for the term of his natural life-第43章

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〃I　am　going　to　make　a　boat　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　want　hides；　and　thread；　and　tallow。〃

A　few　weeks　back　Maurice　Frere　would　have　laughed　at　such　a　sentence；　but　he　had　begun　now　to　comprehend　that　this　escaped　convict　was　not　a　man　to　be　laughed　at；　and　though　he　detested　him　for　his　superiority；　he　could　not　but　admit　that　he　was　superior。

〃You　can't　get　more　than　one　hide　off　a　goat；　man？〃　he　said；　with　an　inquiring　tone　in　his　voiceas　though　it　was　just　possible　that　such　a　marvellous　being　as　Dawes　could　get　a　second　hide；　by　virtue　of　some　secret　process　known　only　to　himself。

〃I　am　going　to　catch　other　goats。〃　〃Where？〃

〃At　the　Pilot　Station。〃

〃But　how　are　you　going　to　get　there？〃

〃Float　across。　　Come；　there　is　not　time　for　questioning！　　Go　and　cut　down　some　saplings；　and　let　us　begin！〃

The　lieutenant…master　looked　at　the　convict　prisoner　with　astonishment；　and　then　gave　way　to　the　power　of　knowledge；　and　did　as　he　was　ordered。　Before　sundown　that　evening　the　carcase　of　poor　Nanny；　broken　into　various　most　unbutcherly　fragments；　was　hanging　on　the　nearest　tree；　and　Frere；　returning　with　as　many　young　saplings　as　he　could　drag　together；　found　Rufus　Dawes　engaged　in　a　curious　occupation。　　He　had　killed　the　goat；　and　having　cut　off　its　head　close　under　the　jaws；　and　its　legs　at　the　knee…joint；　had　extracted　the　carcase　through　a　slit　made　in　the　lower　portion　of　the　belly；　which　slit　he　had　now　sewn　together　with　string。　　This　proceeding　gave　him　a　rough　bag；　and　he　was　busily　engaged　in　filling　this　bag　with　such　coarse　grass　as　he　could　collect。　Frere　observed；　also；　that　the　fat　of　the　animal　was　carefully　preserved；　and　the　intestines　had　been　placed　in　a　pool　of　water　to　soak。

The　convict；　however；　declined　to　give　information　as　to　what　he　intended　to　do。　　〃It's　my　own　notion；〃　he　said。　　〃Let　me　alone。　I　may　make　a　failure　of　it。〃　Frere；　on　being　pressed　by　Sylvia；　affected　to　know　all　about　the　scheme；　but　to　impose　silence　on　himself。　He　was　galled　to　think　that　a　convict　brain　should　contain　a　mystery　which　he　might　not　share。

On　the　next　day；　by　Rufus　Dawes's　direction；　Frere　cut　down　some　rushes　that　grew　about　a　mile　from　the　camping　ground；　and　brought　them　in　on　his　back。　　This　took　him　nearly　half　a　day　to　accomplish。　Short　rations　were　beginning　to　tell　upon　his　physical　powers。　　The　convict；　on　the　other　hand；　trained　by　a　woeful　experience　in　the　Boats　to　endurance　of　hardship；　was　slowly　recovering　his　original　strength。

〃What　are　they　for？〃　asked　Frere；　as　he　flung　the　bundles　down。　His　master　condescended　to　reply。　　〃To　make　a　float。〃

〃Well？〃

The　other　shrugged　his　broad　shoulders。　　〃You　are　very　dull；　Mr。　Frere。　I　am　going　to　swim　over　to　the　Pilot　Station；　and　catch　some　of　those　goats。　I　can　get　across　on　the　stuffed　skin；　but　I　must　float　them　back　on　the　reeds。〃

〃How　the　doose　do　you　mean　to　catch　'em？〃　asked　Frere；　wiping　the　sweat　from　his　brow。

The　convict　motioned　to　him　to　approach。　　He　did　so；　and　saw　that　his　companion　was　cleaning　the　intestines　of　the　goat。　　The　outer　membrane　having　been　peeled　off；　Rufus　Dawes　was　turning　the　gut　inside　out。　This　he　did　by　turning　up　a　short　piece　of　it；　as　though　it　were　a　coat…sleeve；　and　dipping　the　turned…up　cuff　into　a　pool　of　water。　　The　weight　of　the　water　pressing　between　the　cuff　and　the　rest　of　the　gut；　bore　down　a　further　portion；　and　so；　by　repeated　dippings；　the　whole　length　was　turned　inside　out。　The　inner　membrane　having　been　scraped　away；　there　remained　a　fine　transparent　tube；　which　was　tightly　twisted；　and　set　to　dry　in　the　sun。

〃There　is　the　catgut　for　the　noose；〃　said　Dawes。　　〃I　learnt　that　trick　at　the　settlement。　　Now　come　here。〃

Frere；　following；　saw　that　a　fire　had　been　made　between　two　stones；　and　that　the　kettle　was　partly　sunk　in　the　ground　near　it。　On　approaching　the　kettle；　he　found　it　full　of　smooth　pebbles。

〃Take　out　those　stones；〃　said　Dawes。

Frere　obeyed；　and　saw　at　the　bottom　of　the　kettle　a　quantity　of　sparkling　white　powder；　and　the　sides　of　the　vessel　crusted　with　the　same　material。

