They suppose that +I am in part familiar with Roch’s invention, and they hope to force me to tell +what I know if Thomas Roch refuses to give up his secret. This is the reason why +I was kidnapped with him, and why I have not been accommodated with an +involuntary plunge in the lagoon with a stone fastened to my neck. I see it all +now, and it is just as well to know it.</P> +<P>“Very serious,” I affirm, in response to the last remark of my +interlocutor.</P> +<P>“Well,” he continues, “if I had the honor to be Simon Hart, the engineer, I +should reason as follows: ‘Given, on the one hand, the personality of Ker +Karraje, the reasons which incited him to select such a mysterious retreat as +this cavern, the necessity of the said cavern being kept from any attempt to +discover it, not only in the interest of the Count d’Artigas, but in that of his +companions—’“</P> +<P>“Of his accomplices, if you please.”</P> +<P>“‘Of his accomplices,’ then—’and on the other hand, given the fact that I +know the real name of the Count d’Artigas and in what mysterious safe he keeps +his riches—’“</P> +<P>“Riches stolen, and stained with blood, Mr. Serko.”</P> +<P>“‘Riches stolen and stained with blood,’ if you like—’I ought to understand +that this question of liberty cannot be settled in accordance with my +desires.’“</P> +<P>It is useless to argue the point under these conditions, and I switch the +conversation on to another line.</P> +<P>“May I ask,” I continue, “how you came to find out that Gaydon, the warder, +was Simon Hart, the engineer?”</P> +<P>“I see no reason for keeping you in ignorance on the subject, my dear +colleague. It was largely by hazard. We had certain relations with the +manufactory in New Jersey with which you were connected, and which you quitted +suddenly one day under somewhat singular circumstances. Well, during a visit I +made to Healthful House some months before the Count d’Artigas went there, I saw +and recognized you.”</P> +<P>“You?”</P> +<P>“My very self, and from that moment I promised myself the pleasure of having +you for a fellow-passenger on board the <I>Ebba</I>.”</P> +<P>I do not recall ever having seen this Serko at Healthful House, but what he +says is very likely true.</P> +<P>“I hope your whim of having me for a companion will cost you dear, some day +or other,” I say to myself.</P> +<P>Then, abruptly, I go on:</P> +<P>“If I am not mistaken, you have succeeded in inducing Thomas Roch to disclose +the secret of his fulgurator?”</P> +<P>“Yes, Mr. Hart. We paid millions for it. But millions, you know, are nothing +to us. We have only the trouble of taking them! Therefore we filled all his +pockets—covered him with millions!”</P> +<P>“Of what use are these millions to him if he is not allowed to enjoy them +outside?”</P> +<P>“That, Mr. Hart, is a matter that does not trouble him a little bit! This man +of genius thinks nothing of the future: he lives but in the present. While +engines are being constructed from his plans over yonder in America, he is +preparing his explosive with chemical substances with which he has been +abundantly supplied. He! he! What an invention it is, this autopropulsive +engine, which flies through the air of its own power and accelerates its speed +till the goal is reached, thanks to the properties of a certain powder of +progressive combustion! Here we have an invention that will bring about a +radical change in the art of war.”</P> +<P>“Defensive war, Mr. Serko.”</P> +<P>“And offensive war, Mr. Hart.”</P> +<P>“Naturally,” I answer.</P> +<P>Then pumping him still more closely, I go on:</P> +<P>“So, what no one else has been able to obtain from Thomas Roch—”</P> +<P>“We obtained without much difficulty.”</P> +<P>“By paying him.”</P> +<P>“By paying him an incredible price—and, moreover, by causing to vibrate what +in him is a very sensitive chord.”</P> +<P>“What chord?”</P> +<P>“That of vengeance!”</P> +<P>“Vengeance?—against whom?”</P> +<P>“Against all those who have made themselves his enemies by discouraging him, +by spurning him, expelling him, by constraining him to go a-begging from country +to country with an invention of incontestable superiority! Now all notion of +patriotism is extinct in his soul. He has now but one thought, one ferocious +desire: to avenge himself upon those who have denied him—and even upon all +mankind! Really, Mr. Hart, your governments of Europe and America committed a +stupendous blunder in refusing to pay Roch the price his fulgurator is +worth!”</P> +<P>And Engineer Serko describes enthusiastically the various advantages of the +new explosive which, he says, is incontestably superior to any yet invented.</P> +<P>“And what a destructive effect it has,” he adds. “It is analogous to that of +the Zalinski shell, but is a hundred times more powerful, and requires no +machine for firing it, as it flies through the air on its own wings, so to +speak.”</P> +<P>I listen in the hope that Engineer Serko will give away a part of the secret, +but in vain. He is careful not to say more than he wants to.</P> +<P>“Has Thomas Roch,” I ask, “made you acquainted with the composition of his +explosive?”</P> +<P>“Yes, Mr. Hart—if it is all the same to you—and we shall shortly have +considerable quantities of it stored in a safe place.”</P> +<P>“But will there not be a great and ever-impending danger in accumulating +large quantities of it? If an accident were to happen it would be all up with +the island of——!”</P> +<P>Once more the name of Back Cup was on the point of escaping me. They might +consider me too well-informed if they were aware that in addition to being +acquainted with the Count d’Artigas’ real name I also know where his stronghold +is situated.</P> +<P>Luckily Engineer Serko has not remarked my reticence, and he replies:</P> +<P>“There will be no cause for alarm. Thomas Roch’s explosive will not burn +unless subjected to a special deflagrator. Neither fire nor shock will explode +it.”</P> +<P>“And has Thomas Roch also sold you the secret of his deflagrator?”</P> +<P>“Not yet, Mr. Hart, but it will not be long before the bargain is concluded. +Therefore, I repeat, no danger is to be apprehended, and you need not keep awake +of nights on that account. A thousand devils, sir! We have no desire to be blown +up with our cavern and treasures! A few more years of good business and we shall +divide the profits, which will be large enough to enable each one of us to live +as he thinks proper and enjoy life to the top of his bent—after the dissolution +of the firm of Ker Karraje and Co. I may add that though there is no danger of +an explosion, we have everything to fear from a denunciation—which you are in +the position to make, Mr. Hart. Therefore, if you take my advice, you will, like +a sensible man, resign yourself to the inevitable until the disbanding of the +company. We shall then see what in the interest of our security is best to be +done with you!”</P> +<P>It will be admitted that these words are not exactly calculated to reassure +me. However, a lot of things may happen ere then. I have learned one good thing +from this conversation, and that is that if Thomas Roch has sold his explosive +to Ker Karraje and Co., he has at any rate, kept the secret of his deflagrator, +without which the explosive is of no more value than the dust of the +highway.</P> +<P>But before terminating the interview I think I ought to make a very natural +observation to Mr. Serko.</P> +<P>“Sir,” I say, “you are now acquainted with the composition of Thomas Roch’s +explosive. Does it really possess the destructive power that the inventor +attributes to it? Has it ever been tried? May you not have purchased a +composition as inert as a pinch of snuff?”</P> +<P>“You are doubtless better informed upon this point than you pretend, Mr. +Hart. Nevertheless, I thank you for the interest you manifest in our affairs, +and am able to reassure you. The other night we made a series of decisive +experiments. With only a few grains of this substance great blocks of rock were +reduced to impalpable dust!”</P> +<P>This explanation evidently applies to the detonation I heard.</P> +<P>“Thus, my dear colleague,” continues Engineer Serko, “I can assure you that +our expectations have been answered. The effects of the explosive surpass +anything that could have been imagined. A few thousand tons of it would burst +our spheroid and scatter the fragments into space. You can be absolutely certain +that it is capable of destroying no matter what vessel at a distance +considerably greater than that attained by present projectiles and within a zone +of at least a mile. The weak point in the invention is that rather too much time +has to be expended in regulating the firing.”</P> +<P>Engineer Serko stops short, as though reluctant to give any further +information, but finally adds:</P> +<P>“Therefore, I end as I began, Mr. Hart. Resign yourself to the inevitable. +Accept your new existence without reserve. Give yourself up to the tranquil +delights of this subterranean life. If one is in good health, one preserves it; +if one has lost one’s health, one recovers it here. That is what is happening to +your fellow countryman. Yes, the best thing you can do is to resign yourself to +your lot.”</P> +<P>Thereupon this giver of good advice leaves me, after saluting me with a +friendly gesture, like a man whose good intentions merit appreciation. But what +irony there is in his words, in his glance, in his attitude. Shall I ever be +able to get even with him?</P> +<P>I now know that at any rate it is not easy to regulate the aim of Roch’s +auto-propulsive engine. It is probable that it always bursts at the same +distance, and that beyond the zone in which the effects of the fulgurator are so +terrible, and once it has been passed, a ship is safe from its effects. If I +could only inform the world of this vital fact!</P> +<P><I>August 20</I>.—For two days no incident worth recording has occurred. I +have explored Back Cup to its extreme limits. At night when the long perspective +of arched columns are illuminated by the electric lamps, I am almost religiously +impressed when I gaze upon the natural wonders of this cavern, which has become +my prison. I have never given up hope of finding somewhere in the walls a +fissure of some kind of which the pirates are ignorant and through which I could +make my escape. It is true that once outside I should have to wait till a +passing ship hove in sight. My evasion would speedily be known at the Beehive, +and I should soon be recaptured, unless—a happy thought strikes me—unless I +could get at the <I>Ebba’s</I> boat that was drawn up high and dry on the little +sandy beach in the creek. In this I might be able to make my way to St. George +or Hamilton.</P> +<P>This evening—it was about nine o’clock—I stretched myself on a bed of sand at +the foot of one of the columns, about one hundred yards to the east of the +lagoon. Shortly afterwards I heard footsteps, then voices. Hiding myself as best +I could behind the rocky base of the pillar, I listened with all my ears.</P> +<P>I recognized the voices as those of Ker Karraje and Engineer Serko. The two +men stopped close to where I was lying, and continued their conversation in +English—which is the language generally used in Back Cup. I was therefore able +to understand all that they said.</P> +<P>They were talking about Thomas Roch, or rather his fulgurator.</P> +<P>“In a week’s time,” said Ker Karraje, “I shall put to sea in the <I>Ebba</I>, +and fetch the sections of the engines that are being cast in that Virginian +foundry.”</P> +<P>“And when they are here,” observed Engineer Serko, “I will piece them +together and fix up the frames for firing them. But beforehand, there is a job +to be done which it seems to me is indispensable.”</P> +<P>“What is that?”</P> +<P>“To cut a tunnel through the wall of the cavern.”</P> +<P>“Through the wall of the cavern?”</P> +<P>“Oh! nothing but a narrow passage through which only one man at a time could +squeeze, a hole easy enough to block, and the outside end of which would be +hidden among the rocks.”</P> +<P>“Of what use could it be to us, Serko?”</P> +<P>“I have often thought about the utility of having some other way of getting +out besides the submarine tunnel. We never know what the future may have in +store for us.”</P> +<P>“But the walls are so thick and hard,” objected Ker Karraje.</P> +<P>“Oh, with a few grains of Roch’s explosive I undertake to reduce the rock to +such fine powder that we shall be able to blow it away with our breath,” Serko +replied.</P> +<P>It can easily be imagined with what interest and eagerness I listened to +this. Here was a ray of hope. It. was proposed to open up communication with the +outside by a tunnel in the wall, and this held out the possibility of +escape.</P> +<P>As this thought flashed through my mind, Ker Karraje said:</P> +<P>“Very well, Serko, and if it becomes necessary some day to defend Back Cup +and prevent any ship from approaching it——. It is true,” he went on, without +finishing the reflection, “our retreat would have to have been discovered by +accident—or by denunciation.”</P> +<P>“We have nothing to fear either from accident or denunciation,” affirmed +Serko.</P> +<P>“By one of our band, no, of course not, but by Simon Hart, perhaps.”</P> +<P>“Hart!” exclaimed Serko. “He would have to escape first and no one can escape +from Back Cup. I am, by the bye, interested in this Hart. He is a colleague, +after all, and I have always suspected that he knows more about Roch’s invention +than he pretends. I will get round him so that we shall soon be discussing +physics, mechanics, and matters ballistic like a couple of friends.”