第19章

"IfyoucryoutormakeanynoisewhateverwhilstyouareinthisTower，youshalldiebeforeyourtime！"Presentlysomefoodandwaterwerebroughtme，andacoupleofblankets。Iwrappedmyselfupandslepttillearlyinthemorning。Breakfastwasbrought，andthesamemenfiledin。Inthepresenceofthemallthesameofficersaid：

"IhavegiveninstructionsthatifyoumakeanynoiseorbetrayyourpresencetoanyoneoutsidethisTower，thenearestmanistorestoreyoutoimmediatequietwithhisyataghan。ItyoupromisemethatyouwillremainquietwhilstyouarewithintheTower，Icanenlargeyourlibertiessomewhat。Doyoupromise？"Ipromisedashewished；therewasnoneedtomakenecessaryanystrictermeasureofconfinement。

Anychanceofescapelayinhavingtheutmostfreedomallowedtome。

AlthoughIhadbeentakenawaywithsuchsecrecy，Iknewthatbeforelongtherewouldbepursuit。SoIwaitedwithwhatpatienceIcould。

Iwasallowedtogoontheupperplatform——aconsiderationdue，Iamconvinced，tomycaptors’wishfortheirowncomfortratherthanformine。

Itwasnotverycheering，forduringthedaytimeIhadsatisfiedmyselfthatitwouldbequiteimpossibleforevenayoungerandmoreactivemanthanIamtoclimbthewalls。Theywerebuiltforprisonpurposes，andacatcouldnotfindentryforitsclawsbetweenthestones。IresignedmyselftomyfateaswellasIcould。Wrappingmyblanketroundme，Ilaydownandlookedupatthesky。IwishedtoseeitwhilstIcould。Iwasjustdroppingtosleep——theunutterablesilenceoftheplacebrokenonlynowandagainbysomeremarkbymycaptorsintheroomsbelowme——whentherewasastrangeappearancejustoverme——anappearancesostrangethatIsatup，andgazedwithdistendedeyes。

Acrossthetopofthetower，someheightabove，drifted，slowlyandsilently，agreatplatform。Althoughthenightwasdark，itwassomuchdarkerwhereIwaswithinthehollowoftheTowerthatIcouldactuallyseewhatwasaboveme。Iknewitwasanaeroplane——oneofwhichIhadseeninWashington。Amanwasseatedinthecentre，steering；andbesidehimwasasilentfigureofawomanallwrappedinwhite。Itmademyheartbeattoseeher，forshewasfiguredsomethinglikemyTeuta，butbroader，lessshapely。Sheleanedover，andawhispered"Ssh！"creptdowntome。Iansweredinsimilarway。

Whereuponsherose，andthemanloweredherdownintotheTower。

ThenIsawthatitwasmydeardaughterwhohadcomeinthiswonderfulwaytosaveme。Withinfinitehasteshehelpedmetofastenroundmywaistabeltattachedtoarope，whichwascoiledroundher；andthentheman，whowasagiantinstrengthaswellasstature，raisedusbothtotheplatformoftheaeroplane，whichhesetinmotionwithoutaninstant’sdelay。

Withinafewseconds，andwithoutanydiscoverybeingmadeofmyescape，wewerespeedingtowardsthesea。ThelightsofIlsinwereinfrontofus。Beforereachingthetown，however，wedescendedinthemidstofalittlearmyofmyownpeople，whoweregatheredreadytoadvanceupontheSilentTower，theretoeffect，ifnecessary，myrescuebyforce。Smallchancewouldtherehavebeenofmylifeincaseofsuchastruggle。Happily，however，thedevotionandcourageofmydeardaughterandofhergallantcompanionpreventedsuchanecessity。Itwasstrangetometofindsuchjoyousreceptionamongstmyfriendsexpressedinsuchawhisperedsilence。Therewasnotimeforcommentorunderstandingortheaskingofquestions——I

wasfaintotakethingsastheystood，andwaitforfullerexplanation。

Thiscamelater，whenmydaughterandIwereabletoconversealone。

WhentheexpeditionwentoutagainsttheSilentTower，TeutaandI

wenttohertent，andwithuscamehergiganticcompanion，whoseemednotwearied，butalmostovercomewithsleep。Whenwecameintothetent，overwhichatalittledistanceacordonofourmountaineersstoodonguard，hesaidtome：