〃What's　that？〃　he　asked。

〃Salt。〃

〃How　did　you　get　it？〃

〃I　filled　the　kettle　with　sea…water；　and　then；　heating　those　pebbles　red…hot　in　the　fire；　dropped　them　into　it。　　We　could　have　caught　the　steam　in　a　cloth　and　wrung　out　fresh　water　had　we　wished　to　do　so。　But；　thank　God；　we　have　plenty。〃

Frere　started。　　〃Did　you　learn　that　at　the　settlement；　too？〃　he　asked。

Rufus　Dawes　laughed；　with　a　sort　of　bitterness　in　his　tones。　〃Do　you　think　I　have　been　at　'the　settlement'　all　my　life？　The　thing　is　very　simple；　it　is　merely　evaporation。〃

Frere　burst　out　in　sudden；　fretful　admiration：　〃What　a　fellow　you　are；　Dawes！　What　are　youI　mean；　what　have　you　been？〃

A　triumphant　light　came　into　the　other's　face；　and　for　the　instant　he　seemed　about　to　make　some　startling　revelation。　　But　the　light　faded；　and　he　checked　himself　with　a　gesture　of　pain。

〃I　am　a　convict。　　Never　mind　what　I　have　been。　　A　sailor；　a　shipbuilder；　prodigal；　vagabondwhat　does　it　matter？　　It　won't　alter　my　fate；　will　it？〃

〃If　we　get　safely　back；〃　says　Frere；　〃I'll　ask　for　a　free　pardon　for　you。　You　deserve　it。〃

〃Come；〃　returned　Dawes；　with　a　discordant　laugh。　　〃Let　us　wait　until　we　get　back。〃

〃You　don't　believe　me？〃

〃I　don't　want　favour　at　your　hands；〃　he　said；　with　a　return　of　the　old　fierceness。　　〃Let　us　get　to　work。　　Bring　up　the　rushes　here；　and　tie　them　with　a　fishing　line。〃

At　this　instant　Sylvia　came　up。　　〃Good　afternoon；　Mr。　Dawes。　　Hard　at　work？　Oh！　　what's　this　in　the　kettle？〃　The　voice　of　the　child　acted　like　a　charm　upon　Rufus　Dawes。　　He　smiled　quite　cheerfully。

〃Salt；　miss。　　I　am　going　to　catch　the　goats　with　that。〃

〃Catch　the　goats！　　How？　　Put　it　on　their　tails？〃　she　cried　merrily。

〃Goats　are　fond　of　salt；　and　when　I　get　over　to　the　Pilot　Station　I　shall　set　traps　for　them　baited　with　this　salt。　　When　they　come　to　lick　it；　I　shall　have　a　noose　of　catgut　ready　to　catch　themdo　you　understand？〃

〃But　how　will　you　get　across？〃

〃You　will　see　to…morrow。〃　




CHAPTER　XIV。

A　WONDERFUL　DAY'S　WORK。



The　next　morning　Rufus　Dawes　was　stirring　by　daylight。　　He　first　got　his　catgut　wound　upon　a　piece　of　stick；　and　then；　having　moved　his　frail　floats　alongside　the　little　rock　that　served　as　a　pier；　he　took　a　fishing　line　and　a　larger　piece　of　stick；　and　proceeded　to　draw　a　diagram　on　the　sand。　This　diagram　when　completed　represented　a　rude　outline　of　a　punt；　eight　feet　long　and　three　broad。　　At　certain　distances　were　eight　points　four　on　each　sideinto　which　small　willow　rods　were　driven。　He　then　awoke　Frere　and　showed　the　diagram　to　him。

〃Get　eight　stakes　of　celery…top　pine；〃　he　said。　　〃You　can　burn　them　where　you　cannot　cut　them；　and　drive　a　stake　into　the　place　of　each　of　these　willow　wands。　　When　you　have　done　that；　collect　as　many　willows　as　you　can　get。　　I　shall　not　be　back　until　tonight。　　Now　give　me　a　hand　with　the　floats。〃

Frere；　coming　to　the　pier；　saw　Dawes　strip　himself；　and　piling　his　clothes　upon　the　stuffed　goat…skin；　stretch　himself　upon　the　reed　bundles；　and；　paddling　with　his　hands；　push　off　from　the　shore。　　The　clothes　floated　high　and　dry；　but　the　reeds；　depressed　by　the　weight　of　the　body；　sank　so　that　the　head　of　the　convict　alone　appeared　above　water。　In　this　fashion　he　gained　the　middle　of　the　current；　and　the　out…going　tide　swept　him　down　towards　the　mouth　of　the　harbour。

Frere；　sulkily　admiring；　went　back　to　prepare　the　breakfast　they　were　on　half　rations　now；　Dawes　having　forbidden　the　slaughtered　goat　to　be　eaten；　lest　his　expedition　should　prove　unsuccessfulwondering　at　the　chance　which　had　thrown　this　convict　in　his　way。　　〃Parsons　would　call　it　'a　special　providence；'〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃For　if　it　hadn't　been　for　him；　we　should　never　have　got　thus　far。　　If　his　'boat'　succeeds；　we're　all　right；　I　suppose。　　He's　a　clever　dog。　　I　wonder　who　he　is。〃　His　training　as　a　master　of　convicts　made　him　think　how　dangerous　such　a　man　would　be　on　a　convict　station。　　It　would　be　difficult　to　keep　a　fellow　of　such　resources。　　〃They'll　have　to　look　pretty　sharp　after　him　if　they　ever　get　him　back；〃　he　thought。　　〃I'll　have　a　fine　tale　to　tell　of