Bevis Part 67

"Magic?"

"Magic. Stars are magic. There's one up there. And there are things in trees, and satyrs in the fern, and those that come out of the trees and out of the water are ladies--very beautiful, like Frances--"

"Frances is very plain."

"That she's not."

"She's so short."

"Well, the tree-ladies are not very large. If I had a hook of secret lore, that's the right name--"

"A magic hook?"

"I'd make them come and dance and sing to us."

"But are there no monsters?" said Mark, stirring the fire.

Volume Two, Chapter XVI.

NEW FORMOSA--MORNING IN THE TROPICS.

The flames darted up, and mingling with the moonlight cast a reddish-yellow glare on the green-roofed hut, the yellowy cliff of sand, throwing their shadows on the fence, and illuming Pan, who sat at the door of the hut. The lantern, which Bevis had left on the floor, was just behind the spaniel. Outside the stockade the trees of the wood cast shadows towards them; the moon shone high in the sky. The weird calls of water-fowl came from a distance; the sticks crackled and hissed. Else all was silent, and the smoke rose straight into the still air.

"Green eyes glaring at you in the black wood," said Bevis. "Huge creatures, with p.r.i.c.kles on their backs, and stings: the ground heaves underneath, and up they come; one claw first--you see it poking through a c.h.i.n.k--and then hot poisonous breath--"

"Let's make a circle," said Mark. "Quick! Let's lock the gate."

"Lock the gate!" Mark padlocked it. "I'll mark the wizard's foot on it. There,"--Bevis drew the five-angled mark with his pencil on the boards--"there, now they're just done."

"They can't come in."

"No."

"But we might see them?"

"Perhaps, yes."

"Let's play cards, and not look round."

"All right. Bezique. But the kettle's boiling. I'll make the tea."

He took the kettle off and filled the teapot. "We ought to have a damper," he said.

"So we did: I'll make it." Mark went into the hut and got some flour, and set to work and made a paste: you see, if you are busy, you do not know about things that look like shadows, but are not shadows. He pounded away at the paste; and after some time produced a thick flat cake of dough, which they put in the ashes and covered over.

They put two boards for a table on the ground, in front of the hut door and away from the fire, and set the lantern at one end of the table.

Bevis brought the teapot and the tin mugs, for they had forgotten cups and saucers, and made tea; while Mark b.u.t.tered a heap of biscuits.

"Load the matchlock," said Bevis. Mark loaded the gun, and leaned it by the door-post at their backs, but within reach. Bevis put his bow and two arrows close at his side, as he sat down, because he could shoot quicker with his bow in case of a sudden surprise, than with the matchlock. The condensed milk took a few minutes to get ready, and then they began. The corner of the hut kept off the glow from the fire; they leaned their backs against the door-posts, one each side, and Pan came in between. He gobbled up the b.u.t.tered biscuits, being perfectly civilised; now from one, now from the other, as fast as they liked to let him.

"This is the jolliest tea there ever was," said Mark. "Isn't it jolly to be seven thousand miles from anywhere?"

"No bothers," said Bevis, waving his hand as if to keep people at a distance.

"Nothing but niceness."

"And do as you please."

"Had enough?"

"Yes. Bezique."

"I'll deal."

"No--no; cat."

The cards were dealt on the two rough boards, and they played, using the old coins they had brought with them as counters. Pan watched a little while, then he retired, finding there was nothing more to eat, and stretched himself a few yards away. The fire fell lower, flickered, blazed again: the last sticks thrown on burning off in the middle broke and half rolled off one side and half the other; the smoke ceased to rise, the heated vapour which took its place was not visible. By-and-by the moon's white light alone filled the interior of the stockade, and entered in at the doorway of the hut, for the glimmer of the horn-lantern did not reach beyond the boards of their tables. At last the candle guttered and went out, but they played on by the moonlight.

"Ah, ah!" said Bevis presently.

"Double bezique!" shouted Mark; "and all the money's mine!"

Pan looked up at the noise.

"The proper thing is, to shoot you under the table," said Bevis: "that's what buccaneers do."

"But there were no revolvers when we lived," said Mark; "only matchlocks."

"Shovel them up," said Bevis. "Broad gold pieces, but you won't have them long. I'm tired to-night. I shall win them to-morrow, and your estate, and your watch, and your s.h.i.+rt off your back, and your wife--"

"I shan't have a wife," said Mark, yawning as he pocketed the coins, which were copper. "I don't want a Frances--O, no! thank you very much!"

"What's the time?"

"Nearly twelve."

"I'm tired."

"Make the bed."

They began to make it, and recollected that one of the rugs was under the teak-tree, where they had hoisted it up for an awning. Bevis took his bow and arrow; Mark his spear. They called Pan, and thus, well armed and ready for the monsters, marched across to the teak, glancing fearfully around, expectant of green blazing eyes and awful coiling shapes; quite fearless all the time, and aware that there was nothing.

They had to pull up the poles to get the awning down. On returning to the stockade, the gate was padlocked and the bed finished. The lantern, in which a fresh candle had been placed, was hung to a cord from the ceiling, but they found it much in the way.

"If there's an alarm in the night," said Mark, "and anybody jumps up quick, he'll hit his head against the lantern. Let's put it on the box."

"Chest," said Bevis; "it's always chest."

Mark dragged the chest to the bed-side, and put the lantern on it, and a box of matches handy. The matchlock was hung up; the teapot and mugs and things put away, and the spear and bow and k.n.o.bstick arranged for instant use. Bevis let down the carpet at the doorway, and it shut out the moonlight like a curtain. They took off their boots and got on the bed with their clothes on. Just as Bevis was about to blow out the candle, he remembered something.