one of them offering to help Hoggett to save the bridge they had been
at such pains to make; indeed, the moment it fell into the chasm I
observed Wabberley very gently slink away towards the wood. It was
always a great cause of wonderment to me that this big wind-bag of a
man was tolerated, let alone made a comrade of, by Hoggett, who was
neither a coward nor a wind-bag, except when he was mouthing futile
threats against me and Billy. But I have lived a good many years since
then, and have seen other instances of the same sort. However, to keep
to my story, the men stood for a little while, unable to say a word to
the ravings of Hoggett, who, between the pain of his wound and the
bitter disappointment at his rebuff, was as near frenzy as ever I saw a
man; and then, seeing, I suppose, that nothing was to be gained by
staying, they presently departed, Hoggett last of them all, walking
very slowly and with a limp. I saw one or two of the men turn back to
speak to him, but he waved his arms and roared at them, so that they
very soon faced about and left him to himself; in some circumstances
would-be sympathizers only aggravate a man's trouble. So Hoggett went,
baffled and solitary, never turning aside until he came to the edge of
the wood, and then the passion that he had been brooding on broke all
bounds, and he wheeled about suddenly, and shook his fist most
vehemently at us, shouting words which in the distance I could not
catch. I think we should have laughed at this exhibition of impotent
wrath if he had done it before; but there was something, I know not
what, strangely moving in the spectacle of this big rough man walking
alone, unable to endure the speech, or even the presence, of his
friends, and then at last overcome by the force of the feelings working
within him. Neither Billy nor I spoke for a full minute after he had
vanished into the wood, and then Billy struck a new note.
"Chick's skinnier than ever," says he.
"Wabberley isn't," I said.
"Not so far as you can see," says Billy; "but I warrant he is if you
could see him with his clothes off. Them big men take a lot of
thinning."
"You think they are hungry, then?" said I.
"I don't think; I'd take my davy on it," says he. "They've eat all our
provender long ago, you may be sure, and all the pigs except our two,
and it ain't the fish season, nor yet the bread-fruit; and if we wait
here a bit longer they'll just be skellingtons, and all we shall have
to do will be to bury 'em."
I smiled, for I did not think it would come to burying yet, and Billy
asked me what there was to laugh at, for he would not care to demean
himself by burying such rascals; and then I considered whether to tell
him the further part of my plan, and decided to wait yet a little. I
was in no more doubt than he was that the men were beginning to feel
the pinch of want, which had urged them to their late desperate
assault, they suspecting, I suppose, that we had full stores which we
were hoarding from them. A week or two more, I thought, and my scheme,
by the very flux of time, would be brought to maturity. Meanwhile I
deemed it well to make another visit to the cavern to replenish our own
stores, and I saw with concern how low our stock was falling; indeed,
if I had not seen by their haggard look that the men were already in
straits, I should have been anxious about the possibility of us two
holding out any longer than they.
[Sidenote: Suppliants]
It was about ten days, I think, after that business of the bridge, when
one morning, an hour or two after daybreak, we heard a loud shout from
the cliff opposite our rock. A hurricane had been blowing during the
night, as bad as any we had had since we came to the island, and worse
than any since the mariners came; and the wind had been set in that
direction in which it gave that deep and melancholy organ-note from the
mouth of the cave. It sprang up so suddenly that we had no warning of
it, and could not sail to the cave; but very fortunately the north side
of the rock was not exposed to the tempest, so that our canoe suffered
no hurt. Billy and I had slept very little, being very much put about
to keep ourselves dry; but when the fury of the storm abated towards
morning, we fell asleep, and were awakened by the shout I have
mentioned. Seizing our bows and arrows, we ran to the edge of the
plateau, and peeping through a crevice in the rock we beheld Wabberley
standing some little way from the brink of the cliff, and holding up a
stick to which was tied a frayed and tattered shirt.
