Part 84 (1/2)

”No, sir,” cried the middy cheerily. ”Only two _Seafowls_ winged, sir!”

”Nay, sir, not me!” growled the seaman belonging to the second cutter.

”I arn't winged, sir; I'm hind-legged, and I should have had to hop if it warn't for these n.i.g.g.e.rs here.”

”Mr Murray, I can't spare you. Tom May, you take Mr Murray's place and help me cover the retreat with all the men. Mr Murray, do the best you can with the wounded, and then join us here.”

”No, no, sir,” cried Roberts. ”I've got a handkerchief round my arm, sir; Seddon tied it, and he's done his own leg up himself.”

”Bravo!” cried the lieutenant. ”Keep together, my lads. Here, you Caesar, can't you make some of your fellows fight?”

”Caesar try, ma.s.sa; try berry hard. Much frighten of Ma.s.sa Huggin.”

”Tell them to fight for their lives if they won't for their liberty.”

”Yes, sah. Caesar try all he can;” and the black made a rush at one of his retreating companions whom he saw in the act of throwing away his rough cutla.s.s; and catching him by the shoulder he gave him a heavy cuff on the ear and then forced him to pick up the weapon he had discarded and join a few compatriots who were making something of a stand.

”There's no trusting them, sir,” said Murray, who was breathing hard with excitement.

”And no wonder, Murray; all the courage has been crushed out of them, poor wretches.”

As Mr Anderson spoke there was a burst of startled yells and cries, following directly upon the reports of several muskets, and what seemed to be quite a crowd of the retreating blacks came rus.h.i.+ng along the path right upon where the _Seafowl's_ men were making a stand.

”Here, where are you coming to?” roared Tom May, in his deep-toned voice. ”Keep back, or go round, or crawl, or do something, or we'll give _you_ a blessed good dose of b.u.t.t-ending.--Who's to fire, do you think,” continued the big sailor, ”with you all coming in the way?”

At that moment Caesar made a rush in amongst the s.h.i.+vering retreating party, striking to right and left with the flat of his machete.

”Here, what are you up to, darkie?” cried the big sailor. ”Them's friends.”

”Yes, sah,” panted the black. ”Caesar know. Make 'em fight.”

”Oh, that's it, is it?” growled May, ”but I don't see as you will do any good. They won't fight, and I don't know as I want 'em to; but they might let us.”

”Do what you can to clear the way, man.”

There was the sound of more trampling feet, a burst of yells, more firing, and Tom May shouted in protest--

”Beg pardon, sir; what are we to do? Some more of our fellows will be down directly, and we can't fire a shot for fear of hitting our friends.

I never see such friends,” he growled; ”they're worse than enemies.”

”Look out, my lads,” shouted Murray excitedly. ”Fire! Here they come!

No, no--over their heads,” he cried. ”These are more friends.”

In his excitement the middy struck up a couple of presented muskets with the cutla.s.s he handled, his example being followed by the lieutenant, doubtless the saving of Caesar's life, for the brave black had dashed in amongst his companions, thrusting them to the right and left in amongst the trees, just as several of the sailors fired, fully half of them firing in the air.

Fortunately the reports were as effective as a volley would have been aimed right into the advancing enemy, who pulled up short and then began to retire, giving the poor flying wretches an opportunity to recover themselves a little, and realise that there was some shelter to be obtained behind the st.u.r.dy English sailors, who stood firm, while Caesar worked hard at forming them up where they stood, and with such good effect that about forty of them grasped their rough cutla.s.ses more firmly and showed some signs of using them against their foes now that these latter had ceased to advance.

”Well done, my lad,” cried the lieutenant; ”if you can find a couple of score like yourself we'll send these black fiends and their white leaders to the right-about.”