Nightbirds on Nantucket Read online

  "No," Dido said. "I ain't told her. Young Pen's not much on play-acting; she'd give the whole game away."

  "Oh, well, I'll be along in the morning early, before the doc gets here. 'Night!" Nate jumped onto his pony, which he had left tethered in the yard, and kicked it into a canter.

  "Goodnight," Dido called. She turned back into the dairy to get a pat of butter for supper—and stood still, petrified with horror. Aunt Tribulation was there, standing in the shadows behind the oil lamp. The upward-slanting light gave her face a most sinister expression.

  "Oh!" Dido stammered. "I d-didn't know—that is, I th-thought you was asleep in the parlor."

  "I was asleep," Aunt Tribulation said menacingly. "But I have woken up now, as you see. And I have overheard the most curious conversation!"

  As Dido still gazed at her, frozen with indecision—how much had she heard, would there be time to shout after Nate and warn him?—Aunt Tribulation turned her head sharply and said, "Ebbo, deal with this one. And make no mistake about it—deal with her for good!"

  A black bag came down over Dido's head, smothering her.

  9

  Kidnapped. Captain Casket is taken for a walk.

  Pen meets the doctor. The pink whale meets her friend.

  Breakfast on the beach.

  Dido struggled furiously inside the sack, but somebody tied her hands in front of her, so she was helpless. When she tried to run, the long sack, which came down to her ankles, tripped her; she fell to the ground and lay there winded and gasping.

  Low voices were speaking nearby. She heard Aunt Tribulation: "Did you get the boy too, Brother?"

  The answer was a grunt which could have been yes or no.

  "That miserable little Breadno has been blabbing," Aunt Tribulation went on. "You can never trust scientists or foreigners, curse them! They've no sense. I always said it was a mistake to employ him."

  "My dear, it was essential," Mr. Slighcarp's voice remonstrated. "He is the greatest European expert on guns. Without him we could never have made the necessary calculations."

  "Greatest European expert he may be," Aunt Tribulation snapped, "but in all other ways the man's a plain fool, whatever heathen country he comes from. We should have kept a closer watch on him. Luckily, it's only got as far as the children; they were to have told Mayhew tomorrow. That has been stopped in time. But Breadno is too big a risk; he'll have to be dealt with too. Has he finished his final calculations?"

  "He's just sighting the gun now, and calculating the charge, back at the hut," Mr. Slighcarp's voice said. "We'll make him work right through the night; it shouldn't take him more than another three or four hours. But, Sister, are you sure we shall be able to fire the gun without him?"

  "Of course we shall, ninnyhammer," she said impatiently. "Anybody can let off a gun, once it is aimed and the amount of charge is calculated. He'll be no loss. In any case, I was planning to leave him behind on the island after the gun was fired; there'd have been little sense in risking our necks returning to pick him up. I'll fire it now, if you like; only mind you pick me up."

  "Very well." He sounded relieved at this suggestion. "The rest of us will go on board Dark Diamond as soon as the gun is loaded, and stand off round Cape Cod in case of tidal waves. Then we'll come back afterward to pick you up, wherever you've got to. What shall we do with the prisoners, take them on the ship too?"

  "Has she been sighted yet?"

  "No, I can't think what delays her," he said vexedly.

  "Storms, perhaps. In any case," said the false Aunt Tribulation, "there'd be no point in taking the prisoners on board. We don't want to keep them; we want to get rid of them. Tie a rock to their feet and drop them over Sankaty Cliff when the tide is high."

  Dido's hair stood on end when she heard this cold-blooded order. She struggled fiercely but in vain.

  "Supposing the professor doesn't finish his sums till tomorrow morning? We can hardly toss them over the cliff in broad daylight. There might be people about watching for the whale."

  "Shut them in the lighthouse till dark, then," she said impatiently. "The lighthouse keeper goes off at dawn, and you know where he keeps the key."

  "Under a rock—yes, that would answer," he said, considering. "What about the third child—Casket's daughter—"

  Dido held her breath.

  "I heard the other girl say she knows nothing." Dido breathed again, remembering how she had told Nate in the dairy that Pen was unaware of Aunt Tribulation's real identity. Evidently, Aunt Tribulation had taken this to mean that Pen knew nothing about the plot at all. Lucky for Pen, Dido thought.

