CHAPTER XIX
All went well and we fled down the bitter stream of the Martian gulf ata pace leaving me little to do but guide our course just clear of snagsand promontories on the port shore. Just before dawn, however, with athin mist on the water and flocks of a flamingo-like bird croaking asthey flew southward overhead, we were nearly captured again.
Drifting silently down on a rocky island, I was having a drink at thewater-pitcher at the moment, while Heru, her hair beaded with prismaticmoisture and looking more ethereal than ever, sat in the bowstimorously inhaling the breath of freedom, when all on a sudden voicesinvisible in the mist, came round a corner. It was one of Ar-hap'swar-canoes toiling up-stream. Heru and I ducked down into the hazelike dab-chicks and held our breath.
Straight on towards us came the toiling ship, the dip of oars resonantin the hollow fog and a ripple babbling on her cutwater plainlydiscernible.
Oh, oh! Hoo, hoo! How high, how high!"
sounded the sleepy song of the rowers till they were looming rightabreast and we could smell their damp hides in the morning air. Thenthey stopped suddenly and some one asked,
"Is there not something like a boat away on the right?"
"It is nothing," said another, "but the lees of last night's beercurdling in your stupid brain."
"But I saw it move."
"That must have been in dreams."
"What is all that talking about?" growled a sleepy voice of authorityfrom the stern.
"Bow man, sir, says he can see a boat."
"And what does it matter if he can? Are we to delay every time thatlazy ruffian spying a shadow makes it an excuse to stop to yawn andscratch? Go on, you plankful of lubbers, or I'll give you somethingworth thinking about!" And joyfully, oh, so joyfully, we heard thesullen dip of oars commence again.
Nothing more happened after that till the sun at length shone on thelittle harbour town at the estuary mouth, making the masts of fishingcraft clustering there like a golden reed-bed against the cool, cleanblue of the sea beyond.
Right glad we were to see it, and keeping now in shadow of the banks,made all haste while light was faint and mist hung about to reach thetown, finally pushing through the boats and gaining a safe hiding-placewithout hostile notice before it was clear daylight.
Covering Heru up and knowing well all our chances of escape lay inexpedition, I went at once, in pursuance of a plan made during thenight, to the good dame at what, for lack of a better name, must stillcontinue to be called the fish-shop, and finding her alone, franklytold her the salient points of my story. When she learned I had"robbed the lion of his prey" and taken his new wife singlehanded fromthe dreaded Ar-hap her astonishment was unbounded. Nothing would dobut she must look upon the princess, so back we went to thehiding-place, and when Heru knew that on this woman depended our livesshe stepped ashore, taking the rugged Martian hand in her daintyfingers and begging her help so sweetly that my own heart was moved,and, thrusting hands in pocket, I went aside, leaving those two tosettle it in their own female way.
And when I looked back in five minutes, royal Seth had her arms roundthe woman's neck, kissing the homely cheeks with more than imperialfervour, so I knew all was well thus far, and stopped expectorating atthe little fishes in the water below and went over to them. It wastime! We had hardly spoken together a minute when a couple ofwar-canoes filled with men appeared round the nearest promontory,coming down the swift water with arrow-like rapidity.
"Quick!" said the fishwife, "or we are all lost. Into your canoe andpaddle up this creek. It runs out to the sea behind the town, and atthe bar is my man's fishing-boat amongst many others. Lie hidden theretill he comes if you value your lives." So in we got, and while thatgood Samaritan went back to her house we cautiously paddled through adeserted backwater to where it presently turned through low sandbanksto the gulf. There were the boats, and we hid the canoe and lay downamongst them till, soon after, a man, easily recognised as the husbandof our friend, came sauntering down from the village.
At first he was sullen, not unreasonably alarmed at the danger intowhich his good woman was running him. But when he set eyes on Heru hesoftened immediately. Probably that thick-bodied fellow had never seenso much female loveliness in so small a bulk in all his life, and,being a man, he surrendered at discretion.
"In with you, then," he growled, "since I must needs risk my neck for apair of runaways who better deserve to be hung than I do. In with youboth into this fishing-cobble of mine, and I will cover you with netswhile I go for a mast and sail, and mind you lie as still as logs. Thetown is already full of soldiers looking for you, and it will be shortshrift for us all if you are seen."
Well aware of the fact and now in the hands of destiny, the princessand I lay down as bidden in the prow, and the man covered us lightlyover with one of those fine meshed seines used by these people to catchthe little fish I had breakfasted on more than once.
