CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.
A man once said to me that our brains are very much like a bee'shoneycomb, all neat little cells, in which all our old recollections arestored up ready for use when we want them. There lie all our adventuresand the results of all our studies, everything we have acquired in ourlives.
Perhaps he was right--I don't know--I never saw my brains; but, if heis, some of us have got the cells so tightly packed together, and in sodisorderly a way, that when we want some special thing which we learned,we cannot find it; it is so covered up, so buried, that it is quitehopeless to try and get at it. This is generally the case with me, and,consequently, there are no end of school adventures during my long stayat "Old Browne's" that I cannot set down here, for the simple reasonthat I cannot get at them, or, if I do, I find that the cell is crushedand the memory mixed up all in a muddle with wax.
I suppose I did not pack them into the comb properly. Oddly enough, myrecollections are clearest about the part of my days which preceded thetrouble over the watch.
After that, life seemed to go on at such a rapid rate that there was nottime to put all the events away so that they could be found when wantedfor further use.
Still, I recall a few things which preceded my leaving the school forWoolwich.
There was that hot June day down by the river--little stream it reallywas--that ran through a copse about half a mile from the school. It wason Farmer Dawson's land, down in the hollow of the valley, up one sideof which lay his big range of hop-gardens.
The Doctor paid him a certain rent for the right of the boys going downto this place, where a great dam had been built up of clay and clinkers.It was not all new, but done up afresh after lying a couple of hundredyears or so untouched. All round it, Farmer Dawson used to send his menin the winter to cut down the coppice, trimming the ash and eatingchestnut trees down to the stumps to make the young growth intohop-poles; but when the Doctor offered to take it and repair the dam,the hop-poles were left to grow and form a beautiful screen round thisdell.
I remember what interest we boys took in it during one winter, when theDoctor had set a lot of men who were out of work to dig and wheel theclinkers and clay, a barrowful of one, and then a barrowful of theother, along the dam; and with old Lomax to give orders, we all marchedand counter-marched in our thickest boots over the top of the dam, totrample it all down strong and firm.
You will think, perhaps, that it was easy enough to get clay, and so itwas, for a thick bed lay only a few yards from the stream; but whatabout the clinkers?
I'll tell you. There was quite a mine of them, hard, shiny fragments,some of which had run just like so much black or brown glass.
How did they get there, looking like so much volcanic slag? Why, theywere the refuse from a huge iron furnace that used to be in full blastin the days of Queen Elizabeth or King James, and the dam we wererepairing, after it had been grown over with trees, and the waterreduced to a little stream, belonged to one of the old hammer pondswhose waters were banked up to keep a sufficiency to turn the big wheelthat worked the tilt-hammers and perhaps blew the iron furnace till itroared.
For that peaceful rural part of Sussex was in those days a big forest,whose wood was cut down and made into charcoal. The forest is gone, andonly represented now by patches of copsewood saved for cutting downevery ten years or so for poles; but the iron lies there still in greatveins or beds, though it is no longer dug out, the iron of to-day beingfound and smelted north and west, where coal-pits are handy; and theironmasters of Sussex, whose culverins and big guns were famous all theworld round, have given place to farmers and hop-growers, where grimymen used to tend the glowing metal and send it running into form andmould.
I have mentioned before how there used to be a furnace by SirHawkhurst's penstock pond, where the embankment was still firm, butthere had been a far more extensive one here, and the refuse went, as Ihave said, to repair the dam.
When this was done, the Doctor had a long low shed built and thatchedand supplied with form-like seats, and a diving-board arranged, besidesteps down in the shallow part for the younger boys, and the whole whenfinished made a glorious long pool of about an acre in extent, very deepby the dam, and sloping gradually up to a few inches only of water wherethe stream trickled in. And there, on the hot sunny afternoons,beautifully shut in by green waving trees, and with the water when wecame to bathe so clear that you could see every stone on the gravellybottom, we boys used to collect for a regular water frolic. But, as youmay suppose, the water was not so clean when we had done, the paddlingof the little fellows in the shallows discolouring it from end to end.
That special hot June afternoon cricket had been voted too tiring, andwe had all gone down to the bathing-place, the non-swimmers havingstrict injunctions not to pass a couple of posts about half-way betweenthe stream and the dam.
