CHAPTER XVII--BILL AND HIS BOATS
Roland, young and inexperienced as he was, proved himself a fairly goodgeneral.
He certainly had not forgotten the salt, nor anything else that waslikely to add to the comfort of his people in this very long cruise byriver and by land.
They knew not what was before them, nor what trouble or dangers theymight have to encounter, so our young heroes were pretty well preparedto fight or to rough it in every way.
Independent of very large quantities of ammunition for rifles andrevolvers, Roland had prepared a quantity of war-rockets, for nothingstrikes greater terror into the breasts of the ordinary savage thanthese fire-devils, as they term them.
Roland, Dick, and Bill each had shot-guns, with sheath-knives, and asort of a portable bill-hook, which many of the men carried also, andfound extremely handy for making a clearance among reeds, rushes, orlighter bush.
We have already seen that they had plenty of fishing-tackle.
Oil and pumice-stone were not forgotten, and Roland had a regularinspection of his men every day, to make certain that their rifles andrevolvers were clean.
But this was not all, for, to the best of their ability, both Roland andDick drilled their men to the use of their arms at short and longdistances, and taught them to advance and retire in skirmishing order,taking advantage of every morsel of cover which the ground might afford.
Plenty of maize and corn-flour were carried, and quite a large supply oftinned provisions, from the plantation and from Burnley Hall. Theseincluded canned meat, sardines, and salmon.
Extra clothing was duly arranged for, because from the plains they wouldhave to ascend quite into the regions of cloud and storm, if not snow.
Medicine, too, but only a very little of this, Roland thought, would beneeded, although, on the other hand, he stowed away lint and bandages inabundance, with a few surgical instruments.
Medical comforts? Yes, and these were not to be considered as luxuries,though they took the form of brandy and good wine.
Good tea, coffee, cocoa, and coca were, of course, carried, with sugarto sweeten these luxuries.
But a small cask of fire-water--arrack--was included among the stores,and this was meant as a treat for native Indians, if they should happento meet any civil and obliging enough to hobnob.
Money would be of no use in the extreme wilds. Salt, and cloth of gaudycolours, to say nothing of beads, would be bartered for articles ofnecessity.
----
Everything was ready for the start, but still there were no signs ofBill and the boats.
It was the first question Roland asked Dick of a morning, or Dick askedRoland, according to who happened to be first up:
"Any signs of Bill and the boats?"
"None!"
On the top of a cliff at the bend of the beautiful river stood a verytall tree, and right on top of this was an outlook--an Indian boy, whostayed two hours on watch, and was then relieved.
He could command quite an extensive view downstream, and was frequentlyhailed during the day and asked about Bill and his boats, but the answerwould come somewhat dolefully:
"Plenty boat, sah, but no Beel."
Yes, there were boats of many kinds, and a few steamers now and thenalso, but Roland held no intercourse with any of these. His little armywas encamped on an open clearing well back in the forest. He did notwish to know anyone's business, and he determined that his own shouldnot leak out.
But although Roland and Dick had plenty to do, and there was sportenough to be had, still the time began to drag wearily on day by day,and both young fellows were burning for action and movement and "go".
Peter, _alias_ Don Pedro, seemed as anxious as anyone else to getforward.
He was most quiet and affable to everyone, although apt to drop intodejected moods at times.
He saw that he was not wholly in bad favour with Dick Temple.
One day, when Roland was at the other side of the river, after smokingin silence for some time by the banks of the stream, where, in companywith Dick and Brawn, he was sitting, a down-steamer hove in sight at thebend of the river, and both waved their caps to those on board, a salutewhich was cheerfully returned.
The vessel was some distance out in the broad river, but presently Dickcould see a huge black-board held over the port-quarter. There waswriting in chalk on it, and Dick speedily put his lorgnettes up, andread as follows:--
IF GOING UP RIVER--BEWARE!
KARAPOONA SAVAGES ON WAR-PATH--TREACHERY!
"Forewarned is forearmed!" said Dick.
"What was the legend exposed to view on the telegraph board?" askedPeter languidly.
"The Karapoona savages on the war-path," replied Dick.
"What! The Karapoonas! A fearful race, and cannibals to boot--"
"You know them then?"
"What, I? I--I--no--no, only what I have heard."
He took three or four whiffs of his cigarette in quick succession, as ifafraid of its going dead.
But Dick's eye was on him all the time.
He seemed not to care to meet it.
"Bound for Para, no doubt," he said at last. "I do wish I were onboard."
"No doubt, Mr. Peter, and really we seem to be taking you on thisexpedition somewhat against your will?"
"True; and I am a man of the world, and have not failed to notice that Iam in some measure under the ban of suspicion.
"Yet, I think you are not unfriendly to me," he added.
"No, Mr. Peter, I am unfriendly to no one."
"Then, might you not use your influence with your friend, Mr. St. Clair,to let me catch the first boat back to Para?"
"I cannot interfere with Mr. Roland St. Clair's private concerns. If hesuspects you of anything in the shape of duplicity or treachery and youare innocent, you have really nothing to fear. As to letting you offyour engagement, that is his business. I can only say that the tenureof your office is not yet complete, and that you are his head-clerk forstill another year."
"True, true, but I came as governor of the estate, and not to accompanya mad-cap expedition like this. Besides, Mr. Temple, I am far fromstrong. I am a man of peace, too, and have hardly ever fired a revolverin my life.
"But I have another very urgent reason for getting back to England--"
"No doubt, Mr. Peter!"
This was almost a sneer.
"No doubt--but I interrupt you."
"My other reason may appeal to you in more ways than one. I am in love,Mr. Temple--"
"You!"
"I am in love, and engaged to be married to one of the sweetest girls inCornwall. If I am detained here, and unable to write, she may think medead--and--and--well, anything might happen."
"Pah, Mr. Peter! I won't say I don't believe you, but instead of yourlittle romance appealing to me, it simply disgusts me. I tell youstraight, sir, you don't look like a man to fall in love with anythingexcept gold; but if the young lady is really fond of you, she will loseneither hope nor heart, even if she does not hear of you or from you fora year or more."
Then, seeing that he seemed to wound this strange man's feelings:
"Pardon my brusqueness, Mr. Peter," he added more kindly. "I really donot mean to hurt you. Come, cheer up, and if I can help you--I will."
Peter held out his hand.
Dick simply touched it.
He could not get himself even to like the man.
----
The signal-tree was but a few yards distant from the spot where theysat.
And now there came a wild, excited hail therefrom.
"Golly foh true, Massa Dick!"
Brawn jumped up, and barked wildly.
His echo came from beyond the stream, and he barked still more wildly atthat.
"Well, boy," shouted Dick, "do you see anything?"
"Plenty moochee see. Beel come. Not very far off. Beel an
d de boats!"
This was indeed joyful news for Dick. He happened to glance at Peterfor a moment, however, and could not help being struck with the changethat seemed to have come over him. He appeared to have aged suddenly.His face was gray, his lips compressed, his brows lowered and stern.
Dick never forgot that look.
Dick Temple was really good-hearted, and he felt for this man, andsomething kept telling him he was innocent and wronged.
But he had nothing to fear if innocent. He would certainly be put toinconvenience, but for that, if all went well, Roland would not fail torecompense him handsomely, and he--Dick--had a duty to perform to hisfriend. So now in the bustle that followed--if Peter wanted to make arush for the woods--he might try.
Roland had heard the hail, and his canoe was now coming swiftly ontowards the bank. Dick ran to meet him.
When he half-pulled his friend on shore and turned back with him,behold! Peter was gone.