Commodore Junk Part 52

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

UNDER ANOTHER RULE.

"You're to keep to your prison till further orders," said Bart one day as he entered the place.

"Who says so!" cried Humphrey, angrily.

"Lufftenant."

"What! Mazzard?"

"Yes, sir. His orders."

"Curse Lieutenant Mazzard!" cried Humphrey. "Where is the captain!"

No answer.

"Is this so-called lieutenant master here!"

"Tries to be," grumbled Bart.

"The captain is away, then?"

"Orders are, not to answer questions," said Bart, abruptly; and he left the chamber.

Humphrey was better. The whims and caprices of a sick man were giving way to the return of health, and with this he began to chafe angrily.

He laughed bitterly and seated himself by the window to gaze out at the dim arcade of forest, and wait till such time as he felt disposed to go out, and then have a good wander about the ruins, and perhaps go down that path where he had been arrested by the appearance of the captain.

He had no hope of encountering any of his crew, for, from what he could gather, fully half the survivors, sick of the prisoner's life, had joined the buccaneer crew, while the rest had been taken to some place farther along the coast--where, he could not gather from Dinny, who had been letting his tongue run and then suddenly stopped short. But all the same he clung to the hope that in the captain's absence he might discover something which would help him in his efforts to escape and come back, if not as commander, at all events as guide to an expedition that should root out this hornets'-nest.

Mid-day arrived, and he was looking forward to the coming of Dinny with his meal, an important matter to a man with nothing to do, and only his bitter thoughts for companions. The Irishman lightened his weary hours too, and every time he came the captive felt some little hope of winning him over to help him to escape.

"Ah, Dinny, my lad!" he said as he heard a step, and the hanging curtain was drawn aside, "what is it to-day?"

"Fish, eggs, and fruit," said Bart, gruffly.

"Oh! it's you!" said Humphrey, bitterly. "Dinny away with that cursed schooner!"

"Schooner's as fine a craft as ever sailed," growled Bart. "Orders to answer no questions."

"You need not answer, my good fellow," said the prisoner, haughtily.

"That scoundrel of a buccaneer is away--I know that, and Dinny is with him, or you would not be doing this."

Bart's heavy face lightened as he saw the bitterness of the prisoner's manner when he spoke of the captain; but it grew sombre directly after, as if he resented it; and spreading the meal upon a broad stone, covered with a white cloth--a stone in front of the great idol, and probably once used for human sacrifice--he sullenly left the place.

The prisoner sat for a few minutes by the window wondering whether Lady Jenny was thinking about him, and sighed as he told himself that she was pining for him as he pined for her. Then turning to the mid-day meal he began with capital appet.i.te, and not at all after the fas.h.i.+on of a man in love, to discuss some very excellent fish, which was made more enjoyable by a flask of fine wine.

"Yes," he said, half aloud, "I shall go just where I please."

He stopped and listened, for a voice certainly whispered from somewhere close at hand the word "Kelly!"

"Yes! what is it? Who called?" said the prisoner, aloud.

There was a momentary silence, and then a peculiar whispering voice said--

"Don't be frightened."

"I'm not," said Humphrey, trying to make out whence the voice came, and only able to surmise that it was from somewhere over the dark corner where he slept.

"I want Dennis Kelly," said the voice.

"He's not here. Away with the schooner," continued Humphrey.

"Oh!"

The e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n came like a moan of disappointment.

"Here, who are you?" cried Humphrey.

"No; he cannot be away, sir. But hist! hush, for heaven's sake! You will be heard," said the voice. "Speak low."

"Well, I'll speak in a whisper if you like," said Humphrey. "But where are you?"

"Up above your chamber," was the reply. "There is a place where the stones are broken away."

"Then I am watched," thought Humphrey, as the announcement recalled the captain.

"Can you see me?" he asked.

"I cannot see you where you are now, but I could if you went and lay down upon your couch."

"Then I'll go there," said Humphrey, crossing the great chamber to throw himself on the blankets and skins. "Now, then, what do you want with Dinny?"

"I knew the captain had gone to sea," said the voice, evasively; "but I did not know Kelly had been taken too. He cannot be, without letting me know."

"Can you come down and talk to me!"

"No; you are too well watched."

"Then how did you get here?"

"I crept through the forest and climbed up," was the reply. "I can see you now."

"But how did you know you could see me there?"

"I thought I could. I was watching for someone a little while ago, and saw the captain looking down through here."