Chapter 47. Almost Soldiers

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_ CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN. ALMOST SOLDIERS

I awoke that next morning sore, miserable, and seeing everything through the very reverse of rose-coloured spectacles. For I was back at the Fort, and it now looked a very different place to the home I had journeyed so many months to find when I was sanguine and hopeful.

There appeared to be a dead weight upon me; and as I first opened my eyes, I felt as if the best thing I could do would be to rouse up Esau, and go right away. But as I looked round, my eyes lit upon Mr Gunson lying insensible in his bed, with Mrs Dean seated patiently by his side, and I felt ashamed of my thoughts, for I could not go away and leave one who had shown himself so true a friend from our first meeting, and I at once determined, no matter how painful my position might be, to stay by his side, and tend him till he grew strong again.

I shivered as I thought this, for I could just see his pale face below his bandaged head, and the ideas came--suppose he does not recover-- never grow strong again? suppose he dies? The weak tears rose to my eyes at the thought, and I lay wistfully gazing at him in the silence of that bright morning, for I felt that I should be almost alone out there in that wild, new country. For Mr and Mrs John would certainly be more and more influenced by Mr Raydon; and as I could not stay at the Fort, I should never see them. The old plans of staying with them, and building up a new house somewhere in one of the lovely spots by the river, were gone, and I told myself that I should soon have to say good-bye to them.

There would be Esau, though;--perhaps not: for Mrs Dean would naturally want to stay where there were women; and as she had become attached to Mrs John, the chances were that she would stay at or near the Fort, and that would influence Esau, who would be forgiven by Mr Raydon, and stay too, while I should go off into the wilderness all alone.

Taken altogether, I was about as miserable and full of doleful ideas as a boy of my age could be. Not one bit of blue sky could I see through the clouds that shut in my future; and I was growing worse as I lay there with an indistinct fancy that I had heard Mr Raydon's voice in the night, when a bright ray of sunshine came through the window, and made a ruddy golden spot on the pine-wood ceiling.

It was only a ray of light, but it worked wonders, for it changed the current of my thoughts, setting me thinking that the sun was just peeping over the edge of the mountain lying to the east, and brightening the mists that lay in the valleys, and making everything look glorious as it chased away the shadows from gully and ravine, till it shone full upon the river, and turned its grey waters into dazzling, rippling, and splashing silver.

I don't know how it was, but that sunlight began to drive away the mists and dark vapours in my mind. I did not feel so miserable, though I was painfully stiff and sore. The future was bright, my case not so hopeless, and I was just making up my mind that Esau would never forsake me, and that Mr Gunson would not die, when Mrs Dean looked round.

"Ah, my dear," she said; "awake?"

"Yes," I said, springing up, all dressed as I was. "You have not been watching here all night?"

"Oh, no; I only came on at daybreak. He's sleeping very calmly."

"Has he spoken?"

"Oh dear no, and is not likely to for long enough. Such a pity as it is, poor man!"

"It is a terrible injury," I said. "Yes, my dear; and how thankful I am it wasn't my poor Esau. What should I have done if it had been he?"

"It would have been terrible," I said. "Or you, my dear," she whispered hurriedly, as if in apology for not naming me before.

"Oh, that would have been no consequence," I replied, bitterly.

"Oh, my dear," she cried, with the tears in her eyes; "don't--don't talk like that. I know you've been in trouble, but we all have that, and they say it makes the happiness all the sweeter."

"Yes, they say so," I replied gloomily.

"Ah, it does, my dear. There, as Mr John said to me about you, 'it will all come right in the end.'"

"Here, what's the matter?" said Esau gruffly, still half asleep. "Time to get up? Hullo, mother! Oh, oh! I recollect now. I was dreaming about old Quong. I say! Oh, my feet--my feet!"

"There, there, there, my dear; they'll soon be better," said Mrs Dean, bending over him; and the sight of those two, with Esau's pettish ill-humour, quite drove away the rest of my gloom for the time. For as Mrs Dean bent over her son, he pushed her away.