It was always Lomax's duty to come down with us at bathing times, and,with his walking cane under his arm, he used to stride to and fro alongthe bank, barking out orders to the lesser boys, who were constantlybreaking the rules, and getting toward the deeper water.
By that time I was a pretty fair swimmer, and had got over my naturalnervousness to the extent that I was ready to dive off the board intothe deepest part, and go anywhere with ease. Mercer was better than I,and Hodson better still; Burr major, from being so long, bony, and thin,was anything, as Mercer used to say, but eely in the water,--puffing andworking hard to keep himself afloat; while Dicksee, though naturallyable to swim easily from his plumpness, was, I think, the greatestcoward we had there.
The water was delightfully warm that afternoon, but it soon got to bevery thick, though that did not trouble us in the least, and we were inthe full tide of our enjoyment, swimming races, diving, and playing oneanother tricks, while all the time, sharp and short from the bank,Lomax's orders would be snapped out.
"You, young Jenkins, what did I tell you? Phibbs, you're the wrong sideof the posts. Mullins, if I have to speak to you again, I shall reportyou. Wilson, if you don't go up into the shallows, I shall fetch youout."
"Can't," cried the impudent young dog.
"Then I'll send a big boy to fetch you, sah. How dare you, sah! Whatdo you mean, sah?"
Then there would be the pad, pad, pad, pad of naked feet, as a boy ranalong the diving-board, sprang out, and then splash he would be into thewater.
And so it went on, with some tiring, and going and sitting in the sun,which played the part of warm towel, till they would come in again, forit was declared to be the most delightful day we had had.
Then Mr Rebble and Mr Hasnip came down to see how we were getting on,and stood cheering and encouraging the timid ones, who were loth to getduckings by learning to swim.
I had been trying for some time, right out in the middle, to floatwithout moving, while Mercer and Hodson in turn had their tries. Burrmajor was swimming from side to side, blowing like a grampus, and otherboys were about us unnoticed, for we were too much occupied over our ownefforts to heed them, when all at once, as I lay back with the waternearly all over my face, and my hands right down paddling softly, a waveturned me a little on one side; I raised my head, and a horrible yellsent a cold chill through me.
"What is it? the matter?" cried Mercer.
"Help! help!" shrieked Burr major, who was only a few yards away,splashing the water heavily as he swam with all his might for the side.
But he only shrieked out, "Help! help!" in a horror-stricken voice, andwe all swam toward him as he made for the shore, all the lesser boyssplashing out as fast as they could, to congregate shivering on thebank.
"What is it? What's the matter?" cried Mr Rebble, hurrying along thepath, while Lomax came running round from the other side, for he hadcrossed the dam to act the part of water shepherd over some of his wetlambs.
But Burr major only kept on shrieking, "Help! help!"
"What's the matter, boys?" cried Mr Hasnip, who was now standing on thebank just where Burr major would land
.
"Don't know, sir."
"He's frightened, sir."
"Got the cramp."
This, and half a dozen other replies, came in a confused chorus, as weswam on in a half circle behind Burr major ready to help him if heceased to swim.
But he was striking out strongly, though his voice grew hoarser and moreweak as he neared the edge, where, ghastly-looking and shivering, hesnatched at Mr Rebble's hand, and allowed himself to be helped out.
"Don't make that noise, Burr major," cried the master. "What's thematter with you? Speak."
"Gone down--drowning! Oh--oh!"
He said this last in a husky whisper, and with white rings showing roundhis wide-open eyes, he turned and pointed toward the middle of the greatpool.
"Who--who has?" cried Mr Hasnip frantically, and we looked eagerly fromone to the other, but no one seemed to be missing.
"Speak, sir. Who is? Where?" cried Mr Rebble, seizing Burr major byhis wet shoulders and shaking him. "Don't go on like that. Speak."
But Burr major made one gesticulation, and then his limbs seemed todouble up beneath him, as he dropped fainting on the grass.
"What is it? cramp?" cried Lomax, coming up, and taking off his coat."I'll soon put that right."
"No; he says some one is drowning."
"What?" roared Lomax wildly. "One of my lads! Here, who's missing?"
There was no answer, and the boys all gazed in a frightened way at eachother.
"Here, Burr major, rouse up," cried Mr Rebble, shaking the long, thinlad, as he knelt down on one knee. "Who was it? Any one with you?"
