GRAVE CHARGES.
"What vessel's that, Levi?" asked Dock Vincent, as the young skipper
landed on the rocks.
"It's The Starry Flag," replied Levi, smiling.
"No, I mean the large yacht, off the Point."
"So do I."
"You don't mean to tell me that vessel's called The Starry Flag!"
"Yes, I do; that's her name. My boat is now called The Starry Flag,
Jr.," answered Levi, beginning to move off, for he was not disposed to
hold any intercourse with such a person as Dock Vincent.
"Hold on a minute, Levi; tell us about her," said Dock. "What is she
for?"
"A yacht; but I am in a hurry now."
"Wait a minute. I have some bad news to tell you."
"Bad news?"
"Your uncle had an ugly fall this morning, just after you went off in
the boat," added Dock.
"Where did he fall?" asked the young skipper, interested now, and
troubled by the information.
"He fell into the cut, where the plank crosses it," replied Dock,
pointing to the place where the accident had occurred.
"Is he much hurt?"
"Yes; I think the old man is putty badly damaged in his timbers. He has
taken to his bed, and I shouldn't wonder if he had to stay there a
month."
"I am sorry for it," said Levi, with entire sincerity. "How did it
happen?"
Dock explained how it happened, taking care to locate himself at a
considerable distance from the scene of the catastrophe.
"The old man thinks somebody fixed the plank so as to make him fall,"
added he, finishing his narrative.
"To make him fall!" exclaimed the attentive listener. "Who does he
think did it?"
"Well, Levi, he thinks you did it," answered Dock, softening his tones,
so as not to commit himself to this view.
"I!"
"The old man thinks so, but that don't make it so, you know."
"What makes him think I did it?"
"Because you were the last person that went down to the P'int before he
did. You were running over to Watson's new house, in the Flag, when the
thing happened."
"I haven't been over the plank to-day," said Levi.
"You went to your boat just before the old man come down here; and he
don't see who else could have done it."
"I did not cross on the plank; I went along on the rocks, as I always
do when I come across the second beach," protested the young skipper.
"Well, I don't know anything about it, you see, Levi," added Dock, in
deprecatory tones. "I only tell you what the old man told me. He knows
you hate him."
"But I don't hate him."
"Don't you?" asked Dock, with a sceptical grin.
"I'm sure I do not," answered Levi, with emphasis.
"Perhaps you don't; but after all the trouble there's been between you
and the old man, it wouldn't be strange if you hated him and he hated
you."
Probably Dock was as sincere as Levi; for there was not a Christian
idea in his head, or a Christian purpose in his heart. He had no keener
perception of the sublime doctrine of forgiving one's enemies, than the
beasts of the field or the fowls of the air. In his view it was the
most natural thing in the world for the uncle to hate the nephew, and
for the nephew to hate the uncle; and he did not believe it possible
for either of them to banish the foul impulse from his heart.
"I don't hate my uncle; I would do anything in the world for him,"
continued Levi, earnestly, but thoughtfully, for he was deeply pained
by the suspicions of his uncle.
"I'm going up to see the old man, by and by, and I'll tell him what you
say about it," added Dock.
"I have a great deal to do, but I shall go and see him myself," said
Levi, as he began to move up the rocks again.
"What's your hurry, Levi? I want to talk with you about that vessel.
She is a fine schooner."
"She is all that. I have to find a crew for her, for we are going off
on a cruise in three or four days. Do you know of any young fellows who
want to make good wages without working very hard?"
"Yes; there's Mat Mogmore," replied Dock, after a little reflection.
"He'll make a first-rate hand for you. I rather think he'll go off to
Australia with me in the Caribbee."
"In the what?"
"In the Caribbee--that's my vessel. She's a schooner, rather larger
than that yacht, and she'll outsail anything of her inches that ever
floated. If you want Mat Mogmore, he'll be glad of a lay in that yacht,
for I shan't get off for three weeks yet. I'll speak to him about it."
Levi preferred to do his own speaking, not wishing to place himself
under any obligation, however slight, to a man of Dock's character and
antecedents. He decided to visit his uncle at once, and call at Mr.
Mogmore's house on his way home. With some difficulty he escaped from
his ancient enemy, and crossing the plank, which had been placed in its
original position by Dock after the accident, he walked up the tongue
of land, dreading the scene at his uncle's which the information he had
received led him to expect.
He found his aunt in the kitchen, and inquired particularly into the
condition of uncle Nathan. She thought he was "a leetle more
comfortable," and told Levi to go in and see him if he wanted to, for
she was confident that the young man could clear himself from the grave
charge preferred against him.
