Chapter XI

Nanette and I sat quiet. The figure of Josefa had disappeared from the corridor. Turber had gone out hastily with a command to Nanette and me.

“Don’t move. Stay in your chairs.”

We were alone in the control room, except for the Indian, Bluntnose. He had ignored us throughout the trip, but he was not ignoring us now. Hestoodafew feet away, likeastatue in the gloom, watching us closely. A tomahawk hung at his belt; a modern automatic revolver was in his hand. The ship, inside and out, was in confusion. The tramp of feet, a babble of voices. Through the windows I could see a dark forest glade with the yellow light of a campfire nearby. And the glint of a starlit river, with a shadowy cove quite near us.

I whispered: “The Indian is watching us, Nanette—we mustn’t move.”

Turber presently came in. A short sword was strapped to his belt; and a revolver in a holster.

“Good news,” he said. “It’s coming! They’re bringing it by water from up the river.”

The Indian grunted.

“It will take several hours, Bluntnose. But the first of it is almost here—a canoe is in sight.”

He was jubilant. He dashed away, but I called to him.

“Dr. Turber.”

He came back.

“Let us go out and see it,” I said. “What is it? Your treasure?”

“I’d like to go out,” Nanette said. I could feel her fingers tighten on my arm.

“Yes.” He hesitated. “Nanette—if only you could see this added wealth coming to us now!”

Turber spoke to Bluntnose. The fellow Jonas appeared in the corridor. He called excitedly: “The first canoe is very nearly landing, Wolf Turber. There’s another in sight. Are you coming?”

Turber hastened away. I urged the Indian: “Let us go out and see it.”

“Come, then.” He shoved us before him, down the corridor to the main side doorway. I did not see Josefa.

“Careful, Nanette.” I helped her down the small ladder. Blunt-nose was very watchful. He said:

“Sit over there. Don’t move.”

He sat us by the bole of a great tree some twenty feet from the vehicle. In the glow of the firelight I saw the dark shadowy forms of Indians moving about. A group of them were waiting down by the shore. A fat Dutchman was with them, round as a barrel in his leather jerkin and pantaloons. He jabbered excitedly in English.

“Did I not tell you, Wolf Turber? I’ve done it—such a treasure. Come here, vrouw!” His wife stood beside a tree. “This is the great Turber, woman. Do we go with you now, Wolf Turber?”

“Yes.”

“Glad I am to get out of here. The blow-hard Stuyvesant meets his match tomorrow. Did you know that?

The English are coming.”

“Yes,” said Turber. He turned toward the shore. The Dutchman followed him. “Our boatis here. Unload your things, woman. Carry them out—get them in this airship. We’re going to a better world, good wife.”

His voice was lost as they moved away.

Nanette sat beside me, silent, motionless. But I knew that she was alert—waiting for what I might command her to do.

I whispered: “Not yet. The Indian is here, close. I don’t see Josefa. But I’m watching for a chance to get away.”

The pressure of her hand answered me. Brave little Nanette!

The Indian seemed never to take his eyes from us. The automatic was ready in his hand; I could not have made a move.

Where was Josefa? If she could distract this Indian even for a moment—

Five minutes passed. Ten minutes. My mind strayed to Alan. Was he dead? In reality, Alan and the tower were at this instant materializing in the forest no more than a mile away. Out in the river a long Indian war canoe appeared. It was heading for the cove. Its paddles gleamed rhythmically in the starlight. It landed. I saw that it was piled with moldy chests. The Indians began carrying them to the ship. The Dutchman and his wife struggled back and forth with their household effects.

Turber and Jonas were giving commands. Then I saw Josefa! She was down by the shore. She spoke to Turber. I saw him reach into a broken chest and haul forth a huge jeweled bangle. He tossed it to her and moved away.

She came toward us. I did not move. She stood by Bluntnose.

“Look what the Wolf gave me. What jewels we have now. This pleased me more than all Turber’s platinum and golden wealth.”

She was standing in front of Bluntnose, blocking his sight of us. He pushed her away. I cursed myself. Hadmy chance come and gone? But it had only been an instant. He would have shot at Nanette and me before we had gone ten feet.

I caught the woman’s significant glance. She was tryingto make my opportunity. Nanette felt me stir. Nanette knew that the moment had almost come.

Josefa said: “Turber wants you, Bluntnose—there is a chest that fell in the water. These fool Indians—not Mohicans like you, are they, Bluntnose? Not one of them will dive, even for jewels.”

The Indian hesitated. Turber fortunately was not within sight. There was an Indian wading in the shallows of the shore.

“These captives—”

“He told me to watch them. Dios! If I could not shoot better than you! Give me that ugly thing.”

She took the automatic; took it gently from him. Her face was upraised; her smiling lips were mocking, alluring.

He yielded the weapon; and suddenly leaned down and kissed her with a rough caress.

“You bad Indian! Never let Wolf Turber see you do that! Go now—show him you fear no river when it has jewels in it. I’ll keep the prisoners safe.”

She covered us with the automatic; she stood ten feet away. “Hurry back, Bluntnose.”

He went. She stood tense. She met my glance, but did not answer it. Her gaze roved the nearby glade. There was a moment when no one nearby was observing us. She gestured with the automatic.

“Go! Run south toward the village. I’ll fire presently—and I’ll tell them you went north. Run fast!”

“Nanette—run!” I lifted her up; held her hand; we slid into the underbrush and ran.