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The Dingo Boys: The Squatters of Wallaby Range, a novel by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 9. "Along O' That There Nigger?" |
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_ CHAPTER NINE. "ALONG O' THAT THERE NIGGER?" But Shanter, though he slept so soundly, was ready to start up if any one even whispered, and also ready to lie down and sleep again the moment he found that all was well; and at the first grey dawning of day, when the great trees began to appear in weird fashion from out of the darkness, and the tops of the mountains to show jagged against the sky, he sprang up from where he had slept close to the warm ashes, yawned, gave himself a rub as if he were cold, and then shook out his arms and legs, and picked up his weapons. "Mine go along, see myall black fellow. Little Marmi come." This was to Norman, who turned to the captain. "Yes; go, and be very careful. Recollect it will be broad daylight directly." Norman gave a sharp nod, and caught his brother and cousin's eyes fixed upon him enviously. The captain noticed it. "Wait," he said; "your turns will come, boys.--Now, Norman, scout carefully, and put us out of our misery at once. If the blacks are coming this way, hold up your gun as high as you can reach. If they are going in another direction, hold it with both hands horizontally above your head." Norman nodded and ran after Shanter, who was already on his way, and together they reached the precipice, and climbed the face to creep down at once among the bushes, from which place of vantage they could see right into the blacks' camp, where a party of nineteen were squatted round the fire eating some kind of root which they were roasting on the embers. This went on for some time, while, knowing the anxiety at their own camp, Norman crouched there watching them, till Shanter whispered softly, "All go along. Mine glad." He was right, for suddenly one man sprang up and took his spear, the others followed his example; and they stood talking together just as the rising sun peered over the horizon and turned their glistening black bodies into dark bronze. Then followed a good deal of talking and pointing, as if some were for climbing over the ridge, and at first the others seemed disposed to follow them; but another disposition came over the party, and, shouldering their spears, they went off toward the mountains, one portion of which formed a saddle, from which at either end two lines of eminences of nearly equal height went right away as if there was a deep valley between. "Baal black fellow now. Come all along, Shanter want big damper." They waited a few minutes longer, till the party had disappeared in what looked to be the bed of a dry stream, leading up into the mountains; and then, with a feeling of elation in his breast, Norman hurried to a prominent part of the edge of the steep escarpment, and stood holding his gun up on high with both hands, horizontally, as agreed upon, till, with a fierce look, Shanter ran to him and dragged it down, giving a sharp look toward the place where the blacks had disappeared. "Little Marmi want myall black fellow come along?" "Baal black fellow now," said Norman; and Shanter's fierce countenance became mirthful. "Baal black fellow now!" he cried, with a hoarse chuckle. "Baal black fellow now. You pidney?" "Yes, I pidney--I understand," cried Norman, laughing. "Come all along. Shanter want big damper. Break-fuss," he added with a grin. They soon lowered themselves down the wall of rock, and ran to the camp, where the captain had just arranged that soon after breakfast Rifle and Tim were to take it in turns to mount to the highest point of the ridge to keep watch, while the rest worked at preparations for their defence and that of the cattle. In the relief they all felt for their escape, a hearty meal was made, the watcher was sent out to perch himself where he could look out unseen, and the day's work began. The cattle were first counted, and found to be none the worse for their journey, and grazing contentedly on the rich feed. Just below them was an ample supply of water, and altogether, as they showed no disposition to stray, they could be left. Weapons were then placed ready for use at a moment's notice, and all hands set to work to unpack the wagons, the cases being ranged outside, barrels rolled to the corners and built up, and all being arranged under the shadow of a great tree, whose boughs would do something toward keeping off rain. This by degrees began to assume the character of a little wooden fort, and lastly, over the tops of the wagons, a ridge pole was fixed formed of a small tree which fell to Uncle Jack's axe, and across this three wagon cloths were stretched, forming a fairly waterproof roof to protect goods that would spoil, and also promising to be strong enough to check a spear which might reach it through the branches of the trees. As evening came on, this stronghold was a long way from being finished, but it promised some security if it were found necessary to take to it for shelter, and it was decided that the women should occupy it, and for the present give up the tent to the men. Every one was highly satisfied with the day's work, and, as Rifle said, they could all now devote themselves so much more easily to other things--this when he had been relieved in his guard by Tim, who had stalked off to his post looking, with