</P> +<P>“No matter,” replied the generous and sensible Count d’Artigas, “when we are +in full possession of the secret we had better get rid of the fellow.”</P> +<P>“We have plenty of time to do that, Ker Karraje.”</P> +<P>“If God permits you to, you wretches,” I muttered to myself, while my heart +thumped against my ribs.</P> +<P>And yet, without the intervention of Providence, what hope is there for +me?</P> +<P>The conversation then took another direction.</P> +<P>“Now that we know the composition of the explosive, Serko,” said Ker Karraje, +“we must, at all cost, get that of the deflagrator from Thomas Roch.”</P> +<P>“Yes,” replied Engineer Serko, “that is what I am trying to do. +Unfortunately, however, Roch positively refuses to discuss it. Still he has +already made a few drops of it with which those experiments were made, and he +will furnish as with some more to blow a hole through the wall.”</P> +<P>“But what about our expeditions at sea?” queried Ker Karraje.</P> +<P>“Patience! We shall end by getting Roch’s thunderbolts entirely in our own +hand, and then——”</P> +<P>“Are you sure, Serko?”</P> +<P>“Quite sure,—by paying the price, Ker Karraje.”</P> +<P>The conversation dropped at this point, and they strolled off without having +seen me—very luckily for me, I guess. If Engineer Serko spoke up somewhat in +defence of a colleague, Ker Karraje is apparently animated with much less +benevolent sentiments in regard to me. On the least suspicion they would throw +me into the lake, and if I ever got through the tunnel, it would only be as a +corpse carried out by the ebbing tide.</P> +<P><I>August 21</I>.—Engineer Serko has been prospecting with a view to piercing +the proposed passage through the wall, in such a way that its existence will +never be dreamed of outside. After a minute examination he decided to tunnel +through the northern end of the cavern about sixty feet from the first cells of +the Beehive.</P> +<P>I am anxious for the passage to be made, for who knows but what it may be the +way to freedom for me? Ah! if I only knew how to swim, perhaps I should have +attempted to escape through the submarine tunnel, as since it was disclosed by +the lashing back of the waters by the whale in its death-struggle, I know +exactly where the orifice is situated. It seems to me that at the time of the +great tides, this orifice must be partly uncovered. At the full and new moon, +when the sea attains its maximum depression below the normal level, it is +possible that—I must satisfy myself about this.</P> +<P>I do not know how the fact will help me in any way, even if the entrance to +the tunnel is partly uncovered, but I cannot afford to miss any detail that may +possibly aid in my escape from Back Cup.</P> +<P><I>August 29</I>.—This morning I am witnessing the departure of the tug. The +Count d’Artigas is, no doubt, going off in the <I>Ebba</I> to fetch the sections +of Thomas Roch’s engines. Before embarking, the Count converses long and +earnestly with Engineer Serko, who, apparently, is not going to accompany him on +this trip, and is evidently giving him some recommendations, of which I may be +the object. Then, having stepped on to the platform, he goes below, the lid +shuts with a bang, and the tug sinks out of sight, leaving a trail of bubbles +behind it.</P> +<P>The hours go by, night is coming on, yet the tug does not return. I conclude +that it has gone to tow the schooner, and perhaps to destroy any merchant +vessels that may come in their way.</P> +<P>It cannot, however, be absent very long, as the trip to America and back will +not take more than a week.</P> +<P>Besides, if I can judge from the calm atmosphere in the interior of the +cavern, the <I>Ebba</I> must be favored with beautiful weather. This is, in +fact, the fine season in this part of the world. Ah! if only I could break out +of my prison!</P> + +<a name="XIII" id="XIII"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER XIII.</H4> +<H4>GOD BE WITH IT.</H4> +<P><I>From August 29 to September 10</I>.—Thirteen days have gone by and the +<I>Ebba</I> has not returned. Did she then not make straight for the American +coast? Has she been delayed by a buccaneering cruise in the neighborhood of Back +Cup? It seems to me that Ker Karraje’s only desire would be to get back with the +sections of Roch’s engines as soon as possible. Maybe the Virginian foundry had +not quite finished them.</P> +<P>Engineer Serko does not display the least anxiety or impatience. He continues +to greet me with his accustomed ironical cordiality, and with a kindly air that +I distrust—with good reason. He affects to be solicitous as to my health, urges +me to make the best of a bad job, calls me Ali Baba, assures me that there is +not, in the whole world, such an enchanting spot as this Arabian Nights cavern, +observes that I am fed, warmed, lodged, and clothed, that I have no taxes to +pay, and that even the inhabitants of the favored principality of Monaco do not +enjoy an existence more free from care.</P> +<P>Sometimes this ironical verbiage brings the blood to my face, and I am +tempted to seize this cynical banterer by the throat and choke the life out of +him. They would kill me afterwards. Still, what would that matter! Would it not +be better to end in this way than to spend years and years amid these infernal +and infamous surroundings? However, while there is life there is hope, I +reflect, and this thought restrains me.</P> +<P>I have scarcely set eyes upon Thomas Roch since the <I>Ebba</I> went away. He +shuts himself up in his laboratory and works unceasingly. If he utilizes all the +substances placed at his disposition there will be enough to blow up Back Cup +and the whole Bermudan archipelago with it!</P> +<P>I cling to the hope that he will never consent to give up the secret of his +deflagrator, and that Engineer Serko’s efforts to acquire it will remain +futile.</P> +<P><I>September 3</I>.—To-day I have been able to witness with my own eyes the +power of Roch’s explosive, and also the manner in which the fulgurator is +employed.</P> +<P>During the morning the men began to pierce the passage through the wall of +the cavern at the spot fixed upon by Engineer Serko, who superintended the work +in person. The work began at the base, where the rock is as hard as granite. To +have continued it with pickaxes would have entailed long and arduous labor, +inasmuch as the wall at this place is not less than from twenty to thirty yards +in thickness, but thanks to Roch’s fulgurator the passage will be completed +easily and rapidly.</P> +<P>I may well be astonished at what I have seen. The pickaxes hardly made any +impression on the rock, but its disaggregation was effected with really +remarkable facility by means of the fulgurator.</P> +<P>A few grains of this explosive shattered the rocky mass and reduced it to +almost impalpable powder that one’s breath could disperse as easily as vapor. +The explosion produced an excavation measuring fully a cubic yard. It was +accompanied by a sharp detonation that may be compared to the report of a +cannon.</P> +<P>The first charge used, although a very small one, a mere pinch, blew the men +in every direction, and two of them were seriously injured. Engineer Serko +himself was projected several yards, and sustained some rather severe +contusions.</P> +<P>Here is how this substance, whose bursting force surpasses anything hitherto +conceived, is employed.</P> +<P>A small hole about an inch and a half in length is pierced obliquely in the +rock. A few grains of the explosive are then inserted, but no wad is used.</P> +<P>Then Thomas Roch steps forward. In his hand is a little glass phial +containing a bluish, oily liquid that congeals almost as soon as it comes in +contact with the air. He pours one drop on the entrance of the hole, and draws +back, but not with undue haste. It takes a certain time—about thirty-five +seconds, I reckon—before the combination of the fulgurator and deflagrator is +effected. But when the explosion does take place its power of disaggregation is +such—I repeat—that it may be regarded as unlimited. It is at any rate a thousand +times superior to that of any known explosive.</P> +<P>Under these circumstances it will probably not take more than a week to +complete the tunnel.</P> +<P><I>September 19</I>.—For some time past I have observed that the tide rises +and falls twice every twenty-four hours, and that the ebb and flow produce a +rather swift current through the submarine tunnel. It is pretty certain +therefore that a floating object thrown into the lagoon when the top of the +orifice is uncovered would be carried out by the receding tide. It is just +possible that during the lowest equinoctial tides the top of the orifice is +uncovered. This I shall be able to ascertain, as this is precisely the time they +occur. To-day, September 19, I could almost distinguish the summit of the hole +under the water. The day after to-morrow, if ever, it will be uncovered.</P> +<P>Very well then, if I cannot myself attempt to get through, may be a bottle +thrown into the lagoon might be carried out during the last few minutes of the +ebb. And might not this bottle by chance—an ultra-providential chance, I must +avow—be picked up by a ship passing near Back Cup? Perhaps even it might be +borne away by a friendly current and cast upon one of the Bermudan beaches. What +if that bottle contained a letter?</P> +<P>I cannot get this thought out of my mind, and it works me up into a great +state of excitement. Then objections crop up—this one among others: the bottle +might be swept against the rocks and smashed ere ever it could get out of the +tunnel. Very true, but what if, instead of a bottle a diminutive, tightly closed +keg were used? It would not run any danger of being smashed and would besides +stand a much better chance of reaching the open sea.</P> +<P><I>September 20</I>.—This evening, I, unperceived, entered one of the store +houses containing the booty pillaged from various ships and procured a keg very +suitable for my experiment.</P> +<P>I hid the keg under my coat, and returned to the Beehive and my cell. Then +without losing an instant I set to work. Paper, pen, ink, nothing was wanting, +as will be supposed from the fact that for three months I have been making notes +and dotting down my impressions daily.</P> +<P>I indite the following message:</P> +<P>“On June 15 last Thomas Roch and his keeper Gaydon, or rather Simon Hart, the +French engineer who occupied Pavilion No. 17, at Healthful House, near +New-Berne, North Carolina, United States of America, were kidnapped and carried +on board the schooner <I>Ebba</I>, belonging to the Count d’Artigas. Both are +now confined in the interior of a cavern which serves as a lair for the said +Count d’Artigas—who is really Ker Karraje, the pirate who some time ago carried +on his depredations in the West Pacific—and for about a hundred men of which his +band is composed.</P> +<P>“When he has obtained possession of Roch’s fulgurator whose power is, so to +speak, without limit, Ker Karraje will be in a position to carry on his crimes +with complete impunity.</P> +<P>“It is therefore urgent that the states interested should destroy his lair +without delay.</P> +<P>“The cavern in which the pirate Ker Karraje has taken refuge is in the +interior of the islet of Back Cup, which is wrongly regarded as an active +volcano. It is situated at the western extremity of the archipelago of Bermuda, +and on the east is bounded by a range of reefs, but on the north, south, and +west is open.</P> +<P>“Communication with the inside of the mountain is only possible through a +tunnel a few yards under water in a narrow pass on the west. A submarine +apparatus therefore is necessary to effect an entrance, at any rate until a +tunnel they are boring through the northwestern wall of the cavern is +completed.</P> +<P>“The pirate Ker Karraje employs an apparatus of this kind—the submarine boat +that the Count d’Artigas ordered of the Cramps and which was supposed to have +been lost during the public experiment with it in Charleston Bay. This boat is +used not only for the purpose of entering and issuing from Back Cup, but also to +tow the schooner and attack merchant vessels in Bermudan waters.</P> +<P>“This schooner <I>Ebba</I>, so well known on the American coast, is kept in a +small creek on the western side of the island, behind a mass of rocks, and is +invisible from the sea.</P> +<P>“The best place to land is on the west coast formerly occupied by the colony +of Bermudan fishers; but it would first be advisable to effect a breach in the +side of the cavern by means of the most powerful melinite shells.</P> +<P>“The fact that Ker Karraje may be in the position to use Roch’s fulgurator +for the defence of the island must also be taken into consideration. Let it be +well borne in mind that if its destructive power surpasses anything ever +conceived or dreamed of, it extends over a zone not exceeding a mile in extent. +The distance of this dangerous zone is variable, but once the engines have been +set, the modification of the distance occupies some time, and a warship that +succeeds in passing the zone has nothing further to fear.</P> +<P>“This document is written on the twentieth day of September at eight o’clock +in the evening and is signed with my name</P> +<P>“THOMAS HART, Engineer.”</P> +<P>The above is the text of the statement I have just drawn up. It says all that +is necessary about the island, whose exact situation is marked on all modern +charts and maps, and points out the expediency of acting without delay, and what +to do in case Ker Karraje is in the position to employ Roch’s fulgurator.