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Nic Revel; A White Slave's Adventures in Alligator Land, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 16. Human Cattle |
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_ CHAPTER SIXTEEN. HUMAN CATTLE The prisoners had been sitting in the dark warehouse-like place for some hours, Nic sleeping soundly, and Pete watching and listening to his companions in misfortune, judging from their behaviour that he was to be treated as an outcast, but caring little, for he was conscious of having been true to them in their nefarious doings. "Let them think what they like," he said to himself. "Humpy has got that into their heads, and if I talk to them for a week they won't believe me." Then he began to muse upon the subject which forms seven-eighths of a prisoner's thoughts--how he and Nic were to escape, and whether it would be possible to get to a boat and float down the river of which they had had a glimpse, and of which he had heard his companions speaking, when suddenly there was the deep, heavy barking of a dog, followed by that of two more; and, as he listened, the sounds came nearer and nearer, in company with the shuffling of feet. Voices were heard too, and directly after there was a loud snuffling sound and a deep growling, as the dogs they had heard thrust their noses under the big door, tore at it, and growled savagely, till a fierce voice roared: "Come here! Lie down!" and there was a crack of a whip, and a sharp yelp to indicate that one of the dogs had received a blow. Directly after there was the rattle of a big key in the lock, the bolt snapped back, and the door was thrown open, to fill the place with the glow of the afternoon sunshine; and three great hounds bounded in, to rush at once for the prisoners and begin snuffing at them, growling loudly the while. "Call those dogs off, Saunders," said a stern voice, as the entrance was darkened by the figures of a group of men. "In a moment," was the reply, made by a tall, active-looking man, "They only want to know the new hands, and their flavour.--Here: down, boys!" The speaker accompanied his order with a sharp crack of the whip, and the dogs came back unwillingly from the groups seated on the floor. "Take care," said the first speaker; "that man has a knife." Pete turned sharply, to see that a knife-blade was gleaming in Humpy Dee's hand. "Knife, has he?" said the man addressed as Saunders, and he stepped forward to where Humpy was crouching down. "Give me that knife," he said sharply. "I don't want to be eat by dogs," said Humpy in a low, surly tone. "Give me that knife," was reiterated sternly, "or I set the dogs to hold you while I take it away." Humpy hesitated for a moment and glared in the speaker's eyes; but he read there a power which was too much for him, and he closed the blade with a snap and slowly held it up. The man snatched it from him with his left hand, and the next instant there was a sharp whish through the air and a smart crack, as the stinging lash of a whip fell across Humpy's shoulder, making him utter a yell of rage. "Saunders, Saunders!" said the first speaker reproachfully. "All right, Mr Groves; I know what I'm about," said the man sharply. "That fellow was armed with a knife which he must have stolen from one of the sailors; and he was ready to use it. The sooner a savage brute like that is taught his position here the better for him. You have done your part and handed the scoundrels over to me, so please don't interfere." The first speaker shrugged his shoulders, and turned to a couple of men who were carrying a basket and a great pitcher; while Saunders went on sharply: "You hear what I am saying, my lads; so understand this: You have been sent out here from your country because you were not fit to stay there; and you will have to serve now up at your proprietor's plantation. Behave yourselves, and you will be well fed, and fairly treated over your work; but I warn you that we stand no nonsense here. The law gives us power to treat you as you deserve. Our lives are sacred; yours are not--which means, as Mr Groves here will tell you, that if you venture to attack any one you will be shot down at sight, while I may as well tell you now that we shall fire at any man who attempts to escape." Pete's head gave a throb, and his hand glided slowly to Nic's and held it tightly. "When you get up to the plantation you will see for yourselves that you cannot get away, for you will have jailers there always ready to watch you or hunt you down. There are three of them," he continued, pointing to the dogs which crouched on the warehouse floor, panting, with their long red tongues out and curled up at the ends. At their master's gesture the sagacious animals sprang up and gazed eagerly in his face. "Not now, boys; lie down.