The Queen's Scarlet Part 57

"I d'know," said one of the men. "Take two shillin' worth o' yale to make a man like that."

"Ay," said Smiler. "Know how they do it?"

"Saves up," said Joey.

"Yah! They don't get no money to save. I'll tell 'ee. My cousin, Billy Weekes, 'listed--you all knew Billy?"

"Ay!" chorussed the others, as they stood gazing down at the scarlet-coated figure lying with its face hidden by a drooping tangle of hops caused by the breaking of a pole.

"Billy tode me," continued Smiler, "as, when one on 'em gets leave, he goes round among his mates, and they all gi'es him a penny or twopence apiece--hundred on 'em, p'r'aps--and that sets him up!"

"Ay?" said Joey. "And when their turn comes he gi'es them all a penny?"

"Yes; that's it--all round. So they chaps as goos out allus has some'at to spend."

"And a very good way, too," said Joey, chuckling. "Well, I could drink a quaart now, and I've got a penny; s'pose you three chaps all gi'es me one apiece, for my throat's as dry as a lime-basket."

The men looked at one another and chuckled.

"Hadn't us better wake un up?" said Smiler, at last.

"Ay, 'fore he gets a drenching with the hop-wash," said Joey. "Here!

hi! soger! Why, he's got a bottle in his fist here still. It's--"

The man, who had bent down low and drawn aside the verdant veil of hop-bine, started back in alarm; for, as the sunshine was let in, a couple of large vipers, which had been nestling close up to the figure, raised their heads and began to crawl away.

"Look at the nedders!" cried Smiler. "Aren't stung him, have they?"

"Nay," cried Joey, hanging back, "that arn't all. 'Tarn't a bottle he's got; it's a pistol!"

Two of the men turned as if to run away, but at that moment another bucket-bearer came up, and there was a shout from up by the fire to know why the spraying had stopped.

"Hi!--all on yer! Coome here!" yelled Smiler.

"What's he been shootin'?" cried one of the men who had turned to go.

"Hissen," growled Joey, with a horrified look. "He's a dead un, lads, and been here for days."

Mastering the feeling of shrinking which had come over him, Joey went down upon one knee, amidst the awful silence which prevailed, and stretched forth a hand to draw the figure out into a patch of sunlight, but a shout in chorus from his companions made him s.n.a.t.c.h back his hand with a violent start.

"Yah!--don't touch him," they all cried.

"Why?--poor lad," protested Joey. "We can't leave him here!"

"Mustn't touch 'im till there's been a inkwess," said Smiler, excitedly.

"I don't keer for no inkwesses," grumbled Joey; "I shall want to come here directly to wash my hops."

"What's the matter?" cried the first of several men who came down the narrow alley. "Ingin busted?"

"Nay; look ye here," cried Smiler, excitedly, and there was a low, suppressed exclamation from the group that crowded up.

"Better get a gate and carry him out," said one.

"Couldn't get a gate down here," said another.

"And yer mustn't touch 'im till there's been a inkwess," cried Smiler.

"Is he dead?" said one of the new-comers.

"Ay," said one of the first four. "We sin the nedders come away from him. Stinged to death."

"Nay, he's not bitten," cried Joey. "Here's his little pistol. Why, he's one o' they chaps as blows bra.s.s things in the band."

As he spoke, the man took the rusty pistol from the tight fingers which clutched it, and then uttered a cry.

"What's the matter?"

"His hand arn't cold," cried Joey, and, quickly turning the figure right over into the sunshine, he gazed down excitedly, and pointed at a great red stain on the breast and side of the scarlet tunic, hidden until then, and dry now and dark.

"But he's quite dead, arn't he?" said Smiler.

"Nay, he's not dead. You can feel his heart beat right up into his throat. Come and take hold of his legs, two on you, and Smiler and me 'll carry this end."

"Where to?" asked one of the men, who seized a leg.

"Tak' un up to the oast-house. Here! one o' you go and fatch a policemun and 'nother on you goo right on and tell doctor what we found.

How soon can you get there?"

"'N 'our, cross the fields."

"Cut, then. He'll gi'e you a ride back in his chay."

The two men started, and, the figure being raised, it was carefully borne along the dark green alley out into the open sunshine, and then along to the shelter of a huge espalier, kept there to shelter the hop-garden from the western gales.

Not a word was spoken, the men keeping still and walking as if awestricken along by the great green bank, startling the velvet-coated blackbirds, which flew out on either side and skimmed along near the great flowery ditch, and pa.s.sed over the top a hundred yards ahead.

Twice over a cotton-tailed rabbit darted out of the hops and plunged into the ditch, to reach its burrow in the sandy bank, while on and on the men tramped with their burden, whose bright scarlet coat, laced with gold, stood out vividly against the green of the hops on one side and that of the tall hedge on the other.

"Nay, he's only quite a boy," said Smiler, who, as soon as his remonstrance had been conscientiously disregarded, lent himself to the task with far more energy than he had directed toward carrying the pails.

"Say, one of you," cried Joey, "go and lay that old bed out in the oast--one I had last year for kiln-watching."

"What that there in the hop-pocket?"

"That's it, lad;" and another man ran forward up the hillside.

A few minutes later the burden was borne in through the wide entrance of the building to where the man who preceded them had dragged out the rough mattress used by the watcher through the night of the clear coal fires. And here in the cool shade the burden was gently laid; and the men stood round in silence, looking at the pale face before them and then at each other as if asking what to do next.