</P> +<P>I add a plan of the cavern showing its internal configuration, the situation +of the lagoon, the lay of the Beehive, Ker Karraje’s habitation, my cell, and +Thomas Roch’s laboratory.</P> +<P>I wrap the document in a piece of tarpaulin and insert the package in the +little keg, which measures six inches by three and a half. It is perfectly +watertight and will stand any amount of knocking about against the rocks.</P> +<P>There is one danger, however, and that is, that it may be swept back by the +returning tide, cast up on the island, and fall into the hands of the crew of +the <I>Ebba</I> when the schooner is hauled into her creek. If Ker Karraje ever +gets hold of it, it will be all up with me.</P> +<P>It will be readily conceived with what anxiety I have awaited the moment to +make the attempt: I am in a perfect fever of excitement, for it is a matter of +life or death to me. I calculate from previous observations that the tide will +be very low at about a quarter to nine. The top of the tunnel ought then to be a +foot and a half above water, which is more than enough to permit of the keg +passing through it. It will be another half hour at least before the flow sets +in again, and by that time the keg may be far enough away to escape being thrown +back on the coast.</P> +<P>I peer out of my cell. There is no one about, and I advance to the side of +the lagoon, where by the light of a nearby lamp, I perceive the arch of the +tunnel, towards which the current seems to be setting pretty swiftly.</P> +<P>I go down to the very edge, and cast in the keg which contains the precious +document and all my hopes.</P> +<P>“God be with it!” I fervently exclaim. “God be with it!”</P> +<P>For a minute or two the little barrel remains stationary, and then floats +back to the side again. I throw it out once more with all my strength.</P> +<P>This time it is in the track of the current, which to my great joy sweeps it +along and in twenty seconds, it has disappeared in the tunnel.</P> +<P>Yes, God be with it! May Heaven guide thee, little barrel! May it protect all +those whom Ker Karraje menaces and grant that this band of pirates may not +escape from the justice of man!</P> + +<a name="XIV" id="XIV"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER XIV.</H4> +<H4>BATTLE BETWEEN THE “SWORD” AND THE TUG.</H4> +<P>Through all this sleepless night I have followed the keg in fancy. How many +times I seem to see it swept against the rocks in the tunnel into a creek, or +some excavation. I am in a cold perspiration from head to foot. Then I imagine +that it has been carried out to sea. Heavens! if the returning tide should sweep +it back to tho entrance and then through the tunnel into the lagoon! I must be +on the lookout for it.</P> +<P>I rise before the sun and saunter down to the lagoon. Not a single object is +floating on its calm surface.</P> +<P>The work on the tunnel through the side of the cavern goes on, and at four +o’clock in the afternoon on September 23, Engineer Serko blows away the last +rock obstructing the issue, and communication with the outer world is +established. It is only a very narrow hole, and one has to stoop to go through +it. The exterior orifice is lost among the crannies of the rocky coast, and it +would be easy to obstruct it, if such a measure became necessary.</P> +<P>It goes without saying that the passage will be strictly guarded. No one +without special authorization will be able either to go out or come in, +therefore there is little hope of escape in that direction.</P> +<P><I>September 25.</I>—This morning the tug rose from the depth of the lagoon +to the surface, and has now run alongside the jetty. The Count d’Artigas and +Captain Spade disembark, and the crew set to work to land the provisions—boxes +of canned meat, preserves, barrels of wine and spirits, and other things brought +by the <I>Ebba,</I> among which are several packages destined for Thomas Roch. +The men also land the various sections of Roch’s engines which are discoid in +shape.</P> +<P>The inventor watches their operations, and his eyes glisten with eagerness. +He seizes one of the sections, examines it, and nods approval. I notice that his +joy no longer finds expression in incoherent utterances, that he is completely +transformed from what he was while a patient at Healthful House. So much is this +the case that I begin to ask myself whether his madness which was asserted to be +incurable, has not been radically cured.</P> +<P>At last Thomas Roch embarks in the boat used for crossing the lake and is +rowed over to his laboratory. Engineer Serko accompanies him. In an hour’s time +the tug’s cargo has all been taken out and transported to the storehouses.</P> +<P>Ker Karraje exchanges a word or two with Engineer Serko and then enters his +mansion. Later, in the afternoon, I see them walking up and down in front of the +Beehive and talking earnestly together.</P> +<P>Then they enter the new tunnel, followed by Captain Spade. If I could but +follow them! If I could but breathe for awhile the bracing air of the Atlantic, +of which the interior of Back Cup only receives attenuated puffs, so to +speak.</P> +<P><I>From September 26 to October 10</I>.—Fifteen days have elapsed. Under the +directions of Engineer Serko and Thomas Roch the sections of the engines have +been fitted together. Then the construction of their supports is begun. These +supports are simple trestles, fitted with transverse troughs or grooves of +various degrees of inclination, and which could be easily installed on the deck +of the <I>Ebba</I>, or even on the platform of the tug, which can be kept on a +level with the surface.</P> +<P>Thus Ker Karraje, will be ruler of the seas, with his yacht. No warship, +however big, however powerful, will be able to cross the zone of danger, whereas +the <I>Ebba</I> will be out of range of its guns. If only my notice were found! +If only the existence of this lair of Back Cup were known! Means would soon be +found, if not of destroying the place, at least of starving the band into +submission!</P> +<P><I>October 20</I>.—To my extreme surprise I find this morning that the tug +has gone away again. I recall that yesterday the elements of the piles were +renewed, but I thought it was only to keep them in order. In view of the fact +that the outside can now be reached through the new tunnel, and that Thomas Roch +has everything he requires, I can only conclude that the tug has gone off on +another marauding expedition.</P> +<P>Yet this is the season of the equinoctial gales, and the Bermudan waters are +swept by frequent tempests. This is evident from the violent gusts that drive +back the smoke through the crater and the heavy rain that accompanies it, as +well as by the water in the lagoon, which swells and washes over the brown rocks +on its shores.</P> +<P>But it is by no means sure that the <I>Ebba</I> has quitted her cove. However +staunch she may be, she is, it seems to me, of too light a build to face such +tempests as now rage, even with the help of the tug.</P> +<P>On the other hand, although the tug has nothing to fear from the heavy seas, +as it would be in calm water a few yards below the surface, it is hardly likely +that it has gone on a trip unless to accompany the schooner.</P> +<P>I do not know to what its departure can be attributed, but its absence is +likely to be prolonged, for it has not yet returned.</P> +<P>Engineer Serko has remained behind, but Ker Karraje, Captain Spade, and the +crew of the schooner, I find, have left.</P> +<P>Life in the cavern goes on with its usual dispiriting monotony. I pass hour +after hour in my cell, meditating, hoping, despairing, following in fancy the +voyage of my little barrel, tossed about at the mercy of the currents and whose +chances of being picked up, I fear, are becoming fainter each day, and killing +time by writing my diary, which will probably not survive me.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch is constantly occupied in his laboratory manufacturing his +deflagrator. I still entertain the conviction that nothing will ever induce him +to give up the secret of the liquid’s composition; but I am perfectly aware that +he will not hesitate to place his invention at Ker Karraje’s service.</P> +<P>I often meet Engineer Serko when my strolls take me in the direction of the +Beehive. He always shows himself disposed to chat with me, though, it is true, +he does so in a tone of impertinent frivolity. We converse upon all sorts of +subjects, but rarely of my position. Recrimination thereanent is useless and +only subjects me to renewed bantering.</P> +<P><I>October 22</I>.—To-day I asked Engineer Serko whether the <I>Ebba</I> had +put to sea again with the tug.</P> +<P>“Yes, Mr. Simon Hart,” he replied, “and though the clouds gather and loud the +tempest roars, be in no uneasiness in regard to our dear <I>Ebba</I>.”</P> +<P>“Will she be gone long?”</P> +<P>“We expect her back within forty-eight hours. It is the last voyage Count +d’Artigas proposes to make before the winter gales render navigation in these +parts impracticable.”</P> +<P>“Is her voyage one of business or pleasure?”</P> +<P>“Of business, Mr. Hart, of business,” answered Engineer Serko with a smile. +“Our engines are now completed, and when the fine weather returns we shall +resume offensive operations.”</P> +<P>“Against unfortunate merchantmen.”</P> +<P>“As unfortunate as they are richly laden.”</P> +<P>“Acts of piracy, whose impunity will, I trust, not always be assured,” I +cried..</P> +<P>“Calm yourself, dear colleague, be calm! Be calm! No one, you know, can ever +discover our retreat, and none can ever disclose the secret! Besides, with these +engines, which are so easily handled and are of such terrible power, it would be +easy for us to blow to pieces any ship that attempted to get within a certain +radius of the island.”</P> +<P>“Providing,” I said, “that Thomas Roch has sold you the composition of his +deflagrator as he has sold you that of his fulgurator.”</P> +<P>“That he has done, Mr. Hart, and it behooves me to set your mind at rest upon +that point.”</P> +<P>From this categorical response I ought to have concluded that the misfortune +had been consummated, but a certain hesitation in the intonation of his voice +warned me that implicit reliance was not to be placed upon Engineer Serko’s +assertions.</P> +<P><I>October 25</I>.—What a frightful adventure I have just been mixed up in, +and what a wonder I did not lose my life! It is only by a miracle that I am able +to resume these notes, which have been interrupted for forty-eight hours. With a +little luck, I should have been delivered! I should now be in one of the +Bermudan ports—St. George or Hamilton. The mysteries of Back Cup would have been +cleared up. The description of the schooner would have been wired all over the +world, and she would not dare to put into any port. The provisioning of Back Cup +would be impossible, and Ker Karraje’s bandits would be condemned to starve to +death!</P> +<P>This is what occurred:</P> +<P>At eight o’clock in the evening on October 23, I quitted my cell in an +indefinable state of nervousness, and with a presentiment that a serious event +was imminent. In vain I had tried to seek calmness in sleep. It was impossible +to do so, and I rose and went out.</P> +<P>Outside Back Cup the weather must have been very rough. Violent gusts of wind +swept in through the crater and agitated the water of the lagoon.</P> +<P>I walked along the shore on the Beehive side. No one was about. It was rather +cold, and the air was damp. The pirates were all snugly ensconced in their +cells, with the exception of one man, who stood guard over the new passage, +notwithstanding that the outer entrance had been blocked. From where he was this +man could not see the lagoon, moreover there were only two lamps alight, one on +each side of the lake, and the forest of pillars was wrapt in the profoundest +obscurity.</P> +<P>I was walking about in the shadow, when some one passed me.</P> +<P>I saw that he was Thomas Roch.</P> +<P>He was walking slowly, absorbed by his thoughts, his brain at work, as +usual.</P> +<P>Was this not a favorable opportunity to talk to him, to enlighten him about +what he was probably ignorant, namely, the character of the people into whose +hands he had fallen?</P> +<P>“He cannot,” I argued, “know that the Count d’Artigas is none other than Ker +Karraje, the pirate. He cannot be aware that he has given up a part of his +invention to such a bandit. I must open his eyes to the fact that he will never +be able to enjoy his millions, that he is a prisoner in Back Cup, and will never +be allowed to leave it, any more than I shall. Yes, I will make an appeal to his +sentiments of humanity, and point out to him what frightful misfortunes he will +be responsible for if he does not keep the secret of his deflagrator.”</P> +<P>All this I had said to myself, and was preparing to carry out my resolution, +when I suddenly felt myself seized from behind.</P> +<P>Two men held me by the arms, and another appeared in front of me.</P> +<P>Before I had time to cry out the man exclaimed in English:</P> +<P>“Hush! not a word! Are you not Simon Hart?”</P> +<P>“Yes, how did you know?”</P> +<P>“I saw you come out of your cell.”</P> +<P>“Who are you, then?”</P> +<P>“Lieutenant Davon, of the British Navy, of H.M.S. <I>Standard</I>, which is +stationed at the Bermudas.”</P> +<P>Emotion choked me so that it was impossible for me to utter a word.</P> +<P>“We have come to rescue you from Ker Karraje, and also propose to carry off +Thomas Roch,” he added.</P> +<P>“Thomas Roch?” I stammered.</P> +<P>“Yes, the document signed by you was found on the beach at St. George——”</P> +<P>“In a keg, Lieutenant Davon, which I committed to the waters of the +lagoon.”