Bevis: The Story of a Boy

against thecliff.

  He was taken beyond the island before he could stay the boat, then heedged away out of the rush behind the land, where the water was muchsmoother, and was able presently to row back to it in the shelter.Bevis came out from the trees to meet him, and taking hold of the stemof the boat drew it ashore. Mark stepped out, and Pan, jumping onBevis, barked round him.

  Bevis told him how it had all happened, and danced with delight when heheard how Mark had won the battle, for he insisted that Mark had doneit. They went to the beacon fire, and then Mark, now his first joy wasover, began to grumble because Bevis had been really shipwrecked and hehad not. He wished he had smashed his boat against the cliff now.Bevis said they could have another great shipwreck soon. Mark wanted tostop all night on the island, but Bevis was hungry.

  "And besides," said he, "there's the governor; he will be awfullyfrightened about us, and he ought to know."

  "So he did," said Mark. "Very well; but, mind, there is to be a jollyshipwreck."

  Scamps as they were, they both disliked to give pain to those who lovedthem. It was the knowledge that the governor would never have put himin the cellar that stopped Mark from the spiteful trick of turning onthe taps. Bevis was exceedingly angry about Mark having been locked up.He stamped his foot, and said the Bailiff should know.

  They got into the boat, and each took a scull, but when they were afloatthey paused, for it occurred to both at once that they could not rowback in the teeth of the storm.

  "We shall have to stop on the island now," said Mark, not at all sorry.Bevis, however, remembered the floating breakwater of weeds, and thewinding channel on that side, and told Mark about it. So they rowedbetween the weeds, and so much were the waves weakened that the boatbarely rocked. Now the boat was steady, Pan sat in front, and peeredover the stem like a figure-head. Presently they came to the sand ormudbanks where the water was quite smooth, and here the heron rose up.

  "We ought to have a gun," said Bevis; "it's a shame we haven't got agun."

  "Just as if we didn't know how to shoot," said Mark indignantly.

  "Just as if," echoed Bevis; "but we will have one, somehow."

  The boat as he spoke grounded on a shallow; they got her off, but shesoon grounded again, and it took them quite three-quarters of an hour tofind the channel, so much did it turn and wind. At last they werestopped by thick masses of weeds, and a great bunch of the reed-mace,often called bulrushes, and decided to land on the sandbank. Theyhauled the boat so far up on the shore that she could not possibly getloose, and then walked to the mainland.

  There the bushes and bramble thickets again gave them much trouble, butthey contrived to get through into the wildest-looking field they hadover seen. It was covered with hawthorn-trees, bunches of thistles,bramble bushes, rushes, and numbers of green ant-hills, almost as highas their knees. Skirting this, as they wound in and out the ant-hills,they startled some peewits, which rose with their curious whistle, andtwo or three white tails, which they knew to be rabbits, disappearedround the thistles.

  It took them some time to cross this field; the next was barley, veryshort; the next wheat, and then clover; and at last they reached thehead of the water, and got into the meadows. Thence it was only a shortway home, and they could see the house illuminated by the moonlight.

  The authorities were wroth, though secretly glad to see them. Nothingwas said; the wrath was too deep for reproaches. They were ordered tobed that instant. They did not dare disobey, but Mark darted a savagelook, and Bevis shouted back from the top of the staircase that he washungry. "Be off, sir," was the only reply. Sullenly they went intotheir room and sat down. Five minutes afterwards some one opened thedoor a little way, put in a plate and a jug, and went away. On theplate were three huge slices of bread, and in the jug cold water.

  "I won't touch it," said Bevis; "it's hateful."

  "It's hateful," said Mark.

  "After we came home to tell them, too," said Bevis. "Horrid!"

  But by-and-by his hunger overcame him; he ate two of the huge slices,and Mark the other. Then after a draught of the cold water, theyundressed, and fell asleep, quick and calm, just as Aurora was beginningto show her white foot in the East.

  Volume Two, Chapter V.

  IN DISGRACE--VISIT TO JACK'S.