"Don't, mother; I do wish you wouldn't."

"Wouldn't what, my dear?"

"Talk to me, and pull me about like that."

"Hush! not so loud, my dear. You'll wake Mr Gunson."

"Bother Mr Gunson! There you go again. Can't you see I'm growed up now?"

"Yes, of course, Esau."

"No you can't, or you wouldn't talk to me like that. You always seem to treat me as if I was two years old; you'll be wanting to rock me to sleep some night."

"Esau, my dear, how can you?"

"Well, so you will. Pet, pet, pet, every time you get near me."

"Esau, my darling," cried Mrs Dean, excitedly. "What are you going to do?"

"Get up."

"With your feet like that?"

"Well, they'll be just the same if I lie here, and I'm not going to be ill."

"But you will be, dear, if you walk about."

"Then I shall be ill. I'm not going to lie here for you to feed me with a spoon, and keep on laying your hand on my head."

"Now, Esau, when did I try to feed you with a spoon?"

"I mean mettyphorically," grumbled Esau. "You always seem to think I'm a baby. Ah, if you begin to cry, I'll dance about and make my feet worse."

Mrs Dean wiped her eyes furtively, and Esau put his arm round her and gave her a hearty kiss, which made her beam again.

"Well," he said, turning to me with a very grim look, "not much fun in getting gold, is there? I say, who'd have thought of our coming back again like this? What 'll Mr Raydon say to us this morning?"

I felt half startled at the idea of meeting him again, but my attention was taken up by a low muttering from Mr Gunson, and I went with Mrs Dean to his side, and stood watching her bathe his head till he sighed gently, and seemed to calm down.

"Poor old chap!" said Esau; "he got a nasty one, that he did. I say, wonder how much gold him and old teapot had found?"

"Oh, never mind that now."

"But I do," said Esau; "and so would he mind if he could think and talk. Wonder where he hid it all? Let's ask Quong, because it oughtn't to be lost."

I made no answer, but stood watching the injured man, while Esau preferred sitting down and nursing first one foot and then the other, but always obstinately refusing to lot his mother touch them. "I say," he said, after a pause. "Well."

"What's old Raydon going to say to us? It was very jolly of him to come and help us as he did, but he looked pickled thunder at me and you here. He won't let us stay. We shall have to start off again."

"I suppose so," I said drearily, with my old troubles coming back; and we relapsed into silence, till there was a soft light step at the door, and Quong entered and looked sharply at the plain rough bed-place where Mr Gunson lay.

"Come over see how d'ye do," he said quickly. "Cap Gunson no go long die self?"

"No, no," I cried; "he will get well."

"Yes; get well, ploper quite well, and go wash gole. Makee flesh blead--flesh tea?"

"No, not yet," said Mrs Dean, who looked askant at the fresh-comer, and as if she did not approve of him.

"Allee light. Wait. Good fi' makee blead cakee."

"I say, Quong," whispered Esau, "did you two find much gold?"

Quong gave him a quaint laughing look. "You waitee littee bit. Allee same ask Mas Gunson. You sabbee?"

"But he can't tell us. I say, do you know where he hid what you got?"

"No; no sabbee. Mas Gunson know allee same. You wait."

Just then I heard a cough in the enclosure, and drew back a little uneasily as the door opened, and Mr Raydon entered.

"Good morning, my lads," he said, gravely and coldly. "Ah, Quong, you here? Well, nurse, how is your patient?"

"He seems very nicely, sir, and I don't think there is much fever."

"Does he seem in great pain?"

"Only at times, sir, and then I bathe his temples."

Quong looked sharply from one to the other, and began to fumble about under his blue cotton blouse till he produced from some hidden pocket a tiny thin bottle, less than my little finger, and gave it to Mr Raydon.

"Velly good," he said, eagerly. "You sabbee? Touch velly little dlop allee long Cap Gunson head. No makee hurt then."

