the crusade of the excelsior-第2章

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pull　myself　up　by　the　railings；　and　just　as　I　got　up　here；　I

suddenly　seemed　to　be　sliding　down　the　roof　of　a　house。〃



〃And　now　that　you're　here；　your　courage　should　be　rewarded；〃　said

the　Senor；　gallantly　assisting　her　to　a　settee；　which　he　lashed

securely。　　〃You　are　perfectly　safe　now；〃　he　added；　holding　the　end

of　the　rope　in　his　hand　to　allow　a　slight　sliding　movement　of　the

seat　as　the　vessel　rolled。　　〃And　here　is　a　glorious　spectacle　for

you。　　Look！　the　sun　is　just　rising。〃



The　young　girl　glanced　over　the　vast　expanse　before　her　with

sparkling　eyes　and　a　suddenly　awakened　fancy　that　checked　her

embarrassed　smile；　and　fixed　her　pretty；　parted　lips　with　wonder。

The　level　rays　of　the　rising　sun　striking　the　white　crests　of　the

lifted　waves　had　suffused　the　whole　ocean　with　a　pinkish　opal

color：　the　darker　parts　of　each　wave　seemed　broken　into　facets

instead　of　curves；　and　glittered　sharply。　　The　sea　seemed　to　have

lost　its　fluidity；　and　become　vitreous；　so　much　so；　that　it　was

difficult　to　believe　that　the　waves　which　splintered　across　the

Excelsior's　bow　did　not　fall　upon　her　deck　with　the　ring　of

shattered　glass。



〃Sindbad's　Valley　of　Diamonds！〃　said　the　young　girl；　in　an　awed

whisper。



〃It's　a　cross　sea　in　the　Gulf　of　California；　so　the　mate　says；〃

said　Banks　practically；　〃but　I　don't　see　why　we〃　。　。　。



〃The　Gulf　of　California？〃　repeated　the　young　girl；　while　a　slight

shade　of　disappointment　passed　over　her　bright　face；　〃are　we　then

so　near〃



〃Not　the　California　you　mean；　my　dear　young　lady；〃　broke　in　Senor

Perkins；　〃but　the　old　peninsula　of　California；　which　is　still　a

part　of　Mexico。　　It　terminates　in　Cape　St。　Lucas；　a　hundred　miles

from　here；　but　it's　still　a　far　cry　to　San　Francisco；　which　is　in

Upper　California。　　But　I　fancy　you　don't　seem　as　anxious　as　our

friend　Mr。　Banks　to　get　to　your　journey's　end；〃　he　added；　with

paternal　blandness。



The　look　of　relief　which　had　passed　over　Miss　Keene's　truthful　face

gave　way　to　one　of　slight　embarrassment。



〃It　hasn't　seemed　long；〃　she　said　hastily；　and　then　added；　as　if　to

turn　the　conversation；　〃What　is　this　peninsula？　　I　remember　it　on

our　map　at　school。〃



〃It's　not　of　much　account；〃　interrupted　Banks　positively。　　〃There

ain't　a　place　on　it　you　ever　heard　of。　　It's　a　kind　of　wilderness。〃



〃I　differ　from　you；〃　said　Senor　Perkins　gravely。　　〃There　are；　I

have　been　told；　some　old　Mexican　settlements　along　the　coast；　and

there　is　no　reason　why　the　country　shouldn't　be　fruitful。　　But　you

may　have　a　chance　to　judge　for　yourself；〃　he　continued　beamingly。

Since　we　are　not　going　into　Mazatlan；　we　may　drop　in　at　some　of

those　places　for　water。　　It's　all　on　our　way；　and　we　shall　save　the

three　days　we　would　have　lost　had　we　touched　Mazatlan。　　That；〃　he

added；　answering　an　impatient　interrogation　in　Banks'　eye；　〃at

least；　is　the　captain's　idea；　I　reckon。〃　　He　laughed；　and　went　on

still　gayly；〃But　what's　the　use　of　anticipating？　　Why　should　we

spoil　any　little　surprise　that　our　gallant　captain　may　have　in

store　for　us？　　I've　been　trying　to　convert　this　business　man　to　my

easy　philosophy；　Miss　Keene；　but　he　is　incorrigible；　he　is　actually

lamenting　his　lost　chance　of　hearing　the　latest　news　at　Mazatlan；

and　getting　the　latest　market　quotations；　instead　of　offering　a

thanksgiving　for　another　uninterrupted　day　of　freedom　in　this

glorious　air。〃



With　a　half　humorous　extravagance　he　unloosed　his　already　loose

necktie；　turned　his　Byron　collar　still　lower；　and　squared　his

shoulders　ostentatiously　to　the　sea　breeze。　　Accustomed　as　his　two

companions　were　to　his　habitually　extravagant　speech；　it　did　not　at

