THE AIR WAS purple; the sky; the sea; the sand; the grass; the trees; all purple.
“Well, lads, shall us be doing?” said William.
“Aye aye, Crank!” said Eggy Mo.
“And think on: no stopping; and no rush. See you, there’s Jeremiah.”
“He’s done his job, by the looks of things,” said Renter.
“Ah, but that red tape: it’s not the stuff to make the likes of them paralyticised. I’m not easy,” said Pad.
“Right,” said William. “Come on.”
They began to walk towards where Jeremiah was with four of the guard, who were leaning on their flintlocks more as props than guns.
William, Eggy Mo, Renter and Pad carried tin mugs, and bread and meat wrapped in sacking.
“Now be listening to me,” said William, “and take no notice of them, same as they weren’t there.”
Other food was in their clothing, which fitted so badly that they looked no more misshapen than any of the rest.
“Once upon a time ago,” said William, “Henny-Penny were in the stackyard.”
“It was the field,” said Renter.
“It were the stackyard. It had to be the stackyard, didn’t it, because that’s where the oak were, else it couldn’t have happened, could it?”
“No, it couldn’t’ve,” said Eggy Mo. “Go on, Crank.”
“There she is in the stackyard,” said William, “when, thump, wallop, down comes an acorn and hits her on the head.”
“Does it hurt?” said Eggy Mo.
“Not a lot,” said William, “but, ‘Eh up!’ says Henny-Penny. ‘The sky’s a-going to fall. I must tell king.’”
“Why?” said Renter.
“Never you mind,” said William. “It’s got nowt to do with you.”
The guard looked up. Jeremiah laughed, and passed round a bottle.
“So she goes along and she goes along and she goes along, until who should she meet but Cocky-Locky. ‘Where are you going, Henny-Penny?’ says Cocky-Locky.”
“‘I’m going to tell king the sky’s a-falling,’ says Henny-Penny. ‘Oh, I’ll come with you,’ says Cocky-Locky. So Henny-Penny and Cocky-Locky go to tell king the sky’s a-falling.”
“And was it?” said Eggy Mo.
“They thought as it were, and that’s all what matters,” said William. “Anyroad, they goes along and they goes along and they goes along, when who should they meet but Ducky-Daddles.”
“I think it was just an acorn,” said Eggy Mo.
“Oh, thee hold thy rattle,” said William. “And Ducky-Daddles says, ‘Where are you going, Henny-Penny and Cocky-Locky?’” “Wasn’t it Foxy-Woxy?” said Renter.
“No it weren’t,” said William. “That’s later. And you be told, and all.” “Eh. And where do you think you’re off to?” said one of the guard. “Halt. Who goes there? Friend or foe?”
“Friend. We’re going to tell king the sky’s a-falling,” said William.
“Advance, friend, and be recognised,” said the guard. “Parole.” “‘Sullivan’,” said William. “And Counter Sign, ‘Woodriff’.”
“Pass, friend,” said the guard.
“Foxy-Woxy,” said another marine. “Foxy-Woxy. Poxy-Doxy.” He giggled. “Doxy-poxy-woxy-foxy. Poxy-foxy-woxy-doxy.”
They stepped over the boundary of the camp.
“And the fum, William,” said Jeremiah in a whisper. “The fum!”
“‘Then I’ll come with you,’ says Ducky-Daddles.” Their backs were now to the guard.
“Ah well, Bobby got his Parole right, and that’s a mercy,” said Pad.
“So Ducky-Daddles, Cocky-Locky and Henny-Penny go to tell king the sky’s a-falling.”
“Ain’t the king in London?” said a marine.
“You’re right! He is! Oi! You! Come back here!”
“Take no notice. ‘So they goes along and they goes along and they goes along, when who should they meet but Goosey-Poosey –’”
“Halt!”
“Don’t run. ‘Where are you going, Henny-Penny, Cocky-Locky and Ducky-Daddles?’ says Goosey-Poosey.”
“Halt! Or I fire!”
“‘We’re going to tell king the sky’s a-falling.’”
There was a crack, and a ball ripped past them.
“Nedash, Crank!” Eggy Mo stopped. “The caterpillars are down!” He turned, and put his hands above his head. “I give up! Don’t shoot!” The guard fired again. Eggy Mo ran towards the camp. “I give up! Mam!” There was another shot, and Eggy Mo dropped.
“Cut stick!” shouted Pad, and the three scattered.
The lieutenant and more marines came running, pushed the staggering guard aside and took aim.
“Wait!” called the chaplain. He was hurrying from his marquee.
“I cannot wait, sir!” said the lieutenant. “There has been a breakout!”
“Give the hare law,” said the chaplain. “McAllenan! Come back, you fool! McAllenan! There’s nowhere for you! Come back!”
“In your own time!” ordered the lieutenant. “Free fire!”
Pad sprawled on his stomach. William swerved to him.
“Cut stick, Crank. I’m bung upward, me.”
“Give us your arm!”
“We’re spoiled and boned. The compass. Me pocket.”
William crouched as the air tore. He dragged a sheet of crumpled paper from the pocket.
“This?”
But Pad was fingering small stones from the beach, passing them through his hand. “Ave Maria gratia plena Dominus tecum benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui ave Maria gratia plena Dominus tecum benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui ave Maria gratia plena Dominus tecum benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui ave Maria gratia plena Dominus tecum benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui ave Maria gratia plena Dominus tecum –”
William ran. He could not run straight, but his mind would not let his legs fail.
“Crank!”
Renter was lying on the sand.
“Haul your wind, Crank.”
“Gerrup!”
“It’s all holiday in Peckham, Crank.”
William put his hand in Renter’s wet shirt to take the food. He grappled with the body to make it sit. “Damn you! Gerrup!” The meat slid away from him around the back. He put both arms in, and pushed one way and pulled the other, to bring it round to the front. And all the time he crouched against the tearing. “Dall yer eyes!” But he had hold of a bone, and tugged the meat out and ran.
“Cease firing!”
The lieutenant waved his hand at the dusk.
“Save your powder. He’ll be back, or come never.”
Jeremiah watched the purple shadow merge.
“‘The bright day is done. And we are for the dark.’ I fear me, Mr Johnson.”