Jack Harkaway and His Son's Escape from the Brigands of Greece Part 128

Hunston's colour fled from his cheek.

He looked from one to the other.

Then he glanced at Joe Basalt.

Harkaway was the first to break the silence.

"Hunston."

The sound echoed dismally, as though uttered in some bare-walled cavern.

"Yes," he faltered, struggling to appear at his ease.

"Come."

"Where to?"

Harkaway pointed silently to the door.

"What do you want with me?"

"Can't you guess?"

The words were simple ones, yet they sounded like a death-knell to him.

"We have heard all; every word. This crowning act of villany and ingrat.i.tude, baser than ever entered the mind of man, has doomed you.

Follow me."

Appalled, half stunned with fear, the miserable wretch tottered after Harkaway.

Close upon his heels came Jefferson and d.i.c.k, while Joe Basalt brought up the rear.

CHAPTER XLIX.

THE TRIAL--HUNSTON'S PUNISHMENT.

"Pipe all hands on deck!"

"Aye, aye, sir."

The crew came tumbling up.

And when they were all a.s.sembled, Jefferson and d.i.c.k Harvey ranged them round in position, while Harkaway, with Hunston close by his side, stood forward to address them.

"My men," said he, "I have had you called together upon no pleasant errand. But it is a question of duty, and, therefore, pleasant or unpleasant, must be done. What we have to do is an act of justice, and I don't wish that anyone should be able to impugn my motives. I would not leave it in the power of any man to say that I ever behaved unjustly to my worst enemy."

"Hurrah!"

A ringing cheer greeted Harkaway.

"Now, my men, what I have to say to you concerns my own and my family history, perhaps, more than it does you. You have all heard my poor boy's adventures when he fell into the hands of the Greek brigands?"

"Aye, aye, sir."

"You know who it was that was instrumental in getting him condemned to death."

"It was that sneaking lubber, Hunston," cried several voices at once.

"It was. I need not enlarge upon all he has done to merit the worst punishment it is in our power to bestow, if ever he should fall into our hands--the worst I say, eh?"

"Yes,--him!" said a voice, with a very strong expletive.

The approval of the crew was perfectly unanimous.

In vain did Hunston look about him for one of those disaffected men of whom Joe Basalt had spoken.

Not a vestige of any thing like opposition to the general sentiments did he trace in any of those weather-beaten, honest countenances.

"Well," resumed Harkaway, "and what would you say if, after that I have forgiven him, taken him in hand and had him carefully tended and nursed, what would you say if even then he tried to wrong me--to ensnare innocent, well-meaning men, into a murderous plot against my life?"

"Why, I should say as he's the blackest-hearted lubber ash.o.r.e or afloat," said one.

"One word more," said Harkaway. "What should we do to this wretch if we had him here in our power?"

"Give him a round dozen, to begin with," suggested Sam Mason.

"And then string him up."

A cheer came from a score of throats.

"Men," said Harkaway, "this is the villain, Hunston."

A pause.

The men were so thoroughly taken by surprise at this that they had not a word to say for themselves.

"I was anxious to spare him," said Harkaway, in conclusion, "for although he has always been false, treacherous, and cruel, I could not forget that he was a fellow-countryman, and that we were boys together.

I would have returned good for evil, he refused it; I now mean to try evil for evil."

The men applauded this to the echo.

Joe Basalt and his comrade Jack Tiller pa.s.sed the word forward from mouth to mouth.

They told their shipmates what had taken place, and so thoroughly incensed them against him that his life would not have been worth five minutes' purchase had Harkaway, Jefferson, and d.i.c.k Harvey absented themselves.