The boy's eyes opened a little, he looked up wildly, and, trying torise, pointed again to the middle of the pool.
"Was--by me," he moaned--"went down."
"Never mind who it is," roared Lomax, literally tearing off his clothes."Now, boys--divers. In with you!"
His loudly-spoken command acted like magic upon us, and Mercer, Hodson,and I dashed into the water abreast, and swam for the middle of thepool, where in turn we began to dive down and try if we could find ourluckless school-fellow, whoever he might be, but without result.
"That's right," cried Lomax, as I came up, for he had joined us in anincredibly short space of time. "Keep trying. This way."
He stretched out his arms, joined his hands as high as he could abovehis head, so that their weight should help to sink him, and he slowlywent down out of sight, while, as fast as our efforts would allow, weboys went down and tried to search about, gradually extending thedistance from each other in obedience to the orders shouted to us fromthe bank.
I suppose it was in ten feet water, about thirty yards from the greatembankment, where we dived down most, but our attempts became morefeeble, and I found myself at last swimming heavily close to Lomax,whose fierce-looking head suddenly rose close to my hand.
"Does nobody know anything about where the boy went down?" he roared;but there was no answer, and he panted out,--
"Take care of yourselves, boys. Don't overdo it. We must keep on, butit's unkind work."
We dived again and again, till I felt that I could do no more, and oncemore I was close up to Lomax, who had been down till he was almostcompletely exhausted.
"Oh, my lad! my lad!" he groaned, as he began to tread water slowly,"I'd have given anything sooner than this should have happened. Here,you, Burr junior, you're spent, boy. Swim ashore."
"I'm not," I said. "I'm going down again."
"I'm done," groaned Lomax. "I seem to have no more strength."
Shouts and orders came from the bank.
"They're saying we don't dive," said Mercer piteously.
"Not diving?" cried Lomax. "Well!"
As he spoke, he sank again, and the water closed in a swirl over hishead, while, after taking a long breath, I dived under into the depths,with the water thundering in my ears, as, during what seemed to be along space of time, though less than a minute, of course, I groped andswam about till a curious sensation of confusion came over me, and,frightened now, I touched something and clung to it wildly, believing inmy startled state that it was Lomax.
The next instant I was at the surface, surprised to see the old sergeantmaking a rush at me, as he uttered a shout. Then he seized something byme, and I knew that I had brought one of my schoolfellows to thesurface.
We swam ashore, to reach it soon after Lomax, who had borne the white,limp figure we had rescued into the dressing shed.
"Boys who can run!" shouted Mr Rebble. "Blankets, quick!"
A dozen boys dashed off, and Lomax panted,--
"You two--work him like this--gently. I'll relieve you directly."
He left the two masters rubbing and moving the boy's arms to their fullextent, and pressing them to his sides, while he hurried on someclothes, and, shivering with horror and exhaustion, we followed hisexample, while, with my ears ringing, I heard Mercer gasp out,--
"Poor old Dicksee! Oh, Frank, I hope he ain't drowned."
But as, after our hurried dressing, we saw him lying there rigid andcold, it seemed as if the boy would never say another unkind word to asoul.
By this time Lomax had relieved the two masters, and with all the vigourof his strong arms he was trying to produce artificial respirationsomewhat after the fashion that has of late been laid down as a surgicallaw, but apparently without avail.
The blankets had been brought, the boys, all but we few elder ones, sentback to the school, and a messenger had gone for the nearest medicalman, so that nothing more could be done than was in progress.
"I'm afraid it's a hopeless case," said Mr Rebble, with a groan.
"Never say die, sir," cried Lomax. "I remember a lad of ours in myregiment was swept with his horse down the torrent below where we werefording a river away yonder in India. He seemed to be quite gone whenwe got him ashore half a mile lower down, but we rubbed and worked himabout for quite three hours, taking it in turns, before he gave a signof life. But he opened his eyes at last, and next day he was 'most aswell as ever. What time do you expect Doctor Browne back, sir?"
"Not till quite late to-night. And what news for him!--what a shock forthem both!"
"Shock!" said Lomax. "Here, you take a turn now, Mr Hasnip; we mustn'tstop for a moment."
Mr Hasnip, whose coat was off and sleeves turned up, sprang to his sideand went on.
