The Pretty Mary — as ugly and evil-smelling a tub as ever pitched under a southerly burster — had been lying on and off Cape1 Surville for nearly three weeks. Captain Blunt was getting wearied. He made strenuous2 efforts to find the oyster3-beds of which he was ostensibly in search, but no success attended his efforts. In vain did he take boat and pull into every cove4 and nook between the Hippolyte Reef and Schouten’s Island. In vain did he run the Pretty Mary as near to the rugged5 cliffs as he dared to take her, and make perpetual expeditions to the shore. In vain did he — in his eagerness for the interests of Mrs. Purfoy — clamber up the rocks, and spend hours in solitary6 soundings in Blackman’s Bay. He never found an oyster. “If I don’t find something in three or four days more,” said he to his mate, “I shall go back again. It’s too dangerous cruising here.”
* * * * * *
On the same evening that Captain Blunt made this resolution, the watchman at Signal Hill saw the arms of the semaphore at the settlement make three motions, thus:
The semaphore was furnished with three revolving7 arms, fixed8 one above the other. The upper one denoted units, and had six motions, indicating ONE to SIX. The middle one denoted tens, TEN to SIXTY. The lower one marked hundreds, from ONE HUNDRED to SIX HUNDRED.
The lower and upper arms whirled out. That meant THREE HUNDRED AND SIX.
A ball ran up to the top of the post. That meant ONE THOUSAND.
Number 1306, or, being interpreted, “PRISONERS ABSCONDED”.
“By George, Harry9,” said Jones, the signalman, “there’s a bolt!”
The semaphore signalled again: “Number 1411”.
“WITH ARMS!” Jones said, translating as he read. “Come here, Harry! here’s a go!”
But Harry did not reply, and, looking down, the watchman saw a dark figure suddenly fill the doorway10. The boasted semaphore had failed this time, at all events. The “bolters” had arrived as soon as the signal!
The man sprang at his carbine, but the intruder had already possessed11 himself of it. “It’s no use making a fuss, Jones! There are eight of us. Oblige me by attending to your signals.”
Jones knew the voice. It was that of John Rex. “Reply, can’t you?” said Rex coolly. “Captain Burgess is in a hurry.” The arms of the semaphore at the settlement were, in fact, gesticulating with comical vehemence12.
Jones took the strings13 in his hands, and, with his signal-book open before him, was about to acknowledge the message, when Rex stopped him. “Send this message,” he said. “NOT SEEN! SIGNAL SENT TO EAGLEHAWK!”
Jones paused irresolutely14. He was himself a convict, and dreaded15 the inevitable16 cat that he knew would follow this false message. “If they finds me out —” he said. Rex cocked the carbine with so decided17 a meaning in his black eyes that Jones — who could be brave enough on occasions — banished18 his hesitation19 at once, and began to signal eagerly. There came up a clinking of metal, and a murmur20 from below. “What’s keepin’ yer, Dandy?”
“All right. Get those irons off, and then we’ll talk, boys. I’m putting salt on old Burgess’s tail.” The rough jest was received with a roar, and Jones, looking momentarily down from his window on the staging, saw, in the waning22 light, a group of men freeing themselves from their irons with a hammer taken from the guard-house; while two, already freed, were casting buckets of water on the beacon23 wood-pile. The sentry24 was lying bound at a little distance.
“Now,” said the leader of this surprise party, “signal to Woody Island.” Jones perforce obeyed. “Say, ‘AN ESCAPE AT THE MINES! WATCH ONE–TREE POINT! SEND ON TO EAGLEHAWK!’ Quick now!”
Jones — comprehending at once the force of this manoeuvre25, which would have the effect of distracting attention from the Neck — executed the order with a grin. “You’re a knowing one, Dandy Jack26,” said he.
John Rex acknowledged the compliment by uncocking the carbine. “Hold out your hands!— Jemmy Vetch!” “Ay, ay,” replied the Crow, from beneath. “Come up and tie our friend Jones. Gabbett, have you got the axes?” “There’s only one,” said Gabbett, with an oath. “Then bring that, and any tucker you can lay your hands on. Have you tied him? On we go then.” And in the space of five minutes from the time when unsuspecting Harry had been silently clutched by two forms, who rushed upon him out of the shadows of the huts, the Signal Hill Station was deserted28.
