CHAPTER XXX.
A Proposal of Marriage.--Bill's Rejection andRevenge.--Pocket-picking.--Jack's Return.--Black Peter again.--Bushranging Merriment.--A Flight in the Dark.--An Emu-chase.--Thedisappointed Hunters.--Pursuit.--A Stratagem.
Simple Davy, the whole family believed, would not prove irreclaimable,and they used every persuasion to bring the poor man to a knowledge ofhis faults, and to a desire to reform them; but his blind submission tohis "_eddicated_" brother proved a formidable obstacle, till his heartbecame enlightened by the truths of religion. The cunning villain Billwas a great annoyance to the family: he continually visited them, andhis absurd speeches no longer afforded them amusement, for he had nowsignified his intention of becoming a candidate for the hand ofMargaret.
"Not that Miss would aggress," said the convict, "to live with these low_ignis fatuus_ men, that we eddicated men terminate flea-beings, seeingshe is not customary to their ways. But you see, Miss, I preponderatesetting up a bush tavern, quite illimitable to the beat of the imperiouspollis; quite a genteel hottle, where you might prorogue like a lady,and I'd not reject to adapt these lads, and give them a job at waiting;and we might revive an opening for the old governor, if you matteredhaving him."
Hugh and Gerald would have seized the impudent rascal and flung him outof the hut, but Arthur restrained them, and arresting his father'sindignant remonstrance, he said, "Bill, my sister must never again hearsuch absurd and offensive language; she is too young even to think ofsuch things, and quite unfitted by education and religion for minglingwith lawless bush-rangers."
"We'll see about that, young fellow," answered Bill with a diabolicalgrin. "You might have permeated the young woman to speak for herself;she's old enough to be deciduous. But wait a bit till I touch yourransom, and then we'll considerate about her. She was not secluded in mybargain, and you'll find as how I'm empirical here."
The terror and distress of Margaret were very great, and but for theabsence of Jack, who was always ingenious in affairs of difficulty,Arthur would have yielded to her wish, and attempted their escape, whichby the aid of Baldabella in the out-works, and of David, who was muchashamed of his brother's audacious proposal, in the citadel, they didnot think would be extremely difficult. The bark hut which was theirprison, was situated at the extremity of the range of huts, and close toa thick wood, from which Baldabella made her nightly visits withoutdisturbance. David had supplied the young men with some sheets of barkto partition off the back part of the hut for Margaret and her servants,and from this apartment it would be easy to cut open the bark, andescape into the wood, the savages usually sleeping on the ground beforethe hut.
Still, unless they were driven to extremities, they desired to defertheir flight till the return of Jack, as, besides the hope that he mightbring them efficient aid from Mr. Deverell, they did not wish to abandonhim to the wrath of the disappointed rangers; but they explained theirintention to Baldabella, and begged her to be prepared; and they hopedthat they were prevailing on David to become their companion and guide.
Several days passed in the same dreary and distressing seclusion. If anyof the prisoners ventured to breathe the air outside the hut, they wereassailed with rude language, pelted and insulted by the rangers or theblacks. Jenny and Ruth had gone out to cut some grass to spread over theground on which they slept, and were seized by the women, their clothestorn, their hair pulled, and the contents of their pockets discoveredand torn from them.
"Ragged I am, and ragged I may be, now," said Jenny. "I wonder what goodmy bit housewife will do them ondecent hussies; and neither thread,needle, nor scissors have I left. And Miss Marget, my honey, there wasmy silver thimble that you bought me in London, and my prayer-book fromMaster Arthur,--God bless him!--and my spectacles that master gave me;but that's little matter, I don't need them when I've nothing left toread or sew."
Ruth sobbed out incoherently, "My bonnie purse; oh dear! oh dear! and mytwo shillings, and my lucky crook't sixpence, and my Sunday ribbons andcotton gloves, and my bonnie little Testament! Oh dear! where's I to getmair?"
Mr. Mayburn consoled the women, and showed them his pocket Bible, whichhe had still preserved, and from which he could daily read to them thewords of comfort and hope; and Margaret encouraged Jenny with theprospect of one day reaching Daisy Grange, when she felt assured thatthe orderly and prudent Mrs. Deverell would have needles and thread tobestow on them.
One evening some very unusual sounds tempted Gerald who was alwaysrestless in his confinement, to steal out of the hut. He was absent sometime, and Arthur had become very uneasy lest he should have beenarrested and punished for this disobedience of orders, when, with a facefull of news, he rushed back into the hut, exclaiming, "Jack is broughtback! there are three or four more of those ugly convicts; and, oh,Arthur, there is Black Peter amongst them!"
