CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.
BROUGHT TO BOOK.
Dexter did not pause a moment. It did not occur to him that he wasutterly exhausted, and could hardly move his arms. All he realised wasthe fact that on the one side was the man whom he had half-killed withthe boat-hook, just about to stretch out his hand to seize him, on theother, those whom he dreaded far more, and with one quick movement hestepped on to the thwart of the gig, joined his hands, dived in, anddisappeared from sight, in the muddy water.
For a few moments there was the silence of utter astonishment, and thenthe man who had pursued the boys down the river began to take advantageof the general excitement by keeping hold of the side of the gig andbeginning to draw it away; but Bob set up such a howl of dismay that itdrew Peter's attention, and he too seized the boat from the other end,caught out the chain, and hooked it on to a ring-bolt of the big boat inwhich he sat.
"You drop that there, will yer!" cried the man. "It's my boat."
"How--ow!" cried Bob, in the most canine of yelps; and at the samemoment the gig was literally jerked from the man's hold, for the twosailors had given a tremendous tug at their oars to force the boat inthe direction that Dexter was likely to take after his rise, and thenext minute a dozen yards were between the tub and the gig.
"For heaven's sake, mind! stop!" cried the doctor excitedly. "Don'trow, men, or you may strike him down."
The men ceased rowing, and every eye began to search the surface of thewater, but no sign of Dexter could be seen.
"He could not sink like that," cried Sir James. "He must risesomewhere."
But must or no, Dexter did not rise, and the men began to paddle softlydown-stream, while the doctor stood up in the boat gazing wildly round.
"It was all my doing," he said to himself. "Poor boy! poor boy!"
A feeling of horror that was unbearable seemed to be creeping over theoccupants of the great boat. Even Dan'l, who looked upon Dexter as hismortal enemy, and who had suggested, in the hope of seeing him sent toprison, that the surest way of capturing the boys was to go down to themouth of the river--even Dan'l felt the chill of horror as he mentallysaid--
"'Tain't true. Them as is born to be hanged is sometimes drowned."
But just then there was a tremendous splash, and the big boat rocked toand fro, the captive gig danced, and Bob uttered another of his canineyelps, for Peter had suddenly stepped on to the gunwale, dived in aftersomething he had seen touch the surface of the water twenty yards lowerdown, where it had been rolled over and over by the rapid tide, and aminute later, as he swam vigorously, he shouted--"I've got him!"
And he was seen holding the boy's head above the water, as he turned totry and stem the current, and swim back to the boat.
The task was not long, for the two sailors sent her down with a fewvigorous sweeps of their oars, and Dexter and his rescuer were draggedover the side, as the man with the tub slowly backed away.
No time was lost in reaching the shore, and the insensible boy wascarried up to the principal hotel in the port, where quite an hourelapsed before the surgeon whose services were sought was able to pausefrom his arduous task, and announce that his patient would live.
For it was a very narrow escape, and the surgeon said, as he shook handswith Dr Grayson--
"Some men would have given it up in despair, sir. But there he is, safeand sound, and, I dare say, boy-like, it will not be very long before hegets into some mischief again."
Sir James Danby coughed, and Doctor Grayson frowned as he met hisfriend's peculiar look. But nothing was said then till the surgeon hadbeen up to see his patient once more, after which he returned, reportedthat Dexter had sunk into a sound slumber, and then took his leave.
"I suppose we shall not go back to Coleby to-night?" said Sir James.
"I shall not," said the doctor; "but, my dear Danby, pray don't let mekeep you."
"Oh! you will not keep me," said Sir James quietly. "I've got to makearrangements about my boat being taken up the river."
"Why not let my men row it back!" said the doctor.
"Because I did not like to impose on your kindness."
"Then they may take it?"
"I shall only be too grateful," said Sir James.
Nothing more was said till they had ordered and sat down to a snugdinner in the hotel, when Sir James opened the ball.
"Now, Grayson," he said, "I happen to be a magistrate."
"Yes, of course," said the doctor uneasily.
"Well, then, I want to have a few words with you about those two boys."