  "She had better be left here," Aunt Tribulation went on. "Doctor Mayhew, when he returns, would think it strange if she were not in attendance on her father."

  "On you, you mean," Mr. Slighcarp said sourly. "Oh, yes, it's very nice for you up here, waited on hand and foot by those children, while we pig it in the forest!"

  "Don't be ridiculous, Brother. You know it was quite out of the question that I should camp with you in the forest; it would be most unsuitable." He made a sneering remark, but she ignored it and said, "I will think of some story to account for the absence of the other two, should anyone ask."

  "Casket knows nothing about us?"

  "Not he. His wits are clean gone."

  "It must have been a shock for you when he turned up."

  "In his present state, it was all for the best," she said calmly. "If my own brother accepts me, no one else can have any doubts."

  "Suppose he recovers?"

  "He is hardly likely to do so before we leave. He keeps jabbering blubber-headed stuff about pink whales."

  "That's not so blubber-headed," Mr. Slighcarp said dryly. "She's there off Squam Head. There were crowds on the shore yesterday watching her. If she comes farther south we may have to change our plans; we can hardly unload the stuff from Dark Diamond with a whole lot of jobberknolls watching."

  "In that case, you'd better choose some other point to dispose of the prisoners."

  "It will be all right so long as it's dark," he said. "And we must be at Sankaty, anyway, to watch for the ship; we arranged to exchange signals there; then she'll heave to a mile off the coast, and we'll go out by boat as if we were after bass and collect the stuff."

  "Very well. Send me a message as soon as she is sighted. You'd better get back to Breadno now and see that he is kept to work and doesn't wander off again looking for nighthawks or something else foolish. The sooner those prisoners are disposed of, the easier I shall feel; we don't want fuss and inquiries at this end spoiling our plans at the last minute."

  Dido was now rudely dragged to her feet. The enveloping sack was hitched up so that she had the use of her legs and she was forced to walk by repeated prods in the back. Her bound hands were buckled onto a dangling strap. In a moment she realized that this was the pony's stirrup. So they must have got Nate, she thought dismally; he's probably on the other side of the pony. She still could not see, because of the sack over her head (it was a flour sack, and she kept sneezing as the loose flour sifted down). Now we are in the basket, she thought, how the mischief will we get out of this fix? What'll Pen do when I don't come back? Aunt Tribulation will tell her some tale, so she won't worry for hours. Will she have the sense to tell Doc Mayhew about the gun when he comes tomorrow? Yes, she'll probably have that much sense. But will Doc Mayhew believe her? And suppose Aunt Tribulation catches her at it? And even if he does believe her, that probably won't be in time to help Nate and me and poor old Breadno. We'll be feeding the fishes before they guess what's happened unless we can work ourselves loose somehow. Oh, well, let's hope old Breadno takes a devil of a long time over those final calculations of his.

  Immersed in these gloomy thoughts, she trudged along. The going was much rougher now; they had left the track. Bushes and brambles caught her legs, so she guessed they must be approaching the forest. Presently they halted, and there was a long wait while the pony stamped and shifted impatiently.
Dido was desperately tired and longed to sit down, but the strap that attached her hands to the stirrup was too short to allow this; all she could do was to lean against the pony, grateful for its warmth in the chilly night air. In the end she did fall into a sort of doze on her feet, regardless of the awkward position. When she next opened her eyes she was surprised to find daylight filtering through the loose mesh of the flour sack. Presently footsteps approached and there were some faint protesting cries, which ceased abruptly; evidently poor Professor Breadno had been added to the roll of prisoners. Dido felt sorry for him and remorseful that she had been the cause of the gang's decision to dispose of him. But, she thought, he shouldn't have invented the gun. I suppose he don't see the harm in it; he's like a child.

  Now the procession moved forward steadily for a considerable distance; Dido, stiff and aching all over, thought they might have gone three or four miles when at length they halted again and their captors conferred in low voices.

  "Too late to chuck 'em now; broad daylight and somebody might come along. Besides, it ain't full tide yet; no water at foot of cliff."

