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.He leapt where another crawled.And so this thought of evasionnever entertained until planted there now by Dr.Whacker sproutedinto instant growth."I see, I see," he said, whilst his companion was still talking,explaining, and to save Dr.Whacker's face he played the hypocrite."It is very noble in you - very brotherly, as between men of medicine.It is what I myself should wish to do in like case."The hard eyes flashed, the husky voice grew tremulous as the otherasked almost too eagerly:"You agree, then? You agree?""Agree?" Blood laughed."If I should be caught and brought back,they'd clip my wings and brand me for life.""Surely the thing is worth a little risk?" More tremulous thanever was the tempter's voice."Surely," Blood agreed."But it asks more than courage.It asksmoney.A sloop might be bought for twenty pounds, perhaps.""It shall be forthcoming.It shall be a loan, which you shall repayus - repay me, when you can."That betraying "us" so hastily retrieved completed.Blood'sunderstanding.The other doctor was also in the business.They were approaching the peopled part of the mole.Quickly, buteloquently, Blood expressed his thanks, where he knew that no thankswere due."We will talk of this again, sir - to-morrow," he concluded."Youhave opened for me the gates of hope."In that at least he tittered no more than the bare truth, andexpressed it very baldly.It was, indeed, as if a door had beensuddenly flung open to the sunlight for escape from a dark prisonin which a man had thought to spend his life.He was in haste now to be alone, to straighten out his agitatedmind and plan coherently what was to be done.Also he must consultanother.Already he had hit upon that other.For such a voyage anavigator would be necessary, and a navigator was ready to his handin Jeremy Pitt.The first thing was to take counsel with the youngshipmaster, who must be associated with him in this business if itwere to be undertaken.All that day his mind was in turmoil withthis new hope, and he was sick with impatience for night and achance to discuss the matter with his chosen partner.As a resultBlood was betimes that evening in the spacious stockade that enclosedthe huts of the slaves together with the big white house of theoverseer, and he found an opportunity of a few words with Pitt,unobserved by the others.=20"To-night when all are asleep, come to my cabin.I have somethingto say to you."The young man stared at him, roused by Blood's pregnant tone outof the mental lethargy into which he had of late been lapsing as aresult of the dehumanizing life he lived.Then he noddedunderstanding and assent, and they moved apart.The six months of plantation life in Barbados had made an almosttragic mark upon the young seaman.His erstwhile bright alertnesswas all departed.His face was growing vacuous, his eyes were dulland lack-lustre, and he moved in a cringing, furtive manner, likean over-beaten dog.He had survived the ill-nourishment, theexcessive work on the sugar plantation under a pitiless sun, thelashes of the overseer's whip when his labours flagged, and thedeadly, unrelieved animal life to which he was condemned.But theprice he was paying for survival was the usual price.He was indanger of becoming no better than an animal, of sinking to thelevel of the negroes who sometimes toiled beside him.The man,however, was still there, not yet dormant, but merely torpid froma surfeit of despair; and the man in him promptly shook off thattorpidity and awoke at the first words Blood spoke to him thatnight - awoke and wept."Escape?" he panted."0 God!" He took his head in his hands,and fell to sobbing like a child."Sh! Steady now! Steady!" Blood admonished him in a whisper,alarmed by the lad's blubbering.He crossed to Pitt's side, andset a restraining hand upon his shoulder."For God's sake, commandyourself.If we're overheard we shall both be flogged for this."Among the privileges enjoyed by Blood was that of a hut to himself,and they were alone in this.But, after all, it was built ofwattles thinly plastered with mud, and its door was composed ofbamboos, through which sound passed very easily
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