perils of certain english prisoners-第5章

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asleep　with　wet　eyelashes；　and　a　sore；　sore　heart。　　Just　as　I　had

often　done　when　I　was　a　child；　and　had　been　worse　used　than　usual。



I　slept　（as　a　child　under　those　circumstances　might）　very　sound；　and

yet　very　sore　at　heart　all　through　my　sleep。　　I　was　awoke　by　the

words；　〃He　is　a　determined　man。〃　　I　had　sprung　out　of　my　hammock；

and　had　seized　my　firelock；　and　was　standing　on　the　ground；　saying

the　words　myself。　　〃He　is　a　determined　man。〃　　But；　the　curiosity　of

my　state　was；　that　I　seemed　to　be　repeating　them　after　somebody；　and

to　have　been　wonderfully　startled　by　hearing　them。



As　soon　as　I　came　to　myself；　I　went　out　of　the　hut；　and　away　to

where　the　guard　was。　　Charker　challenged：



〃Who　goes　there？〃



〃A　friend。〃



〃Not　Gill？〃　says　he；　as　he　shouldered　his　piece。



〃Gill；〃　says　I。



〃Why；　what　the　deuce　do　you　do　out　of　your　hammock？〃　says　he。



〃Too　hot　for　sleep；〃　says　I；　〃is　all　right？〃



〃Right！〃　says　Charker；　〃yes；　yes；　all's　right　enough　here；　what

should　be　wrong　here？　　It's　the　boats　that　we　want　to　know　of。

Except　for　fire…flies　twinkling　about；　and　the　lonesome　splashes　of

great　creatures　as　they　drop　into　the　water；　there's　nothing　going

on　here　to　ease　a　man's　mind　from　the　boats。〃



The　moon　was　above　the　sea；　and　had　risen；　I　should　say；　some　half…

an…hour。　　As　Charker　spoke；　with　his　face　towards　the　sea；　I；

looking　landward；　suddenly　laid　my　right　hand　on　his　breast；　and

said；　〃Don't　move。　　Don't　turn。　　Don't　raise　your　voice！　　You　never

saw　a　Maltese　face　here？〃



〃No。　　What　do　you　mean？〃　he　asks；　staring　at　me。



〃Nor　yet；　an　English　face；　with　one　eye　and　a　patch　across　the

nose？〃



〃No。　　What　ails　you？　　What　do　you　mean？〃



I　had　seen　both；　looking　at　us　round　the　stem　of　a　cocoa…nut　tree；

where　the　moon　struck　them。　　I　had　seen　that　Sambo　Pilot；　with　one

hand　laid　on　the　stem　of　the　tree；　drawing　them　back　into　the　heavy

shadow。　　I　had　seen　their　naked　cutlasses　twinkle　and　shine；　like

bits　of　the　moonshine　in　the　water　that　had　got　blown　ashore　among

the　trees　by　the　light　wind。　　I　had　seen　it　all；　in　a　moment。　　And　I

saw　in　a　moment　（as　any　man　would）；　that　the　signalled　move　of　the

pirates　on　the　mainland　was　a　plot　and　a　feint；　that　the　leak　had

been　made　to　disable　the　sloop；　that　the　boats　had　been　tempted

away；　to　leave　the　Island　unprotected；　that　the　pirates　had　landed

by　some　secreted　way　at　the　back；　and　that　Christian　George　King　was

a　double…dyed　traitor；　and　a　most　infernal　villain。



I　considered；　still　all　in　one　and　the　same　moment；　that　Charker　was

a　brave　man；　but　not　quick　with　his　head；　and　that　Sergeant　Drooce；

with　a　much　better　head；　was　close　by。　　All　I　said　to　Charker　was；

〃I　am　afraid　we　are　betrayed。　　Turn　your　back　full　to　the　moonlight

on　the　sea；　and　cover　the　stem　of　the　cocoa…nut　tree　which　will　then

be　right　before　you；　at　the　height　of　a　man's　heart。　　Are　you

right？〃



〃I　am　right；〃　says　Charker；　turning　instantly；　and　falling　into　the

position　with　a　nerve　of　iron；　〃and　right　ain't　left。　　Is　it；　Gill？〃



A　few　seconds　brought　me　to　Sergeant　Drooce's　hut。　　He　was　fast

asleep；　and　being　a　heavy　sleeper；　I　had　to　lay　my　hand　upon　him　to

rouse　him。　　The　instant　I　touched　him　he　came　rolling　out　of　his

hammock；　and　upon　me　like　a　tiger。　　And　a　tiger　he　was；　except　that

he　knew　what　he　was　up　to；　in　his　utmost　heat；　as　well　as　any　man。



I　had　to　struggle　with　him　pretty　hard　to　bring　him　to　his　senses；

panting　all　the　while　（for　he　gave　me　a　breather）；　〃Sergeant；　I　am

Gill　Davis！　　Treachery！　　Pirates　on　the　Island！〃



The　last　words　brought　him　round；　and　he　took　his　hands　of。　　〃I　have

seen　two　of　them　within　this　minute；〃　said　I。　　And　so　I　told　him

what　I　had　told　Harry　Charker。



His　soldierly；　though　tyrannical；　head　was　clear　in　an　instant。　　He

didn't　waste　one　word；　even　of　surprise。　　〃Order　the　guard；〃　says

he；　〃to　draw　off　quietly　into　the　Fort。〃　　（They　called　the　enclosure

I　have　before　mentioned；　the　Fort；　though　it　was　not　much　of　that。）

〃Then　get　you　to　the　Fort　as　quick　as　you　can；　rouse　up　every　soul

there；　and　fasten　the　gate。　　I　will　bring　in　all　those　who　are　at

the　Signal　Hill。　　If　we　are　surrounded　before　we　can　join　you；　you

must　make　a　sally　and　cut　us　out　if　you　can。　　The　word　among　our　men

is；　'Women　and　children！'〃



He　burst　away；　like　fire　going　before　the　wind　over　dry　reeds。　　He

roused　up　the　seven　men　who　were　off　duty；　and　had　them　bursting

away　with　him；　before　they　know　they　were　not　asleep。　　I　reported

orders　to　Charker；　and　ran　to　the　Fort；　as　I　have　never　run　at　any

other　time　in　all　my　life：　　no；　not　even　in　a　dream。



The　gate　was　not　fast；　and　had　no　good　fastening：　　only　a　double

wooden　bar；　a　poor　chain；　and　a　bad　lock。　　Those；　I　secured　as　well

as　they　could　be　secured　in　a　few　seconds　by　one　pair　of　hands；　and

so　ran　to　that　part　of　the　building　where　Miss　Maryon　lived。　　I

called　to　her　loudly　by　her　name　until　she　answered。　　I　then　called

loudly　all　the　names　I　knewMrs。　Macey　（Miss　Maryon's　married

sister）；　Mr。　Macey；　Mrs。　Venning；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Fisher；　even　Mr。　and

