The Madman and the Pirate Part 23

"Quite," returned Rosco, with a faint smile at the poor negro's persistency.

"Well, den, you come an' hab a last ride on my back. Surely you no kin refuse so small a favour to dis yar black hoss w'ats carried you so of in, afore you die!"

"Of course not, my poor fellow! but to what purpose--of what use will it be to delay matters? It will only prolong the captain's search needlessly."

"Oh! nebber mind. Der's good lot o' huts in de place to keep de hipperkrit goin'. Plenty ob time for a last leetil ride. Besides, I want you to see a place I diskiver not long ago--most koorious place-- you nebber see."

"Come along, then," said Rosco, thinking it right to humour one who had been more like a brother than a servant to him during his long illness, "stoop down. Now, then, heave!"

In a twinkling Rosco was on the back of his "black horse," which carried him a considerable distance in among the hills.

"Ah! Ebony," said the rider at last, "I feel sure you are deceiving me--that you hope to conceal me here, but it is of no use, I tell you, for I won't remain concealed."

"No, ma.s.sa, I not deceive you. I bring you here to show you de stronary place I hab diskiver, an ax you what you t'ink ob him."

"Well, show it me quickly, and then let us hasten home."

Without replying, the negro clambered up a somewhat steep and rugged path which brought them to the base of a low precipice which was partially fringed with bushes. Pus.h.i.+ng one of these aside, he entered a small cavern not much larger than a sentry-box, which seemed to have no outlet; but Ebony, placing his right foot on a projection of rock just large enough to receive it, raised himself upwards so as to place his left foot on another projection, which enabled him to get on what appeared to be a shelf of rock. Rising up, he entered another cavern.

"A strange place truly, but very dark," said Rosco; "does it extend far?"

"You'll see, jus' now," muttered the negro, obtaining a light by means of flint and steel, with which he kindled a torch. "You see I's bin 'splorin' here before an' got t'ings ready."

So saying, he carried Rosco through several winding pa.s.sages until he gained a cavern so large and high, that the torch was unable to reveal either its extent or its roof.

"Wonderful! why did you not tell us of this place before, Ebony?"

"'Cause I on'y just diskiver him, 'bout a week past. I t'ink him splendid place for hide our wimen an childers in, if we's iver 'tacked by savages. See, I even make some few preparations--got straw in de corner for lie on--soon git meat an' drink if him's required."

"Very suitable indeed, but if you have brought me here to hide, as I still suspect, my poor fellow, you have troubled yourself in vain, for my mind is made up."

"Dat's berry sad, ma.s.sa, berry sad," returned Ebony, with a deep sigh, "but you no object sit on de straw for a bit an' let me rest. Dere now.

You's growin' heavier every day, ma.s.sa. I stick de torch here for light. Look, here you see I hab a few t'ings. Dis is one bit ob rope wid a loop on him."

"And what may that be for?" asked Rosco, with some curiosity.

"For tie up our enemies when we's catch dem. Dis way, you understan'."

As he spoke, Ebony pa.s.sed the loop over Rosco's shoulders and drew it tight so as to render his arms powerless, and before the latter realised what he was about his legs were also securely bound.

"Surely you do not mean to keep me here by force!" cried Rosco angrily.

"I's much afraid, ma.s.sa, dat's zactly what I mean!"

"Come, come, Ebony, you have carried this jest far enough. Unbind me!"

"Berry sorry to disoblige you, ma.s.sa, but dat's impossible just now."

"I command you, sir, to undo this rope!" cried Rosco fiercely.

"Dere's a good deal ob de ole ring about dat, sar, but you's not a pirit cappen now, an' I ain't one ob de pirit crew."

Rosco saw at once the absurdity of giving way to anger, and restrained himself.

"But you cannot restrain my voice, Ebony," he continued, "and I promise you that I will shout till I am heard."

"Shout away, ma.s.sa, much as you please. Bu'st you's lungs if you like, for you's in de bow'ls ob de hill here."

Rosco felt that he was in the negro's powers and remained silent.

"I's berry sorry to leave you tied up," said Ebony, rising to quit the place, "but when men is foolish like leetil boys, dey must be treat de same. De straw will keep you comf'rable. I daren't leave de torch, but I'll soon send you food by a sure messenger, and come back myself soon as iver I can."

"Stay, Ebony, I'm at your mercy, and as no good can come of my remaining bound, I must give in. Will you unbind me if I promise to remain quiet?"

"Wid pleasure," said the negro cheerfully, as his glistening teeth showed themselves. "You promise to wait here till I come for you?"

"I promise."

"An' you promise not to shout?"

"I do."

In a moment the rope was cast off, and Rosco was free. Then Ebony, bidding him keep up his heart, glided out of the cavern and left him in profound darkness.

Captain Fitzgerald searched the island high and low, far and wide, without success, being guided during the search chiefly by Ebony.

That wily negro, on returning to the village, found that the search had already begun. The captain had taken care that no one, save those to whom he had already spoken, should know what or who he was searching for, so that the pirate might not be prematurely alarmed. Great, therefore, was his surprise when he was accosted by the negro, and asked in a mysterious manner to step aside with him out of ear-shot of the sailors who a.s.sisted him.

"What have you got to say to me, my man?" he asked, when they had gone a few yards into the palm-grove.

"You's lookin' for the pirit!" said Ebony in a hoa.r.s.e whisper, and with a superhumanly intelligent gaze.

"Why, how came _you_ to know that?" asked the captain, somewhat perplexed and thrown off his guard.

"Ho! ho!" laughed Ebony in a subdued voice, "how I comes to know dat, eh? I come to knows many t'ings by putting dis an' dat togider. You's cappen ob man-ob-war. Well, you no comes here for notting. Well, Rosco de pirit, de horroble scoundril, hims lib here. Ob course you come for look for him. Hofficers ob de Brish navy got notting else to do but kotch an' hang sitch varmints. Eh? I's right?"

"Well, no," returned Captain Fitzgerald, laughing, "not altogether right as to the duties of officers of the British navy. However, you're right as to _my_ object, and I see that this pirate is no friend of yours."

"No friend, oh! no--not at all. Him's far more nor dat. I lub him as a brudder," said the negro with intense energy.

Captain Fitzgerald laughed again, for he supposed that the negro spoke ironically, and Ebony extended his thick lips from ear to ear because he foresaw and intended that the captain would fall into that mistake.

"Now you lose no time in sarch for him," said Ebony, "an' dis yar n.i.g.g.e.r will show you de way."

"Do, my fine fellow, and when we find him, I'll not forget your services."

"You's berry good, a'most too good," said Ebony, with an affectionate look at his new employer.