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diff --git a/21357.txt b/21357.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f0b32a --- /dev/null +++ b/21357.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9442 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Nic Revel, by George Manville Fenn + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Nic Revel + A White Slave's Adventures in Alligator Land + +Author: George Manville Fenn + +Illustrator: W.H.C. Groome + +Release Date: May 8, 2007 [EBook #21357] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NIC REVEL *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Nic Revel; A White Slave's Adventures in Alligator Land, by George +Manville Fenn. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +Nic Revel is brought up on a small landed estate in Devon. The date is +somewhere in the middle of the nineteenth century. There is a very good +salmon pool on the estate, but it is often used by poachers, which +greatly annoys the Revel family. Eventually they have a great fight +there, in which they had arranged to be supported by men from a vessel +of the Royal Navy. + +Nic is wounded and is mistaken for a poacher by the naval party, who +press-gang the poachers. When they reach America, Nic is still hardly +conscious, and not capable of much work. All the less able poachers are +then sold by the ship to an American slave dealer, who sells them to a +settler who lives a long way up a river. + +After a journey to the farm they find that they are given very hard work +to do, and not fed very well. And of course Nic and one of the +poachers, who has become a good friend of his, want to get back to +Devon. After many trials and tribulations they eventually escape. + +George Manville Fenn is a master of suspense, and this book is a very +good example of his work. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +NIC REVEL; A WHITE SLAVE'S ADVENTURES IN ALLIGATOR LAND, BY GEORGE +MANVILLE FENN. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +CAPTAIN REVEL IS CROSS. + +"Late again, Nic," said Captain Revel. + +"Very sorry, father." + +"Yes, you always are `very sorry,' sir. I never saw such a fellow to +sleep. Why, when I was a lad of your age--let's see, you're just +eighteen." + +"Yes, father, and very hungry," said the young man, with a laugh and a +glance at the breakfast-table. + +"Always are very hungry. Why, when I was a lad of your age I didn't +lead such an easy-going life as you do. You're spoiled, Nic, by an +indulgent father.--Here, help me to some of that ham.--Had to keep my +watch and turn up on deck at all hours; glad to eat weavilly biscuit.-- +Give me that brown bit.--Ah, I ought to have sent you to sea. Made a +man of you. Heard the thunder, of course?" + +"No, father. Was there a storm?" + +"Storm--yes. Lightning as we used to have it in the East Indies, and +the rain came down like a waterspout." + +"I didn't hear anything of it, father." + +"No; you'd sleep through an earthquake, or a shipwreck, or--Why, I say, +Nic, you'll soon have a beard." + +"Oh, nonsense, father! Shall I cut you some bread?" + +"But you will," said the Captain, chuckling. "My word, how time goes! +Only the other day you were an ugly little pup of a fellow, and I used +to wipe your nose; and now you're as big as I am--I mean as tall." + +"Yes; I'm not so stout, father," said Nic, laughing. + +"None of your impudence, sir," said the heavy old sea-captain, frowning. +"If you had been as much knocked about as I have, you might have been +as stout." + +Nic Revel could not see the common-sense of the remark, but he said +nothing, and went on with his breakfast, glancing from time to time +through the window at the glittering sea beyond the flagstaff, planted +on the cliff which ran down perpendicularly to the little river that +washed its base while flowing on towards the sea a mile lower down. + +"Couldn't sleep a bit," said Captain Revel. "But I felt it coming all +yesterday afternoon. Was I--er--a bit irritable?" + +"Um--er--well, just a little, father," said Nic dryly. + +"Humph! and that means I was like a bear--eh, sir?" + +"I did not say so, father." + +"No, sir; but you meant it. Well, enough to make me," cried the +Captain, flushing. "I will not have it. I'll have half-a-dozen more +watchers, and put a stop to their tricks. The land's mine, and the +river's mine, and the salmon are mine; and if any more of those idle +rascals come over from the town on to my grounds, after my fish, I'll +shoot 'em, or run 'em through, or catch 'em and have 'em tied up and +flogged." + +"It is hard, father." + +"`_Hard_' isn't hard enough, Nic, my boy," cried the Captain angrily. +"The river's open to them below, and it's free to them up on the moors, +and they may go and catch them in the sea if they want more room." + +"If they can, father," said Nic, laughing. + +"Well, yes--if they can, boy. Of course it's if they can with any one +who goes fishing. But I will not have them come disturbing me. The +impudent scoundrels!" + +"Did you see somebody yesterday, then, father?" + +"Didn't you hear me telling you, sir? Pay attention, and give me some +more ham. Yes; I'd been up to the flagstaff and was walking along by +the side of the combe, so as to come back home through the wood path, +when there was that great lazy scoundrel, Burge, over from the town with +a long staff and a hook, and I was just in time to see him land a good +twelve-pound salmon out of the pool--one of that half-dozen that have +been lying there this fortnight past waiting for enough water to run up +higher." + +"Did you speak to him, father?" + +"Speak to him, sir!" cried the Captain. "I let him have a broadside." + +"What did he say, father?" + +"Laughed at me--the scoundrel! Safe on the other side; and I had to +stand still and see him carry off the beautiful fish." + +"The insolent dog!" cried Nic. + +"Yes; I wish I was as young and strong and active as you, boy. I'd have +gone down somehow, waded the river, and pushed the scoundrel in." + +He looked at his father and smiled. + +"But I would, my boy: I was in such a fit of temper. Why can't the +rascals leave me and mine alone?" + +"Like salmon, I suppose, father," said the young man. + +"So do we--but they might go up the river and catch them." + +"We get so many in the pool, and they tempt the idle people." + +"Then they have no business to fall into temptation. I'll do something +to stop them." + +"Better not, father," said Nic quietly. "It would only mean fighting +and trouble." + +"Bah!" cried Captain Revel, with his face growing redder than usual. +"What a fellow to be my son! Why, sir, when I was your age I gloried in +a fight." + +"Did you, father?" + +"Yes, sir, I did." + +"Ah! but you were in training for a fighting-man." + +"And I was weak enough, to please your poor mother, to let you be +schooled for a bookworm, and a man of law and quips and quiddities, +always ready to enter into an argument with me, and prove that black's +white and white's no colour, as they say. Hark ye, sir, if it was not +too late I'd get Jack Lawrence to take you to sea with him now. He'll +be looking us up one of these days soon. It's nearly time he put in at +Plymouth again." + +"No, you would not, father," said the young man quietly. + +"Ah! arguing again? Why not, pray?" + +"Because you told me you were quite satisfied with what you had done." + +"Humph! Hah! Yes! so I did. What are you going to do this morning-- +read?" + +"Yes, father; read hard." + +"Well, don't read too hard, my lad. Get out in the fresh air a bit. +Why not try for a salmon? They'll be running up after this rain, and +you may get one if there is not too much water." + +"Yes, I might try," said the young man quietly; and soon after he +strolled into the quaint old library, to begin poring over a heavy +law-book full of wise statutes, forgetting everything but the task he +had in hand; while Captain Revel went out to walk to the edge of the +high cliff and sat down on the stone seat at the foot of the +properly-rigged flagstaff Here he scanned the glittering waters, +criticising the manoeuvres of the craft passing up and down the Channel +on their way to Portsmouth or the port of London, or westward for +Plymouth, dreaming the while of his old ship and the adventures he had +had till his wounds, received in a desperate engagement with a couple of +piratical vessels in the American waters, incapacitated him for active +service, and forced him to lead the life of an old-fashioned country +gentleman at his home near the sea. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +A WET FIGHT. + +The Captain was having his after-dinner nap when Nic took down one of +the rods which always hung ready in the hall, glanced at the fly to see +if it was all right, and then crossed the garden to the fields. He +turned off towards the river, from which, deep down in the lovely combe, +came a low, murmurous, rushing sound, quite distinct from a deep, sullen +roar from the thick woodland a few hundred yards to his right. + +"No fishing to-day," he said, and he rested his rod against one of the +sturdy dwarf oaks which sheltered the house from the western gales, and +then walked on, drawing in deep draughts of the soft salt air and +enjoying the beauty of the scene around. + +For the old estate had been well chosen by the Revels of two hundred +years earlier; and, look which way he might, up or down the miniature +valley, there were the never-tiring beauties of one of the most +delightful English districts. + +The murmur increased as the young man strode on down the rugged slope, +or leaped from mossy stone to stone, amongst heather, furze, and fern, +to where the steep sides of the combe grew more thickly clothed with +trees, in and amongst which the sheep had made tracks like a map of the +little valley, till all at once he stood at the edge of a huge mass of +rock, gazing through the leaves at the foaming brown water which washed +the base of the natural wall, and eddied and leaped and tore on along +its zigzag bed, onward towards the sea. + +From where he stood he gazed straight across at the other side of the +combe, one mass of greens of every tint, here lit up by the sun, there +deep in shadow; while, watered by the soft moist air and mists which +rose from below, everything he gazed upon was rich and luxuriant in the +extreme. + +"The rain must have been tremendous up in the moor," thought the young +man, as he gazed down into the lovely gully at the rushing water, which +on the previous day had been a mere string of stony pools connected by a +trickling stream, some of them deep and dark, the haunts of the salmon +which came up in their season from the sea. "What a change! Yesterday, +all as clear as crystal; now, quite a golden brown." + +Then, thinking of how the salmon must be taking advantage of the little +flood to run up higher to their spawning-grounds among the hills, Nic +turned off to his right to follow a rugged track along the cliff-like +side, sometimes low down, sometimes high up; now in deep shadow, now in +openings where the sun shot through to make the hurrying waters sparkle +and flash. + +The young man went on and on for quite a quarter of a mile, with the +sullen roar increasing till it became one deep musical boom; and, +turning a corner where a portion of the cliff overhung the narrow path, +and long strands of ivy hung down away from the stones, he stepped out +of a green twilight into broad sunshine, to stand upon a shelf of rock, +gazing into a circular pool some hundred feet across. + +Here was the explanation of the deep, melodious roar. For, to his +right, over what resembled a great eight-foot-high step in the valley, +the whole of the little river plunged down from the continuation of the +gorge, falling in one broad cascade in a glorious curve right into the +pool, sending up a fine spray which formed a cloud, across which, like a +bridge over the fall, the lovely tints of a rainbow played from time to +time. + +It was nothing new to Nic, that amphitheatre, into which he had gazed +times enough ever since he was a child; but it had never seemed more +lovely, nor the growth which fringed it from the edge of the water to +fifty or sixty feet above his head more beautiful and green. + +But he had an object in coming, and, following the shelf onward, he was +soon standing level with the side of the fall, gazing intently at the +watery curve and right into the pool where the water foamed and plunged +down, rose a few yards away, and then set in a regular stream round and +round the amphitheatre, a portion flowing out between two huge +buttresses of granite, and then hurrying downstream. + +Nic was about fifteen feet above the surface of the chaos of water, and +a little above the head of the pool; while below him were blocks of +stone, dripping bushes, and grasses, and then an easy descent to where +he might have stood dry-shod and gazed beneath the curve of the falling +water, as he had stood scores of times before. + +But his attention was fixed upon the curve, and as he watched he saw +something silvery flash out of the brown water and fall back into the +pool where the foam was thickest. + +Again he saw it, and this time it disappeared without falling back. For +the salmon, fresh from the sea, were leaping at the fall to gain the +upper waters of the river. + +It was a romantic scene, and Nic stood watching for some minutes, +breathing the moist air, while the spray began to gather upon his +garments, and the deep musical boom reverberated from the rocky sides of +the chasm. + +It was a grand day for the fish, and he was thinking that there would be +plenty of them right up the river for miles, for again and again he saw +salmon flash into sight as, by one tremendous spring and beat of their +tails, they made their great effort to pass the obstacle in their way. + +"Plenty for every one," he said to himself; "and plenty left for us," he +added, as he saw other fish fail and drop back into the foam-covered +amber and black water, to sail round with the stream, and in all +probability--for their actions could not be seen--rest from their +tremendous effort, and try again. + +All at once, after Nic had been watching for some minutes without seeing +sign of a fish, there was a flash close in to where he stood, and a +large salmon shot up, reached the top of the fall, and would have passed +on, but fortune was against it. For a moment it rested on the edge, and +its broad tail and part of its body glistened as a powerful stroke was +made with the broad caudal fin. + +But it was in the air, not in the water; and the next moment the great +fish was falling, when, quick as its own spring up, there was a sudden +movement from behind one of the great stones at the foot of the fall +just below where Nic stood, and the salmon was caught upon a sharp hook +at the end of a stout ash pole and dragged shoreward, flapping and +struggling with all its might. + +The efforts were in vain, for its captor drew it in quickly, raising the +pole more and more till it was nearly perpendicular, as he came out from +behind the great block of dripping stone which had hidden him from Nic, +and, as it happened, stepped backward, till his fish was clear of the +water. + +It was all the matter of less than a minute. The man, intent upon his +fish--a magnificent freshly-run salmon, glittering in its silver +scales--passed hand over hand along his pole, released his right, and +was in the act of reaching down to thrust a hooked finger in the opening +and closing gills to make sure of his prize in the cramped-up space he +occupied, when the end of the stout ash staff struck Nic sharply on his +leg. + +But the man did not turn, attributing the hindrance to his pole having +encountered a stone or tree branch above his head, and any movement made +by Nic was drowned by the roar of the fall. + +The blow upon the leg was sharp, and gave intense pain to its recipient, +whose temper was already rising at the cool impudence of the stout, +bullet-headed fellow, trespassing and poaching in open daylight upon the +Captain's grounds. + +Consequently, Nic did take notice of the blow. + +Stooping down as the end of the pole wavered in the air, he made a +snatch at and seized it, gave it a wrench round as the man's finger was +entering the gill of the salmon, and the hook being reversed, the fish +dropped off, there was a slight addition to the splashing in the pool, +and then it disappeared. + +The next moment the man twisted himself round, holding on by the pole, +and stared up; while Nic, still holding on by the other end, leaned over +and stared down. + +It was a curious picture, and for some moments neither stirred, the +poacher's not ill-looking face expressing profound astonishment at this +strange attack. + +Then a fierce look of anger crossed it, and, quick as thought, he made a +sharp snatch, which destroyed Nic's balance, making him loosen his hold +of the pole and snatch at the nearest branch to check his fall. + +He succeeded, but only for a moment, just sufficient to save himself and +receive another heavy blow from the pole, which made him lose his hold +and slip, more than fall, down to where he was on the same level with +his adversary, who drew back to strike again. + +But Nic felt as if his heart was on fire. The pain of the blows +thrilled him, and, darting forward with clenched fists, he struck the +poacher full in the mouth before the pole could swing round. + +There was the faint whisper of a hoarse yell as the man fell back; Nic +saw his hands clutching in the air, then he went backward into the +boiling water, while the end of the pole was seen to rise above the +surface for a moment or two, and then glide towards the bottom of the +fall and disappear. + +For the current, as it swung round the pool, set towards the falling +water on the surface, and rushed outward far below. + +Nic's rage died out more quickly than it had risen, and he craned +forward, white as ashes now, watching for the rising of his adversary +out somewhere towards the other side; while, as if in triumphant mockery +or delight at the danger having been removed, another huge salmon leaped +up the fall. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +A GAME OF TIT FOR TAT. + +"I'd have pushed him in." + +Captain Revel's threat flashed through his son's brain as the young man +stood staring wildly over the agitated waters of the pool, every moment +fancying that he saw some portion of the man's body rise to the surface; +but only for it to prove a patch of the creamy froth churned up by the +flood. + +It was plain enough: the man had been sucked in under the falls, and the +force of the falling water was keeping him down. He must have been +beneath the surface for a full minute now--so it seemed to Nic; and, as +he grew more hopeless moment by moment of seeing him rise, the young +man's blood seemed to chill with horror at the thought that he had in +his rage destroyed another's life. + +Only a short time back the shut-in pool had been a scene of beauty; now +it was like a black hollow of misery and despair, as the water dashed +down and then swirled and eddied in the hideous whirlpool. + +Then it was light again, and a wild feeling of exultation shot through +Nic's breast, for he suddenly caught sight of the man's inert body +approaching him, after gliding right round the basin. It was quite +fifty feet away, and seemed for a few moments as if about to be swept +out of the hollow and down the gully; but the swirl was too strong, and +it continued gliding round the pool, each moment coming nearer. + +There was no time for hesitation. Nic knew the danger and the +impossibility of keeping afloat in foaming water like that before him, +churned up as it was with air; but he felt that at all cost he must +plunge in and try to save his adversary before the poor fellow was swept +by him and borne once more beneath the fall. + +Stripping off his coat, he waited a few seconds, and then leaped outward +so as to come down feet first, in the hope that he might find bottom and +be able to wade, for he knew that swimming was out of the question. + +It was one rush, splash, and hurry, for the water was not breast-deep, +and by a desperate effort he kept up as his feet reached the rugged, +heavily-scoured stones at the bottom. Then the pressure of the water +nearly bore him away, but he managed to keep up, bearing sidewise, and +the next minute had grasped the man's arm and was struggling shorewards, +dragging his adversary towards the rugged bank. + +Twice-over he felt that it was impossible; but, as the peril increased, +despair seemed to endow him with superhuman strength, and he kept up the +struggle bravely, ending by drawing the man out on to the ledge of +stones nearly on a level with the water, where he had been at first +standing at the foot of the fall. + +"He's dead; he's dead!" panted Nic, as he sank upon his knees, too much +exhausted by his struggle to do more than gaze down at the dripping, +sun-tanned face, though the idea was growing that he must somehow carry +the body up into the sunshine and try to restore consciousness. + +Comic things occur sometimes in tragedies, and Nic's heart gave a +tremendous leap, for a peculiar twitching suddenly contracted the face +beside which he knelt, and the man sneezed violently, again and again. +A strangling fit of coughing succeeded, during which he choked and +crowed and grew scarlet, and in his efforts to get his breath he rose +into a sitting position, opened his eyes to stare, and ended by +struggling to his feet and standing panting and gazing fiercely at Nic. + +"Are you better?" cried the latter excitedly, and he seized the man by +the arms, as he too rose, and held him fast, in the fear lest he should +fall back into the whirlpool once more. + +That was enough! Pete Burge was too hardy a fisher to be easily +drowned. He had recovered his senses, and the rage against the young +fellow who had caused his trouble surged up again, as it seemed to him +that he was being seized and made prisoner, not a word of Nic's speech +being heard above the roar of the water. + +"Vish as much mine as his," said the man to himself; and, in nowise +weakened by his immersion, he closed with Nic. There was a short +struggle on the ledge, which was about the worst place that could have +been chosen for such an encounter; and Nic, as he put forth all his +strength against the man's iron muscles, was borne to his left over the +water and to his right with a heavy bang against the rocky side of the +chasm. Then, before he could recover himself, there was a rapid +disengagement and two powerful arms clasped his waist; he was heaved up +in old West-country wrestling fashion, struggling wildly, and, in spite +of his efforts to cling to his adversary, by a mighty effort jerked off. +He fell clear away in the foaming pool, which closed over his head as +he was borne in turn right beneath the tons upon tons of water which +thundered in his ears, while he experienced the sudden change from +sunshine into the dense blackness of night. + +"How do you like that?" shouted the man; but it was only a faint +whisper, of which he alone was conscious. + +There was a broad grin upon his face, and his big white teeth glistened +in the triumphant smile which lit up his countenance. + +"I'll let you zee." + +He stood dripping and watching the swirling and foaming water for the +reappearance of Nic. + +"Biggest vish I got this year," he said to himself. "Lost my pole, too; +and here! where's my cap, and--?" + +There was a sudden change in his aspect, his face becoming full of blank +horror now as he leaned forward, staring over the pool, eyes and mouth +open widely; and then, with a groan, he gasped out: + +"Well, I've done it now!" + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +NIC WILL NOT SHAKE HANDS. + +History repeats itself, though the repetitions are not always recorded. + +A horrible feeling of remorse and despair came over the man. His anger +had evaporated, and putting his hands to the sides of his mouth, he +yelled out: + +"Ahoy, there! Help--help!" + +Again it was a mere whisper in the booming roar. + +"Oh, poor dear lad!" he muttered to himself. "Bother the zammon! Wish +there waren't none. Hoi, Master Nic! Strike out! Zwim, lad, zwim! +Oh, wheer be ye? I've drowned un. Oh, a mercy me! What have I done?-- +Hah! there a be." + +There was a plunge, a splash, and a rush against the eddying water, with +the man showing a better knowledge of the pool, from many a day's +wading, than Nic had possessed. Pete Burge knew where the shallow +shelves of polished stones lay out of sight, and he waded and struggled +on to where the water was bearing Nic round in turn. Then, after +wading, the man plunged into deep water, swam strongly, and seized his +victim as a huge dog would, with his teeth, swung himself round, and let +the fierce current bear him along as he fought his way into the shallow, +regained his footing, and the next minute was back by the ledge. Here +he rose to his feet, and rolled and thrust Nic ashore, climbed out after +him, and knelt in turn by his side. + +"Bean't dead, be he?" said the man to himself. "Not in the water long +enough. Worst o' these here noblemen and gentlemen--got no stuff in +'em." + +Pete Burge talked to himself, but he was busy the while. He acted like +a man who had gained experience in connection with flooded rivers, +torrents, and occasional trips in fishing-boats at sea; and according to +old notions, supposing his victim not to be already dead, he did the +best he could to smother out the tiny spark of life that might still be +glowing. + +His fine old-fashioned notion of a man being drowned was that it was +because he was full of water. The proper thing, then, according to his +lights, must be to empty it out, and the sooner the better. The +sea-going custom was to lay a man face downward across a barrel, and to +roll the barrel gently to and fro. + +"And I aren't got no barrel," muttered Pete. + +To make up for it he rolled Nic from side to side, and then, as his +treatment produced no effect, he seized him by the ankles, stood up, and +raised the poor fellow till he was upside down, and shook him violently +again and again. + +Wonderful to relate, that did no good, his patient looking obstinately +lifeless; so he laid him in the position he should have tried at first-- +extended upon his back; and, apostrophising him all the time as a poor, +weakly, helpless creature, punched and rubbed and worked him about, +muttering the while. + +"Oh, poor lad! poor dear lad!" he went on. "I had no spite again' him. +I didn't want to drownd him. It weer only tit for tat; he chucked me +in, and I chucked him in, and it's all on account o' they zammon.--There +goes another. Always a-temptin' a man to come and catch 'em--lyin' in +the pools as if askin' of ye.--Oh, I say, do open your eyes, lad, and +speak! They'll zay I murdered ye, and if I don't get aboard ship and +zail away to foreign abroad, they'll hang me, and the crows'll come and +pick out my eyes.--I zay.--I zay lad, don't ye be a vool. It was on'y a +drop o' watter ye zwallowed. Do ye come to, and I'll never meddle with +the zammon again.--I zay, ye aren't dead now. Don't ye be a vool. It +aren't worth dying for, lad. Coom, coom, coom, open your eyes and zit +up like a man. You're a gentleman, and ought to know better. I aren't +no scholard, and I didn't do zo.--Oh, look at him! I shall be hanged +for it, and put on the gibbet, and all for a bit o' vish.--Zay, look +here, if you don't come to I'll pitch you back again, and they'll think +you tumbled in, and never know no better. It's voolish of ye, lad. +Don't give up till ye're ninety-nine or a hundred. It's time enough to +die then. Don't die now, with the sun shining and the fish running up +the valls, and ye might be so happy and well." + +And all the while Pete kept on thumping and rubbing and banging his +patient about in the most vigorous way. + +"It's spite, that's what it is," growled the man. "You hit me i' th' +mouth and tried to drownd me, and because you couldn't you're trying to +get me hanged; and you shan't, for if you don't come-to soon, sure as +you're alive I'll pitch you back to be carried out to zea.--Nay, nay, I +wouldn't, lad. Ye'd coom back and harnt me. I never meant to do more +than duck you, and Hooray!" + +For Nic's nature had at last risen against the treatment he was +receiving. It was more than any one could stand; so, in the midst of a +furious bout of rubbing, the poor fellow suddenly yawned and opened his +eyes, to stare blankly up at the bright sun-rays streaming down through +the overhanging boughs of the gnarled oaks. He dropped his lids again, +but another vigorous rubbing made him open them once more; and as he +stared now at his rough doctor his lips moved to utter the word "Don't!" +but it was not heard, and after one or two more appeals he caught the +man's wrists and tried to struggle up into a sitting position, Pete +helping him, and then, as he knelt there, grinning in his face. + +Nic sat staring at him and beginning to think more clearly, so that in a +few minutes he had fully grasped the position and recalled all that had +taken place. + +It was evident that there was to be a truce between them, for Pete +Burge's rough countenance was quite smiling and triumphant, while on +Nic's own part the back of his neck ached severely, and he felt as if he +could not have injured a fly. + +At last Nic rose, shook himself after the fashion of a dog to get rid of +some of the water which soaked his clothes, and looked round about him +for his cap, feeling that he would be more dignified and look rather +less like a drowned rat if he put it on. + +Pete came close to him, placed his lips nearly to his ear, and shouted, +"Cap?" + +Nic nodded. + +"Gone down the river to try and catch mine for me," said the man, with a +good-humoured grin, which made Nic frown at the insolent familiarity +with which it was said. + +"You'll have to buy me another one, Master Nic," continued the man, "and +get the smith to make me a noo steel hook. I'll let you off paying for +the pole; I can cut a fresh one somewheres up yonder." + +"On our grounds?" cried Nic indignantly, speaking as loudly as he could. + +"Well, there's plenty, aren't there, master? And you've lost mine," +shouted back the man, grinning again. + +"You scoundrel!" cried Nic, who was warming up again. "I shall have you +up before the Justices for this." + +"For what?" said the man insolently. + +"For throwing me into the pool." + +"Zo shall I, then," shouted the man. "It was only tit for tat. You +zent me in first." + +"Yes; and I caught you first hooking our salmon, sir." + +"Tchah! much my zammon as your own, master. Vish comes out of the zea +for everybody as likes to catch them." + +"Not on my father's estate," cried Nic. "You've been warned times +enough." + +"Ay, I've heerd a lot o' talk, master; but me and my mates mean to have +a vish or two whenever we wants 'em. You'll never miss 'em." + +"Look here, Pete Burge," cried Nic; "I don't want to be too hard upon +you, because I suppose you fished me out of the pool after throwing me +in." + +"Well, you've no call to grumble, master," said the man, grinning +good-humouredly. "You did just the zame." + +"And," continued Nic, shouting himself hoarse, so as to be heard, and +paying no heed to the man's words, "if you faithfully promise me that +you'll never come and poach on my father's part of the river again, I'll +look over all this, and not have you before the Justices." + +"How are you going to get me avore the Justice, Master Nic?" said the +man, with a merry laugh. + +"Send the constable, sir." + +"Tchah! he'd never vind me; and, if he did, he dursen't tackle me. +There's a dozen o' my mates would break his head if he tried." + +"Never mind about that," cried Nic. "You promise me. My father warned +you only yesterday." + +"So he did," said the man, showing his teeth. "In a regular wax he +was." + +"And I will not have him annoyed," cried Nic. "So now then, you +promise?" + +"Nay, I shan't promise." + +"Then I go straight to the constable, and if I do you'll be summoned and +punished, and perhaps sent out of the country." + +"What vor?--pulling you out when you was drownding?" + +"For stealing our salmon and beating our two keepers." + +"Then I'd better have left you in yonder," said the man, laughing. + +"You mean I had better have left you in yonder, and rid the country of +an idle, poaching scoundrel," cried Nic indignantly. "But there, you +saved my life, and I want to give you a chance. Look here, Pete Burge, +you had better go to sea." + +"Yes, when I like to try for some vish. Don't ketch me going for a +zailor." + +"Will you give me your word that you will leave the fish alone?" + +"Nay; but I'll shake hands with you, master. You zaved my life, and I +zaved yourn, so we're square over that business." + +"You insolent dog!" cried Nic. "Then I'll go straight to the Justice." + +"Nay; you go and put on zome dry clothes. It don't hurt me, but you'll +ketch cold, my lad. Look here, you want me to zay I won't take no more +zammon." + +"Yes." + +"Then I won't zay it. There's about twenty of us means to have as many +fish out o' the river as we like, and if anybody, keepers or what not, +comes and interveres with us we'll pitch 'em in the river; and they may +get out themzelves, for I'm not going in after they. Understand that, +master?" + +"Yes, sir, I do." + +"Then don't you set any one to meddle with us, or there may be mischief +done, for my mates aren't such vools as me. Going to give me a noo +steel hook?" + +"No, you scoundrel!" + +"Going to zhake hands?" + +"No, sir." + +"Just as you like, young master. I wanted to be vriends and you won't, +so we'll be t'other. On'y mind, if there's mischief comes of it, you +made it. Now then, I'm going to walk about in the sun to get dry, and +then zee about getting myself a noo cap and a hook." + +"To try for our salmon again?" + +The fellow gave him a queer look, nodded, and climbed up the side of the +ravine, followed by Nic. + +At the top the man turned and stared at him for a few moments, with a +peculiar look in his eyes; and the trees between them and the falls shut +off much of the deep, booming noise. + +"Well," said Nic sharply, "have you repented?" + +"Nothing to repent on," said the man stolidly. "On'y wanted to zay this +here: If you zees lights some night among the trees and down by the +watter, it means vishing." + +"I know that," said Nic sternly. + +"And there'll be a lot there--rough uns; so don't you come and meddle, +my lad, for I shouldn't like to zee you hurt." + +The next minute the man had disappeared among the trees, leaving Nic to +stand staring after him, thinking of what would be the result if the +salmon-poachers met their match. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +THE CAPTAIN CANNOT LET IT REST. + +"Hullo, Nic, my boy; been overboard?" + +The young man started, for he had been thinking a good deal on his way +back to the house. His anger had cooled down as much as his body from +the evaporation going on. For, after all, he thought he could not find +much fault with Pete Burge. It would seem only natural to such a rough +fellow to serve his assailant as he had himself been served. + +"And he did save my life afterwards, instead of letting me drown," +thought Nic, who decided not to try to get Pete punished. + +"I'll give him one more chance," he said; and he had just arrived at +this point as he was walking sharply through the trees by the combe, +with the intention of slipping in unseen, when he came suddenly upon his +father seated upon a stone, and was saluted with the above question as +to having been overboard. + +"Yes, father," he said, glancing down at his drenched garments, "I've +been in." + +"Bah! you go blundering about looking inside instead of where you're +steering," cried the Captain. "Aren't drowned, I suppose?" + +Nic laughed. + +"Well, slip in and get on some dry things. Look alive." + +Nic did not want to enter into the business through which he had passed, +so he hurried indoors, glad to change his clothes. + +Then, as the time went on he felt less and less disposed to speak about +his adventure, for it seemed hard work to make an effort to punish the +man who had, after all, saved his life. + +About a fortnight had passed, when one morning, upon going down, he +encountered his father's old sailor-servant, who answered his salute +with a grin. + +"What are you laughing at, Bill?" asked Nic. + +"They've been at it again, sir." + +"What! those scoundrels after the salmon?" + +"Yes, sir; in the night. Didn't you hear 'em?" + +"Of course not. Did you?" + +"Oh yes, I heerd 'em and seed 'em too; leastwise, I seed their lights. +So did Tom Gardener." + +"Then why didn't you call me up?" cried Nic angrily. + +"'Cause you'd ha' woke the Captain, and he'd have had us all out for a +fight." + +"Of course he would." + +"And he was a deal better in his bed. You know what he is, Master Nic. +I put it to you, now. He's got all the sperrit he always did have, and +is ripe as ever for a row; but is he fit, big and heavy as he's growed, +to go down fighting salmon-poachers?" + +"No; but we could have knocked up Tom Gardener and the other men, and +gone ourselves." + +"Oh!" ejaculated the old sailor, laughing. "He'd have heared, perhaps. +Think you could ha' made him keep back when there was a fight, Master +Nic?" + +"No, I suppose not; but he will be horribly angry, and go on at you +fiercely when he knows." + +"Oh, of course," said the man coolly. "That's his way; but I'm used to +that. It does him good, he likes it, and it don't do me no harm. Never +did in the old days at sea." + +"Has any one been down to the river?" + +"Oh yes; me and Tom Gardener went down as soon as it was daylight; and +they've been having a fine game." + +"Game?" + +"Ay, that they have, Master Nic," said the man, laughing. "There's no +water coming over the fall, and the pool was full of fish." + +"Well, I know that, Bill," cried Nic impatiently; "but you don't mean to +say that--" + +"Yes, I do," said the man, grinning. "They've cleared it." + +"And you laugh, sir!" + +"Well, 'taren't nowt to cry about, Master Nic. On'y a few fish." + +"And you know how particular my father is about the salmon." + +"Oh, ay. Of course I know; but he eats more of 'em than's good for him +now. 'Sides, they left three on the side. Slipped out o' their +baskets, I suppose." + +Nic was right: the Captain was furious, and the servants, from William +Solly to the youngest gardener, were what they called "tongue-thrashed," +Captain Revel storming as if he were once more rating his crew aboard +ship. + +"They all heard, Nic, my boy," he said to his son. "I believe they knew +the scoundrels were coming, and they were too cowardly to give the +alarm." + +This was after a walk down to the pool, where the water was clear and +still save where a little stream ran sparkling over the shelf of rock +instead of a thunderous fall, the gathering from the high grounds of the +moors. + +"I'm afraid they heard them, father," said Nic. + +"Afraid? I'm sure of it, boy." + +"And that they did not like the idea of your getting mixed up in the +fight." + +"Ah!" cried the Captain, catching his son by the shoulder; "then you +knew of it too, sir? You wanted me to be kept out of it." + +"I do want you to be kept out of any struggle, father," said Nic. + +"Why, sir, why?" panted the old officer. + +"Because you are not so active as you used to be." + +"What, sir? Nonsense, sir! A little heavy and--er--short-winded +perhaps, but never better or more full of fight in my life, sir. The +scoundrels! Oh, if I had been there! But I feel hurt, Nic--cruelly +hurt. You and that salt-soaked old villain, Bill Sally, hatch up these +things between you. Want to make out I'm infirm. I'll discharge that +vagabond." + +"No, you will not, father. He's too good and faithful a servant. He +thinks of nothing but his old Captain's health." + +"A scoundrel! and so he ought to. Wasn't he at sea with me for +five-and-twenty years--wrecked with me three times?--But you, Nic, to +mutiny against your father!" + +"No, no, father; I assure you I knew nothing whatever about it till I +came down this morning." + +"And you'd have woke me if you had known?" + +"Of course I would, father." + +"Thank you, Nic--thank you. To be sure: you gave me your word of honour +you would. But as for that ruffian Bill Solly, I'll blow him out of the +water." + +"Better let it rest, father," said Nic. "We escaped a bad fight +perhaps. I believe there was a gang of fifteen or twenty of the +scoundrels, and I'd rather they had all the fish in the sea than that +you should be hurt." + +"Thank you, Nic; thank you, my boy. That's very good of you; but I +can't, and I will not, lie by and have my fish cleared away like this." + +"There'll be more as soon as the rain comes again in the moors, and +these are gone now." + +"Yes, and sold--perhaps eaten by this time, eh?" + +"Yes, father; and there's as good fish in the sea." + +"As ever came out of it--eh, Nic?" + +"Yes, father; so let the matter drop." + +"Can't help myself, Nic; but I must have a turn at the enemy one of +these times. I cannot sit down and let them attack me like this. Oh, +I'd dearly like to blow some of 'em out of the water!" + +"Better put a bag of powder under the rock, father, and blow away the +falls so that the salmon can always get up, and take the temptation away +from these idle scoundrels." + +"I'd sooner put the powder under my own bed, sir, and blow myself up. +No, Nic, I will not strike my colours to the miserable gang like that. +Oh! I'd dearly like to know when they are going to make their next +raid, and then have my old crew to lie in wait for them." + +"And as that's impossible, father--" + +"We must grin and bear it, Nic--eh?" + +"Yes, father." + +"But only wait!" + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +PLOTS AND PLANS. + +The rain came, as Nic had said it would, and as it does come up in the +high hills of stony Dartmoor. Then the tiny rills swelled and became +rivulets, the rivulets rivers, and the rivers floods. The trickling +fall at the Captain's swelled up till the water, which looked like +porter, thundered down and filled the pool, and the salmon came rushing +up from the sea till there were as many as ever. Then, as the rainy +time passed away, Captain Revel made his plans, for he felt sure that +there would be another raid by the gang who had attacked his place +before, headed by Pete Burge and a deformed man of herculean strength, +who came with a party of ne'er-do-weels from the nearest town. + +"That rascal Pete will be here with his gang," said the Captain, "and +we'll be ready for them." + +But the speaker was doing Pete Burge an injustice; for, though several +raids had been made in the neighbourhood, and pools cleared out, Pete +had hung back from going to the Captain's for some reason or another, +and suffered a good deal of abuse in consequence, one result being a +desperate fight with Humpy Dee, the deformed man, who after a time +showed the white feather, and left Pete victorious but a good deal +knocked about. + +So, feeling sure that he was right, Captain Revel made his plans; and, +unwillingly enough, but with the full intention of keeping his father +out of danger, Nic set to work as his father's lieutenant and carried +out his orders. + +The result was that every servant was armed with a stout cudgel, and +half-a-dozen sturdy peasants of the neighbourhood were enlisted to come, +willingly enough, to help to watch and checkmate the rough party from +the town, against whom a bitter feeling of enmity existed for depriving +the cottagers from getting quietly a salmon for themselves. + +The arrangements were made for the next night, a stranger having been +seen inspecting the river and spying about among the fir-trees at the +back of the pool. + +But no one came, and at daybreak the Captain's crew, as he called it, +went back to bed. + +The following night did not pass off so peacefully, for soon after +twelve, while the watchers, headed by the Captain and Nic, were well +hidden about the pool, the enemy came, and, after lighting their +lanthorns, began to net the salmon. + +Then a whistle rang out, a desperate attack was made upon them, and the +Captain nearly had a fit. For his party was greatly outnumbered. The +raiders fought desperately, and they went off at last fishless; but not +until the Captain's little force had been thoroughly beaten and put to +flight, with plenty of cuts and bruises amongst them, Nic's left arm +hanging down nearly helpless. + +"But never mind, Nic," said the Captain, rubbing his bruised hand as he +spoke. "I knocked one of the rascals down, and they got no fish; and I +don't believe they'll come again." + +But they did, the very next night, and cleared the pool once more, for +the watchers were all abed; and in the morning the Captain was frantic +in his declarations of what he would do. + +To Nic's great delight, just when his father was at his worst, and, as +his old body-servant said, "working himself into a fantigue about a bit +o' fish," there was a diversion. + +Nic was sitting at breakfast, getting tired of having salmon at every +meal--by the ears, not by the mouth--when suddenly there was the dull +thud of a big gun out at sea, and Captain Revel brought his fist down +upon the table with a bang like an echo of the report. + +"Lawrence!" he cried excitedly. "Here, Nic, ring the bell, and tell +Solly to go and hoist the flag." + +The bell was rung, and a maid appeared. + +"Where's Solly?" cried the Captain angrily. + +"Plee, sir, he's gone running up to the cliff to hoist the flag," said +the girl nervously. + +"Humph! that will do," said the Captain, and the maid gladly beat a +retreat.--"Not a bad bit of discipline that, Nic. Wonder what brings +Lawrence here! Ring that bell again, boy, and order them to reset the +breakfast-table. He'll be here in half-an-hour, hungry. He always was +a hungry chap." + +The maid appeared, received her orders, and was about to go, when she +was arrested. + +"Here, Mary, what is there that can be cooked for Captain Lawrence's +breakfast?" + +"The gardener has just brought in a salmon he found speared and left by +the river, sir." + +The Captain turned purple with rage. + +"Don't you ever dare to say salmon to me again, woman!" he roared. + +"No, sir; cert'n'y not, sir," faltered the frightened girl, turning +wonderingly to Nic, her eyes seeming to say, "Please, sir, is master +going mad?" + +"Yes; tell the cook to fry some salmon cutlets," continued the Captain; +and then apologetically to his son: "Lawrence likes fish." + +As the maid backed out of the room the Captain rose from the table. + +"Come along, my boy," he said; "we'll finish our breakfast with him." + +Nic followed his father into the hall, and then through the garden and +up to the edge of the cliff, passing William Solly on his way back after +hoisting the flag, which was waving in the sea-breeze. + +"Quite right, William," said the Captain as the old sailor saluted and +passed on. "Nothing like discipline, Nic, my boy. Ha! You ought to +have been a sailor." + +The next minute they had reached the flagstaff, from whence they could +look down at the mouth of the river, off which one of the king's ships +was lying close in, and between her and the shore there was a boat +approaching fast. + +As father and son watched, it was evident that they were seen, for some +one stood up in the stern-sheets and waved a little flag, to which Nic +replied by holding his handkerchief to be blown out straight by the +breeze. + +"Ha! Very glad he has come, Nic," said the Captain. "Fine fellow, Jack +Lawrence! Never forgets old friends. Now I'll be bound to say he can +give us good advice about what to do with those scoundrels." + +"Not much in his way, father, is it?" said Nic. + +"What, sir?" cried the Captain fiercely. "Look here, boy; I never knew +anything which was not in Jack Lawrence's way. Why, when we were young +lieutenants together on board the _Sovereign_, whether it was fight or +storm he was always ready with a good idea. He will give us--me--well, +us--good advice, I'm sure. There he is, being carried ashore. Go and +meet him, my boy. I like him to see that he is welcome. Tell him I'd +have come down myself, but the climb back is a bit too much for me." + +Nic went off at a trot along the steep track which led down to the +shore, and in due time met the hale, vigorous, grey-haired officer +striding uphill in a way which made Nic feel envious on his father's +behalf. + +"Well, Nic, my boy," cried the visitor, "how's the dad? Well? That's +right. So are you," he continued, gazing searchingly at the lad with +his keen, steely-grey eyes. "Grown ever so much since I saw you last. +Ah, boy, it's a pity you didn't come to sea!" + +Then he went on chatting about being just come upon the Plymouth station +training men for the king's ships, and how he hoped to see a good deal +now of his old friend and his son. + +The meeting between the brother-officers was boisterous, but there was +something almost pathetic in the warmth with which they grasped hands, +for they had first met in the same ship as middies, and many a time +during Captain Lawrence's visits Nic had sat and listened to their +recollections of the dangers they had gone through and their boyish +pranks. + +William Solly was in the porch ready to salute the visitor, and to look +with pride at the fine, manly old officer's greeting. He made a point, +too, of stopping in the room to wait table, carefully supplying all +wants, and smiling with pleasure as he saw how the pleasant meal was +enjoyed by the guest. + +"We were lying off the river late last night, but I wouldn't disturb +you," he said. "I made up my mind, though, to come to breakfast. Hah! +What delicious fried salmon!" + +"_Hur-r-ur_!" growled Captain Revel, and Solly cocked his eye knowingly +at Nic. + +"Hallo! What's the matter?" cried the visitor. + +"The salmon--the salmon," growled Captain Revel, frowning and tapping +the table. + +"De-licious, man! Have some?