The doctor nodded.
"Your groom is with your _protege_, and your old gardener has that otheryoung scoundrel in charge."
"In charge?" said the doctor.
"Yes; you may call it so. I told him not to lose sight of the youngrascal, and I also told your groom to exercise the same supervision overthe other."
"But surely, my dear Danby, you do not mean to--"
"Deal with them as I would with any other offender? Why not?"
The doctor had no answer ready, so Sir James went on--
"I valued that boat very highly, and certainly I've got it back--withthe exception of the stains upon the cushions--very little the worse.But this was a serious theft, almost as bad as horse-stealing, and Ishall have to make an example of them."
"But one of them has been terribly punished," said the doctor eagerly.
"Pooh! not half enough, sir. Come, Grayson, of course this hascompletely cured you of your mad folly!"
"My mad folly!" cried the doctor excitedly. "May I ask you what youmean?"
"Now, my dear Grayson, pray don't be angry. I only say, as an oldfriend and neighbour, surely you must be ready to agree that your wildidea of making a gentleman out of this boy--one of the dregs of ourcivilisation--is an impossibility?"
"Nothing of the sort, sir," cried the doctor angrily. "I never feltmore certain of the correctness of my ideas."
"Tut--tut--tut--tut!" ejaculated Sir James. "Really, Grayson, this istoo much."
"Too much, sir? Nothing of the kind. A boyish escapade. Nothingmore."
"Well!" said Sir James drily, "when such cases as this are broughtbefore us at the bench, we are in the habit of calling them thefts."
"Theft: pooh! No, no!" cried the doctor stubbornly. "A boyish prank.He would have sent the boat back."
"Would he?" said Sir James drily. "I suppose you think his companionwould have done the same?"
"I have nothing to do with the other boy," said the doctor shortly. "Itwas a most unfortunate thing that Dexter should have made hisacquaintance."
"Birds of a feather flock together, my dear Grayson," said Sir James.
"Nothing of the kind, sir. It was my fault," cried the doctor. "Ineglected to let the boy have suitable companions of his own age; andthe consequence was that he listened to this young scoundrel, andallowed himself to be led away."
"Do I understand aright, from your defence of the boy, that you mean toforgive him and take him back!"
"Certainly!" said the doctor.
"Grayson, you amaze me! But if I prove to you that you are utterlywrong, and that the young dog is an arrant thief, what then?"
"Then," said the doctor, "I'm afraid I should have to--No, I wouldn't.I would try and reform him."
"Well," said Sir James, "if you choose to be so ultra lenient, Grayson,you must; but I feel that I have a duty to do, and as soon as we havehad our wine I propose that we have the prisoners here, and listen towhat they have to say."
"Prisoners?"
"Yes. What else would you call them?"
Before the doctor could stand up afresh in Dexter's defence a waiterentered the room.
"Beg pardon, sir, but your groom says would you be good enough to stepupstairs?"
"Bless my heart!" cried the doctor. "Is it a relapse?"
He hurried up to the room where Dexter had been sleeping, to find that,instead of being in bed, he was fully dressed, and l
ying on the floor,with Peter the groom holding him down.
"Why, what's the matter!" cried the doctor, as he entered the roomhastily, followed by Sir James.
"Matter, sir?" said Peter, "matter enough. If I hadn't held him downlike this here I believe he'd 'a' been out o' that window."
"Why, Dexter!" cried the doctor.
The boy struggled feebly, and then, seeing the futility of his efforts,he lay still and closed his eyes.
"Went off fast asleep, sir, as any one would ha' thought," said Peter."And seeing him like that I thought I'd just go down and fetch myself acup o' tea; but no sooner was I out o' the room than he must haveslipped out and dressed hisself--shamming, you know--and if I hadn'tcome back in the nick o' time he'd have been gone."
The doctor frowned, and Sir James looked satisfied, as he gave him anod.
"Going to run away, eh!"
"Yes, Sir James," said the groom; "and it was as much as I could do tohold him."
"Get up, Peter," said the doctor.
