glistening; it's mother-of-pearl."
"So it is."
The crows had carried the mussels up on the islet, and left the shellsstrewn about. The inner part reflected the sunlight. If examinedclosely there are prismatic colours.
"There's that curious wave," said Mark, standing up and pointing to anundulation of the water on the other side of a small patch of greenweeds. The undulation went away from them till they lost sight of it."What is it?"
"There are all sorts of curious things in the tropic seas," said Bevis."Some of them are not found out even yet. Nobody can tell what it is."
"Perhaps it's magic," said Mark.
"Lots of magic goes on in the south," said Bevis. "I believe we're verynearly on the equator; just feel how hot the gunwale is,"--the wood waswarm from the sunshine--"and the sun goes overhead every day, and it'sso, light at night. We will bring the astrolabe and take anobservation--I say!"
The Pinta brought up with a sudden jerk. They had run on a shoal.
"Wrecked!" shouted Mark joyfully. "But there are no waves. It's nogood with these ripples."
Bevis pushed the Pinta off with a scull, and so feeling the bottom, toldMark to ease the tiller and sail more to the right. Two minutesafterwards they grounded again, and again pushed off. On the left, oreastern side, they saw a broad channel leading up through the weeds.Bevis told Mark to tack up there. Mark did so, and they slowly advancedwith the weeds each side. The tacks were short, and as the wind was solight they made little progress. Presently the channel turned south;then they ran faster; next it turned sharp to the east, and came back.In trying to tack here Mark ran into the weeds.
"Stupe!" said Bevis.
"That I'm not," said Mark. "You can't do it."
"Can't I?" said Bevis contemptuously.
"Try then," said Mark, and he left the tiller. Bevis took it andmanaged two tacks very well. At the third he too ran into the weeds,for in fact the channel was so narrow there was no time to get weigh onthe ship.
"Stupe yourself," said Mark.
He tried to row out, but every time he got a pull the wind blew themback, and they had to let the mainsail down.
"It wants a canoe," said Bevis.
"Of course it does. It's no use going on unless you're going to row."
"No; but look!" Bevis pointed to a small branch which was floating veryslowly past them.
"There's a current," said Mark.
"River," said Bevis. "In the sedges somewhere."
"What is it? I know; it's the Orinoco."
"No, I don't think so."
"Amazon?"
"No."
"Hoang-Ho?"
"How can we tell, till we get the astrolabe and take an observation?Most likely it's a new river, the biggest ever found."
"It must be a new river," said Mark. "This is the New Sea. We'redrifting back a little."
"We'll come again in a canoe, or something," said Bevis.
They rowed out of the channel, set the mainsail, and sailed back, pastPearl Island, Grey Crow Island, the Coral Isles, and approached NewFormosa. Mark looked over the side, and watched to see the sunken punt.
"It's a wreck," said he presently, as they passed above the punt. "Shefoundered."
"It's a Spanish galley," said Bevis. "She's full of bullion, gold andsilver--"
"Millions of broad gold pieces."
"Doubloons."
"Pistoles."
"Ingots."
"You can see the skeletons chained at the oar-benches."
"Yes--just as they went down."
"There are strange sounds here at night."
"Bubbles come up, and shouts, and awful shrieks."
"Hope we shan't hear them when we're in our hut."
"No; it's too far."
They sailed between New Formosa and Serendib, and homewards throughMozambique to the harbour. The east wind, like the west, was athere-and-back wind, and they could reach their island, or return fromit, in two or three tacks, sometimes in one stretch.
Volume Two, Chapter XII.
PROVISIONING THE CAVE.
Next day they took an iron bar with them, and pitched the stakes for thefence or stockade. Between the stakes they wove in willow rods andbrushwood, so that thus bound together, it was much stronger than itlooked, and no one could have got in without at least making a greatnoise. The two boards, nailed together for the gate, were fastened onone side to a stouter stake with small chains like rude hinges. On theother there was a staple and small padlock.
"It's finished," said Mark, as he turned the key and locked them in.
"No," said Bevis, "there's the bedstead. The ground's dry," (it wassand), "but it's not proper to sleep on the ground."
They put off preparing the bedstead till next day, when they approachedon a spanking south east wind--half a breeze--against which they had totack indeed, but spun along at a good speed. The waves were not largeenough to make the Pinta roll, but some spray came over now and then.
