CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
HUMAN CATTLE.
The prisoners had been sitting in the dark warehouse-like place for somehours, Nic sleeping soundly, and Pete watching and listening to hiscompanions in misfortune, judging from their behaviour that he was to betreated as an outcast, but caring little, for he was conscious of havingbeen true to them in their nefarious doings.
"Let them think what they like," he said to himself. "Humpy has gotthat into their heads, and if I talk to them for a week they won'tbelieve me."
Then he began to muse upon the subject which forms seven-eighths of aprisoner's thoughts--how he and Nic were to escape, and whether it wouldbe possible to get to a boat and float down the river of which they hadhad a glimpse, and of which he had heard his companions speaking, whensuddenly there was the deep, heavy barking of a dog, followed by that oftwo more; and, as he listened, the sounds came nearer and nearer, incompany with the shuffling of feet. Voices were heard too, and directlyafter there was a loud snuffling sound and a deep growling, as the dogsthey had heard thrust their noses under the big door, tore at it, andgrowled savagely, till a fierce voice roared:
"Come here! Lie down!" and there was a crack of a whip, and a sharpyelp to indicate that one of the dogs had received a blow.
Directly after there was the rattle of a big key in the lock, the boltsnapped back, and the door was thrown open, to fill the place with theglow of the afternoon sunshine; and three great hounds bounded in, torush at once for the prisoners and begin snuffing at them, growlingloudly the while.
"Call those dogs off, Saunders," said a stern voice, as the entrance wasdarkened by the figures of a group of men.
"In a moment," was the reply, made by a tall, active-looking man, "Theyonly want to know the new hands, and their flavour.--Here: down, boys!"
The speaker accompanied his order with a sharp crack of the whip, andthe dogs came back unwillingly from the groups seated on the floor.
"Take care," said the first speaker; "that man has a knife."
Pete turned sharply, to see that a knife-blade was gleaming in HumpyDee's hand.
"Knife, has he?" said the man addressed as Saunders, and he steppedforward to where Humpy was crouching down.
"Give me that knife," he said sharply.
"I don't want to be eat by dogs," said Humpy in a low, surly tone.
"Give me that knife," was reiterated sternly, "or I set the dogs to holdyou while I take it away."
Humpy hesitated for a moment and glared in the speaker's eyes; but heread there a power which was too much for him, and he closed the bladewith a snap and slowly held it up.
The man snatched it from him with his left hand, and the next instantthere was a sharp whish through the air and a smart crack, as thestinging lash of a whip fell across Humpy's shoulder, making him utter ayell of rage.
"Saunders, Saunders!" said the first speaker reproachfully.
"All right, Mr Groves; I know what I'm about," said the man sharply."That fellow was armed with a knife which he must have stolen from oneof the sailors; and he was ready to use it. The sooner a savage brutelike that is taught his position here the better for him. You have doneyour part and handed the scoundrels over to me, so please don'tinterfere."
The first speaker shrugged his shoulders, and turned to a couple of menwho were carrying a basket and a great pitcher; while Saunders went onsharply:
"You hear what I am saying, my lads; so understand this: You have beensent out here from your country because you were not fit to stay there;and you will have to serve now up at your proprietor's plantation.Behave yourselves, and you will be well fed, and fairly treated overyour work; but I warn you that we stand no nonsense here. The law givesus power to treat you as you deserve. Our lives are sacred; yours arenot--which means, as Mr Groves here will tell you, that if you ventureto attack any one you will be shot down at sight, while I may as welltell you now that we shall fire at any man who attempts to escape."
Pete's head gave a throb, and his hand glided slowly to Nic's and heldit tightly.
"When you get up to the plantation you will see for yourselves that youcannot get away, for you will have jailers there always ready to watchyou or hunt you down. There are three of them," he continued, pointingto the dogs which crouched on the warehouse floor, panting, with theirlong red tongues out and curled up at the ends.
At their master's gesture the sagacious animals sprang up and gazedeagerly in his face.
"Not now, boys; lie down.--Ah, what's that?" he cried sharply, and thedogs made a movement as if to rush at the prisoners, for Humpy leanedsideways and whispered to his nearest companion:
"More ways than one o' killing a dog."
"Talking about the dogs," said the other surlily. "You are makingyourself a marked man, my friend. Take care. Who are these--the twowho have been in hospital, Mr Groves?"
"I suppose so," was the reply.
