"Only once or twice a week, I believe, and it belongs to the
sanitarium." She nodded toward some buildings perched upon a point
farther around the bay. "Mr. Cortlandt looked it up before leaving and
found the boat doesn't run on Sundays, so he hired that launch. Perhaps
we'd better wait awhile; our men may come back."
They found seats in the square and were grateful for the rest; but an
hour passed and the sun was getting low, while no sign of their truant
craft appeared.
"There must be sail-boats to be had," said Kirk; but on inquiry they
learned that, although a few belonged to the island, they all happened
to be away. He suggested that they hire a man to row them across.
"It's twelve miles," Edith demurred. "Do you think it would be safe?"
He scanned the twilit sea and gave up the idea; for the afternoon
trades, balmy and soothing as they were, had lifted a swell that would
prove difficult for a skiff to navigate. Uneasily they settled
themselves for a further wait. At last, as the sun was dipping into a
bed of gold, Kirk broke out:
"Gee whiz! We've got to do SOMETHING. Mr. Cortlandt will be getting
worried."
"In all probability he won't know anything about it until too late to
come for us. He is dining with these people from Bocas, and may not get
back to the Tivoli before midnight."
"Nice fix we're in!" remarked Anthony. "I'd like to lay hands on that
captain."
"We may have to stay here all night!"
"Well, at least we have a haven of refuge. They'll take us in at the
hospital."
"I don't care to ask them. There's some one up there I don't wish to
see. That's why I didn't go near the place to-day."
"You know best, of course. But, see here, don't you think you'd better
go up there--"
"Not for worlds! We must find some other way." She began to pace back
and forth in the dusk. "How unfortunate it is!"
"Is it because--I'm with you?" questioned the young man, with an
effort. "Is that why you don't want to apply there?"
"No, no. Stephen's particular enemy is in charge up there. I detest the
man, and the feeling is mutual, I believe." She sighed, and her glance
fell. "We can't spend the night outdoors."
"Of course not, but--"
"What?"
He laughed to hide his embarrassment. "I'm wondering--what people will
say."
"Oh, you mustn't be troubled about that. It isn't your fault, you know,
anyhow. Besides, people won't say anything because they won't know
anything about it--if we stay away from that sanitarium."
In the effort to put him at his ease, her own distress seemed to
vanish, and Kirk immediately felt more cheerful.
"It's getting along toward dinner-time," he said, "so let's see what we
can find in the way of food. You can be sheltered in one of these
houses, I suppose, though from the looks I'd almost prefer the night
air."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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