Chapter 32. On Duty

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_ CHAPTER THIRTY TWO. ON DUTY

"I didn't expect this," said Murray to himself, as after sweeping the shore of the bay he once more fixed his eyes upon the well-manned boat in front; and then he started in wonder, for Tom May, who sat close to him astern, said in a low voice--

"I didn't expect that the captain would send us off again directly, Mr Murray, sir."

"Neither did I, Tom; and, what is more, I did not expect to hear you say that you were thinking just the same as I did."

"Was you, sir?"

"Yes. You didn't want to come, I suppose, after going through so much?"

"Not want to come, sir? I just did! But what sort of a game is this going to be?"

"I don't know, Tom," replied Murray gruffly, "only that we've got to watch this Mr Allen."

"Don't mean no games, do he, sir?"

"I think not; but I look to you to keep your eyes open."

"Which I just will, sir. But I say, look at that."

"Look at what, Tom?"

"That there little creek opening out, sir. Seems to me as if they've got little rivers all round the bay ready for going up or coming out on. It's just as if they shut 'em up and no one could see 'em afterwards."

Some little time later the planter's boat, which was only a short distance ahead, turned off at right angles in obedience to a pull at the starboard line, and seemed to disappear through a beautiful screen of tropic growth, and as the cutter was steered in after her it was to pass along a soft green tunnel, flecked with golden sunlight, into a smooth lake, at one side of which, standing back a short distance from the silver sandy shore, with its open windows, green shading jalousies, sheltering trees, and scarlet creepers, was as perfect a little Eden of a home as mortal eye ever looked upon. There was nothing to suggest slavery, sorrow, or suffering in any shape, but everywhere Nature decked the place with her richest beauties, and as the middy sprang up involuntarily, a low murmur of admiration ran through the crew. Then, as if ashamed of the habit in which he was indulging, Tom May doffed his straw hat, placed it upon his knees, thrust his crooked index finger into his capacious mouth, and hooked out from his left cheek a disgusting-looking quid of well-chewed tobacco, which dropped into the crown of the hat and was quickly tossed out, to fall _plop_ into the deep still water of the lake. The next moment a golden-scaled fish made a rush for what suggested itself to its ignorance as a delicacy, which it took, delivered a couple of strokes with its tail which sent it to the surface, flying out and falling back again with a heavy splash, and then disappeared beneath the glittering rings which began to open out and widen more and more towards the borders of the little mirrorlike lake.

"And sarve you jolly well right too," growled the big sailor, as if talking to himself. "What call had you to meddle with luxuries as is on'y sootable for eddicated people?"

Murray suppressed a smile and looked as serious as he could, giving orders to the men to pull a few strokes with their oars, sufficient to send the cutter into the place that had been occupied by the planter's boat, which was now gliding away from the great bamboo piles driven in by the rustic steps and platform upon which their guide had landed, while he now stood resting upon a rail beneath the verandah, which offered ample shade for the cutter and her crew.

Murray gave a few further orders, sprang out and stepped to the planter's side as the feeble invalid signed to him to come.

"I heard the commands given to you, sir," he said, "and you will, I hope, forgive me if I do not seem hospitable."

"I know you are ill, sir," said Murray coldly, "so you need not trouble at all about me and my men."

"I thank you," said the planter, "and of course I know enough of the Navy and its discipline not to proffer drink to your men."

"Certainly not," said Murray stiffly.

"Still," continued the planter, "in this hot climate the shelter will be acceptable. There is a spring of excellent water in the rockery behind the house, of which I beg you will make every use you desire. I am going to lie down in the room to the left. You have only to ring, and my slaves--well, servants," said the planter, smiling sadly as he saw the lad's brow knit--"my servants will attend to your summons directly, and bring fruit--oranges, and what your men will no doubt appreciate, fresh green cocoanuts. They will make you fresh coffee and bring anything else you desire, sir."

"I am much obliged," said Murray, rather distantly, "but you must recollect that I am on duty."

"I do not forget that, sir," replied the planter, smiling; "but you will not find your duty a very hard one--to guard a poor feeble creature such as I. There, sir, you and your superiors are masters here, and I am, I know, only a prisoner."

