Hunting the Skipper Part 66

"Didn't see no paths, sir," said the man, looking at him wonderingly.

"Neither did I, Tom."

"O' course not, sir," said the man, giving himself a punch in the ribs with his doubled fist. "Here, I don't know what I could be thinking of."

"Nor do I, Tom. Mine's rather a curious duty, namely, to take care that this gentleman does not leave this place, and to treat him as it seems to me so that while he is a prisoner he shall not in his state of health fancy that he is one."

"Skipper wants to keep friends with him so as he'll show us where all the n.i.g.g.e.rs are, sir, and give us a chance to make a good haul of prize money?"

"Perhaps so, Tom."

"Well, sir, captain knows best, and the first luff knows what's second best. I dunno about Mr Munday, sir, but I wish some un else had my watch, that I do, sir. Our job burning out the black chief's place over yonder was a bit too hot a job, but I'd rather have orders to do the same sort o' thing again than be doing this here. It's too sleepy for me. Can't you set me 'sploring, sir, or something of that kind? For I'm no good at all onless I'm on active sarvice."

"You'll have plenty to do by and by, Tom, depend upon it."

"Hope so, sir, but I want something to do now. Couldn't do a bit o'

fishing, could I, sir?"

"No, Tom; we have no hooks and lines."

"That's a pity, sir. Seems to me that one might catch a good dish for the gunroom mess, and a few over for the men, judging from the way they bit out in the lagoon there, sir."

"We're on duty, Tom."

"O' course, sir. What do you say to me and a couple of the lads cutting bamboos and routing out the snakes I heered yonder in the roof. Too dangerous, perhaps, sir?"

"Much, Tom, and I don't think it would accord with our duty here."

"No, sir; o' course not, but you'll excuse me, sir?"

Murray nodded, and then, feeling hot and drowsy with the heat and silence, he suddenly recalled what the planter had said about summoning the servants if he wanted anything.

"Fruit!" he said to himself. "Well, I'll begin with a good drink of water.--I'm going to have a look round, Tom," he said quietly.

"Thankye, sir; I'm glad of it," said the man eagerly; and he followed his officer promptly as he walked round the cottage, and said a few words to his sentries, who seemed to gladly welcome the coming of some one to relieve the silence and monotony of their task.

As he pa.s.sed round the extreme pale of the garden-like clearing, Murray noted more than ever how the grounds were enclosed by a natural hedge of the densest kind, so that it was like a wall of verdure which was admirably tended and for the most part of the tropical kind, being kept clipped and intertwined to such an extent that it would have been impossible for wild creatures if they haunted the island to pa.s.s through.

Returning to the front, and after glancing at his boat, Murray signed to the big sailor to follow him, and entered through the verandah and the porch into the armoury-like hall, where he stood listening for a few moments before making a gesture to silence his man, who was about to speak. For Tom stood with wrinkled brow gazing hard at the screen which covered the way up to where the hammocks hung, as if rather uneasy in his mind about what that screen covered.

"I'll be back directly, Tom," said Murray, and then he went on tiptoe into the room he had mentally dubbed the study, and found that apparently the planter had not stirred, but was plunged in the deep sleep of exhaustion.

"I will not wake him," thought the lad, and after gazing down at the worn and wasted countenance before him, his eyes again wandered over the walls and their decorations. He again noted the case upon the table, and then stepped back to where his man stood musket in hand watching the screen.

"Well, Tom," said the lad; "heard anything of the snakes?"

"No, sir, and I've been listening for 'em for all I'm worth. I don't think they'll stir onless they hear the way up shook. Seems a rum place to get up and sleep. I should expect to find the snakes had took the hammocks first."

"Well, we're not going to disturb them, my lad; but come into that other room; I want a gla.s.s of water, and I suppose you could manage a drink too."

"Thankye, sir; I just could--a big one. I should ha' ventured to ask if I might get one, only I'm pretty sure that lake water's as salt as brine."

"There must be a spring somewhere," said the lad, and making his way into the room that was used for meals, he advanced to the table at one side, where there was another hand-bell. "I don't want to awaken our prisoner, Tom," he said. "Here, take up the bell and go through to the back where the pantry place is, and ring gently."

"Ay, ay, sir!" And the man softly raised the bell, thrusting in his hand so as to secure the tongue, and then the pair stepped back into the hall and through the door at the back, Murray closing it after them, before he signed to his follower to ring.

The man obeyed, at first gently, but as there was no reply he rang more loudly, and followed up his summons by thrusting the bell through a window at the back and sounding it vigorously.

"Can't be no one at home, sir," said the big sailor, turning to gaze at his officer.

"So it seems," said Murray, as he stood in the intense silence listening; "but that Mr Allen said that his servants would come and attend to any of my wants."

"Them chaps as rowed was all his servants or slaves, I suppose, sir?"

said the man.

"Yes; but it is the hottest time, and these people out here always sleep in the middle of the day. Go out and follow up the side of that stream where they poled up the boat."

Tom May looked at him in a peculiar way.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" said Murray.

"I warn't with you when the blacks pulled the boat away."

Murray started, and stared at his man in turn.

"Neither was I there," he said, with a strange feeling of being puzzled a.s.sailing him.

"You said poled up the stream, not pulled, sir," said the man. "I didn't think when I spoke."

"How absurd!" said Murray. "Here, let's go out this way round to the front and hail the cutter. The boat-keepers will know."

"It's all right, sir," said May, for there was a rustling sound at the back and light steps, and the man exclaimed, "Here's one of them."

"Why, it's one of our lads," said Murray excitedly.

"There's a bell ringing somewhere, sir," said the sailor, who now came out of the deep shadow at the back of the cottage. "Was it you, messmate?"

"Yes, my lad," said Tom, speaking to his brother sailor, but staring hard at his officer the while. "This here's the bell, lad, and it was me."

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

BOILING OVER.

"Have you seen any of the black servants about?" asked Murray.

He was going to say slaves, but the word sounded so repugnant that he changed it.