"A flag of truce, Billy," said I, and I am sure the tone of my voice
must have betrayed my inward elation.
"No, it's Pumfrey's shirt, master," says Billy. "I know it by the blue
spots. What's he stuck it on to the silly old stick for?"
"For a flag of truce," I repeated; "to show he's an envoy come to sue
for terms of peace, perhaps."
"I don't know what them there words mean," says Billy, "but you look
uncommon pleased about it, so I suppose it's all right. But I say,
master, look; there's the whole lot of them among the trees yonder.
What's in the wind now?"
I told him that we should soon see. We had not yet shown ourselves,
and Wabberley continued shouting, sometimes, "Ahoy!" sometimes my name,
always prefixing the respectful appellative "master," and not calling
me plain "Brent," as Hoggett had done. Since the main group of men
were pretty near a furlong from us, and we were far above them, I
thought we might safely show ourselves; whereupon we mounted the
boulder, and the moment he saw us Wabberley waved his flag and came a
pace or two nearer. Here I will set down, as near as I can remember
them, the exact words of the conversation (if such it can be called)
that ensued.
"What do you want?"
"Why, sir, d'ye see, we're terrible short of grub."
"Well?"
"Pretty near starved."
"Well?"
"Only scraps for the last three days."
"Yes?"
Here he paused, finding little encouragement in my monosyllables, and
though he was usually glib enough, it was not easy, I dare say, to be
eloquent when he had to shout so that his voice would reach to us so
far above him. But he now assumed a most solemn and lugubrious
expression of countenance, and cried--
"Dying fast!"
"What of that?"
"Can you do summat for us?"
"Do what?"
"Give us some grub."
"Why?"
"You wouldn't see your old shipmates starve!" (I wish I could convey
with my pen the accent of surprise, pain, reproach, which trembled in
his voice.) "You wouldn't see your old shipmates starve!" says he.
"Why not?"
At this his jaw dropped: he was struck dumb; he stared up at us for a
little, and then, lowering his flag, he turned and went slowly back to
the wood.
"My eye! This is prime!" cried Billy, hugging himself with glee.
"'Why not?' says you, and he ain't got no answer, 'cause there ain't
none, at least, not a good one. Speaking short's much better than
squirting a lot of words about, like my mother-in-law does--or did, for
she may be dead."
When Wabberley got back to his companions, I observed that there was
some discussion among them, and by and by another man left them,
carrying the flag, and I saw that this was Mr. Bodger. He came up as
Wabberley had done, and asked very humbly if he might speak a word with
me. I bade him say on, and he then told me, in more words than
Wabberley had used, but with no more essential matter, that they had
come to the end of their food, and without some assistance from us
would in no long time starve to death. Now you may think that, Mr.
Bodger being an officer, I ought to have yielded, at any rate so far as
to take him into company with Billy and me; but I would not do this,
because he was a weak man, who could only swim with the current, and I
knew very well that if the seamen got the upper hand of us again, Mr.
Bodger would not only do nothing to help us, but would consent to any
indignity and oppression that might be put upon us. Accordingly, I
gave him as short answers as I had given Wabberley, and when he began
to whine and plead for himself I dismissed him very abruptly, and he
turned away dejected. At this, the men who had been lurking among the
trees swarmed out in a body, and rushed towards the edge of the cliff,
and for a moment I thought they meditated another attack; but I saw
that they were without arms, so I did not change my posture, but waited
where I was until they came to the brink, and set up such a clamour,
all speaking at once, that I could not distinguish what any one said.
"Where's Hoggett?" says Billy, and I had already noticed that neither
he nor Wabberley was now among them: indeed, I had not seen Hoggett at
all since he went away with a wound in his leg. I observed that
privation was telling heavily upon them, and I own I felt a touch of
commiseration for Clums and one or two more of the better disposed
among them; but I hardened my heart, for if my plan was to succeed I
could not afford to show the least mark of weakness or complaisance.