"I shall make your position as little irksome as I can, sir," said Murray; and then, feeling a certain amount of pity for the wretched man, he added, "Not a very terrible-looking prison, this."

"No," replied the planter, "and when you begin to go amongst the slave-huts, you will, as a stranger, begin to wonder at their aspect, for the simplest shelter made with a few bamboos is soon turned by Nature into a home of beauty."

"But all the same it is a slave's prison," replied Murray.

"We had better not discuss that question, young gentleman," said the planter bitterly, "for I am sure that I could not convince you that I have tried for years past to render the slaves' lot more bearable."

"Nothing could make it more bearable," said Murray sternly.

"Certainly not," said the other sadly, "as matters are here."

He raised his broad-brimmed Panama hat and turned to leave the bamboo platform, but, misjudging his strength, he reeled and would have fallen headlong into the placid water if it had not been for Murray's prompt action. For, starting forward, he flung his arm round the sick man's waist, and supported him to the doorway that had been pointed out beneath the broad verandah.

"Thank you! Thank you!" panted the sick man; and with a painful smile he continued, "Ah, it is a great thing to be young and strong, with the world before you and nothing to repent.--If you please, through that door to the left."

They were standing now in a simply but handsomely furnished hall, whose principal decorations caught the lad's eyes at once, being, as they were, sporting and defensive weapons of all kinds, and of the best manufacture, hung about the walls; but for the moment Murray had no opportunity for inspecting these objects of interest, his attention being taken up by the planter, who availed himself of his guardian's help to pass through the door upon their left, where he sank upon a couch at one side of the room and closed his eyes.

"Would you like to see our doctor, sir?" asked Murray.

"No, no; thank you, no; it is only weakness," was the reply. "I have often been like this, and it will soon pass off. I shall go off to sleep before many minutes have passed, and wake up rested and refreshed."

"Then you would like me to leave you for a while?" asked Murray.

"I should be most grateful, sir," was the reply, "and I shall sleep in peace now, feeling safe in the knowledge that I have the protection of a guard."

The planter had opened his eyes to speak, and now closed them tightly, leaving his guardian to glance round the room, which had but the one door, that by which they had entered; while the window was open save that one widely arranged green jalousie shut out some of the sunshine and subdued the light that floated in.

Murray stepped out, after noticing that an oblong, shallow, brass-bound box lay upon a side-table--a box whose configuration had but one meaning for the lad, and that was of a warlike or self-protective character, an idea which was strengthened by the fact that an ordinary military sword was hung above the mantelpiece.

"Sword and pistols," thought the lad. "What does he want with so many weapons? I should have considered that there were enough in the hall without these."

He noticed that there was a hand-bell upon the side-table, a fact which suggested that a servant was within reach, and as the lad stood in the hall once more he looked about him, and then, feeling that he had entered upon a special charge, he crossed to the next door, that facing the one he had just left, and upon thrusting it open found himself in what was evidently used as a dining-room, being about double the size of the other, and having two windows whose lath-like shutters half darkened the room.

"I don't want to play spy all over the house," said Murray to himself, "but I am in charge of this planter fellow, and I ought to know who is about the place. But I don't know," he muttered; "it isn't the duty of a naval officer."

Frowning slightly, he stepped out on to the bamboo platform again and signed to the big sailor to follow him back to the door.

"Here, Tom," he said, and glancing down at the man's bare feet, he added, in a low tone, "You have no shoes on, so just go quietly through the bottom of the building and see what rooms there are and what black servants are about."

"Ay, ay, sir!" said the man softly.

"Go quietly," added Murray; "the owner is ill and has dropped asleep."

"Ay, ay, sir!" replied the sailor, and in regular able-seaman swing upon the points of his toes he stepped out of the hall-like central room of the place, taking in the little armoury the while, and left his officer alone, the door closing behind him as silently as he stepped.

"How still it all is," thought the middy, and he went cautiously back to the little room which he looked upon as the planter's study, pressed the door slightly open, and peered in, to see that the occupant had not stirred, while his deep breathing now sounded plainly, till Murray let the door fall to and went back towards that through which Tom May had passed upon his mission.

As the middy approached, it was drawn open again.

"Hallo, Tom!" said the lad. "Back already?"