The groom rose, and Dexter leapt up like a bit of spring, and dartedtoward the door.
But Sir James was close to it, and catching the boy by the arm he heldhim.
"Take hold, of him, my man," he said; "and don't let him go."
Peter obeyed, getting a tight grip of Dexter's wrist.
"Now, you give in," he whispered. "It's no good, for I shan't let go."
"Bring him down," said Sir James sternly.
Peter shook his head warningly at Dexter, and then, as Sir James and thedoctor went down to their room, Peter followed with his prisoner, wholooked over the balustrade as if measuring the distance and his chanceif he made a jump.
"Now," said Sir James, as the boy was led into the room; "stand there,sir, and I warn you that if you attempt to run away I shall have in thepolice, and be more stern. You, my man, go and tell the gardener tobring up the other boy."
Peter left the room after giving Dexter a glance, and the doctor beganto walk up and down angrily. He wanted to take the business into hisown hands, but Sir James was a magistrate, and it seemed as if he had aright to take the lead.
There was a painful silence, during which Dexter stood hanging his head,and feeling as if he wished he had been drowned, instead of beingbrought round to undergo such a painful ordeal as this.
Ten minutes must have elapsed before a scuffling was heard upon thestairs, and Bob Dimsted's voice whimpering--
"You let me alone, will yer? I never done nothing to you. Pair o'great cowards, y'are. Don't knock me about, or it'll be the worse foryer. Hit one o' your own size. I never said nothing to you."
This was continued and repeated right into the room, Dan'l looking verysevere and earnest, and holding on by the boy's collar, half-dragginghim, while Peter pushed behind, and then closed the door, and stoodbefore it like a sentry.
"You have not been striking the boy, I hope!" said the doctor.
"Strike him, sir? no, not I," said Dan'l; "but I should like to. Beena-biting and kicking like a neel to get away."
Sir James had never seen an eel kick, but he accepted the simile, andturning to Bob, who was whimpering and howling--"knocking meabout"--"never said nothing to him"--"if my father was here," etc.
"Silence!" roared Sir James, in his severest tones; and Bob gave quite astart and stared.
"Now, sir," said Sir James. "Here, both of you; stand together, andmind this: it will be better for both of you if you are frank andstraightforward."
"I want to go home," whimpered Bob. "Y'ain't no business to stop mehere."
"Silence!" roared Sir James; and Bob jumped.
Dexter did not move, but stood with his eyes fixed to the floor.
"Now!" said Sir James, gazing fiercely at Bob; "you know, I suppose, whyyou are here."
"No! I don't," whimpered Bob. "And y'ain't no business to stop me. Iwant to go home."
"Silence, sir!" roared Sir James again. "You do not know? Well, then,I will tell you. You are before me, sir, charged with stealing a boat."
"Oh!" ejaculated Bob, in a tone of wondering innocence.
"And I perhaps ought to explain," said Sir James, looking hard at DrGrayson, and speaking apologetically, "that in an ordinary way, as theboat was my property, I should feel called upon to leave the bench; butas this is only a preliminary examination, I shall carry it on myself.Now, sir," he continued, fixing Bob's shifty eyes, "what have you tosay, sir, for stealing my boat?"
"Stealing your boat!" cried Bob volubly; "me steal your boat, sir? Iwouldn't do such a thing."
"Why, you lying young dog!"
"No, sir, I ain't, sir," protested Bob, as Dexter slowly raised his headand gazed at him. "It wasn't me, sir. It was him, sir. That boy, sir.I begged him not to, sir; but he would do it."
"Oh, it was Dexter Grayson, was it?" said Sir James, glancing at thedoctor, who was gnawing his lip and beating the carpet with his toe.
"Yes, sir; it was him, sir. I was t'other side o' the river one day,sir," rattled off Bob, "and he shouts to me, sir, `Hi!' he says, justlike that, sir, and when I went to him, sir, he says, `Let's steal theold cock's boat and go down the river for a game.'"
"Well?" said Sir James.
