CHAPTER VI
THE FLIGHT
In the afternoon the village hummed with excitement. The word hadgone round that the new white man who had shot the crocodile wouldgive a feast, and the people squatted in rows on the bank watching acouple of their stalwart fellows preparing a canoe for an expeditionafter the river-horse. When Mr. Hume appeared with his Express incompany with the Belgian officers, who were indifferent sportsmen,the people saluted him with a feeling of gratitude for favours tocome in the shape of fat meat.
"Good luck," said the junior officer, "but I back the animals; theyare very wary and very fierce."
"What is the betting?" cried the hunter.
"Oh no, my friend!" exclaimed the senior. "Keep your money for to-night; and don't drown yourself. We must have one game, you know."
"Very well. By the way, Compton?"
"Yes, sir."
"You and Venning may as well amuse yourselves by getting the storeson board in case we leave to-morrow."
"That depends on how the game goes," replied the officer. "If youwin, we must keep you for a return match."
"That is only fair. But I may lose; so, my lads, go on with thepacking."
The boat went off up the river hugging the banks, and the wholevillage sat down to watch the stalk, all but a few who went to andfro between Venning at the house and Compton in the boat, carryingthe stores. The two officers turned in, with mats drawn, to enjoytheir siesta, and the guards on duty sought the shade of the treesby the bank to watch the hunt.
The hunt was not a matter to be decided out of hand, by a swiftpaddle straight up to the sand-bank in the river, and a chance shot.
The canoe crept up slowly and passed out of sight. The old huntersin the watching crowd took counsel together, and then the chief ofthem announced what would happen. The "slayer of crocodiles" would,he declared, get above the island and then slowly descend with thecurrent upon the river-horse.
"May he shoot straight and his powder be strong," shouted a river-man; "for it is the father of bulls who sleeps there--he who haseaten many canoes."
"It is the same," said the old hunter; and, taking a pinch of snuff,he began to tell the deeds of the old bull hippo.
So the drowsy afternoon passed lazily away to the watchers, andwearily to the white boys. Their thoughts were in the canoe, and,moreover, they were irritated by the slowness of the men who carriedthe parcels. No man would carry more than one package at a time, andafter each journey he sat down to rest and discuss the chances forand against the feast.
When the shadows were creeping across the deserted square--desertedsave for the man bound to the post, Venning for the hundredth timelooked across with an aching desire to rush over and cut the bonds.As his eyes ranged sadly over the bronzed figure, he detected amovement in the shadow of a hut opposite. Looking more attentively,he saw the round ears of a jackal, and then made out the sharp faceresting between the outstretched paws, and the yellow eyes fixedintently on the chief.
Muata lifted his head slowly, as if it were top heavy for themuscles of his neck, and his gaze went sideways to see if anywatched.
Venning nodded eagerly from the shelter of the room; made a movementwith his hands as if he were cutting; pointed up the river andspread his arms like a swimmer.
Muata let fall his head again, with his chin on his naked breast;and the carriers ranged up for the last load. A shout from the bankmade them hurry. Several people who had gone to see about theirfires rushed, yelling, across the square to the bank.
"It was as I said," shouted the old black hunter. "See where hecreeps down-stream on the bull." "Wow! he has hidden the canoe inleaves. It is as a tree floating."
"Ow ay, we smell meat!" sang a big man, stamping his feet.
"We smell meat--red meat, fat meat; the red meat of the fat cow forthe women; the tough meat of the old bull for the men;" and thewomen clapped their hands.
The Belgian officers were awakened, and stepped out of theirdarkened rooms. They found the village empty, save for Venningstooping over his last parcel, and Muata at his post with whatlooked like a yellow native our lying at his feet.
"The bull opens his mouth!" chanted the old hunter. "He wakes fromhis sleep! There is the smell of man on the wind! He looks around!He sees a tree borne on the current! He will surely eat lead!"
Venning picked up his parcel and followed the officers. Out of thecomer of his eye he saw the seeming yellow cur lift its head andsmell at the thongs which were bound about the prisoner's legs. Thenhe hurried on.
