,—nothingforthegallows.Toescape,totrackdownSholto,tohavemyhanduponhisthroat,—thatwasmyonethought.EventheAgratreasurehadcometobeasmallerthinginmymindthantheslayingofSholto.
“Well,Ihavesetmymindonmanythingsinthislife,andneveronewhichIdidnotcarryout.Butitwaswearyyearsbeforemytimecame.IhavetoldyouthatIhadpickedupsomethingofmedicine.OnedaywhenDr.SomertonwasdownwithafeveralittleAndamanIslanderwaspickedupbyaconvict-ganginthewoods.Hewassicktodeath,andhadgonetoalonelyplacetodie.Itookhiminhand,thoughhewasasvenomousasayoungsnake,andafteracoupleofmonthsIgothimallrightandabletowalk.Hetookakindoffancytomethen,andwouldhardlygobacktohiswoods,butwasalwayshangingaboutmyhut.Ilearnedalittleofhislingofromhim,andthismadehimallthefonderofme.
“Tonga—forthatwashisname—wasafineboatman,andownedabig,roomycanoeofhisown.WhenIfoundthathewasdevotedtomeandwoulddoanythingtoserveme,Isawmychanceofescape.Italkeditoverwithhim.Hewastobringhisboatroundonacertainnighttoanoldwharfwhichwasneverguarded,andtherehewastopickmeup.Igavehimdirectionstohaveseveralgourdsofwaterandalotofyams,cocoa-nuts,andsweetpotatoes.
“Hewasstanchandtrue,waslittleTonga.Nomaneverhadamorefaithfulmate.Atthenightnamedhehadhisboatatthewharf.Asitchanced,however,therewasoneoftheconvict-guarddownthere,—avilePathanwhohadnevermissedachanceofinsultingandinjuringme.Ihadalwaysvowedvengeance,andnowIhadmychance.ItwasasiffatehadplacedhiminmywaythatImightpaymydebtbeforeIlefttheisland.Hestoodonthebankwithhisbacktome,andhiscarbineonhisshoulder.Ilookedaboutforastonetobeatouthisbrainswith,butnonecouldIsee.ThenaqueerthoughtcameintomyheadandshowedmewhereIcouldlaymyhandonaweapon.Isatdowninthedarknessandunstrappedmywoodenleg.WiththreelonghopsIwasonhim.Heputhiscarbinetohisshoulder,butIstruckhimfull,andknockedthewholefrontofhisskullin.YoucanseethesplitinthewoodnowwhereIhithim.Webothwentdowntogether,forIcouldnotkeepmybalance,butwhenIgotupIfoundhimstilllyingquietenough.Imadefortheboat,andinanhourwewerewelloutatsea.Tongahadbroughtallhisearthlypossessionswithhim,hisarmsandhisgods.Amongotherthings,hehadalongbamboospear,andsomeAndamancocoa-nutmatting,withwhichImadeasortofsail.Fortendayswewerebeatingabout,trustingtoluck,andontheeleventhwewerepickedupbyatraderwhichwasgoingfromSingaporetoJiddahwithacargoofMalaypilgrims.Theywerearumcrowd,andTongaandIsoonmanagedtosettledownamongthem.Theyhadoneverygoodquality:theyletyoualoneandaskednoquestions.
“Well,ifIweretotellyoualltheadventuresthatmylittlechumandIwentthrough,youwouldnotthankme,forIwouldhaveyouhereuntilthesunwasshining.Hereandtherewedriftedabouttheworld,somethingalwaysturninguptokeepusfromLondon.Allthetime,however,Ineverlostsightofmypurpose.IwoulddreamofSholtoatnight.AhundredtimesIhavekilledhiminmysleep.Atlast,however,somethreeorfouryearsago,wefoundourselvesinEngland.IhadnogreatdifficultyinfindingwhereSholtolived,andIsettoworktodiscoverwhetherhehadrealisedthetreasure,orifhestillhadit.Imadefriendswithsomeonewhocouldhelpme,—Inamenonames,forIdon’twanttogetanyoneelseinahole,—andIsoonfoundthathestillhadthejewels.ThenItriedtogetathiminmanywaysbuthewasprettysly,andhadalwaystwoprize-fighters,besideshissonsandhiskhitmutgar,onguardoverhim.
“Oneday,however,Igotwordthathewasdying.Ihurriedatoncetothegarden,madthatheshouldslipoutofmyclutcheslikethat,and,lookingthroughthewindow,Isawhimlyinginhisbed,withhissonsoneachsideofhim.I’dhavecomethroughandtakenmychancewiththethreeofthem,onlyevenasIlookedathimhisjawdropped,andIknewthathewasgone.Igotintohisroomthatsamenight,though,andIsearchedhispaperstoseeiftherewasanyrecordofwherehehadhiddenourjewels.Therewasnotaline,however:soIcameaway,bitterandsavageasamancouldbe.BeforeIleftIbethoughtmethatifIevermetmySikhfriendsagainitwouldbeasatisfactiontoknowthatIhadleftsomemarkofourhatredsoIscrawleddownthesignofthefourofus,asithadbeenonthechart,andIpinneditonhisbosom.Itwastoomuchthatheshouldbetakentothegravewithoutsometokenfromthemenwhomhehadrobbedandbefooled.
“WeearnedalivingatthistimebymyexhibitingpoorTongaatfairsandothersuchplacesastheblackcannibal.Hewouldeatrawmeatanddancehiswar-dance:sowealwayshadahatfulofpenniesafteraday’swork.IstillheardallthenewsfromPondicherryLodge,andforsomeyearstherewasnonewstohear,exceptthattheywerehuntingforthetreasure.Atlast,however,camewhatwehadwaitedforsolong.Thetreasurehadbeenfound.Itwasupatthetopofthehouse,i