Chapter 6 - Almost uncovered
The sun was about to set in the waters of the Indian Ocean, when Jody went down the beach to go, like every evening, to fishing for sea crabs, which the governor was very greedy. One-eye was waiting for him and, seeing the engineer arrive, he hinted at a malicious smile.
«I thought you weren't coming fishing Jody tonight, I was about to leave.»
«And why, I gave you my word to take you fishing with me.»
«I don't know, it was my idea, are you sure to catch some crabs?»
«I never come back empty-handed.»
»Then I was right not to have dinner, I'll make up for the white pulp of those delicious crustaceans.»
«Get in and take the oars. The lifeboat is heavy and we'll do it first.»
One-eye obeyed, while Jody sat in the back. The boat, under the thrust of the four oars, detached itself from the beach and headed for the crab reef, one that almost closed the bay, protecting it from winds and waves.
The top and slopes were covered with coconut trees, the nearly ripe nuts attracting the large sea crabs. The soil of the islet was already covered with a large number of coconut shells, completely emptied of greedy crustaceans.
Twenty minutes later, the boat came to a small cove, defended by rocky points, that formed a barrier against the surf.
«Are there already?» One-eye asked as darkness fell.
«I put the bait this morning» said the engineer. «As soon as it's dark you'll see them».
«What kind of bait?»
«Some coconuts that I had baked in the oven. There is no better way to attract those crustaceans.»
«Do they prefer them cooked instead of raw?»
«It seems» Jody replied «they leave the raw ones for the others».
«Will they come from the sea?»
«No, they will come down from the plants. During the day they love to hang from the trees, in the shade, clinging with their tips. Come and don't talk, they are aggressive and dangerous».
They tied up the boat and took two hard and heavy wooden clubs and climbed the cliff, heading for a place where the coconut trees formed a small grove.
«Is that where you put the nuts?» asked One-eye.
«Yes» murmured Jody. «Ah! Look! Do you see it come down from that tree?» Jody indicated.
One-eye sharpened his gaze and saw a monstrous-sized crab, slowly descending along the trunk, stopping as if afraid of some nasty surprise.
As soon as it landed it headed for a pile of cooked walnuts. The crustacean, fearful, turned towards them and its red eyes pointed towards them emitting a slight glow.
«What kind of crabs are they? I've never seen them so monstrous and with those eyes» he was petrified by terror.
The crab took the largest nut from the heap, removed the fibers that covered it, introduced the tip of one of its claws, then circling it drilled with irresistible force, breaking it.
He was about to throw himself greedily on the internal pulp, when Jody, the engineer, suddenly emerging from his hiding place, was on him, giving him two tremendous blows of the club that smashed his shell.
The poor crustacean stretched and then withdrew the claws, trying in agony to grip the enemy, finally it rolled over on its side.
«Here's the first» Jody said in a happy voice «Rarely I got one as big as this».
«Is it for me?» asked One-eye.
«If you like, go ahead and take it. We'll find a few more for the governor. I put in another pile of nuts. Leave it there, we will collect it later».
He was about to turn his back to the woods and walk away when One-eye stopped him.
«Let's go to the other side, however, I noticed that every time you came back well stocked with crabs, you went to hunt them towards the northern tip. Why do you want to change this evening?»
Jody turned pale, meanwhile with his right hand immediately reached for the knife he kept hidden under the band.
«There aren't any more there, trying to give her voice a calm tone. Do you want to know more about me, One-eye?»
«Then I will go there alone» he replied. You'll see that I'll take more than you, Jody».
«But if I tell you they don't frequent that place anymore» retorted, who had already understood what the spy wanted. He was beginning to lose his coolness, because it was there that he had hidden the provisions that were to be used for the crossing of the Indian Ocean. Had he guessed the fugitives' plan?
For a moment he had the idea of suddenly throwing himself on the spy and planting the knife in his heart, then the fear of being asked what happened to him if he didn't come back with him held back.
With a supreme effort he calmed down, then said:
«If you want it, let's go pay a visit over there. I don't want to go back, remember with empty-handed.»
«Let's go then» said One-eye with a wicked smile. Jody rolled the captured crab, with a kick, towards the beach, where the boat was tied, and start to walk.
One-eye, however, who was perhaps afraid of some surprise, after a few steps went to his side, telling him of the prodigious peaches he made on the coasts of Ceylon. Jody did not lose sight of him for a single moment, trying to get him away from the place where the small food depot was.
