Part 23 (2/2)
”Ay, but I have a notion that I could make you go steady about, and try the old course again,” answered Dirk Hatteraick. ”Why, man, hold me der deyvil, but I meant to visit you, and tell you something that concerns you.”
”Of the boy?” said Glossin eagerly.
”Yaw, Mynheer,” replied the Captain coolly.
”He does not live, does he?”
”As lifelich as you or I,” said Hatteraick.
”Good G.o.d!--But in India?” exclaimed Glossin.
”No, tousand deyvils, here on this dirty coast of yours,” rejoined the prisoner.
”But, Hatteraick, this,--that is, if it be true, which I do not believe,--this will ruin us both, for he cannot but remember your neat job; and for me--it will be productive of the worst consequences. It will ruin us both, I tell you.”
”I tell you,” said the seaman, ”it will ruin none but you--for I am done up already, and if I must strap for it, all shall out.”
”Zounds!” said the justice impatiently, ”what brought you back to this coast like a madman?”
”Why, all the gelt was gone, and the house was shaking, and I thought the job was clayed over and forgotten,” answered the worthy skipper.
”Stay--what can be done?” said Glossin anxiously. I dare not discharge you--but might you not be rescued in the way--ay sure--a word to Lieutenant Brown,--and I would send the people with you by the coast-road.”
”No, no! that won't do--Brown's dead-shot--laid in the locker, man--the devil has the picking of him.”
”Dead?--shot?--at Woodbourne, I suppose?” replied Glossin.
”Yaw, Mynheer.”
Glossin paused--the sweat broke upon his brow with the agony of his feelings, while the hard-featured miscreant who sat opposite, coolly rolled his tobacco in his cheek, and squirted the juice into the fire-grate. ”It would be ruin,” said Glossin to himself, ”absolute ruin, if the heir should reappear--and then what might be the consequence of conniving with these men?--yet there is so little time to take measures--Hark you, Hatteraick; I can't set you at liberty--but I can put you where you may set yourself at liberty--I always like to a.s.sist an old friend. I shall confine you in the old castle for tonight, and give these people double allowance of grog. Mac-Guffog will fall in the trap in which he caught you. The stanchions on the window of the strong room, as they call it, are wasted to pieces, and it is not above twelve feet from the level of the ground without, and the snow lies thick.”
”But the darbies,” said Hatteraick, looking upon his fetters.
”Hark ye,” said Glossin, going to a tool-chest, and taking out a small file, ”there's a friend for you, and you know the road to the sea by the stairs.” Hatteraick shook his chains in ecstasy, as if he were already at liberty, and strove to extend his lettered hand towards his protector. Glossin laid his finger upon his lips with a cautious glance at the door, and then proceeded in his instructions. ”When you escape, you had better go to the Kaim of Dernecleugh.”
”Donner! that howff is blown.”
”The devil!--well, then, you may steal my skiff that lies on the beach there, and away. But you must remain snug at the Point of Warroch till I come to see you.”
”The Point of Warroch?” said Hatteraick, his countenance again falling; ”what, in the cave, I suppose?--I would rather it were anywhere else;--es spuckt da!--they say for certain that he walks--But, donner and blitzen! I never shunned him alive, and I won't shun him dead--Strafe mich h.e.l.le! it shall never be said Dirk Hatteraick feared either dog or devil!--So I am to wait there till I see you?”
”Ay, ay,” answered Glossin, ”and now I must call in the men.” He did so, accordingly.
”I can make nothing of Captain Janson, as he calls himself, Mac-Guffog, and it's now too late to bundle him off to the county jail. Is there not a strong room up yonder in the old castle?”
”Ay is there, sir; my uncle the constable ance kept a man there for three days in auld Ellangowan's time. But there was an unco dust about it--it was tried in the Inner House afore the Feifteen.”
”I know all that, but this person will not stay there very long--it's only a makes.h.i.+ft for a night, a mere lock-up house till further examination. There is a small room through which it opens, you may light a fire for yourselves there, and I'll send you plenty of stuff to make you comfortable. But be sure you lock the door upon the prisoner; and, hark ye, let him have a fire in the strongroom too, the season requires it. Perhaps he'll make a clean breast to-morrow.”
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