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Fire Island, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 34. Billy Wriggs Smells Mussels |
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_ CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. BILLY WRIGGS SMELLS MUSSELS That day and during the many which followed the shipwrecked party had plenty of proof of the truth of their theory about the animals and birds migrating from one side of the island to the other in consequence of fright caused by the eruption, for birds came back singly and in little flocks, many of them passing right over the brig on their way to the forest-covered lower slopes of the burning mountain. It was the same too with insects, while from time to time a roe-buck or two would trot across the wide opening, perhaps, to stand and gaze up at the peculiar-looking object in the middle of the wave-swept plain, but always ready to dart off on any attempt being made to approach them with a gun, for already they were learning the meaning of the report. Oliver and Panton tried hard to be patient and bear their lot, but they often fell to and had a good grumble and murmur. But soon, as the days went on and they could walk about the deck with less exertion and suffering, they brought up their guns and sat waiting by the bulwarks for the brightly painted birds as they flew over, Panton helping largely to increase his friend's store of preserved specimens, securing for him several remarkably good lories and brilliant metallic cuckoos. The pot, as Panton called it, was not forgotten either, several large bustard-like birds being shot as they raced across the plain, besides wild duck and geese, which at times passed over in plenty. At last the happy day arrived when the mate suggested that the patients should make an effort to get a little way from the ship, and with eyes brightened the two young men were helped down the steps in spite of their irritable declarations that they could do better alone. Oliver drew a long deep breath as he gave a stamp upon the sand. "Hah! That's better," he sighed. "Well, Panton, how do you feel?" "I don't know. So weak yet, but--yes, I am better, a good deal. I say, couldn't we make a little expedition somewhere, say as far as that cavern where the sulphur hole goes right down into deep strata?" "No, no, let's keep out in the fresh air." "That's better, gentlemen," said the mate, descending in turn from the deck of the brig, which now looked quite like a fort with its breastwork of new planks. "Puts strength into you, don't it, to get out here?" "Oh, yes," cried Panton, "now one has got over the first bit of it. I felt as if I was too weak to walk down, but I'm coming round now. Hi! One of you two go and get me my gun and the cartridges. Shall he bring yours, Lane?" "Yes, I think so," said Oliver rather dubiously though, as Panton shouted to "One of you two," which proved to be Smith, who was standing looking out of a sheltered loophole with Wriggs. "Think of going shooting?" said Mr Rimmer. "Yes, a short trip would not hurt us, would it?" asked Oliver. "No; do you good if you walk steadily and don't go too far. You'll go with them, Mr Drew?" "Only too glad," said that individual, "I'm longing for a bit of a trip. But hadn't we better send out scouts first?" "Yes, of course," said the mate, "we mustn't be taken by surprise. That's the worst of being down here on so flat a place, you can't make out whether there's any danger." Hailing one of the men directly, he sent him up to the main-topgallant cross-trees with a spy-glass to carefully "sweep the offing," as he termed it, and then as Smith brought down the guns with a very inquiring look which said dumbly but plainly enough, "You won't leave me behind, will yer, gents?" the mate spoke out,-- "Let's see, you have been with these gentlemen before, Smith?" "Yes, sir, me and Billy Wriggs," cried Smith excitedly. "Humph. Like to have the same men again, Mr Lane, or try some fresh ones?" "Oh, I say stick to the tools you know," said Oliver, smiling at Smith. "Yes, let's have the same men again," put in Panton. "Hi! Wriggs," said the mate--"down here." Wriggs came down smiling all over his face, and after a certain amount of scouting had been done, and the man at the cross-trees had turned his telescope in every direction in search of danger, and seen none, the little party started once more, the mate accompanying them for a few hundred yards towards the south-west. "I'd make for the sea," he said, "but don't go too far." "I can walk that distance easily," said Panton. "The stiffness has gone out of my legs already." "Glad of it," said the mate drily; "but it isn't the walking down to the sea." "What is it, then?" asked Panton, who kept on turning his head in different directions to take great breaths of the warm spicy air. "The walking back," said the mate. "There, take care of yourselves, and be very careful; mind, Mr Drew, they are not to go too far!" "They will not want to," said Drew, smiling, and the mate gave them all a friendly nod, left them at the edge of the forest, to the south of the plain, and they at once began to move forward beneath the boughs which sheltered them from the ardent sunshine. It was a glorious morning, and to the prisoners newly escaped from confinement the sight of the forest with the long creepers which draped the boughs with dewy leaf, tendril, and brilliant blossom seemed brighter than ever, and, once more all eagerness, the collecting began. Panton, who grumbled a little at there being nothing in his way, devoted himself to helping first one and then the other of his companions, picking some fresh leaf or flower for Drew, or bringing down an attractive bird for Oliver. As for the two sailors, they were as pleased as schoolboys, and had to be kept back from plunging into the forest and complicating matters by losing themselves. They had not gone far before Smith uttered a shout, and on the party hurrying up he was ready to point in the direction of a piled-up clump of rocks. "What is it?" cried Oliver. "Deer, sir, two on 'em! They was just by that bit o' green stone nibbling away at the grass; but as soon as I