--Here, Solly, hand the dish to your +master." + +"_Bur-r-ur_!" roared the Captain. "Take it away--take it away, or I +shall be in another of my rages, and they're not good for me, Jack--not +good for me." + +"Why, what is it, old lad?" + +"Tell him, Nic--tell him," cried Captain Revel; and his son explained +the cause of his father's irritation. + +"Why, that was worrying you last time I was here--let me see, a year +ago." + +"Yes, Jack; and it has been worrying me ever since," cried Captain +Revel. "You see, I mustn't cut any of the scoundrels down, and I +mustn't shoot them. The law would be down on me." + +"Yes, of course; but you might make the law come down on them." + +"Can't, my lad. Summonses are no use." + +"Catch them in the act, make them prisoners, and then see what the law +will do." + +"But we can't catch them, Jack; they're too many for us," cried the +Captain earnestly. "They come twenty or thirty strong, and we've had +fight after fight with them, but they knock us to pieces. Look at +Solly's forehead; they gave him that cut only a few nights ago." + +The old sailor blushed like a girl. + +"That's bad," said the visitor, after giving the man a sharp look. +"What sort of fellows are they?" + +"Big, strong, idle vagabonds. Scum of the town and the country round." + +"Indeed!" said the visitor, raising his eyes. "They thrash you, then, +because you are not strong enough?" + +"Yes; that's it, Jack. Now, what am I to do?" + +"Let me see," said the visitor, tightening his lips. "They only come +when the pool's full of salmon, you say, after a bit of rain in the +moors?" + +"Yes; that's it, Jack." + +"Then you pretty well know when to expect them?" + +"Yes; that's right." + +"How would it be, then, if you sent me word in good time in the morning? +Or, no--look here, old fellow--I shall know when there is rain on the +moor, and I'll come round in this direction from the port. I'm cruising +about the Channel training a lot of men. You hoist a couple of flags on +the staff some morning, and that evening at dusk I'll land a couple of +boats' crews, and have them marched up here to lay up with you and turn +the tables upon the rascals. How will that do?" + +Solly forgot discipline, and bent down to give one of his legs a +tremendous slap, while his master made the breakfast things dance from +his vigorous bang on the table. + +"There, Nic," he cried triumphantly; "what did I say? Jack Lawrence was +always ready to show the way when we were on our beam-ends. Jack, my +dear old messmate," he cried heartily, as he stretched out his +hand--"your fist." + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +THE CAPTAIN WILL "WHERRIT." + +Captain Lawrence spent the day at the Point, thoroughly enjoying a long +gossip, and, after an early dinner, proposed a walk around the grounds +and a look at the river and the pool. + +"What a lovely spot it is!" he said, as he wandered about the side of +the combe. "I must have such a place as this when I give up the sea." + +"There isn't such a place, Jack," said Captain Revel proudly. "But I +want you to look round the pool.--I don't think I'll climb down, Nic. +It's rather hot; and I'll sit down on the stone for a few minutes while +you two plan where you could ambush the men." + +"Right," said Captain Lawrence; and he actively followed Nic, pausing +here and there, till they had descended to where the fall just splashed +gently down into the clear pool, whose bigger stones about the bottom +were now half-bare. + +"Lovely place this, Nic, my boy. I could sit down here and doze away +the rest of my days. But what a pity it is that your father worries +himself so about these poaching scoundrels! Can't you wean him from it? +Tell him, or I will, that it isn't worth the trouble. Plenty more fish +will come, and there must be a little grit in every one's wheel." + +"Oh, I've tried everything, sir," replied Nic. "The fact is that he is +not so well as I should like to see him; and when he has an irritable +fit, the idea of any one trespassing and taking the fish half-maddens +him." + +"Well, we must see what we can do, my boy. It ought to be stopped. A +set of idlers like this requires a severe lesson. A good dose of +capstan bar and some broken heads will sicken them, and then perhaps +they will let you alone." + +"I hope so, sir." + +"I think I can contrive that it shall," said the visitor dryly. "I +shall bring or send some trusty men. There, I have seen all I want to +see. Let's get back." + +He turned to climb up the side of the gorge; and as Nic followed, the +place made him recall his encounter with Pete Burge, and how different +the pool looked then; and, somehow, he could not help hoping that the +big, bluff fellow might not be present during the sharp encounter with +Captain Lawrence's trusty men. + +"Hah! Began to think you long, Jack," said Captain Revel; and they +returned to the house and entered, after a glance seaward, where the +ship lay at anchor. + +Towards evening Solly was sent to hoist a signal upon the flagstaff, and +soon after a boat was seen pulling towards the shore. Then the visitor +took his leave, renewing his promise to reply to a signal by sending a +strong party of men. + +Nic walked down to the boat with his father's friend, and answered +several questions about the type of men who came after the salmon. + +"I see, I see," said Captain Lawrence; "but do you think they'll fight +well?" + +"Oh yes; there are some daring rascals among them." + +"So much the better, my dear boy. There, good-bye. Mind--two small +flags on your signal-halyards after the first heavy rain upon the moor, +and you may expect us at dusk. If the rascals don't come we'll have +another try; but you'll know whether they'll be there by the fish in the +pool. They'll know too--trust 'em. Look, there's your father watching +us--" and he waved his hand. "Good-bye, Nic, my dear boy. Good-bye!" + +He shook hands very warmly. Two of his men who were ashore joined hands +to make what children call a "dandy-chair," the Captain placed his hands +upon their shoulders, and they waded through the shallow water to the +boat, pausing to give her a shove off before climbing in; and then, as +the oars made the water flash in the evening light, Nic climbed the long +hill again, to stand with his father, watching the boat till she reached +the side of the ship. + +"Now then, my boy," said the old man, "we're going to give those fellows +such a lesson as they have never had before." + +He little knew how truly he was speaking. + +"I hope so, father," said Nic; and he was delighted to find how pleased +the old officer seemed. + +The next morning, when Nic opened his bedroom window, the king's ship +was not in sight; and for a week Captain Revel was fidgeting and +watching the sky, for no rain came, and there was not water enough in +the river for fresh salmon to come as far as the pool. + +"Did you ever see anything like it, Nic, my boy?" the Captain said again +and again; "that's always the way: if I didn't want it to rain, there'd +be a big storm up in the hills, and the fall would be roaring like a +sou'-wester off the Land's End; but now I want just enough water to fill +the river, not a drop will come. How long did Jack Lawrence say that he +was going to stop about Plymouth?" + +"He didn't say, father, that I remember," replied Nic. "Then he'll soon +be off; and just in the miserable, cantankerous way in which things +happen, the very day he sets sail there'll be a storm on Dartmoor, and +the next morning the pool will be full of salmon, and those scoundrels +will come to set me at defiance, and clear off every fish." + +"I say, father," said Nic merrily, "isn't that making troubles, and +fancying storms before they come?" + +"What, sir? How dare you speak to me like that?" cried the +Captain.--"And you, Solly, you mutinous scoundrel, how dare you laugh?" +he roared, turning to his body-servant, who happened to be in the hail. + +"Beg your honour's pardon; I didn't laugh." + +"You did laugh, sir," roared the Captain--"that is, I saw you look at +Master Nic here and smile. It's outrageous. Every one is turning +against me, and I'm beginning to think it's time I was out of this +miserable world." + +He snatched up his stick from the stand, banged on the old straw hat he +wore, and stamped out of the porch to turn away to the left, leaving Nic +hesitating as to what he should do, deeply grieved as he was at his +father's annoyance and display of temper. One moment he was for +following and trying to say something which would tend to calm the +irritation. The next he was thinking it would be best to leave the old +man to himself, trusting to the walk in the pleasant grounds having the +desired result. + +But this idea was knocked over directly by Solly, who had followed his +master to the porch, and stood watching him for a few moments. + +"Oh dear, dear! Master Nic," he cried, turning back, "he's gone down +the combe path to see whether there's any more water running down; and +there aren't, and he'll be a-wherriting his werry inside out, and that +wherrits mine too. For I can't abear to see the poor old skipper like +this here." + +"No, Solly, neither can I," said Nic gloomily. + +"It's his old hurts does it, sir. It aren't nat'ral. Here he is laid +up, as you may say, in clover, in as nice a place as an old sailor could +end his days in." + +"Yes, Solly," said Nic sadly; "it is a beautiful old place." + +"Ay, it is, sir; and when I cons it over I feel it. Why, Master Nic, +when I think of all the real trouble as there is in life, and what some +folks has to go through, I asks myself what I've ever done to have such +good luck as to be safely moored here in such a harbour. It's a lovely +home, and the troubles is nothing--on'y a bit of a gale blowed by the +skipper now and then along of the wrong boots as hurts his corns, or him +being a-carrying on too much sail, and bustin' off a button in a hurry. +And who minds that?" + +"Ah! who minds a trifle like that, Solly?" sighed Nic. "Well, sir, you +see he does. Wind gets up directly, and he talks to me as if I'd +mutinied. But I don't mind. I know all the time that he's the best and +bravest skipper as ever lived, and I'd do anything for him to save him +from trouble." + +"I know you would, Solly," said Nic, laying a hand upon the rugged old +sailor's shoulder. + +"Thank ye, Master Nic; that does a man good. But look here, sir; I +can't help saying it. The fact is, after his rough, stormy life, +everything here's made too easy for the skipper. He's a bit worried by +his old wounds, and that's all; and consekens is 'cause he aren't got no +real troubles he wherrits himself and makes quakers." + +"Makes quakers?" said Nic wonderingly. + +"Sham troubles, Master Nic--wooden guns, as we call quakers out at sea +or in a fort. Strikes me, sir, as a real, downright, good, gen-u-wine +trouble, such as losing all his money, would be the making of the +Captain; and after that he'd be ready to laugh at losing a few salmon as +he don't want. I say, Master Nic, you aren't offended at me for making +so bold?" + +"No, Solly, no," said the young man sadly. "You mean well, I know. +There, say no more about it. I hope all this will settle itself, as so +many troubles do." + +Nic strolled out into the grounds and unconsciously followed his father, +who had gone to the edge of the combe; but he had not walked far before +a cheery hail saluted his ears, and, to his great delight, he found the +Captain looking radiant. + +"Nic, my boy, it's all right," he cried; "my left arm aches terribly and +my corns are shooting like mad. Well, what are you staring at? Don't +you see it means rain? Look yonder, too. Bah! It's of no use to tell +you, boy. You've never been to sea. You've never had to keep your +weather-eye open. See that bit of silvery cloud yonder over Rigdon Tor? +And do you notice what a peculiar gleam there is in the air, and how +the flies bite?" + +"Yes--yes, I see all that, father." + +"Well, it's rain coming, my boy. There's going to be a thunderstorm up +in the hills before many hours are past. I'm not a clever man, but I +can tell what the weather's going to be as well as most folk." + +"I'm glad of it, father, if it will please you." + +"Please me, boy? I shall be delighted. To-morrow morning the salmon +will be running up the river again, and we may hoist the signal for +help. I say, you don't think Jack Lawrence has gone yet?" + +"No, father," said Nic; "I do not." + +"Why, Nic?--why?" cried the old sailor. + +"Because he said to me he should certainly come up and see us again +before he went." + +"To be sure; so he did to me, Nic. I say, my boy, I--that is--er-- +wasn't I a little bit crusty this morning to you and poor old William +Solly?" + +"Well, yes; just a little, father," said Nic, taking his arm. + +"Sorry for it. Change of the weather, Nic, affects me. It was coming +on. I must apologise to Solly. Grand old fellow, William Solly. Saved +my life over and over again. Man who would die for his master, Nic; and +a man who would do that is more than a servant, Nic--he is a friend." + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +THE CAPTAIN'S PROPHECY. + +Before many hours had passed the Captain's words proved correct. The +clouds gathered over the tors, and there was a tremendous storm a +thousand feet above the Point. The lightning flashed and struck and +splintered the rugged old masses of granite; the thunder roared, and +there was a perfect deluge of rain; while down near the sea, though it +was intensely hot, not a drop fell, and the evening came on soft and +cool. + +"Solly, my lad," cried the Captain, rubbing his hands, "we shall have +the fall roaring before midnight; but don't sit up to listen to it." + +"Cert'n'y not, sir," said the old sailor. + +"Your watch will begin at daybreak, when you will hoist the signal for +Captain Lawrence." + +"Ay, ay, sir!" + +"And keep eye to west'ard on and off all day, to try if you can sight +the frigate." + +"Ay, ay, sir!" + +"And in the course of the morning you will go quietly round and tell the +men to rendezvous here about eight, when you will serve out the arms." + +"Ay, ay, sir." + +"The good stout oak cudgels I had cut; and if we're lucky, my lad, we +shall have as nice and pleasant a fight as ever we two had in our +lives." + +"Quite a treat, sir," said the old sailor; "and I hope we shall be able +to pay our debts." + +The Captain was in the highest of glee all the evening, and he shook his +son's hand very warmly when they parted for bed. + +About one o'clock Nic was aroused from a deep sleep by a sharp knocking +at his door. + +"Awake, Nic?" came in the familiar accents. + +"No, father. Yes, father. Is anything wrong?" + +"Wrong? No, my boy; right! Hear the fall?" + +"No, father; I was sound asleep." + +"Open your window and put out your head, boy. The water's coming down +and roaring like thunder. Good-night." + +Nic slipped out of bed, did as he was told, and, as he listened, there +was the deep, musical, booming sound of the fall seeming to fill the +air, while from one part of the ravine a low, rushing noise told that +the river must be pretty full. + +Nic stood listening for some time before closing his window and +returning to bed, to lie wakeful and depressed, feeling a strange kind +of foreboding, as if some serious trouble was at hand. It was not that +he was afraid or shrank from the contest which might in all probability +take place the next night, though he knew that it would be desperate-- +for, on the contrary, he felt excited and quite ready to join in the +fray; but he was worried about his father, and the difficulty he knew he +would have in keeping him out of danger. He was in this awkward +position, too: what he would like to do would be to get Solly and a +couple of their stoutest men to act as bodyguard to protect his father; +but, if he attempted such a thing, the chances were that the Captain +would look upon it as cowardice, and order them off to the thick of the +cudgel-play. + +Just as he reached this point he fell asleep. + +Nic found the Captain down first next morning, looking as pleased as a +boy about to start for his holidays. + +"You're a pretty fellow," he cried. "Why, I've been up hours, and went +right to the falls. Pool's full, Nic, my boy, the salmon are up, and +it's splendid, lad." + +"What is, father?" + +"Something else is coming up." + +"What?" + +"Those scoundrels are on the _qui vive_. I was resting on one of the +rough stone seats, when, as I sat hidden among the trees, I caught sight +of something on the far side of the pool--a man creeping cautiously down +to spy out the state of the water." + +"Pete Burge, father?" cried Nic eagerly. + +"Humph! No; I hardly caught a glimpse of his face, but it was too short +for that scoundrel. I think it was that thick-set, humpbacked rascal +they call Dee." + +"And did he see you, father?" + +"No: I sat still, my boy, and watched till he slunk away again. Nic, +lad, we shall have them here to-night, and we must be ready." + +"Yes, father, if Captain Lawrence sends his men." + +"Whether he does or no, sir. I can't sit still and know that my salmon +are being stolen. Come--breakfast! Oh, here's Solly.--Here, you, sir, +what about those two signal flags? Hoist them directly." + +"Run 'em up, sir, as soon as it was light." + +"Good. Then, now, keep a lookout for the frigate." The day wore away +with no news of the ship being in the offing, and the Captain began to +fume and fret, so that Nic made an excuse to get away and look out, +relieving Solly, stationing himself by the flagstaff and scanning the +horizon till his eyes grew weary and his head ached. + +It was about six o'clock when he was summoned to dinner by Solly, who +took his place, and Nic went and joined his father. + +"Needn't speak," said the old man bitterly; "I know; Lawrence hasn't +come. We'll have to do it ourselves." + +Nic was silent, and during the meal his father hardly spoke a word. + +Just as they were about to rise, Solly entered the room, and the Captain +turned to him eagerly. + +"I was going to send for you, my lad," he said. "Captain Lawrence must +be away, and we shall have to trap the scoundrels ourselves. How many +men can we muster?" + +"Ten, sir." + +"Not half enough," said the Captain; "but they are strong, staunch +fellows, and we have right on our side. Ten against twenty or thirty. +Long odds; but we've gone against heavier odds than that in our time, +Solly." + +"Ay, sir, that we have." + +"We must lie in wait and take them by surprise when they're scattered, +my lads. But what luck! what luck! Now if Lawrence had only kept faith +with me we could have trapped the whole gang." + +"Well, your honour, why not?" said Solly sharply. + +"Why not?" + +"He'll be here before we want him." + +"What?" cried Nic. "Is the frigate in sight?" + +"In sight, sir--and was when you left the signal station." + +"No," said Nic sharply; "the only vessel in sight then was a big +merchantman with her yards all awry." + +"That's so, sir, and she gammoned me. The skipper's had her streak +painted out, and a lot of her tackle cast loose, to make her look like a +lubberly trader; but it's the frigate, as I made out at last, coming +down with a spanking breeze, and in an hour's time she'll be close +enough to send her men ashore." + +The Captain sprang up and caught his son's hand, to ring it hard. + +"Huzza, Nic!" he cried excitedly. "This is going to be a night of +nights." + +It was. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +READY FOR ACTION. + +"That's about their size, Master Nic," said Solly, as he stood in the +coach-house balancing a heavy cudgel in his hand--one of a couple of +dozen lying on the top of the corn-bin just through the stable door. + +"Oh, the size doesn't matter, Bill," said Nic impatiently. + +"Begging your pardon, sir, it do," said the old sailor severely. "You +don't want to kill nobody in a fight such as we're going to have, do +ye?" + +"No, no; of course not." + +"There you are, then. Man's sure to hit as hard as he can when his +monkey's up; and that stick's just as heavy as you can have 'em without +breaking bones. That's the sort o' stick as'll knock a man silly and +give him the headache for a week, and sarve him right. If it was +half-a-hounce heavier it'd kill him." + +"How do you know?" said Nic sharply. + +"How do I know, sir?" said the man wonderingly. "Why, I weighed it." + +Nic would have asked for further explanations; but just then there were +steps heard in the yard, and the gardener and a couple of labourers came +up in the dusk. + +"Oh, there you are," growled Solly. "Here's your weepuns;" and he +raised three of the cudgels. "You may hit as hard as you like with +them. Seen any of the others?" + +"Yes," said the gardener; "there's two from the village coming along the +road, and three of us taking the short cut over the home field. That's +all I see." + +"Humph!" said Solly. "There ought to be five more by this time." + +"Sick on it, p'r'aps," grumbled the gardener; "and no wonder. We are." + +"What! Are you afraid?" cried Nic. + +"No, sir, I aren't afraid; on'y sick on it. I like a good fight, and so +do these here when it's 'bout fair and ekal, but every time we has a go +in t'other side seems to be the flails and we only the corn and straw. +They're too many for us. I'm sick o' being thrashed, and so's these +here; and that aren't being afraid." + +"Why, you aren't going to sneak out of it, are you?" growled Solly. + +"No, I aren't," said the gardener; "not till I've had a good go at that +Pete Burge and Master Humpy Dee. But I'm going to sarcumwent 'em this +time." + +"Here are the others coming, Bill," cried Nic.--"What are you going to +do this time?" he said to the gardener. + +"Sarcumwent 'em, Master Nic," said the man, with a grin. "It's no use +to hit at their heads and arms or to poke 'em in the carcass--they don't +mind that; so we've been thinking of it out, and we three's going to hit +'em low down." + +"That's good," said Solly; "same as we used to sarve the black men out +in Jay-may-kee. They've all got heads as hard as skittle-balls, but +their shins are as tender as a dog's foot." + +Just then five more men came up and received their cudgels; and directly +after three more came slouching up; and soon after another couple, and +received their arms. + +"Is this all on us?" said one of the fresh-comers, as the sturdy fellows +stood together. + +"Ay, is this all, Master Nic?" cried another. + +"Why?" he said sharply. + +"Because there aren't enough, sir," said the first man. "I got to hear +on it down the village." + +"Ah! you heard news?" cried Nic. + +"Ay, sir, if you call such ugly stuff as that news. There's been a bit +of a row among 'em, all along o' Pete Burge." + +"Quarrelling among themselves?" + +"That's right, sir; 'cause Pete Burge said he wouldn't have no more to +do with it; and they've been at him--some on 'em from over yonder at the +town. I hear say as there was a fight, and then Pete kep' on saying he +would jyne 'em; and then there was another fight, and Pete Burge licked +the second man, and then he says he wouldn't go. And then there was +another fight, and Pete Burge licked Humpy Dee, and Humpy says Pete was +a coward, and Pete knocked him flat on the back. `I'll show you whether +I'm a coward,' he says. `I didn't mean to have no more to do wi' Squire +Revel's zammon,' he says; `but I will go to-night, for the last time, +just to show you as I aren't a cowards,' he says, `and then I'm done.'" + +"Ay; and he zays," cried another man from the village, "`If any one +thinks I'm a coward, then let him come and tell me.'" + +"Then they are coming to-night?" cried Nic, who somehow felt a kind of +satisfaction in his adversary's prowess. + +"Oh, ay," said the other man who had grumbled; "they're a-coming +to-night. There's a big gang coming from the town, and I hear they're +going to bring a cart for the zammon. There'll be a good thirty on 'em, +Master Nic, zir; and I zay we aren't enough." + +"No," said Nic quietly; "we are not enough, but we are going to have our +revenge to-night for all the knocking about we've had." + +"But we're not enough, Master Nic. We're ready to fight, all on us--eh, +mates?" + +"Ay!" came in a deep growl. + +"But there aren't enough on us." + +"There will be," said Nic in an eager whisper, "for a strong party of +Jack-tars from the king's ship that was lying off this evening are by +this time marching up to help us, and we're going to give these +scoundrels such a thrashing as will sicken them from ever meddling again +with my father's fish." + +"Yah!" growled a voice out of the gloom. + +"Who said that?" cried Nic. + +"I did, Master Nic," said the gardener sharply; "and you can tell the +Captain if you like. I say it aren't fair to try and humbug a lot o' +men as is ready to fight for you. It's like saying `rats' to a dog when +there aren't none." + +"Is it?" cried Nic, laughing. "How can that be? You heard just now +that there will be about thirty rats for our bulldogs to worry." + +"I meant t'other way on, sir," growled the man sulkily. "No sailor +bulldogs to come and help us." + +"How dare you say that?" cried Nic angrily. + +"'Cause I've lived off and on about Plymouth all my life and close to +the sea, and if I don't know a king's ship by this time I ought to. +That's only a lubberly old merchantman. Why, her yards were all anyhow, +with not half men enough to keep 'em square." + +"Bah!" cried Solly angrily. "Hold your mouth, you one-eyed old +tater-grubber. What do you mean by giving the young master the lie?" + +"That will do, Solly," cried Nic. "He means right. Look here, my lads; +that is a king's ship, the one commanded by my father's friend; and he +has made her look all rough like that so as to cheat the salmon-gang, +and it will have cheated them if it has cheated you." + +A cheer was bursting forth, but Nic checked it, and the gardener said +huskily: + +"Master Nic, I beg your pardon. I oughtn't to ha' said such a word. It +was the king's ship as humbugged me, and not you. Say, lads, we're +going to have a night of it, eh?" + +A low buzz of satisfaction arose; and Nic hurried out, to walk in the +direction of the signal-staff, where the Captain had gone to look out +for their allies. + +"Who goes there?" came in the old officer's deep voice. + +"Only I, father." + +"Bah!" cried the Captain in a low, angry voice. "Give the word, +sir--`Tails.'" + +"The word?--`Tails!'" said Nic, wonderingly. + +"Of course. I told you we must have a password, to tell friends from +foes." + +"Not a word, father." + +"What, sir? Humph, no! I remember--I meant to give it to all at once. +The word is `Tails' and the countersign is `Heads,' and any one who +cannot give it is to have heads. Do you see?" + +"Oh yes, father, I see; but are the sailors coming?" + +"Can't hear anything of them, my boy, and it's too dark to see; but they +must be here soon." + +"I hope they will be, father," said Nic. + +"Don't say you hope they will be, as if you felt that they weren't +coming. They're sure to come, my boy. Jack Lawrence never broke faith. +Now, look here; those scoundrels will be here by ten o'clock, some of +them, for certain, and we must have our men in ambush first--our men, +Nic. Jack Lawrence's lads I shall place so as to cut off the enemy's +retreat, ready to close in upon them and take them in the rear. Do you +see?" + +"Yes, father; excellent." + +"Then I propose that as soon as we hear our reinforcement coming you go +off and plant your men in the wood behind the fall. I shall lead the +sailors right round you to the other side of the pool; place them; and +then there must be perfect silence till the enemy has lit up his torches +and got well to work. Then I shall give a shrill whistle on the French +bo'sun's pipe I have in my pocket, you will advance your men and fall +to, and we shall come upon them from the other side." + +"I see, father." + +"But look here, Nic--did you change your things?" + +"Yes, father; got on the old fishing and wading suit." + +"That's right, boy, for you've got your work cut out, and it may mean +water as well as land." + +"Yes, I expect to be in a pretty pickle," said Nic, laughing, and +beginning to feel excited now. "But do you think the sailors will find +their way here in the dark?" + +"Of course," cried the Captain sharply. "Jack Lawrence will head them." + +"Hist!" whispered Nic, placing his hand to his ear and gazing seaward. + +"Hear 'em?" + +Nic was silent for a few moments. + +"Yes," he said. "I can hear their soft, easy tramp over the short +grass. Listen." + +"Right," said the Captain, as from below them there came out of the +darkness the regular _thrup_, _thrup_ of a body of men marching +together. Then, loudly, "king's men?" + +"Captain Revel?" came back in reply. + +"Right. Captain Lawrence there?" + +"No, sir; he had a sudden summons from the port admiral, and is at +Plymouth. He gave me my instructions, sir--Lieutenant Kershaw. I have +thirty men here." + +"Bravo, my lad!" cried the Captain. "Forward, and follow me to the +house. Your men will take a bit of refreshment before we get to work." + +"Forward," said the lieutenant in a low voice, and the _thrup_, _thrup_ +of the footsteps began again, not a man being visible in the gloom. + +"Off with you, Nic," whispered the Captain. "Get your men in hiding at +once. This is going to be a grand night, my boy. Good luck to you; and +I say, Nic, my boy--" + +"Yes, father." + +"No prisoners, but tell the men to hit hard." Nic went off at a run, +and the lieutenant directly after joined the Captain, his men close at +hand following behind. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +A NIGHT OF NIGHTS. + +Nic's heart beat fast as he ran lightly along the path, reached the +house, and ran round to the stable-yard, where Solly and the men were +waiting. + +"Ready, my lads?" he said in a low, husky voice, full of the excitement +he felt. + +"We'll go on round to the back of the pool at once. The sailors are +here, thirty strong, with their officer; so we ought to give the enemy a +severe lesson.--Ah! Don't cheer. Ready?--Forward. Come, Solly; we'll +lead." + +"Precious dark, Master Nic," growled the old sailor in a hoarse whisper. +"We shan't hardly be able to tell t'other from which." + +"Ah! I forgot," cried Nic excitedly. "Halt! Look here, my men. Our +password is `Tails,' and our friends have to answer `Heads.' So, if you +are in doubt, cry `Tails,' and if your adversary does not answer `Heads' +he's an enemy." + +"Why, a-mussy me, Master Nic?" growled Solly, "we shan't make heads or +tails o' that in a scrimble-scramble scrimmage such as we're going to be +in. What's the skipper thinking about? Let me tell 'em what to do." + +"You heard your master's order, Solly," replied Nic. + +"Yes, sir, of course; but this here won't do no harm. Look here, my +lads; as soon as ever we're at it, hit hard at every one who aren't a +Jack. You'll know them." + +Nic felt that this addition could do no harm, so he did not interfere, +but led on right past the way down to the falls, which had shrunk now to +a little cascade falling with a pleasant murmur, for the draining of the +heavy thunder-showers was nearly at an end, and the pool lay calm enough +in the black darkness beneath the overhanging rocks and spreading +trees--just in the right condition for a raid, and in all probability +full of salmon. + +All at once the old sailor indulged in a burst of chuckles. + +"Hear something, Bill?" said Nic. + +"No, my lad, not yet; I was on'y thinking. They was going to bring a +cart up the road yonder, waren't they?" + +"Yes; one of the men said so," replied Nic. + +"Well, we're a-going to give 'em something to take back in that cart +to-night, my lad," whispered the man, with another chuckle; "and it +won't be fish, nor it won't be fowl. My fingers is a-tingling so that I +thought something was the matter, and I tried to change my stick from my +right hand into my left." + +"Well, what of that?" said Nic contemptuously; "it was only pins and +needles." + +"Nay, Master Nic, it waren't that. I've been a sailor in the king's +ships and have had it before. It was the fighting-stuff running down to +the very tips of my fingers, and they wouldn't let go." + +"Hush! don't talk now," whispered Nic; "there may be one or two of the +enemy yonder." + +"Nay, it's a bit too soon for 'em, sir; but it'll be as well to keep +quiet." + +The narrow paths of the tangled wilderness at the back of the pool were +so well known to all present that their young leader had no difficulty +in getting them stationed by twos and threes well down the sides of the +gorge on shelves and ledges where the bushes and ferns grew thickly, +from whence, when the poachers were well at work, it would be easy to +spring down into the water and make the attack. For the flood had so +far subsided now that the worst hole was not above five feet deep, and +the greater part about three, with a fairly even bottom of ground-down +rock smoothed by the pebbles washed over it in flood-time. + +Here it was that the salmon for the most part congregated, the +new-comers from the sea taking naturally to the haunts of their +forerunners from time immemorial, so that poacher or honest fisher +pretty well knew where he would be most successful. + +Nic chose a central spot for himself and Solly, some four feet above the +level of the black water, and after ranging his men to right and left he +sat down to wait, with all silent and dark around, save for the murmur +of the water and the gleaming of a star or two overhead, for besides +this there was not a glint of light. Still, the place seemed to stand +out before him. Exactly opposite, across the pool, was the narrow +opening between the steep rocks on either side; and he knew without +telling that as soon as the poachers began their work his father would +send some of his active allies into the bed of the stream lower down, to +advance upward, probably before the whistle was blown. + +"And then the scoundrels will be in a regular trap before they know it," +thought Nic, as he strained his ears to catch the sound of the sailors +being stationed in their hiding-places; but all was still save the soft +humming roar of the falling water plunging into the pool. + +An hour passed very slowly, and Nic's cramped position began to affect +him with the tingling sensation known as pins and needles; this he did +not attribute to the movement of his nerve-currents eager to reach his +toes and fill him with a desire to kick his enemies, but quietly changed +his position and waited, trembling with excitement, and longing now to +get the matter over, fully satisfied as he was that his friends were all +in position and ready for the fray. + +At last! + +There was a sharp crack, as if someone had trodden upon a piece of +dead-wood away up to the right. Then another crack and a rustling, and +an evident disregard of caution. + +"Come along, my lads," said a low, harsh voice; and then there was a +splash, as if a man had lowered himself into the water. "They had +enough of it last time, and won't come this, I'll wager. If they do, +we're half as many again, and we'll give 'em such a drubbing as'll stop +'em for long enough." + +"Needn't shout and holloa," said another voice from the side. "Keep +quiet. We don't want to fight unless we're obliged." + +"Oh no, of course not!" said the man with the harsh voice mockingly. +"If we do have to, my lads, two of you had better take Pete Burge home +to his mother." + +There was a low laugh at this, and Pete remained silent as far as making +any retort was concerned, but directly after Nic felt a singular thrill +run through him as the man said softly: + +"Three of you get there to the mouth and drop the net across and hold +it, for the fish will make a rush that way. Don't be afraid of the +water. Shove the bottom line well round the stones, and keep your feet +on it. A lot got away last time." + +There was the sound of the water washing as men waded along the side of +the great circular pool, and then the whishing of a net being dropped +down and arranged. + +"Ha, ha!" laughed a man; "there's one of 'em. Come back again' my legs. +He's in the net now. Can't get through." + +"Now then," cried the harsh-voiced fellow; "open those lanthorns and get +your links alight, so as we can see what we're about." + +"Not zo much noise, Humpy Dee," said Pete sharply, as the light of three +lanthorns which had been carried beneath sacks gleamed out over the +water, and the light rapidly increased as dark figures could be seen +lighting torches from the feeble candles and then waving their sticks of +oakum and pitch to make them blaze, so that others could also start the +links they carried. + +At first the light was feeble, and a good deal of black smoke arose, but +soon after over a dozen torches were burning brightly, showing quite a +little crowd of men, standing in the black water, armed with hooks and +fish-spears, and each with a stout staff stuck in his belt. + +The scene was weird and strange, the light reflected from the cliff-like +sides of the pool seeming to be condensed upon the surface; and the +faces of the marauders gleamed strangely above the flashing water, +beginning to be agitated now by the startled salmon; while rising upward +there was a gathering cloud of black, stifling smoke. + +"Ready there with that net," cried Humpy Dee, a broad-shouldered, +dwarfed man, whose head was deep down between his shoulders. + +"Ay, ay!" came from the mouth of the pool. + +"Less noise," cried Pete angrily. "Here, you, Jack Willick, and you, +Nat Barrow, go up towards the house and give us word if anyone's coming, +so as we may be ready." + +"To run?" snarled Humpy Dee. "Stop where you are, lads. If the old +squire meant to come with his gang he'd ha' been here afore now, and--" + +_Phee-yew_! + +The Captain's shrill silver whistle rang out loudly at this instant, and +Nic and his men grasped their cudgels more tightly. + +"Now for it, lads," he shouted, and he sprang from his ledge into the +water and made at Humpy Dee. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +A BLACK NIGHT. + +Nic's cry was answered by a loud cheer from his men, which seemed to +paralyse the enemy--some thirty strong, who stood staring, the +torch-bearers holding their smoky lights on high--giving the party from +the Point plenty of opportunity for picking their men, as they followed +their leader's example and leaped into the pool. This caused a rush of +the fish towards the lights for the most part, though many made for the +gap to follow the stream, shooting against the net, which was held +tightly in its place. + +"There, go home, you set of ugly fools, before you're hurt," cried the +deformed man, with a snarl like that of a wild beast. "What! You will +have it? Come on, then. Hi, there! hold the links higher, and let us +see their thick heads. Give it to 'em hard." + +Emboldened by old successes, two wings of the gang whipped out their +sticks and took a step or two forward, to stand firm on either side of +the deformed man, who was a step in front. The next minute the fray had +commenced, Nic leading off with a tremendous cut from his left at Humpy +Dee's head. + +For the young man's blood was up; he was the captain of the little +party, and he knew that everything depended upon him. If he fought well +they would stand by him to a man, as they had shown before. If, on the +other hand, he seemed timid and careful, they would show a disposition +to act on the defensive. That would not do now, as Nic well knew. His +object was to make a brave charge and stagger the enemy, so that they +might become the easier victims to panic when they found that they were +attacked by a strong party in the rear. + +_Crack_! went Nic's stout stick, as he struck with all his might; and +_crick_, _crick_, _crack_, _crash_! went a score or more, mingled with +shouts of defiance. + +But Nic's cudgel did not give forth its sharp sound from contact with +the leader's head, for he had to do with a clever cudgel-player as well +as one who had often proved his power as a tricky wrestler in contests +with the best men of the neighbouring farthest west county. Nic's blow +was cleverly caught on as stout a cudgel, and the next moment his left +arm fell numb to his side. + +He struck savagely now, making up for want of skill by the rain of blows +he dealt at his adversary, and thus saved himself from being beaten down +into the water at once. + +But it was all in vain. + +On the other hand, though his men did better, being more equally matched +they did not cause the panic Nic had hoped for, and the enemy kept their +ground; while the torches spluttered, blazed, and smoked, and to the +spectators the amphitheatre during those few brief moments looked wild +and strange as some feverish dream. + +But, as before said, Nic's brave efforts were all in vain. His muscles +were too soft and green, and he was, in addition to being young, no +adept in the handling of a stick. He fought bravely, but he had not the +strength to keep it up against this short, iron-muscled, skilful foe. +He was aware of it only too soon, for his guard was beaten down, and he +saw stars and flashes of light as he received a sharp blow from his +adversary's stick. Then he felt himself caught by the throat, and by +the light of one of the torches he saw the man's cudgel in the act of +falling once more for a blow which he could only weakly parry, when +another cudgel flashed by, there was a crack just over his head, and +Humpy Dee uttered a yell of rage. + +"You coward!" he roared. "Take that!" and quick as a flash Nic made out +that he struck at some one else, and attributed the side-blow in his +defence to Solly, who was, he believed, close by. + +At that moment a loud, imperious voice from somewhere in front and above +shouted, so that the rocks echoed: + +"Hold hard below there!" + +Nic involuntarily lowered his cudgel and stood panting, giddy, and sick, +listening. + +"Yah! never mind him," roared Humpy. "You, Pete, I'll pay you +afterwards." + +"Now, boys, down with you." + +"The poachers' companions," cried one of Nic's men, and they stepped +forward to the attack again, when a pistol-shot rang out and was +multiplied by the rocky sides of the arena, making the combatants pause, +so that the voice from above was plainly heard: + +"Below there, you scoundrels! Surrender in the king's name. You are +surrounded." + +"Brag, my lads!" roared Humpy Dee. "Stand to it, boys, and haul the +beggars out." + +There was a moment's pause, just enough for the next words to be heard: + +"At 'em, lads! You've got 'em, every man." + +A roaring cheer followed, and Nic saw the torches through the cloud that +seemed to be thickening around them. He could hear shouts, which grew +louder and fiercer. There was the rattle of cudgels, savage yells +seemed to be bellowed in his ears, and he felt himself thrust and struck +and hauled here and there as a desperate fight went on for his +possession. Then, close at hand, there was a deafening cheer, a +tremendous shock, the rattle of blows, and he was down upon his knees. +Lastly, in a faint, dreamy way, he was conscious of the rush of cold +water about his face, in his ears the thundering noise of total +immersion, with the hot, strangling sense of drowning; and then all was +blank darkness, and he knew no more. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +A STRANGE AWAKENING. + +Another storm seemed to have gathered in Dartmoor--a terrible storm, +which sent the rain down in sheets, which creaked and groaned as they +washed to and fro, and every now and then struck against the rocks with +a noise like thunder. Great stones seemed to be torn up and thrown here +and there, making the shepherds shout as they tried to keep their flocks +together under the shelter of some granite for, while down by the falls +at the salmon-pool the water came over as it had never come before. + +Nic had a faint recollection of his fight with Humpy Dee, and of some +one coming to take his part, with the result that they were all tangled +up together till they were forced beneath the water. This must have +separated them, so that he was quite alone now, being carried round and +round the pool, rising and falling in a regular way, till he came +beneath the falls, when down came the tons of water upon his head, +driving him beneath the surface, to glide on in the darkness, feeling +sick and half-suffocated, while his head burned and throbbed as if it +would burst. + +It did not seem to matter much, but it appeared very strange; and this +must be drowning, but it took such a long time, and went on and on, +repeating itself in the same way as if it would never end. + +That part of it was very strange, too--that light; and it puzzled Nic +exceedingly, for it seemed to be impossible that he should be going +round and round in the salmon-pool, to be sucked under the falls, and +feel the water come thundering upon his head with a crash and creak and +groan, and in the midst of it for a lanthorn to come slowly along till +it was quite close to him, and voices to be heard. + +After seeing it again and again, he felt that he understood what it was. +He had been drowned, and they were coming with a lanthorn to look for +his body; but they never found it, though they came and stood talking +about him over and over again. + +At last he heard what was said quite plainly, but he only knew one voice +out of the three that spoke, and he could not make out whose that was. + +The voice said, "Better, sir, to-day;" and another voice said, "Oh yes, +you're getting all right now: head's healing nicely. The sooner you get +up on deck and find your sea-legs the better." + +"Oh, I shall be all right there, sir." + +"Been to sea before?" + +"In fishing craft, sir--often. But would you mind telling me, sir, +where we're going?" + +"Oh, you'll know soon enough, my lad. Well: America and the West +Indies." + +"This must be a dream," thought Nic; and he was lying wondering, when +the light was suddenly held close to him, and he could see over his head +beams and planks and iron rings and ropes, which made it all more +puzzling than ever. + +Then a cool hand touched his brow, and it seemed as if a bandage was +removed, cool water laved the part which ached and burned, and a fresh +bandage was fastened on. + +"Won't die, will he, sir?" said the voice Nic knew but could not quite +make out. + +"Oh no, not now, my lad. He has had a near shave, and been none the +better for knocking about in this storm; but he's young and healthy, and +the fever is not quite so high this morning.--Hold the light nearer, +Jeffs.--Hallo! Look at his eyes; he can hear what we say.