CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
HOW A STRANGE VISITOR CAME TO CAMP.
Jack seemed very little the worse after a good night's rest, that is tosay bodily. He was a little white, and his breakfast did not disappearso rapidly as usual, for, probably on account of his great length, andthe enormous amount of circulation and support to keep up, Jack Pennyused to eat about as much as two ordinary boys. He was, howeverevidently a little bit upset in his mind, and he laid this open to mejust before starting once more.
"I say," he said in a low tone, "did I seem such a very great cowardyes'day, Joe Carstairs?"
"Coward! No," I said; "not you. Any one would have been frightened."
"But I hollered so," whispered Jack. "I don't think a young fellowought to holler like a great girl."
"I know I should," I replied. "There, never mind now. They're allready to start. Come on!"
Jack Penny shook his head rather thoughtfully, and then, in adissatisfied dreamy way, he walked on with me, shouldering his gun, andstooping more than ever, so that it seemed as if he were looking forsomething which he could not find.
We had to pass pretty close to the crocodile, so close that Jack nearlystumbled over it, and a cry of horror involuntarily escaped him as hejumped aside.
Then, turning scarlet with annoyance, he gave the monster a kick, anddarted back holding his nose, for it was exhaling a most offensive muskyodour.
I looked at the creature closely and with some curiosity, thinking thewhile how much smaller it was than those we had seen in the lagoon. Allthe same, though, it was fully as big in body as a man, though doublethe length.
It was not going to poison the air long, for already it was covered withsomething red, and a long red line extended from it right away into thejungle. Each tiny red object was an ant, and from experience I knewthat very soon every particle of flesh would be devoured.
Keeping within easy reach of the river we journeyed steadily on, findingthe country grow more beautiful at every step. The trees were bigger,the bamboos taller and more feathery. In the sunny patches flowers werein abundance, and we had no want of opportunities for supplying ourlarder, large pheasant-like birds, with long tails and crests, andplumage of the most beautiful tints, being plentiful.
It seemed a pity to shoot them, but it was a necessity, for our supplyof powder, shot, and ball was looked upon by us as so much condensedmeat, ready to be expanded when opportunity served.
We encountered nothing particular that day except Gyp, who turned up allat once with a piece of furry skin in his mouth, all he had been able tocarry of some deer that he had run down; and at the sight of his friendJack Penny became more himself, throwing off a good deal of his gloom.In fact I saw the tears stand in his eyes as he saw him once more; butcatching sight of me looking at him he scowled, and, running to the dog,kicked him over and over again quite savagely.
"Just you run away again," he drawled angrily, "and I'll 'bout kill yer.That's what I'll do with you."
Gyp closed his eyes and winced and crouched down close to the groundtill his master had ceased punishing him, and then he rose dejectedly,and followed quite in the rear of our party with drooping head and tail.
I noticed at the time that Jimmy had watched all this with sparklingeyes, wonderfully intent, but I thought no more of it till I saw theblack glance at us all in turn, and then begin to slink back.
"What is he after now?" I said to myself; and stepping aside among thethick leafage, I let our party go by and stopped to see what Jimmy wasabout to do.
I had not long to wait, for the fact was that the black had snatched atthe opportunity to tyrannise over something. He had been summarilychecked when amusing himself by sticking his spear into the New Guineamen, and, as we have seen, one of them resented it; but here was achance. Gyp had been beaten, and had cowered down under his master'sblows, so Jimmy took out his waddy, and after glancing forward to seethat he was not observed, he waited until Gyp came up slowly, andcasting sidelong looks at the Australian, who gave him a heavy thump onthe ribs with the war-club.
"Bad bunyip dog. Good for nothing, dirty dingo dog," cried Jimmy. "Golong, bad for good dog. Get--yah!"
This last was a terrific yell of fear and pain, for instead of coweringdown and suffering himself to be beaten and kicked, Gyp knew that thiswas not his master. For one moment he had stood astonished at the blow,and then seemed puzzled by the strange broken English objurgations; thenwith a fierce snarl he darted at the black and tried to seize him by thelegs, an attack which Jimmy avoided by making a tremendous spring,catching at a horizontal branch above him, and swinging himself up intoa tree, where he crouched like a monkey, showering down angry epithetsupon the dog as it yelped and barked at him furiously.
