"Has he asked you?"

"Yes--yes," sobbed Hester. "Oh, if I could but die!"

"Shame on you," said Bessy. "Hester, I loved your husband very dearly once, and thought it all past now; and I have tried to love you for his sake. I will not be a partner in this mystery. To-morrow morning he shall hear all I know."

"No, no, no," cried Hester, in affright. "You must not tell. For heaven's sake do not speak a word. Perhaps help may come."

"I shall tell him," said Bessy firmly.

"You do not know what you say," wailed Hester, growing more pallid by the faint light of the lamp.

"I know a true honest man is being deceived, and that some scoundrel has frightened his weak young wife into silence, and--"

She said no more, for Hester rose horror-stricken and threw herself upon her knees, imploring her silence, and then, utterly overcome by her emotion, fainted dead away.

So long-continued was the swoon that Bessy was about to summon a.s.sistance when there was a faint sigh, and she revived.

"I was just going to send for Mr Meldon," said Bessy, kindly, as she kissed her.

"That is not as you kissed me to-day, Bessy," said Hester, sadly. "I would tell you gladly--all--all, if I only dared."

She hid her face shudderingly, and then, clinging tightly to Bessy, they remained silent for what must have been quite a couple of hours, when Bessy, who had been dozing off to sleep, suddenly started up to find Hester awake and standing up in a listening att.i.tude.

"What is it?" said Bessy, in alarm. "Hush! do you not hear?" whispered Hester, hoa.r.s.ely. "He is maddened and has turned upon them. Oh Dutch, my husband! G.o.d--protect--"

She said no more, but stood with white face and starting eyes, listening, for at that moment there was the sound of struggling overhead, a hoa.r.s.e shriek as of a man in mortal agony, a heavy fall--a rustling noise; and then, just by the little round window of their cabin, a heavy splash.

STORY ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

A RACE FOR LIFE.

That had been a tremendously hot day, but in the excitement of the silver-seeking the weather had been unnoticed; but as the night came on it seemed almost suffocating to those who were not moved by such pa.s.sionate emotions as Dutch Pugh and his wife.

Sam Oak.u.m had been till quite late standing chewing his tobacco, as he looked over the side watching the golden green water that heaved gently against the stern of the vessel, for, moored as she was, she did not swing with the tide, and after a time he went and joined 'Pollo, whose galley was, after all, no hotter than the rest of the ship.

From where they sat talking in a low voice, the encounter between Laure and Hester had not been heard, and when from time to time Oak.u.m thrust out his head and took a look round to see the faint glow from the cabin skylight, all was as still as death, and he drew his head in again and went on talking.

"Don't gawp like that, 'Pollo," said Oak.u.m at last, as his companion yawned in a fashion that was quite shark-like.

"I berry sleep and tired, Ma.s.s' Oak.u.m, sah; I had berry hot day."

"There, I'll soon wake you up, my lad."

"No, sah, I hope you do nuffum ob de sort, for I want go asleep."

Oak.u.m chuckled softly to himself, and then, just as 'Pollo was in the midst of a second yawn, he said:

"I wonder how much apiece the governors mean to give us."

'Pollo was wide awake on the instant.

"I no know, Ma.s.s' Oak.u.m, sah, but dey get so much for demselves dat they give us great big whack."

"I dunno," said Sam. "We ought to have made a bargain. But there, let's go down and turn in."

"No, sah, I tank you," said 'Pollo; "it ten time more hot down below dere dan in my galley, where de fire full go. Nuff to cook all de boys in de forksel, and make 'em come up brown in de morning. I not bit sleepy now, and when I am I lie down here on de deck and hab rest."

"Well it is a bit better up here, 'Pollo, for you can breathe."

"Yes, sah; can get de wind 'nuff to kip going. But 'bout de silber, sah. You tink dey get up all from down below?"

"Yes, 'Pollo, and I suppose we shall start next to get to another sunken wreck, and unload her."

"I tink, sah, I take de schooner close up to dat old wreck off de lilly island."

"So do I, 'Pollo; and what's more I will."

"I tink, sah, we ought get berry big lot ob silber for ourselb. If I tought dey turn shabby, I say let Ma.s.s' Oak.u.m and me go and get de whole ob de oder ship and cut de silber in two half, and take one apiece."

"Very pretty, 'Pollo, if we could do it: but as we can't, let's be content with what we get from the governors."

"Yah--yah--yah--yah," laughed 'Pollo softly.

"Now then, what are you grinning about?" said Oak.u.m.

"I tink, sah, about de sunken ship and de silber."

"What of it?"

"I tink, sah, how funny it am if we came out here, find de sunk ship, pull up all de silber, and den if we go and lose de ship somewheres else, and all de silber go to de bottom again."

"I say, young fellow," growled Sam, "don't you get croaking like that.

'Taint lucky."

"No, sah; wouldn't be lucky lose all de silber again. I tink I know how much I go to hab for my share."

"Enough to make you an independent gentleman for life, 'Pollo."

"You tink so, sah?" chuckled 'Pollo.

"Sartin sure."

"Den I wear white hankcher and white wescoat ebery day; and make some darn n.i.g.g.ah clean my boots free times over. Yah, yah, yah."

"Here, I shall be smothered if I stop up here much longer, 'Pollo," said Oak.u.m, stepping out upon the deck, where all was dark and silent, only a very faint light now coming up through the cabin skylight.