The Lonely Island - Robert Michael Ballantyne (free novel 24 .TXT) 📗

multiplication problem on that day, he was interrupted by the sound of merry voices, and soon Otaheitan Sally, Bessy Mills, May Christian, Sarah Quintal, and his own daughter Dinah, came tripping up the hill towards him.

These five, ranging from fifteen to nineteen, were fond of rambling through the woods in company, being not only the older members of the young flock, but like-minded in many things. Sally was looked up to by the other four as being the eldest and wisest, as well as the most beautiful; and truly, the fine clear complexion of the pretty brunette contrasted well with their fairer skins and golden or light-brown locks.

"We came up to have a chat with you, father," said Sally, as they drew near. "Are you too busy to be bothered with us?"

"Never too busy to chat with such dear girls," said the gallant seaman, throwing down his piece of red chalk, and taking one of Sally's hands in his. "Sit down, Sall; sit down, May, on the other side--there. Now, what have you come to chat about?"

"About that dear _Topaz_, of course, and that darling Captain Folger, and Jack Brace, and all the rest of them," answered Sarah Quintal, with sparkling eyes.

"Hallo, Sarah! you've sent your heart away with them, I fear," said Adams.

"Not quite, but nearly," returned Sarah. "I would give anything if the whole crew would only have stayed with us altogether."

"Oh! how charming! delightful! _so_ nice!" exclaimed three of the others. Sally said nothing, but gave a little smile, which sent a sparkle from her pearly teeth that harmonised well with the gleam of her laughter-loving eyes.

"No doubt," said Adams, with a peculiar laugh; "but, I say, girls, you must not go on thinking for ever about that ship. Why, it is six months or more since it left us, and you are all as full of it as if it had sailed but yesterday."

"How can we help it, father?" said Sally. "It is about the most wonderful thing that has happened since we were born, and you can't expect us to get it out of our heads easily."

"And how can we help thinking, and talking too," said Bessy Mills, "about all the new and strange things that Jack Brace related to us?"

"Besides, father," said Dinah, "you are quite as bad as we are, for you talk about nothing else now, almost, except Lord Nelson and the battles of the Nile and Trafalgar."

"Come, come, Di; don't be hard on me. I don't say much about them battles now."

"Indeed you do," cried May Christian, "and it is only last night that I heard you muttering something about Trafalgar in your sleep, and you suddenly broke out with a half-muttered shout like this: `Englan' 'specs every man'll do's dooty!'"

May was not a bad mimic. This was received with a shout of laughter by the other girls.

While they were conversing thus two tall and slim but broad-shouldered youths were seen climbing the hill towards them, engaged in very earnest conversation. And this reference to conversation reminds us of the curious fact that the language of the young Pitcairners had greatly improved of late. As they had no other living model to improve upon than John Adams, this must have been entirely the result of reading. Although the books they had were few, they proved to be sufficient not only to fill their minds with higher thoughts, but their mouths with purer English than that nautical type which had been peculiar to the mutineers.

The tall striplings who now approached were Daniel McCoy and Charlie Christian. These two were great friends and confidants. We will not reveal the subject of their remarkably earnest conversation, but merely give the concluding sentences.

"Well, Charlie," said Dan, as they came in view of the knoll on which Adams and the girls were seated, "we will pluck up courage and make a dash at it together."

"Ye-es," said Charlie, with hesitation.

"And shall we break the ice by referring to Toc's condition, eh?" said Dan.

"Well, it seems to me the easiest plan; perhaps I should say the least difficult," returned Charlie, with a faint smile.

"Come, don't lose heart, Charlie," said Dan, with an attempt to look humorous, which signally failed.

"Hallo, lads! where away?" said Adams, as they came up.

"Just bin havin' a walk and a talk, father," answered Dan. "We saw you up here, and came to walk back with you."

"I'm not so sure that we'll let you. The girls and I have been having a pleasant confab, an' p'r'aps they don't want to be interrupted."

"Oh, we don't mind; they may come," said Di Adams, with a laugh.

So the youths joined the party, and they all descended the mountain in company.

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A footnote in Lady Belcher's book tells us that this chronometer had been twice carried out by Captain Cook on his voyages of discovery. It was afterwards supplied to the _Bounty_ when she was fitted out for what was to be her last voyage, and carried by the mutineers to Pitcairn Island. Captain Folger brought it away, but it was taken from him the same year by the governor of Juan Fernandez, and sold in Chili to A Caldeleugh, Esquire, of Valparaiso, from whom it was purchased by Captain, (afterwards Admiral), Sir T. Herbert for fifty guineas. That officer took it to China, and in 1843 brought it to England and transmitted it to the Admiralty, by which department it was presented to the United Service Museum, in Great Scotland Yard, where the writer saw it only a few days ago, and was told that it keeps excellent time still.


CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.


TREATS OF INTERESTING MATTERS.