"Ay, ay, sir! There's on'y two cabins to look at there, and one's a cook's galley, and t'other's stooard's pantry."

"Did you see the black servants?"

"No, sir, and there ain't no white uns neither."

"Sort of summer-house," thought Murray; and then in connection with his duty he told the sailor to go up-stairs and examine the bedrooms.

"Which way does the cabin ladder lie, sir?" asked the man.

"I don't know, Tom," was the reply. "Try that door."

He pointed to one that was on the far side of the hall and had struck him at first as a movable panel to close up a fire-place; but upon the light cane frame being drawn out it revealed a perpendicular flight of steps, up which the sailor drew himself lightly and lowered himself down again.

"Well?"

"Arn't no rooms there, sir," whispered the man, with rather an uneasy look in his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just the ship's hold, sir, turned upside down like. Sort o' cock loft of bamboo spars jyned together at the top--rafters, don't they call 'em, sir?"

"Yes, of course."

"That's right, then, sir, and they're all thatched and caulked with palm leaves."

"Not a bedroom at all, then, Tom."

"No, sir, but it's a sort o' sleeping accommodation all the same, 'cause there's a couple o' netting sort o' hammocks slung all ready; but I shouldn't like to have my quarters there," continued the man uneasily.

"Why not? It must be cool and pleasant."

"Cool, sir, but not kinder pleasant."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you see, sir, it's so plaguey dark."

"What of that? So's the sloop's hold."

"Yes, sir, but this here's so unked dark."

"Well, you don't mind the dark?"

"No, sir, I dunno as I do so long as I've got my messmates nigh at hand."

"Look here, Tom, I don't understand you," said Murray. "You're keeping something back. Why are you hesitating? You don't mind the dark."

"No, sir; it's the rustling sounds as I don't like."

"Pooh! Rats," said Murray.

"Nay, nay, sir. I knows what a rat can do in a ship's hold as well as any one who has been to sea. What I heered arn't no rats."

"Birds, then."

"Tchah, sir! That arn't no birds."

"What is it, May, since you seem to know?"

"Some'at oncanny, sir."

"_Uncanny_? What can it be uncanny?"

"I dunno, sir. Some'at as arn't real."

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno, sir, and I 'spects--"

"Suspect what? Why, Tom, you don't mean to tell me that a great strong sailor like you fancies that the place is haunted?"

"Oh no, sir, I don't go so far as to say that," said the man.

"Then what do you mean?"

"That's what I can't exackly tell you, sir. All I knows is that as soon as I got my head and shoulders well up among them bamboos there was a roosh as if half-a-dozen people was a-comin' at me, and then some one whispered something to the others, and they whispered back. It was jest for all the world, sir, as if some one said 'Hist! It ain't him,' and t'others whispered back and that settled 'em into going on talking together oneasy like; and then I come down."

"Without making out what it was, Tom," said Murray, laughing softly.

"Nay, sir; I seemed to know right enough; and it arn't nothing to laugh at."

"What is it, then, Tom?"

"Why, sir, I don't go for to say as it is, but it sounded to me like oneasy slaves as had met their ends aboard some o' they slaving craft, and couldn't rest."

"Tom May!" said the middy; and he would have burst out laughing, but for the thought that he might awaken the sick man in the room where he had lain down to rest. "Come out here."

"It's of no use to say anything to the lads outside," grumbled the big sailor, "for they think just the same as I do, sir."

"Why, you haven't spoken to them," said Murray.

"Not to-day, sir, but we often have talked about it, sir, and what might happen to them fellows as man the slaving schooners. Something must come to 'em some time or another after what they've done to the niggers. Stands to reason, sir, as they can't go on always as they do."

"I'm not going to argue about that at a time like this, but I do wonder at a big sensible fellow like you are, Tom--a sailor I always feel proud of--beginning to talk about ghosts and rooms being haunted, just like some silly superstitious old woman."

Tom May drew himself up proudly and smiled at the first portion of his young officer's speech, but frowned at the latter and shook his head.

"Ah, it's all very well, sir, for a young gentleman like you to talk that how, and you and Mr Roberts, sir, has been at me before and laughed at me and my messmates; but, you see, we're a deal older than you are, and been at sea two or three times as long. We've seen bad storms, and all sorts o' wonders such as young people don't come across."