"I'll relieve you again soon, sir," said Lomax, wiping his drippingforehead. "But how was it, Mr Burr major?"
"I--I don't know," said my school-fellow, starting. "I think hesuddenly remembered it was so deep, and he turned frightened, for hewent under all at once and right down, and then I cried for help."
"Better have lent him a hand," said Lomax gruffly. "Well, Mr Hasnip,sir, feel him coming to?"
"No, no," said the second master dolefully. "He is dead! he is dead!"
"Not he, sir," cried Lomax roughly. "We're going to bring him round;all we've been doing has helped him, and it's a long way off threehours. Here, let's have him out in the sunshine, please. I believe inthe sun."
The poor fellow was carried out, the two masters each taking a corner ofthe blanket on which he lay, Lomax and I the others.
It was quickly done, and then Lomax recommenced rubbing, working theboy's chest so as to make it contract and expand, and all the time withperspiration dropping from his brow. Mr Rebble and Mr Hasnip bothrelieved him, and we boys did our best to help; but the afternoon glidedon, no doctor arrived, and we felt chilled and hopeless, till all atonce, after a rest, Lomax had begun again apparently as fresh as ever,and to our horror he suddenly began to whistle a merry tune.
"Lomax!" cried Mr Hasnip.
"What's the matter, sir?"
"For goodness' sake--at a time like this--it is too--"
"Why, haven't I got cause to whistle, sir?" cried the sergeant merrily."What did I tell you? Only wanted time and plenty o' muscle."
"What! is he reviving?"
"No, sir, he's revived," said Lomax
. "Look at the colour coming, andhis eyelids quivering. He'll be sitting up directly. Here, you canfeel his heart beating now."
Mr Rebble went down on one knee and laid his hand upon Dicksee'sbreast; then, jumping up again, he caught Lomax by the wrist.
"Heaven bless you for this!" he cried, and Mr Hasnip forgot his dignityas a master, and, taking off his hat, joined us boys in a hearty, "Hip!hip! hip! hooray!" which seemed to give the finishing impetus to ourtreatment, for Dicksee opened his eyes wide, struggled up into a sittingposition, stared about him for a few moments, and then cried, in aharsh, unpleasant tone,--
"Where's my clothes?"
As he spoke, there was the sound of footsteps, and the medical man andthe messenger who had been sent to bring him hurried up.
"I'm very sorry," he said. "I was right at the other end of the parish,and had to be fetched. Is this the patient?"
Dicksee had now huddled the blanket round him, and began in a whining,queer way,--
"What's been the matter? What are you all doing? Here, somebody, Iwant my clothes."
"No occasion to have fetched me," said the surgeon, smiling. "You'vebrought him round, I see. They're often like this when they've beennearly drowned. Come, squire, can you dress yourself?"
"Yes, if you'll all go away," cried Dicksee in a snarling tone. "Who'sa-going to dress with you all a-staring like that?"
"Go into the shed, Dicksee," said Mr Rebble. "Can you walk?"
"Of course, I can, sir;" and he scrambled up.
"Had a long job of course," said the surgeon; and then--"He don't seemvery grateful for being brought back to life. Well, gentlemen, there'slittle to do. Let him go to bed soon, and have a good night's rest. Idon't suppose he will be much worse in the morning when I come."
So little seemed to be the matter, that, when he was dressed, Dickseewalked slowly back to the school, Mercer and I following him with Lomax.
"Rum thing," he said, "how crusty the being nearly drowned makes a lad.Hardly worth all the trouble we took over him, eh?"
"Oh, don't talk like that, Lom!" I cried.
"But he was precious disagreeable," cried Mercer; "and after the way inwhich you saved his life too!"
"I didn't," I said; "it was Lom here."
"Nay, lad, you got hold of him diving, first. If it hadn't been foryou, I shouldn't have had anything to rub. But I was thinking."
"What of, Lom?"
"Of how strange it is, lads, that we somehow have to help and do good tothem who've always been our enemies. That chap's always hated you, MrBurr."
"Yes, I'm afraid so, Lomax," I said, with a sigh.
"And so you go into the water, and save his life."
"Yes, 'tis rum," said Mercer. "A nasty, disagreeable beggar. I hatehim. But I am glad he wasn't drowned."