CHAPTER XXIX.
THE FLOAT. THE WALKING LAD.
But hunger and thirst, which began to work in me, diverted my thoughts.
My thirst I quenched with a draught from the water of the cataract, though it tasted brackish. Hereupon I began to walk back along the shore towards the gully by which I had descended.[D] But the sun began to shine scorching hot, and I had not gone far, but I was fain to turn in to a cave to shelter from the glare.
This cave was pretty deep, and the farther parts were dark. Now, by this time of my sojourn on the island, the instinct of curiosity was become habitual with me; and I prepared to search the cave, taking out my cocoa-fibre to have set fire to it with my flint and steel. But I found it would not kindle, being damp.
However, my sight becoming something accustomed to the dim light, I began to rummage amongst the pieces of fallen rock that blocked the cave at the farther end. Here I came upon the end of a ship’s cable which lay coiled in a hollow place behind a boulder. ’Twas fastened to a horse’s hide.
I was perplexed as to what the thing might be, but presently knew it for a float (the horse’s hide being blown up before use), and, by the same token, its use and office in the business of scaring poor mariners. For, recollecting the episode of the cut cable in the night of our coming to the island, I made small doubt that one had been sent out on the float to do the work.[E]
From the cave I made my way towards the gully, and so up to the higher land. Here were woods, wherein I found a banana tree full of fruit, and did eat of it very heartily. Hereupon I turned along on the summit of the cliffs towards the south, where the battery stood.
But within half a mile from thence I heard the clamour of another cliff-waterfall; and, having come to the place, and, looking over, I beheld another great stone visage. Certainly Doctor Copicus had slipped no opportunity to fashion out his images of terror!
I laughed as I thought of it, laughed at myself and at so many others thus befooled. We had been as birds frighted with scarecrows! But, on a sudden, I became sensible that I was not alone; and, looking up, I spied the skeleton lad, Dominic, who had come out from a little thick wood in front of me.
He came towards me, walking with a slow and dreamy motion; and, as he drew near, I saw that his eyes had a lifeless look, and, as it were, a film upon them.
I took the occasion to converse him, being curious to know many things concerning him.
“Well, Dominic,” said I pleasantly, “how do you do this fine day?”
But he continued on his way, and did pass me by without answering or taking any notice of me; nor, indeed, did he seem so much as sensible of my presence.
I stood, staring angrily round upon him, thinking he affronted me.
“Why don’t you answer me?” cried I. “Are you, then, deaf or dumb?”
But he went on as before. Hereupon I called upon him to stand; and, when that also was of none effect, I run and overtook him, and clutched him by the sleeve of his ragged coat.
On this he started, sighed deeply, and looked wildly round on me. This gave me a scare, so that I let go of his sleeve, and took a step back from him. I perceived I had awakened the lad from a sort of trance.
“I beg your pardon ...” I began.
“Tirralirra,” cried he, in his shrill voice, “he begs pardon of Dominic! He ought to beg pardon of the great magician.”
“What mean you?” asked I; but he stood stock still, his head fallen upon his breast, and, when I bent forward, peering into his eyes, I saw that the lifeless and filmy look had returned upon them, and that the lad was fallen back into his strange trance.
Presently he stirred, and began to walk on with the same slow and dreamy motion as before.
I let him go his way, and went mine.