I came out of my hiding-place laughing till the tears ran down mycheeks; and the noise made by Gyp brought back the doctor and JackPenny, the latter taking in the situation at a glance and indulging in abroad grin.
"Take away bunyip dog; take um way or Jimmy killum," cried the black.
"All right!" said Jack Penny; "come down and kill him then."
But Jimmy showed no disposition to move, and it was not until Jack hadordered the dog away that the black dropped down, looking at me verysheepishly and acting like a shamefaced child.
As we proceeded farther into the interior, wild creatures grew moreabundant, and we saw fewer traces of man having traversed these regions.As I noted the various objects I could not help feeling how my fathermust have revelled in exploring such a naturalist's paradise as this,and I grew more hopeful as the idea gained ground in my mind that verylikely he was busy in the interior still pursuing his researches.
We travelled very little way now without catching glimpses of some ofthe occupants of these wilds. Perhaps it was but a glimpse, butgenerally we were able to distinguish what it was that darted throughbush, tree, or shadowy glade. Once or twice we caught sight of thespots of leopards; then a graceful deer would stand at gaze for a momentbefore going off like the wind. Once a herd of heavy buffaloes startedup before us and crashed through the undergrowth; and at last, as wedrew near a great tree, the doctor said, pointing upward:
"No fear of our wanting food, Joe, while there are such birds as these."
As he spoke, with a noise like a whirlwind a flock of great pigeons tookflight--great fellows, three times as big as ordinary pigeons, and, aswe knew from those shot in Australia, splendid eating.
The great tree offered so pleasant a camping place that we decided topass the night there, and after a look round to see if there was likelyto be danger lurking near, the fire was lit, the blacks setting to workat once to collect wood when they had put down their burdens. Then foodwas prepared and a hearty meal enjoyed, the restful sensation that cameover us after the day's exertion being most delicious. Then one by oneour followers dropped asleep, Jack Penny, who was still rather grumpy,last.
The doctor and I were sitting together by the fire that night, talkingin a low voice about our plans, and agreeing that we could not do betterthan wander on and on through the wilds until we learned some tidings ofthe lost man, when suddenly my companion laid his finger on his lips andbent forward as if listening.
I listened too, thinking the while how strange it all looked about us,with the fire casting weird shadows all around, while the silence nowwas almost appalling.
"Nothing, Joe," said the doctor, dropping his hand. "I thought I heardsomething."
"I'm sure I did," I whispered, with a strange feeling upon me that itwould be dangerous to speak aloud.
"There are curious sounds heard sometimes in forests," he saidthoughtfully. "There, go on--what were we talking about?"
As he spoke there was a strange rushing noise, then a peculiar whiningsound not far distant among the trees.
"What can that be, doctor?" I whispered.
"Can't say, Joe. Sounds as if some animal had been climbing along abranch, or had bent down a sapling and then let it fly up again with aloud whi
sh among the trees."
"That is just how it sounded to me," I said, gazing full in his eyes.
He remained silent for a few moments, not listening but thinking.
"We must take a lesson from our friend Jack Penny, there," he said,smiling in my face as he stroked his broad beard. "I must confess, Joe,to feeling a curious sensation of awe as we sit out here in thisprimeval forest, surrounded by teeming savage life; but Jack Pennycoolly sleeps through it all, and, as I say, we must take a lesson fromhim, and get used to these strange sounds."
"There it is again!" I said, catching his arm, and unable to controlthe feeling that at any moment something might spring out of thedarkness upon my back.
For the same curious rustling of leaves came whispering from among thetrees, and then there was a low expiration of breath, as if some greatbeast had yawned.
Click-click, click-click sounded loudly on the night air, and I followedthe doctor's example, cocking both barrels of my piece.
"It's coming nearer, whatever it is," said the doctor in a low tone,"and that strange noise means, I think, that it is some great serpent."
"But would serpents be out at night?" I said.
"That one was the other night, Joe, and we must not reckon upon theregular habits of animals if we light great fires in their lairs."
We sat listening again, and the rustling sound began once more.
"It's just as if the thing were climbing along trees that are not strongenough to bear it," I said in an excited whisper, "and they keep flyingup after it passes."
"Hush!" said the doctor.
We listened, and from out of the darkest part before us there arose aloud tearing noise as if bark was being scratched from a tree trunk.
"Some kind of beast of the cat family, I should say," whispered thedoctor. "Pst! be ready; but don't fire unless we are attacked."