"No doubt, Tom," said Murray quietly; "but come along outside. I want to station my posts."

"Ay, ay, sir!" said the man, with a sigh of relief; but before he followed his officer he stepped on tiptoe to the opening leading up to the loft, and made an offer, so to speak, shrank back, then advanced again, and ended by sharply and shrinkingly closing the screen-like door and backing away with a sigh of relief.

"Feel better, Tom?" said the middy, with mock seriousness, as they stood out in the full light of day again.

"Ah, you're a-laughing at me, sir," said the big sailor, shaking his head. "I know, sir, though you're a-pretending to look as serious as a judge."

"Enough to make me look serious, Tom. But are you sure that any of the restless ones didn't slip down after you before you shut the door?"

"Eh? What, sir?" whispered the man hurriedly.

"You don't think as--" He looked behind and round about him, before continuing. "Why, of course I am, sir. You're a-making fun of a fellow, sir. But if you'd been up yonder and heered 'em--"

"I should have poked about with the barrel of my musket and found that the rustling was made by birds or rats."

"Nay, sir," said the man confidently, "'twarn't neither o' they things. If it had been they'd ha' skilly wiggled away at once. And besides, sir, they wouldn't ha' made a man feel so 'orrid squirmy like. I felt all of a shudder; that's what made me know that they were something as didn't ought to be."

"Snakes, perhaps, Tom."

The man started, stared, snatched off his straw hat, and gave his head a vicious rub, before having another good look back at the thatch-roofed summer-house of a place.

"Say, Mr Murray, sir," he said at last, "did you say snakes?"

"Yes, Tom; perhaps poisonous ones."

The man gave his head another rub, and then ejaculated in a strange long-drawn way the one word--

"Well!"

"I've read that in places like this they creep in under the flooring, and then make their way up the holes and into the thatch after the birds or rats upon which they live."

"Do they now, sir?" said the man excitedly.

"Yes, and some of them are horribly poisonous; so you must take care how you deal with them."

"Poisonous, sir?" continued Tom. "Them sort as if they bite a man it's all over with him and the doctor arn't able to save his life?"

"Yes, Tom," continued Murray; "in one of these islands particularly the people call the serpent the _fer de lance_, a bite from which is very often fatal."

"Kills a man, sir?"

"I believe so."

"Then I arn't surprised at them calling it so, sir. Nothing could be too bad for it. That's it, sir, and now I arn't a bit surprised at my feeling as I did, sir. I wondered what made me come so all-overish like and fancy there was something about as oughtn't to be. I arn't a chap as gets skeared about a bit o' danger, sir; now, am I, sir?"

"No, Tom; I believe you to be a brave fellow that your officers can always trust."

"Thankye, sir; that's what I want to be--chap as can stand a bit o' fire, sir, eh?" said the man, with a broad grin.

"Yes, Tom, and that's what made me feel vexed at your being so superstitious."

"Sooperstitious, sir?" said the man, giving his head another rub. "That's what you call it, is it, sir? Well, but arn't it enough to make a fellow feel a bit creepy, sir, to have them dry-land eels squirming about overhead ready to give him a nip as means Dr Reston shaking his head all over you and calling your messmates to sew you up in your hammock with a twenty-four pound shot at your feet, and the skipper reading the sarvice over you before the hatch upon which you lays is tilted up, and then _splash_, down you goes out o' sight at gunfire. I don't see, sir, as a fellow has much to be ashamed of in being a bit shivery."

"Nor I, Tom, if he shivered from an instinctive fear of a poisonous serpent. But you were not afraid of that, eh?"

Tom May screwed up his face again with a comical grin, shook his head, and then, after a glance here and there at his messmates who were to be stationed as sentries--

"Well, not azackly, sir," he said. "I was reg'larly skeared at something, and I did not know what; but I see now, sir. It was my natur' to--what you called 'stinctive."

"Well, we'll leave it there, Tom," said Murray smiling, "but I'm not quite satisfied. I'll go and have a look by and by."

