in search of the castaways-第7章

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〃　exclaimed　little　Robert；　〃I'll　go　and　speak　to　those　people　myself；　and　we'll　see　if　they〃　He　did　not　complete　his　sentence；　for　his　sister　stopped　him；　but　his　clenched　fists　showed　his　intentions　were　the　reverse　of　pacific。　〃No；　Robert；〃　said　Mary　Grant；　〃we　will　thank　this　noble　lord　and　lady　for　what　they　have　done　for　us；　and　never　cease　to　think　of　them　with　gratitude；　and　then　we'll　both　go　together。〃　〃Mary！〃　said　Lady　Helena；　in　a　tone　of　surprise。　〃Go　where？〃　asked　Lord　Glenarvan。　〃I　am　going　to　throw　myself　at　the　Queen's　feet；　and　we　shall　see　if　she　will　turn　a　deaf　ear　to　the　prayers　of　two　children；　who　implore　their　father's　life。〃　Lord　Glenarvan　shook　his　head；　not　that　he　doubted　the　kind　heart　of　her　Majesty；　but　he　knew　Mary　would　never　gain　access　to　her。　Suppliants　but　too　rarely　reach　the　steps　of　a　throne；　it　seems　as　if　royal　palaces　had　the　same　inscription　on　their　doors　that　the　English　have　on　their　ships：　_Passengers　are　requested　not　to　speak　to　the　man　at　the　wheel_。　Lady　Glenarvan　understood　what　was　passing　in　her　husband's　mind；　and　she　felt　the　young　girl's　attempt　would　be　useless；　and　only　plunge　the　poor　children　in　deeper　despair。　　Suddenly；　a　grand；　generous　purpose　fired　her　soul；　and　she　called　out：　〃Mary　Grant！　wait；　my　child；　and　listen　to　what　I'm　going　to　say。〃　Mary　had　just　taken　her　brother　by　the　hand；　and　turned　to　go　away；　but　she　stepped　back　at　Lady　Helena's　bidding。　The　young　wife　went　up　to　her　husband；　and　said；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　though　her　voice　was　firm；　and　her　face　beamed　with　animation：　〃Edward；　when　Captain　Grant　wrote　that　letter　and　threw　it　into　the　sea；　he　committed　it　to　the　care　of　God。　　God　has　sent　it　to　usto　us！　Undoubtedly　God　intends　us　to　undertake　the　rescue　of　these　poor　men。〃　〃What　do　you　mean；　Helena？〃　〃I　mean　this；　that　we　ought　to　think　ourselves　fortunate　if　we　can　begin　our　married　life　with　a　good　action。　　Well；　you　know；　Edward；　that　to　please　me　you　planned　a　pleasure　trip；　but　what　could　give　us　such　genuine　pleasure；　or　be　so　useful；　as　to　save　those　unfortunate　fellows；　cast　off　by　their　country？〃　〃Helena！〃　exclaimed　Lord　Glenarvan。　〃Yes；　Edward；　you　understand　me。　　The　DUNCAN　is　a　good　strong　ship；　she　can　venture　in　the　Southern　Seas；　or　go　round　the　world　if　necessary。　Let　us　go；　Edward；　let　us　start　off　and　search　for　Captain　Grant！〃　Lord　Glenarvan　made　no　reply　to　this　bold　proposition；　but　smiled；　and；　holding　out　his　arms；　drew　his　wife　into　a　close；　fond　embrace。　Mary　and　Robert　seized　her　hands；　and　covered　them　with　kisses；　and　the　servants　who　thronged　the　courtyard；　and　had　been　witnesses　of　this　touching　scene；　shouted　with　one　voice；　〃Hurrah　for　the　Lady　of　Luss。　　Three　cheers　for　Lord　and　Lady　Glenarvan！〃