  "As if we were dogs," said Bevis indignantly.

  "Just as if," said Mark. "It's hateful. And after coming home from theisland to tell them."

  "All that trouble."

  "I could have brought you some stuff to eat," said Mark, "and we couldhave stopped there all night, quite jolly."

  "Hateful!"

  They were in the blue-painted summer-house the next day talking over theconduct of the authorities, whose manner was distant in the extreme.The governor was very angry. They thought it unjust after winning sucha mighty victory, and actually coming home on purpose to save alarm.

  "I do not like it at all," said Bevis.

  "Let's go back to the island," said Mark eagerly.

  "They would come and look there for us the first thing," said Bevis."I've a great mind to walk to Southampton, and see the ships. It's onlysixty miles."

  "Well, come on," said Mark, quite ready, "The road goes over the hillsby Jack's. O! I know!"

  "What is it?" for Mark had jumped up.

  "Jack's got a rifle," said Mark. "He'll lot us shoot. Let's go andstop with Jack."

  "First-rate," said Bevis. "But how do you know he has a rifle? Therewasn't one when I was there last--you mean the long gun."

  "No, I don't; he's got a rifle. I know, because he told Frances. Hetells Frances everything. Stupids always tell girls everything.Somebody wanted to sell it, and he bought it."

  "Are you quite sure?" said Bevis, getting up.

  "Quite."

  "What sort is it?"

  "A deer rifle."

  "Come on."

  Off they started without another word, and walked a mile in a greathurry, when they recollected that if they did not appear in the eveningthere would be a hunt for them.

  "Just as if we were babies," said Mark.

  "Such rubbish," said Bevis. "But we won't have any more such stuff andnonsense. Let's find Charlie, and send him back with a message."

  They found him, and sent him home with a piece of paper, on with Beviswrote, "We are gone to Jack's, and we shall not be home to-night." Itwas quite an hour's walk to Jack's, whose house was in a narrow valleybetween two hills. Jack was away in the fields, but when he returned heshowed them the rifle, a small, old-fashioned muzzle-loader, and theyspent a long time handling it, and examining the smallest detail.

  "Let's have a shot," said Bevis.

  "Yes," said Mark. "Now do, Jack." They begged and teased and worriedhim, till he almost yielded. He thought perhaps Bevis's governor wouldnot like shooting, but on the other hand he knew Frances was fond ofBevis, and Mark was her brother, with whom, for various reasons, hewished to keep especially friendly. At last he said they would go andtry and shoot a young rabbit, and took down his double-barrel.

  They did not take any dogs, meaning to stalk the rabbits and shoot themsitting, as neither Mark nor Bevis could kill anything moving. Jackwent down to some little enclosed meadows at the foot of the Downs wherethe rabbits came out as the sun began to sink. Every now and then hemade them wait while he crept forward and peered through gaps or overgates.

  Presently he came quietly back from a gap by a hollow willow, and givingBevis the gun (which he had hitherto carried himself, being very anxiouslest an accident should happen), whispered to him that there were threeyoung rabbits out in the grass.

  "Aim at the shoulder," said Jack, thinking Bevis might miss the head."And be sure you don't pull both triggers at once, and--I say--" ButBevis had started. Bevis stepped as noiselessly as a squirrel, andglancing carefully round the willow saw the rabbits' ears pricked up inthe grass. They had heard or seen him, but being so young were not muchfrightened, and soon resumed feeding. r />
  He lifted the gun, which was somewhat heavy, having been converted froma muzzle-loader, and old guns were made heavier than is the custom now.One of the rabbits moving turned his back to him, so that he could notsee the shoulder; the other was behind a bunch of grass; but in a minutethe third moved, and Bevis aimed at him. The barrels would not at firstkeep quite steady, the sight, just as he had got it on the rabbit,jumped aside or drooped, so that he had to try twice before he wassatisfied.

  "What a time he is," whispered Mark, when Bevis pulled the trigger, andthey all ran forward. Jack jumped through the gap