“i’ve learned something,” said wilson, as soon as he had satisfied himself that pierre and his father had really left the clearing; “and that is that a creole can’t see after twelve o’clock. i can’t account for his blindness in any other way. now, the next thing is to find chase. he’s somewhere in that house, and i will get him out if i have to burn it over his head.”
talking thus to himself, wilson scrambled over the corn to the door, and there encountered an obstacle. the door was fastened on the outside with a hasp and a wooden pin, and the openings between the logs were so narrow that he could not get his arm through to take the pin out. after several ineffectual attempts to reach the fastenings, he threw himself flat on his back and sent both his heavy boots against the door with all his strength; but finding that it resisted his efforts, and that he was[209] wasting his breath to no purpose, he jumped up and turned his attention to the roof. the rafters, which were saplings three inches in diameter, were placed about two feet apart and covered with narrow oak boards, laid on like shingles, and held in position by small nails. a few determined kicks scattered the boards right and left; and when he had made an opening sufficiently large to admit his shoulders, he thrust his head out and looked about him. he could see nobody (that, however, was no evidence that there was no one in sight), and believing that his movements were unobserved, he clambered out of the opening, slid down the roof to the eaves, and dropped to the ground. a few hasty steps brought him to the porch, and a few more to the wide hall which ran through the building. he did not waste time in trying the door, for he knew that coulte had locked it and put the key in his pocket, but ran at once to a ladder which led to a loft over one of the rooms. ascending to the top with the agility of a squirrel, he threw off one of the loose boards which formed the floor of the loft, and looked down into the room below. when his eyes rested on the articles that had been piled on the trap-door, he knew where to look for his friend.
[210]
“i say!” he cried, in a suppressed, hot, excited tone of voice.
“say it yourself,” was the answer which came faintly to his ears. “i knew you would never desert me, old fellow. i am glad to see you.”
chase had not yet seen his friend, but he did see him a few minutes afterward, for wilson no sooner heard his voice coming from the cellar than he dropped into the room as lightly as a cat, and began throwing coulte’s furniture about in the most reckless manner. he broke a leg off the table, smashed a chair or two, upset the bureau, scattering its contents over the floor, and having cleared the trap-door, he slammed it back against the wall, and went down the rickety stairs in two jumps.
“speak up, chase,” said he. “it’s as dark as a stack of black cats down here.”
“this way,” replied the prisoner. “take it easy, and don’t knock your brains out against the beams overhead. we’ve plenty of time, for coulte and pierre won’t be back for two hours. they’ve gone down to the bayou to launch the pirogue, and get it ready to take me to lost island to-night.”
“eh!” exclaimed wilson, in great amazement.[211] “were they going to carry you to sea in a dugout?”
“certainly. it was their intention to run me off to the island and leave me there until they could have time to pack up and move to some other country. that isn’t the most surprising thing i have to tell you, either. what did you come here for?”
it was no wonder that chase expressed a little curiosity on this point, for wilson’s actions did not indicate that he had come there for any purpose in particular. he stood with his hands in his pockets, looking down through the darkness in the direction from which chase’s voice came, but he did not make any move to release him. he was thinking of the proposed voyage in the pirogue, and wondering if the old frenchman and his son were really reckless enough to attempt it. the question propounded by his friend brought him to his senses, however, and in a few seconds more the prisoner was standing erect, and wilson was shaking his hand as though he had not met him for years.
“we’ll not stay here another instant,” said chase, hurriedly. “this is the second time that my liberty has been restored to me to-day, and now[212] i intend to make use of it. do you know anything about my horse?”
“i left him in the canebrakes with mine, not a quarter of a mile from here. we’ll be in the saddle, and on our way home in less than fifteen minutes. is there anything to eat in this house?”
“plenty of it. coulte always keeps his larder well supplied.”
“i wonder if he would raise any objections to our eating a loaf or two of his bread, and drinking three or four pans of milk? i’m hungry. i haven’t tasted a mouthful since we ate lunch yesterday.”
“neither have i. we don’t care whether he objects or not. he got us into this scrape, and he certainly ought to feed us.”
the boys had by this time reached the top of the cellar-stairs, and after slamming down the door as if they meant to burst it off its hinges, they made a movement toward the cupboard. the sight that met their eyes as they opened the door was a most welcome one to them. there was bread, meat and milk in abundance, and in a remarkably short space of time the hungry boys had completely cleared some of the shelves. they kept both hands employed—one in crowding the food into their[213] mouths, and the other in transferring it from the cupboard to the pockets of their shooting-jackets, listening the while with all their ears, and trembling with anxiety lest coulte or pierre should steal a march on them and return before they knew it. after they had laid in a bountiful supply of bread and meat, and made way with a pan of milk, they were ready to leave the house; but just then wilson suddenly ceased the working of his jaws, turned his head on one side for a moment, and held up his finger warningly. chase looked his surprise; he could not say a word, for his mouth was too full.