"MayIaskyou，sir，topardonmeforatime，andallowtheVoivodintoexplainmatterstoyou？Shewill，Iknow，sofarassistme，forthereissomuchworkstilltobedonebeforewearefreeofthepresentperil。Formyself，Iamalmostovercomewithsleep。ForthreenightsIhavehadnosleep，butallduringthattimemuchlabourandmoreanxiety。Icouldholdonlonger；butatdaybreakI

mustgoouttotheTurkishwarshipthatliesintheoffing。SheisaTurk，thoughshedoesnotconfesstoit；andsheitiswhohasbroughthitherthemarauderswhocapturedbothyourdaughterandyourself。ItisneedfulthatIgo，forIholdapersonalauthorityfromtheNationalCounciltotakewhateverstepmaybenecessaryforourprotection。AndwhenIgoIshouldbeclear—headed，forwarmayrestonthatmeeting。Ishallbeintheadjoiningtent，andshallcomeatonceifIamsummoned，incaseyouwishformebeforedawn。"

Heremydaughterstruckin：

"Father，askhimtoremainhere。Weshallnotdisturbhim，Iamsure，inourtalking。And，moreover，ifyouknewhowmuchIowetohim——tohisownbraveryandhisstrength——youwouldunderstandhowmuchsaferIfeelwhenheisclosetome，thoughwearesurroundedbyanarmyofourbravemountaineers。"

"But，mydaughter，"Isaid，forIwasasyetallinignorance，"thereareconfidencesbetweenfatheranddaughterwhichnoneothermayshare。SomeofwhathasbeenIknow，butIwanttoknowall，anditmightbebetterthatnostranger——howevervalianthemaybe，ornomatterinwhatmeasureweareboundtohim——shouldbepresent。"Tomyastonishment，shewhohadalwaysbeenamenabletomylightestwishactuallyarguedwithme：

"Father，thereareotherconfidenceswhichhavetoberespectedinlikewise。Bearwithme，dear，tillIhavetoldyouall，andIamrightsurethatyouwillagreewithme。Iaskit，father。"

Thatsettledthematter，andasIcouldseethatthegallantgentlemanwhohadrescuedmewasswayingonhisfeetashewaitedrespectfully，Isaidtohim：

"Restwithus，sir。Weshallwatchoveryoursleep。"

ThenIhadtohelphim，foralmostontheinstanthesankdown，andI

hadtoguidehimtotherugsspreadontheground。Inafewsecondshewasinadeepsleep。AsIstoodlookingathim，tillIhadrealizedthathevasreallyasleep，IcouldnothelpmarvellingatthebountyofNaturethatcouldupholdevensuchamanasthistothelastmomentofworktobedone，andthenallowsoswiftacollapsewhenallwasover，andhecouldrestpeacefully。

Hewascertainlyasplendidfellow。IthinkIneversawsofineamanphysicallyinmylife。Andifthelessonofhisphysiognomybetrue，heisassterlinginwardlyashisexternalisfair。"Now，"

saidItoTeuta，"wearetoallintentsquitealone。Tellmeallthathasbeen，sothatImayunderstand。"

Whereuponmydaughter，makingmesitdown，kneltbesideme，andtoldmefromendtoendthemostmarvellousstoryIhadeverheardorreadof。SomethingofitIhadalreadyknownfromtheArchbishopPaleologue’slaterletters，butofallelseIwasignorant。FarawayinthegreatWestbeyondtheAtlantic，andagainonthefringeoftheEasternseas，Ihadbeenthrilledtomyheart’scorebytheheroicdevotionandfortitudeofmydaughterinyieldingherselfforhercountry’ssaketothatfearfulordealoftheCrypt；ofthegriefofthenationatherreporteddeath，newsofwhichwassomercifullyandwiselywithheldfrommeaslongaspossible；ofthesupernaturalrumoursthattookrootsodeep；butnowordorhinthadcometomeofamanwhohadcomeacrosstheorbitofherlife，muchlessofallthathasresultedfromit。NeitherhadIknownofherbeingcarriedoff，orofthethricegallantrescueofherbyRupert。LittlewonderthatIthoughtsohighlyofhimevenatthefirstmomentIhadaclearviewofhimwhenhesankdowntosleepbeforeme。Why，themanmustbeamarvel。Evenourmountaineerscouldnotmatchsuchenduranceashis。Inthecourseofhernarrativemydaughtertoldmeofhow，beingweariedwithherlongwaitinginthetomb，andwakingtofindherselfalonewhenthefloodswereout，andeventheCryptsubmerged，shesoughtsafetyandwarmthelsewhere；andhowshecametotheCastleinthenight，andfoundthestrangemanalone。Isaid：

