Hockley

“ He wants to see Wales; but, except the woods of Bachycraigh, what is there in Wales, that can fill the hunger of ignorance, or quench the thirst of curiosity? We may, perhaps, form some scheme or other; but, in the phrase of Hockley in the Hole, it is a pity he has not a better bottom.'
Such an ardour of mind, and vigour of enterprise, is admirable at any age: but more particularly so at the advanced period at which Johnson was then arrived. ”

“ There was an awkward pause, which was very suggestive, and the professor noted it. With his gun in hand he faced the four.
“I’m afraid you do not care much to have Master Hockley along,” he said, slowly.
“Oh, I reckon we can get along,” answered Darry, after the others had failed to speak.
“It is unfortunate that you are not all the best of [23] friends. But Hockley asked me about the trip a long while ago and when it came to the point I could not see how I could refuse him. Besides that, I was thinking that perhaps the trip would do him good. I trust you will treat him fairly.” ”

“ The carriage came closer and it was only by a few inches that it missed striking Enrique Morano’s turnout. As it swept by the boys got a good look at the occupants.
“Dan Markel!” almost shouted Hockley and Mark, in a breath.
“That was Markel, just as sure as you are born,” came from Frank. “Who would have expected to meet him here?”
“We ought to go after him,” continued Hockley.
“You evidently know the man,” said Enrique Morano, bringing his team to a halt and gazing inquiringly at the boys.
[16] “He is the man who robbed Hockley,” explained Professor. ”

“ He passed close to Mark and as he did so his foot hit the swollen ankle and made the youth on the ground cry out with pain.
“Oh, Hockley, what did you do that for?”
“I—er—I didn’t mean to do it,” answered the lank youth, surlily.
[89] “You did mean to do it, you mean bully!” ejaculated Frank, who had seen the movement perfectly. And in a sudden rage he ran up and shoved Hockley backward into some brushwood. “If you try it again, I’ll fight you, small as I am.” ”

“ It was not to be expected that four such whole-souled lads as Mark, Frank, Darry and Sam could get along smoothly with such an over-bearing and peculiar youth as Jake Hockley. They were sorry that the bully was along, and it was not long before there was a bitter quarrel and some of the boys came to blows with Hockley. This was stopped by Professor [7] Strong, who said they must do better in the future. ”

“ Several natives were at hand, some of them with buckets and shells.
As soon as he reached the cistern the mule Darry rode came to an abrupt halt. Looking back the boy saw that Hockley was now having his hands full [145] with his steed, which was rearing and plunging in a most surprising fashion.
“Look out, Glummy, or he’ll throw you!” he sang out. “He’s getting his dander up!”
“He shan’t throw me!” panted Hockley. “I’ll show him who is master!” And he hit the mule on the neck with his fist.
By this time the professor and the other boys came riding up, along with the guide. ”

“ The postmark 'Hockley,' stared the lawyer in the face; and, longing to break the seal, he availed himself of the captain's permission. So Lake opened the 'Times;' and, as he studied its columns, I think he stole a glance or two over its margin at the attorney, now deep in the letter of Sir Julius Hockley.
He (Sir J.H.) 'presented his respects to Mr. Lark_ens_, or Lark_ins_, or Lark_me_, or Lark_us_—Sir J.H. is not able to read which or what; but he is happy to observe, at all events, that, end how he may, the gentleman begins with a "lark!" which Sir J.H. always does, when he can. ”

“ In the meantime Darry was not idle. From a stateroom he obtained a large basin of water. Then he hunted up a couple of cheap glass tumblers and placed them in the foot of an old sock. Thus armed he crept to Hockley’s door. It was unfastened, and the snoring of the lank youth told him that the time was ripe for what he intended to do.
Bang! the door flew open with a crash, arousing Hockley on the instant. As he sat up in the berth a dash of water landed on his head and ran down his spinal column. Then came a crash of glass that made him jump.
“All hands on deck!” he heard a hoarse voice cry. ”

“ He said no more, but his eyes showed that his mind was busy.
“Hockley will get a lecture when he shows up,” whispered Frank to Darry.
“He’ll get only what he deserves, Darry. Isn’t that so, Beans?”
“To be sure,” came from Sam. “He howled about us delaying him at the railroad cliff; now he’s doing the same thing himself.”
Quarter of an hour went by and the boys wondered if the professor would make them give up the trip if Hockley did not return. Then came a messenger with a note for Professor Strong. ”

