Chakra, on reaching the crest of the cliff, found Jacob Jessuron in a
state of impatience bordering upon torment. The Jew was striding back
and forth among the trees, at intervals striking the ground with his
umbrella, and giving utterance to his favourite exclamatory
phrases--"Blesh my soul!" and "Blesh me!"--with unusual volubility.
Now and then also could be heard the Teutonic ejaculation, "Ach!"
proving that his soul was under the influence of some unpleasant
passion, that was vexing him even to torture.
"Wha's de trouble, Massr Jake?" inquired the myal-man, scrambling over
the edge of the rock. "Dar's something go wrong, a 'pose, from de way
you hab soun' de signal? A hear de whissel fo' time."
"There ish something wrong--a great deal ish wrong--s'help me, there
ish! What hash kept you, Shakra?" he added, with a show of vexation.
"Golly, Massr Jake, a war asleep; da's wha' d'layed me."
"How, then, hash you heard the signal four times?"
The query appeared slightly to puzzle Chakra.
"O--a--de signal fo' time," stammered he, after a pause of reflection.
"Wa, ye see, a hear de fuss time in ma sleep--den de second time he wake
me--de third a got to ma feet; and when de fo'th--"
The Jew--either satisfied with the explanation, or too much hurried to
hear the end of it--interrupted Chakra at "de fo'th."
"It ish no time for talk when Mount Welcome ish in flames. You knowsh
that, I supposhe?"
Chakra hesitated, as if considering whether to make a negative or
affirmative reply.
"Of course you knowsh it. I needn't haf ashked. Who wash it? Adam
hash been there. Wash it him?"
"Ole Adam hab a hand in dat ere bizness, a b'lieve."
"You knowsh it, Shakra; and I knowsh another that hash had a hand in it.
That ish not my bishness, nor what I hash come here about. There ish
worse than that."
"Wuss, Massr Jake?" inquired the myal-man, with an air of feigned
surprise. It might have been real. "Wuss dan dat? Hab de young man no
come back?"
"Ach! that ish nothings. There ish far worse--there ish danger: s'help
me, there ish!"
"Danger! Wha from, Massr Jake?"
"Firsh tell me where ish Adam now? I want him, and all his fellish."
"He am gone back to de mountains."
"Ach! Gone back, you shay? How long ish he gone? Can you overtake
him, Shakra?"
"Possab'e a mout; dey won't trabbel fass. Dey am too hebby load fo'
dat. But wha' fo' you want ole Adam, Massr Jake?"
"Bishness of the greatesht importance. It ish life and death. Blue
Dick hash been over to Mount Welcome. He hash heerd shtrange news--ach!
terrible news! A messhenger who came in from the Saffana road hash
brought the newsh of many dishagreeable things--among the resht that my
Shpaniards haf been made prisoners by Cubina and thish ungrateful
villain of a Vochan. They are accushed of murdering the Cushtos. Blesh
my soul!"
"What harm dat do you, Massr Jake? Wha's de danger?"
"Danger! Dosh you not see it, Shakra? If theesh hunters ish brought to
trial, do you supposhe they would hold their tongues? S'help me, no!
They will turn Shtate's efidence; and then I should be exshposed--
arreshted--ruined! Oh! why hash I ever trushted theesh clumshy fellish
with a bishness of such importance?"
"Dey am clumsy fellas, jess as you say, Massr Jake."
"Ach! it ish too late to shpeak of regretsh. It ish necessary to take
some shteps to prevent thish terrible mishfortune. You musht go after
Adam, and find him thish instant--thish instant, Shakra."
"All right, Massr Jake. A do whatebber you bid me, nebba fear. A soon
track up Adam; but wha d'ye want me say to de ole nigga when a hab foun'
'im?"
"You needn't shay anything--only bring him back with you to the Shumbe
Rock. I shall wait there for you till you come. Don't keep me long in
sushpense, Shakra. Make all the shpeed in your power. If you don't get
back before sunrishe, all will be losht! I'll be ruined--I will, s'help
me!"
"Nebba fear, Massr Jake. A woan lose a minnit. A doan tink dat ere ole
nigga's got far 'way jess yet. A soon obertake 'im. A go atter him at
once. Whugh!"
As Chakra uttered the exclamation, he turned on his heel, and was about
to start up the mountain, in the direction of the Jumbe Rock, near which
he would have to pass on his way towards the haunt of the black robbers.
"Shtay!" cried the Jew, "I'she going with you ash far ash the Shumbe
Rock. I may ash well wait there ash anywhere elshe. It ish no ushe my
going home now. S'help me! I cannot resht till thish thing ish
settled. And now, when I thinksh of it, you may ash well let Adam know
for what he ish wanted--so ash he may come prepared. Say to him he ish
to go shtraight to Mount Welcome--that ish, where it ushed to be. He'sh
not to show hishelf there, but prosheed along the road, till he meets
the Cushtos' body, and them that ish with it. Then he ish to find some
way to rescue the Shpaniards, an' let them eshcape to me. You musht go
along with Adam and hish men, elshe they may shpoil all. He musht bring
his fellish well armed; you may shtand in need of them all. The
messenger said there were some negroes from the eshtate of Content.
Theesh won't signify. They will all run away ash soon as you show
yourselves; but the others may be inclined to make fight. There ish
Cubina, and the young raschal of an Englishman, besides that giant
Quaco, and the messenger hishself. You thinksh you can manage them,
Shakra?"
"Sure ob dat."
"You musht take them by an ambushcade."
"P'raps we kill some o' dem."
"Ash many ash you like. Only make shure to get the Shpaniards off."
"Be no great harm to kill dem too--atter de fool dey hab made ob
demselves, lettin' dem fellas take um pris'ner dat a way. Whugh!"
"No, no, goot Shakra!--we mushn't kill our friendsh--we may need them
again. You may promish Adam goot pay for the shob. I don't care for
the cosht, so long as it ish clefferly done."
"All right, Massr Jake; leab dat to me an' Adam. We do de ting
clebberly 'nuf, I'se be boun'."
And with this assurance Chakra strode off up the mountain, the Jew
having set the example by starting forward in advance of him.
Volume Three, Chapter XL.