for the term of his natural life- 第71部分

Jones　took　the　strings　in　his　hands；　and；　with　his　signal…book　open　before　him；　was　about　to　acknowledge　the　message；　when　Rex　stopped　him。　〃Send　this　message；〃　he　said。　　〃NOT　SEEN！　　SIGNAL　SENT　TO　EAGLEHAWK！〃

Jones　paused　irresolutely。　　He　was　himself　a　convict；　and　dreaded　the　inevitable　cat　that　he　knew　would　follow　this　false　message。　〃If　they　finds　me　out〃　he　said。　　Rex　cocked　the　carbine　with　so　decided　a　meaning　in　his　black　eyes　that　Joneswho　could　be　brave　enough　on　occasionsbanished　his　hesitation　at　once；　and　began　to　signal　eagerly。　　There　came　up　a　clinking　of　metal；　and　a　murmur　from　below。　〃What's　keepin'　yer；　Dandy？〃

〃All　right。　　Get　those　irons　off；　and　then　we'll　talk；　boys。　I'm　putting　salt　on　old　Burgess's　tail。〃　The　rough　jest　was　received　with　a　roar；　and　Jones；　looking　momentarily　down　from　his　window　on　the　staging；　saw；　in　the　waning　light；　a　group　of　men　freeing　themselves　from　their　irons　with　a　hammer　taken　from　the　guard…house；　while　two；　already　freed；　were　casting　buckets　of　water　on　the　beacon　wood…pile。　The　sentry　was　lying　bound　at　a　little　distance。

〃Now；〃　said　the　leader　of　this　surprise　party；　〃signal　to　Woody　Island。〃　Jones　perforce　obeyed。　　〃Say；　'AN　ESCAPE　AT　THE　MINES！　　WATCH　ONE…TREE　POINT！　SEND　ON　TO　EAGLEHAWK！'　Quick　now！〃

Jonescomprehending　at　once　the　force　of　this　manoeuvre；　which　would　have　the　effect　of　distracting　attention　from　the　Neckexecuted　the　order　with　a　grin。　　〃You're　a　knowing　one；　Dandy　Jack；〃　said　he。

John　Rex　acknowledged　the　compliment　by　uncocking　the　carbine。　〃Hold　out　your　hands！Jemmy　Vetch！〃　〃Ay；　ay；〃　replied　the　Crow；　from　beneath。　〃Come　up　and　tie　our　friend　Jones。　　Gabbett；　have　you　got　the　axes？〃　〃There's　only　one；〃　said　Gabbett；　with　an　oath。　　〃Then　bring　that；　and　any　tucker　you　can　lay　your　hands　on。　　Have　you　tied　him？　On　we　go　then。〃　And　in　the　space　of　five　minutes　from　the　time　when　unsuspecting　Harry　had　been　silently　clutched　by　two　forms；　who　rushed　upon　him　out　of　the　shadows　of　the　huts；　the　Signal　Hill　Station　was　deserted。

At　the　settlement　Burgess　was　foaming。　　Nine　men　to　seize　the　Long　Bay　boat；　and　get　half　an　hour's　start　of　the　alarm　signal；　was　an　unprecedented　achievement！　　What　could　Warder　Troke　have　been　about！　　Warder　Troke；　however；　found　eight　hours　afterwards；　disarmed；　gagged；　and　bound　in　the　scrub；　had　been　guilty　of　no　negligence。　　How　could　he　tell　that；　at　a　certain　signal　from　Dandy　Jack；　the　nine　men　he　had　taken　to　Stewart's　Bay　would　〃rush〃　him；　and；　before　he　could　draw　a　pistol；　truss　him　like　a　chicken？　The　worst　of　the　gang；　Rufus　Dawes；　had　volunteered　for　the　hated　duties　of　pile…driving；　and　Troke　had　felt　himself　secure。　　How　could　he　possibly　guess　that　there　was　a　plot；　in　which　Rufus　Dawes；　of　all　men；　had　refused　to　join？

Constables；　mounted　and　on　foot；　were　despatched　to　scour　the　bush　round　the　settlement。　　Burgess；　confident　from　the　reply　of　the　Signal　Hill　semaphore；　that　the　alarm　had　been　given　at　Eaglehawk　Isthmus；　promised　himself　the　re…capture　of　the　gang　before　many　hours；　and；　giving　orders　to　keep　the　communications　going；　retired　to　dinner。　His　convict　servants　had　barely　removed　the　soup　when　the　result　of　John　Rex's　ingenuity　became　manifest。