"Thatwasdangerous，daughter，ifnotwrong。Theman，braveanddevotedasheis，mustanswerme——yourfather。"Atthatshewasgreatlyupset，andbeforegoingonwithhernarrative，drewmecloseinherarms，andwhisperedtome：

"Begentletome，father，forIhavehadmuchtobear。Andbegoodtohim，forheholdsmyheartinhisbreast！"Ireassuredherwithagentlepressure——therewasnoneedtospeak。Shethenwentontotellmeabouthermarriage，andhowherhusband，whohadfallenintothebeliefthatshewasaVampire，haddeterminedtogiveevenhissoulforher；andhowshehadonthenightofthemarriagelefthimandgonebacktothetombtoplaytotheendthegrimcomedywhichshehadundertakentoperformtillmyreturn；andhow，onthesecondnightafterhermarriage，asshewasinthegardenoftheCastle——

going，assheshylytoldme，toseeifallwaswellwithherhusband—

—shewasseizedsecretly，muffledup，bound，andcarriedoff。Hereshemadeapauseandadigression。Evidentlysomefearlestherhusbandandmyselfshouldquarrelassailedher，forshesaid：

"Dounderstand，father，thatRupert’smarriagetomewasinallwaysregular，andquiteinaccordwithourcustoms。BeforeweweremarriedItoldtheArchbishopofmywish。He，asyourrepresentativeduringyourabsence，consentedhimself，andbroughtthemattertothenoticeoftheVladikaandtheArchimandrites。Alltheseconcurred，havingexactedfromme——veryproperly，Ithink——asacredpromisetoadheretomyself—appointedtask。Themarriageitselfwasorthodoxinallways——thoughsofarunusualthatitwasheldatnight，andindarkness，saveforthelightsappointedbytheritual。Astothat，theArchbishophimself，ortheArchimandriteofSpazac，whoassistedhim，ortheVladika，whoactedasParanymph，will，alloranyofthem，giveyoufulldetails。YourrepresentativemadeallinquiriesastoRupertSentLeger，wholivedinVissarion，thoughhedidnotknowwhoIwas，orfromhispointofviewwhoIhadbeen。ButImusttellyouofmyrescue。"

Andsoshewentontotellmeofthatunavailingjourneysouthbyhercaptors；oftheirbafflementbythecordonwhichRuperthadestablishedatthefirstwordofdangerto"thedaughterofourleader，"thoughhelittleknewwhothe"leader"was，orwhowashis"daughter"；ofhowthebrutalmarauderstorturedhertospeedwiththeirdaggers；andhowherwoundsleftblood—marksonthegroundasshepassedalong；thenofthehaltinthevalley，whenthemarauderscametoknowthattheirroadnorthwasmenaced，ifnotalreadyblocked；ofthechoosingofthemurderers，andtheirkeepingwardoverherwhilsttheircompanionswenttosurveythesituation；andofhergallantrescuebythatnoblefellow，herhusband——mysonIshallcallhimhenceforth，andthankGodthatImayhavethathappinessandthathonour！

ThenmydaughterwentontotellmeoftheracebacktoVissarion，whenRupertwentaheadofall——asaleadershoulddo；ofthesummoningoftheArchbishopandtheNationalCouncil；andoftheirplacingthenation’shandjarinRupert’shand；ofthejourneytoIlsin，andtheflightofmydaughter——andmyson——ontheaeroplane。

