Hunting the Skipper Part 94

"Yes; let me see how bad it is and tie it up."

"No time. Caesar tie corn-leaf all about and stop bleed. Caesar don't mind. What ma.s.sa sailor officer call himself?"

"Murray--Frank," was the reply.

"Murray Frank, sah. Murray Frank, sah, come away dreckerly and bring your brudder sailor. Caesar couldn't find young ma.s.sa for big long time. Now come?"

"Come where?" asked Murray quickly.

"Caesar don't know. Want find Ma.s.sa Anderson lieutenant. Want find big Tom May chap. Ma.s.sa know where?"

"No, Caesar. Can't you show me?"

"No, sah! Everybody run all away. Lot people get killed. Caesar glad find Ma.s.sa young sailor 'gain."

"So am I, my lad. But now can you find Tom May and Bill t.i.tely?"

"Caesar try, sah. Come along."

"But I can't leave my wounded friend here."

"No, sah. Take um 'long."

"That's right; but can you find the way in the darkness?"

"Caesar going try," said the black confidently; but he did not inspire the mids.h.i.+pman with the same amount of confidence. In fact, the little he felt was a good deal shaken by a great hand darting as it were out of the darkness and seizing him roughly by the shoulder.

"What does that mean?" he cried.

A deep-toned whispering ensued, and it seemed to Murray that the huge black who had so much startled him by his appearance before was eagerly whispering to his recovered friend.

"Big Tullus," whispered Caesar. "Say Ma.s.sa Huggin men come along.

Murray Frank come along quick."

"Yes, but I tell you I cannot leave my brother mids.h.i.+pman," whispered Murray.

"No, sah," said the black. "Big Tullus take um 'long on back."

"But you must be careful," whispered Murray. "He is wounded."

"Big Tullus fellow take care," replied the black, and he whispered to his invisible companion, with the result that, in spite of the darkness, Murray made out that poor Roberts, who moaned slightly, was easily lifted up, and the huge black seemed to have no difficulty in throwing the slightly-made wounded lad over his shoulder as if he had been a child.

"Now ma.s.sa, come quick," whispered the black.

"But will your black friend keep up with us in the dark?"

"Yes, ma.s.sa. Caesar knock um head off if don't. Him Caesar man. Come and tell young ma.s.sa um find young sailor. Now carry other one. Come along quick, 'fore sailor crew find um and catch um. Now Murray Frank hear?"

"Oh yes, I hear plainly enough," replied Murray. "Now lead on."

It was evidently quite time enough, for from somewhere near at hand the voices of some of the overseer's crew of followers could be heard, as if making for the middle of the clearing where the big black had set up his hut, a spot which was evidently known to Huggins's people, by the way in which they had come in search of food.

So close were the men that the mids.h.i.+pman seized the big black by the arm and stopped his progress.

"What ma.s.sa do?" whispered the black.

"Take care! They will hear you," replied Murray.

"Yes, hear ma.s.sa if ma.s.sa talk," whispered the man warningly. "Ma.s.sa come along."

"But do you know the way to Mr Allen's cottage?"

"Iss--yes, Caesar know the way. Come along," whispered the man, and seizing the lad by the arm, he thrust him before his companion, who the next minute was making his way through the woodland, with the enemy so close behind that it was plainly evident that they were ignorant of the proximity of the fugitives, who pressed on steadily, with the huge black bearing his burden as lightly as if he were in no way troubled by the weight.

A very real danger, however, now began to show itself, for, becoming uneasy at being swayed about by Catullus, Roberts began to mutter impatiently, though in an incoherent way, with the result that the great black suddenly stopped short and, bending towards Caesar, uttered a few words in a tone full of protest.

"What does he say, Caesar?" whispered Murray.

"Say ma.s.sa young sailor no talk so much. Bring Ma.s.sa Huggin men come see what's all a bobbery and kill um all."

"I can't stop him, my lad," whispered back Murray. "He is insensible from his wound and does not know what he is saying."

"Caesar tell big slabe boy walk fast and get along a way;" and Murray heard a low whispering follow as he was thrust onward, with the canes and other growth being brushed aside. But, in spite of the extra pressure brought to bear, it became more and more evident that their enemies were keeping up with them and following their movements so exactly that it was hard to believe that they were not aware of their proximity.

Murray whispered words to this effect, but the black only laughed.

"No, no," he said; "Huggins's men don't know we come along here, or run fast and kill Ma.s.sa Murray Frank, kill Roberts, kill Caesar, and big Tullus. Come along and see if Ma.s.sa Allen find way back to cottage."

CHAPTER FORTY SIX.

CAESAR'S PROPOSAL.

For the most part of that night all thought of sleep had pa.s.sed away, and a feeling of wonder filled the middy's brain at the ease with which the black forced his way through the darkness.

"Black as a bat," thought Murray, "and just like one. It's wonderful how these fellows can see as they do. It can't be because they are used to it, for my eyes would never be of any good, I am sure."

But there it was all the same.

"Come 'long. Ma.s.sa Huggins man dat way want to find Caesar;" and the black led the way and seemed to put pressure upon his white companion just at the right moment, "steering" him, Murray mentally called it, in and out among tree and cane so that he never came in contact with any obstacle, while the lad's anxiety about his wounded comrade was always alleviated when a halt was made by the comforting whispered a.s.surance from Caesar after an examination.

"Ma.s.sa sailor Roberts fas' 'sleep. No know nothing at all."

There were times, though, when at one of their many halts Murray's heart sank very low, for generally when all was silent save for some strange cry of night bird, croak of reptile, or weird whirr of insect that seemed to be magnified in power by the heated misty air, the black's fingers would tighten upon the lad's arm with spasmodic suddenness, in company with what seemed to be the piercing humming trumpet of a mosquito. Twice over Murray as he toiled on in the black darkness took it for granted that the black had stopped short to avoid being bitten or stung, but only to find afterwards that the sound came with perfect realism from the black's lips, being his warning to his big companion to halt while he reconnoitred as to the position of the enemy.

And now a fresh direction would be taken, or more than once it seemed to Murray that they completely retraced their steps; but after a time a feeling of dullness akin to despair came over the lad, and he resigned himself to his fate, satisfying himself that Roberts was being carefully carried, and then plodding on and on, plunging as it seemed to him in a state of torpidity or stupid sleep in which he kept on dreaming about the s.h.i.+p and the boats and going through various adventures at sea.