for the term of his natural life-第31章

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ation　for　Mrs。　Vickers　and　the　child；　ran　back　ten　miles　into　Wellington　Bay；　and　anchored　there　again　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　The　tide　was　running　strongly；　and　the　brig　rolled　a　good　deal。　　Mrs。　Vickers　kept　to　her　cabin；　and　sent　Sylvia　to　entertain　Lieutenant　Frere。　　Sylvia　went；　but　was　not　entertaining。　　She　had　conceived　for　Frere　one　of　those　violent　antipathies　which　children　sometimes　own　without　reason；　and　since　the　memorable　night　of　the　apology　had　been　barely　civil　to　him。　In　vain　did　he　pet　her　and　compliment　her；　she　was　not　to　be　flattered　into　liking　him。　　〃I　do　not　like　you；　sir；〃　she　said　in　her　stilted　fashion；　〃but　that　need　make　no　difference　to　you。　　You　occupy　yourself　with　your　prisoners；　I　can　amuse　myself　without　you；　thank　you。〃　〃Oh；　all　right；〃　said　Frere；　〃I　don't　want　to　interfere〃；　but　he　felt　a　little　nettled　nevertheless。　　On　this　particular　evening　the　young　lady　relaxed　her　severity　of　demeanour。　　Her　father　away；　and　her　mother　sick；　the　little　maiden　felt　lonely；　and　as　a　last　resource　accepted　her　mother's　commands　and　went　to　Frere。　　He　was　walking　up　and　down　the　deck；　smoking。

〃Mr。　Frere；　I　am　sent　to　talk　to　you。〃

〃Are　you？　　All　rightgo　on。〃

〃Oh　dear；　no。　　It　is　the　gentleman's　place　to　entertain。　　Be　amusing！〃

〃Come　and　sit　down　then；〃　said　Frere；　who　was　in　good　humour　at　the　success　of　his　arrangements。　　〃What　shall　we　talk　about？〃

〃You　stupid　man！　　As　if　I　knew！　　It　is　your　place　to　talk。　Tell　me　a　fairy　story。〃

〃'Jack　and　the　Beanstalk'？〃　suggested　Frere。

〃Jack　and　the　grandmother！　　Nonsense。　　Make　one　up　out　of　your　head；　you　know。〃

Frere　laughed。

〃I　can't；〃　he　said。　　〃I　never　did　such　a　thing　in　my　life。〃

〃Then　why　not　begin？　　I　shall　go　away　if　you　don't　begin。〃

Frere　rubbed　his　brows。　　〃Well；　have　you　readhave　you　read　'Robinson　Crusoe？'〃as　if　the　idea　was　a　brilliant　one。

〃Of　course　I　have；〃　returned　Sylvia；　pouting。　　〃Read　it？yes。　Everybody's　read　'Robinson　Crusoe！'〃

〃Oh；　have　they？　　Well；　I　didn't　know；　let　me　see　now。〃　And　pulling　hard　at　his　pipe；　he　plunged　into　literary　reflection。

Sylvia；　sitting　beside　him；　eagerly　watching　for　the　happy　thought　that　never　came；　pouted　and　said；　〃What　a　stupid；　stupid　man　you　are！　I　shall　be　so　glad　to　get　back　to　papa　again。　　He　knows　all　sorts　of　stories；　nearly　as　many　as　old　Danny。〃

〃Danny　knows　some；　then？〃

〃Danny！〃with　as　much　surprise　as　if　she　said　〃Walter　Scott！〃　〃Of　course　he　does。　　I　suppose　now；〃　putting　her　head　on　one　side；　with　an　amusing　expression　of　superiority；　〃you　never　heard　the　story　of　the　'Banshee'？〃

〃No；　I　never　did。〃

〃Nor　the　'White　Horse　of　the　Peppers'？〃

〃No。〃

〃No；　I　suppose　not。　　Nor　the　'Changeling'？　　nor　the　'Leprechaun'？〃　〃No。〃

Sylvia　got　off　the　skylight　on　which　she　had　been　sitting；　and　surveyed　the　smoking　animal　beside　her　with　profound　contempt。

〃Mr。　Frere；　you　are　really　a　most　ignorant　person。　　Excuse　me　if　I　hurt　your　feelings；　I　have　no　wish　to　do　that；　but　really　you　are　a　most　ignorant　personfor　your　age；　of　course。〃

Maurice　Frere　grew　a　little　angry。　　〃You　are　very　impertinent；　Sylvia；〃　said　he。

〃Miss　Vickers　is　my　name；　Lieutenant　Frere；　and　I　shall　go　and　talk　to　Mr。　Bates。〃

Which　threat　she　carried　out　on　the　spot；　and　Mr。　Bates；　who　had　filled　the　dangerous　office　of　pilot；　told　her　about　divers　and　coral　reefs；　and　some　adventures　of　hisa　little　apocryphalin　the　China　Seas。　Frere　resumed　his　smoking；　half　angry　with　himself；　and　half　angry　with　the　provoking　little　fairy。　　This　elfin　creature　had　a　fascination　for　him　which　he　could　not　account　for。

However；　he　saw　no　more　of　her　that　evening；　and　at　breakfast　the　next　morning　she　received　him　with　quaint　haughtiness。

〃When　shall　we　be　ready　to　sail？　　Mr。　Frere；　I'll　take　some　marmalade。　Thank　you。〃

〃I　don't　know；　missy；〃　said　Bates。　　〃It's　very　rough　on　the　Bar；　me　and　Mr。　Frere　was　a　soundin'　of　it　this　marnin'；　and　it　ain't　safe　yet。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Sylvia；　〃I　do　hope　and　trust　we　sha'n't　be　shipwrecked；　and　have　to　swim　miles　and　miles　for　our　lives。〃

