The time glided on. Bargle grew better; Mr Marston's wound healed; and
these troubles were forgotten in the busy season which the fine weather
brought. For the great drain progressed rapidly in the bright spring
and early summer-time. There were stoppages when heavy rains fell; but
on the whole nature seemed to be of opinion that the fen had lain
uncultivated for long enough, and that it was time there was a change.
The old people scattered here and there about the edge shook their
heads, especially when they came over to Hickathrift's, and said it
would all be swept away one of these fine nights--_it_ being the new
river stretching week by week farther into the morass; but the flood did
not seem to have that effect when it did come. On the contrary, short
as was the distance which the great drain had penetrated, its effect was
wonderful, for it carried off water in a few days which would otherwise
have stayed for weeks.
Dick said it was a good job that Mr Marston had been shot.
Asked why by his crony Tom, he replied that it had made them such good
friends, and it was nice to have a chap who knew such a lot over at the
Toft.
For the intimacy had grown; and whenever work was done, reports written
out and sent off, and no duties raised their little reproving heads to
say, "You are neglecting us!" the engineer made his way to the Toft,
ready to join the two boys on some expedition--egg-collecting, fishing,
fowling, or hunting for some of the botanical treasures of the bog.
"I wish he wouldn't be so fond of moss and weeds!" said Tom. "It seems
so stupid to make a collection of things like that, and to dry them.
Why, you could go to one of our haystacks any day and pull out a better
lot than he has got."
Dick said nothing, for he thought those summer evenings delightful. He
and Tom, too, had been ready enough to laugh at their new friend
whenever he displayed ignorance of some term common to the district; but
now this laughter was lost in admiration as they found how he could
point out objects in their various excursions which they had never seen
before, book-lore having prepared him to find treasures in the
neighbourhood of the Toft of whose existence its occupants knew naught.
"Don't you find it very dull out there, Mr Marston," said Mrs
Winthorpe one day, "always watching your men cut--cut--cut--through that
wet black bog?"
"Dull, madam!" he said, smiling; "why, it is one continual time of
excitement. I watch every spadeful that is taken out, expecting to come
upon some relic of the past, historical or natural. By the way, Dick,
did that man Bargle ever give you the big tusk he said he had found?"
"No, he has never said any more about it, and I don't like to ask."
"Then I will. Perhaps it is the tooth of some strange beast which used
to roam these parts hundreds of years ago."
"I say, Marston," said the squire, "you'd like to see your great band of
ruffians at work excavating here, eh?"
"Mr Winthorpe," said the young man, "I'd give anything to be allowed to
search the ruins."
"Yes, and turn my place upside down, and disturb the home of the poor
old monks who used to live here! No, no; I'm not going to have my place
ragged to pieces. But when we do dig down, we come upon some curious
old stones."
"Like your tobacco-jar?" the engineer said, pointing to the old carven
corbel.
The squire nodded.
"You've got plenty of digging to do, my lad," he said, laughing.
"Finish that, and then perhaps I may let you have a turn my way. Who's
going over to see John Warren?"
"Ah, I wish you would go," said Mrs Winthorpe, "and take the poor
fellow over some things I have ready, in a basket!"
"I'll go," said Dick. "Hicky will take us in his punt. There'll be
plenty of time, and it's moonlight at nine."
"I'll go with you, Dick," said Marston. "What's the matter with the
man?"
"Our own particular complaint, which the people don't want you to kill,
my lad," said the squire. "Marsh fever--ague. Years to come when it's
swept away by the drainage, the people will talk of it as one of the
good things destroyed by our work. They are rare ones to grumble, and
stick to their old notions."
"But the people seem to be getting used to us now."
"Oh yes! we shall live it down."
Dick sat and listened, but said nothing. Still he could not help
recalling how one old labourer's wife had shaken her head and spit upon
the ground as his father went by, and wondered in his mind whether this
was some form of curse.
"Tak' you over to the Warren, my lad?" said Hickathrift, as they reached
the wheelwright's shed, where the big fellow was just taking down a hoe
to go gardening.
"Why, of course I will. Straange niced evening, Mr Marston! Come
along. I'll put on my coat though, for the mist'll be thick to-night."
