“So it seems. Ladies not hurt, I hope? Well, you have made a good fight of it. Sorry to be obliged to put you and your survivors under arrest—Admiral’s orders. Is Prince Theophanis here? No? The old man will be disgusted—hoped to get you all out of mischief at one blow. Well, better toddle back to the boat with what we have got, for our Roumi friends are not exactly charmed by our interference.”
“Send the ladies on in front,” said Wylie. “We must look after our poor fellows, you know.”
Was the man frightened? wondered Lieutenant Cotway. His teeth chattered and his face was white, and he leaned against the rock as though he could scarcely stand. “Collapse, possibly,” the sailor said to himself, and turned to offer his hand to help Eirene to rise. “Sorry to meet you again in such circumstances, ma’am. Afraid you’ve had a bad time? But once we get you on board it’ll be better. I’m going to send you on ahead with Mr Suter while we rig up some sort of contrivance for the wounded. Is that my young friend Con you have there? Don’t wonder you are tired if you have been carrying him all the way from the monastery. This man will take him for you.”
The big sailor he indicated handed his rifle to a comrade and held out his arms, but Eirene only clasped her boy closer. There was a furtive, almost suspicious, look in her eyes. “No, no,” she said breathlessly, “I will carry him. I am not tired. No one shall take him from me.”
“Of course not,” said Mr Cotway soothingly. “I thought it might be a relief to you, that’s all. You persuade your sister to rest if you get a chance,” he added to Zoe. “One can see she’s had a pretty hard time.”
“Yes, yes,” said Zoe. “Oh, tell me,” she said anxiously, lowering her voice,—the tall lieutenant was standing between her and the rest,—“you are going to bring Colonel Wylie on board? You are not going to—to shoot him?”
The sailor repressed a laugh with difficulty. “Don’t be afraid, there’s no deception,” he assured her. “‘We are here for all your goods,’ don’t you know?”
“But Maurice—my brother—can you save him?”
“Can’t tell till I hear more about it. But the sooner you get on board and pour everything into the sympathetic ears of Point Seven, the better. He has been like a bear dancing on a hot plate the last few days. He’ll strain the resources of the Concert to breaking-point if there’s anything he can do. Got your ten men, Mr Suter?”
The ten men were waiting, and Mr Suter, proud of his independent command, led them off in fine style. As soon as they and their charges had passed over the edge of the plateau, Lieutenant Cotway turned to Wylie.