"Ah, yes," said Mr Raydon, taking the bottle. "I have seen this before;" and as Gunson just then uttered an uneasy moan, the cork was taken out, and a very tiny drop spread with a finger lightly about his temples.

"Makee seep," said Quong, smiling. "Velly good."

The essence certainly produced the required effect, and Quong showed his yellow teeth.

"Not muchee," he said. "Velly lit dlop. Velly ofen? No, no."

"I understand," said Mr Raydon, handing back the bottle.

"No," said Quong. "No. Keep all along. You sabbee?"

"Very well, I'll keep it," said Mr Raydon; and just then there was a tap at the door.

"Come in."

Grey entered.

"Want me?"

"Bad news, sir," said Grey, in a sharp whisper. "That man from the little valley--Barker he says his name is--"

"Which was Barker?"

"That sensible man you shook hands with."

"What does he want?"

"Wants to see you, sir. They started that gang down the river with half a dozen armed miners, and they rose against them in the night."

"Yes," said Mr Raydon, excitedly. "Well?"

"They killed two, wounded all the rest, and they are all free again."

"And their own wounded men?"

"Took them into the woods with them."

"This is bad news indeed," said Mr Raydon, beginning to pace the room.

"He wants to know what's to be done," said Grey.

"I must think--I must think," said Mr Raydon, hastily. "Two men away guarding that claim."

"Yes, sir. Weakens us."

"Yes," said Mr Raydon; "and we must be weakened more. Two of our men must go to strengthen them at the claim. There must be four there."

"Won't draw them away and give up the claim, sir?"

"No," said Mr Raydon, firmly. "Go back to this Mr Barker, and say I'll be with him directly."

"Yes, sir," said Grey; and he went out with all the quiet precision of a soldier.

"Bad news--bad news indeed," said Mr Raydon, half aloud. "More trouble to lay upon your shoulders, Mayne Gordon. All your fault."

I felt a chill run through me, and I believe a cold hard look must have come into my face.

"Well, we must make the best of it. Of course you two lads must stop here."

"If you wish it, sir," I said, "we will go directly."

"I do not wish it, boy," he replied sternly. "Do you wish to leave those who have been your friends in the lurch now you have dragged all this trouble to their door?"

"No, sir," I said, as I set my teeth hard, determined to be cool, in spite of the injustice with which I felt that I was being treated.

"No, of course not. You have some stubborn pluck in you--both of you."

Esau growled in a very low tone, and made his mother look at him in a startled way, as if she had suddenly awakened to the fact that her son possessed the nature of a bear's cub.

Mr Raydon took another turn or two up and down the room.

"Mrs Dean," he said, "I can do nothing more for your patient. No doctor could; time is the only thing. I'll come back as soon as I can. Meantime my sister will come to you, and you can have either of my men's wives to assist you in nursing. They are Indians, but well trained in that way. Do your best."

"Mother always does," growled Esau.

Mr Raydon gave him a sharp look, but Esau did not flinch.

"Look here, you two," said Mr Raydon, after a pause. "I am going to send two more of my men away, for the fellows in that gang are not going to beat me. The law-and-order party must and shall prevail. This will weaken my little garrison, so you two will have to mount rifles, and take the places of two of my absent men."

"Yes, sir," I said, eagerly. "I'll do my best."

"Thank you. Now, Esau Dean, what do you say?"

"Course I shall do as he does. I'm ready."

"No, no, Esau, my boy. Your feet, your feet," cried Mrs Dean.

"Do be quiet, mother. There you go with the spoon again. Fellow don't shoot off a rifle with his foot."

I saw Mr Raydon bite his lips to repress a smile.

"I had forgotten your burnt feet. Do they feel very bad?"

"Oh, pretty tidy, sir, but I don't mind. I should like to have a pop at one of them as held me to that fire."

"Naturally," said Mr Raydon.

"But I'm afraid I can't do much marching."

"You will be posted in one of the block-houses."

"That'll do," cried Esau. "Come along, Mayne Gordon."

"You have never used a rifle."