that　moment　seem　inconsistent　with　the　intoxicating　morning　air　and

the　exhilaration　of　sky　and　wave。　　A　breath　of　awakening　and

resurrection　moved　over　the　face　of　the　waters；　recreation　and　new…

born　life　sparkled　everywhere；　the　past　night　seemed　forever　buried

in　the　vast　and　exundating　sea。　　The　reefs　had　been　shaken　out；　and

every　sail　set　to　catch　the　steadier　breeze　of　the　day；　and　as　the

quickening　sun　shone　upon　the　dazzling　canvas　that　seemed　to

envelop　them；　they　felt　as　if　wrapped　in　the　purity　of　a　baptismal

robe。



Nevertheless；　Miss　Keene's　eyes　occasionally　wandered　from　the

charming　prospect　towards　the　companion…ladder。　　Presently　she

became　ominously　and　ostentatiously　interested　in　the　view　again；

and　at　the　same　moment　a　young　man's　head　and　shoulders　appeared

above　the　companionway。　　With　a　bound　he　was　on　the　slanting　deck；

moving　with　the　agility　and　adaptability　of　youth；　and　approached

the　group。　　He　was　quite　surprised　to　find　Miss　Keene　there　so

early；　and　Miss　Keene　was　equally　surprised　at　his　appearance；

notwithstanding　the　phenomenon　had　occurred　with　singular

regularity　for　the　last　three　weeks。　　The　two　spectators　of　this

gentle　comedy　received　it　as　they　had　often　received　it　before；

with　a　mixture　of　apparent　astonishment　and　patronizing

unconsciousness；　and；　after　a　decent　interval；　moved　away　together；

leaving　the　young　people　alone。



The　hesitancy　and　awkwardness　which　usually　followed　the　first

moments　of　their　charming　isolation　were　this　morning　more　than

usually　prolonged。



〃It　seems　we　are　not　going　into　Mazatlan；　after　all；〃　said　Miss

Keene　at　last；　without　lifting　her　conscious　eyes　from　the　sea。



〃No；〃　returned　the　young　fellow　quickly。　　〃I　heard　all　about　it

down　below；　and　we　had　quite　an　indignation　meeting　over　it。　　I

believe　Mrs。　Markham　wanted　to　head　a　deputation　to　wait　upon　the

captain　in　his　berth。　　It　seems　that　the　first　officer；　or

whosoever　is　running　the　ship；　has　concluded　we've　lost　too　much

time　already；　and　we're　going　to　strike　a　bee…line　for　Cape　St。

Lucas；　and　give　Mazatlan　the　go…by。　　We'll　save　four　days　by　it。　　I

suppose　it　don't　make　any　difference　to　you；　Miss　Keene；　does　it？〃



〃I？　　Oh；　no！〃　said　the　girl　hastily。



〃I'M　rather　sorry；〃　he　said　hesitatingly。



〃Indeed。　　Are　you　tired　of　the　ship？〃　she　asked　saucily。



〃No；〃　he　replied　bluntly；　〃but　it　would　have　given　us　four　more

days　togetherfour　more　days　before　we　separated。〃



He　stopped；　with　a　heightened　color。　　There　was　a　moment　of

silence；　and　the　voices　of　Senor　Perkins　and　Mr。　Banks　in　political

discussion　on　the　other　side　of　the　deck　came　faintly。　　Miss　Keene

laughed。



〃We　are　a　long　way　from　San　Francisco　yet；　and　you　may　think

differently。〃



〃Never！〃　he　said；　impulsively。



He　had　drawn　closer　to　her；　as　if　to　emphasize　his　speech。　　She

cast　a　quick　glance　across　the　deck　towards　the　two　disputants；　and

drew　herself　gently　away。



〃Do　you　know；〃　she　said　suddenly；　with　a　charming　smile　which

robbed　the　act　of　its　sting；　〃I　sometimes　wonder　if　I　am　REALLY

going　to　San　Francisco。　　I　don't　know　how　it　is；　but；　somehow；　I

never　can　SEE　myself　there。〃



〃I　wish　you　did；　for　I'M　going　there；〃　he　replied　boldly。



Without　appearing　to　notice　the　significance　of　his　speech；　she

continued　gravely：



〃I　have　been　so　strongly　impressed　with　this　feeling　at　times　that

it　makes　me　quite　superstitious。　　When　we　had　that　terrible　storm

after　we　left　Callao；　I　thought　it　meant　thatthat　we　were　all

going　down；　and　we　should　never　be　heard　of　again。〃



〃As　long　as　we　all　went　together；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　know　that　it

