in search of the castaways-第81章

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on　purpose　to　rob　and　assassinate　us。〃　〃For　nothing　else；〃　replied　the　Major；　〃and　ever　since　we　left　the　Wimerra；　his　gang　has　been　on　our　track　and　spying　on　us；　waiting　for　a　favorable　opportunity。〃　〃Yes。〃　〃Then　the　wretch　was　never　one　of　the　sailors　on　the　BRITANNIA；　he　had　stolen　the　name　of　Ayrton　and　the　shipping　papers。〃　They　were　all　looking　at　McNabbs　for　an　answer；　for　he　must　have　put　the　question　to　himself　already。　〃There　is　no　great　certainty　about　the　matter；〃　he　replied；　in　his　usual　calm　voice；　〃but　in　my　opinion　the　man's　name　is　really　Ayrton。　　Ben　Joyce　is　his　_nom　de　guerre_。　It　is　an　incontestible　fact　that　he　knew　Harry　Grant；　and　also　that　he　was　quartermaster　on　the　BRITANNIA。　　These　facts　were　proved　by　the　minute　details　given　us　by　Ayrton；　and　are　corroborated　by　the　conversation　between　the　convicts；　which　I　repeated　to　you。　We　need　not　lose　ourselves　in　vain　conjectures；　but　consider　it　as　certain　that　Ben　Joyce　is　Ayrton；　and　that　Ayrton　is　Ben　Joyce；　that　is　to　say；　one　of　the　crew　of　the　BRITANNIA　has　turned　leader　of　the　convict　gang。〃　The　explanations　of　McNabbs　were　accepted　without　discussion。　〃Now；　then；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃will　you　tell　us　how　and　why　Harry　Grant's　quartermaster　comes　to　be　in　Australia？〃　〃How；　I　don't　know；〃　replied　McNabbs；　〃and　the　police　declare　they　are　as　ignorant　on　the　subject　as　myself。　　Why；　it　is　impossible　to　say；　that　is　a　mystery　which　the　future　may　explain。〃　〃The　police　are　not　even　aware　of　Ayrton's　identity　with　Ben　Joyce；〃　said　John　Mangles。　〃You　are　right；　John；〃　replied　the　Major；　〃and　this　circumstance　would　throw　light　on　their　search。〃　〃Then；　I　suppose；〃　said　Lady　Helena；　〃the　wicked　wretch　had　got　work　on　Paddy　O'Moore's　farm　with　a　criminal　intent？〃　〃There　is　not　the　least　doubt　of　it。　　He　was　planning　some　evil　design　against　the　Irishman；　when　a　better　chance　presented　itself。　Chance　led　us　into　his　presence。　　He　heard　Paganel's　story　and　all　about　the　shipwreck；　and　the　audacious　fellow　determined　to　act　his　part　immediately。　　The　expedition　was　decided　on。　At　the　Wimerra　he　found　means　of　communicating　with　one　of　his　gang；　the　blacksmith　of　Black　Point；　and　left　traces　of　our　journey　which　might　be　easily　recognized。　　The　gang　followed　us。　A　poisonous　plant　enabled　them　gradually　to　kill　our　bullocks　and　horses。　At　the　right　moment　he　sunk　us　in　the　marshes　of　the　Snowy；　and　gave　us　into　the　hands　of　his　gang。〃　Such　was　the　history　of　Ben　Joyce。　　The　Major　had　shown　him　up　in　his　charactera　bold　and　formidable　criminal。　His　manifestly　evil　designs　called　for　the　utmost　vigilance　on　the　part　of　Glenarvan。　　Happily　the　unmasked　bandit　was　less　to　be　feared　than　the　traitor。　But　one　serious　consequence　must　come　out　of　this　revelation；　no　one　had　thought　of　it　yet　except　Mary　Grant。　　John　Mangles　was　the　first　to　notice　her　pale；　despairing　face；　he　understood　what　was　passing　in　her　mind　at　a　glance。　〃Miss　Mary！　　Miss　Mary！〃　he　cried；　〃you　are　crying！〃　〃Crying；　my　child！〃　said　Lady　Helena。　〃My　father；　madam；　my　father！〃　replied　the　poor　girl。　She　could　say　no　more；　but　the　truth　flashed　on　every　mind。　They　all　knew　the　cause　of　her　grief；　and　why　tears　fell　from　her　eyes　and　her　father's　name　came　to　her　lips。　The　discovery　of　Ayrton's　treachery　had　destroyed　all　hope；　the　convict　had　invented　a　shipwreck　to　entrap　Glenarvan。　　In　the　conversation　overheard　by　McNabbs；　the　convicts　had　plainly　said　that　the　BRITANNIA　had　never　been　wrecked　on　the　rocks　in　Twofold　Bay。　　Harry　Grant　had　never　set　foot　on　the　Australian　continent！　