for the term of his natural life-第32章

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

〃Come；〃　returned　Dawes；　with　a　discordant　laugh。　　〃Let　us　wait　until　we　get　back。〃

〃You　don't　believe　me？〃

〃I　don't　want　favour　at　your　hands；〃　he　said；　with　a　return　of　the　old　fierceness。　　〃Let　us　get　to　work。　　Bring　up　the　rushes　here；　and　tie　them　with　a　fishing　line。〃

At　this　instant　Sylvia　came　up。　　〃Good　afternoon；　Mr。　Dawes。　　Hard　at　work？　Oh！　　what's　this　in　the　kettle？〃　The　voice　of　the　child　acted　like　a　charm　upon　Rufus　Dawes。　　He　smiled　quite　cheerfully。

〃Salt；　miss。　　I　am　going　to　catch　the　goats　with　that。〃

〃Catch　the　goats！　　How？　　Put　it　on　their　tails？〃　she　cried　merrily。

〃Goats　are　fond　of　salt；　and　when　I　get　over　to　the　Pilot　Station　I　shall　set　traps　for　them　baited　with　this　salt。　　When　they　come　to　lick　it；　I　shall　have　a　noose　of　catgut　ready　to　catch　themdo　you　understand？〃

〃But　how　will　you　get　across？〃

〃You　will　see　to…morrow。〃　




CHAPTER　XIV。

A　WONDERFUL　DAY'S　WORK。



The　next　morning　Rufus　Dawes　was　stirring　by　daylight。　　He　first　got　his　catgut　wound　upon　a　piece　of　stick；　and　then；　having　moved　his　frail　floats　alongside　the　little　rock　that　served　as　a　pier；　he　took　a　fishing　line　and　a　larger　piece　of　stick；　and　proceeded　to　draw　a　diagram　on　the　sand。　This　diagram　when　completed　represented　a　rude　outline　of　a　punt；　eight　feet　long　and　three　broad。　　At　certain　distances　were　eight　points　four　on　each　sideinto　which　small　willow　rods　were　driven。　He　then　awoke　Frere　and　showed　the　diagram　to　him。

〃Get　eight　stakes　of　celery…top　pine；〃　he　said。　　〃You　can　burn　them　where　you　cannot　cut　them；　and　drive　a　stake　into　the　place　of　each　of　these　willow　wands。　　When　you　have　done　that；　collect　as　many　willows　as　you　can　get。　　I　shall　not　be　back　until　tonight。　　Now　give　me　a　hand　with　the　floats。〃

Frere；　coming　to　the　pier；　saw　Dawes　strip　himself；　and　piling　his　clothes　upon　the　stuffed　goat…skin；　stretch　himself　upon　the　reed　bundles；　and；　paddling　with　his　hands；　push　off　from　the　shore。　　The　clothes　floated　high　and　dry；　but　the　reeds；　depressed　by　the　weight　of　the　body；　sank　so　that　the　head　of　the　convict　alone　appeared　above　water。　In　this　fashion　he　gained　the　middle　of　the　current；　and　the　out…going　tide　swept　him　down　towards　the　mouth　of　the　harbour。

Frere；　sulkily　admiring；　went　back　to　prepare　the　breakfast　they　were　on　half　rations　now；　Dawes　having　forbidden　the　slaughtered　goat　to　be　eaten；　lest　his　expedition　should　prove　unsuccessfulwondering　at　the　chance　which　had　thrown　this　convict　in　his　way。　　〃Parsons　would　call　it　'a　special　providence；'〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃For　if　it　hadn't　been　for　him；　we　should　never　have　got　thus　far。　　If　his　'boat'　succeeds；　we're　all　right；　I　suppose。　　He's　a　clever　dog。　　I　wonder　who　he　is。〃　His　training　as　a　master　of　convicts　made　him　think　how　dangerous　such　a　man　would　be　on　a　convict　station。　　It　would　be　difficult　to　keep　a　fellow　of　such　resources。　　〃They'll　have　to　look　pretty　sharp　after　him　if　they　ever　get　him　back；〃　he　thought。　　〃I'll　have　a　fine　tale　to　tell　of　his　ingenuity。〃　The　conversation　of　the　previous　day　occurred　to　him。　〃I　promised　to　ask　for　a　free　pardon。　　He　wouldn't　have　it；　though。　Too　proud　to　accept　it　at　my　hands！　　Wait　until　we　get　back。　I'll　teach　him　his　place；　for；　after　all；　it　is　his　own　liberty　that　he　is　working　for　as　well　as　mineI　mean　ours。〃　Then　a　thought　came　into　his　head　that　was　in　every　way　worthy　of　him。　　〃Suppose　we　took　the　boat；　and　left　him　behind！〃　The　notion　seemed　so　ludicrously　wicked　that　he　laughed　involuntarily。

〃What　is　it；　Mr。　Frere？〃

〃Oh；　it's　you；　Sylvia；　is　it？　　Ha；　ha；　ha！　　I　was　thinking　of　something　something　funny。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Sylvia；　〃I　am　glad　of　that。　　Where's　Mr。　Dawes？〃

