The Ocean Cat's Paw: The Story of a Strange Cruise

  CHAPTER SEVEN.

  HE SAYS.

  "Eh? What?" exclaimed Uncle Paul excitedly.

  "You don't mean that he is coming here?"

  "He is, uncle," replied the boy nervously, and his colour began to goand come.

  "Tut, tut, tut, tut!" ejaculated Uncle Paul. "This looks serious, myboy. Well, I don't know. Perhaps he's only heard of the visit that hasbeen paid here."

  "I beg pardon, sir; here is Mr Windell, one of the sergeants of theprison guard. Could he see you for a few minutes?"

  "Well, I'm rather--Yes, yes, show him in, Mrs Champernowne. Rodney, myboy, you sit still and hold your tongue. I don't know what this manwants; but you leave it to me."

  Rodd nodded his head, and fancied that he felt relieved, but he did not,for his heart was beating faster than usual, and he was suffering from astrange kind of emotion.

  "Good-morning, gentlemen," said the sergeant, saluting stiffly as he wasshown in.

  "Good-morning," said Uncle Paul stiffly. "Do you wish to see me?"

  "Yes, sir; only about a little matter upon the moor yesterday. After weleft you I did not feel satisfied about those prisoners."

  "Indeed?" said Uncle Paul coldly.

  "No, sir. The governor yonder likes to have things thoroughly done, soabout three hours afterwards I went over the ground again."

  "Yes," said Uncle Paul, without taking his eyes from the sergeant'sface.

  "And there I found out something else."

  Uncle Paul was silent, and Rodd's heart went on now in a steady_thump_--_thump_--_thump_--_thump_.

  "Thought I'd come on, sir," said the sergeant, turning back to the door,going outside, and returning with Rodd's creel, which he slowly openedand took from within, neatly folded up, the canvas wallet. "Belong toyou gentlemen, don't they?"

  "Yes," said Uncle Paul slowly; "those are ours. Well?"

  Rodd's heart now seemed to stand quite still till the sergeant repliedto his uncle's query.

  "That's all, sir; that's all," said the sergeant, and Rodd's heart wenton again. "You had left them behind, and I thought I'd bring them on."

  "Thank you," said Uncle Paul quietly. "Very good of you, and I am muchobliged."

  "Don't name it, sir. Going to have another fine day, and hope the younggentleman here will have plenty more sport. There's a lot of trout upthere, only they are terrible small. Good-morning, gentlemen."

  "Good-morning, sergeant," said Uncle Paul quietly, and Rodd's mouthopened a little and then shut, but no sound came. "Wait a moment,sergeant," continued Uncle Paul, thrusting his hand into his pocket andfeeling about amongst some five-and-twenty or thirty coins, all of whichfelt too small, for he wanted a larger one; but feeling that, he tookhold of three together, when something made him stop short with his handhalf out of his pocket, and he thrust it back again. "Dear me," hesaid, quickly now, "I really have no change."

  "Oh, there's no need for that, sir," said the sergeant.

  "Yes, yes," said Uncle Paul. "Rodd, my boy, have you half-a-crown inyour pocket?"

  "I think so, uncle," said the boy quickly; and then his face lookedblank. "No, uncle; I haven't anything at all," he cried in dismay.

  "Oh, pray don't mind, sir," said the sergeant, moving to the door."Good-morning, sir; good-morning. I don't want paying for a littlething like that."

  "Stop, please," said Uncle Paul hurriedly. "Rodd, my boy, go and askMrs Champernowne if she'll be kind enough to lend me half-a-crown."

  Rodd hurried out, feeling exceedingly hot, and with a peculiar moisturein the palms of his hands, returning directly afterwards with therequired coin, though the unexpected demand had made their landlady openher eyes rather widely.

  "There, that's right, sergeant," said Uncle Paul, "and I am sure mynephew is much obliged. He wouldn't have liked to lose that creel."

  "Thank you, sir. Very glad I found it. Good-morning once more."

  The man saluted both, giving Rodd a very peculiar look which seemed togo through him, and then turning upon his heels, he marched out of theroom and shut the door, while Uncle Paul sank back in his chair, tookout a clean red and yellow silk handkerchief, and wiped his forehead.

  "Rodney, my boy," he said, "I felt as if we had been doing somethingunderhanded, and nearly brought out three of those napoleons to pay thatman."

  "Oh, uncle," said the boy huskily; "it would have been like telling himthat the poor fellows had been here."

  "Yes, my boy, and that you had been helping them to escape."