Mrs。　Pordage。　　Then　I　called　out；　〃All　you　gentlemen　here；　get　up

and　defend　the　place！　　We　are　caught　in　a　trap。　　Pirates　have

landed。　　We　are　attacked！〃



At　the　terrible　word　〃Pirates！〃for；　those　villains　had　done　such

deeds　in　those　seas　as　never　can　be　told　in　writing；　and　can

scarcely　be　so　much　as　thought　ofcries　and　screams　rose　up　from

every　part　of　the　place。　　Quickly　lights　moved　about　from　window　to

window；　and　the　cries　moved　about　with　them；　and　men；　women；　and

children　came　flying　down　into　the　square。　　I　remarked　to　myself；

even　then；　what　a　number　of　things　I　seemed　to　see　at　once。　　I

noticed　Mrs。　Macey　coming　towards　me；　carrying　all　her　three

children　together。　　I　noticed　Mr。　Pordage　in　the　greatest　terror；　in

vain　trying　to　get　on　his　Diplomatic　coat；　and　Mr。　Kitten

respectfully　tying　his　pocket…handkerchief　over　Mrs。　Pordage's

nightcap。　　I　noticed　Mrs。　Belltott　run　out　screaming；　and　shrink

upon　the　ground　near　me；　and　cover　her　face　in　her　hands；　and　lie

all　of　a　bundle；　shivering。　　But；　what　I　noticed　with　the　greatest

pleasure　was；　the　determined　eyes　with　which　those　men　of　the　Mine

that　I　had　thought　fine　gentlemen；　came　round　me　with　what　arms　they

had：　　to　the　full　as　cool　and　resolute　as　I　could　be；　for　my　life

ay；　and　for　my　soul；　too；　into　the　bargain！



The　chief　person　being　Mr。　Macey；　I　told　him　how　the　three　men　of

the　guard　would　be　at　the　gate　directly；　if　they　were　not　already

there；　and　how　Sergeant　Drooce　and　the　other　seven　were　gone　to

bring　in　the　outlying　part　of　the　people　of　Silver…Store。　　I　next

urged　him；　for　the　love　of　all　who　were　dear　to　him；　to　trust　no

Sambo；　and；　above　all；　if　he　could　got　any　good　chance　at　Christian

George　King；　not　to　lose　it；　but　to　put　him　out　of　the　world。



〃I　will　follow　your　advice　to　the　letter；　Davis；〃　says　he；　〃what

next？〃



My　answer　was；　〃I　think；　sir；　I　would　recommend　you　next；　to　order

down　such　heavy　furniture　and　lumber　as　can　be　moved；　and　make　a

barricade　within　the　gate。〃



〃That's　good　again；〃　says　he：　　〃will　you　see　it　done？〃



〃I'll　willingly　help　to　do　it；〃　says　I；　〃unless　or　until　my

superior；　Sergeant　Drooce；　gives　me　other　orders。〃



He　shook　me　by　the　hand；　and　having　told　off　some　of　his　companions

to　help　me；　bestirred　himself　to　look　to　the　arms　and　ammunition。　　A

proper　quick；　brave；　steady；　ready　gentleman！



One　of　their　three　little　children　was　deaf　and　dumb；　Miss　Maryon

had　been　from　the　first　with　all　the　children；　soothing　them；　and

dressing　them　（poor　little　things；　they　had　been　brought　out　of

their　beds）；　and　making　them　believe　that　it　was　a　game　of　play；　so

that　some　of　them　were　now　even　laughing。　　I　had　been　working　hard

with　the　others　at　the　barricade；　and　had　got　up　a　pretty　good

breast…work　within　the　gate。　　Drooce　and　the　seven　men　had　come

back；　bringing　in　the　people　from　the　Signal　Hill；　and　had　worked