TherestIknew。

Asshefinished，thesleepingmanstirredandwoke——broadawakeinasecond——suresignofamanaccustomedtocampaignandadventure。Ataglanceherecalledeverythingthathadbeen，andsprangtohisfeet。Hestoodrespectfullybeforemeforafewsecondsbeforespeaking。Thenhesaid，withanopen，engagingsmile：

"Isee，sir，youknowall。AmIforgiven——forTeuta’ssakeaswellasmyown？"BythistimeIwasalsoonmyfeet。Amanlikethatwalksstraightintomyheart。Mydaughter，too，hadrisen，andstoodbymyside。Iputoutmyhandandgraspedhis，whichseemedtoleaptomeetme——asonlythehandofaswordsmancando。

"Iamgladyouaremyson！"Isaid。ItwasallIcouldsay，andI

meantitandallitimplied。Weshookhandswarmly。Teutawaspleased；shekissedme，andthenstoodholdingmyarmwithonehand，whilstshelinkedherotherhandinthearmofherhusband。

Hesummonedoneofthesentrieswithout，andtoldhimtoaskCaptainRooketocometohim。Thelatterhadbeenreadyforacall，andcameatonce。Whenthroughtheopenflapofthetentwesawhimcoming，Rupert——asImustcallhimnow，becauseTeutawishesit；andIliketodoitmyself——said：

"ImustbeofftoboardtheTurkishvesselbeforeitcomesinshore。

Good—bye，sir，incasewedonotmeetagain。"HesaidthelastfewwordsinsolowavoicethatIonlycouldhearthem。Thenhekissedhiswife，andtoldherheexpectedtobebackintimeforbreakfast，andwasgone。HemetRooke——IamhardlyaccustomedtocallhimCaptainasyet，though，indeed，hewelldeservesit——attheedgeofthecordonofsentries，andtheywentquicklytogethertowardstheport，wheretheyachtwaslyingwithsteamup。

BOOKVII：THEEMPIREOFTHEAIR

FROMTHEREPORTOFCRISTOFEROS，WAR—SCRIBETOTHENATIONALCOUNCIL。

July7，1907。

WhentheGospodarRupertandCaptainRookecamewithinhailingdistanceofthestrangeship，theformerhailedher，usingoneafteranotherthelanguagesofEngland，Germany，France，Russia，Turkey，Greece，Spain，Portugal，andanotherwhichIdidnotknow；IthinkitmusthavebeenAmerican。BythistimethewholelineofthebulwarkwascoveredbyarowofTurkishfaces。When，inTurkish，theGospodaraskedfortheCaptain，thelattercametothegangway，whichhadbeenopened，andstoodthere。HisuniformwasthatoftheTurkishnavy——ofthatIampreparedtoswear——buthemadesignsofnotunderstandingwhathadbeensaid；whereupontheGospodarspokeagain，butinFrenchthistime。Iappendtheexactconversationwhichtookplace，noneotherjoininginit。Itookdowninshorthandthewordsofbothastheywerespoken：

THEGOSPODAR。"AreyoutheCaptainofthisship？"

THECAPTAIN。"Iam。"

GOSPODAR。"Towhatnationalitydoyoubelong？"

CAPTAIN。"Itmattersnot。IamCaptainofthisship。"

GOSPODAR。"Ialludedtoyourship。Whatnationalflagissheunder？"

CAPTAIN（throwinghiseyeoverthetop—hamper）。"Idonotseethatanyflagisflying。"

GOSPODAR。"Itakeitthat，ascommander，youcanallowmeonboardwithmytwocompanions？"

CAPTAIN。"Ican，uponproperrequestbeingmade！"

GOSPODAR（takingoffhiscap）。"Iaskyourcourtesy，Captain。IamtherepresentativeandaccreditedofficeroftheNationalCounciloftheLandoftheBlueMountains，inwhosewatersyounoware；andontheiraccountIaskforaformalinterviewonurgentmatters。"

TheTurk，whowas，Iamboundtosay，inmannermostcourteousasyet，gavesomecommandtohisofficers，whereuponthecompanion—

laddersandstagewereloweredandthegangwaymanned，asisusualforthereceptiononashipofwarofanhonouredguest。

