None the less, I was a bit thoughtful. After all, the Mississippi
River, wide as it was, ran within certain well defined banks from
which was no escaping. We were three hundred miles or more from the
high seas, and passing between points of continuous telegraphic
communication; so that a hue and cry down the river might indeed mean
trouble for us. Moreover, even as I turned to pick up the course--for
I had myself taken the wheel--I saw the figure of Aunt Lucinda on the
after deck. She was on the point of heaving overboard a bottle--I
heard it splash, saw it bob astern. "Now, the devil will be to pay,"
thought I. But, on second thought, I slowed down, so that distinctly I
saw the officer, also slowing down, stoop over and take the bottle
aboard his launch.
"Ahoy, the launch!" I hailed. He put a hand at his ear as I megaphoned
him. "Take this message for Mr. Calvin Davidson," I hailed. He nodded
that he heard. "--That to-night John Doe will wear his waistcoat, the
one with the pink stripes. Do you get me?"
Apparently he did not get me, for he sat down suddenly and mopped his
face. We left him so. And for aught I could know, he took back ashore
material for a newspaper story, which bade fair to be better for the
newspapers than for us on board the Belle Helène; for, up and down
the river, the wires might carry the news that a crazy man had been
guilty of piracy, highway robbery, abduction, I know not how many
other crimes; and to arrest him on his mad career they might enlist
all the authorities, municipal, county, state and even national. "John
Doe," said I to myself, "if I really were you, methinks I should make
haste." None the less I smiled; for, if I were John Doe only, then
Calvin Davidson had no idea who had stolen his chartered yacht, and
who was about to disport in his most cherished waistcoat! The
situation pleased me very much. "L'Olonnois," said I, "come hither, my
hearty."
"Aye, aye, Sir," replied that worthy. "What is it, Black Bart?"
"Nothing, except I was just going to say that I enjoy it very much,
this being a pirate."
"So do I," said he. "An' let any pursue us at their peril!"