Hunting the Skipper Part 63

"Don't mean no games, do he, sir?"

"I think not; but I look to you to keep your eyes open."

"Which I just will, sir. But I say, look at that."

"Look at what, Tom?"

"That there little creek opening out, sir. Seems to me as if they've got little rivers all round the bay ready for going up or coming out on.

It's just as if they shut 'em up and no one could see 'em afterwards."

Some little time later the planter's boat, which was only a short distance ahead, turned off at right angles in obedience to a pull at the starboard line, and seemed to disappear through a beautiful screen of tropic growth, and as the cutter was steered in after her it was to pa.s.s along a soft green tunnel, flecked with golden sunlight, into a smooth lake, at one side of which, standing back a short distance from the silver sandy sh.o.r.e, with its open windows, green shading jalousies, sheltering trees, and scarlet creepers, was as perfect a little Eden of a home as mortal eye ever looked upon. There was nothing to suggest slavery, sorrow, or suffering in any shape, but everywhere Nature decked the place with her richest beauties, and as the middy sprang up involuntarily, a low murmur of admiration ran through the crew. Then, as if ashamed of the habit in which he was indulging, Tom May doffed his straw hat, placed it upon his knees, thrust his crooked index finger into his capacious mouth, and hooked out from his left cheek a disgusting-looking quid of well-chewed tobacco, which dropped into the crown of the hat and was quickly tossed out, to fall _plop_ into the deep still water of the lake. The next moment a golden-scaled fish made a rush for what suggested itself to its ignorance as a delicacy, which it took, delivered a couple of strokes with its tail which sent it to the surface, flying out and falling back again with a heavy splash, and then disappeared beneath the glittering rings which began to open out and widen more and more towards the borders of the little mirrorlike lake.

"And sarve you jolly well right too," growled the big sailor, as if talking to himself. "What call had you to meddle with luxuries as is on'y sootable for eddicated people?"

Murray suppressed a smile and looked as serious as he could, giving orders to the men to pull a few strokes with their oars, sufficient to send the cutter into the place that had been occupied by the planter's boat, which was now gliding away from the great bamboo piles driven in by the rustic steps and platform upon which their guide had landed, while he now stood resting upon a rail beneath the verandah, which offered ample shade for the cutter and her crew.

Murray gave a few further orders, sprang out and stepped to the planter's side as the feeble invalid signed to him to come.

"I heard the commands given to you, sir," he said, "and you will, I hope, forgive me if I do not seem hospitable."

"I know you are ill, sir," said Murray coldly, "so you need not trouble at all about me and my men."

"I thank you," said the planter, "and of course I know enough of the Navy and its discipline not to proffer drink to your men."

"Certainly not," said Murray stiffly.

"Still," continued the planter, "in this hot climate the shelter will be acceptable. There is a spring of excellent water in the rockery behind the house, of which I beg you will make every use you desire. I am going to lie down in the room to the left. You have only to ring, and my slaves--well, servants," said the planter, smiling sadly as he saw the lad's brow knit--"my servants will attend to your summons directly, and bring fruit--oranges, and what your men will no doubt appreciate, fresh green cocoanuts. They will make you fresh coffee and bring anything else you desire, sir."

"I am much obliged," said Murray, rather distantly, "but you must recollect that I am on duty."

"I do not forget that, sir," replied the planter, smiling; "but you will not find your duty a very hard one--to guard a poor feeble creature such as I. There, sir, you and your superiors are masters here, and I am, I know, only a prisoner."

"I shall make your position as little irksome as I can, sir," said Murray; and then, feeling a certain amount of pity for the wretched man, he added, "Not a very terrible-looking prison, this."

"No," replied the planter, "and when you begin to go amongst the slave-huts, you will, as a stranger, begin to wonder at their aspect, for the simplest shelter made with a few bamboos is soon turned by Nature into a home of beauty."

"But all the same it is a slave's prison," replied Murray.

"We had better not discuss that question, young gentleman," said the planter bitterly, "for I am sure that I could not convince you that I have tried for years past to render the slaves' lot more bearable."

"Nothing could make it more bearable," said Murray sternly.

"Certainly not," said the other sadly, "as matters are here."