</P> +<P>“And which contained,” went on the officer, “the notice by which we were +apprised that the island of Back Cup served as a refuge for Ker Karraje and his +band—Ker Karraje, this false Count d’Artigas, the author of the double abduction +from Healthful House.”</P> +<P>“Ah! Lieutenant Davon——”</P> +<P>“Now we have not a moment to spare, we must profit by the obscurity.”</P> +<P>“One word, Lieutenant Davon, how did you penetrate to the interior of Back +Cup?”</P> +<P>“By means of the submarine boat <I>Sword</I>, with which we have been making +experiments at St. George for six months past.”</P> +<P>“A submarine boat!”</P> +<P>“Yes, it awaits us at the foot of the rocks. And now, Mr. Hart, where is Ker +Karraje’s tug?”</P> +<P>“It has been away for three weeks.”</P> +<P>“Ker Karraje is not here, then?”</P> +<P>“No, but we expect him back every day—every hour, I might say.”</P> +<P>“It matters little,” replied Lieutenant Davon. “It is not after Ker Karraje, +but Thomas Roch, we have come—and you also, Mr. Hart. The <I>Sword</I> will not +leave the lagoon till you are both on board. If she does not turn up at St. +George again, they will know that I have failed—and they will try again.”</P> +<P>“Where is the <I>Sword</I>, Lieutenant?”</P> +<P>“On this side, in the shadow of the bank, where it cannot be seen. Thanks to +your directions, I and my crew were able to locate the tunnel. We came through +all right, and ten minutes ago rose to the surface of the lake. Two men landed +with me. I saw you issue from the cell marked on your plan. Do you know where +Thomas Roch is?”</P> +<P>“A few paces off. He has just passed me, on his way to his laboratory.”</P> +<P>“God be praised, Mr. Hart!”</P> +<P>“Amen, Lieutenant Davon.”</P> +<P>The lieutenant, the two men and I took the path around the lagoon. We had not +gone far when we perceived Thomas Roch in front of us. To throw ourselves upon +him, gag him before he could utter a cry, bind him before he could offer any +resistance, and bear him off to the place where the <I>Sword</I> was moored was +the work of a minute.</P> +<P>The <I>Sword</I> was a submersible boat of only twelve tons, and consequently +much inferior to the tug, both in respect of dimensions and power. Her screw was +worked by a couple of dynamos fitted with accumulators that had been charged +twelve hours previously in the port of St. George. However, the <I>Sword</I> +would suffice to take us out of this prison, to restore us to liberty—that +liberty of which I had given up all hope. Thomas Roch was at last to be rescued +from the clutches of Ker Karraje and Engineer Serko. The rascals would not be +able to utilize his invention, and nothing could prevent the warships from +landing a storming party on the island, who would force the tunnel in the wall +and secure the pirates!</P> +<P>We saw no one while the two men were conveying Thomas Roch to the +<I>Sword</I>, and all got on board without incident. The lid was shut and +secured, the water compartments filled, and the <I>Sword</I> sank out of sight. +We were saved!</P> +<P>The <I>Sword</I> was divided into three water-tight compartments. The after +one contained the accumulators and machinery. The middle one, occupied by the +pilot, was surmounted by a periscope fitted with lenticular portholes, through +which an electric search-lamp lighted the way through the water. Forward, in the +other compartment, Thomas Roch and I were shut in.</P> +<P>My companion, though the gag which was choking him had been removed, was +still bound, and, I thought, knew what was going on.</P> +<P>But we were in a hurry to be off, and hoped to reach St. George that very +night if no obstacle was encountered.</P> +<P>I pushed open the door of the compartment and rejoined Lieutenant Davon, who +was standing by the man at the wheel. In the after compartment three other men, +including the engineer, awaited the lieutenant’s orders to set the machinery in +motion.</P> +<P>“Lieutenant Davon,” I said, “I do not think there is any particular reason +why I should stay in there with Roch. If I can help you to get through the +tunnel, pray command me.”</P> +<P>“Yes, I shall be glad to have you by me, Mr. Hart.”</P> +<P>It was then exactly thirty-seven minutes past eight.</P> +<P>The search-lamp threw a vague light through the water ahead of the +<I>Sword</I>. From where we were, we had to cross the lagoon through its entire +length to get to the tunnel. It would be pretty difficult to fetch it, we knew, +but, if necessary, we could hug the sides of the lake until we located it. Once +outside the tunnel the <I>Sword</I> would rise to the surface and make for St. +George at full speed.</P> +<P>“At what depth are we now?” I asked the lieutenant.</P> +<P>“About a fathom.”</P> +<P>“It is not necessary to go any lower,” I said. “From what I was able to +observe during the equinoctial tides, I should think that we are in the axis of +the tunnel.”</P> +<P>“All right,” he replied.</P> +<P>Yes, it was all right, and I felt that Providence was speaking by the mouth +of the officer. Certainly Providence could not have chosen a better agent to +work its will.</P> +<P>In the light of the lamp I examined him. He was about thirty years of age, +cool, phlegmatic, with resolute physiognomy—the English officer in all his +native impassibility—no more disturbed than if he had been on board the +<I>Standard</I>, operating with extraordinary <I>sang-froid,</I> I might even +say, with the precision of a machine.</P> +<P>“On coming through the tunnel I estimated its length at about fifty yards,” +he remarked.</P> +<P>“Yes, Lieutenant, about fifty yards from one extremity to the other.”</P> +<P>This calculation must have been pretty exact, since the new tunnel cut on a +level with the coast is thirty-five feet in length.</P> +<P>The order was given to go ahead, and the <I>Sword</I> moved forward very +slowly for fear of colliding against the rocky side.</P> +<P>Sometimes we came near enough to it to distinguish a black mass ahead of it, +but a turn of the wheel put us in the right direction again. Navigating a +submarine boat in the open sea is difficult enough. How much more so in the +confines of a lagoon!</P> +<P>After five minutes’ manoeuvring, the <I>Sword</I>, which was kept at about a +fathom below the surface, had not succeeded in sighting the orifice.</P> +<P>“Perhaps it would be better to return to the surface, Lieutenant,” I said. +“We should then be able to see where we are.”</P> +<P>“I think you are right, Mr. Hart, if you can point out just about where the +tunnel is located.”</P> +<P>“I think I can.”</P> +<P>“Very well, then.”</P> +<P>As a precaution the light was turned off. The engineer set the pumps in +motion, and, lightened of its water ballast, the boat slowly rose in the +darkness to the surface.</P> +<P>I remained at my post so that I could peer through the lookouts.</P> +<P>At last the ascensional movement of the <I>Sword</I> stopped, and the +periscope emerged about a foot.</P> +<P>On one side of me, lighted by the lamp by the shore, I could see the +Beehive.</P> +<P>“What is your opinion?” demanded the lieutenant.</P> +<P>“We are too far north. The orifice is in the west side of the cavern.”</P> +<P>“Is anybody about?”</P> +<P>“Not a soul.”</P> +<P>“Capital, Mr. Hart. Then we will keep on a level with the surface, and when +we are in front of the tunnel, and you give the signal, we will sink.”</P> +<P>It was the best thing to be done. We moved off again and the pilot kept her +head towards the tunnel.</P> +<P>When we were about twelve yards off I gave the signal to stop. As soon as the +current was turned off the <I>Sword</I> stopped, opened her water tanks and +slowly sank again.</P> +<P>Then the light in the lookout was turned on again, and there in front of us +was a black circle that did not reflect the lamp’s rays.</P> +<P>“There it is, there is the tunnel!” I cried.</P> +<P>Was it not the door by which I was going to escape from my prison? Was not +liberty awaiting me on the other side?</P> +<P>Gently the <I>Sword</I> moved towards the orifice.</P> +<P>Oh! the horrible mischance! How have I survived it? How is it that my heart +is not broken?</P> +<P>A dim light appeared in the depth of the tunnel, about twenty-five yards in +front of us. The advancing light could be none other than that, projected +through the lookout of Ker Karraje’s submarine boat.</P> +<P>“The tug! The tug!” I exclaimed. “Lieutenant, here is the tug returning to +Back Cup!”</P> +<P>“Full speed astern,” ordered the officer, and the <I>Sword</I> drew back just +as she was about to enter the tunnel.</P> +<P>One chance remained. The lieutenant had swiftly turned off the light, and it +was just possible that we had not been seen by the people in the tug. Perhaps, +in the dark waters of the lagoon, we should escape notice, and when the oncoming +boat had risen and moored to the jetty, we should be able to slip out +unperceived.</P> +<P>We had backed close in to the south side and the <I>Sword</I> was about to +stop, but alas, for our hopes! Captain Spade had seen that another submarine +boat was about to issue through the tunnel, and he was making preparations to +chase us. How could a frail craft like the <I>Sword</I> defend itself against +the attacks of Ker Karraje’s powerful machine?</P> +<P>Lieutenant Davon turned to me and said: “Go back to the compartment where +Thomas Roch is and shut yourself in. I will close the after-door. There is just +a chance that if the tug rams us the water-tight compartments will keep us +up.”</P> +<P>After shaking hands with the lieutenant, who was as cool as though we were in +no danger, I went forward and rejoined Thomas Roch. I closed the door and +awaited the issue in profound darkness.</P> +<P>Then I could feel the desperate efforts made by the <I>Sword</I> to escape +from or ram her enemy. I could feel her rushing, gyrating and plunging. Now she +would twist to avoid a collision. Now she would rise to the surface, then sink +to the bottom of the lagoon. Can any one conceive such a struggle as that in +which, like two marine monsters, these machines were engaged in beneath the +troubled waters of this inland lake?</P> +<P>A few minutes elapsed, and I began to think that the <I>Sword</I> had eluded +the tug and was rushing through the tunnel.</P> +<P>Suddenly there was a collision. The shock was not, it seemed to me, very +violent, but I could be under no illusion: the <I>Sword</I> had been struck on +her starboard quarter. Perhaps her plates had resisted, and if not, the water +would only invade one of her compartments, I thought.</P> +<P>Almost immediately after, however, there was another shock that pushed the +<I>Sword</I> with extreme violence. She was raised by the ram of the tug which +sawed and ripped its way into her side. Then I could feel her heel over and sink +straight down, stern foremost.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch and I were tumbled over violently by. this movement. There was +another bump, another ripping sound, and the <I>Sword</I> lay still.</P> +<P>Just what happened after that I am unable to say, for I lost +consciousness.</P> +<P>I have since learned that all this occurred many hours ago.</P> +<P>I however distinctly remember that my last thought was:</P> +<P>“If I am to die, at any rate Thomas Roch and his secret perish with me—and +the pirates of Back Cup will not escape punishment for their crimes.”</P> + +<a name="XV" id="XV"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER XV.</H4> +<H4>EXPECTATION.</H4> +<P>As soon as I recover my senses I find myself lying on my bed in my cell, +where it appears I have been lying for thirty-six hours.</P> +<P>I am not alone. Engineer Serko is near me. He has attended to me himself, not +because he regards me as a friend, I surmise, but as a man from whom +indispensable explanations are awaited, and who afterwards can be done away with +if necessary.</P> +<P>I am still so weak that I could not walk a step. A little more and I should +have been asphyxiated in that narrow compartment of the <I>Sword</I> at the +bottom of the lagoon.</P> +<P>Am I in condition to reply to the questions that Engineer Serko is dying to +put to me? Yes—but I shall maintain the utmost reserve.</P> +<P>In the first place I wonder what has become of Lieutenant Davon and the crew +of the <I>Sword</I>. Did those brave Englishmen perish in the collision? Are +they safe and sound like us—for I suppose that Thomas Roch has also +survived?</P> +<P>The first question that Engineer Serko puts to me is this:</P> +<P>“Will you explain to me what happened, Mr. Hart?”</P> +<P>Instead of replying it occurs to me to question him myself.</P> +<P>“And Thomas Roch?” I inquire.</P> +<P>“In good health, Mr. Hart.” Then he adds in an imperious tone: “Tell me what +occurred!”</P> +<P>“In the first place, tell me what became of the others.”</P> +<P>“What others?” replies Serko, glancing at me savagely.</P> +<P>“Why, those men who threw themselves upon Thomas Roch and me, who gagged, +bound, and carried us off and shut us up, I know not where?”</P> +<P>On reflection I had come to the conclusion that the best thing to do was to +pretend that I had been surprised before I knew where I was or who my aggressors +were.</P> +<P>“You will know what became of them later. But first, tell me how, the thing +was done.”</P> +<P>By the threatening tone of his voice, as he for the third time puts this +question, I understand the nature of the suspicions entertained of me. Yet to be +in the position to accuse me of having had relations with the outside he would +have had to get possession of my keg. This he could not have done, seeing that +it is in the hands of the Bermudan authorities. The pirates cannot, I am +convinced, have a single proof to back up their suspicions.