CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.
HOW THE DOCTOR SAID "THANK YOU" IN A VERY QUIET WAY.
For some little time we did nothing but lie there blackened and halfchoked, blinded almost, listening to the sound that came up that rift,for the question now was whether the savages would know that we werethere, or would attribute the roar to that of some fierce beast thattheir fire and smoke had destroyed.
The voices came up in a confused gabble, and we felt that if the blackscame up the rift we could easily beat them back; but if they came roundby some other way to the rocky patch of forest where we were, our statewas so pitiable that we could offer no defence.
Jimmy had been applying cool leaves to his legs for some minutes as welay almost where we had thrown ourselves, seeming to want to do nothingbut breathe the fresh air, when all at once he came to where the doctorand I now rested ourselves upon our elbows and were watching the smokethat came up gently now and rose right above the trees.
"Jimmy no hurt now. Roast black fellow," he said grinning. "Jimmy knowpowder go bang pop! down slow."
"Yes," said the doctor. "I was trying to get that last canister when Iwas overcome by the smoke, and just managed to reach the bottom of therift. Who was it saved me?"
"Jimmy-Jimmy!" said the black proudly.
"My brave fellow!" cried the doctor, catching the black's hand.
"Jimmy come 'long Mass Joe. Haul Mass doctor up. Mass doctor no wiggleJimmy 'gain, eat much pig."
The doctor did not answer, for he had turned to me and taken my hand.
"Did you come down, Joe?" he said softly.
"Of course I did," I replied quietly, though I felt very uncomfortable.
"Thank you!" he said quietly, and then he turned away.
"Black fellow hear powder bang," said Jimmy, grinning. "Tink um bigbunyip. All go way now."
I turned to him sharply, listening the while.
"Yes: all go 'long. Tink bunyip. Kill um dead. No kill bunyip. Ohno!"
There was the sound of voices, but they were more distant, and then theyseemed to come up the rift in quite a broken whisper, and the nextmoment they had died away.
"Safe, doctor!" I said, and we all breathed more freely than before.
The blacks had gone. Evidently they believed that the occupant of thecave had expired in that final roar, and when we afterwards creptcautiously round after a detour the next morning, it was to find thatthe place was all open, and for fifty yards round the bushes andtree-ferns torn down and burned.
The night of our escape we hardly turned from our positions, utterlyexhausted as we were, and one by one we dropped asleep.
When I woke first it was sometime in the night, and through the treesthe great stars were glinting down, and as I lay piecing together theadventures of the past day I once more fell fast asleep to be awakenedby Jimmy in the warm sunlight of a glorious morning.
"All black fellow gone long way. Come kedge fis an fine 'nana."
I rose to my feet to see that the doctor was busy with his patient, whowas none the worse for the troubles of the past day, and what was ofmore consequence, he was able to speak slowly and without running offinto the native tongue.
We went down to the stream, Jack Penny bearing us company, and werepretty fortunate in cutting off some good-sized fish which were sunningthemselves in a shallow, and Ti-hi and his companions were no lesssuccessful in getting fruit, so that when we returned we were able tolight a fire and enjoy a hearty meal.
What I enjoyed the most, though, was a good lave in the clear cold waterwhen we had a look at the mouth of the cave.
The doctor came to the conclusion that where we were, shut-in by highshelving sand rocks, was as safe a spot as we could expect, the more sothat the blacks were not likely to come again, so we made this our camp,waiting to recruit a little and to let the black village settle downbefore making any farther attempt. Beside this there was our newcompanion--William Francis he told us his name was, and that he had beenten years a prisoner among the blacks. Until he had recovered from theeffect of his unlucky wound we could not travel far, and our flight whenwe rescued my father must necessarily be swift.
It was terribly anxious work waiting day after day, but the doctor'sadvice was good--that we must be content to exist without news for fear,in sending scouts about the village at night, we should alarm the enemy.
"Better let them think there is no one at hand," said the doctor, "andour task will be the easier."
So for a whole fortnight we waited, passing our time watching the brightscaled fish glance down the clear stream, or come up it in shoals; lyinggazing at the brightly plumed birds that came and shrieked and climbedabout the trees above our heads; while now and then we made cautiousexcursions into the open country in the direction opposite to thevillage, and fortunately without once encountering an enemy, but addinglargely to our store of food, thanks to the bows and arrows of ourfriends.
At last, one evening, after quietly talking to us sometime about thesufferings of himself and my father, Mr Francis declared himself strongenough to accompany our retreat.
"The interest and excitement will keep me up," he said; "and you mustnot wait longer for me. Besides, I shall get stronger every day, and--"
He looked from me to the doctor and then back, and passed his handacross his forehead as if to clear away a mist, while, when he began tospeak again, it was not in English, and he burst into tears.
"Lie down and sleep," the doctor said firmly; and, obedient as a child,the patient let his head sink upon the rough couch he occupied andclosed his eyes.
"It is as if as his body grew strong his mental powers weakened," saidthe doctor to me as soon as we were out of hearing; "but we must waitand see."
Then we set to and once more talked over our plans, arranging that wewould make our attempt next night, and after studying the compass andthe position we occupied we came to the decision that we had better workround to the far side of the village, post Mr Francis and two of theblacks there, with our baggage, which was principally food; then makeour venture, join them if successful, and go on in retreat at once.