  Thank the Lord that Breadno took so long over his sums, Dido thought.

  "Any sign of the ship yet?" a voice asked hoarsely.

  "Yes, there's a sail to south'ards that looks like her."

  "What the blazes is she doing down thataway? No wonder she's behind schedule," another voice complained.

  "Gale blew her off course, maybe."

  "Has the lighthouse keeper left yet?" This was Mr. Slighcarp.

  "Yes, half an hour ago."

  "Bring them along, then; best carry them the last bit. Lucky we put them in flour bags and the weather's a bit thick; if anyone happens along, we're just delivering flour to the lighthouse."

  Mr. Slighcarp laughed sourly.

  Dido was picked up and slung over somebody's shoulder, carried about a hundred yards in a very jolting and uncomfortable manner, and then thumped down roughly onto a stone floor. Something—another body—fell heavily on top of her. She wondered if it was Nate or Breadno. Then she heard footsteps retreating.

  Have we been left alone? she wondered. Is there a guard? If so, he's keeping mighty quiet. I'll wait a little and see if he makes any sound; if not, I'll try to wriggle out of my sack.

  She waited. There was total silence. She found it hard to keep her eyes from closing. I'll count to a hundred, she decided; then I'll move. Dunno when I've been so tired, though.

  Counting was a mistake. The numbers slipped by more and more slowly ... tied themselves in knots ... began to run backward. Before she had reached forty, Dido was asleep.

  The pony's footsteps had died away down the track. Aunt Tribulation turned and went back into the house. A delicious smell of broth filled the kitchen. She could hear the voice of Penitence upstairs in Captain Casket's room.

  "Try to take a little more, Papa dear! To please me! Just a spoonful and a cracker. That's it—famous! Now you may lie down and sleep."

  In a moment or two Pen appeared, looking very white and fatigued, with the empty bowl and plate.

  "Well, miss!" Aunt Tribulation snapped. "I notice you make broth for your father but none for your poor old aunt, who's had charge of you all this time. Fine gratitude, I must say!"

  "I'm sorry, Aunt," Penitence said tiredly. She pushed the hair off her forehead. "There is plenty more broth in the pot if you would like it. I can heat it up in a moment."

  "Very well. Make haste!"

  "Yes, Aunt." And Pen added gently, looking Aunt Tribulation straight in the face, "Poor Aunt, is your rheumatism very bad?"

  "Mind your own business, miss!"

  "Where's Dido?" Pen asked, as she put the broth pot on the stove.

  "The cow got loose again. Nate offered to help her search, and they may not be back for a long time. You had best go to bed when you have washed up those dishes."

  "I shall sit with Papa." Penitence poured broth into a bowl, adding a pinch of herbs and spices, and set it before Aunt Tribulation.

  Then she quietly said goodnight and went up to the captain's room.

  Aunt Tribulation sat at the kitchen table, grim and erect; slowly, because it was so hot, she sipped at the steaming broth.

  Captain Casket suddenly woke up and looked about his room. The whale-oil lamp was still burning brightly, but daylight was beginning to creep past the curtains. He saw his daughter Penitence sitting at the foot of the bed. She was very pale.

  "How do you feel now, Papa?" she asked in a low voice.

  "I am better, Daughter, I thank thee, after that excellent broth and the good sleep it brought. I feel myself again."

  "Do you indeed, Papa? Truly? Well enough to get up and take a walk?"

  "Take a walk?" he repeated in bewilderment. "Why, what o'clock is it, then?"

  "Not long after dawn."

  "Strange time for a walk, Daughter?"

  "No, Papa, it is very urgent—it is dreadfully important. Can you, do you think? Can you try?"

  "What for, my child?"

  "I will tell you when we are on our way. Please, Papa! I would not ask you if it were not so important. But if you cannot come I shall have to go on my own, and I do not like to leave you."

  Captain Casket sat up and found himself fairly strong. "I shall do well enough, I thank thee, child," he said, when Pen offered to help him dress, so she retreated to the kitchen and packed a basket of food.

  "Why, who is this?" Captain Casket said when he came downstairs.

  "Hush!"

  Penitence laid her finger on her lips and dragged him to the door. "I will tell you outside." He followed her, puzzled but complying.

