for the term of his natural life-第46章

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hings　of　raw　hide。　　The　spliced　trees　now　presented　a　rude　outline　of　the　section　of　a　boat；　having　the　stem；　keel；　and　stern　all　in　one　piece。　　This　having　been　placed　lengthwise　between　the　stakes；　four　other　poles；　notched　in　two　places；　were　lashed　from　stake　to　stake；　running　crosswise　to　the　keel；　and　forming　the　knees。　　Four　saplings　were　now　bent　from　end　to　end　of　the　upturned　portions　of　the　keel　that　represented　stem　and　stern。　　Two　of　these　four　were　placed　above；　as　gunwales；　two　below　as　bottom　rails。　　At　each　intersection　the　sticks　were　lashed　firmly　with　fishing　line。　　The　whole　framework　being　complete；　the　stakes　were　drawn　out；　and　there　lay　upon　the　ground　the　skeleton　of　a　boat　eight　feet　long　by　three　broad。

Frere；　whose　hands　were　blistered　and　sore；　would　fain　have　rested；　but　the　convict　would　not　hear　of　it。　　〃Let　us　finish；〃　he　said　regardless　of　his　own　fatigue；　〃the　skins　will　be　dry　if　we　stop。〃

〃I　can　work　no　more；〃　says　Frere　sulkily；　〃I　can't　stand。　You've　got　muscles　of　iron；　I　suppose。　　I　haven't。〃

〃They　made　me　work　when　I　couldn't　stand；　Maurice　Frere。　　It　is　wonderful　what　spirit　the　cat　gives　a　man。　　There's　nothing　like　work　to　get　rid　of　aching　musclesso　they　used　to　tell　me。〃

〃Well；　what's　to　be　done　now？〃

〃Cover　the　boat。　　There；　you　can　set　the　fat　to　melt；　and　sew　these　hides　together。　　Two　and　two；　do　you　see？　　and　then　sew　the　pair　at　the　necks。　　There　is　plenty　of　catgut　yonder。〃

〃Don't　talk　to　me　as　if　I　was　a　dog！〃　says　Frere　suddenly。　〃Be　civil；　can't　you。〃

But　the　other；　busily　trimming　and　cutting　at　the　projecting　pieces　of　sapling；　made　no　reply。　　It　is　possible　that　he　thought　the　fatigued　lieutenant　beneath　his　notice。　　About　an　hour　before　sundown　the　hides　were　ready；　and　Rufus　Dawes；　having　in　the　meantime　interlaced　the　ribs　of　the　skeleton　with　wattles；　stretched　the　skins　over　it；　with　the　hairy　side　inwards。　Along　the　edges　of　this　covering　he　bored　holes　at　intervals；　and　passing　through　these　holes　thongs　of　twisted　skin；　he　drew　the　whole　to　the　top　rail　of　the　boat。　　One　last　precaution　remained。　Dipping　the　pannikin　into　the　melted　tallow；　he　plentifully　anointed　the　seams　of　the　sewn　skins。　　The　boat；　thus　turned　topsy…turvy；　looked　like　a　huge　walnut　shell　covered　with　red　and　reeking　hide；　or　the　skull　of　some　Titan　who　had　been　scalped。　　〃There！〃　cried　Rufus　Dawes；　triumphant。　〃Twelve　hours　in　the　sun　to　tighten　the　hides；　and　she'll　swim　like　a　duck。〃

The　next　day　was　spent　in　minor　preparations。　　The　jerked　goat…meat　was　packed　securely　into　as　small　a　compass　as　possible。　　The　rum　barrel　was　filled　with　water；　and　water　bags　were　improvised　out　of　portions　of　the　intestines　of　the　goats。　　Rufus　Dawes；　having　filled　these　last　with　water；　ran　a　wooden　skewer　through　their　mouths；　and　twisted　it　tight；　tourniquet　fashion。　　He　also　stripped　cylindrical　pieces　of　bark；　and　having　sewn　each　cylinder　at　the　side；　fitted　to　it　a　bottom　of　the　same　material；　and　caulked　the　seams　with　gum　and　pine…tree　resin。　Thus　four　tolerable　buckets　were　obtained。　　One　goatskin　yet　remained；　and　out　of　that　it　was　determined　to　make　a　sail。　　〃The　currents　are　strong；〃　said　Rufus　Dawes；　〃and　we　shall　not　be　able　to　row　far　with　such　oars　as　we　have　got。　　If　we　get　a　breeze　it　may　save　our　lives。〃　It　was　impossible　to　〃step〃　a　mast　in　the　frail　basket　structure；　but　this　difficulty　was　overcome　by　a　simple　contrivance。　From　thwart　to　thwart　two　poles　were　bound；　and　the　mast；　lashed　between　these　poles　with　thongs　of　raw　hide；　was　secured　by　shrouds　of　twisted　fishing　line　running　fore　and　aft。　　Sheets　of　bark　were　placed　at　the　bottom　of　the　craft；　and　made　a　safe　flooring。　　It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　on　the　fourth　day　when　these　preparations　were　completed；　and　it　was　decided　that　on　the　morrow　they　should　adventure　the　journey。　〃We　will　coast　down　to　the　Bar；〃　said　Rufus　Dawes；　〃and　wait　for　the　slack　of　the　tide。　　I　can　do　no　more　now。〃

Sylvia；　who　had　seated　herself　on　a　rock　at　a　little　distance；　called　to　them。　　Her　strength　was　restored　by　the　fresh　meat；　and　her　childish　spirits　had　risen　with　the　hope　of　safety。　The　mercurial　little　creature　had　wreathed　seaweed　about　her　head；　and　holding　in　her　hand　a　long　twig　decorated　with　a　tuft　of　leaves　to　represent　a　wand；　she　personified　one　of　the　heroines　of　her　books。

