“Thankye, sir; I’m glad of it,” said the man eagerly; and he followed his officer promptly as he walked round the cottage, and said a few words to his sentries, who seemed to gladly welcome the coming of some one to relieve the silence and monotony of their task.
As he passed round the extreme pale of the garden-like clearing, Murray noted more than ever how the grounds were enclosed by a natural hedge of the densest kind, so that it was like a wall of verdure which was admirably tended and for the most part of the tropical kind, being kept clipped and intertwined to such an extent that it would have been impossible for wild creatures if they haunted the island to pass through.
Returning to the front, and after glancing at his boat, Murray signed to the big sailor to follow him, and entered through the verandah and the porch into the armoury-like hall, where he stood listening for a few moments before making a gesture to silence his man, who was about to speak. For Tom stood with wrinkled brow gazing hard at the screen which covered the way up to where the hammocks hung, as if rather uneasy in his mind about what that screen covered.
“I’ll be back directly, Tom,” said Murray, and then he went on tiptoe into the room he had mentally dubbed the study, and found that apparently the planter had not stirred, but was plunged in the deep sleep of exhaustion.
“I will not wake him,” thought the lad, and after gazing down at the worn and wasted countenance before him, his eyes again wandered over the walls and their decorations. He again noted the case upon the table, and then stepped back to where his man stood musket in hand watching the screen.
“Well, Tom,” said the lad; “heard anything of the snakes?”
“No, sir, and I’ve been listening for ’em for all I’m worth. I don’t think they’ll stir onless they hear the way up shook. Seems a rum place to get up and sleep. I should expect to find the snakes had took the hammocks first.”
“Well, we’re not going to disturb them, my lad; but come into that other room; I want a glass of water, and I suppose you could manage a drink too.”
“Thankye, sir; I just could—a big one. I should ha’ ventured to ask if I might get one, only I’m pretty sure that lake water’s as salt as brine.”
“There must be a spring somewhere,” said the lad, and making his way into the room that was used for meals, he advanced to the table at one side, where there was another hand-bell. “I don’t want to awaken our prisoner, Tom,” he said. “Here, take up the bell and go through to the back where the pantry place is, and ring gently.”