"Why, Mr Gunson there showed us all about it. Don't you be afraid; I'll try."

"Oh, Esau!" cried Mrs Dean.

"And mother shall nurse me when I'm wounded."

"Oh, my boy--my boy!"

"Silence, sir! Mrs Dean, he is only tormenting you. It is not likely that he will be hurt, but out here in the wilderness we do sometimes have to fight to protect the women and children. There, do not be uneasy; I see your son will do you credit."

Esau gave a gulp, and turned red in the face, while I suffered a twinge of jealousy on finding that the lad, whom I blamed as the cause of all the trouble, should be spoken to in this way while I was treated with a coldness that, in my sensitive state, seemed to freeze all the better nature within me.

"A pretty mess this, sir," said Barker, as we joined him out in the enclosure. "Those stupid donkeys have let loose a nice gang. They'll be as savage as possible against everybody, and be coming down upon us just when we don't expect it."

"But have they arms and ammunition?"

"Plenty, sir. They stripped our men, and if we don't look out they'll strip us. Why, the little valley will never be safe again while they are about."

"No," said Mr Raydon. "It's a bad look-out, but we must take every precaution. You may rely on my helping you, as I promised, and if I am the unlucky one attacked first, I look for help from you."

"And you shall have it, sir. I answer for the lads up the valley. What do you propose doing first?"

"Nothing," said Mr Raydon.

The man stared at him aghast, and Mr Raydon smiled.

"But--but hadn't we better get a party together, and hunt them down, sir?"

"An excellent plan," said Mr Raydon, "but impossible in this wild country. They would lead us a terrible dance, weary us out, and perhaps take advantage of our absence to plunder our places. The better way will be to keep a sharp look-out, and punish them if they attack us."

"But if they take us by surprise, sir?"

"They must not," said Mr Raydon, quietly. "My advice to you is, that you go back and make arrangements for mutual support, so that all can hurry at once to the place attacked. You will make it one man's duty to act as messenger, and come directly to give warning here, and another to give notice up the valley at Gunson's claim."

"And the two men there will come and help us? Yes: that's good."

"There will be four of my men stationed there," said Mr Raydon. "That is a very likely place for the first attack, if they can find their way over the mountains and through the dense forest. The trouble began by their trying to seize that claim."

"Why not let them go to it again, and attack them when they are settled down?" said Barker.

"No, my man, it is not our line to attack; let that come from the enemy. Besides, I particularly wish Mr Gunson's claim to be reserved for him till he has recovered. So if the enemy find their way there you will go up to my men's help. If there is anything you want from the Fort here at your camp, you can send up, and I will supply you if I can."

"Thankye, sir, thankye. That's very neighbourly," said Barker. "I think the more of it because there's a report about that you were dead against the claims being taken up."

I stared at Mr Raydon wonderingly, for his behaviour was inexplicable to me; but I had no time given me for thought. As soon as Barker and the two men who came up with him had gone, Mr Raydon chose two of his little garrison, and sent them, well armed, and with as big loads of supplies as they could carry, by the near cut over the mountains, that is by the track taken when he and his men came to our help.

Directly after, in a sharp military way, he led us to his little armoury, and gave us each a rifle and pistol, with a few words of instruction as to where the weapons were to be kept in readiness for use; and, in addition, what we were to do in the places of the two men who had gone.

I was glad of this, for it took up my time, and gave me something else to think about. It was pleasant too--the duty of having to help in the defence of the Fort where my friends were gathered.

"Some day he'll be sorry for it all," I said to myself; and I was brooding over the past again, when Esau uttered a low chuckle, which made me turn to him wonderingly.

"Only think of it, Mayne Gordon," he said. "What a game!"

"What is a game?"

"You always being so dead on to me about going for a soldier, and here we are both of us good as soldiers after all. Why, if he'd let us tackle one of those guns," he continued, pointing to a little cannon mounted in the block-house, "it would be like joining the Ryle Artilleree." _

Read next: Chapter 48. Lost!

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