</P> +<P>I therefore recount how about eight o’clock on the previous evening I was +walking along the edge of the lagoon, after Thomas Roch had passed me, going +towards his laboratory, when I felt myself seized from behind; how having been +gagged, bound, and blindfolded, I felt myself carried off and lowered into a +hole with another person whom I thought I recognized from his groans as Thomas +Roch; how I soon felt that I was on board a boat of some description and +naturally concluded that it was the tug; how I felt it sink; how I felt a shock +that threw me violently against the side, and how I felt myself suffocating and +lost consciousness, since I remember nothing further.</P> +<P>Engineer Serko listens with profound attention, a stern look in his eyes and +a frown on his brow; and yet he can have no reason that authorizes him to doubt +my word.</P> +<P>“You claim that three men threw themselves upon you?” he asks.</P> +<P>“Yes. I thought they were some of your people, for I did not see them coming. +Who were they?”</P> +<P>“Strangers, as you must have known from their language.”</P> +<P>“They did not utter a word!”</P> +<P>“Have you no idea as to their nationality?”</P> +<P>“Not the remotest.”</P> +<P>Do you know what were their intentions in entering the cavern?”</P> +<P>“I do not.”</P> +<P>“What is your opinion about it?”</P> +<P>“My opinion, Mr. Serko? I repeat I thought they were two or three of your +pirates who had come to throw me into the lagoon by the Count d’Artigas’ orders, +and that they were going to do the same thing to Thomas Roch. I supposed that +having obtained his secrets—as you informed me was the case—you had no further +use for him and were about to get rid of us both.”</P> +<P>“Is it possible, Mr. Hart, that you could have thought such a thing!” +continued Serko in his sarcastic way.</P> +<P>“I did, until having been able to remove the bandage from my eyes, I +perceived that I was in the tug.”</P> +<P>“It was not the tug, but a boat of the same kind that had got through the +tunnel.”</P> +<P>“A submarine boat?” I ejaculate.</P> +<P>“Yes, and manned by persons whose mission was to kidnap you and Thomas +Roch.”</P> +<P>“Kidnap us?” I echo, continuing to feign surprise.</P> +<P>“And,” adds Engineer Serko, “I want to know what you think about the +matter.”</P> +<P>“What I think about it? Well, it appears to me that there is only one +plausible explanation possible. If the secret of your retreat has not been +betrayed—and I cannot conceive how you could have been betrayed or what +imprudence you or yours could have committed—my opinion is that this submarine +boat was exploring the bottom of the sea in this neighborhood, that she must +have found her way into the tunnel, that she rose to the surface of the lagoon, +that her crew, greatly surprised to find themselves inside an inhabited cavern, +seized hold of the first persons they came across, Thomas Roch and myself, and +others as well perhaps, for of course I do not know——”</P> +<P>Engineer Serko has become serious again. Does he realize the inanity of the +hypothesis I try to pass off on him? Does he think I know more than I will say? +However this may be, he accepts my professed view, and says:</P> +<P>“In effect, Mr. Hart, it must have happened as you suggest, and when the +stranger tried to make her way out through the tunnel just as the tug was +entering, there was a collision—a collision of which she was the victim. But we +are not the kind of people to allow our fellow-men to perish before our eyes. +Moreover, the disappearance of Thomas Roch and yourself was almost immediately +discovered. Two such valuable lives had to be saved at all hazards. We set to +work. There are many expert divers among our men. They hastily donned their +suits and descended to the bottom of the lagoon. They passed lines around the +hull of the <I>Sword</I>——”</P> +<P>“The <I>Sword</I>?” I exclaim.</P> +<P>“That is the name we saw painted on the bow of the vessel when we raised her +to the surface. What satisfaction we experienced when we recovered +you—unconscious, it is true, but still breathing—and were able to bring you back +to life! Unfortunately all our attentions to the officer who commanded the +<I>Sword</I>, and to his crew were useless. The shock had torn open the after +and middle compartments, and they paid with their lives the misfortune—due to +chance, as you observe—of having discovered our mysterious retreat.”</P> +<P>On learning that Lieutenant Davon and his companions are dead, my heart is +filled with anguish; but to keep up my role—as they were persons with whom, +presumably, I was not acquainted, and had never seen—I am careful not to display +any emotion. I must, on no account, afford ground for the suspicion that there +was any connivance between the commander of the <I>Sword</I> and me. For aught I +know, Engineer Serko may have reason to be very skeptical about the discovery of +the tunnel being accidental.</P> +<P>What, however, I am most concerned about is that the unlooked-for occasion to +recover my liberty was lost. Shall I ever be afforded another chance? However +this may be, my notice reached the English authorities of the archipelago, and +they now know where Ker Karraje is to be found. When it is seen that the +<I>Sword</I> does not return to Bermuda, there can be no doubt that another +attempt will be made to get inside Back Cup, in which, had it not been for the +inopportune return of the tug, I should no longer be a prisoner.</P> +<P>I have resumed my usual existence, and having allayed all mistrust, am +permitted to wander freely about the cavern, as usual.</P> +<P>It is patent that the adventure has had no ill effect upon Thomas Roch. +Intelligent nursing brought him around, as it did me. In full possession of his +mental faculties he has returned to work, and spends the entire day in his +laboratory.</P> +<P>The <I>Ebba</I> brought back from her last trip bales, boxes, and a quantity +of objects of varied origin, and I conclude that a number of ships must have +been pillaged during this marauding expedition.</P> +<P>The work on the trestles for Roch’s engine goes steadily forward, and there +are now no fewer than fifty engines. If Ker Karraje and Engineer Serko are under +the necessity of defending Back Cup, three or four will be sufficient to render +the island unapproachable, as they will cover a zone which no vessel could enter +without being blown to pieces. And it occurs to me that they intend to put Back +Cup in a state of defence after having argued as follows:</P> +<P>“If the appearance of the <I>Sword</I> in the lagoon was due to chance the +situation remains unchanged, and no power, not even England, will think of +seeking for the <I>Sword</I> inside the cavern. If, on the other hand, as the +result of an incomprehensible revelation, it has been learned that Back Cup is +become the retreat of Ker Karraje, if the expedition of the <I>Sword</I> was a +first effort against the island, another of a different kind—either a +bombardment from a distance, or an attack by a landing party—is to be expected. +Therefore, ere we can quit Back Cup and carry away our plunder, we shall have to +defend ourselves by means of Roch’s fulgurator.”</P> +<P>In my opinion the rascals must have gone on to reason still further in this +wise:</P> +<P>“Is there any connection between the disclosure of our secret—if it was, and +however it may have been made—and the double abduction from Healthful House? Is +it known that Thomas Roch and his keeper are confined in Back Cup? Is it known +that the abduction was effected in the interest of Ker Karraje? Have Americans, +English, French, Germans, and Russians reason to fear that an attack in force +against the island would be doomed to failure?”</P> +<P>Ker Karraje must know very well that these powers would not hesitate to +attack him, however great the danger might be. The destruction of his lair is an +urgent duty in the interest of public security and of humanity. After sweeping +the West Pacific the pirate and his companions are infesting the West Atlantic, +and must be wiped out at all costs.</P> +<P>In any case, it is imperative that the inhabitants of Back Cup should be on +their guard. This fact is realized, and, from the day on which the <I>Sword</I> +was destroyed, strict watch has been kept. Thanks to the new passage, they are +able to hide among the rocks without having recourse to the submarine tunnel to +get there, and day and night a dozen sentries are posted about the island. The +moment a ship appears in sight the fact is at once made known inside the +cavern.</P> +<P>Nothing occurs for some days, and the latter succeed each other with dreadful +monotony. The pirates, however, feel that Back Cup no longer enjoys its former +security. Every moment an alarm from the sentries posted outside is expected. +The situation is no longer the same since the advent of the <I>Sword</I>. +Gallant Lieutenant Davon, gallant crew, may England, may the civilized nations, +never forget that you have sacrificed your lives in the cause of humanity!</P> +<P>It is evident that now, however powerful may be their means of defence, even +more powerful than a network of torpedoes, Engineer Serko and Captain Spade are +filled with an anxiety that they vainly essay to dissemble. They hold frequent +conferences together. Maybe they discuss the advisability of quitting Back Cup +with their wealth, for they are aware that if the existence of the cavern is +known means will be found to reduce it, even if the inmates have to be starved +out.</P> +<P>This is, of course, mere conjecture on my part. What is essential to me is +that they do not suspect me of having launched the keg that was so +providentially picked up at Bermuda. Never, I must say, has Engineer Serko ever +made any allusion to any such probability. No, I am not even suspected. If the +contrary were the case I am sufficiently acquainted with Ker Karraje to know +that he would long ago have sent me to rejoin Lieutenant Davon and the +<I>Sword</I> at the bottom of the lagoon.</P> +<P>The winter tempests have set in with a vengeance. The wind howls though the +hole in the roof, and rude gusts sweep through the forest of pillars producing +sonorous sounds, so sonorous, so deep, that one might sometimes almost fancy +they were produced by the firing of the guns of a squadron. Flocks of seabirds +take refuge in the cavern from the gale, and at intervals, when it lulls, almost +deafen us with their screaming.</P> +<P>It is to be presumed that in such weather the schooner will make no attempt +to put to sea, for the stock of provisions is ample enough to last all the +season. Moreover, I imagine the Count d’Artigas will not be so eager in future +to show his <I>Ebba</I> along the American coast, where he risks being received, +not, as hitherto, with the consideration due to a wealthy yachtsman, but in the +manner Ker Karraje so richly merits.</P> +<P>It occurs to me that if the apparition of the <I>Sword</I> was the +commencement of a campaign against the island, a question of great moment +relative to the future of Back Cup arises.</P> +<P>Therefore, one day, prudently, so as not to excite any suspicion, I ventured +to pump Engineer Serko about it.</P> +<P>We were in the neighborhood of Thomas Roch’s laboratory, and had been +conversing for some time, when Engineer Serko touched upon the extraordinary +apparition of an English submarine boat in the lagoon. On this occasion he +seemed to incline to the view that it might have been a premeditated expedition +against Ker Karraje.</P> +<P>“That is not my opinion,” I replied, in order to bring him to the question +that I wanted to put to him.</P> +<P>“Why?” he demanded.</P> +<P>“Because if your retreat were known a fresh attempt, if not to penetrate to +the cavern, at least to destroy Back Cup, would ere this have been made.”</P> +<P>“Destroy it!” cried Serko. “It would be a dangerous undertaking, in view of +the means of defence of which we now dispose.”</P> +<P>“They can know nothing about this matter, Mr. Serko. It is not imagined, +either in the new world or the old, that the abduction from Healthful House was +effected for your especial benefit, or that you have succeeded in coming to +terms with Thomas Roch for his invention.”</P> +<P>Engineer Serko made no response to this observation, which, for that matter, +was unanswerable.</P> +<P>I continued:</P> +<P>“Therefore a squadron sent by the maritime powers who have an interest in +breaking up this island would not hesitate to approach and shell it. Now, I +argue from this that as this squadron has not yet appeared, it is not likely to +come at all, and that nothing is known as to Ker Karraje’s whereabouts, and you +must admit that this hypothesis is the most cheerful one, as far as you are +concerned.”</P> +<P>“That may be,” Engineer Serko replied, “but what is, is. Whether they are +aware of the fact or no, if warships approach within five or six miles of this +island they will be sunk before they have had time to fire a single shot!”</P> +<P>“Well, and what then?”</P> +<P>“What then? Why the probability is that no others would care to repeat the +experiment.”</P> +<P>“That, again, may be. But these warships would invest you beyond the +dangerous zone, and the <I>Ebba</I> would not be able to put in to the ports she +previously visited with the Count d’Artigas. In this event, how would you be +able to provision the island?”</P> +<P>Engineer Serko remained silent.</P> +<P>This argument, which he must already have brooded over, was too logical to be +refuted or dismissed, and I have an idea that the pirates contemplate abandoning +Back Cup.