his shouldered piece, as important as a grenadier, and no doubt feeling his responsibility far more. But matters had not gone on without a hitch, or to be correct, several hitches, consequent upon the behaviour of Shanter, who in every way showed that it was his intention to stay. The beginning of it was a complaint made by German, who went up to Tim and touched his hat. "Beg pardon, Master 'Temus, sir, but along o' that there nigger." "What about him?" "I asked him as civilly as a man could speak, to come and help me unload the big wagon, and he shouldered his clothes-prop thing and marched off. Aren't he expected to do something for his wittles?" "Of course, Sam. Here, I'll go and set him to work." Tim walked away to where the black was busy carrying wood to replenish the fire. "Here, Shanter," he said; "come and help me to carry some boxes." "Baal help boxes. Plenty mine come along wood." "There's enough wood now." "What metancoly wood," (much, a large number). "Baal come along boxes." "But you must come," cried Tim. Shanter seemed to think that he must not, and he took no more notice, but marched away, fetched another big armful of wood, and then took the big kettle to fill at the spring. "I say, uncle," cried Tim, "here's insubordination in the camp." "What's the matter?" said Uncle Jack, who was chaining up the wheels of one of the wagons to insure its not being dragged away. "The black will not work." "Send him to me." Tim ran back to Shanter. "Here," he cried; "Uncle Jack wants you." "Baal come along Uncle Jack," said the black sharply. "Uncle Jack come along Shanter." "But I say: that won't do," cried Tim. "You must mind what's said to you." "Shanter going get grub. You come along mine." "No; I'm going to work, and you have to help." Shanter got up and walked straight away in the other direction, and Tim went and told his uncle. "Lazy scoundrel!" cried Uncle Jack. "Well, if he doesn't work he can't be fed." "Shall I go and tell the captain?" "No; he has plenty of worries on his mind. Let's do without the sable rascal. We never counted upon having his help." So the work went on without the black, and the captain did not miss him; while the ladies, finding a plentiful supply of wood and water, were loud in Shanter's praises. Just before dark he walked back into camp with a bark bag hanging from his spear, and a pleasant grin upon his face. "Baal black fellow," he cried. "There now," said Aunt Georgie, who was busy preparing the evening meal, helped by Mrs Bedford; "there it is again. I was doubtful before." "Baal black fellow," said Shanter once more. "Yes, there. You see how it is, Marian; these people must be descendants of the old Philistines, all degenerate and turned black." "Nonsense!" said Uncle Jack, and he looked very sternly at the black. "But it is not nonsense, John," said the old lady. "Surely you don't mean to say that I do not know what I'm talking about. That dreadful man is a descendant of the old Philistines. You heard him say as plainly as could be something about Baal." Norman burst into a roar of laughter. "Norman, my dear, how can you be such a rude child?" cried the old lady reprovingly. "Why, aunt, baal means none, or not any." "Nonsense, my dear!" "But it does, aunt. Baal black fellow means that there are none about." "Baal black fellow," cried Shanter, nodding. "Mine not see plenty--all gone." "There, aunt." "Oh dear me! what a dreadful jargon. Come here, sir, and I'll give you some damper." Aunt Georgie seated herself, took one of the great cakes she had made, and broke it in half, holding it out to the black. "He doesn't deserve it," said Uncle Jack, sternly. "Big white Mary gib damper," cried the black excitedly, taking the cake and sticking it in his waistband, while he slipped his spear out of the handles of his bag. "Shanter find white grub. Plenty all 'long big white Mary." As he spoke, he emptied the contents of his bag suddenly in the old lady's lap, laughed at the shriek she gave, and walked off to devour his cake, while Norman and Rifle collected the curious white larvae in a tin to set them aside for a private feast of their own, no one caring to venture upon a couple that were roasted over the embers. Just then the captain was summoned to the evening meal, and after a glance round, he called to Shanter: "Here, boy," he said, as the black came up grinning, and with his mouth full; "go up and look black fellow.--That's the best way I can think of telling him to relieve Tim," he said. The black nodded, shouldered his spear, and marched off. "He obeys you," said Uncle Jack, who had looked on curiously. "Of course. So he does you." Uncle Jack shook his head. "No," he said. Then the incidents of the day were related, and the captain looked thoughtful. In due time Tim came down from his perch, and took his place where the evening meal was discussed in peace, but not without an occasional glance round, and a feeling of dread that at any moment there might be an alarm; for they felt that after all they were interlopers in an enemy's country, and on their voyage out they had heard more than one account of troubles with the blacks, stories of bloodshed and massacre, which they had then been ready to laugh at as travellers' tales, but which now impressed them very differently, and filled them with an undefined sensation of terror, such as made all start at every shadow or sound. _ |
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