  When they were well away from the farm, Pen turned to the right and took the track leading towards Sankaty.

  "Now!" she said. "I will explain everything, Papa. But first, did you really not know that lady sleeping in the kitchen?"

  "Never saw her in my life before," declared Captain Casket.

  "She is not my Aunt Tribulation?"

  "That lady? No, indeed, nor in the least like her! Tribulation is much shorter, with black hair and eyes."

  "Is she? I had not remembered. But I suppose," Pen said thoughtfully, "I was only three the time I saw her. Well, Papa, that lady has been calling herself Aunt Tribulation' and living at the farm for the last month."

  "I do not understand!" he said, passing a hand over his forehead. "Passing herself off as my sister Tribulation? But that is infamous behavior! Then, where is my sister?"

  "I do not know, Papa."

  "This is an outrage! We must go back at once and demand to know what she means by it, and where Tribulation is. Some harm may have come to her!"

  "Wait, Papa, listen. I have not told you all yet. That is not nearly the worst. Yesterday Dido and I helped a man who had fallen into the cranberry bog. He is Professor Breadno, a foreign scientist, and he has made a gun in the Hidden Forest which is going to shoot a shot right across to London and kill the King of England."

  Captain Casket sat down abruptly in a clump of broom. "I am not better," he said mournfully. "I am having wild delusions. I think my own daughter is telling me about a gun which will fire across the Atlantic. Next I shall be seeing pink whales."

  Pen pulled him to his feet.

  "Yes, you will, Papa, but please listen, this is true! It is a wicked plot by the English Hanoverians to get rid of King James."

  "But why," asked her father doggedly. "Not that I believe a word of this, mind thee, but why do they come all the way to Nantucket to fire at King James? Why not just do it across the Thames?"

  "Why?" Pen said impatiently. "Because nobody over here will bother to stop them. But in London I suppose the King's soldiers would grab them if they so much as showed their faces. But that is not the worst, Papa."

  "Speak on then, Daughter."

  "Last night," said Pen breathlessly, "I went out to the dairy for some butter, and what do you think I saw? The woman who calls herself 'Aunt Tribulation' was there, a
nd she and Mr. Slighcarp put a sack over poor Dido's head and tied her hands up with rope, and I heard Aunt Tribulation say that Dido and Nate were to be thrown over Sankaty Cliff."

  "Why should they want to do that?" asked Captain Casket in perplexity.

  "Because Dido and Nate had found out about their gun and were going to get Doctor Mayhew to stop them. And that woman who pretends to be Aunt Tribulation is really Mr. Slighcarp's sister. I heard her call him 'brother.'"

  "Slighcarp? Is he, too, involved in this? I always thought him a sly, foxy-faced fellow. I was glad enough when he failed to turn up for this trip."

  "Mr. Slighcarp was helping get the gun ready in the Hidden Forest. Oh, Papa, I was so frightened when I heard the things they said! I nearly screamed out to them to let poor Dido and Nate go, but I knew they would only put my head in a bag too, and then there would be nobody to help them, or to look after you, Papa."

  "So what did thee do then, Daughter?"

  "I crept away in the shadows with my butter dish—it is fortunate that I am not very big. And, then, luckily, Aunt Tribulation—I mean Miss Slighcarp—asked me for some of your broth. So I dosed it with some of the poppy juice that Doctor Mayhew had left for you, and she went off to sleep in the kitchen, as you saw." Here Penitence could not help giggling at the thought of having successfully put Aunt Tribulation to sleep twice in twenty-four hours.

  "Dear me, Daughter. Was that judicious?"

  "But, Papa, what else could I do? They are going to throw Dido and Nate and Professor Breadno off Sankaty Cliff unless we do something to stop them. So as soon as Aunt Trib—Mr. Slighcarp's sister—was asleep and you were peaceful, Papa, I crept out of the house and went to the forest and warned the professor to take as long over his calculations as he possibly could. I do not think he precisely understood why I wished him to do so, but when I explained that the lives of my friends depended on it, and gave him some molasses candy, he agreed."

  "Thee went to the camp of these villains in the forest? But, Daughter, was thee not afraid?"