CAPTAIN。"Youarewelcome，sir——youandyourtwocompanions——asyourequest。"

TheGospodarbowed。Ourcompanion—ladderwasriggedontheinstant，andalaunchlowered。TheGospodarandCaptainRooke——takingmewiththem——entered，androwedtothewarship，wherewewereallhonourablyreceived。Therewereanimmensenumberofmenonboard，soldiersaswellasseamen。Itlookedmorelikeawarlikeexpeditionthanafighting—shipintimeofpeace。Aswesteppedonthedeck，theseamenandmarines，whowereallarmedasatdrill，presentedarms。

TheGospodarwentfirsttowardstheCaptain，andCaptainRookeandI

followedclosebehindhim。TheGospodarspoke：

"IamRupertSentLeger，asubjectofhisBritannicMajesty，presentlyresidingatVissarion，intheLandoftheBlueMountains。

IamatpresentempoweredtoactfortheNationalCouncilinallmatters。Hereismycredential！"AshespokehehandedtotheCaptainaletter。Itwaswritteninfivedifferentlanguages——

Balkan，Turkish，Greek，English，andFrench。TheCaptainreaditcarefullyallthrough，forgetfulforthemomentthathehadseeminglybeenunabletounderstandtheGospodar’squestionspokenintheTurkishtongue。Thenheanswered：

"Iseethedocumentiscomplete。MayIaskonwhatsubjectyouwishtoseeme？"

GOSPODAR。"YouarehereinashipofwarinBlueMountainwaters，yetyouflynoflagofanynation。Youhavesentarmedmenashoreinyourboats，thuscommittinganactofwar。TheNationalCounciloftheLandoftheBlueMountainsrequirestoknowwhatnationyouserve，andwhytheobligationsofinternationallawarethusbroken。"

TheCaptainseemedtowaitforfurtherspeech，buttheGospodarremainedsilent；whereupontheformerspoke。

CAPTAIN。"Iamresponsibletomyown——chiefs。Irefusetoansweryourquestion。"

TheGospodarspokeatonceinreply。

GOSPODAR。"Then，sir，you，ascommanderofaship——andespeciallyashipofwar——mustknowthatinthusviolatingnationalandmaritimelawsyou，andallonboardthisship，areguiltyofanactofpiracy。

Thisisnotevenpiracyonthehighseas。Youarenotmerelywithinterritorialwaters，butyouhaveinvadedanationalport。Asyourefusetodisclosethenationalityofyourship，Iaccept，asyouseemtodo，yourstatusasthatofapirate，andshallindueseasonactaccordingly。"

CAPTAIN（withmanifesthostility）。"Iaccepttheresponsibilityofmyownacts。Withoutadmittingyourcontention，ItellyounowthatwhateveractionyoutakeshallbeatyourownperilandthatofyourNationalCouncil。Moreover，Ihavereasontobelievethatmymenwhoweresentashoreonspecialservicehavebeenbeleagueredinatowerwhichcanbeseenfromtheship。Beforedawnthismorningfiringwasheardfromthatdirection，fromwhichIgatherthatattackwasmadeonthem。They，beingonlyasmallparty，mayhavebeenmurdered。Ifsuchbeso，Itellyouthatyouandyourmiserablelittlenation，asyoucallit，shallpaysuchblood—moneyasyouneverthoughtof。I

amresponsibleforthis，and，byAllah！thereshallbeagreatrevenge。Youhavenotinallyournavy——ifnavyyouhaveatall——

powertocopewithevenoneshiplikethis，whichisbutoneofmany。

MygunsshallbetrainedonIlsin，towhichendIhavecomeinshore。

Youandyourcompanionshavefreeconductbacktoport；suchisduetothewhiteflagwhichyoufly。Fifteenminuteswillbringyoubackwhenceyoucame。Go！Andrememberthatwhateveryoumaydoamongstyourmountaindefiles，atseayoucannotevendefendyourselves。"

GOSPODAR（slowlyandinaringingvoice）。"TheLandoftheBlueMountainshasitsowndefencesonseaandland。Itspeopleknowhowtodefendthemselves。"

