by Charles King
he placed a bottle of old rum on the table. He took alittle himself, as if to encourage his patient, and then filled out halfa tumblerful and pushed it towards Reginald. Reginald took a sip ortwo, and finally finished it by degrees, but reluctantly. Dicksonfilled him out more.
"Nay, nay," Reginald remonstrated.
"Do you see that couch yonder?" said his companion, smiling.
"Yes."
"Well, as soon as you have had supper, on that you must go to bed, and Iwill cover you with a light rug. Sleep will revive you, and thingsto-morrow morning will not look quite so dark and gloomy."
"I shall do all you tell me."
"Good boy! but mind, I have even Solomon's authority for asking you todrink a little. `Give,' he says, `strong drink to him Who is ready toperish... Let him drink... and remember his misery no more.' And ourirrepressible bard Burns must needs paraphrase these words in verse:
"`Give him strong drink, until he wink, That's sinking in despair; And liquor good to fire his blood, That's pressed wi' grief and care. There let him bouse and deep carouse Wi' bumpers flowing o'er; Till he forgets his loves or debts, An' minds his griefs no more.'"
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.
"OH, MERCIFUL FATHER! THEY ARE HERE."
Well, it seemed there was very little chance of poor Reginald (if wedare extend pity to him) forgetting either his loves or the terribleincubus that pressed like a millstone on heart and brain.
Captain Dickson was now doctor instead of Grahame, and the latter washis patient. Two things he knew right well: first, that in three orfour months at the least a ship of some kind would arrive, and Reginaldbe taken prisoner back to England; secondly, that if he could not gethim to work, and thus keep his thoughts away from the awful grief, hemight sink and die. He determined, therefore, to institute a freshprospecting party. Perhaps, he told the men, the gold was not so muchburied but that they might find their way to it.
"That is just what we think, sir, and that is why we stayed in theisland with you and Dr Grahame instead of going home in the _Erebus_.Now, sir," continued the man, "why not employ native labour? We haveplenty of tools, and those twenty stalwart blacks that fought so wellfor us would do anything to help us. Shall I speak to them, captain?"
"Very well, McGregor; you seem to have the knack of giving good advice.It shall be as you say."
After a visit to the Queen, who received them both with greatcordiality, and endeavoured all she could to keep up poor Reginald'sheart, they took their departure, and bore up for the hills, accompaniedby their black labourers, who were as merry as crickets. Much of thelava, or ashes, had been washed away from the Golden Mount, as theytermed it, and they could thus prospect with more ease in the gulchbelow.
In the most likely part, a place where crushed or powdered quartzabound, work was commenced in downright earnest.
"Here alone have we any chance, men," said Captain Dickson cheerily.
"Ah, sir," said McGregor, "you have been at the diggings before, and sohave I."
"You are right, my good fellow; I made my pile in California when littlemore than a boy. I thought that this fortune was going to last me forever, and there was no extravagance in New York I did not go in for.Well, my pile just vanished like mist before the morning sun, and I hadto take a situation as a man before the mast, and so worked myself up towhat I am now, a British master mariner."
"Well, sir," said Mac, "you have seen the world, anyhow, and gainedexperience, and no doubt that your having been yourself a common sailoraccounts for much of your kindness to and sympathy for us poor Jacks."
"Perhaps."
Mining work was now carried on all day long, and a shaft bored into themountain side. This was their only chance. Timber was cut down andsawn into beams and supports, and for many weeks everything went on withthe regularity of clock-work; but it was not till after a month thatfortune favoured the brave. Then small nuggets began to be found, andto these succeeded larger ones; and it was evident to all that awell-lined pocket was found. In this case both the officers and menworked together, and the gold was equally divided between them. Theywere indeed a little Republic, but right well the men deserved theirshare, for well and faithfully did they work.
