The Peril Finders Part 4

"I call that rale kind of you, and I will stop, for I'm downright hungry, and precious little to home. I say, if the President ever sends round for us to vote a new name for this part of the State I shall propose that we call it Starvationton. Why, look here, you're a deal better off for corn and hay than I am to home," he continued, as he sat back after munching potatoes and damper, and washing all down with fresh cool water from a little spring which never failed. "White wine too as never gets into a fellow's head. But the place don't answer my expectations; does it yours?"

"Ours? No, Griggs," said Mr Bourne sadly. "We've made up our minds to give it up."

"Not pull up stakes and go?" cried the American, bringing the haft of his knife down upon the rough table with a loud rap.

"Yes," said the doctor; "fruit-growing here is fruitless."

"Yes, because we don't get any fruit. But look here, you neighbour Wilton, you don't say anything: you don't mean to go too?"

"Indeed, but I do," replied the gentleman addressed.

"Hear him!" cried the American. "But you lads--you are going?"

"Why, of course we should," cried the boys, in a breath.

"What, and leave me nearly all alone by myself? Well, as sure as my name's 'Thaniel Griggs, I call it mean."

He looked round from one to the other, as if asking for an explanation, and rested his eyes last upon Mr Bourne, as he added--

"On-neighbourly, that it is."

"We shall be sorry to lose so good a neighbour," said Bourne; "but what is to be gained by trying any longer?"

"Hum! That's a riddle," said the American. "Give it up. Ask me another."

"What can we do to improve our position anywhere near?"

"Hah! That's another riddle, and not so easy as t'other. Got any more, for I give that one up too."

"I think those two are enough," said Wilton merrily. "The fact is, Griggs, we have all come to the conclusion that we are wasting our lives here."

"Where are you going, then?"

"Home," was the reply.

"Ah!" cried Griggs. "There's a nice sound about that--Home. Well, I shall go with you."

"What!" cried the doctor. "To England?"

"No, I didn't say that. I'm not going to cross the herring-pond. Your people yonder wouldn't take to me. But let's try some other place.

Pull up tent-pegs and take up a location farther north, and I'll go with you. What do you say, doctor?"

"That you are wasting your life here, Mr Griggs, and that I should strongly advise you to make a fresh start."

"Along with you and the other neighbours?"

"I do not say that."

"Eh? Not too proud to have me, are you?"

"Certainly not," said the doctor warmly. "You have often proved yourself too good a friend."

"Ah, that sounds better, doctor. Just you think over what I said, and don't be in too great a hurry to go back to the old-country. There, thankye for the dinner."

"Dinner!" said Wilton contemptuously. "I wish it was."

"Might have been worse," said the American good-humouredly. "You old-country folk have a saying about, 'You shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.' Well, that'll do in this case--noo version. When you go out to dinner you shouldn't look at what people give you to put in your mouth. There, I'm off. But lookye here, squires, all of you. I'm off now to go on killing blight and things, but as soon as you're tired of our wild man, just send me word, and I'll fetch him over to my place."

He gave a comprehensive nod all round and was pa.s.sing through the door, but turned sharply round.

"Here, I'll just take a peep at the poor fellow as I go, doctor, by your leave--Go on tip-toe, you know. P'r'aps you'd like to go with me."

"Yes, I want to see him again," replied the doctor, and they went to the temporary hospital together, and found the stranger sleeping heavily.

"Man must have gone through a deal to get to look like that, doctor,"

whispered the American, as they stole away.

"A great deal more than we know, or ever shall know, friend Griggs,"

replied Chris's father.

"Oh, I dunno so much about that, mister. You once get him well, and he'll spin us a yarn, I expect, such as'll make our hair stand on end."

"But how to get him well?" said the doctor, smiling sadly.

"Oh, you go on; you'll do it. See how you mended that black fellow the horse kicked to pieces. It was wonderful; made me wish I'd been a doctor myself. But there, I must be off back."

He turned away, and after another glance at his sleeping patient, who quite fascinated him by his strangely weird aspect, the doctor returned to the shanty, where he and his companions began at once to discuss the bearings of the strange incident, talking over the possibility of the man having been lost, perhaps for years, in one of the great deserts towards the south, and having at last found his way back to civilisation, while the two boys sat silently drinking in every word, a.s.sociating their weird visitor with wild and stirring adventures in the unknown land.

"I say, Ned," said Chris that night when they went to their rough beds, "shouldn't you like to go right off and see what the wild part of the country's like?"

"I just should," replied Chris's companion. "We'd take rifles and plenty of ammunition, and go exploring. It would be fine!"

"But they wouldn't let us go," said Chris slowly.

"Think not?"

"Sure of it. Why, if I was to ask father to give me leave he'd take me out to the long shed and say, Do you want to come back like that poor fellow there? So would your father."

"Yes. Just as if it was likely! I dare say he lost himself, poor chap.

We shouldn't," continued Ned. "The way would be always to take bearings, and never lose sight of them."

"Or take a big ball of white cotton and unwind it as you go," said Chris, grinning. "You're bound to find your way back then."

"Get out! You're poking fun at me," said Ned quietly. "I know a better way than that of yours, which is of course nonsense. How could a fellow take miles of cotton in his pocket to unwind! No: I tell you what! The best way would be--Chris!--Chris!--Why don't you answer? Oh, what a Dummkopf it is! Fast as a top in a moment! I never saw such a fellow to sleep!"

CHAPTER FOUR.