By the time that I had finished, everything was back into its old berth, with the exception of about a couple of canoe-loads of heavy articles, which might be run on board in twenty minutes or half an hour, and then we should be ready to start at a moment’s notice.
I even contrived to take our tube-boat to pieces and stow her away below, though the tubes gave me some trouble in getting them inboard; but I managed this at last by parbuckling them up over the side with the aid of the throat-halliards.
Of course I kept a strict watch on the tree near the summit all this time; but no signal fluttered from it, so I assumed that they were all too busy on board the brig to make explorations, relying on their numbers for safety in case of an attack; or else, that whatever explorations might be afoot were being conducted by land.
At length everything was done that my unaided efforts could effect; and then, taking Ella on shore with me in the canoe, I set out for another walk up the ravine in quest of a little more fruit, to complete our sea-stock. I was rather anxious to take as much of this as possible to sea with me, for I have always held the belief that the fruit which flourishes best in any particular climate, if partaken of in moderation, is beneficial to the health whilst breathing the air of that climate.
Ella expressed her surprise once or twice during the day, both at the somewhat abrupt manner in which our encampment on shore was broken up, and at Bob’s sudden predilection for so unsailorlike an amusement as mountain-climbing; but I answered her carelessly, anxious not to alarm the dear little girl by acquainting her with the fact that we had unexpectedly acquired such very undesirable neighbours.
Near the head of the ravine, I was fortunate enough to come upon a banana-tree laden with exceptionally fine fruit, and I succeeded in possessing myself of two noble bunches of bananas which had arrived at exactly the right condition for cutting. Each bunch was as heavy as I could well lift, and, having got them to the ground without bruising any of the fruit, I cut a strong stake, and placed it, with a bunch at each end, fair in the pathway which I knew Bob would take on his way to the beach, feeling certain he would know why it was placed there, and would bring it down with him.
We then returned, cutting a few splendid pines and gathering a little breadfruit and a few figs as we went, and paddled back to the cutter, where Ella and I remained, fully occupied with each other, until it was quite dark, when, just as the little fairy was on the point of going below to see to the tea, I heard Bob’s hail, and, jumping into the canoe, I soon joined him on the beach.
“Well, Harry,” said he, as I drew the light canoe up a foot or two on the beach, “it seems that you haven’t been noways idle whilst I’ve been aloft there spying into the inimy’s movements. I hardly knowed what to make of it when I first found the tents struck and ’most everything gone. But I’m glad in one sense that matters is so far for’ard, though I’m sorry in another; for I’m greatly afeared you’ve been working hard and have tired yourself, and there’s just a chance of our havin’ our hands full of work to-night. I stumbled over these here bananas as I was coming down the ravine, and brought ’em along, as I s’pose it was intended I should.”
“Just so,” I answered. “Now let me hear the result of your day’s observations. I have amused myself, as you see, in getting as many of our things as I could back into the cutter; for I felt that, in the present condition of affairs, it may be imperatively necessary for us to be off at a moment’s notice. But I do not feel very much fatigued; I am picking up strength rapidly, and my experience of to-day has shown me that I am stronger than I really thought I was. There are a few things still lying about here which were rather too heavy for me single-handed; but when these are on board and stowed away, we can be off at any moment.”
“So much the better,” returned Bob. “Let’s get a few on ’em into the canoe to once’t, and whilst we’re working I can be telling ye what I’ve see’d from my perch up aloft there. It won’t take very long in the telling. In the first place, two boats has been right to the south eend of the island. They went away full o’ men, and landed all hands, excepting a couple of men in each boat; and while the shore party was reg’lar beating the woods the boats paddled slowly back, keepin’ close in shore, to take their shipmates off in case of anything going wrong, at least that was my idee. Then I soon made out that another party was working their way to the nor’ard from their camp, giving this eend of the island a overhaul. I see’d ’em often, crossing the open country between the different clumps of trees, and was able once or twice to hear faintly their shouts to one another. This lot would ha’ made me very oneasy, hadn’t I give the place such a complete overhaul myself no later’n yesterday, for they seemed to be bent on getting up the bit of a mountain, and stood off and on, this way and that, as though they wouldn’t be beat; but they had to give it up at last and go back, though I make no manner of doubt as they’ve pretty well decided to come this way with a boat to-morrer, and finish their surwey of the island. So much for the shore gang. They’re all back in their camp by this time, and if they don’t sleep without rocking it won’t be for want of walking, and shouting, and hollering; and let me tell ye, lad, it’s no joke to be fighting your way through thick bush for hours at a time, as most of them chaps have been doing this blessed hot day.