Hickathrift took his coat from behind the door, led the way to the place
where his punt was floating, fastened to an old willow-stump; and as
soon as his visitors were aboard he began to unfasten the rope.
"Like to tak' a goon, sir, or a fishing-pole?"
"No: I think we'll be content with what we can see to-night."
Hickathrift nodded, and Dick thought the engineer very stupid, for a gun
had a peculiar fascination for him; but he said nothing, only seated
himself, and trailed his hand in the dark water as the lusty wheelwright
sent the punt surging along.
"Why, Hickathrift," cried Mr Marston, "I thought our friend Dave a
wonder at managing a punt; but you beat him. What muscles you have!"
"Muscles, mester? Ay, they be tidy; but I'm nowt to Dave. I can shove
stronger, but he'd ding [beat] me at it. He's cunning like. Always at
it, you see. Straange and badly though."
"What, Dave is?" cried Dick.
"Ay, lad; he's got the shakes, same as John Warren. They two lay out
together one night after a couple o' wild swans they seen, and it give
'em both ager."
It was a glorious evening, without a breath of air stirring, and the
broad mere glistened and glowed with the wonderful reflection from the
sky. The great patches of reeds waved, and every now and then the weird
cry of the moor-hen came over the water. Here and there perfect clouds
of gnats were dancing with their peculiar flight; swallows were still
busy darting about, and now and then a leather-winged bat fluttered over
them seeking its insect food.
"What a lovely place this looks in a summer evening!" said Mr Marston
thoughtfully.
"Ay, mester, and I suppose you are going to spoil it all with your big
drain," said the wheelwright, and he ceased poling for a few moments, as
the punt entered a natural canal through a reed-bed.
"Spoil it, my man! No. Only change its aspect. It will be as
beautiful in its way when corn is growing upon it, and far more useful."
"Ay, bud that's what our people don't think. Look, Mester Dick!"
Dick was already looking at a shoal of fish ahead flying out of the
water, falling back, and rising again, somewhat after the fashion of
flying-fish in the Red Sea.
"Know what that means?" said the wheelwright.
"Perch," said Dick, shortly. "A big chap too, and he has got one," he
added excitedly, as a large fish rose, made a tremendous splash, and
then seemed to be working its way among the bending reeds. "Might have
got him perhaps if we had had a line."
Mr Marston made no reply, for he was watching the slow heavy flap-flap
of a heron as it rose from before them with something indistinctly seen
in its beak.
"What has it got?" he said.
Dick turned sharply, and made out that there seemed to be a round knob
about the great bird's bill, giving it the appearance of having thrust
it through a turnip or a ball.
"Why, it's an eel," he cried, "twisting itself into a knot. Yes: look!"
The evening light gleamed upon the glistening skin of the fish, as it
suddenly untwisted itself, and writhed into another form. Then the
heron changed its direction, and nothing but the great, grey beating
pinions of the bird were visible, the long legs outstretched like a
tail, the bent back neck, and projecting beak being merged in the body
as it flew straight away.
Hickathrift worked hard at the pole, and soon after rounding one great
bed of reeds they came in sight of the rough gravelly patch with a
somewhat rounded outline, which formed the Warren, and upon which was
the hut inhabited by John o' the Warren, out of whose name "o'-the" was
generally dropped.
The moment they came in sight there was a loud burst of barking, and
Snig, John Warren's little rabbit-dog, came tearing down to the shore,
with the effect of rendering visible scores of rabbits, until then
unseen; for the dog's barking sent them scurrying off to their holes,
each displaying its clear, white, downy tuft of a tail, which showed
clearly in the evening light.
The dog's bark was at first an angry challenge, but as he came nearer
his tone changed to a whine of welcome; and as soon as he reached the
water's edge he began to perform a series of the most absurd antics,
springing round, dancing upon his hind-legs, and leaping up at each in
turn, as the visitors to the sandy island landed, and began to walk up
to the sick man's hut.
There were no rabbits visible now, but the ground was honey-combed with
their holes, many of which were quite close to the home of their tyrant
master, who lived as a sort of king among them, and slew as many as he
thought fit.
