“You’ll have plenty to do by and by, Tom, depend upon it.”
“Hope so, sir, but I want something to do now. Couldn’t do a bit o’ fishing, could I, sir?”
“No, Tom; we have no hooks and lines.”
“That’s a pity, sir. Seems to me that one might catch a good dish for the gunroom mess, and a few over for the men, judging from the way they bit out in the lagoon there, sir.”
“We’re on duty, Tom.”
“O’ course, sir. What do you say to me and a couple of the lads cutting bamboos and routing out the snakes I heered yonder in the roof. Too dangerous, perhaps, sir?”
“Much, Tom, and I don’t think it would accord with our duty here.”
“No, sir; o’ course not, but you’ll excuse me, sir?”
Murray nodded, and then, feeling hot and drowsy with the heat and silence, he suddenly recalled what the planter had said about summoning the servants if he wanted anything.
“Fruit!” he said to himself. “Well, I’ll begin with a good drink of water.—I’m going to have a look round, Tom,” he said quietly.