Chapter XLV Telling the News
Mrs. Hayward was greatly surprised at my coming, and more so at the terrible accident that had befallen the War Eagle. Hastening, I begged a horse of Mr. Hayward, that I might reach Appletop before news could come to Constance. While standing at the door of the cabin waiting, I told them of the mishap and my escape, at all of which they wondered. When I was ready to mount, Mr. Hayward asked me what I intended to do after seeing my friends.
“Bring your horse back and thank you for your kindness,” I answered, not attaching any other meaning to what he said.
“Where will you make your home, I mean? What will you do, if I may ask?” he replied.
“I don’t know, but I suppose Uncle Job will want to send me off to school, as he talked before,” I answered, thinking of it now for the first time.
“That would be greatly to your advantage,” Mrs. Hayward exclaimed, pleased at the idea.
“Yes, I suppose so; but I don’t fancy it now any more than I did at first.”
“Why not?” Mr. Hayward asked, surprised.
“Because I don’t want to leave Appletop,” I answered, looking toward Mrs. Hayward, who knew of my love for Constance.
“Yet you have been away all summer,” he replied.
“I know, but I could come back when I wanted to, and so it was not like being away.”
“That made a difference, to be sure; but you will go if he wants you to?”
“No; it’s too much to ask,” I answered, making up my mind.
“I think you will do wrong to refuse,” he replied, after a while; “but if you don’t go, how would you like to come and live with us? I need some one to help me, and I think we would get along finely together. Helen, I am sure, would be glad to have you,” he added, turning to his young wife.
“Indeed I should,” she responded, and as if meaning what she said.
“Thank you,” I replied; “it would be just what I’d like, if it could be brought about.”
“I could help you with your books, too, if you would let me,” she went on, pleasantly; “I taught school, you know, before I married Mr. Hayward, and liked it very much. So that if you wish to come and live with us, I should be glad to direct your studies, and could find the time, I am sure.”
“Nothing in the world would be so good as that, Gilbert, for you will never find another such teacher,” Mr. Hayward exclaimed, glancing at his wife with admiration and love.
“I know it, and it would exactly suit me to live here, too,” I answered, looking toward the great river and the forest that bordered its shores.
“Well, suppose you speak to Mr. Throckmorton about it, if you are of the same mind after thinking it over,” Mr. Hayward replied.
“That I will,” I answered, mounting my horse.
Bidding them good by, I soon reached the Dragon, where I found Constance in the little garden beside the Dragon, busy over her plants. Hearing me approach, she looked up, and seeing who it was, gave a cry of joy.
“Gilbert!”
“Yes,” I cried, slipping to the ground and running to her; “I’m back again, and well, you see, and as the captain promised.”
“Oh, Gilbert, you are always surprising us in this way,” she answered, holding my hands and scanning my face to make sure I was not deceiving her.
“Yes; and I hope you are glad to see me?”
“You know I am, though I was not expecting you so soon.”
“You see I couldn’t stay away from you any longer, Constance. I’ve been away too long already,” I answered, kissing her hand.
“Have you left the boat? And what are you doing with Mr. Hayward’s horse?” she asked, in surprise, noticing the animal now for the first time.
“I’ve just come from the Haywards.”
“How can that be, when you went up the river last night?”
“Our boat met with an accident, and so I dropped down to the Haywards before landing.”
“An accident! What was it?”
“A serious thing,” I answered; “and that’s why I wanted to be the first to tell you.”
Well it was, too, that I made such haste, for, while I was yet telling her what had happened, a messenger came up from the river, with a crowd of people following, calling out that the War Eagle was blown up and all on board drowned. Stopping him, I asked if it were true that all were lost, and replying he said not one was saved. This was so much worse than I had thought that I cried out in anguish at hearing it; but so it was. Not one saved—Captain McGonnigle! and Devlin! and the pilots! The poor roustabouts, too, so patient and striving! All gone! every one cut off, and without time to breathe a prayer! It was too terrible to think of, and sinking down on the ground I covered my face with my hands. Alas! poor captain, I mourned, you have sent me home as you promised, but you yourself will never go back to the wife you have cherished so long and tenderly. Devlin! and is this the end of all your ambition and cleverness! It is too much! And the dear pilots! the wise men up aloft! Surely, never before have you traversed a course so dreary or steered a sea so black! Thus sorrowing, Constance put her arm about me and led me into the Dragon; but there was no longer any sunlight or pleasure in life for me, for my heart was full to bursting over the terrible fate that had befallen my friends.