To The West Part 30

"But anyways that was hard, I reckon," said the master.

"Yes, that was hard," said Esau; "but I kep on seeming to tighten it, and the more I tried the worse it was; till all at once, as I strained and reached up behind me, I slipped a little, and the hook was fast somehow, and nearly jerked my arms out of my shoulders as I hung forward now, with my feet giving way, and I couldn't get up again."

"If a fellow had on'y ha' been there with a knife," said the master, shaking his head.

"Yes; but he wasn't," cried Esau; "and there I hung for ever so long, giving myself a bit of a wriggle now and then, but afraid to do much, it hurt so, dragging at my arms, while they were twisted up. I s'pose I must have been 'bout an hour like that, but it seemed a week, and I was beginning to get sick again, when all at once, after a good struggle, I fell forward on to my face in amongst the dry leaves. My wrists and hands were tingling dreadfully, but they did not feel so numb now; and after a bit, as I moved them gently up and down, one over the other, so as to get rid of the pain, I began to find I could move them a little more and a little more, till at last, as I worked away at them in a regular state of 'citement, I pulled one of 'em right out, and sat up comfortable with my hands in my lap."

"Well done, well done," cried the master; and I could not help joining in the murmur of satisfaction uttered by the men.

"And then yew began to look at the rope round your legs," said one of the latter.

"That I just did," said Esau; "but my fingers were so bad it took me hours, as it seemed, before I had those knots undone."

"But yew got 'em off?" said the master. "Oh yes, I got 'em off at last, every knot undone; but when I'd unwound the rope, there I sat, feeling as if it was not a bit of use, for I could not move my feet, nor yet stand. They felt as if they were made of wood."

"Yew should have chafed 'em, stranger," said one of the men.

"Well, of course that's what he did do, mate," said the master, reprovingly; "and yew got 'em to work easy at last, didn't you?"

"Yes, that's what I did do, when they would work. I had to set to and see if I couldn't get away out of that place."

"'Fore them scallywags come back," said the master, drawing a long breath. "That's right."

"There was the door locked fast," continued Esau, "and I knew I couldn't get out that way; so as there was no windows, and the boards were all nailed down tight, the only way seemed to be through the roof."

"I know," said the master, changing the course of the boat. "Yew meant to get up, knock off some s.h.i.+ngles, and then let yewrself down with the two ropes tied together."

"Look here," said Esau, ill-humouredly, "you'd better tell the story."

"No, no, stranger; go on, go on," said the master, apologetically. "Go on, go on."

"Well, that's just what I was going to do," said Esau, condescendingly, "only there wasn't any s.h.i.+ngles that I saw, but the place was covered over with wooden slates."

"Those are what they call s.h.i.+ngles, my lad," said Gunson.

"Oh, very well, I don't care," said Esau, acidly. "All I know is, I joined those two pieces of rope together, tied one end round my waist, and I was just going to climb up the side to the rafters, when I thought to myself I might meet somebody outside, who'd try to stop me; and though I felt that you two would be gone, I didn't want to have taken all my trouble for nothing, and be locked up there again. So I had a bit of a look round, and picked out from some wood in a corner a pretty tidy bit, with a good headache at the end."

The master chuckled.

"And I'd no sooner done that than I heard some one coming."

"Did yew get behind the door?" said the master hoa.r.s.ely. "Yew said it was dark."

"I do wish you'd let me go on my own way," said Esau, in an ill-used tone.

"Yes, yes, yes; go on, my lad, go on," said the master.

"Why can't you let him bide!" growled the others; and I saw Gunson looking on in an amused way, as he turned from watching the distant schooner, far enough away now.

"My wrists and my ankles ache so I can't hardly bear it," continued Esau; "and when you keep on putting in your spoon it worries me."

"Yes, yes, my lad; I won't do so no more."

"'Tain't as if I was a reg'lar story-teller," grumbled Esau. "I ain't used to this sort o' thing."

"Go on telling us, Esau," I said. "They were only eager to know."

