Robert was nothing loth to stay, and resumed his place on the gra.s.s. The captain threw himself on the gra.s.s beside him.
"I suppose you have read "Robinson Crusoe?"" he said.
"Oh, yes; more than once."
"I wonder how it would seem to live on such an island as this?"
"I should like it very well," said Robert; "that is, if I could go off at any time. I was just thinking of it when you come up."
"Were you?" asked the captain, showing his teeth in an unpleasant smile, which, however, Robert did not see. "You think you would like it?"
"Yes, sir."
"I am glad of that."
"Why?" asked Robert, turning round and looking his companion in the face.
"Because," said Haley, changing his tone, "I am going to give you a chance to try it."
Robert sprang to his feet in instant alarm, but too late. Haley had grasped him by the shoulder, and in his grasp the boy"s strength was nothing.
"What are you going to do?" asked Robert, with fearful foreboding.
"Wait a minute and you will see!"
The captain had drawn a stout cord, brought for the purpose, from his pocket, and, dragging Robert to a tree, tied him securely to the trunk.
The terrible fate destined for him was presented vividly to the imagination of our hero; and, brave as he was, it almost unmanned him.
Finding his struggles useless, he resorted to expostulation.
"I am sure you cannot mean this, Captain Haley!" he said. "You won"t leave me to perish miserably on this island?"
"Won"t I?" returned the captain, with an evil light in his eyes. "Why won"t I?"
"Surely, you will not be so inhuman?"
"Look here, boy," said the captain, "you needn"t try to come any of your high-flown notions about humanity over me. I owe you a debt, and, by Heaven! I"m going to pay it! You didn"t think much of humanity when you wounded me."
"I couldn"t help it," said Robert. "I didn"t want to hurt you. I only wanted to protect your uncle."
"That"s all very well; but, when you interfered in a family quarrel, you meddled with what did not concern you. Besides, you have been inciting my crew to mutiny."
"I have not done so," said Robert.
"I overheard you the other night giving some of your precious advice to my cabin-boy. Besides, you had the impudence to interfere with me in a matter of discipline."
"Frank Price deserved no punishment."
"That is for me to decide. When you dared to be impudent to me on my own deck, I swore to be revenged, and the time has come sooner than I antic.i.p.ated."
"Captain Haley," said Robert, "in all that I have done I have tried to do right. If I have done wrong, it was because I erred in judgment. If you will let me go, I will promise to say nothing of the attempt you make to keep me here."
"You are very kind," sneered the captain; "but I mean to take care of that myself. You may make all the complaints you like after I have left you here."
"There is One who will hear me," said Robert. "I shall not be wholly without friends."
"Who do you mean?"
"G.o.d!" said Robert, solemnly.
"Rubbish!" retorted Haley, contemptuously.
"I shall not despair while I have Him to appeal to."
"Just as you like," said the captain, shrugging his shoulders. "You are welcome to all the comfort you can find in your present situation."
By this time, Robert was bound to the trunk of the tree by a cord, which pa.s.sed around his waist. In addition to this Haley tied his wrists together, fearing that otherwise he might be able to unfasten the knot.
He now rose to his feet, and looked down upon the young captive, with an air of triumph.
"Have you any messages to send by me, Rushton?" he said, with a sneer.
"Are you quite determined to leave me here?" asked Robert, in anguish.
"Quite so."
"What will the sailors say when I do not return?"
"Don"t trouble yourself about them. I will take care of that. If you have got anything to say, say it quick, for I must be going."
"Captain Haley," said Robert, his courage rising, and looking the captain firmly in the face, "I may die here, and so gratify your enmity; but the time will come when you will repent what you are doing."
"I"ll risk that," said Haley, coolly. "Good-by."
He walked up the slope, and disappeared from view, leaving Robert bound to the tree, a helpless prisoner.
CHAPTER x.x.x.
A FRIEND IN NEED.
Captain Haley kept on his way to the sh.o.r.e. The four sailors were all within hail, and on the captain"s approach got the boat in readiness to return.
"Where is the boy?" asked Haley. "Hasn"t he got back?"
"No, sir."
"That is strange. I told him to be back in an hour, and it is already past that time."