"It's almost shipwreck weather," said Mark. "Just see--" He pointed atthe cliff where there was a little splashing, as the waves sweptsideways along the base of the cliff. "If you run her against the cliffthe bowsprit will be knocked in. Would the mast go by the board?"
"Not enough wind," said Bevis, as he steered past, and they landed atthe usual place. The bedstead was made by placing five or six thickpoles sawn off at four feet on the floor on the left side of the hut,like the sleepers of a railway. Across these lengthways they laidlesser rods, then still more slender rods crossways, and on these againboughs of spruce fir, one on the other to a foot or more in depth. Theframework of logs and rods beneath kept the bed above the ground, andthe boughs of the spruce fir, being full of resinous sap, gave out aslight fragrance. On this mattress a rug and some old great-coats wereto be thrown, and they meant to cover themselves with more rugs andcoats. The bedstead took up much of the room, but then it would answerin the daytime instead of chairs to sit on.
"It's finished now, then," said Mark.
"Quite finished," said Bevis. "All we have now to do is to bring ourthings."
"And get wrecked," said Mark. "These chips and boughs," pointing to theheap they had cut from the poles and stakes, "will do for our fire.Come on. Let's go up and look at the cliff where we are to be dashed topieces."
They climbed up the cliff to the young oak on the summit, and went tothe edge. The firm sand bore them safely at the verge.
"It looks very deep," said Bevis. "The sand goes down straight."
"Fathomless," said Mark. "Just think how awful. It ought to happen atnight--pitch black! I know! Some savages ought to light a fire up hereand guide us to destruction."
"We could not scramble up this cliff out of the water--I mean if we haveto swim."
"Of course we shall have to swim, clinging to oars."
"Then we must get round that corner, somehow."
"The other side is all weeds; that wouldn't do."
"Very likely the waves would bang us against the cliff. Don't youremember how Ulysses clung to the rock?"
"His hands were torn."
"Nearly drowned."
"Tired out."
"Thumped and breathless."
"Jolly!"
"But I say! There's one thing we've forgotten," said Bevis. "If wesmash our ship against a cliff like this she'll go to the bottom--"
"Well, that's just what we want."
"Ah, but it's not like rocks or shoals; she'll go straight down, rightunder where we can't get at her--"
"All the better."
"But then our things will go down too--gun, and powder, and provisions,and everything."
"Put them on the island first and wreck ourselves afterwards."
"So we could. Yes, we could do that, but then," said Bevis, imaginingwhat would happen, "when the Pinta was missed from the harbour and didnot come back, there would be a search, and they would think somethinghad happened to us."
"I see," said
Mark, "that's very awkward. What a trouble it is to getwrecked! Why can't people let us be jolly?"
"They must not come looking after us," said Bevis, "else it will spoileverything."
"Perhaps we had better put the wreck off," said Mark, in a dejectedtone. "Do the island first, and have the wreck afterwards."
"It seems as if we must," said Bevis, "and then it's almost asawkward--"
"Why?"
"We shall have to come here in the Pinta, and yet we must not keep herhere, else she will be missed."
"The ship must be here and at home too."
"Yes," said Bevis; "she must be at New Formosa on the equator and athome in the harbour. It's a very difficult thing."
"Awfully difficult," said Mark. "But you can do it. Try! Think!Shall I tickle you?"
"It wants magic," said Bevis. "I ought to have studied magic more; onlythere are no magic books now."
"But you can think, I know. Now, think hard--_hard_."
"First," said Bevis slowly, tracing out the proceedings in hisimagination; "first we must bring all our things--the gun and powder,and provisions, and great-coats, and the astrolabe, and spears, andleave them all here."
"Pan ought to come," said Mark, "to watch the hut."
"So he did; he shall come, and besides, if we shoot a wild duck he canswim out and fetch it."
"Now go on," said Mark. "First, we bring everything and Pan."
"Tie him up," said Bevis, "and row home in the boat. Then the thing is,how are we to get to the island?"
"Swim," said Mark.
"Too far."
"But we needn't swim all up the New Sea. Couldn't we swim from where welanded that night after the battle?"
"Ever so much better. Let's go and look," said Bevis.
Away they went to the shore on that side of the island, but they saw ina moment that it was too far. It was two hundred yards to the sedges onthe bank where they had landed that night. They could not trustthemselves to swim more than fifty or sixty yards; there was, too, therisk of weeds, in which they might get entangled.
"I know!" said Bevis, "I know! You stop on the island with Pan. I'llsail the Pinta into harbour, then I'll paddle back on the catamaran."