"What's the matter with you?" said the overseer--for such he proved tobe--addressing Pete. "Jump up."
Pete softly lifted Nic's head from his knee and rose quickly.
"Was cut down, sir," said Pete; "but I'm getting better fast now."
"Good job for you. Now, you, sir; wake up."
The overseer raised the whip he held, to make a flick at Nic as he laysoundly asleep; but Pete stepped forward to save his companion, and inbending over him received the slight cut himself without flinching,though the lash made him feel as if he had been stung.
"He has been a'most dead, zir," said Pete sharply; "but he's gettingbetter now fast. Hasn't got his zenses, though."
"Wake him up, then," said the overseer sharply; "and you can get yourmeal now.--Here, my lads, bring that stuff here and serve it out."
Pete obeyed the order given, and began by gently shaking Nic, who madeno sign. Pete shook him again more firmly, starting violently the nextmoment, for, unnoticed, one of the great hounds had approached him andlowered its muzzle to sniff at the prostrate man.
Pete's first instinctive idea was to strike fiercely at thesavage-looking intruder, but fortunately he held his hand and bent overhis companion wonderingly, and hardly able to believe what he saw; foras the dog nuzzled about Nic's face, the young man, partly aroused bythe shaking, opened his eyes, looked vacantly at the brute for somemoments, and then, as if his intellectual powers were returning, hesmiled, the animal stopping short and staring down at him closely.
"Well, old fellow," he said gently; "whose dog are you?"
Pete looked up sharply, and saw that every one's attention was centredon the basket and pitcher, the two men serving out the provisions andtheir two superiors looking on.
Then he glanced back again, to see in horror that Nic had raised hishand to the dog's muzzle, and followed that up by taking hold of andpassing the animal's long, soft ears through his hand.
Pete would have seized the dog, but he felt paralysed by the thoughtthat if he interfered he might make matters worse; and then his heartseemed to rise in his throat, for the great hound uttered a deep, shortbark, which had the effect of bringing the others to its side.
"Quiet, you, sirs!" cried their master, but he did not turn his head,and the three dogs now pressed round Nic, the first planting hisfore-paws on the young man's chest, blinking at him with his jaws apartand the long red tongue playing and quivering between the sets of keenmilk-white teeth, evidently liking the caresses it received, and ofwhich the other two appeared to be jealous, for they suddenly began towhimper; and then the first threw up its head, and all three broke intoa loud baying.
"Quiet, there!" roared Saunders, and he turned sharply now, saw what hadtaken place, and came back cracking his whip. "Ah!" he shouted. "Getback! How dare you?"
The dogs growled, stood fast, and barked at him loudly.
"Good boys, then!" cried Saunders. "Yes, it's all right; you've foundhim. There, that will do."
The dogs began to leap and bound about the place, while their masterturned to Pete.
"
Why didn't you call me?" he said. "Have they bitten him?"
"No; haven't hurt him a bit," said Pete quietly.
"Lucky for him," said the man. "There, you see what they're like, andknow what you have to expect--What?"
"I said, are they your dogs?"
Pete stared, for it was Nic who spoke, perfectly calmly, though in afeeble voice.
"Yes," replied Saunders. "Why?"
"I could not help admiring them. They are magnificent beasts."
"I am glad you like them, sir," said Saunders, with a mocking laugh; andhe turned and strode away, to order the men to take some of the foodthey had brought to the other two prisoners, leaving Nic gazing afterhim.
"Rather brusque," he said, half to himself, and then he passed his handover his eyes, drew a long, deep, restful breath, and turned over as ifto go to sleep again; but he started up on his elbow instead as heencountered Pete's face, and a look of horror and dislike contracted hisown.
"You here?" he said wonderingly.
"Hush! Don't speak aloud, dear lad," whispered Pete excitedly.
"Dear lad?"
"Master Nic Revel, then. You haven't quite come-to yet. You don'tremember. You were took bad again after being bad once--when you askedme questions aboard ship, and I had to tell you."
"Taken bad--aboard ship?"
"Here you are; catch hold," said a voice close to them; and one of themen handed each half a small loaf, while his companion filled a tin mugthat must have held about half-a-pint, and offered it to Nic.
The young man had let the great piece of bread fall into his lap, butthe gurgling sound of the water falling into the mug seemed to rouse alatent feeling of intense thirst, and he raised himself more, took thevessel with both hands and half-drained it, rested for a few moments,panting, and then drank the rest before handing the tin back with a sighof content.
