in search of the castaways-第83章

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　Mulrady　to　let　him　go　gently　as　soon　as　he　got　past　the　convicts。　Better　delay　half…a…day　than　not　arrive　safely。　John　Mangles　gave　his　sailor　a　revolver；　which　he　had　loaded　with　the　utmost　care。　　This　is　a　formidable　weapon　in　the　hand　of　a　man　who　does　not　tremble；　for　six　shots　fired　in　a　few　seconds　would　easily　clear　a　road　infested　with　criminals。　Mulrady　seated　himself　in　the　saddle　ready　to　start。　〃Here　is　the　letter　you　are　to　give　to　Tom　Austin；〃　said　Glenarvan。　　〃Don't　let　him　lose　an　hour。　　He　is　to　sail　for　Twofold　Bay　at　once；　and　if　he　does　not　find　us　there；　if　we　have　not　managed　to　cross　the　Snowy；　let　him　come　on　to　us　without　delay。　　Now　go；　my　brave　sailor；　and　God　be　with　you。〃　He　shook　hands　with　him；　and　bade　him　good…by；　and　so　did　Lady　Helena　and　Mary　Grant。　　A　more　timorous　man　than　the　sailor　would　have　shrunk　back　a　little　from　setting　out　on　such　a　dark；　raining　night　on　an　errand　so　full　of　danger；　across　vast　unknown　wilds。　But　his　farewells　were　calmly　spoken；　and　he　speedily　disappeared　down　a　path　which　skirted　the　wood。　At　the　same　moment　the　gusts　of　wind　redoubled　their　violence。　The　high　branches　of　the　eucalyptus　clattered　together　noisily；　and　bough　after　bough　fell　on　the　wet　ground。　　More　than　one　great　tree；　with　no　living　sap；　but　still　standing　hitherto；　fell　with　a　crash　during　this　storm。　　The　wind　howled　amid　the　cracking　wood；　and　mingled　its　moans　with　the　ominous　roaring　of　the　rain。　The　heavy　clouds；　driving　along　toward　the　east；　hung　on　the　ground　like　rays　of　vapor；　and　deep；　cheerless　gloom　intensified　the　horrors　of　the　night。　The　travelers　went　back　into　the　wagon　immediately　Mulrady　had　gone。　Lady　Helena；　Mary　Grant；　Glenarvan　and　Paganel　occupied　the　first　compartment；　which　had　been　hermetically　closed。　The　second　was　occupied　by　Olbinett；　Wilson　and　Robert。　　The　Major　and　John　Mangles　were　on　duty　outside。　　This　precaution　was　necessary；　for　an　attack　on　the　part　of　the　convicts　would　be　easy　enough；　and　therefore　probable　enough。　The　two　faithful　guardians　kept　close　watch；　bearing　philosophically　the　rain　and　wind　that　beat　on　their　faces。　They　tried　to　pierce　through　the　darkness　so　favorable　to　ambushes；　for　nothing　could　be　heard　but　the　noise　of　the　tempest；　the　sough　of　the　wind；　the　rattling　branches；　falling　trees；　and　roaring　of　the　unchained　waters。　At　times　the　wind　would　cease　for　a　few　moments；　as　if　to　take　breath。　Nothing　was　audible　but　the　moan　of　the　Snowy　River；　as　it　flowed　between　the　motionless　reeds　and　the　dark　curtain　of　gum　trees。　The　silence　seemed　deeper　in　these　momentary　lulls；　and　the　Major　and　John　Mangles　listened　attentively。　During　one　of　these　calms　a　sharp　whistle　reached　them。　John　Mangles　went　hurriedly　up　to　the　Major。　　〃You　heard　that？〃　he　asked。　〃Yes；〃　said　McNabbs。　　〃Is　it　man　or　beast？〃　〃A　man；〃　replied　John　Mangles。　And　then　both　listened。　　The　mysterious　whistle　was　repeated；　and　answered　by　a　kind　of　report；　but　almost　indistinguishable；　for　the　storm　was　raging　with　renewed　violence。　McNabbs　and　John　Mangles　could　not　hear　themselves　speak。　They　went　for　comfort　under　the　shelter　of　the　wagon。　At　this　moment　the　leather　curtains　were　raised　and　Glenarvan　rejoined　his　two　companions。　　He　too　had　heard　this　ill…boding　whistle；　and　the　report　which　echoed　under　the　tilt。　〃Which　way　was　it？〃　asked　he。　〃There；〃　said　John；　pointing　to　the　dark　track　in　the　direction　taken　by　Mulrady。　〃How　far？〃　〃The　wind　brought　it；　I　should　think；　three　or　four　miles；　at　least。〃　〃Come；〃　said　Glenarvan；　putting　his　gun　on　his　shoulder。　〃No；〃　said　the　Major。　　〃It　is　a　decoy　to　get　us　away　from　the　wagon。