This was really melancholy news, and Mr. Mayburn in deep distress lookedappealingly to Arthur.
"Margaret must be taken away," he said; "I cannot have her remain amongthese reprobates. Then there is Wilkins, poor fellow! That wicked wretchhas ever persecuted and hated him; he is not safe with us; we must carefor him, and send him away. But ought we not all to depart? I feel thatI am unable to judge the matter calmly; decide for us, my son."
"I shall be better able to do that, papa," answered Arthur, "when Ilearn what extraordinary circumstance has induced Jack to return. It isquite impossible that he can have executed his mission; and I cannotimagine that these robbers have relinquished their desire for theransom-money. I am very anxious to see him."
The sounds of riot and discord were now heard through the hamlet; theprisoners concluded that more brandy had been brought in, and it wasproducing its usual delusive and fatal effects among men and women. Theintoxication proceeded to madness; horrid oaths and blasphemy were theonly words to be distinguished; first uttered by the white man,erroneously named a Christian, and then eagerly imitated by his heathenbrother. In the midst of the confusion, Jack stole in unnoticed by thesavages to his anxious friends. He was pale with fatigue,disappointment, and alarm; for he saw that the frenzy of the intoxicatedwretches might at any moment lead them to murder.
"Mr. Arthur," said he, hurriedly, "I have got hold of a gun and a fewcharges, and David will follow me here with another, as soon as thefellows drink themselves into stupor; then we must make off withoutdelay, or we are lost. Black Peter has determined to have his own way,and you know what his way is; and depend on it, if he had not been ledoff with the brandy, he would have been here to bully and threatenbefore now."
"Alas! alas!" said Mr. Mayburn, "how did it happen, my good lad, thatyou fell into the hands of that abandoned man?"
"We met him on our way, sir," answered Jack, "mounted on a handsomehorse that he'd stolen from somebody's station; he was dressed like agentleman, and three more fellows, all bush-rangers, I'll be bound, werealong with him, well mounted too. They were carrying kegs of liquor andbales of tobacco to barter for the stolen cattle, which they mean todrive down the country to sell. Peter knew me as soon as he set eyes onme, and hailed me to know what had become of my comrades. Then the sulkyblack fellow that rode with me took on him to tell, in his lingo, whatwe were after. It would have made your blood run cold, master, to hearhow that brute Peter cursed Bill; he said he was nought but a poor,pitiful, long-tongued fool, to swap such a prize for a hundred pounds;and he swore he would have ten times as much for the bargain, and haveit for himself too. 'I've got shot of my cowardly troop, ye see,' hesaid to my guide; 'they didn't suit me; they ran away at the sight ofblood. I'll see now if I can't put that set-up fellow, Bill, down a peg,and manage your folks a bit better, blackey.' Then he went back to hiswhite colleagues, and said, 'You might make a penny of these tworunaways; there's money on their heads; what say ye to carrying themoff?'
"I cannot tell how they settled their treacherous plan; but as they hadarms, they forced us to turn back with them; and Bill looked so cowedwhen he saw Black Peter, that I make no doubt the craftier rog
ue of thetwo will be master by to-morrow; and there will be a poor chance for us,if we do not overreach him to-night. Well, Davy, how are they gettingon?" he added, as the simple fellow entered cautiously.
"They'll not be lang fit for wark," answered he. "Some's down now, andBill and Peter had come to fighting; but them new chaps, as corned withyou, parted 'em; and I seed 'em wink at Peter, and they said as how itcould be settled to-morrow. But it would hardly be safe to stop forthat; and if ye're ready and willing, I'se get ye off cannily aftherit's dark."
"We are willing and ready, David," said Arthur, "and most thankful tohave you for our guide. I will engage that Mr. Deverell will pardon andprotect you, if we are fortunate enough to reach Daisy Grange; but howmy father and sister are to accomplish the journey, I cannot think."
"It's all pat, sir; see to me for that," answered David. "Not a chapamang 'em was fit to hobble t' horses but me, I had it all my own way,and I brought our two, and their four, all round to t' back of this herewood, and tied 'm up ready saddled. Afore midnight, light on me to bethere, and all fettled and ready. I'se get Baldabella to warn ye at t'reet minute, and then ye can make yer way out backwards, and she'llbring ye through t' wood, and we'se get a good start afore day-leet.They've no more horses fit for t' saddle, if they were fit themselves;but it will be a fair bit afore they sleep off their drunken fit."
