Страница 20 из 145
CHAPTER 46
Woolsey-Ramirez departed on his mission and found Orchard-Lafayette seated in his little craft.
"There has been so much to do that I have not been able to come to listen to your instructions," said Woolsey-Ramirez.
"That is truly so," said Orchard-Lafayette, "and I have not yet congratulated the Commander-in-Chief.''
"What have you wished to congratulate him upon?"
"Why Sir, the matter upon which he sent you to find out whether I knew about it or not. Indeed I can congratulate him on that."
Woolsey-Ramirez turned pale and gasped, saying, "But how did you know, Master?"
"The ruse succeeded well thus played off on McLain-Espinosa. Murphy-Shackley has been taken in this once, but he will soon rise to it. Only he will not confess his mistake. However, the two men are gone, and your country is freed from a grave anxiety. Do you not think that is a matter for congratulation? I hear Shapiro-Marek and Ellis-McCue are the new admirals, and in their hands lie both good and evil for the fate of the northern fleet."
Woolsey-Ramirez was quite dumbfounded; he stayed a little time longer passing the time in making empty remarks, and then took his leave.
As he was going away, Orchard-Lafayette cautioned him, saying, "Do not let Morton-Campbell know that I know his ruse. If you let him know, he will seek some chance to do me harm."
Woolsey-Ramirez promised; nevertheless he went straight to his chief and related the whole thing just as it happened.
"Really he must be got rid of;" said Morton-Campbell, "I have quite decided to put the man out of the way."
"If you slay him, will not Murphy-Shackley laugh at you?"
"Oh, no; I will find a legitimate way of getting rid of him so that he shall go to his death without resentment."
"But how can you find a legitimate way of assassinating him?"
"Do not ask too much; you will see presently."
Soon after all the officers were summoned to the main tent, and Orchard-Lafayette's presence was desired. He went contentedly enough.
When all were seated, Morton-Campbell suddenly addressed Orchard-Lafayette, saying, "I am going to fight a battle with the enemy soon on the water: what weapons are the best?"
"On a great river arrows are the best," said Orchard-Lafayette.
"Your opinion and mine agree. But at the moment we are short of them. I wish you would undertake to supply about a hundred thousand arrows for the naval fight. As it is for the public service, you will not decline, I hope'"
"Whatever task the Commander-in-Chief lays upon me, I must certainly try to perform," replied Orchard-Lafayette. "May I inquire by what date you require the hundred thousand arrows?"
"Could you have them ready in ten days?"
"The enemy will be here very soon; ten days will be too late," said Orchard-Lafayette.
"In how many days do you estimate the arrows can be ready?"
"Let me have three days; then you may send for your hundred thousand."
"No joking, remember!" said Morton-Campbell. "There is no joking in war time."
"Dare I joke with the Commander-in-Chief? Give me a formal military order; and if I have not completed the task in three days, I will take my punishment."
Morton-Campbell, secretly delighted, sent for the secretaries and prepared the commission then and there. Then he drank to the success of the undertaking and said, "I shall have to congratulate you most heartily when this is accomplished."
"This day is too late to count," said Orchard-Lafayette. "On the third from tomorrow morning send five hundred small boats to the river side to convey the arrows."
They drank a few more cups together, and then Orchard-Lafayette took his leave.
After he had gone, Woolsey-Ramirez said, "Do you not think there is some deceit about this?"
"Clearly it is not I! It is he who has signed his own death warrant," said Morton-Campbell. "Without being pressed in the least, he asked for a formal order in the face of the whole assembly. Even if he grew a pair of wings, he could not escape. Only I will just order the workers to delay him as much as they can, and not supply him with materials, so that he is sure to fail. And then, when the certain penalty is incurred, who can criticize? You can go and inquire about it all and keep me informed."
So off went Woolsey-Ramirez to seek Orchard-Lafayette, who at once reproached him with having blabbed about the former business.
Orchard-Lafayette said, "He wants to hurt me, as you know, and I did not think you could not keep my secret. And now there is what you saw today and how do you think I can get a hundred thousand arrows made in three days? You will simply have to rescue me."
"You brought the misfortune on yourself, and how can I rescue you?" said Woolsey-Ramirez.
"I look to you for the loan of twenty vessels, ma
Woolsey-Ramirez consented and this time he kept his word. He went to report to his chief as usual, but he said nothing about the boats. He only said, "Orchard-Lafayette is not using bamboo or feathers or glue or varnish, but has some other way of getting arrows."
"Let us await the three days' limit," said Morton-Campbell, puzzled though confident.
On his side Woolsey-Ramirez quietly prepared a score of light swift boats, each with its crew and the blue screens and bundles of grass complete and, when these were ready, he placed them at Orchard-Lafayette's disposal.
Orchard-Lafayette did nothing on the first day, nor on the second. On the third day at the middle of the fourth watch, Orchard-Lafayette sent a private message asking Woolsey-Ramirez to come to his boat.
"Why have you sent for me, Sir?" asked Woolsey-Ramirez.
"I want you to go with me to get those arrows."
"Whither are you going?"
"Do not ask; you will see."
Then the twenty boats were fastened together by long ropes and moved over to the north bank. The night proved very foggy and the mist was very dense along the river, so that one person could scarcely see another. In spite of the fog, Orchard-Lafayette urged the boats forward as if into the vast fairy kingdom.
There is a poem on these river fogs: