The Gentleman | Page 9

man flogged round the Fleet?"
"Never."
"Then heaven help you never may, sir. I'd liefer fight a gun in the waist through farty Fleet-actions, than see one man go through that--wouldn't you, Abe?"
"Ay, that I would," grumbled the deep voice.
"Ah; and so'd we all," came a windy chorus.
There was a stamping of feet: then the story-teller went on,
"I stood by the gang-way when he came up the side, a blanket across his shoulders.
"'Ullo, Reube,' says he....
"That were all.... I said nawthing.... I saw his face....
"When he came out o the sick-bay three months a'terwards, with his kit to go ashore--he was dismissed the Service, yo'll understand, sir--I was on deck.... He limped across, and shook hands with me out o them all.... We'd been like brothers, him and me.... Then he went down the side and never a word.... Just as his head was on a level with the deck, he stops. Good-bye all,' says he, with a laugh I never heard him laugh before. 'The British Navy ain't eard the last o Black Diamond.'... And nor we had, by thunder."
III
The Tremendous thrashed into a swell. A spout of foam flung up, and crashed down on the deck. When the last hiss of it had died away, Boniface took up his tale.
"That was 99--after Acre. I was away nigh on six years, middlin busy too. We'd the lot atop on us one time or t'other--French, Roossians, Dons, Dutch, Swedes, Danes, and all; and Nap to thank for em....
"Last Spring I come home to find Black Diamond cock o the Gap Gang, and better fear'd nor Boney's self in East Sussex. That'd be a day or two after they'd done Mr. Lucy."
"What was that?"
"Why, sir, Mr. Lucy, he was Coast-guard Officer of this district. One day his grey cob cantered into Lewes alone--no Mr. Lucy. Two night a'terwards a keeper chap found his body in Abbot's Wood....
"They'd crucified him to a tree, and flogged him to the bone; then stuck an ace o diamonds on to his back, and on it
Returned with thanks."
"And that warn't all," grumbled the deep voice.
"That it warn't," came the windy chorus. "Never is with them."
"But who'd done it?" cried the boy.
"Gap Gang, sir."
"Who are they?"
"Why, sir, Birling Gap Gang it should be by rights. That's where they mostly lay rough when they're this side. And it suits them to-rights--that lonely, you see: just naked hills, cliffs, badgers, foxes, and the like.--And such a crew! God help the man or maid crosses their hawse. Fear neither God nor Devil."
"Only Black Diamond," grumbled the deep voice. "Meek as milk with him."
There was a grim chuckle all round.
"Are they smugglers?" asked the boy.
"Call emselves smugglers," replied Reuben. "But they ain't the gentlemen proper. For it's mighty little smuggling they do. Maybe run a cargo every now and then to keep in with the folk on the hill--East-dean and Friston way. But they're after bigger game, I allow."
"What's that?"
"Despatch-running for Little Boney, sir."
IV
The boy waited. There was more to come, he felt; and he was right.
In a minute Diamond's old ship-mate resumed his tale.
"Last July, I was on furlough at Alfriston. One evening I went for a bit of a stroll on the hill. Up there, under the sky, top o Snap Hill, was a look-out chap with a telescope. I knaw'd his back, and the high way with his head at first onset. It was Black Diamond.
"'Hullo, Bert,' says I, coming up behind.
"Round he jumps, terrible dark.
"I'd hardly ha know'd him--toff'd out quite the officer, bits of epaulettes, waxed moustachers, pistol and all. I'd never ha beleft it!
"'That Reube?' says he, at last, starin properly.
"'That's me, sir,' says I.
"His face cleared; and he shoved his pistol back.
"'Excuse me, Reube,' says he. 'Every man that wears that uniform is unfriends with me, with one exception--and that's yourself,' and he took my hand.
"'It's nice to look into a pair of eyes can look back at you,' he goes on, very quiet, pumping my hand. 'How are you, old mate?--We're quite strangers.'
"'I'm tidy middlin, thank-you, sir,' says I: must keep on a-sirrin him somehow. 'How's things going with you?'
"'Why,' says he, with that terrible great laugh of his, 'like God Almighty--slow but sure.'
"'Nice crowd you've got together by all accounts, sir,' says I.
"'All picked men,' says he, mighty grim. 'But drop your voice if you're going to talk about the darlings: I've a dozen of em in the goss handy by. There's not a man sails aboard the Kite but swings in chains, if he's copp'd. Makes em wonderful nippy at a pinch,' says he, with that little smile o his. 'You wouldn't believe.'
"' Yes,' I says. 'Reg'lar man o war style aboard the _Kite_, they do say. Trice em up, and flog em, if everything ain't just so.'
"'That's so,' says he. 'Duchess could