--Ah, what's that?" he cried sharply, and the dogs made a movement as if to rush at the prisoners, for Humpy leaned sideways and whispered to his nearest companion: "More ways than one o' killing a dog." "Talking about the dogs," said the other surlily. "You are making yourself a marked man, my friend. Take care. Who are these--the two who have been in hospital, Mr Groves?" "I suppose so," was the reply. "What's the matter with you?" said the overseer--for such he proved to be--addressing Pete. "Jump up." Pete softly lifted Nic's head from his knee and rose quickly. "Was cut down, sir," said Pete; "but I'm getting better fast now." "Good job for you. Now, you, sir; wake up." The overseer raised the whip he held, to make a flick at Nic as he lay soundly asleep; but Pete stepped forward to save his companion, and in bending over him received the slight cut himself without flinching, though the lash made him feel as if he had been stung. "He has been a'most dead, zir," said Pete sharply; "but he's getting better now fast. Hasn't got his zenses, though." "Wake him up, then," said the overseer sharply; "and you can get your meal now.--Here, my lads, bring that stuff here and serve it out." Pete obeyed the order given, and began by gently shaking Nic, who made no sign. Pete shook him again more firmly, starting violently the next moment, for, unnoticed, one of the great hounds had approached him and lowered its muzzle to sniff at the prostrate man. Pete's first instinctive idea was to strike fiercely at the savage-looking intruder, but fortunately he held his hand and bent over his companion wonderingly, and hardly able to believe what he saw; for as the dog nuzzled about Nic's face, the young man, partly aroused by the shaking, opened his eyes, looked vacantly at the brute for some moments, and then, as if his intellectual powers were returning, he smiled, the animal stopping short and staring down at him closely. "Well, old fellow," he said gently; "whose dog are you?" Pete looked up sharply, and saw that every one's attention was centred on the basket and pitcher, the two men serving out the provisions and their two superiors looking on. Then he glanced back again, to see in horror that Nic had raised his hand to the dog's muzzle, and followed that up by taking hold of and passing the animal's long, soft ears through his hand. Pete would have seized the dog, but he felt paralysed by the thought that if he interfered he might make matters worse; and then his heart seemed to rise in his throat, for the great hound uttered a deep, short bark, which had the effect of bringing the others to its side. "Quiet, you, sirs!" cried their master, but he did not turn his head, and the three dogs now pressed round Nic, the first planting his fore-paws on the young man's chest, blinking at him with his jaws apart and the long red tongue playing and quivering between the sets of keen milk-white teeth, evidently liking the caresses it received, and of which the other two appeared to be jealous, for they suddenly began to whimper; and then the first threw up its head, and all three broke into a loud baying. "Quiet, there!" roared Saunders, and he turned sharply now, saw what had taken place, and came back cracking his whip. "Ah!" he shouted. "Get back! How dare you?" The dogs growled, stood fast, and barked at him loudly. "Good boys, then!" cried Saunders. "Yes, it's all right; you've found him. There, that will do." The dogs began to leap and bound about the place, while their master turned to Pete. "Why didn't you call me?" he said. "Have they bitten him?" "No; haven't hurt him a bit," said Pete quietly. "Lucky for him," said the man. "There, you see what they're like, and know what you have to expect--What?" "I said, are they your dogs?" Pete stared, for it was Nic who spoke, perfectly calmly, though in a feeble voice. "Yes," replied Saunders. "Why?" "I could not help admiring them. They are magnificent beasts." "I am glad you like them, sir," said Saunders, with a mocking laugh; and he turned and strode away, to order the men to take some of the food they had brought to the other two prisoners, leaving Nic gazing after him. "Rather brusque," he said, half to himself, and then he passed his hand over his eyes, drew a long, deep, restful breath, and turned over as if to go to sleep again; but he started up on his elbow instead as he encountered Pete's face, and a look of horror and dislike contracted his own. "You here?" he said wonderingly. "Hush! Don't speak aloud, dear lad," whispered Pete excitedly. "Dear lad?" "Master Nic Revel, then. You haven't quite come-to yet. You don't remember. You were took bad again after being bad once--when you asked me questions aboard ship, and I had to tell you." "Taken bad--aboard ship?" "Here you are; catch hold," said a voice close to them; and one of the men handed each half a small loaf, while his companion filled a tin mug that must have held about half-a-pint, and offered it to Nic. The young man had let the great