</P> +<P>Nevertheless, not relishing being cornered, he continued:</P> +<P>“We should still have the tug, and what the <I>Ebba</I> could not do, this +would.”</P> +<P>“The tug?” I cried. “But if Ker Karraje’s secrets are known, do you suppose +the powers are not also aware of the existence of the Count d’Artigas’ submarine +boat?”</P> +<P>Engineer Serko looked at me suspiciously.</P> +<P>“Mr. Hart,” he said, “you appear to me to carry your deductions rather +far.”</P> +<P>“I, Mr. Serko?”</P> +<P>“Yes, and I think you talk about all this like a man who knows more than he +ought to.”</P> +<P>This remark brought me up abruptly. It was evident that my arguments might +give rise to the suspicion that I was not altogether irresponsible for the +recent incident. Engineer Serko scrutinized me sharply as though he would read +my innermost thoughts.</P> +<P>“Mr. Serko,” I observed, “by profession, as well as by inclination, I am +accustomed to reason upon everything. This is why I communicated to you the +result of my reasoning, which you can take into consideration or not, as you +like.”</P> +<P>Thereupon we separate. But I fancy my lack of reserve may have excited +suspicions which may not be easy to allay.</P> +<P>From this interview, however, I gleaned a precious bit of information, +namely, that the dangerous zone of Roch’s fulgurator is between five and six +miles off. Perhaps, during the next equinoctial tides, another notice to this +effect in another keg may also reach a safe destination.</P> +<P>But how many weary months to wait before the orifice of the tunnel will again +be uncovered!</P> +<P>The rough weather continues, and the squalls are more violent than ever. Is +it the state of the sea that delays another campaign against Back Cup? +Lieutenant Davon certainly assured me that if his expedition failed, if the +<I>Sword</I> did not return to St. George, another attempt under different +conditions would be made with a view to breaking up this bandits’ lair. Sooner +or later the work of justice must be done, and Back Cup be destroyed, even +though I may not survive its destruction.</P> +<P>Ah! why can I not go and breathe, if only for a single instant, the vivifying +air outside? Why am I not permitted to cast one glance over the ocean towards +the distant horizon of the Bermudas? My whole life is concentrated in one +desire: to get through the tunnel in the wall and hide myself among the rocks. +Perchance I might be the first to catch sight of the smoke of a squadron heading +for the island.</P> +<P>This project, alas! is unrealizable, as sentries are posted day and night at +each extremity of the passage. No one can enter it without Engineer Serko’s +authorization. Were I to attempt it, I should risk being deprived of my liberty +to walk about the cavern, and even worse might happen to me.</P> +<P>Since our last conversation, Engineer Serko’s attitude towards me has +undergone a change. His gaze has lost its old-time sarcasm and is distrustful, +suspicious, searching and as stern as Ker Karraje’s.</P> +<P><I>November 17</I>.—This afternoon there was a great commotion in the +Beehive, and the men rushed out of their cells with loud cries.</P> +<P>I was reclining on my bed, but immediately rose and hurried out.</P> +<P>All the pirates were making for the passage, in front of which were Ker +Karraje, Engineer Serko, Captain Spade, Boatswain Effrondat, Engine-driver +Gibson and the Count d’Artigas’ big Malay attendant.</P> +<P>I soon learn the reason for the tumult, for the sentries rush in with shouts +of alarm.</P> +<P>Several vessels have been sighted to the northwest—warships steaming at full +speed in the direction of Back Cup.</P> + +<a name="XVI" id="XVI"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER XVI.</H4> +<H4>ONLY A FEW MORE HOURS.</H4> +<P>What effect this news has upon me, and what emotion it awakens within my +soul! The end, I feel, is at hand. May it be such as civilization and humanity +are entitled to.</P> +<P>Up to the present I have indited my notes day by day. Henceforward it is +imperative that I should inscribe them hour by hour, minute by minute. Who knows +but what Thomas Roch’s last secret may be revealed to me and that I shall have +time to commit it to paper! Should I die during the attack God grant that the +account of the five months I have passed in Back Cup may be found upon my +body!</P> +<P>At first Ker Karraje, Engineer Serko, Captain Spade, and several of their +companions took up position on the exterior base of the island. What would I not +give to be able follow to them, and in the friendly shelter of a rook watch the +on-coming warships!</P> +<P>An hour later they return after having left a score of men to keep watch. As +the days at this season of the year are very short there is nothing to fear +before the morrow. It is not likely that the ships will attempt a night attack +and land a storming party, for they must imagine that the place is in a thorough +condition of defence.</P> +<P>All night long the pirates work, installing the trestles at different points +of the coast. Six have been taken through the passage to places selected in +advance.</P> +<P>This done, Engineer Serko joins Thomas Roch in his laboratory. Is he going to +tell him what is passing, that a squadron is in view of Back Cup, and that his +fulgurator will be employed to defend the island?</P> +<P>What is certain is that half a hundred engines, each charged with several +pounds of the explosive and of the substance that ensures a trajectory superior +to that of any other projectile, are ready for their work of destruction.</P> +<P>As to the deflagrator liquid, Thomas Roch has a certain number of phials of +it, and—I know only too well—will not refuse to help Ker Karraje’s pirates with +it.</P> +<P>During these preparations night has come on. Only the lamps of the Beehive +are lighted and a semi-obscurity reigns in the cavern.</P> +<P>I return to my cell. It is to my interest to keep out of the way as much as +possible, for Engineer Serko’s suspicions might be revived now that the squadron +is approaching Back Cup.</P> +<P>But will the vessels sighted continue on their course in this direction? May +they not be merely passing on their way to Bermuda? For an instant this doubt +enters my mind. No, no, it cannot be! Besides, I have just heard Captain Spade +declare that they are lying to in view of the island.</P> +<P>To what nation do they belong? Have the English, desirous of avenging the +destruction of the <I>Sword</I>, alone undertaken the expedition? May not +cruisers of other nations be with them? I know not, and it is impossible to +ascertain. And what does it matter, after all, so long as this haunt is +destroyed, even though I should perish in the ruins like the heroic Lieutenant +Davon and his brave crew?</P> +<P>Preparations for defence continue with coolness and method under Engineer +Serko’s superintendence. These pirates are obviously certain that they will be +able to annihilate their assailants as soon as the latter enter the dangerous +zone. Their confidence in Roch’s fulgurator is absolute. Absorbed by the idea +that these warship are powerless against them, they think neither of the +difficulties nor menaces held out by the future.</P> +<P>I surmise that the trestles have been set up on the northwest coast with the +grooves turned to send the engines to the north, west, and south. On the east, +as already stated, the island is defended by the chain of reefs that stretches +away to the Bermudas.</P> +<P>About nine o’clock I venture out of my cell. They will pay little attention +to me, and perhaps I may escape notice in the obscurity. Ah! if I could get +through that passage and hide behind some rock, so that I could witness what +goes on at daybreak! And why should I not succeed now that Ker Karraje, Engineer +Serko, Captain Spade, and the pirates have taken their posts outside?</P> +<P>The shores of the lake are deserted, but the entrance to the passage is kept +by Count d’Artigas’ Malay. I saunter, without any fixed idea, towards Thomas +Roch’s laboratory. This reminds me of my compatriot. I am, on reflection, +disposed to think that he knows nothing about the presence of a squadron off +Back Cup. Probably not until the last moment will Engineer Serko apprise him of +its proximity, not till he brusquely points out to him the vengeance he can +accomplish.</P> +<P>Then I conceive the idea of enlightening Thomas Roch, myself, of the +responsibility he is incurring and of revealing to him in this supreme hour the +character of the men who want him to co-operate in their criminal projects.</P> +<P>Yes, I will, attempt it, and may I succeed in fanning into a flame any spark +of patriotism that may still linger in his rebellious soul!</P> +<P>Roch is shut up in his laboratory. He must be alone, for never does he allow +any one to enter while he is preparing his deflagrator.</P> +<P>As I pass the jetty I notice that the tug is moored in its accustomed place. +Here I judge it prudent to walk behind the first row of pillars and approach the +laboratory laterally—which will enable me to see whether anybody is with him. +When I have gone a short distance along the sombre avenue I see a bright light +on the opposite side of the lagoon. It is the electric light in Roch’s +laboratory as seen through a narrow window in the front.</P> +<P>Except in that particular spot, the southern shore of the lake is in +darkness, whereas, in the opposite direction, the Beehive is lit up to its +extremity at the northern wall. Through the opening in the dome, over the lake I +can see the stars shining. The sky is clear, the tempest has abated, and the +squalls no longer penetrate to the interior of Back Cup.</P> +<P>When near the laboratory, I creep along the wall and peep in at the +window.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch is there alone. The light shines full on his face. If it is +somewhat drawn, and the lines on the forehead are more pronounced, his +physiognomy, at least, denotes perfect calmness and self-possession. No, he is +no longer the inmate of Pavilion No. 17, the madman of Healthful House, and I +ask myself whether he is not radically cured, whether there is no further danger +of his reason collapsing in a final paroxysm.</P> +<P>He has just laid two glass phials upon the table, and holds a third in his +hand. He holds it up to the light, and observes the limpidity of the liquid it +contains.</P> +<P>I have half a mind to rush in, seize the tubes and smash them, but I reflect +that he would have time to make some more of the stuff. Better stick to my first +plan.</P> +<P>I push the door open and enter.</P> +<P>“Thomas Roch!” I exclaim.</P> +<P>He has not heard, nor has he seen me.</P> +<P>“Thomas Roch!” I repeat.</P> +<P>He raises his head, turns and gazes at me.</P> +<P>“Ah! it is you, Simon Hart!” he replies calmly, even indifferently.</P> +<P>He knows my name. Engineer Serko must have informed him that it was Simon +Hart, and not Keeper Gaydon who was watching over him at Healthful House.</P> +<P>“You know who I am?” I say.</P> +<P>“Yes, as I know what your object was in undertaking such a position. You +lived in hopes of surprising a secret that they would not pay for at its just +value!”</P> +<P>Thomas Roch knows everything, and perhaps it is just as well, in view of what +I am going to say.</P> +<P>“Well, you did not succeed, Simon Hart, and as far as this is concerned,” he +added, flourishing the phial, “no one else has succeeded, or ever will +succeed.”</P> +<P>As I conjectured, he has not, then, made known the composition of his +deflagrator.</P> +<P>Looking him straight in the face, I reply:</P> +<P>“You know who I am, Thomas Roch, but do you know in whose place you are?”</P> +<P>“In my own place!” he cries.</P> +<P>That is what Ker Karraje has permitted him to believe. The inventor thinks he +is at home in Back Cup, that the riches accumulated in this cavern are his, and +that if an attack is made upon the place, it will be with the object of stealing +what belongs to him! And he will defend it under the impression that he has the +right to do so!</P> +<P>“Thomas Roch,” I continue, “listen to me.”</P> +<P>“What do you want to say to me, Simon Hart?”</P> +<P>“This cavern into which we have been dragged, is occupied by a band of +pirates, and—”</P> +<P>Roch does not give me time to complete the sentence—I doubt even whether he +has understood me.</P> +<P>“I repeat,” he interrupts vehemently, “that the treasures stored here are the +price of my invention. They have paid me what I asked for my fulgurator—what I +was everywhere else refused—even in my own country—which is also yours—and I +will not allow myself to be despoiled!”</P> +<P>What can I reply to such insensate assertions? I, however, go on:</P> +<P>“Thomas Roch, do you remember Healthful House?”</P> +<P>“Healthful House, where I was sequestrated after Warder Gaydon had been +entrusted with the mission of spying upon me in order to rob me of my secret? I +do, indeed.”</P> +<P>“I never dreamed of depriving you of the benefit of your secret, Thomas Roch. +I would never have accepted such a mission. But you were ill, your reason was +affected, and your invention was too valuable to be lost. Yes, had you disclosed +the secret during one of your fits you would have preserved all the benefit and +all the honor of it.”</P> +<P>“Really, Simon Hart!” Roch replies disdainfully. “Honor and benefit! Your +assurances come somewhat late in the day. You forget that on the pretext of +insanity, I was thrown into a dungeon. Yes, it was a pretext; for my reason has +never left me, even for an hour, as you can see from what I have accomplished +since I am free.”