hailed you they just lifted up their heads, looked at me, and then they were gone." "Of course," said Oliver, quietly. "Next time draw back so that they can't see you, and come and tell us quietly." "Right, sir, if you think that's the best way, only t'other takes least time. They might be gone before I could get to you and back again." "Perhaps so; but you see they are sure to be gone if you shout." The deer were missed; but a couple of bush turkey were soon after secured, and followed by the successful stalk of a wire-tailed bird of Paradise and a couple of gorgeously plumaged paroquets. Then followed the capture of beetles in armour of violet, green and gold, a couple of metallic-looking lizards, and a snake that seemed particularly venomous, but proved to be of quite a harmless nature. So interesting was the walk that, in spite of the heat, no one felt tired, and they wandered on and on, forgetful of time or distance. The part traversed was perfectly new to them all, and when, at last, they had been walking for a couple of hours, and with one consent sat down to rest and partake of the lunch provided for the occasion, it was felt that, though they could not see it, they must be near to the sea on that side; so after a brief halt it was decided to push on along the side of the opening for another half-hour, and try whether they could reach the coast. "But it's for you to decide," said Drew. "It ain't far, sir," interposed Wriggs. "Let us decide, please," said Drew, rather stiffly. "Certeny, sir." "But what makes you think we are so near the coast?" said Oliver. "It is so flat we can see nothing." "No, sir, you can't; but me and Tommy Smith have been at it for some time, whenever we gets a puff o' wind." "Been at what?" "Sniffin', sir. Every now and then you gets it a smellin' o' hysters. Next minute it's mussels, and directly after it's cockles all alive o'!" "And sea-weed, Billy Wriggs." "So it is, messmate, but I didn't say nowt, cause sea-weed's such common stuff." "Yes, he's right," said Drew. "I can smell the sea quite plainly." "Like mussels, sir?" said Smith. "No," replied Drew, smiling. "It's more like sea-weed to me, my lad." "That's it, sir. All the same," growled Smith. "Means as we're close to the shore, anyhow. I kept on a-listening, 'specting to hear the sea go _boom, boom_ on the reef; sir, and thinking about the sharp rocks going through the bottom of a ship." _Wark, wark, wok, wok, wok_! The now familiar cawing cry of the paradise bird came from close at hand, and, with his eyes glistening, Oliver made a sign to the rest to remain where they were. Then, softly cocking his piece, he stole in through the thick bush-like tangle which extended for a few yards before the tall forest tree-trunks rose up to spread branches which effectually shut out the sun and checked all undergrowth while they turned their leaves and flowers to the sun, a hundred and fifty or two hundred feet in the air. "Hadn't I better foller him, sir?" said Smith. "No; he is more likely to get a specimen alone," replied Drew. "We'll go on round that corner where the forest edge seems to bend away to the south, and wait for him there." He indicated a spot about a hundred yards farther on, and the party walked slowly along till the bend was reached, when as they caught a puff of the soft warm air from which they had been sheltered, Smith suddenly threw up his head, expanded his nostrils, as he drew in a deep breath and exclaimed,-- "Hysters!" "Nay, lad," cried Wriggs, who had followed his example. "Mussels!" "It's both on 'em, matey," cried Smith. "Hear that?" Everyone did hear "that"--the deep, heavy, dull, booming thud of a roller, as in imagination they saw it come running in like a wall of water to strike on the reef; curl over in a brilliant, many-hued arch, and break in thousands of sheaves of diamond spray. "It can't be more than a mile away," said Drew, quickly, as he began to look about for a spot where he could throw himself down and rest while they waited. "No," said Panton; "the wave must have swept along here and spread off a little to the south, clearing the forest away to the edge of the lagoon. Yonder's the still water; I can just catch the gleam of it and the long roll of the breakers farther away. Hah it's nice here. How fresh the sea air smells!" "Salt," said Drew, quietly. "Any objection to me and Billy Wriggs going and having a dip, sir?" said Smith, respectfully. "Yes--now," said Panton. "Mr Lane may be back directly, and we had better keep together; perhaps we shall all go down to the sea when he joins us." "Thank-ye, sir, all the same," said the sailor--"whether we gets what we wants and whether we doesn't," he added to himself; as he walked away. Then aloud,--"Billy, my lad, it aren't no go, and we've got to stop dirty till we all goes down to the sea together. So let's you and me, matey, begin to look for cooriosities. How do we know as we mayn't find dymons and precious stones, pearls, and silver and gold, all a-lying about waiting to be picked up and put in your pockets." "Gammon! I wants a bit o' pig-tail, matey," replied Wriggs. "Let's go along here to that there bit o' stone, where we can sit down and talk without their hearin' on us. Come on." He led the way, and, in a few yards, the beautiful lagoon, hidden before by an irregularity, lay spread out before them like a sheet of blue and silver, spreading for miles along the western shore. "Smell the mussels now, my lad?" cried Wriggs triumphantly. "Hysters, I tells yer!" cried Smith, excitedly, as, with a leap like a panther, he sprang right upon his messmate's back, sending him down heavily upon his breast with Smith lying flat upon him. Wriggs screwed his head round to look in his companion's face, which was only a few inches away. "Whatcher do that there for?" he asked, plaintively. "Can't you see, stoopid?" growled Smith. "Look." He pointed straight away to where, about half a mile distant, a couple of large canoes, crowded with men, were coming swiftly along the smooth waters of the lagoon, their occupants apparently aiming for a point opposite to where the two sailors lay. _ |
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