CHAPTER XXIX
ADRIAN COMES HOME AGAIN
They landed on the island, wading to it through the mud, which at thisspot had a gravelly bottom; all of them except Elsa, who remained on theboat to keep watch. Following otter-paths through the thick rushes theycame to the centre of the islet, some thirty yards away. Here, at a spotwhich Martha ascertained by a few hurried pacings, grew a dense tuft ofreeds. In the midst of these reeds was a duck's nest with the young justhatching out, off which the old bird flew with terrified quackings.
Beneath this nest lay the treasure, if it were still there.
"At any rate the place has not been disturbed lately," said Foy. Then,even in his frantic haste, lifting the little fledglings--for heloved all things that had life, and did not wish to see them hurt--hedeposited them where they might be found again by the mother.
"Nothing to dig with," muttered Martin, "not even a stone." ThereonMartha pushed her way to a willow bush that grew near, and with thesmaller of the two axes, which she held in her hand, cut down thethickest of its stems and ran back with them. By the help of thesesharpened stakes, and with their axes, they began to dig furiously, tillat length the point of Foy's implement struck upon the head of a barrel.
"The stuff is still here, keep to it, friends," he said, and they workedon with a will till three of the five barrels were almost free from themud.
"Best make sure of these," said Martin. "Help me, master," and betweenthem one by one they rolled them to the water's edge, and with greatefforts, Elsa aiding them, lifted them into the boat. As they approachedwith the third cask they found her staring white-faced over the tops ofthe feathery reeds.
"What is it, sweet?" asked Foy.
"The sail, the following sail," she answered.
They rested the barrel of gold upon the gunwale and looked back acrossthe little island. Yes, there it came, sure enough, a tall, white sailnot eight hundred yards away and bearing down straight upon the place.Martin rolled the barrel into position.
"I hoped that they would not find it," he said, "but Martha draws mapswell, too well. Once, before she married, she painted pictures, and thatis why."
"What is to be done?" asked Elsa.
"I don't know," he answered, and as he spoke Martha ran up, for she alsohad seen the boat. "You see," he went on, "if we try to escape they willcatch us, for oars can't race a sail."
"Oh!" said Elsa, "must we be taken after all?"
"I hope not, girl," said Martha, "but it is as God wills. Listen,Martin," and she whispered in his ear.
"Good," he said, "if it can be done, but you must watch your chance.Come, now, there is no time to lose. And you, lady, come also, for youcan help to roll the last two barrels."
Then they ran back to the hole, whence Foy and Adrian, with great toil,had just dragged the last of the tubs. For they, too, had seen the sail,and knew that time was short.
"Heer, Adrian," said Martin, "you have the cross-bow and the bolts, andyou used to be the best shot of all three of us; will you help me tohold the causeway?"
Now Adrian knew that Martin said this, not because he was a good shotwith the cross-bow, but because he did not trust him, and wished to havehim close to his hand, but he answered:
"With all my heart, as well as I am able."
"Very good," said Martin. "Now let the rest of you get those two casksinto the boat, leaving the Jufvrouw hidden in the reeds to watch byit, while you, Foy and Martha, come back to help us. Lady, if they sailround the island, call and let us know."
So Martin and Adrian went down to the end of the little gravelly tongueand crouched among the tall meadow-sweet and grasses, while the others,working furiously, rolled the two barrels to the water-edge and shippedthem, throwing rushes over them that they might not catch the eye of theSpaniards.
The sailing boat drew on. In the stern-sheets of it sat Ramiro, an openpaper, which he was studying, upon his knee, and still slung about hisbody the great sword Silence.
"Before I am half an hour older," reflected Martin, for even now he didnot like to trust his thoughts to Adrian, "either I will have that swordback again, or I shall be a dead man. But the odds are great, eleven ofthem, all tough fellows, and we but three and two women."
Just then Ramiro's voice reached them across the stillness of the water.
"Down with the sail," he cried cheerily, "for without a doubt that isthe place--there are the six islets in a line, there in front the otherisland shaped like a herring, and there the little promontory marked'landing place.' How well this artist draws to be sure!"
The rest of his remarks were lost in the creaking of the blocks as thesail came down.
"Shallow water ahead, Senor," said a man in the bows sounding with aboat hook.
"Good," answered Ramiro, throwing out the little anchor, "we will wadeashore."
As he spoke the Spanish soldier with the boat-hook suddenly pitchedhead first into the water, a quarrel from Adrian's crossbow through hisheart.
