for the term of his natural life-第11章

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All　this　time　the　miserable　little　cockneyhe　was　a　tailor　by　tradehad　been　grovelling　under　the　feet　of　the　Crow　and　his　companions。

〃Let　me　h'up；　gents〃　he　implored〃let　me　h'up。　　I　feel　as　if　I　should　dieI　do。〃

〃Let　the　gentleman　up；〃　says　the　humorist　in　the　bunk。　　〃Don't　yer　see　his　kerridge　is　avaitin'　to　take　him　to　the　Hopera？〃

The　conversation　had　got　a　little　loud；　and；　from　the　topmost　bunk　on　the　near　side；　a　bullet　head　protruded。

〃Ain't　a　cove　to　get　no　sleep？〃　cried　a　gruff　voice。　　〃My　blood；　if　I　have　to　turn　out；　I'll　knock　some　of　your　empty　heads　together。〃

It　seemed　that　the　speaker　was　a　man　of　mark；　for　the　noise　ceased　instantly；　and；　in　the　lull　which　ensued；　a　shrill　scream　broke　from　the　wretched　tailor。

〃Help！　　they're　killing　me！　　Ah…h…h…！〃

〃Wot's　the　matter；〃　roared　the　silencer　of　the　riot；　jumping　from　his　berth；　and　scattering　the　Crow　and　his　companions　right　and　left。　　〃Let　him　be；　can't　yer？〃

〃H'air！〃　cried　the　poor　devil〃h'air；　I'm　fainting！〃

Just　then　there　came　another　groan　from　the　man　in　the　opposite　bunk。　〃Well；　I'm　blessed！〃　said　the　giant；　as　he　held　the　gasping　tailor　by　the　collar　and　glared　round　him。　　〃Here's　a　pretty　go！　All　the　blessed　chickens　ha'　got　the　croup！〃

The　groaning　of　the　man　in　the　bunk　redoubled。

〃Pass　the　word　to　the　sentry；〃　says　someone　more　humane　than　the　rest。　〃Ah；〃　says　the　humorist；　〃pass　him　out；　it'll　be　one　the　less。　We'd　rather　have　his　room　than　his　company。〃

〃Sentry；　here's　a　man　sick。〃

But　the　sentry　knew　his　duty　better　than　to　reply。　　He　was　a　young　soldier；　but　he　had　been　well　informed　of　the　artfulness　of　convict　stratagems；　and；　moreover；　Captain　Vickers　had　carefully　apprised　him　〃that　by　the　King's　Regulations；　he　was　forbidden　to　reply　to　any　question　or　communication　addressed　to　him　by　a　convict；　but；　in　the　event　of　being　addressed；　was　to　call　the　non…commissioned　officer　on　duty。〃　Now；　though　he　was　within　easy　hailing　distance　of　the　guard　on　the　quarter…deck；　he　felt　a　natural　disinclination　to　disturb　those　gentlemen　merely　for　the　sake　of　a　sick　convict；　and　knowing　that；　in　a　few　minutes；　the　third　relief　would　come　on　duty；　he　decided　to　wait　until　then。

In　the　meantime　the　tailor　grew　worse；　and　began　to　moan　dismally。

〃Here！　　'ullo！〃　called　out　his　supporter；　in　dismay。　　〃Hold　up　'ere！　Wot's　wrong　with　yer？　　Don't　come　the　drops　'ere。　　Pass　him　down；　some　of　yer；〃　and　the　wretch　was　hustled　down　to　the　doorway。

〃Vater！〃　he　whispered；　beating　feebly　with　his　hand　on　the　thick　oak。

〃Get　us　a　drink；　mister；　for　Gord's　sake！〃

But　the　prudent　sentry　answered　never　a　word；　until　the　ship's　bell　warned　him　of　the　approach　of　the　relief　guard；　and　then　honest　old　Pine；　coming　with　anxious　face　to　inquire　after　his　charge；　received　the　intelligence　that　there　was　another　prisoner　sick。　　He　had　the　door　unlocked　and　the　tailor　outside　in　an　instant。　　One　look　at　the　flushed；　anxious　face　was　enough。

〃Who's　that　moaning　in　there？〃　he　asked。

It　was　the　man　who　had　tried　to　call　for　the　sentry　an　hour　back；　and　Pine　had　him　out　also；　convictism　beginning　to　wonder　a　little。

〃Take　'em　both　aft　to　the　hospital；〃　he　said；　〃and；　Jenkins；　if　there　are　any　more　men　taken　sick；　let　them　pass　the　word　for　me　at　once。　I　shall　be　on　deck。〃

The　guard　stared　in　each　other's　faces；　with　some　alarm；　but　said　nothing；　thinking　more　of　the　burning　ship；　which　now　flamed　furiously　across　the　placid　water；　than　of　peril　nearer　home；　but　as　Pine　went　up　the　hatchway　he　met　Blunt。

〃We've　got　the　fever　aboard！〃

〃Good　God！　　Do　you　mean　it；　Pine？〃

Pine　shook　his　grizzled　head　sorrowfully。

〃It's　this　cursed　calm　that's　done　it；　though　I　expected　it　all　along；　with　the　ship　crammed　as　she　is。　　When　I　was　in　the　Hecuba〃

〃Who　is　it？〃

Pine　laughed　a　half…pitying；　half…angry　laugh。

〃A　convict；　of　course。　　Who　else　should　it　be？　　They　are　reeking　like　bullocks　at　Smithfield　down　there。　　A　hundred　and　eighty　men　penned　into　a　place　fifty　feet　long；　with　the　air　like　an　ovenwhat　could　you　expect？〃