CHAPTER　V　THE　DEPARTURE　OF　THE　〃DUNCAN〃

WE　have　said　already　that　Lady　Helena　was　a　brave；　generous　woman；　and　what　she　had　just　done　proved　it　in…disputably。　Her　husband　had　good　reason　to　be　proud　of　such　a　wife；　one　who　could　understand　and　enter　into　all　his　views。　　The　idea　of　going　to　Captain　Grant's　rescue　had　occurred　to　him　in　London　when　his　request　was　refused；　and　he　would　have　anticipated　Lady　Helena；　only　he　could　not　bear　the　thought　of　parting　from　her。　But　now　that　she　herself　proposed　to　go；　all　hesitation　was　at　an　end。　The　servants　of　the　Castle　had　hailed　the　project　with　loud　acclamations　for　it　was　to　save　their　brothersScotchmen；　like　themselves　and　Lord　Glenarvan　cordially　joined　his　cheers　with　theirs；　for　the　Lady　of　Luss。　The　departure　once　resolved　upon；　there　was　not　an　hour　to　be　lost。　A　telegram　was　dispatched　to　John　Mangles　the　very　same　day；　conveying　Lord　Glenarvan's　orders　to　take　the　DUNCAN　immediately　to　Glasgow；　and　to　make　preparations　for　a　voyage　to　the　Southern　Seas；　and　possibly　round　the　world；　for　Lady　Helena　was　right　in　her　opinion　that　the　yacht　might　safely　attempt　the　circumnavigation　of　the　globe；　if　necessary。　The　DUNCAN　was　a　steam　yacht　of　the　finest　description。　She　was　210　tons　burdenmuch　larger　than　any　of　the　first　vessels　that　touched　the　shores　of　the　New　World；　for　the　largest　of　the　four　ships　that　sailed　with　Columbus　was　only　70　tons。　She　had　two　masts　and　all　the　sails　and　rigging　of　an　ordinary　clipper；　which　would　enable　her　to　take　advantage　of　every　favorable　wind；　though　her　chief　reliance　was　on　her　mechanical　power。　　The　engine；　which　was　constructed　on　a　new　system；　was　a　high…pressure　one；　of　160…horse　power；　and　put　in　motion　a　double　screw。　This　gave　the　yacht　such　swiftness　that　during　her　trial　trip　in　the　Firth　of　Clyde；　she　made　seventeen　miles　an　hour；　a　higher　speed　than　any　vessel　had　yet　attained。　No　alterations　were　consequently　needed　in　the　DUNCAN　herself；　John　Mangles　had　only　to　attend　to　her　interior　arrangements。　His　first　care　was　to　enlarge　the　bunkers　to　carry　as　much　coal　as　possible；　for　it　is　difficult　to　get　fresh　supplies　_en　route_。　He　had　to　do　the　same　with　the　store…rooms；　and　managed　so　well　that　he　succeeded　in　laying　in　provisions　enough　for　two　years。　There　was　abundance　of　money　at　his　command；　and　enough　remained　to　buy　a　cannon；　on　a　pivot　carriage；　which　he　mounted　on　the　forecastle。　There　was　no　knowing　what　might　happen；　and　it　is　always　well　to　be　able　to　send　a　good　round　bullet　flying　four　miles　off。　John　Mangles　understood　his　business。　　Though　he　was　only　the　captain　of　a　pleasure　yacht；　he　was　one　of　the　best　skippers　in　Glasgow。　　He　was　thirty　years　of　age；　and　his　countenance　expressed　both　courage　and　goodness；　if　the　features　were　somewhat　coarse。　He　had　been　brought　up　at　the　castle　by　the　Glenarvan　family；　and　had　turned　out　a　capital　sailor；　having　already　given　proof；　in　some　of　his　long　voyages；　of　his　skill　and　energy　and　_sang…froid_。　When　Lord　Glenarvan　offered　him　the　command　of　the　DUNCAN；　he　accepted　it　with　right　good　will；　for　he　loved　the　master　of　Malcolm　Castle；　like　a　brother；　and　had　hitherto　vainly　sought　some　opportunity　of　showing　his　devotion。　Tom　Austin；　the　mate；　was　an　old　sailor；　worthy　of　all　confidence。　The　crew；　consisting　of　twenty…five　men；　including　the　captain　and　chief　officer；　were　all　from　Dumbartonshire；　experienced　sailors；　and　all　belonging　to　the　Glenarvan　estate；　in　fact；　it　was　a　regular　clan；　and　they　did　not　forget　to　carry　with　them　the　traditional　bagpipes。　Lord　Glenarvan　had　in　them　a　band　of　trusty　fellows；　skilled　in　their　calling；　devoted　to　himself；　full　of　courage；　and　as　practiced　in　handling　fire…arms　as　in　the　maneuvering　of　a　ship；　a　valiant　little　troop；　ready　to　follow　him　any　where；　even　in　the　most　dangerous　expeditions。　When　the　crew　heard　whither　they　were　bound；　they　could　not　restrain　their　enthusiasm；　and　the　rocks　of　Dumbarton　rang　again　with　their　joyous　outbursts　of　cheers。　But　while　John　Mangles　made　the　stowage　and　provisioning　of　the　yacht　his　chief　business；　he　did　not　forget　to　fit　up　the　rooms　of　Lord　and　Lady　Glenarvan　for　a　long　voyage。　He　had　also　to　get　cabins　ready　for　the　children　of　Captain　Grant；　as　Lady　Helena　could　not　refuse　Mary's　request　to　accompany　her。　As　for　young　Robert；　he　would　have　smuggled　himself　in　somewhere　in　the　hold　of　the　DUNCAN　rather　than　be　left　behind。　　He　would　willingly　have　gone　as　c