"Well," he continued, "that's what I did do, as it was dark. I got behind the door with that there stick in my hand, just as I heard the key rattling in the lock, and then the door was opened, and the leaves rustled, and I saw just dimly that there long-haired chap's head come in slowly; and he seemed to me to look puzzled, as he stared at the heap of leaves as if he thought I'd crept under 'em and gone to sleep."

At this moment I looked round, to see in the bright moonlight the faces of the master and the two fishermen watching Esau excitedly, as they waited for the end of the scene he described. Gunson's face was in shadow now, but he too was leaning forward, while, in the interest of the recollection of what he had pa.s.sed through, Esau began to act as well as speak. He raised one hand as if it was still grasping the head-aching stick, and leaned toward the listeners, looking from one to the other as he spoke, and as if the narrative was intended expressly for them and not for us.

"All at once," continued Esau, "he took a step forward toward the heap of leaves, and then another, and then he turned sharply round as if he had heard me move or felt I was close behind him. But when a man tries to jump out of the way, he don't move so quickly as a big stick. I'd got that well up with both hands, and down it came right on his head, and there he was lying just about where him and the rest of 'em had pitched me."

"Ah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the master, and his two companions gave a shout and jumped up.

"Sit down, will yew!" he shouted. "Want to swamp the boat. He arn't done yet."

"Not quite," said Esau. "I felt horrid frightened as soon as I'd done it, for fear I'd given it him too hard, and I turned to run out of the place, but I could hear a lot of men talking, so I took out the key, put it inside, and shut and locked the door. Then I clambered up the side and soon had some of those wooden slates off, to find as I crawled on to the roof that it was quite evening, and whereabouts I was to get down I couldn't tell. I dare not stop though, for fear the others should come to look after their mate, so unfastening the rope from my waist I tied it to a rafter, slid down as far as it would reach, and hung swinging at the end, thinking that it was all no good, for you two would be gone; and then I dropped, and found myself in a yard.

"Some one saw me and shouted," continued Esau, "but I didn't stop to hear what he had to say, for I went over first one fence and then another till I got out into a lane, at the bottom of which was a street; and then I went into one after the other, looking like a fellow begging, till I knew where I was, and got down at last to the hotel."

"And well done too!" cried Gunson, clapping him on the shoulder. "All to get me a new pipe, eh?"

"Yes; and I'll get you another too some day."

"I knew you wouldn't leave me in the lurch, Esau," I whispered; and then I started, for the master brought down his hand with a heavy slap on his knee.

"That was a good 'un," he cried. "There's too many o' them sort in 'Frisco, and it gives the place a bad name. I don't wish that loafer any harm, but I hope you've killed him."

"I hope not," I said, fervently.

"Best thing as could happen to him, my lad," said the man. "You see he's a regular bad 'un now, and he'd go on getting worse and worse, so the kindest thing your mate could do was to finish him off. But he arn't done it. Them sort's as hard as lobsters. Take a deal o' licking to get through the rind."

"Hah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Gunson just then.

"What's matter?"

"She is leaving us behind," said Gunson, as he looked sadly out to sea.

"Now she arn't," said the master; "and I arn't going to let her. Her skipper and me's had many a argyment together 'bout his craft, and he's precious fond o' jeering and fleering at me about my bit of a cutter, and thinks he can sail twiced as fast. I'm going tew show him he can't."

"Do you think you can overtake him then?" I cried eagerly.

"Dunno about overtake, my lad, but I'm going to overhaul him. Here, Zeke, come and lay hold of this here tiller. You keep her full. Elim, you and me's going to get up that forsle. I'm going tew put yew chaps aboard o' that schooner if I sail on for a week."

"Without provisions?" said Gunson, sadly.

"Who says 'thout provisions," retorted the man. "There's a locker forrard and there's a locker aft, for we never know how long we may be getting back when we're out fis.h.i.+ng. I say I'm going to put you aboard that there schooner for the dollars as we 'greed on first, and if I don't, why I'm more of a Dutchman than lots o' them as comes from the east to set up business in 'Frisco. There!"