Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 1.djvu/323

 "They are about to murder him," cried Kennedy. "Our interference has only served to hasten the hour of his death. We must act."

"But how, Dick? What can you do in this darkness?"

"Oh! if it were only day!" cried Joe.

"Well, if it were day?" said the doctor, in a peculiar tone.

"Nothing easier then," said Kennedy. "I would descend and disperse this rabble with a few shots."

"And you, Joe?" asked the doctor.

"I, sir, would act more prudently, in making known to the prisoner that he should escape in the proper direction."

"And how would you convey this advice?"

"By means of this arrow, which I caught flying, and to which I would fasten a note; or by simply calling to him in a loud voice. The negroes would not understand his language."

"Your plans are impracticable, my friends; the greatest difficulty would be for this unfortunate man to save himself, even admitting that he could escape the vigilance of his executioners. As for you, my dear Dick, with much courage and by profiting by the fright excited by our firearms, your plan might perhaps succeed; but if it failed you would be lost, and we should have two persons to save instead of one. No, we must have all the chances on our side, and act otherwise."

"Very well, but act at once," replied Kennedy.

"Perhaps," replied Samuel, dwelling on the word.

"Are you not capable of dispelling this darkness, sir?"

"Who knows, Joe?"

"Ah, if you could do a thing like that, I should say you are the cleverest man in the world."

The doctor remained silent for some minutes in deep thought. His companions contemplated him with some emotion. They were over-excited by this extraordinary incident. Ferguson soon spoke.

"This is my plan," he said. "We have still 200 lbs. of ballast, as the bags in which we brought it have remained untouched. I take for granted that this prisoner, a man evidently worn-out by hardships, weighs as much as one of us. There will remain, therefore, 60 lbs. to throw away in order that we may rise rapidly."