Ned Garth

“ They had served together in several ships up to the time that Garth was stricken down with fever up an African river, their ship then forming one of the blockading squadron on the west coast, when he committed his infant boy to his brother-in-law’s care. “I am sure that you will look after him for our poor Fanny’s sake; but she is delicate, and I know not what effect my death will have on her. At all events, he will be fatherless, and she, poor girl, will find it a hard matter to manage a spirited lad.”
“Do not let that thought trouble you, Ned,” answered Lieutenant Pack ”

“ Ned ran off, sprang up the hill with the agility of a deer, and made his way to the coast-guard station faster than he had ever before performed the distance. Standing at the door he found a stranger, who inquired his errand.
“Mr Hanson started this morning, or he would have been happy to take charge of you, youngster,” was the answer he received. “But my son Charley is to join the ‘Ione’ in a couple of days, and you can accompany him. As he has been to sea before, he will look after you and keep you out of mischief. ”

“ Ned was afraid of moving, and urged his companions to remain perfectly still.
“Look out, Stone; what is the dhow about? Mr Rhymer will surely soon be sending the boat to our relief—he must have seen our craft go down.”
“Not so sure of that; he’ll not trouble himself about us,” muttered Stone. “If you were there, you’d do it; all officers are not alike.”
Ned was afraid that the seaman might be right, but he did not express an opinion on the subject. Their position was, indeed, a trying one. ”

“ The chiefs, who did not carry even their own muskets, found it easy enough, but the pagazis groaned under their heavy loads as they tramped over the baked ground. Scarcely a tree was to be seen, and such shrubs and plants only as require little water. The sun sinking towards the horizon appeared like a ball of fire, setting the whole western sky ablaze. Not a breath of air fanned the cheeks of the weary men. Ned did not complain, but he felt dreadfully tired, and had to apply so frequently to his gourd that it was nearly empty. ”

“ As she came off that part of the coast where his boyhood had been spent, he turned a wistful gaze in that direction, knowing that although the lieutenant was not at home, his telescope would be pointed seaward, and that even then Mary might be looking at the graceful ship which floated like a swan over the calm water. The Lizard was the last point of land seen, and the “Ione” stood out into the broad Atlantic.
“Well, Ned, we are at sea at last, you really have shown yourself more of a man than I expected,” said Charley Meadows. ”

“ They would then send back to recover the loads, and pick up any of the men who might still be alive. But hour after hour went by, and the hot sun glared in their faces like the flame from a furnace, almost blinding their eyes. Darkness came on, but still they pushed forward. The same cry resounded from all parts of the caravan: “They must march through the night.” Should they halt, how many would be alive in the morning? Ned had told Chando to keep close to his side, and had supplied him every now and then with a few drops of water. ”

“ The black who was about to hurl the spear hesitated, and the next instant Ned recognised Chando, who, coming forward, turned round and addressed his countrymen, for they were of his tribe, signing also to Sayd and Sambroko to lower their weapons. The savages, who just before appeared bent on the destruction of the travellers, now advanced, uttering expressions of good-will and welcome. Seeing peace established, Chando knelt down by Ned’s side, pouring out expressions of joy at having found him, and inquiring anxiously the cause of his being unable to walk. ”

“ O’Connor meantime went on knotting his handkerchief, and only waiting for a word from Rhymer to commence operations on Ned’s back. Ned took no notice, but as soon as he had finished dinner he sprang up and made for the door of the berth.
“Stop that youngster!” exclaimed Rhymer; “he is not to set our authority at defiance. Come back I say, Garth.” ”

“ It is very kind of the First Lord to receive him so well and to listen to all he had to say; we should not expect too much from great men.”
Miss Sally ran on in the same strain for some time, but all she said failed to impart much confidence to poor Ned; still his uncle might succeed in getting him on board a merchant vessel, and like a prudent lad, he was ready for whatever might turn up. Next morning Ned eagerly looked out for the postman, but no letter arrived; another and another day passed by. It was too evident that the lieutenant had no news to communicate. ”