--Coming +round, then, my lad?" + +"Yes," said Nic feebly, "round and round. The falls will not come on my +head any more, will they?" + +_Crash_--_rush_! and Nic groaned, for down came the water again, and the +young man nearly swooned in his agony, while a deathly sensation of +giddiness attacked him. + +"Head seems to be all right now," said the third voice. + +"Yes, healing nicely; but he ought to have been sent ashore to the +hospital." + +"Oh, I don't know. Bit of practice." + +The roar and rush ceased, and the terrible sinking sensation passed off +a little. + +"Drink this, my lad," said a voice, and Nic felt himself raised; +something nasty was trickled between his lips, and he was lowered down +again, and it was dark, while the burning pain, the giddiness, and the +going round the pool and under the falls went on over and over in a +dreamy, distant way once more. Then there was a long, drowsy space, and +the sound of the falls grew subdued. + +At last Nic lay puzzling his weary, confused head as to the meaning of a +strange creaking, and a peculiar rising and falling, and why it was that +he did not feel wet. + +Just then from out of the darkness there was a low whistling sound, +which he recognised as part of a tune he had often heard, and it was so +pleasant to hear that he lay quite still listening till it ended, when +he fell asleep, and seemed to wake again directly, with the melody of +the old country ditty being repeated softly close at hand. + +"Who's that?" he said at last; and there was a start, and a voice--that +voice he could not make out--cried: + +"Hullo, Master Nic! glad to hear you speak zensible again." + +"Speak--sensible--why shouldn't I?" + +"I d'know, zir. But you have been going it a rum 'un. Feel better?" + +"Feel--better. I don't know. Who is it?" + +"Me, sir." + +"Yes, yes," cried Nic querulously; "but who is it?" + +"Pete Burge, sir." + +"Pete--Burge," said Nic thoughtfully, and he lay very still trying to +think; but he could not manage it, for the water in the pool seemed to +be bearing him along, and now he was gliding up, and then down again, +while his companion kept on talk, talk, talk, in a low murmur, and all +was blank once more. + +Then a change came, and Nic lay thinking a little more clearly. + +"Are you there, Pete Burge?" he said. + +"Yes, I'm here, master." + +"What was that you were saying to me just now?" + +"Just now?" said the man wonderingly. "Well, you do go on queer, zir. +That was the day afore yes'day. But I zay, you are better now, aren't +you?" + +"Better? I don't know. I thought I was drowned." + +"Poor lad!" said Pete softly; but it seemed to sting Nic. + +"What do you mean by that?" he said feebly. + +"Zorry for you, master." + +"Why?" + +"'Cause you've been zo bad." + +"Been so bad?" said Nic thoughtfully. "Why have I been so bad? It's +very strange." + +Pete Burge made no reply, and there was silence again, till it was +broken by Nic, who said suddenly: + +"Have you been very bad too?" + +"Me, zir? Yes, horrid. Thought I was going to the locker, as they call +it. Doctor zaid I ought to have been took to the hospital." + +"Were you nearly drowned?" said Nic after a pause, during which he had +to fight hard to keep his thinking power under control. + +"Was I nearly drowned, zir?" said the man, with a low chuckle. "Zeems +to me I was nearly everythinged. Head smashed, chopped, choked, and +drowned too." + +Nic was silent again, for he could not take in so many ideas as this at +once, and it was some minutes before he could collect himself for +another question. + +"But you are better now?" + +"Oh yes, zir, I'm better now. Doctor zays I'm to get up to-morrow." + +"The doctor! Was that the doctor whom I heard talking yesterday?" + +"Yes: two of 'em; they've pulled uz round wonderful. You frightened me +horrid, master, the way you went on, and just when I was most bad. You +made me feel it was all my fault, and I couldn't zleep for thinking that +if you died I'd killed you. But I zay, master, you won't die now, will +you?" + +"How absurd!" said Nic, with a weak laugh. "Of course not. Why should +I die now?" + +"Ah, why indeed, when you're getting better?" + +There was another silence before Nic began again. + +"I've been wondering," he said, "why it is that we can be going round +the salmon-pool like this, and yet be lying here talking about the +doctor and being bad." + +"Ay, 'tis rum, sir." + +"Yes, it puzzles me. Look here; didn't we have a fight with you and +your men to-night?" + +"We had a big fight, sir; but it waren't to-night." + +"But it's quite dark still, and I suppose it's my head being giddy that +makes me feel that we're going up and down." + +"Oh no, it aren't, zir," said the man, laughing; "we're going up and +down bad enough. Not zo bad as we have been." + +"And round and round?" + +"No; not going round, master." + +"But where are we?" said Nic eagerly. + +"Ah, that puzzles you, do it, zir? Well, it puzzled me at first, till I +asked; and then the doctor zaid we was in the cockpit, but I haven't +heard any battle-cocks crowing, and you can't zee now, it's zo dark. +Black enough, though, for a pit." + +"Cockpit--cockpit!" said Nic. "Why, that's on board ship." + +"To be zure." + +"But we are not on board ship?" + +"Aren't we?" said the man. + +"I--I don't understand," cried Nic after a pause. "My head is all +confused and strange. Tell me what it all means." + +Pete Burge was silent. + +"Poor lad!" he said to himself; "how's he going to take it when he knows +all?" + +"You do not speak," said Nic excitedly. "Ah! I am beginning to think +clearly now. You came with the men after the salmon?" + +"Ay, worse luck. I didn't want to, but I had to go." + +"Come," said Nic sharply. "To-night, wasn't it?" + +"Nay. It's 'bout three weeks ago, master." + +This announcement, though almost a repetition, seemed to stun Nic for +the time; but he began again: + +"We had a desperate fight, didn't we?" + +"Worst I was ever in." + +"And--yes, I remember; we were struggling in the pool when the sailors +came." + +"That's it, master; you've got it now." + +"But your side won, then, and I'm a prisoner?" + +"Nay; your side won, master." + +"How can that be?" cried Nic. + +"'Cause it is. They was too many for uz. They come down like thunder +on uz, and 'fore we knowed where we was we was tied up in twos and being +marched away." + +"Our side won?" said Nic, in his confusion. + +"That's right, master. You zee, they told Humpy Dee and the rest to +give in, and they wouldn't; so the zailor officer wouldn't stand no +nonsense. His men begun with sticks; but, as our zide made a big fight +of it, they whips out their cutlashes and used them. I got one chop, +and you nearly had it, and when two or three more had had a taste of the +sharp edge they begun to give in; and, as I telled you, next thing we +was tied two and two and marched down to the river, pitched into the +bottoms of two boats, and rowed aboard a ship as zet zail at once; and +next night we was pitched down into the boats again and hoisted aboard +this ship, as was lying off Plymouth waiting to start." + +"Waiting to sail?" + +"That's right, master! And I s'pose she went off at once, but I was too +bad to know anything about it. When I could begin to understand I was +lying here in this hammock, and the doctor telled me." + +"One moment. Where are the others?" + +"All aboard, sir--that is, twenty-two with uz." + +"Some of our men too?" + +"Nay, zir; on'y our gang." + +"But I don't understand, quite," said Nic pitifully. "I want to know +why they have brought me. Tell me, Pete Burge--my head is getting +confused again--tell me why I am here." + +"Mistake, I s'pose, sir. Thought, zeeing you all rough-looking and +covered with blood, as you was one of us." + +Nic lay with his head turned in the speaker's direction, battling with +the horrible despairing thoughts which came like a flood over his +disordered brain; but they were too much for him. He tried to speak; +but the dark waters of the pool were there again, and the next minute he +felt as if he had been drawn by the current beneath the fall, and all +was mental darkness and the old confusion once more. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +WILLIAM SOLLY HAS THOUGHTS. + +It would have been better, perhaps, for Nic Revel if he had not heard +the result of the plan to get help from Captain Lawrence's ship and its +disastrous results for him. + +For Pete Burge's narrative was correct enough, save that he made an +omission or two, notably the fact that he was captured while making a +brave effort to save Nic from the savage blows being dealt out to him by +Humpy Dee, who was trying to visit upon his head the disappointment he +felt through the failure of the raid. + +It was from finding Nic, helplessly insensible, being carried off by +Pete that in the dark the sailors took the young man for one of the +party they were to attack; and hence it was that he was tied fast to his +injured companion, carried down the hill-slope to the river, bundled +into the boat with the other prisoners, and carried off, there being no +further communication held with the shore. Captain Lawrence knew +nothing till long afterwards about Nic being missing, and the long, long +search made for him in the pool; two of the men, when questioned later +on during the inquiry, having seen him go down in the fierce struggle. +But no one, during the confusion which ensued, had seen him rise again; +for it was somewhere about that time that those who bore torches, and +saw that the fight was going against them, dashed them down into the +water, hoping the darkness would cover their escape. + +The Captain, in the triumphant issue of the encounter, had stood to see +the prisoners all bound, and soon after, upon not finding his son, +accepted Solly's suggestion that Nic had walked down to see the +prisoners off, and perhaps gone on board to thank the officer for his +help. + +The next morning the ship was gone, and a horrible dread assailed master +and man as to Nic's fate. Then came the information from the two +labourers who had taken part in the defence and the search, every inch +of the pool and river being examined, till the suspicion became a +certainty that Nic had been swept down the river and carried out to sea, +the cap he wore having been brought in by one of the fishermen who +harboured his boat in the mouth of the stream. + +But Captain Revel did not rest content with this: in his agony he +communicated with Captain Lawrence, who came on at once, and confessed +now to his old friend why, when his help was asked, he had jumped at the +idea. They wanted men for one of the ships bound for Charleston and the +West Indies, the pressgangs having been very unsuccessful; and as the +salmon-poachers were described to him as being strong, active fellows, +the idea struck him that here was a fine opportunity for ridding the +neighbourhood of a gang of mischievous ne'er-do-weels--men who would be +of service to their country, and henceforth leave his old +brother-officer in peace; while any of them not particularly suitable +could be easily got rid of among the sugar and tobacco plantations. + +"Then," said Captain Revel, "you have sent them away?" + +"Yes; they sailed the next night. It was rather a high-handed +transaction; but the service wanted them badly, and we can't afford to +be too particular at a time like this." + +"But do you think it likely that my poor boy was among the prisoners?" + +"Impossible," said the Captain. "If he were--which is not in the least +likely--all he had to do was to speak and say who he was. But absurd! +I should have known, of course." + +"But after he was on board the other vessel?" + +"My dear old friend," said Captain Lawrence sympathetically, "I shrink +from dashing your hopes, but I feel how unjust it would be to back you +up in the idea that he may have gone with the impressed men. He is a +gentleman, and an English officer's son, and he would only have to open +his lips to any one he encountered, and explain his position, to be sent +home from the first port he reached." + +"Yes, yes, of course," said the Captain bitterly; "and I shall never see +my poor boy again." + +Captain Lawrence was so uneasy about his friend that he went back to the +boat and sent her off to the ship, returning afterwards to the house, +bitterly regretting that he had sent his men ashore and allowed himself +to be tempted into making a seizure of the poachers. + +Captain Revel was seated in his arm-chair when Captain Lawrence +re-entered the house, looking calm, grave, and thoughtful. His friend's +coming made him raise his head and gaze sorrowfully; then, with a weary +smile, he let his chin drop upon his breast and sat looking hard at the +carpet. + +"Come, Revel, man," cried Captain Lawrence, "you must cheer up. We +sailors can't afford to look at the black side of things." + +"No, no; of course not," said the stricken man. "I shall be better +soon, Jack; better soon. I'm getting ready to fight it." + +"That's right; and before long you will have the boy marching into the +room, or else sending you a letter." + +"Yes, yes," said Captain Revel, with a sad smile, and in a manner +totally different from that which he generally assumed, "he'll soon come +back or write." + +"But, poor fellow! he does not think so," said Captain Lawrence to +himself, as Nic's father relapsed into thoughtful silence. + +"Solly, my lad," said the visitor, when he felt that he must return to +his vessel, "your master has got a nasty shock over this business." + +"Ay, ay, sir; and he aren't the only one as feels it. I ought never to +ha' left Master Nic's side; but he put me in my station, and, of course, +I had to obey orders." + +"Of course, my lad. Here, we must make the best of it, and hope and +pray that the boy will turn up again all right." + +Solly shook his head sadly. + +"Ah, don't do that, my man," cried Captain Lawrence. "You a sailor, +too. There's life in a mussel, Solly. A man's never dead with us till +he is over the side with a shot at his heels." + +"That's true, sir," said the old sailor; "but, you see, I'm afraid. +There was some fierce fighting over yonder in the pitch-dark, where the +lights waren't showing. Sticks was a-going awful. If my poor boy got +one o' they cracks on his head and went beneath, there was plenty o' +water to wash him out o' the pool and down the river." + +"Yes; but hope for the best, man; hope for the best. Remember the bit +of blue that comes in the wind's eye often enough when we're in the +worst part of a gale." + +"Ay, sir, that's what I do--hope for the best, and that if my poor young +master, who was as fine a lad as ever stepped, is done for, I may some +day find out who it was that hit that blow, and pay it back." + +"No, Solly," said Captain Lawrence sternly. "An English sailor does not +take revenge in cold blood for what was done in hot. Never! There, I +must get off, and in a few days I hope to be back to see my old friend +again. Meanwhile, I know he's in good hands, and that he would not wish +to be watched over by any one better than William Solly, his old +companion in many a trouble of the past." + +"It's very kind o' you to say so, sir," said Solly humbly. + +"I only speak the truth, my man," said the visitor. "I have seen a +great deal, and Captain Revel has told me more, about what a faithful +servant you have been to him. Do all you can to comfort him, for he is +terribly changed." + +The tears were in old Solly's eyes, and there seemed to be a kink in his +throat, as he said huskily: + +"Awful, sir. I was a-saying on'y the other day, when the skipper was +wherriting hisself about losing a few salmon, and raging and blowing all +over the place, that he wanted a real trouble to upset him, and that +then he wouldn't go so half-mad-like about a pack o' poachers working +the pool. But I little thought then that the real bad trouble was +coming so soon; and it has altered him, sewer-ly. Poor Master Nic--poor +dear lad! Seems on'y t'other day as I used to carry him sittin' with +his little bare legs over my two shoulders, and him holding on tight by +my curly hair. Yes, sir, you look; it is smooth and shiny up aloft now, +but I had a lot o' short, curly hair then, just like an old Calabar +nigger's. And now, on'y to think of it." + +"No, don't think of it, my lad, for we are not certain, and we will not +give up hope. There, good-bye, Solly, my man. Shake hands." + +"Shake--hands, sir--with you, cap'n?" + +"No, not with the captain, but with the man who looks upon you as an old +friend." + +The next minute Solly was alone, rubbing his fist first in one eye and +then in the other, twisting the big bony knuckle of his forefinger round +so as to squeeze the moisture out. + +"Well now," he said, "just look at that! What an old fool I am! Well, +if I didn't know as them there drops o' mystur' was 'cause o' my poor +lad Master Nic, I should ha' thought it was all on account o' what Cap'n +Lawrence said. `Friend!' he says. Well, I like that. I s'pose it's +'cause I've allus tried to do my dooty, though I've made a horful muddle +on it more'n once." + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT. + +The next time the doctor came below to see his patients he examined Pete +Burge. + +"Humph!" he ejaculated. "Lucky for you, my man, that you have such a +thick skull. You'll do now; but you've had a narrow escape. There, you +can go up on deck every day a bit, but keep out of the sun; it's very +hot, and getting hotter. It will do you more good than stopping down in +this black hole." + +"Thank ye, master," said Pete; and he lay still in his hammock, waiting +for the doctor to go on deck before getting out and beginning to dress. + +"Look here," said the doctor; "you are not off the sick-list yet, and +you will come down and look after this lad till he is fit to go up.-- +Well, how are you, my lad?--Hold that light closer," he continued, +turning to his assistant. "Humph! fever stronger.--Has he been talking +to you--sensibly?" + +"Yes, zir," replied Pete. "A good deal muddled at first, but he began +asking questions at last." + +"What about?" + +"Didn't know how he come here, and I had to tell him." + +"Yes! What then?" + +"Give a zort of a groan, zir, and been talking to hisself ever zince." + +"Humph! Poor wretch," muttered the doctor, and he gave some +instructions to his assistant before turning once more to Pete: + +"Look here, you had better stay with your mate when you are not on deck. +If he gets worse you can fetch me." + +"Where shall I find you, zir?" asked Pete. + +"Ask one of the men." + +Pete began to dress as soon as he was alone, and found that it was no +easy task on account of a strange feeling of giddiness; but he succeeded +at last, and stepped to Nic's hammock and laid a cool hand upon the poor +fellow's burning brow. Then he went on deck, glad to sit down right +forward in the shade cast by one of the sails and watch the blue water +whenever the vessel heeled over. + +The exertion, the fresh air, and the rocking motion of the ship produced +a feeling of drowsiness, and Pete was dropping off to sleep when he +started into wakefulness again, for half-a-dozen men came up a hatchway +close at hand, with the irons they wore clinking, to sit down upon the +deck pretty near the convalescent. + +Pete stared as he recognised Humpy Dee and five other partners in the +raid. + +"There, what did I tell you?" said the first-named, speaking to his +companions, but glaring savagely at Pete the while. "There he is. I +allus knowed it. He aren't in irons. It was his doing. Give warning, +he did, and they brought the sailor Jacks up. It was a regular trap." + +"What do you mean?" said Pete wonderingly. + +"What I say. I always knew you'd turn traitor and tell on us." + +"You don't know what you're talking about," cried Pete. "Look here, +lads." + +The men he addressed uttered a low growl and turned from him in disgust. + +"Oh, very well," said Pete bitterly; "if you like to believe him instead +of me, you can." + +"I told you so," went on Humpy Dee, whose countenance looked repulsive +now from a patch of strips of sticking-plaster upon his forehead; "and +he says I don't know what I'm talking about." + +"That's right," said Pete; "you don't." + +"Maybe; but I do now. Look ye here, Pete Burge; it's your doing that +we're here. Nearly the whole lot on us took--there, you can see some of +'em sailors now. Pressed men. They took the pick of us; but we're not +good enough, we're not, while you're to be a bo'sun, or some'at o' that +sort, you expect. But you won't, for, first chance I get, Pete Burge, +I'm going to pitch you overboard, or put a knife in your back; so look +out." + +"You don't know what you're talking about," said Pete again, for nothing +better occurred to him; and as the charge seemed to have gone home for +truth with the other unfortunates, one and all embittered by sickness, +injuries, and confinement in irons below deck, Pete sulkily did as they +did, turned away, confident that Humpy Dee's threat would not be put in +force then; for a marine was standing sentry over them, till the men in +irons were marched below, Pete finding that, as one on the sick-list, he +was free to go up or down when he liked. + +During the next fortnight the man puzzled himself as to what was to +become of them. He had seen others of his companions often enough, +going about their duties; but every one turned from him with a scowl of +dislike, which showed that the charge Humpy had made had gone home, and +that all believed he had betrayed them. + +The consequence was that he passed much of his time below decks, and +preferred to come up for his breath of fresh air after dark, passing his +time beside Nic's hammock, thinking what he ought to do about him, and +making up his mind what it was to be as soon as the poor fellow grew +better and fully recovered his senses. + +"I'll tell the doctor then," he said to himself. "There's no good in +telling him now, for if I did they'd take him away and put him in a +cabin, where it would only be lonezome for him and for me too; and no +one would wait on him better than I do." + +But Nic did not get better, as Pete wished, nor yet as the doctor +essayed to make him. + +"It has got on his brain, poor fellow," said that gentleman one day, +when the patient was able to walk about, apparently nearly well, but his +mind quite vacant. He talked, but the past was quite a blank. + +"But he'll get it off, won't he, zir?" said Pete, who felt the time to +speak had come. + +"Some day, my lad. I dare say his memory will come back all of a sudden +when he is stronger and better able to bear his trouble; so perhaps it's +all a blessing for him in disguise." + +There was so much in this that Pete felt that it was not the time to +speak yet. + +"What good can it do him till he can think?" he said to himself. "It +will only be like me losing a mate as can be a bit o' comfort, now every +one's again' me. I mean to stick to him till he can speak out and tell +'em as I didn't inform again' the others." + +So Pete held his tongue, and being so much below, was almost forgotten, +save by the men of the watches who had to bring the two sick men their +rations; and finally he left it till it was too late. For he awoke one +morning to find that they were in port in a strange land, and in the +course of the morning the word was passed to him and his unfortunate +companion to "tumble up." + +"Here, master," he said to Nic; "you're to come up." + +Nic made no objection, but suffered himself to be led on deck, where he +stood, pale and thin, the wreck of his former self, blinking in the +unwonted light, and trying to stare about him, but in a blank way, +ending by feeling for and clinging to Pete's arm. + +Very little time was afforded the latter for looking about, wondering +what was to happen next; all he saw on deck was a group of marines and +about a couple of dozen of the sailors doing something to one of the +boats, while the officers were looking on. + +The next minute his attention was taken by the beautiful country +spreading out beyond the shore, a quarter of a mile away across the +sparkling waters of the harbour. + +But there was something else to take his attention during the next +minute, for there was the clanking of irons, and he saw Humpy Dee and +his five companions marched up from below to be called to where he was +standing with Nic. + +The poachers looked repellent enough as they followed Humpy Dee's +example, and scowled at the pair who had come up from the sick bay, and +seemed to receive little sympathy from those who were looking on. Then +there was an order given by one of the officers, and the crew of the +boat climbed quickly in, while the marines came up behind the prisoners. + +"They're going to take us ashore," thought Pete excitedly, and the idea +had hardly been grasped, before a couple of old hats were handed to him +and his companion by the sergeant of marines. + +"They're going to put uz with Humpy and that lot," said Pete to himself +excitedly; "and I must speak now." + +He spoke. It was hurriedly and blunderingly done, and the officer whom +he addressed looked at him frowningly. + +"What!" he cried; "this man is not one of you--one of the gang taken +that night?" + +"No, master; he's a gentleman, and took by mistake." + +Humpy Dee's eyes flashed, and he burst into a coarse laugh. + +"Silence, you scoundrel!--How dare you?" cried the officer angrily. + +"Couldn't help it, master," growled Humpy. "Make a horse laugh to hear +such gammon." + +"What! Do you say that what he tells me is not true?" + +"It is true, master," cried Pete, "every word--" + +"All lies," snarled the poacher savagely. "He was in the fight, and got +hurt. He's one of us. That Pete Burge peached on us, and brought the +sailor Jacks on us; and he wants to get out of it to let us go alone. +Lies, captain; all lies." + +"What do you say, my men?" said the officer sternly, turning to Humpy's +companions. + +"Same as he does," cried the pressed men in chorus. + +"And you?" cried the officer, turning to Nic. "Are you one of this +fellow's comrades?" + +"No, master, he aren't," cried Pete; "he aren't, indeed. He's nought to +me. He's--" + +"Silence, sir!" roared the officer. "You, sir," he continued, turning +to Nic, "speak out. Are you one of this fellow's comrades?" + +Nic looked at him blankly, and there was silence on the deck, as the +various groups stood there in the burning sunshine. + +"Well, sir, why don't you answer?" cried the officer. + +Nic's answer was in dumb-show, for, poor fellow, he did not grasp a +word. He knew that the man by his side had been with him a great deal, +and nursed and helped him, speaking soothingly when he was at his +worst--every one else seemed strange; and without a word he smiled sadly +in Pete's face and took hold of his arm. + +"That will do," said the officer, who had his orders to carry out. "In +with them!" + +The marines laid their hands on Nic's and Pete's shoulders, while the +sergeant signed to the others to climb into the boat; Humpy Dee turning, +as he got in last, to give Pete a savage look of triumph. + +Pete turned sharply to the marine who was urging him to the side. + +"Tell me, mate," he whispered quickly; "just a word. Where are we going +to be took?" + +The marine glanced swiftly aside to see if it was safe to answer, and +then whispered back: + +"Off to the plantations, I s'pose. There, keep a good heart, lad. It +aren't for ever and a day." + +The plantations--to work as a kind of white slave for some colonist +far-away. + +Pete, in his ignorance, only grasped half the truth; but that half was +bad enough to make him sink down in the boat as it was lowered from the +davits, put his lips close to Nic's ear, and groan more than say: + +"Oh, Master Nic, lad, what have you done?" + +Then the boat kissed the water; the order was given; the oars fell with +a splash; and, as the men gave way, Pete Burge darted a wild look about +him, to find Humpy Dee just at his back, glaring malignantly, and as if +about to speak, as he leaned forward. + +But no word came, for the marine sergeant clapped a hand upon his +shoulder and thrust him back. + +"All right," said Humpy Dee; "my time'll come bimeby. Better than being +a pressed man, after all." + +Nic had been a long while in the darkness below deck, and his eyes were +feeble; but, as the boat glided on rapidly towards the shore, they +became more accustomed to the light, and he gazed wonderingly about in +his confused state, seeing nothing of the trouble ahead, only the fact +that he was approaching the far-stretching, sun-brightened shore. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +HUMPY DEE'S LITTLE THREATS. + +However much he might have been disposed to make a fresh appeal on his +companion's behalf, Pete had no opportunity; for, upon the boat being +run alongside of a roughly-made wharf, he and the others were hurried +out and marched away to a kind of warehouse, and the care of them handed +over to some people in authority, by whom they were shut-in, glad of the +change from the broiling sun outside to the cool gloom of the interior, +lit only by a grated window high up above the door, from which the rays +streamed across the open roof, leaving the roughly-boarded floor in +darkness. + +After a few minutes the eyes became accustomed to the gloom, and the men +seated themselves upon the empty chests and barrels lying about, Pete +securing one for Nic, who sat down mechanically, with his head thrown +back so that he could gaze at the light. Pete contented himself with +the rough floor, where he half-lay, listening to his companions in +misfortune, half-a-dozen yards away, as they talked over their position +and wondered where they were to go--to a man keeping aloof from Pete, +the traitor they accredited with bringing them to their present state. + +The men were better informed than Pete had been, his stay in company +with Nic and the dislike in which he was held by his old companions +having kept him in ignorance of facts which they had picked up from the +sailors. And now Pete gradually grasped in full that of which he had +previously only had an inkling--that the pick of the prisoners had been +reserved for man-o'-war's-men, those who were considered unsuitable +having been reserved for handing over to the colonists. This was in +accordance with a custom dating as far back as the days of Cromwell, the +Protector being accredited with ridding himself of troublesome prisoners +by shipping them off to the plantations as white slaves, most of them +never to return. + +"Well," said Humpy Dee aloud, in the course of conversation, "I suppose +it means work." + +"Yes," said another; "and one of the Jacks told me you have to hoe +sugar-cane and tobacco and rice out in the hot sun, and if you don't do +enough you get the cat." + +"If any one tries to give me the lash," growled Humpy, "he'll get +something he won't like." + +"They'll hang you or shoot you if you try on any games, old lad," said +another of the men. + +"Maybe, if they can," said Humpy, with a laugh. "Perhaps we may be too +many for them. I mean to take to the woods till I can get taken off by +a ship." + +"Ah, who knows?" said another. "I aren't going to give up. Place don't +look so bad. See that river as we come up here?" + +"Of course," growled Humpy. + +"Well, I dare say there'll be salmon in it, same as there is at home." + +"Tchah!" cried Humpy; "not here. This is foreign abroad man. You'll +get no salmon now." + +"Well, any fish'll do," said another of the men. "The place don't look +bad, and anything's better than being shut down below them decks. +'Nough to stifle a man. I know what I'm going to do, though, along with +them as like to join me." + +"You're going to do what I tells you," said Humpy Dee sourly; "I'm going +to be head-man here; and if you don't you'll find yourself wishing you +hadn't been born." + +The man growled something in an undertone, and Humpy made an offer at +him as if to strike, causing his companion in misfortune to flinch back +to avoid the expected blow. + +"Look here, boys," said Humpy; "if every one here's going to try to do +things on his own hook we shall do nothing, so what you've got to do is +to stick by me. We're not going to be sold here like a gang o' black +slaves." + +"But we are sold," said the man who had shrunk away. + +"Never mind that; we're not going to work, then," said Humpy. "We're +going to slip off into the woods, get to that there river, and do +something better than spear or bale out salmon. We're going to take the +first boat we see and get round to the coast, and then keep along till +we find a ship to take us off." + +"Well, that's what I meant," said the other man. + +"Then you'll be all right," said Humpy. + +So far, without paying attention, Pete had heard every word, and his +blood began to course faster through his veins at the thought of +escaping and helping Nic back to his friends; but, though he strove +hard, not another word reached his ears; for Humpy leaned forward and +began speaking in a hoarse whisper, his companions bending towards him, +as he said with a peculiar intensity: + +"We've got to get back home, lads, and not stop here to rot in the sun +to make money for whoever's bought us; but there's something to do +first." + +"What?" said one of the men, for Humpy Dee had stopped and sat in the +gloom, glaring savagely at the farther side of the place. + +"Wait, and you'll hear," was the reply; and there was another pause, +during which Nic uttered a low, weary sigh, and let himself fall +sideways, so that his head sank in Pete's lap, and, utterly exhausted, +he dropped off to sleep. + +"You know how it all was," Humpy went on at last. "I aren't going to +name no names, but some 'un was jealous-like o' me, and wanting to take +the lead always; and, when he found he couldn't, he goes and blabs to +the young master yonder. Well, we're not going to take him back--we've +not going to tell him how we're going to do it." + +"Have told him. Spoke loud enough," said the man who had received the +rebuff. + +Humpy leaned towards him, and with a peculiar, savage air, said in a +husky whisper: + +"Look here, mate; there's only room for one to lead here. If you aren't +satisfied you can go and sit along with them two and sham sick, like +Pete Burge has all through the voyage." + +"Well, don't bite a man's head off," said the other. "Who wants to +lead?" + +"You do, or you wouldn't talk like a fool. Think I'm one, mates?--think +I'm going to do as I said, and let him go and blab, so as to get into +favour here? That's just what I don't mean to do." + +"Then what are you going to do?" said his fellow-prisoner; but for a few +moments Humpy only glared at him without speaking. At last, though, he +whispered: + +"I mean for us to go off together and get free; and as for some one +else, I mean for us all to give him something to remember us by afore we +go." + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +HUMAN CATTLE. + +The prisoners had been sitting in the dark warehouse-like place for some +hours, Nic sleeping soundly, and Pete watching and listening to his +companions in misfortune, judging from their behaviour that he was to be +treated as an outcast, but caring little, for he was conscious of having +been true to them in their nefarious doings. + +"Let them think what they like," he said to himself. "Humpy has got +that into their heads, and if I talk to them for a week they won't +believe me." + +Then he began to muse upon the subject which forms seven-eighths of a +prisoner's thoughts--how he and Nic were to escape, and whether it would +be possible to get to a boat and float down the river of which they had +had a glimpse, and of which he had heard his companions speaking, when +suddenly there was the deep, heavy barking of a dog, followed by that of +two more; and, as he listened, the sounds came nearer and nearer, in +company with the shuffling of feet. Voices were heard too, and directly +after there was a loud snuffling sound and a deep growling, as the dogs +they had heard thrust their noses under the big door, tore at it, and +growled savagely, till a fierce voice roared: + +"Come here! Lie down!" and there was a crack of a whip, and a sharp +yelp to indicate that one of the dogs had received a blow. + +Directly after there was the rattle of a big key in the lock, the bolt +snapped back, and the door was thrown open, to fill the place with the +glow of the afternoon sunshine; and three great hounds bounded in, to +rush at once for the prisoners and begin snuffing at them, growling +loudly the while. + +"Call those dogs off, Saunders," said a stern voice, as the entrance was +darkened by the figures of a group of men. + +"In a moment," was the reply, made by a tall, active-looking man, "They +only want to know the new hands, and their flavour.--Here: down, boys!" + +The speaker accompanied his order with a sharp crack of the whip, and +the dogs came back unwillingly from the groups seated on the floor. + +"Take care," said the first speaker; "that man has a knife." + +Pete turned sharply, to see that a knife-blade was gleaming in Humpy +Dee's hand. + +"Knife, has he?" said the man addressed as Saunders, and he stepped +forward to where Humpy was crouching down. + +"Give me that knife," he said sharply. + +"I don't want to be eat by dogs," said Humpy in a low, surly tone. + +"Give me that knife," was reiterated sternly, "or I set the dogs to hold +you while I take it away." + +Humpy hesitated for a moment and glared in the speaker's eyes; but he +read there a power which was too much for him, and he closed the blade +with a snap and slowly held it up. + +The man snatched it from him with his left hand, and the next instant +there was a sharp whish through the air and a smart crack, as the +stinging lash of a whip fell across Humpy's shoulder, making him utter a +yell of rage. + +"Saunders, Saunders!" said the first speaker reproachfully. + +"All right, Mr Groves; I know what I'm about," said the man sharply. +"That fellow was armed with a knife which he must have stolen from one +of the sailors; and he was ready to use it. The sooner a savage brute +like that is taught his position here the better for him. You have done +your part and handed the scoundrels over to me, so please don't +interfere." + +The first speaker shrugged his shoulders, and turned to a couple of men +who were carrying a basket and a great pitcher; while Saunders went on +sharply: + +"You hear what I am saying, my lads; so understand this: You have been +sent out here from your country because you were not fit to stay there; +and you will have to serve now up at your proprietor's plantation. +Behave yourselves, and you will be well fed, and fairly treated over +your work; but I warn you that we stand no nonsense here. The law gives +us power to treat you as you deserve. Our lives are sacred; yours are +not--which means, as Mr Groves here will tell you, that if you venture +to attack any one you will be shot down at sight, while I may as well +tell you now that we shall fire at any man who attempts to escape." + +Pete's head gave a throb, and his hand glided slowly to Nic's and held +it tightly. + +"When you get up to the plantation you will see for yourselves that you +cannot get away, for you will have jailers there always ready to watch +you or hunt you down. There are three of them," he continued, pointing +to the dogs which crouched on the warehouse floor, panting, with their +long red tongues out and curled up at the ends. + +At their master's gesture the sagacious animals sprang up and gazed +eagerly in his face. + +"Not now, boys; lie down.--Ah, what's that?" he cried sharply, and the +dogs made a movement as if to rush at the prisoners, for Humpy leaned +sideways and whispered to his nearest companion: + +"More ways than one o' killing a dog." + +"Talking about the dogs," said the other surlily. "You are making +yourself a marked man, my friend. Take care. Who are these--the two +who have been in hospital, Mr Groves?" + +"I suppose so," was the reply. + +"What's the matter with you?" said the overseer--for such he proved to +be--addressing Pete. "Jump up." + +Pete softly lifted Nic's head from his knee and rose quickly. + +"Was cut down, sir," said Pete; "but I'm getting better fast now." + +"Good job for you. Now, you, sir; wake up." + +The overseer raised the whip he held, to make a flick at Nic as he lay +soundly asleep; but Pete stepped forward to save his companion, and in +bending over him received the slight cut himself without flinching, +though the lash made him feel as if he had been stung. + +"He has been a'most dead, zir," said Pete sharply; "but he's getting +better now fast. Hasn't got his zenses, though." + +"Wake him up, then," said the overseer sharply; "and you can get your +meal now.--Here, my lads, bring that stuff here and serve it out." + +Pete obeyed the order given, and began by gently shaking Nic, who made +no sign. Pete shook him again more firmly, starting violently the next +moment, for, unnoticed, one of the great hounds had approached him and +lowered its muzzle to sniff at the prostrate man. + +Pete's first instinctive idea was to strike fiercely at the +savage-looking intruder, but fortunately he held his hand and bent over +his companion wonderingly, and hardly able to believe what he saw; for +as the dog nuzzled about Nic's face, the young man, partly aroused by +the shaking, opened his eyes, looked vacantly at the brute for some +moments, and then, as if his intellectual powers were returning, he +smiled, the animal stopping short and staring down at him closely. + +"Well, old fellow," he said gently; "whose dog are you?" + +Pete looked up sharply, and saw that every one's attention was centred +on the basket and pitcher, the two men serving out the provisions and +their two superiors looking on. + +Then he glanced back again, to see in horror that Nic had raised his +hand to the dog's muzzle, and followed that up by taking hold of and +passing the animal's long, soft ears through his hand. + +Pete would have seized the dog, but he felt paralysed by the thought +that if he interfered he might make matters worse; and then his heart +seemed to rise in his throat, for the great hound uttered a deep, short +bark, which had the effect of bringing the others to its side. + +"Quiet, you, sirs!" cried their master, but he did not turn his head, +and the three dogs now pressed round Nic, the first planting his +fore-paws on the young man's chest, blinking at him with his jaws apart +and the long red tongue playing and quivering between the sets of keen +milk-white teeth, evidently liking the caresses it received, and of +which the other two appeared to be jealous, for they suddenly began to +whimper; and then the first threw up its head, and all three broke into +a loud baying. + +"Quiet, there!" roared Saunders, and he turned sharply now, saw what had +taken place, and came back cracking his whip. "Ah!" he shouted. "Get +back! How dare you?" + +The dogs growled, stood fast, and barked at him loudly. + +"Good boys, then!" cried Saunders. "Yes, it's all right; you've found +him. There, that will do." + +The dogs began to leap and bound about the place, while their master +turned to Pete. + +"Why didn't you call me?" he said. "Have they bitten him?" + +"No; haven't hurt him a bit," said Pete quietly. + +"Lucky for him," said the man. "There, you see what they're like, and +know what you have to expect--What?" + +"I said, are they your dogs?" + +Pete stared, for it was Nic who spoke, perfectly calmly, though in a +feeble voice. + +"Yes," replied Saunders. "Why?" + +"I could not help admiring them. They are magnificent beasts." + +"I am glad you like them, sir," said Saunders, with a mocking laugh; and +he turned and strode away, to order the men to take some of the food +they had brought to the other two prisoners, leaving Nic gazing after +him. + +"Rather brusque," he said, half to himself, and then he passed his hand +over his eyes, drew a long, deep, restful breath, and turned over as if +to go to sleep again; but he started up on his elbow instead as he +encountered Pete's face, and a look of horror and dislike contracted his +own. + +"You here?" he said wonderingly. + +"Hush! Don't speak aloud, dear lad," whispered Pete excitedly. + +"Dear lad?" + +"Master Nic Revel, then. You haven't quite come-to yet. You don't +remember. You were took bad again after being bad once--when you asked +me questions aboard ship, and I had to tell you." + +"Taken bad--aboard ship?" + +"Here you are; catch hold," said a voice close to them; and one of the +men handed each half a small loaf, while his companion filled a tin mug +that must have held about half-a-pint, and offered it to Nic. + +The young man had let the great piece of bread fall into his lap, but +the gurgling sound of the water falling into the mug seemed to rouse a +latent feeling of intense thirst, and he raised himself more, took the +vessel with both hands and half-drained it, rested for a few moments, +panting, and then drank the rest before handing the tin back with a sigh +of content. + +"No, no; hold it," said the man sharply; and Nic had to retain it in his +trembling hands while it was refilled. + +"There, give it to your mate," said the water-bearer. + +The two young men's eyes met over the vessel in silence, Nic's full of +angry dislike, Pete's with an appealing, deprecating look, which did not +soften Nic's in the least. + +"Well, why don't you take it?" said the man with the pitcher. + +"Don't seem to kinder want it now," replied Pete hoarsely. + +"Drink it, man, and don't be a fool. You'll be glad of it long before +you get there. Sun's hot yet, and the water's salt for miles, and then +for far enough brackish." + +Nic looked at the speaker wonderingly, for the blank feeling seemed to +be coming with the forerunner of the peculiar sensation of confusion +which had troubled him before, and he looked from one to the other as if +for help; while Pete took the mug and drained it, but contented himself +with slipping his bread inside the breast of his shirt, and stood +looking down at Nic, whose lips parted to speak, but no words came. + +"Seem decent sort of fellows," said the water-bearer, as he turned off +towards the door with his companion; and the dogs rose to follow them, +sniffing at the basket. + +"Yes, poor beggars!" said the other. "Whatever they've been up to in +the old country, they've got to pay pretty dearly for it now." + +Nic's hearing was acute enough now, and he heard every word. + +"Here, you," he gasped painfully. "Call them back." + +"What for, Master Nic?" said Pete in an appealing whisper. "Don't; you +mustn't now. Ask me for what you want." + +"I want to know what all this means," panted the young man. "Why am I +here? What place is this? I'm not--I will know." + +"No, no; don't ask now, Master Nic," whispered Pete. "You aren't fit to +know now. I'm with you, my lad, and I swear I won't forsake ye." + +"You--you will not forsake me?" said Nic, with a look of horror. + +"Never, my lad, while I've got a drop o' blood in my veins. Don't-- +don't look at me like that. It waren't all my fault. Wait a bit, and +I'll tell you everything, and help you to escape back to the old +country." + +"To the old country!" whispered Nic, whose voice was panting again from +weakness. "Where are we, then?" + +"Amerikee, among the plantations, they say." + +"But--but why? The plantations? What does it mean?" + +"Work," said Saunders, who had come up behind them. "Now then, look +sharp, and eat your bread. You'll get no more till to-morrow morning, +and in less than half-an-hour we shall start." + +"Start?" cried Nic huskily, as he clapped his hands to his head and +pressed it hard, as though he felt that if he did not hold on tightly +his reason would glide away again. + +"Yes, man, start," said Saunders. "Can you two fellows row?" + +"He can't, sir; he's too weak," cried Pete eagerly; and the overseer's +face contracted. "But I can. Best man here with an oar. I can pull, +sir, enough for two." + +"I'll put you to the proof before you sleep," said the overseer sharply. +"Now, Mr Groves, I'm at your service. I suppose I have some papers to +sign?" + +"Yes," said the agent, and he led the way, while the overseer followed, +closing the door, placing a whistle to his lips and blowing a shrill +note which was answered by a deep baying from the dogs. + +"Escape!" muttered Nic wildly. "Plantations! Why, I shall be a slave!" + +"No, no, my lad; don't take it like that. I'll help you to get away." + +"Will ye?" growled Humpy Dee, coming towards them. "Then I tells that +chap next time he comes. I splits on you as you splits on we; so look +out, I say, both of you; look out!" + +"It's a lie, Master Nic--a lie," cried Pete fiercely. "I swear to you, +I never--" + +Pete caught at the young man's arm as he spoke, and then loosened it +with a groan, for, with a look of revulsion, Nic cried hoarsely: + +"Don't touch me; don't come near me. Wretch--villain! This is all your +work." + +"And so say we, my fine fellow," cried Humpy Dee, whose eyes sparkled +with malignant joy. "His doing, every bit, 'cept what you put in, and +for that you've got to take your share the same as us. And all because +a few poor fellows wanted a bit o' salmon. Hor, hor, hor! I say, take +it coolly. No one won't believe ye, and you may think yourself lucky to +get off so well." + +Nic turned from the man with a look of disgust, and sat up, resting his +throbbing head in his hands; while, as Humpy Dee went back to his +companions, whistling as he went, Pete threw himself upon the floor, +watching him, with his hands opening and shutting in a strange way, as +if they were eager to seize the brutal ruffian by the throat. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +CHAINS AND SLAVERY. + +Pete calmed down after a while, and began to feel a bit sulky. He had +common-sense enough to begin looking at the state of affairs from a +matter-of-fact point of view, and he lay conning the position over. + +"Just as he likes," he said. "He pitches me over, and won't have any +more to do with me. Well, it aren't no wonder, zeeing what I've been. +Wonder what made me turn so zoft and zilly about him! Zeeing how hard +it was for him to be zarved as he was, and then hooked off along with +us." + +"Dunno that it's any worse for him than it is for me," he muttered; "but +zeemed to feel a bit sorry about him, poor lad!