"Wow! the bull drives, the cow into the water. He is cunning. Ow ay,he knows."
"What does he know, old talker?" asked one of the officers.
"The cow is fat," laughed the old man. "The hunter would shoot thefat cow first, and so the bull makes her take the risk. He is wise."
"He is shameless!" screamed the women.
"See them?" said Compton, offering his glasses to Venning andpointing up-stream.
Far up Venning saw three dark objects on the shining glance of thevast river. One, the canoe fringed with branches, slowly driftingupon the other two, raised but a few feet above the water on agleaming yellow sand island. One hippo, with its huge head swinging,was standing up, looking not unlike an overfed prize pig. Then theother rose, and the two walked towards the water.
"Wow! the old bull keeps on the safe side. I said it; he is wise."
"Shameless!" cried the women.
"Wherefore does the crocodile-slayer delay? Surely he knows the bodywill sink in the river if it reach the water."
"The smoke! He fires!"
"The cow is down! To the boats children--to the boats!"
Men and boys made a rush, and, out of a tremendous uproar ofsplashing and shouting, half a dozen canoes were flying at fullspeed for the cow's meat, altogether indifferent to the futureproceedings.
"The smoke again! The bull has it! He is down; he is up; he is inthe water! Wow! Look out, O 'slayer of crocodiles!'"
"But the cow lies still!" cried a woman, anxiously.
"Oh ay, there will be meat for the feast. But what of your man inthe canoe if the bull seize him?"
"It is his risk," said the woman, calmly.
Venning dropped the glass, and he and Compton stood looking from theisland to the old hunter, who seemed to know every point in the gamebetter than they could follow through the glasses.
"Ah, it is well. They tear the branches from the canoe. They rowstraight for the island. The white man jumps--the men tumble out--wow-wow!--the bull takes the canoe in his jaws. It will go hard withthose who go for the meat if he get among them."
"The white man leaps in the water!" shouted another. "But he holdshis gun above him. He reaches the sand; the others crawl up also.They run! I do not see the bull!"
"There are crocodiles!" shrilled a woman, pointing with an armheavily ringed with brass bangles.
"This is not their fight, mother."
"But they will take our meat."
"It is the bull I think of." "Will he meet the canoes, or will heface the three on the island? The white man sees the canoes; hewaves them to go back, but they smell meat; they keep on." "What isthis? He points his gun at them. They stop; they turn back."
"A pity," said one of the officers, with a grin. "We should haveseen sport."
"But the sport is not over," said the other. "I back the bull.Remember how he put you to flight, my friend. What is the meaning ofthis, old man?"--this to a hunter.
"Surely, O great one, it means one thing. The white man is afraidthe canoes would draw the bull away. He wishes the bull to land--toattack him."
"More fool he, ay, my friend," said the officer, with a sneer.
"One of the men on the island is pointing," said Compton, who hadtaken up the glasses again. "I see something in the water where thecanoe went down."
"I said it," shouted the old black; "the bull will fight. Stand,fast, O white man, for it is either you or he."
Those watching saw the bull land and
hurl himself with amazingswiftness at Mr. Hume.
"Why doesn't he shoot?" yelled Compton.
"Wow! the white man springs aside. The bull squeals; he staggers; heis down. Behind the ear. I say it. There the bullet went in. Therewill be much meat." The old man took snuff, and cast a proud lookaround as if he alone had done the deed.
"By Jove!" muttered Venning, wiping his forehead. "It seemed a nearsqueak."
The two officers went back to their cool rooms, and the crowd brokeup, the women and children going off dancing to collect firewood.The little fleet of canoes descended on the island, and in a fewminutes the carcasses were hidden by bands of naked men, who slashedand cut, while crocodiles, attracted by the blood, appeared from alldirections. In a very short time the fleet returned, and Mr. Hume,standing in a heavily laden craft, ran a greater risk than when hefaced the savage old bull, for the gunwales were flush with thewater, and the men were utterly reckless as they dashed along at thehead of the flotilla.
As the men leapt ashore, women seized the meat, and the village atonce entered upon the wild orgy of the feast, forgetting Mr. Humeand all else in the one desire to start their jaws on the half-cooked flesh.