“i heard a step in the hall,” whispered wilson, as soon as he could speak.
“it can’t be possible,” said chase, in the same cautious whisper. “coulte hasn’t had time to get half way to the bayou yet.”
“i don’t care, he’s out there; or somebody is, for i know i heard a stealthy foot-fall.”
the boys held their breath and listened, but the sound that had attracted wilson’s attention was not repeated. that, however, was not enough to convince him that he had been mistaken, and after looking about the room for a moment, and up at[214] the opening through which he had come down from the loft, he dropped the bread and meat with which his hands were filled, and made a sign to chase. the latter, comprehending his friend’s design, took his stand under the opening, with his face to the partition, and in a moment more wilson was perched upon his shoulders, looking over into the hall. as his head appeared above the opening, he was certain that he saw some one spring around a corner of the building out of sight. he kept his eyes fastened on the spot where the figure had disappeared, and after the lapse of two or three minutes saw the top of a boy’s hat thrust slowly and cautiously into view. wilson quickly ducked his own head, but not in time to escape discovery.
“it’s he, as sure as the world!” exclaimed a familiar voice.
wilson, finding that he had been recognised, looked over into the hall again, and boldly faced the unwelcome visitor. “ah! my young friend,” said he, “is that you?”
“that’s what’s the matter,” replied the boy. “you’re just the fellow we are looking for—the identical fellow.”
“you’re sure of it, are you? well, now that[215] you have found me, what are you going to do about it?”
“we haven’t quite made up our minds yet. we’ll tell you in a few minutes.”
“how are our friends, the smugglers, this fine morning; and how does walter gaylord feel since coulte’s boys made a prisoner of him? i say! that little plan of yours didn’t work as smoothly as it might, did it?”
these words seemed to enrage the boy, who began looking about for some missile to throw at wilson. the latter looked fiercely at him for a moment, during which time two more boys came around the corner of the building and entered the hall, and then swung himself off chase’s shoulders and dropped to the floor. “what’s to be done now?” he whispered. “there are bayard bell and his cousins.”
the last time we saw bayard, he and seth and will were diving into the bushes to conceal themselves from featherweight, who was approaching them at a rapid gallop. they had barely time to hide behind a log in the thicket before he came up. they saw him open his eyes in astonishment when he discovered the schooner, and watched him closely[216] while he hitched his horse, stepped into the yawl, and pushed off to visit her. every one of them regarded his appearance there at that particular time as a most unfortunate occurrence, and they would have been glad to prevent him from going on board the vessel, had it not been for the fear of raising a disturbance with him and thus attracting the attention of mr. bell.
“everything is going wrong,” said bayard, angrily. “we ought to be off now hunting for wilson, but here’s another spy that demands our attention. why did he come here where he isn’t wanted?”
“he’ll certainly be discovered,” remarked seth.
“and if he isn’t, we’ll catch him when he comes ashore,” said bayard. “he will learn some things he ought not to know, and it will never do to let him go back to his friends. i’ll just creep up through the bushes and catch his horse.”
this was easier said than done. the pony was a vicious little fellow, and did not care to have any one except his master approach him. when he discovered bayard advancing upon him through the thicket he laid back his ears as if to warn him that he had come near enough; and when the boy arose[217] to his feet and extended his hand to seize him by the bridle, the pony faced about, kicked at him with both heels, broke his halter, and scampered away to carry consternation among the members of the sportsman’s club, who were already growing weary at the non-appearance of their jolly little secretary. bayard returned to his companions, grumbling over his failure, and seating himself beside them in the bushes, waited to see what was going to happen on board the schooner. nor was he obliged to wait long, for before the next quarter of an hour had passed away the events we have already described had taken place; coulte and pierre had gone ashore with chase; and mr. bell had also left the vessel and started for home. nothing more was seen of featherweight, and will declared that that was evidence enough that he had been discovered and retained as a prisoner.
“i think so too,” said bayard, with a long sigh of relief. “he is out of the way, but there is one left, and that is wilson. he must be secured at all hazards, and that too before he reaches the village.”
“but what shall we do with him when we get him?” asked seth. “we’ve no place to keep him.”