"No, no; hold it," said the man sharply; and Nic had to retain it in histrembling hands while it was refilled.
"There, give it to your mate," said the water-bearer.
The two young men's eyes met over the vessel in silence, Nic's full ofangry dislike, Pete's with an appealing, deprecating look, which did notsoften Nic's in the least.
"Well, why don't you take it?" said the man with the pitcher.
"Don't seem to kinder want it now," replied Pete hoarsely.
"Drink it, man, and don't be a fool. You'll be glad of it long beforeyou get there. Sun's hot yet, and the water's salt for miles, and thenfor far enough brackish."
Nic looked at the speaker wonderingly, for the blank feeling seemed tobe coming with the forerunner of the peculiar sensation of confusionwhich had troubled him before, and he looked from one to the other as iffor help; while Pete took the mug and drained it, but contented himselfwith slipping his bread inside the breast of his shirt, and stoodlooking down at Nic, whose lips parted to speak, but no words came.
"Seem decent sort of fellows," said the water-bearer, as he turned offtowards the door with his companion; and the dogs rose to follow them,sniffing at the basket.
"Yes, poor beggars!" said the other. "Whatever they've been up to inthe old country, they've got to pay pretty dearly for it now."
Nic's hearing was acute enough now, and he heard every word.
"Here, you," he gasped painfully. "Call them back."
"What for, Master Nic?" said Pete in an appealing whisper. "Don't; youmustn't now. Ask me for what you want."
"I want to know what all this means," panted the young man. "Why am Ihere? What place is this? I'm not--I will know."
"No, no; don't ask now, Master Nic," whispered Pete. "You aren't fit toknow now. I'm with you, my lad, and I swear I won't forsake ye."
"You--you will not forsake me?" said Nic, with a look of horror.
"Never, my lad, while I've got a drop o' blood in my veins. Don't--don't look at me like that. It waren't all my fault. Wait a bit, andI'll tell you everything, and help you to escape back to the oldcountry."
"To the old country!" whispered Nic, whose voice was panting again fromweakness. "Where are we, then?"
"Amerikee, among the plantations, they say."
"But--but why? The plantations? What does it mean?"
"Work," said Saunders, who had come up behind them. "Now then, looksharp, and eat your bread. You'll get no more till to-morrow morning,and in less than half-an-hour we shall start."
"Start?" cried Nic huskily, as he clapped his hands to his head andpressed it hard, as though he felt that if he did not hold on tightlyhis reason would glide away again.
"Yes, man, start," said Saunders. "Can you two fellows row?"
"He can't, sir; he's too weak," cried Pete eagerly; and the overseer'sface contracted. "But I can. Best man here with an oar. I can pull,sir, enough for two."
"I'll put you to the proof before you sleep," said the overseer sharply."Now, Mr Groves, I'm at your service. I suppose I have some papers tosign?"
"Yes," said the agent, and he led the way, while the overseer followed,closing the door, placing a whistle to his lips and blowing a shrillnote which was answered by a deep baying from the dogs.
"Escape!" muttered Nic wildly. "Plantations! Why, I shall be a slave!"
"No, no, my lad; don't take it like that. I'll help you to get away."
"Will ye?" growled Humpy Dee, coming towards them. "Then I tells thatchap next time he comes. I splits on you as you splits on we; so lookout, I say, both of you; look out!"
"It's a lie, Master Nic--a lie," cried Pete fiercely. "I swear to you,I never--"
Pete caught at the young man's arm as he spoke, and then loosened itwith a groan, for, with a look of revulsion, Nic cried hoarsely:
"Don't touch me; don't come near me. Wretch--villain! This is all yourwork."
"And so say we, my fine fellow," cried Humpy Dee, whose eyes sparkledwith malignant joy. "His doing, every bit, 'cept what you put in, andfor that you've got to take your share the same as us. And all becausea few poor fellows wanted a bit o' salmon. Hor, hor, hor! I say, takeit coolly. No one won't believe ye, and you may think yourself lucky toget off so well."
Nic turned from the man with a look of disgust, and sat up, resting histhrobbing head in his hands; while, as Humpy Dee went back to hiscompanions, whistling as he went, Pete threw himself upon the floor,watching him, with his hands opening and shutting in a strange way, asif they were eager to seize the brutal ruffian by the throat.