There being a great clamour, I say, I raised my hand and made a gesture
for them to be silent, and then said that I would come down to the
ledge and speak to them at closer quarters. Billy begged me not to do
so, but I told him to hold bow and arrows ready in case he perceived
any sign of treachery, and then walked down the shelf of rock until I
came to the ledge and stood within about twenty feet of them. The
hungry look in their eyes, now that I saw them close, was very dreadful
to behold; but I stiffened my countenance to a great severity, and told
them that there was no reason that I could see why I should not leave
them to the fate they had brought on themselves. They had committed
crimes, I said, for which they would assuredly have been hanged in any
land where law and order reigned; and I reminded them of their base
ingratitude when their very existence at that moment was owing to Billy
and me. Then cutting my speech short, for it is ill work baiting folk
in desperate misfortune, I merely added that I could not endure to see
even such wretches as they were perishing with hunger, and that I was
willing to help them, provided they would accept my conditions. At
this their eyes lighted up with hope, and a babel of cries arose, all
shouting assent, and I think I heard one voice say, "God bless you!"
But commanding silence again I bade them not to be so ready with their
assent until they had heard my terms, and I explained to them that they
must needs change quarters with us, they abiding on the rock, whence
they would have no means of escape, we returning to our proper abode on
the island. I said further that I would provide them with a
sufficiency of food, but that they must work for their living, and I
ended: "These are my terms; you can take them or leave them."
They were silent when I had finished speaking, and looked at one
another with a mixture of doubt and wonder. Then Chick, whose eyes
were at greater variance than ever, I suppose because he was so pulled
down in his health by want--Chick steps forward and says, "But if we
come on to this here rock you may leave us to starve," and another man
joins in, "True, we shall be in a trap."
"You are right," I said. "You will be in a trap; you will have to
trust me, and being villains and traitors yourselves, you find that a
hard matter, I doubt not. Go away and talk it over. If you want to
speak to me you can hail the rock; but let no man, I warn you, come
armed from the wood, for he will certainly be shot."
And with that I left them, and went slowly up to rejoin Billy.
CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIRST
OF THE MANNER IN WHICH THE CREW ARE PERSUADED TO AN INDUSTRIOUS AND
ORDERLY MODE OF LIFE
I have never seen a face more woebegone than Billy's was when I came to
his side, and there was a world of reproach in his eye. I told him the
main drift of what had passed before. "I know," says he; "I heard it.
What's the good?" "Why, my doubting Thomas," said I, "the good is
this: that we shall have our island to ourselves again." "I take my
davy we won't," says he. "If you let 'em come across that there gap
they'll turn round on us as soon as there's enough of 'em, and then
where are you?"
I told him that coming across the gap was out of the question, because
we had destroyed their bridge, and I did not wish to wait while another
was a-making. My purpose was to convey the men from the island to the
rock in our canoe, not all together, but one by one, so that there
would be no risk of their overpowering us. Billy was pleased to say
that this was a pretty good notion, but he fell gloomy again in an
instant, and when I asked him what other objection he had to make, he
said, "You said as how the men would have to work for their keep, but
how can they work on this old rock? Don't we know there ain't nothing
to do? And if there was anything, they wouldn't do it, bless you, not
unless you stood over 'em with a whip." I told him that in that case
they would certainly get nothing to eat, and was proceeding to explain
what I designed concerning their work when we heard a hail, and saw the
men coming in a group from the wood. "Now don't you go for to be too
kind, master," says Billy, as I went down to meet them. "They'll only
think you're a silly ass." I smiled at him, and promised I would make
a very stern taskmaster, and bade him again to be ready with his bow
and arrows; and then I walked very leisurely down to the ledge, and
asked the men whether they had come at any resolution.