The　semaphore　at　Signal　Hill　had　stopped　working。

〃Perhaps　the　fools　can't　see；〃　said　Burgess。　　〃Fire　the　beaconand　saddle　my　horse。〃　The　beacon　was　fired。　　All　right　at　Mount　Arthur；　Mount　Communication；　and　the　Coal　Mines。　　To　the　westward　the　line　was　clear。　But　at　Signal　Hill　was　no　answering　light。　　Burgess　stamped　with　rage。　〃Get　me　my　boat's　crew　ready；　and　tell　the　Mines　to　signal　to　Woody　Island。〃　As　he　stood　on　the　jetty；　a　breathless　messenger　brought　the　reply。　〃A　BOAT'S　CREW　GONE　TO　ONE…TREE　POINT！　　FIVE　MEN　SENT　FROM　EAGLEHAWK　IN　OBEDIENCE　TO　ORDERS！〃　Burgess　understood　it　at　once。　　The　fellows　had　decoyed　the　Eaglehawk　guard。　　〃Give　way；　men！〃　And　the　boat；　shooting　into　the　darkness；　made　for　Long　Bay。　　〃I　won't　be　far　behind　'em；〃　said　the　Commandant；　〃at　any　rate。〃



Between　Eaglehawk　and　Signal　Hill　were；　for　the　absconders；　other　dangers。　Along　the　indented　coast　of　Port　Bunche　were　four　constables'　stations。　These　stationsmere　huts　within　signalling　distance　of　each　otherfringed　the　shore；　and　to　avoid　them　it　would　be　necessary　to　make　a　circuit　into　the　scrub。　　Unwilling　as　he　was　to　lose　time；　John　Rex　saw　that　to　attempt　to　run　the　gauntlet　of　these　four　stations　would　be　destruction。　The　safety　of　the　party　depended　upon　the　reaching　of　the　Neck　while　the　guard　was　weakened　by　the　absence　of　some　of　the　men　along　the　southern　shore；　and　before　the　alarm　could　be　given　from　the　eastern　arm　of　the　peninsula。　With　this　view；　he　ranged　his　men　in　single　file；　and；　quitting　the　road　near　Norfolk　Bay；　made　straight　for　the　Neck。　　The　night　had　set　in　with　a　high　westerly　wind；　and　threatened　rain。　　It　was　pitch　dark；　and　the　fugitives　were　guided　only　by　the　dull　roar　of　the　sea　as　it　beat　upon　Descent　Beach。　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　accident　of　a　westerly　gale；　they　would　not　have　had　even　so　much　assistance。

The　Crow　walked　first；　as　guide；　carrying　a　musket　taken　from　Harry。　Then　came　Gabbett；　with　an　axe；　followed　by　the　other　six；　sharing　between　them　such　provisions　as　they　had　obtained　at　Signal　Hill。　　John　Rex；　with　the　carbine；　and　Troke's　pistols；　walked　last。　　It　had　been　agreed　that　if　attacked　they　were　to　run　each　one　his　own　way。　　In　their　desperate　case；　disunion　was　strength。　　At　intervals；　on　their　left；　gleamed　the　lights　of　the　constables'　stations；　and　as　they　stumbled　onward　they　heard　plainer　and　more　plainly　the　hoarse　murmur　of　the　sea；　beyond　which　was　liberty　or　death。

After　nearly　two　hours　of　painful　progress；　Jemmy　Vetch　stopped；　and　whispered　them　to　approach。　　They　were　on　a　sandy　rise。　　To　the　left　was　a　black　objecta　constable's　hut；　to　the　right　was　a　dim　white　line　the　ocean；　in　front　was　a　row　of　lamps；　and　between　every　two　lamps　leapt　and　ran　a　dusky；　indistinct　body。　　Jemmy　Vetch　pointed　with　his　lean　forefinger。　　

〃The　dogs！〃

Instinctively　they　crouched　down；　lest　even　at　that　distance　the　two　sentries；　so　plainly　visible　in　the　red　light　of　the　guard…house　fire；　should　see　them。

〃Well；　bo's；〃　said　Gabbett；　〃what's　to　be　done　now？〃

As　he　spoke；　a　long　low　howl　broke　from　one　of　the　chained　hounds；　and　the　whole　kennel　burst　into　hideous　outcry。　　John　Rex；　who　perhaps　was　the　bravest　of　the　party；　shuddered。　　〃They　have　smelt　us；〃　he　said。　　〃We　must　go　on。〃

Gabbett　spat　in　his　palm；　and　took　firmer　hold　of　the　axe…handle。

〃Right　you　are；〃　he　said。　　〃I'll　leave　my　mark　on　some　of　them　before　this　night's　out！〃

On　the　opposite　shore　lights　began　to　move；　and　the　fugitives　could　hear　the　hurrying　tramp　of　feet。

