CHAPTER VII.
A SABLE ISLAND WINTER.
"Well now, look here, mates," Ben continued; "fair and square's theword between us, ain't it? If I choose to take a notion to these twohere, it's my own lookout, and it's not for any other chap to beinterfering with me, any more than I'd be after wanting your things,eh?"
They were beginning to see what he was driving at now, and one of themsaid, with a sort of sneer,--
"You're not afraid of any one wanting your boy, or his dog either, areyou?"
"Not exactly," answered Ben; "but what I've on my mind is this: seeingthey're my property, I don't want any one to meddle with them or givethem any trouble--that's only fair, ain't it?"
"Fair enough, Ben; but what are you going to do with the boy when weleave here?" asked one. And there was a murmur of assent to thequestion.
"That'll be all right, mates," replied Ben promptly. "I'll be suretythat he doesn't get us into any trouble. You just leave that to me,and I'll warrant you I'll get him away from us quiet enough. What doyou say, mates?"
Although by dint of bluster and brutality Evil-Eye had forced his wayto a sort of leadership among the wreckers, there was really none ofthem with so much influence as Ben. With the exception of Evil-Eyethey were all now quite ready to accept his assurances of Eric notproving a source of trouble, and to consent to his remaining with them.Evil-Eye growled and grumbled a good deal, but could get nobody to heedhim; and Ben, satisfied that he had carried his point, and that Ericand Prince were safe, took his seat again, and lit his pipe for a goodsmoke. He was perfectly sincere in promising that Eric would not gethis associates into any trouble. He certainly never imagined whatwould be the result of his taking him under his protection. Could hehave had a peep into the future, perhaps he would have hesitated beforebecoming his champion. As it was, he gave himself no concern upon thepoint.
Eric felt wonderfully relieved at the result of his protector's appeal.It settled his position among his strange, uncongenial companions.They might take no notice of him if they chose--indeed, that was justwhat he would prefer--but they had, at all events, not only recognizedbut consented to his presence, and this took a great load off his mind.
Although his objections had been ignored by his companions, Evil-Eyewas by no means disposed to give up altogether his designs upon Eric.There were two reasons why he hungered for the boy's life. It wasagainst his principle of dead men telling no tales that he should bespared; and, again, he hated Ben, and the mere fact of his beinginterested in Eric was quite sufficient to cause the innocent lad toget a share of that hatred.
In the days that followed, Eric could not fail to be conscious of thefrequency with which the ruffian's one eye was turned upon him, and ofthe hyena-like look with which it regarded him. Happy for him was itthat there was a restraining influence which kept that awful look fromfinding its way into fitting deed.
Though they did not distinctly recognize any leader--their motto beingeach man for himself, and one as good as another--the wreckers regardedBen with a respect accorded no other member of the motley crew. Thiswas in part due to his great size and strength, and in part to histaciturn, self-contained ways, which prevented any of that familiaritythat so quickly breeds contempt.
Evil-Eye feared Ben no less than he hated him, and dared not openlyattempt anything against him, although the fire of his fury burnedhotly within his breast. In this fear of Ben, much more than in thedecision of the other wreckers, lay Eric's safety. Ere long, thisdefence was strengthened in a manner most strange, startling, andhappily most effective.
A week of almost incessant stormy weather had compelled the wreckers tospend most of their time in the hut. Finding the hours hang heavy ontheir hands, many of them had sought solace in drink, of which the_Francis's_ fine stock of wines and liquors furnished an unstintedsupply. No one drank more deeply than Evil-Eye. Day after day waspassed in a state alternating between coarse hilarity and maudlinstupor; Ben, on the other hand, hardly touched the liquor, contentinghimself with sipping a little at his meals. It was well, indeed, thathe should be so moderate, for his cool head and strong hand were indemand more than once to prevent serious conflicts among hisintoxicated companions.
Eric, in spite of the stormy weather, kept as much out of doors aspossible. He preferred the buffeting of the wintry winds to the closeatmosphere of the hut, foul with oaths, and reeking with tobacco andspirits.
Evil-Eye's carouse had continued several days. Early one night, afterhe had fallen into a sottish sleep upon his bunk, and the others had,later on, one by one turned in for the night, leaving the room in asilence broken only by the heavy breathing and stertorous snoring ofthe sleepers, the whole hut was suddenly aroused by an appalling yellfrom Evil-Eye. Starting up, his companions saw him, by the light of amoonbeam that strayed in through one of the portholes, rise to his feetwith an expression of the most frantic terror upon his hideouscountenance, as he shrieked at the top of his voice,--
"I will--I swear I will--if you'll only let me alone!"
Then, throwing up his arms, he fell over, foaming, in a fit.
For some minutes the hut was a scene of wild confusion as itsbewildered inmates, so suddenly aroused from their sleep, stumbledabout in the darkness trying to find out what was the matter. But Ben,who was not easily frightened, soon restored order by striking a light,and showing that whatever may have been the matter with Evil-Eye, therewas certainly no real cause for alarm. Thereupon, with many a growl athim for disturbing their night's rest, most of them grumblingly wentback to sleep.
A few thought it worth while to see what was the matter with Evil-Eye,and of these Ben took command. Little as he loved the ruffian, hecould not find it in his heart to let him die for lack of a littlecare. So, under his direction, the struggling man was lifted out uponthe floor. His face was splashed with water, while his arms and legswere chafed by rough hands. In a little while the patient's strugglesgrew less violent, the purple hue left his face, and his breathingbecame more natural. Presently, with a great sigh, he fell into aheavy sleep, from which he did not awake for many hours.
