“Well,” he continued, “that’s what I did do, as it was dark. I got behind the door with that there stick in my hand, just as I heard the key rattling in the lock, and then the door was opened, and the leaves rustled, and I saw just dimly that there long-haired chap’s head come in slowly; and he seemed to me to look puzzled, as he stared at the heap of leaves as if he thought I’d crept under ’em and gone to sleep.”
At this moment I looked round, to see in the bright moonlight the faces of the master and the two fishermen watching Esau excitedly, as they waited for the end of the scene he described. Gunson’s face was in shadow now, but he too was leaning forward, while, in the interest of the recollection of what he had passed through, Esau began to act as well as speak. He raised one hand as if it was still grasping the head-aching stick, and leaned toward the listeners, looking from one to the other as he spoke, and as if the narrative was intended expressly for them and not for us.
“All at once,” continued Esau, “he took a step
forward toward the heap of leaves, and then another, and then he turned sharply round as if he had heard me move or felt I was close behind him. But when a man tries to jump out of the way, he don’t move so quickly as a big stick. I’d got that well up with both hands, and down it came right on his head, and there he was lying just about where him and the rest of ’em had pitched me.”
“Ah!” ejaculated the master, and his two companions gave a shout and jumped up.
“Sit down, will yew!” he shouted. “Want to swamp the boat. He arn’t done yet.”
“Not quite,” said Esau. “I felt horrid frightened as soon as I’d done it, for fear I’d given it him too hard, and I turned to run out of the place, but I could hear a lot of men talking, so I took out the key, put it inside, and shut and locked the door. Then I clambered up the side and soon had some of those wooden slates off, to find as I crawled on to the roof that it was quite evening, and whereabouts I was to get down I couldn’t tell. I dare not stop though, for fear the others should come to look after their mate, so unfastening the rope from my waist I tied it to a rafter, slid down as far as it would reach, and hung swinging at the end, thinking that it was all no good, for you two would be gone; and then I dropped, and found myself in a yard.
“Some one saw me and shouted,” continued Esau, “but I didn’t stop to hear what he had to say, for I went over first one fence and then another till I got out into a lane, at the bottom of which was a street; and then I went into one after the other, looking like a fellow begging, till I knew where I was, and got down at last to the hotel.”
“And well done too!” cried Gunson, clapping him on the shoulder. “All to get me a new pipe, eh?”