"Is all aboard?" asked Mr. Hume, as he jumped ashore.
"Everything," said Compton. "We watched your shot, sir; it wassplendid."
"Well, that part of the plan has gone off all right. It will be amore difficult job to free Muata and get away ourselves."
Venning described how he had seen the jackal approach the chief, andas he and Mr. Hume went into the village, leaving Compton in theboat, they cast an anxious glance at the square already agleam withfires in the growing dusk. Muata was still at the post, his headdrooping and his body relaxed.
"That's bad," muttered the hunter; "he looks quite exhausted."
"Perhaps he's shamming."
"Let us hope so. In any case we may have to wait until pastmidnight, as I am afraid our hosts will not let me off. It would bebetter if we could get away early."
Fortune favoured them, for as the Zanzibar boy approached with amessage from the officers, there arose the sound of rifle-shots fromthe forest beyond. The people in the square shouted a reply, andpresently a party of men, dressed in long white robes, appeared.They halted in the square, and the leader came on alone. He stoopedto stare into the face of Muata as he passed, then approached.
"Welcome, Hassan! My people are feasting; thanks to the skill of myfriend here;" and the Belgian who had come forward indicated Mr.Hume.
The Arab peered into Mr. Hume's face and salaamed, with an evilsmile on his wide, thin-lipped mouth.
"I am thankful," he said in the native dialect, "for your kindnessin bringing back my slave"--pointing towards Muata.
"It was a small thing," said Mr. Hume.
"But it pleases me; and when you reach my zareba, all that is mineto command is yours."
He looked at Venning, and the boy noticed that the pupils of theeyes had a white speck, which gave to them a sinister appearance.
"Good," said the Belgian. "We will have a night. Pardon me for ashort time while I discuss a little matter touching the reward forMuata with my friend Hassan."
The two went off, the Arab casting a ferocious look back at thechief.
Venning tugged at the hunter's arm. "Look," he whispered.
Muata was slipping down the post, as if his legs had utterly givenway. The party of new-comers were stacking their arms at the"indaba" house at the end of the square, and the village people weretalking, laughing, and eating. Muata reached the ground, but not ina state of collapse, for the next instant the two watchers saw himcrawl to the shadow of a hut, where he remained as if stretching hislimbs.
"Come," said Mr. Hume, in a fierce whisper, recovering from hissurprise; and the two went swiftly to the river.
Compton had already cast off and was holding by the boat-hook.
"Bring her in."
The Okapi ran her stern into the bank, and the two stepped aboard,Mr. Hume going forward to the wheel, with his rifle in his hand.
"Shove her off; run as silently as you can out of hearing, and thenwork the levers."
Compton looked inquiringly at Venning as he picked up the oars, andthen at the village, from which came a loud babble.
"Is he free already?"
Venning nodded.
"Good;" and then they bent themselves to the oars with every nerveon the quiver, and their eyes on the shore.
"Stop! Back-water!"
Obediently they stopped the way of the boat and backed her,wondering what had gone wrong. A turn of the wheel sent them inamong the canoes. There was a flash of steel, a plunge of the strongarm down into the boats, accompanied by a ripping noise. Then thehunter waded ashore, and with his great hunting-knife ripped up theboats lying on the bank. Quickly he was back at his place.
"Now, off!"
Again they pushed off, the boys with their excitement increasingafter this interlude, which showed them the imminence of danger. Afew long strokes took the Okapi well out; then she was put aboutwith her nose up-stream.
"The levers now, my lads!"
They perched themselves on the saddle-seats, and at the clanking ofthe levers the beautiful craft slipped swiftly up-stream.
Then out of the dark there rose the mournful howl of a jackal,almost instantly replied to by a similar call at a distance.
"The chief calling to his jackal," said Mr. Hume. "Thank Heaven, hehas got away. Now I will let him know we are also off;" and he, too,gave the jackal hunting-cry.
Back out of the darkness came the chief's exultant war-cry, and onit a furious shout from the village, followed by the discharge of arifle, and the rolling alarm of a war-drum. Then shone out the glareof torches at the river bank, and a savage yell announced that themen had discovered the injury done to the canoes.
