I scarce know how the time passed, until at last I saw them, in the
illumination of the deck lights, at length come on deck again. They
stood looking out over the river, or toward the lights of
Natchez-under-the-Hill, and at length idly walked aft once more. The
two ladies seated themselves on deck chairs under the awning of the
rear deck. I could not see them now, but heard the tinkle and throb of
a guitar come across the water, touched lightly with long pauses, as
under some suspended melody not yet offered in fulness. Now and again
I could hear a word or so, the rather deep voice of Aunt Lucinda, the
bass tones of Davidson, but strain my ears as I might, I could not
hear the sound of that other voice, low and sweet, an excellent thing
in woman.
At length the little party seemed to be breaking up. I saw Davidson,
half in shadow, outlined by the deck lights as he rose, and passed
forward. Then I heard the falls run, and a soft splash as the dingey
was launched overside. Cal Davidson was going ashore. He could no
longer resist his anxiety over the baseball score! A moment later I
heard the dip of the oars. Some one turned on the search-light, so
that a wide shaft of light swung along the foot of Natchez Hill,
toward which the dingey was headed. The shadows on the deck of the
Belle Helène seemed darker now, by contrast, but I believed that
Williams, the engineer, now had left the rail on which he was leaning
over his folded arms.
I turned now to my wondering companions, who, seeing me so much
interested, had remained for a long time practically silent. Fall now,
curtain of romance, for we be but three pirates here! Up anchor, then,
and back across the stream toward our quarry quickly, my bold mates,
for now there lies at hand a dangerous work of the boarding party!
Thus I might have spoken aloud; for, at least, I hardly needed to do
more than motion to Jean Lafitte, and as we resumed our softly
chugging progress, having broken out our shallow anchorage, he steered
the boat to the motion of my hand. We passed close alongside the
Belle Helène and I examined her keenly as we did so. Then,
apparently unnoticed, we dropped down-stream a bit, and found another
anchorage.
"Clear away the long boat for the boarding party," I now whispered
hoarsely. I spoke to companions now in full character. Belted and
armed, Lafitte and L'Olonnois rose ready for any bold emprise, each
with red kerchief pulled about his brow. And now, to my interest, I
observed that each had resumed the black mask which they had worn
earlier in our long voyage, sign of the desperate character of each
wearer.