The Missing Ship Part 28

"Oh, Missee Twigg, don't stop, and I tell you as you go along," answered the old butler, who having seen his master following behind, turned his horse round.

"Are the children all safe?" was the next question the anxious mother put.

"Yes, dey all berry well; but Martha tell me if I lub dere lives and yours to jump on horseback and come and tell you to make haste home.

She say, and I know she speak de truth, dat de black fellows who run away to de mountains, and many oders, tousands and tousands from all de estates, hab got hold of firelocks and 'munition, and intend to murder all de whites in de island, from one end to de oder, and before night dey come and burn down Bellevue and cut de troats of us all. She say our only hope am to get aboard s.h.i.+p or make de house so strong dat we able to drive dem away when day come."

"How did Martha know this?" asked Mrs Twigg anxiously.

"Dat more nor I can tell," answered Martin. "All I know am dat she speak de truth."

"Then tell your master, and we will drive on as fast as we can," said Mrs Twigg. "Say Mr Ferris and I are considering what it will be best to do."

Martin, allowing Mr Twigg to come up with him, gave him the same account. Mr Twigg received the information with more composure than his wife had done. "Desert the house I will not," he answered. "We will fortify it, and defend ourselves like men. It is providential these two officers arrived with their troopers, as they will be of the greatest a.s.sistance; and if all the boys prove true, we shall have no difficulty in holding out against any attack, should one be made on us.

Go back, Martin; send at once to find Mr Thompson. Say that I have reason fully to believe the information Martha has given; beg him to collect all the white men and trustworthy overseers, with their arms and ammunition. And also we must not forget our neighbours. Despatch a messenger--Jericho, Sambo, or any other fellow--to Mr Pemberton, and advise him either to join us with all his family, or to fortify his house as we intend doing ours. But stay, Martin. It may be safer, to prevent mistakes, if I go myself; a gallop, though the sun is hot, won't kill me. I'll take your horse, and you shall drive the buggy."

The exchange was soon made, and Mr Twigg galloped forward, telling his wife as he pa.s.sed what he proposed doing, and quickly das.h.i.+ng by Ellen and f.a.n.n.y.

"Don't be alarmed, ladies," he cried out; "but the truth is we expect an attack from some blacks, who have broken out into rebellion, and we are going on to see what can be done to give them a warm reception."

"Surely, in that case, Major Malcolm, we ought not to detain you, as you will wish to a.s.sist in preparing for the defence of the house--for I conclude that is what Mr Twigg means," said f.a.n.n.y in a calm tone.

"But we cannot leave you unprotected, Miss Pemberton," answered Major Malcolm. "Should the negroes really have risen, you might encounter some on the road, who would, seeing you alone, try to make you prisoners for the sake of holding you as hostages. I positively cannot leave you."

"Then we will gallop on together," said Miss Pemberton. "Miss Ferris's horse and mine are firm-footed, and I am sure that she will be ready to do as I propose."

She turned round to Ellen, who was perfectly willing to go on, and pressing their horses with their whips in a way which astonished the animals, they galloped forward. The road was dry and dusty, and in some places, where unsheltered by the trees, the sun beat down with intense heat; but in their anxiety they cared not for the inconvenience. On looking back they saw Mr Ferris and the other carriages coming along at almost as fast a rate as they were going. Gradually they were distancing them. Ellen was unwilling to leave her father behind.

"I am afraid that they are pursued by the blacks," she exclaimed. "Oh, should they be overtaken!"

"In that case Mr Ferris would far rather that you should escape," urged the lieutenant. "Let me entreat you not to stop; supposing the rebels are pursuing us, we could do nothing."

Still Ellen checked her horse till Mr Ferris again came in sight, when she heard him shouting, "Go on! go on!" and at the same time making signals with his whip as he lashed his horse. Poor Mrs Twigg was holding on to the carriage, expecting every moment to be thrown out; but Mr Ferris, an experienced driver, kept a tight hand on the rein. Old Martin came das.h.i.+ng after him, standing up las.h.i.+ng his horse, and shrieking out at the top of his voice, "On! on! old nagger; no tumble down on oo knees!" while still farther off Jack Pemberton, Archie, and the other hors.e.m.e.n were seen acting as a rearguard, they, even if so inclined, not considering it respectful to pa.s.s the carriages. Ellen, on hearing her father's shouts, again applied her whip to her horse's flanks and galloped forward, much to the lieutenant's satisfaction. The major and f.a.n.n.y could only dimly be seen amid the cloud of dust in the road, here darkened by overhanging trees.

