Nic Revel: A White Slave's Adventures in Alligator Land

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

  PETE THINKS HE HAS FOUND IT.

  In the morning, as the eternal hoeing went on, Pete found hisopportunity for telling of his adventures during the night. Humpy Deehad evidently heard nothing.

  "Keep at it, Master Nic," he said; "this here stuff's growed up zo thatthere's no telling when they're coming on to you. It's all rightthough, now."

  "Tell me, then, quickly. You got out?"

  "Zure I did. I meant to, and had a good long night of it."

  "And you're sure the dog hasn't hurt you much?"

  "Nay, on'y a pinch; I had the meat ready to shove in his face, But therearen't much to tell you."

  "I was afraid so. We must be patient, Pete, and live on hope."

  "Can't live on hope, master. Hope's on'y the salt as makes the rest o'life tasty. Want zome'at else as well. But don't you be down. We'vegot to get away, and we'll do it afore we've done."

  "Then you found out nothing?"

  "Oh yes, I did," said Pete dryly. "I found out that it didn't matterwhich way I went there waren't what I wanted."

  "You mean the boat?"

  "That's right, master. I went as far as I could get along the river oneway, and it waren't there; and I went as far as I could get t'other way,and it waren't there. Old Zam must get in and paddle it right awayzomewheres. There now, if I haven't found it after all!"

  "What! Where it is hidden?"

  "I believe I have; zeemed to turn it over and find it under this hereclod I'm breaking up with the hoe. Wish I'd looked when we was aboard."

  "Looked at what?"

  "Her bottom. She's got a big bung-hole in her zomewhere, and he mustpole her along into a deep part, and take the bung out, and let her filland zink. Then he zinks the painter with a stone."

  "But she wouldn't sink, Pete."

  "Oh yes, she would, with ballast enough, sir; and all we've got to donow is to find out where she is."

  Nic shook his head sadly, for he was not convinced.

  "Don't you do that, my lad; that's not the way to get home. Maybe I'mwrong, but I think I'm right, and I dare zay, if we knowed where tolook, she's just close handy zomewhere. Zay, Master Nic, s'pose I getold Zamson down and kneel on his chest, and pull out my knife. I couldshow my teeth and look savage, and pretend I was going to cut his headoff if he didn't tell me. That would make him speak--eh?"

  "Yes, to Saunders; and you would be punished, and we should be worse offthan ever."

  "That's about it, sir. I'm afraid I did no good last night."

  Pete chopped and broke clods, and muttered to himself in a way whichsuggested that he was by no means satisfied with his investigations.Then all at once he said:

  "What do you zay to our going quietly down to the water some night,dropping in, and zwimming for it?"

  "Into the jaws of the great alligators, Pete?"

  "Didn't think o' that. Could hear 'em, too, as I walked along. Onewhacker went off from just under my feet once. I 'most fell over him,and he roared out like a bull calf. I thought he meant my legs. No, wecouldn't do that, Master Nic. We must get hold o' that boat. I'll haveanother try to-night."

  "Better not," said Nic. "Some of the others will hear you."

  "And old Humpy be on'y too glad to get me in a row. Well, I mean tohave it zomehow."

  But Pete did not go upon any nocturnal excursion that night. Nature wastoo much for him. He dropped asleep, and did not wake till the conchshell sounded its braying note; and Nic rose once more to go to hislabour in the fields, asking himself if it was not all a dream.

  The next time the settler came that way the young man made an appeal tohim for permission to send off a letter to some one in authority; butthe angry refusal he received, coupled with a stern order to go on withhis work, taught him plainly enough not to place any confidence inobtaining his liberty through his employer, so he tried to move theoverseer the next time he came by.

  Nic fared worse.

  "Look here, my lad," said Saunders; "your country said you were betterout of it, and we've taken you, and mean to try and make somethingdecent of you. We're going to do it, too."

  "But that was all a mistake, sir, as I told you," pleaded Nic.

  "And this is a bigger one. Who is to believe your word? Get on withyour work, and if you worry me again with your whining I'll shorten yourrations, and keep you on the hardest jobs about the plantation."

  "It's of no use, Pete," said Nic as soon as he could speak unobserved;"there is nothing to hope for here. We must escape somehow, or else diein trying."

  "That's sense, Master Nic, all but the last part. I don't see any funin dying for ever so long. I'm going out to-night to find that boat,and if I do, next thing is to zave up some prog and be off. There's onething to do, though, 'fore we start."

  "What's that?"

  "Borrow a couple o' guns and some powder and shot."

  "Impossible, Pete. No; I think I could manage it."

  "How, my lad? It has bothered me."

  "There are two ways. Get at the guns one day when Samson is cleaningthem; or else creep to the house some hot night, risk all, and climb inby one of the windows. I think in time I shall know whereabouts theyare kept."

  "Risk getting zeen and shot?"

  "We must risk something, Pete," said Nic quietly. "It is for liberty.I should leave it to the last moment, and get them when the boat was allready; then, if I were heard there would be somewhere to make for, andonce afloat we should be safe. But there, we have not found out wherethe boat is yet."

  "And," said Pete thoughtfully, "there's zomething else we haven't tookcount of."

  "What's that?" said Nic eagerly.

  "The dogs, my lad; the dogs!"