Hunting the Skipper Part 80

"No, ma.s.sa come bring ma.s.sa officer, Bri'sh sailor. Come and see.

Caesar not 'fraid now. Ma.s.sa come to-night."

"Come where?" cried Mr Anderson.

"Caesar show."

"You will show me a good reason why I should wait?"

"Yes, ma.s.sa. Come 'long now."

"Come now? Where to?"

"Ma.s.sa Allen sleep house. Come 'long. Caesar show."

And without waiting for further question or order, the black thrust the tokens he had found into his breast as he made his way back into the tunnelled pa.s.sage, where he drew out the phosphorus bottle and taper, lit the latter and then led the way as swiftly as his companions could follow, the taper just lasting long enough to light the party back to within hearing of a call from the guards awaiting them anxiously at the entrance.

"Now for our rations, my lad, and a rest," said the lieutenant, as all stood once more in the cottage room and watched the black deftly replace the trap, drawing over it the rug and making all that had pa.s.sed seem to the two midshipmen and the chief officer as if they had been taking part in a dream.

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

OBEAH.

"This man is a puzzle," said the lieutenant. "One hour he is a shivering cowardly slave, the next he plays the part of a hero; and now he is like a clever household servant who does the best he can for visitors in his master's absence. Why, Murray--Roberts--we never expected such treatment as this."

"No, sir," said the two midshipmen together.

For Caesar had been bustling about, and one way and another had spread quite a supper in the planter's little dining-room for the officers, and afterwards supplied the men in one of the back rooms with delicious coffee and bread, to the great refreshment of the tired adventurers.

"What are you thinking about, Mr Murray?" said the lieutenant. "Come, out with it, my lad;" for the middy had hesitated and turned red.

"I was only thinking, sir, that we ought to send a messenger to the _Seafowl_."

"Humph! Strange, my lad. I have been thinking just the same, but I can spare neither man nor boat, and I have come to the conclusion that if Captain Kingsberry wants news he must send to us for it. What's that you are muttering, Mr Roberts?--He will be angry?"

"I didn't say so aloud, sir," replied the lad.

"No, but you thought it, sir. Well, if he is he will soon be in a good humour again when he finds how busy we have been and what we have made out. Ah, here is our guide. Well, Caesar, what now?"

"Berry dark now, ma.s.sa. Come see."

"Come and see in the dark?" said the lieutenant, who appeared to be in the best of humours. "Well, what have you to show us?"

The three officers rose from the table and followed their guide out on the platform, where he pointed to a ruddy glow which rose from beyond the trees.

"Fire!" said Murray excitedly. "Can that be where the plantation house lies, sir?"

"No, Mr Murray, I think not. But if it is I should not be surprised if, taking advantage of their master's absence, the blacks have fired his house to burn it down. Here, Caesar, are they burning the place?"

"No, ma.s.sa," replied the black. "Ma.s.sa bring all sailor. Come see."

The lieutenant nodded, and said in a low tone to Murray--

"Look here, my lad, I believe this fellow is to be trusted, but one's caution and discipline will whisper that we ought to be careful, and it will not do for us to come back and find that our boats are burned."

"No, sir," replied the lad quickly. "Whom will you leave in charge of them?"

"I should like to leave May, but I want him with us. What do you say, Mr Roberts? It is an important charge."

"Yes, sir," faltered the midshipman, "but--"

"You want to go with us, eh? Well, it is only natural. Murray too, I suppose, feels the same. But you must take into consideration that this may be a very dangerous expedition we are going upon."

"Do you think so, sir?"

"I do, Murray, and I cannot help hesitating now and then--from ignorance, of course, for though our guide seems to be trustworthy, we know absolutely nothing of what his feelings may be towards us. Well, I shall leave six men in charge of the two boats, with t.i.tely at their head and instructions to keep well off sh.o.r.e."

These arrangements were quickly made while the black stood looking on impatiently; and then Murray heard him utter a sigh of relief, for Mr Anderson told him to lead on.

The man sprang to the front at once, and was closely followed by the blacks who formed the crew of the planter's boat.

"Ma.s.sa keep close to Caesar," said their guide, "and tell men not to talk and make noise. Soon get not dark."

For the time being the darkness seemed to be impenetrable, but somehow the black leader was quite able to thread his way along an invisible track, which however soon grew easier, for the glow in the distance increased till the tops of the forest trees began to stand out clearly against the ruddy light.

Murray had received whispered instructions from his officer, whose caution seemed to increase as they went on, and those instructions turned the midshipman into the head of a rear-guard made up of himself, Tom May and two men, with instructions to report upon anything that seemed to be suspicious.

It was not long before the lad began to follow out his instructions by leaving the big sailor for a few minutes and hurrying forward to join the lieutenant.

"That you, Mr Murray?" he said. "You've come to say that the fire is increasing, and that there is another one away to the left?"

"No, sir; I saw that," replied the middy.

"Then why have you left your men?"

"To tell you, sir, that we are being followed very closely by a body of blacks who are hemming us in."

"Hang it! You don't mean that!"

"I do, sir. Twice over we have seemed to pa.s.s through men who are hanging back on either side to let us pa.s.s, and who then close in behind us and follow up silently."

"Humph! Unarmed, I suppose?"

"No, sir; I have not had much opportunity, but I am pretty well sure that, some of them have muskets, while all have those clumsy hangers with which they clear away the canes and growth from the forest paths."

"Well, we are in for it now, Mr Murray. But look here, they are not many, I suppose?"

"They are, sir, and keep on increasing in numbers."