A　second　time　they　had　been　sent　on　the　wrong　track　by　an　erroneous　interpretation　of　the　document。　　Gloomy　silence　fell　on　the　whole　party　at　the　sight　of　the　children's　sorrow；　and　no　one　could　find　a　cheering　word　to　say。　　Robert　was　crying　in　his　sister's　arms。　Paganel　muttered　in　a　tone　of　vexation：　　〃That　unlucky　document！　It　may　boast　of　having　half…crazed　a　dozen　peoples'　wits！〃　　The　worthy　geographer　was　in　such　a　rage　with　himself；　that　he　struck　his　forehead　as　if　he　would　smash　it　in。　Glenarvan　went　out　to　Mulrady　and　Wilson；　who　were　keeping　watch。　Profound　silence　reigned　over　the　plain　between　the　wood　and　the　river。　Ben　Joyce　and　his　band　must　be　at　considerable　distance；　for　the　atmosphere　was　in　such　a　state　of　complete　torpor　that　the　slightest　sound　would　have　been　heard。　　It　was　evident；　from　the　flocks　of　birds　on　the　lower　branches　of　the　trees；　and　the　kangaroos　feeding　quietly　on　the　young　shoots；　and　a　couple　of　emus　whose　confiding　heads　passed　between　the　great　clumps　of　bushes；　that　those　peaceful　solitudes　were　untroubled　by　the　presence　of　human　beings。　〃You　have　neither　seen　nor　heard　anything　for　the　last　hour？〃　said　Glenarvan　to　the　two　sailors。　〃Nothing　whatever；　your　honor；〃　replied　Wilson。　　〃The　convicts　must　be　miles　away　from　here。〃　〃They　were　not　in　numbers　enough　to　attack　us；　I　suppose；〃　added　Mulrady。　　〃Ben　Joyce　will　have　gone　to　recruit　his　party；　with　some　bandits　like　himself；　among　the　bush…rangers　who　may　be　lurking　about　the　foot　of　the　Alps。〃　〃That　is　probably　the　case；　Mulrady；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　　〃The　rascals　are　cowards；　they　know　we　are　armed；　and　well　armed　too。　Perhaps　they　are　waiting　for　nightfall　to　commence　the　attack。　We　must　redouble　our　watchfulness。　　Oh；　if　we　could　only　get　out　of　this　bog；　and　down　the　coast；　but　this　swollen　river　bars　our　passage。　I　would　pay　its　weight　in　gold　for　a　raft　which　would　carry　us　over　to　the　other　side。〃　〃Why　does　not　your　honor　give　orders　for　a　raft　to　be　constructed？　We　have　plenty　of　wood。〃　〃No；　Wilson；〃　replied　Glenarvan；　〃this　Snowy　is　not　a　river；　it　is　an　impassable　torrent。〃　John　Mangles；　the　Major；　and　Paganel　just　then　came　out　of　the　wagon　on　purpose　to　examine　the　state　of　the　river。　　They　found　it　still　so　swollen　by　the　heavy　rain　that　the　water　was　a　foot　above　the　level。　It　formed　an　impetuous　current；　like　the　American　rapids。　To　venture　over　that　foaming　current　and　that　rushing　flood；　broken　into　a　thousand　eddies　and　hollows　and　gulfs；　was　impossible。　John　Mangles　declared　the　passage　impracticable。　　〃But　we　must　not　stay　here；〃　he　added；　〃without　attempting　anything。　What　we　were　going　to　do　before　Ayrton's　treachery　is　still　more　necessary　now。〃　〃What　do　you　mean；　John？〃　asked　Glenarvan。　〃I　mean　that　our　need　is　urgent；　and　that　since　we　cannot　go　to　Twofold　Bay；　we　must　go　to　Melbourne。　　We　have　still　one　horse。　Give　it　to　me；　my　Lord；　and　I　will　go　to　Melbourne。〃　〃But　that　will　be　a　dangerous　venture；　John；〃　said　Glenarvan。　　〃Not　to　speak　of　the　perils　of　a　journey　of　two　hundred　miles　over　an　unknown　country；　the　road　and　the　by…ways　will　be　guarded　by　the　accomplices　of　Ben　Joyce。〃　〃I　know　it；　my　Lord；　but　I　know　also　that　things　can't　stay　long　as　they　are；　Ayrton　only　asked　a　week's　absence　to　fetch　the　crew　of　the　DUNCAN；　and　I　will　be　back　to　the　Snowy　River　in　six　days。　Well；　my　Lord；　what　are　your　commands？〃　〃Before　Glenarvan　decides；〃　said　Paganel；　〃I　must　make　an　observation。　That　some　one　must　go　to　Melbourne　is　evident；　but　that　John　Mangles　should　be　the　one　to　expose　himself　to　the　risk；　cannot　be。　He　is　the　captain　of　the　DUNCAN；　and　must　be　careful　of　his　life。　I　will　go　instead。〃　〃That