Just then there was a rush, a scramble, a dull thud, and some creatureuttered a sound that seemed like the word _Howl_ in a hollow echoingtone.
Again and again there was the low rustling, and then that word _Howl_that seemed to come from some great throat; and in imagination I saw inthe darkness a pair of fiery eyes and a set of great sharp teeth.
"Yes; some kind of cat, leopard, or panther," said the doctor; but, lowas his utterance was, it seemed to irritate the creature in ourneighbourhood, as it kept on the rustling, for there was a harshexclamation and the earth seemed to be torn up.
Then all at once the sound ceased, and it was perfectly still for quitea quarter of an hour, which seemed an endless time; and then, tired ofstaring intently into the darkness, and too much excited to be silent, Iwhispered:
"This night-watching is the hardest part of our work, doctor."
"Oh! no, my boy. It makes you a little creepy at first, but as soon asyou feel your own power and how you must alarm these creatures, you willget used to it."
"But the fire makes them see us, and we can't see them," I said, in anill-used tone.
Just then there arose from what seemed to be just the other side of thefire one of the most awful cries I ever heard, and my hair felt as if atiny cold hand were stirring it about the roots, while a curioussensation ran down my back.
As the fearsome howl rang out the doctor levelled his piece, ready tofire, and as the fire shone full upon him in his half-kneeling positionthere was something terribly earnest in his face, and he looked so bravethat it seemed to give me a little courage just when I seemed to havenone.
"Pick up some of those thin branches and throw them on the fire," saidthe doctor; and I hurried to obey his command, when there was anotherawful howling roar, and the creature, whatever it was, charged at me;but I threw on the branches all the same, when the fire leaped up with atremendous blaze, lighting the forest all round.
"See it, doctor?" I whispered.
"No," he answered; "it keeps in amongst the trees."
The doctor's voice sounded so hoarse and strange that it added to mytrepidation. He stopped, and I wanted him to go on talking, but heremained silent, while once more the forest resounded with the hideouscry of the beast.
The wood blazed well, so that I could see, as it were, a circle oflight, and behind us our black shadows were thrown upon the trees, quitestartling me as I looked round.
"Keep up the fire," whispered the doctor; "whatever it is it will notattack while there is this blaze."
I obeyed him and kept on throwing twigs and boughs that had been laid ina heap ready, but with a curious sensation of dread the while, for itseemed to me that if the fire consumed all our wood we should be left atthe creature's mercy.
All at once it seemed to me that the rustling and snuffling noise wascoming round to our left, and as if I had drawn his attention to thefact, the doctor exclaimed:
"Yes, it is coming on here; keep round this way."
We edged round the fire so as to keep it between us and the animal thatseemed to be watching us, when all at once the sound came from closebehind us, and, as if moved by one impulse, we bounded past the fire,the pieces I had held in my hand making a crackling blaze and shower ofsparks.
This seemed to excite our assailant, which uttered three hideous roarsat intervals, and each seemed nearer than the last, so that we weredriven to keep on edging round the fire so as to keep it as our shield.
We walked slowly round the fire three times, fully aware of the factthat the creature was regularly stalking us, for it kept up thescratching rustling noise, and howled at intervals.
This was trying enough to our nerves; but when, all at once, every soundceased, and we stood there by the ruddy blaze, it seemed terrible toknow that our enemy was close at hand, but not to know exactly where.At any moment we felt that it might spring upon us, and I turned awistful look upon the doctor, which he responded to by saying:
"Throw on more wood."
I obeyed him, and the blaze flashed up higher once again, spreading acloud of sparks on high to rise among the leaves and tinge the broadbranches with a ruddy golden glow.
I gazed in all directions for the danger, and started with nervoustrepidation every time the doctor spoke, his words beinggenerally--"Throw on more wood." But at last, after a terrible periodof anxious silence, he whispered my name.
"Yes," I said.
"This can't go on much longer. I'm afraid the beast is coming nearer.Can you see anything your side?"
"Yes--no--yes, I think so," I whispered back. "There's a shadowysomething just at the edge of the light. I think it is some kind ofwild beast."
"Is it the dog?" he whispered back.
"No," I said. "Gyp always sleeps close to his master."
"Do you think you could take steady aim at it, my lad?" he said.
"I don't know," I replied, "but I will try. Shall I fire at it?"