"Well, sir, I wouldn't, sir," continued Bob glibly. "I said it would belike stealing the boat; and I wouldn't do that."
"Oh!" said Sir James.
"Is this true, Dexter!" said the doctor sternly.
"No, sir. He wanted me to take the boat."
"Oh, my!" cried Bob. "Hark at that now! Why, I wouldn't ha' done sucha thing."
"No, you look a nice innocent boy," said Sir James.
"Yes, sir; and he was allus at me about that boat, and said he wanted togo to foreign abroad, he did, and the best way, he said, was to stealthat there boat and go."
"Oh," said Sir James. "And what more have you to say, sir?"
"It isn't true, sir," said Dexter, making an effort to speak, and hegazed angrily at his companion. "Bob here wanted me to go with him, andhe persuaded me to take the boat."
"Oh! only hark at him!" cried Bob, looking from one to the other.
"And I thought it would be like stealing the boat to take it like that."
"Well, rather like it," said Sir James sarcastically.
"And so I sent that letter and that money to pay for it, sir, and Imeant to send the rest if it wasn't quite enough."
"Ah!" ejaculated the doctor eagerly.
"What letter? What money?" said Sir James.
"That money I sent by Bob Dimsted, sir, to put in your letter-box."
"I never received any money," cried Sir James. "You sent some money!"
"Yes, sir; before we took the boat, sir."
"Ah!" ejaculated the doctor again.
"And you sent it by this boy?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then where is the money?" cried Sir James, turning upon Bob.
"I dunno, sir. I never had no money."
"You did, Bob, in a letter I gave you," cried Dexter excitedly.
"Oh!" ejaculated Bob, with an astonished look. "Well, if ever!"
"This is getting interesting," said Sir James. "Now, sir, where's thatmoney?"
"He never give me none, sir," cried Bob indignantly. "I never see noletter."
"You did. The one I threw across the river to you!" said Dexter.
"Oh, what a cracker!" cried Bob. "I never had no letter, gen'lemen, andI never see no money. Why don't you tell the truth, and the kindgentlemen won't be so hard on you?"
"I am telling the truth," cried Dexter, "It was you asked me to take theboat."
"Only hark at him!" cried Bob. "Why yer'd better say yer didn't takeall yer clothes off and swim acrost and get it."
"I did," said Dexter; "but you made me. You said you'd go."
"Oh, you can tell 'em!" cried Bob.
"And I did give you the money to take."
"Oh, well, I've done," said Bob. "I never did hear a chap tell lieslike you can!"
&
nbsp; "I think that will do," said Sir James, with a side glance at thedoctor, who sat with his brows knit, listening. "Now, you will both goback to the room where you are to sleep, and I warn you that if youattempt to escape, so surely will you be taken by the police, and thenthis matter will assume a far more serious aspect. You, my men, willhave charge of these two boys till the morning. They are not to speakto each other, and I look to you to take them safely back to Coleby bythe early train. That will do."
Dexter darted one glance at the doctor, but his face was averted.
"Please, sir," he began.
"Silence!" cried Sir James. "I think Dr Grayson understands yourcharacter now, and I must say I never heard a more cowardly attempt tofasten a fault upon another. No: not a word. Go!"
Bob Dimsted was already outside with Dan'l's knuckles in the back of hisneck.
Peter was more gentle with his prisoner as he led him away.
"You've been and done it now, young fellow," he said. "I would ha' toldthe truth."
Dexter turned to him with bursting heart, but he could not speak, and assoon as he was in his bedroom he threw himself before a chair, andburied his face in his hands, so as to try and shut out the reproachfulface of Helen, which he seemed to see.
"I wish I had not been saved," he cried at last passionately, and thenhe glanced at the window, and listened, while downstairs Sir James wassaying quietly--
"There, Grayson, I think you understand the boy's character now."
"No," said the doctor shortly. "I don't think I do."
"What!"
"And I'd give a hundred pounds," said the doctor, "to know the truth."
"Really," said Sir James, laughing. "You are the most obstinate man Iever knew."
"Yes," said the doctor. "I suppose I am."