Page:Cerise, a tale of the last century (IA cerisetaleoflast00whytrich).pdf/338

 "See down there," said she, in a voice that grew fainter with every syllable. "No road round up above; no road round down below. Once past here all safe, same as in bed at home. Come by, you! take hands one by one—so—small piece more—find white lagoon. All done then. Good-night!"

Holding each other by the hand, the whole party, to use Slap-Jack's expression, "rounded the point" in safety. They now found themselves in an open and nearly flat space, encircled but unshadowed by the jungle. Below them, over a level of black tree tops, the friendly sea was shining in the moonlight; and nearer yet, a gleam through the dark mass of forest denoted that white lagoon of which Fleurette had spoken.

On any other night it would have been a peaceful and a lovely sight; but now a flickering glare on the sky showed them where the roof-tree of Montmirail West was burning into ashes, and the yells of the rioters could be heard, plainer and plainer, as they scoured the mountain in pursuit of the fugitives, encouraging each other in their search.

Some of these shouts sounded so near in the clear still night, that Captain George was of opinion their track had been already discovered and followed up. If this were indeed the case, no stand could be made so effectually as at the defile they had lately threaded, and he determined to defend it to the last. For this purpose he halted his party and gave them their directions.

"Slap-Jack," said he, "I've got a bit of soldier's work for you to do. It's play to a sailor, but you attend to my orders all the same. If these black devils overhaul us, they can only round that corner one at a time. I'll leave you with a couple of your own foretopmen here to stop that game. But we soldiers never want to fight without a support. Smoke-Jack and the rest of the boat's crew will remain at your back. What say ye, my lads? It will be something queer if you can't hold a hundred darkies and more in such a post as this, say, for three-quarters of an hour. I don't ask ye for a minute longer; but mind ye, I expect that, if not a man of you ever comes on board again. When you've killed all the niggers, make sail straight away to the beach, fire three shots, and I'll send a boat off.