"Ah!" said Ramiro, "so they are here before us. Well, there can't bemany of them. Now then, prepare to land."
Another quarrel whistled through the air and stuck in the mast, doingno hurt. After this no more bolts came, for in his eagerness Adrian hadbroken the mechanism of the bow by over-winding it, so that it becameuseless. They leaped into the water, Ramiro with them, and charged forthe land, when of a sudden, almost at the tip of the little promontory,from among the reeds rose the gigantic shape of Red Martin, clad in histattered jerkin and bearing in his hand a heavy axe, while behind himappeared Foy and Adrian.
"Why, by the Saints!" cried Ramiro, "there's my weather-cock son again,fighting against us this time. Well, Weather-cock, this is your lastveer," then he began to wade towards the promontory. "Charge," he cried,but not a man would advance within reach of that axe. They stood hereand there in the water looking at it doubtfully, for although they werebrave enough, there was none of them but knew of the strength and deedsof the red Frisian giant, and half-starved as he was, feared to meet himface to face. Moreover, he had a position of advantage, of that therecould be no doubt.
"Can I help you to land, friends?" said Martin, mocking them. "No, it isno use looking right or left, the mud there is very deep."
"An arquebus, shoot him with an arquebus!" shouted the men in front; butthere was no such weapon in the boat, for the Spaniards, who had left ina hurry, and without expecting to meet Red Martin, had nothing but theirswords and knives.
Ramiro considered a moment, for he saw that to attempt to storm thislittle landing-place would cost many lives, even if it were possible.Then he gave an order, "Back aboard." The men obeyed with alacrity. "Outoars and up anchor!" he cried.
"He is clever," said Foy; "he knows that our boat must be somewhere, andhe is going to seek for it."
Martin nodded, and for the first time looked afraid. Then, as soon asRamiro had begun to row round the islet, leaving Martha to watch thathe did not return and rush the landing-stage, they crossed through thereeds to the other side and climbed into their boat. Scarcely were theythere, when Ramiro and his men appeared, and a shout announced that theywere discovered.
On crept the Spaniards as near as they dared, that is to within a dozenfathoms of them, and anchored, for they were afraid to run their ownheavy sailing cutter upon the mud lest they might be unable to get heroff again. Also, for evident reasons, being without firearms and knowingthe character of the defenders, they feared to make a direct attack. Theposition was curious and threatened to be prolonged. At last Ramiro roseand addressed them across the water.
"Gentlemen and lady of the enemy," he said, "for I think that I see mylittle captive of the Red Mill among you, let us take counsel together.We have both of us made this expedition for a purpose, have wenot--namely, to secure certain filthy lucre which, after all, would beof slight value to dead men? Now, as you, or some of you, know, I am aman opposed to violence; I wish to hurry the end of none, nor evento inflict suffering, if it can be avoided. But there
is money in thequestion, to secure which I have already gone through a great deal ofinconvenience and anxiety, and, to be brief, that money I must have,while you, on the other hand are doubtless anxious to escape hence withyour lives. So I make you an offer. Let one of our party come under safeconduct on board your boat and search it, just to see if anything liesbeneath those rushes for instance. Then, if it is found empty, we willwithdraw to a distance and let you go, or the same if full, that is,upon its contents being unladen into the mud."
"Are those all your terms?" asked Foy.
"Not quite all, worthy Heer van Goorl. Among you I observe a younggentleman whom doubtless you have managed to carry off against hiswill, to wit, my beloved son, Adrian. In his own interests, for he willscarcely be a welcome guest in Leyden, I ask that, before you depart,you should place this noble cavalier ashore in a position where we cansee him. Now, what is your answer?"
"That you may go back to hell to look for it," replied Martin rudely,while Foy added:
"What other answer do you expect from folk who have escaped out of yourclutches in Haarlem?"
As he said the words, at a nod from Martin, Martha, who by now had creptup to them, under cover of his great form and of surrounding reeds, letgo the stern of the boat and vanished.
"Plain words from plain, uncultivated people, not unnaturally irritatedby the course of political events with which, although Fortune has mixedme up in them, I have nothing whatever to do," answered Ramiro. "Butonce more I beg of you to consider. It is probable that you have no foodupon your boat, whereas we have plenty. Also, in due course, darknesswill fall, which must give us a certain advantage; moreover, I havereason to hope for assistance. Therefore, in a waiting game like thisthe cards are with me, and as I think your poor prisoner, Adrian, willtell you, I know how to play a hand at cards."
