Chapter 50 - The Boy Slaves by Mayne Reid
A LIVING GRAVE
Golah's first act after coming forth was to take some thongs from his saddle. Having done this, he beckoned to the two who guarded the slaves, giving them some admonition in an unknown tongue. The effect was to excite their greater vigilance. The muzzles of their muskets were turned towards the white captives, and they seemed anxiously waiting the order to fire.
Golah then looked towards Terence, and made a sign for the young Irishman to get up and come towards him.
Terence hesitated.
"Go on, Terry," muttered Colin "He don't mean you any harm."
At this instant Fatima stepped out from the tent, armed with her husband's scimitar, and apparently anxious for an opportunity of using it.
Acting under the advice of the others, Terence sprang to his feet: and advanced to the spot where the sheik was standing. The Krooman who spoke English was then called up; and Golah, taking him and the midshipman each by a hand, led them into his tent,—whither they were followed by Fatima.
The sheik now addressed a few words to the Krooman, who then told Terence that his life depended on perfect obedience to Golah's orders. His hands were to be tied; and he must not call out so as to be heard by the others.
"He say," said the Krooman, "if you no make fight, and no make noise, he no kill you."
The man further counselled Terence to submit quietly,—saying that the least resistance would lead to all the white slaves being killed.
Though possessing more than average strength and power for a youth of his age, Terence knew that, in a strife with the gigantic black sheik, he would not have the slightest chance of being victor.
Should he shout to his companions, and have them all act in concert,—as they had already proposed?
No. Such an act would most likely lead to two of them being shot; to the third having his brains knocked out with the butt-end of a musket; and to the fourth,—himself,—being strangled in the powerful grasp of Golah, if not beheaded with the scimitar in the hands of Fatima. On reflection, the young Scotchman yielded, and permitted his hands to be tied behind his back; so, too, did the Krooman.
Golah now stepped out of the tent: and immediately after returned, leading Harry Blount along with him.
On reaching the opening, and seeing Terence and the Krooman lying bound upon the floor, the young Englishman started back, and struggled to free himself from the grasp of the hand that had hold of him. His efforts only resulted in his being instantly flung to the earth, and fast held by his powerful adversary, who at the same time was also employed in protecting his victim from the fury of Fatima.
Terence, Harry, and the Krooman were now conducted back over the ground, and placed in their former position in the row,—from which they had been temporarily taken.
Sailor Bill and Colin were next treated in a similar fashion,—both being fast bound like their companions.
"What does the ould divil mane?" asked Bill when Golah was tying his hands together. "Will he murder us all?"
"No," answered the Krooman, "He no kill but one of your party."
His eyes turned upon Colin as he spoke.
"Colin! Colin!" exclaimed Harry; "see what you have done by opposing our plan! We are all helpless now."
"And so much the better for yourselves," answered Colin. "You will now suffer no further harm."
"If he means no harm, why has he bound us?" asked Bill. "It's a queer way of showing friendship."
"Yes, but a safe one," answered Colin. "You cannot now bring yourselves into danger by a foolish resistance to his will."
Terence and Harry understood Colin's meaning; and now, for the first time, comprehended the reason why they had been bound.
It was to prevent them from interfering with Golah's plans for the disposal of his two victims.
Now that the white slaves were secured, no danger was apprehended from the others; and the two who had been guarding them, retired to the shade of a tent to refresh themselves with a drink of cheni.
While the brief conversation above related was being held, Golah had become busily engaged in overhauling the lading of one of his camels.
The object of his search was soon discovered: for, the moment after, he came towards them carrying a long Moorish spade.
Two of the black slaves were then called from the line; the spade was placed in the hands of one, and a wooden dish was given to the other. They were then ordered to make a large hole in the sand,—to accomplish which they at once set to work.
"They are digging a grave for me, or that of the poor woman,—perhaps for both of us?" suggested Colin, as he calmly gazed on the spectacle.
His companions had no doubt but that it was as he had said; and sat contemplating the scene in melancholy silence.
While the slaves were engaged in scooping up the hole, Golah called the two guards, and gave them some orders about continuing the journey.
The blacks set about the work were but a few minutes in making an excavation in the loose sand of some four feet in depth. They were then directed to dig another.
"It's all over with me," said Colin; "he intends to kill two, and of course I must be one of them."
"He should kill us all," exclaimed Terence. "We deserve it for leaving the well last night. We should have made an effort for our lives, while we had the chance."
"You are right," replied Harry; "we are fools, cowardly fools! We deserve neither pity in this world nor happiness in the next. Colly, my friend, if you meet with any harm, I swear to avenge it, whenever my hands are free."
"And I'll be with you," added Terence.
"Never mind me, old comrades," answered Colin, who seemed less excited than the others. "Do the best you can for yourselves, and you may some time escape from this monster."
The attention of Harry was now attracted to Sailor Bill, who had turned his back toward one of the black slaves sitting near him, and was by signs entreating the man to untie his hand.
The man refused, evidently fearing the anger of Golah should he be detected.
The second Krooman, who was unbound, now offered to loose the hands of his countryman; but the latter seemed satisfied with his want of freedom, and refused the proffered aid. He also feared death at the hands of Golah.
If left to divine the ultimate intentions of the black sheik by the knowledge of human nature they had acquired before falling into his hands, the white captives would not have been seriously alarmed for the welfare of any one of their number. But Golah was a specimen of natural history new to them; and their apprehensions were excited to the highest pitch by the conduct of those whom they knew to be better acquainted with his character.
The behavior of the woman who had aroused his anger showed that she was endeavoring to resign herself to some fearful mode of death. The wild lamentations of her children denoted that they were conscious of some impending misfortune.
Fatima seemed about to realize the fulfilment of some long-cherished hope,—the hope of revenge on a detested rival.
The care Golah had taken to hinder any interference with his plans,—the words of the Krooman, the looks and gestures of the guards and of Golah himself, the digging of two graves in the sand,—all gave warning that some fearful tragedy was about to be enacted. Our adventurers were conscious of this, and conscious, also, that they could do nothing to prevent it.
Nearly frantic with the helplessness of their position, they could only wait—"trembling for the birth of Fate."