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Page 21
On the seventh night of our voyage on the rafts, we made fast, as
usual, on the opposite side of the river to that from which we had
started, in as dark a place as we could pick out. Our little
encampment was soon made, and supper was eaten, and the children
fell asleep. The watch was set, and everything made orderly for the
night. Such a starlight night, with such blue in the sky, and such
black in the places of heavy shade on the banks of the great stream!
Those two ladies, Miss Maryon and Mrs. Fisher, had always kept near
me since the night of the attack. Mr. Fisher, who was untiring in
the work of our raft, had said to me:
"My dear little childless wife has grown so attached to you, Davis,
and you are such a gentle fellow, as well as such a determined one;"
our party had adopted that last expression from the one-eyed English
pirate, and I repeat what Mr. Fisher said, only because he said it;
"that it takes a load off my mind to leave her in your charge."
I said to him: "Your lady is in far better charge than mine, Sir,
having Miss Maryon to take care of her; but, you may rely upon it,
that I will guard them both--faithful and true."
Says he: "I do rely upon it, Davis, and I heartily wish all the
silver on our old Island was yours."
That seventh starlight night, as I have said, we made our camp, and
got our supper, and set our watch, and the children fell asleep. It
was solemn and beautiful in those wild and solitary parts, to see
them, every night before they lay down, kneeling under the bright
sky, saying their little prayers at women's laps. At that time we
men all uncovered, and mostly kept at a distance. When the innocent
creatures rose up, we murmured "Amen!" all together. For, though we
had not heard what they said, we know it must be good for us.
At that time, too, as was only natural, those poor mothers in our
company, whose children had been killed, shed many tears. I thought
the sight seemed to console them while it made them cry; but,
whether I was right or wrong in that, they wept very much. On this
seventh night, Mrs. Fisher had cried for her lost darling until she
cried herself asleep. She was lying on a little couch of leaves and
such-like (I made the best little couch I could for them every
night), and Miss Maryon had covered her, and sat by her, holding her
hand. The stars looked down upon them. As for me, I guarded them.
"Davis!" says Miss Maryon. (I am not going to say what a voice she
had. I couldn't if I tried.)
"I am here, Miss."
"The river sounds as if it were swollen to-night."
"We all think, Miss, that we are coming near the sea."
"Do you believe now, we shall escape?"
"I do now, Miss, really believe it." I had always said I did; but,
I had in my own mind been doubtful.
"How glad you will be, my good Davis, to see England again!"
I have another confession to make that will appear singular. When
she said these words, something rose in my throat; and the stars I
looked away at, seemed to break into sparkles that fell down my face
and burnt it.
"England is not much to me, Miss, except as a name."
"O, so true an Englishman should not say that!--Are you not well to-
night, Davis?" Very kindly, and with a quick change.
"Quite well, Miss."
"Are you sure? Your voice sounds altered in my hearing."
"No, Miss, I am a stronger man than ever. But, England is nothing
to me."
Miss Maryon sat silent for so long a while, that I believed she had
done speaking to me for one time. However, she had not; for by-and-
by she said in a distinct clear tone:
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