  "Oh!" ejaculated Rodd, and he darted to the window. "No," he gasped,with a sigh of relief. "He's gone."

  "Well, we knew he'd gone, boy."

  "Yes, uncle, but I was afraid that he'd stop talking to MrsChampernowne, and she would tell him about their coming here. But hedidn't stop, and he has gone right away."

  "Hah!" ejaculated Uncle Paul. "Well, you see how near we have been togetting into trouble with the authorities; for of course they are verystrict over such things as these. There, now I must write an importantletter to send off in acknowledgment of that despatch; so you be off nowfor about half-an-hour, and go and play like a good boy."

  "Yes, uncle," said Rodd, rather grumpily; and he went slowly out, withthe intention of getting somewhere on to the high ground where he couldwatch the sergeant's red coat till he was out of sight. "I wish UnclePaul wouldn't talk to me like that," he muttered, as he went out of thegarden gate. "Go out and play like a good boy! It does make me feel sowild! He'll be saying good little boy next, and I am past sixteen; andhe wasn't doing it to tease me either, for he was quite serious, whatwith the prisoners, and the sergeant coming like that. Bother him! Helooked at me as he went away just as if he suspected that I'd left thesandwiches and the fish where that poor fellow could get them. Here, Imustn't let him see that I am following him. I'll go round by thatother track and get up behind those stones. Then I can see the wholeway to the prison. Oh, he didn't know anything, or else he'd havespoken out. But that's the worst of doing what you oughtn't to. Youalways feel as if everybody suspects you. Well, I didn't want to do anyharm, and Uncle Paul didn't think it was very wrong, in spite of hisgrumbling about the French. If he had he wouldn't have called mePickle. It would have been Rodney, and his voice would have soundedvery severe, for he can be when he likes. Spoiled and indulged me!That he hasn't!"

  The ascent was so steep by the track he had chosen that the boy was soonhigh above the cottages, hurrying along by a ridge of stones which ledup to what looked like a young tor, so situated that it sheltered thetwo cottage gardens, and the enclosed field or two where the neighbour'scow was pastured, from the north and east wind, and also acted as a lewfor Mrs Champernowne's bees, which could reach their straw hive homescomfortably without being blown out by the wanton breezes whichtravelled across the moors.

  Rodd was pretty well out of breath when he reached the little tor, andso he drew in a fresh supply as he dropped upon his knees and crawledround the last stone to his proposed look-out, feeling certain he wouldbe able to see the sergeant's bright scarlet coat with its white belts,as he marched straight away for the prison.

  He did see him, but not so far off as he had anticipated, and the sighttook his breath completely away again, for as he crept round he becameconscious of a peculiar scent that was not wild thyme but tobacco, andbefore he realised what it was, he came plump face to face with theirlate visitor, who was seated upon the soft close turf with his backagainst a stone, basking in the sunshine, and evidently enjoying a rest.

  "Here we are again, then, sir!" he cried, in his sharp military way. "Ithought I'd just sit down here for a bit on the chance that you mightcome up and like to have a word or two to say to me."

  He looked very hard at Rodd as he spoke, and the boy felt his face burn,while the next moment there was a sensation as if the cool wind werefanning his hot cheeks.

  "Come out to speak to me, didn't you, sir?" said the sergeant.

  Rodd was silent for a
few moments, for his throat felt dry, while hepassed his tongue over his lips to moisten them.

  "No," he said, at last, with an effort. "I came up here to see if youhad gone, and watch you back to the prison."

  The sergeant laughed softly, and thrust one finger into the bowl of hispipe, before sending out a fresh cloud of smoke.

  "Ah," he said, "I am not surprised. Well, here we are. Do you want tosay anything to me?"

  Rodd opened and shut his lips again, but no words came till he made aneffort, and then said, with his utterance sounding very dry--

  "You want to speak to me?"

  "Right, sir. Yes, I do. You remember when I came upon you up yonder bythat pool?"

  Rodd nodded and frowned.

  "Well, I suppose you noticed that there was a hole at the bottom ofthose rocks across there, where the little stream came out?"

  "Yes," said Rodd, with his brow puckering up.

  "Well, yesterday evening, as I said to your uncle, I went over theground again to see if I could find any track of those escapedprisoners."

  Rodd nodded shortly.

  "Well, I took off my gaiters and shoes and stockings and waded acrossthe pool, and nearly doubled myself up to get into that hole; and afterI had gone a little way I found that there was quite a dry cave therewith streaks of light coming down from above between the piled-upstones."

  Rodd nodded again.

