for the term of his natural life-第14章

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e　as　possible；　and　then　placed　it　carefully　in　her　bosom。　　〃I　will　get　a　little　sleep　if　I　can；〃　she　said。　〃They　have　got　the　note；　and　it　shall　be　done　to…night。〃




CHAPTER　VII。

TYPHUS　FEVER。



The　felon　Rufus　Dawes　had　stretched　himself　in　his　bunk　and　tried　to　sleep。　But　though　he　was　tired　and　sore；　and　his　head　felt　like　lead；　he　could　not　but　keep　broad　awake。　　The　long　pull　through　the　pure　air；　if　it　had　tired　him；　had　revived　him；　and　he　felt　stronger；　but　for　all　that；　the　fatal　sickness　that　was　on　him　maintained　its　hold；　his　pulse　beat　thickly；　and　his　brain　throbbed　with　unnatural　heat。　　Lying　in　his　narrow　spacein　the　semi…darknesshe　tossed　his　limbs　about；　and　closed　his　eyes　in　vainhe　could　not　sleep。　　His　utmost　efforts　induced　only　an　oppressive　stagnation　of　thought；　through　which　he　heard　the　voices　of　his　fellow…convicts；　while　before　his　eyes　was　still　the　burning　Hydaspesthat　vessel　whose　destruction　had　destroyed　for　ever　all　trace　of　the　unhappy　Richard　Devine。

It　was　fortunate　for　his　comfort；　perhaps；　that　the　man　who　had　been　chosen　to　accompany　him　was　of　a　talkative　turn；　for　the　prisoners　insisted　upon　hearing　the　story　of　the　explosion　a　dozen　times　over；　and　Rufus　Dawes　himself　had　been　roused　to　give　the　name　of　the　vessel　with　his　own　lips。　Had　it　not　been　for　the　hideous　respect　in　which　he　was　held；　it　is　possible　that　he　might　have　been　compelled　to　give　his　version　also；　and　to　join　in　the　animated　discussion　which　took　place　upon　the　possibility　of　the　saving　of　the　fugitive　crew。　As　it　was；　however；　he　was　left　in　peace；　and　lay　unnoticed；　trying　to　sleep。

The　detachment　of　fifty　being　on　deckairingthe　prison　was　not　quite　so　hot　as　at　night；　and　many　of　the　convicts　made　up　for　their　lack　of　rest　by　snatching　a　dog…sleep　in　the　bared　bunks。　　The　four　volunteer　oarsmen　were　allowed　to　〃take　it　out。〃

As　yet　there　had　been　no　alarm　of　fever。　　The　three　seizures　had　excited　some　comment；　however；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　counter…excitement　of　the　burning　ship；　it　is　possible　that　Pine's　precaution　would　have　been　thrown　away。　　The　〃Old　Hands〃who　had　been　through　the　Passage　beforesuspected；　but　said　nothing；　save　among　themselves。　　It　was　likely　that　the　weak　and　sickly　would　go　first；　and　that　there　would　be　more　room　for　those　remaining。　　The　Old　Hands　were　satisfied。

Three　of　these　Old　Hands　were　conversing　together　just　behind　the　partition　of　Dawes's　bunk。　　As　we　have　said；　the　berths　were　five　feet　square；　and　each　contained　six　men。　　No。　　10；　the　berth　occupied　by　Dawes；　was　situated　on　the　corner　made　by　the　joining　of　the　starboard　and　centre　lines；　and　behind　it　was　a　slight　recess；　in　which　the　scuttle　was　fixed。　　His　〃mates〃　were　at　present　but　three　in　number；　for　John　Rex　and　the　cockney　tailor　had　been　removed　to　the　hospital。　　The　three　that　remained　were　now　in　deep　conversation　in　the　shelter　of　the　recess。　Of　these；　the　giantwho　had　the　previous　night　asserted　his　authority　in　the　prisonseemed　to　be　the　chief。　　His　name　was　Gabbett。　He　was　a　returned　convict；　now　on　his　way　to　undergo　a　second　sentence　for　burglary。　　The　other　two　were　a　man　named　Sanders；　known　as　the　〃Moocher〃；　and　Jemmy　Vetch；　the　Crow。　　They　were　talking　in　whispers；　but　Rufus　Dawes；　lying　with　his　head　close　to　the　partition；　was　enabled　to　catch　much　of　what　they　said。

At　first　the　conversation　turned　on　the　catastrophe　of　the　burning　ship　and　the　likelihood　of　saving　the　crew。　　From　this　it　grew　to　anecdote　of　wreck　and　adventure；　and　at　last　Gabbett　said　something　which　made　the　listener　start　from　his　indifferent　efforts　to　slumber；　into　sudden　broad　wakefulness。

It　was　the　mention　of　his　own　name；　coupled　with　that　of　the　woman　he　had　met　on　the　quarter…deck；　that　roused　him。

〃I　saw　her　speaking　to　Dawes　yesterday；〃　said　the　giant；　with　an　oath。　〃We　don't　want　no　more　than　we've　got。　　I　ain't　goin'　to　risk　my　neck　for　Rex's　woman's　fancies；　and　so　I'll　tell　her。〃

〃It　was　something　about　the　kid；〃　says　the　Crow；　in　his　elegant　slang。　〃I　don't　believe　she　ever　saw　him　before。　　Besides；　she's　nuts　on　Jack；　and　ain't　likely　to　pick　up　with　another　man。〃

