for the term of his natural life-第31章

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　　The　poor　woman　and　her　child　called　him　〃Mr。〃　Dawes。

Frere　watched　all　this　with　dissatisfaction　that　amounted　at　times　to　positive　hatred。　　Yet　he　could　say　nothing；　for　he　could　not　but　acknowledge　that；　beside　Dawes；　he　was　incapable。　　He　even　submitted　to　take　orders　from　this　escaped　convictit　was　so　evident　that　the　escaped　convict　knew　better　than　he。　　Sylvia　began　to　look　upon　Dawes　as　a　second　Bates。　He　was；　moreover；　all　her　own。　　She　had　an　interest　in　him；　for　she　had　nursed　and　protected　him。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　her；　this　prodigy　would　not　have　lived。　　He　felt　for　her　an　absorbing　affection　that　was　almost　a　passion。　　She　was　his　good　angel；　his　protectress；　his　glimpse　of　Heaven。　　She　had　given　him　food　when　he　was　starving；　and　had　believed　in　him　when　the　worldthe　world　of　four　had　looked　coldly　on　him。　　He　would　have　died　for　her；　and；　for　love　of　her；　hoped　for　the　vessel　which　should　take　her　back　to　freedom　and　give　him　again　into　bondage。

But　the　days　stole　on；　and　no　vessel　appeared。　　Each　day　they　eagerly　scanned　the　watery　horizon；　each　day　they　longed　to　behold　the　bowsprit　of　the　returning　Ladybird　glide　past　the　jutting　rock　that　shut　out　the　view　of　the　harbourbut　in　vain。　　Mrs。　Vickers's　illness　increased；　and　the　stock　of　provisions　began　to　run　short。　　Dawes　talked　of　putting　himself　and　Frere　on　half　allowance。　　It　was　evident　that；　unless　succour　came　in　a　few　days；　they　must　starve。

Frere　mooted　all　sorts　of　wild　plans　for　obtaining　food。　He　would　make　a　journey　to　the　settlement；　and；　swimming　the　estuary；　search　if　haply　any　casks　of　biscuit　had　been　left　behind　in　the　hurry　of　departure。　　He　would　set　springes　for　the　seagulls；　and　snare　the　pigeons　at　Liberty　Point。　　But　all　these　proved　impracticable；　and　with　blank　faces　they　watched　their　bag　of　flour　grow　smaller　and　smaller　daily。　Then　the　notion　of　escape　was　broached。　　Could　they　construct　a　raft？　Impossible　without　nails　or　ropes。　　Could　they　build　a　boat？　Equally　impossible　for　the　same　reason。　　Could　they　raise　a　fire　sufficient　to　signal　a　ship？　　Easily；　but　what　ship　would　come　within　reach　of　that　doubly…desolate　spot？　　Nothing　could　be　done　but　wait　for　a　vessel；　which　was　sure　to　come　for　them　sooner　or　later；　and；　growing　weaker　day　by　day；　they　waited。

One　morning　Sylvia　was　sitting　in　the　sun　reading　the　〃English　History〃；　which；　by　the　accident　of　fright；　she　had　brought　with　her　on　the　night　of　the　mutiny。　　〃Mr。　Frere；〃　said　she；　suddenly；　〃what　is　an　alchemist？〃

〃A　man　who　makes　gold；〃　was　Frere's　not　very　accurate　definition。

〃Do　you　know　one？〃

〃No。〃

〃Do　you；　Mr。　Dawes？〃

〃I　knew　a　man　once　who　thought　himself　one。〃

〃What！　　A　man　who　made　gold？〃

〃After　a　fashion。〃

〃But　did　he　make　gold？〃　persisted　Sylvia。

〃No；　not　absolutely　make　it。　　But　he　was；　in　his　worship　of　money；　an　alchemist　for　all　that。〃

〃What　became　of　him？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Dawes；　with　so　much　constraint　in　his　tone　that　the　child　instinctively　turned　the　subject。

〃Then；　alchemy　is　a　very　old　art？〃

〃Oh；　yes。〃

〃Did　the　Ancient　Britons　know　it？〃

〃No；　not　as　old　as　that！〃

Sylvia　suddenly　gave　a　little　scream。　　The　remembrance　of　the　evening　when　she　read　about　the　Ancient　Britons　to　poor　Bates　came　vividly　into　her　mind；　and　though　she　had　since　re…read　the　passage　that　had　then　attracted　her　attention　a　hundred　times；　it　had　never　before　presented　itself　to　her　in　its　full　significance。　　Hurriedly　turning　the　well…thumbed　leaves；　she　read　aloud　the　passage　which　had　provoked　remark：…

〃'The　Ancient　Britons　were　little　better　than　Barbarians。　They　painted　their　bodies　with　Woad；　and；　seated　in　their　light　coracles　of　skin　stretched　upon　slender　wooden　frames；　must　have　presented　a　wild　and　savage　appearance。'〃