--there I go again: poor +lad! No more poor lad than I be. Got it into my thick head that it was +nice to help him while he was so bad, and that, now our lads have +pitched me overboard, we was going to be mates and help one another. +But we aren't, for he's pitched me overboard too." + +"Well," muttered Pete, with a bitter laugh, "I can zwim as well as most +on 'em, and I shan't hurt much; and as for him, he must take his chance +with the rest on us. He's got his wits back again, and don't zeem like +to go wool-gathering again; and, if he's sharp, he'll speak up and make +that t'other man understand it's all a blunder about him being sent off +along o' we. But there, he wants to go his own fashion, zo he must. +But if I was him I should kick up a dust before we start, and have +myself zent back home by the next ship." + +He glanced in the gloom at where Nic was seated, and a feeling of sorrow +for the poor fellow filled him again; but after the rebuff he had +received he fought it off, and began to watch Humpy Dee and the others, +as they sat together talking in a low tone, and then to meditate on +their position towards himself. + +"They're half-afraid of Humpy," he thought, "and he's made 'em think +that I zet the sailors at them. If I go on talking till it's a blue +moon they won't believe me, zo things must go their own way, and zome +day they'll find Humpy out; on'y I'm not going to let him do as he likes +with me. This isn't going to be a very cheerful zort of life out here; +but, such as it is, it's better than no life at all; zo I aren't going +to let him pitch me into the river or down some hole, or knock me on the +head, or stick a knife into me. That won't do. It's murder--leastwise +it is at home; p'raps it aren't out here. Zeems not after the way that +chap talked about shooting us down and zetting them dogs at us. Why, +one of 'em's stronger than us, and a zet-to wi' one of 'em wouldn't be +nice. Bit of a coward, I s'pose, for I can't abide being bitten by a +dog." + +"Best thing I can do will be to slip off first chance; for I zeem, what +with Humpy and these folk, to have dropped into a nasty spot. Dessay I +can take care of myself, and--nay, that won't do; zeem sneaky-like to go +and leave that poor lad, for I do zort o' like him. Wonderful how they +dogs took to him. Nay, that aren't wonderful. Got a lot o' zense, dogs +have. Allus zeem to take to zick people and little tiny children, and +blind folk too. How they like them too!" + +At that moment there was a deep baying sound not far-away, and Pete had +not long to wait before there were steps, the door was unlocked and +thrown open, and the overseer entered, accompanied by the dogs, and +followed by a party of blacks, one of whom carried a roughly-made +basket. + +They were big, muscular fellows, and shiny to a degree whenever the +light caught their skins, a good deal of which was visible, for their +dress consisted of a pair of striped cotton drawers, descending half-way +to the knee, and a sleeveless jacket of the same material, worn open so +that neck and breast were bare. + +The dogs barked at the prisoners, and repeated their examination by +scent, ending by going well over Nic, who made no attempt to caress +them, nor displayed any sign of fear, but sat in his place stolidly +watching the proceedings, the dogs ending their nasal inspection by +crouching down and watching him. + +The overseer was alone now, and his first proceeding was to take his +stand by the black, who had set down the heavy basket, and call Humpy +Dee to come forward, by the name of Number One. + +The man rose heavily, and this seemed to be a signal for the three +hounds to spring to their feet again, making the man hesitate. + +"Them dogs bite, master?" he said. + +"Yes; they'll be at your throat in a moment if you make the slightest +attempt to escape," said the overseer sharply. + +"Who's going to try to escape?" grumbled Humpy. + +"You are thinking of it, sir," said the overseer. "Mind this," he +continued--drawing the light jacket he wore aside and tapping his belt, +thus showing a brace of heavy pistols--"I am a good shot, and I could +easily bring you down as you ran." + +"Who's going to run?" grumbled Humpy. "Man can't run with things like +these on his legs." + +"I have seen men run pretty fast in fetters," said the overseer quietly; +"but they did not run far. Come here." + +Humpy shuffled along two or three steps, trailing his irons behind him, +and the overseer shouted at him: + +"Pick up the links by the middle ring, sir, and move smartly." + +He cracked his whip, and a thrill ran through Nic. + +Humpy did as he was told, and walked more quickly to where the overseer +stood; but before he reached him the herculean black who stood by his +basket, which looked like a coarsely-made imitation of the kind used by +a carpenter for his tools, clapped a hand upon the prisoner's shoulder +and stopped him short, making Humpy turn upon him savagely. + +"Ah!" roared the overseer, as if he were speaking to one of the dogs. + +Humpy was overawed, and he stood still, while the black bent down, took +a ball of oakum out of the basket, cut off about a foot, passed the +piece through the centre ring of the irons, and deftly tied it to the +prisoner's waist-belt. Then, as Nic and Pete watched, the action going +on fascinating them, the black made a sign to one of his companions, who +dropped upon his knees by the basket, took out a hammer, and handed it +to the first black. Then the kneeling man lifted out a small block of +iron, which looked like a pyramid with the top flattened, clapped it on +the floor, and the first black began to manipulate Humpy as a blacksmith +would a horse he was about to shoe, dragging him to the little anvil +with one hand, using the hammer-handle to poke him into position with +the other. + +"Going to take off his irons," thought Pete, and the same idea flashed +across Nic's mind. + +He was mistaken. + +Another black stepped up, as if fully aware of what was necessary, and +stood behind Humpy, ready to hold him up when necessary; for the second +black now seized one of the prisoner's ankles, lifted his foot on to the +little anvil, and the first examined the rivet, grunted his +dissatisfaction, and Humpy's foot was wrenched sidewise by one man, who +held the rivet upon the anvil, while his leader struck it a few heavy +blows to enlarge the head and make it perfectly safe. + +This done, Humpy was marched nearer the door, scowling savagely at +having had to submit to this process; but he grinned his +self-satisfaction as he saw his companions brought forward in turn for +their irons to be examined--one to have them replaced by a fresh set, +which were taken from the basket, and whose rings were tightly riveted +about his ankles, the rivets of the old ones being quite loose. + +The men were ranged near the entrance, which, at a look from the +overseer, was now guarded by the three unoccupied blacks. + +"Now you," said the overseer to Pete, who rose from where he sat alone +and approached the anvil with a curious sensation running through him. + +"Why didn't they iron you?" said the overseer harshly. + +"Wounded and sick," replied Pete gruffly. + +"Ah, well, you are not wounded and sick now.--He's a big, strong fellow, +Sam. Give him a heavy set." + +The big black showed his fine set of white teeth. A set of fetters was +taken from the basket, and with Pete's foot held in position by the +second black--a foot which twitched and prickled with a strong desire to +kick--the first ring was quickly adjusted, a soft iron rivet passed +through the two holes, and then the head was rested upon the little +block of iron, and a few cleverly-delivered blows from the big black's +hammer spread the soft iron out into a second head, and the open ring +was drawn tight. + +The second ankle-ring was quickly served in the same way, and the centre +link was lifted and tied to the prisoner's waist-belt, Pete turning +scarlet, and wiping the perspiration from his dripping brow from time to +time. + +"Over yonder with the others!" + +There was a movement among the men at the door as this order was given, +and Pete winced; but even a man newly fettered can still feel pride, and +the poor fellow determined that his old comrades should not think he was +afraid of them. He walked boldly up to take his place, meeting Humpy's +malignant look of triumph without shrinking, and turning quickly +directly after with a feeling of pity as he heard the overseer summon +Nic to take his place in turn. + +"Now's your time, my lad," Pete said to himself. "Speak out like a man, +and if you ask me to, I'll back you up--I will." + +He looked on excitedly, wondering whether Nic's wits were still with +him, as but so short a time ago they had only returned to him like a +flash and then passed away, leaving him, as it were, in the dark. + +It was very still in the hot, close place, and every word spoken sounded +strangely loud in the calm of the late afternoon. + +"Lighter irons," said the overseer to the big black; and there was the +clinking sound of the great links as the man handed the fetters from the +basket. + +"And him not shrinking," thought Pete. "Give me quite a turn. He can't +understand." + +The big black took the fetters and balanced them in his hand, looking at +his superior as much as to say, "Will these do?" + +The overseer took a step or two forward and grasped the chain, to stand +holding it, gazing frowningly the while at Nic, who met his gaze without +blenching. + +"Why don't you speak--why don't you speak?" muttered Pete. "Can't you +see that now's your time?" + +"You've been bad, haven't you?" said the overseer roughly. + +Nic raised his hand slowly to his head and touched the scar of a great +cut on one side, the discoloration of a bruise on the other. + +"But quite well again now?" + +Nic smiled faintly. + +"I am weak as a child," he replied. + +"Humph! Yes," said the overseer, and he threw the chain upon the floor. + +Pete, who had been retaining his breath for some moments, uttered a +faint exclamation full of relief. + +"But why didn't he speak out and tell him?" For a few moments his +better feelings urged him to speak out himself; but he shrank from +exposing both to the denials of the other men again, and stood frowning +and silent. + +Then the chance seemed to be gone, for the overseer gave the young +prisoner a thrust towards the others, and Nic walked towards them +straight for where Pete was waiting. Then he raised his eyes, saw who +was standing in his way, and he went off to his right, to stop beside +Humpy Dee, while a feeling of resentment rose hotly in Pete's breast. + +"Oh, very well," he muttered to himself; "it's no business of mine." + +The next minute the overseer gave a sharp order; the big black raised +the basket and put himself at the head of the prisoners; the other +slaves took their places on either side, and the overseer followed +behind with the dogs, which began to bound about, barking loudly for a +minute or two, and then walked quietly as the party left the gloomy +warehouse behind. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +HUMPY DEE'S PLAN GOES "A-GLEY." + +It all seemed to Nic like part of some terrible dream, for a strange +struggle was going on in his weakened brain, where reason seemed to come +and go by pulsations. One minute everything appeared to be real, the +next it was dream-like; and he was so convinced that in a short time he +would wake up that he walked quietly on side by side with one of the +negroes, taking notice of the place, which seemed to be a port, with the +beginnings of a town dropped down in a scattered fashion a short +distance from the mouth of a river. The houses were of timber, and to +each there was a large, roughly fenced-in piece of cultivated ground, +with some trees standing, while others had been cut down, leaving the +blackened stumps in all directions. + +It was a strange mingling of shed, shipbuilding-yard, and store, for +many of the erections and their surroundings wore all the aspect of +barns. As the little party now tramped on, with the prisoners' fetters +giving forth a dull, clanking sound, the aspect of the place grew more +and more rustic, the people who stopped to stare fewer, till, as they +reached a large boarded house, evidently nearly new, and against whose +rough fence a farmer-like man, in a damaged straw hat, was leaning, +gazing intently at the prisoners. All beyond seemed trees and wild +growth, amidst which the river made a curve, and the trampled track +looked more green. + +Nic looked half-wonderingly at the man leaning upon the fence, and felt +that he was going to speak in commiseration of his plight; but the next +moment his hopes were dashed, for the settler shouted: + +"How are you, Master Saunders? How's the Gaffer?" + +"All well," said the overseer, with a nod. + +"Seems a nice, tidy, strong-limbed lot you've got there, master." + +"Oh yes; pretty well." + +"Some of all sorts. That's an ugly one," continued the farmer, pointing +to Humpy Dee, and mentally valuing him as if he were one in a herd of +cattle. "But I daresay he can work." + +"He'll have to," said the overseer, and Nic saw that each black face +wore a grin, while Humpy was scowling savagely. + +"Yes, I should like a lot such as that. 'Member me to the Gaffer. Tell +him to look in if he comes to town." + +"Yes," thought Nic as they passed on; "it must be a dream, and I shall +wake soon." + +It grew more and more dream-like to him as the track was followed among +the trees till a rough landing-place was reached, formed by some huge +stakes driven down into the mud, with heavy planks stretched over to +them, and others laid across. The reddening sun was turning the gliding +water to gold, as it ran up the river now, for the flood-tide was +running fast; and as they drew nearer, Nic caught sight of what looked +like the launch of some large vessel swinging by a rope fastened to an +upright of the landing-stage. + +Just then one of the blacks uttered a peculiar, melodious cry, the great +dogs bounded on to the stage and began to bark, and a couple of blacks, +dressed like those about him, sprang up in the boat, where they had been +lying asleep, and began to haul upon the now unfastened rope to draw the +craft up to the stage. + +Nic's head was throbbing again, and the unreality and novelty of the +scene increased. + +"I shall wake soon," he said to himself. "How strange it is!" + +For at that moment, as the boat came abreast, he saw one of the great +dogs leap from the stage, run to the stern, and sit down, the others +following and joining it behind the seat provided with a back rail. + +It seemed to be no new thing to the blacks, for the huge fellow who had +acted as smith stepped down into the boat, followed by his assistant, +walked aft, and deposited his bag with the dogs, and then stooped down +and drew from under the side-seat a couple of muskets, one of which he +handed to his assistant, both examining their priming, and then seating +themselves one on either side of the boat, with their guns between their +legs, watching the embarkation. + +"You next," said the overseer to Pete; and the prisoner walked to the +edge, made as if to leap, but checked himself and climbed down, feeling +that the other way would have been risky, weighted as his legs were by +the shackles. "Help your young mate," said the overseer roughly; and +Pete's eyes flashed as he stood up and held out his hand to Nic, who +shrank from the contact as his wrist was caught. Then he descended +feebly into the boat, and then had to be helped right forward, to sit +down close to one of the blacks who was now holding on to the woodwork +with a boat-hook. + +The other prisoners followed awkwardly enough in their irons, and took +the places pointed out to them by one of the blacks who had been in +charge of the boat. + +As the second of the party took his place next to Pete, he hung down his +head and whispered: + +"Humpy says we're to make a dash for it and take the boat." + +Pete started; but the man, under the pretence of adjusting his irons, +went on, with his head nearly in his comrade's lap: + +"T'others know. We shall push off into the stream, where he can't hit +us with his pistols, and we can soon pitch the niggers overboard." + +"Silence, there!" shouted the overseer. + +The other men descended, and exchanged glances with their companions-- +glances which Pete saw meant "Be ready!"--and his blood began to dance +through his veins. + +Should he help, or shouldn't he? + +Yes; they were his fellows in adversity, and it was for liberty: he +must--he would; and, with his heart beating hard, he prepared for the +struggle, feeling that they must succeed, for a blow or two would send +the men by them overboard, and a thrust drive the boat gliding swiftly +up-stream, the man with the boat-hook having enough to do to hold on. + +"Young Nic Revel don't zeem to understand," thought Pete; "but he +couldn't help us if he did." + +He had hardly thought this when, in obedience to an order from the +overseer, the last man, Humpy Dee, tramped clumsily to the edge and +seemed to hesitate, with the result that there was a sharp bark from one +of the dogs right astern, and a chill ran through Pete's burning veins. + +"I forgot the dogs!" he said to himself. + +"Get down, fool!" cried the overseer, and he struck at the hesitating +prisoner with the whip. + +It was all a feint on the part of Humpy to gain time and carry out his +plan. + +He winced as the whip-lash caught him on his leg, and then, instead of +descending slowly, leaped down right upon the black who held the boat to +the stage by the hook. + +It was cleverly done, and acted as intended, for the black was driven +over the side, and the prisoner's weight gave the boat the impetus +required, sending it a little adrift into the stream, which began to +bear it away, but not before the result of a little miscalculation had +made itself evident. + +For Humpy Dee had not allowed for the weight and cumbersomeness of his +fetters; neither had he given them credit for their hampering nature. +He had leaped and suddenly thrust the black overboard, to hang clinging +to the boat-hook; but he had been unable to check himself from +following; and, as the boat yielded to his weight and thrust, he seemed +to take a header over the bow, there was a tremendous splash, and the +water was driven over those seated forward. + +The two blacks astern leaped up, and the overseer uttered a cry of rage; +the water closed over Humpy Dee's head, while the dogs set up a chorus +of baying as the boat glided steadily away. + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN. + +"WHAT'LL MASSA SAY?" + +The scene taking place before him acted strangely upon Nic. It seemed +to rouse him from his dreamy state, and awakened him to a wild pitch of +excitement. + +He sprang to his feet, and was on the point of springing overboard to +the man's help; but a touch from Pete upon the shoulder was enough: he +sank down beneath its pressure, weak and helpless as a child. + +"What are you going to do?" whispered Pete. "Are you mad?" + +"Help! Save him! Can you stand like that and see the man drown before +your eyes?" + +"What can I do, lad?" growled Pete angrily. "If I go over after him, +it's to drown myself. These irons'll stop a man from zwimming, and take +one to the bottom like a stone." + +"Ay, ay; ye can't do 'un," growled one of the other prisoners, in whom +the desire for escaping died out on the instant. "Sit still, lad; sit +still." + +But Pete stood with staring eyes, gazing wildly at the place where his +enemy had disappeared; the veins in his forehead swelled, his lips +parted, and he panted as he drew his breath, looking ready at any moment +to leap overboard and make an effort to save his old companion's life. + +Meanwhile the overseer was shouting orders to his blacks ashore as well +as to those in the boat, which was gliding faster up the stream, and the +men laid down their guns and picked up and put out a couple of oars, the +dogs barking frantically the while. + +"Pete Burge," whispered one of the men, "we must make friends now. +Here's our chance; shall we take it?" + +"No, no," cried Pete furiously, but without taking his eyes from where +Humpy had disappeared. + +"I cannot bear it," panted Nic to himself, as he once more sprang up; +and before he could be stayed he dived out of the boat, rose, and struck +out for the landing-stage. + +Pete shouted at him in his agony, and jumped overboard to save him, +forgetting what was bound to happen, and going down like a stone, feet +foremost, but rising to the surface again, to fight gallantly in spite +of the weight of his irons, and strive to overtake Nic, who, +unencumbered, was some yards away. + +But it proved to be as Pete had foreseen; there was the gallant will and +the strength to obey it, but it was merely a spasmodic force which only +endured a minute or two. Then the brave young swimmer's arms turned, as +it were, to lead, the power to breast the strong current ceased, and he +remained stationary for a moment or two, before being gradually borne +backward, his efforts ceasing; while the men in the boat watched him and +Pete, who, with the water quite to his nostrils, was swimming with all +his strength, but only just able to keep the heavy fetters from dragging +him to the bottom. + +"Two more on us going," said one of the men. "Here, Bob; come and help. +You stop and grab 'em as soon as they're near." + +The man and the comrade he had addressed scrambled over the thwarts +towards where the two blacks were rowing hard, but hardly holding the +heavy boat against the powerful tide; and as soon as the fetters +clanked, the dogs barked savagely and leaped up to meet them; but as the +intelligent beasts saw the men seize a couple of oars and thrust them +over the sides, they stopped short, panting. + +"All the better for you," growled one of the men to the dog glaring at +him, "for I'd ha' choked you if you'd come at me.--Pull away, blackies." + +The additional oars had the right effect, for as the four men pulled +with all their might the boat began to stem the current and shorten the +distance between it and the two drowning men. But, in spite of his +great strength, Pete was being mastered by the heavy weight of the +irons, and was getting lower and lower in the water; while Nic's arms +had ceased to move, and he was drifting with the tide. + +"Keep up; strike out, lads," cried the man in the bows, in agony. +"We're coming fast now." + +It was not the truth, for the heavy boat was moving very slowly against +the swift tide, and the swimmers' fate seemed to be sealed, as the man +reached back, got hold of another oar, and thrust it out over the bows, +ready for Pete to grasp as soon as he came within reach. + +"We shall be too late," groaned the man, with all his enmity against +Pete forgotten in those wild moments of suspense. "Here, look out for +the oar. Pete, lad, swim back. Oh! poor lad, he can't hear me. He's +drownin'--he's drownin'." + +Pete could not hear, and if he had heard during his frantic efforts to +reach Nic, he would not have heeded, for there was no room in the man's +brain in those wild moments for more than that one thought--that he must +save that poor, weak fellow's life. + +It takes long to describe, but in the real action all was condensed into +less than a minute. Pete, who fought wildly, frantically, to keep his +head above water, fought in vain, for his fettered legs were fast losing +their power, and he was being drawn gradually lower and lower, till, +after throwing his head back to gasp for a fresh breath, he straightened +his neck again, with the water at his eyes, and saw that what he could +not achieve the current had done for him. + +He made a wild, last effort, and caught with one hand at the arm just +within reach; his fingers closed upon it with a grip of iron, and +another hand caught desperately at his hair. + +Then the water closed over the pair, joined together in a death-grip, +and the tide rolled them unresistingly up the stream. + +"Pull, pull!" yelled the man in the bows, as he reached out with his +oar; but he could not touch the place where he saw the figures +disappear. Quick as thought, though, and with the clever method of one +accustomed to the management of a fishing-boat, the man changed his +tactics. He laid the oar over the prow, treating the iron stem as a +rowlock, and gave a couple of strokes with all his might, pulling the +boat's head round, and bringing it well within reach of the spot where +Nic's back rose and showed just beneath the surface. Then, leaving the +oar, the man reached over, and was just in time to get a good hold, as +the oar dropped from the bow into the river, and he was almost jerked +out of the boat himself. + +"Hold hard, lads, and come and help," he yelled. + +The help came; and, with the dogs barking furiously and getting in every +one's way, Nic and Pete, tightly embraced, were dragged over into the +bottom of the boat, the blacks, as soon as this was done, standing +shivering, and with a peculiar grey look about the lips. + +At that moment there was a distant hail from the landing-stage, and the +big smith pulled himself together and hailed in reply. + +"Ah, look!" he cried; "you white fellow lose one oar. Quick, sharp! +come and pull. Massa Saunders make trebble bobbery if we lose dat." + +The oars were seized, and with two of the prisoners helping to row, the +oar was recovered from where it was floating away with the tide, the +others trying what they could do to restore the couple, who lay +apparently lifeless; while the dog which had behaved so strangely +earlier in the day stood snuffing about Nic, ending by planting his +great paws upon the poor fellow's chest, licking his face two or three +times, and then throwing up his muzzle to utter a deep-toned, dismal +howl, in which the others joined. + +"Say, um bofe dead," groaned the big smith. "Pull, boy; all pull you +bess, and get back to the massa. Oh, lorimee! lorimee! what massa will +say along wi' dat whip, all acause we drown two good men, and couldn't +help it a bit. Oh, pull, pull, pull! Shub de boat along. What will +massa say?" + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY. + +FISHING FOR MEN. + +Those with the boat had been too much occupied in their own adventure to +heed what had taken place at the landing-stage; and, even had they +glanced in that direction, the distance the swift tide had carried them +up-stream would have made every movement indistinct. + +But busy moments had passed there, for the overseer was a man of action, +and prompt to take measures toward saving the life of the drowning man. +For a human life was valuable in those early days of the American +colonies, especially the life of a strong, healthy slave who could work +in the broiling sunshine to win the harvest of the rich, fertile soil. + +So, as the boat drifted away, he gave his orders sharply, and the black +slaves, who had stood helplessly staring, rushed to the help of their +companion, who was hanging by the boat-hook, half in the water, afraid +to stir lest the iron should give way and the tide carry him off to +where, as he well knew, there were dangers which made his lips turn grey +with dread. + +The help came just as the poor fellow was ready to lose his hold and +slip back into the river, and in another minute he was shivering on the +stage. + +"Take hold of that boat-hook," cried the overseer, speaking with his +eyes fixed upon one spot, where the water ran eddying and forming tiny +whirlpools, and not daring to look round for fear of losing sight of the +place where it seemed to him that his white slave had gone down like a +stone; and this had kept him from giving much heed to the proceedings in +the boat. + +One of the men seized the pole and waited for the next order. + +"He went down there," cried the overseer, pointing. "Sound with the +pole, and try how deep it is." + +The man obeyed, the pole touching the muddy bottom about four feet below +the surface. + +"That's right; jump in," cried Saunders. + +The man started, and then remained motionless, gazing piteously at his +companions. + +"Do you hear? Quick!" roared the overseer. + +"There big 'gator, sah--'gator gar, sah," cried the man piteously. + +"Bah! In with you," cried the overseer fiercely, and he cracked his +whip, with the result that the man lowered the pole again, and then +half-slipped, half-jumped down into the water, which rose breast-high, +and he had to hold on by the boat-hook to keep himself from being swept +away. + +But the next moment he steadied himself. + +"There, wade out," cried Saunders; "quick, before it is too late. +Quick, sir; do you hear?" + +He cracked his whip loudly as he spoke, and the man raised the pole +after separating his legs to increase his support, as he leaned to his +left to bear against the rushing tide, which threatened to sweep him +from his feet. Then, reaching out, he thrust down the boat-hook again +to get another support before taking a step farther from the staging. + +But it was in vain. The water deepened so suddenly that as he took the +step the water rose to his nostrils, and he uttered a yell, for the +current swept him from his feet to fall over sidewise, and the next +moment lay, as it were, upon the surface, with only one side of his face +visible; but he was not borne away. + +The other blacks, and even the overseer, stared in wonder, for there the +man lay, with the tide rushing by him, anchored, as it were, in the +stream, rising and falling gently like a buoy for a few moments before +beginning to glide with the current. + +"It's of no use," said the overseer sharply; "the hound's dead before +now. Clumsy fool! Two of you jump in, and one reach out to get hold of +Xerxes; we must give the new fellow up." + +The men shrank, but they obeyed, lowering themselves into the water and +joining hands, one of them taking hold of the end of the staging, while +the other waded a step or two and reached out, as he clung to his +fellow's extended hand till he was just able to get hold of the cotton +jacket. + +That was sufficient; the black was drawn a trifle shoreward, and then +came more and more, as if dragging with him whatever it was that had +anchored him to the bottom. + +That mystery was soon explained, for the pole of the boat-hook, to which +the poor fellow clung, appeared level with the surface, and as the drag +was increased more and more of the pole appeared, till all three were +close up to the piles; after which first one and then another climbed +out to drag at the long stout staff, till, to the surprise of all, they +found that what it was hitched into was the clothes of Humpy Dee, who +had lain nearly where he had sunk, anchored by the weight of his irons, +in some hole where the pressure of the current was not so great as at +the surface. + +In another minute the heavy figure had been hauled upon the platform, to +lie there apparently dead; while the blacks began, after their homely, +clumsy fashion, to try and crush out any tiny spark of life which might +remain, and kept on rolling the heavy body to and fro with all their +might. + +"It's no good, boys," said the overseer, frowning down at the prisoner. +"Keep on for a bit, though;" and he turned away to watch the coming of +the boat, just as Pete sat up, looking dazed and strange, and Nic rose +to his knees, and then painfully seated himself in his old place. + +"Better than I thought for," muttered the overseer. "One gone instead +of three--pull, boys," he shouted. + +The blacks needed no telling, for they were exerting themselves to the +utmost, and in a few minutes one of the blacks on the landing-stage +caught the prow with the hook, and the boat was drawn alongside of the +woodwork, the dogs having quietly settled themselves in their place +behind the stern seat as soon as the two half-drowned men had shown +signs of recovery. + +The overseer scanned the two dripping figures hard, uttered a grunt, and +turned once more to where the blacks were busy still with the heavy +figure of Humpy Dee, which they were rolling and rubbing unmercifully, +with the water trickling between the boards, and the sunset light giving +a peculiarly warm glow to the man's bronzed skin. + +"Well," cried the overseer, "is he quite dead?" + +"No, sah; am t'ink he quite 'livo," said one of the blacks. + +"Eh? What makes you think that?" + +"Him bit warm, massa--and just now him say _whuzz_, _whuzz_ when we rub +um front." + +"No," said the overseer; "impossible. He was under the water too long. +Here, what are you doing?" + +The black had laid his ear against the patient's breast, but he started +up again. + +"Lissum; hear whever him dead, massa. You come, put your head down +heah, and you hear um go _wob_, _wob_ berry soffly." + +Saunders bent down and laid his head against the man's bull-throat, to +keep it there for a few moments. + +"No go _wob_, _wob_, sah?" cried the black. "You two and me gib um big +shake. Um go den." + +"No, no; let him be," cried the overseer; and the blacks looked on in +perfect silence till their tyrant rose slowly to his feet, scowling. + +"Clumsy brute," he said, "causing all this trouble and hindrance. +Nearly drowned two men. There, two of you take him by his head and +heels and drop him in." + +"Tie big 'tone to um head first, massa?" + +"What!" roared the overseer, so sharply that the black jumped to his +feet. "What do you mean?" + +"Make um go to de bottom, sah, and neber come up no more." + +"Bah! you grinning black idiot. Didn't you tell me he was alive?" + +"Yes, sah; quite 'livo, sah." + +"Drop him in the boat, then, and hurry about it, or we shan't get up to +the farm before the tide turns. There, four of you take him; and you +below there, ease him down. Don't let him go overboard again, if you +want to keep whole skins." + +The men seized the heavy figure by the hands and legs, and bearing it +quite to the edge, lowered it down to the others, room being made at the +bottom of the boat, where it was deposited with about as much ceremony +as a sack of corn. Then, in obedience to another order, the blacks +descended, and the overseer stepped down last, to seat himself with his +back to the dogs; while the smith and his assistant once more took up +their guns and their places as guards. Then the boat was pushed off. +Four of the blacks seized the oars, the boat's head swung round, and the +next minute, with but little effort, she was gliding rapidly up the +muddy stream. + +It was dangerous work to begin talking, but as Nic sat there in silence, +with his head growing clearer, and gazing compassionately at the +prostrate figure, two of the prisoners put their heads together and +began to whisper. + +"Close shave for old Humpy," said one. "Think he'll come round again?" + +"Dunno; but if he does, I'm not going to help in any more games about +going off. This job has made me sick." + +"He won't want you to; this must have pretty well sickened him if he +comes to." + +"Mind what you're saying. That there black image is trying to hear +every word." + +"He can't understand. But I say, the gaffer didn't know how it +happened, after all. Thought it was an accident." + +"So it was," said the other man, with a grim smile, "for old Humpy. +Here, Pete, old man, how are you now?" + +Pete looked at the speaker in wonder, then nodded, and said quietly: + +"Bit stiff and achey about the back of the neck." + +"Mind shaking hands, mate?" said the man in a faint whisper. + +"What for?" said Pete sourly. + +"'Cause I like what you did, mate. It was acting like a man. But we're +not friends over that other business of splitting on us about the +salmon." + +"Better wait a bit, then, my lad," said Pete. "It aren't good to shake +hands with a man like me." + +"But I say it is," said the other with emphasis. "The way you went +overboard with them heavy irons on, to try and save young master here, +sent my heart up in my mouth." + +Nic, who had sat listening moodily to the whispered conversation, +suddenly looked up in a quick, eager way. + +"Say that again," he whispered huskily. + +"Say what agen?" + +"Did Pete Burge jump in to save my life?" + +"Course he did--like a man." + +"Oh!" gasped Nic, turning to look Pete wonderingly in the face. + +"Silence there!" roared the overseer savagely. "Do you think you've +come out here for a holiday, you insolent dogs?" + +At the last words the three animals behind the speaker took it to +themselves, and began to bark. + +"Down! Quiet!" roared the overseer, and the barking of the dogs and his +loud command came echoing back from a wood of great overhanging trees, +as the boat now passed a curve of the river. + +Nic glanced at the overseer, then to right and left of him, before +letting his eyes drop on the swiftly-flowing river, to try and think out +clearly the answers to a couple of questions which seemed to be buzzing +in his brain: "Where are we going? How is this to end?" + +But there was no answer. All seemed black ahead as the rapidly-coming +night. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. + +IN ALLIGATOR LAND. + +As the night grew darker, and Nic sat in the forepart of the boat in his +drenched clothes, which at first felt pleasantly cool, and then by +degrees grew colder until he shivered, his head grew clearer and he +became more himself. He was able to grasp more fully his position and +how hardly fate had dealt with him. + +It was clear enough now; he had been sent off in that terrible blunder +as one of the salmon-poachers; and he was there, sold or hired to one of +the colonists, to work upon a plantation until he could make his +position known to some one in authority, and then all would be right. +He felt that it would be of no use to appeal to this brutal slave-driver +who had him and his fellow-unfortunates in charge. What he had to do +was to wait patiently and make the best of things till then. + +His head was rapidly growing so clear now that he could piece the +disconnected fragments of his experience together, few as they were, and +broken up by his sufferings from the injuries he had received; and, as +he sat there in the darkness, he became more calm, and rejoiced in the +thought that he was growing stronger, and would, without doubt, soon be +fully recovered and able to act. Till then he made up his mind to wait. + +When he had arrived at this point he began to think about his position +in connection with the rough ne'er-do-wells who were his companions. He +shivered involuntarily at the thought of being in such close touch with +men of this class; but he softened a little as he dwelt upon the fact +that, bad as he was, Pete Burge had behaved bravely, and that he had to +thank him for twice-over saving his life. He might have said three +times, but he was unaware of the patient attention he had received from +the man during the feverish hours produced by his contusions and wound. +But, still, there was a feeling of revulsion which made him shrink from +contact with one whom he felt to be the cause of all his sufferings, and +he hardened himself against the man more than against the others. + +Then, with a sigh of relief, he cast all thoughts of self away, after +coming to the conclusion that, as soon as his father realised what had +happened, he would never rest till the authorities had had him found and +brought back, even if a ship was purposely despatched. + +For this thought was very comforting. He had only to wait, he felt, +little thinking that the old Captain was lying in peril of his life from +the genuine trouble which had come upon him, as he mourned over the loss +of the son whom he believed to be dead, and for the recovery of whose +body he had offered a heavy reward to the fishermen. + +For he said to Solly, "One of these days they will find him cast up on +the shore." + +It was very dark; the cloudy sky seemed to be hanging low over the heads +of those in the boat, as the men rowed on till the overseer made a +change in his crew; the four blacks who had been rowing taking the +places of those who had been guards and steersman, while the rowers took +the muskets in turn. + +The fresh crew pulled steadily and well, and the boat glided on along +the winding river, whose banks grew more and more wooded until they +seemed to be going through a thick forest, whose closely-growing trees +formed dense, high walls, above which there was a strip of dark, almost +black, sky. + +Then another change was made, just when Nic was suffering from a fresh +anxiety; for after he had proved to himself, by kneeling in the boat and +touching him, that Humpy Dee was alive and regaining consciousness, his +companions had suddenly grown very quiet, and the dread had assailed Nic +that the man was dead, for he had been left to take his chance as far as +the overseer was concerned; and when twice-over the prisoners had begun +to trouble themselves about their comrade's state, Nic setting the +example by kneeling down to raise Humpy's head, a stern command came +from the stern of the boat, and this threat: + +"Look here, you fellows; if I hear any more talking or shuffling about +there I shall fire." + +Nic felt that the man would act up to his threat; but after a time, when +a groan came from Humpy, the whispering and movements recommenced in the +efforts made to succour the sufferer. + +"I don't speak again," roared the overseer; and Nic started and +shuddered, but felt fiercely indignant the next moment as he heard the +ominous _click_! _click_! of a pistol-lock from out of the darkness +astern. + +At last came the order for a fresh change of rowers, and four of the +captives went climbing over the thwarts, with their irons clanking and +striking against the seats as they took their places, all being men who +had been accustomed to the handling of an oar. + +Nic took advantage of the noise to sink upon his knees beside Humpy in +the bottom of the boat to try if he could not do something for him; he +was no longer the hated, brutal ruffian, but a suffering +fellow-creature. As Nic felt about in the dark he found that the man +had somehow shifted his position and slightly rolled over, so that his +face was partly in the water which had collected for want of baling; and +doubtless, in his helpless, semi-insensible state, but for Nic's +efforts, Humpy Dee's career would after all have been at an end. + +It was only a fresh instance of how strangely we are all dependent upon +one another, and the way in which enemies perform deeds which they +themselves would previously have looked upon as impossible. And without +doubt big, brutal Humpy Dee would have stared in wonder, could he have +opened his eyes in daylight, to see what took place in the +pitch-darkness--to wit, the feeble, suffering young man, whom he had +struck down and tried to drown in the Devon salmon-pool, kneeling in the +wash-water, making a pillow of his knees for his companion's rough, +coarse head. + +Still, for hours this was Nic's position, while the boat was rowed by +the white slaves along the winding river, until another change was made, +the blacks taking the oars, when Pete, being the first of the rowers to +come back to his seat, found what had taken place, and insisted upon +relieving Nic of his task. + +"On'y to think of it, zur," he said; "on'y to think o' your doing o' +that, and you so bad!" + +Nic said nothing, but had to be helped back to his seat, the position he +had occupied having cramped him; and then once more he sat gazing at the +great black wall opposite to him as the blacks sent the boat along, till +suddenly, about midnight, there was heard a deep bark from somewhere +ashore. + +The three dogs, which had been curled up asleep, sprang to their feet +and answered in chorus, when another chorus rose from the right and came +nearer and nearer. Then the black wall on the same side dropped away, +and amidst the baying of the great hounds the boat's speed was +slackened, and it was turned into a narrow creek. Here the oars were +laid in, and progress was continued for about a hundred yards by a +couple of the blacks poling the boat along towards a light which +suddenly appeared, the bearer hailing and coming alongside to begin +talking to the overseer. + +It was dark enough still; but another lanthorn was brought, the +prisoners were ordered to step out, and were then marched to a barn-like +place, where, as they entered a door, Nic felt the soft rustling of +Indian-corn leaves beneath his feet. + +"In with you, boys," cried the overseer; and the three dogs, and the +others which had saluted them, scampered in. "Watch 'em, boys, and give +it to them if they try to get away. There, lie down." + +The man held up the lanthorn he had taken as he spoke, and Nic saw that +seven of the great hounds settled themselves in a heap of leaves close +to the door, while quite a stack was close to where he was standing with +his companions. + +"There's your bed, my lads," cried the overseer. "You heard what I +said. Lie down, all of you, at once. There will be a sentry with a +musket outside, and you can guess what his orders are." + +The man strode out; the door was banged to, there was the noise of a big +bar being thrown across and the rattling of a padlock, followed by the +clink of fetters as their wearers lay down in the heap of sweet-smelling +corn-stalks and leaves; and for a few moments no one spoke. + +Nic had sunk down in the darkness, glad to be in a restful posture, and +began to wonder whether Humpy Dee had been carried in by the blacks, for +he had been one of the first to leave the boat, and had seen hardly +anything by the light of the lanthorns. + +"Poor wretch!" he sighed. "I hope he is not dead." + +Just then one of the other men said, in the broad Devon burr: + +"Zay, lads, bean't they going to give uz zum'at to eat?" + +"Brakfus-time," said another. "Zay, Humpy, how is it with ye? Not +thuzty, are you? Oughtn't to be, after all that water." + +"I'm going to make zumun pay for all this," came in the man's familiar +growl. "Why didn't you get hold o' me and pull me in? Zet o' vools. +Had your chance; and we might ha' got away." + +"Why, it was all your fault," said another. "We was waitin' for you. +What did you go and stop zo long under water for?" + +"Did I?" said Humpy confusedly. + +"Course you did. We was too good mates to go and leave you behind." + +There was a heavy bang at the door, as if from the butt of a musket, and +the dogs leaped up and began to growl. + +"Lie down, boys," cried a thick voice, the words sounding as if spoken +through a big keyhole. "An' I say, you chaps, look heah; de massa say +you make a row in dah I got to shoot." + +"All right, blackie," said one of the prisoners; "don't shoot. +Good-night, boys. I'm going to sleep." + +Just at that moment Nic started, for there was a snuffling noise close +to him, the leaves rustled, and he felt the hot breath of one of the +dogs on his face. + +But it was a friendly visit, for the great brute turned round two or +three times to trample down the dense bed of leaves, and settled itself +into a comfortable curve, with its big head upon the poor fellow's +chest, making Nic wonder whether it was the dog which had been friendly +before. + +He risked it: raising his hand, he laid it gently between the animal's +soft ears, and there was a low muttering sound that was a big sigh of +satisfaction, not a growl; and Nic felt as if the companionship of the +dog was pleasant in his terrible loneliness and despair. It was warm +and soothing, too, and seemed like the beginning of something hopeful-- +he knew not what. Then he began to think of home, and a sensation of +prayerful thankfulness came over him as he felt that his head was +growing clearer. The next minute all trouble, pain, and weariness were +forgotten in a deep and dreamless sleep. