The King and Captain O'Shea/Chapter 9

While the good ship Tarlington swings about and retraces her course, there is time to discover what befell the genuine Osmond after.he had entered a carriage at the Hotel Carleton and set out to join Captain O'Shea's steamer. If it is correct to surmise that the unscrupulous Baron Strothers was the active villain of the plot, then he may have tampered with King Osmond's cabman, or employed an agent to attend to the shabby business, before the equipage left the hotel.

At any rate, the king was rapidly driven to the East India Docks, and the carriage drew up alongside the Tyneshire Glen. The royal occupant had been informed by Captain O'Shea that his ship would be out of the docks by now, and that a tug would be waiting to transfer him. In the darkness the shadowy outline of one steamer looked very like another, and King Osmond thought that perhaps the plan of sailing might have been changed at the last moment.

The cabman strenuously assured him that this was the Tarlington, and he decided that he had better go aboard and look for Captain O'Shea. If a mistake had been made, it ought to be an easy matter to find the landing pier and the waiting tug.

No sooner had the deluded king reached the deck than he was convinced that he had been directed to the wrong steamer. The people who stared at him curiously were utter strangers. There was not a subject of Trinadaro among them; nor did any of the officers of the ship step forward to greet him. He was about to accost the nearest spectator when an officious man, dressed in seedy black, confronted him, flourished a formidable-appearing document under the royal nose, and pompously affirmed:

"A writ from the judge duly appointed and authorized by the Lord Chancellor to take cognizance of such cases, distraining Colonel Osmond George Sydenham-Leach from attempting to quit the jurisdiction of said court pending an inquisition de lunatic ininquirendo. Take it calm and easy, sir. This won't interfere with your liberty as long as you obey the writ."

Another minion of the law—a fat man with a well-oiled voice—thereupon formally took possession of the steamer, explaining that because clearance papers had been issued for a voyage to Trinadaro the court held that a departure from England was actually and speedily contemplated. The presence of Colonel Sydenham-Leach on board in person was also evidence after the fact.

The blow was staggering, humiliating, incredibly painful. It shook the amiable gentleman's presence of mind to the very foundations. To be interfered with as an alleged madman was enough to bewilder the most sapient monarch that ever wielded scepter. As a landed proprietor, a retired officer of the militia, a Conservative in politics, King Osmond had profound respect for the law and the constitution of his native land. He was not one to defy a judicial writ, or to grapple with the situation in a high-handed manner. In other words, he was rather Colonel Sydenham-Leach in this cruel crisis than the sovereign ruler of the independent principality of Trinadaro.

No help or comfort was to be obtained from the company around him. These spurious voyagers from the employment agency were whispering uneasily among themselves, and regarding the unfortunate Osmond with suspicious glances. They had not bargained to entangle themselves in the affairs of an alleged lunatic on board of a ship which had been seized in the name of the law. Ten shillings was not enough for this sort of thing.

"It don't look right to me," said one of them. "The job is on the queer. I say we hook it before the bloomin' bobbies come and put the lot of us in jail."

This sentiment expressed the general view of the situation, and the counterfeit subjects of Trinadaro began to flock down the gangway and to scatter in a hunted manner among the gloomy warehouses. Presently Colonel Sydenham-Leach was left alone with the two court officers, with never a friend in sight. Recovering somewhat of his composure and dignity, he declared that he must consult with his legal advisers at once before consenting to leave the ship. He clung to the hope that delay might enable Captain O'Shea to come to his rescue, although he was unwilling to try to send a message to the Tarlington. This would reveal to the officers of the law that the wrong ship had been detained, and put them on the track of the right one.

There was no legal reason why the luckless king should not remain in the Tyneshire Glen until his lawyers could come and confer with him; wherefore the captors grumblingly sat themselves down in the cabin to wait. The king had nothing more to say to them. They were beneath his notice. He was absorbed in his own unhappy reflections. His dreams had turned to ashes. His island empire would know him not. He felt very old and helpless and sad.

Thus he sat and brooded for some time. At length he heard the sound of men tramping across the deck above his head. He roused himself to look in the direction of the doorway. A moment later it framed the well-knit, active figure of Captain Michael O'Shea. Behind him puffed stout Johnny Kent. They paused, said something to each other, and advanced to bid the drooping captive take heart.