John Warren's home was not an attractive one, being merely a hut built
up of bricks of peat cut from the fen, furnished with a small window, a
narrow door, and thickly thatched with reeds.
He heard them coming, and, as they approached, came and stood at the
door, looking yellow, hollow of cheek, and shivering visibly.
"Here, John Warren, we've brought you a basket!" cried Dick. "How are
you? I say, don't you want the doctor?"
"Yah! what should I do with a doctor?" growled the man, scowling at all
in turn.
"To do you good," said Dick, laughing good-humouredly.
"He couldn't tell me nothing I dunno. I've got the ager."
"Well, aren't you going to ask us in?"
"Nay, lad. What do you want?"
"That basket," said Dick briskly. "Here, how is Dave?"
"Badly! Got the ager!"
"But is he no better?"
"Don't I tell you he's got the ager!" growled the man; and without more
ado he took the basket from the extended hand, opened the lid, and
turned it upside down, so that its contents rolled upon the sand, and
displayed the kind-heartedness of Mrs Winthorpe.
Dick glanced at Marston and laughed.
"Theer's your basket," growled John Warren. "Want any rabbuds?"
"No; they're out of season, John!" cried Dick. "You don't want us here,
then?"
"Nay; what should I want you here for?" growled the man. "Can't you see
I've got the ager?"
"Yes, I see!" cried Dick; "but you needn't be so precious cross.
Good-night!"
John Warren stared at Dick, and then at his two companions, and, turning
upon his heel, walked back into the hut, while Snig, his dog, seated
himself beside the contents of the basket, and kept a self-constituted
guard over them, from which he could not be coaxed.
"Might have showed us something about the Warren," said Dick in an
ill-used tone; "but never mind, there isn't much to see."
He turned to go back to the boat.
"I say, Hicky," he said; "let's go and see Dave. You won't mind
poling?"
"He says I won't mind poling, Mester Marston," said Hickathrift with a
chuckle. "Here, come along."
John Warren had disappeared into the cottage, but as they walked away
some of the rabbits came to the mouths of their holes and watched their
departure, while Snig, who could not leave his master's property,
uttered a valedictory bark from time to time.
"I say, Mr Marston," cried Dick, pausing, "isn't he a little beauty, to
have such a master! Look at him watching that food, and not touching
it. Wait a minute!"
Dick ran back to the dog and stooped down to open a cloth, when the
faithful guard began to snarl at him and show his teeth.
"Why, you ungrateful beggar!" cried Dick; "I was going to give you a bit
of the chicken. Lie down, sir!"
But Snig would not lie down. He only barked the more furiously.
"Do you want me to kick you?" cried Dick.
Snig evidently did, for not only did he bark, but he began to make
charges at the visitor's legs so fiercely that Dick deemed it prudent to
stand still for a few moments.
"Now, then," he said, as the dog seemed to grow more calm; "just see if
you can't understand plain English!"
The dog looked up at him and uttered a low whine, accompanying it by a
wag of the tail.
"That's better!" cried Dick. "I'm going to pull you off a leg of that
chicken for yourself. Do you understand?"
Snig gave a short, friendly bark.
"Ah, now you're a sensible dog," said Dick, stooping down to pick up the
cloth in which the chicken was wrapped; but Snig made such a furious
onslaught upon him that the boy started back, half in alarm, half in
anger, and turned away.
"Won't he let you touch it, Mester Dick?" chuckled Hickathrift.
"No; and he may go without," said Dick. "Come along!"
They returned to the boat, Snig giving them a friendly bark or two as
they got on board; and directly after, with lusty thrusts, the
wheelwright sent the punt along in the direction of Dave's home.
The evening was still beautiful, but here and there little patches of
mist hung over the water, and the rich glow in the west was fast fading
out.
"I say, Mr Marston," said Dick, "you'll stay at our place to-night?"
"No; I must go home, thank you," was the reply.
"But it will be so late!"
"Can't help that, Dick. I want to be out early with the men. They came
upon a great tree trunk this afternoon, and I want to examine it when it
is dug out. Is that Decoy Dave's place?"
"That's it, and there's Chip!" cried Dick, as the boat neared the shore.