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. + +REACHING THE PLANTATION. + +A deep growl and a loud burst of barking roused Nic Revel from his deep +sleep, free from fever, calm and refreshed, to lie listening to the +dogs, wondering what it all meant. + +The sun was up, and horizontal rays were streaming in between +ill-fitting boards and holes from which knots had fallen consequent upon +the shrinking of the wood. There was a feeling of cool freshness in the +air, too, that was exhilarating; but for a few moments Nic could not +make out where he was. + +Then the slight confusion passed away, as he heard the rustling of +leaves, and turned to see his companions stirring and yawning, while at +the same moment a dog's great head was butted at him as if its owner +were a playful sheep, and it then drew back, swinging its tail slowly +from side to side. + +The next minute the heavy bar was swung down, the great padlock rattled, +and the door was drawn open, to let in a flood of light, followed by the +two blacks who had fitted on the irons, but who now bore a huge loaf of +bread and a pitcher of water; while two more blacks, each shouldering a +musket, closed in behind them, to stand as if framed in the doorway. + +"Heah, jump up," cried the big smith. "Make has'e; eat your brakfas' +'fore you go to de boat." + +As he spoke he turned an empty barrel with its head upward, banged the +loaf down upon it, drew a knife from its sheath in his belt, and counted +the prisoners over with the point of the blade. He then drew a few +imaginary lines upon the top of the loaf, paused to rub his woolly head +with the haft, looking puzzled and as if cutting the loaf into as many +pieces as there were prisoners bothered him, and ended by making a dash +at his task. + +He cut the loaf in half, then divided it into quarters, and went on +working hard as he made these eighths, and finally sixteenths. + +By this time the top of the barrel was covered. + +"Now, den, 'tan' in a row," he cried importantly. + +The men scowled, but they were hungry, and obeyed, the black sticking +the point of his knife into the chunks he had cut, and handing a piece +to each in turn, beginning with Humpy Dee, who did not seem any the +worse for his immersion, and ending with Nic. + +After this he began again with Humpy, went down the line again, and had +begun for the third time when it suddenly struck him that there would +not be enough to go round, and he snatched the piece back. + +Humpy Dee uttered a furious growl, and made a step forward to recover +it; but the big black presented the point of the knife at him and +shouted: + +"Ah, what dat? You back, sah, 'fore set de dog at you." + +Humpy growled like one of the beasts, and resumed his place in the line, +and the black went on calmly dividing the remaining pieces, distributed +them, and called up the dogs to catch what remained. + +The water was then passed round, the blacks went off leaving the +sentries in position, and the prisoners sat amongst the Indian-corn +leaves, to eat their breakfast ravenously enough. + +Before they had finished, the barking of the dogs announced the coming +of the overseer, who came in, whip in hand, to run his eye over his +prisoners, nodding his satisfaction as he saw that he was not going back +minus any of them, and went out again. + +Then, as Nic sat eating the remainder of his bread, the entry was +darkened a little, and he saw a couple of women peer in--one a +middle-aged, comely body, the other a young girl. + +There was a pitying expression upon their faces; and, obeying a sudden +impulse, Nic stood up to go to speak to them, for it seemed to him that +his chance had come. But at his first movement Humpy Dee leaped up, +with his fetters clinking, to intercept him, a sour look upon his face, +and the frightened women ran away. + +"No, you don't," growled Humpy; "not if I knows it, m'lad." + +"You, sah--you go back and eat your brakfas', sah," came from the door; +and Humpy turned sharply, to see that their guards were standing, each +with his musket steadied against a doorpost, taking aim at him and Nic. + +"Yah, you old pot and kettle," cried Humpy scornfully; "you couldn't hit +a haystack;" but he went back to his place and sat down, Nic giving up +with a sigh and following his example. + +Half-an-hour after the overseer was back with the dogs, the order was +given, and the prisoners marched out, to find the blacks waiting. Nic +saw now that there was a roomy log-house, fenced round with a patch of +garden; and in a group by the rough pine-wood porch a burly-looking man +was standing with the two women; and half-a-dozen black slaves were at +the far end of the place, each shouldering a big clumsy hoe, and +watching, evidently with the greatest interest, the prisoners on their +way to the boat. + +In his hasty glance round, Nic could see that the farm was newly won +from the wilderness, and encumbered with the stumps of the great trees +which had been felled, some to be used as logs, others to be cut up into +planks; but the place had a rough beauty of its own, while the wistful +glances that fell upon him from the occupants of the porch sent a thrill +through his breast, and raised a hope that if ever he came that way he +might find help. + +But his heart sank again as his eyes wandered to the black labourers, +and then to a couple of huge dogs similar to those which followed behind +with the overseer; for he knew that he was among slave-owners, and in +his despondency he could not help asking himself what chance he would +have, an escaped prisoner, if he tried to get away. + +He had little time for thought, but he took in the surroundings of the +place quickly, noting that the house and out-buildings stood well raised +upon a mound, round one side of which the creek they had turned into +ran; while through the trees some little distance away there was the +river, and across it the forest, rising from the farther bank, not black +and forbidding now, but beautiful in the early morning sunshine. + +The overseer shouted a hearty good-bye to the people by the porch, and +there was a friendly reply, as they marched on to where the boat lay +fastened to a stump; the dogs sprang in to retake their places, barking +their farewell to the others which trotted down to look on; a big basket +of provisions was next put on board by the smith and his assistant, and +then the prisoners were sent forward to their old places, Pete glancing +once at Nic, whose eyes were wandering here and there; but Nic avoided +the glance. + +"Now you, sir," cried the overseer; "don't stand staring about. In with +you." + +Nic obeyed as soon as there was room, and the overseer took his place +astern. + +A minute later they were being poled along the creek, which was here and +there overarched by the spreading boughs of the trees, and soon after +they were out in the main stream, with the blacks rowing steadily in +water which seemed to be very slack; the little settlement was seen as a +bright spot for a few minutes, and then disappeared behind the trees, +which began upon the left bank, and became once more a great green wall +to shut out everything else. + +And then hour after hour the boat was rowed onward, the river winding +far less than on the previous evening, and seeming to form a highroad +into the interior, upon which they were the only travellers. It varied +little in its width at first, but towards afternoon Nic noted that it +was beginning to narrow considerably; but it ran always through forest. +As thoughts of escape would intrude, and the poor fellow scanned the +banks, he quickly grasped the fact that if an attempt were made it must +be by the river, for the forest on either side seemed to be impassable, +and how far it ran inland was impossible to say. + +A change was made every hour or so, the prisoners taking their turn with +the oars; and before the morning was far advanced the overseer ordered +Nic into one of the places, watching him intently as he obeyed and fell +into stroke at once, rowing hard for a few minutes in the hot sunshine +without a murmur. Then all at once the trees on the bank began to sail +round, the oar slipped from his hand, and he fell backward into Pete's +arms. + +When he opened his eyes again he was sitting forward in the bottom of +the boat, with one of the blacks supporting him and splashing water from +over the side in his face, while the overseer stood looking down grimly. + +"You needn't take another turn," he said gruffly; "I wanted to see +whether you could do your share." + +The rest of the day Nic sat watching their progress, a good deal of it +through the gloomy shades of a great swamp, through which the river ran +at times almost in twilight, the faint current being marked by the +difference in colour and the freedom from the vegetation which marked +the waters of the great lagoon spreading away to right and left among +the trees, which grew and fell and rotted as far as eye could penetrate. + +The vegetation, was rich, but it seemed to be that of a dying forest +which had been inundated by the stream, for bank there was none. Huge +cypresses stood out at every angle, many having fallen as far as they +could, but only to be supported by their fellows. And as the boat went +swiftly on in obedience to the sturdily-tugged oars, Nic forgot his +troubles in wonder at the strangeness of the scene through which he +passed, for it was dreary, horrible, and beautiful all in one. Rotting +vegetation supplied the rich, muddy soil from which rose vine and +creeper to climb far on high, and then, finding no further support, +throw themselves into the air, to hang and swing where the bright +sunshine penetrated. Wherever it was shadowy the trees were draped with +hanging curtains of moss; while all around Nic looked down vistas of +light and shade, whose atmosphere was now golden, now of a score of +different delicious greens. + +There was something so new and strange about the swamp that it had a +fascination for Nic, and he was leaning over the bows, resting his chin +upon his hand, when he had his first glance at one of its inhabitants; +for, as the boat was being steered past a moss-covered, rotting stump, +the gnarled wood suddenly seemed to become animated, a portion of it +rising a little and then gliding away with a heavy splash into the +water. + +Before he could realise what it was, there was another movement just +beyond, and this time he made out plainly enough the gaping mouth, +prominent eyes, and rugged back of a great alligator, followed by its +waving tail, as it dived down from a cluster of tree-roots out of sight. + +After this the reptiles became common enough, for the swamp swarmed with +them, and Nic realised that it might be a strangely-perilous task to +make his way through the forest unless provided with a boat. + +The men whispered to themselves as the reptiles scuttled about in their +eagerness to escape, and shook their heads; and as Nic turned from +observing them to gaze aft he became conscious of the fact that the +overseer was watching them with a grim smile upon his lips, reading +their thoughts respecting the dangers of an attempt to escape. + +The dogs were evidently familiar with the sight of the reptiles, rarely +paying any heed to them save when the boat approached quietly and +aroused a sleeper, which in its surprise raised its great jaws +menacingly, when one of the dogs would set up the hair about its neck, +growl, and make a savage snap at the reptile; and after a while the +prisoners grew in turn accustomed to the loathsome-looking creatures. + +"But we might seize the boat," thought Nic, "in the case of no help +coming;" and he sat there more and more grasping the fact that after all +he might be forced to depend upon the aid and companionship of those +around him, and be compelled to master the dislike and repulsion which +they inspired. + +Another stoppage at a woodland farm for the night, and then on again for +a fresh day's toil as monotonous as the last. + +At the different changes made, the rowers left their oars dripping with +perspiration, for the swamp seemed breathless and the heat intense; but +towards evening a faint breeze sprang up, and instead of its growing +darker there was a lightening in the appearance of the place; the +setting sun sent a red glow among the trees, and then they passed out of +the forest into a lovely, dreamy, open country, stretching for miles and +miles towards where a range of hills ran right across their course, +beyond which, pale orange by the fading light, another range of greater +height appeared. Soon after they passed the mouth of a clear stream, +and at the end of another mile the boat was turned suddenly off to their +right into a little river of the clearest water, which ran meandering +through a lightly-wooded slope rising towards the hills; and as Nic was +gazing at the fairy-like scene, whose atmospheric effects seemed, even +in his despondent state, far more beautiful than anything he had ever +seen at home, the boat swept round a curve whose banks were thickly set +with trees, and once more there was a human habitation in sight, in the +shape of a well-built, farm-like house upon a knoll, and the agitation +amongst the dogs warned the prisoners that here was their resting-place +for the night. + +The next minute, as the dogs were barking, the boat was steered close +inshore, and the brutes bounded over into the shallow water, to scramble +up the bank, and set off as fast as they could go towards the house, +from which figures could be seen issuing; and at last, as Nic scanned +the signs of cultivation around, the growing crops roughly fenced, and +the out-buildings, the thought struck him that this might be their +destination. + +While he was wondering whether this were so, the boat was run into a +little creek only big enough to let it pass for about a couple of +hundred yards before it grounded where a track came down to some posts; +and as the boat was secured to one of these the overseer sprang ashore +to meet a tall, sun-browned, grey-haired man, whose keen eyes were +directed towards the bows of the boat. + +"Back again, then, Saunders!" he said sharply. "Well, what sort of a +lot do they seem?" + +"Rough, but strong," replied the overseer; "all but one young fellow who +has been knocked about, but he seems as if he'll soon come round." + +"Like so many horses or bullocks," said Nic to himself bitterly, "and I +am the one with broken knees." + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. + +NIC'S APPEAL. + +"This, then, is my owner," thought Nic, scanning the settler narrowly as +he stood apart talking in a quick, decisive manner to the overseer, who +seemed to treat him with great respect, while the blacks stood apart +waiting for their orders. + +These were not long in coming, for the man turned sharply upon them. + +"Clear the boat," he said; and the blacks ran to the bows, a couple of +them holding the vessel steady while the prisoners stepped clanking out, +to stand in a row on the bank, with their new master scanning them +sharply. + +"Here, Saunders," he said, "why is that boy not in irons?" + +"That is the sick one, sir. Weak as a rat." + +"Oh!--Here, what's the matter with you, boy?" cried the settler. "No +disease, have you?" + +"No, sir," said Nic, speaking out firmly, for his time seemed to have +come. "I was beaten about the head, and received a wound from a cutlass +on the night these men were seized during an outrage, and--" + +"That will do. I don't want a sermon," said the settler brutally. + +"Nor I to preach one, sir; but I was seized with these men by mistake." + +"Ah, yes," said the settler, frowning; "some bad mistakes of this sort +are made. That will do." + +"But I appeal to you, sir. I was hurried on board a ship while stunned, +and I only recovered my senses when I reached this place." + +"Then you were a long time without them, my lad; but you are wrong." + +"I do not understand you, sir." + +"Well, I'll tell you," said the settler, sharply. "You lost your senses +before you got into trouble." + +"I was only defending my father's property, sir," cried Nic +passionately. "I am a gentleman--a gentleman's son." + +"Yes, we get a good many over here in the plantation, my lad; they are +the biggest scamps sent over to rid the old country of a nuisance; but +we do them good with some honest work and make decent men of them." + +"But I assure you, sir, I am speaking the truth. I appeal to you, men. +Tell this gentleman I was not one of your party." + +"Hor, hor," roared Humpy, derisively. "What a sneak you are, Nic Revel. +Take your dose like we do--like a man." + +"I appeal to you, Pete Burge. Tell this gentleman that I was brought +out here by mistake." + +"Yes, it was all a mistake, master," cried the man. + +Humpy roared with laughter again. "Don't you believe him, master," he +cried; "that there Pete Burge is the biggest liar we have in our parts. +He'd say anything." + +"Men, men!" cried Nic, wildly, to the others; "speak the truth, for +Heaven's sake." + +"Course we will," cried Humpy quickly. "It's all right, master. Don't +you show more favour to one than another. We was all took together +after a bit o' poaching and a fight. Youngster there got a crack on the +head which knocked him silly, and he's hatched up this here cockamaroo +story in his fright at being sent out. Do him good--do all on us good, +and we're all glad to ha' got with such a good master; aren't we, lads?" + +"That will do," said the settler. "You have got too much grease on your +tongue, my man." + +"But, sir," cried Nic. + +"Silence!" + +"You will let me write to my friends?" + +"We don't want you to write to us, mate," cried Humpy grinning; "we +can't none on us read. You can tell us what you want to say." + +"Silence, you, sir," said the settler, sternly; "I keep a cat here, and +that man who saw to your irons knows how to use it. Hold your tongue, +once for all." + +"Oh, all right master; I on'y--" + +"Silence!" + +Humpy gave his mouth a slap, as if to shut it, and the settler turned to +Nic. + +"Look here, young man," he said; "I have only your word for your story, +and it seems likely enough to be as your fellow-prisoner says, something +hatched up from fear. You are sent out here for your good." + +"You don't believe me, sir?" cried Nic, wildly. + +"Not a word of it," replied the settler. "We get too much of that sort +of thing out here. Every man, according to his own account, is as +innocent as a lamb. You were sent out of your country, and came in a +king's ship. You are assigned to me for a labourer, and if you--and all +of you," he cried, turning to the others, "behave well, and work well, +you'll find me a good master. You shall be well fed, have decent +quarters and clothes, and though you are slaves I won't make slaves of +you, but treat you as well as I do my blacks. Look at them; they're as +healthy a set of men as you can see." + +The blacks grinned and seemed contented enough. + +"That's one side of the case--my part," continued the settler; "now for +the other. I've had a deal of experience with such men as you are, and +I know how to treat them. If you play any pranks with me, there's the +lash. If you attack me I'll shoot you down as I would a panther. If +you try to escape: out north there are the mountains where you'll +starve; out south and east there is the swamp, where the 'gators will +pull you down and eat you, if you are not drowned or stifled in the mud; +if you take to the open country those bloodhounds will run you to earth +in no time. Do you hear?" he said meaningly, "run you to earth; for +when they have done there'll be nothing to do but for some of my blacks +to make a hole for you and cover you up. Now, then, you know what's +open to you. Your country has cast you out; but we want labour here; +and, rough and bad as you are, we take you and make better men of you." + +"Thank ye, master," cried Humpy; "that's fair enough, mates." + +The settler gave him a look which made the man lower his eyes. + +"Now then," said the settler, "I am going to begin, and begin fairly +with you.--Samson." + +"Yes, massa," cried the big black. + +"Take off their irons.--And if you all behave yourselves you'll never +have to wear them again." + +The basket was at hand; the assistant brought out the little anvil, and +the task of filing and then drawing out the rivets began, with the dogs +looking on. + +"As for you, my lad," said the settler, "I can see you look weak and +ill; you can take it easy for a few days till you get up your strength." + +"But you will make some inquiries, sir?" pleaded Nic. + +"Not one, boy. I know enough. I take the word of the king's people; so +say no more." + +He turned his back upon his white slave, and it was as if the old +confusion of intellect had suddenly come back: Nic's brain swam, black +specks danced before his eyes, and he staggered and would have fallen +but for Pete Burge's arm, as the man caught him and whispered: + +"Hold up, Master Nic; never say die!" + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. + +PETE'S APPEAL. + +"Aren't you a bit hard on me, Master Nic?" said Pete, busy at his task +in the plantation of hoeing the weeds, which seemed to take root and +begin to grow again directly they were cut down. + +He did not look up, but spoke with his head bent over his work, +conscious as he was that they might be keenly watched. + +"I have said nothing harsh to you," said Nic coldly. + +"No, zir; but I thought that when you got a bit better, zeeing as we're +both in the zame trouble, working together like them niggers, you might +ha' got a bit more friendly." + +"Friendly!" said Nic bitterly. + +"I don't mean reg'lar friendly, but ready to say a word to a man now and +then, seeing how he wants to help you." + +"You can't help me," said Nic sadly. "I seem to be tied down to this +weary life for always, and for no fault of mine--no fault of mine." + +"And it's no fault o' mine, Master Nic. You don't believe it, but I +couldn't help coming that night; and I did try all I could to keep Humpy +Dee from hurtin' you." + +"Don't talk about it, please." + +"No, zur, I won't; but you're hot and tired. You haven't got your +strength up yet, though you are a zight better. Wish I could do all the +work for you. Here, I know." + +They were hoeing a couple of rows of corn, and Pete was some feet ahead +of his companion, who looked at him wonderingly, as, after a quick +glance round, he stepped across and back to where Nic was toiling. + +"Quick," he said, "you get on to my row and keep moving your hoe and +resting till I ketch up." + +"But--" began Nic. + +"Quick," growled Pete fiercely; and he gave the lagger a sharp thrust +with his elbow. "If they zee us talking and moving, old Zaunders'll +come across." + +That meant a fierce bullying, as Nic knew, and he hesitated no longer, +but stepped into Pete's row. + +"I don't like this; it is too full of deceit," said Nic. "You will be +blamed for not doing more work." + +"Nay; I shan't," replied Pete, "because I shall work harder. We're +a-going to do it this way; they won't notice it, and if I keep pulling +you up a bit level with me it'll make your work easier." + +"But I have no right to let you." + +"'Taren't nought to do wi' you; it's for the zake of the old country. +When you get stronger and more used to the hoeing you'll do more than I +can, p'raps, and help me." + +For the prisoners had been compelled to settle down at the plantation; +and men who had never been used to regular hard toil, but had lived by +fishing and salmon-spearing, and any odd task which offered, now slaved +away among the sugar-canes or the Indian-corn, the rice cultivation +being allotted to the blacks. + +The settler had kept his word as to the behaviour to his white servants, +treating them with what he considered stern justice; but every effort +Nic had made to obtain a hearing failed, the last producing threats +which roused the young man's pride, and determined him to fight out the +cruel battle as fate seemed to have ordained. + +Three months had passed since the boat reached the place that night, and +there had been little to chronicle, for the prisoners' life had been +most monotonous, embraced as it was in rising early, toiling in the +plantation in the hot sunshine all the day, with the regular halts for +meals, and the barn-like shed at night, with the men's roughly-made +bunks, a blanket, and a bag of husks of Indian-corn. + +The life suited Nic, though, for after the first fortnight he rapidly +began to gain strength, and soon after he was sent out with the rest of +the men. + +There had been no open trouble; the prisoners shared the same building, +and their meals were served out to them together; but there was a +complete division between them which was kept up whenever possible; and +one day out in the field Pete began about it to Nic, who took no heed of +either party. + +"Zee Humpy Dee look at me, Master Nic?" said Pete. + +"Yes." + +"Know why, don't you?" + +"No." + +"You do: I telled you. He zays, as you heered, that I set the zailors +on 'em to get 'em brought out here." + +Nic said nothing. + +"He means to kill me one o' these days. He'll hit me on the head, or +pitch me into the river, or zomething; and the others won't interfere." + +Nic looked up at the speaker quickly. + +"Comes hard on me," continued Pete. "I never done nothing, and they +keeps me off, and don't speak; and you don't, Master Nic, zo I zeem all +alone like. It makes me feel zometimes as if I must make mates o' the +blacks, but I s'pose they wouldn't care for me. Wish I'd got drowned." + +Nic raised his head to look in the man's face; but the old trouble +rankled in his breast. His heart would not go out to him, +fellow-sufferers though they were. + +It was so several times over, Pete trying hard to show what goodwill he +could under their painful circumstances; but it was not until that day +out in the corn-rows, when Pete helped him with his work at a time when +the heat was trying his barely-recovered strength, that Nic felt that +perhaps there was some truth in the man's story. At any rate, he was +showing himself repentant if guilty, and the prisoner recalled how Pete +had nursed him and without doubt had saved his life. + +Pete went on hoeing till he had worked level with Nic, and then he +worked harder to get as far ahead as he could before slipping back to +his own row, for Nic to return to his with once more a good start, and a +feeling of gratitude for his companion's kindness, which softened his +voice next time he spoke, and delighted Pete, who began talking at once. + +"Know where they keep the boat, Master Nic?" he said, as they worked +away. + +"No. Do you?" + +A few hours earlier Nic would have said, "No," and nothing more. + +"Think I do," said Pete, brightening up. "I mean to get it out of the +niggers zomehow. We never zee it go after they've been out in it. They +tie it up at night, and next morning it's always gone." + +"Yes," said Nic; "I have noticed that." + +"It's that Zamson and old Xerxes who take it away zomewhere in the +night, and walk or zwim back." + +"Very likely, Pete." + +"Yes, Master Nic; that's it; but keep on hoeing. I've laid awake nights +thinking about it, for we must have that boat. I don't mean Humpy Dee +and his lot when I zay `we,' because you will go off wi' me if I zee a +chance?" + +"I--I think not, Pete." + +"Master Nic!" + +"Well, yes, then; I will." + +"Hab, my lad; you zeem to ha' put life into a man. There's zummat to +live for now. I've thought and thought till I've felt zick; but that's +the on'y way. I could risk running for it; but there's the dogs--the +dogs--Pst! look out!" + +The warning was needed, for there were steps coming in their direction, +and directly after the overseer strode up. + +"I thought so," he said; "I've had my eye on you--you scoundrel! Every +now and then your hoe has stopped, and I could tell from your manner +that you were talking, and wasting your time. Here are you a good six +feet behind this weak young fellow. Get on, and catch up to him." + +Nic felt stunned, and he turned to speak and exculpate his fellow-slave; +but there was such an agonised, imploring look in Pete's eyes that he +was silent, and felt compelled to join in the little deception. + +"Yes," said the overseer, "a good six feet behind you, my lad, when it +ought to be the other way on. Get on, you, sir, get on." + +"Yes, zur; zoon pull up, zur." + +"Zur and zoon!" cried the overseer. "Bah! what a savage burr you have." + +He went on, followed by one of the two dogs which accompanied him, the +other hanging back to look up at Nic with its tail wagging slowly, till +its absence was noticed and a shrill whistle rang out, which fetched it +along with a rush, doubtless caused by recollections of the whip. + +"Oh, Pete!" whispered Nic reproachfully. + +"It's all right, lad," said the man, laughing merrily. "What a game it +was. I didn't mind a bit." + +"I did." + +"Then don't, Master Nic, zur. I can't have you wear yourself out. +We've got to 'scape, my lad, and the boat's the thing; but if you could +get t'other two dogs as friendly as that one, we'd make for the woods. +But anyhow, you've got to grow as strong as me; we can't do nothing +without. Master Nic--" + +"Yes." + +"If it was the last words I'd got to zay, I did fight for you that +night, and it waren't my fault you was took." + +"I begin to believe it now, Pete," was the reply. + +"Do, zur: do try hard. I aren't a bragger, Master Nic, but it's just +truth what I zay. I want to get you back again to the old country; and +I can't think o' nought else night or day. If I can get you off, and +come with you, o' course I should like; but if I can't, and I can get +you off--there, I'll lie down and die to do it, lad. But look here, we +must only trust ourselves. If the other lot, who are making some plan +of their own, knew it, they'd tell upon us and spoil us. Master Nic, +can't you believe in me!" + +Nic was silent for a few moments as he turned to look in the man's eyes. + +"Yes," he said at last; "I do believe in you." + +"And you'll trust me, zur?" + +Again there was a momentary hesitation before Nic answered, "Yes." + +"Hoe, Master Nic, hoe," whispered Pete excitedly; "he's been watching +us, and he's sent the dogs at us for not being at work." + +As proof thereof the two fierce-looking brutes came rushing down one of +the rows, open-mouthed, and Pete raised his hoe as if to strike. + +"Me first, Master Nic," panted Pete. "I aren't afeared. Let him do +what he likes after; I'll kill one or both on 'em before they shall +touch you." + +At that moment there was a savage growling from the dogs not thirty +yards away, and they came rushing at the poor fellows as hard as they +could tear. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. + +A LURKING PERIL. + +In obedience to the order which had despatched them, the two +well-trained bloodhounds of the overseer tore on till they were about to +bound upon the prisoners, when a sharp, shrill whistle arrested their +rush on the instant, and they stopped, growling fiercely, their white +teeth menacing, and their eyes red, as with a smouldering fire. + +The next moment a different note was blown from a distance, a shrill, +chirruping note which made the dogs turn and bark. Then one of them set +off at a steady trot, while the other, as if its duty were done, +approached Nic in the most friendly way, with its tail waving from side +to side. + +The whistle chirruped again, and the dog gave vent to a sharp bark, as +much as to say, "All right, I'm coming--" and bounded after its +companion. + +"Well, we're out of that job, Master Nic. I did wonder at that dog +coming at you zo fierce." + +"Set at me, Pete," said Nic quietly, "and education was stronger than +nature. Keep on working now, and pray let me do my hoeing myself." + +Pete grunted, and was silent, as he chopped away with his hoe till a +horn was blown up at the house, when the tools were shouldered, and, hot +and weary, the two companions trudged back to their barrack, to partake +of their evening meal together, Humpy Dee and his party sitting quite +aloof, for the feud was stronger than ever. + +From that day a change seemed to have come over Nic. It was partly due +to the feeling of returning health, but as much to his growing belief in +Pete's sincerity, and to the conviction that under the fellow's rough +shell there was an earnest desire to serve him and help him to escape +from his terrible position. + +The despondency to which he had given way seemed cowardly now, and as +the days rolled on he worked as one works who is determined to make the +best of his position. All the same, though, he joined heart and soul +with Pete in the plans made for getting away. + +Drawn closer together as they were now, the subject was more and more +discussed, and in the long talks they had in whispers of a night, they +could not help dwelling on the difficulties they would have to encounter +even if they did manage to escape. + +"But we will, Master Nic; you zee if we don't. They both talk about +shooting us, and that zets me up. I don't want to hurt anybody; but +when a man zays he's going to fire at me as if I was a wild beast, I +don't feel to mind what I do to him. Don't you be downhearted; we shall +do it yet." + +"But," said Nic, "it is the getting taken in a ship if we manage to find +our way to the coast." + +"If we find our way? We've on'y to get that boat. The river will show +us the way down to the zea; and as to getting away then, all we've got +to do is to try and find a ship that wants men." + +"They will not take us, Pete; we shall be looked upon as criminals." + +"Not if the skipper wants men," said Pete, laughing softly. "Long as a +man can work hard, and is strong, and behaves himself, he won't ask any +questions." + +The time went on, and there seemed to be no likelihood of any captain +asking questions; for in spite of keeping a sharp watch, neither Nic nor +Pete could obtain the information they wanted. The boat seemed to +disappear in the most mysterious way after being used by the settler or +his overseer, and Nic grew more and more puzzled, and said so to his +companion. + +"Yes, it gets over me zometimes, Master," said Pete; "but one has no +chance. You see, there's always people watching you. It aren't as if +it were on'y the masters and the dogs, and the niggers who are ready to +do anything to please old Zaunders; there's old Humpy Dee and the +others. Humpy's always on the lookout to do me a bad turn; and he hates +you just as much. He's always thinking we're going to get away, and he +means to stop it." + +"And this all means," said Nic, with a sigh, "that we must be content to +stay as we are." + +"Don't mean nothing o' the kind," said Pete shortly. "It's a nice +enough place, and there's nothing I should like better than staying here +a bit, if we could go about the river and swamp and woods, fishing and +shooting, and hunting or trapping; but one gets too much zun on one's +back, and when it's always chopping weeds with a hoe, and the weeds grow +faster than you can chop, one gets tired of it. Pretty country, Master +Nic; most as good as home, only zun is a bit too warm." + +Nic sighed. + +"That's 'cause you wants to write letters and get 'em sent, Master Nic, +I know; but don't you worry 'bout that. You can't send letters here +like you do at home, so it aren't no use to worry about what you can't +do. Worry 'bout finding the boat, dear lad; that's better than +letters." + +"I have worried about it," said Nic, "but it is of no use till we get a +chance to go and wander about to try and discover where it is kept." + +"And that the skipper and old Zaunders won't let us do, you zee," said +Pete quietly. "They're a wicked pair, both on 'em. Might let us loose +a bit on Zundays; but not they. Zunday and week-days all the zame. +They've got us, and they mean to have their penn'orth out on us. Never +thought as I should have all my strength turned into sugar for some one +else to eat. There, work away; old Humpy's watching us, and he'll go +and tell the skipper we're hatching eggs." + +Nic smiled, for his companion's good temper and patience were +contagious, but he could not repress a sigh from time to time as he +thought of home; and the beauty of the country, the waving fields of +tasselled Indian-corn or beautiful sugar-cane, with the silver river +beyond, the glorious slopes leading up to the distant blue mountains, +and the gloomy, green, mysterious attraction of the swampy forest +enhancing its attractions to an explorer, did not compensate for the +absence of liberty, though Nic was fain to confess that the plantation +would have been a glorious place for a few months' visit. + +The blacks were not friendly, as Nic soon found; but he attributed it to +the stern orders they had received; but now and then one or another made +a little advance, by offering, on the sly, fish or flesh in the shape of +bird or 'possum which he had caught or trapped during the moonlight +nights. For Saunders seemed to pay no heed to the black slaves slipping +away of a night on some excursion. + +"'Nuff to make a man wish for a kettle o' tar, or a pot o' black paint," +said Pete one day. "What for, sir? Just to put on a coat of it, and +change the colour of one's skin. They'd treat us better than they do. +Makes me wish I was a nigger for a bit, so long as I could wash white +when I got away." + +"Master Nic," said Pete one night when they were alone in their bunks, +"I aren't going to share that bit o' 'possum." + +"What bit of 'possum?" asked Nic, as he lay listening to the low murmur +arising from where Humpy Dee was talking to his fellow-prisoners, who +were all chewing some tobacco-leaf which the former had managed to +secrete. + +"Why, you know; that bit old Zamson give me, wrapped up in one o' them +big leaves." + +"Oh yes; I had forgotten. Eat it, then; I don't mind." + +"Likely, aren't it?" grumbled Pete. "Good as it smells, for them black +fellows do know how to cook a thing brown and make it smell nice. Can't +you zee what I mean?" + +"No." + +"Want it for the dogs. I'm going to slip off after that boat as soon as +it's a bit later." + +"Impossible, Pete. Don't try; you'll be shot at. There is sure to be +one of the blacks outside the door with a musket." + +"Let him stop there, then. I aren't going by the door." + +"How, then?" + +"Climb up here to where I've got a couple o' them split wooden tiles-- +shingles, as they call 'em--loose." + +"But you can't climb up there." + +"Can't I? Oh yes, my lad. There's them knot-holes, and I've got some +pegs cut as fits into 'em, ready to stand on. I can get up easy +enough." + +"But the dogs?" + +"Well, I smuggled a knife and sharpened it up, and it's tied to my leg +in a sheath I made out of a bit o' bamboo cane." + +"But it would be madness to fight the poor brutes, and the noise would +bring out Saunders with a gun." + +"Just what I thought, my lad," said Pete, laughing softly; "so I went on +the other tack this month past." + +"I don't understand you, Pete." + +"I'll tell you, then, my lad," said Pete softly. "I made up my mind to +get you back to the old country, and the on'y way to do it seems to be +to make friends." + +"Make friends?" + +"That's it. Way that big dog, Gripper, took to you zet me thinking. If +he was zet at you he'd lay hold, 'cause he's been taught to obey orders. +He wouldn't want to, no more than a soldier might want to shoot a man; +but if it was orders he'd do it. Well, I've thought a deal about them +dogs, and dogs is dogs--eh, Master Nic?" + +"Of course," said the young man, smiling to himself. + +"And dogs has got zweet tooths, Master Nic; on'y the sugar they likes is +a bit o' salt." + +"You mean you wanted that piece of roast 'possum to give the dogs if +they came at you." + +"That's right, Master Nic. If old Zaunders was shouting 'em on, they +wouldn't take no notice of the meat; but if he waren't there they'd be +friends at once, and eat it. So I'm ready for 'em if they comes after +me." + +"And you're going to try if you can find where they keep the boat +to-night?" + +"_Sn-n-n-ork_!" said Pete, pinching his arm, and as the deep, low, +snoring went on, Nic grasped the reason. + +For there was a faint rustling of the dry corn-leaves, which stopped, +and went on again in the utter darkness, while beyond it the low murmur +of talking continued. + +"The talking kept on to cover Humpy's movements," thought Nic. "He has +heard us, and is coming to listen." + +Pete snored again, moved uneasily, and began to mutter in a low tone: + +"Couldn't throw Humpy Dee?" he said. "Let you see. Better wrastler +than him. _Snore--snurrk_!" + +The rustling ceased, and then went on again. + +"Where's that there moog o' zyder, lads?" muttered Pete in a dull, +stupid way. "Where's the huff-cap?" + +Then he smacked his lips, and said "Hah!" softly, turned himself over, +yawned, and began to snore, keeping it up steadily, while the rustling +went on; but it sounded now as if the man who made it was retiring. + +Nic listened, with every nerve on the strain, while Pete kept on the +snoring, and a minute later he made out clearly enough that Humpy Dee +had returned to his companions, and distinctly heard the change in the +conversation, as the man whispered the result of his investigation. + +Pete's snore was lower now, and sounded as if it would last; but it did +not, for the next moment Nic was conscious that his comrade was leaning +over him; a pair of lips touched his ear, and a voice whispered: + +"He thinks he's clever, but we can be too sharp for him." + +"Don't talk any more," whispered Nic softly, "or he'll come back." + +"Right," said Pete, and the snoring recommenced. And as Nic lay there +in the darkness, thinking over his companion's words, and feeling that +it would have been madness to have made any attempt to leave the +barrack-like shed, with watchful enemies both within and without, and +the certainty in his mind that Humpy Dee's intention was to betray Pete +so as to get him flogged for attempting to escape, the snoring went on, +with a strange lulling effect. He had toiled hard that day in the +burning sunshine, and had lain down after his supper with that pleasant +sensation of weariness which comes to the healthy and strong; and he had +been feeling a glow of satisfaction and thankfulness for the full +recovery of all his faculties, when Pete had spoken as he did. It was +not surprising, then, that the heavy breathing of his companion should +have the effect it had, and that, just when he was in the midst of +pleasant thoughts of the possibility of escape, he should suddenly pass +from extreme wakefulness into deep sleep, in which he saw the red cliffs +of Devon again, with the sparkling sea, and listened to the soft murmur +of the falls low down in the combe. Back home once more. + +Then he opened his eyes with a start. + +"I've been asleep," he said to himself, as he listened to Pete's heavy +breathing; "not for many minutes, though," he mused; and then he +wondered and stared, for he could see the cracks and knot-holes of the +wooden building against the grey dawn of the rapidly-coming day. + +"Why, I must have been asleep for hours and hours!" he mentally +ejaculated. + +Proof came the next moment that it must have been eight hours at least, +for the dull booming bellow of the great conch shell blown by one of the +blacks rang out, and Pete started up in his bunk to stare at Nic and rub +his calf softly. + +"Had a good night, Pete?" said the lad. + +"Tidy," said the man softly; "but one o' the dogs had me by the leg." + +"What! Surely you didn't go?" + +"Ay, but I did. He let go, though, when he smelt the roast meat. Smelt +better than raw." + +"Pete!" ejaculated Nic, in his surprise. + +"Now then, rouse up, all on you," shouted Humpy Dee, "or they'll be +sending in the dogs for us, and the cat for some one else." + +"Oh," thought Nic, as a pang of agony shot through him; "that wretch +must have been on the watch." + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. + +PETE THINKS HE HAS FOUND IT. + +In the morning, as the eternal hoeing went on, Pete found his +opportunity for telling of his adventures during the night. Humpy Dee +had evidently heard nothing. + +"Keep at it, Master Nic," he said; "this here stuff's growed up zo that +there's no telling when they're coming on to you. It's all right +though, now." + +"Tell me, then, quickly. You got out?" + +"Zure I did. I meant to, and had a good long night of it." + +"And you're sure the dog hasn't hurt you much?" + +"Nay, on'y a pinch; I had the meat ready to shove in his face, But there +aren't much to tell you." + +"I was afraid so. We must be patient, Pete, and live on hope." + +"Can't live on hope, master. Hope's on'y the salt as makes the rest o' +life tasty. Want zome'at else as well. But don't you be down. We've +got to get away, and we'll do it afore we've done." + +"Then you found out nothing?" + +"Oh yes, I did," said Pete dryly. "I found out that it didn't matter +which way I went there waren't what I wanted." + +"You mean the boat?" + +"That's right, master. I went as far as I could get along the river one +way, and it waren't there; and I went as far as I could get t'other way, +and it waren't there. Old Zam must get in and paddle it right away +zomewheres. There now, if I haven't found it after all!" + +"What! Where it is hidden?" + +"I believe I have; zeemed to turn it over and find it under this here +clod I'm breaking up with the hoe. Wish I'd looked when we was aboard." + +"Looked at what?" + +"Her bottom. She's got a big bung-hole in her zomewhere, and he must +pole her along into a deep part, and take the bung out, and let her fill +and zink. Then he zinks the painter with a stone." + +"But she wouldn't sink, Pete." + +"Oh yes, she would, with ballast enough, sir; and all we've got to do +now is to find out where she is." + +Nic shook his head sadly, for he was not convinced. + +"Don't you do that, my lad; that's not the way to get home. Maybe I'm +wrong, but I think I'm right, and I dare zay, if we knowed where to +look, she's just close handy zomewhere. Zay, Master Nic, s'pose I get +old Zamson down and kneel on his chest, and pull out my knife. I could +show my teeth and look savage, and pretend I was going to cut his head +off if he didn't tell me. That would make him speak--eh?" + +"Yes, to Saunders; and you would be punished, and we should be worse off +than ever." + +"That's about it, sir. I'm afraid I did no good last night." + +Pete chopped and broke clods, and muttered to himself in a way which +suggested that he was by no means satisfied with his investigations. +Then all at once he said: + +"What do you zay to our going quietly down to the water some night, +dropping in, and zwimming for it?" + +"Into the jaws of the great alligators, Pete?" + +"Didn't think o' that. Could hear 'em, too, as I walked along. One +whacker went off from just under my feet once. I 'most fell over him, +and he roared out like a bull calf. I thought he meant my legs. No, we +couldn't do that, Master Nic. We must get hold o' that boat. I'll have +another try to-night." + +"Better not," said Nic. "Some of the others will hear you." + +"And old Humpy be on'y too glad to get me in a row. Well, I mean to +have it zomehow." + +But Pete did not go upon any nocturnal excursion that night. Nature was +too much for him. He dropped asleep, and did not wake till the conch +shell sounded its braying note; and Nic rose once more to go to his +labour in the fields, asking himself if it was not all a dream. + +The next time the settler came that way the young man made an appeal to +him for permission to send off a letter to some one in authority; but +the angry refusal he received, coupled with a stern order to go on with +his work, taught him plainly enough not to place any confidence in +obtaining his liberty through his employer, so he tried to move the +overseer the next time he came by. + +Nic fared worse. + +"Look here, my lad," said Saunders; "your country said you were better +out of it, and we've taken you, and mean to try and make something +decent of you. We're going to do it, too." + +"But that was all a mistake, sir, as I told you," pleaded Nic. + +"And this is a bigger one. Who is to believe your word? Get on with +your work, and if you worry me again with your whining I'll shorten your +rations, and keep you on the hardest jobs about the plantation." + +"It's of no use, Pete," said Nic as soon as he could speak unobserved; +"there is nothing to hope for here. We must escape somehow, or else die +in trying." + +"That's sense, Master Nic, all but the last part. I don't see any fun +in dying for ever so long. I'm going out to-night to find that boat, +and if I do, next thing is to zave up some prog and be off. There's one +thing to do, though, 'fore we start." + +"What's that?" + +"Borrow a couple o' guns and some powder and shot." + +"Impossible, Pete. No; I think I could manage it." + +"How, my lad? It has bothered me." + +"There are two ways. Get at the guns one day when Samson is cleaning +them; or else creep to the house some hot night, risk all, and climb in +by one of the windows. I think in time I shall know whereabouts they +are kept." + +"Risk getting zeen and shot?" + +"We must risk something, Pete," said Nic quietly. "It is for liberty. +I should leave it to the last moment, and get them when the boat was all +ready; then, if I were heard there would be somewhere to make for, and +once afloat we should be safe. But there, we have not found out where +the boat is yet." + +"And," said Pete thoughtfully, "there's zomething else we haven't took +count of." + +"What's that?" said Nic eagerly. + +"The dogs, my lad; the dogs!" + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. + +A FIGHT WITH MORPHEUS. + +Nic had no faith in his companion's notions about the boat lying sunk in +the creek or river; but as the time wore on he could suggest no better +idea. + +Still, he did find out where the guns were kept one day when, in company +with a man of Humpy Dee's party, he was ordered up to help in stowing +some bales of tobacco-leaf in a kind of store at the back of the low +wooden building. + +The work was pretty hard, but Nic hardly felt it, for in going to and +fro he had to pass an open door which led into the place used by the +settler and Saunders for their dining and sitting room. It was a very +rough spot, and the furniture was all home-made--that is to say, it was +manufactured by the blacks. But Nic hardly heeded its contents after +seeing a series of hooks driven into the wall, and upon each pair a +musket, with powder-flask and bullet-pouch attached. + +He could think of nothing else as he walked away, for these weapons +meant a