English
Mycuriosity,inasense,wasstrongerthanmyfear,forIcouldnotremainwhereIwas,butcreptbacktothebankagain,whence,shelteringmyheadbehindabushofbroom,Imightcommandtheroadbeforeourdoor.
Iwasscarcelyinpositioneremyenemiesbegantoarrive,sevenoreightofthem,runninghard,theirfeetbeatingoutoftimealongtheroadandthemanwiththelanternsomepacesinfront.
Threemenrantogether,handinhand;andImadeout,eventhroughthemist,thatthemiddlemanofthistriowastheblindbeggar.
ThenextmomenthisvoiceshowedmethatIwasright.
“Downwiththedoor!”hecried.
“Aye,aye,sir!”answeredtwoorthree;andarushwasmadeupontheAdmiralBenbow,thelantern-bearerfollowing;andthenIcouldseethempause,andhearspeechespassedinalowerkey,asiftheyweresurprisedtofindthedooropen.
Butthepausewasbrief,fortheblindmanagainissuedhiscommands.
Hisvoicesoundedlouderandhigher,asifhewereafirewitheagernessandrage.
“In,in,in!”heshouted,andcursedthemfortheirdelay.
Fourorfiveofthemobeyedatonce,tworemainingontheroadwiththeformidablebeggar.Therewasapause,thenacryofsurprise,andthenavoiceshoutingfromthehouse,“Bill’sdead.”
Buttheblindmansworeatthemagainfortheirdelay.
“Searchhim,someofyoushirkinglubbers,andtherestofyoualoftandgetthechest,”hecried.
Icouldheartheirfeetrattlingupouroldstairs,sothatthehousemusthaveshookwithit.
Promptlyafterwards,freshsoundsofastonishmentarose;thewindowofthecaptain’sroomwasthrownopenwithaslamandajingleofbrokenglass,andamanleanedoutintothemoonlight,headandshoulders,andaddressedtheblindbeggarontheroadbelowhim.
“Pew,”hecried,“they’vebeenbeforeus.Someone’sturnedthechestoutalowandaloft.”
“Isitthere?”roaredPew.
“Themoney’sthere.”
Theblindmancursedthemoney.
“Flint’sfist,Imean,”hecried.
“Wedon’tseeitherenohow,”returnedtheman.
“Here,youbelowthere,isitonBill?”criedtheblindmanagain.
Atthatanotherfellow,probablyhimwhohadremainedbelowtosearchthecaptain’sbody,cametothedooroftheinn.“Bill’sbeenoverhauleda’ready,”saidhe;“nothin’left.”
“It’sthesepeopleoftheinn—it’sthatboy.IwishIhadputhiseyesout!”criedtheblindman,Pew.“Therewerenotimeago—theyhadthedoorboltedwhenItriedit.Scatter,lads,andfind‘em.”
“Sureenough,theylefttheirglimhere,”saidthefellowfromthewindow.
“Scatterandfind‘em!Routthehouseout!”reiteratedPew,strikingwithhisstickupontheroad.
Thentherefollowedagreatto-dothroughallouroldinn,heavyfeetpoundingtoandfro,furniturethrownover,doorskickedin,untiltheveryrocksre-echoedandthemencameoutagain,oneafteranother,ontheroadanddeclaredthatwewerenowheretobefound.
Andjustthesamewhistlethathadalarmedmymotherandmyselfoverthedeadcaptain’smoneywasoncemoreclearlyaudiblethroughthenight,butthistimetwicerepeated.
Ihadthoughtittobetheblindman’strumpet,sotospeak,summoninghiscrewtotheassault,butInowfoundthatitwasasignalfromthehillsidetowardsthehamlet,andfromitseffectuponthebuccaneers,asignaltowarnthemofapproachingdanger.
“There’sDirkagain,”saidone.“Twice!We’llhavetobudge,mates.”
“Budge,youskulk!”criedPew.
“Dirkwasafoolandacowardfromthefirst—youwouldn’tmindhim.
Theymustbecloseby;theycan’tbefar;youhaveyourhandsonit.Scatterandlookforthem,dogs!
Oh,shivermysoul,”hecried,“ifIhadeyes!”
Thisappealseemedtoproducesomeeffect,fortwoofthefellowsbegantolookhereandthereamongthelumber,buthalf-heartedly,Ithought,andwithhalfaneyetotheirowndangerallthetime,whilethereststoodirresoluteontheroad.
“Youhaveyourhandsonthousands,youfools,andyouhangaleg!
You’dbeasrichaskingsifyoucouldfindit,andyouknowit’shere,andyoustandthereskulking.
Therewasn’toneofyoudaredfaceBill,andIdidit—ablindman!AndI’mtolosemychanceforyou!
I’mtobeapoor,crawlingbeggar,spongingforrum,whenImightberollinginacoach!
Ifyouhadthepluckofaweevilinabiscuityouwouldcatchthemstill.”
“Hangit,Pew,we’vegotthedoubloons!”grumbledone.
“Theymighthavehidtheblessedthing,”saidanother.“TaketheGeorges,Pew,anddon’tstandheresqualling.”
Squallingwasthewordforit;Pew’sangerrosesohighattheseobjectionstillatlast,hispassioncompletelytakingtheupperhand,hestruckatthemrightandleftinhisblindnessandhissticksoundedheavilyonmorethanone.
