Part 8 (1/2)
He leaped up with lightning, speed and darted towards the intruder, but checked himself suddenly and smiled, as poor p.o.o.py uttered a scream, and, falling on her knees, implored for mercy.
”My poor girl, I fear I have frightened you by my violence,” said he, sitting down on his couch and yawning sleepily; ”but I was dreaming, p.o.o.py; and when I saw your black face peeping at me, I took you at first for one of the wild fellows on the other side of the mountains. You have come to sweep and arrange my study, I suppose.”
”Why, ma.s.s'r, you no hab go to bed yet,” said p.o.o.py, still feeling and expressing surprise at her master's unwonted irregularity. ”Is you ill?”
”Not at all, my good girl, only a little tired. It is not a time for me to take much rest when the savages are said to be about to attack us.”
”When is they coming?” inquired the girl, meekly. The pastor smiled as he replied,--”That is best known to themselves, p.o.o.py. Do you think it likely that murderers or thieves would send to let us know when they were coming?”
”Hee! hee!” laughed p.o.o.py, with an immense display of teeth and gums.
”Is Alice awake?” inquired Mr Mason.
”No, her be sound 'sleep wid her two eye shut tight up, dis fas.h.i.+on, and her mout' wide open--so.”
The representations of Alice's condition, as given by her maid, although hideously unlike the beautiful object they were meant to call up to the father's mind, were sufficiently expressive and comprehensible.
”Go wake her, my girl, and let us have breakfast as soon as you can.
Has Will Corrie been here this morning?”
”Hims bin here all night,” replied the girl, with a broad grin--(and the breadth of p.o.o.py's _broad_ grin was almost appalling!)
”What mean you? has he slept in this house all night?”
”Yes--eh! no,” said p.o.o.py.
”Yes, no,” exclaimed Mr Mason. ”Come, p.o.o.py, don't be stupid, explain yourself.”
”Hee! hee! hee! yes, ho! ho!” laughed p.o.o.py, as if the idea of explaining herself was about the richest joke she had listened to since she was born. ”Hee! hee! me no can 'splain, but you com here and see.”
So saying, she conducted her wondering master to the front door of the cottage, where, across the threshold, directly under the porch, lay the form of the redoubted Corrie, fast asleep, and armed to the teeth!
In order to explain the cause of this remarkable apparition, we think it justifiable to state to the reader, in confidence, that young Master Corrie was deeply in love with the fair Alice. With all his reckless drollery of disposition, the boy was intensely romantic and enthusiastic; and, feeling that the unsettled condition of the times endangered the welfare of his lady-love, he resolved, like a true knight, to arm himself and guard the threshold of her door with his own body.
In the deep silence of the night he buckled on a sabre, the blade of which, by reason of its having been broken, was barely eight inches long, and the hilt whereof was battered and rusty. He also stuck a huge bra.s.s-mounted cavalry pistol in his belt, in the virtue of which he had great faith, having only two days before shot with it a green-headed parrot at a distance of two yards. The distance was not great, to be sure, but it was enough for his purpose--intending, as he did, to meet his foe, when the moment of action should come, in close conflict, and thrust the muzzle of his weapon down the said foe's throat before condescending to draw the trigger.
Thus prepared for the worst, he sallied out on tiptoe, intending to mount guard at the missionary's door, and return to his own proper couch before the break of day.
But alas for poor Corrie's powers of endurance! no sooner had he extended his chubby form on the door-mat, earnestly wis.h.i.+ng, but not expecting, that Alice would come out and find him there, than he fell fast asleep, while engaged in the hopeless task of counting the starry host--a duty which he had imposed on himself in the hope that he might thereby be kept awake. Once asleep he slept on, as a matter of course, with his broad little chest heaving gently; his round little visage beaming upwards like a terrestrial moon; his left arm under his head in lieu of a pillow, (by consequence of which _it_ was fast asleep also,) and his right hand grasping the hilt of the broken sabre.
As for Corrie's prostrate body affording protection to Alice--the entire savage population might have stepped across it, one by one, and might have stepped back again, bearing away into slavery the fair maiden, with her father and all the household furniture to boot, without in the least disturbing the deep slumbers of the youthful knight. At least we may safely come to this conclusion from the fact that Mr Mason shook him, first gently and then violently, for full five minutes before he could get him to speak; and even then he only gave utterance, in very sleepy tones, and half-formed words, to the remark--
”Oh! don' borer me. It aint b'kfust-t'm' yet?”
”Ho! Corrie, Corrie,” shouted Mr Mason, giving the victim a shake that threatened to dislocate his neck, ”get up, my boy--rouse up!”
”Hallo! hy! murder! Come on you vill--eh! Mr Mason--I beg pardon, sir,” stammered Corrie, as he at length became aware of his condition, and blushed deeply; ”I--I really, Mr Mason, I merely came to watch while you were all asleep, as there are savages about, you know--and ha!
ha! ha!--oh! dear me!” (Corrie exploded at this point, unable to contain himself at the sight of the missionary's gaze of astonishment,) ”Wot a sight for a Sunday mornin' too!”