"We have, sir," says Chick, as respectful as you please. "We've had a
quorum" (Where did he get the word, I wonder?), "and what we says is
this: you're a kind gentleman, and your good uncle afore ye, and----"
Here I called to him not to make a speech, but to say what he had to
say in few words; and one or two of his mates roughly scolded him, and
bade him come to the point; whereupon without more ado he told me that,
relying on my promise to give them food, they were ready to accept my
conditions and take up their abode on the rock.
"And Hoggett and Wabberley--what about them?" I said, having seen from
the first that these two were not among them. They looked from one to
another as if reluctant to speak, and then Pumfrey said bluntly, "They
won't come, sir," and when I asked why not, he said he didn't know;
they only said they wouldn't, with a great deal of cursing and swearing.
"Very well," said I, "then you must make them come. Every one of you
must come to the rock, Hoggett included. If he and Wabberley won't
consent, you must overpower them and carry them to the rock like
parcels."
[Sidenote: Terms]
They looked very mumchanced at this, and I could see that they still
held Hoggett in some dread. They began to talk in undertones among
themselves, and thinking to quicken them I turned on my heel, telling
them pleasantly to think it over. On this they broke forth into cries,
beseeching me to let them come across at once, because they were so
hungry; and when I said that I could permit none to come until every
man of them was ready, Colam and one or two more of the boldest swore
that they would not starve for the sake of Hoggett, and Chick vowed
that he would make Wabberley see reason, or he would know the reason
why. Whereupon, to encourage them, I said that I would give them a
little provision as an earnest of my engagement; and calling up to
Billy, I bade him bring down a little smoked pork and fish, as well as
a quantity of bread-fruit. At this the men cheered with an unfeigned
heartiness that I found infinitely moving, and they cheered again when
Billy appeared, carrying very unwillingly, as I could see, the small
quantity of provision I had ordered. And then those men must needs go
about to ingratiate themselves with Billy, choosing the wrong way, as
ignorant and foolish folk often will. "That's never little Billy
Bobbin!" says one. "How he's growed, to be sure!" says another.
"Fancy little Billy turning into such a fine figure of a man!" says a
third; and all the time I think they hardly knew what they said, their
eyes being fixed on the things he carried. Billy's round face became
as red as a lobster when it is boiled, and his eyes flashed fire, and
for a moment I thought he was going to fling his burdens over the ledge
into the sea; but he put a curb upon himself and brought the things to
me, and then, as though no longer afraid of doing hurt to my property,
he stood at the very brink of the ledge and cried, "Yes, I'm Billy
Bobbin, and I've growed, and I won't have my master put upon; and if I
ain't as handsome as Pumfrey, I ain't got a squint like Chick--and this
is our grub what we smoked and such with our very own hands, and you
ought to go down on your bended knees and say grace for it, and for
what you are going to receive----"
I interrupted Billy at this point, being quite amazed at his outburst,
the like of which I had not seen since we fought about that matter of
the three-legged stool. "Nobody could make them thieving villains
truly thankful," he said under his breath, and when I bade him throw
the food across the gap among the men, he did it with a certain
viciousness at first, and chuckled when a piece of salt fish struck
Pumfrey in the face. But he became sober the moment he saw with what
eagerness the poor wretches picked up the food, and as they began to
hasten away with it to their fire, and some even to eat the dried meat
raw, he offered them much useful instruction in the best way of cooking
it, especially the bread-fruit. Before the men went, I told them to
convey their muskets and what ammunition was left down to the lava
beach, and lay them ten yards above high-water mark, promising to come
and fetch them. And I added, in the solemnest tones I was master of,
that if a man of them was to be seen on the beach when I came there, a
little after midday, I would withdraw my offer, and of that I gave them
fair warning. Billy was much more easy in mind now, and said he
thought there might be something in my plan; indeed, he was eager to
set off almost at once, without waiting for the time I had appointed.