Of course Charlie Christian gravitated towards Sally, and these two, falling slowly behind the rest, soon turned aside, and descended by another of the numerous paths which traversed that part of the mountain.

Of course, also, Daniel McCoy drew near to Sarah Quintal, and these two, falling slowly behind, sought another of the mountain-paths. It will be seen that these young people were charmingly unsophisticated.

For a considerable time Charlie walked beside Sally without uttering a word, and Sally, seeing that there was something on his mind, kept silence. At last Charlie lifted his eyes from the ground, and with the same innocent gaze with which, as an infant, he had been wont to look up to his guardian, he now looked down at her, and said, "Sally."

"Well, Charlie?"

There was a little smile lurking about the corners of the girl's mouth, which seemed to play hide-and-seek with the twinkle in her downcast eyes.

"Well, Charlie, what are you going to tell me?"

"Isn't Toc--very--happy?"

He blushed to the roots of his hair when he said this, and dropped his eyes again on the ground.

"Of course he is," replied Sally, with a touch of surprise.

"But--but--I mean, as--"

"Well, why don't you go on, Charlie?"

"I mean as a--a married man."

"Every one sees and knows that, Charlie." There was another silence, during which the timid youth cleared his throat several times. At last he became desperate.

"And--and--Sally, don't you think that _other_ people might be happy too if they were married?"

"To be sure they might," said the girl, with provoking coolness. "There's Dan McCoy, now, and Sarah Quintal, they will be very happy when--"

"Why, how do _you_ know?"--Charlie spoke with a look of surprise and stopped short.

The girl laughed in a low tone, but did not reply, and the youth, becoming still more desperate, said--

"But I--I didn't mean Dan and Sarah, when I--Oh, Sally, don't you _know_ that I love you?"

"Yes, I know that," replied the girl, with a blush and a little tremulous smile. "I couldn't help knowing that."

"Have I made it so plain, then?" he asked, in surprise.

"Haven't you followed me ever since you were a staggerer?" asked Sally, with a simple look.

"O yes, of course--but--but I love you far _far_ more now. In short, I want to marry you, Sally."

He had reached the culminating point at last. "Well, Charlie, why don't you ask father's leave?" said the maiden.

"And you agree?" he exclaimed, timidly taking her hand.

"Oh, Charlie," returned Sally, looking up in his face, with an arch smile, "how stupid you are! Nothing goes into your dear head without such a deal of hammering. Will you never become wise, and--"

Charlie became wise at last, and stopped her impudent mouth effectively; but she broke from him and ran into the woods, while he went down to the village to tell Adams.

Meanwhile Daniel McCoy led Sarah Quintal by a round-about path to the cliffs above Pitcairn.

Pretty little Sarah was timid, and had a vague suspicion of something that caused her heart to flutter.

"I say, Sarah," said the bold and stalwart Dan, "did you ever see such a jolly couple as Toc and his wife before?"

"I never saw any couple before, you know," replied the girl, simply, "except father Adams and his wife."

"Well, they are an oldish couple," returned Dan, with a laugh; "but it's my opinion that before long you'll see a good many more couples--young ones, too."

"Indeed," said Sarah, becoming much interested, for this was the first time that any young man had ventured to refer to such a subject, though she and her female companions had often canvassed the possibilities that surrounded them.

"Yes, indeed," returned Dan. "Let me see, now. There's Charlie Christian and Otaheitan Sally--"

"Why, how did you come to know _that_?" asked Sarah, in genuine surprise.

Dan laughed heartily. "Come to know what?" he asked.

"That--that he is fond of Sally," stammered Sarah.

"Why, everybody knows that," returned Dan; "the very gulls must be aware of it by this time, unless they are geese."

"Yes, of course," said the poor girl, blushing crimson at the thought of having been led almost to betray her friend's confidences.

"Well, then," continued Dan, "Charlie and Sall bein' so fond o' one another--"

"I did not say that Sally was fond of Charlie," interrupted Sarah, quickly.

"Oh _dear_ no!" said Dan, with deep solemnity; "of _course_ you didn't; nevertheless I know it, and it wouldn't surprise me much if something came of it--a wedding, for instance."

Sarah, being afraid to commit herself in some way if she opened her lips, said nothing, but gazed intently at the ground as they walked slowly among the sweet-scented shrubs.

"But there's one o' the boys that wants to marry _you_, Sarah Quintal, and it is for him I want to put in a good word to-day."

A flutter of surprise, mingled with dismay at her heart, tended still further to confuse the poor girl. Not knowing what to say, she stammered, "Indeed! Who can it--it--" and stopped short.

"They sometimes call him Dan," said the youth, suddenly grasping Sarah's hand and passing an arm round her waist, "but his full name is Daniel McCoy."

Sarah Quintal became as suddenly pale now as she had formerly become red, and struggled to get free.

"Oh, Dan, Dan, don't!" she cried, earnestly; "_do_ let me go, if you love me!"

"Well,