"There!" said Mark, "I knew you could do it if you thought hard. Wecould bring the catamaran up in the boat, and leave it in the sedgesthere ready."
"I can leave half my clothes on the island," said Bevis, "and tie therest on my back, and paddle here from the sedges in ten minutes. Thatwill be just like the savages do."
"I shall come too," said Mark. "I shan't stop here. Let Pan be tiedup, and I'll paddle as well."
"The catamaran won't bear two."
"Get another. There's lots of planks. I will come--it's much jollierpaddling than sitting here and doing nothing."
"Capital," said Bevis. "We'll have two catamarans, and paddle heretogether."
"First-rate. Let's be quick and get the things on the island."
"There will be such a lot," said Bevis. "The matchlock, and the powder,and the flour, and--"
"Salt," said Mark. "Don't you remember the moorhen. Things are notnice without salt."
"Yes, salt and matches, and pots for cooking, and a lantern, and--"
"Ever so many cargoes," said Mark. "As there's such a lot, and as wecan't go home and fetch anything if it's forgotten, hadn't you betterwrite a list?"
"So I will," said Bevis. "The pots and kettles will be a bother, theywill want to know what we are going to do."
"Buy some new ones."
"Right; and leave them at Macaroni's."
"Come on. Sail home and begin."
They launched the Pinta, and the spanking south-easterly breeze carriedthem swiftly into harbour. At home there was a small parcel, veryneatly done up, addressed to "Captain Bevis."
"That's Frances's handwriting," said Mark. Bevis cut the string andfound a flag inside made from a broad red ribbon cut to a point.
"It's a pennant," said Bevis. "It will do capitally. How was it wenever thought of a flag before?"
"We were so busy," said Mark. "Girls have nothing to do, and so theycan remember these sort of stitched things."
"She shall have a bird of paradise for her hat," said Bevis. "We shallbe sure to shoot one on the island."
"I shouldn't give it to her," said Mark. "I should sell it. Look atthe money."
In the evening they took a large box (which locked) up to the boat,carrying it through the courtyard with the lid open--ostentatiouslyopen--and left it on board. Next morning they filled it with theirtools. Bevis kept his list and pencil by him, and as they put in onething it suggested another, which he immediately wrote down. There werefiles, gimlets, hammers, screw-drivers, planes, chisels, the portablevice, six or seven different sorts of nails, every tool indeed they had.The hatchet and saw were already on the island. Besides these therewere coils of wire and cord, balls of string, and several boxes ofsafety and lucifer matches. This was enough for one cargo, they shutthe lid, and began to loosen the sails ready for hoisting.
"You might take us once."
"You never asked us."
Tall Val and little Charlie had come along the bank unnoticed while theywere so busy.
"I wish you would go away," said Mark, beginning to push the Pintaafloat. The ballast and cargo made her drag on the sand.
"Bevis," said Val, "let us have one sail."
"All the times you've been sailing," said Charlie, "and all byyourselves, and never asked anybody."
"And after we banged you in the battle," said Val. "If you did beat us,we hit you as hard as we could."
"It was a capital battle," said Bevis hesitatingly. He had the halyardin his hand, and paused with the mainsail half hoisted.
"Whopping and snopping," said Charlie.
"Charging and whooping and holloaing," said Val.
"Rare," said Bevis. "Yes; you fought very well."
"But you never asked us to have a sail."
"Not once--you didn't."
"Well, it's not your ship. It's our ship," said Mark, giving anotherpush, till the Pinta was nearly afloat.
"Stop," cried Charlie, running down to the water's edge. "Bevis, dotake us--"
"It's very selfish of you," said Val, following.
"So it is," said Bevis. "I say, Mark--"
"Pooh!" said Mark, and with a violent shove he launched the boat, andleaped on board. He took a scull, and began to row her head round. Thewind was north and light.
"I bate you," said Charlie. "I believe you're doing something. What'sin that box."
"Ballast, you donk," said Mark.
"That it isn't, I saw it just before you shut the lid. It's notballast."
"Let's let them come," said Bevis irresolutely.
"You awful stupe," said Mark, under his breath. "They'll spoileverything."
"And why do you always sail one way?" said Val. "We've seen you ever somany times."
"I won't be watched," said Bevis angrily: he, unconsciously, endeavouredto excuse his selfishness under rage.
"You can't help it."
"I tell you, I won't."
"You're not General Caesar now."