  "Just in the highest part where the water did not reach, some one hadlit a fire with bits of ling and dry peat. It was still warm--at least,the ashes were, and somebody had been busy cooking trout there, grillingthem, thriddled on a stick of hazel; and very curious it was too, forsomehow or other, the water, instead of running down, had been runningup backwards like, and carried with it that there fishing-basket ofyours, and the wallet, and laid them upon that nice dry sandy placeclose up to the fire along by which there were ever so many heads ofthose little fish, and their backbones. Rum, wasn't it? Do you thinkan otter could have done that?"

  "No," said Rodd, after a few moments' pause; and he spoke sharply andangrily. "No, I don't think that."

  "More don't I," said the sergeant dryly, and he half closed his eyes andsent a faint little curl of smoke into the air. "Now, young gentleman,what do you think would happen if I was to go yonder to the governor atthe prison, and say that I believed you had helped the King's enemies toescape? You didn't, of course, eh?"

  Rodd moistened his lips again, and his frank young face looked very muchpuckered and wrinkled as he pulled himself together and looked almostdefiantly at his questioner, who exclaimed--

  "Well, you heard what I said."

  The boy nodded.

  "Well, speak out. You didn't, of course?"

  Rodd drew a deep breath, moistened his lips again, and then out thewords came. "Yes," he said, "I did!"

  "Hah!" said the sergeant, as he fixed the boy with his keen grey eyesand spoke to him as if he were one of his recruits. "Well, I like that.Spoken like a man. My old mother used to say, `Speak the truth, Tom,and then you needn't be afraid of any man.' Look here, youngster, I amonly a soldier, and you are a young gentleman, or else you wouldn't bevisiting and making holiday here; but do you mind shaking hands?"

  "Yes," said Rodd hotly, "I know: I suppose I have done wrong, and youhave got your duty to do; so go and do it."

  "Here," cried the sergeant, "grip, boy, grip! I like you for all thismore and more. I had my duty to do, and I did it as far as I could; butI was too late. The prisoners had escaped, and we have heard thismorning, the news being brought by a miserable-looking sneak of a fellowwho had come to the governor to ask for the reward for not taking them,that they got down to Salcombe very late last night and boarded one ofthe orange boats in the little harbour, where I expect they had friendswaiting for them, for the schooner sailed at once, and I dare say theyare within sight of a French port before now. Yes, I had my duty to do,me and my lads, but the prisoners escaped, same as I would if I had beenin a French prison, shut up for doing nothing, and because our twocountries were at war. There, I am not going to blame you now it's allover, as you own to it like a man. They both came to you, I suppose,for a bit of help, and you gave it to them. But when I was on duty Ishould have nailed you if I had caught you in the act. There, that'lldo. Thought I should like to tell you about it, and hold you like atthe point of the bayonet, and see what you'd say. I know it's precioushard to tell the truth sometimes, and it must have been very hard here.But you did it like a man. But I say: you never thought that basket andwallet would tell tales when you left those poor beggars a mouthful toeat; and I hope if there's any more war to come and I'm took, and make agood try to slip away--I hope, I say, that I shall come upon some braveyoung French lad who will do as good a turn to me as you did to thosepoor fellows, who were making a run for freedom, and to get out of thereach of our bayonets and guns."

  Rodd thrust his hand into his pocket, and flushed up now more than ever,for the sergeant caught him by the wrist.

  "No, no, my lad," he cried; "none of that! I didn't come here to getmoney out of you. I was a boy once myself. Only a common one, butpretty straightforward and honest, or else I don't suppose I should havewon these three gold chevrons which I have got here upon my arm. Well,I wouldn't have taken pay then for doing a dirty action, fond as I wasof coppers with the King's head on; and I wouldn't do it now. So don'tyou make me set up my hackles by trying to offer me anything for this.Besides, I've got a whole half-crown your uncle gave me, and I am noteven going to ask you whether he had a finger in this pie."

  "No, he hadn't--he hadn't indeed," cried Rodd warmly. "On my honour,sergeant, I did it all."

  "All right, my lad, I'll take your word; but just you take my advice.The law's law, and they're pretty sharp about here, so if you hear thegun fire and the soldiers are out after any poor fellows who haveescaped, don't you get meddling with 'em again. Time I was off back."And without another word the sergeant sprang up and strode away, leavingRodd watching him for a time and admiring the man's upright carriage andbold elastic step, till happening to cast his eyes in another direction,he found himself looking down upon Mrs Champernowne's cottage, and,with letter in hand and straw hat on head, Uncle Paul, looking in alldirections as if in search of his missing boy.