"Good heavens, man! and Travers, do you know where he is too?" I shouted, jumping up.
"Yes, I do; but he’s not with them," he answered.
"Is she safe?" I asked eagerly; and he nodded, "Yes; up to the present."
"How the dickens did you escape being burnt? We’ve actually read the funeral service over the ruins of the Mission."
"Wait," he half moaned. "Go and tell your Captain I am here, and give me a cigarette—I haven’t tasted one for a month."
I woke the Skipper. "That German, Hoffman, has come aboard, sir. Says he knows where Sally is and Travers."
"What?" roared the Skipper, opening his eyes.
"That German chap Hoffman has come aboard, sir."
"Well, don’t wake me," he grunted, not hearing me properly.
"He’s that man we thought had been burnt in the Mission House. He knows where Hobbs and Sally and Travers are," I repeated in a louder voice; and he jumped out of his bunk, swearing angrily, "Why didn’t you tell me before?" and roared for "Willum" to help him dress. "Bring him aft in five minutes’ time," he growled.
"For goodness sake, don’t suggest anything to him! Don’t attempt to give him any advice," I implored Hoffman. "Ten to one, if you do, he’ll put obstacles in the way. Just tell him what you know, and nothing more."
"I’ll remember," he said wearily, as I took him aft. He had to steady himself with one hand on my shoulder, he was so weak; his clothes simply hung in loose folds.
I slipped away and turned out Hutton, our Engineer Commander, telling him what I knew, and that the Skipper would be sending for him in a minute or two. In fact, he hardly pulled his trousers over his pyjamas before he was sent for. "How long will it take to get up steam?" I asked him, as I helped him on with his monkey jacket. "An hour; we’re still under banked fires—have been all the time," and then I went round, turning everyone out. It was such a godsend to have at last some news to tell.
"D’they know where Mr. Travers and the pretty little lady be, sir?" the captain of the quarterdeck asked me; and I heard him tell his men, and they left off scrubbing to discuss the situation. "Little lady or no little lady," he sang out, "just you go on with your ’olystoning."
In less than half an hour we had steam on the capstan, and were shortening in the cable, and in another hour were under way. It was glorious to feel the engines moving round again and the beastly steam steering gear rattling under my cabin once more, and to know that at last our long six weeks of inaction were at an end.