Part 18 (1/2)
There was a rustling of branches and a cracking of dead sticks underfoot, and two men in their s.h.i.+rt-sleeves rushed out from the wood.
”By Gaarge, you, Measter Newton, be shot!”
”He won't die,” said Augustus, looking up, and apparently quite unconcerned. ”I put my finger in--it hasn't touched the artery; look!”
He held out his hands, which were soaking red.
The two strong men turned white with a sudden sickness.
”We thought us hearn a scrame,” one said.
”Make a litter,” said Augustus. ”There, you great odd-me-dods [scarecrows], you don't know what it is! A hand-barrow, then, you gawnies! What are you staring there for? Go and get your hurdles!”
”Zo us wull; come on, Bill!” and away they ran.
”A man's made just like a pig inside,” said Augustus to Valentine, and he proceeded to compare the anatomy to heedless ears. Quite sobered by the shock, Ba.s.set was of more use than any of them. Long hardened, and indifferent to all but the immediate gratification of his senses with smoke and beer, Augustus had lost all the finer perceptions, and had become not exactly callous, but unimpressionable. That very condition rendered his aid valuable at such a time. Even now, under the crust of stolidity, there were not wanting some better feelings in this wreck of an educated man. He was faithful to the hand that fed him, i.e. to the Greene Ferne people; Geoffrey had frequently given him tobacco and such trifles, and now he was really anxious to do his best. As it was, he had probably saved Geoffrey's life; for when the last shot was fired, they were so near that the cartridge had only just begun to scatter; had it struck the head or chest with the shot altogether, like a bullet, instant death must have followed. But the blow on the barrel with the stick so far diverted the swift aim of the practised sportsman, that only a part of the charge took effect in the shoulder.
The two men ran as fast as they might across a corner of the wood, cras.h.i.+ng through the hazel, and stumbling in their haste as the woodbine caught their heavy shoes. They made straight for a spot about a hundred and fifty yards distant, where on the edge of the meadow land stood a rude shed, framed of logs and slabs, thatched with flags from the brook, and walled on three sides with hurdles interwoven with straw. By the hut was a pile of ashpoles, dry and hard, cut a winter since in the depths of Thorpe Wood, and drawn out there for better convenience.
These men had been at work for some months splitting the poles, shaving and preparing them to be used as wooden hoops for barrels. Geoffrey, on his way from Squire Thorpe's down to Greene Ferne, had frequently pa.s.sed the hut, and, interested in their work, formed a slight acquaintance with the men. They told him that these ashen hoops, cut from English woods, went in s.h.i.+ploads to Jamaica and other sugar lands, returning round the sugar casks. He in turn had given them cigars, or a couple of rabbits that he had shot; and watching the dexterous way they used their tools, and how cheerfully they worked through rain and s.h.i.+ne and thunderstorm, grew to almost envy their content. They had heard the firing as they worked by the hut, and stayed to listen to it. When it suddenly ceased, simultaneously with a sharp cry as of pain, they guessed there had been an accident. Now these rough sons of toil, mindful of his little kindnesses, staying not a moment to inquire how the catastrophe occurred, ran with all their might, tore down the thatched hurdles which formed their walls, and with these, a couple of poles, and their jackets s.n.a.t.c.hed up in a hurry, hastened back to the scene.
On this improvised litter Geoffrey, still insensible, was placed, his head propped up somewhat with their jackets; and then, as they lifted him, the question arose, where should they take him. As he was the Squire's visitor, it seemed proper to carry him there; but Augustus, who had his own private reasons for desiring to avoid the Squire, vehemently insisted that it was all up-hill and through the wood, and much farther than Greene Ferne. Valentine, anxious to get somewhere, and quite beside himself with impatience, begged them to start; so the bearers set out across the corner of the wood for the farm. Ba.s.set walked in front, opening a road through the bushes; but the tall dead thistles, swinging back as they hurriedly pushed along, p.r.i.c.ked the pale cheek and listless hands of their burden. They emerged from the wood shortly, and crossed the meadow towards the ploughed field.
Augustus, with his hand now on Valentine's shoulder, babbled in his ear, and showed him the briar-stick.
”I was poking a rabbit-bury,” said he, ”when you came along shooting.
There ain't no call to say anything to the Squire. See, here's bunnie's fur!” He pointed to the end of the stick, where the sharp curved p.r.i.c.kles were left on, having been cut from the other end for ease of handling. To these p.r.i.c.kles a little soft fur adhered, together with particles of sand. ”I found him--he's got his head in the bottom of the hole and can't move, and my other pug is at him. He's young, and wants lining. When you came along I got down in the ditch under the fern.
But, I say, fair play in the army! If this had been a ground-ash stick,”--swis.h.i.+ng the briar, which bent easily--”I should have knocked the gun out of your hands; but this briar plied, don't you see? I must go back for the other ferret presently.”
He ran forward to open the gate of the ploughed field for the bearers, who were now a little way in front.
Puff-puff! puff-puff! hum-m-m! The fly-wheel whirled about, beating the air to musical resonance; the steel sinew of Behemoth stretched across the stubble, dragging the shares remorselessly through tender roots of pimpernel and creeping convolvulus. Hum-m-m!
It was rough travelling over the deep fresh-turned furrows, that exhaled a scent of earth, and their burden was somewhat jolted.
”Hulloa, you! What's up? I say there--you!”
The men with the ploughing engines had espied the litter, and, abandoning operations, came running across the field. Thus, surrounded by an excited group, the wounded man was borne over the lawn at Greene Ferne.
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
A FEAST--CONCLUSION.
It was fortunate that Ba.s.set's dislike of meeting Squire Thorpe caused Geoffrey to be conveyed to Greene Ferne, for Felix was there, and he had sufficient knowledge of surgery to staunch the wound. The shock to the household on the arrival of the litter was of course very great. May fainted; Margaret very nearly did the same, but, recovering herself by a strong effort, forced herself to help Felix. The support afforded by her love enabled her to face the sight; but when there was nothing more that she could do, she burst into a flood of tears, yet still refused to leave the room. Felix asked Valentine, who still moved as one dazed, to send Ba.s.set, as the best rider, for a doctor from the town. As he got up into the saddle, he asked Valentine if he had any loose silver or a cigar. Valentine mechanically gave him all he had and his cigar-case; and the old trooper, never even in moments of the highest excitement forgetting to take good care of himself, went clattering down the road.
The doctor came, examined Felix's work, improved upon it, and p.r.o.nounced Geoffrey's wound painful rather than dangerous. Augustus, after taking sundry nips of strong liquor with the silver Valentine had given him, in Kingsbury, presently returned to the hamlet, and stopped at the Spotted Cow, where, as he had antic.i.p.ated, a number of the gossips of the place had a.s.sembled. Here he became the hero of the hour, puffing his cigars, and spending his money right royally. But having had lengthened experience of his imaginative powers, they totally refused to believe him now he spoke the truth. They grinned at the idea of Geoffrey and Valentine firing intentionally at each other, and still more ridiculed the embellishment which he added--how he stepped between the levelled guns at the risk of his life. They knew him too well.
”It wur an accident, of course,” they said. ”I tell you they fought a regular battle,” said Augustus, in a towering rage. ”You be a parcel of fools!”
”If they did vite,” said the landlord slowly, ”you med be zure Ba.s.set put his yod [head] inside a rabbit-hole vor fear of the shot--and how could he knaw?”
”Ha, ha!” such was the popular verdict.