Rescue at the Last Moment. 347 long breath; and then, after once or twice stretching himself, and feeling his chest and ribs, declare that he wasn't a pin the worse, and would be ready for his dinner, as soon as ever Kobo could supply him with any! CHAPTER XXIV. THE LONG-EXPECTED ARRIVAL- CAPTAIN WILMORE'S CHURCH. T was not until quite late on the morning after the departure of the boys, that the fact became known to De Walden and Ernest. It chanced to be the day appointed by the missionary for the baptism of two of his adult converts, for whom Ernest and Ella were to act as sponsors. In the interest of the occasion, the absence of the two boys was not noticed; and it was not until after the conclusion of the rite, that Ernest, happening to enter Frank's sleeping room, to ask some casual question of him, saw the note left on the table. As soon as he had read it, he repaired to his friend's apartment, and the two held an anxious consultation as to the course which, under the circumstances, it would be most expedient for them to pursue. De Walden knew-what none of the three lads could surmise-how great was the danger incurred by the truants, and how slender the hope of their The Long-expected Arrival. 349 succeeding in carrying out their projected scheme. They must be pursued, and overtaken, and warned of their peril, whatever might be the risk or fatigue incurred by so doing. If, after such warning, they persisted in their rash enterprise, they could not, of course, be prevented from pursuing it; but the blame would then rest wholly with themselves. They were still engaged in arranging their plans for immediate pursuit, when Ella entered the room where they were seated, with tidings which were even more unexpected than those they had that morning received. "My father," she said-so she always addressed De Walden-" the visitors you and Ernest have been so long expecting, have arrived, and are now with my mother. Will you come and see them?” "The visitors, Ella!" exclaimed Warley, starting up. "Whom can you mean?—not Lavie surely— "Yes, he is one," returned Ella, "and there is a captain, an English captain. He is Frank's father or uncle——" "Captain Wilmore!" cried Warley. in with Frank ?" "Has he fallen "No, we have told him that he and Gilbert have gone off by themselves, and that they cannot be very far off, and he means to go in search of them, I believe. But he wants to see you first." De Walden and Ernest hastened to the Queen's apartment, and were soon exchanging a cordial grasp of the hand with the new-comers. "God be praised for this!" said the missionary. "You cannot think how anxious I have been about you, Charles, though I did not tell the lads so. Unwilling as I was to leave this place, I had fully resolved that if the present month should pass without tidings of you, I would set off with them for Cape Town. I wish now I had told them of my intention; it would no doubt have prevented this foolish escapade of theirs. I knew I could trust Ernest to remain quiet, and I thought I could trust the others." "You must not blame them, sir," said Warley. “I have no doubt they had the same idea which I have entertained myself, though I thought it best to say nothing about it, that treacherous orders had been given to your guide to prevent your ever reaching Cape Town." "I cannot wonder that either you or they thought that," said De Walden, "after Chuma's treatment of us.” "But," resumed Warley, "if I was doubtful about Charles's safety, I was much more despondent about Captain Wilmore. I had little hope, I confess, of ever seeing him again." "And you would have had less hope still, my lad," said Captain Wilmore, "if you had known what befell us when we left the Hooghly." "You must hear the whole history from his own lips," said Lavie; "but not just now. We have a good deal to do this morning that must be attended to." "I dare say the captain will relate it after supper," said De Walden. "Now come and hear the report of the scouts." That evening, accordingly, when the repast in the Queen's apartments was concluded, Captain Wilmore Captain Wilmore's Narrative. 351 was called upon for the particulars of his adventures, which he was no way unwilling to relate. "You two will remember," he began, "the gale soon after we left the Cape de Verdes. The foreigners I had taken on board showed themselves much smarter hands than I had expected, and worked double tides all the afternoon. I didn't suspect their motive for showing so much zeal, which was no doubt to remove any suspicions I might have entertained, and make me relax my watch over them. It quite succeeded. I turned in about sundown thoroughly knocked up, but well satisfied with the behaviour of the ship's company, and intending to have a long sleep. A very long sleep it was nearly being" "Did they intend to murder you, sir, do you think? asked Warley. "I do not think about it," returned the captain. "I am sure of it. Half a dozen of them, with their knives drawn, and accompanied by those villains Duncan and O'Hara, were stealing down the companion to my cabin when they were challenged by old Jennings, who gave the alarm, and the pirates were obliged to make the attack openly. They cut the poor old man down, but he saved all our lives nevertheless. I have heard what became of him from Lavie, and it grieves me much to think that I shall never have an opportunity in this world of thanking the good old man for his bravery and self-devotion; but he will not miss his reward." The captain's voice was husky, and no one spoke for a minute or two; then Warley broke the silence. |