〃Make　for　the　right…hand　side　of　the　jetty；〃　said　Rex　in　a　fierce　whisper。　〃I　think　I　see　a　boat　there。　　It　is　our　only　chance　now。　　We　can　never　break　through　the　station。　　Are　we　ready？　　Now！　　All　together！〃

Gabbett　was　fast　outstripping　the　others　by　some　three　feet　of　distance。　There　were　eleven　dogs；　two　of　whom　were　placed　on　stages　set　out　in　the　water；　and　they　were　so　chained　that　their　muzzles　nearly　touched。　　The　giant　leapt　into　the　line；　and　with　a　blow　of　his　axe　split　the　skull　of　the　beast　on　his　right　hand。　　This　action　unluckily　took　him　within　reach　of　the　other　dog；　which　seized　him　by　the　thigh。

〃Fire！〃　cried　McNab　from　the　other　side　of　the　lamps。

The　giant　uttered　a　cry　of　rage　and　pain；　and　fell　with　the　dog　under　him。　It　was；　however；　the　dog　who　had　pulled　him　down；　and　the　musket…ball　intended　for　him　struck　Travers　in　the　jaw。　　The　unhappy　villain　fell　like　Virgil's　Dares〃spitting　blood；　teeth；　and　curses。〃

Gabbett　clutched　the　mastiff's　throat　with　iron　hand；　and　forced　him　to　loose　his　hold；　then；　bellowing　with　fury；　seized　his　axe　and　sprang　forward；　mangled　as　he　was；　upon　the　nearest　soldier。　Jemmy　Vetch　had　been　beforehand　with　him。　　Uttering　a　low　snarl　of　hate；　he　fired；　and　shot　the　sentry　through　the　breast。　　The　others　rushed　through　the　now　broken　cordon；　and　made　headlong　for　the　boat。

〃Fools！〃　cried　Rex　behind　them。　　〃You　have　wasted　a　shot！　　LOOK　TO　YOUR　LEFT！〃

Burgess；　hurried　down　the　tramroad　by　his　men；　had　tarried　at　Signal　Hill　only　long　enough　to　loose　the　surprised　guard　from　their　bonds；　and　taking　the　Woody　Island　boat　was　pulling　with　a　fresh　crew　to　the　Neck。　The　reinforcement　was　not　ten　yards　from　the　jetty。

The　Crow　saw　the　danger；　and；　flinging　himself　into　the　water；　desperately　seized　McNab's　boat。

〃In　with　you　for　your　lives！〃　he　cried。　　Another　volley　from　the　guard　spattered　the　water　around　the　fugitives；　but　in　the　darkness　the　ill…aimed　bullets　fell　harmless。　　Gabbett　swung　himself　over　the　sheets；　and　seized　an　oar。

〃Cox；　Bodenham；　Greenhill！　　Now；　push　her　off！　　Jump；　Tom；　jump！〃　and　as　Burgess　leapt　to　land；　Cornelius　was　dragged　over　the　stern；　and　the　whale…boat　floated　into　deep　water。

McNab；　seeing　this；　ran　down　to　the　water…side　to　aid　the　Commandant。

〃Lift　her　over　the　Bar；　men！〃　he　shouted。　　〃With　a　willSo！〃　And；　raised　in　twelve　strong　arms；　the　pursuing　craft　slid　across　the　isthmus。

〃We've　five　minutes'　start；〃　said　Vetch　coolly；　as　he　saw　the　Commandant　take　his　place　in　the　stern　sheets。　　〃Pull　away；　my　jolly　boys；　and　we'll　best　'em　yet。〃

The　soldiers　on　the　Neck　fired　again　almost　at　random；　but　the　blaze　of　their　pieces　only　served　to　show　the　Commandant's　boat　a　hundred　yards　astern　of　that　of　the　mutineers；　which　had　already　gained　the　deep　water　of　Pirates'　Bay。

Then；　for　the　first　time；　the　six　prisoners　became　aware　that　John　Rex　was　not　among　them。




CHAPTER　XXIV。

IN　THE　NIGHT。



John　Rex　had　put　into　execution　the　first　part　of　his　scheme。

At　the　moment　when；　seeing　Burgess's　boat　near　the　sand…spit；　he　had　uttered　the　warning　cry　heard　by　Vetch；　he　turned　back　into　the　darkness；　and　made　for　the　water's　edge　at　a　point　some　distance　from　the　Neck。　　His　desperate　hope　was　that；　the　attention　of　the　guard　being　concentrated　on　the　escaping　boat；　he　might；　favoured　by　the　darkness　and　the　confusionswim　to　the　peninsula。　　It　was　not　a　very　marvellous　feat　to　accomplish；　and　he　had　confidence