“You talk of your people hiding, and men not being able to find you; but did you never hear of bloodhounds, that can hunt you down, and chew you up? Did you never hear of them?”
The man’s face wrinkled like a rag, for there is one thing the native fears more than all else, and that is the tooth of the hound. But he gathered courage, and said: “The governor has no hounds. There ain’t none in Jamaica. We know dat—all of us know dat—all of us know dat, massa.”
Michael Clones laughed, and it was not pleasant to hear. “It may be the governor has no bloodhounds, and would not permit their being brought into the island, but my master is bringing them in himself—a lot with their drivers from Cuba, and you Maroons will have all you can do to hide. Sure, d’ye think every wan in the island is as foolish as the governor? If you do, y’are mistaken, and that’s all there is to say.”
“The hounds not here—in de island, massa!” declared the Maroon questioningly.
“They’ll be here within the next few hours, and then where will you and your pals be? You’ll be caught between sharp teeth—nice, red, sharp, bloody teeth; and you’ll make good steak-better than your best olio.”
The native gave a moan—it was the lament of one whose crime was come tete-a-tete with its own punishment.
“That’s the game to play,” said Michael to himself as he fastened the door tight. “The hounds will settle this fool-rebellion quicker than aught else. Mr. Calhoun’s a wise man, and he ought to be governor here. Criminal? As much as the angel Gabriel! He must put down this rebellion—no wan else can. They’re stronger, the Maroons, than ever they’ve been. They’ve planned this with skill, and they’ll need a lot of handlin’. We’re safe enough here, but down there at Salem—well, they may be caught in the bloody net. Bedad, that’s sure.”
A few moments afterwards he met Dyck Calhoun. “Michael,” said Dyck, “things are safe enough here, but we’ve prepared! The overseers, bookkeepers and drivers are loyal enough. But there are others not so safe. I’m going to Salem-riding as hard as I can, with six of our best men. They’re not so daft at Salem as we are, Michael. They won’t know how to act or what to do. Darius Boland is a good man, but he’s only had Virginian experience, and this is different. A hundred Maroons are as good as a thousand white soldiers in the way the Maroons fight. There are a thousand of them, and they can lay waste this island, if they get going. So I shall stop them. The hounds are outside the harbour now, Michael. The ship Vincent, bringing them, was sighted by a sloop two days ago, making slowly for Kingston. She should be here before we’ve time to turn round. Michael, the game is in our hands, if we play it well. Do you go down to Kingston and—”
He detailed what Michael was to do on landing the hounds, and laid out plans for the immediate future. “They’re in danger at Salem, Michael, so we must help them. The hounds will settle this whole wretched business.”
Michael told him of his prisoner, and what effect the threat about the hounds had had. A look of purpose came into Dyck’s face.