Part 21 (2/2)
The darkness was so dense that, as the lads gazed down, they had but a mere glimpse of a shadowy animal, as it seemed to be running across the lawn, and directly after there was a faint, soft rustling in the thick ivy.
”Isn't it dangerous for him?” whispered G.o.dfrey.
”Not it. Bunny can climb like a cat. He'll be right up in the big gutter directly.”
The lad was quite correct, for, with wonderfully little noise, considering, the active fellow climbed up by the huge old stems of the ivy, and a couple of minutes later he was standing in the stone gutter, holding on by the division between the open cas.e.m.e.nts.
”Catch hold of this 'ere bundle--on my back,” he whispered. ”It's only hanging on by the strap over my neck.”
Waller did as he was told, and, pulling the strap over the man's head, he drew a big soft bundle into the room.
”That's your sort,” whispered Bunny. ”If I tried to clamber in with that on it would have ketched.”
The next moment he was gliding in over the window-sill, slowly and softly like a huge black slug, and ended by seating himself cross-legged on the floor.
”Anybody hear me if I talk?”
”No, but speak low,” whispered Waller, while G.o.dfrey's breath was quite audible as he breathed hard in his excitement. ”We were beginning to think that you did not mean to come.”
”What call had you got to think that?” grumbled the man in a hoa.r.s.e whisper. ”I went directly.--How are you, young gentleman?--My brother-in-law Jem had gone to sea, and I had to wait; and here I am now, large as life and twiced as ugly.”
”But has your brother-in-law come back?”
”Oh, ay, he's got back.”
”And will he take my friend across to Cherbourg?”
”Oh, I have been having a long fight with him about that, sir. He's got a nasty disposition, he has. I telled him that I'd give him a good price for doing the job, and that I'd go as far as three pounds.”
”What!” cried Waller. ”I told you five.”
”To be sure you did, sir, but I warn't going to let him have all his own way, so I said three, meaning, if he argufied very much, to spring another pound and make it four. But he wouldn't. He stuck out for the five, and I had to promise him.”
”Oh, but you shouldn't have wasted time over that, Bunny.”
”Don't you tell me, Master Waller. I know brother Jem better than you do. He's a close-fisted one, brother Jem is, and he always takes care that them as buys his fish to sell ash.o.r.e shan't have too much profit.
Why, if I had offered him five pound right off he'd have held out for six. But don't you get wasting time talking. There aren't none to lose.”
”No time to lose? What do you mean?” said Waller.
”Ah, you don't know, then? The soldiers is coming here to-night.”
”To-night! Nonsense!” cried Waller. ”They have gone right away--to Chichester, I think.”
”Maybe they went, sir, but it warn't to Chichester; it was to Christchurch; and Tony Gusset got hold of something, and he's gone after them, and some one I know telled me they were coming here to-night, and don't mean to be put off this time.”
”Then I must go at once,” cried G.o.dfrey excitedly.
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