"Let me think," he answered. "I don't know whether it would be wise tofire, and perhaps only wound the creature."
"But perhaps I shall kill it," I said.
"It is doubtful, Joe," he replied, "and the noise of your piece wouldbring out our people, perhaps into danger. Let us wait. Here," hesaid, "I have it! This beast has been cautiously following us round,always keeping out of our sight. I think now that the best way will befor you to continue the retreat round the fire while I stop here on oneknee. The beast will then follow you, and I shall get a good certainshot at him."
I did not like the idea at all, for it seemed like setting a trap andmaking me the bait; but I said nothing beyond intimating that I would doas he wished, and he went on:
"I shall be certain to hit the brute, but I may not kill, so be ready tofire in turn; you will get a good chance for a sure hit, the animal willbe less cautious."
"Stop a moment," I said. "I thought at first that it would be verydangerous for me; now I see that it will be more dangerous for you.Let's keep together."
"Do as I bid you," he replied sternly. "Now go on round, as if tryingto keep the fire between you and danger. Fire quickly if you have agood chance,
and don't miss. But first of all let's try the effect of afirebrand or two in the direction you think you saw the brute."
He picked up a piece of blazing wood and gave it a whirl round his head.
The result was to bring a fierce roar from the wood close behind us, andwe involuntarily sprang to the other side of our fire.
"There's no knowing where to have the beast," muttered the doctor, as herealised the cunning sneaking habits of our enemy.
As he spoke he stooped and picked up another blazing piece of wood, forhe had dropped the first to bring his gun to bear. Now, holding the gunin his left hand, he gave the blazing wood a whirl round his head andthrew it in the direction from which the fierce roar had come.
To my horror and consternation it was answered by a savage yell, andsomething charged out nearly to the fire but dashed back directly, soquickly, indeed, that we had no time to get more than a sharp shotapiece at the fierce creature.
"Load again quickly," whispered the doctor; and I obeyed him, listeningthe while to the rustling crackling noise at a little distance.
"Do you think we hit it?" I said softly. I was afraid to speak aloudlest it should bring down a charge upon us.
"I'm afraid not," he replied, as he reloaded and then stood scanning theedge of the circle of light formed by the fire's glow.
There was nothing visible but what seemed to be a dark opening amongstthe trees, through which it appeared to me that our enemy must havepassed.
Then we waited, watching so excitedly for the next attack that the firewas for the moment forgotten. Then, seeing the glow it cast becomeless, we both seized upon armfuls of wood and threw them on, deadeningthe flame so that the space around was comparatively dark.
That was the most anxious time of all, for, do what we would, the firesent forth huge volumes of smoke, but would not blaze. At any moment itseemed that the great beast might take advantage of the gloom and springupon us, and we shook the ends of the burning branches and half-consumedpieces of wood, but in vain. Instead of the light glow there wascomparative darkness, and in despair, as if again moved by the sameimpulse, we ceased troubling about the fire, and stood with hand ontrigger, ready to pull at the first chance.
Then all at once there was a vivid tongue of flame cutting right throughthe thick smoke, another and another, and I uttered a sigh of relief asthe heap of smouldering boughs and leaves burst once more into a blaze.
"Now while the light lasts let's have a good shot at the brute," saidthe doctor, speaking as if nerved to desperation by the torture underwhich we both writhed. "I'm going to kneel here, Joe; you walk on, andthat will make the tiger, or whatever it is, show itself in watchingyou."
"It isn't a tiger," I whispered. "I caught sight of it, and it lookedmore like a man."
The doctor gave me a quick look, and then said sharply, "Go on!"
I obeyed him, walking backwards round the fire, my piece ready, so as toget a shot if I saw the creature again; but this time all remainedperfectly still, and though I went right round the fire, no sound camefrom among the trees.
"Take a piece of burning wood and throw it opposite to where you stand,Joe."
I did so, and the blazing wood described an arc, fell in a tuft of dryundergrowth which burst out into a vivid column of light for a fewminutes and died out, but there was no charge, no roar from our enemy,not even the rustling of the bushes as it passed through.
"It's very strange, Joe," whispered the doctor. "Pile on more wood."
I obeyed him, and this time it caught directly and there was atremendous blaze, but no attack followed; and we stood listening forsome sound of the enemy in vain.
"You must have shot it," I said, speaking with some confidence.