At the settlement Burgess was foaming29. Nine men to seize the Long Bay boat, and get half an hour’s start of the alarm signal, was an unprecedented30 achievement! What could Warder Troke have been about! Warder Troke, however, found eight hours afterwards, disarmed31, gagged, and bound in the scrub, had been guilty of no negligence32. How could he tell that, at a certain signal from Dandy Jack, the nine men he had taken to Stewart’s Bay would “rush” him; and, before he could draw a pistol, truss him like a chicken? The worst of the gang, Rufus Dawes, had volunteered for the hated duties of pile-driving, and Troke had felt himself secure. How could he possibly guess that there was a plot, in which Rufus Dawes, of all men, had refused to join?
Constables33, mounted and on foot, were despatched to scour35 the bush round the settlement. Burgess, confident from the reply of the Signal Hill semaphore, that the alarm had been given at Eaglehawk Isthmus36, promised himself the re-capture of the gang before many hours; and, giving orders to keep the communications going, retired37 to dinner. His convict servants had barely removed the soup when the result of John Rex’s ingenuity38 became manifest.
The semaphore at Signal Hill had stopped working.
“Perhaps the fools can’t see,” said Burgess. “Fire the beacon — and saddle my horse.” The beacon was fired. All right at Mount Arthur, Mount Communication, and the Coal Mines. To the westward39 the line was clear. But at Signal Hill was no answering light. Burgess stamped with rage. “Get me my boat’s crew ready; and tell the Mines to signal to Woody Island.” As he stood on the jetty, a breathless messenger brought the reply. “A BOAT’S CREW GONE TO ONE–TREE POINT! FIVE MEN SENT FROM EAGLEHAWK IN OBEDIENCE40 TO ORDERS!” Burgess understood it at once. The fellows had decoyed the Eaglehawk guard. “Give way, men!” And the boat, shooting into the darkness, made for Long Bay. “I won’t be far behind ’em,” said the Commandant, “at any rate.”
Between Eaglehawk and Signal Hill were, for the absconders, other dangers. Along the indented41 coast of Port Bunche were four constables’ stations. These stations — mere42 huts within signalling distance of each other — fringed the shore, and to avoid them it would be necessary to make a circuit into the scrub. Unwilling43 as he was to lose time, John Rex saw that to attempt to run the gauntlet of these four stations would be destruction. The safety of the party depended upon the reaching of the Neck while the guard was weakened by the absence of some of the men along the southern shore, and before the alarm could be given from the eastern arm of the peninsula. With this view, he ranged his men in single file; and, quitting the road near Norfolk Bay, made straight for the Neck. The night had set in with a high westerly wind, and threatened rain. It was pitch dark; and the fugitives44 were guided only by the dull roar of the sea as it beat upon Descent Beach. Had it not been for the accident of a westerly gale45, they would not have had even so much assistance.
The Crow walked first, as guide, carrying a musket46 taken from Harry. Then came Gabbett, with an axe27; followed by the other six, sharing between them such provisions as they had obtained at Signal Hill. John Rex, with the carbine, and Troke’s pistols, walked last. It had been agreed that if attacked they were to run each one his own way. In their desperate case, disunion was strength. At intervals47, on their left, gleamed the lights of the constables’ stations, and as they stumbled onward48 they heard plainer and more plainly the hoarse49 murmur of the sea, beyond which was liberty or death.
After nearly two hours of painful progress, Jemmy Vetch stopped, and whispered them to approach. They were on a sandy rise. To the left was a black object — a constable’s hut; to the right was a dim white line — the ocean; in front was a row of lamps, and between every two lamps leapt and ran a dusky, indistinct body. Jemmy Vetch pointed50 with his lean forefinger51.
“The dogs!”
Instinctively52 they crouched53 down, lest even at that distance the two sentries54, so plainly visible in the red light of the guard-house fire, should see them.
“Well, bo’s,” said Gabbett, “what’s to be done now?”
As he spoke55, a long low howl broke from one of the chained hounds, and the whole kennel56 burst into hideous57 outcry. John Rex, who perhaps was the bravest of the party, shuddered58. “They have smelt59 us,” he said. “We must go on.”
