Brownsmith's Boy Part 60

He went after the men, and I lay down gazing into the dark hollow place, wondering what the foul gas was like, and whether I could see it down below; and I was just wishing that I had the candle and string to try experiments, and wondering how far the light would go down now, when I uttered a cry.

My heart seemed to give a great leap, for somebody gave me a rough push and it seemed as if I were going to be thrust down the well.

"There's a coward!" cried Philip jeeringly. "Did you ever see such a cur, Court? Thought he was going down."

"Perhaps I did," I replied warmly, as I glanced from one to the other, wondering whether it was to be war again; but they paid no further attention to me, and began arguing between themselves.

"You daren't!" said Philip.

"Daren't!" cried Courtenay. "Why, I went down last time hanging to a rope when it was cleaned out, and there was no water at the bottom."

"But there is water now--twenty or thirty feet, and you daren't go down."

"Yes I dare."

"Bet you sixpence you daren't."

"Done!" cried Courtenay. "Mind I shall make you pay."

"You daren't go."

"All right; you'll see!" cried Courtenay; and to my horror he went close to the mouth and looked down.

"You can't go down," I said; "the well isn't safe."

"Who spoke to you, pauper?" cried Philip sharply. And then with a sn.i.g.g.e.ring laugh, "It ain't safe, Courtenay. You can't go down, and you'll have to pay me all the same."

"I'm going down," said Courtenay.

"You can't," I cried. "It's full of foul air."

"You mind your own business, pauper," cried Courtenay.

This repet.i.tion of the word pauper so enraged me that for the moment I felt tempted to let him go down, but the next moment I shuddered at the thought and cried:

"It is my business. I was to keep everyone from going near."

"Don't take any notice of the workus boy, Court. Go on down, if you dare."

"I dare," he said, laughing.

"I tell you it isn't safe," I cried.

"Do you want a punch on the head?" said Philip menacingly.

"Yes, but you daren't give it me," I cried fiercely.

"Never mind him," said Courtenay. "Look here, I'm only going to the bottom of the ladder. I'm not going to slide down the pipe to the water."

As he spoke he sat down on the edge with his legs dangling over the side.

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Philip, seating himself opposite to him and kicking at his brother's feet. "You daren't go."

"You say I daren't go again I'll take you by the scruff of the neck and make you go down instead. I say, let's send the pauper down to swallow the foul air."

"There, I knew you daren't go," cried Philip.

"I dare."

"You daren't."

"He shall not go," I cried; and I caught the lad by the collar.

He gave himself a twist, and as he freed himself he struck me a savage blow with his elbow right in the lower part of the chest.

The blow took away my breath and made me stagger back in agony, and gasping, while by the time I had recovered myself he had stepped on to the ladder, gone down several rounds, and his head disappeared.

"There, coward, what do you think of that?" cried Philip.

I ran to the side with my heart throbbing painfully, and I felt as if my eyes were wild and staring as I saw the lad go down about a dozen feet and stop.

"I say, Phil," he cried, with his voice echoing and sounding hollow, "come down. It is so jolly and cool."

"I'll go down when you've come up," said his brother. "That isn't far enough. I don't call that anything."

"Wait a bit. Don't be in a wax."

"Come up, sir, pray come up," I cried. "There's foul air lower down.

The candle wouldn't burn."

"Pitch him down if he don't hold his tongue, Phil," cried Courtenay.

"Here goes for a slide."

He grasped the sides of the ladder, took his feet off the round on which he stood, and throwing his legs round he began to slide slowly down.

"I say, it's as cool as eating ices, Phil," he cried. "Come on down."

Philip made no answer, but glanced at me, and I suppose my blanched and horrified countenance startled him, for he too suddenly turned white and exclaimed:

"There, you've won, Court. I give in. Come back now."

Too late! Courtenay slid slowly on for a few moments, then faster, and then we saw his arms relax and he fell over backwards, while as I stood on the brink gazing down I felt as if I had suddenly been turned to stone.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

"WHAT SHALL WE DO?"