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Panting and groaning, with the occasional near-slip, they manhandled the unwieldy bundle down the stairs Mr Dawes, , was prodded by Captain Cherry into further discourse

‘Well, I thought that I caught the word "snake" in the an to coovernor’s bath Another appeared under the dining-table, to the horror of a overnor, and who had hysterics all over the dining roo heavily across the table Mr Dawes appeared to find soave hilare that returned him more soberly to his account

‘Every day, it seemed, and in different places We had the house searched, repeatedly But no one could – or would, perhaps – detect the source of the reptiles And while no one was bitten, still the nervous strain of not knohether you would turn back your coverlet to discover soh!’ They paused and set down their burden Grey wiped his forehead on his sleeve ‘And how did you ue of snakes, and Mr Warren’s irl?’

Dawes looked surprised, and pushed his spectacles back up his sweating nose

‘Oh, did I not say? The man – I was told later that he was an Obeah-man, whatever that may be – spoke her name, in the ht – ready? One, two, three – up!’

Dawes had given up any pretence of helping, but scaarden path ahead of the reticence, and seemed anxious to provide any information he could

‘He did not tell un to drearunted ‘That’sto hiun to drink rather heavily, you see Quite understandable, under the circumstances, don’t you think?’

Grey wished he could drink heavily, but had no breath left hich to say so

There was a sudden cry of startleone in to clear space in the shed, and all three officers dropped the carpet with a thu for nonexistent weapons

‘Me lord,in the shed!’ To up the path toward hi warily behind hiht, and he felt a most unaccustoo, very tio Tell ht?’

The young man shuddered, and turned his face away

‘No, sah,’ he said, so low-voiced Grey could barely hear him ‘It was zombies Theyeat people I heard thearden, and hid myself’

‘You heard theo sed, and if it had been possible for a green tinge to show on skin such as his, would undoubtedly have turned the shade of a sea-turtle

‘Feet, sah,’ he said ‘Bare feet But they don’t walk, step-step, like a person They only shuffle, sh-sh, sh-sh’ Heht lifting of the hairs on the back of his neck

‘Could you tell how o shook his head

‘More than two, from the sound’

Tom pushed a little forward, round face intent

‘Was there anybody else with ’eular step, I o looked startled, and then horrified

‘You ed ‘Maybe I didn’t hear shoes But’

‘Oh Because--’ Tohed ‘Oh’

Despite o could contribute, and so the carpet was picked up again – this ti – and bestowed in its te place Fettes and Cherry chipped away a bit more at Dawes, but the secretary was unable to offer any further inforovernor’s activities, let alone speculate as to what ht about his demise

‘Have you heard of zo his face with the remains of his handkerchief

‘Eryes,’ the secretary replied cautiously ‘But surely you don’t believe what the servantoh, surely not!’ He cast an appalled glance at the shed

‘Are zombies in fact reputed to devour human flesh?’

Dawes resumed his sickly pallor

‘Well, yes Butoh, dear!’

‘Sums it up nicely,’ muttered Cherry, under his breath ‘I take it you don’t overnor’s demise, then, sir?’

‘You are correct, captain I don’t want public panic over a plague of zoe in Spanish Tohether that is actually the case, or not Mr Dawes, I believe we need trouble you no more for the moment; you are excused’ He watched the secretary stu his officers closer Too with hiht have bearing on the present circulanced at each other, and Fettes nodded to Cherry, wheezing gently Cherry strongly reseer and more slender than Fettes, had ate, the old superintendent Didn’t find hiered off to Canada, they said – but I got a right earful concerning the present superintendent’

Grey groped for a moment for the name

‘Cresswell?’

‘That’s him’

‘Corruption and peculations’ appeared to sum up the subject of Captain Cresswell’s tenure as superintendent very well, according to Cherry’s inforst other abuses, he had arranged trade between the maroons on the uplands and the merchants below, in the form of birdskins, snakeskins and other exotica, timber from the upland forests, and so on – but had, by report, accepted payment on behalf of the maroons but failed to deliver it

‘Had he any part in the arrest of the two young rin

‘Odd you should ask, sir Yes, they said – well, so men had coovernor wouldn’t see theoods by force – so when a substantial chunk of the contents of one warehouse went , it was assumed that hat they’d done

‘They – the maroons – insisted they hadn’t touched the stuff, but Cresswell seized the opportunity and had the the overnor wouldn’t see the young estion of an iovernor and Captain Cresswell?’

‘Oh, yes,’ said Fettes, rolling his eyes ‘No proof yet – but we haven’t been looking long, either’