Gabbett spat34 in his palm, and took firmer hold of the axe-handle.
“Right you are,” he said. “I’ll leave my mark on some of them before this night’s out!”
On the opposite shore lights began to move, and the fugitives could hear the hurrying tramp of feet.
“Make for the right-hand side of the jetty,” said Rex in a fierce whisper. “I think I see a boat there. It is our only chance now. We can never break through the station. Are we ready? Now! All together!”
Gabbett was fast outstripping60 the others by some three feet of distance. There were eleven dogs, two of whom were placed on stages set out in the water, and they were so chained that their muzzles61 nearly touched. The giant leapt into the line, and with a blow of his axe split the skull62 of the beast on his right hand. This action unluckily took him within reach of the other dog, which seized him by the thigh63.
“Fire!” cried McNab from the other side of the lamps.
The giant uttered a cry of rage and pain, and fell with the dog under him. It was, however, the dog who had pulled him down, and the musket-ball intended for him struck Travers in the jaw64. The unhappy villain65 fell — like Virgil’s Dares —“spitting blood, teeth, and curses.”
Gabbett clutched the mastiff’s throat with iron hand, and forced him to loose his hold; then, bellowing66 with fury, seized his axe and sprang forward, mangled67 as he was, upon the nearest soldier. Jemmy Vetch had been beforehand with him. Uttering a low snarl68 of hate, he fired, and shot the sentry through the breast. The others rushed through the now broken cordon69, and made headlong for the boat.
“Fools!” cried Rex behind them. “You have wasted a shot! LOOK TO YOUR LEFT!”
Burgess, hurried down the tramroad by his men, had tarried at Signal Hill only long enough to loose the surprised guard from their bonds, and taking the Woody Island boat was pulling with a fresh crew to the Neck. The reinforcement was not ten yards from the jetty.
The Crow saw the danger, and, flinging himself into the water, desperately70 seized McNab’s boat.
“In with you for your lives!” he cried. Another volley from the guard spattered the water around the fugitives, but in the darkness the ill-aimed bullets fell harmless. Gabbett swung himself over the sheets, and seized an oar21.
“Cox, Bodenham, Greenhill! Now, push her off! Jump, Tom, jump!” and as Burgess leapt to land, Cornelius was dragged over the stern, and the whale-boat floated into deep water.
McNab, seeing this, ran down to the water-side to aid the Commandant.
“Lift her over the Bar, men!” he shouted. “With a will — So!” And, raised in twelve strong arms, the pursuing craft slid across the isthmus.
“We’ve five minutes’ start,” said Vetch coolly, as he saw the Commandant take his place in the stern sheets. “Pull away, my jolly boys, and we’ll best ’em yet.”
The soldiers on the Neck fired again almost at random71, but the blaze of their pieces only served to show the Commandant’s boat a hundred yards astern of that of the mutineers, which had already gained the deep water of Pirates’ Bay.
Then, for the first time, the six prisoners became aware that John Rex was not among them.
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1
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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oyster
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| n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人 | |
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cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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strings
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| n.弦 | |
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irresolutely
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| adv.优柔寡断地 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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waning
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| adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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beacon
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| n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔 | |
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sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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manoeuvre
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| n.策略，调动；v.用策略，调动 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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foaming
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| adj.布满泡沫的；发泡 | |
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unprecedented
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| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
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disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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negligence
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| n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意 | |
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constables
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| n.警察( constable的名词复数 ) | |
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spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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scour
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| v.搜索；擦，洗，腹泻，冲刷 | |
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isthmus
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| n.地峡 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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indented
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| adj.锯齿状的，高低不平的；缩进排版 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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50
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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53
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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55
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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kennel
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| n.狗舍，狗窝 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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outstripping
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| v.做得比…更好，（在赛跑等中）超过( outstrip的现在分词 ) | |
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muzzles
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| 枪口( muzzle的名词复数 )； （防止动物咬人的）口套； （四足动物的）鼻口部； （狗）等凸出的鼻子和口 | |
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62
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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thigh
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| n.大腿；股骨 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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cordon
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| n.警戒线，哨兵线 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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