Although pestered with questions upon his return to consciousness as tothe cause of his strange behaviour, he refused to give any reason. Butthere were two changes in him too noticeable not to excite the remarkof his associates--he was much more moderate in the use of wine, takingcare not to drink to excess; and his attitude toward Eric becamecuriously different. Instead of regarding him with his former look ofhungering hatred, he now seemed to have a feeling of dread. He shrankfrom being near him, avoiding him in every possible way; treating him,in fact, much as a dog would a man who had been especially cruel to him.
Ben and Eric at once noted the change, and were well pleased at it.Some time after, they learned the cause. It seemed that the eveningEvil-Eye had acted so strangely he had been awakened from his drunkensleep about midnight by a startling vision.
It was the form of a tall man in a military uniform dripping withsea-water and soiled with sand. On his face was the pallor of death,and his eyes had an awful, far-away expression, as though they werelooking through the startled sleeper. Fixing them steadfastly uponEvil-Eye, whose blood seemed to freeze in his veins, he held up hisforefinger as if commanding attention, and pointed to the bunk whereEric lay sleeping. At the same time his face took on a threateninglook, and his lips moved.
Although no words reached Evil-Eye's ears, he understood. As thespectre stood before him, so intense was his terror that it broke thespell which locked his lips, and he shrieked out the words alreadymentioned. He knew no more until, at broad daylight, he found himselfweak and miserable in his berth.
Like many men of his kind, Evil-Eye was very superstitious. After thevision he looked upon Eric as being under the protection of someghostly being that would for ever haunt any one who did him any harm.Henceforth Eric had nothing to fear from him.
Winter on Sable Island is not like winter on the mainland. The GulfStream pre
vents any long continuance of cold. The snow comes inviolent storms, and fills the valleys with drifts; but these soonvanish. There is more rain and fog than snow, even in mid-winter; andthe herds of wild, shaggy, sharp-boned ponies which scamper from end toend of the island have no difficulty in finding plenty to eat among thegrasses which grow rankly in every sheltered spot.
These ponies were a great source of amusement to Eric. But for themand the rabbits, which were even more numerous, the winter, wearisomeat best, would have been simply intolerable.
The wreckers had captured a score of the ponies, and broken them inafter a fashion. They were kept near the hut, in a large corral builtof driftwood, and there were plenty of saddles and bridles.
Now if there was one manly accomplishment more than another upon whichEric prided himself it was his horsemanship. He had been put upon apony when only five years old, and had been an enthusiastic rider eversince. At Oakdene he had ridden to hounds since he was twice fiveyears of age, and there was not a lad in the county with a firmer seatin the saddle or a more masterful touch of the reins. The saddles andbridles at Sable Island were poor things compared with those he hadbeen accustomed to; and the ponies themselves were about as wicked andvicious as animals of that size could be. But this only lent anadditional zest to the amusement of riding them. Their bad behaviourdid not daunt Eric in the least. With Ben's assistance a pony would becaught in the corral and saddled, and then off he would go for a long,lively gallop, Prince, as full of glee as himself, barking and boundingalong at his side.
Very often Ben would keep him company, for there was an old blackstallion of unusual size which seemed equal to the task of bearing hishuge frame. Then Eric's happiness was complete, for every day he wasgrowing fonder of the big man who had saved him from a dreadful death,and who now treated him with paternal tenderness.
With the keen wintry air making his cheeks tingle, he would scamper offat full speed for mile after mile, while Ben lumbered along moreslowly, thoroughly enjoying the boy's vigour and daring. Then, haltinguntil Ben overtook him, he would canter on quietly.
An amusement of which Eric never tired was chasing the wild ponies, asthough he wanted to catch one of them. Climbing one of the sand-hills,he would look about until he sighted a herd grazing quietly in thehollows, and guarded as usual by a touzle-maned stallion of matureyears. Making a wide detour, and carefully concealing his approach bykeeping the hillocks between himself and the ponies, he would get asnear as he possibly could without being seen. If necessary, hedismounted and crept along on his hands and knees, dragging his ownpony by the bridle, while Prince followed.
When concealment was no longer possible, he would spring into hissaddle, and with wild shouts charge down upon the startled ponies; andthey would gallop off in headlong stampede.
One afternoon, while thus amusing himself, he had quite an excitingexperience, and rather a narrow escape from injury. He had stampeded aherd of ponies, and picking out a sturdy little youngster as hisparticular prey, was pressing him pretty closely, when the pony chargedstraight up the side of a hill. As it was not steep, Eric followedhard after him, taking for granted the slope would be about the same onthe other side. Instead of that, the hill fell away abruptly. Overplunged the hunted pony. Unable to check his own animal, full of thespirit of the chase, over plunged Eric too. For a moment both ponieskept their feet; but the treacherous sand giving way beneath them, theyrolled head over heels. Eric happily got free from his horse in timeto save himself from being crushed underneath it; but when they allreached the bottom in a heap together, he could not escape thefrantically pawing hoofs, and one of them struck him such a blow uponthe head as to stun him.
When he recovered he found himself lying upon the sand, not a pony insight, and Prince licking his face with affectionate anxiety. His headached sharply, and he felt somewhat sore after his tremendous tumble;but not a bone was broken nor a joint sprained. Thankful at havinggotten off so well, he made the best of his way back to the hut.
Ben was greatly pleased at the adventure, and regretted he had not beenthere when ponies, boy, and dog rolled down the hill together.
"You ought to let your friends know when you're going to give aperformance like that, my lad," said he, after a hearty laugh. "It'stoo good to keep to yourself."
"Perhaps you'd like me to repeat it for you," Eric suggested.
"No indeed, Eric. You got off all right that time, but you might breakyour precious neck the next. How would you like to have a try at amorse? The men tell me they saw a lot of them at the west end thismorning; and as you're so fond of hunting, there's something well worthkilling."
The Wreckers of Sable Island Page 7
