Part 18 (1/2)
”Get up!” says Rodrigues.
The boy, not knowing what was toward, and mightily perplexed, did as he was bidden, and so stood up facing Rodrigues. But one of the seamen, cursing him for his went of manners--as he put it--twisted him round so that he faced the sea.
”Walk!” cried Rodrigues, when the boy was thus positioned.
Whereupon the boy, still unwitting, walked forward towards the bulwarks and there stopped.
”Walk!” cries Rodrigues, a little louder than heretofore.
Then the perplexed boy made another step forward, but seeing that if he walked further he must overbalance the board, and so shoot into the sea below, he stopped again.
”Walk!” cries Rodrigues again, this time whipping out his sword.
Then the boy, seeing the meaning of this, fell upon his knees, crying for pity, and telling all he knew and had hitherto concealed--to wit, that Tonga did make him draw the bolt of the trap in the captain's cabin that morning he went for his silver-braided coat, and that it was from the armory and not from the hold the black cried to him for drink, and also that he had helped him to get down in the hold, and dared not do otherwise for fear of his life.
”You hear this, Tonga,” says Rodrigues. ”Now will you tell me how you got that cut?”
”She did it!” roars the negro, with the ferocity of any tiger, pointing with his hand towards Lady Biddy, while flames of fire seemed to flash in his eyes. ”She did it!”
CHAPTER XXIV.
LADY BIDDY SORELY PUT TO IT WHETHER TO TELL THE TRUTH OR HOLD HER TONGUE.
Without turning to see whom the negro indicated, or what effect this charge made upon her, Rodrigues said:
”That is a lie. No woman's hand struck that blow.” Then, turning to his boatswain, he gave him instructions to pipe the whole company together and see that no man was wanting. This the boatswain did, and when all the men were ranged across the deck in a line with the plank, on which the wretched boy still knelt, crying bitterly, Tonga standing before them, and Rodrigues facing him sword in hand, the latter spoke:
”Tonga would have us believe he was struck down by a woman,” says he.
”What say you?”
The men, as much to support their captain as of their own conviction, shook their heads and cried ”No!”
”Then,” says Rodrigues, ”it follows that one of you struck the blow, which, by those rules to which all have put their hands, is a treacherous offence, to be punished with death. Which of you did it?”
To this no one made reply, but all stood mumchance, spying their fellows to see if any did bear guilt in their face; but all looked innocent of this offense, as Rodrigues, with his discriminating eye, could well perceive. When he had looked them all over in silence, waiting an answer, he said, ”Not a soul leaves this s.h.i.+p, though you go dry another fortnight, till the truth is found out. I give Tonga into your hands.
Employ what means you choose--short of taking his life--to get a true confession from him.”
Then, turning again towards the boy, he cried, ”Stand up! limb of the devil--up with you!”
The poor little wretch stood up for fear of the glittering sword, but still with his hands clasped, and the tears running down his cheeks.
”Walk!” again cries Rodrigues; ”there is no place in this s.h.i.+p for a liar.”
The child turned his face to the sea with a pitiful moan.
Then Lady Biddy, seeing his sorrowful case, and that he was to be forced to his death, was moved to desperation by the pa.s.sionate pity in her heart, and so bursting from the cabin she ran forward to save him. But it was too late; the child, seeing no escape from death by the sword or the sea, and being mayhap tempted to the latter because it looked so fair and cool, with a shrill cry of despair ran suddenly forward, so that, the plank tilting up, he was plunged headlong down into the waves.
At the sight of this cruel business, Lady Biddy stopped midway in the deck and covered her face with her hands, while that last despairing cry of the child's was echoed back from her own compa.s.sionate breast.