CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
WILLIAM SOLLY HAS THOUGHTS.
It would have been better, perhaps, for Nic Revel if he had not heardthe result of the plan to get help from Captain Lawrence's ship and itsdisastrous results for him.
For Pete Burge's narrative was correct enough, save that he made anomission or two, notably the fact that he was captured while making abrave effort to save Nic from the savage blows being dealt out to him byHumpy Dee, who was trying to visit upon his head the disappointment hefelt through the failure of the raid.
It was from finding Nic, helplessly insensible, being carried off byPete that in the dark the sailors took the young man for one of theparty they were to attack; and hence it was that he was tied fast to hisinjured companion, carried down the hill-slope to the river, bundledinto the boat with the other prisoners, and carried off, there being nofurther communication held with the shore. Captain Lawrence knewnothing till long afterwards about Nic being missing, and the long, longsearch made for him in the pool; two of the men, when questioned lateron during the inquiry, having seen him go down in the fierce struggle.But no one, during the confusion which ensued, had seen him rise again;for it was somewhere about that time that those who bore torches, andsaw that the fight was going against them, dashed them down into thewater, hoping the darkness would cover their escape.
The Captain, in the triumphant issue of the encounter, had stood to seethe prisoners all bound, and soon after, upon not finding his son,accepted Solly's suggestion that Nic had walked down to see theprisoners off, and perhaps gone on board to thank the officer for hishelp.
The next morning the ship was gone, and a horrible dread assailed masterand man as to Nic's fate. Then came the information from the twolabourers who had taken part in the defence and the search, every inchof the pool and river being examined, till the suspicion became acertainty that Nic had been swept down the river and carried out to sea,the cap he wore having been brought in by one of the fishermen whoharboured his boat in the mouth of the stream.
But Captain Revel did not rest content with this: in his agony hecommunicated with Captain Lawrence, who came on at once, and confessednow to his old friend why, when his help was asked, he had jumped at theidea. They wanted men for one of the ships bound for Charleston and theWest Indies, the pressgangs having been very unsuccessful; and as thesalmon-poachers were described to him as being strong, active fellows,the idea struck him that here was a fine opportunity for ridding theneighbourhood of a gang of mischievous ne'er-do-weels--men who would beof service to their country, and henceforth leave his oldbrother-officer in peace; while any of them not particularly suitablecould be easily got rid of among the sugar and tobacco plantations.
"Then," said Captain Revel, "you have sent them away?"
"Yes; they sailed the next night. It was rather a high-handedtransaction; but the service wanted them badly, and we can't afford tobe too particular at a time like this."
"But do you think it likely that my poor boy was among the prisoners?"
"Impossible," said the Captain. "If he were--which is not in the leastlikely--all he had to do was to speak and say who he was. But absurd!I should have known, of course."
"But after he was on board the other vessel?"
"My dear old friend," said Captain Lawrence sympathetically, "I shrinkfrom dashing your hopes, but I feel how unjust it would be to back youup in the idea that he may have gone with the impressed men. He is agentleman, and an English officer's son, and he would only have to openhis lips to any one he encountered, and explain his position, to be senthome from the first port he reached."
"Yes, yes, of course," said the Captain bitterly; "and I shall never seemy poor boy again."
Captain Lawrence was so uneasy about his friend that he went back to theboat and sent her off to the ship, returning afterwards to the house,bitterly regretting that he had sent his men ashore and allowed himselfto be tempted into making a seizure of the poachers.
Captain Revel was seated in his arm-chair when Captain Lawrencere-entered the house, looking calm, grave, and thoughtful. His friend'scoming made him raise his head and gaze sorrowfully; then, with a wearysmile, he let his chin drop upon his breast and sat looking hard at thecarpet.
"Come, Revel, man," cried Captain Lawrence, "you must cheer up. Wesailors can't afford to look at the black side of things."
"No, no; of course not," said the stricken man. "I shall be bettersoon, Jack; better soon. I'm getting ready to fight it."
"That's right; and before long you will have the boy marching into theroom, or else sending you a letter."
"Yes, yes," said Captain Revel, with a sad smile, and in a mannertotally different from that which he generally assumed, "he'll soon comeback or write."
"But, poor fellow! he does not think so," said Captain Lawrence tohimself, as Nic's father relapsed into thoughtful silence.
"Solly, my lad," said the visitor, when he felt that he must return tohis vessel, "your master has got a nasty shock over this business."
"Ay, ay, sir; and he aren't the only one as feels it. I ought never toha' left Master Nic's side; but he put me in my station, and, of course,I had to obey orders."
"Of course, my lad. Here, we must make the best of it, and hope andpray that the boy will turn up again all right."
Solly shook his head sadly.
"Ah, don't do that, my man," cried Captain Lawrence. "You a sailor,too. There's life in a mussel, Solly. A man's never dead with us tillhe is over the side with a shot at his heels."
"That's true, sir," said the old sailor; "but, you see, I'm afraid.There was some fierce fighting over yonder in the pitch-dark, where thelights waren't showing. Sticks was a-going awful. If my poor boy gotone o' they cracks on his head and went beneath, there was plenty o'water to wash him out o' the pool and down the river."
"Yes; but hope for the best, man; hope for the best. Remember the bitof blue that comes in the wind's eye often enough when we're in theworst part of a gale."
"Ay, sir, that's what I do--hope for the best, and that if my poor youngmaster, who was as fine a lad as ever stepped, is done for, I may someday find out who it was that hit that blow, and pay it back."
"No, Solly," said Captain Lawrence sternly. "An English sailor does nottake revenge in cold blood for what was done in hot. Never! There, Imust get off, and in a few days I hope to be back to see my old friendagain. Meanwhile, I know he's in good hands, and that he would not wishto be watched over by any one better than William Solly, his oldcompanion in many a trouble of the past."
"It's very kind o' you to say so, sir," said Solly humbly.
"I only speak the truth, my man," said the visitor. "I have seen agreat deal, and Captain Revel has told me more, about what a faithfulservant you have been to him. Do all you can to comfort him, for he isterribly changed."
The tears were in old Solly's eyes, and there seemed to be a kink in histhroat, as he said huskily:
"Awful, sir. I was a-saying on'y the other day, when the skipper waswherriting hisself about losing a few salmon, and raging and blowing allover the place, that he wanted a real trouble to upset him, and thatthen he wouldn't go so half-mad-like about a pack o' poachers workingthe pool. But I little thought then that the real bad trouble wascoming so soon; and it has altered him, sewer-ly. Poor Master Nic--poordear lad! Seems on'y t'other day as I used to carry him sittin' withhis little bare legs over my two shoulders, and him holding on tight bymy curly hair. Yes, sir, you look; it is smooth and shiny up aloft now,but I had a lot o' short, curly hair then, just like an old Calabarnigger's. And now, on'y to think of it."
"No, don't think of it, my lad, for we are not certain, and we will notgive up hope. There, good-bye, Solly, my man. Shake hands."
"Shake--hands, sir--with you, cap'n?"
"No, not with the captain, but with the man who looks upon you as an oldfriend."
The next minute Solly was alone, rubbing his fist first in one eye andthen in the
other, twisting the big bony knuckle of his forefinger roundso as to squeeze the moisture out.
"Well now," he said, "just look at that! What an old fool I am! Well,if I didn't know as them there drops o' mystur' was 'cause o' my poorlad Master Nic, I should ha' thought it was all on account o' what Cap'nLawrence said. `Friend!' he says. Well, I like that. I s'pose it's'cause I've allus tried to do my dooty, though I've made a horful muddleon it more'n once."
Nic Revel: A White Slave's Adventures in Alligator Land Page 13