"Ah! But Mr Murray, sir, you won't go and think I was a bit--"

"Never mind what I thought, Tom; and now come on. I want to see about the positions the men are to be in. To begin with, I should like the two men in the cutter to lie off a bit further."

The order was given, and a fresh position was taken up before the middy walked carefully all round the planter's rest-house and carefully stationed his men on duty, adding a few words about keeping a sharp lookout for the approach of danger, and at a whisper from the big sailor, including snakes.

This done, the lad began to amuse himself by examining the attempts that had been made to render the place beautiful, and it was while thus engaged, and noting that the forest all round the clearing and cultivation was apparently impenetrable, giving the idea that the cottage could only be approached by water, that Tom followed up three or four rather peculiar sniffs by one that was most suggestive of a desire to call his officer's attention to something he wished to say.

Murray, who was pretty well acquainted with the sailor's peculiarities, turned upon him at last sharply--

"Well, Tom," he said, "what is it?"

"Oh, nothing, sir, on'y I didn't want to seem imperent."

"I'm glad to hear it, my lad; but what did you want to say?"

"I was on'y thinking, sir."

"What about?"

"Why, sir, it seemed to me as if we was taking so much trouble to keep watch over this here sick gentleman."

"Well, go on; don't hesitate so."

"Beg pardon, sir; I hesitate like 'cause I don't want to seem imperent."

"Then I'll forgive you if it is, Tom. Now then, what were you going to say?"

"Only this, sir; wouldn't it have been handier like to ha' kep' him aboard the _Seafowl_ where the watches are going on reg'lar, and the doctor could ha' looked in upon him now and then?"

"Perhaps it would, Tom," replied Murray, "but Captain Kingsberry and the first lieutenant may have had special reasons for what they are doing."

"Of course, sir; azackly, sir; but somehow this here does seem a bit quiet like after what we was doing before."

"Less exciting, Tom?"

"Yes, sir. Don't think it likely, do you, sir, that the Yankee chap who has been giving the gent inside so much trouble and nearly wherriting his life out over the slaver, may drop in to see him, do you, sir?"

"No, Tom, I don't," said the middy shortly. "Neither do you."

Tom May shook his head and looked very hard at his officer.

"Beg pardon, sir, but you arn't quite right like, because that's just what I was thinking, and that you might like for us all to be quite ready for him if he did come."

"What more could I do, Tom?" said the lad anxiously, for the man's words made him think that he had been neglecting some precaution. "A good lookout is being kept, isn't it?"

"Seaward, sir," replied the man, "but I was thinking as the lads round the back arn't in sight of one another."

"Oh!" cried Murray. "And you think that the enemy might come stealing down one of the paths through the forest?"

"Didn't see no paths, sir," said the man, looking at him wonderingly.

"Neither did I, Tom."

"O' course not, sir," said the man, giving himself a punch in the ribs with his doubled fist. "Here, I don't know what I could be thinking of."

"Nor do I, Tom. Mine's rather a curious duty, namely, to take care that this gentleman does not leave this place, and to treat him as it seems to me so that while he is a prisoner he shall not in his state of health fancy that he is one."

"Skipper wants to keep friends with him so as he'll show us where all the niggers are, sir, and give us a chance to make a good haul of prize money?"

"Perhaps so, Tom."

"Well, sir, captain knows best, and the first luff knows what's second best. I dunno about Mr Munday, sir, but I wish some un else had my watch, that I do, sir. Our job burning out the black chief's place over yonder was a bit too hot a job, but I'd rather have orders to do the same sort o' thing again than be doing this here. It's too sleepy for me. Can't you set me 'sploring, sir, or something of that kind? For I'm no good at all onless I'm on active sarvice."

"You'll have plenty to do by and by, Tom, depend upon it."

"Hope so, sir, but I want something to do now. Couldn't do a bit o' fishing, could I, sir?"

"No, Tom; we have no hooks and lines."

"That's a pity, sir. Seems to me that one might catch a good dish for the gunroom mess, and a few over for the men, judging from the way they bit out in the lagoon there, sir."

"We're on duty, Tom."

"O' course, sir. What do you say to me and a couple of the lads cutting bamboos and routing out the snakes I heered yonder in the roof. Too dangerous, perhaps, sir?"