"I hate you," pulling up the mainsail. Mark took the rope and fastenedit; Bevis sat down to the tiller.
"You're a beast," screamed little Charlie, as the sails drew and theboat began to move: the north wind was just aft.
"I never thought you were so selfish," shouted Val. "Go on--I won't askyou again."
"Take that," said Charlie, "and that--and that."
He threw three stones, one after the other, with all his might: thethird, rising from the surface of the water, struck the Pinta's sidesharply.
"Aren't they just horrid?" he said to Val.
"I never saw anything like it," said Val. "But we'll pay them out,somehow."
On the boat, Bevis looked back presently, and saw them still standing atthe water's edge.
"It's a pity," he
said; "Mark, I don't like it: shall we have them?"
"How can we? Of course they would spoil everything; they would telleverybody, and we could never do it; and, besides, the new island wouldnot be a new island, if everybody was there."
"No more it would."
"We can take them afterwards--after we've done the island. That will bejust as well."
"So it will. They will watch us, though."
"It's very nasty of them to watch us," said Mark. "Why should we takethem for sails when they watch us?"
"I hate being watched," said Bevis.
"They will just make everything as nasty for us as they can," said Mark;"and we shall have to be as cunning as ever we can be."
"We will do it, though, somehow."
"That we will."
The light north wind wafted the Pinta gently up the New Sea: the redpennant, fluttering at the mast, pointed out the course before them.They disposed of their first cargo in the store-room, or cave, placingthe tools in a sack, though the cave was as dry as the box, that theremight not be the least chance of their rusting. The return voyage wasslow, for they had to work against the wind, and it was too light forspeed. They looked for Charlie and Val, but both were gone.
Another cargo was ready late in the afternoon. They carried the thingsup in the flag-basket, and, before filling the box, took care to lookround and behind the shed where the sculls were kept, lest any oneshould be spying. Hitherto they had worked freely, and without anydoubt or suspicion: now they were constantly on the watch, and suspectedevery tree of concealing some one. Bevis chafed under this, and grewangry about it. In filling the box, too, they kept the lid towards theshore, and hoisted the mainsail to form a screen.
Mark took care that there should be some salt, and several bags offlour, and two of biscuits, which they got from a whole tinful in thehouse. He remembered some pepper too, but overlooked the mustard. Theytook several tins of condensed milk. From a side of bacon, up in theattic, they cut three streaky pieces, and bought some sherry at the inn;for they thought if they took one of the bottles in the house, it wouldbe missed, and that the servants would be blamed. Some wine would begood to mix with the water; for though they meant to take a woodenbottle of ale, they knew it would not keep.
Then there was a pound of tea, perhaps more; for they took it from thechest, and shovelled it up like sand, both hands full at once. A bundleof old newspapers was tied up, to light the fire; for they had found, byexperience, that it was not easy to do so with only dry grass. Bevishunted about till he discovered the tin mug he had when he was a littleboy, and two tin plates. Mark brought another mug. A few knives andforks would never be missed from the basketful in the kitchen; and, inchoosing some spoons, they were careful not to take silver, because thesilver was counted every evening.
They asked if they could have a small zinc bucket for the boat; and whenthey got it, put three pounds or more of knob sugar in it, loose; andcovered it over with their Turkish bathing-towels, in which they hadwrapped up a brush and comb. Just as they were about to start, theyremembered soap and candles. To get these things together, and up tothe Pinta, took them some hours, for they often had to wait awhile tillpeople were out of the way before they could get at the cupboards. Inthe afternoon, as they knew, some of the people went upstairs to dress,and that was their opportunity. By the time they had landed, and stowedaway this cargo, the sun was declining.
Volume Two, Chapter XIII.
MORE CARGOES--ALL READY.
Next morning the third cargo went; they had to row, for the New Sea wascalm. It consisted of arms. Bevis's favourite bow, of course, wastaken, and two sheaves of arrows; Mark's spears and harpoon; thecrossbow, throw-sticks, the boomerang and darts; so that the armoury wasalmost denuded.
Besides these there were fish-hooks (which were put in the box),fishing-rods, and kettles; an old horn-lantern, the old telescope, theastrolabe, scissors and thread (which shipwrecked people always have); abag full of old coins, which were to be found in the sand on the shore,where a Spanish galleon had been wrecked (one of those the sunken galleyhad been convoying when the tornado overtook them); a smalllooking-glass, a piece of iron rod, six bottles of lemonade, acribbage-board and pack of cards, and a bezique pack; a basket ofapples, and a bag of potatoes. The afternoon cargo was clothes, forthey thought they might want a change if it was wet; so they each tookone suit, carefully selecting old things that had been disused, andwould not be missed.