〃If　I　thort　she　was　agoin'　to　throw　us　over；　I'd　cut　her　throat　as　soon　as　look　at　her！〃　snorts　Gabbett　savagely。

〃Jack　ud　have　a　word　in　that；〃　snuffles　the　Moocher；　〃and　he's　a　curious　cove　to　quarrel　with。〃

〃Well；　stow　yer　gaff；〃　grumbled　Mr。　Gabbett；　〃and　let's　have　no　more　chaff。　If　we're　for　bizness；　let's　come　to　bizness。〃

〃What　are　we　to　do　now？〃　asked　the　Moocher。　　〃Jack's　on　the　sick　list；　and　the　gal　won't　stir　a'thout　him。〃

〃Ay；〃　returned　Gabbett；　〃that's　it。〃

〃My　dear　friends；〃　said　the　Crow；　〃my　keyind　and　keristian　friends；　it　is　to　be　regretted　that　when　natur'　gave　you　such　tremendously　thick　skulls；　she　didn't　put　something　inside　of　'em。　　I　say　that　now's　the　time。　Jack's　in　the　'orspital；　what　of　that？　　That　don't　make　it　no　better　for　him；　does　it？　　Not　a　bit　of　it；　and　if　he　drops　his　knife　and　fork；　why　then；　it's　my　opinion　that　the　gal　won't　stir　a　peg。　　It's　on　his　account；　not　ours；　that　she's　been　manoovering；　ain't　it？〃

〃Well！〃　says　Mr。　Gabbett；　with　the　air　of　one　who　was　but　partly　convinced；　〃I　s'pose　it　is。〃

〃All　the　more　reason　of　getting　it　off　quick。　　Another　thing；　when　the　boys　know　there's　fever　aboard；　you'll　see　the　rumpus　there'll　be。　They'll　be　ready　enough　to　join　us　then。　　Once　get　the　snapper　chest；　and　we're　right　as　ninepenn'orth　o'　hapence。〃

This　conversation；　interspersed　with　oaths　and　slang　as　it　was；　had　an　intense　interest　for　Rufus　Dawes。　　Plunged　into　prison；　hurriedly　tried；　and　by　reason　of　his　surroundings　ignorant　of　the　death　of　his　father　and　his　own　fortune；　he　had　hithertoin　his　agony　and　sullen　gloomheld　aloof　from　the　scoundrels　who　surrounded　him；　and　repelled　their　hideous　advances　of　friendship。　　He　now　saw　his　error。　　He　knew　that　the　name　he　had　once　possessed　was　blotted　out；　that　any　shred　of　his　old　life　which　had　clung　to　him　hitherto；　was　shrivelled　in　the　fire　that　consumed　the　〃Hydaspes〃。　　The　secret；　for　the　preservation　of　which　Richard　Devine　had　voluntarily　flung　away　his　name；　and　risked　a　terrible　and　disgraceful　death；　would　be　now　for　ever　safe；　for　Richard　Devine　was　deadlost　at　sea　with　the　crew　of　the　ill…fated　vessel　in　which；　deluded　by　a　skilfully…sent　letter　from　the　prison；　his　mother　believed　him　to　have　sailed。　　Richard　Devine　was　dead；　and　the　secret　of　his　birth　would　die　with　him。　　Rufus　Dawes；　his　alter　ego；　alone　should　live。　Rufus　Dawes；　the　convicted　felon；　the　suspected　murderer；　should　live　to　claim　his　freedom；　and　work　out　his　vengeance；　or；　rendered　powerful　by　the　terrible　experience　of　the　prison…sheds；　should　seize　both；　in　defiance　of　gaol　or　gaoler。

With　his　head　swimming；　and　his　brain　on　fire；　he　eagerly　listened　for　more。　It　seemed　as　if　the　fever　which　burnt　in　his　veins　had　consumed　the　grosser　part　of　his　sense；　and　given　him　increased　power　of　hearing。　He　was　conscious　that　he　was　ill。　　His　bones　ached；　his　hands　burned；　his　head　throbbed；　but　he　could　hear　distinctly；　and；　he　thought；　reason　on　what　he　heard　profoundly。

〃But　we　can't　stir　without　the　girl；〃　Gabbett　said。　　〃She's　got　to　stall　off　the　sentry　and　give　us　the　orfice。〃

The　Crow's　sallow　features　lighted　up　with　a　cunning　smile。

〃Dear　old　caper　merchant！　　Hear　him　talk！〃　said　he；　〃as　if　he　had　the　wisdom　of　Solomon　in　all　his　glory？　　Look　here！〃

And　he　produced　a　dirty　scrap　of　paper；　over　which　his　companions　eagerly　bent　their　heads。

〃Where　did　yer　get　that？〃

〃Yesterday　afternoon　Sarah　was　standing　on　the　poop　throwing　bits　o'　toke　to　the　gulls；　and　I　saw　her　a…looking　at　me　very　hard。　　At　last　she　came　down　as　near　the　barricade　as　she　dared；　and　throwed　crumbs　and　such　like　up　in　the　air　over　the　side。　　By　and　by　a　pretty　big　lump；　doughed　up　round；　fell　close　to　my　foot；　and；　watching　a　favourable　opportunity；　I　pouched　it。　Inside　was　this　bit　o'　rag…bag。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Mr。　Gabbett；　〃that's　more　like。　　Read　it　out；　Jemmy。〃

The　writing；　though　feminine　in　character；　was　bold　and　distinct。　Sarah　had　evidently　been　mindful　of　the　education　of　her　friends；　and　had　desired　to　give　them