Part 63 (2/2)

”Would you like to see our doctor, sir?” asked Murray.

”No, no; thank you, no; it is only weakness,” was the reply. ”I have often been like this, and it will soon pa.s.s off. I shall go off to sleep before many minutes have pa.s.sed, and wake up rested and refreshed.”

”Then you would like me to leave you for a while?” asked Murray.

”I should be most grateful, sir,” was the reply, ”and I shall sleep in peace now, feeling safe in the knowledge that I have the protection of a guard.”

The planter had opened his eyes to speak, and now closed them tightly, leaving his guardian to glance round the room, which had but the one door, that by which they had entered; while the window was open save that one widely arranged green jalousie shut out some of the suns.h.i.+ne and subdued the light that floated in.

Murray stepped out, after noticing that an oblong, shallow, bra.s.s-bound box lay upon a side-table--a box whose configuration had but one meaning for the lad, and that was of a warlike or self-protective character, an idea which was strengthened by the fact that an ordinary military sword was hung above the mantelpiece.

”Sword and pistols,” thought the lad. ”What does he want with so many weapons? I should have considered that there were enough in the hall without these.”

He noticed that there was a hand-bell upon the side-table, a fact which suggested that a servant was within reach, and as the lad stood in the hall once more he looked about him, and then, feeling that he had entered upon a special charge, he crossed to the next door, that facing the one he had just left, and upon thrusting it open found himself in what was evidently used as a dining-room, being about double the size of the other, and having two windows whose lath-like shutters half darkened the room.

”I don't want to play spy all over the house,” said Murray to himself, ”but I am in charge of this planter fellow, and I ought to know who is about the place. But I don't know,” he muttered; ”it isn't the duty of a naval officer.”

Frowning slightly, he stepped out on to the bamboo platform again and signed to the big sailor to follow him back to the door.

”Here, Tom,” he said, and glancing down at the man's bare feet, he added, in a low tone, ”You have no shoes on, so just go quietly through the bottom of the building and see what rooms there are and what black servants are about.”

”Ay, ay, sir!” said the man softly.

”Go quietly,” added Murray; ”the owner is ill and has dropped asleep.”

”Ay, ay, sir!” replied the sailor, and in regular able-seaman swing upon the points of his toes he stepped out of the hall-like central room of the place, taking in the little armoury the while, and left his officer alone, the door closing behind him as silently as he stepped.

”How still it all is,” thought the middy, and he went cautiously back to the little room which he looked upon as the planter's study, pressed the door slightly open, and peered in, to see that the occupant had not stirred, while his deep breathing now sounded plainly, till Murray let the door fall to and went back towards that through which Tom May had pa.s.sed upon his mission.

As the middy approached, it was drawn open again.

”Hallo, Tom!” said the lad. ”Back already?”

”Ay, ay, sir! There's on'y two cabins to look at there, and one's a cook's galley, and t'other's stooard's pantry.”

”Did you see the black servants?”

”No, sir, and there ain't no white uns neither.”

”Sort of summer-house,” thought Murray; and then in connection with his duty he told the sailor to go up-stairs and examine the bedrooms.

”Which way does the cabin ladder lie, sir?” asked the man.

”I don't know, Tom,” was the reply. ”Try that door.”

He pointed to one that was on the far side of the hall and had struck him at first as a movable panel to close up a fire-place; but upon the light cane frame being drawn out it revealed a perpendicular flight of steps, up which the sailor drew himself lightly and lowered himself down again.

”Well?”

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