Part 24 (1/2)
The buckets were nearly empty, and he felt that it would be better for as left in one to be poured into the other, so that the supplying o on while more was fetched, when it suddenly struck hi In the darkness he could di forward tohere the white-clothed sailors were dispensing the precious fluid, and it struck hi The next inative, and the result of the unreal-looking, dreaued, for the slaves to be about to resent the treat
”It's my head all in a whirl,” he said to himself; ”and it's just like I used to feel when I was ill and half dead in the boat”
But the nextrong, and it struck hi to make an attack But he could not be sure; the darkness was too thick, and the exciteination play strange pranks At one ht back into the fore part of the hold where it was crorithing, struggling beings; the next the lea away, to appear at the side or hovering over his head
”Yes; it's all froination,” he said to himself; and he had hardly co at the real, for di the two black sailors A harsh sound arose--a s as of wild beasts; there was the noise of the buckets being knocked over, of a fierce struggle and heavy blows, and a hot, sickening wave of hly alarmed now, Mark shouted for help, and was then thrust aside as one of the blacks whoht down lance he obtained in the light which shone down from above, he saw that the man was covered with blood
For a moment or teak still from his late illness, Mark felt completely prostrate and unable to act; but he recovered hirasp the black's arm
”Hurt?” he cried
The aze at him, and then uttered a feords excitedly as he pointed back into the forward part of the dark hold
”Here, stand aside!” cried the lieutenant, as he stepped down into the noisome hold, followed by Tom Fillot and a couple of the crew, each man with sword or cutlass in hand ”Now, Mr Vandean, quick; an attack?”
”Yes, sir; the slaves attacked our two men One of them's badly wounded”
At thatblack's white shi+rt and trousers were visible, and he, too, now stepped forward into the light, while before he could speak a low groan caht he was killed,” cried Mark, and theback
”Bah!” exclaiht not to be here without an interpreter He is not hurt; it is the other black Stand fast, my lads, in case the poor wretches attack Now, then, where are you hurt?”
This was to the second black sailor, whose white duck shi+rt was horrible with stains of blood, as he began to talk fast now and point forward
”Wounds ht,” cried the lieutenant ”Can you make out a word of what he says, Vandean?”
”No, sir; but let me try”
Mark pointed forward, and without a ed into the darkness and returned, half dragging, half carrying a ghastly-looking object into the square of light shed from above
”Oh, here's the wounded et hiht”
Mark pointed down at the slave, as bleeding freely, and the big sailor now spoke out a feords fiercely, with the result that half a dozen nude slaves caesture, lifted the wounded man and carried him up to the deck
The officers and men followed, and the two black sailors came last, to pay no heed to the wounded man, but proceed at once to refill the buckets, and carry theuard set over the hatchway Then after bidding Bob Howlett to hoist a signal for the surgeon to coed the terrible wound the slave had upon his head, the others who had carried up the sufferer looking stupidly on, blinking and troubled by the sunlight, to which they had evidently been strangers for some time
”Now,” said Mr Russell, as he rose, ”we are in the dark as , Mr Vandean?”
”No, sir; I saw a struggle, and one man seemed wounded”
”And it was someone else Tut--tut--tut! and we can't understand a word What a useful thing speech is, after all”
Just then the two blacks came up for more water, and Mark tried to communicate with them, but only with the result that they looked puzzled till the midshi+pman pointed to the woundedblack looked at hi of the question, and laughed excitedly
Pointing to the woundedstaring at him, with their foreheads wrinkled up and their eyes full of despair; he seized one, whose countenance assuer as the black sailor pointed to hiain at the wounded man