Mass' George: A Boy's Adventures in the Old Savannah

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER SEVEN.

  "Master George!--Master George!"

  The call was repeated, for I did not answer the first, my mouth beingexpanded to its fullest stretch in a tremendous yawn.

  "Come down, and have some breakfast. You must want it sore."

  The very fact of Sarah mentioning it made me feel a horrible sinkingsensation, and as soon as my father gave leave for one of us to leavethe post at the window, I came down to find that, though we up in thenarrow loft had heard nothing, Sarah had been for some time preparing agood meal, which, whatever might be the perils awaiting us later on, weall ate with the greatest of enjoyment.

  We had hardly finished when Morgan gave the alarm, and my father hurriedto his post of observation, but only to conceal his piece directly, ashe uttered the word "Friend!"

  For our nearest neighbour, Colonel Preston, a tall, stern, ratheroverbearing man, came up, followed by a couple of men.

  "I've come to give you warning, Bruton," he said.

  "I tried to send you warning last night," replied my father.

  "What! You know?"

  "Do you not see how we are barricaded?"

  "Oh, I thought it was because you were just getting up. The Indianscame by here then?"

  "Yes," said my father; and he briefly told of our adventure, and thewatch we had kept.

  "Well," said the colonel, sharply, and as I thought in rather adictatorial way; "it all goes to prove that it was a mistake for you toisolate yourself here. You must move close up to us, so that in a caseof emergency we can all act together."

  "It would be better," said my father, quietly.

  "Then you will come?"

  "No; I selected this place for its beauty, as you chose yours. I shouldnot like to give it up."

  "You'll repent it, Bruton. You must have had a narrow escape lastnight."

  "I do not know," said my father, thoughtfully. "Of course we were verysuspicious of the reason for the Indians' visit, but they did us noharm."

  "Nor to us. Our numbers overawed them, I suppose."

  "Our numbers did not overawe them here," said my father, smiling; but headded rather bitterly, "If they had meant mischief, we could not havecounted on your help."

  "Nor we on yours," said the colonel, in a rather irritable manner."Well, of course I have no right to dictate to you; but I may as welltell you that as soon as the Indians left us, we met together, anddetermined to erect a block-house or fort ready to flee to in case ofemergency. It is for you to chose whether you will join us in thework."

  "I shall join you, of course," said my father, quietly; and, refusingany refreshment, evidently to the great disgust of his men, whoexchanged glances which evidently meant breakfast, the colonel walkedoff.

  "See those two fellows, Master George?" whispered Morgan, as my fatherstood gazing thoughtfully after the colonel.

  "Yes; why?"

  "Never see two look more hungry in my life. They'd have cleared us out,see if they wouldn't. Good job there arn't many in the settlement like'em."

  "Why?" I said.

  "Because we should soon be having a famine in the land. What are youlaughing at, lad?"

  "You," I said, as I recalled a number of Morgan's performances with theknife and fork.

  He looked at me fiercely, and as if he were terribly offended; forMorgan's Welsh blood had a way of bubbling up and frothing over likemead; but directly after there was a bit of a twitch at one corner ofhis mouth, then a few wrinkles started out at each side of his faceabout the eyes, and began to spread all over till he was showing histeeth.

  "Ah, well, Master George," he said, "I can see through you. Perhaps Iaren't such a very bad trencherman. Sarah says I do eat. But what'sthe harm? Man can't work well without; nor more can't a fire burnwithout you keeps on putting plenty o' wood. But I say, my lad, whenthose Injin fellows came down upon us, I began to think I should neverbe hungry again. Did I look very much frightened?"

  "No; I thought you looked very brave."

  "Did I? Did you think so, Master George?"

  "Yes; certainly."

  "Now, you're not making fun of me, are you?"

  "Certainly not."

  "Well, come, I'm glad of that," said Morgan, brightening up; "because doyou know, Master George, 'twix' you and me, I don't think I'm quite sogood that way as I ought to be. I tried hard not to seem in a fright,but I was in one all the same, and seemed to feel arrows sticking intome, and them chopping at me with tomahawks. Wasn't pleasant, look you,was it?"

  "No, and it was no wonder."

  "No, sir, it warn't. But I say, Master George, you didn't feel so badas that, did you?"

  I glanced round to see if my father was within hearing, and then saidwith a laugh--

  "I'm afraid I felt ever so much worse."

  "Then we'll shake hands over it," said Morgan; "but I say, MasterGeorge, I'd give everything to know whether the master felt scared too."

  "I don't think he did. Oh, I'm sure he did not. See how erect and firmhe was."

  "Ah, that's being a soldier, sir. They drill 'em up into being as stiffas can be, and to look as if they like it when they're being shot at.That's what makes English soldiers such fine fellows in a battle."

  Further discussion was put an end to by the coming up to us of myfather.

  "You heard what Colonel Preston said, George?"

  "Yes, father."

  "About being safe, and the risk of fresh attacks by the Indians?"

  "Yes, father; we heard every word--didn't we, Morgan?"

  "Oh yes; everything, sir."

  "Well," said my father, "it is quite possible that this party came tospy out the land so as to prepare for a descent. If this is so, thereis a good deal of risk in staying here. I have made up my mind what todo under the circumstances."