"Or else you did, Joe," said the doctor.
I shook my head, and we remained listening for quite a quarter of anhour, but still in vain. The silence in the forest was now awful, andthough we strained our eyes till the fire across which we looked dazzledthem, we could see nothing to cause alarm.
"Either it's dead or it has gone off, scared by our fire," said thedoctor at last. And now that we found time to think, he continued, witha smile, "I hope we are not going to have many such night-watches asthis on our expedition. I say though, my lad, how some people cansleep! I should have thought that those howls would have wakenedanything. Why, hallo! Gyp, didn't you hear anything? Where's yourmaster?"
He stooped and patted the dog, which came trotting up to us, and thenyawned and stretched himself out.
"Here I am," said Jack Penny, involuntarily imitating his dog. "Here,where's that chap Jimmy? He was to watch with me, wasn't he? Is ittime?"
"Time! Yes," I said impatiently. "You ought to have been here twohours ago. He'll have to look out, won't he, doctor, for that tiger orwild man."
"Yah! stuff!" said Jack with a sneer. "I sha'n't see no--hullo! whathas Gyp found? Look, there's something there."
We all turned to see the dog, which had picked up some scent abouthalf-way between the fire and the edge of the circle of light. He ranat once to the thick bushes, barked angrily, and then followed the scentround and round the fire at the distance of about twenty yards, endingby dashing right off into the forest depths, his bark growing fainter aswe listened.
"I say, ought we to follow Gyp?" said Jack Penny.
"If we wish to lose our lives," replied the doctor. "You see, Joe, ithas gone right off."
"But I don't like Gyp to go off after anything and not follow him,"cried Jack Penny. "He's a good dog, you know. What is it he's after?"
"Some savage beast that has been haunting us all night," cried thedoctor. "I should like to follow Gyp, but it would be madness, my lads,and--hark, what's that?"
I felt cold as a most unearthly howl came from a long distance away.
"Is--is that him?" said Jack, whose eyes looked round and large.
"Dat big bunyip," said a voice that made us start, for Jimmy had come upfrom the dark camp unperceived. "Eat black fellow, white man, anyfing."
No one replied to Jimmy's piece of information, and we listened for someminutes till a faint rustling, heard first by the black, who stood readyto hurl his spear, made us all place a finger on the trigger.
But it was only caused by the dog, who soon after came into sight, withhis tail between his legs, and his hair bristling with terror.
He ran right to his master and stood behind him, shivering and whining,as he stared in the direction from which he had come.
"Gyp see big bunyip!" cried Jimmy. "Gyp find a bunyip!"
"I say," said Jack; "it's my watch now. I s'pose you two are going tolie down."
"Frightened, Jack?" I said maliciously.
"P'r'aps I am, and p'r'aps I ain't," said Jack stoutly. "I should say Ifelt frightened if I was; but if you two were going to watch I wouldn'tgo away and leave you with a big beast like that about. He must be abig one or he wouldn't have frightened Gyp, who'll tackle old mankangaroos six-foot high. You can go if you like, though."
This was a long speech for Jack Penny, who rubbed one of his ears in anill-used way.
"Jimmy, black fellow 'fraid um bunyip; oh, yes!" said my follower; "butJimmy no run away."
"We shall not leave you alone, Penny," said the doctor, smiling. "Itwould not be fair."
So we stayed with him till day broke, and not having heard the slightestsound to intimate the neighbourhood of danger, and the dog lying quitestill and content by his master, the doctor and I went to get a coupleof hours' rest, just as the forest glades were beginning to echo withthe screaming of birds of the parrot family, Jimmy bending over me andpoking me with the butt end of his spear, almost directly, so it seemedto me, that I had lain down.
"Jimmy hungry," he said; "gimmy damper--brackfass. Come long."
"Did you hear the bunyip any more, Jimmy?" I said, yawning.
"No. Bunyip go sleep all a morning--all a day! Come a night.How-wow!"
He put his head on one side and gave so
marvellous an imitation of theterrible cries I had heard during the night that I felt sure he mustknow the creature.
"What is it makes that noise, Jimmy?" I said eagerly.
"Bunyip--big ugly fellow bunyip!" he exclaimed; and I felt so cross andannoyed with his eternal bunyip that I was ready to kick him; but Irefrained, and went instead to the fire, where the doctor was waitingbreakfast, after sending Jimmy to wake me up.