The yells and screams of the mad drunkards grew louder and morediscordant, and the trembling women clung fearfully to each other in theback apartment of the hut, where they had already cut an opening largeenough to allow them to escape; but they were anxious to defer theattempt till Davy thought the moment favorable. At length they heard theoaths and curses muttered in fainter tones; and, one after another, thevoices died away. Gladly the anxious captives marked the deep silencethat succeeded, which was finally broken by David whispering through theopening behind the hut,--
"Come along; be sharp, and tread soft. There's a lot of chaps lyingafore t' hut: ye cannot come out that way. Mind ye dinnot waken 'em.Here's Baldabella; she'll trail ye through t' bush, and I'll on afore,and make ready."
Trembling and breathless, one after another they followed Baldabella,forcing their way through the thick underwood, scarcely conscious ofbruises, scratches, and rent garments, till, by the faint light of themoon through a gathering mist, they saw David holding the harnessedhorses outside the tangled wood.
"Manage as ye like," said he; "there's twelve on us, reckoning t' babby,but some on ye is leet weights."
Baldabella refused to mount, and, giving her child to Wilkins, shewalked on; and so light and swift was her pace, that she kept up wellwith the doubly-laden horses, though they proceeded as speedily as theycould over the grassy plains. For six hours they continued to travel duesouth, silently and uninterruptedly; then the morning light cheeredtheir spirits, they realized the fact of their freedom, and theyrejoiced as they rested on a rich plain while the horses fed, and liftedup their voices in praise and thanksgiving that they were once more freein a savage land; and even poor David, with tears of penitence, unitedhumbly with them in prayer.
All the party needed the refreshment they knew not where to seek, whenBaldabella produced a netted bag of cakes and nuts, with which they wereobliged to content themselves; and hoping that they might meet withwater before they were again compelled to rest, they set forward withgratitude and cheerfulness. But they were somewhat disheartened as theyproceeded; for though herbage and trees were plentiful, water was rarelyto be met with. Hollows in the earth, which contained a muddy remnant ofthe well-filled pools of the rainy season, were their sole dependence--ascanty and unpleasant supply. They had long ago lost sight of the river,from which they had designedly diverged in order to mislead theirpursuers, leaving it on their left hand. Fig-trees were common on theplains, but no longer bearing fruit; still, they continued to befrequented by the cockatoos and pigeons, and having made bows andarrows, they procured as many as they wished for food.
On the fourth day, Baldabella, who was before them, summoned them by thewelcome cry, "_Yarrai! yarrai!_--water! water!" and they saw a narrowfull streamlet, rushing to the south-east, probably to swell some largeriver; a consideration very tempting to the travellers, who could notventure on the direct track which David was acquainted with, lest theyshould be overtaken. They resolved, therefore, to continue by the water,so necessary to preserve their own strength and that of their horses;and though the approach towards a large river might place them amongstthe black tribes again, they would still be on the highway which led tocivilization.
They now selected their resting-places close by the refreshing stream,and without adventure, till it happened that one day they had indulgedfor some hours in a noonday repose under the shelter of some trees. Thenthe young men set out to beat the wood for birds; but Gerald soon criedout, "To horse! to horse! bold hunters. Emus are in view!" and, onskirting the wood, the whole family had a view of a flock of those hugebirds, at some distance on the plain, grazing with all the tranquillityof domestic cattle.
"We are not in want of emus, Gerald," said Mr. Mayburn. "These creaturesare as free to live as we are ourselves. Why will men become huntersfrom mere wantonness?"
"We could do cannily with one, master," said Jenny. "They're fair goodeating, and ye see, sir, great strong men gets tired of these bits ofbirds."
Mr. Mayburn sighed at the necessity of disturbing the peace of the happycreatures, and duly impressed on Arthur his wish that only one birdshould be killed. All the young men, roused at the thoughts of thechase, sprang upon their horses, and, armed with spears and bows,galloped off to the field. Crafty and swift as these birds are, theywere not entirely able to elude their mounted enemies, who attacked themwith spears and arrows, and at last succeeded in separating from therest and surrounding one large bird, in which several arrows had beenpreviously lodged. Infuriated with pain and fright, the bird ranfrantically round the circle, in fruitless endeavors to escape betweenthe horses; and Gerald, piercing it with his long spear to oppose itsretreat, it turned suddenly round, and, striking out backwards with itspowerful leg, inflicted such a blow on the horse he was riding, that itstaggered and fell.
Alarmed at the accident, the hunters all rode up to assist Gerald; andthe wounded emu profited by the opportunity, and effected a retreat toits companions, to the great vexation of the sanguine young men. Theysoon raised the horse and his rider. Gerald had escaped unhurt; but thehorse was so bruised by the kick of the powerful creature, that Arthursaw with consternation that their journey must be delayed some time,till it recovered from the blow; if, indeed, it was not renderedentirely incapable of further service.
