It would have been better, perhaps, for Nic Revel if he had not heard
the result of the plan to get help from Captain Lawrence's ship and its
disastrous results for him.
For Pete Burge's narrative was correct enough, save that he made an
omission or two, notably the fact that he was captured while making a
brave effort to save Nic from the savage blows being dealt out to him by
Humpy Dee, who was trying to visit upon his head the disappointment he
felt through the failure of the raid.
It was from finding Nic, helplessly insensible, being carried off by
Pete that in the dark the sailors took the young man for one of the
party they were to attack; and hence it was that he was tied fast to his
injured companion, carried down the hill-slope to the river, bundled
into the boat with the other prisoners, and carried off, there being no
further communication held with the shore. Captain Lawrence knew
nothing till long afterwards about Nic being missing, and the long, long
search made for him in the pool; two of the men, when questioned later
on 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, and
saw that the fight was going against them, dashed them down into the
water, hoping the darkness would cover their escape.
The Captain, in the triumphant issue of the encounter, had stood to see
the prisoners all bound, and soon after, upon not finding his son,
accepted Solly's suggestion that Nic had walked down to see the
prisoners off, and perhaps gone on board to thank the officer for his
help.
The next morning the ship was gone, and a horrible dread assailed master
and man as to Nic's fate. Then came the information from the two
labourers who had taken part in the defence and the search, every inch
of the pool and river being examined, till the suspicion became a
certainty 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 who
harboured his boat in the mouth of the stream.
But Captain Revel did not rest content with this: in his agony he
communicated with Captain Lawrence, who came on at once, and confessed
now to his old friend why, when his help was asked, he had jumped at the
idea. They wanted men for one of the ships bound for Charleston and the
West Indies, the pressgangs having been very unsuccessful; and as the
salmon-poachers were described to him as being strong, active fellows,
the idea struck him that here was a fine opportunity for ridding the
neighbourhood of a gang of mischievous ne'er-do-weels--men who would be
of service to their country, and henceforth leave his old
brother-officer in peace; while any of them not particularly suitable
could 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-handed
transaction; but the service wanted them badly, and we can't afford to
be 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 least
likely--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 shrink
from dashing your hopes, but I feel how unjust it would be to back you
up in the idea that he may have gone with the impressed men. He is a
gentleman, and an English officer's son, and he would only have to open
his lips to any one he encountered, and explain his position, to be sent
home from the first port he reached."
"Yes, yes, of course," said the Captain bitterly; "and I shall never see
my poor boy again."
Captain Lawrence was so uneasy about his friend that he went back to the
boat and sent her off to the ship, returning afterwards to the house,
bitterly regretting that he had sent his men ashore and allowed himself
to be tempted into making a seizure of the poachers.
Captain Revel was seated in his arm-chair when Captain Lawrence
re-entered the house, looking calm, grave, and thoughtful. His friend's
coming made him raise his head and gaze sorrowfully; then, with a weary
smile, he let his chin drop upon his breast and sat looking hard at the
carpet.
"Come, Revel, man," cried Captain Lawrence, "you must cheer up. We
sailors can't afford to look at the black side of things."
"No, no; of course not," said the stricken man. "I shall be better
soon, Jack; better soon. I'm getting ready to fight it."
"That's right; and before long you will have the boy marching into the
room, or else sending you a letter."
"Yes, yes," said Captain Revel, with a sad smile, and in a manner
totally different from that which he generally assumed, "he'll soon come
back or write."
"But, poor fellow! he does not think so," said Captain Lawrence to
himself, as Nic's father relapsed into thoughtful silence.
"Solly, my lad," said the visitor, when he felt that he must return to
his 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 to
ha' 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 and
pray 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 till
he 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 the
lights waren't showing. Sticks was a-going awful. If my poor boy got
one 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 bit
of blue that comes in the wind's eye often enough when we're in the
worst part of a gale."
"Ay, sir, that's what I do--hope for the best, and that if my poor young
master, who was as fine a lad as ever stepped, is done for, I may some
day find out who it was that hit that blow, and pay it back."
"No, Solly," said Captain Lawrence sternly. "An English sailor does not
take revenge in cold blood for what was done in hot. Never! There, I
must get off, and in a few days I hope to be back to see my old friend
again. Meanwhile, I know he's in good hands, and that he would not wish
to be watched over by any one better than William Solly, his old
companion 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 a
great deal, and Captain Revel has told me more, about what a faithful
servant you have been to him. Do all you can to comfort him, for he is
terribly changed."
The tears were in old Solly's eyes, and there seemed to be a kink in his
throat, as he said huskily:
"Awful, sir. I was a-saying on'y the other day, when the skipper was
wherriting hisself about losing a few salmon, and raging and blowing all
over the place, that he wanted a real trouble to upset him, and that
then he wouldn't go so half-mad-like about a pack o' poachers working
the pool. But I little thought then that the real bad trouble was
coming so soon; and it has altered him, sewer-ly. Poor Master Nic--poor
dear lad! Seems on'y t'other day as I used to carry him sittin' with
his little bare legs over my two shoulders, and him holding on tight by
my 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 Calabar
nigger'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 not
give 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 old
friend."
The next minute Solly was alone, rubbing his fist first in one eye and
then in the other, twisting the big bony knuckle of his forefinger round
so 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 poor
lad Master Nic, I should ha' thought it was all on account o' what Cap'n
Lawrence 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 muddle
on it more'n once."