“ O no; my friends and I are on an expedition to purchase elephant tusks from the natives far away in the interior, where they are so plentiful that people make their door-posts of them, and we all expect to become immensely rich.”
“I hope that you will succeed,” said Ned; “but I would rather have heard that you were returning to the coast, that I might accompany you, as I am very desirous of getting back to my ship. Can you, however, assist me?”
“You ask what is impossible. If you attempt to go alone, you will be murdered by the robbers through whose territory we have passed. ”

“ Had he been a seaman, without a copper in his pocket, we should have treated him in the same fashion I hope. Remember, Ned, the meaning of having no respect for persons. It is not that we are not to respect those above us, but that we are to treat our fellow-creatures alike, without expectation of reward, and to pull a drowning man, whether a lord or an ordinary seaman, out of the water when we can.”
Chapter Two.
The next morning Ned went off to summon the doctor from the neighbouring town, for their guest still remained in an apparently dangerous state. ”

“ The old lieutenant listened attentively. “Poor Sally! poor Mary!” he murmured, as, leaning on Charley’s shoulder, he walked back to the house. “It will well-nigh break their hearts to hear that he is dead, but I for one won’t believe it; I tell you, Meadows, I can’t believe it,” his voice growing more husky as he spoke. “I expect to see Ned a commander before I die; he is sure to get on in the service. Sally won’t believe it either; she’s got too much good sense for that. Come along, however, you shall tell her and Mary about it, for I have not taken in all the particulars.” ”

“ Very different were Ned’s feelings when he heard the news; it was the very station to which he had hoped the ship might be sent. His knowledge of the good qualities possessed by Tom Baraka made him sure that the blacks were not the despicable race some of his messmates were disposed to consider them. They, at all events, had immortal souls, and might with the same advantages become as civilised and as good a Christian as Tom was. ”

“ Run on, Ned, to the coast-guard station. If you meet one of the men, tell him, in case he hasn’t seen her, that I think the vessel will be on shore before long. But if you fall in with no one, go and let Lieutenant Hanson know what I say, and he’ll get his rockets ready, so as to be prepared to assist the crew whenever the vessel may strike. Take care, Ned, though, not to fall over the cliff—keep well away from it. On a dark night you cannot see the path clearly, and in many spots, remember, it ends abruptly in places where it wouldn’t do to tumble down. ”

“ Ned, as directed, started away at full speed, and soon outstripped his followers, who, as they overtook smaller parties of the blacks, tried to turn them back. The negroes on hearing the shouts of the sailors, and seeing them flourish their cutlasses, more frightened than ever, sank down to the ground. In vain the seamen endeavoured to make them rise, assuring them that they meant them no harm. Much time was lost in the attempt. Ned, in obedience to his orders, had got ahead of one party of the blacks and was seen by Dick Morgan making signs to induce them to stop running. ”

“ No one can calculate the numbers who have died from hunger in a land teeming with abundance.”
Ned and Mary came in during the latter part of the conversation, to which they paid the greatest attention.
“I wish I could help to put a stop to such horrible doings,” exclaimed Ned. “I should like to see an English fleet employed in catching all the dhows, and an army sent to march through the country to turn all the Arabs out of it. It would be an honour to serve even as a drummer-boy on shore, or as a powder-monkey on board one of the ships.” ”

“ Fortunately for the Arabs, the Africans had expended most of their missiles. Ned implored the first who passed in their retreat to lift him up and to carry him with them, for he fully expected to be trampled to death should he not be killed by the falling rocks or the arrows of the savages. His cries were unheeded; already the greater number had passed by, when he saw an Arab, evidently a chief, bringing up the rear, and encouraging the men under him by continuing their fire to keep the foe in check. Ned recognised him as the Arab whose life he had saved from the sinking dhow. ”

