Pagina 368 van 416

So thick had been the murk and scud that he had only caught sight

of the approaching leader while she was a bare two miles off the

point, and even when Nat had landed the crowd was momentarily

being augmented from all the houses along the King's Road and as

far south as Castalia.

When the officer of the law laid his hand on Code's arm and spoke

the words that meant imprisonment and disgrace in the very heart

of the village festival, a groan went up that caused the officer

to look sharply about him.

Despite the work Nat had done on his brief stop at the Head, Code

was the hero of the day, for he had come in with the first cargo

of fish and had won the distinction of being the first to effect

the salvation of the island.

"Oh, let him go!" said a voice. "He ain't goin' to run away!"

Nat, standing behind his captive, turned sharply upon the

offender.

"No, you bet he ain't!" he snapped. "He's been doin' that too

long already. He's got somethin' to answer for this time."