Mortified and dejected, the discomfited hunters returned to theencampment, where they were received by Mr. Mayburn with a lesson onhumanity to animals, by Margaret with friendly raillery, and by Jennywith ill-repressed murmurs; but all were grieved at the sufferings ofthe poor horse.
"That beast must just lie where he is for one day, however," saidWilkins; "and I question whether that'll sarve to mend a bad job. I say,some of ye slips of lads, run up them trees, and take a look round, tosee if t' coast's clear."
It was at once employment and amusement for the active boys, Hugh andGerald, to climb two tall fig-trees that grew in front of the wood, andscan the wide scene around.
"Now, sentinels," cried Margaret from below, "please to report what youhave observed."
"I can see our little rivulet," said Hugh, "winding like a silver threadover the plains to the south-east, even to the very horizon, where agray line terminates the view. That may be the hem of the large riverArthur has planned."
"I say, Arthur, come up," cried Gerald; "I want you to look at a darkmass far away north. I could almost fancy I saw it moving."
Arthur was soon by his side, and, after examining the object pointedout, he said with a sigh, "You are right, Gerald, it does move; and Ifear we are pursued at this unlucky moment, when we cannot, I fear,continue our flight. You, boys, remain to watch, while I des
cend to holda council about our perilous situation."
"Hand us up the guns, then, Arthur," answered Gerald, "and see if wewill not guard the pass. Not a single rogue shall advance, but we willmark him and bring him down from our watch-tower."
"That plan will not do, Gerald," said Arthur. "Your office is to watch,and, as soon as you can, to ascertain their strength."
Then the distressed youth descended to report his lamentable tidings tothe tranquil party below, and great was the dismay felt by the timid.
"We might send off master and Miss Margaret," said Jack. "What think youof that, Mr. Arthur? We could hold out here a good bit, to let them havea good start down south; and then, if God helped us, we might get afterthem."
"Margaret, what do you say to this plan?" asked Mr. Mayburn. "There isDavy, who seems honest, could we not trust him to conduct us and our twopoor women to our friends the Deverells?"
"It must not be so, dear papa," answered Margaret; "we must live or dietogether. Think how unhappy we should be to leave them exposed todangers for our sakes. But could we not hide in this thick wood? Itmight be that the pursuers would not discover us."
"But the trail, Margaret," answered Arthur,--"the trail would betray us.Is there any mode left us to escape, do you think, Wilkins?"
"Ay, ay, Mr. Arthur, ye fancy it's best to set one rogue to cheatanother," replied Wilkins. "Keep up your heart, Miss; I'se thinking wecan lead 'em on a wrong scent yet."
The wood behind them spread for a considerable way along the side of therivulet, from which it was about a hundred yards distant. The oppositebanks were hemmed up to the water with a broad growth of reeds, beyondwhich lay a vast entangled scrub.
"We'll see if we cannot manage to send 'em ower yonder," continuedWilkins, pointing to the opposite side; "so bring t' horses here, andcome along wi' ye."
By the orders of Wilkins the men mounted the five sound horses, havingfirst led the lame one, with Margaret, Mr. Mayburn, and the women, intothe intricacies of the wood, and left them, carefully arranging thebush, so that no trail could be seen. Then the horsemen, making a broadtrack, by riding abreast, proceeded to the shallow rivulet, crossed it,and breaking down the reeds before them, forced a pass to the scrub.Here it was unnecessary to proceed, as on the brush-covered ground itwas easy to suppose the trail might be lost; they therefore returned,carefully retracing their steps to the river, and riding the horses inthe water about a hundred yards down the stream, from which, at distantintervals, they brought them up singly to the wood, obliterating thetrail with scrupulous care; and, finally, through several convenientopenings, they introduced them into the heart of the wood, where a smallgrassy spot enabled them to leave the animals to graze, after carefullysecuring them. Here all the party assembled, to wait the event, exceptthe three boys, who, taking guns and bows, returned to the fig-treesfrom whence they had first perceived the pursuers, re-ascended, andconcealed themselves in the thick foliage, to watch the foe, and, ifnecessary, to defend the fortress.
The pursuers were now plainly visible, and the watchers discovered thatthe party consisted of the bush-rangers, driving before them a herd ofcattle, and accompanied by a band of the natives. The processioncertainly formed an imposing body, but the men were on foot, and mustnecessarily proceed slowly with the cattle; and if all the horses hadbeen fit for the road, Arthur saw they might easily have escapedpursuit, and he bitterly regretted the imprudent and unprofitable chaseof the emu. He now considered that the most advisable plan would be, ifpossible, to allow the men to pass, and then to follow them.