  "Oh, master! Oh, Captain Bruton!" broke out Morgan; "don't say thatafter the pains we took in getting our garden in order, and in helpingto build the house, and never happy unless I was going to do somethingto make it look pretty, you're thinking of moving and letting some oneelse come in?"

  "I think the risk is very great in staying; and that for your wife'ssake, my son's, and yours, I perhaps ought to give up this, and go andtake up fresh land close to my brother settlers."

  "But, begging your pardon, sir, don't you think nothing of the sortagain. What do you say, Master George?"

  "Oh, I shouldn't like to go away from here," I said.

  "There, sir! Hear that?" cried Morgan. "Why, if you come to reckon itup, how do you know that you're going to be safer there than here? Ifthe Injins come, that's where they'll go for first, and we're just aslikely to be killed there as here."

  "Possibly, Morgan."

  "And then look at the place, sir, all along by the big river. It arn'thalf so healthy as this. I never feel well there, and I know the landarn't half so rich."

  "But we must study safety, my man," said my father.

  "Of course we must, sir, so what's the good of being scared about someInjins, who may never come again, and running right into where there'slikely to be fevers--and if some day there don't come a big flood andhalf drown 'em all, I'm a Dutchman, and wasn't born in Carnarvon afterall."

  "But there is another consideration, Morgan; we have some one else tolook after--your wife."

  "Oh, don't you trouble about me, sir," cried Sarah; and we looked up inastonishment. "I came out here to look after you and Master George, notfor you to look after me."

  "Why, what are you doing up there?" said my father, as Sarah's noseshowed between the bars of the window of the loft.

  "Keeping a sharp look-out for Indians, sir."

  "That's right Sarah," cried Morgan. "And, I say, you don't think we hadbetter go, do you?"

  "Certainly not," said Sarah, sharply. "Just as we're getting the placeand my kitchen so snug and comfortable. I should think not indeed."

  "There, sir," cried Morgan, triumphantly.

  "Well," said my father, "I
had made up my mind to stop, at any rate asfar as I was concerned, but I wished to give you all the opportunity ofgoing up to the settlement."

  "'Tchah, sir! I don't call that a settlement. But, begging yourpardon, captain, speaking _as_ an old soldier _to_ an old soldier,"continued Morgan, "what you say is ridickerlus."

  "Morgan!" cried my father, sternly.

  "Can't help it, sir, even if you order me pack-drill, or even black-holeand a flogging. Why, its ridickerlus for you as an officer to tell yourmen to forsake you and leave you in the lurch."

  "But, my good fellow--"

  "Ah, I haven't done yet, captain. You've worried me and gone on tillit's mutiny in the ranks, and I refuse to obey."

  "Well, George," said my father, "you hear this; what do you say?"

  "I say it would be a horrid pity to go away and leave the place, father.Oh, don't! I like it ever so! And we're so happy here, and I don'tbelieve the Indians will come again."

  "Then you would not be afraid to stay here and take our chance? No," hesaid, reverently, "place ourselves in His hands, my boy, and becontent."

  "Amen to all that, sir, says I," cried Morgan, taking off his hat; andthen I saw him close his eyes, and his lips were moving as he turnedaway.

  "Thank you, Morgan," said my father, quietly; "and thank you too, myboy. We will not give up our restful, beautiful home for a scare.Perhaps if the Indians find that we wish to be at peace with them, theymay never attempt to molest us. We will stay."

  Morgan gave his leg a slap, and turned round to me.

  "There, Master George!" he cried. "Why, with all these fruit andvegetables coming on, I should have 'most broke my heart, and I know ourSarah would have broken hers."

  That day was after all a nervous one, and we felt as if at any moment anIndian might appear at the edge of the wood, followed by a body perhapsa hundred strong. So our vigilance was not relaxed, neither that daynor during the next week; but nothing occurred to disturb our peace, andthe regular routine went on.

  From what we heard at the settlement the idea of building a block-househad been for the present given up; but Morgan came back one morning,after a visit to the colonel's man, with some news which ratherdisturbed my father.

  "Small schooner in the river?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "And you say that several of the gentlemen have been buying?"

  "Yes, sir; that's right," said Morgan, "and the blacks are put to workin their plantations."

  My father frowned and walked away, while I eagerly turned to Morgan foran explanation.

  "Oh, it's all right enough, sir, what I tell you," said Morgan; "andseems to me they're right, so long as they treat 'em well. Here's lotsof land wants clearing and planting, and one pair of hands can't do it,of course, and there's no men to be hired out here, so the gentlemenhave been buying slaves."

  "What a shame!" I cried. "How would you like to be bought for aslave?"

  Morgan looked at me, then at the sky, then down at the ground; then awaystraight before him, as he took off his hat and scratched one ear.

  "Humph!" he ejaculated, suddenly; "that's a puzzler, Master George. Doyou know I never thought of that."

  "It seems to me horribly cruel."

  "But then, you see, Master George, they're blacks, and that makes allthe difference."

  I could not see it, but I did not say so, and by degrees other thingstook my attention. There was so much to see, and hear, and do, that Iforgot all about Indians and blacks; or if they did come to mind at allas time went on, I merely gave them a passing thought, and went off totalk to Morgan, to set a trap, to fish, or to watch the beautiful birdsthat came into the sunny clearing about my home.