supply of food if he and Pete took to the woods, and that night +he communicated the discovery to his companion. + +"It ought to be easy to borrow a couple of them," said Pete +quietly--"zome night when the two gaffers are asleep. On'y one thing to +hinder it, as I zee, for I don't believe they shut themselves up, +feeling as they do that we're under lock and key." + +"What is to prevent me creeping in and getting them, Pete?" + +"Dogs," said the man quietly. "Now, if we was at home I could walk into +Plymouth and go to a druggist's shop, and for twopence buy zomething I +knows of as would zend those dogs to sleep till we'd done what we +wanted; but there aren't no shops in the woods here." + +"And we haven't found the boat, Pete." + +"And we haven't found the boat, my lad. But here's a little bit of a +tool here I've got for you at last. Better one than mine. One of the +blacks had been cutting up zome meat with it yesterday, and left it out +on the bench--forgetted all about it--they're good ones at forgetting; +and zo I scrambled back and got hold of it, sharpened it up at the +point, and made a wooden sheath for it, so as you can wear it in your +belt under your shirt." + +"A knife!" whispered Nic excitedly as Pete thrust the weapon into his +hand. "No; I don't want to shed blood." + +"I didn't say it was to kill men with, did I? S'pose one of them dogs +had you by the throat, wouldn't it be useful then? or to kill a deer out +in the woods? or skin a 'possum? Might even be useful to stick into a +'gator's throat. Better take it, master." + +Nic's hand closed upon the handle of the keen blade, and he transferred +it to his belt; when, as the hard sheath pressed against his side, he +felt that, after all, it was one step towards liberty. + +The next morning Pete told him that he had had another good hunt by the +river-side, going as far as he dared, but without result. + +"And 'twix' you and me, Master Nic, I suppose it's being a bit of a +coward, but I dursen't go no more. I aren't afraid o' things you can +see; but when you're down by the water o' nights listening to the +strange birds making queer noises, and the big bats whuzzing round you, +to say nothing of the 'gators walloping about at the edge, and other +gashly things zeeming to be lying wait for you, it's a bit too much for +me." + +"It must be very nervous work, Pete." + +"Last night about settled me that we must go right up-country or through +the woods, for I trod on a big snake, and felt it twissen round my leg. +Ugh! I don't mind a conger, because, even if he bites you, it's on'y a +bite, and it gets well; but a snake! Why, they tell me--leastwise one +of the blacks did--as a bite from one of the rattlesnakes'll finish you +off in 'bout an hour." + +"But you were not bitten?" + +"S'pose not, and I've been thinking since I must ha' trod on the gashly +thing's head. Anyhow it did scare me, and I mean to chop every one I +zee while I'm hoeing. I have killed four since we've been here." + +"You must not try it again, Pete," said Nic. + +"Then we shall have to take to the woods, master, for I don't zee any +chance o' getting the boat." + +That day, while the two prisoners were hoeing together, the settler came +round, stood watching them for a time, and then came nearer and examined +their work, saw nothing to complain of, but still being dissatisfied, he +turned upon Pete. + +"Here, you get chattering too much with this lad," he cried; "be off +across to the long corn-field behind the house and join that gang. Work +with them, and send black Jupe here to take your place." + +"Yes, master," said Pete quietly; and as he shouldered his hoe and the +settler walked away, he made an offer at him with the hoe, when one of +the dogs growled savagely. + +Suspicious of danger, the settler turned sharply, to see Pete slouching +away with his eyes on the ground; so, after an angry word or two at the +dog, the master went on again, leaving Nic hoeing away, thinking how +dreary the days would pass if he were to have no better companionship +than that of the black. + +Half-an-hour passed before the slave came slowly along the row Nic was +hoeing--for the waving growth completely shut them from sight--and upon +reaching his fellow-prisoner's side he made a few scrapes with his hoe +and then stopped, with his black face shining as he showed his teeth. + +"You had better go on with your work," said Nic quietly; "the master +will be back." + +"Not a day, sah," said the black. "Him going get boat and go up ribber +'long o' Massa Saunder." + +Nic looked at the man sharply as he uttered the word _boat_. Wouldn't +it be possible to hear from him where the boat was kept? + +"Berry hot. Take four boy row de boat, and tell Sam and Zerks load de +gun and shoot ebbery white body who done work." + +"Ah!" said Nic. + +"Dat so, sah," said the man, laughing. "No shoot black fellow." + +He said no more, but went on chopping away in the hot sunshine far +faster than Nic could manage, and the intense heat did not seem to +affect him. For it was so hot that the prisoner felt exhausted, early +as it was in the day, the tall growth around keeping off the breeze. + +But he worked away, with the perspiration streaming down his face, +thinking what an opportunity this would be for taking to the woods or +the open country, but with his heart sinking as he dwelt upon the +possibility of Humpy Dee and the others fighting against such a plan +from pure malice. And besides, Pete was not there to discuss the +matter. There were the armed blacks, too, and the dogs. + +Nic went to the end of his row, turned, and worked away back, forgetful +of his black companion, till he was half-way along the return row, when +a peculiar sound startled him, and stepping aside among the canes, his +heart gave a big throb, for the black seemed to have fallen from +exhaustion. The next minute he smiled, for he realised that the man was +fast asleep. + +And how hot it was! Nic's throat was dry, his tongue parched, while +only some three hundred yards from where he toiled there was the green +band of cane and reed jungle, and just beyond that the bright, cool +waters of the river. + +Oh, if he could only be where he could lie down and take one long, deep +draught! + +The thought of it increased his thirst. + +Well, why not? The black had shown him that there was no danger. Their +tyrants had started in the boat by now, or the idle rascal would not +have lain down so coolly to sleep, and this terrible thirst-- + +"Oh, I must go and have a drink," muttered Nic wearily; and then, laying +down his hoe, he walked swiftly to the end of the row, turned at right +angles along by the ditch which divided the field from the next field, +and, satisfied that he could not be seen from the house, kept on and on, +startled more than once by the rustle of a gliding snake, till the +narrow patch of jungle was reached, and he plunged into it, to force his +way along to the edge of the river. + +The reeds and dense water-growth ended suddenly, and he was about to +peer out, up and down, to make sure that he was not seen, thinking the +while of how easy escape seemed, when he drew back and stood watching +with starting eyes. + +But it was not at the alligator six feet long which lay between him and +the gliding river, nor yet at that other, a dozen yards away, sunning +itself at the surface of the water; but at the black woolly head of a +swimmer nearly at the other side, making easily and well for the mouth +of an overhung creek nearly opposite to where Nic crouched, and quite +regardless of the dangerous reptiles which might be near. + +The feeling of thirst died out as Nic watched, seeing that there was a +way of escape after all by the river; for if that man dared trust +himself to swim in open daylight to the other side, surely he and Pete +might venture, even if the place did swarm with reptiles? + +Nic's heart beat with a strange feeling of satisfaction. Here, then, +was one of his unfortunate companions taking advantage of the master's +absence to escape. Why was not Pete there to join him, and they might +all get away together? + +In another minute Nic would have been on his way back to try and get +speech with Pete, and tell him what he had seen. He might, he thought, +elude Samson's watchfulness, when, to his astonishment, the man reached +the farther shore, stepped out, and shook himself, when Nic felt that he +must be dreaming, for it was Samson himself. + +The next minute Nic saw him plunge into the thick growth overhanging the +narrow creek and disappear. + +"Left his musket behind because he felt doubtful about getting it +across," thought Nic, and once more he was about to hurry back, when a +strange rustling sound caught his ear, followed by the rattle as of a +pole; and directly after the mystery of the boat's hiding-place was laid +bare, for it glided out from among the waving canes, and there was +Samson standing upright, dipping the pole first on one side, then on the +other, sending the boat across as it glided down with the stream, passed +the watcher, and evidently was being directed for the other creek. + +"Poor old Pete, how glad he'll be!" thought Nic. "That's it, plain +enough; kept over there because they think no one would dare to swim +across; but we dare." + +"Dare we?" said Nic to himself the next minute, as he saw an unusually +large alligator make a swirl in the water and dart by; and he shuddered +as the thought occurred to him that, though the reptiles might not touch +the blacks, with a white man it might mean something very different. + +"Ugh! you little beast," he muttered, as there was a rustle in the moist +patch of jungle, and he caught sight of the loathsome blunt muzzle of +what looked like a monstrous eft staring hard at him, not a couple of +yards distant. + +A quick movement sent the reptile scuffling away; then there was a +splash, and forgetful entirely of his thirst, Nic hurried back, feeling +a lingering doubt as to whether the settler or his overseer might not +have been to the field during his absence, as they were certainly not +gone. + +But upon reaching the place where he had left his hoe, there it lay with +the handle too hot to hold, and the slave close at hand, shining and +happy, fast asleep, with his mouth open, and the red lips attracting the +flies, as if it were some huge ugly red blossom from which they might +sip. + +That day seemed as if it would never come to an end. But at sunset the +conch shell was blown, and the black started up, just as Nic +straightened his weary back, and came slowly towards him down the row he +had hoed. + +"Um tink um been fass 'sleep, sah," said the black, grinning. "You tell +Mass' Saunder? No, you not tell um, and me shut de eye nex' time you go +'sleep." + +"I shan't tell tales," said Nic good-humouredly. "But I say, do you +ever think about running away?" + +"Run away? What for? No use run away. Set dogs to catch you 'gain. +An' if dogs not catch um, where run to? Plantations all alike." + +"To you," thought Nic. "Yes; where could he run to--back to Africa? +What then? Only to be caught and sold again. Poor wretch! Worse off +than I. There is no pleasant Devon for him to reach, as we must and +will reach it some day. Yes, there are slaves far worse off than I. +What can the dear old dad have thought when he found me gone? There is +only one answer to that," said Nic, with a weary sigh--"that I was +drowned in the pool struggle and swept out to sea." + +The next minute Pete came into sight, and their eyes met, Nic giving the +man so long and intent a look that he did not see Humpy Dee watching +him, only that Pete's face worked a little, as if he grasped the fact +that his companion had some news to impart. + +But they had no chance of communicating then, for Samson and Xerxes were +ready to count them as they went up to their shed; the dogs looking on +and trotting about busily, as if helping two black shepherds by rounding +up their flock. + +It was hard work to eat that night, and the evening meal seemed more +than ever to resemble a mash prepared for fattening cattle such as they +seemed to be. + +But Nic felt that food meant strength when the time for escaping came, +and he forced himself to devour his portion as if ravenously. + +The night soon came there, and they were locked up once more, Nic +eagerly waiting for the chance to tell all he knew. + +As he lay in his bunk listening, it was evident, from the low, guarded +tone in which their companions talked, that they were in ignorance of +the fact that their masters were absent, and all was very still outside, +till one of the men spoke out angrily. Then a bang on the door from the +butt of a musket, followed by a burst of deep-toned barking, told +plainly enough that proper precautions were taken, Samson's voice coming +loudly and hoarsely with an order to keep quiet and lie down before he +had to shoot. + +"But there's light ahead," thought Nic; and he waited till he thought he +could communicate his news to Pete; but, to his disgust, the deep, low +breathing close at hand told that he was asleep. + +"Worn out with his weary toil last night," thought Nic. "Well, I'll +keep watch to-night until he wakes, and tell him then." + +But hour after hour went sluggishly by, with the watcher trying to think +out the plan by which they could escape in the easiest way. + +In spite of the excitement produced by the knowledge that a door was +open by which they could get away, there was a hindrance to his thoughts +coming clearly. That long day's toil in the burning sun made his plans +run together till they were in a strange confusion; and at last he was +swimming the river to reach the boat, when a dozen of the reptiles which +haunted the water seemed to be tugging at him to drag him down, barking +fiercely the while. Then he started up, to find that he had been fast +asleep, and that the dogs were barking loudly because of their master's +return. + +"What's the row about?" Nic heard Humpy Dee growl. + +"Then I was right," said another of the men. "The gaffers have been off +somewhere, and have just come back. I thought so, because neither of +them showed up in the fields after quite early." + +"Why didn't you tell me?" growled Humpy; and he whispered to his +companions very earnestly. + +Just then the voices of the settler and the overseer were heard talking +to Samson; the dogs came smelling about the door, and the sentry spoke +loudly to them to get away. Then by degrees all grew silent again, and +a rustling sound told Nic that Pete was moving in his bunk. + +"Couldn't help it, lad," he whispered; "I was zo worn out, I went off +fast. You've got zome'at to tell me?" + +"Yes." + +"I knowed it; but if I'd had to save my life I couldn't ha' kep' my eyes +open. What is it?" + +Nic told him, whispering earnestly in his excitement. + +"What a vool--what a vool!" whispered Pete. "On'y to think o' me never +thinking o' that. Then it's all right, Master Nic. We can just get +together enough prog to last us, borrow the guns, pick out the night +that zuits us, and then go quietly off." + +"But would you dare to swim across the river--the alligators?" + +"Yes," said Pete; "if they was twice as big; and if they touch me--well, +they'll find out what an edge and point I've given my knife. It's all +right, Master Nic, and I'm glad it's you as found out the way." + +"Hist!" whispered Nic, laying a hand on the man's mouth. + +For there was a rustling not far from where they lay; and Nic felt as if +a hand were catching at his throat, for the thought came to thrill him +through and through that Humpy Dee had crept nearer to hear what, in +their eager excitement, they had said; and if he had heard-- + +Pete put it this way: + +"If he knows, the game's at an end." + +Nic slept little more that night; not that he and Pete talked again +about their plans, but because his brain was full of the momentous +question: + +Had their treacherous companion heard? + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. + +THE TIME AT LAST. + +It was nervous work during the next few days, neither Nic nor Pete +daring to take any step towards making their escape, for the feeling was +strong upon both that they were in their enemy's hands, and that he was +only waiting his time before betraying them to the overseer. + +"That's his way, Master Nic, and it always was. Once he had a grudge +agen a man he'd never forgive him," said Pete one night, "and he'd wait +his chance to serve him out. I never liked Humpy, and he never liked +me; zo, after all, it was six o' one and half-a-dozen o' the other." + +"I can't help thinking that we are worrying ourselves about nothing, +Pete," replied Nic. "It's a case of the guilty conscience needing no +accuser." + +"That it aren't, sir," said the man sturdily. "I aren't going to +believe you've got any guilty conscience, and there aren't nothing worse +on mine than a bit o' zalmon." + +Nic smiled in the darkness, and Pete went on: + +"Well, if you think like that, Master Nic, let's risk it. Old Humpy's +cunning enough, but p'raps two heads'll be better than one, and we can +beat him. What do you zay to trying, then?" + +"Anything is better than this terrible suspense, Pete," said Nic. "I +did manage to bear my fate before, but the thought now of that boat +lying ready to carry us down the river is too much for me, and there are +moments when I feel as if I must say to you, `Come on; let's run down to +the river and dash in, risking everything.'" + +"What! and them zee us go, Master Nic?" + +"Yes; I am getting desperate with waiting." + +"Wouldn't do, my lad. They'd chivvy us, them and the blacks and Humpy +and t'others. Why, bless you, nothing old Humpy would like better." + +"I'm afraid so." + +"That's it, zir, whether you're 'fraid or whether you bean't. And +s'posing we got the boat, what then, zir? Them seeing us and going +along by the bank shooting at us." + +"We might lie down, Pete." + +"Yes; and they'd send in half-a-dozen niggers to zwim to the boat and +bring it ashore. What do you say to that, zir?" + +"That I'm half-mad to propose such a thing," replied Nic. + +"Talk lower, zir. I can't hear old Humpy; but let's be on the lookout." + +"Better give up all thought of getting away," said Nic despondently. + +"Bah! Never zay die, Master Nic. Why, there's the old place at home +seeming to hold out its finger to us, beckoning-like, and zaying `Come,' +and once I do get back, you'll never ketch me meddling with no one's +zalmon again. But look here, zir, we thought it all out before, and I +don't see as we can better it." + +"I feel hopeless, Pete." + +"And I feel as if I've got 'nough o' that stuff in me for both. Wish we +could be hoeing together again, so as we could talk it over." + +"I wish so too, Pete." + +"It aren't half so pleasant hoeing along with the blacks as it is with +you, zir." + +"Thank you, Pete," said Nic, smiling to himself. + +"I aren't got nought agen 'em. They can't help having black skins and +them thick lips, and they're wonderful good-tempered. Just big +children, that's what they are. Fancy a man being a zlave and ready to +zing and dance 'cause the moon zhines, ready to go out hunting the coons +and 'possums as if there was nothing the matter." + +"It's their nature to be light-hearted," said Nic. + +"Light-hearted, zir? Why, there's one o' the gang along with me as +allus seems as if you were tickling him. Only to-day he drops hisself +down and rolls about in the hot sun, and does nothing but laugh, just +because he's happy. Why, I couldn't laugh now if I tried." + +"Wait, Pete; perhaps you may again some day." + +"I want to laugh to-morrow night, zir." + +"What?" + +"When we've got a couple o' guns aboard that boat, and we're going down +the river," whispered Pete excitedly. "I can laugh then." + +"We couldn't do it, Pete." + +"We could, zir, if we zaid we would." + +"There is the risk of that man watching us and telling." + +"He'd better!" growled Pete. "Look here, zir; let's have no more +shilly-shallying. Say you'll go to-morrow night, and risk it." + +"Why not wait for a good opportunity?" + +"'Cause if we do it mayn't never come." + +"But food--provisions?" said Nic, whose heart was beginning to throb +with excitement. + +"Eat all we can to-morrow, and chance what we can get in the woods, or +go without a bit. I'd starve two days for the sake of getting away. +Will you risk it, zir?" + +For answer Nic stretched out his hand and grasped Pete's, having his own +half-crushed in return. + +"That settles it, then," whispered Pete hoarsely. "Zave a bit of +bread-cake if you can. May come in useful. To-morrow night, then." + +"To-morrow night." + +"Are you two going to keep on talking till to-morrow morning?" growled a +deep voice. "Zum on us want a bit o' sleep. Look here, mates; I'm +going to speak to the gaffer to-morrow, to ax if them two chatterin' old +women can't be put somewheres else." + +Nic turned cold, and Pete uttered a deep sigh, for if this were done +they would, he knew, have to begin making their plans again. + +But hope cheered them both as the next day dawned and passed on without +incident. Humpy Dee's was evidently only an empty threat, and as +evening drew on Nic's excitement increased, and with it came a sensation +of strength such as he had not enjoyed for months. + +It was as if his companion had endowed him with a portion of his own +elastic temperament, and success was going to attend their efforts. All +the weary despondency had passed away, and in imagination Nic saw the +boat floating down the river towards the sea, where, hope whispered, it +must be very easy to find some British ship whose captain would be ready +to listen to their unhappy story, and let them hide on board till he set +sail, and then let them work their passage home. "For," argued Nic now +in his excitement, "no Englishman could be so hardhearted as to refuse +help to a white slave." + +He saw nothing of Pete after they had started for their day's work, +their duties taking them to different parts of the plantation; but that +was no more than he expected, and he toiled away with his hoe, telling +himself that this was the last time he would handle it, for they would-- +they must--escape; and he wondered now that he could have hesitated so +long, and have let the notion that Humpy Dee was quietly trying to +undermine them act like a bugbear. + +One thing was difficult, though, and that was to eat heartily in +readiness for what might be a long fast. Nic ate all he could force +down, however, and hid away the rest. But how long that hot day seemed, +before the darkness closed in and the strange sounds began to rise from +the woods and river! + +Never had all these sounded so loudly before; and when at last Nic lay +down in his rustling bunk, and the place had been locked and the black +sentry placed at the door, it seemed to the listener as if the great +goat-suckers were whirring about just outside, and the bull-frogs had +come in a body to the very edge of the woods and up the ditches of the +plantation to croak. + +Humpy Dee and his companions were talking together; the black sentry +yawned, and began to hum an air to himself; and soon after the voices of +the settler and the overseer passed, discussing some plan in connection +with the crops; but Nic did not hear either of the dogs bark, neither +did the one which had shown friendliness towards him come snuffling +about the entrance of the low shed. + +"Why doesn't Pete say something?" thought Nic, who began to wonder at +the silence of his companion, not a word having passed since they met at +the rough supper; and now, for the first time that day, Nic's heart sank +a little, for it seemed to him that his fellow-plotter had shrunk from +the risks they would have to encounter--risks which might mean being +shot at, worried by the dogs, dragged down by the alligators to a +horrible death, perhaps fever and starvation in the swamp, or being +drowned at sea, if they reached the river's mouth, and were swept away +by one of the fierce currents along the shore. + +It meant waiting two hours at least before they could begin their +attempt; but still Nic wanted to get rid of the oppression which +troubled him, and to feel that they really were going to make their +escape; but the murmuring of their companions' voices went on, and still +Pete made no sign. + +At last Nic could contain himself no longer. He was all eagerness now; +and, if they were not going to make the attempt, he wanted to know the +worst. He spoke in a whisper: + +"Pete, Pete!" + +"Phew! how hot--how hot!" muttered the man. + +"Pete!" whispered Nic again. + +"I wish you wouldn't keep on talking," said Pete loudly. "You know how +it set them grumbling last night." + +Nic drew a deep breath through his teeth, as he lay there in the hot, +oppressive darkness. They were not going, then. It was the way with a +man of Pete's class to pick a quarrel upon some other subject when he +wanted to find an excuse and back out of an arrangement. + +"Ay, you had a narrow escape on it," said one of the men surlily. "Old +Humpy was pretty nigh going to the gaffer to-day." + +"It's all over," thought Nic, as a feeling of bitterness ran through +him. Only four-and-twenty hours earlier he had been ready to give up +and accept his position. Then Pete had touched the right chord in his +nature, and roused him up to a readiness to run any risk, and make a +brave dash for liberty; while now the man seemed to have shrunk back +into his shell, and to be completely giving up just when the call was +about to be made upon his energies. + +At another time Nic might have argued differently; but, strung up as he +had been, his companion's surly indifference was crushing, and it seemed +that the wild, exciting adventures of the night were to give place to a +cowardly, sordid sleep. + +"If anything big is to be done, one must depend upon one's-self," +thought Nic at last; and, angry with the whole world, bitter at his own +helplessness, as he felt how mad it would be to attempt the venture +alone, he turned over in his bunk, throwing out one hand in the +movement, and it came in contact with Pete's, to be gripped fast. + +In an instant the blood was dancing through his veins, and a choking +sensation as of impending suffocation troubled him; the arteries in his +temples beat painfully, and he lay breathing hard. + +For it was to be after all, and this conduct was his companion's way of +showing him that it was better to lie in silence, waiting till the time +arrived for commencing their task. + +Nic lay there listening to the low murmur of his fellow-prisoners' +voices and the chorus of strange sounds from the forest and river; and +in the stillness of the night, every now and then, a faint splash came +plainly to where he lay, sending a thrill through him, as he thought +that, if all went well, before very long he might be swimming across the +river, running the gauntlet of the horrible-looking reptiles, and his +left hand stole down to his belt to grasp the handle of the sharpened +knife, while he wondered whether the skin of the alligators would be +horny or tough enough to turn the point. + +How long, how long it seemed before all was perfectly still in the long, +low shed, and not a sound could be heard outside but the faint humming +noise made by the black sentry! + +Then all at once there were steps. + +Some one had come up, and in a low whisper Nic heard the words: + +"All right?" + +"Yes, massa." + +Then the steps passed away again, and Pete gripped Nic's hand as he lay +straining his hearing to try and ascertain whether the overseer had +entered the house; but the barking or croaking of reptiles was the only +sound. + +Another hour must have passed, and then Nic's blood rushed through his +veins, for a hand touched his again lightly, and seemed to seek for the +other. Directly after he felt a hot breath upon his face, and lips to +his ear, uttering the one word: + +"Come!" + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. + +FOR LIFE AND LIBERTY. + +Before Nic Revel's mental sight the difficulties rose like a great black +rock, but he did not shrink. He rose softly from his bunk, striving +hard to keep the corn-stalks from crackling, and felt Pete as the man +took a couple of steps from his sleeping-place and stood with his face +to the back of the shed. + +Then, in the midst of a very faint rustling, Nic knew that his companion +had thrust a couple of pegs into the knot-holes in the stout planks, and +raised himself by hand and foot till he could softly draw the wooden +shingles of the roof aside, and the cool, moist air of the night came +down. Then for a moment or two Nic saw a bright star, which was blotted +out by something dark as the faint rustling continued. + +Nic turned to listen, but all was well within the shed. He could hear +the deep breathing of sleepers, and the low humming song of the sentry +outside the door. + +"How long will it be?" thought Nic, who was trembling with excitement; +but the suspense was soon over. All at once there was a dull sound, +such as might be made by two bare feet alighting on the earth outside, +and he knew that his turn had come. + +He was lightly enough clothed, merely in short-sleeved, striped cotton +shirt, and breeches which did not reach the knee, and his feet were +bare, so that there was nothing to hinder his efforts as he reached up +till he could place one foot upon the first peg. Then, seeking for the +other, he seized it in his hand, and drew himself into a standing +position upon the first, reached up to the rafters, drew himself farther +up till he could rest his foot on the second peg and pass his head and +shoulders through the hole in the roof; then, resting a hand on either +side, he drew his legs through, turned and lowered himself down, and +dropped upon the ground almost without a sound. + +It was intensely dark, but every step was familiar enough, and there was +no need for words: their plans had been too well made. But as they +moved off towards the house, one thought was in both minds as presenting +the greatest obstacle they had to dread: + +Where were the dogs? If loose, and their approach were heard, the great +brutes would set up a fierce baying directly, preliminary to a savage +attack; and then-- + +They neither of them cared to reckon more in advance than that, and went +softly on, to receive proof directly that the dogs were not loose, for +there came from the back of the house the rattle of a chain being drawn +over wood, followed by a low, muttering growl, as if one of the animals +was uneasy. + +This ceased directly; and, treading cautiously, Nic went straight up to +the front of the building, feeling as if, at any moment, he might see +the flash of a musket and hear its roar. + +But the place was dark and still, and the croaking and other sounds +which came in chorus were quite loud enough to drown their light +footsteps as they approached. + +The door was closed, but the two long, low windows in the veranda proved +to be open; and, as Nic approached the one upon his right and listened, +he could distinctly hear the heavy breathing of a sleeper. He drew +cautiously back, to come in contact with Pete, who was taken by surprise +at the sudden movement made. + +Then they stood with hearts thumping against their ribs, feeling certain +that they must have been heard; but not a sound followed. After waiting +nearly a minute, a fresh movement was made, Nic stepping softly to the +window on his left, the perspiration streaming down his face, for the +heat was intense. + +He listened here, with Pete close behind, but all was still, the window +wide open to admit the air; and he knew that all he had to do was to +pass softly in, take down a couple of the guns, passing one out at a +time through the window to Pete, beat a retreat, and then all would be +as easy as possible. It was only cool, quiet action--that was all; but +Nic for a time could not move, only stand there, breathing heavily, in +the full expectation of hearing his companion say something to urge him +on. + +Pete did not stir: he felt that he must trust to his companion's +common-sense, and leave him to act as was best. + +Then the power to act seemed to come, and Nic softly grasped the +window-sill, passed one leg in, then the other, and stood upon the bare +floor, fully expecting to hear a bullet whiz past his head, even if it +did not strike. + +But he could hear nothing; the house might have been unoccupied; and, +drawing a deep breath, he acted quickly now, turned to his left, raised +his hands, and pressed forward till they touched one of the weapons +hanging upon the wall. + +A sudden feeling of elation now came over him, for it all seemed to be +so astonishingly easy, as he stepped softly to the window to pass out a +musket with its flask and pouch, feeling it taken from his hand +directly. + +The next minute he was in front of the other pieces, and took down a +second musket, felt that the flask and pouch were attached to it, and, +with his pulses hard at work, he was about to make for the window when +every drop of blood in his veins seemed to stand still. For there was a +sharp, angry oath, a quick start, and the overseer, who had been +sleeping upon a rough couch, rose to a sitting position. + +It was too dark for Nic to make out anything more than a shadowy figure +within ten feet of him; and he stood as if petrified, holding the +musket, meaning to use it as a club at the first attack; one which +seemed to be strangely deferred, for the figure sat as if staring at him +in astonishment. + +How long this pause lasted it is impossible to say, but to the intruder +it seemed like minutes before he heard a faint rustling movement as if +the overseer was about to lie down again. + +"He can't see me," thought Nic. "It is too dark." + +Then his heart seemed to stand still again, as the horrible thought +occurred that the rustling meant getting something out of a pocket, and +that something must be a pistol. + +Instinct taught the listener that to save his life he must spring at his +enemy before he could take aim, and, nerving himself for a leap forward +to dash the musket he held upon the man's face, he was almost in the act +of bounding across the room when there was a low gurgling sound, and his +nerves and muscles relaxed, for he realised the fact--the overseer had +awoke suddenly from some nightmare-like dream, and it was no pistol he +had taken out, but a flask of spirits. + +It was plain enough now--the gurgling of the flask, the smack of the +lips in the darkness, and the long, satisfied breath taken, before the +bottle was replaced and its owner sank back upon his couch. + +In another minute the breathing had grown deeper and sounded stertorous; +and, without pausing longer, Nic stepped to the window, handed out the +gun, and felt it taken quickly from his hands. + +Just then there was a faint muttering which almost paralysed Nic, who +turned to meet an attack; but none came, and in another instant or two +he had slipped out of the window and was following Pete, who had handed +back one gun, with the warning to beware of the dogs. + +Pete's stooping figure was just visible as Nic followed, him in silence +till they were about a hundred yards away, making for the spot where the +boat was hidden, when one of the dogs barked loudly. + +"Mustn't stop to load," whispered Pete. "Let's get to the water, and +then they can't take up the scent." + +They hurried on, listening the while; but the dog quieted down again; +and with his spirits rising, Nic closed up alongside of his companion. + +"That was a near touch, master," whispered Pete. "I waited ready to +jump in and help you, for I zomehow thought it was too dark in there for +him to zee you, and you hadn't made any noise. Lucky for him he lay +down again." + +Nic made no reply, but he thought a great deal; and no more was said +till they had crossed a couple of the great fields and knew by the +sounds they heard that they must be close to the long, low band of reedy +growth which ran by the river-side. + +"You lead now, my lad," whispered Pete. "Get as nigh as you can to +where you think the creek is on the other side." + +"It is so dark," whispered Nic; "but I think we are right." + +He went to the front, assailed by a horrible doubt now that he had taken +the wrong way, and was some distance farther up the river; but, as he +bent down to part the low growth, to peer through over the dark water, +there was a scuffle and a splash, telling of some reptile taking flight, +and he shrank back. + +But he hardly heeded it, for he had dimly made out a solitary tree +across the river, some eighty or a hundred yards away, which he had +marked down for bearings. + +"This is the place, Pete," he whispered. "If you stand here and look +across, the creek is a little way up to the right." + +"That is good, my lad; I was beginning to be feared that we should have +to wait for daylight, and be missed. Now then, take my gun and the +tackle, and while I'm gone you load both on 'em." + +"While you are gone?" whispered Nic excitedly. "You are not going; I +know the way, and I'll fetch the boat." + +"That you don't, Master Nic," said the man sturdily. "That there +water's full o' them great brutes, and one of 'em might pull you down." + +"I know it is; and one of them might pull you down." + +"He'd be zorry for it if he did, for I'd zoon zend my knife through his +carcass. It's my job, zir, and I'm going." + +"I tell you I know just where it is, and I'm going to fetch it." + +"That you aren't, zir. I won't have you risk it." + +"Then we'll swim the river together, Pete." + +"And what about the guns?" + +"Leave them on the bank, and come back and fetch them." + +"Never find 'em again in the darkness and hurry, my lad. Now, do be +zensible." + +"I'm master, and I order you to stay." + +"Which you aren't master, zir, for we're both zlaves, and if you talk so +loud you'll be bringing down the dogs and I'm off." + +Almost before Nic could realise it, Pete had slipped across the narrow +space, lowered himself into the water, and swum away, leaving his +companion horrified at the sounds he heard. For directly after the man +had struck out there was a tremendous wallowing splash, which Nic felt +certain had been caused by some monstrous reptile; and he crouched there +grasping the guns, with a chilly perspiration breaking out over his +brow. + +It was some minutes before he thought of the loading, and when he did he +could not follow out his instructions for listening and staring across +the dark, gliding water, which was full of life, startling him with the +belief that Pete had been attacked when some louder splash than usual +came from the direction the man had taken. Then the horrible thought +came that the poor fellow had been seized the moment he plunged in, and +that that loud wallowing noise was when he was dragged underneath. For, +though he listened so hard, there was nothing to prove that his comrade +was still swimming across the river; and his heart sank at the thought +of what would be a most horrible death. + +Everything served to depress him more as he crouched there in the +enforced inaction; he could hear rustlings in the low water-growth as of +reptiles creeping along, the splashes in the river, and all about him +the croaking, hooting, and barking of the nocturnal creatures which made +the place their home; while, as if these were not sufficient, there was +the dread of pursuit, with their enemies hounding on the savage dogs, +which might spring upon him at any moment. + +"Not without giving notice, though," he said to himself. "What a +nervous coward all this has made me! Why, the hounds would begin to bay +as soon as they took up the scent." + +He listened again; but all was still save a splash or two, and he +bitterly repented that they had not thought of some signal--a whistle or +the like--to give warning that the river had been successfully crossed. + +"He would do it," thought Nic, trying to be firm. "He is a splendid +swimmer. Why, it was wonderful what I believe he did when he tried to +save me--in irons, too." + +Nic paused for a few moments longer to listen to the splashing which +went on; and then, recalling once more his companion's words, he +prepared to load the muskets. + +But the first he tried proved to be loaded, and, on replacing the ramrod +and opening the pan, he found the priming all right. The next proved to +be in the same condition; and, once more laying the pieces down, he +crouched with his ear near the water to listen to the lapping and +splashing which went on. But there was nothing that he could interpret +to mean the movement of an oar or pole on a boat, and his heart began to +sink again lower and lower, till wild thoughts arose about his +companion's fate. + +He would not give harbour to the suggestion that he had been dragged +down by the reptiles, but fancied that the boat might be securely +padlocked, or that Pete had got it out, and, not knowing the force of +the stream, had been swept away past where he should have landed, and +with so big and heavy a boat he might not be able to get back. If this +were the case Pete would escape, and he would have to go back to his +prison. + +"No, he would not forsake me," muttered Nic, with a strange glow about +his heart as he thought of the man's fidelity to his cause; and he had +just come to this conclusion when he heard a rustling behind him as of +some creature creeping up. It was forgotten, though, the next moment, +for unmistakably there was the sound of an oar whishing about in the +water, as if someone had it over the stern and, fisherman fashions was +sculling the boat towards the bank. + +Then for a moment Nic was doubtful, for the sound ceased. + +"It was one of the alligators," he muttered through his teeth, "and the +poor fellow--" + +There was a faint chirrup off the river, and once more Nic's heart beat +wildly as he answered the signal. Then the sculling began again, the +rustling was repeated somewhere behind where Nic crouched, and he felt +for the muskets to take them up. + +"Whatever it is, I shall be aboard in a moment or two," he thought, with +a strangely wild feeling of exultation; for he heard the oar drawn in, +the head of the boat suddenly appeared close at hand, and it was run +into the muddy, reedy bank a couple of yards away, while Pete leaped +ashore with the painter. + +"Now!" cried a loud voice, when, with a rush, half-a-dozen men sprang +upon them from the bed of reeds and a fierce struggle began. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY. + +MAKING FRIENDS OF ENEMIES. + +The struggle was very fierce but short. Nic fought his best, and, in +spite of the excitement, wondered at his strength. He was encouraged, +too, by Pete, whom he heard raging and tearing about; and, hard pressed +as he was, he yet had a thought for his companion. + +"Never mind me, Master Nic," he shouted. "Zwim for it--the boat. Never +mind me." + +Then his voice was smothered, and there was the sound of a heavy fall, +but the struggle went on. + +"Hold on!" came the voice of the overseer, giving his orders; and then +that of the settler: + +"Give in, you scoundrels!" he raged out. Then fiercely, "Hold their +heads under water, boys, if they don't give in." + +"All done now, sah," panted Samson, with his lips close to Nic's head, +for he was across his prisoner's chest, and a couple of the blacks were +holding his legs. + +"Yes, we must give up, Master Nic," cried Pete. "I've got five loads o' +black stuff sitting on me." + +"Have you your whip with you, Saunders?" cried the settler. + +"No, sir; I wish I had. But it is hanging by the door, and we can give +them a better taste by daylight." + +"You use it on him," roared Pete fiercely, "and I'll kill you." + +"Silence, you scoundrel!" cried the settler, "or I'll have you gagged as +well as ironed. I warned you both of what would happen if you tried to +escape." + +"Lucky for them I let loose the black dogs instead of the brown," cried +the overseer. "We should not have had the trouble of taking them back. +Tie their hands behind their backs, Samson, and have the irons ready as +soon as we get to the house." + +"Got no rope, sah." + +"What!" cried the settler. "Why didn't you bring some, you black fool?" + +"No time, sah," said the black humbly. "Soon as dat ugly ruffyum, +Humpy, come knock at door and say dey 'scape, Zerk call me quite sharp, +an' I come tell you, and dey fetch de boy and have 'em back. Me no +t'ink 'bout no rope, sah; on'y t'ink dey go swim for de boat and catch +'em first." + +"Quite right," said the settler more calmly. "There, one of you go in +front of each man, and two others take fast hold of a wrist on each +side. Cock your pistols, Saunders." + +There was a sharp clicking sound. + +"Walk behind that big scoundrel, and if he makes the slightest attempt +to escape send a bullet through him. I'll look after this one. Pity we +didn't stop to loose the dogs. Ready?" + +"Iss, sah," came from Samson, as Nic felt a strong hand like a live +handcuff upon each wrist. + +"Lead on, then." + +"You be very careful, please, massa; no make mistake and shoot dis boy." + +"Oh yes, I'll take care." + +The march back began, and at the second step Nic felt that a cold ring +of iron had been pressed between his shoulders--the pistol-muzzle +resting upon his skin where the shirt had been torn down from neck to +waist. + +He could not suppress a shiver, for the heat and passion of the struggle +had passed away, leaving him weary, aching, and depressed. + +But in a few minutes the pistol-muzzle was withdrawn, it being awkward +for the holder to walk over the rough ground and keep it there; and the +prisoner marched on between his black warders as patiently as Pete in +front, thinking perhaps the same ideas. + +For he felt that they had not taken warning by the hints they had +received. Humpy Dee had been on the watch, and, in his malignity, let +them get away before giving notice to the sentry, that they might be +caught, ironed, and flogged, or perhaps meet their death in the +struggle. + +But Nic had yet to find that Humpy Dee's designs were deeper than this. + +The walk back was not long enough for a hundredth part of the bitter +thoughts that crowded into Nic Revel's brain; neither would they have +got a hearing had the distance been a thousand times the length, on +account of the one dominant horror which filled his brain: "Will they +flog us?