“Not now, Master Vaughan, not now! There’s not a moment to be wasted in talk; we must take the route at once. I shall tell you as we go along.”
“Agreed, then,” cried Herbert. “If it’s a life and death matter, I’m with you—even to Savannah! No book-keeping to-day, Master Jessuron, and—” (the speaker only mentally pronounced the name) “Judith may well spare me for one day—especially for such a purpose as the saving of lives. All right; I’m with you, Captain Cubina.”
“Vamos!” cried the Maroon, hastily moving off. “For want of horses we must make our legs do double-quick time. These skulking scoundrels have sadly got the start of us.”
And saying this, he struck into the up-hill path, followed by Herbert—the taciturn lieutenant, no longer embarrassed by his bundle, keeping close in the rear.
The path Cubina had chosen appeared to conduct to Mount Welcome.
“You are not going there?” inquired Herbert, in a significant way, at the same time stopping, and appealing to his conductor for an answer.
It had just occurred to the nephew that a visit to his uncle’s house might place him in a position both unpleasant and embarrassing.
“No!” answered the Maroon; “there is no longer any need for us to go to the house: since the Custos has left it long hours ago. We could learn nothing there more than I know already. Besides, it’s half a mile out of our way. We should lose time; and that’s the most important of all. We shall presently turn out of this path, into one that leads over the mountain by the Jumbé Rock. That’s the shortest way to the Savannah road. Vamos!”
With this wind-up to his speech, the Maroon again moved on; and Herbert, his mind now at rest, strode silently after.
Up to this time the young Englishman had received no explanation of the object of the journey he was in the act of undertaking; nor had he asked any. The information, though as yet only covertly conveyed—that those dear to him were in danger—was motive enough for trusting the Maroon.