King o' the Beach Part 31

Carey pointed to the ventilator over the door.

"I could see through that," he whispered, "if you could take me on your shoulders."

Bostock nodded, and placed his hands firmly on the sides of the door, bending down his head and standing as firm as a rock, while Carey's first instinct was to take a run and a jump; but he did not, for one reason, there was not room, another, that it would have been folly; but he placed his hand upon the man's shoulders and steadily climbed up till he could stand stooping upon his back, and then he cautiously peered through a little crack, and the first thing he saw was the beachcomber sitting back fast asleep.

This sent a thrill of satisfaction through him, and he turned his eyes towards the saloon door, and a chill of horror ran through him, for he caught sight of something bright and flashing, and it was a few moments before he grasped the fact that it was the lamp reflected from the eyes of one of the blacks close to the floor.

Nearly a minute elapsed before he could make out the black figure of their owner, and then he saw it move.

It was plain enough now as it crept in and nearer to the shaded rays of the lamp. Carey could even see that the black had his club and the curved knife-like blade of his boomerang stuck behind in the coa.r.s.e hair girdle he wore about his waist.

"Why, he's creeping in to kill his master," was the boy's first thought, and a chill of horror ran through him.

The black crept slowly and silently over the floor of the saloon, and Carey would have uttered words of warning to his companions, but he could not speak, every faculty seeming frozen, save that he could see; and he stared wildly as he saw now two more pairs of eyes and a couple of the blacks creep in silently, but only to stop at the door, squatting on their heels, as if watching their leader.

The latter took up Carey's whole attention now, and he waited to see him take out his club before he uttered a warning shout to the sleeping man, for he felt that he could not stand and see him murdered in cold blood.

The black crept on till he was quite close to the sleeper, and then he rose, squatted like his companions, and at last raised his hand.

The warning cry rose to Carey's lips, but it did not leave them, for the black did not bring out his club, but softly took down the empty gla.s.s, smelt it and then thrust in a long black finger, pa.s.sed it round and sucked it, repeating the action several times, till he could get no more suggestion of the taste of the spirit, when he replaced the gla.s.s, to sit staring at the bottle; but he did not touch it, only squatted there like a great dog watching over his master, while his two companions remained silent as a couple of black statues at the door.

That was enough, and Carey softly dropped down and whispered what he had seen to his companions.

"And they could brain the old scoundrel at any moment with their clubs,"

said the doctor. "It is astonishing."

"Yes, sir," said Bostock, softly; "but aren't it a bit like big savage dogs as I've seen? They could take a man by the throat and shake the life out of him in a minute, but they don't. They sits and watches over him, and it'd be an ugly business for any one as attempted to touch him.

He's got hold of the black fellows, sir, and can do just what he likes with 'em. That's how it is there."

"That makes our position more difficult," said the doctor.

"Well, it do, sir; but if I might make so bold, I should like to propose something."

"Yes, by all means, Bostock. What is it?"

"You sleep on it, sir, and see how you feel in the morning--both on you, and I'll take the watch."

"It is impossible to sleep to-night," said the doctor, with a sigh.

"Yes; suppose those blacks were to take it into their heads to come and finish us."

"Nay, they won't do that, sir. Besides, I shall be on the watch."

"No," said the doctor; "you and Carey will lie down and sleep if you can. I will take the watch. Do as I tell you at once."

"But it isn't fair, sir," said Carey, protesting.

"I must be obeyed in this time of emergency," said the doctor, sternly.

"Lie down and sleep if you can, and I will try and think out some way of proceeding. Good-night."

Ten minutes later the doctor was sitting with his back to the door, and in spite of all that had gone by and the belief that he could not sleep a wink in the midst of the peril, Carey dropped off fast, and Bostock's loud breathing told that he had followed suit, while the three blacks squatted there hour after hour, watching their master and tyrant like so many faithful hounds.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

Carey opened his eyes just at sunrise, feeling, as a healthy lad should, light-hearted and happy; for he was perfectly unconscious of all that had taken place overnight till he turned his head a little and saw Doctor Kingsmead with his arm resting against the side, gazing out of the open port.

Then it all came to him, and he felt horribly selfish and miserable.

"Oh, doctor!" he cried.

"Ah, Carey, lad!" said the doctor, starting and turning to him.

"Morning. You've had a capital sleep."

"Yes, and you watching there. Why didn't you rouse me up to take my turn?"

"I've not been watching all the night. I sat thinking till I felt that it was of no use to worry any longer, and then I dropped asleep. I've not been awake now for more than half an hour."

"Ah, that's better," said Carey, raising himself a little to look towards the door, to see Bostock lying across it, turning himself into a human bar to prevent any one from entering without waking him up. He was now on his back, sleeping heavily, with his mouth open.

The doctor looked at him too and then smiled sadly at Carey.

"I say," said the latter, "it seems rum, doesn't it, for us three prisoners to go off to sleep like that without minding a bit?"

"Nature will have her own way," said the doctor.

"Eh? Right, sir! I--well, look at that now! It's a rum 'un."

Bostock had suddenly awakened, and he now rose quickly and stared at Carey.

"I say, I aren't been asleep all night, have I?"

"Yes, Bob. There, it's all right."

"Well, they haven't killed and eaten us, sir; but I don't like this.

You ought to ha' wakened me, doctor."

"I was not awake myself, Bostock."

"Oh! That was it, was it?" said the old sailor, shaking his head and looking very serious. "Then about work, sir; what's the first thing?

Shall I see about breakfast?"

The doctor was silent for a few moments.

"Yes," he said at last. "I have thought over our position again this morning, and it seems to me that the best thing to do, if we are allowed, is to go on quietly and submit, until a good opportunity occurs--say of the blacks going ash.o.r.e in their canoe."

"And then seize the vessel again?" said Carey, eagerly.