CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
They were in total darkness, but Bostock took out his match-box andstruck a light to apply to the lamp, which he coolly proceeded toregulate, and then turned to wait for the doctor to speak.
Doctor Kingsmead was standing with the veins in his forehead swollen,his teeth set, and his hands clenched.
"The dog--the brutal ruffian!" he said, as if talking to himself. "Sohelpless. Quite at his mercy. Seemed like a coward and a cur."
"No, you didn't," said Carey, shortly. "We were taken by surprise, andthey're seven to one, and all armed."
The doctor turned to him sharply.
"Seven to one?" he said.
"Yes, I counted them; twenty black fellows and him."
"And threes into twenty-one goes seven times," growled Bostock.
"Yes, yes, seven to one," said the doctor, drawing a deep breath, "andthe ruffian has us at his mercy, for those black fellows would rush atus at a word, like the black pack he calls them. It's plain enough theyhave been within sight in a canoe, and reported to him what they saw.The scoundrel has, no doubt, played the part of wrecker for years andtaken possession of every unfortunate vessel that has come ashore,plundered and burnt it."
"Humph!" growled Bostock.
"What do you say?"
"On'y grunted, sir. That's it. I've heard tell of chaps like him hereand there in the South Seas. They knocks a few of the black fellows orcoffee-coloured ones down, and makes 'em afraid, and then they do asthey like, sir."
"But is it true about their eating people?" said Carey, in a low voice,and he glanced at the door as if half-expecting to be overheard.
"Oh, yes, sir, that's true enough. Our captain once said, when we had areport of a ship going ashore and the crew being massacred, that thesechaps in some of the islands get such a little chance to have anythingbut fruit and fish that they're as rav'nous as wild beasts for flesh."
"Yes, yes, true enough," said the doctor. "So unfortunate for them tocome when we were away. We could have defended the vessel easily."
"That means fighting, sir," growled Bostock.
"Yes; wouldn't you have struck a blow to defend the vessel?"
"Well, you see, sir, I'm only a sailor and not a fighting man," saidBostock, slowly.
"You coward!" cried Carey, indignantly. "Why, boy as I am, I'd havetried to do something, if it was only reloading the guns."
"Course you would, sir; I know that," said the old sailor, quietly."Didn't you give that there nigger a smeller just now?"
"What!" cried the doctor, sharply.
"Got in a temper with one of 'em for trying to steal more'n his share o''bacco, sir, and give him two, one in the mouth and one in the cheek.Stop a moment; let's tell the truth if I die for it. Warn't one o' themcracks on the nose, sir?"
"Oh, I don't know," said Carey, hurriedly. "But I did think at a timelike this, you'd have been ready to fight, Bostock."
"Bob, if it's all same to you, Master Carey, and I didn't say I warn'tready to fight. Why, o' course I will at the proper time."
"Then I beg your pardon, Bos--"
"Bob, sir."
"Well, Bob then, for we can't sit down quietly like this."
"That's what I think, sir, but I aren't the skipper, and it's what thedoctor says as'll have to be done."
"Yes, of course, Bostock," said the doctor, hastily; "but I was soabsolutely stunned by this surprise."
"Yes, sir, reg'lar took aback, I know."
"I have not known what to do or say. I must have time to think."
"That's it, sir. I know you've got to make your plans. Bit o'scheming, because we none on us want one o' them dirty black warmint'sskewers run through us. You make up your mind what to do, and tell mewhich rope I'm to pull, and I'll spit on my hands and haul like a man."
"Yes, yes, I know you will," said the doctor. "As to that oldbeachcomber, sir, shooting aren't in my way, but 'volvers or no'volvers, you give the word when you're ready and I'll chuck himoverboard to get some water to mix with his rum; and I believe that'd bedoing a good action."
"Yes," said the doctor. "Look here. That man can't go on drinkingstrong spirit as he does without soon being quite prostrate."
Bostock looked at the speaker with an expression of disgust and contemptupon his face.
"I What, sir? Do you think that old rough would ever drink enough rumto make him stupid?"
"Of course."
"Never, sir. He just about lives on it. Bound to say he's gone on fora score o' years. Didn't you see as he only nibbled a biscuit?"
"Yes, I noticed that," said Carey, quickly.
