Born to Wander Part 8

"Oh, sir!" said Effie, with round wondering eyes.

"Don't be afraid, little Red Riding-Hood. I'm not going to eat you, and you won't be hurt, and in good time I trust you will be landed once again at your father's house. Now keep your minds easy. There is a room in there with plenty of skins and plaids, and a lamp burning, where you can sleep soundly and safely till morning."

"Pray, sir, what about Don and our caravan?"

"I'm going to send one of our brave and gallant fellows back with it to your father's house."

"Oh! tell him to haste then, and to be so good to Don," Effie implored.

"There, there, my little maiden, go to bed, and all will be right."

The apartment into which this robber captain showed them was well removed from the larger cave. The pa.s.sage that led to it was so concealed by a door, painted and fas.h.i.+oned so as to resemble the rocks, that no one could have guessed at its existence.

Having bade them good-night, and wished them sound repose and pleasant dreams, Captain Bland left them, and they now began to gaze around them and wonder. Although lofty, it was by no means a very large apartment, but it was furnished in a style of luxuriance that quite astonished our little wanderers. The walls were draped all round with tapestry, the floor covered with thick soft carpets; there were chairs and couches, and a library of books, near which stood a harp, while the light from coloured lamps diffused a soft radiance around. Nor had creature comforts been forgotten, for here, on a little sideboard, stood a joint of meat, a game pasty, and cruets of wine.

"You heard what the robber captain said, didn't you, Effie? We are quite safe, and I'm hungry. Sit in, Eff, and have some supper. This pasty tastes splendid."

For a time, however, Effie could not be prevailed upon to eat, but she finally relented so far as to taste a tiny morsel. Then, as eating only wants a beginning, she allowed Leonard to help her freely.

In about half an hour the door of the apartment was opened after a knock, the curtain that hid it was drawn aside, and Captain Bland himself came in.

"Ha!" he said, "I'm glad to see you enjoying yourselves. I'm going away."

Effie's face fell, and he noticed it.

"Not for long, my little Red Riding-Hood," he said, kindly. "I'll be back early in the morning. I only came to tell you that if you want anything, you are to go to the door at the other end of the pa.s.sage, and knock. Don't be afraid. You are quite safe. Good-night, again."

"Leonard," said Effie, "that is a good robber, and I'm sorry he has gone. He puts me in mind of the story of the good robber in the Babes in the Wood. I hope there isn't a bad robber, though, who will want to kill us."

"We must say our prayers, Eff, and never fear."

"I wish though, Leonie, that we had not come away so far from home gipsying. Poor papa and mamma--what will they think?"

About two hours afterwards, when both were sound asleep, they were suddenly awakened by a noise in the room. They started from their couches and looked about, Effie terribly frightened, and Leonard just a little. It was a stone dropped from the roof, and there it lay.

"Hist!" cried a voice from above, in a loud whisper, "are you asleep?"

"No," from Leonard. "Who is it, and where are you?"

"Don't be afraid; it's only Zella, the little gipsy la.s.s you saw in the woods when her granny was dying. I am up here outside on the hill, talking down to you through a little hole."

"Can you take us away out of this place?" asked Leonard.

"No, no, no. I could not even come to you, and if they found me here they would kill me."

"Well, why did you come?"

"To help you, if possible."

"What can you do?"

"I can take your donkey and cart, and drive away to your home--I know where it is--and get a.s.sistance."

"But they are going to take us away in a s.h.i.+p."

"Well, you are safe, so far, only don't say I came."

"Oh no!" said Leonard. "We are so thankful. Take poor Don, and hurry away. He will be safe with you."

"Yes, and I'll be so good to him."

"Good-night."

"Good-night."

The strangest part, reader, about this little interview, if so it could be called, was that Ossian had never even barked or growled, but lay looking very wise and wagging his long tail.

"I'm sure," said Effie, "she is a good girl, else Ossian would have been angry."

They slept again more soundly now, and it was far into the next day before they awoke. Perhaps they would not have wakened even then, had not a knocking at the door aroused them.

"Are you all alive, little ones? Breakfast is waiting."

It was Captain Bland's voice.

"Yes, thank you," cried Leonard; "we'll soon come out."

Having finished their toilets, with all speed they hastened to the large cave.

"My men have all gone--only myself here," said the robber chief, as Effie called him. "Now, dears, eat heartily; you have a long journey before you. By-the-bye, your donkey wandered away somewhere by himself last night. Very likely some farmer has found him. But my men have been sent to look everywhere about, and it is sure to be all right."

The journey was indeed a long one, for it was nearly evening before they arrived at a little village near the sea. The captain took them into an inn there, and they had an excellent supper, the smuggler chief telling them stories that made them laugh.

"I suppose," said Leonard, quite bravely, "there is not much chance of our escaping?"

"Not much," said Captain Bland, laughing. "You're going to kidnap us, aren't you?"

"Well, I daresay that is just the word, young sir. And now, if you're finished, we'll march; the boat is waiting."

Once on board the lugger, sail was set immediately, with neither noise nor shouting, and away southward through the darkness, with the stars overhead and the black waves all around, went the smuggler's lugger _Sea-horse_.

Book 1--CHAPTER SEVEN.

LIFE IN THE LIGHTHOUSE.

"The winds and the waves of ocean, Had they a merry time?

Didst thou hear from those lofty chambers The harp and the minstrel's rhyme?

"The winds and the waves of ocean, They rested quietly; But I heard on the gale a sound of wail, And tears came to mine eye."