These,intheirturn,cursedbackattheblindmiscreant,threatenedhiminhorridterms,andtriedinvaintocatchthestickandwrestitfromhisgrasp.
Thisquarrelwasthesavingofus,forwhileitwasstillraging,anothersoundcamefromthetopofthehillonthesideofthehamlet—thetrampofhorsesgalloping.
Almostatthesametimeapistol-shot,flashandreport,camefromthehedgeside.
Andthatwasplainlythelastsignalofdanger,forthebuccaneersturnedatonceandran,separatingineverydirection,oneseawardalongthecove,oneslantacrossthehill,andsoon,sothatinhalfaminutenotasignofthemremainedbutPew.
Himtheyhaddeserted,whetherinsheerpanicoroutofrevengeforhisillwordsandblowsIknownot;butthereheremainedbehind,tappingupanddowntheroadinafrenzy,andgropingandcallingforhiscomrades.
Finallyhetookawrongturnandranafewstepspastme,towardsthehamlet,crying,“Johnny,BlackDog,Dirk,”andothernames,“youwon’tleaveoldPew,mates—notoldPew!”
Justthenthenoiseofhorsestoppedtherise,andfourorfiveriderscameinsightinthemoonlightandsweptatfullgallopdowntheslope.
AtthisPewsawhiserror,turnedwithascream,andranstraightfortheditch,intowhichherolled.
Buthewasonhisfeetagaininasecondandmadeanotherdash,nowutterlybewildered,rightunderthenearestofthecominghorses.
Theridertriedtosavehim,butinvain.
DownwentPewwithacrythatranghighintothenight;andthefourhoofstrampledandspurnedhimandpassedby.
Hefellonhisside,thengentlycollapseduponhisfaceandmovednomore.
Ileapedtomyfeetandhailedtheriders.
Theywerepullingup,atanyrate,horrifiedattheaccident;andIsoonsawwhattheywere.
One,tailingoutbehindtherest,wasaladthathadgonefromthehamlettoDr.Livesey’s;therestwererevenueofficers,whomhehadmetbytheway,andwithwhomhehadhadtheintelligencetoreturnatonce.
SomenewsoftheluggerinKitt’sHolehadfounditswaytoSupervisorDanceandsethimforththatnightinourdirection,andtothatcircumstancemymotherandIowedourpreservationfromdeath.
Pewwasdead,stonedead.Asformymother,whenwehadcarriedheruptothehamlet,alittlecoldwaterandsaltsandthatsoonbroughtherbackagain,andshewasnonetheworseforherterror,thoughshestillcontinuedtodeplorethebalanceofthemoney.
Inthemeantimethesupervisorrodeon,asfastashecould,toKitt’sHole;buthismenhadtodismountandgropedownthedingle,leading,andsometimessupporting,theirhorses,andincontinualfearofambushes;soitwasnogreatmatterforsurprisethatwhentheygotdowntotheHoletheluggerwasalreadyunderway,thoughstillclosein.Hehailedher.
Avoicereplied,tellinghimtokeepoutofthemoonlightorhewouldgetsomeleadinhim,andatthesametimeabulletwhistledclosebyhisarm.
Soonafter,theluggerdoubledthepointanddisappeared.
Mr.Dancestoodthere,ashesaid,“likeafishoutofwater,”andallhecoulddowastodispatchamantoB——towarnthecutter.
“Andthat,”saidhe,“isjustaboutasgoodasnothing.
They’vegotoffclean,andthere’sanend.
Only,”headded,“I’mgladItrodonMasterPew’scorns,”forbythistimehehadheardmystory.
IwentbackwithhimtotheAdmiralBenbow,andyoucannotimagineahouseinsuchastateofsmash;theveryclockhadbeenthrowndownbythesefellowsintheirfurioushuntaftermymotherandmyself;andthoughnothinghadactuallybeentakenawayexceptthecaptain’smoney-bagandalittlesilverfromthetill,Icouldseeatoncethatwewereruined.
Mr.Dancecouldmakenothingofthescene.
“Theygotthemoney,yousay?Well,then,Hawkins,whatinfortuneweretheyafter?Moremoney,Isuppose?”
“No,sir;notmoney,Ithink,”repliedI.“Infact,sir,IbelieveIhavethethinginmybreastpocket;andtotellyouthetruth,Ishouldliketogetitputinsafety.”
“Tobesure,boy;quiteright,”saidhe.“I’lltakeit,ifyoulike.”
“IthoughtperhapsDr.Livesey—”Ibegan.
“Perfectlyright,”heinterruptedverycheerily,“perfectlyright—agentlemanandamagistrate.
And,nowIcometothinkofit,Imightaswellrideroundtheremyselfandreporttohimorsquire.
MasterPew’sdead,whenall’sdone;notthatIregretit,buthe’sdead,yousee,andpeoplewillmakeitoutagainstanofficerofhisMajesty’srevenue,ifmakeitouttheycan.
Now,I’lltellyou,Hawkins,ifyoulike,I’lltakeyoualong.”
Ithankedhimheartilyfortheoffer,andwewalkedbacktothehamletwherethehorseswere.BythetimeIhadtoldmotherofmypurposetheywereallinthesaddle.
“Dogger,”saidMr.Dance,“youhaveagoodhorse;takeupthisladbehindyou.”
AssoonasIwasmounted,holdingontoDogger’sbelt,thesupervisorgavetheword,andthepartystruckoutatabouncingtrotontheroadtoDr.Livesey’shouse.
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