CHAPTER XII
MONTENAY RETURNS
"We ought to provide Mvita with a new robe," suggested Burt with a grin."He saved my life all right back there, whether he meant to or not."
"A few yards of cloth will fix him," returned his uncle, as they startedoff with the chief and his men. "You'd better carry your big guns nowyourselves. No telling what will happen."
One of the villagers led them forward at a brisk pace, straight onwardfor about a mile. They were now almost in the jungle, the open spacesand higher ground seeming to end abruptly with a small stream which theypassed. Mvita's men were spread out in a wide circle, for the elephantherd had finally been located, and once the beaters got around them theanimals would scent them and come up-wind toward the hunters.
Presently they came upon the elephant spoor, or trail--a wide swathripped through the heavy undergrowth by the passage of the big animals.To one side of this Mr. Wallace and the boys took their stand, hidingamid the bushes.
"Let them pass us," cautioned the explorer, "and when you have a clearshoulder-shot, make it fatal the first time. You take the first,Critch--"
He was cut short by a yell that arose ahead. This was followed by a loudtrumpeting as the frightened animals crashed away from the beaters. Burtpaled as he thought of what might happen should the elephants burst uponthem through the jungle instead of following their own trail, but he hadlittle time for reflection. Even as the thought came to him the firstelephant appeared with a shrill trumpet of rage, his trunk flung highand his wide ears flapping forward. Behind him came more of the dim,gigantic shapes, and the boys pulled up their guns.
Not ten feet from them, the first elephant thundered past, the otherscrowding close upon him. Critch waited until he was sure of his shot,and then sent the first beast reeling into the opposite side of thetrail with the force of his bullet. Almost instantly Burt fired at thesecond elephant, striking him just behind the shoulder. The othersstopped for a second, giving Mr. Wallace a chance for a fine shot, thensmashed into the jungle and were gone.
"Hurray!" yelled Critch, leaping to his feet. "Mine's down!"
"So's mine," shouted Burt eagerly, gazing at the motionless form of theelephant, who had staggered and sunk into the grass at once.
"Come on," cried his uncle as the first of the natives appeared, "I hitmine badly, and he can't be far away."
Mvita came up on the run as they started, and all broke into the jungleon the trail of the wounded elephant, John carrying the spare guns. Onlya hundred yards away they came upon their quarry. The elephant, mortallywounded, was standing beneath a large tree, half-hidden among thefoliage. They could see him swaying from side to side, and just as Mr.Wallace was circling around for a finishing shot the huge bulk crasheddown and lay still.
"Ain't it pretty near time to eat?" inquired Critch, after they hadinspected the body.
"Just about," answered Mr. Wallace. "Where will we make camp, John?"
"By de river, sar," was the reply, and John was busied at once withorders to Mvita and the natives, who had brought along a chop-box. Thethree elephants killed were all bulls, that of Mr. Wallace having onlyone tusk. While the ivory was being cut out and the bodies beingdissected by the natives, who would make a grand feast that night, thethree whites returned to the small stream which had been crossed half anhour before.
John had found a small spring of clear, sweet water near some highground on the west bank. Opposite, there was a long stretch of marshy,low ground that gave upon the jungle proper. On their camping side,however, this fever-threatening swamp was entirely absent.
Before an hour had passed the three were sitting around their foldingcanvas table, doing full honor to the forest delicacies furnished byJohn and his assistants. More of the villagers trooped up to share inthe elephant meat, until it seemed to the boys that the entire villagewas present. Suddenly Burt, who was sitting facing the stream, gave astartled exclamation and pointed to the low ground opposite.
"What's that, Uncle George?"
Turning in their seats, the others saw the top of the high marsh-grasswaving as if some creature were forcing its way along. John, who hadover-heard the question, brought up the rifles at once but Mr. Wallacewaved him back and took out his glasses.
"I don't know, Burt. Doesn't show up yet. It'd hardly be any animal, forwe are up-wind and he would scent us. It might be a crocodile, althoughin that case he would not make so much commotion. What do you think,John?"
