In the Name of the People

by Arthur W. Marchmont

Then I closed the porthole and covered it over, took off the shot-weighed shooting rig, and with my revolver ready at hand, I threw myself at full length on the bunk to cool and wait for the next act.

I was in darkness, of course, but by feeling the hands of my watch I found the time to be just nine o’clock. It would be dawn between four and five; and I had thus some seven or eight hours to wait before signalling to Burroughs on the Stella. I was now quite easy in mind about the issue, and as no one could enter the cabin without making noise enough to wake me, there was no reason why I should not go to sleep.

The yacht was under weigh almost as soon as I was placed in the cabin and, so far as I could gauge the speed, was making no more than from ten to twelve knots.

I was just dropping off to sleep when some one tried the door and was apparently very much astonished to find it fastened on my side. It must have seemed something like a conjuring trick for a “king” gagged and bound, as I was, to have accomplished such a feat.

I took no notice, of course. There was some whispered consultation followed by more knocking and more whispering, and then I was left at peace. They concluded, no doubt, that as they could force the door at any time, there was no use in doing so until we were near Oporto; and that if I preferred to remain gagged, instead of allowing them to release me, the “royal” prerogative entitled me to punish myself.

Anyhow, they went away and I went to sleep, and did not wake until the dawn was breaking. I had very little doubt that I passed a more comfortable night than any one else on the yacht.

I opened the porthole and shoving my head through was intensely pleased to see the Stella under easy steam about a mile astern. I waved a towel as a signal to the skipper to close up, and having edged it and left it fluttering, I looked carefully to see that my revolver was loaded, and sat down to speculate as to what form the crisis would take.

As the Stella could steam two knots to the Rampallo’s one, a few minutes after my signal was observed would bring matters to a head. But those minutes might bring trouble my way, of course.

The first sign of it was a hurried trampling of feet on the deck over my head, followed almost directly by a loud knocking at my cabin door and an angry demand for me to open it.

I let them knock and call as they pleased and then some one said that the door was to be broken in. But I did not wish that to be done and did wish to make delay, so I rapped back loudly with the butt of my revolver.