CHAPTER XIII.
OF THE WILD CAT PATROL, MANILA.
The smoke from the steamer was now on the south end of the island,moving along toward the east with a speed which showed Ned that it wouldbe impossible to outfoot the larger craft.
There was little time to lose, if the _Manhattan_ was to continue theflight, and yet it was evident that Pat had something of importance tocommunicate or desired to be at once taken on board. Ned did nothesitate long, for the boy's life might be at stake.
But when the _Manhattan_ neared the point of land upon which Pat stoodthe boy shook his head and pointed to the west. It was clear that he didnot wish to be taken on board there.
Ned kept on toward the beach, however, notwithstanding Pat's franticgestures, and was not a little annoyed when he saw the boy wade out intothe water, down the sloping shore, lapped by tiny waves, and strike outboldly for the boat.
He reached the _Manhattan_ in safety, was hauled in, and sank down inthe cockpit with a grunt of exhaustion for he had exerted his fullstrength, "and then some" as he afterwards explained, in the long swim.Presently he arose and pointed to a little projection on the shore,perhaps three hundred yards ahead.
"There's a river runs in there," he said, "and the _Manhattan_ will finda safe harbor, as the stream though narrow, is deep and overhung withtrees and creepers."
"But they must know that there is a boat here," Frank said. "This engineof ours talks some when she moves."
"I don't think they heard it," Pat insisted.
"But the shot?" asked Ned.
"That might have come from the island. Anyway," Pat went on, "there islittle commotion on the island except that made by the monkeys and thebirds."
"Did you see anything of the boys?" asked Ned, the safety of Jack andJimmie concerning him greatly.
"No," was the disappointing reply. "They got too good a start on me."
"How far inland did you go?" asked Frank.
By this time the _Manhattan_ was under way, and the place of refugespoken of by the boy was not far away.
"I climbed the hill that runs near the shore," was the reply. "The firstthing I saw was a collection of tents and leaf shelters."
Ned and Frank both gave exclamations of amazement.
"Found at last!" Frank said.
"The next thing I saw," Pat went on, "was a small steamer lying in a bayon the west shore. There is a break in the hills which line that coast,and I could see the boat plainly. I have seen her in Manila. It is the_Miles_, and she is carrying the American flag. She got up steam just asI caught sight of her, and at first I thought her activity had beenaroused by the shot which saved my life, but I've now reached theconclusion that she was merely making a perfunctory trip around theisland."
"Then you think if we escape observation on this run we will be safe forsome hours?"
"I am quite sure of it, so far as those on the boat are concerned. Butwhat is the boat doing here? It is a government boat, used by officialsin making tours of inspection. Perhaps the high brows at Manila are wiseto what is going on here, and have sent the _Miles_ to look into thematter. Then we're left, eh?"
As the _Manhattan_ was now nosing her way into the mouth of the littlestream referred to by Pat, and Ned was fully occupied in working her in,he made no reply to the suggestions thus presented. However, he wasstudying over the proposition with a wish in his breast that the _Miles_might not be at that time in the legitimate service of the government.
He was virtually disobeying the positive orders of Major John Ross incruising about in the _Manhattan_ at that time. If he had obeyedinstructions he would doubtless be in Manila now awaiting the slowunwinding of red tape, instead of there in the channel. He had taken thebit in his teeth and desired to "make good."
Besides, he was satisfied that the government officers, if the _Miles_really was there on an official mission, would merely disperse thenative chiefs if they were discovered and permit the plotters to escape.This would only put off the day of final action, for the chiefs wouldcontinue to assemble and discuss the treaty until the Philippines werein a blaze of war or the men who were urging them on were in prison.
"There," said Frank, presently, "no person out there in the bay can geta look at us so long as we remain here."
Indeed the harbor was an ideal hiding place. The stream turned sharplyto the east from its northerly course just before it reached the whitebeach, ran a few yards in that direction, and then turned north oncemore and emptied into the sea. This placed a dense growth of junglebetween the beach and the position taken by the _Manhattan_, which hadpassed into the channel running east and west and was effectivelyscreened from view on either side by the growths of the jungle.
As soon as the boat was in the position desired, Ned crossed the arm ofland lying between the stream and the beach and looked out with hisglass. The _Miles_ passed while he stood there, the American flag flyingfrom her masthead. When he went back to the _Manhattan_ there was atroubled look on his face.
"She's on government service, all right," he said to Pat and Frank, "Isaw men in uniform on her deck."
"I didn't see anybody land," said Pat.
"Did she communicate with the shore in any way?" asked Ned.
"Well, there were native boats plying about and they might have takensome of the brown men off to her."
"It is all of a piece with the counterfeit instructions," Ned said."There is an unknown interest working in this case. If the officers atManila suspected or had wind of what is going on here, why didn't theysend a troop ship and capture the chiefs, and so screen out the menresponsible for the conspiracy?"
"That's another thing we've got to find out," Frank said, with a grin."We've got a good many things to find out!"
"And the first thing to discover," Ned said, "is what has become of theboys."
"Right you are!" cried Pat. "I'll go back to the top of the hill and seeif there's any commotion on the island."
"What does the island look like?" asked Frank.
"Looks like a valley with a line of hills shutting it in. Looks like asaucer with a high rim. The dago chiefs are encamped in the middle ofthe saucer."
"In a thicket, of course?"
"It is quite free from jungle growths down there," was the reply--"soclear that I was able to see the encampment and the people moving about.And I think I saw the treaty box, at that!"