“ Miss Sally looked greatly relieved when she heard that it was not likely her brother would go to sea, anxious as she was that poor Ned should obtain the object of his wishes.
“We must not despair, however,” said the lieutenant. “We know that God orders all for the best, if we trust Him and do our duty; perhaps something will turn up when we least expect it. I have been thinking, Ned, how I can raise money enough to pay the required premium, and if I can do that the matter will be quickly settled. ”

“ The next day the “Ione” went out to Spithead, the one-legged lieutenant, by the commander’s invitation, being on board. With a beaming eye he watched Ned, who performed various duties in a way which showed that he knew well what he was about.
“He’ll do, he’ll do,” he said to himself more than once. “Meadows, too, seems an active young fellow. Nothing could have turned out better.”
At length the moment for parting came. Ned accompanied his uncle down the side, and again and again the kind old lieutenant wrung his hand before he stepped into the wherry which was to carry him to shore. ”

“ He therefore cheerfully remained on board my ship, and has stayed with me ever since, pretty well reconciled to his lot, his whole soul wrapped up in Mary, who has taken the place in his affections of the son from whom he has, he believes, for ever been separated, though he is devoted also to my sister, and to Ned and me. That black fellow has as big a heart as any white man. He does not, however, forget his wife and child, for since he became a Christian, his great desire is that they should be brought to a knowledge of the truth. ”

“ In perfect silence the Arabs marshalled their forces, several of the pagazis being also armed, while the remainder, with a small guard over them, were left in the wood with the goods and provisions.
Sayd, on seeing this, true to his word, drew off his own men, greatly to the anger of Abdullah and the other chiefs. Ned accompanied him, but Chando was obliged to remain in the camp. It was better than being employed in attacking the villagers. Ned was much concerned at having to separate from him. Again he implored Sayd to try by some means or other to obtain Chando’s liberty ”

“ Ned watched them with no small anxiety.
If determined to conquer at the sacrifice of life, they could not fail to succeed; but he had seen enough of black warriors to know that when met with determination they were not likely to persevere. Sayd seemed to be of the same opinion. He spoke to his people, and urged them to fight to the last. Masika also addressed her followers, reminding them of their character for courage, and urging them to fight bravely in defence of their white friends, and of her and her son. ”

“ Still Stone could make but slow progress, and Ned began to fear that his own strength might become exhausted before the canoe could reach him. He was truly thankful when at last he saw that Stone had got hold of Cox, and was dragging him on board. Just at that moment, however, to his horror, he caught sight of a dark fin above the surface; that it was that of a shark he knew too well. He must do his utmost to keep the monster at a distance. ”

“ As meat was much wanted at the camp, the party immediately commenced cutting up the elephant, while messengers were despatched to summon carriers to convey the flesh and tusks. As soon as it was sent off the hunters continued the chase. Ned shot a zebra, which raised him in the estimation of his companions. A giraffe was also seen, and creeping up to it among the long grass the party surrounded it. Before it could escape a bullet from Sayd’s gun wounded it in the shoulder, when spears and javelins thrust at it from every side soon ended its life. ”

“ Ned himself for a minute or more could not utter a word.
“We must lose no time in setting about doing what is necessary,” continued the lieutenant. “Sally, you’ll get his things ready as fast as you can. He will only require, however, a change or two, to serve him until he can obtain his outfit. I’ll write to the Admiralty to say that he will join the ‘Ione’ forthwith, and to Mr Farrance to thank him for his generous offer, which I will accept for Ned, although I might have thought twice about it had it been made more directly in my favour. ”

“ On and on they trudged; the sun, as he rose, got hotter and hotter, striking down with intense force on their heads. Ned marched alongside Sayd. The latter had two favoured followers—young Hassan, partly of Arab birth, who acted as his gun-bearer; and a huge negro, a freed man, Sambroko by name, possessed of prodigious strength and courage. ”