CAPTAIN（takingouthiswatch）。"Itisnowcloseonfivebells。Atthefirststrokeofsixbellsourgunsshallopenfire。"

GOSPODAR（calmly）。"Itismylastdutytowarnyou，sir——andtowarnallonthisship——thatmuchmayhappenbeforeeventhefirststrokeofsixbells。Bewarnedintime，andgiveoverthispiraticalattack，theverythreatofwhichmaybethecauseofmuchbloodshed。"

CAPTAIN（violently）。"Doyoudaretothreatenme，and，moreover，myship’scompany？Weareone，Itellyou，inthisship；andthelastmanshallperishlikethefirsterethisenterprisefail。Go！"

Withabow，theGospodarturnedandwentdowntheladder，wefollowinghim。Inacoupleofminutestheyachtwasonherwaytotheport。

FROMRUPERT’SJOURNAL。

July10，1907。

WhenweturnedshorewardaftermystormyinterviewwiththepirateCaptain——Icancallhimnothingelseatpresent，Rookegaveorderstoaquartermasteronthebridge，andTheLadybegantomaketoalittlenorthwardofIlsinport。Rookehimselfwentafttothewheel—house，takingseveralmenwithhim。

Whenwewerequiteneartherocks——thewaterissodeepherethatthereisnodanger——wesloweddown，merelydriftingalongsouthwardstowardstheport。Iwasmyselfonthebridge，andcouldseealloverthedecks。Icouldalsoseepreparationsgoingonuponthewarship。

Portswereopened，andthegreatgunsontheturretswereloweredforaction。Whenwewerestarboardbroadsideontothewarship，Isawtheportsideofthesteering—houseopen，andRooke’smenslidingoutwhatlookedlikeahugegreycrab，whichbytacklefromwithinthewheel—housewasloweredsoftlyintothesea。Thepositionoftheyachthidtheoperationfromsightofthewarship。Thedoorswereshutagain，andtheyacht’spacebegantoquicken。Weranintotheport。IhadavagueideathatRookehadsomedesperateprojectonhand。Notfornothinghadhekeptthewheel—houselockedonthatmysteriouscrab。

Allalongthefrontagewasagreatcrowdofeagermen。Buttheyhadconsideratelyleftthelittlemoleatthesouthernentrance，whereonwasalittletower，onwhoseroundtopasignal—gunwasplaced，freeformyownuse。WhenIwaslandedonthispierIwentalongtotheend，and，climbingthenarrowstairwithin，wentoutontheslopingroof。Istoodup，forIwasdeterminedtoshowtheTurksthatIwasnotafraidformyself，astheywouldunderstandwhenthebombardmentshouldbegin。Itwasnowbutaveryfewminutesbeforethefatalhour——sixbells。ButallthesameIwasalmostinastateofdespair。Itwasterribletothinkofallthosepoorsoulsinthetownwhohaddonenothingwrong，andwhoweretobewipedoutinthecomingblood—thirsty，wantonattack。Iraisedmyglassestoseehowpreparationsweregoingonuponthewarship。

AsIlookedIhadamomentaryfearthatmyeyesightwasgivingway。

AtonemomentIhadthedeckofthewarshipfocussedwithmyglasses，andcouldseeeverydetailasthegunnerswaitedforthewordtobeginthebombardmentwiththegreatgunsofthebarbettes。ThenextIsawnothingbuttheemptysea。Theninanotherinstanttherewastheshipasbefore，butthedetailswereblurred。Isteadiedmyselfagainstthesignal—gun，andlookedagain。Notmorethantwo，oratthemostthree，secondshadelapsed。Theshipwas，forthemoment，fullinview。AsIlooked，shegaveaqueerkindofquickshiver，prowandstern，andthensideways。Itwasforalltheworldlikearatshakeninthemouthofaskilledterrier。Thensheremainedstill，theoneplacidthingtobeseen，forallaroundhertheseaseemedtoshiverinlittleindependenteddies，aswhenwaterisbrokenwithoutacurrenttoguideit。