</P> +<P>“Free! Do you imagine you are free, Thomas Roch? Are you not more closely +confined within the walls of this cavern than you ever were at Healthful +House?”</P> +<P>“A man who is in his own home,” he replies angrily, “goes out as he likes and +when he likes. I have only to say the word and all the doors will open before +me. This place is mine. Count d’Artigas gave it to me with everything it +contains. Woe to those who attempt to attack it. I have here the wherewithal to +annihilate them, Simon Hart!” The inventor waves the phial feverishly as he +speaks.”</P> +<P>“The Count d’Artigas has deceived you,” I cry, “as he has deceived so many +others. Under this name is dissembled one of the most formidable monsters who +ever scoured the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. He is a bandit steeped in crime—he +is the odious Ker Karraje!”</P> +<P>“Ker Karraje!” echoes Thomas Roch.</P> +<P>And I wonder if this name has not impressed him, if he remembers who the man +is who bears it. If it did impress him, it was only momentarily.</P> +<P>“I do not know this Ker Karraje,” he says, pointing towards the door to order +me out. “I only know the Count d’Artigas.”</P> +<P>“Thomas Roch,” I persist, in a final effort, “the Count d’Artigas and Ker +Karraje are one and the same person. If this man has purchased your secret, it +is with the intention of ensuring impunity for his crimes and facilities for +committing fresh ones. He is the chief of these pirates.”</P> +<P>“Pirates!” cries Roch, whose irritation increases the more I press him. “The +real pirates are those who dare to menace me even in this retreat, who tried it +on with the <I>Sword</I>—for Serko has told me everything—who sought to steal in +my own home what belongs to me, what is but the just price of my discovery.”</P> +<P>“No, Thomas Roch, the pirates are those who have imprisoned you in this +cavern of Back Cup, who will utilize your genius to defend it, and who will get +rid of you when they are in entire possession of your secrets!”</P> +<P>Thomas Roch here interrupts me. He does not appear to listen to what I say. +He has a fixed idea, that of vengeance, which has been skilfully worked upon by +Engineer Serko, and in which his hatred is concentrated to the exclusion of +everything else.</P> +<P>“The bandits,” he hisses, “are those who spurned me without a hearing, who +heaped injustice and ignominy upon me, who drove me from country to country, +whereas I offered them superiority, invincibleness, omnipotence!”</P> +<P>It is the eternal story of the unappreciated inventor, to whom the +indifferent or envious refuse the means of testing his inventions, to pay him +the value he sets upon them. I know it well—and also know all the exaggeration +that has been written upon this subject.</P> +<P>It is clearly no time for reasoning with Thomas Roch. My arguments are +entirely lost upon the hapless dupe of Ker Karraje and his accomplices. In +revealing to him the real name of the Count d’Artigas, and denouncing to him +this band and their chief I had hoped to wean him from their influence and make +him realize the criminal end they have in view. My hope was vain. He does not +believe me. And then what does he care whether the brigand’s name is Count +‘d’Artigas or Ker Karraje? Is not he, Thomas Roch, master of Back Cup? Is he not +the owner of these riches accumulated by twenty years of murder and rapine?</P> +<P>Disarmed before such moral degeneracy, knowing not how I can touch his +ulcerated, irresponsible heart, I turn towards the door. It only remains for me +to withdraw. What is to be, will be, since it is out of my power to prevent the +frightful <I>dénouement</I> that will occur in a few hours.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch takes no more notice of me. He seems to have forgotten that I am +here. He has resumed his manipulations without realizing that he is not +alone.</P> +<P>There is only one means of preventing the imminent catastrophe. Throw myself +upon Roch, place him beyond the power of doing harm—strike him—kill him—yes, +kill him! It is my right—it is my duty!</P> +<P>I have no arms, but on a near-by shelf I see some tools—a chisel and a +hammer. What is to prevent me from knocking his brains out? Once he is dead I +have but to smash the phials and his invention dies with him. The warships can +approach, land their men upon the island, demolish Back Cup with their shells. +Ker Karraje and his band will be killed to a man. Can I hesitate at a murder +that will bring about the chastisement of so many crimes?</P> +<P>I advance to the shelf and stretch forth my hand to seize the chisel.</P> +<P>As I do so, Thomas Roch turns round.</P> +<P>It is too late to strike. A struggle would ensue. The noise and his cries +would be heard, for there are still some pirates not far off, I can even now +hear some one approaching, and have only just time to fly if I would not be +seen.</P> +<P>Nevertheless, I make one last attempt to awaken the sentiment of patriotism +within him.</P> +<P>“Thomas Roch,” I say, “warships are in sight. They have come to destroy this +lair. Maybe one of them flies the French flag!”</P> +<P>He gazes at me. He was not aware that Back Cup is going to be attacked, and I +have just apprised him of the fact. His brow darkens and his eyes flash.</P> +<P>“Thomas Roch, would you dare to fire upon your country’s flag—the tricolor +flag?”</P> +<P>He raises his head, shakes it nervously, and with a disdainful gesture:</P> +<P>“What do you mean by ‘your country?’ I no longer have any country, Simon +Hart. The inventor spurned no longer has a country. Where he finds an asylum, +there is his fatherland! They seek to take what is mine. I will defend it, and +woe, woe to those who dare to attack me!”</P> +<P>Then rushing to the door of the laboratory and throwing it violently open he +shouts so loudly that he must be heard at the Beehive:</P> +<P>“Go! Get you gone!”</P> +<P>I have not a second to lose, and I dash out.</P> + +<a name="XVII" id="XVII"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER XVII.</H4> +<H4>ONE AGAINST FIVE.</H4> +<P>For a whole hour I wander about among Back Cup’s dark vaults, amid the stone +trees, to the extreme limit of the cavern. It is here that I have so often +sought an issue, a crevice, a crack through which I might squeeze to the shore +of the island.</P> +<P>My search has been futile. In my present condition, a prey to indefinable +hallucinations it seems to me that these walls are thicker than ever, that they +are gradually closing in upon and will crush me.</P> +<P>How long this mental trouble lasts I cannot say. But I afterwards find myself +on the Beehive side, opposite the cell in which I cannot hope for either repose +or sleep. Sleep, when my brain is in a whirl of excitement? Sleep, when I am +near the end of a situation that threatened to be prolonged for years and +years?</P> +<P>What will the end be as far as I am personally concerned? What am I to expect +from the attack upon Back Cup, the success of which I have been unable to assure +by placing Thomas Roch beyond the possibility of doing harm? His engines are +ready to be launched, and as soon as the vessels have reached the dangerous zone +they will be blown to atoms.</P> +<P>However this may be, I am condemned to pass the remaining hours of the night +in my cell. The time has come for me to go in. At daybreak I shall see what is +best for me to do. Meanwhile, for aught I know I may hear the thunder of Roch’s +fulgurator as it destroys the ships approaching to make a night attack.</P> +<P>I take a last look round. On the opposite side a light, a single light, is +burning. It is the lamp in Roch’s laboratory and it casts its reflection upon +the waters of the lake.</P> +<P>No one is about, and it occurs to me that the pirates must have taken up +their lighting positions outside and that the Beehive is empty.</P> +<P>Then, impelled by an irresistible instinct, instead of returning to my cell, +I creep along the wall, listening, spying, ready to hide if I hear voices or +footsteps.</P> +<P>I at length reach the passage.</P> +<P>God in heaven! No one is on guard there—the passage is free!</P> +<P>Without giving myself time to reflect I dart into the dark hole, and grope my +way along it. Soon I feel a fresher air—the salt, vivifying air of the sea, that +I have not breathed for five months. I inspire it with avidity, with all the +power of my lungs.</P> +<P>The outer extremity of the passage appears against the star-studded sky. +There is not even a shadow in the way. Perhaps I shall be able to get +outside.</P> +<P>I lay down, and crawl along noiselessly to the orifice and peer out.</P> +<P>Not a soul is in sight!</P> +<P>By skirting the rocks towards the east, to the side which cannot be +approached from the sea on account of the reefs and which is not likely to be +watched, I reach a narrow excavation about two hundred and twenty-five yards +from where the point of the coast extends towards the northwest.</P> +<P>At last I am out of the cavern. I am not free, but it is the beginning of +freedom.</P> +<P>On the point the forms of a few sentries stand out against the clear sky, so +motionless that they might be mistaken for pieces of the rock.</P> +<P>On the horizon to the west the position lights of the warship show in a +luminous line.</P> +<P>From a few gray patches discernable in the east, I calculate that it must be +about five o’clock in the morning.</P> +<P><I>November 18</I>.—It is now light enough for me to be able to complete my +notes relating the details of my visit to Thomas Roch’s laboratory—the last +lines my hand will trace, perhaps.</P> +<P>I have begun to write, and shall dot down the incidents of the attack as they +occur.</P> +<P>The light damp mist that hangs over the water soon lifts under the influence +of the breeze, and at last I can distinguish the warships.</P> +<P>There are five of them, and they are lying in a line about six miles off, and +consequently beyond the range of Roch’s engines.</P> +<P>My fear that after passing in sight of the Bermudas the squadron would +continue on its way to the Antilles or Mexico was therefore unfounded. No, there +it is, awaiting broad daylight in order to attack Back Cup.</P> +<P>There is a movement on the coast. Three or four pirates emerge from the +rocks, the sentries are recalled and draw in, and the entire band is soon +assembled. They do not seek shelter inside the cavern, knowing full well that +the ships can never get near enough for the shells of the big guns to reach, the +island.</P> +<P>I run no risk of being discovered, for only my head protrudes above the hole +in the rock and no one is likely to come this way. The only thing that worries +me is that Serko, or somebody else may take it into his head to see if I am in +my cell, and if necessary to lock me in, though what they have to fear from me I +cannot conceive.</P> +<P>At twenty-five minutes past seven: Ker Karraje, Engineer Serko and Captain +Spade advance to the extremity of the point, where they sweep the north-western +horizon with their telescopes. Behind them the six trestles are installed, in +the grooves of which are Roch’s autopropulsive engines.</P> +<P>Thirty-five minutes past seven: Smoke arises from the stacks of the warships, +which are getting under way and will soon be within range of the engines.</P> +<P>Horrible cries of joy, salvos of hurrahs—howls of wild beasts I might more +appropriately say—arise from the pirate horde.</P> +<P>At this moment Engineer Serko quits Ker Karraje, whom he leaves with Captain +Spade, and enters the cavern, no doubt to fetch Thomas Roch.</P> +<P>When Ker Karraje orders the latter to launch his engines against the ships +will he remember what I told him? Will not his crime appear to him in all its +horror? Will he refuse to obey? No, I am only too convinced of the contrary. It +is useless to entertain any illusion on the subject. The inventor believes he is +on his own property. They are going to attack it. He will defend it.</P> +<P>The five warships slowly advance, making for the point. Perhaps they imagine +on board that Thomas Roch has not given up his last and greatest secret to the +pirates—and, as a matter of fact, he had not done so when I threw the keg into +the lagoon. If the commanders propose to land storming parties and the ships +advance into the zone of danger there will soon be nothing left of them but bits +of shapeless floating wreckage.</P> +<P>Here comes Thomas Roch accompanied by Engineer Serko. On issuing from the +passage both go to the trestle that is pointing towards the leading warship.</P> +<P>Ker Karraje and Captain Spade are awaiting them.</P> +<P>As far as I am able to judge, Roch is calm. He knows what he is going to do. +No hesitation troubles the soul of the hapless man whom hatred has led +astray.</P> +<P>Between his fingers shines the glass phial containing the deflagrator +liquid.</P> +<P>He then gazes towards the nearest ship, which is about five miles’ +distant.</P> +<P>She is a cruiser of about two thousand five hundred tons—not more.</P> +<P>She flies no flag, but from her build I take her to belong to a nation for +which no Frenchman can entertain any particular regard.</P> +<P>The four other warships remain behind.</P> +<P>It is this cruiser which is to begin the attack.</P> +<P>Let her use her guns, then, since the pirates allow her to approach, and may +the first of her projectiles strike Thomas Roch!</P> +<P>While Engineer Serko is estimating the distance, Roch places himself behind +the trestle. Three engines are resting on it, charged with the explosive, and +which are assured a long trajectory by the fusing matter without it being +necessary to impart a gyratory movement to them—as in the case of Inventor +Turpin’s gyroscopic projectiles. Besides, if they drop within a few hundred +yards of the vessel, they will be quite near enough to utterly destroy it.