would　be　the　worst　thing　that　could　happen。　　I　remember　that　storm；

Miss　Keene。　　And　I　remember〃He　stopped　timidly。



〃What？〃　she　replied；　raising　her　smiling　eyes　for　the　first　time　to

his　earnest　face。



〃I　remember　sitting　up　all　night　near　your　state…room；　with　a　cork

jacket　and　lots　of　things　I'd　fixed　up　for　you；　and　thinking　I'd

die　before　I　trusted　you　alone　in　the　boat　to　those　rascally

Lascars　of　the　crew。〃



〃But　how　would　you　have　prevented　it？〃　asked　Miss　Keene；　with　a

compassionate　and　half…maternal　amusement。



〃I　don't　know　exactly；〃　he　said；　coloring；　〃but　I'd　have　lashed　you

to　some　spar；　or　made　a　raft；　and　got　you　ashore　on　some　island。〃



〃And　poor　Mrs。　Markham　and　Mrs。　Brimmeryou'd　have　left　them　to

the　boats　and　the　Lascars；　I　suppose？〃　smiled　Miss　Keene。



〃Oh；　somebody　would　have　looked　after　Mrs。　Markham；　and　Mrs。

Brimmer　wouldn't　have　gone　with　anybody　that　wasn't　well　connected。

But　what's　the　use　of　talking？〃　he　added　ruefully。　　〃Nothing　has

happened；　and　nothing　is　going　to　happen。　　You　will　see　yourself　in

San　Francisco；　even　if　you　don't　see　ME　there。　　You're　going　to　a

rich　brother；　Miss　Keene；　who　has　friends　of　his　own；　and　who　won't

care　to　know　a　poor　fellow　whom　you　tolerated　on　the　passage；　but

who　don't　move　in　Mrs。　Brimmer's　set；　and　whom　Mr。　Banks　wouldn't

indorse　commercially。〃



〃Ah；　you　don't　know　my　brother；　Mr。　Brace。〃



〃Nor　do　you；　very　well；　Miss　Keene。　　You　were　saying；　only　last

night；　you　hardly　remembered　him。〃



The　young　girl　sighed。



〃I　was　very　young　when　he　went　West；〃　she　said　explanatorily；　〃but

I　dare　say　I　shall　recall　him。　　What　I　meant　is；　that　he　will　be

very　glad　to　know　that　I　have　been　so　happy　here；　and　he　will　like

all　those　who　have　made　me　so。〃



〃Then　you　have　been　happy？〃



〃Yes；　very。〃　　She　had　withdrawn　her　eyes；　and　was　looking　vaguely

towards　the　companion…way。　　〃Everybody　has　been　so　kind　to　me。〃



〃And　you　are　grateful　to　all？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Equally？〃



The　ship　gave　a　sudden　forward　plunge。　　Miss　Keene　involuntarily

clutched　the　air　with　her　little　hand；　that　had　been　resting　on　the

settee　between　them；　and　the　young　man　caught　it　in　his　own。



〃Equally？〃　he　repeated；　with　an　assumed　playfulness　that　half

veiled　his　anxiety。　　〃Equallyfrom　the　beaming　Senor　Perkins；　who

smiles　on　all；　to　the　gloomy　Mr。　Hurlstone；　who　smiles　on　no　one？〃



She　quickly　withdrew　her　hand；　and　rose。　　〃I　smell　the　breakfast；〃

she　said　laughingly。　　〃Don't　be　horrified；　Mr。　Brace；　but　I'm　very

hungry。〃　　She　laid　the　hand　she　had　withdrawn　lightly　on　his　arm。

〃Now　help　me　down　to　the　cabin。〃





CHAPTER　II。



ANOTHER　PORTENT。





The　saloon　of　the　Excelsior　was　spacious　for　the　size　of　the

vessel；　and　was　furnished　in　a　style　superior　to　most　passenger…

ships　of　that　epoch。　　The　sun　was　shining　through　the　sliding

windows　upon　the　fresh　and　neatly　arranged　breakfast…table；　but　the

presence　of　the　ominous　〃storm…racks；〃　and　partitions　for　glass　and

china；　and　the　absence　of　the　more　delicate　passengers；　still

testified　to　the　potency　of　the　Gulf　of　California。　　Even　those

present　wore　an　air　of　fatigued　discontent；　and　the　conversation

had　that　jerky　interjectional　quality　which　belonged　to　people　with

a　common　grievance；　but　a　different　individual　experience。　　Mr。

Winslow　had　been　unable　to　shave。　　Mrs。　Markham；　incautiously　and

surreptitiously　opening　a　port…hole　in　her　state…room　for　a　whiff

of　fresh　air　while　dressing；　had　been　shocked　by　the　intrusion　of

t