Two months had passed away since the departure of the _Erebus_, and soonthe detectives must come. Reginald's heart gave a painful throb ofanxiety when he thought of it. Another month and he should be aprisoner, and perhaps confined in a hot and stuffy cell on board ship.Oh! it was terrible to think of! But work had kept him up. Soon,however, the mine gave out, and was reluctantly deserted. Every nightnow, however, both Dickson and Reginald dined and slept at the palace ofQueen Bertha. With her Reginald left his nuggets.
"If I should be condemned to death," he said,--"and Fate points to thatprobability--the gold and all the rest is yours, Dickson."
"Come, sir, come," said the Queen, "keep up your heart. You say you arenot guilty."
They were sitting at table enjoying wine and fruit, though the latterfelt like sawdust in Reginald's hot and nerve-fevered mouth.
"I do not myself believe I am guilty, my dear lady," he answered.
"You do not _believe_?"
"Listen, and I will tell you. The knife found--it was mine--by the sideof poor Craig Nicol is damning evidence against me, and this is mygreatest fear. Listen again. All my life I have been a sleep-walker orsomnambulist."
The Queen was interested now, and leaned more towards him as he spoke.
"You couldn't surely--" she began.
"All I remember of that night is this--and I feel the cold sweat ofterror on my brow as I relate it--I had been to Aberdeen. I dined withfriends--dined, not wisely, perhaps, but too well. I remember feelingdazed when I left the train at--Station. I had many miles still towalk, but before I had gone there a stupor seemed to come over me, and Ilaid me down on the sward thinking a little sleep would perfectlyrefresh me. I remember but little more, only that I fell asleep,thinking how much I would give only to have Craig Nicol once more as myfriend. Strange, was it not? I seemed to awake in the same place whereI had lain down, but cannot recollect that I had any dreams which mighthave led to somnambulism. But, oh, Queen Bertha, my stocking knife wasgone! I looked at my hands. `Good God!' I cried, for they weresmeared with blood! And I fainted away. I have no more to say," headded, "no more to tell. I will tell the same story to my solicitoralone, and will be guided by all he advises. If I have done this deed,even in my sleep, I deserve my fate, whate'er it may be, and, oh, QueenBertha, the suspense and my present terrible anxiety is worse to bearthan death itself could be."
"From my very inmost heart I pity you," said the Queen.
"And I too," said Dickson.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was now well-nigh three months since the _Erebus_ had left, and noother vessel had yet arrived or appeared in sight.
But one evening the Queen, with Reginald and Dickson, sat out of doorsin the verandah. They were drinking little cups of black coffee andsmoking native cigarettes, rolled round with withered palm leaves inlieu of paper. It was so still to-night that the slightest sound couldbe heard: even leaves rustling in the distant woods, even the whisk ofthe bats' wings as they flew hither and thither moth-hunting. It was,too, as bright as day almost, for a round moon rode high in the clearsky, and even the brilliant Southern Cross looked pale in her dazzlingrays. There had been a lull in the conversation for a few minutes, butsuddenly the silence was broken in a most unexpected way. From seaward,over the hills, came the long-drawn and mournful shriek of a steamer'swhistle.
"O, Merciful Father!" cried Reginald, half-rising from his seat, butsinking helplessly back again--"they are here!"
Alas! it was only too true.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
When the _Erebus_ left the island, with, as passengers, Mr Hall andpoor, grief-stricken Ilda, she had a g
ood passage as far as the Line,and here was becalmed only a week, and made a quick voyage afterwards tothe Golden Horn. Here Mr Hall determined to stay for many months, torecruit his daughter's health. All the remedies of San Francisco wereat her command. She went wherever her father pleased, but everypleasure appeared to pall upon her. Doctors were consulted, andpronounced the poor girl in a rapid decline. There was a completecollapse of the whole nervous system, they said, and she must havereceived some terrible shock. Mr Hall admitted it, asking at the sametime if the case were hopeless, and what he could do.
"It is the last thing a medical man should do," replied the physician,"to take hope away. I do not say she may not recover with care, but--Iam bound to tell you, sir--the