〃A　coracle！　　That's　a　boat！　　Can't　we　make　a　coracle；　Mr。　Dawes？〃　




CHAPTER　XIII。

WHAT　THE　SEAWEED　SUGGESTED。



The　question　gave　the　marooned　party　new　hopes。　　Maurice　Frere；　with　his　usual　impetuosity；　declared　that　the　project　was　a　most　feasible　one；　and　wonderedas　such　men　will　wonderthat　it　had　never　occurred　to　him　before。　　〃It's　the　simplest　thing　in　the　world！〃　he　cried。　　〃Sylvia；　you　have　saved　us！〃　But　upon　taking　the　matter　into　more　earnest　consideration；　it　became　apparent　that　they　were　as　yet　a　long　way　from　the　realization　of　their　hopes。　　To　make　a　coracle　of　skins　seemed　sufficiently　easy；　but　how　to　obtain　the　skins！　　The　one　miserable　hide　of　the　unlucky　she…goat　was　utterly　inadequate　for　the　purpose。　　Sylviaher　face　beaming　with　the　hope　of　escape；　and　with　delight　at　having　been　the　means　of　suggesting　itwatched　narrowly　the　countenance　of　Rufus　Dawes；　but　she　marked　no　answering　gleam　of　joy　in　those　eyes。　　〃Can't　it　be　done；　Mr。　Dawes？〃　she　asked；　trembling　for　the　reply。

The　convict　knitted　his　brows　gloomily。

〃Come；　Dawes！〃　cried　Frere；　forgetting　his　enmity　for　an　instant　in　the　flash　of　new　hope；　〃can't　you　suggest　something？〃

Rufus　Dawes；　thus　appealed　to　as　the　acknowledged　Head　of　the　little　society；　felt　a　pleasant　thrill　of　self…satisfaction。　　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃I　must　think　of　it。　　It　looks　easy；　and　yet〃　He　paused　as　something　in　the　water　caught　his　eye。　　It　was　a　mass　of　bladdery　seaweed　that　the　returning　tide　was　wafting　slowly　to　the　shore。　　This　object；　which　would　have　passed　unnoticed　at　any　other　time；　suggested　to　Rufus　Dawes　a　new　idea。　　〃Yes；〃　he　added　slowly；　with　a　change　of　tone；　〃it　may　be　done。　I　think　I　can　see　my　way。〃

The　others　preserved　a　respectful　silence　until　he　should　speak　again。　〃How　far　do　you　think　it　is　across　the　bay？〃　he　asked　of　Frere。

〃What；　to　Sarah　Island？〃

〃No；　to　the　Pilot　Station。〃

〃About　four　miles。〃

The　convict　sighed。　　〃Too　far　to　swim　now；　though　I　might　have　done　it　once。　But　this　sort　of　life　weakens　a　man。　　It　must　be　done　after　all。〃

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　asked　Frere。

〃To　kill　the　goat。〃

Sylvia　uttered　a　little　cry；　she　had　become　fond　of　her　dumb　companion。　〃Kill　Nanny！　　Oh；　Mr。　Dawes！　　What　for？〃

〃I　am　going　to　make　a　boat　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　want　hides；　and　thread；　and　tallow。〃

A　few　weeks　back　Maurice　Frere　would　have　laughed　at　such　a　sentence；　but　he　had　begun　now　to　comprehend　that　this　escaped　convict　was　not　a　man　to　be　laughed　at；　and　though　he　detested　him　for　his　superiority；　he　could　not　but　admit　that　he　was　superior。

〃You　can't　get　more　than　one　hide　off　a　goat；　man？〃　he　said；　with　an　inquiring　tone　in　his　voiceas　though　it　was　just　possible　that　such　a　marvellous　being　as　Dawes　could　get　a　second　hide；　by　virtue　of　some　secret　process　known　only　to　himself。

〃I　am　going　to　catch　other　goats。〃　〃Where？〃

〃At　the　Pilot　Station。〃

〃But　how　are　you　going　to　get　there？〃

〃Float　across。　　Come；　there　is　not　time　for　questioning！　　Go　and　cut　down　some　saplings；　and　let　us　begin！〃

The　lieutenant…master　looked　at　the　convict　prisoner　with　astonishment；　and　then　gave　way　to　the　power　of　knowledge；　and　did　as　he　was　ordered。　Before　sundown　that　evening　the　carcase　of　poor　Nanny；　broken　into　various　most　unbutcherly　fragments；　was　hanging　on　the　nearest　tree；　and　Frere；　returning　with　as　many　young　saplings　as　he　could　drag　together；　found　Rufus　Dawes　engaged　in　a　curious　occupation。　　He　had　killed　the　goat；　and　having　cut　off　its　head　close　under　the　jaws；　and　its　legs　at　the　knee…joint；　had　extracted　the　carcase　through　a　slit　made　in　the　lower　portion　of　the　belly；　which　slit　he　had　now　sewn　together　with　string。　　This　proceeding　gave　him　a　rough　bag；　and　he　was　busily　engaged　in　filling　this　bag　with　such　coarse　grass　as　he　could　collect。　Frere　observed；　also；　that　the　fat　of　the　animal　was　carefully　preserved；　and　the　intestines　had　been　placed　in　a　pool　of　water　to　soak。

