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Updated: May 17, 2025
Even when told that their deliverance was by no means a certainty, their joy was only moderated, and their hope but slightly reduced. "But tell me," said Paul, as they all sat down together in the cave, while the Indians stood by and looked silently on, "what is the truth about this Indian who was murdered, and the dog and the woman?" "The Indian was never murdered," said Grummidge stoutly.
The chaotic condition had been growing worse and worse for some time before Grummidge was forced to take action, for Grummidge was a man of long-suffering patience. One night, however, he lost all patience, and, like most patient people when forced out of their natural groove, he exploded with surprising violence and vigour. It happened thus:
Now what I want to know is, are you an' the others prepared to join me, if I manage to cut your cords an' give you weapons, an' " "Shush! clap a stopper on your mouth, cappen," said Grummidge in an undertone, "the redskins are listening." "An' what then? They know no more about English than I know about Timbuctoosh," returned the captain irascibly. "Let 'em listen!
Then, with difficulty, they were prevented from waiting on the shore to watch the result. In the afternoon, when Grummidge gave permission, they ran down again with all the eagerness of children, and were rewarded by finding six fat seals entangled in the net and inflated almost to bursting with the water that had drowned them.
He would have cheered, but Grummidge checked him. "Shut up your hatchway, lad! Let us see what they are about before goin' in." They all advanced noiselessly, Grummidge leading, Strongbow bringing up the rear.
They now lay down, therefore, to the very brief rest that was absolutely needful, not only without supper, but with the prospect of starting again without breakfast. However, each man felt bound in honour not to damp his fellows by complaining. "Now, boys," said Grummidge, "you lie down, an' I'll mount guard. Sleep as fast as you can, for I'll route ye out in an hour or so."
"That do seem strange," rejoined the sick man, "and if true," he added thoughtfully, "there's somethin' in it, Grummidge, somethin' in it to give a man comfort." "Well, mate, I'm of your mind about that, for if God himself be for us, surely nobody can be agin us," said the seaman, unconsciously paraphrasing the word of Scripture itself.
"True, a short sleep we must have, but we'll have to take our rest without kindling a fire," said Grummidge. "Ay, an' go supperless to bed, too," remarked Little Stubbs; "for we've brought nothing to eat with us." This fact had not struck any of the party till that moment. They had been so eager in pursuit of the foe that all prudential considerations had been thrown to the winds.
As he was backed up by the majority of the crew, the proposal was negatived. "But what are we to do, boys?" cried Grummidge vehemently. "Are we goin' to be domineered over by Swinton? Why, every man he takes a dislike to, he'll sneak into his tent when he's asleep, make him fast, heave him into the boat, pull to the big island, land him there, and bid him good-bye.
"That's just what I'll do," returned Grummidge, striding up to Swan, seizing him by the collar, and hurling him to the other end of the room, where he lay still, under the impression, apparently, that he had had enough. "My business," said Grummidge, "is to keep order, and I mean to attend to it. Isn't that so, boys?" "No yes no," replied several voices. "Who said `No'?" demanded Grummidge.
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