in search of the castaways-第80章

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h　without　him；　and　that　consequently　his　absence　would　not　in　the　least　prejudice　the　Captain's　interests。　〃Well；　go；　Ayrton；〃　said　Glenarvan。　　〃Be　as　quick　as　you　can；　and　come　back　by　Eden　to　our　camp。〃　A　gleam　of　satisfaction　shot　across　the　quartermaster's　face。　He　turned　away　his　head；　but　not　before　John　Mangles　caught　the　look　and　instinctively　felt　his　old　distrust　of　Ayrton　revive。　The　quartermaster　made　immediate　preparations　for　departure；　assisted　by　the　two　sailors；　one　of　whom　saw　to　the　horse　and　the　other　to　the　provisions。　　Glenarvan；　meantime；　wrote　his　letter　for　Tom　Austin。　　He　ordered　his　chief　officer　to　repair　without　delay　to　Twofold　Bay。　　He　introduced　the　quartermaster　to　him　as　a　man　worthy　of　all　confidence。　On　arriving　at　the　coast；　Tom　was　to　dispatch　a　detachment　of　sailors　from　the　yacht　under　his　orders。　Glenarvan　was　just　at　this　part　of　his　letter；　when　McNabbs；　who　was　following　him　with　his　eyes；　asked　him　in　a　singular　tone；　how　he　wrote　Ayrton's　name。　〃Why；　as　it　is　pronounced；　of　course；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　〃It　is　a　mistake；〃　replied　the　Major　quietly。　　〃He　pronounces　it　AYRTON；　but　he　writes　it　_Ben　Joyce！_〃