"You see how different he'll be!"
Dick was right in calling attention to the dog's welcome, for Chip's
bark was one of delight from the very first, and dashing down to the
water, he rushed in and began swimming rapidly to meet them.
"Why, Chip, old doggie!" cried Dick, as, snorting and panting with the
water he splashed into his nostrils, the dog came aside, and after being
lifted into the boat gave himself a shake, and then thrust his nose into
every hand in turn. "This is something like a dog, Mr Marston!"
continued Dick.
"Yes; but he would behave just the same as the other," said the
engineer.
"Here's Dave," said Dick. "Hoy, Dave!"
The decoy-man came slowly down toward the shore to meet them, and waved
his hand in answer to Dick's call.
"Oh, I am sorry!" cried the latter. "I wish I'd brought him something
too. I daresay he's as bad as John Warren."
Dave's appearance proved the truth of Dick's assertion. The decoy-man
never looked healthy, but now he seemed ghastly of aspect and
exceedingly weak, as he leaned upon the tall staff he held in his hand.
"We've come to see how you are, Dave," cried Dick as the boat bumped up
against the boggy edge of the landing-place.
"That's kindly, Mester Dick. Servant, mester. How do, neighbour?"
Dave's head went up and down as if he had a hinge at the back; and as
the party landed, he too shivered and looked exceedingly feverish and
ill.
"Why, Dave, my man, you ought to see a doctor!" said Mr Marston,
kindly.
"Nay, sir, no good to do ought but bear it. Soon be gone. Only a
shivering fit."
"Well, I'm trying to doctor you," said the engineer, laughing. "Once we
get the fen drained, ague will begin to die out."
"Think so, mester?"
"I am sure so."
"Hear that, neighbour?" said Dave, looking at Hickathrift. "Think o'
the fen wi'out the shakes."
"We can't stop, Dave," cried Dick; "because we've got to get home, for
Mr Marston to walk over to the sea-bank to-night; but I'll come over
and see you to-morrow and bring you something. What would you like?"
"What you heven't got, Mester Dick," said the fen-man, showing his
yellow teeth. "Bit of opium or a drop o' lodolum. Nay, I don't want
you to send me owt. Neighbour Hick'thrift here'll get me some when he
goes over to market."
Hickathrift nodded, and after a little more conversation the party
returned toward the boat.
"Straange and thick to-night, Mester Dick," said Dave. "Be thicker
soon. Yow couldn't pole the boat across wi'out losing your way."
"Couldn't I?" cried Dick. "Oh, yes, I could! Good-night! I want you
to show Mr Marston some sport with the ducks some day."
"Ay; you bring him over, Mester Dick, and we'll hev' a good turn at the
'coy. Good-night!"
They pushed off, and before they were fifty yards from the shore the
boat seemed to enter a bank of mist, so thick that the wheelwright, as
he poled, was almost invisible from where Mr Marston and Dick were
seated.
"I say, Hicky, turn back and let's go along the edge of the fog," cried
Dick.
"Nay, it's driftin' ower us," replied the wheelwright. "Best keep on
and go reight through."
"Go on, then," cried Dick. "Feel how cold and damp it is."
"Feel it, Dick? Yes; and right in my wounded arm."
"Does it hurt much?"
"No; only aches. Why, how dense it is!"
"Can you find your way?"
"Dunno, mester. Best keep straight on, I think. Dessay it'll soon pass
over."
But it did not soon pass over; and as the wheelwright pushed on it
seemed to be into a denser mist than ever.
For a long time they were going over perfectly clear water; but soon the
rustling of reeds against the prow of the boat told that they must be
going wrong, and Hickathrift bore off to the right till the reeds warned
him to bear to the left. And so it went on, with the night falling, and
the thick mist seeming to shut them in, and so confusing him that at
last the wheelwright said:
"Best wait a bit, Mester Dick. I dunno which way I'm going, and it's
like being blind."
"Here, let me have the pole!" cried Dick. And going to the front of the
boat, the wheelwright good-humouredly gave way for him, with the result
that the lad vigorously propelled the craft for the space of about ten
minutes, ending by driving it right into a reed-bed and stopping short.