[218]
“let’s catch him first, and talk about that afterward,” replied bayard. “i am more than ever interested in the welfare of this band, now that i know that my father is connected with it. that gets ahead of me completely, for i never dreamed of such a thing.”
bayard and his cousins, being eager to begin the pursuit, did not linger to talk this matter over, but made the best of their way toward the ravine where they had left their horses. after they had mounted, the question arose: which way should they go to find wilson? considerable time was consumed in debating this point, but it was finally decided that the only thing they could do was to ride along the road toward the village. if wilson had not already gone there, they would certainly intercept him by following this course; but if he had reached the town and spread the alarm, why then the mischief was done and could not be undone. they would then go to mr. bell and let him decide what steps should be taken next. this being settled, they started off at a rapid gallop, which they kept up until they had entered the old frenchman’s clearing and were half way across it, and then bayard, who was leading the way, suddenly pulled up his[219] horse and pointed toward the house. his cousins looked in the direction indicated just in time to see a boy, who looked very much like the one of whom they were in search, drop down from a corn-crib and run into the hall.
“there he is!” exclaimed bayard, gleefully. “we’re all right now. he hasn’t been to the village at all, and consequently has told no one of our secret.”
“how do you know that?” asked will, who thought his cousin rather hasty in forming his conclusions.
“why, he’s here alone, isn’t he? if he had visited any of the settlers and told them what he heard us say yesterday, and what happened last night in mr. gaylord’s yard, some of them would have been here with him. i feel greatly encouraged. let’s surround the house and capture him.”
“and if we come to close quarters with him, be careful to keep out of the way of his fists,” added will. “he’s as strong as a horse, and he isn’t afraid of anything.”
bayard waved his hands right and left, and his cousins separated and dismounted on opposite sides of the house. after hitching their horses they[220] entered the hall on tip-toe just as the fugitives had finished their raid on the old frenchman’s eatables, and were discovered in the manner we have described.
“fellows,” whispered bayard, when wilson had dropped back into the room after holding the short colloquy we have recorded, “there’s some one in there with him, for i can hear them talking. it’s chase, i’ll bet a dollar.” then raising his voice he called out: “you were getting ready to leave, were you? it seems we arrived just in time. we’ve got you both right where we want you. we’ll teach you to play eavesdropper before we are done with you.”
chase and wilson made no reply to this. the latter, who did not intend to be cheated out of his dinner, even if there were enemies almost within reach of him, once more picked up his bread and meat, and while he was devouring it ran his eyes all around the room as if searching for some avenue of escape.
“you needn’t keep so still in there,” continued bayard in a louder tone. “we know just how the thing stands.”
[221]
“well, what of it?” demanded chase. “what do you propose to do about it?”
“ah! my young boy, i thought you were there,” cried bayard, recognising chase’s voice. “we don’t intend to do much. we’ll just keep you in that room till coulte comes home—that’s all.”
“we’d like to see you do it,” replied wilson, angrily. “we’re coming out now, and if any of you stand in our way you’ll get hurt. we don’t want anything more to do with you, and you will save yourselves trouble by going off and minding your own business.”
as wilson said this he and chase once more laid down their bread and meat, and began making preparations to leave the room.
as the door was locked and coulte had the key in his pocket, there was but one way this could be done, and that was by going out at the hole in the floor of the loft where wilson had come in. their first move was to restore the bureau to an upright position and pull it under the hole; and their next to spring upon the top of it, settle their hats firmly on their heads, push back their sleeves, and make other demonstrations indicative of a resolve to give[222] bayard and his cousins a warm reception if they dared to attack them.
“i will go first,” said wilson. “i know they will pitch into me the moment i touch the floor, but i am good for two of them if you will manage the other.”
“trust me for that,” said chase.
“be ready to follow me without the loss of an instant,” continued wilson, earnestly. “strike right and left, and don’t be at all particular where you hit. as soon as we have beaten them off we’ll run for our horses.”
while these preparations were being made on the inside of the room, bayard was equally busy on the outside. his ears kept him posted in all that was going on on the other side of the partition, and when he heard chase and wilson moving the bureau across the floor, he knew what they intended to do, and set to work at once to defeat their designs.
“our only chance is to keep them in that room until coulte returns,” said he, to his cousins. “if we allow them to come out they will give us more than we can attend to, for they are well nigh[223] desperate. seth, run to the crib and bring us an armful of corn.”
“what for?” asked that worthy.
“why, to throw at them, of course. be quick, now.”
seth hurried off and presently returned with two or three dozen ears of corn, which he deposited on the floor of the hall. bayard and will caught up an ear in each hand, and placing themselves in favorable positions for throwing, waited for one of the boys on the other side of the partition to show himself.
“better keep close in there,” said bayard, when he heard chase and wilson push the bureau against the wall and spring upon it. “we’re ready for you, and if you know when you are well off you won’t try to come out.”
“who asked for your advice?” demanded chase. “we are coming, and when we get out into that hall we don’t want to find you there.”
“we’ll be in bellville in about four hours,” chimed in wilson; “and when we get there won’t we have a nice story to tell about you? my eye! i wouldn’t be in your place for a whole cart-load of money.”