Then there were the great-coats for the bed; these were very awkward toget up to the boat, and caused many journeys, for they could only takeone coat each at a time.
"What a lot of rubbish you are taking to your boat," said mamma once."Mind you don't sink it: you will fill your boat with rubbish till youcan't move about."
"Rubbish!" said Bevis indignantly. "Rubbish, indeed!"
They so often took the rugs that there was no need to conceal them.Mark hit on a good idea and rolled up the barrel of the matchlock in oneof the rugs, and with it the ramrod. In the other they hid the stockand powder-horn, and so got them to the boat; chuckling over Mark'sdevice, by which they removed the matchlock in broad daylight.
"If Val's watching," said Bevis, as they came up the bank with the rugs,the last part of the load, "he'll have to be smashed."
"People who spy about ought to be killed," said Mark. "Everything oughtto be done openly," carefully depositing the concealed barrel in thestern-sheets. This was the most important thing of all. When they hadgot the matchlock safe in the cave, they felt that the greatestdifficulty was surmounted.
John Young had brought their anvil, the 28 pound weight, for them to thebank, and it was shipped. He bought a small pot for boiling, thesmallest size made, for them in Latten, also a saucepan, a tin kettle,and teapot. One of the wooden bottles, like tiny barrels, used to sendale out to the men in the fields, was filled with strong ale. Mark drewit in the cellar which had once been his prison, carefully filling it tothe utmost, and this John got away for them rolled up in his jacket.The all-potent wand of the enchanter Barleycorn was held over him; whatwas there he would not have done for them?
He was all the more ready to oblige them because since Mark'simprisonment in the cellar, Bevis and Mark had rather taken his partagainst the Bailiff, and got him out of scrapes. Feeling that he hadpowerful friends at court, John did not trouble to work so hard. Theycalled at the cottage for the pot and the other things, which were in asack ready for them. Loo fetched the sack, and Bevis threw it over hisshoulder.
"I scoured them well," said Loo. "They be all clean."
"Did you?" said Bevis. "Here," searching his pocket. "O! I've only afourpenny piece left." He gave it to her.
"I can cook," said Loo wistfully, "and make tea." This was a hint tothem to take her with them; but away they strode unheeding. The tinkettle and teapot clashed in the sack.
"I believe I saw Val behind that tree," said Bevis.
"He can't see through a sack though," said Mark.
The wind was still very light, and all the morning was occupied indelivering this cargo. The cave or store-room was now crammed full, andthey could not put any more without shelves.
"That's the last," said Mark, dragging the heavy anvil in. "ExceptPan."
"And my books," said Bevis, "and ink and paper. We must keep a journalof course."
"So we must," said Mark. "I forgot that. It will make a book."
"`Adventures in New Formosa,'" said Bevis.
"We'll write it every evening after we've done work, don't you see."
When they got home he put his books together--the Odyssey, Don Quixote,the grey and battered volume of ballads, a tiny little book ofShakespeare's poems, of which he had lately become very fond, andFilmore's rhymed translation of Faust. He found two manuscript booksfor the journal; these and the pens and ink-bottle could all go togetherin the final cargo with Pan.
All the while these voyages were proceeding they had been thinking overhow
they should get away from home without being searched for, and hadconcluded that almost the only excuse they could make would be that theywere going to spend a week or two with Jack. This they now began tospread about, and pretended to prepare for the visit. As they expected,it caused no comment. All that was said was that they were not to stoptoo long. Mamma, did not much like the idea of being left by herself,but then it was quite different to their being away in disgrace.
But she insisted upon Bevis writing home. Bevis shrugged his shoulders,foreseeing that it would be difficult to do this as there was nopost-office on New Formosa; but it was of no use, she said he should notgo unless he promised to write.
"Very well," said Bevis. "Letters are the stupidest stupidity stupesever invented."
But now there arose a new difficulty, which seemed as if it could not begot over. How were they to tell while they were away on the island, andcut off from all communication with the mainland, what was going on athome; whether it was all right and they were supposed to be at Jack's,or whether they were missed? For though so intent on deceiving the homeauthorities, and so ingenious in devising
Bevis: The Story of a Boy Page 55