"We cannot be very far, I trust, from Bellevue," said Ellen; "my horse appears to be flagging."

"The animal is but little accustomed to move at this rate with any one on its back. Be ready to check it should it stumble," answered the lieutenant; "but with your light weight there is very little chance of that. We have, I believe, but two miles to go, and we shall soon cover that ground. Don't spare the whip, Miss Ferris; you must think of your own safety more than the feelings of your steed."

Following Lieutenant Belt's advice, Ellen made her horse spring forward, and they at length again overtook Major Malcolm and f.a.n.n.y. Just then a party of blacks were seen ahead, coming along the road towards them.

f.a.n.n.y was about to check her horse, fearing that they had evil intentions.

"If they are rebels we must dash by them--it is our best chance of escape," cried the major, drawing his sword. "I will defend you with my life, Miss Pemberton. Only keep up your courage and ride straight forward; they'll not dare to come within arm's length of us."

Lieutenant Belt imitated the major's example, and said something of the same tenour to Ellen.

"But my father--they will attack him and Mrs Twigg!" she exclaimed.

"He has pistols in the carriage, and a shot or two will soon send the black fellows to the right-about," answered the major. They galloped forward, and their anxiety was quickly relieved on discovering that the blacks were headed by one of the book-keepers, who had been met by Mr Twigg and despatched along the road to render any a.s.sistance which might be required.

"All's safe at the house, sir, and it's my belief that the blacks on the estate will prove loyal, whatever may be the case elsewhere," observed the book-keeper.

"Go forward and obey your orders, sir," said the major; "we will ride on more leisurely to the house."

f.a.n.n.y drew a deep breath. "I feel inexpressibly relieved," she said, "though I was sure, Major Malcolm, that you would have protected me; but I am more anxious about my father and mother and the rest of the family at Walton. It is more exposed even than Bellevue, and, though perhaps our own slaves may prove faithful, there are other estates on either side where the blacks are said to be harshly treated; and they may take the opportunity of revenging themselves on all the white people within their reach. I would rather go home at once to share their fate."

"I am very sure, Miss Pemberton, that should your family be in danger, they would not desire that you should be exposed to it," answered the major. "You yourself require rest--and, indeed, your steed would not carry you much further. I trust that the report which has alarmed us may prove to be without much foundation, and I will get Mr Twigg to send over at once to Walton and ascertain the state of affairs--or, if I find that Bellevue is safe, I will ride over myself to offer my services."

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" exclaimed f.a.n.n.y; "I shall indeed be grateful."

Riding somewhat more leisurely than at first, though still keeping up a smart canter, they soon reached Bellevue, where they found that Mr Twigg had sent out to collect the book-keepers and drivers, white and brown, to a.s.semble at the house for its protection. Major Malcolm's first inquiry was as to his means of defence.

"I have firearms, which I have kept ready in case of any outbreak such as that of '37, and all the white men on the estate have their fowling-pieces and pistols," he answered. "We fortunately procured a couple of casks of powder not long ago."

"Very good; but have you a supply of bullets?" asked the major.

"No--dear me, I am afraid not," said Mr Twigg.

"But you have moulds, surely, for casting them?" continued Major Malcolm.

"Yes; some are stored with the arms, I believe," was the answer.

"And what about lead?" asked the major. The worthy planter looked perplexed. "You must surely have some leaden pipes or cisterns, or lead in some form or other. Pray search in every direction, and I will set my two fellows to work at once to cast bullets, while we go round and consider the best means for fortifying the house. It is as well to be prepared, although I believe that, after all, it will prove a false alarm."

The ladies were more tired and overcome with the heat than they had expected while the excitement of riding lasted, and had to retire to their rooms. Mr Ferris soon arrived with Mrs Twigg, when she and her husband immediately sent for the black nurse, Martha, that they might ascertain from her whence she had obtained the alarming intelligence she had sent them. She would only reply, "I tell you, ma.s.sa, what is de truth. I lub de children better than life; but I know when de black fellows find out dat I tell you, dey kill me. De Obeah man do it. Even though he not find me, I die--I know it; but if I save you and de children, I not care."

Nothing else could be elicited from Martha, but she persisted in declaring that they would find ere long that she had given no false alarm. Both Mr and Mrs Twigg, indeed, were convinced that she spoke the truth; and Mr Twigg went on with the preparations for the defence of the house. In a short time Mr Thompson, who had been at the further end of the estate, and several book-keepers came in.