One of the purchases made in London had been a lamp with very finereflectors. This Mr. Hume fixed on a movable bracket within reach ofhis arm as he sat at the wheel, and when the lights at the villagefaded astern, he lit the lamp, in order to thread a passage by itslight through the dark waters. As the noise of shouting, thedrumming, and the report of fire-arms died down, other soundsreached their strained hearing--the booming of the Congo bittern,the harsh roar of a bull crocodile, and the cries of water-birds.
Then Venning laughed--a little short nervous laugh. "We have doneit," he said.
"We have, indeed," said Compton.
"But if we can only pick up Muata and his jackal, we should be allright. Just a nice party."
The rudder-chains clanked; the boat set up a heavy wash as sheturned from her course. There was a splashing, and somethingsnorted almost in Venning's face.
"Nearly ran into a hippo!" sang out Mr. Hume. "We must keep out intomid-river; it's too risky inshore. Tell me when you are tired."
"We're quite fresh yet," replied Compton. "It is easier thansculling."
"Moves like clockwork," said Venning, gaily. "I could keep on allnight."
"We'll have to keep on all night and all to-morrow," muttered Mr.Hume; and in a few minutes he relieved Compton, making him put on aheavy coat before taking the wheel. "It's the chill that isdangerous. In an hour you will relieve Venning."
Turn and turn the boys relieved each other at intervals, but Mr.Hume swang to his lever till the dawn, when the mast was stepped,the sail spread, and the spirit-lamp got out for the making ofcoffee. After breakfast the awning was spread, the mosquito curtainsstretched round, and the boys were ordered to sleep. They demurredat first, but the hunter rather sharply insisted, and no sooner werethey stretched on the rugs than they were asleep. The yoke had beenslipped over the rudder, and, using the lines, Mr. Hume sailed theOkapi single-handed, taking her across the lake-like width till hewas under the wooded hills of the south bank, where he beat aboutfor an hour or so in the hope that Muata might have covered thedistance at the native's trotting-pace. It was, he told himself, notlikely, however, that the chief could have done so, after bei
ng forhours bound to a post; and after a time he beat out again into mid-stream afar off, so that no village natives should spy upon thecraft. He did not share in the triumph of his young companions. Toowell he knew that they had risked everything by their secretdeparture; but he could not see that any other course was open tothem, as if they had remained it would have been difficult for themto prove that they were not concerned in Muata's escape. He knew,too, that if he had abandoned the chief, as the price of security,the boys would have lost all faith in him.
What, however, he did feel was, that the responsibility rested onhim. If a mistake had been made it was his mistake, and if the boyssuffered from it the blame would be his.
So he beat out into mid-stream, where the sail of the low-lyingcraft would be but a speck when viewed from the shore, and with abeam wind laid her on a course which she kept almost dead straight,with a tack at long intervals only. In the shade of the awning theboys slept the dreamless sleep of the healthy, and he let them sleepon till the sun stood almost above the mast, sending down a blazethat scorched. Then he beached the Okapi on the shelving shore of asand-spit, without vegetation of any kind to give shelter tomosquitoes, and awoke them.
"All hands to bathe!" he shouted; and the three of them were soonin, and no sooner in than out; for, according to the hunter, thevirtue of a bathe was not in long immersion, but in friction. "Withtheir heads well protected, but their bodies bare to the sun, thefriction was obtained by rubbing handfuls of the dry, clean sandover limbs and body till the skin glowed.
"Now I will snatch a few winks while you work the levers, until thewind springs up again."