</P> +<P>The time has come.</P> +<P>“Thomas Roch!” Engineer Serko cries, and points to the cruiser.</P> +<P>The latter is steaming slowly towards the northwestern point of the island +and is between four and five miles off.</P> +<P>Roch nods assent, and waves them back from the trestle.</P> +<P>Ker Karraje, Captain Spade and the others draw back about fifty paces.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch then takes the stopper from the phial which he holds in his right +hand, and successively pours into a hole in the rear-end of each engine a few +drops of the liquid, which mixes with the fusing matter.</P> +<P>Forty-five seconds elapse—the time necessary for the combination to be +effected—forty-five seconds during which it seems to me that my heart ceases to +beat.</P> +<P>A frightful whistling is then heard, and the three engines tear through the +air, describing a prolonged curve at a height of three hundred feet, and pass +the cruiser.</P> +<P>Have they missed it? Is the danger over?</P> +<P>No! the engines, after the manner of Artillery Captain Chapel’s discoid +projectile, return towards the doomed vessel like an Australian boomerang.</P> +<P>The next instant the air is shaken with a violence comparable to that which +would be caused by the explosion of a magazine of melinite or dynamite, Back Cup +Island trembles to its very foundations.</P> +<P>The cruiser has disappeared,—blown to pieces. The effect is that of the +Zalinski shell, but centupled by the infinite power of Roch’s fulgurator.</P> +<P>What shouts the bandits raise as they rush towards the extremity of the +point! Ker Karraje, Engineer Serko, and Captain Spade remain rooted to the spot, +hardly able to credit the evidence of their own eyes.</P> +<P>As to Thomas Roch, he stands with folded arms, and flashing eyes, his face +radiant with pride and triumph.</P> +<P>I understand, while I abhor his feelings.</P> +<P>If the other warships approach they will share the same fate as the cruiser. +They will inevitably be destroyed. Oh! if they would but give up the struggle +and withdraw to safety, even though my last hope would go with them! The nations +can consult and arrive at some other plan for destroying the island. They can +surround the place with a belt of ships that the pirates cannot break through +and starve them to death like so many rats in a hole.</P> +<P>But I know that the warships will not retire, even though they know they are +going to certain death. One after the other they will all make the attempt.</P> +<P>And I am right. Signals are exchanged between them. Almost immediately clouds +of black smoke arise and the vessels again advance.</P> +<P>One of them, under forced draught, distances the others in her anxiety to +bring her big guns quickly into action.</P> +<P>At all risks I issue from my hole, and gaze at the on-coming warship with +feverish eyes, awaiting, without being able to prevent it, another +catastrophe.</P> +<P>This vessel, which visibly grows larger as it comes nearer, is a cruiser of +about the same tonnage as the one that preceded her. No flag is flying and I +cannot guess her nationality. She continues steaming at full speed in an effort +to pass the zone of danger before other engines can be launched. But how can she +escape them since they will swoop back upon her?</P> +<P>Thomas Roch places himself behind the second trestle as the cruiser passes on +to the surface of the abysm in which she will in turn soon be swallowed up.</P> +<P>No sound disturbs the stillness.</P> +<P>Suddenly the rolling of drums and the blare of bugles is heard on board the +warship.</P> +<P>I know those bugle calls: they are French bugles! Great God! She is one of +the ships of my own country’s navy and a French inventor is about to destroy +her!</P> +<P>No! it shall not be. I will rush towards Thomas Roch—shout to him that she is +a French ship. He does not, cannot, know it.</P> +<P>At a sign from Engineer Serko the inventor has raised the phial.</P> +<P>The bugles sound louder and more strident. It is the salute to the flag. A +flag unfurls to the breeze—the tricolor, whose blue, white and red sections +stand out luminously against the sky.</P> +<P>Ah! What is this? I understand! Thomas Roch is fascinated at the sight of his +national emblem. Slowly he lowers his arm as the flag flutters up to the +mast-head. Then he draws back and covers his eyes with his hand.</P> +<P>Heavens above! All sentiment of patriotism is not then dead in his ulcerated +heart, seeing that it beats at the sight of his country’s flag!</P> +<P>My emotion is not less than his. At the risk of being seen—and what do I now +care if I am seen?—I creep over the rocks. I will be there to sustain Thomas +Roch and prevent him from weakening. If I pay for it with my life I will once +more adjure him in the name of his country. I will cry to him:</P> +<P>“Frenchman, it is the tricolor that flies on yonder ship! Frenchman, it is a +very part of France that is approaching you! Frenchman, would you be so criminal +as to strike it?”</P> +<P>But my intervention will not be necessary. Thomas Roch is not a prey to one +of the fits to which he was formerly subject. He is perfectly sane.</P> +<P>When he found himself facing the flag he understood—and drew back.</P> +<P>A few pirates approach to lead him to the trestle again. He struggles and +pushes them from him.</P> +<P>Ker Karraje and Engineer Serko run up. They point to the rapidly advancing +ship. They order him to launch his engines.</P> +<P>Thomas Roch refuses.</P> +<P>Captain Spade and the others, mad with rage, menace him—curse him—strike +him—try to wrest the phial from him.</P> +<P>Roch throws it on the ground and crushes it under foot.</P> +<P>Then panic seizes upon the crowd of wretches. The cruiser has passed the zone +and they cannot return her fire. Shells begin to rain all over the island, +bursting the rocks in every direction.</P> +<P>But where is Thomas Roch? Has he been killed by one of the projectiles? No, I +see him for the last time as he dashes into the passage.</P> +<P>Ker Karraje, Engineer Serko and the others follow him to seek shelter inside +of Back Cup.</P> +<P>I will not return to the cavern at any price, even if I get killed by staying +where I am.</P> +<P>I will jot down my final notes and when the French sailors land on the point +I will go—</P> +<P class=center>END OF ENGINEER SIMON HART’S NOTES.</P> + +<a name="XVIII" id="XVIII"></a> +<H4>CHAPTER XVIII.</H4> +<H4>ON BOARD THE “TONNANT.”</H4> +<P>After the failure of Lieutenant Davon’s mission with the <I>Sword</I>, the +English authorities waited in vain for the expedition to return, and the +conviction at length gained ground that the bold sailors had perished; but +whether the <I>Sword</I> had been lost by striking against a rock or had been +destroyed by Ker Karraje’s pirates, could not, of course, be ascertained.</P> +<P>The object of the expedition, based upon the indications of the document +found in the keg that was thrown up on the shore at St. George, was to carry off +Thomas Roch ere his engines were completed. The French inventor having been +recovered—without forgetting Engineer Simon Hart—he was to be handed over to the +care of the Bermudan authorities. That done, there would be nothing to fear from +his fulgurator when the island was attacked.</P> +<P>When, however, the <I>Sword</I> had been given up for lost, another +expedition of a different kind, was decided upon.</P> +<P>The time that had elapsed—nearly eight weeks—from the date of the document +found in the keg, had to be taken into consideration. It was thought that during +the interval, Ker Karraje might have gained possession of Roch’s secrets.</P> +<P>An <I>entente</I> concluded between the maritime powers, resulted in the +sending of five warships to Bermudan waters. As there was a vast cavern inside +Back Cup mountain, it was decided to attempt to bring the latter down like the +walls of a bastion, by bombarding it with powerful modern artillery.</P> +<P>The squadron assembled at the entrance to the Chesapeake, in Virginia, and +sailed for the archipelago, which was sighted on the evening of November 17.</P> +<P>The next morning the vessel selected for the first attack, steamed forward. +It was about four and a half miles from the island, when three engines, after +passing the vessel, swerved round and exploded about sixty yards from her. She +sank immediately.</P> +<P>The effect of the explosion, which was superior to any previously obtained by +new explosives, was instantaneous. Even at the distance they were from the spot +where it occurred, the four remaining ships felt the shock severely.</P> +<P>Two things were to be deduced from this sudden catastrophe:</P> +<P>1.—The pirate Ker Karraje was in possession of Roch’s fulgurator.</P> +<P>2.—The new engine possessed the destructive power attributed to it by its +inventor.</P> +<P>After the disappearance of the unfortunate cruiser, the other vessels lowered +boats to pick up a few survivors who were clinging to the floating wreckage.</P> +<P>Then it was that the signals were exchanged and the warships started towards +the island.</P> +<P>The swiftest of them, the <I>Tonnant</I>, a French cruiser, forged ahead +while the others forced their draught in an effort to catch up with her.</P> +<P>The <I>Tonnant</I>, at the risk of being blown to pieces in turn, penetrated +the danger zone half a mile, and then ran up her flag while manoeuvring to bring +her heavy guns into action.</P> +<P>From the bridge the officers could see Ker Karraje’s band scattered on the +rocks of the island.</P> +<P>The occasion was an excellent one for getting a shot at them before the +bombardment of their retreat was begun, and fire was opened with the result that +the pirates made a rush to get into the cavern.</P> +<P>A few minutes later there was a shock terrific enough to shake the sky +down.</P> +<P>Where the mountain had been, naught but a heap of smoking, crumbling rocks +was to be seen. Back Cup had become a group of jagged reefs against which the +sea, that had been thrown back like a gigantic tidal wave, was beating and +frothing.</P> +<P>What was the cause of the explosion?</P> +<P>Had it been voluntarily caused by the pirates when they realized that escape +was impossible?</P> +<P>The <I>Tonnant</I> had not been seriously damaged by the flying rocks. Her +boats were lowered and made towards all that was left of Back Cup.</P> +<P>The landing parties explored the ruins, and found a few horribly mangled +corpses. Not a vestige of the cavern was to be seen.</P> +<P>One body, and one only, was found intact. It was lying on the northeast side +of the reefs. In one hand, tightly clasped, was a note-book, the last line of +which was incomplete.</P> +<P>A close examination showed that the man was still breathing. He was conveyed +on board the <I>Tonnant</I>, where it was learned from the note-book that he was +Simon Hart.</P> +<P>For some time his life was despaired of, but he was eventually brought round, +and from the answers made to the questions addressed to him the following +conclusion was reached:</P> +<P>Moved to his very soul at the sight of the tricolor flag, being at last +conscious of the crime of <I>lèse-patrie</I> he was about to commit, Thomas Roch +rushed through the passage to the magazine where a considerable quantity of his +explosive was stored. Then, before he could be prevented, brought about the +terrible explosion which destroyed the island of Back Cup.</P> +<P>And now Ker Karraje and his pirates have disappeared—and with them Thomas +Roch and the secret of his invention.</P> +<P class=center>THE END.</P> +<H4>End of the Voyage Extraordinaire</H4> +<P> </P> +<PRE> + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Facing the Flag, by Jules Verne + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FACING THE FLAG *** + +***** This file should be named 11556-h.htm or 11556-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/5/5/11556/ + +Produced by Norm Wolcott and PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Linked Table of Contents produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's +eBook number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII, +compressed (zipped), HTML and others. + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks replace the old file and take over +the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed. +VERSIONS based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving +new filenames and etext numbers. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +EBooks posted prior to November 2003, with eBook numbers BELOW #10000, +are filed in directories based on their release date. If you want to +download any of these eBooks directly, rather than using the regular +search system you may utilize the following addresses and just +download by the etext year. For example: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/etext06 + + (Or /etext 05, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00, 99, + 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90) + +EBooks posted since November 2003, with etext numbers OVER #10000, are +filed in a different way. The year of a release date is no longer part +of the directory path. The path is based on the etext number (which is +identical to the filename). The path to the file is made up of single +digits corresponding to all but the last digit in the filename. For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + +</PRE> +</BODY> +</HTML> |