The lights of a town showed ahead, scattered and dim, with a few standing apart that marked the pier. We ran in gently, slowing the engine. No one was to be seen as we crept alongside the pier, looking for the steps at its side. The launch scraped them presently, and Mr. Hull steadied her and sprang ashore, while I handed up his possessions.
“Thanks,” he said, in a low voice. “Good night.”
“Good night—and good luck!” I had to say that, because I was representing Mrs. McNab. But I fear that, so long as he got clear of Australia, I did not care in the least whatever might happen to Mrs. McNab’s brother. I only hoped fervently that we might never see him again. It is years ago now, but he still gives me unpleasant dreams.
We headed for home joyfully, dodging anchored fishing-boats until we were out in the open and could go full speed ahead. Nothing mattered to us now: we had dropped our dangerous cargo, and not one of us cared who heard our engine as Jack opened the throttle and the launch shot over the oily sea. Judy was the first to speak.
“I did want to see his face, so’s I could make him into a real hero,” she said regretfully. “You can’t make a hero very well out of a mackintosh and a felt hat!”
“I don’t see why you can’t,” I told her, laughing. “It makes it all the more beautifully mysterious, like the Man in the Iron Mask. But you are to wash him out of your memory as soon as you can, and only remember that the Band had a gorgeous and exciting midnight voyage. As a matter of fact, this isn’t a motor-launch at all: it’s the Golden Hind, and I’m Drake, and you are my faithful captains!”
“And there’s a Spaniard ahead!” quoth Jack ferociously. “Up, Guards, and at ’em!”
A hot puff of wind went by; and a dash of spray fell on board. I glanced round, to see a dark line of clouds across the sky.
“There may or may not be Spaniards ahead, but there’s rain and wind behind,” I said. “Get all you can out of her, Jack—I don’t want to take you two home like drowned rats.”
“P’f!” Judy ejaculated. “What’s rain to us jolly mariners!”