"But-- but I shall be shot-- or locked in
one of the cells and the water turned on-- for letting you escape.
Won't you take me with you? I will work my passage. Take me as far as
Stockholm. I shall be free there-- free to join my wife and to live
forever out of reach of the Grand Dukes. Take me--"
"Jump in!" ordered Jack, coming to a sudden resolution. "Heaven knows
I would not condemn my worst enemy to a perpetual life on this rock.
And you've been pretty decent to us, according to your lights. Jump
aboard, we've no time to waste."
Nor did the Governor waste time in obeying. The others followed, and
the boat shoved off. But scarcely had the oars caught the water when
around the promontory came a large man-o'-war's launch, a rapid-fire
gun mounted on her bows. She was manned by about twenty men in Russian
police uniform.
"From the 'tramp,'" commented Alan excitedly. "And her gun is trained
on us."
"Get down to work!" shouted Jack to the straining oarsmen.
"No use!" groaned Kempt. "She'll cross within a hundred yards of us.
There's no missing at such close range and on such a quiet sea. What a
fool I was to--"
The launch was, indeed, bearing down on them despite the rowers' best
efforts, and must unquestionably cut them off before they could reach
the yacht.
Alan drew his revolver.
"We've no earthly show against her," he remarked quietly, "and it
seems hard to 'go down in sight of port.
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