He raised his broad-brimmed Panama hat and turned to leave the bamboo platform, but, misjudging his strength, he reeled and would have fallen headlong into the placid water if it had not been for Murray's prompt action. For, starting forward, he flung his arm round the sick man's waist, and supported him to the doorway that had been pointed out beneath the broad verandah.

"Thank you! Thank you!" panted the sick man; and with a painful smile he continued, "Ah, it is a great thing to be young and strong, with the world before you and nothing to repent.--If you please, through that door to the left."

They were standing now in a simply but handsomely furnished hall, whose princ.i.p.al decorations caught the lad's eyes at once, being, as they were, sporting and defensive weapons of all kinds, and of the best manufacture, hung about the walls; but for the moment Murray had no opportunity for inspecting these objects of interest, his attention being taken up by the planter, who availed himself of his guardian's help to pa.s.s through the door upon their left, where he sank upon a couch at one side of the room and closed his eyes.

"Would you like to see our doctor, sir?" asked Murray.

"No, no; thank you, no; it is only weakness," was the reply. "I have often been like this, and it will soon pa.s.s off. I shall go off to sleep before many minutes have pa.s.sed, and wake up rested and refreshed."

"Then you would like me to leave you for a while?" asked Murray.

"I should be most grateful, sir," was the reply, "and I shall sleep in peace now, feeling safe in the knowledge that I have the protection of a guard."

The planter had opened his eyes to speak, and now closed them tightly, leaving his guardian to glance round the room, which had but the one door, that by which they had entered; while the window was open save that one widely arranged green jalousie shut out some of the sunshine and subdued the light that floated in.

Murray stepped out, after noticing that an oblong, shallow, bra.s.s-bound box lay upon a side-table--a box whose configuration had but one meaning for the lad, and that was of a warlike or self-protective character, an idea which was strengthened by the fact that an ordinary military sword was hung above the mantelpiece.

"Sword and pistols," thought the lad. "What does he want with so many weapons? I should have considered that there were enough in the hall without these."

He noticed that there was a hand-bell upon the side-table, a fact which suggested that a servant was within reach, and as the lad stood in the hall once more he looked about him, and then, feeling that he had entered upon a special charge, he crossed to the next door, that facing the one he had just left, and upon thrusting it open found himself in what was evidently used as a dining-room, being about double the size of the other, and having two windows whose lath-like shutters half darkened the room.

"I don't want to play spy all over the house," said Murray to himself, "but I am in charge of this planter fellow, and I ought to know who is about the place. But I don't know," he muttered; "it isn't the duty of a naval officer."

Frowning slightly, he stepped out on to the bamboo platform again and signed to the big sailor to follow him back to the door.

"Here, Tom," he said, and glancing down at the man's bare feet, he added, in a low tone, "You have no shoes on, so just go quietly through the bottom of the building and see what rooms there are and what black servants are about."

"Ay, ay, sir!" said the man softly.

"Go quietly," added Murray; "the owner is ill and has dropped asleep."

"Ay, ay, sir!" replied the sailor, and in regular able-seaman swing upon the points of his toes he stepped out of the hall-like central room of the place, taking in the little armoury the while, and left his officer alone, the door closing behind him as silently as he stepped.

"How still it all is," thought the middy, and he went cautiously back to the little room which he looked upon as the planter's study, pressed the door slightly open, and peered in, to see that the occupant had not stirred, while his deep breathing now sounded plainly, till Murray let the door fall to and went back towards that through which Tom May had pa.s.sed upon his mission.

As the middy approached, it was drawn open again.

"Hallo, Tom!" said the lad. "Back already?"

"Ay, ay, sir! There's on'y two cabins to look at there, and one's a cook's galley, and t'other's stooard's pantry."

"Did you see the black servants?"

"No, sir, and there ain't no white uns neither."

"Sort of summer-house," thought Murray; and then in connection with his duty he told the sailor to go up-stairs and examine the bedrooms.

"Which way does the cabin ladder lie, sir?" asked the man.

"I don't know, Tom," was the reply. "Try that door."

He pointed to one that was on the far side of the hall and had struck him at first as a movable panel to close up a fire-place; but upon the light cane frame being drawn out it revealed a perpendicular flight of steps, up which the sailor drew himself lightly and lowered himself down again.

"Well?"