Next morning Lestrange, asleep in the house, was awakened by a child’s laughter.
Dick had vanished from the corner where he slept, fetched out by Kearney, whose voice could be heard in admonition.
“Now then, Dick M, now then lave that down or I’ll put you back in the house. Lave that down, I tell you.” Silence.
Lestrange peeped out and saw the man and the child.
Kearney must have been up a good while, for a fire was alight in a little slip to the right where there was evidence that the old occupants of the place had often done their cooking, a kettle was on the fire and crockery-ware from the Ranatonga graced the sward close by, and a coffee pot. Kearney was getting breakfast ready whilst the child stood by him; on the sward, a bit away, hopping about and watching the preparations with bright eyes, was a newcomer, a bird with brilliant plumage.
Lestrange dressed himself and came out whilst the coffee was being made, filling the air with its perfume.
“Why do you call him Dick M?” asked Lestrange, taking his seat on the sward as the other went on with his preparations, whilst the child, who had lost interest in the business, was stalking the bird.
“Well, sir,” said Kearney, “it’s just a name he give himself on board the ship. Bowers labelled him Dick and I says to him, ‘What’s your name?’ I says, and ‘Dick M,’ says he, and then he closed up. He’s the silentest kid I’ve ever struck—and I’m thinking those that brought him up mustn’t have had much use for their tongues.” Mr. Kearney, led away by his own tongue, suddenly closed up himself, but Lestrange did not notice; his mind was on other matters. He had taken his seat with his face to the house, and as the meal progressed his thoughts showed themselves.
“Kearney,” said he, “look at that roof and those walls. Can you cut me some canes and get me some of those leaves for thatching? I have been examining the thatch from the inside and it is quite simple. The leaves seem stitched to the big canes that form the beams.”
“Lord, sir,” said Kearney, “you needn’t trouble about that. I’ll do the job when I get things a bit more ship-shape; canvas would be better than them leaves, and there’s a big roll of spare canvas Captain Stanistreet left, thinkin’ I’d like to make a tent.”