Again One-eye did not want to betray himself, but his eyes observed the rocks that formed the cliff and stopped with any excuse.
Jody watched all those suspicious maneuvers, but pretended not to notice. His right hand was always holding the knife, ready for any risk.
They had reached the other side of the cliff without having seen any crabs, so Jody stopped, telling him:
«I was right to tell you that crabs don't come here anymore. They were too scared.»
One-eye did not answer immediately, he looked insistently at a crack in the rock, covered by dry branches, which could have been the entrance to a cave. Jody had followed that look.
«What are you looking at?» he asked in a threatening voice.
«I thought I saw, in the middle of those rocks, a swordfish, they are excellent, you know Jody those fish. Do you know them?»
«You talk about sailing fish, I think.»
«Yes»
«I don't see anything»
«Yet I would swear I saw his dorsal fin and his long sword as well.»
«Go get him then» Jody said impatiently.
«If I had a harpoon, I wouldn't let it get away.»
«But we don't have it, it's useless for us to stop here. Let's go back to the chariots. I haven't already come here to have a chat game with you.» Jody was nervous.
«Yes, let's go get some crabs for the governor.»
They went back, while the moon rose on the horizon mirroring itself in the sea and a cool breeze made the leaves of the trees move.
After a few steps, One-eyed suddenly asked curiosly the engineer:
«Have you seen the pearl fisher again?»
«No, I have never seen him again; they told me he's still in the infirmary and it's because of you.» Jody said with anger.
«That is his.»
«Be it as you like, but I'd like to know why you asked me that question.» Jody said, looking at him suspiciously.
Do you know I've learned a good story about him?"
"And which?"
«That he is in the penitentiary for killing two or three priests of the ancient monastery.»
«Let the crabs tear off my arm if I know what you mean» replied Jody, shrugging.
«And he has a girl in that monastery.» The other man continue the talk.
«I don't know anything.»
«And he said to be a descendant of the ancient rajahs» continued One-eye.
«You tell me lies» Jody said to close the conversation.
«No, he's the one who told the ex-officer, I've heard him cry several times. I was in the next cell and I could hear everything».
«And what does that story matter to me?»
«It's true, I'm a fool,» One-eyed laughed. Will we find others crabs?».
«Let's go to the woods where I put the other coconuts. Others will have already arrived.»
They immediately heard the creaking of the strong crustacean tongs on the shells. Five crabs had dropped from the trees.
While they were beating the shells with fury, breaking their legs, one of them turned against One-eye and quickly grabbed his ankle with his claws.
«Ahhhhh! Leave me cursed!» he screamed in pain, but the crab in its last moment of life did not let go and the ankle began to bleed profusely.
The red eyes were still bright and fierce.
«Take it off Jody, kill it! It's bleeding me out!»
The other crabs were all smashed on the ground. Jody was thinking he was going to let the crab squeeze again his ankle in pain, to be difficult walk for him.
«I don't want to break your legs, try to stay still One-eye.»
So he threw a blow with the club, close without taking it.
«What are you doing Jody? Do you want me it breaks the bones in my leg?»
Seeing the large patch of blood on the rock, Jody thought the wound was deep enough and hit the crab, which released its grip and rolled over.
One-eye had slumped to the ground, clutching his ankle, having made sure that the crab was dead and his eyes no longer glowed with that macabre blush.
Jody snatched a strip of his shirt and wrapped it around the ankle.
«Come on, it's already late, if you hadn't made me go all that way on your whim, this wouldn't have happened. Now don't complain about rowing, use your arms, not your ankles» he said abruptly, helping him up.
On the way back they were silent, then landed at the dock, where Jody unloaded the crabs
«Take your crab and go» she told him.
«And you? I think I won't be able to go back to work tomorrow.»
«I have to get the crabs to the governor and get the orders for tomorrow.»
«So good night, Jody» said One-eye, putting the crab on his shoulders and walking away.
The engineer remained on the beach with one hand buried in the band, where he hid the knife, in the grip of a terrible doubt.
«I would have done better to kill him» he thought «Fortunately tomorrow, if all goes well, we will be far from here and on the reef there won't be a nothing. Let's not waste time. It's already ten o'clock».
He threw the crabs onto a wheelbarrow, but left one in the lifeboat, and took them to the governor's house, then, walked towards the small coal yard, muttering to himself «Let's try to get on board as much as we can».