"Treaty box?" laughed Frank. "Don't you ever think these brown men haveany box to put their treaty in!"
"What do you think about it, Ned?" asked Pat.
"I hardly think they unlock their pocket-books with keys like the one Ifound," replied Ned. "And, besides," he added, "the white men back ofthis conspiracy would naturally want a treaty signed up with all theceremony that could be hatched up, in order to impress the chiefs. Yes,I think there must be a treaty box!"
"And you think you've got a key to it?" asked Frank.
"I've got a key to something," was the reply.
Frank opened his lips to make some remark, but Ned laid a hand on hisarm and drew closer to him so that a low voice might be heard, at thesame time motioning to Pat to remain quiet.
"Now, don't move, or turn to look," Ned said, "but in a few seconds,after I have turned away, look, casually, toward the great balete treewhich rises above the jungle straight to the south."
Ned turned away directly and faced the jungle to the north.
"What do you see?" he asked, turning toward the boys again but notlooking at them.
"Monkeys wiggling in the creepers," Frank said.
"Filipinos," answered Pat.
"How many?" asked Ned.
"Well," replied Pat, "I thought I saw two, but I guess there is onlyone. We've got to get him," he added.
"Of course!" Frank said. "If we don't, he'll go back to camp and tellabout seeing us here; then they'll swarm down on us, and it will be alloff with the whole bunch of us. We've got to get him!"
"But how?" asked Pat.
In the short silence
that followed all three boys cudgeled their brainsfor some idea which might serve, but the case was assuming a hopelessaspect when a shrill voice in pretty good English came from the tree.
"Hi, there!" cried the voice.
"If that's Jimmie, made up as a little brown man," Pat said, "I'll beathim up when he comes aboard."
"More likely to be Jack," said Frank.
"Hi, there!" repeated the voice from the tree.
"That's not Jimmie, or Jack either," Ned said. "What do you want?" heasked.
The reply came in the form of a feline growl which might have issuedforth from the throat of a wild cat.
"What does the badge say?" asked the voice, then.
The boys looked at each other in wonder for a moment and then Nedanswered:
"Be prepared!"
"Now, what do you think of that?" Pat demanded. "What do you think ofmeeting a Boy Scout out here?"
"What patrol?" asked Frank, half doubting whether the person in the treewould find the correct answer.
"Wild Cat, Manila!" came the reply.
"Then come out of the tree, Wild Cat," Ned laughed, "and tell us how youcame to be here."
There was a great rustling of foliage, and then a Filipino boy not morethan fourteen years of age appeared on the trunk. He worked his way downand disappeared in the jungle. In a moment, however, he made hisappearance on the margin of the little stream and was on board.
He was a rather good looking young fellow, with keen eyes and a lithe,muscular figure. He was well dressed in a suit of light material, andwore a Boy Scout badge on the lapel of his coat.
"We're gettin so we find 'em in the woods!" Frank said, as the boystepped on the bridge deck. "Did you come to the island on the steamerwhich just passed here?" he added, as the lad looked about him with agrin.
"Yes," was the reply. "Come as servant."
"Well, why aren't you on board now?" asked Frank, suspiciously.
"Run away!" was the short reply.
"What for?" demanded Frank, determined to know all that there was toknow about the new-comer, and urged on by Ned's nods, which told him toproceed.
"Tired of city," was the grinning reply.
As the boy spoke he turned around to the jungle and waved his hand, asif taking it all in at one motion. Then he laid a finger on his ownbreast and said:
"That for mine!"
"I'm afraid you've been in bad company," laughed Frank. "You're talkingslang! What's your name?"
"Minda," was the reply.
"Sounds like a girl's name," grunted Pat. "What are the chiefs doing onthe island?"
"Conference," was the reply.
"They're forming a confederacy, are they?"
Minda shook his head and looked perplexed.
"Don't know," he replied.
"Where are the two Scouts who went ashore a long time ago?" asked Ned.
"Tied," replied Minda, crossing his wrists to indicate what he meant.
"That's nice!" Pat broke in. "Where are they?"
Again Minda shook his head, saying that he did not know where the boyswere, that they might have been put on board the steamer.
"So the officers on board the steamer communicated with the shore?"asked Ned.
"Yes; that's how I got away," was the reply.
"Do the officers know what is going on?" continued Ned. Again Mindashook his head.
"I reckon you're off there," Pat exclaimed. "They do know, and the manin charge on board the steamer is a traitor! I know him!"
Again the Filipino looked puzzled.
"Good man!" he said, and sat down on the bridge deck.
"Do you really believe the boys were put on board the steamer?" askedFrank of Ned, in a moment.
"I think the native chiefs would put us all on board the steamer, ifthey could do so," was the reply.
Then the patrol leader turned to Minda again.
"What did the steamer come down here for?" he asked.
"Patrol," was the reply.
"On no special mission?" Ned went on.
"Just to patrol," was the reply.
"I don't believe it!" Frank burst out. "That boat was sent down here toinvestigate this conspiracy matter, and the man in command is making aperfunctory job of it. He'll then go back to Manila and report nothingdoing!"
"And the conspiracy will go on, and there'll be war!" Pat added.
"Just so!" Frank commented.
"Well," Ned said, "we can't find out whether you are right or not byasking the officers, either on the steamer or at Manila. We've got tofind out by watching the brown men! We've got to leave the _Manhattan_here and go into the jungle and see what is going on, and find out whatcompany the chiefs receive. It is my idea that some of the men inuniform are leading double lives!"