King o' the Beach Part 23

"Nay, nothing like it. Here, I've got it; something like Paddy Chooly."

"Patchouli?"

"That's it. I knew it was something about Paddy. Well, sir, if you'll believe me, that stuff smelt just like black beetles in a kitchen cupboard near the fire. I don't mind the smell o' pearl soup."

"But I want to see number one emptied. When is it to be?"

"When it's quite ripe, and it aren't ripe yet."

"Takes a long time, doesn't it?" said Carey.

"And no mistake. So much the better. You've been expecting and expecting, and thinking about emptying that tub, and getting shovels full o' pearls out o' the bottom, and it's made you forget all about your sore chesty and give it time to get well. 'Tis quite well now, aren't it?"

"I think so, Bob; only the doctor says I'm to be very careful."

"Of course you have to be, my lad. But don't you fidget; I'll tell you when number one cask's ripe, and then don't you expect too much, for it's like lots o' things in this here world; it may turn out werry disappointing. You puts in pounds o' trouble, and don't get out an ounce o' good. P'raps there won't be a teaspoonful o' pearls, and them only as small as dust."

"Oh!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Carey.

"No use to reckon on them, sir, but all the same, sometimes when a tub's emptied it turns out wonderful."

But the time wore on; tub after tub was filled, and the contents grew more and more liquid, and the testing was still kept in abeyance.

"Never mind," said the doctor, laughing, when Carey protested; "there is no harm in waiting."

And day by day Carey grew stronger, gradually taking his part in the daily avocations, fis.h.i.+ng and shooting; and it was a grand day for him when one day the doctor thought that he might join him on an expedition to the lake.

"I'm all right now, Bob," he said, hurrying to the old sailor after this.

"Well, yes, you seem to be, sir," said Bostock; "what with the doctor's looking you up and down and me feeding you, we've pretty well made a man of you, and you're nearly all right; but I don't quite take what you mean."

"I've pa.s.sed my last examination now, and Doctor Kingsmead seems to think he can give me up."

"I'm glad of it, my lad. Hearty, my lad."

"And we're going to explore a bit, going right up to the lake."

"Am I coming too?"

"Of course. You'd like to, wouldn't you?"

"Course I should, sir. Going to take the guns?"

"Oh, yes, and I mean to shoot. I want to see that lake too. It has been so tiresome only keeping along the sh.o.r.e and about the sands."

"You've had some tidy sails about the lagoon, and some good fis.h.i.+ng, my lad."

"Of course I have, but I want to shoot."

"Well, I s'pose it's natural, sir," said Bostock. "I know when I was a boy I always wanted to do something else. If I was in a garden it allus seemed as if the next garden must be better, and I wanted to look over the wall. One allus wants to be doing something fresh. It's Natur, I s'pose. Do we start soon?"

"Oh, yes, as soon as we can get off."

The early breakfast was over, and the satchel of provisions being prepared they were soon over the side, each bearing a double gun and a fair supply of ammunition, Bostock carrying, in addition, a small axe ready for use, and Carey hanging a billhook to his belt--a handy implement for getting through cane or tangled thorn.

It was another lovely morning, with the submarine gardens more beautiful than ever; but there was very little wind, and their progress across to their regular landing place was very slow, but not wearisome, for there was always something fresh to see in the sunlit waters. On this particular morning they sailed over sandy openings among the rocks, where Bostock drew attention to the abundance of those peculiar sea-slugs known in commerce as sea-cuc.u.mbers.

"Why not try some o' them cooked one of these days, Master Carey?" said the old sailor.

"Pah! Horrid! You never ate one, did you?"

"No, sir, but the Chinese think a deal of 'em, and give no end of money for a hundredweight salted and dried. We shall have to take to collecting them when we've got all the pearl hysters."

"Why, that will never be, Bob. There's all round the island to go, and even if we finished them we could sail to first one and then another reef."

"Yes, that's so, sir. Strikes me that when we do go away from here, what with pearl sh.e.l.ls, pearls, and dried cocoanuts, we ought to be able to lade a s.h.i.+p with a valuable cargo."

"Look at the fish," said Carey.

"Yes, sir, there's plenty; but we're not going to fish to-day, of course?"

"Oh, no. Get ash.o.r.e as soon as we can, and follow the stream right up to the lake."

"It's going to be a hot walk, my lad, and--"

"Hist! Look, Bob. Here, doctor, look! look!"

Both looked in the indicated direction, to see that the raft was on its way to glide by a turtle basking in the hot suns.h.i.+ne and apparently fast asleep.

"We're not going to fish," whispered Carey, "but we ought to have that."

"Yes," said the doctor, and Bostock was evidently of the same opinion, for he bent down softly to pick up a little coil of fine rope to make a noose at one end.

"You just make the other end fast to one of the planks, sir," he whispered. "He'll make a big rush as soon as he feels the rope."

Bostock crept forward softly and knelt down ready, with the raft gliding right for the sleeping reptile.

Then both the doctor and Carey held their breath with excitement, as the old sailor reached out, slipped the noose over one of the fins, and then started back deluged with water dashed up by the startled creature, which rushed off with all its might till it was brought up short by the line coming to an end.

At this there was a violent jerk, the raft was drawn out of its course and began to move at increased speed in the direction of the opening in the great reef, the prisoner making for the open sea.

"Better come and give a hand here, Mr Carey, sir," cried Bostock. "I ought to guide him a bit and make, him tow us our way so as to get him ash.o.r.e. What do you say to the mouth of the river? If we could get him to run up there it would be splendid."

"And what about the crocodiles, Bob?"

"Eh? Ah! I forgot all about them, sir. Never mind; anywhere 'll do.

That's right, sir; lay hold. Strong a'most as a helephant, aren't he?

Wo ho! my lad. Don't be in a flurry. Well, I _am_ blest!"