"Oh, I say, here's a muddle!" he cried. "You can't see where you are
going in the least."
"Shall I try?" said Mr Marston.
"Yes, do, please," cried Dick, eager to get out of his difficulty.
"Take the pole."
"No, thank you," was the laughing reply. "I cannot handle a pole, and
as to finding my way through this fog I could as soon fly."
_Bang_!
A heavy dull report of a gun from close by, and Hickathrift started
aside and nearly went overboard, but recovered himself, and sat down
panting.
"Here! hi! Mind where you're shooting!" cried Dick. "Who's that?"
He stared in the direction from which the sound had come, but nothing
but mist was visible, and no answer came.
"Do you hear? Who's that?" shouted Dick with both his hands to his
mouth.
No answer came, and Hickathrift now shouted.
Still no reply. His great sonorous voice seemed to return upon him, as
if he were enveloped in a tremendous tent of wet flannel; and though he
shouted again and again it was without result.
"Why, what's the matter with your hand, man?" cried Mr Marston, as the
wheelwright took his cotton kerchief from his neck, and began to bind it
round his bleeding palm.
"Nowt much, sir," said the man smiling.
"Why, Hickathrift, were you hit?"
"S'pose I weer, sir. Something came with a whuzz and knocked my hand
aside."
"Oh!" ejaculated Dick; while Mr Marston sat with his heart beating,
since in spite of his efforts to be cool he could not help recalling the
evening when he was shot, and he glanced round, expecting to see a flash
and hear another report.
Dick seized the pole which he had laid down, and, thrusting it down,
forced the punt back from the reeds, and then, as soon as they were in
open water, began to toil as hard as he could for a few minutes till the
wheelwright relieved him. Declaring his injury to be a trifle, he in
turn worked hard with the pole till, after running into the reeds
several times, and more than once striking against patches of bog and
rush, they must have got at least a mile from where the shot was fired,
by accident or purposely, when the great fellow sat down very suddenly
in the bottom of the boat.
As he seated himself he laid the pole across, and then without warning
fell back fainting dead away.
A few minutes, however, only elapsed before he sat up again and looked
round.
"Bit sick," he said. "That's all. Heven't felt like that since one o'
squire's horses kicked me and broke my ribs. Better now."
"My poor fellow, your hand must be badly hurt!" said Mr Marston; while
Dick looked wildly on, scared by what was taking place.
"Nay, it's nowt much, mester," said the great fellow rather huskily,
"and we'd best wait till the mist goes. It's no use to pole. We may be
going farther away, like as not."
Dick said nothing, but stood listening, fancying he heard the splash of
a pole in water; but there was no sound save the throbbing of his own
heart to break the silence, and he quite started as Mr Marston spoke.
"How long is this mist likely to last?"
"Mebbe an hour, mebbe a week," was the unsatisfactory reply. "Bud when
the moon rises theer may come a breeze, and then it'll go directly."
Hickathrift rested his chin upon his uninjured hand, and Dick sat down
in silence, for by one consent, and influenced by the feeling that some
stealthy foe might be near at hand keen-eyed enough to see them through
the fog, or at all events cunning enough to trace them by sound, they
sat and waited for the rising of the moon.
The time seemed to be drawn out to a terrible extent before there was a
perceptible lightening on their left; and as soon as he saw that, though
the mist was as thick as ever, Hickathrift rose and began to work with
the pole, for he knew his bearings now by the position of the rising
moon, and working away, in half an hour the little party emerged from
the mist as suddenly as they had dived in, but they were far wide of
their destination, and quite another hour elapsed before they reached
the old willow-stump, where the wheelwright made fast his boat, and
assuring his companions that there was nothing much wrong he went to his
cottage, while Mr Marston gladly accompanied Dick to the Toft, feeling
after the shock they had had that even if it had not been so late, a
walk down to the sea-beach that night would neither be pleasant nor one
to undertake.
Dick was boiling over with impatience, and told his father the news the
moment they entered the room where supper was waiting.
"A shot from close by!" cried the squire, excitedly.
"Yes, Mr Winthorpe," said the engineer; "and I'm afraid, greatly
afraid, it was meant for me."