〃　〃But　if　Mulrady　has　even　now　fallen　beneath　the　blows　of　these　rascals？〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan；　seizing　McNabbs　by　the　hand。　〃We　shall　know　by　to…morrow；〃　said　the　Major；　coolly；　determined　to　prevent　Glenarvan　from　taking　a　step　which　was　equally　rash　and　futile。　〃You　cannot　leave　the　camp；　my　Lord；〃　said　John。　　〃I　will　go　alone。〃　〃You　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind！〃　cried　McNabbs；　energetically。　〃Do　you　want　to　have　us　killed　one　by　one　to　diminish　our　force；　and　put　us　at　the　mercy　of　these　wretches？　　If　Mulrady　has　fallen　a　victim　to　them；　it　is　a　misfortune　that　must　not　be　repeated。　Mulrady　was　sent；　chosen　by　chance。　　If　the　lot　had　fallen　to　me；　I　should　have　gone　as　he　did；　but　I　should　neither　have　asked　nor　expected　assistance。〃　In　restraining　Glenarvan　and　John　Mangles；　the　Major　was　right　in　every　aspect　of　the　case。　　To　attempt　to　follow　the　sailor；　to　run　in　the　darkness　of　night　among　the　convicts　in　their　leafy　ambush　was　madness；　and　more　than　thatit　was　useless。　Glenarvan's　party　was　not　so　numerous　that　it　could　afford　to　sacrifice　another　member　of　it。　Still　Glenarvan　seemed　as　if　he　could　not　yield；　his　hand　was　always　on　his　carbine。　　He　wandered　about　the　wagon；　and　bent　a　listening　ear　to　the　faintest　sound。　　The　thought　that　one　of　his　men　was　perhaps　mortally　wounded；　abandoned　to　his　fate；　calling　in　vain　on　those　for　whose　sake　he　had　gone　forth；　was　a　torture　to　him。　McNabbs　was　not　sure　that　he　should　be　able　to　restrain　him；　or　if　Glenarvan；　carried　away　by　his　feelings；　would　not　run　into　the　arms　of　Ben　Joyce。　〃Edward；〃　said　he；　〃be　calm。　　Listen　to　me　as　a　friend。　Think　of　Lady　Helena；　of　Mary　Grant；　of　all　who　are　left。　And；　besides；　where　would　you　go？　　Where　would　you　find　Mulrady？　　He　must　have　been　attacked　two　miles　off。　In　what　direction？　　Which　track　would　you　follow？〃　At　that　very　moment；　as　if　to　answer　the　Major；　a　cry　of　distress　was　heard。　〃Listen！〃　said　Glenarvan。　This　cry　came　from　the　same　quarter　as　the　report；　but　less　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off。　Glenarvan；　repulsing　McNabbs；　was　already　on　the　track；　when　at　three　hundred　paces　from　the　wagon　they　heard　the　exclamation：　〃Help！　help！〃　The　voice　was　plaintive　and　despairing。　　John　Mangles　and　the　Major　sprang　toward　the　spot。　　A　few　seconds　after　they　perceived　among　the　scrub　a　human　form　dragging　itself　along　the　ground　and　uttering　mournful　groans。　It　was　Mulrady；　wounded；　apparently　dying；　and　when　his　companions　raised　him　they　felt　their　hands　bathed　in　blood。　The　rain　came　down　with　redoubled　violence；　and　the　wind　raged　among　the　branches　of　the　dead　trees。　　In　the　pelting　storm；　Glenarvan；　the　Major　and　John　Mangles　transported　the　body　of　Mulrady。　On　their　arrival　everyone　got　up。　　Paganel；　Robert；　Wilson　and　Olbinett　left　the　wagon；　and　Lady　Helena　gave　up　her　compartment　to　poor　Mulrady。　　The　Major　removed　the　poor　fellow's　flannel　shirt；　which　was　dripping　with　blood　and　rain。　　He　soon　found　the　wound；　it　was　a　stab　in　the　right　side。　McNabbs　dressed　it　with　great　skill。　　He　could　not　tell　whether　the　weapon　had　touched　any　vital　part。　An　intermittent　jet　of　scarlet　blood　flowed　from　it；　the　patient's　paleness　and　weakness　showed　that　he　was　seriously　injured。　The　Major　washed　the　wound　first　with　fresh　water　and　then　closed　the　orifice；　after　this　he　put　on　a　thick　pad　of　lint；　and　then　folds　of　scraped　linen　held　firmly　in　place　with　a　bandage。　He　succeeded　in　stopping　the　hemorrhage。　　Mulrady　was　laid　on　his　side；　with　his　head　and　chest　well　raised；　and　Lady　Helena　succeeded　in　making　him　swallow　a　few　drops　of　water。　After　a