"What has happened, Mr Twigg?" he exclaimed. "Sambo brought me a c.o.c.k-and-bull story about a number of blacks being in arms, and coming down to burn and sack the house and murder us all. I don't believe it, sir. Our people, at all events, are kept in too good order to do anything of the sort; and I should have heard of any ill-feeling existing among the slaves in any of the neighbouring estates. I beg your pardon, sir--but it seems to me ridiculous to suppose that they would again attempt to rebel; they cannot have forgotten how they were treated the last time they ventured to rise in arms. Of course, gentlemen from England and military officers could not be expected to know anything about the matter, and they are therefore ready to believe the absurd reports."

"But I also, Mr Thompson, am inclined to believe that there is more in it than you suppose," answered the planter, "old Martin is evidently alarmed--and he is as sensible as he is faithful."

Still the overseer was incredulous. "I'll obey your orders, however, sir," he said, "and do anything you or the military officers think necessary to put the house in a state of defence."

"Very well, Mr Thompson; collect all the trustworthy people, and direct them to bring their arms and ammunition, and as large a stock of provisions as they have ready," replied Mr Twigg, "and we will follow out any plan Major Malcolm may suggest. He will, of course, take the command, and for our own sakes we shall be wise to obey his orders."

The overseer laughed. "Well, sir, we shall take a great deal of trouble for nothing," he said; "and should the military gentlemen order us to level the out-buildings, and to cut down the trees surrounding the house, we shall do more damage than can be easily repaired."

Several of the young men agreed with Mr Thompson, but Archie Sandys and Jack Pemberton sided with the other gentlemen. Martha remained as firm as at first in her belief that if they did not make haste and get ready to defend themselves, they would all be destroyed. The major's first care had been to see that the arms and ammunition were in a serviceable state. The former evidently required cleaning; with the powder he was satisfied. Though no leaden pipes were procurable, as bamboo canes serve every purpose for which the former are used in other countries, a leaden cistern and some pigs of lead which had been sent with the muskets were found, and the three troopers who had accompanied the major and his companion were set to work to cast bullets and clean up the arms; while the major, after twice making the circuit of the house, advised that it should be surrounded in the first place with a _chevaux-de-frise_ of timber and stout bamboos sharpened at the ends, and that, if time would allow, inside that a palisade should be erected with loopholes for musketry and of a height sufficient to protect the garrison.

"At all events," he observed, "no harm can be done by collecting the materials for the purpose, and we can then proceed according to the information we receive."

This plan seemed so sensible that even Mr Thompson did not object to it, and all the available hands were divided into two parties--some sent to the nearest cane-brake to cut the canes, and others to fell trees.

Night was approaching, and after the first few loads had been brought in, Mr Thompson suggested that they should wait till the following morning. Martha, who was eagerly watching all the proceedings, went to her master and, with tears in her eyes, entreated that there might be no delay.

"I know what will happen dis berry night," she said; "if any one shut his eyes, perhaps no wake in de morning."

As the moon was nearly half full, there would be light. For some hours Mr Twigg accordingly directed that the people should continue their work. Most of the slaves seemed to labour willingly; but the drivers who were superintending them observed that they went lazily about their work, and did as little as they possibly could. Mr Thompson, on being told of this, remarked that it was no wonder, as they had been toiling all day, and it was not his custom to work the slaves after sundown, as was done on some ill-managed estates. As soon as the logs of wood and the canes were brought in, Major Malcolm and the lieutenant, with their men, having provided themselves with axes, threw off their coats and commenced cutting the logs and canes into proper lengths and showing how they were to be fixed in the ground. Between the canes which formed the _chevaux-de-frise_ were planted large ma.s.ses of p.r.i.c.kly-pear, through which no ill-clad black, nor indeed any human being, could force his way. It was considered that this would stop the enemy even more effectually than the palisades. It was no easy task, however, to cut the sword-like leaves and place the plants in their required positions.

The young Englishmen not otherwise employed offered their a.s.sistance, as did old Martin and the other black servants, in forming both the works, the latter managing to handle the p.r.i.c.kly-pears far more dexterously without hurting themselves than their masters.

"We shall do no material harm to your lawn, Mrs Twigg," observed Major Malcolm, "and for your sake I trust that it may not become the scene of a conflict. By-the-by, Mr Twigg, if there is a serious chance of it we must barricade the doors and windows, and it will be prudent to have the materials ready for the purpose. If you have no spare planking, I have no doubt that one of the out-buildings will supply what we require."