CHAPTER　XVII　THE　PLOT　UNVEILED

THE　revelation　of　Tom　Ayrton's　name　was　like　a　clap　of　thunder。　Ayrton　had　started　up　quickly　and　grasped　his　revolver。　A　report　was　heard；　and　Glenarvan　fell　wounded　by　a　ball。　Gunshots　resounded　at　the　same　time　outside。　John　Mangles　and　the　sailors；　after　their　first　surprise；　would　have　seized　Ben　Joyce；　but　the　bold　convict　had　already　disappeared　and　rejoined　his　gang　scattered　among　the　gum…trees。　The　tent　was　no　shelter　against　the　balls。　　It　was　necessary　to　beat　a　retreat。　　Glenarvan　was　slightly　wounded；　but　could　stand　up。　〃To　the　wagonto　the　wagon！〃　cried　John　Mangles；　dragging　Lady　Helena　and　Mary　Grant　along；　who　were　soon　in　safety　behind　the　thick　curtains。　John　and　the　Major；　and　Paganel　and　the　sailors　seized　their　carbines　in　readiness　to　repulse　the　convicts。　Glenarvan　and　Robert　went　in　beside　the　ladies；　while　Olbinett　rushed　to　the　common　defense。　These　events　occurred　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning。　John　Mangles　watched　the　skirts　of　the　wood　attentively。　The　reports　had　ceased　suddenly　on　the　arrival　of　Ben　Joyce；　profound　silence　had　succeeded　the　noisy　fusillade。　A　few　wreaths　of　white　smoke　were　still　curling　over　the　tops　of　the　gum　trees。　　The　tall　tufts　of　gastrolobium　were　motionless。　All　signs　of　attack　had　disappeared。　The　Major　and　John　Mangles　examined　the　wood　closely　as　far　as　the　great　trees；　the　place　was　abandoned。　　Numerous　footmarks　were　there　and　several　half…burned　caps　were　lying　smoking　on　the　ground。　The　Major；　like　a　prudent　man；　extinguished　these　carefully；　for　a　spark　would　be　enough　to　kindle　a　tremendous　conflagration　in　this　forest　of　dry　trees。　〃The　convicts　have　disappeared！〃　said　John　Mangles。　〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Major；　〃and　the　disappearance　of　them　makes　me　uneasy。　　I　prefer　seeing　them　face　to　face。　Better　to　meet　a　tiger　on　the　plain　than　a　serpent　in　the　grass。　Let　us　beat　the　bushes　all　round　the　wagon。〃　The　Major　and　John　hunted　all　round　the　country；　but　there　was　not　a　convict　to　be　seen　from　the　edge　of　the　wood　right　down　to　the　river。　Ben　Joyce　and　his　gang　seemed　to　have　flown　away　like　a　flock　of　marauding　birds。　　It　was　too　sudden　a　disappearance　to　let　the　travelers　feel　perfectly　safe；　consequently　they　resolved　to　keep　a　sharp　lookout。　The　wagon；　a　regular　fortress　buried　in　mud；　was　made　the　center　of　the　camp；　and　two　men　mounted　guard　round　it；　who　were　relieved　hour　by　hour。　The　first　care　of　Lady　Helena　and　Mary　was　to　dress　Glenarvan's　wound。　Lady　Helena　rushed　toward　him　in　terror；　as　he　fell　down　struck　by　Ben　Joyce's　ball。　　Controlling　her　agony；　the　courageous　woman　helped　her　husband　into　the　wagon。　Then　his　shoulder　was　bared；　and　the　Major　found；　on　examination；　that　the　ball　had　only　gone　into　the　flesh；　and　there　was　no　internal　lesion。　　Neither　bone　nor　muscle　appeared　to　be　injured。　The　wound　bled　profusely；　but　Glenarvan　could　use　his　fingers　and　forearm；　and　consequently　there　was　no　occasion　for　any　uneasiness　about　the　issue。　　As　soon　as　his　shoulder　was　dressed；　he　would　not　allow　any　more　fuss　to　be　made　about　himself；　but　at　once　entered　on　the　business　in　hand。　All　the　party；　except　Mulrady　and　Wilson；　who　were　on　guard；　were　brought　into　the　wagon；　and　the　Major　was　asked　to　explain　how　this　DENOUEMENT　had　come　about。　Before　commencing　his　recital；　he　told　Lady　Helena　about　the　escape　of　the　convicts　at　Perth；　and　their　appearance　in　Victoria；　as　also　their　complicity　in　the　railway　catastrophe。　He　handed　her　the　_Australian　and　New　Zealand　Gazette_　they　had　bought　in　Seymour；　and　added　that　a　reward　had　been　offered　by　the　police　for　the　apprehension　of　Ben　Joyce；　a　redoubtable　bandit；　who　had　become　a　noted　character　during　the　last　eighteen　months；　for　doing　deeds　of　villainy　and　crime。　But　how　had　McNabbs　found　out　that　Ayrton　and　Ben　Joyce　were　one　and　the　same　individual？　　This　was　the　mystery　to　be　unraveled；　and　the　Major　soon　explained　it。　Ever　since　their　first　meeting；　McNabbs　had　felt　an　instinctive　distrust　of　the　quartermaster。　　Two　or　three　insignificant　facts；　a　hasty　glance　exchanged　between　him　and　the　blacksmith　at　the　Wimerra　River；　his　unwillingness　to　cross　towns　and　villages；　his　persistence　about　getting　the　DUNCAN　summoned　to　the　coast；　the　strange　death　of　the　animals　entrusted　to　his　care；　and；　lastly；　a　want　of　frankness　in　all　his　behaviorall　these　details　combined　had　awakened　the　Major's　suspicions。　However；　he　could　not　have　brought　any　direct　accusation　against　him　till　the　events　of　the　preceding　evening　had　occurred。　He　then　told　of　his　experience。　McNabbs；　slipping　between　the　tall　shrubs；　got　within　reach　of　the　suspicious　shadows　he　had　noticed　about　half　a　mile　away　from　the　encampment。　　The　phosphorescent　furze　emitted　a　faint　light；　by　which　he　could　discern　three　men　examining　marks　on　the　ground；　and　one　of　the　three　was　the　blacksmith　of　Black　Point。　〃'It　is　them！'　said　one　of　the　men。　　'Yes；'　replied　another；　'there　is　the　trefoil　on　the　mark　of　the　horseshoe。　　It　has　been　like　that　since　the　Wimerra。'　　'All　the　horses　are　dead。'　'The　poison　is　not　far　off。'　　'There　is　enough　to　kill　a　regiment　of　cavalry。'　　'A　useful　plant　this　gastrolobium。'　〃I　heard　them　say　this　to　each　other；　and　then　they　were　quite　silent；　but　I　did　not　know　enough　yet；　so　I　followed　them。　　Soon　the　conversation　began　again。　'He　is　a　clever　fellow；　this　Ben　Joyce；'　said　the　blacksmith。　'A　capital　quartermaster；　with　his　invention　of　shipwreck。'　'If　his　project　succeeds；　it　will　be　a　stroke　of　fortune。'　'He　is　a　very　devil；　is　this　Ayrton。'　　'Call　him　Ben　Joyce；　for　he　has　well　earned　his　name。'　　And　then　the　scoundrels　left　the　forest。　〃I　had　all　the　information　I　wanted　now；　and　came　back　to　the　camp　quite　convinced；　begging　Paganel's　pardon；　that　Australia　does　not　reform　criminals。〃　This　was　all　the　Major's　story；　and　his　companions　sat　silently　thinking　over　it。　〃Then　Ayrton　has　dragged　us　here；〃　said　Glenarvan；　pale　with　anger；　〃on　purpose　to　rob　and　assassinate　us。〃　〃For　nothing　else；〃　replied　the　Major；　〃and　ever　since　we　lef