Mr. Hume stretched himself forward under the awning after unstoppingthe mast; and the two friends, after tossing a bucket of water overthe canvas awning, took their seats, clad in pyjamas and body-beltsonly, and bent gaily to the levers which "click-clanked" merrily.Their feet were naked, for Mr. Hume had taught the lesson that thefeet should be cool and the head protected; their arms were bare tothe elbow, of a fine mahogany hue; their movements were brisk; butthe best evidence of health was in the clearness of their eyes.Fever shows its touch in the "gooseberry" eye, dull and clouded; inthe moist pallor of the skin, and in a general listlessness. Even ifthey are free from fever, white men in Central Africa often growlistless because of insufficient nutriment. Their flesh-diet ischiefly the white meat of birds, and their blood-cells are reallystarved by the small amount of nitrogenous matter. A deficient dietin its turn is a frequent cause of diarrhoea and constipation, twoof the most common complaints among new chums. In his huntingexpeditions Mr. Hume had learnt his lesson from experience, and heaccordingly was a martinet on the rules of health. All the drinking-water was first boiled. The boys could wear as little as they likedduring the heat of the day, so long as they protected their headsand necks, but on the approach of evening they had to get into warmand dry under-garments; they had to keep a sharp watch for thestriped "anophele" mosquito, were taught to spray the puncture, ifthey were tapped by the mosquito lancet, with chloride of ethyl, andhad to submit occasionally to a hypodermic injection of quinine. Thenitrogen they got from condensed meat juices.
"This is very much more like what I expected," said Venning, lookingfrom the broad river to the distant wooded banks, and from the darkforest to the blue sky.
"I can see two string of duck, a whole crowd of ibis on a littleisland, a crocodile and a hippo."
Compton, who was facing the stern, glanced over his shoulder, thendirected his gaze aft again.
"We seem to be traveling slowly," he growled.
"There's no hurry, is there?"
Compton raised his head a little, and looked under the shelter of ahand.
"They're coming," he said briefly.
"Eh?" Venning stopped, and looked back. The water glimmered underthe sun like a vast silver sheet. "I can see nothing."
"Don't you see a dark smudge. Well, that is the smoke from asteamer. I thought at first it came from a land-fire. But it doesnot. Send her along."
Venning quickened up, and for some minutes pedals and levers workedat almost racing speed.
"We cannot keep this up. Give him a call!" Venning shouted, and Mr.Hume looked round.
"Bid you call?"
"They are after us," and Venning jerked his head back, while stillbending to his work.
The hunter loosened the canvas awning, and stood up for a long lookaft. Then he faced about, and threw a quick glance up-river.
"Keep her straight for that wooded island," he said, pointing aheadtowards the south bank; and Venning pulled the steering-line toplace the Okapi on a new course.
Mr. Hume took in the awning and packed it away. "Now, my lads," hesaid, "we'll just face the position. That's the fort launch racingup, and she could overhaul us in two hours. If we surrender weshould be safe from violence, but they would probably confiscate ourboat or detain us for weeks. If we resist they would be justified inrunning us down. What shall we do?"
"Escape," said Compton.
"Of course," Venning chimed in.
"By attempting to escape," continued Mr. Hume, "we as good as admitthat we aided and abetted Muata, and, if captured, they would makeit harder for us."
"At any rate, we meant to free Muata."
"Besides, we must escape," said Compton, with determination.
The perspiration was rolling off their faces, for, as soon as theyworked at high pressure, they felt the pull of the screw.
"Come forward, both of you," said Mr. Hume, rolling up his sleeves."Compton, you take the wheel, and Venning, you get out the guns."
They obeyed him, and he, kneeling on the aft-deck between the twolevers, grasped one in either hand, and got more speed out of theOkapi than they had by their united efforts. The muscles stood outlike ropes on his brawny arms, and the levers smoked in the slots.
"Keep her to the north of the island."
The boat hummed along, drew up to the nose of the island, skirtedits reedy side, where stood a hippo eating at the rank grass, andthen dropped it astern.
"Good," said Mr. Hume, with a great grunt of satisfaction, as heswept his eyes over the river.
"See those dark spots ahead? They must be the first of the thousandislands that stretch away right up to the Loanda river. If we canget into them we are safe."
"Can I help?" asked Venning, having set out the rifles in the well,with the ammunition handy.
"Whistle for a wind. That's all. Fix your eyes on the islands,Compton, and slip in where they are thickest."
"Ay, ay," muttered Compton, frowning under the stress of hisexcitement.