"'Twas a good guess, your majesty," cried O'Shea. "We thought you might have gone adrift and fetched up aboard this old tub. What's the matter? Who are your two friends?"

"Officers from the bench of one of the judges in lunacy," reluctantly admitted King Osmond. "They have served distraining papers on me and on the ship." "On this ship?" exclaimed Johnny Kent. "How ridiculous! What'll we do with this pair of bailiffs, or whatever you call 'em, Cap'n Mike? Make 'em eat their documents?"

"No; we will take the two meddlers along with us," sweetly answered O'Shea. "We can't afford to leave them behind to tell how it happened."

"But they have all the power and authority of the British government behind them," spoke up King Osmond.

"And they have a long voyage ahead of them," said O'Shea. "Your majesty can give them jobs in your own judicial department, and they will grow up with the country."

"I cannot countenance such actions," began the king; but Johnny Kent interrupted to remark, with much vehemence:

"Excuse us, your majesty, but this ain't no time for arguments about the British constitution. Cap'n Mike and me agreed to take you and your ship to Trinadaro. It was a contract, and we propose to earn our wages. If you won't come easy and willin', then we'll just have to call a couple of our men from the boat that's waitin' alongside, and escort you anyhow. We're stubborn, and we aim to live up to our agreements."

O'Shea wasted no more words. Suddenly grasping one of the officers by the back of the neck and the slack of his garments, he propelled him rapidly toward the deck, fiercely admonishing him to make no outcry unless he wished to be tossed overboard with a bullet in him.

The other man had started to flee, but Johnny Kent caught him in a few heavy strides, tucked him under one mighty arm, clapped a hand over his mouth, and waddled with his burden to the nearest open cargo port.

"Drop them into the boat," commanded O'Shea. "Ahoy, there, below! Catch these two lads, and sit on them good and hard, and let them make no noise. The end of an oar handle behind the ear will make them subside if they object."

The astonished King Osmond had followed the abductors out of the cabin. Before he could renew the discussion, Captain O'Shea, breathing hard, but calm and smiling, faced him with the courteous invitation:

"After you, your majesty. We are at your service. A few minutes in the boat, and you'll be aboard the Tarlington, and heading for the open sea."

It was obviously so futile to protest that the king meekly descended to the boat, steadied by the helping hand of Johnny Kent. The seamen shoved off, and the oars thumped in the tholepins as O'Shea steered for the long, black hull of the steamer visible a few hundred yards down stream. Unable to voice his confused emotions, the king suffered himself to be conducted up the gangway of the Tarlington.

His loyal subjects—the real ones—cheered frantically at sight of him. It was an ovation worthy of his station. He bowed and smiled, and was himself again. Already the recollection of his detention as a madman seemed less poignant. It was like a nightmare. He would try to forget it.

He felt the ship tremble under his feet as her engines began to drive her toward the blessed sea and the long road to wave- washed Trinadaro. Had it not been for the bold and ready conduct of his two faithful mariners, he would now be a broken-spirited old man in London, a butt of public ridicule. He went below to the staterooms which had been suitably fitted for his comfort and privacy, and discovered that he was greatly wearied.

Before retiring, he sent one of his secretaries to request Captain O'Shea and Johnny Kent to give him the pleasure of their company at breakfast next morning.

"That makes me feel a bit more cheerful," said O'Shea to himself. "Maybe he has decided to forgive us. We were guilty of high treason, disobedience, and a few other things in packing him off to sea while he was trying to tell us he couldn't go at all. Poor old Johnny Kent was worried for fear he would order our heads chopped off."

The Tarlington was in blue water next morning when the captain and the chief engineer bashfully entered the private dining room of his majesty. The latter greeted them with marked affability, and said: "I take great pleasure, my dear friends, in conferring on you the insignia of the Grand Cross of Trinadaro as a recognition of your invaluable loyalty and assistance. You will be entitled to call yourselves barons of my realm by royal warrant. While I must confess that I could not ordinarily approve of such summary methods as you made use of"

"It looks different now that old England is dropping astern," suggested O'Shea. "The British constitution doesn't loom as big as it did. Your own flag is at the masthead, your majesty, and you can make treaties if ye like. I thank you with all my heart for the reward you have given me."

"It pleases me a heap more to be a member of the nobility of Trinadaro than to earn big wages for the voyage," warmly assented Johnny Kent.