[224]
“you’re not in bellville yet,” replied bayard, in a voice that was rendered almost indistinct with passion. “keep down, i say. we give you fair warning that the first one who shows himself will get his head broken.”
wilson, not in the least daunted by this threat, seized the uppermost log of the partition with both hands, and began scrambling out of the hole; but scarcely had the top of his hat appeared in view when three heavy ears of corn, propelled with all the force that sinewy arms could give them, shot up from below—one passing within an inch of his head, another knocking off his hat, and a third striking him on the shoulder and sending him back into the room. he landed on his feet on the bureau, but would have fallen if chase had not caught him in his arms.
“are you hurt?” asked the latter, in alarm.
“not in the least, only astonished,” replied his companion. “they are too sharp to allow us to come to close quarters with them. i didn’t think they would resort to a trick like that, and i am satisfied now that we can’t go out that way. i would as soon face bullets as those ears of corn. we must try strategy.”
[225]
“and we must be in a hurry about it, too,” replied chase, “for we have already wasted a good deal of valuable time. coulte may return at any moment.”
“we’re in a bad scrape,” said wilson, beginning to get discouraged.
“yes, we are; but still we are better off than fred craven. he’s in a fix, i tell you; and he got into it by trying to help me. he’s a prisoner on board——”
a single word we utter, or an act that we perform, is sometimes recalled to our minds when we least expect it, and not unfrequently makes great changes in our prospects for the future. chase did not have time to say any more about the prisoner he had left on board the schooner, but what little he did say was remembered by wilson, who afterward repeated it to one who instantly became interested in chase’s welfare, and succeeded in getting him out of the worst predicament he had ever got into. he was going to tell how he had met featherweight, and to repeat all that had passed between them, when bayard called out:
“you haven’t started for bellville yet, have you? i think it will be a long time before you[226] will have a chance to tell those stories about us. hollo, here! you’re just in time.”
a heavy step sounded in the hall, and some one growled out in reply to bayard’s salutation:
“hollo yourself! what are you doing in this house? i’ve seen enough of you, and you had better make yourselves scarce about here, sudden.”
“that’s pierre,” whispered chase, in great alarm. “we’re done for now.”
yes, it was pierre. when he reached the bayou he found that the pirogue was in need of some repairs. long exposure to the sun had opened wide seams in her sides, and these must be caulked before she was put into the water. pierre at once returned to the house to get the necessary implements, and arrived there just in time to be of assistance to bayard and his cousins. the fugitives were dismayed when they heard his voice. they stood irresolute for a moment, and then began running about the room, moving with cautious footsteps, and darting from side to side like a couple of rats cornered in an oat-bin. they heard a few words of the conversation that was carried on in the hall, but they were too nearly overcome with[227] terror, and too completely absorbed in their desire to escape, to pay much attention to it.
“if you knew what an important service we have just rendered you, you wouldn’t be in such a hurry to order us to make ourselves scarce about here,” said bayard, addressing himself to pierre. “you left a prisoner here, didn’t you?”
“what of him?” demanded pierre, and this time he spoke in a very different tone of voice. “have you seen him? has he escaped?”
“do you remember the fellow you allowed to go at liberty last night when you captured chase?” continued bayard. “well, he has been hanging around here watching you; and a few minutes ago he came into the house, tore a hole in the floor of the loft—”
“where is he now?” interrupted pierre, who did not like bayard’s roundabout way of getting at things.
“he’s in that room, and so is chase. they would have come out and made off if it hadn’t been for us; but we drove them back by throwing corn at them.”
before bayard had finished his explanation pierre was trying to force an entrance into the[228] room. he produced a key from his pocket and unlocked the door, but it refused to open for him, for it was securely fastened on the inside by a heavy hickory poker, one end of which had been placed under the lock, and the other firmly braced against the floor.
“open here!” shouted pierre, “or it will be worse for you when i get inside.”
no answer was returned, and pierre, filled with rage, began trying to burst the door open by placing his brawny shoulders against it and pushing with all his strength, and then kicking it with his heavy boots; but his efforts were useless, and he finally desisted and turned his eyes toward the ladder that led toward the loft.
“don’t try to go in that way,” said bayard. “they are plucky fellows, and they would throw something at you the moment you showed your face above the partition. cut the door down.”
pierre thought this good advice. he hurried out of the hall and presently returned with an axe, with which he attacked the door furiously. the hinges held, and so did the lock; but the inside of the door gave way, and in a few seconds pierre had cut a hole large enough to admit him into the room.[229] he cautiously thrust his head into it, but could see no one. he reconnoitred the interior thoroughly, and finally, with an exclamation of amazement, worked his way hastily through the opening. there was the broken furniture which the boys had scattered about the room, the open cupboard with the empty shelves, and the bread and meat they had left behind them; but the boys themselves were nowhere to be seen.