"Yes, sir. Rum won't have no more effect on him than tea would on youand me. You try another idea, sir. What do you say to frightening themblack fellows overboard? They're a rum lot; just like a pack o'children. Frightened o' bogies. Show 'em a good scarecrow or tattydooly, as the Scotch folk call it, and they'd think it was what theycall a bunyip."
"What's a bunyip?"
"What they calls a debble-debble, sir. They're awful babies in anythingthey can't understand. You must give 'em some red fire, or blue fire,or 'lectricity."
"Wait, wait, wait," said the doctor, impatiently. "We must temporise.It is no use to try and do anything in haste. The first thing we haveto find out is whether that ruffian goes off to sleep or keeps watch."
Carey pointed to the ventilator over the door.
"I could see through that," he whispered, "if you could take me on yourshoulders."
Bostock nodded, and placed his hands firmly on the sides of the door,bending down his head and standing as firm as a rock, while Carey'sfirst instinct was to take a run and a jump; but he did not, for onereason, there was not room, another, that it would have been folly; buthe placed his hand upon the man's shoulders and steadily climbed up tillhe could stand stooping upon his back, and then he cautiously peeredthrough a little crack, and the first thing he saw was the beachcombersitting back fast asleep.
This sent a thrill of satisfaction through him, and he turned his eyestowards the saloon door, and a chill of horror ran through him, for hecaught sight of something bright and flashing, and it was a few momentsbefore he grasped the fact that it was the lamp reflected from the eyesof one of the blacks close to the floor.
Nearly a minute elapsed before he could make out the black figure oftheir owner, and then he saw it move.
It was plain enough now as it crept in and nearer to the shaded rays ofthe lamp. Carey could even see that the black had his club and thecurved knife-like blade of his boomerang stuck behind in the coarse hairgirdle he wore about his waist.
"Why, he's creeping in to kill his master," was the boy's first thought,and a chill of horror ran through him.
The black crept slowly and silently over the floor of the saloon, andCarey would have uttered words of warning to his companions, but hecould not speak, every faculty seeming frozen, save that he could see;and he stared wildly as he saw now two more pairs of eyes and a coupleof the blacks creep in silently, but only to stop at the door, squattingon their heels, as if watching their leader.
The latter took up Carey's whole attention now, and he waited to see himtake out his club before he uttered a warning shout to the sleeping man,for he felt that he could not stand and see him murdered in cold blood.
The black crept on till he was quite close to the sleeper, and then herose, squatted like his companions, and at last raised his hand.
The warning cry rose to Carey's lips, but it did not leave them, for theblack did not bring out his club, but softly took down the empty glass,smelt it and then thrust in a long black finger, passed it round andsucked it, repeating the action several times, till he could get no moresuggestion of the taste of the spirit, when he replaced the glass, tosit staring at the bottle; but he did not touch it, only squatted therelike a great dog watching over his master, while his two companionsremained silent as a couple of black statues at the door.
That was enough, and
Carey softly dropped down and whispered what he hadseen to his companions.
"And they could brain the old scoundrel at any moment with their clubs,"said the doctor. "It is astonishing."
"Yes, sir," said Bostock, softly; "but aren't it a bit like big savagedogs as I've seen? They could take a man by the throat and shake thelife out of him in a minute, but they don't. They sits and watches overhim, and it'd be an ugly business for any one as attempted to touch him.He's got hold of the black fellows, sir, and can do just what he likeswith 'em. That's how it is there."
"That makes our position more difficult," said the doctor.
"Well, it do, sir; but if I might make so bold, I should like to proposesomething."
"Yes, by all means, Bostock. What is it?"
"You sleep on it, sir, and see how you feel in the morning--both on you,and I'll take the watch."
"It is impossible to sleep to-night," said the doctor, with a sigh.
"Yes; suppose those blacks were to take it into their heads to come andfinish us."
"Nay, they won't do that, sir. Besides, I shall be on the watch."
"No," said the doctor; "you and Carey will lie down and sleep if youcan. I will take the watch. Do as I tell you at once."
"But it isn't fair, sir," said Carey, protesting.
"I must be obeyed in this time of emergency," said the doctor, sternly."Lie down and sleep if you can, and I will try and think out some way ofproceeding. Good-night."
Ten minutes later the doctor was sitting with his back to the door, andin spite of all that had gone by and the belief that he could not sleepa wink in the midst of the peril, Carey dropped off fast, and Bostock'sloud breathing told that he had followed suit, while the three blackssquatted there hour after hour, watching their master and tyrant like somany faithful hounds.