The gigantic negro took the glasses and gazed long and earnestly at thefaint movement in the grass, which seemed to be coming toward the river.Then he returned them with a shrug.
"Not know, sar."
"Tell Mvita to send over some of his boys and find out," suggestedCritch. Mr. Wallace nodded and John was off instantly. A moment later adozen natives started crossing the stream, advancing cautiously, forthey too had been puzzled and were taking no chances. Before they hadreached the opposite bank Critch gave a cry.
"Look there! It's coming out!"
Through their glasses they could see a dark object crossing one of themore open spaces. Its method of progression was peculiar, because whileit was undoubtedly coming toward the river, it seemed to be rising andfalling, floundering in the marsh-mud, and at times lying motionless onthe grass-hummocks.
"It's a man!" exclaimed Burt in amazement. Critch uttered a scornfuldenial, but Mr. Wallace slowly nodded.
"I believe it is," he asserted. "I thought I could make out arms andlegs but I wasn't sure. If it is a man, he must be in a mighty bad fix."
A sudden idea occurred to Burt and he glanced at his chum. Critch methis eye and read the unspoken thought. When Burt raised his glassesagain his face was white.
Now the natives were surrounding the strange figure, and a moment laterone of them waved his spear. The others could be seen lifting thecreature, whatever it was, and speedily carried him to the river.
"Come along," and Mr. Wallace rose hastily. "We'll go down and meetthem. If it's a man he'll need help. John, did you bring the smallmedicine case?"
"Here, sar," and as if by magic the grinning black produced the requiredobject. They all hurried down to the river, where the villagers werealready crowding around in great curiosity. The little band of nativessplashed across the stream, and suddenly Burt felt his uncle grip hisarm.
"Burt!" and he had never before heard such tense horror in a man'svoice. "Go up and get some water boiling right away! Hurry, lad, hurry!"Without pausing to ask questions Burt dashed off. As he went he couldhear his uncle continuing. "John, make for the camp right away. Get outbandages, have hot water, make the hypodermics ready and mix some strongmorphia and anti-toxin solution. That is Captain Montenay." John was offat a run instantly.
The last words struck Burt like a blow. With pale face he got the waterheating, and met his uncle as the latter ordered the senseless form ofCaptain Mac set down. The explorer was unrecognizable. He was plasteredwith mud from head to foot and his whole body was swelled and poisoneduntil he bore small resemblance to a man. Mr. Wallace gave a glancearound, then shook his head.
"We can do nothing here. Boys, we'll have to work to save him. Looks tome like black wasp stings." Turning to Mvita, he ordered Montenay's bodycarried to the village at top speed. Instantly four natives caught upthe senseless figure and made off at a lope.
Mr. Wallace and the boys dropped everything and followed. When theyreached the camp after a hard march they found John bathing the swollenbody of Captain Mac, and Mr. Wallace went to work at once with themedicines that lay ready. With the mud and dirt removed, Montenay'shorrible condition only became more evident. Mr. Wallace went to workwith the hypodermic while the boys aided John to cleanse the explorer'sbody, then handed the syringe to John to clean and turned to thebandages and lint.
The countless stings were washed with a weak solution of ammonia to takeout the poison, and an hour later they left the Scotchman a mass ofbandages but sleeping soundly.
"I gave him some morph
ia," explained Mr. Wallace as they washed upoutside. "What he needs first is sleep. He must have been in absoluteagony in there."
It was after sunset before Captain Mac wakened from his sleep. The boyswere at his side immediately, followed by Mr. Wallace.
"Well," cried the latter heartily, "how's the sick man now? Feel a bitbetter?"
"Gi' me a drink," whispered the other feebly. When he had taken a longdraught from Burt's canteen he sank back with a satisfied sigh. "Where'dye find me?"
