“I tell you what,” said the lieutenant; “we shall all be busy getting up and mounting those guns, so I shall set you to find your mare’s-nest.”
“My what, sir?”
“Mare’s-nest, my lad. You shall have two of our most active lads well-armed. Take pistols yourself, and be careful with them. Go and search every hole and cranny you can. Find the thing you saw last night, and bring him or it to me. I’m satisfied it was no one from the Sirius, and it may be some young black sent across and landed to find out what he can.”
As soon as the morning meal was ended Syd set about his task, meeting with a lowering look from Terry as he passed him. Two smart young fellows were his companions, and the fact that he had a brace of loaded pistols stuck in his belt making him feel more important than ever he had felt before, till he came upon Strake, who was busy at the very part where he had seen the dark figure pass, and strengthening and adding to the tackle which was to be used to get up the guns.
“Mornin’, Mr Belton, sir,” said the boatswain; and stepping aside so as to be out of hearing, he said in a low voice, “’Member what I says to you when I was cleaning the cap’in’s pistols?”
“Yes, I remember, Barney,” said Syd, in the same low tone.
“Then I says it again, sir, that’s all.”
“I’ll take care,” said Syd; and he went on in advance of his men, but feeling as if the old boatswain had been cutting his comb.
An isolated mass of rock some eight or ten acres in extent does not suggest that there would be much difficulty in the way of search; but before they had gone many yards Syd realised that he had a very awkward task, and that a rope would be a very acceptable article for helping one another. This had to be fetched, and then once more they started, with Syd beginning to feel the responsibilities of his work, and the necessity for showing that he possessed energy and determination if he wished the men to obey.
They had not gone much past their first halting-place when he stopped and hesitated, for there were cracks and holes large enough to conceal any one, in all directions. As he stood looking round him, one of the men whispered to the other, and they both laughed.