for the term of his natural life-第17章

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〃Some　of　it；〃　said　she。　　〃I　will　bring　you　back　the　bottle　to…night。〃

Blunt　walked　aft；　humming　cheerily；　and　saluted　Frere　with　a　slap　on　the　back。　The　two　men　laughed；　each　at　his　own　thoughts；　but　their　laughter　only　made　the　surrounding　gloom　seem　deeper　than　before。

Sarah　Purfoy；　casting　her　eyes　toward　the　barricade；　observed　a　change　in　the　position　of　the　three　men。　　They　were　together　once　more；　and　the　Crow；　having　taken　off　his　prison　cap；　held　it　at　arm's　length　with　one　hand；　while　he　wiped　his　brow　with　the　other。　　Her　signal　had　been　observed。

During　all　this；　Rufus　Dawes；　removed　to　the　hospital；　was　lying　flat　on　his　back；　staring　at　the　deck　above　him；　trying　to　think　of　something　he　wanted　to　say。

When　the　sudden　faintness；　which　was　the　prelude　to　his　sickness；　had　overpowered　him；　he　remembered　being　torn　out　of　his　bunk　by　fierce　handsremembered　a　vision　of　savage　faces；　and　the　presence　of　some　danger　that　menaced　him。　　He　remembered　that；　while　lying　on　his　blankets；　struggling　with　the　coming　fever；　he　had　overheard　a　conversation　of　vital　importance　to　himself　and　to　the　ship；　but　of　the　purport　of　that　conversation　he　had　not　the　least　idea。　In　vain　he　strove　to　rememberin　vain　his　will；　struggling　with　delirium；　brought　back　snatches　and　echoes　of　sense；　they　slipped　from　him　again　as　fast　as　caught。　　He　was　oppressed　with　the　weight　of　half…recollected　thought。　　He　knew　that　a　terrible　danger　menaced　him；　that　could　he　but　force　his　brain　to　reason　connectedly　for　ten　consecutive　minutes；　he　could　give　such　information　as　would　avert　that　danger；　and　save　the　ship。　But；　lying　with　hot　head；　parched　lips；　and　enfeebled　body；　he　was　as　one　possessedhe　could　move　nor　hand　nor　foot。

The　place　where　he　lay　was　but　dimly　lighted。　　The　ingenuity　of　Pine　had　constructed　a　canvas　blind　over　the　port；　to　prevent　the　sun　striking　into　the　cabin；　and　this　blind　absorbed　much　of　the　light。　　He　could　but　just　see　the　deck　above　his　head；　and　distinguish　the　outlines　of　three　other　berths；　apparently　similar　to　his　own。　　The　only　sounds　that　broke　the　silence　were　the　gurgling　of　the　water　below　him；　and　the　Tap　tap；　Tap　tap；　of　Pine's　hammers　at　work　upon　the　new　partition。　By　and　by　the　noise　of　these　hammers　ceased；　and　then　the　sick　man　could　hear　gasps；　and　moans；　and　mutteringsthe　signs　that　his　companions　yet　lived。

All　at　once　a　voice　called　out；　〃Of　course　his　bills　are　worth　four　hundred　pounds；　but；　my　good　sir；　four　hundred　pounds　to　a　man　in　my　position　is　not　worth　the　getting。　　Why；　I've　given　four　hundred　pounds　for　a　freak　of　my　girl　Sarah！　　Is　it　right；　eh；　Jezebel？　　She's　a　good　girl；　though；　as　girls　go。　　Mrs。　Lionel　Crofton；　of　the　Crofts；　Sevenoaks；　KentSevenoaks；　KentSeven〃

A　gleam　of　light　broke　in　on　the　darkness　which　wrapped　Rufus　Dawes's　tortured　brain。　　The　man　was　John　Rex；　his　berth　mate。　With　an　effort　he　spoke。

〃Rex！〃

〃Yes；　yes。　　I'm　coming；　don't　be　in　a　hurry。　　The　sentry's　safe；　and　the　howitzer　is　but　five　paces　from　the　door。　　A　rush　upon　deck；　lads；　and　she's　ours！　　That　is；　mine。　　Mine　and　my　wife's；　Mrs。　Lionel　Crofton；　of　Seven　Crofts；　no　oaksSarah　Purfoy；　lady's…maid　and　nurseha！　　ha！lady's…maid　and　nurse！〃

This　last　sentence　contained　the　name…clue　to　the　labyrinth　in　which　Rufus　Dawes's　bewildered　intellects　were　wandering。　〃Sarah　Purfoy！〃　He　remembered　now　each　detail　of　the　conversation　he　had　so　strangely　overheard；　and　how　imperative　it　was　that　he　should；　without　delay；　reveal　the　plot　that　threatened　the　ship。　　How　that　plot　was　to　be　carried　out；　he　did　not　pause　to　consider；　he　was　conscious　that　he　was　hanging　over　the　brink　of　delirium；　and　that；　unless　he　made　himself　understood　before　his　senses　utterly　deserted　him；　all　was　lost。