“ The professor called a carriage, and soon they were rolling down the broad highway.
“How foolish Hockley is,” whispered Frank to Mark. “He doesn’t know what he is missing. Do you think he’ll really go to bed?”
Mark shrugged his shoulders. “It isn’t likely. He’ll read another trashy novel, I fancy.”
Mark was right, as we already know. But this was not the depth of Hockley’s shortcomings.
The youth had a strong desire to be considered “mannish.” He wanted to follow in the footsteps of certain men he had known and others he had read about. ”

“ But it was fully an hour before Hockley opened his eyes.
“Take him off!” he moaned. “Take the horrible thing off!”
“You’re safe now, Hockley,” said Darry, kindly. “The boa-constrictor is dead.” But Hockley was now out of his mind and did not understand, and he continued to plead most piteously that they save him from being crushed to death.
“We’ll have to carry him back to camp,” said Sam, and this was done. It was no easy task to get [294] the hurt one up the bluff. Once in camp they fixed Hockley a soft bed and did all they could to make him otherwise comfortable. ”

“ These are the schools that have bred so many brave men.' Hockley in the Hole was in Clerkenwell. That Johnson had this valour was shewn two years earlier, when he wrote to Mrs. Thrale about a sum of £14,000 that the Thrales had received: 'If I had money enough, what would I do? Perhaps, if you and master did not hold me, I might go to Cairo, and down the Red Sea to Bengal, and take a ramble in India. Would this be better than building and planting? It would surely give more variety to the eye, and more amplitude to the mind. ”

“ You want me to confirm, of course, the advisability of accepting the offer Liacan has made."
"Confirm—or deny it," said Hockley.
Thar spread his clawlike hands. "Deny it? The most glorious opportunity a planet could possibly have?"
Something in Thar's voice gave Hockley a sudden chill. "How has it worked on your own world?"
"Janisson VIII has turned from a slum to a world of mansions. Our economic problems have been solved. Health and long life are routine. There is nothing we want that we cannot have for the asking." ”

“ Hockley was stopping at the Astor House, and left them near the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. He had wanted them to have a late supper with him, and had even mentioned wine, but all had declined, stating they were tired and wished to go to bed.
“He must be getting to be a regular high-flyer if he uses much wine,” remarked Frank when the four were on their way uptown. “What a fool he is with his money. He thinks that covers everything.”
[18] “He’ll be foolish to take to drink,” returned Darry. “It has ruined many a rich young fellow, and he ought to know it.” ”

“ Although the others did not know it, Professor Strong had given Hockley a severe lecture on the return to La Guayra, telling the youth of the folly of associating with a man of Markel’s character, and of the further foolishness of drinking and trying to be a so-called sport.
[187] “You will ruin both your health and your character by such actions,” the professor had said. “A young man who will act in that fashion shows a lack of common sense. ”

“ Nevertheless, when the car came near, he waved his hand for the men to stop working the handles which kept it in motion.
[86] “What do you want?” asked one of the men, in a Spanish patois, after the handcar had been brought to a standstill.
“We want a rope,” said Hockley, without understanding the man.
The man shrugged his shoulders and so did his companions. Then Hockley pointed to a rope which laid coiled up on the car. At this the native smiled, then looked perplexed.
By this time Professor Strong was hurrying in the direction. ”

“ The fumes of the liquor, and the smoking of several cigarettes, made the misguided youth far from clear headed. But he kept on reading until the volume was finished, Handsome Jack having at last killed off all his enemies in double-quick order. To keep the eyes of the waiter off of him, Hockley ordered another glass of liquor which he also consumed. Then he threw the book in a corner, arose and stretched himself.
“Guess I’ll go out and have some sport,” he muttered. “It’s dead slow hanging around like this. I came to see the sights and I’m going to see ’em—professor or no professor. ”