"How do you feel, uncle Nathan?" asked Levi, kindly, as he entered the
bed-room.
The old man looked at him with a savage stare, but made no reply.
"I am sorry you have had such a fall," continued Levi.
"No, you ain't sorry, nuther! What do you want to say that for, Levi
Fairfield? It's all your work, and 'tain't likely you keer how much I
suffer," growled the injured man, his words interspersed with many a
groan.
"What is my work, uncle?" asked Levi, mildly.
"Didn't you fix that plank over the cut so's to gim me this fall?"
"No, sir, I'm sure I did not," protested Levi.
"Don't tell me!" groaned the old man, suffering as much from passion as
from pain.
"I can only say, uncle, that I have not touched the plank; and I did
not go near it this morning."
"'Tain't no use; I know you did! You went down to your boat afore I
did, for I see you standin' over to Watson's new house jest afore I
fell. You want to kill me--that's what you're tryin' to do; and you
e'enamost done it this mornin'."
"I'm sorry you have such an opinion of me, uncle," replied Levi, more
in sorrow and pity than in anger.
"You've got most of my money afore I'm dead, and you mean to have the
rest on't arter I'm gone," continued the old man, in angry, whining
tones.
"Do you still think I took the gold, uncle Nathan?"
"Do I think so! I know you did! Nobody else took it, and nobody could
done it but you! What have you done with it?"
"I know nothing about it, uncle. I am sorry you think so hard of me.
I'm ready and willing to do anything I can for you."
"Then gim me back my money!"
"I haven't it."
"Yes, you have!"
It was useless to talk with the sufferer, and Levi's presence only
excited him. After repeating, in the gentlest of tones, his desire to
serve him, the young skipper turned to depart.
"You'll be found out, Levi Fairfield, and you'll have to give that
money up. 'Tain't no use to try to git red on me, for I'm go'n' to make
a will, and leave what little I've got to your aunt," said Mr.
Fairfield.
"Uncle Nathan, do you really think I want your money?" asked Levi,
beginning to be indignant at the foul suspicious of the old man.
"That's what you want to kill me for," whined the miser.
"I don't want to kill you, or hurt you."
"I'm go'n' to make a will; so 'tain't no use to try to git red of me
any more."
Levi pitied the sufferer, as much for his moral as his mental
obtuseness, and fearful that his indignation might get the better of
his pity, he left the room. His uncle threatened him with all the
terrors of the courts and the prisons as he withdrew. In the kitchen he
found Dock Vincent, who had come to make his promised afternoon visit.
Levi left immediately, and called at the house of the carpenter. Mat
Mogmore, after some haggling, consented to become one of the crew of
the yacht. He was a young man of eighteen, who had made two or three
fishing voyages, and was a smart, active fellow. He had been rather
intimate with Dock since the return of the latter; and this was all
Levi had against him. Before night, the young captain of The Starry
Flag had engaged three other hands. The crew were to go on board the
next morning, when Levi intended to start on a trial trip, for the
purpose of training his men, and becoming more familiar himself with
the working of the yacht.
Dock Vincent entered the chamber of Mr. Fairfield. He found the old man
agitated, and almost crying with anger and vexation.
"So Levi's been to see you," said the visitor, seating himself at the
bedside.
"Yes, he has! Sunthin must be done, Cap'n Vincent," replied the old
man, trying to rise on the bed, but sinking back with a groan.
"Don't try to git up; keep still, Squire Fairfield, and don't hurt
yourself," interposed Dock.
"I can't stand this no longer!" howled the miserable man, the tears
starting in his eyes. "Sunthin must be done."
"What shall it be, squire?" asked the comforter, coolly.
"I can't stand it no longer, and I won't, nuther," repeated the
sufferer. "Somebody's got my money, and I must git it back, or it'll
kill me. That boy must be took up, and sarched till the money's found.
I know he's got it. Nobody else couldn't have took it. He must have
kerried it off in that little saw-mill. That's what he come arter the
saw-mill for--to kerry off the money in."
"Do you want to have Levi arrested?" asked Dock, musing.
"Yes; he must be took up. As soon as he sees I'm in airnest, he'll git
scared, and give up the money."
"Musn't be too hasty, squire. If you be, it'll damage you."
"No 'twon't; nothin' can damage me now. I'll resk it. Git a constable;
but don't git Gayles."
Dock counselled moderation, and thought it would be better to wait till
they had more proof, before taking any decisive steps. He finally
quieted the old man by promising to "hunt up the evidence," and have
Levi arrested as soon as there was any proof to work with.