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Updated: June 6, 2025
He felt a curious thrill pass through him when he discovered a moment later that this man was Jeekum. Two men seized the oars amidships. A fourth, with his rifle across his knees sat facing Neil. For the first time Nathaniel found himself wondering what this voyage meant.
Neil had taken a piece of meat and was eating it as though he had not heard his companion's words. "Help yourself, Nat. It's our last opportunity." "You don't believe " "No. Lord, man, do you suppose that Strang is going to let me live to kill him?" Somebody was fumbling with the chain at the dungeon door. The two men stared as it opened slowly and Jeekum appeared. The jailer was highly excited.
Had some spot of lesser gloom ahead betrayed the prisoner's bowed head and Jeekum's white face turned to it? There was a steady pressure on Nathaniel's arm now, a warning, frightened pressure, and the hand that made it trembled. Jeekum feared the worst but his fear was not greater than the chill of disappointment that came to smother the excited beating of Nathaniel's heart.
MacDougall toppled back with a hollow groan, blood spurting from his mouth and nose. Nathaniel turned coolly to the four rifles leveled at his breast. "A pretty puppet to do the king's commands!" he cried. "If there's a man among you let him finish the work!" Jeekum had fallen upon his knees beside the whipper. "Great God!" he shrieked. "You've killed, him! You've stove in the side of his head!"
He squeezed the sheriff's hand with his arm, but there was no responding signal; in a patch of thick gloom that almost concealed the figures ahead he pressed near to him and lowered his head again and Jeekum pushed him back fiercely, with a low curse. They emerged from the forest and the clear starlight shone down upon them. A little distance off lay the lake in shimmering stillness.
Neil was absolutely motionless, as though he had ceased to breathe. Jeekum uttered not a whisper. It was his whisper that Nathaniel waited for, the signaling clutch of his fingers, the sound of his breath close to his ears. Again and again he pressed himself against the sheriff's knees. He knew that he was understood, and yet there came no answer.
Jeekum returned quickly and placed himself between them, seizing each by an arm, and the forward guards, pivoting to the left, set off at their steady pace across the clearing. As they entered the denser gloom of the forest on the farther side Nathaniel felt the jailer's fingers tighten about his arm, then relax and tighten again.
He saw fresh food on the table. "It's late " he began. "That is our dinner and supper," interrupted Neil. He held his watch close to the candle. "Half past eight!" "And no word from " "No." The two men looked deeply into each other's eyes. "Jeekum delivered my note to her at noon when he was relieved," said Neil. "He did not carry it personally but swears that he saw her receive it.
"Why hasn't it been taken?" For a full minute Neil made no answer. And his answer, when it did come, first of all was a laugh. "By George, that's good!" he cried exultingly. "Of course you were searched and by Jeekum! He knows, but he hasn't made a report of it to Strang because he believes that in some way he will get hold of the money. He is taking a big risk but he's winning!
A light blazed through the blackness and after an interval of silence the jailer made his appearance in front of the cell, a pistol in his hand. "Don't be afraid, Jeekum," said Neil reassuringly. "You forgot the door and we've been having a little fun with the jury. That's all!"
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