Icontinuedtolook，andwhenthedeckwas，orseemed，quitestill——

fortheshiveringwaterroundtheshipkeptcatchingmyeyesthroughtheouterraysofthelenses——Inoticedthatnothingwasstirring。

Themenwhohadbeenatthegunswerealllyingdown；themeninthefighting—topshadleanedforwardorbackward，andtheirarmshungdownhelplessly。Everywherewasdesolation——insofaraslifewasconcerned。Evenalittlebrownbear，whichhadbeenseatedonthecannonwhichwasbeingputintorangeposition，hadjumpedorfallenondeck，andlaytherestretchedout——andstill。Itwasevidentthatsometerribleshockhadbeengiventothemightywar—vessel。WithoutadoubtorathoughtwhyIdidso，IturnedmyeyestowardswhereTheLadylay，portbroadsidenowtotheinside，intheharbourmouth。I

hadthekeynowtothemysteryofRooke’sproceedingswiththegreatgreycrab。

AsIlookedIsawjustoutsidetheharbourathinlineofcleavingwater。Thisbecamemoremarkedeachinstant，tillasteeldiscwithglasseyesthatshoneinthelightofthesunroseabovethewater。

Itwasaboutthesizeofabeehive，andwasshapedlikeone。Itmadeastraightlinefortheaftoftheyacht。Atthesamemoment，inobediencetosomecommand，givensoquietlythatIdidnothearit，themenwentbelow——allsavesomefew，whobegantoopenoutdoorsintheportsideofthewheel—house。Thetacklewasrunoutthroughanopenedgangwayonthatside，andamanstoodonthegreathookatthelowerend，balancinghimselfbyhangingonthechain。Inafewsecondshecameupagain。Thechaintightenedandthegreatgreycrabroseovertheedgeofthedeck，andwasdrawnintothewheel—

house，thedoorsofwhichwereclosed，shuttinginafewonlyofthemen。

Iwaited，quitequiet。Afteraspaceofafewminutes，CaptainRookeinhisuniformwalkedoutofthewheel—house。Heenteredasmallboat，whichhadbeeninthemeantimeloweredforthepurpose，andwasrowedtothestepsonthemole。Ascendingthese，hecamedirectlytowardsthesignal—tower。Whenhehadascendedandstoodbesideme，hesaluted。

"Well？"Iasked。

"Allwell，sir，"heanswered。"Weshan’thaveanymoretroublewiththatlot，Ithink。Youwarnedthatpirate——Iwishhehadbeenintruthaclean，honest，straightforwardpirate，insteadofthemeaslyTurkishswabhewas——thatsomethingmightoccurbeforethefirststrokeofsixbells。Well，somethinghasoccurred，andforhimandallhiscrewthatsixbellswillneversound。SotheLordfightsfortheCrossagainsttheCrescent！Bismillah。Amen！"Hesaidthisinamanifestlyformalway，asthoughdeclaimingaritual。Thenextinstanthewentoninthethoroughlypracticalconventionalwaywhichwasusualtohim：

"MayIaskafavour，Mr。SentLeger？"

"Athousand，mydearRooke，"Isaid。"Youcan’taskmeanythingwhichIshallnotfreelygrant。AndIspeakwithinmybrieffromtheNationalCouncil。YouhavesavedIlsinthisday，andtheCouncilwillthankyouforitinduetime。"

"Me，sir？"hesaid，withalookofsurpriseonhisfacewhichseemedquitegenuine。"Ifyouthinkthat，Iamwelloutofit。Iwasafraid，whenIwoke，thatyoumightcourt—martialme！"

"Court—martialyou！Whatfor？"Iasked，surprisedinmyturn。

"Forgoingtosleeponduty，sir！Andthefactis，IwaswornoutintheattackontheSilentTowerlastnight，andwhenyouhadyourinterviewwiththepirate——allgoodpiratesforgivemefortheblasphemy！Amen！——andIknewthateverythingwasgoingsmoothly，I

wentintothewheel—houseandtookfortywinks。"Hesaidallthiswithoutmovingsomuchasaneyelid，fromwhichIgatheredthathewishedabsolutesilencetobeobservedonmypart。WhilstIwasrevolvingthisinmymindhewenton：