〃Ho；　ho！〃　laughed　Frere；　〃don't　be　afraid。　　I'll　take　care　of　you。〃

〃Can　you　swim；　Mr。　Bates？〃　asked　Sylvia。

〃Yes；　miss；　I　can。〃

〃Well；　then；　you　shall　take　me；　I　like　you。　　Mr。　Frere　can　take　mamma。　We'll　go　and　live　on　a　desert　island；　Mr。　Bates；　won't　we；　and　grow　cocoa…nuts　and　bread…fruit；　andwhat　nasty　hard　biscuits！　I'll　be　Robinson　Crusoe；　and　you　shall　be　Man　Friday。　　I'd　like　to　live　on　a　desert　island；　if　I　was　sure　there　were　no　savages；　and　plenty　to　eat　and　drink。〃

〃That　would　be　right　enough；　my　dear；　but　you　don't　find　them　sort　of　islands　every　day。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Sylvia；　with　a　decided　nod；　〃we　won't　be　ship…wrecked；　will　we？〃

〃I　hope　not；　my　dear。〃

〃Put　a　biscuit　in　your　pocket；　Sylvia；　in　case　of　accidents；〃　suggested　Frere；　with　a　grin。

〃Oh！　　you　know　my　opinion　of　you；　sir。　　Don't　speak；　I　don't　want　any　argument〃。

〃Don't　you？that's　right。〃

〃Mr。　Frere；〃　said　Sylvia；　gravely　pausing　at　her　mother's　cabin　door；　〃if　I　were　Richard　the　Third；　do　you　know　what　I　should　do　with　you？〃

〃No；〃　says　Frere；　eating　complacently；　〃what　would　you　do？〃

〃Why；　I'd　make　you　stand　at　the　door　of　St。　Paul's　Cathedral　in　a　white　sheet；　with　a　lighted　candle　in　your　hand；　until　you　gave　up　your　wicked　aggravating　waysyou　Man！〃

The　picture　of　Mr。　Frere　in　a　white　sheet；　with　a　lighted　candle　in　his　hand；　at　the　door　of　St。　Paul's　Cathedral；　was　too　much　for　Mr。　Bates's　gravity；　and　he　roared　with　laughter。　　〃She's　a　queer　child；　ain't　she；　sir？　A　born　natural；　and　a　good…natured　little　soul。〃

〃When　shall　we　be　able　to　get　away；　Mr。　Bates？〃　asked　Frere；　whose　dignity　was　wounded　by　the　mirth　of　the　pilot。

Bates　felt　the　change　of　tone；　and　hastened　to　accommodate　himself　to　his　officer's　humour。　　〃I　hopes　by　evening；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃if　the　tide　slackens　then　I'll　risk　it；　but　it's　no　use　trying　it　now。〃

〃The　men　were　wanting　to　go　ashore　to　wash　their　clothes；〃　said　Frere。

〃If　we　are　to　stop　here　till　evening；　you　had　better　let　them　go　after　dinner。〃

〃All　right；　sir；〃　said　Bates。

The　afternoon　passed　off　auspiciously。　　The　ten　prisoners　went　ashore　and　washed　their　clothes。　　Their　names　were　James　Barker；　James　Lesly；　John　Lyon；　Benjamin　Riley；　William　Cheshire；　Henry　Shiers；　William　Russen；　James　Porter；　John　Fair；　and　John　Rex。

This　last　scoundrel　had　come　on　board　latest　of　all。　　He　had　behaved　himself　a　little　better　recently；　and　during　the　work　attendant　upon　the　departure　of　the　Ladybird；　had　been　conspicuously　useful。　　His　intelligence　and　influence　among　his　fellow…prisoners　combined　to　make　him　a　somewhat　important　personage；　and　Vickers　had　allowed　him　privileges　from　which　he　had　been　hitherto　debarred。　　Mr。　Frere；　however；　who　superintended　the　shipment　of　some　stores；　seemed　to　be　resolved　to　take　advantage　of　Rex's　evident　willingness　to　work。　　He　never　ceased　to　hurry　and　find　fault　with　him。　　He　vowed　that　he　was　lazy；　sulky；　or　impertinent。　　It　was　〃Rex；　come　here！　　Do　this！　　Do　that！〃　As　the　prisoners　declared　among　themselves；　it　was　evident　that　Mr。　Frere　had　a　〃down〃　on　the　〃Dandy〃。　　The　day　before　the　Ladybird　sailed；　Rexrejoicing　in　the　hope　of　speedy　departurehad　suffered　himself　to　reply　to　some　more　than　usually　galling　remark　and　Mr。　Frere　had　complained　to　Vickers。　　〃The　fellow's　too　ready　to　get　away；〃　said　he。　〃Let　him　stop　for　the　Osprey；　it　will　be　a　lesson　to　him。〃　Vickers　assented；　and　John　Rex　was　informed　that　he　was　not　to　sail　with　the　first　party。　　His　comrades　vowed　that　this　order　was　an　act　of　tyranny；　but　he　himself　said　nothing。　　He　only　redoubled　his　activity；　anddespite　all　his　wish　to　the　contraryFrere　was　unable　to　find　fault。　He　even　took　credit　to　himself　for　〃taming〃　the　convict's　spirit；　and　pointed　out　Rexsilent　and　obedientas　a　proof　of　the　excellence　of　severe　measures。　　To　the　convicts；　however；　who　knew　John　Rex　better；　this　silent　activity　was　ominous。　　He　returned　with　the　rest；　however；　on　the　evening　of　the　13th；　in　apparently　cheerful　mood。　　Indeed　Mr。　Frere；　who；　wearied　by　the　delay；　had　decided　to　take　the　whale…boat　in　which　the　prisoners　had　returned；　and　catch　a　few　fi