About eight yards from the cutter, in a thick patch of water-lilies,just at this moment an otter rose to take air--an old dog-otter, for itwas grey-headed. One of the Spaniards in the boat caught sight of thering it made, and picking up a stone from the ballast threw it at itidly. The otter vanished.
"We have been seeking each other a long while, but have never come toblows yet, although, being a brave man, I know you would wish it,"said Red Martin modestly. "Senor Ramiro, will you do me the honour tooverlook my humble birth and come ashore with me for a few minutes, managainst man. The odds would be in your favour, for you have armour and Ihave nothing but a worn bull's hide, also you have my good sword Silenceand I only a wood-man's axe. Still I will risk it, and, what is more,trusting to your good faith, we are willing to wager the treasure ofHendrik Brant upon the issue."
So soon as they understood this challenge a roar of laughter went upfrom the Spaniards in the boat, in which Ramiro himself joined heartily.The idea of anyone voluntarily entering upon a single combat with theterrible Frisian giant, who for months had been a name of fear among thethousands that beleaguered Haarlem, struck them as really ludicrous.
But of a sudden they ceased laughing, and one and all stared with astrange anxiety at the bottom of their boat, much as terrier dogs stareat the earth beneath which they hear invisible vermin on the move. Thena great shouting arose among them, and they looked eagerly over thegunwales; yes, and began to stab at the water with their swords. But allthe while through the tumult and voices came a steady, regular sound asof a person knocking heavily on the further side of a thick door.
"Mother of Heaven!" screamed someone in the cutter, "we are scuttled,"and they began to tear at the false bottom of their boat, while othersstabbed still more furiously at the surface of the Mere.
Now, rising one by one to the face of that quiet water, could be seenbubbles, and the line of them ran from the cutter towards the rowingboat. Presently, within six feet of it, axe in hand, rose the strangeand dreadful figure of a naked, skeleton-like woman covered with mud andgreen weeds, and bleeding from great wounds in the back and sides.
There it stood, shaking an axe at the terror-stricken Spaniards, andscreaming in short gasps,
"Paid back! paid back, Ramiro! Now sink and drown, you dog, or come,visit Red Martin on the shore."
"Well done, Martha," roared Martin, as he dragged her dying into theboat. While he spoke, lo! the cutter began to fill and sink.
"There is but one chance for it," cried Ramiro, "overboard and at them.It is not deep," and springing into the water, which reached to hisneck, he began to wade towards the shore.
"Push off," cried Foy, and they thrust and pulled. But the gold washeavy, and their boat had settled far into the mud. Do what they might,she would not stir. Then uttering some strange Frisian oath, Martinsprang over her stern, and putting out all his mighty strength thrustat it to loose her. Still she would not move. The Spaniards came up, nowthe water reached only to their thighs, and their bright swords flashedin the sunlight.
"Cut them down!" yelled Ramiro. "At them for your lives' sake."
The boat trembled, but she would not stir.
"Too heavy in the bows," screamed Martha, and struggling to her feet,with one wild scream she launched herself straight at the throat of thenearest Spaniard. She gripped him with her long arms, and down they wenttogether. Once they rose, then fell again, and through a cloud of mudmight be seen struggling upon the bottom of the Mere till presently theylay still, both of them.
The lightened boat lifted, and in answer to Martin's mighty effortsglided forward through the clinging mud. Again he thrust, and she wasclear.
"Climb in, Martin, climb in," shouted Foy as he stabbed at a Spaniard.
"By heaven! no," roared Ramiro splashing towards him with the face of adevil.
For a second Martin stood still. Then he bent, and the sword-cut fellharmless upon his leather jerkin. Now very suddenly his great arms shotout; yes, he seized Ramiro by the thighs and lifted, and there was seenthe sight of a man thrown into the air as though he were a ball tossedby a child at play, to fall headlong upon the casks of treasure in theskiff prow where he lay still.
Martin sprang forward and gripped the tiller with his outstretched handas it glided away from him.
"Row, master, row," he cried, and Foy rowed madly until they were clearof the last Spaniard, clear by ten yards. Even Elsa snatched a rollock,and with it struck a soldier on the hand who tried to stay them, forcinghim to loose his grip; a deed of valour she boasted of with pride allher life through. Then they dragged Martin into the boat.
"Now, you Spanish dogs," the great man roared back at them as he shookthe water from his flaming hair and beard, "go dig for Brant's treasureand live on ducks' eggs here till Don Frederic sends to fetch you."
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