Materially I could have enjoyed the half-hour which followed, sincesuch rest after exertion was welcome, the sun warm, the lapping of seaon shingle infinitely soothing, and, above all, Heru was in my arms!How sweet and childlike she was! I could feel her little heart beatingthrough her scanty clothing, while every now and then she turned hergazelle eyes to mine with a trust and admiration infinitely alluring.Yes! as far as that went I could have lain there with that slip ofmaiden royalty for ever, but the fascination of the moment was marredby the thought of our danger. What was to prevent these new friendsgiving us away? They knew we had no money to recompense them for therisk they were running. They were poor, and a splendid reward, wealthitself to them, would doubtless be theirs if they betrayed us even by alook. Yet somehow I trusted them as I have trusted the poor beforewith the happiest results, and telling myself this and comforting Heru,I listened and waited.
Minute by minute went by. It seemed an age since the fisherman hadgone, but presently the sound of voices interrupted the sea's murmur.Cautiously stealing a glance through a chink imagine my feelings onperceiving half a dozen of Ar-hap's soldiers coming down the beachstraight towards us! Then my heart was bitter within me, and I tastedof defeat, even with Heru in my arms. Luckily even in that moment ofagony I kept still, and another peep showed the men were now wanderingabout rather aimlessly. Perhaps after all they did not know of ournearness? Then they took to horseplay, as idle soldiers will even inMars, pelting each other with bits of wood and dead fish, and thereon Ibreathed again.
Nearer they came and nearer, my heart beating fast as they strolledamongst the boats until they were actually "larking" round the one nextto ours. A minute or two of this, and another footstep crunched on thepebbles, a quick, nervous one, which my instinct told me was that ofour returning friend.
"Hullo old sprat-catcher! Going for a sail?" called out a soldier, andI knew that the group were all round our boat, Heru trembling soviolently in my breast that I thought she would make the vessel shake.
"Yes," said the man gruffly.
"Let's go with him," cried several voices. "Here, old dried haddock,will you take us if we help haul your nets for you?"
"No, I won't. Your ugly faces would frighten all the fish out of thesea."
"And yours, you old chunk of dried mahogany, is meant to attract themno doubt."
"Let's tie him to a post and go fishing in his boat ourselves," someone suggested. Meanwhile two of them began rocking the cobbleviolently from side to side. This was awful, and every moment Iexpected the net and the sail which our friend had thrown downunceremoniously upon us would roll off.
"Oh, stop that," said the Martian, who was no doubt quite as well awareof the danger as we were. "The tide's full, the shoals are in thebay--stop your nonsense, and help me launch like good fellows."
"Well, take two of us, then. We will sit on this heap of nets as quietas mice, and stand you a drink when we get back."
"No, not one of you," quoth the plucky fellow, "and here's my staff inmy hand, and if you don't leave my ge
ar alone I will crack some of yourugly heads."
"That's a pity," I thought to myself, "for if they take to fighting itwill be six to one--long odds against our chances." There was indeed ascuffle, and then a yell of pain, as though a soldier had been hitacross the knuckles; but in a minute the best disposed called out, "Oh,cease your fun, boys, and let the fellow get off if he wants to. Youknow the fleet will be down directly, and Ar-hap has promised somethingworth having to the man who can find that lost bit of crackling of his.It's my opinion she's in the town, and I for one would rather look forher than go haddock fishing any day."
"Right you are, mates," said our friend with visible relief. "And,what's more, if you help me launch this boat and then go to my missusand tell her what you've done, she'll understand, and give you thebiggest pumpkinful of beer in the place. Ah, she will understand, andbless your soft hearts and heads while you drink it--she's a cute oneis my missus."
"And aren't you afraid to leave her with us?"
"Not I, my daisy, unless it were that a sight of your pretty face mightgive her hysterics. Now lend a hand, your accursed chatter has alreadycost me half an hour of the best fishing time."
"In with you, old buck!" shouted the soldiers; I felt the fishermanstep in, as a matter of fact he stepped in on to my toes; a dozen handswere on the gunwales: six soldier yells resounded, it seemed, in myvery ears: there was the grit and rush of pebbles under the keel: asudden lurch up of the bows, which brought the fairy lady'shoney-scented lips to mine, and then the gentle lapping of deep bluewaters underneath us!
There is little more to be said of that voyage. We pulled until out ofsight of the town, then hoisted sail, and, with a fair wind, held uponone tack until we made an island where there was a small colony ofHither folk.
Here our friend turned back. I gave him another gold button from mycoat, and the princess a kiss upon either cheek, which he seemed tolike even more than the button. It was small payment, but the best wehad. Doubtless he got safely home, and I can but hope that Providencesomehow or other paid him and his wife for a good deed bravely done.
Those islanders in turn lent us another boat, with a guide, who hadbusiness in the Hither capital, and on the evening of the second day,the direct route being very short in comparison, we were under thecrumbling marble walls of Seth.
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