He did let her go, smoothly and brilliantly, so that before long she
was at her top speed, around fifteen knots an hour. I was familiar
with every detail of the Belle Helène, and now I looked in both the
generating plant and the storage batteries, so that four thousand
candle-power of electric light blazed over her from bow to fantail.
The steady purr of the Belle Helène's double sixties--engines I had
had made under my own care--came to me with a soothing rhythm where I
stood near by the wheel. Her search-light made a vast illumination far
ahead. Brilliant enough must have seemed the passing spectacle of our
stanch little ship to any observer, as we now swept on down the tawny
flood of the great river. Who would deny me the feeling of exultation
which came to me? Was I not captor and captain of my own ship?
I turned to meet L'Olonnois, my blue-eyed pirate. He stood at my side
as one glorified. The full swing of romance had him, the full illusion
of this,--imagination's most ardent desire--now gripped him fully. He
was no boy, but a human being possessed of all his dreams. His second
self, once oppressed, now free, stood before me wholly satisfied. I
needed not to ask whether he had been faithful to his trust.
"I locked the door on 'em, Black Bart," said he, "and bade them cease
a idle remonstrancing. 'Little do you know,' say I to them, 'that
Black Bart the Avenger is now on the trail. Let any oppose him at
their peril,' says I to them. She give me candy, the fair captive did,
but I spurned her bribe. 'Beware,' says I to her. 'Little do you know
what lies before you.'"