Frere　was　displeased　at　the　interest　with　which　she　asked　the　question。

〃You　are　always　thinking　of　that　fellow。　　It's　Dawes；　Dawes；　Dawes　all　day　long。　　He　has　gone。〃

〃Oh！〃　with　a　sorrowful　accent。　　〃Mamma　wants　to　see　him。〃

〃What　about？〃　says　Frere　roughly。　　〃Mamma　is　ill；　Mr。　Frere。〃

〃Dawes　isn't　a　doctor。　　What's　the　matter　with　her？〃

〃She　is　worse　than　she　was　yesterday。　　I　don't　know　what　is　the　matter。〃

Frere；　somewhat　alarmed；　strode　over　to　the　little　cavern。

The　〃lady　of　the　Commandant〃　was　in　a　strange　plight。　　The　cavern　was　lofty；　but　narrow。　　In　shape　it　was　three…cornered；　having　two　sides　open　to　the　wind。　The　ingenuity　of　Rufus　Dawes　had　closed　these　sides　with　wicker…work　and　clay；　and　a　sort　of　door　of　interlaced　brushwood　hung　at　one　of　them。　Frere　pushed　open　this　door　and　entered。　　The　poor　woman　was　lying　on　a　bed　of　rushes　strewn　over　young　brushwood；　and　was　moaning　feebly。　From　the　first　she　had　felt　the　privation　to　which　she　was　subjected　most　keenly；　and　the　mental　anxiety　from　which　she　suffered　increased　her　physical　debility。　　The　exhaustion　and　lassitude　to　which　she　had　partially　succumbed　soon　after　Dawes's　arrival；　had　now　completely　overcome　her；　and　she　was　unable　to　rise。

〃Cheer　up；　ma'am；〃　said　Maurice；　with　an　assumption　of　heartiness。　〃It　will　be　all　right　in　a　day　or　two。〃

〃Is　it　you？　　I　sent　for　Mr。　Dawes。〃

〃He　is　away　just　now。　　I　am　making　a　boat。　　Did　not　Sylvia　tell　you？〃

〃She　told　me　that　he　was　making　one。〃

〃Well；　Ithat　is；　weare　making　it。　　He　will　be　back　again　tonight。　Can　I　do　anything　for　you？〃

〃No；　thank　you。　　I　only　wanted　to　know　how　he　was　getting　on。　I　must　go　soonif　I　am　to　go。　　Thank　you；　Mr。　Frere。　　I　am　much　obliged　to　you。　　This　is　ahe…edreadful　place　to　have　visitors；　isn't　it？〃

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Frere；　again；　〃you　will　be　back　in　Hobart　Town　in　a　few　days　now。　　We　are　sure　to　get　picked　up　by　a　ship。　But　you　must　cheer　up。　　Have　some　tea　or　something。〃

〃No；　thank　youI　don't　feel　well　enough　to　eat。　　I　am　tired。〃

Sylvia　began　to　cry。

〃Don't　cry；　dear。　　I　shall　be　better　by　and　by。　　Oh；　I　wish　Mr。　Dawes　was　back。〃

Maurice　Frere　went　out　indignant。　　This　〃Mr。〃　Dawes　was　everybody；　it　seemed；　and　he　was　nobody。　　Let　them　wait　a　little。　　All　that　day；　working　hard　to　carry　out　the　convict's　directions；　he　meditated　a　thousand　plans　by　which　he　could　turn　the　tables。　　He　would　accuse　Dawes　of　violence。　　He　would　demand　that　he　should　be　taken　back　as　an　〃absconder〃。　He　would　insist　that　the　law　should　take　its　course；　and　that　the　〃death〃　which　was　the　doom　of　all　who　were　caught　in　the　act　of　escape　from　a　penal　settlement　should　be　enforced。　　Yet　if　they　got　safe　to　land；　the　marvellous　courage　and　ingenuity　of　the　prisoner　would　tell　strongly　in　his　favour。　　The　woman　and　child　would　bear　witness　to　his　tenderness　and　skill；　and　plead　for　him。　　As　he　had　said；　the　convict　deserved　a　pardon。　The　mean；　bad　man；　burning　with　wounded　vanity　and　undefined　jealousy；　waited　for　some　method　to　suggest　itself；　by　which　he　might　claim　the　credit　of　the　escape；　and　snatch　from　the　prisoner；　who　had　dared　to　rival　him；　the　last　hope　of　freedom。