--will they flog us?" That question was always repeating +itself, and, when the prisoner heard Pete utter a low groan, he was +convinced that the poor fellow was possessed by similar thoughts. + +Only so short a time before that they had left their quarters, and now +they were back in the darkness, their plans crushed, and only the +punishment to look forward to. + +"Now, Sam, be sharp with a couple of lanthorns and those irons," cried +the overseer. + +"Iss, sah." + +"Prisoners been quiet?" whispered the settler to the sentry. + +"Iss, sah, berry quiet; all fass asleep;" and the man let his musket +fall down upon the ground with an ominous thud as, in obedience to an +order, he unlocked the shed-door and lowered the huge bar before drawing +it open. + +"Now then," muttered the overseer, "how long is he going to be with that +lanthorn? Here, in with them, boys; but don't loose your hold till I +tell you." + +Nic and Pete were hurried on; and, as soon as they were inside, the +settler and his lieutenant stood in the doorway, pistol in hand, while +Nic's face was involuntarily turned in the direction of the corner where +Humpy Dee's bunk lay, in the full expectation of hearing some bantering +sneer. + +But the man made no sign, and directly after the _pad_, _pad_ of +Samson's feet was heard, and a faint light threw up the figures of those +at the doorway. Then Samson's big black face appeared, lit up by the +lanthorns he swung, one in each hand. + +"I take in de light, sah, and den go fetch de irons?" + +"Yes; look sharp," cried Saunders. + +He made way for the black to pass, and the man raised one of the +lanthorns to hang it upon a hook. He did not do this, but raised the +other lanthorn and hurriedly took a few steps in the direction of the +bunks, to begin shouting directly: + +"Hyah!" he cried, "whar dem oder white fellow? You, Zerk, what you go +and done wid de oder man?" + +"What!" roared the settler and the overseer in a breath as they rushed +forward, pistol in hand. + +"All gone, sah," cried Samson, beginning to tremble. + +"Bah! you 'most fass 'sleep," cried Xerxes, who had come in at the call +of his companion; "dey all tuck under de corn-'talk." + +"You black idiot!" roared the overseer, turning upon the sentry so +savagely that the man's knees began to knock together; he let go his +hold of his musket, and it fell on the floor with a thud, followed by a +flash and an explosion, while the man escaped a knockdown blow by +ducking. + +"Here, quick!" cried the settler, who had seized one of the lanthorns +from Samson and convinced himself that the other prisoners had taken +advantage of the hole made by Pete, and, as soon as the chase began, +climbed quietly out in turn. "All of you follow. Pick up that musket +and load it again, you black fool!" + +"No 'top clap irons on dese two, sah?" cried Samson. + +"No. Here, Saunders, fetch another musket. Samson, you and Nero guard +these two while we're gone; and if you let them escape I'll shoot you." + +"No, no," said Saunders quickly; "I'll manage them. We want all our +men. Here, Sam; go and let loose the dogs." + +"But these two?" cried the settler impatiently. + +"Well, the dogs will watch them." + +"We want them, man, to track the other scoundrels." + +"We can do that ourselves. They followed us, for a hundred pounds, and +have taken the boat by now." + +The settler uttered a furious oath and stamped his foot. + +"Sharper than we are," he roared. "Yes, that is right." + +Just then the dogs, newly set at liberty, came bounding up, followed by +Samson; and the overseer went up to the two prisoners. + +"There, lie down in your kennels," he snarled. "We shall not be long, +and it depends upon yourselves whether we find you when we come back. I +warn you that if you move the hounds will tear you to pieces." + +"Saunders!" whispered the settler. + +"Their lives will be in their own hands, sir," cried the overseer +warmly. "Let me have my own way, please; it is the only thing to do." + +The settler shrugged his shoulders, and the blacks all stood there +round-eyed and staring, while the two unfortunates lay down in their +bunks, and the overseer called up the dogs and bade them couch. + +"Watch," he said fiercely, and a deep-toned growl arose. "Stay there +and watch." + +"Now, sir," he said coldly, "the sooner we are off the better. Out with +you, boys, and bring the lights." + +The blacks ran out, the settler followed, and the overseer went to the +door last. + +"I've warned you," he said fiercely, as he turned to face the prisoners. +"Make the slightest movement, and those hounds will be at your throats +and rend you limb from limb. Good dogs, then--watch," he shouted; then +he banged the door, locked and barred it, and just then the settler's +voice was heard at a little distance. + +"Here, Saunders," he cried; "two of the loaded muskets have been taken +from the hooks." + +"Hor, hor!" laughed Pete savagely; "just found that out?" + +He ceased, for three dogs sprang to their feet, uttering a furious +barking trio which made his heart seem to leap to his throat. + +In the intense desire to save himself, Nic sprang up into a sitting +position and spoke quickly and gently, calling to the dog which had +shown a friendly disposition towards him from the first. + +"Don't do that, Master Nic," said Pete hoarsely. + +But even as the man spoke the dog was upon Nic's bunk, whining, pawing +at him, and thrusting its great muzzle in his hand, uttering the while a +low, eager bark. + +The others barked too, and, as if in imitation of their companion, made +at Nic as well, favouring him with their clumsy caresses, and ending by +sitting close up to him, panting loudly. + +"Have they killed you, Master Nic?" whispered Pete hoarsely, eliciting a +fierce growl from one of the brutes. + +"Quiet," cried Nic loudly, and the growling ceased; while the next +moment from out of the darkness a great head began to nestle upon his +shoulder. "Good dog, then!" cried Nic, patting and stroking its head. +"There, I think you may venture to talk, Pete." + +"Do you, zir? If I waren't beginning to think they'd done for you. +Aren't you hurt, then?" + +"No; they are used to us now, and I don't think there's anything to +fear. Look here; do you dare to reach out your hand and pat him?" + +"No, zir; I'm too great a coward. I was always feared of a dog's bite; +not of the dog." + +Nic was silent for a few moments, and then he began to pat first one dog +and then another heavily, the great brutes submitting to the +familiarities evidently with satisfaction, one of them beginning to +bound about the shed, and returning to be caressed again. + +"You order me to come close and pat one of 'em, Master Nic, and I will," +said Pete hoarsely. + +"Come on, then." + +The man drew a deep breath and made the venture, with so much success +attending it that he tried it upon the others. + +"Master Nic," he whispered excitedly, "what do you think of that?" + +"Of what?" + +"Here's one of 'em licking my face. Oh, I zay, it don't mean tasting me +first to zee whether I'm good, do it?" + +"No; the poor brutes believe we are friends, I suppose, from being shut +up with us. But, Pete, they've all gone off after the others. Couldn't +we try to escape again?" + +"Nay; t'others have got the boat." + +"But the high ground yonder, or the woods?" + +"Nay; they'd hunt us down with the dogs. The beggars would go at us if +they hounded 'em on." + +Nic was silenced for a few moments, and he sat with a dog on either side +and his arms on their necks. + +"But we could get out again; the shingles must be off the roof." + +"Yes; that's how Humpy and the others got out, zir. They must ha' known +all our plans." + +"Let's creep out, then; the dogs couldn't follow." + +"S'pose not, zir; but they'd make howl enough to bring the gaffers back +to lay 'em on our scent. I don't think it's any use to try. I'd face +it and the dogs too with my knife; they never took it away from me. Did +they take yourn?" + +"I don't know, Pete. No: here it is." + +"And it would be too hard on you to have to face 'em. Best not to try. +We had our go and missed; p'raps we'd better take what they give us and +not grumble." + +"Impossible, Pete. I'd rather face the dogs than the lash. But I don't +believe they'd hurt us now." + +"P'raps not, zir," said Pete sadly. "This here one's as playful as a +puppy. He's 'tending to bite my arm, but he don't hurt a bit." + +There was silence again for a few minutes, during which time Nic sat +with his heart beating hard, listening to the familiar sounds which came +from the forest, while the passionate desire to flee grew and grew till +it swept everything before it. + +"Pete," he cried at last, "we must escape. Better starve in the woods +than lead such a life as this. We shall be flogged to-morrow, and it +will kill me, I know." + +"The dogs'll hunt us down if we go, lad, and we shall get it worse. +Better face what we've got to have." + +"I will not; I cannot, Pete. The way is open, man. Let's try for our +liberty before these wretches come back." + +"Zay the word, then, Master Nic; but the dogs is friends now, as long as +we're quiet; they won't let us go." + +"Ah, I know!" cried Nic wildly. "Why didn't I think of it before?" + +"Think of what, zir?" + +"This. Perhaps they might attack us if they thought they were going to +be left." + +"That's zo." + +"And if we got away they'd be laid on our track." + +"O' course, zir." + +"Then we will not give Saunders the chance." + +"I dunno what you mean, zir; but I'm ready for anything you tell me to +do. What is it?" + +"Take the dogs with us, man. I believe they'll follow us now." + +"Take 'em with us?" panted Pete. "Why, o' course! I never thought o' +that. But we can't, Master Nic; we're locked in." + +"The roof's open. Look here, Pete; I'm going to climb out at once. The +dogs will begin to bay at this, but as soon as I'm on the roof, ready to +drop down, you get up, put your hands against the boards, and lay +a-back. Then I'll call them. They'll scramble up, and I'll help them +through. You come last." + +"Think they'll do it?" said Pete, panting like one of the hounds. + +"I'm sure they will." + +"Be worse than the flogging," cried Pete excitedly; "they'll tear all +the skin off my back. But I don't care; I'm ready. They'll leave the +bones." + +"Ready, then?" cried Nic. "The moment there's room make a back for the +dogs." + +The eager talking excited the great animals, and they began to sniff at +the speakers and growl; but Nic's blood was up, and he was ready to risk +an attack on the chance of his scheme succeeding. + +"A dog is a dog, whether it's here or at home, and I know their nature +pretty well." + +The next moment he was proving it by leaping to his feet. + +"Hey, boys, then!" he cried loudly; "the woods--a run in the woods!" + +The dogs sprang round him, and began leaping up, barking excitedly. + +"Come on, then," he shouted, though his heart leaped with a choking +sensation at his mouth; and, scrambling up to the opening by means of +the pegs, he was the next minute squeezing himself through, the dogs +bounding up at him as he went, and nearly causing him to fall. For one +moment he felt he was being dragged back, and shuddered at the thought +of what might happen if the excited animals got him down. + +But the dread passed away as quickly as it had come. He tore off +another of the shingles to widen the opening, and shouted down into the +shed: + +"Come on, then. Come on." + +Already the hounds were growing savage in their disappointment, and +baying and growling with tremendous clamour, as they kept on leaping +over each other and dropping back. + +But at the words of encouragement from above one of them awoke to the +fact that there was a step all ready in the darkness, and, leaping upon +it, the great creature reached up, got its paws on the sides of the +opening, scrambled through without help from Nic, as he sat on the roof, +and leaped down. + +That was enough; the others followed quickly, and the next minute Pete +was up, seated by Nic's side, the dogs now leaping at them from below, +barking loudly. + +"Hurt?" panted Nic. + +"Not a bit. Durst us jump down?" + +"We must," cried Nic firmly; and, shouting to the dogs, he lowered +himself down, dropped to the ground, and was followed by Pete. + +"Hie on, boys! Forward, then!" cried Nic, as the dogs leaped and +bounded around him, and he began to trot away from the river. + +"Which way?" said Pete, who was as excited now as his companion. + +"Wherever the dogs lead us," replied Nic. "Anywhere away from this +slavery and death. Forward, then, boys! Hie on!" + +The dogs ceased barking and began dashing on through the plantation +leading to the nearest wood. The hunt was up, and Nic had rightly +weighed their nature. They were off in chase of something; that was +enough, and the two men followed, feeling that at last they were on the +highroad to freedom, with their most dreaded enemies turned to friends. + +"Master Nic," said Pete hoarsely as they trotted on, step for step +following the sound made by the heavy dogs, "I aren't never been a +'ligious sort of a chap, but would it be any harm if, instead o' +kneeling down proper, I was to try and say a prayer as we run?" + +"Harm, Pete?" cried Nic, with a wild, hysterical ring in his voice; "it +could not be. Why, I've been praying for help ever since I leaped down +among those savage beasts. I could not have ventured but for that." + +Sound travels far during the night, and, though the fugitives were not +aware of it, their attempt to escape was known. For, just when the dogs +were free of the shed and were baying their loudest, the settler, at the +head of his men, turned to Saunders: + +"Hear that?" he said hoarsely. + +"Yes. They've risked it, and the dogs are running them down. Well, +they have only themselves to thank; I wash my hands of it all." + +The settler shuddered, for his companion's words had brought up a +thought that was full of horror; and for a moment he was about to order +his blacks to turn back. But just then the overseer whispered: + +"Keep up, sir; not a sound, please. We shall have them now." + +"No firing," said the settler quickly; "they will be unarmed." + +"I don't know that," said the overseer; "but we shall soon know. Hadn't +we better deal with them as they deal with us? Hark! the dogs are quiet +now. They've got their prisoners, and, if I'm not wrong, in a few +minutes we shall have taken ours." + +"Heah dat, Zerk?" whispered Samson. + +There was a grunt. + +"You an' me's gwan to have de arm-ache to-morrow morn' wid all dat lot +to flog." + +"Iss," whispered Xerxes; "and den got to go and bury dem oder one +bones." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. + +A NIGHT'S MUDDLE. + +On went the dogs, apparently following the track of some animal; and, as +they seemed to be leading the fugitives farther and farther away from +the plantation, nothing Nic felt, could be better. + +For, in spite of the long imprisonment at the settler's place, the +knowledge of the prisoners was confined to the river and the clearings +about the house. Certainly they had had a view of the distant hills; +but all beyond the plantation, save towards the swamp, was unknown land. + +"We can't do better than go on, Pete," said Nic, after following the +dogs for about an hour. + +"Don't see as we can, zir. They're hunting after zomething they've got +the zmell of, and maybe, if we cross their scent, they may begin hunting +us; zo I zay let 'em go. You zee, they're mostly kep' chained up in +them gashly kennels o' theirs; and they're enjoying a run in the woods. +Any idee where we be?" + +"Not the slightest, Pete; but at any rate we're free." + +"Till we're ketched again, Master Nic. But I zay, you'll show fight if +they should catch up to uz?" + +"Yes, Pete; I should feel so desperate that I should be ready to die +sooner than give up now." + +"That's me all over, lad," said Pete. "I zay, though; couldn't get to +be more friends still wi' the dogs, and make 'em fight for uz, could +we?" + +Nic laughed bitterly, and then stopped short, for the yelping had +ceased. + +"Can you hear the hounds now?" + +A sharp burst of barking a short distance away told of their direction, +and after wandering in and out among the trees for a few minutes, they +found the three great creatures apparently waiting for them to come up +before starting off again. + +This went on for a full hour longer, the dogs leading them on and on, +evidently getting scent of one of the little animals the blacks hunted +from time to time; but from their clumsiness, and the activity of the +little quarry, each run being without result. + +"Where are we now?" said Pete at last, after the yelping of the little +pack had ceased. + +"It is impossible to say," replied Nic. "It is all so much alike here +in the darkness that I have felt helpless ever since we started; but we +must be many miles away from the plantation, and I hardly know how the +night has gone in this excitement; but it must be near morning." + +"Must be," said Pete, "for my clothes are quite dry again, and I'm +getting thirsty. What are we going to do now?" + +"Keep on, and coax the dogs more and more away. We must not let them go +back." + +"No; that wouldn't do, Master Nic. On'y if they don't ketch anything +they'll get hungry, and if they gets hungry they'll grow zavage; and if +they grow zavage, what's going to happen then?" + +"Wait till the trouble comes, Pete," replied Nic; "then we'll see." + +"That's good zense, Master Nic; and I b'lieve them brutes are lying down +and resting zomewhere. Shall I give a whistle?" + +"Yes; it would do no harm." + +Pete uttered a low, piping sound such as would be given by a bird, and +it was answered by a bark which showed the direction; and, on turning +towards it, a minute had not elapsed before they heard the heavy panting +of the three animals, which sprang up and came to them, lolling out +their tongues to be caressed. + +"Good old dogs, then," said Nic, patting their heads. "Go on, and take +us right away, and when it gets daylight you may all have a good sleep. +Hie on, then, boys; hie on! Right away." + +The dogs threw up their heads, snuffed about a bit, and then started off +once more at a steady pace, which soon slowed down, and made the task of +following them in the darkness much less difficult. Then all at once +one of them uttered a low, whining sound and sprang off a little faster. + +For the ground was more open here, the trees bigger, and the +undergrowth--the great hindrance--scarce. + +"Better going here, Master Nic, if it waren't for the great roots +sticking out. Now, if the day would only break we should be able to zee +better what we were doing. My word! if we could only come across a good +wild-apple orchard it wouldn't be amiss." + +"And that we shall not find." + +"Never mind, zir; we'll find zum'at else--toadstools on the trees, or +wild berries, or zomething; and if them dogs don't run down anything +good for a roast, why, they don't come up to one of our old Devon +lurchers. If this was one of our woods we shouldn't be long without +something between our teeth. Don't you be downhearted; I'll find +zome'at we can eat." + +"I am not downhearted, Pete; and, if we can do so in safety, we'll go on +walking all day." + +"That's right; on'y we don't want to run upon no more plantations." + +"No; we must trust to the wild country, Pete, till we can reach the +sea." + +"And not feel zafe when we get there, zir. Zay, Master Nic, I don't +think much of a country where they has zlaves, whether they're white or +whether they're black." + +"Never mind that now, Pete; we have escaped." + +"And without my having a chance to thrash Humpy Dee, and giving Master +Zaunders one for his nob." + +"Hist! what's that?" whispered Nic, as a peculiar sound came through the +trees. + +"Water!" said Pete excitedly. "The dogs lapping. Come on, zir. My +mouth's as if it was full of dust. The very thing we want." + +The next minute the darkness seemed to be less intense, and in another +they were close to a little stream, where the dogs were drinking deeply; +but they left the edge as the fugitives came up, shook themselves, and +stood by while Pete sought for a place a little higher up. + +"Here you are, Master Nic," he said. "They might ha' let uz have first +go; but I forgive 'em for finding it. Lie down on your face and drink." + +Nic needed no incitement, and Pete followed his example, both enjoying +the sweetest, most refreshing draught that had ever passed their lips. + +"Hall!" ejaculated Pete as he raised himself into a sitting posture. +"Can't drink any more. Hope we aren't zwallowed no young 'gators or a +snake; but if we have, zir, it'll be vittles as well as drink, and do uz +good." + +"Ugh! don't talk about it," said Nic. "But where are the dogs?" + +"Eh? Gone on, I s'pose; and we must trot on too. I'm ready for +anything now." + +"Look, Pete. Yonder's the east." + +"That's our way then, zir." + +"And the sun will not be long before it's up. It is getting light fast. +Come along and find the dogs. We came up from the left; they will go +right on to the right. We should have heard them if they had crossed +the stream." + +"That's right, lad. What a good--" Pete was going to say poacher, but +he checked himself--"wood-man you'd have made. Forward, then. It's all +open yonder." + +A minute later they had stopped short, to see the three dogs walking +across a clearing, plainly seen in the grey dawn, while to the left the +stream had widened out. + +It was only a momentary pause, and then the fugitives shrank back into +cover, chilled to the heart by the dreadful truth. + +The dogs, quite at home in the neighbouring forest, had taken them a +long round, and brought them back to the plantation; and now, wearied +out, they were making their way to their kennel at the back of the house +and sheds. + +The night's labour seemed to have been all in vain; and Nic laid his +hand upon his companion's shoulder as he said, with a bitter sigh: + +"Pete, Pete, it is hopeless. We shall never see the old home again." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY TWO. + +NEVER SAY DIE. + +"What zay?" cried Pete sharply. "Never zay die, lad. English lads are +never beat. Look at that!" + +He pointed through the trees at where the streamlet widened into the +little creek where they had first landed, and Nic rubbed his eyes, +refusing to believe in what he saw. + +But there it was plain enough in the dim, grey dawn--the boat lying tied +up to the post; and a great sob rose to the poor fellow's lips, while +for a few moments he could not stir. + +Then a thrill of excitement ran through him as he looked round and saw +that the dogs had passed out of sight beyond the long, low shed which +had been their jail. + +It came like a flash to him now what must have taken place--one of those +guesses at the truth which hit the mark. He knew that his enemies had +dashed off in pursuit of the men who had made for the boat. + +They must have been overtaken during the night, brought back, and were +doubtless at that moment shut up in their old quarters. + +Nic hurriedly told Pete his impression, and the latter slapped his leg. + +"That's it," he said, "and zarve 'em right, zir. That's tumbling into +the hole you made for zomebody else, isn't it? That's why they've not +blown the old shell yet and didn't put the boat back. Been out all +night." + +"Could we make sure by trying to see whether there is any one on guard +at the barrack-door?" + +"Zoon do that, zir," said Pete; and, going down upon hands and knees, he +crawled away among the bushes, to be back in a few minutes. + +"Old Zamson and Zerk both there at the door, zir, with guns." + +"Then they have caught them," said Nic excitedly. "But the blacks are +both sitting down, fast asleep, zir." + +"Worn out with their night's work, Pete; but the prisoners will be well +ironed and safe enough." + +"Ay, zir, or they'd have had the boat by now." + +"Now then, can we crawl to it under cover? We must be off at once." + +"Couldn't on'y crawl half-way, zir, and then it's all open, and we might +be shot at if they zaw us from the house. Better make a dash for it at +once and chance it." + +"Come on, then," cried Nic; and they ran as quickly as they could down +by the side of the creek, reached the boat in safety, found that the +poles and oars were in their places, and jumped in. + +There was no stopping to untie the rope which ran across the gunwale. +Pete's knife flew out and sawed through it in a moment or two. Then one +vigorous thrust sent the craft into the stream; but before they had +cleared the creek there was a shout, followed by the whiz of a bullet +and the report of a musket. + +"All right; fire away. Shouldn't come back if you was a ridgment of +zojers," cried Pete, who was sending the boat along vigorously with the +pole. "Lie down, Master Nic; they're going to shoot again." + +"And leave you there?" cried Nic. "No." + +Instead of screening himself by the boat's side, Nic seized two oars, +got them over the rowlocks, and as soon as they were in the river he +began to pull with all his might, watching the figure of Saunders +limping slowly down after them and stopping from time to time for a +shot; Samson and Xerxes, wakened by the firing, hurrying up, handing him +a fresh musket, and reloading each time. + +"Don't see nothing of the gaffer," said Pete coolly; "he must have been +hurt too, or he'd have been after us. There come the blacks. Hear +that?" + +Plainly enough, for the whistle was very shrill, and it was answered by +the dogs, which came tearing round the end of the shed to follow the +overseer. + +"Row faster than they can zwim," said Pete, laying down the pole. +"Here, give us one oar, Master Nic," he continued; and, taking his seat, +the oar was handed to him, and, aided by the current, the boat began to +move more swiftly. + +"Why, there's the gaffer," cried Pete suddenly; and Nic saw that the +settler was coming down from the house by the help of a stick, while the +dogs stood close by Saunders, barking loudly. + +"There must have been a desperate fight in the night, Pete," cried Nic. +"Look, there are two of the blacks with their heads tied up." + +"And jolly glad I am, Master Nic. I shouldn't have cried much if they'd +all killed one another and left nothing but the bones. There, put that +gun away, stoopid; you can't hit us at this distance." + +The overseer seemed to have thought so too, for he lowered the musket, +and Nic just caught sight of him striking savagely with it at the dogs, +which began to bay and make rushes at him. But Nic saw no more, for a +bend in the river, with a clump of trees thereon, hid the plantation +from their sight; while Pete began to sing an old West-country ditty, +something about a clever moneyless adventurer who, no matter what task +he undertook, always succeeded in getting the best of his adversaries. + +The words were absurd and often childish, but there was a ring in the +familiar old melody that went straight to Nic's heart and brought a +strange moisture to his eyes, for it thrilled him with hope, and brought +up memories of the far-away home that he began to feel now he might see +again. And that feeling of hope drove away the horrible dread and the +miserable sensation of weariness, sending vigour through every nerve, +and making him bend to his oar to take a full grip of the water and +swing back at the same moment as Pete, making the river ripple and plash +beneath the bows and driving the boat merrily along, just as if the two +fugitives were moved by the same spirit. + + "Zome zaid a penny, but I zaid five poun'. + The wager was laid, but the money not down. + Zinging right fol de ree, fol de riddle + lee + While I am a-zinging I'd five poun' free," + +chanted Pete in a fine, round, musical bass voice, and the trees on one +side echoed it back, while the ungreased rowlocks, as the oars swung to +and fro, seemed to Nic's excited fancy to keep on saying, "Dev-on, +Dev-on, Dev-on," in cheery reiteration. + +"Zinging right fol de ree!" cried Pete. "Zay, Master Nic, why don't you +join in chorus? You know that old zong." + +"Ay, Pete, I know it," said Nic; "but my heart's too full for singing." + +"Nay, not it, lad. Do you good. That's why I began. Mine felt so full +that it was ready to burst out, and if I hadn't begun to zing I should +ha' broken zomething. I zay, Master Nic, get out o' stroke and hit me a +good whack or two with your oar and fisties, right in the back." + +"What for?" + +"To waken me up. I'm dreaming, I'm afraid, and I'd rather be roused up +than go on in a dream like this. It's zo hearty, you zee, and makes me +feel as if I could go on rowing for a month without getting tired." + +"So do I now, Pete." + +"Well, that's real, Master Nic. I dunno, though; p'raps it aren't, and +I want it cut short. It would be horrid to wake up and find it all +zleep-hatching; but the longer I go on the worse I shall be. It's +dreaming, aren't it, and we didn't get away?" + +"You know it is not a dream, Pete," replied Nic. "We have escaped--I +mean, we have begun to escape." + +"Begun, lad? Why, we've half-done it," cried Pete, who was wild with +excitement. "Pull away, and let's zhow 'em what West-country muscles +can do. Pull lad, pull, and keep me at it, or I zhall be getting up and +dancing zailor's hornpipe all over the boat, and without music. Music! +Who wants music? My heart's full of music and zinging of home again, +and I don't know what's come to my eyes. Master Nic, all this river, +and the trees, and fog rising on each zide through the trees, looks zo +beautiful that I must be dreaming. Zay, lad, do tell me I ra-ally am +awake." + +"Yes, Pete, awake--wide awake; and I am feeling just the same. My +heart's beating with hope as it never beat before." + +"Hooroar for Master Nic's heart!" cried the big fellow wildly. "Beat +away, good old heart, for we're going to do it, and it'll be just as +easy as kissing your hand." + +"We mustn't be too sanguine." + +"Oh yes, we must, lad. I don't know what being zangwing is, but if it's +anything to do with fancying we shall get away, I zay let's be as +zangwing as we can. None of your getting into the dumps and `shan't do +it' now. We're free, my lad--free; and I should just like to have a cut +at any one as zays we aren't. Zlaves, indeed! White zlaves! But I +knowed it couldn't last. You can't make a zlave of an Englishman, +Master Nic. You may call him one, and put irons on him, or shut him up +like zyder in a cask, and hammer the bung in; but zooner or later he'll +zend the bung out flying, or burst the hoops and scatter the staves. It +was only waiting our chance, and we've got it; and here we are rowing +down this here river in the boat, and they may hoe the old plantation +themselves. Zay, Master Nic." + +"Yes, Pete." + +"Don't it zeem strange what a differ a black skin makes in a man?" + +"What do you mean--in the colour?" + +"Nay-ay-ay-ay, lad! I mean 'bout being a zlave. Here's these niggers +brought here and made zlaves of, and they zettles down to it as +happy-go-lucky as can be. They don't zeem to mind. They eat and drink +all they can, and zleep as much as they can, and they do as little work +as they can. Why, I zometimes did three times as much hoeing as one o' +they in a day; and that aren't bragging." + +"No, Pete; they took it very easy." + +"I should just think they did, my lad; and then the way they'd laugh! I +never zee any one laugh as they could. I s'pose that's what makes their +mouths zo big and their teeth zo white. Gets 'em bleached by opening +their mouths zo wide." + +"Look, Pete!" whispered Nic. "Wasn't that something moving on the right +bank?" + +"Yes; I zee it, Master Nic. Dunno what it was, but it waren't a man on +the watch. Zay; they aren't got another boat anywhere, have they?" + +"Oh no; I feel sure they have not," said Nic sharply. + +"Then we're all right. This water's running zwift, and we're making the +boat move pretty fast. They can't zwim half as fast as we're going, and +they've no horses, and the dogs can't smell on the river, even if they +made a raft of the trees they've got cut down yonder." + +"It would take them a day, Pete." + +"Ay, it would, Master Nic; and going on as we're going, we shall be a +long way on at the end of a day." + +"Yes; we shall be some distance towards the mouth. I begin to think, +Pete, that we shall really manage to escape." + +"Yes, we've done it this time, Master Nic; and we only want a veal-pie, +a cold zalmon, a couple o' loaves, and a stone bottle o' zyder, to be +'bout as happy as any one could be." + +"But do you think we can reach the mouth of the river without being +stopped?" + +"Don't zee who's to stop uz, zir," said Pete coolly. "What we've got to +do is to row a steady stroke till we come to a place where we can get +zome'at to eat; and then we'll row right out to zea, and get ourselves +picked up by the first ship we can board. But we zeem to want that +there veal-pie, cold zalmon, two loaves, and the stone bottle." + +"Yes, we want provisions, Pete. Are you keeping a good, sharp lookout?" + +"I just am, Master Nic. I'm afraid it's taking zome of the bark off +when I look among the trees. But we needn't; nobody can't overtake uz +unless we tie the boat up to a tree on the bank and lie down to go to +zleep." + +"And that we shall not even think of doing, Pete." + +"That's zo, Master Nic. But by-and-by, when the zun gets hot and you're +a bit tired, we'll get ashore zomewhere to break off a few good leafy +boughs and make a bit of a shelter in the stern of the boat, zo as you +can lie down and have a zleep." + +"Or you, Pete." + +"When it's my turn, Master Nic. We'll take watch and watch, as the +zailors call it, zo as to keep the boat going till we get aboard a ship. +I zay, how far do you make it to the landing-place where we come aboard +the boat?" + +"I can't say, Pete," replied Nic. "I was in such a confused state that +I have lost all count." + +"And I aren't much better, zir. You zee, we landed and slept on the +road, and that took up time; but I've allowed us three days and nights +as being plenty to get down to the zea; and that means tying up to the +bank when the river's again' uz--I mean, when we come to where the tide +runs, for we should knock ourzelves up trying to pull this heavy, +lumbering old boat against the stream." + +Nic nodded, as he kept on looking anxiously astern; but he said nothing, +and they rowed steadily on. + +"Zay, Master Nic," said Pete suddenly. + +"Yes." + +"Getting hot, aren't it?" + +"Terribly." + +"Well, I can't zay that, zir, because the zun aren't shining now on a +zlave's back; it's on a free man's, and that makes all the differ. But +what are you thinking about?" + +"The possibility of seeing another boat coming round the bend of the +river." + +"It's unpossible, zir. The gaffer hadn't got no other boat to come in. +I believe we was the only other planters up the river, and that there'll +be no boat till we come to the places where we stayed of a night, and +it's a zight nearer the zea. I keep on thinking, though, a deal." + +"What about--our escaping?" + +"Nay. It's very queer, Master Nic, and I s'pose it's because I'm zo +empty." + +"Thinking of food, Pete?" said Nic sadly. + +"Yes, Master Nic. More I tries not to, more I keeps on 'bout veal-pie, +cold zalmon, and zyder." + +"Ah yes, we must contrive to get some provisions after a bit." + +They rowed on in silence for some time, with the sun gathering power and +beating down upon their heads, and flashing back from the surface of the +river, till at last Pete said suddenly: + +"We must run the boat ashore close to those trees, Master Nic, or we +shall be going queer in the head for want of cover." + +"Yes; I feel giddy now, Pete. Do you think we could tie a few leaves +together for hats?" + +"You'll zee, my lad," said the man. "I could do it best with rushes, +but I'll work zomething to keep off the zun." + +The boat was run in under the shade of a tree whose boughs hung down and +dipped in the running stream; and as Pete laid in his oar he glanced +down over the side and saw fish gliding away, deep down in the +transparent water. + +"Zee um, zir?" said Pete. + +"Yes; there are some good-sized fish, Pete." + +"And either of 'em would make uz a dinner if we'd got a line." + +"And bait, Pete." + +"Oh, I'll manage a bait, Master Nic. Dessay they'd take a fly, a +beetle, or a berry, or a worm, but I aren't got neither hook nor line. +I'm going to have one, though, zoon, for the way I'm thinking o' cold +zalmon is just horrid. I could eat it raw, or live even, without +waiting for it to be cooked. These aren't zalmon, but they're vish." + +Nic said little, for he could think of nothing but the overseer coming +into sight with musket and dogs, and his eyes were constantly directed +up the river. + +But Pete took it all more calmly. He had dragged the boat beneath the +shade of the overhanging tree, secured it to one of the boughs with the +remains of the rope, several feet having fortunately been passed through +the ring-bolt to lie loose in the bottom; and while Nic kept watch he +roughed out something in the shape of a couple of basket-like caps, wove +in and out a few leaves, and ended by placing them before his companion. + +"They aren't very han'some, Master Nic," he said, "but they'll keep the +zun off. What do you zay now to lying down and having a nap while I +take the watch?" + +"No, no," cried Nic excitedly; "let's go on at once." + +"I'm ready, Master Nic, but, if you could take both oars, I've been +thinking that I could cut off one sleeve of my shirt, loosen and pull +out the threads, and then twissen 'em up into a sort o' fishing-line, +paying it over with some of the soft pitch here at the bottom of the +boat, so as it would hold together a bit." + +"And what about a fish-hook?" asked Nic. + +"Ah, that's what bothers me, master. I've been thinking that when we +get on into that great big marsh of a place where the river runs through +the trees we might stop and vish, for there must be plenty there, or +else the 'gators wouldn't be so plentiful. I did zee one big fellow, +close to the top, in the clear water where it looked like wine. I +thought it was a pike as we come up, and I felt as if I should like to +try for him; but how to do it without a hook's more than I can tell. +But we must have zomething to eat, Master Nic, or we shall be starved, +and never get away after all." + +"Go on making your line," said Nic thoughtfully. "I'll row." + +As Nic took both oars Pete unfastened the piece of rope, and the boat +began to glide along with the stream, while the latter burst into a low +and hearty laugh. + +"On'y think o' that now, Master Nic. There's no need for me to spoil my +shirt when there's a vishing-line half-made, and a hook waiting to be +finished." + +"Where? What do you mean?" cried Nic excitedly. "Why, here in the +bows, lad. I've on'y got to unlay this piece o' rope--it's nearly new-- +and then I can twist up yards o' line." + +"But the hook, man--the hook?" + +"There it be, Master Nic--the ring in the bolt. I've on'y got to zaw it +through with my knife, bend it to get it out, and then hammer one part +out straight, ready to tie on to the line, and there you are." + +"But--" + +"Oh, I know; it won't be as good as a cod-hook, because it won't have no +point nor no barb, but I'll tie a big frog or a bit o' zomething on to +it, and if I don't yank a vish out with it afore night I never caught a +zalmon." + +Nic winced a little at the word "salmon," but he kept his thoughts to +himself and went on rowing; while Pete set to work with such goodwill +that he soon had plenty of the rope unlaid, and began to plait the +hempen threads into a coarse line, which grew rapidly between his clever +fingers. But many hours had passed, and they were gliding through the +interminable shades of the cypress swamp before he prepared to saw at +the ring. + +It was Nic who made the next suggestion. + +"Pete," he said quickly, "why not take the head off the pole? It is +very small for a boat-hook, and it is quite bright. There's a hole for +you to fasten the line to, and a big pike-like fish might run at it as +it is drawn through the water." + +"Of course it might, lad. Well, that is a good idea. Why waren't I +born clever?" + +Pete set to work at once, and after a great deal of hard work he managed +to cut away the wood from the nail-like rivet which held the head on to +the shaft, after which a few blows sufficed to break the iron hook away, +with the cross rivet still in place, ready to serve as a hold for the +newly-made line. + +"Wonder whether a vish'll take it, Master Nic," said Pete as he stood up +in the boat. "Now if it was one o' them 'gators I could lash my knife +on to the end of the pole and spear a little un, but I s'pose it +wouldn't be good to eat." + +Nic shook his head. + +"Might manage one to-morrow, zir, if we don't ketch a vish." + +Nic shook his head again. + +"I mean, zir, when we're nex' door to starvation-point. Don't feel as +if I could touch one to-day." + +"Don't talk about the horrible reptiles, Pete," said Nic, with a +shudder. + +"Right, Master Nic, I won't, for horrid they be; and I don't mind +telling you that when I zwimmed across to get this boat I was in such a +fright all the time that I felt all of a zweat. I don't know whether I +was, for it don't zeem nat'ral-like for a man to come all over wet when +he's all wet already; but that's how I felt. There we are, then. I'm +ready, Master Nic, if you'll go on steady, on'y taking a dip now and +then to keep her head straight." + +He held up the iron hook, which began to spin round, and he chuckled +aloud. + +"I wouldn't be zuch a vool as to throw a thing like that into the water +at home, Master Nic," he said, "for no vish would be zuch a vool as to +run at it; but out here the vish are only zavages, and don't know any +better. That's what I hopes." + +Nic began to dip an oar now and then, so as to avoid the rotten stumps, +snags, and half-fallen trees, as the stream carried them on, so that he +had little opportunity for noting the occupants of this dismal swamp; +but Pete's eyes were sharp, and he saw a good deal of the hideous, great +lizard-like creatures lying about on the mud or upon rotten trunks, with +their horny sides glistening in the pencils of light which pierced the +foliage overhead, or made sunny patches where, for the most part, all +was a dim twilight, terribly suggestive of what a man's fate might be if +he overbalanced himself and fell out of the boat. + +"I believe them great 'gators are zo hungry," said Pete to himself, +"that they'd rush at one altogether and finish a fellow, bones and all." + +At last: "Looks a reg'lar vishy place, Master Nic; zo here goes." + +Pete gave the bright hook a swing and cast it half-a-dozen yards from +the boat to where it fell with a splash, which was followed by a curious +movement of the amber-hued water; and then he began to snatch with the +line, so as to make the bright iron play about. + +Then there was a sudden check. + +"Back water, Master Nic," cried Pete. "I'm fast in zomething." + +"Yes," said Nic, obeying his order; "you're caught in a sunken tree. +Mind, or you'll break your line." + +"That's what I'm feared on, Master Nic, but it's 'bout the liveliest +tree I ever felt. Look where the line's going. I'm feared it's gone." + +The line was cutting the water and gliding through Pete's fingers till +he checked it at the end, when a black tail rose above the surface and +fell with a splash, and the line slackened and was hauled in. + +"Hook aren't gone, zir," said Pete as he drew it over the side. "Rum +vishing that there. Why, it were one o' them 'gators, five or six foot +long. Let's try lower down." + +They tried as Pete suggested, and there was another boil in the water, +but the hook was drawn in without a touch; and Pete tried again and +again, till he felt the glistening iron seized by something which held +on fast. + +"Got him this time, zir," said Pete, with his face lighting up. "It's a +vish now. One o' they pike things, and not zo very big." + +"Haul in quick," cried Nic. + +It was an unnecessary order, for the line was rapidly drawn close +inboard, and Pete lowered one hand to take a short grip and swing his +captive out of the water. But he put too much vigour into the effort, +and flung his prize right over just as it shook itself clear of the +hook, and fell upon the gunwale before glancing off back into the water. +No fish, but an alligator about thirty inches long. + +"Ugh!" ejaculated Pete; "and I thought I'd got a vish. Never mind, +Master Nic. We'll have zomething good yet." + +His companion did not feel hopeful. It was evident that the water +swarmed with the reptiles, and in spite of the terribly faint sensation +of hunger that was increasing fast, Nic felt disposed to tell his +companion to give up trying, when suddenly there was a fierce rush after +the glistening hook as it was being dragged through the water, a sudden +check, and the water boiled again as Pete hauled in the line, sea +fishing fashion, to get his captive into the boat before it could +struggle free from the clumsy hook. + +This time success attended Pete's efforts. He got hold of the line +close to the iron, and with a vigorous swing threw his prize into the +boat just as the hook came away, leaving the fish to begin leaping +about, till Nic stunned it with a heavy blow from the boat-hook pole. + +"I knowed we should do it, Master Nic," said Pete triumphantly. "There +now, aren't it zummat like one of our big pike at home? Now, that's +good to eat; and the next game's tie up to the zhore where there's some +dry wood, and we'll light a fire." + +"Yes," said Nic as he bent over their prize. "I suppose it's what they +call the alligator-gar, Pete." + +"Dessay it is, zir; but I don't care what they calls it--Ah, would you?" +cried Pete, stamping his bare foot upon the great fish as it made a leap +to escape. Nic too was on the alert, and he thrust the ragged head of +the pole between the teeth-armed, gaping jaws, which closed upon it +fiercely and held on. + +But Pete's knife was out next moment, and a well-directed cut put the +savage creature beyond the power to do mischief. + +"A twenty-pounder, Master Nic. Wish it were one o' your zalmon. There, +I'll zoon clean him, while you run the boat in at a good place." + +"But how are we to get a fire, Pete?" said Nic anxiously, for an intense +feeling of hunger now set in. + +"I'll zoon show you that, lad," replied Pete; and he did. In a very +short time after, by means of a little flint he carried in company with +his pocket-knife, the back of the blade, and some dry touchwood from a +rotting tree, he soon had a fire glowing, then blazing, for there was +dead-wood enough to make campfires for an army. + +Another quarter of an hour passed, and the big fish was hissing and +spluttering on a wooden spit over the glowing embers; and at last they +were able to fall to and eat of the whitest, juiciest flesh--as it +seemed to them--that they had ever tasted. + +"Bit o' zalt'd be worth anything now, Master Nic, and I wouldn't turn up +my nose at a good thick bit o' bread and butter, and a drop o' zyder'd +be better than river water; but, take it all together, I zay as zalmon's +nothing to this here, and we've got enough to last uz for a couple or +three days to come." + +"Now for a few big leaves to wrap the rest in," said Nic at last, after +they had thoroughly satisfied their hunger. + +"Right, Master Nic; but I must have a good drink o' water first." + +"Yes," said Nic, suddenly awakening to the fact that he was extremely +thirsty, and he rose to his feet to utter a cry of horror. + +"Pete--Pete! The boat! the boat!" + +Pete leaped up and stared aghast, for the action of the running stream +had loosened the thin remnants of the rope with which they had moored +their boat. These had parted, and the craft was gliding rapidly away, a +quarter of a mile down the river. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY THREE. + +A STERN-CHASE. + +"Oh, why didn't I watch it?" groaned Pete, in agony; and his next glance +was along the bank of the river, with the idea of running till opposite +the boat. + +He groaned again as he grasped the fact that he could not run, only walk +for two or three yards before the dense tangle of the forest commenced, +and progress through that was impossible. + +"Means zwim for it, Master Nic," he cried, with an attempt at being +cheery; "but look here, lad, if you zee me pulled down by them 'gators +or vish, let it be a lesson to you. Don't you try the water." + +Then to himself, as he plunged in: + +"Why, o' course he wouldn't. What's the good o' saying that?" + +The water was deep and clear close in to the overhanging bank, and Pete +dived out of sight, scaring some occupant of the river, which swept +itself away with as much commotion in the water as was caused by the +man's dive; but when he rose to the surface, yards away, shook his head, +and glanced back over his left shoulder, it was to see Nic's head rise a +short distance behind him, for the younger man had followed on the +instant. + +Pete ceased swimming, to allow his companion to come abreast. + +"Oh, Master Nic!" he cried, "you zhouldn't ha' done that;" and he +glanced wildly about him as if expecting to see the rugged head of an +alligator rise close by. "Go back, lad; go back. It's on'y one man's +work." + +"Go back? No," said Nic firmly. "We must fight it out, shoulders +together, Pete. Come on." + +Pete gave vent to something like a sob, and his face grew wrinkled; but +the next moment he forced a smile. + +"Well, you're master," he said cheerily; "zo now for it, zir. You zwim +lighter than I do, but I'll race you down to the boat. Virst to lay a +hand on gunwale wins." + +"Come on," said Nic, fighting hard to master the horrible feeling that +at any moment they might be attacked from beneath by one or other of the +fierce creatures which inhabited the stream--Nic's dread being mostly +respecting the shark-like gar-fish, which he knew must be abundant. + +Pete shared his dread, but they both kept their thoughts to themselves +as they swam on with strong, steady strokes, their light clothing of +shirt and short drawers impeding them but slightly. Life from childhood +on the seashore had conduced to making them expert swimmers; the swift +stream helped them famously; and, keeping well away towards the middle +to avoid the eddies near the shore, they went on steadily after the +boat. + +But this, in its light state, was being swept rapidly on, and had so +good a start that for some time the swimmers did not seem to gain upon +it in the least, and at last, as the distance still remained about the +same, a feeling of despair began to attack them. + +Pete saw the change in his fellow-swimmer's countenance. + +"Take it easy, Master Nic. Long ztroke and zlow. We could keep this up +all day. On'y got to zwim steady: river does all the work." + +"We must swim faster, Pete, or we shall never reach the boat," cried +Nic. + +"Nay, lad; if we zwim hard we shall get tired out, and lose ground then. +Easy as you can. She may get closer in and be caught by zome of the +branches." + +Nic said no more, but swam on, keeping his straining eyes fixed upon the +ever-distant boat, till at last hope began to rise again, for the craft +did happen to be taken by the eddy formed by a stream which joined the +river, and directly after they saw it being driven towards one of the +huge trees which dipped its pendent boughs far out in the water. + +The feeling of excitement made Nic's breath come thick and fast as he +saw the boat brush against the leafage, pause for a few moments, and the +young man was ready to utter a cry of joy, but it died out in a low +groan, for the boat continued its progress, the twigs swept over it, and +the power of the stream mastered. But it was caught again, and they saw +it heel over a little, free itself, and then, swaying a little, it +seemed to bound on faster than ever. + +"Never mind, lad," said Pete coolly; "it'll catch again soon." + +Pete was right; the boat was nearer to the wall of verdure, and it once +more seemed to be entangled in some boughs which dipped below the +surface and hung there, while the swimmers reduced the distance between +them and the boat forty or fifty yards. Then, with a swift gliding +motion, it was off again. + +"That's twice," cried Pete. "Third time does it. Zay, Master Nic, +aren't the water nice and cold?" + +The look which Nic gave the speaker in his despair checked Pete's +efforts to make the best of things. + +"A beast!" he muttered to himself. "I should like to drive my hoof +through her planks. Heavy boat? Why, she dances over the water like a +cork." + +At that moment Nic could not suppress a sharp cry, and he made a +spasmodic dash through the water. + +"Eh, my lad, what is it?" cried Pete, who was startled. + +"One of the great fishes or reptiles made a dash at me and struck me on +the leg," gasped Nic. + +"Nay, nay, don't zay that, lad. You kicked again a floating log. +There's hunderds allus going down to the zea." + +Nic shook his head, and Pete felt that he was right, for the next minute +he was swimming on with his keen-edged knife held in his teeth, ready +for the emergency which he felt might come; but they suffered no further +alarm. Disappointment followed disappointment, and weariness steadily +set in; but they swam steadily on, till Nic's strength began to fail. +He would not speak, though, till, feeling that he had done all that was +possible, he turned his despairing eyes to Pete. + +Before he could speak the latter cried: + +"I knowed it, Master Nic, and expected it ever so long past. Now, you +just turn inshore along with me; then you shall lie down and rest while +I go on and ketch the boat. But how I'm to pull her back again' this +zwiff stream, back to you, my lad, is more'n I know." + +Nic made no reply, but, breathing hard, he swam with Pete to an open +spot at the side, and had just strength to draw himself out by a hanging +branch, and then drop down exhausted, with the water streaming from him. + +"No, no; don't leave me, Pete," he cried hoarsely. + +"Must, my lad, must;" cried the man, preparing to turn and swim away. +"You stop there, and I can zee you when I come back." + +"It is impossible to overtake it. We must try and get down through the +trees. You can't do it, I tell you." + +"Must, and will, my lad," cried Pete. "Never zay die." + +Nic sank back and watched the brave fellow as he swam away more +vigorously than ever. At every stroke Pete's shoulders rose well above +the surface, and, to all appearance, he was as fresh as when he started. + +But there was the boat gliding down the stream, far enough away now, and +beginning to look small between the towering trees rising on either side +of the straight reach along which Nic gazed; and the watcher's agony +grew intense. + +"He'll swim till he gives up and sinks," said Nic to himself; "or else +one of those horrid reptiles will drag him down." + +He drew breath a little more hopefully, though, as he saw a bright flash +of light glance from where Pete was swimming, for it told that the keen +knife was held ready in the strong man's teeth; and he knew that the arm +was vigorous that would deliver thrust after thrust at any enemy which +attempted to drag him down. + +With the cessation of his exertion, Nic's breath began to come more +easily, and he sat up to watch the head of the swimmer getting rapidly +farther away, feeling that he had been a hindrance to the brave fellow, +who had been studying his companion's powers all the time. But how much +farther off the boat seemed still!