"Much, Tom, and I don't think it would accord with our duty here."

"No, sir; o' course not, but you'll excuse me, sir?"

Murray nodded, and then, feeling hot and drowsy with the heat and silence, he suddenly recalled what the planter had said about summoning the servants if he wanted anything.

"Fruit!" he said to himself. "Well, I'll begin with a good drink of water.--I'm going to have a look round, Tom," he said quietly.

"Thankye, sir; I'm glad of it," said the man eagerly; and he followed his officer promptly as he walked round the cottage, and said a few words to his sentries, who seemed to gladly welcome the coming of some one to relieve the silence and monotony of their task.

As he passed round the extreme pale of the garden-like clearing, Murray noted more than ever how the grounds were enclosed by a natural hedge of the densest kind, so that it was like a wall of verdure which was admirably tended and for the most part of the tropical kind, being kept clipped and intertwined to such an extent that it would have been impossible for wild creatures if they haunted the island to pass through.

Returning to the front, and after glancing at his boat, Murray signed to the big sailor to follow him, and entered through the verandah and the porch into the armoury-like hall, where he stood listening for a few moments before making a gesture to silence his man, who was about to speak. For Tom stood with wrinkled brow gazing hard at the screen which covered the way up to where the hammocks hung, as if rather uneasy in his mind about what that screen covered.

"I'll be back directly, Tom," said Murray, and then he went on tiptoe into the room he had mentally dubbed the study, and found that apparently the planter had not stirred, but was plunged in the deep sleep of exhaustion.

"I will not wake him," thought the lad, and after gazing down at the worn and wasted countenance before him, his eyes again wandered over the walls and their decorations. He again noted the case upon the table, and then stepped back to where his man stood musket in hand watching the screen.

"Well, Tom," said the lad; "heard anything of the snakes?"

"No, sir, and I've been listening for 'em for all I'm worth. I don't think they'll stir onless they hear the way up shook. Seems a rum place to get up and sleep. I should expect to find the snakes had took the hammocks first."

"Well, we're not going to disturb them, my lad; but come into that other room; I want a glass of water, and I suppose you could manage a drink too."

"Thankye, sir; I just could--a big one. I should ha' ventured to ask if I might get one, only I'm pretty sure that lake water's as salt as brine."

"There must be a spring somewhere," said the lad, and making his way into the room that was used for meals, he advanced to the table at one side, where there was another hand-bell. "I don't want to awaken our prisoner, Tom," he said. "Here, take up the bell and go through to the back where the pantry place is, and ring gently."

"Ay, ay, sir!" And the man softly raised the bell, thrusting in his hand so as to secure the tongue, and then the pair stepped back into the hall and through the door at the back, Murray closing it after them, before he signed to his follower to ring.

The man obeyed, at first gently, but as there was no reply he rang more loudly, and followed up his summons by thrusting the bell through a window at the back and sounding it vigorously.

"Can't be no one at home, sir," said the big sailor, turning to gaze at his officer.

"So it seems," said Murray, as he stood in the intense silence listening; "but that Mr Allen said that his servants would come and attend to any of my wants."

"Them chaps as rowed was all his servants or slaves, I suppose, sir?" said the man.

"Yes; but it is the hottest time, and these people out here always sleep in the middle of the day. Go out and follow up the side of that stream where they poled up the boat."

Tom May looked at him in a peculiar way.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" said Murray.

"I warn't with you when the blacks pulled the boat away."

Murray started, and stared at his man in turn.

"Neither was I there," he said, with a strange feeling of being puzzled assailing him.

"You said poled up the stream, not pulled, sir," said the man. "I didn't think when I spoke."

"How absurd!" said Murray. "Here, let's go out this way round to the front and hail the cutter. The boat-keepers will know."

"It's all right, sir," said May, for there was a rustling sound at the back and light steps, and the man exclaimed, "Here's one of them."

"Why, it's one of our lads," said Murray excitedly.

"There's a bell ringing somewhere, sir," said the sailor, who now came out of the deep shadow at the back of the cottage. "Was it you, messmate?"

"Yes, my lad," said Tom, speaking to his brother sailor, but staring hard at his officer the while. "This here's the bell, lad, and it was me." _

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