Rufus　Dawes；　drifting　with　the　current；　had　allowed　himself　to　coast　along　the　eastern　side　of　the　harbour　until　the　Pilot　Station　appeared　in　view　on　the　opposite　shore。　　By　this　time　it　was　nearly　seven　o'clock。　He　landed　at　a　sandy　cove；　and　drawing　up　his　raft；　proceeded　to　unpack　from　among　his　garments　a　piece　of　damper。　　Having　eaten　sparingly；　and　dried　himself　in　the　sun；　he　replaced　the　remains　of　his　breakfast；　and　pushed　his　floats　again　into　the　water。　　The　Pilot　Station　lay　some　distance　below　him；　on　the　opposite　shore。　　He　had　purposely　made　his　second　start　from　a　point　which　would　give　him　this　advantage　of　position；　for　had　he　attempted　to　paddle　across　at　right　angles；　the　strength　of　the　current　would　have　swept　him　out　to　sea。　　Weak　as　he　was；　he　several　times　nearly　lost　his　hold　on　the　reeds。　　The　clumsy　bundle　presenting　too　great　a　broadside　to　the　stream；　whirled　round　and　round；　and　was　once　or　twice　nearly　sucked　under。　　At　length；　however；　breathless　and　exhausted；　he　gained　the　opposite　bank；　half　a　mile　below　the　point　he　had　attempted　to　make；　and　carrying　his　floats　out　of　reach　of　the　tide；　made　off　across　the　hill　to　the　Pilot　Station。

Arrived　there　about　midday；　he　set　to　work　to　lay　his　snares。　The　goats；　with　whose　hides　he　hoped　to　cover　the　coracle；　were　sufficiently　numerous　and　tame　to　encourage　him　to　use　every　exertion。　He　carefully　examined　the　tracks　of　the　animals；　and　found　that　they　converged　to　one　pointthe　track　to　the　nearest　water。　　With　much　labour　he　cut　down　bushes；　so　as　to　mask　the　approach　to　the　waterhole　on　all　sides　save　where　these　tracks　immediately　conjoined。　　Close　to　the　water；　and　at　unequal　distances　along　the　various　tracks；　he　scattered　the　salt　he　had　obtained　by　his　rude　distillation　of　sea…water。　　Between　this　scattered　salt　and　the　points　where　he　judged　the　animals　would　be　likely　to　approach；　he　set　his　traps；　made　after　the　following　manner。　He　took　several　pliant　branches　of　young　trees；　and　having　stripped　them　of　leaves　and　twigs；　dug　with　his　knife　and　the　end　of　the　rude　paddle　he　had　made　for　the　voyage　across　the　inlet；　a　succession　of　holes；　about　a　foot　deep。　　At　the　thicker　end　of　these　saplings　he　fastened；　by　a　piece　of　fishing　line；　a　small　cross…bar；　which　swung　loosely；　like　the　stick　handle　which　a　schoolboy　fastens　to　the　string　of　his　pegtop。　Forcing　the　ends　of　the　saplings　thus　prepared　into　the　holes；　he　filled　in　and　stamped　down　the　earth　all　around　them。　　The　saplings；　thus　anchored　as　it　were　by　the　cross…pieces　of　stick；　not　only　stood　firm；　but　resisted　all　his　efforts　to　withdraw　them。　　To　the　thin　ends　of　these　saplings　he　bound　tightly；　into　notches　cut　in　the　wood；　and　secured　by　a　multiplicity　of　twisting；　the　catgut　springes　he　had　brought　from　the　camping　ground。　　The　saplings　were　then　bent　double；　and　the　gutted　ends　secured　in　the　ground　by　the　same　means　as　that　employed　to　fix　the　butts。　　This　was　the　most　difficult　part　of　the　business；　for　it　was　necessary　to　discover　precisely　the　amount　of　pressure　that　would　hold　the　bent　rod　without　allowing　it　to　escape　by　reason　of　this　elasticity；　and　which　would　yet　〃give〃　to　a　slight　pull　on　the　gut。　　After　many　failures；　however；　this　happy　medium　was　discovered；　and　Rufus　Dawes；　concealing　his　springes　by　means　of　twigs；　smoothed　the　disturbed　sand　with　a　branch　and　retired　to　watch　the　effect　of　his　labours。　　About　two　hours　after　he　had　gone；　the　goats　came　to　drink。　There　were　five　goats　and　two　kids；　and　they　trotted　calmly　along　the　path　to　the　water。　　The　watcher　soon　saw　that　his　precautions　had　been　in　a　manner　wasted。　　The　leading　goat　marched　gravely　into　the　springe；　which；　catching　him　round　his　neck；　released　the　bent　rod；　and　sprang　him　off　his　legs　into　the　air。　　He　uttered　a　comical　bleat；　and　then　hung　kicking。　　Rufus　Dawes；　though　the　success　of　the　scheme　was　a　matter　of　life　and　death；　burst　out　laughing　at　the　antics　of　the　beast。　The　other　goats　bounded　off　at　this　sudden　elevation　of　their　leader；　and　three　more　were　entrapped　at　a　little　distance。　　Rufus　Dawes　now　thought　it　time　to　secure　his　prize；　though　three　of　the　springes　were　as　yet　unsprung。　　He　ran　down　to　the　old　goat；　knife　in　hand；　but　before　he　could　reach　him　the　barely…dri