Poor　Blunt　stamped　his　foot。

〃It　isn't　my　fault；〃　he　cried。　　〃The　soldiers　are　berthed　aft。　If　the　Government　will　overload　these　ships；　I　can't　help　it。〃

〃The　Government！　　Ah！　　The　Government！　　The　Government　don't　sleep；　sixty　men　a…side；　in　a　cabin　only　six　feet　high。　　The　Government　don't　get　typhus　fever　in　the　tropics；　does　it？〃

〃Nobut〃

〃But　what　does　the　Government　care；　then？〃

Blunt　wiped　his　hot　forehead。

〃Who　was　the　first　down？〃

〃No。　　97　berth；　ten　on　the　lower　tier。　　John　Rex　he　calls　himself。〃

〃Are　you　sure　it's　the　fever？〃

〃As　sure　as　I　can　be　yet。　　Head　like　a　fire…ball；　and　tongue　like　a　strip　of　leather。　　Gad；　don't　I　know　it？〃　and　Pine　grinned　mournfully。　〃I've　got　him　moved　into　the　hospital。　　Hospital！　　It　is　a　hospital！　As　dark　as　a　wolf's　mouth。　　I've　seen　dog　kennels　I　liked　better。〃

Blunt　nodded　towards　the　volume　of　lurid　smoke　that　rolled　up　out　of　the　glow。〃Suppose　there　is　a　shipload　of　those　poor　devils？　I　can't　refuse　to　take　'em　in。〃

〃No；〃　says　Pine　gloomily；　〃I　suppose　you　can't。　　If　they　come；　I　must　stow　'em　somewhere。　　We'll　have　to　run　for　the　Cape；　with　the　first　breeze；　if　they　do　come；　that　is　all　I　can　see　for　it；〃　and　he　turned　away　to　watch　the　burning　vessel。




CHAPTER　VI。

THE　FATE　OF　THE　〃HYDASPES〃。



In　the　meanwhile　the　two　boats　made　straight　for　the　red　column　that　uprose　like　a　gigantic　torch　over　the　silent　sea。　　

As　Blunt　had　said；　the　burning　ship　lay　a　good　twelve　miles　from　the　Malabar；　and　the　pull　was　a　long　and　a　weary　one。　　Once　fairly　away　from　the　protecting　sides　of　the　vessel　that　had　borne　them　thus　far　on　their　dismal　journey；　the　adventurers　seemed　to　have　come　into　a　new　atmosphere。　　The　immensity　of　the　ocean　over　which　they　slowly　moved　revealed　itself　for　the　first　time。　　On　board　the　prison　ship；　surrounded　with　all　the　memories　if　not　with　the　comforts　of　the　shore　they　had　quitted；　they　had　not　realized　how　far　they　were　from　that　civilization　which　had　given　them　birth。　　The　well…lighted；　well…furnished　cuddy；　the　homely　mirth　of　the　forecastle；　the　setting　of　sentries　and　the　changing　of　guards；　even　the　gloom　and　terror　of　the　closely…locked　prison；　combined　to　make　the　voyagers　feel　secure　against　the　unknown　dangers　of　the　sea。　　That　defiance　of　Nature　which　is　born　of　contact　with　humanity；　had　hitherto　sustained　them；　and　they　felt　that；　though　alone　on　the　vast　expanse　of　waters；　they　were　in　companionship　with　others　of　their　kind；　and　that　the　perils　one　man　had　passed　might　be　successfully　dared　by　another。　　But　nowwith　one　ship　growing　smaller　behind　them；　and　the　other；　containing　they　knew　not　what　horror　of　human　agony　and　human　helplessness；　lying　a　burning　wreck　in　the　black　distance　ahead　of　themthey　began　to　feel　their　own　littleness。　The　Malabar；　that　huge　sea　monster；　in　whose　capacious　belly　so　many　human　creatures　lived　and　suffered；　had　dwindled　to　a　walnut…shell；　and　yet　beside　her　bulk　how　infinitely　small　had　their　own　frail　cockboat　appeared　as　they　shot　out　from　under　her　towering　stern！　　Then　the　black　hull　rising　above　them；　had　seemed　a　tower　of　strength；　built　to　defy　the　utmost　violence　of　wind　and　wave；　now　it　was　but　a　slip　of　wood　floatingon　an　unknown　depth　of　black；　fathomless　water。　　The　blue　light；　which；　at　its　first　flashing　over　the　ocean；　had　made　the　very　stars　pale　their　lustre；　and　lighted　up　with　ghastly　radiance　the　enormous　vault　of　heaven；　was　now　only　a　point；　brilliant　and　distinct　it　is　true；　but　which　by　its　very　brilliance　dwarfed　the　ship　into　insignificance。　The　Malabar　lay　on　the　water　like　a　glow…worm　on　a　floating　leaf；　and　the　glare　of　the　signal…fire　made　no　more　impression　on　the　darkness　than　the　candle　carried　by　a　solitary　miner　would　have　made　on　the　abyss　of　a　coal…pit。

And　yet　the　Malabar　held　two　hundred　creatures　like　themselves！

The　water　over　which　the　boats　glided　was　black　and　smooth；　rising　into　huge　foamless　billows；　the　more　terrible　because　they　were　silent。　When　the　sea　hisses；　it　speaks；　and　speech　breaks　the　spell　of　terror；　when　it　is　inert；　heaving　noiselessly；　it　is　dumb；　and　seems　to　b