He　attempted　to　rise；　but　found　that　his　fever…thralled　limbs　refused　to　obey　the　impulse　of　his　will。　　He　made　an　effort　to　speak；　but　his　tongue　clove　to　the　roof　of　his　mouth；　and　his　jaws　stuck　together。　　He　could　not　raise　a　finger　nor　utter　a　sound。　　The　boards　over　his　head　waved　like　a　shaken　sheet；　and　the　cabin　whirled　round；　while　the　patch　of　light　at　his　feet　bobbed　up　and　down　like　the　reflection　from　a　wavering　candle。　He　closed　his　eyes　with　a　terrible　sigh　of　despair；　and　resigned　himself　to　his　fate。　　At　that　instant　the　sound　of　hammering　ceased；　and　the　door　opened。　　It　was　six　o'clock；　and　Pine　had　come　to　have　a　last　look　at　his　patients　before　dinner。　　It　seemed　that　there　was　somebody　with　him；　for　a　kind；　though　somewhat　pompous；　voice　remarked　upon　the　scantiness　of　accommodation；　and　the　〃necessitythe　absolute　necessity〃　of　complying　with　the　King's　Regulations。

Honest　Vickers；　though　agonized　for　the　safety　of　his　child；　would　not　abate　a　jot　of　his　duty；　and　had　sternly　come　to　visit　the　sick　men；　aware　as　he　was　that　such　a　visit　would　necessitate　his　isolation　from　the　cabin　where　his　child　lay。　　Mrs。　Vickersweeping　and　bewailing　herself　coquettishly　at　garrison　partieshad　often　said　that　〃poor　dear　John　was　such　a　disciplinarian；　quite　a　slave　to　the　service。〃

〃Here　they　are；〃　said　Pine；　〃six　of　'em。　　This　fellow〃going　to　the　side　of　Rex〃is　the　worst。　　If　he　had　not　a　constitution　like　a　horse；　I　don't　think　he　could　live　out　the　night。〃

〃Three；　eighteen；　seven；　four；〃　muttered　Rex；　〃dot　and　carry　one。　Is　that　an　occupation　for　a　gentleman？　　No；　sir。　　Good　night；　my　lord；　good　night。　　Hark！　　The　clock　is　striking　nine；　five；　six；　seven；　eight！　Well；　you've　had　your　day；　and　can't　complain。〃

〃A　dangerous　fellow；〃　says　Pine；　with　the　light　upraised。　〃A　very　dangerous　fellowthat　is；　he　was。　　This　is　the　place；　you　seea　regular　rat…hole；　but　what　can　one　do？〃

〃Come；　let　us　get　on　deck；〃　said　Vickers；　with　a　shudder　of　disgust。

Rufus　Dawes　felt　the　sweat　break　out　into　beads　on　his　forehead。　They　suspected　nothing。　　They　were　going　away。　　He　must　warn　them。　With　a　violent　effort；　in　his　agony　he　turned　over　in　the　bunk　and　thrust　out　his　hand　from　the　blankets。

〃Hullo！　　what's　this？〃　cried　Pine；　bringing　the　lantern　to　bear　upon　it。　〃Lie　down；　my　man。　　Eh！water；　is　it？　　There；　steady　with　it　now〃；　and　he　lifted　a　pannikin　to　the　blackened；　froth…fringed　lips。　The　cool　draught　moistened　his　parched　gullet；　and　the　convict　made　a　last　effort　to　speak。

〃Sarah　Purfoyto…nightthe　prisonMUTINY！〃

The　last　word；　almost　shrieked　out；　in　the　sufferer's　desperate　efforts　to　articulate；　recalled　the　wandering　senses　of　John　Rex。

〃Hush！〃　he　cried。　　〃Is　that　you；　Jemmy？　　Sarah's　right。　Wait　till　she　gives　the　word。〃

〃He's　raving；〃　said　Vickers。

Pine　caught　the　convict　by　the　shoulder。　　〃What　do　you　say；　my　man？　A　mutiny　of　the　prisoners！〃

With　his　mouth　agape　and　his　hands　clenched；　Rufus　Dawes；　incapable　of　further　speech；　made　a　last　effort　to　nod　assent；　but　his　head　fell　upon　his　breast；　the　next　moment；　the　flickering　light；　the　gloomy　prison；　the　eager　face　of　the　doctor；　and　the　astonished　face　of　Vickers；　vanished　from　before　his　straining　eyes。　　He　saw　the　two　men　stare　at　each　other；　in　mingled　incredulity　and　alarm；　and　then　he　was　floating　down　the　cool　brown　river　of　his　boyhood；　on　his　wayin　company　with　Sarah　Purfoy　and　Lieutenant　Frereto　raise　the　mutiny　of　the　Hydaspes；　that　lay　on　the　stocks　in　the　old　house　at　Hampstead。




CHAPTER　IX。　WOMAN'S　WEAPONS。



The　two　discoverers　of　this　awkward　secret　held　a　council　of　war。　Vickers　was　for　at　once　calling　the　guard；　and　announcing　to　the　prisoners　that　the　plotwhatever　it　might　behad　been　discovered；　but　Pine；　accustomed　to　convict　ships；　overruled　this　decision。

〃You　don't　know　these　fellows　as　well　as　I　do；〃　said　he。　　〃In　the　first　place　there　may　be　no　mutiny　at　all。　　The　whole　thing　is；　perhaps；　some　absurdity　of　that　fellow　Dawesand　should　we　once　put　the　notion　of　attacking　us　into　the　prisoners'　heads；　there　is　no　telling　what　they　might　do。〃

〃But　the　man　seemed　certain；〃　said　the　other。　　〃He　mentioned　my　wife's　maid；　too！〃

〃Suppose　he　did？and；　begad；　I　dare　say　he's　rightI　never　liked　the　look　of　the　girl。　　To　tell　them　that　we　have　found　them　out　this　time　won't　prevent　'em　trying　it　again。　　We　don't　know　what　their　scheme　is　either。　If　it　is　a　mutiny；　half　the