King o' the Beach Part 42

"Good?" cried Carey, with a look of horror.

"Yes, sir, good," said the old sailor, stolidly. "You see, he says he's stopped the bleeding."

"Yes, yes, that is good, certainly," said Carey, with his hand pressed to his aching breast.

"Then there's something better, sir; he says Old King Cole's somehow injured, and lying at the bottom o' the cabin stairs groaning, and if that aren't a blessing in disguise I should like to know what is."

"And we don't know how he is."

"No, sir, we don't know how he is, but he must be pooty bad, or else he wouldn't go on shooting at everybody who goes nigh. I wish, though, he'd ha' hurt old Jack.u.m a bit more."

"Why?"

"Might ha' made the n.i.g.g.e.r so savage that he'd ha' gone down and finished him off. I aren't a murd'rous sort o' man, Master Carey, but he tried to kill me, only he didn't hit hard enough, and I get thinking that there old ruffian won't be perf.e.c.k till he's quite finished. Well, sir, what's to be done? You're skipper now as t'others is both wounded.

I should say first thing is for you to rig yourself out with a revolver and a gun as I've got waiting for you ready, and, as it used to be when I was aboard a man-o'-war, you just read your commission out loud to the crew. They won't understand it, but that don't matter; we Jacks never did. Next you'd better make me your first lieutenant as well as cook, and then go and knock over a n.i.g.g.e.r or two just to let 'em see you mean business."

"Don't trifle, Bob," cried Carey, angrily.

"Nay, sir, I aren't trifling; I mean it. You've got the whip hand o'

they n.i.g.g.e.rs, and they 'bout worships you. Just you bounce about a bit and let 'em see what you're made of, and then give 'em your orders what to do."

"Yes, what would you do first?"

"Well, sir, if it was me I should send Jack.u.m and a couple more--no, I wouldn't send jack.u.m, because he's not a bad sort o' fellow, and we couldn't spare him. He'll be a splendid go-between, because you see he understands the language, and it'll be better to tell 'em what they're to do than knocking it into 'em with a club. You send three of 'em down below, and let 'em put the old king out of his misery."

"What! Kill him?"

"Ay, sir, he must be badly hurt and half dead. Such chaps as him aren't a bit o' use in the world."

Carey looked at the man with so much disgust painted in his face that Bostock shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, p'raps that would be a bit strong, sir, but one must do something, and it won't do to leave him down there shooting at everyone who goes nigh."

"Let's get to the doctor first," said Carey.

"Nay, sir; I aren't going to let you go down them stairs and be shot again, whether you're my officer or whether you aren't," said the old sailor, stoutly.

"I am not going down that way. We must get axes to work and enlarge the opening through the skylight," said Carey.

"Ah, now you're talking sense, sir. Of course, but you'll have a revolver?"

Carey nodded, and Bostock hurried off, to return in a few minutes without the objects of which he had been in search.

"Well, where are the arms?" cried Carey.

"Aren't got 'em yet, sir. Them chaps want me to light a fire and cook the thumping big snake they've got, and it's a horrid idee, sir. The oven'll never be fit to use again. They made signs that if I didn't they'd light a fire on the deck, and one chap began rubbing his fire-sticks to get a light."

"I can't spare you, Bob," cried Carey, anxiously. "What am I to do?

Here, I know," said the boy, rising to the emergency. "Here, Jack.u.m!"

The man, who had been watching him intently, sprang to his side on the instant, looking ready to obey the slightest order.

"Tell your boys to take the snake over to the sands and light a fire there to roast it. They can make a feast."

The black nodded, as if fully endorsing the plan. "Jack.u.m go too."

"No, stop, I want you. Send all the others."

"Jack.u.m want eat."

"You shall have plenty to eat," cried Carey, and the man grinned, spoke sharply to his companions, who ran with him forward, and, as the pair watched them and listened, they heard quite a babel of excited voices rise, and Carey's heart sank.

"They won't go," he said.

"Oh, won't they, sir," said Bostock, with a chuckle. "You'll see directly."

The old sailor was right, for directly after they were seen carrying the carefully skinned and cleaned serpent to the side, where they lowered it into the boat, into which they crowded till it was full, four of them perching on the outrigger.

Then with a loud shout the heavily-laden canoe was pushed off, the paddles began to splash, and Jack.u.m came back.

"All gone 'way," he said, rather solemnly, as if disappointed at not being able to join the banquet. "Jack.u.m want eat."

"Yes, of course. Come along. Here, Bob, what can you give him to eat?"

The black's eyes sparkled, as he turned eagerly to Bostock.

"What yer like, Sooty?" said the latter.

"Bob gib ticky-ticky; Pick Dilly. Much cake."

"Look ye here," said the old sailor. "You love damper?"

"Iss. Damper."

"Ticky-ticky?"

"Iss. Much ticky-ticky."

"And I'll light a fire and roast something for you to eat by-and-by."

"Jack.u.m no like roast somefin. Cooky big bird."

"Yes, I'll cook a big bird for you. That do? Come along then."

A minute or two later Jack.u.m was seated with a big damper cake and a basin of treacle between his legs, smiling all over his face wherever it was not coated with mola.s.ses, and that was naturally about the mouth.

When they saw him fully occupied Carey and Bostock turned to where the arms were hidden, and soon after each was provided with a revolver and gun loaded, and with an ample supply of cartridges.

"Now, Bob," cried Carey, excitedly, "the _Chusan_ is once more our own.

If we fastened up the gangways we could keep all those blacks off."