along　with　us：　　but；　I　had　not　so　much　as　spoken　a　word　to　Drooce；

nor　had　Drooce　so　much　as　spoken　a　word　to　me；　for　we　were　both　too

busy。　　The　breastwork　was　now　finished；　and　I　found　Miss　Maryon　at

my　side；　with　a　child　in　her　arms。　　Her　dark　hair　was　fastened　round

her　head　with　a　band。　　She　had　a　quantity　of　it；　and　it　looked　even

richer　and　more　precious；　put　up　hastily　out　of　her　way；　than　I　had

seen　it　look　when　it　was　carefully　arranged。　　She　was　very　pale；　but

extraordinarily　quiet　and　still。



〃Dear　good　Davis；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　been　waiting　to　speak　one　word

to　you。〃



I　turned　to　her　directly。　　If　I　had　received　a　musket…ball　in　the

heart；　and　she　had　stood　there；　I　almost　believe　I　should　have

turned　to　her　before　I　dropped。



〃This　pretty　little　creature；〃　said　she；　kissing　the　child　in　her

arms；　who　was　playing　with　her　hair　and　trying　to　pull　it　down；

〃cannot　hear　what　we　saycan　hear　nothing。　　I　trust　you　so　much；

and　have　such　great　confidence　in　you；　that　I　want　you　to　make　me　a

promise。〃



〃What　is　it；　Miss？〃



〃That　if　we　are　defeated；　and　you　are　absolutely　sure　of　my　being

taken；　you　will　kill　me。〃



〃I　shall　not　be　alive　to　do　it；　Miss。　　I　shall　have　died　in　your

defence　before　it　comes　to　that。　　They　must　step　across　my　body　to

lay　a　hand　on　you。〃



〃But；　if　you　are　alive；　you　brave　soldier。〃　　How　she　looked　at　me！

〃And　if　you　cannot　save　me　from　the　Pirates；　living；　you　will　save

me；　dead。　　Tell　me　so。〃



Well！　　I　told　her　I　would　do　that　at　the　last；　if　all　else　failed。

She　took　my　handmy　rough；　coarse　handand　put　it　to　her　lips。

She　put　it　to　the　child's　lips；　and　the　child　kissed　it。　　I　believe

I　had　the　strength　of　half　a　dozen　men　in　me；　from　that　moment；

until　the　fight　was　over。



All　this　time；　Mr。　Commissioner　Pordage　had　been　wanting　to　make　a

Proclamation　to　the　Pirates　to　lay　down　their　arms　and　go　away；　and

everybody　had　been　hustling　him　about　and　tumbling　over　him；　while

he　was　calling　for　pen　and　ink　to　write　it　with。　　Mrs。　Pordage；　too；

had　some　curious　ideas　about　the　British　respectability　of　her

nightcap　（which　had　as　many　frills　to　it；　growing　in　layers　one

inside　another；　as　if　it　was　a　white　vegetable　of　the　artichoke

sort）；　and　she　wouldn't　take　the　nightcap　off；　and　would　be　angry

when　it　got　crushed　by　the　other　ladies　who　were　handing　things

about；　and；　in　short；　she　gave　as　much　trouble　as　her　husband　did。

But；　as　we　were　now　forming　for　the　defence　of　the　place；　they　were

both　poked　out　of　the　way　with　no　ceremony。　　The　children　and　ladies

were　got　into　the　little　trench　which　surrounded　the　silver…house

（we　were　afraid　of　leaving　them　in　any　of　the　light　buildings；　lest

they　should　be　set　on　fire）；　and　we　made　the　best　disposition　we

could。　　There　was　a　pretty　good　store；　in　point　of　amount；　of

tolera