--far enough to make Nic's heart sink +lower and lower, and the loneliness of his situation to grow so terrible +that it seemed more than he could bear. + +For a full half-hour he sat watching the dazzling water, from which the +sun flashed, while he was in the shade. Pete had not reached the boat, +but he seemed now to be getting very near, though Nic knew how deceptive +the distance was, and gazed on, with a pain coming behind his eyes, till +all at once his heart leaped with joy, as now he could just make out +that the boat was very near the shore, apparently touching some drooping +boughs. Then his heart sank again, for he told himself that it was only +fancy; and he shivered again as he felt how utterly exhausted Pete must +be. Every moment he felt sure that he would see that little, dark speck +disappear, but still it was there; and at last the watcher's heart began +to throb, for the boat must have caught against those boughs. It was +not moving. + +The watcher would not believe this for a long time, but at last he +uttered a cry of joy, followed by a groan; for, though the boat was +there, the dark speck which represented Pete's head had disappeared; +and, to make the watcher's despair more profound, the boat began to move +once more, unmistakably gliding from beside the trees. All was over +now, for Nic felt that to struggle longer was hopeless: there was +nothing more to be done but lie down and die. + +He held his hands over his brows, straining his failing, aching eyes to +keep the boat in sight as long as he could; and then a strange choking +sensation came into his throat, and he rose to his knees, for there was +a flash of light from the water close to the boat, and another, and +another. There was a strange, indistinct something, too, above the tiny +line made by the gunwale, and it could only mean one thing: Pete had +overtaken it, climbed in, and the flashes of light came from the +disturbed surface of the river. + +Pete must be trying to row her back to take him up. + +The intense sensation of relief at knowing that the brave fellow was +alive and safe seemed more than Nic could bear. He was already upon his +knees. His face was bowed down upon his hands, and for a few minutes he +did not stir. + +At last, with a wave of strength and confidence seeming to run through +every fibre of his body, Nic rose up, feeling fully rested; and, as he +shaded his eyes once more to gaze down the river at the boat, the cloud +of despair had floated away, and the long reach of glistening water +looked like the way back to the bright world of hope and love--the way +to home; while the thought of lying down there to die was but the filmy +vapour of some fevered dream. + +Pete was coming back to him: there could be no mistake about that, for +Nic could see more clearly now, and there were moments when he could +distinctly see the flashing of the water when the oars were dipped. + +"Oh!" cried Nic, with his excitement rising now to the highest pitch, +"and there was a time when I looked upon that brave, true-hearted fellow +with contempt and disgust. How he is slaving there to send the great, +heavy boat along!" + +Nic watched till his eyes ached; and once more his heart began to sink, +for the truth was rapidly being forced upon him that, in spite of Pete's +efforts, the boat remained nearly motionless--the poor fellow was +exhausting himself in his efforts to achieve the impossible. + +What to do? + +Nic was not long in making up his mind. He knew that Pete would try +till he dropped back in the boat, and it would have been all in vain. +The pair of them could hardly have rowed that heavy boat up-stream, and +they were as yet far above the reach of the tide, or Pete might have +waited and then come up. There was only one thing to do--go down to +him. + +A minute or two's trial proved to Nic that he could not tear his way +through the dense growth on the bank till he was opposite his companion +and could hail him to come ashore. There was only one thing to be +done--swim down, and that he dared not do without help. + +But the help was near, and he set to work. + +He still had his keen knife, and the next moment he was hewing away at a +patch of stout canes growing in the water, and as he attacked them he +shuddered, for there was a wallowing rush, and he caught a glimpse of a +small alligator's tail. + +He did not stop, though. He knew that he had frightened the reptile, +and this knowledge that the creatures did fear men gave him +encouragement, making him work hard till he had cut a great bundle, +ample to sustain him in the water. This he firmly bound with cane, and +when this was done he once more gazed at the distant boat, which did not +seem to have moved an inch. + +How to make Pete grasp the fact that he was coming to join him? For +even if he saw something floating down he would never think that it was +his companion. + +This task too was easy. + +Cutting the longest cane he could reach, he cut off the leafy top, made +a notch in what was left, and then inserting the point of his knife in +the remaining sleeve of his shirt, he tore it off, ripped up the seam, +and after dragging one end down through the knot and slit in the cane, +he bound up the end with a strip of cotton, stuck the base firmly in the +bundle or truss he had bound together, and so formed a little white +flag. + +"If he sees that he'll know," said Nic triumphantly; and without a +moment's hesitation he thrust off from the bank with his cane bundle +under one arm, and struck out with the other, finding plenty of support, +and nothing more to do than fight his way out to where the stream ran +most swiftly. + +The scrap of white cotton fluttered bravely now and then, as, forcing +himself not to think of the dangers that might be around, Nic watched +and watched. He soon began to see the boat more distinctly, and in good +time made out that his companion in misfortune grasped the position, +rowing himself to the nearest drooping tree, making fast to a bough, and +then laying in one oar and fixing the other up astern as a signal for +his companion's guidance. + +How short the time seemed then, and how easily Nic glided down, till he +became aware of the fact that Pete was leaning over the side, knife in +hand, watching eagerly. This sent a shudder through the swimmer, +setting him thinking again of the perils that might be near, and how +unlikely any effort of Pete's would be to save him should one of the +reptiles attack. + +The dread, however, soon passed off, for Nic's every nerve was strained +to force the bundle of canes across the stream, so that it might drift +right down upon the boat. + +He could only succeed in part, and it soon became evident that he would +float by yards away; but Pete was on the alert. He cast the boat adrift +from where he had secured it to a drooping bough, and giving a few +vigorous pulls with one oar, in another minute he had leaned over the +bows, grasped his companion's hands, dragged him into the boat, and +then, as the buoyant bundle of canes floated away, the poor fellow sank +back in the bottom of the boat and lay staring helplessly. + +"Don't you take no notice o' me, Master Nic," he said hoarsely. "Just +put an oar over the ztarn and keep her head ztraight. Zhe'll go down +fast enough. We ought to row up to fetch that fish we left, but we +couldn't do it, zir; for I'm dead beat trying to get to you--just dead +beat." + +He closed his eyes, and then opened them again as he felt the warm grasp +of Nic's hand, smiled at him, till his eyelids dropped again, and then +sank into a deep stupor more than sleep. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. + +WOMAN'S PITY. + +The sun sank lower and disappeared behind the trees straight away as the +boat drifted on; the sky turned of a glorious amber, darkened quickly, +and then it was black night, with the eerie cries of the birds rising on +either side, and the margins of the swift river waking up into life with +the hoarse bellowings and croakings of the reptiles which swarmed upon +the banks. Every now and then there was a rush or a splash, or the +heavy beating of the water, as some noisome creature sought its prey; +and Nic sat there watching and listening, wakeful enough, and always on +the alert to catch the breathing of his companion, who for hours had not +stirred. + +"Beat out," said Nic to himself; "utterly exhausted, poor fellow! If I +could only feel that it was a natural sleep." + +He was thoroughly done-up himself, and in spite of his efforts to keep +awake, and the dread inspired by the movements of the strange creatures +splashing about in the water, and often enough apparently close at hand, +he could not keep from dozing off time after time, but only to start up +in an agony of fear. He hardly lost consciousness, and at such times +the startling noises and movements around him in the darkness seemed to +be continued in the wild dreams which instantly commenced. + +Now in imagination he saw through the transparent darkness some huge +alligator making for the boat, where it reared itself up, curved over, +and seemed about to seize upon Pete, when he raised the oar with which +he was keeping the boat's head straight and struck at the monster with +all his might, and in the act awoke. + +Another time Nic dropped off, to imagine that they were slowly gliding +beneath the far-spreading boughs of a gigantic forest tree; and, as they +swept on, something soft and heavy suddenly hung down into the boat, +began crawling about, and at last stopped its progress by coiling itself +round one of the thwarts, and then raising its head high in the air and +beginning to dart its tongue, now at Nic, now at the motionless body of +Pete, who still lay sleeping soundly. + +Nic felt powerless, and lay watching the approach of the huge boa, +seeing it plainly in spite of the darkness and suffering an agony of +horror as he felt that he could not move, but must lie there, quite at +the mercy of the powerful reptile, which drew the boat over so much on +one side that the water, as it rippled by, rose apparently higher and +higher till it was about to pour in. + +Ripple, ripple, ripple, against the sides, while the boughs of a tree +swept over his face, the touch awakening the dreamer, who uttered a low +gasp of relief as he realised how much the water and the brushing of the +leaves over his face had had to do with the dream from which he had just +been roused. + +Morning at last, with the east all aglow, and the beauties of river and +tree sweeping away the horrors of the black night. + +Pete awoke as if by instinct, and started into a sitting position, to +stare hard at his companion. + +"Why, Master Nic, you aren't never gone and let me sleep all night?" + +"Indeed, but I have, Pete," replied Nic. "Feel better?" + +"No, zir. Never felt so 'shamed of myself in my life. Oh dear! oh +dear! To think of my doing that! Where are we, zir? 'Most got to that +t'other zattlement, aren't uz?" + +"What! where we rested for the night, Pete? No; I don't think we are +near that yet." + +"Then get nigh we must," cried Pete, putting out his oar. "We've got to +find some braxfuss there. What we had yes'day don't zeem to count a +bit. I zay, though, you don't think they got another boat and passed us +while we were asleep, do you?" + +"No, Pete," replied Nic, smiling; "and I don't think that we shall dare +to land at that plantation lower down. The man there would know we are +escaped slaves, and stop us." + +"He'd better not," said Pete, with a curious look in his eyes. "He's +the only man there." + +"There are several blacks." + +"Blacks!" cried Pete contemptuously. "I'm not afraid o' them. It's o' +no use, Master Nic; I've tried hard to bear it, and I can bear a deal, +but when it comes to starvation it's again' my natur'. I must eat, and +if he calls twenty blacks to stop me I mean to have zomething, and zo +shall you. Why, lad, you look as if you're half-dead wi' want o' zleep +and a morsel o' food. Nay, nay; you leave that oar alone, and cover +your head up with those leaves while you have a good rest. By that time +p'raps we may get a bit o' braxfuss." + +"I'm not sleepy, Pete," said Nic sadly. + +"P'raps not, zir; but man must eat and he must zleep, so you lie back in +the bottom of the boat. Now, no fighting agen it, zir; you worked all +night, zo I must work all day." + +"Well, I'll lie down for an hour, Pete, for I do feel very weary. As +soon as you think an hour's gone, you wake me up." + +"Right, Master Nic, I will," cried Pete heartily; and after a glance up +and down the river, the young man sank back in the bottom of the boat, +settled the leafy cap and veil in one over his face to shield it from +the sun, and the next minute--to him--he unclosed his eyes to find that +Pete was kneeling beside him with a hand on each shoulder as if he had +been shaking the sleeper. + +"Hullo! Yes; all right, Pete, I've had such a sleep. Why, Pete, it +must be getting on for noon." + +"Ay, that it is, my lad; noon to-morrow. But don't bully me, zir; you +was zleeping just lovely, and I couldn't waken you. Here we are at that +farm-place, and I don't zee the man about, but yonder's the two women." + +"And the dogs, Pete?" + +"Nay, don't zee no dogs. Maybe they're gone along wi' the master. Come +on, lad; I've tied the boat up to this post, and we'll go up and ask the +women yonder to give us a bit o' zomething to eat." + +The place looked very familiar as Nic glanced round and recalled the +time when he reached there, and their departure the next morning, with +the looks of sympathy the two women had bestowed. + +Just as he recalled this he caught sight of the younger woman, who came +from the door of the roughly-built house, darted back and returned with +her mother, both standing gazing at their visitors as they landed from +the boat. + +"Must go up to the house quiet-like, Master Nic, or we shall scare 'em," +said Pete. "Just you wave your hand a bit to show 'em you know 'em. +Dessay they 'members we." + +Nic slowly waved his hand, and then shrugged his shoulders as he glanced +down at his thin cotton rags; and his piteous plight made him ready to +groan. + +"We must go up to them as beggars, Pete," he said. + +"That's right enough for me, Master Nic; but you're a gentleman, zir, +and they'll know it soon as you begin to speak. Let's go on, zir. I'm +that hungry I could almost eat you." + +Nic said nothing, but began to walk on towards the house by his +companion's side, anxiously watching the two women the while, in the +full expectation that they would retreat and shut the door against their +visitors. + +But neither stirred, and the fugitives were half-way to the house, when +suddenly there was a growl and a rush. + +"Knives, Master Nic," cried Pete, for three great dogs came charging +from the back of the low shed which had given the slaves shelter on +their journey up the river. The dogs had evidently been basking in the +sunshine till they had caught sight of the strangers, and came on baying +furiously. + +Nic followed his companion's example and drew his knife, feeling excited +by the coming encounter; but before the dogs reached them the two women +came running from the door, crying out angrily at the fierce beasts, +whose loud barking dropped into angry growls as they obeyed the calls of +their mistresses--the younger woman coming up first, apron in hand, to +beat off the pack and drive them before her, back to one of the +out-buildings, while her mother remained gazing compassionately at the +visitors. + +"Thank you," said Nic, putting back his knife. "Your dogs took us for +thieves. We are only beggars, madam, asking for a little bread." + +"Have you--have you escaped from up yonder?" said the woman, sinking her +voice. + +"Yes," said Nic frankly. "I was forced away from home for no cause +whatever. I am trying to get back." + +"It is very shocking," said the woman sadly, as her daughter came +running up breathlessly. "Some of the men they have there are bad and +wicked, and I suppose they deserve it; but Ann and I felt so sorry for +you when you came that night months ago. You seemed so different." + +"You remember us, then?" said Nic, smiling sadly. + +"Oh yes," cried the younger woman eagerly. "But they are hungry, +mother. Bring them up to the house; I've shut-in the dogs." + +"I don't know what your father would say if he knew what we did," said +the woman sadly. "It's against the law to help slaves to escape." + +"It isn't against the law to give starving people something to eat, +mother." + +"It can't be; can it, dear?" said the woman. "And we needn't help them +to escape." + +"No," said Pete; "we can manage that if you'll give us a bit o' bread. +I won't ask for meat, missus; but if you give us a bit, too, I'd thank +you kindly." + +"Bring them up, mother," said the girl; "and if father ever knows I'll +say it was all my fault." + +"Yes; come up to the house," said the elder woman. "I can't bear to see +you poor white men taken for slaves." + +"God bless you for that!" cried Nic, catching at the woman's hand; but +his action was so sudden that she started away in alarm. + +"Oh mother!" cried the girl; "can't you see what he meant?" + +The woman held out her hand directly, and Nic caught it. The next +moment he had clasped the girl's hands, which were extended to him; but +she snatched them away directly with a sob, and ran into the house, +while the mother bade the pair sit down on a rough bench to rest. + +The girl was not long absent; but when she returned with a big loaf and +a piece of bacon her eyes looked very red. + +"There," she said, setting the provisions before them; "you'd better +take this and go, in case father should come back and see you. Don't, +please, tell us which way you're going, and we won't look; for we +shouldn't like to know and be obliged to tell. Oh!" + +The girl finished her speech with a cry of horror; for how he had +approached no one could have said, but the planter suddenly came up with +a gun over his shoulder, and stood looking on as, with a quick movement, +Pete snatched at the loaf and thrust it under one arm. + +"Hullo!" said the man quietly as he looked from one to the other; "where +are the dogs?" + +"I shut 'em up, father, so as they shouldn't hurt these two poor men." + +"An' s'pose these two poor men wanted to hurt you; what then?" + +"But they didn't, father," said the girl, as the mother stood shivering. +"They were hungry, and only wanted something to eat." + +"Yes, that's right, master," said Pete stoutly. "We shouldn't hurt no +one." + +"Let's see," said the planter; "I've seen you both before. My neighbour +brought you up months ago." + +"Yes," said Nic firmly; "but he had no right to detain us as slaves." + +"Humph! S'pose not," said the planter, glancing sharply from one to the +other. "So you're both runaways?" + +"We are trying for our liberty," replied Nic, who was well upon his +guard; but the man's reply disarmed him. + +"Well, it's quite nat'ral," said the planter, with a chuckle. "Hot work +hoeing the rows, eh? Took the boat, I s'pose, and rowed down?" + +"Yes," said Pete gruffly. + +"Hungry too, eh?" + +"Yes," said Pete again. + +"Course you would be. Quite nat'ral. They've give you a bit to eat, I +see. Well, then, you'd better come and sit down out o' the sun and eat +it, and then be off, for your overseer won't be long before he's down +here after you. He's a sharp un, Master Saunders, aren't he?" + +"Yes; he's sharp enough," said Pete quietly. + +"He'll be down after you with his dogs, and then, if he catches you, +there'll be a big row and a fight, and I don't want nothing o' that +sort, my lads. Come on, and bring your bread and meat in here.--Ann, my +gal, get 'em a pitcher o' cool, fresh water." + +"Yes, father," said the girl; and, as the planter turned off to lead the +way, Nic caught the lass's eyes; for she began to make quick movements +of her lips, and her eyes almost spoke as she pointed towards the river +and signed to them to go. + +Nic gave her an intelligent nod, and followed Pete after the planter +into the great, barn-like place which had been their prison for the +night when they were there before; but as he passed the door he noticed +the great wooden bar turning upon a bolt, and fully realised that the +girl's signs were those of warning, for treachery was meant. + +"Nice and cool in here," said the man. "Sit ye down on the corn-husks +there. My gal will soon be back with the water; and I wouldn't be long, +if I were you, in case Master Saunders should come down the river, for +when he asked me if you two was here I couldn't tell a lie about it, +could I?" + +"No," growled Pete. "That would be a pity." + +"Ay; it would. But he'd know you was both here by the boat. Where did +you tie it up?" + +"Just at the bottom there, by the trees," said Nic, to whom these words +were addressed. + +"Ah, 'tis the best place," said the man, halting by the door, and +standing aside to make room for the young men to pass. "In with you. +It's better than being in the hot sun. Seems a bit dark; but it's +cooler to have your dinner there. Well," he continued, "why don't you +go in? The dogs are not here." + +"Because it looks like a trap, sir," said Nic firmly. "Do you want to +shut us up there, and keep us prisoners till your neighbour comes?" + +"Yes, I do," cried the planter fiercely as he stepped back, and with one +motion brought down and cocked his piece, which he presented at the +young man's breast. "In with you both, or I'll shoot you like dogs!" + +He raised his gun to his shoulder and drew the trigger; but it was too +late. Nic had sprung forward, striking up the barrel; and, as the +mother and daughter shrieked aloud from the house door, there was a +sharp report, which set the dogs baying furiously from the shed in which +they were fastened. + +A short struggle followed, in which the gun was wrested from the +planter's hands by Nic, and the next moment Pete had joined in the fray, +securing the planter's arms, and then with Nic's help he was dragged and +thrown into the great barn. Then the door was banged to and fastened +with the bar; and the prisoner began to call and threaten what he would +do if his people did not let loose the dogs. + +What followed would have seemed almost comic to a spectator, for the two +women came hurrying up with their fingers stuck in their ears. + +"Run--run to your boat!" they whispered. "We can't hear what he says +now, but we must soon, and then we shall be obliged to let out the +dogs." + +"Oh, mother!" cried the girl, "the blacks will be here directly." + +"Yes, yes," cried the elder woman, who somehow seemed to have heard +that. "Run, then, run, and get away before it is too late." + +"God bless you both for what you have done for us!" cried Nic. "I pray +that you may not get into more trouble on our account." + +"Oh, father won't hurt me," said the girl; "and he shan't hurt mother. +Serve him right for being so cruel. You never did him any harm." + +"Oh, run, run!" cried the woman, with her fingers still in her ears; and +the two young men dashed off to the boat and leapt in, Nic's next +action, as Pete unfastened the slight cord, being to fling the gun as +far out into the river as he could. + +"Oh!" cried Pete, "what did you do that for?" as the gun fell with a +splash and disappeared. + +"I was not going to steal the scoundrel's gun," said Nic, seizing an +oar. + +"Well, it wouldn't ha' been any use without powder and zhot," said Pete +as he thrust the boat out into the stream. "Good-bye to you both," he +shouted, waving his hand to the two women, who stood waving their +aprons. + +"But it seems cowardly, Pete, to go and leave them in the lurch." + +"Ay, it do, Master Nic; but it only means a rowing for them, and it's +life and liberty for us." + +There was another wave of a white apron as the boat glided out into +mid-stream, and Nic responded with his hand. Then trees interposed and +hid the house and sheds from view, and the fugitives went on straining +at their oars till they felt that their safety was assured, when they +relaxed their efforts. + +"That was close, Master Nic," said Pete. "Treacherous martal. Wish I'd +give him a good topper before we zhut the door." + +"I'm glad you did not, for his wife and daughter's sake," replied Nic. +"Poor things! they will suffer for their gentle, womanly compassion +towards a pair of poor escaped slaves." + +"Ay, it was good of 'em, Master Nic. Zees how hungry we were, and +fetches that fresh brown loaf, and all that pink-and-white bacon as +looks d'licious. Zo, as we're going gently on, and not likely for him +to take boat after us, what do you say to staying all that horrid +gnawing of our insides with a good bite and sup? But--I say, Master +Nic, what did you do with that bacon and bread?" + +Nic looked sharply up at Pete, and the latter uttered a dismal groan. +The bread and bacon had gone, neither knew where, in the struggle, and +the landing and encounter had all been for nothing. + +"Not quite," Nic said later on. They had learned how much gentle +compassion existed for the poor white slaves, even in a district where +the sight of them was so common. + +"P'raps so, Master Nic; but I'd give all the compassion in the world +just now for a zlice of that bacon and a hunk of bread. What's to be +done now, zir?" + +"Row, Pete, row; and let's try and forget our hunger in the knowledge +that we are so far free." + +"Right, zir; we will. But what about that treacherous hound? Think +he's got a boat?" + +"Sure to have," replied Nic. + +"Then he'll come after as zoon as he can get help; and if he do--Well, I +should be sorry to hurt him, on account of them as was kind to us; but +if he does ketch it, mind, Master Nic, it's his fault and not mine." + +There was no more talking, for both felt morose and weak, their growing +sense of hunger making them more and more silent and disinclined to +speak. + +Still, fortune favoured them to a certain extent, for there had been +rain somewhere inland, and the stream ran as if it were in flood higher +up, so that their rate of progress was swift. + +As the hours went on and there was no sign of pursuit--no enemies who +had made a short cut to the river-bank waiting to fire at them from +among the trees--the fugitives grew more and more confident; and when at +last they reached another swamp, the alligators appeared to be less +monstrous and the gloomy place lost half its forbidding aspect. + +At last, after endless difficulties, and nearly starved, the tidal part +of the river was reached, and, to the delight of both, they found that +they had hit exactly the right moment, for the tide was at its height, +and stood as if waiting to bear them onward towards the sea. + +Excitement had kept off all thought of food; but when, after a long +journey, they approached the straggling town at nightfall and saw the +twinkling lights, an intense desire seized upon both to land as soon as +possible and satisfy their needs. + +"You see, we lost everything, Master Nic, in that struggle. What you +looking at, zir?" + +"You, Pete. I was thinking." + +"What about, zir?" + +"About this place. If we land we must go to some house for food; and +when we two half-naked, miserable, starved wretches have obtained what +we want we shall be asked to pay." + +"My word!" gasped Pete, ceasing to row. "I never thought of that. And +we aren't got any money." + +"Not a coin." + +"And they'd want it here just the same as they would at home, though it +is a foreign country?" + +"Of course." + +"Then I tell you what, Master Nic," said Pete after a long pause; "we +must go straight to zomebody and tell 'em how we've been zarved, and ask +him to help us." + +"We should have to tell them everything, Pete." + +"Of course, zir; downright honest." + +"And who would believe us at a place like this, where we know that poor +wretches are brought to go up to the plantations?" + +"Oh, hark at him!" sighed Pete. "And I'd been thinking our troubles +were over, and we'd got nothing to do but get plenty to eat and a good +ship to take us home. You're right, zir; it would be as mad as March +hares to go ashore. They'd put us in prison and keep us there till old +Zaunders come again with his dogs and guns and niggers to take us back; +and when we got to the plantation it would be the lash and short +commons, and the hoe again out in the hot sun." + +"Yes, Pete," said Nic sadly; "that is what I fear." + +"And you're a deal longer-headed than me, master. It's going and giving +ourselves up for the sake of a good dinner. Master Nic!" + +"Yes, Pete." + +"Just buckle your belt a bit tighter, two or three holes, like this. +That's the way. Now then, take hold of your oar again. We can hold out +another day or two on what we can find, while we coast along till we see +a ship outward bound somewhere. Sure to be lots. Then we'll row till +they see us and pick us up. They won't bring us back, that's for +sartain, but to the port they're going to; and of course they can't +starve us. Then they'll hand us over to a judge o' some kind, and as +soon as he hears your story you'll be all right; and--and--" + +"Yes, Pete?" + +"I know I've been a bad un; Master Nic; but I'm going to turn over a new +leaf, zir, and never meddle wi' the zalmon again. You'll put in a good +word for a poor fellow, won't you?" + +"A good word for you--for one who has been ready to risk his life again +and again to help me? Pete, we have been brothers in our great +misfortune, and we must hold together, come what may." + +"Then take a good grip of your oar, Master Nic, and let's forget being +empty by taking our fill of work. Pull away, my lad, right out, and I +dessay the tide'll run us along the shore, as it does at home. When the +day comes again we shall zoon zee a zhip. We can't give up now. +Ready?" + +"Yes." + +"Then pull." + +And in their desperate strait, feeling as they did that they would +starve sooner than go back to slavery, those two bent to their oars in +the darkness that closed them in, and rowed on with the swift tide. The +lights on the shore grew fainter, the tide swifter, and the water became +rough; but they rowed on, hungry, exhausted: on and on, ignorant of the +set of the tides, of the trend of the coast, and without a drop of fresh +water to satisfy their thirst. A mad, mad attempt; but it was for +liberty--for all that man holds dear. What wonder that when the day +dawned both had sunk forward over their oars and were sleeping heavily, +to wake at last with the southern sun beating down upon their heads, and +that they gazed at each other in a half-delirious, stupefied way, +wondering what had happened and where they were. + +There was a faint appearance as of a cloud low down on the water +far-away, but no cloud overhead, nothing but the burning, blistering sun +to send a fierce energy through Nic's veins, which made him keep calling +wildly upon Pete to row, row hard, before they were overtaken and +dragged back to a white slave's life. + +Pete's eyes were staring fiercely, and looked bloodshot, while his +throat was hot and dry, his brain felt as if on fire; but at every order +from Nic he bent down over his oar and pulled and pulled, till his +strokes grew more and more wild, and at last, as he made one more +desperate than ever, he did not dip the blade, but fell backward from +the thwart. Then, after vainly trying to pull with both oars himself, +Nic turned to face his companion in misfortune, wondering in his +delirium why he was there. + +The sun went down like a ball of fire on his left, and directly after, +as it seemed, rose like a ball of fire on his right. It was that, he +felt, which caused all his suffering, and in his rage and indignation he +turned upon it fiercely, and then bent down to lap up the sparkling +water which tempted him and seemed to promise to allay his awful thirst. + +He reached down and dipped his hand, but the attitude seemed to send the +blood like molten lead running to his brain, and with a weary groan he +fell sidewise and rolled over in the bottom of the boat. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE. + +SAFE AT LAST. + +"Looks like a ship's longboat, sir; but she's right under the sun, and I +can't make her out." + +"Any one in her?" + +"No, sir; not a soul." + +The conversation was between the captain and one of the foremast men of +the good ship _Sultan_, bound from a western city with passengers and +sugar to the port of Bristol. The wind was very light, and men were up +aloft, setting the main top-gallant sail, when the boat was sighted only +a little way out of the vessel's course. + +Then the captain argued, as he took a look at her from the main-top, +that a boat like that might be battered, and not worth the trouble of +picking up; but, on the other hand, she might; and finally, after taking +the first-mate into debate, it was decided to steer a point or two to +the west and pick her up. + +"For who knows what she may have aboard, or what good ship may have been +wrecked?" the skipper said to one of the passengers brought on deck by +the news of a boat in sight, for such an event broke the monotony of the +tedious voyage. + +As the news spread through the ship the rest of the passengers came on +deck, and when the boat was neared, the captain, as he stood inspecting +the object through his glass, began to be satisfied that the find was in +good condition, and then the announcement came from aloft that there +were two bodies lying in the bottom. + +The excitement now became fierce; one of the ship's boats was swung out +on the davits ready for lowering, manned, and dropped, and finally the +prize was brought alongside, with its freight still alive, but +apparently at their last gasp. + +Fortunately the captain was a man of old experience in the tropics, and +noting that there was neither food nor water on board, he put the right +construction upon the poor fellows' condition--that they were dying of +hunger and thirst, after escaping from some wrecked or sinking vessel. + +Merchant captains have a smattering of knowledge, and a medicine chest +on board, and there were willing hands to take charge of "the poor +shipwrecked men;" but it was a hard fight with the raging fever and +delirium from which both suffered, and again and again they were given +over, and were still too weak to answer questions when Bristol port was +reached, and they were taken to hospital ashore. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +It was quite a month before the journey home could be taken in the old +stage-coach bound from Bristol to Plymouth. + +But Nic bore it well, for Captain Revel was seated by his side, holding +his hand as if afraid that after all his son might slip from his grasp +and the old suffering recommence. + +"It nearly killed me before, my boy," he said piteously, as he urged his +son to be careful not to exert himself in the least. "I gave you up for +dead, and I was following you fast, Nic, for I don't believe I should +have lived another year." + +"I'll take care, father; never fear," said the young man cheerily, for, +though thin and worn, his eyes were brightening, and there were signs of +returning health in his cheeks. "I only need a good, quiet rest in the +old place, where I can lie and watch the sea, or go down the shady old +combe, to listen to the falls and watch the salmon leap." + +"Ugh! don't talk about the fish," cried the Captain, with a shudder; +"they were the cause of all this suffering." + +"Oh no," said Nic, smiling. "It was all that terrible mistake." + +"Well, don't let's talk about the past," said the Captain hurriedly; "or +only about one thing, my boy. I did want to consult you about that +fellow who's up aloft with William Solly." + +"About Pete, father?" + +"Yes, the scoundrel! He was as bad as the salmon." + +"Poor old Pete!" said Nic, smiling. "He saved my life over and over +again, father. I want you to take him into your service." + +"What! that poacher who used to defy us all?" + +"Poachers make the best keepers, father, when they reform; and Pete has +proved himself a good man and true. Will you tell him he is to stay?" + +"I'll keep a dozen of such fellows if you'll only get strong and well +again, my boy," said the old sailor eagerly. "I'll tell him next time +we change horses. But I shall never forgive Lawrence." + +"What, father!" cried Nic, smiling. "Why?" + +"An old comrade like he has always been, to have such a stupid blunder +made by those under his command." + +"A terrible mistake, father; but, to be quite fair, it was all my doing, +and I was hoist with my own petard." + +"No, no, Nic; you're wrong," said the old man, "and William Solly--an +impudent rascal!--was right." + +"How, father?" + +"Well, my boy, it was all my fault for making such a fuss about a few +salmon. William Solly had the insolence to tell me I made a trouble +about nothing, and wanted a real one to do me good. This has been a +real one, Nic, and I've suffered bitterly." + +"But there's fair weather ahead, father." + +"Please God, my boy," said the old man piously, and with his voice +trembling, "and--and there, Nic, I've got you back again, and you will +get well, my boy--you will get well, won't you?" + +"Fast, father," replied Nic, pressing the old man's hand. + +Nic did mend rapidly in the rest and quiet of his old home, where one +day Captain Lawrence, newly returned from a long voyage, came to see his +old friend, and heard Nic's adventures to the end. + +"A bitter experience, my dear boy," he said; "but let's look to the +future now: never mind the past." + +But one day, when the convalescents had been for two months drinking in +the grand old Devon air, Nic was rambling through the combe with Pete, +both pretty well strong again, when the latter said: + +"I want to be zet to work now, Master Nic, or to be zent away; for I +feel as if I ought to be doing zomething, instead of idling about here." + +"You've talked like that before, Pete," said Nic, smiling. "Have a +little patience, and then you shall begin." + +"But it zeems zo long, zir. I zay, though, it's rather queer, isn't it, +for me to be water bailiff and keeper over the vish as I used to take. +Think Humpy Dee and them others will get away and come back again?" + +"I hope so," said Nic slowly and thoughtfully. "They deserved their +punishment, but they will have had enough by now." + +"Nay, you're a bit too easy, Master Nic. Humpy's a down bad one, and I +should like the others to have one year more out yonder, and Humpy too." + +"Too long for white slaves, Pete," said Nic. "We have suffered with +them, and know what the sufferings are; so I forgive them. What say +you?" + +"Zame as you do, Master Nic; o' course, that is, if they don't come back +and meddle with our zalmon again--_our zalmon_! That zounds queer, +Master Nic, don't it? I can't quite feel as if it's all true." + +"But it is true, Pete; and we are here safe in the good old home, after +what seems now like an ugly dream." + +"Dinner-bell's rung twice, Master Nic," said William Solly, coming upon +them suddenly from behind the trees; "and you can't 'spect to get your +strength up proper if you aren't reg'lar at the mess. I run out to look +for you, to keep the skipper from--Well, there now--if he aren't come to +look for you hisself! Give him a shout, and say you're coming." + +Nic hailed, and hurried back to meet the old officer, while William +Solly turned to Pete: + +"Come along, messmet; the beef and soft tack's waiting. And so you're +going to stop here altogether!" + +"I s'pose so," said Pete. + +"And we're to be messmets reg'lar sarving under Captain Revel and Master +Nic?" + +"That's it," said Pete sturdily. + +"Well," said Solly, "I aren't jealous, for you did the right thing by +the young master; so let's shake hands." + +This was solemnly done, and Solly went on: + +"As good a skipper as ever stepped a deck, and as fine a boy as ever +breathed. Pete, messmet, you've dropped into a snug thing." + +"Which that zame I know," said Pete gruffly. + +"But you saved Master Nic's life, and the skipper's too, by bringing the +young master back; and I'm glad you're going to stay. So suppose we +shakes hands agen?" + +They did, as if they meant it, too. + +They did mean it, and somehow a great attachment sprang up between those +two men, while as time rolled on Nic smiled more than once on meeting +them consulting together about matters connected with the estate, and +made Solly wince. + +At last, after a good deal of hesitation, Solly turned upon his young +master. + +"Beg pardon, sir," he said; "speaking respeckful like--" + +"What is it?" said Nic, for the man stopped. + +"Well, sir, you know; and it goes hard on a chap as is doing his dooty +and wants to keep things straight." + +"I still don't understand you, Solly," said Nic. + +"Well, sir, it's all along o' that there chap, Pete: you never ketch me +a-talking to him, and giving him a bit o' good advice about what the +skipper likes done, but you grins." + +"Grins?" + +"Oh, it's no use to make believe, Master Nic, because you do, and it +hurts." + +"They were not grins," said Nic. "I only smiled because I was glad to +see you two such good friends." + +"Ho!" ejaculated Solly; "that was it, sir? I thought you was grinning +and thinking what an old fool I was." + +"Nothing of the sort." + +"Well, I'm glad o' that, Master Nic, though it do seem a bit queer that +I should take a lot o' notice of a feller as fought agen us as he did. +But we aren't friends, sir." + +"Indeed!" said Nic. + +"It's on'y that I can't help taking a bit to a man as stood by you as he +did over yonder in furren abroad. You see, a man like that's got the +making of a good true mate in him." + +"Yes, Solly, of as good a man as ever stepped." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Two years had passed, when one day Solly watched his opportunity of +catching Nic alone in the grounds, and followed him. + +"Master Nic!" he whispered hoarsely. + +The young man turned round, and Solly "made a face" at him. That is to +say, he shut his left eye very slowly and screwed up the whole of his +countenance till it was a maze of wrinkles. + +"What is it, Solly?" + +"Pete's over yonder, sir, by the combo, and wants to speak to you." + +"Oh, very well, I'll go," said Nic, and the old sailor nodded, looked +mysterious, slapped his mouth to indicate that it was a secret mission, +and hurried away. + +"What does it all mean?" said Nic to himself. "Why, I do believe Pete +is going to tell me that he wants to be married, and to ask if my father +will object." + +He reached the combe, to find Pete, now a fine sturdy-looking Devon man +in brown velveteen jacket and leather gaiters, counting the salmon in +the pool. + +Pete turned sharply directly he heard Nic approach, and the serious look +in the man's face told that something unusual had occurred. + +"Morn', Master Nic, zir." + +"What is it, Pete? Surely you don't mean that we've had poachers +again?" + +"Poachers it be, zir," said the man mysteriously; "but they won't come +here again. Master Nic, there's three on 'em come back, and I've zeen +'em." + +"What! From the plantation?" + +"Yes, zir; after a long spell of it they managed to give the dogs zome +poison stuff they got out of the woods. The blacks told 'em of it. +Manshy something it was." + +"Manchioneel! I know," said Nic. + +"That's it, zir, and it killed 'em. They got away in a boat--a new un, +I s'pose." + +"I'm glad they escaped, poor fellows," said Nic; "but is that scoundrel +Dee with them?" + +Pete was silent. + +"Dead, Pete?" + +"Yes, zir, 'fore we'd been gone two months," said the man gravely. "He +went at Zaunders one day with his hoe, and nearly killed him; but the +dogs heard the fight, and rushed down." + +"Ah! the dogs!" cried Nic. + +"Yes, zir, and what with their worrying and a shot he'd had from +Zaunders, it meant a couple o' the blacks with spades, and a grave in +the woods." + +"Horrible!" ejaculated Nic. + +"Yes, zir, horrible. Humpy allus hated me, and I s'pose I never liked +him; but if I'd been there, zir, I'd ha' helped him fight for his life +agen them zavage dogs." + +"I know you would, Pete," cried Nic warmly. "But what about these men-- +are they going to stay in the neighbourhood?" + +"Not they, zir. They belong to the crew of a ship in Plymouth harbour; +and zomehow they got to know that I was here. They walked all the way +o' purpose to wish me luck and zhake hands and zay they hadn't aught +agen me, for they'd found out how it was they was took. It was poor +Humpy as made 'em believe it was me. They went back lars night." + +"Poor Humpy!" said Nic wonderingly. + +"Well, yes, zir. You zee, he waren't like other men," said Pete simply. +"He was born all crooked and out o' shape and ugly, and got teased and +kicked about when he was a boy; and I zuppose it made him zour and +evil-tempered. Then he grew up stronger than other men, and he got to +love getting the better of them as had knocked him about. I dunno, but +it allus zeemed zo to me. Well, poor chap, he's dead, and there's an +end on it." + +"Yes," said Nic, gravely repeating the man's words, "there's an end of +it." + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Nic Revel, by George Manville Fenn + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NIC REVEL *** + +***** This file should be named 21357.txt or 21357.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/3/5/21357/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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