piece of bread fall into his lap, but the gurgling sound of the water falling into the mug seemed to rouse a latent feeling of intense thirst, and he raised himself more, took the vessel with both hands and half-drained it, rested for a few moments, panting, and then drank the rest before handing the tin back with a sigh of content. "No, no; hold it," said the man sharply; and Nic had to retain it in his trembling hands while it was refilled. "There, give it to your mate," said the water-bearer. The two young men's eyes met over the vessel in silence, Nic's full of angry dislike, Pete's with an appealing, deprecating look, which did not soften Nic's in the least. "Well, why don't you take it?" said the man with the pitcher. "Don't seem to kinder want it now," replied Pete hoarsely. "Drink it, man, and don't be a fool. You'll be glad of it long before you get there. Sun's hot yet, and the water's salt for miles, and then for far enough brackish." Nic looked at the speaker wonderingly, for the blank feeling seemed to be coming with the forerunner of the peculiar sensation of confusion which had troubled him before, and he looked from one to the other as if for help; while Pete took the mug and drained it, but contented himself with slipping his bread inside the breast of his shirt, and stood looking down at Nic, whose lips parted to speak, but no words came. "Seem decent sort of fellows," said the water-bearer, as he turned off towards the door with his companion; and the dogs rose to follow them, sniffing at the basket. "Yes, poor beggars!" said the other. "Whatever they've been up to in the old country, they've got to pay pretty dearly for it now." Nic's hearing was acute enough now, and he heard every word. "Here, you," he gasped painfully. "Call them back." "What for, Master Nic?" said Pete in an appealing whisper. "Don't; you mustn't now. Ask me for what you want." "I want to know what all this means," panted the young man. "Why am I here? What place is this? I'm not--I will know." "No, no; don't ask now, Master Nic," whispered Pete. "You aren't fit to know now. I'm with you, my lad, and I swear I won't forsake ye." "You--you will not forsake me?" said Nic, with a look of horror. "Never, my lad, while I've got a drop o' blood in my veins. Don't-- don't look at me like that. It waren't all my fault. Wait a bit, and I'll tell you everything, and help you to escape back to the old country." "To the old country!" whispered Nic, whose voice was panting again from weakness. "Where are we, then?" "Amerikee, among the plantations, they say." "But--but why? The plantations? What does it mean?" "Work," said Saunders, who had come up behind them. "Now then, look sharp, and eat your bread. You'll get no more till to-morrow morning, and in less than half-an-hour we shall start." "Start?" cried Nic huskily, as he clapped his hands to his head and pressed it hard, as though he felt that if he did not hold on tightly his reason would glide away again. "Yes, man, start," said Saunders. "Can you two fellows row?" "He can't, sir; he's too weak," cried Pete eagerly; and the overseer's face contracted. "But I can. Best man here with an oar. I can pull, sir, enough for two." "I'll put you to the proof before you sleep," said the overseer sharply. "Now, Mr Groves, I'm at your service. I suppose I have some papers to sign?" "Yes," said the agent, and he led the way, while the overseer followed, closing the door, placing a whistle to his lips and blowing a shrill note which was answered by a deep baying from the dogs. "Escape!" muttered Nic wildly. "Plantations! Why, I shall be a slave!" "No, no, my lad; don't take it like that. I'll help you to get away." "Will ye?" growled Humpy Dee, coming towards them. "Then I tells that chap next time he comes. I splits on you as you splits on we; so look out, I say, both of you; look out!" "It's a lie, Master Nic--a lie," cried Pete fiercely. "I swear to you, I never--" Pete caught at the young man's arm as he spoke, and then loosened it with a groan, for, with a look of revulsion, Nic cried hoarsely: "Don't touch me; don't come near me. Wretch--villain! This is all your work." "And so say we, my fine fellow," cried Humpy Dee, whose eyes sparkled with malignant joy. "His doing, every bit, 'cept what you put in, and for that you've got to take your share the same as us. And all because a few poor fellows wanted a bit o' salmon. Hor, hor, hor! I say, take it coolly. No one won't believe ye, and you may think yourself lucky to get off so well." Nic turned from the man with a look of disgust, and sat up, resting his throbbing head in his hands; while, as Humpy Dee went back to his companions, whistling as he went, Pete threw himself upon the floor, watching him, with his hands opening and shutting in a strange way, as if they were eager to seize the brutal ruffian by the throat. _ |
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