"Down by the river," answered Mr. Wallace. "Feel able to talk?" Montenaynodded and fixed his eyes on the American. "I suppose the pigmies gotafter your men?"
"Into 'em's more like it," returned Captain Mac. "Didn't see one of 'em.Just arrows--arrows--arrows, day an' night." He paused for breath. "Whatday's this?"
"Friday," said Critch. "We found you this morning."
"Wednesday it was," went on Montenay as he gained strength slowly. "Lastsix men went in a bunch. Pulled off my shirt an' yelled 'Pongo.' Triedto talk to the deevils but they wouldn't show up. Started on alone an'they shot arrows all around me. Didn't dare hit me, I guess. So I cameback."
"Two days," mused Mr. Wallace. "You certainly looked nice when we foundyou!"
"It was the black wasps," said the other. "I fell into a nest that nightan' it nigh finished me."
"Come along, boys," returned Mr. Wallace as he arose. "You get to sleepagain, Montenay. You'll be more fit in the morning."
They adjusted the mosquito curtains for the night and returned to finddinner waiting for them. After dining sumptuously on eland tongue andhartebeest tenderloin Burt pushed back his canvas chair with a sigh ofcontent.
"I s'pose we'll work up toward the Makua pretty quick, won't we?" heasked his uncle.
"You bet we will," replied the latter fervently. "Just as soon asCaptain Mac's able to navigate. That'll be two or three days anyway. Wehave a nice little bunch of ivory and we'll get more in by trading as wego along. Mvita has four more tusks to bring in too."
"That ivory zareba'd mean a good bunch o' money, wouldn't it?" put inCritch. "I'd hate to go through what Cap'n Mac has, though."
"By the way," said Mr. Wallace, "don't use all those chop-boxes. I wanta couple of zebra and giraffe skins. We'll get 'em farther north on ourway up."
"Mvita told me this morning," said Burt, "that there was some giraffeabout five miles to the northeast of here. Why couldn't we get 'em andhave a skin fixed by the time Cap'n Mac's ready to march?"
"We'd save time that way, but I don't want to leave him," returned hisuncle thoughtfully. "However, I might send you two out with John. I'dtrust him anywhere."
"Go ahead!" pleaded Critch excitedly. "That'd be great, Mr. Wallace!"
"John!" called the explorer with a smile. "If I send you out aftergiraffe in the morning with these boys, will you take good care of 'em?"
"Sure, sar!" grinned the big Liberian cheerfully. "John him be bericareful. Bring back safe!"
"All right. Get your stuff ready then. You can take my big rifleyourself." As John went off with a wider grin than ever Mr. Wallaceturned to the boys. "I want you two to promise me that whatever happensyou'll obey John and do just as he tells you."
"All right, sir," replied Critch at once.
"So'll I," agreed Burt. "Five miles in this country won't be any joke,though!"
"It'll take a good day right enough," nodded Mr. Wallace. "John ispretty safe to be with and he'll take as good care of you as I would. Ifyou find the giraffes don't bring down more than two. You might runacross some zebra in the same country and if you do, you can get some of'em too. But I guess there's not much danger of that, without horses.
"Now remember to obey John in everything. He'll be in my place for theday. Better fill your canteens with cold coffee before you go and takeyour heavy rifles. Let John have your compass, Burt. If you run acrossany waterbuck bring in a couple for the men. It'll be a good change ofdiet. Now get to sleep, for you'll be up before day."
After laying out a supply of heavy cartridges and some fresh clothes forthe morning the boys tumbled into their sleeping bags on top of theircots. Each leg of the cots was placed in a dish of water to keep offants and other crawling creatures which might wander in. Critch was halfasleep when he heard Burt's voice.
"Oh, Critch! Remember what Cap'n Mac looked like coming across thatswamp?"
"Shut up! I don't want to dream about it."
"I was just thinkin' that we'll stick pretty close to John to-morrow,eh?"
"You bet your life we will! Go to sleep."
It was their last sleep in the comfortable tent for many a night.