However, I managed to persuade him to wait until we had eaten our
dinner, and then we launched the canoe, and in due time sailed round
the island to the lava beach. There was no one to be seen, except one
man whom we spied disappearing into the woods as we arrived; but on the
beach above high-water mark, as I had said, the muskets were laid
neatly in a row, the powder-horns with them. We paddled in until the
water was shallow, not designing to beach the canoe, and then Billy
leapt overboard and ran up the beach, I meanwhile handling my bow to
show that he was covered. He returned with four muskets, and told me
that there were four more to bring, so that one was missing, there
having been nine when the men came to the island. As soon as all the
muskets, together with the powder-horns and bullet-pouches, were stowed
in the canoe, I set up a loud halloo, at which the men started out of
the wood in which they had been, I doubt not, watching us, and came
towards us, and when they were near enough I cried to them that the
muskets were one short, and asked whose it was, to which the answer, as
I expected, was that it was Hoggett's. Then I asked where Hoggett was,
and they told me he had barricadoed himself in the hut, and refused to
give up the musket. I asked about Wabberley.
"Here I be, Mr. Brent, sir," says the man himself, coming from the rear
of the group; "and right down glad I am, d'ye see, sir, to know as how
you be a-going to feed us proper. Ah! how I do remember your good
uncle, and the dear lady your aunt----"
[Sidenote: Hoggett is Obstinate]
I could not endure this, both Chick and Wabberley in one day stirring
up memories of the home I should never see more, so I peremptorily
commanded him to cease, and said that as he was Hoggett's particular
friend he had better employ his eloquence in persuading Hoggett to give
up his musket with the rest. I told him that a bargain was a bargain,
and as the bargain was that all the muskets were to be delivered, the
men would receive only half rations until the full tale was made up.
This incensed them very much against Hoggett, and they were in the mind
to deal very hardly with him had he been in their power; but one of the
men said that he still had a very meagre supply of food in the hut,
which could not be eked out beyond a day or two; whereupon I determined
to wait, knowing that the men would be eager enough to bring Hoggett to
terms so long as they were kept on short commons. I told them to come
to the rock before night for another meal, and then we set off in the
canoe, and conveyed the muskets to the cave in the cliff, and left them
at the entrance of the tunnel, after that returning to the Red Rock.
We spent the next two days in carrying back to our storehouse a certain
part of our provisions, leaving on the rock no more than would suffice
the men for a single week. We took back also our pigs, which we left
at the entrance of the tunnel, thinking that a few hours of darkness
would not hurt them. These comings and goings were watched very
curiously by the men, who would have liked to know where we went after
we passed from their sight beneath the cliff; indeed, afterwards they
put questions to Billy, who, however, would never give them the least
particle of satisfaction on that matter. Each day we gave them two
meals, and the knowledge that it was Hoggett who prevented them from
enjoying plenty made them exceeding bitter against him. But they told
me that he was deaf to all their entreaties, and kept himself close
shut in the hut, only cursing when they spoke to him, and threatening
to blow out the brains of any man that offered to molest him. However,
on the third day, in the morning, one of the men came to the ledge all
breathless, having run all the way from the hut to be the first to tell
me that Hoggett had yielded, being, in fact, very weak and ill from his
privations. Soon after, the others came up with his musket, and then
one of them asked me, in name of them all, whether I would not come to
the island and rule over them there, promising to obey me faithfully in
all points. When this was being said, I saw Billy looking at me with
great anxiety, lest this offer of a kingdom (which was already my own)
should seduce me from my purpose; but there was no need for him to
fear, because I knew the fickle and unscrupulous nature of these
mariners, and that they could never be trusted until they should be
subdued by the wholesome discipline of work. Accordingly I refused
this petition, announcing that on the next morning, soon after
daybreak, I would begin the transport of them to the rock, bidding them
come one by one unarmed to the sandy beach, to be taken off in the
canoe. I think if they had known what a bare, inhospitable abode they
were coming to they might have made some demur; but they said nothing,
and agreed to do exactly as I commanded.
[Sidenote: The Rock Prison]