Venning searched for the field-glasses, and as the island they hadpassed sank low astern, he swept the river for sign of the pursuinglaunch.
"By Jove!" he muttered, with a start.
"Well?"
"She has shifted her course. I can see the white of her hull rightunder the trees on the south bank."
"She must have gained a lot, then," grunted Mr. Hume, "if you cansee her hull."
"She's making out again. Perhaps she put in to speak a nativevillage, and maybe they have not seen us; we are low in the water."
"They'll see us soon enough. Tell me when she passes the island wejust left."
"She's making across. No, she's turning. Ah, now she's pointingstraight for us. I can see several people in her bows."
"Now turn your glasses on the islands ahead."
Venning turned round, and looked up-stream.
"Is the launch nearer than the islands?"
"I can see a stork standing on the edge of the water. The first ofthe islands is nearest." He turned again to watch the launch."There is more smoke--they are stoking up."
The launch was unquestionably coming up hand over hand, and it wasnot long before Venning could see the foam at her bows, and the flagof the Congo Free State flying at her stern. Then he saw a ball ofsmoke.
"She is firing!" he yelled.
Compton never took his eyes off the little cluster of reed
s aheadthat marked the first of the thousand islands.
"Keep her going!" he shouted.
Mr. Hume smiled grimly, for he was doing the work of two men.
"They are loading the gun!" cried Venning. "Oh, if I only couldhelp!" He buttoned and unbuttoned his coat, then picked up thesculls, and fell to rowing with fierce energy. "The smoke!" hecried. Then, a moment later, "What's that noise?" as a menacingsound with a shrieking whistle to it smote on his ears.
There was no need for an answer. The shot struck the water about ahundred yards short, and skipped by, wide of the Okapi, but stilltoo near to be pleasant.
"Keep on!" shouted Compton, fiercely.
The levers clanked furiously, and Venning, who had suspended hissculling under the menace of the shot, tugged again at his work.
The steam-whistle of the launch sounded a series of sharp, jerkycalls, followed by the firing of a Mauser bullet. Venning's heartwas pumping blood at express speed under the violence of hisefforts, and his eyes in a wild stare were fixed on the approachingcraft, which had now brought its living freight within recognizabledistance. He could distinguish the two Belgian officers and theswart face of the Arab chief, Hassan. He could see the men withrifles, aiming, as it seemed, straight at him, and then he duckedhis head as he saw the smoke once more belch from the seven-pounder.At the same moment he was nearly capsized by the sudden swerve ofthe Okapi, as she almost turned on her keel. The shot struck thewater so close that the spray drenched them. Compton looked roundand shouted aloud--
"They're aground! Hurrah!"
Venning, recovering himself, saw the men on the launch hurled to thedeck.
"Hurray!" he shouted.
"Keep on!" shouted Compton; and, after another five minutes' burst,the Okapi swept behind one island and passed in between two others."Now," he said, "give me the levers."
"You're welcome," said Mr. Hume, wiping the moisture from his browand taking a huge breath.
He went forward to the wheel, and threaded the Okapi through narrowpassages between islands of all shapes and sizes, until after havinggot into such a fastness as would be impracticable for the launch toreach, he ran the boat on a shelving sandbank. Then, before anythingelse was attempted, the awning was fixed, and they settled down fora needed rest. Next the boys smacked each other on the back.
"Was it by accident or design, Compton, that you led them into theshallows?"
"I saw we could not reach the shelter of the island, and was feelingbad, when I caught a ripple on the water to the right. I edged theOkapi on after the first ball shot was fired, and as we drew nearerI was sure there was a long sandbank. When I made that sharp turn asthe second shot was fired, I could see the outline of the bank justunder water, and turned to avoid it."
"It was a mercy you altered our course just at that moment,Compton."
"Wasn't it? It was touch and go. We stood to be run down or knockedinto smithereens in another minute;" and Venning shook Compton'shand.
"Did you see them go over like ninepins," laughed Compton, "whenthey struck? But I'm not claiming any credit, you know. If it hadnot been for Mr. Hume----"
"We all did our share," said the hunter, "and we have every cause tobe thankful; but we must not imagine that the chase is over."