“ Markel leaped from the bed upon which he had been lying and opened the door. “Glad to see you. Come in,” and Hockley went in, and the hotel proprietor left the pair to themselves.
The room was large and scantily furnished, with a bed, washstand, table and one chair. On the table stood Markel’s valise, a bottle of liquor and a glass, [116] and a box of cigars. The room was half full of smoke and smelt far from pleasant.
“Never so sorry in all my life,” said the man from Baltimore, as he drew up the chair for Hockley to sit down while he sank on the edge of the bed. ”

“ The character of Handsome Jack, “the Dead Game Sport of Chicago,” appealed strongly to him. Jack played cards, drank, went to horse [80] races, and always got the best of the many enemies who tried to “down” him. To poor Hockley, who swallowed these tales and believed them true, he was more of a hero than even “Gold Nose Hank, the Mine Discoverer” had been.
Having seen the others off, Hockley strolled over to a cigar counter in the hotel and invested in a package of cigarettes, one of which he lit and placed the others in his pocket. ”

“ There was a nigger got pretty close to me just after the fight ended.”
[140] “Then he must be the man. Shall we go back?”
“If he robbed me it ain’t likely he’s around now,” groaned Hockley. He gave a deep yawn. “Hang the luck anyway! Say, I feel awfully tired, I do.”
His eyes closed and although he tried to keep awake in a few minutes he was fast asleep. Dan Markel eyed him curiously.
“He was easier game than I thought of striking,” said the man from Baltimore to himself. “A gold watch and about a hundred dollars in cash. That’s not so bad. ”

“ I suppose Professor Strong expects to make us toe the mark everywhere we go, but I don’t intend to stand it. I came for a good time, and if I can’t get it with the rest of the party I’m going to go it on my own hook.”
“To be sure—that’s just what I’d do.” Dan Markel slapped Hockley on the back. “Hang me if you ain’t a young man after my own heart. For two pins I’d go down to Caracas with you, just to show you around.” ”

“ Without delay Sam and Darry joined him. Hockley remained in the cabin, wringing his hands in despair, afraid to remain alone and equally afraid to go outside, where the patches of fire still filled the air.
“Boys, you had better keep under shelter,” panted Professor Strong, as he worked away vigorously, not only with the water bucket but also with a wet swab he had discovered. “This is highly dangerous, and——”
“No more so for us than for you,” interrupted Sam. “It’s our duty to do all we can.”
“Creation! but this is awful!” panted Darry, as he too began to fight the flames with another bucket. ”

“ In the midst of the excitement Hockley appeared. He saw that this was no “fake” sinking, and his face was pale with terror as he clung first to Sam and then to Darry.
“It’s awful!” he wailed. “What shall we do? [250] Where are the life preservers? Where is the professor? Why don’t he order out a boat to save us? How far do you suppose we are from land? Oh, I know I can’t swim in such a sea!” And he shook like a leaf.
“We are not going down yet, Jake,” answered Sam. “The professor is looking for Mark and Frank. ”

“ If he hasn’t a cent he will have a hard enough time of it getting along down here.”
“Right you are,” said Andy Hume. “I’ll wager he’ll bitterly regret that he ever left the States.”
When Hockley received his things back he wished to reward Frank and Mark for what they had done, but the two boys would not listen to this. Then he said that he was very grateful and hoped that they should be friends in the future.
“I’ve made up with Darry and Beans,” he said to Frank and Mark. “And I want to make up with you, too.” ”

“ Then Hockley slipped to the damp earth and slowly the reptile’s body dropped on top of him.
“He must be dead,” whispered Darry, hoarsely, [293] and with his gun started to release Hockley from the loathsome weight. Sam assisted, and soon they had him free and was dragging him out of harm’s way. From a safe distance they watched the boa-constrictor and at last felt certain that it was dead.
“He’s in a bad way,” said Sam, leaning over Hockley. The youth lay in a heap, totally unconscious and breathing with difficulty. ”

“ He now demanded to know what it meant, and, with many interruptions from Markel, Mark and Frank told of the Hockley affair and of what had occurred at Macuto.
“We can prove all we say, if you’ll only give us a little time,” added Mark. “As soon as I can find my friends again I’ll bring them here. In the meantime I would like this man placed under arrest.”
“Arrest! Not much!” howled Dan Markel. “It—it’s an outrage! I am an honest American citizen [306] and I demand protection. There is a great mistake. I am not the person they are after.”
“Do you mind being searched?” asked Andy Hume, shrewdly. ”