〃I　am　the　Queen　of　the　Island；〃　she　said　merrily；　〃and　you　are　my　obedient　subjects。　　Pray；　Sir　Eglamour；　is　the　boat　ready？〃

〃It　is；　your　Majesty；〃　said　poor　Dawes。

〃Then　we　will　see　it。　　Come；　walk　in　front　of　me。　　I　won't　ask　you　to　rub　your　nose　upon　the　ground；　like　Man　Friday；　because　that　would　be　uncomfortable。　　Mr。　Frere；　you　don't　play？〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　says　Frere；　unable　to　withstand　the　charming　pout　that　accompanied　the　words。　　〃I'll　play。　　What　am　I　to　do？〃

〃You　must　walk　on　this　side；　and　be　respectful。　　Of　course　it　is　only　Pretend；　you　know；〃　she　added；　with　a　quick　consciousness　of　Frere's　conceit。　〃Now　then；　the　Queen　goes　down　to　the　Seashore　surrounded　by　her　Nymphs！　There　is　no　occasion　to　laugh；　Mr。　Frere。　　Of　course；　Nymphs　are　very　different　from　you；　but　then　we　can't　help　that。〃

Marching　in　this　pathetically　ridiculous　fashion　across　the　sand；　they　halted　at　the　coracle。　　〃So　that　is　the　boat！〃　says　the　Queen；　fairly　surprised　out　of　her　assumption　of　dignity。　　〃You　are　a　Wonderful　Man；　Mr。　Dawes！〃

Rufus　Dawes　smiled　sadly。　　〃It　is　very　simple。〃

〃Do　you　call　this　simple？〃　says　Frere；　who　in　the　general　joy　had　shaken　off　a　portion　of　his　sulkiness。　　〃By　George；　I　don't！　This　is　ship…building　with　a　vengeance；　this　is。　　There's　no　scheming　about　thisit's　all　sheer　hard　work。〃

〃Yes！〃　echoed　Sylvia；　〃sheer　hard　worksheer　hard　work　by　good　Mr。　Dawes！〃　And　she　began　to　sing　a　childish　chant　of　triumph；　drawing　lines　and　letters　in　the　sand　the　while；　with　the　sceptre　of　the　Queen。

〃Good　Mr。　Dawes！　Good　Mr。　Dawes！　This　is　the　work　of　Good　Mr。　Dawes！〃

Maurice　could　not　resist　a　sneer。

〃See…saw；　Margery　Daw；　Sold　her　bed；　and　lay　upon　straw！〃

said　he。

〃Good　Mr。　Dawes！〃　repeated　Sylvia。　　〃Good　Mr。　Dawes！　　Why　shouldn't　I　say　it？　You　are　disagreeable；　sir。　　I　won't　play　with　you　any　more；〃　and　she　went　off　along　the　sand。

〃Poor　little　child；〃　said　Rufus　Dawes。　　〃You　speak　too　harshly　to　her。〃

Frerenow　that　the　boat　was　madehad　regained　his　self…confidence。　Civilization　seemed　now　brought　sufficiently　close　to　him　to　warrant　his　assuming　the　position　of　authority　to　which　his　social　position　entitled　him。　　〃One　would　think　that　a　boat　had　never　been　built　before　to　hear　her　talk；〃　he　said。　　〃If　this　washing…basket　had　been　one　of　my　old　uncle's　three…deckers；　she　couldn't　have　said　much　more。　By　the　Lord！〃　he　added；　with　a　coarse　laugh；　〃I　ought　to　have　a　natural　talent　for　ship…building；　for　if　the　old　villain　hadn't　died　when　he　did；　I　should　have　been　a　ship…builder　myself。〃

Rufus　Dawes　turned　his　back　at　the　word　〃died〃；　and　busied　himself　with　the　fastenings　of　the　hides。　　Could　the　other　have　seen　his　face；　he　would　have　been　struck　by　its　sudden　pallor。

〃Ah！〃　continued　Frere；　half　to　himself；　and　half　to　his　companion；　〃that's　a　sum　of　money　to　lose；　isn't　it？〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　convict；　without　turning　his　face。

〃Mean！　　Why；　my　good　fellow；　I　should　have　been　left　a　quarter　of　a　million　of　money；　but　the　old　hunks　who　was　going　to　give　it　to　me　died　before　he　could　alter　his　will；　and　every　shilling　went　to　a　scapegrace　son；　who　hadn't　been　near　the　old　man　for　years。　　That's　the　way　of　the　world；　isn't　it？〃

Rufus　Dawes；　still　keeping　his　face　away；　caught　his　breath　as　if　in　astonishment；　and　then；　recovering　himself；　he　said　in　a　harsh　voice；　〃A　fortunate　fellowthat　son！〃

〃Fortunate！〃　cries　Frere；　with　another　oath。　　〃Oh　yes；　he　was　fortunate！　He　was　burnt　to　death　in　the　Hydaspes；　and　never　heard　of　his　luck。　His　mother　has　got　the　money；　though。　　I　never　saw　a　shilling　of　it。〃　And　then；　seemingly　displeased　with　himself　for　having　allowed　his　tongue　to　get　the　better　of　his　dignity；　he　walked　away　to　the　fire；　musing；　doubtless；　on　the　difference　between　Maurice　Frere；　with　a　quarter　of　a　million；　disporting　himself　in　the　best　societ