The New Forest Spy Part 20

"Ho!" said Bunny, thoughtfully, and then, giving his thigh a slap, "They wouldn't do it, sir. I mean the skipper wouldn't."

"Wouldn't do it?" cried Waller.

"Not him, sir. Why, he'd want five s.h.i.+llings at least before he'd stir."

"Five s.h.i.+llings!" cried Waller contemptuously. "Why, Bunny, I'd give him five pounds."

"You would, sir? Then hooroar!"

"What do you mean by your hooroar?" cried Waller.

"Why, hooroar, of course, I've got the chap as would do it."

"Where?" cried Waller.

"Why, I ar'n't got him in my pocket, lad, but there's my brother-in-law, him and his two mates, who've got a lugger of their own. Down yonder by Loo Creek, facing the Isle, you know. Five pounds! Why, they have to go and lay out their nets a many times to get five pounds. They'd do it--leastways, brother-in-law Jem would. Cherbourg, eh? Why, he's been there lots of times."

"Splendid, Bunny?" cried Waller eagerly; and then, looking solemn at the thought of parting from his new friend: "But could you trust him, Bunny?"

"Trust him, sir?"

"Yes. I mean, he wouldn't betray the poor fellow, would he?"

Bunny stared at Waller for a moment, and then moistened both his hands, gave them a rub together, and clenched them.

"He'd better!" he said. "Why, I'd--I'd--I'd--half smash him! Nay, I wouldn't--I'd take his wife away. Sister Jen wouldn't stop along with a sneak. But bah! Fisherman Jem! You might trust him anywhere. He'd want stirring up to make him go, but me and the five pounds would make that all right."

"Oh, I oughtn't to have doubted him, Bunny; he's your brother-in-law; that's enough for me. Then, as soon as the soldiers are gone--I don't want to, and I suppose I oughtn't to--but we will get him down to the lugger and send him off home to come to his senses."

"Ah!" cried Bunny, "and you tell him, Master Waller, to stop there, for it ar'n't honest to come here trying to steal the King's crown."

"No," said Waller, laughing; "of course not, Bunny. Now, look here, you keep a sharp look-out without seeming to be watching the soldiers and Tony Gusset, and if there's anything wrong you come and tell me."

"Right, Master Waller! That's so; and look here, sir. When we get him down to the creek and take him aboard he'd better be dressed up a bit so as people shan't take no notice of him. You make him put on some of your oldest clothes, and keep him three or four days wi'out wes.h.i.+ng his hands and face. That'll make him look more nat'ral."

"Oh, we'll see about that, Bunny; and now you do this. You go down to Loo Creek and see your brother-in-law at once. But look here; you'll want some money."

"What for?" said the man sharply.

"Oh, to pay somebody for giving you a lift, and for something to eat, because you won't be able to do it all in a day."

"Oh, you let me alone for that."

"I shan't," said Waller. "Here, take this."

"I shan't neither," said the man, and he made a little resistance, which ended in Waller thrusting a couple of half-crowns into his pockets.

"Say, Master Waller, you and me has had some games in these 'ere woods in our time, ar'n't us?"

"Yes, Bunny! Hundreds."

"But this 'ere's quite a new un, eh?"

"New indeed, Bunny."

"Ay, and I'm beginning to like it, too, lad. Well, I suppose I must be off."

"But, Bunny, may I depend on you that you will keep this a secret?"

"May you depend on me, lad? Why, ar'n't I said it? Did yer ever know me not keep my word?"

"Never!" cried Waller.

"Then look 'ere, sir. That means mum."

"That" was a smart slap on the mouth, Bunny's metaphorical way of showing that the secret of the young enthusiast who had come, as he believed, to fight for and rescue a lost cause, was within that casket and he had banged down the lid.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

RETURN OF THE SEARCH-PARTY.

"What are you thinking about?" said Waller.

"Thinking," replied G.o.dfrey.

"Yes; you haven't spoken a word for the last five minutes."

The two lads were standing together with their elbows resting on the sill of the wide dormer window, whose two cas.e.m.e.nts were propped wide open, while they gazed out into the soft darkness of the autumn night.

"I was thinking about that friend of yours who was going to get me a pa.s.s across to France in a fis.h.i.+ng-boat."

"Oh," said Waller in a disappointed tone; "I thought you were thinking about how beautiful it is looking out here into the darkness of the forest, with the scent of the soft, warm, damp leaves, and listening to the owls and that squeaking rabbit that had the weasel after it."

"It is very beautiful," said G.o.dfrey sadly; "but I was thinking about that boat."

"I wish you wouldn't be so fond of wis.h.i.+ng to get away," said Waller gloomily. "It's as if I had not done enough to make you comfortable."

"Oh!" cried the lad pa.s.sionately, and he turned to lay his hand on Waller's shoulder. "How can you say that, when you have done too much, and made me feel--almost alone in the world as I am--as if I should like to stay here always!"

"Do you mean that?" cried Waller excitedly.

"Of course I do. I never had a friend like you before, and I never knew what it was to lead a boy's life. Out there in France I never heard about anything else hardly but politics, and getting back the crown for the Stuarts."

"Then you really don't want to go?" cried Waller.

"No; but I must go, and the sooner the better. You know what I must feel."