The　convict；　however；　declined　to　give　information　as　to　what　he　intended　to　do。　　〃It's　my　own　notion；〃　he　said。　　〃Let　me　alone。　I　may　make　a　failure　of　it。〃　Frere；　on　being　pressed　by　Sylvia；　affected　to　know　all　about　the　scheme；　but　to　impose　silence　on　himself。　He　was　galled　to　think　that　a　convict　brain　should　contain　a　mystery　which　he　might　not　share。

On　the　next　day；　by　Rufus　Dawes's　direction；　Frere　cut　down　some　rushes　that　grew　about　a　mile　from　the　camping　ground；　and　brought　them　in　on　his　back。　　This　took　him　nearly　half　a　day　to　accomplish。　Short　rations　were　beginning　to　tell　upon　his　physical　powers。　　The　convict；　on　the　other　hand；　trained　by　a　woeful　experience　in　the　Boats　to　endurance　of　hardship；　was　slowly　recovering　his　original　strength。

〃What　are　they　for？〃　asked　Frere；　as　he　flung　the　bundles　down。　His　master　condescended　to　reply。　　〃To　make　a　float。〃

〃Well？〃

The　other　shrugged　his　broad　shoulders。　　〃You　are　very　dull；　Mr。　Frere。　I　am　going　to　swim　over　to　the　Pilot　Station；　and　catch　some　of　those　goats。　I　can　get　across　on　the　stuffed　skin；　but　I　must　float　them　back　on　the　reeds。〃

〃How　the　doose　do　you　mean　to　catch　'em？〃　asked　Frere；　wiping　the　sweat　from　his　brow。

The　convict　motioned　to　him　to　approach。　　He　did　so；　and　saw　that　his　companion　was　cleaning　the　intestines　of　the　goat。　　The　outer　membrane　having　been　peeled　off；　Rufus　Dawes　was　turning　the　gut　inside　out。　This　he　did　by　turning　up　a　short　piece　of　it；　as　though　it　were　a　coat…sleeve；　and　dipping　the　turned…up　cuff　into　a　pool　of　water。　　The　weight　of　the　water　pressing　between　the　cuff　and　the　rest　of　the　gut；　bore　down　a　further　portion；　and　so；　by　repeated　dippings；　the　whole　length　was　turned　inside　out。　The　inner　membrane　having　been　scraped　away；　there　remained　a　fine　transparent　tube；　which　was　tightly　twisted；　and　set　to　dry　in　the　sun。

〃There　is　the　catgut　for　the　noose；〃　said　Dawes。　　〃I　learnt　that　trick　at　the　settlement。　　Now　come　here。〃

Frere；　following；　saw　that　a　fire　had　been　made　between　two　stones；　and　that　the　kettle　was　partly　sunk　in　the　ground　near　it。　On　approaching　the　kettle；　he　found　it　full　of　smooth　pebbles。

〃Take　out　those　stones；〃　said　Dawes。

Frere　obeyed；　and　saw　at　the　bottom　of　the　kettle　a　quantity　of　sparkling　white　powder；　and　the　sides　of　the　vessel　crusted　with　the　same　material。

〃What's　that？〃　he　asked。

〃Salt。〃

〃How　did　you　get　it？〃

〃I　filled　the　kettle　with　sea…water；　and　then；　heating　those　pebbles　red…hot　in　the　fire；　dropped　them　into　it。　　We　could　have　caught　the　steam　in　a　cloth　and　wrung　out　fresh　water　had　we　wished　to　do　so。　But；　thank　God；　we　have　plenty。〃

Frere　started。　　〃Did　you　learn　that　at　the　settlement；　too？〃　he　asked。

Rufus　Dawes　laughed；　with　a　sort　of　bitterness　in　his　tones。　〃Do　you　think　I　have　been　at　'the　settlement'　all　my　life？　The　thing　is　very　simple；　it　is　merely　evaporation。〃

Frere　burst　out　in　sudden；　fretful　admiration：　〃What　a　fellow　you　are；　Dawes！　What　are　youI　mean；　what　have　you　been？〃

A　triumphant　light　came　into　the　other's　face；　and　for　the　instant　he　seemed　about　to　make　some　startling　revelation。　　But　the　light　faded；　and　he　checked　himself　with　a　gesture　of　pain。

〃I　am　a　convict。　　Never　mind　what　I　have　been。　　A　sailor；　a　shipbuilder；　prodigal；　vagabondwhat　does　it　matter？　　It　won't　alter　my　fate；　will　it？〃

〃If　we　get　safely　back；〃　says　Frere；　〃I'll　ask　for　a　free　pardon　for　you。　You　deserve　it。〃

〃Come；〃　returned　D