CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.
"A WAS AN ARCHER, WHO SHOT--"
No more was seen of the blacks, while a fortnight passed; and encouragedby the utter solitude of the place, the well-armed parties which leftthe yacht made longer and longer excursions, coming home with anabundance of specimens to preserve. The sailors took to the task withthe greatest of gusto, and evidently thoroughly enjoyed the hunt forrare birds and butterflies, of which there proved to be an abundance.One day Jack would be helping his father collect the wonderfully paintedinsects which hovered or darted about in the sunny glades or in themoist shady openings over the streams, where they hung over the lovelyblossoms of the orchids. At another time the doctor would claim hisattention, and shouldering one gun, while Edward carried another and thecartridges, long tramps were taken over the mountain slopes and at theedge of the forest, to penetrate which, save in rare places, wasimpossible. Their sport was plentiful enough, for the birds were freshto the gun, and when startled their flight was short, and they alightedagain within reach. They were all new to the boy, who seemed neverweary of examining the lovely plumage of the prizes, which one or otherof the sailors carried afterwards, slung by their beaks from a stick, sothat the feathers should not be damaged. Now it was a green paroquet,with long slender tail and head of the most delicate peach-colour or ofa brilliant orange yellow. At another time, after a careful stalk, oneor other of the pittas, the exquisitely-coloured ground thrushes, intheir uniforms of pale fawn and blue, turquoise, sapphire, and amethyst.And perhaps the next shot would be at one of the soft feathery trogons,cuckoo-like birds in their habits, but instead of being paleslate-coloured, barred and flecked like a sparrowhawk, Jack's specimenswould display a breast of the purest carmine, and a back glistening withmetallic green. Something like cuckoos, Ned declared them to be, butnot in aspect.
One morning, after several times hearing their calls in a clump ofgigantic trees up one of the volcanic ravines, the doctor called the ladto be his companion to try and stalk what he believed to be birds ofparadise; but they had evidently chosen the wrong time, for to theirdisappointment not a sound was heard, and they would have gone back tothe yacht empty-handed if it had not been for Ned's sharp eyes.
"There they are!" he whispered, pointing across the ravine to whereanother little forest of tall trees feathered the steep sides of theslope.
"What are?" said Jack excitedly.
"The birds you are looking for, sir. Saw about a dozen, big aspheasants, fly across and settle there."
He pointed with the gun he carried to one tree which towered above therest.
"They went down under there, sir. I could lead you straight to theplace."
Jack took out his small glass, and after gazing through it attentivelyhe suddenly said--
"I saw a big bird fly down. Yes, and another."
"They can't be those we want," said the doctor, "but they may be goodspecimens of something. What do you say, Jack, will you go down andacross?"
"Oh yes," he replied.
"It's very steep, and will mean lowering ourselves cautiously."
"I don't mind," said the lad. "If it's very bad they will help me."
"Oh yes, sir, we'll help," said Lenny, turning to his companions; "won'tus, lads?"
There was a chorus of "Ay, ays," and the steep descent from the greatgrove commenced, it being necessary to get to the bottom of what becamelow down a precipitous gully, along which one of the springs which hadits source high up in the mountain dashed along. This had to becrossed, and then there was a similar climb on the other side.
The start was made, and proved difficult enough, for where the treeswere not close and their roots interlaced, there were openings wheremasses of volcanic rock were tumbled-together in inextricable confusion,and the way over them was made more difficult by the bushy, shrubbygrowth and creepers which bound them together.
But the sailors were activity itself, and they slashed and trampled downand hauled and lowered till the whole party found themselves upon abroad stony shelf at the very edge of a sharply-cut rift, whose sidesshowed that it must have been split from the opposite side by someconvulsion of Nature, so exactly was the shape repeated.
At the bottom of this crack--for it could be called little else--thewater of the stream rushed foaming along some thirty feet beneath, thewhole place looking black and forbidding enough to make any one hesitatebefore attempting to cross, though the distance to the other ledge wasnot above five feet, a trifling jump under ordinary circumstances. Buthere, with the deep black rift and the foaming water beneath, it lookedstartling to a lad accustomed to a quiet home life. He, however, put abold face on the matter and stood looking on.
Jack was, however, conscious of the fact that the doctor was watchinghim in a side-long way, as if expecting to hear him make someobjections. As, however, the boy was silent, the doctor spoke.
"Rather an ugly jump, Jack," he said. "Think you can manage it?"
"Oh, I think so. I shall try."
"Try? It must not be a try. It has to be done."
"Yes, I can do it," said the lad confidently.
"Oh yes, you can do that, Mr Jack," said Ned in a whisper, as thedoctor turned off to speak to Lenny; "think it's only a ditch a footdeep."
The boy could not think that with the water roaring beneath him farbelow, and he could not help glancing back up the steep slope they haddescended. This looked so forbidding and meant so much toilsome work,that he felt as if he would rather do the leap, though all the samethere was the climb on the other side. Still there was an attractionthere in the shape of the strange birds, which he was as eager to secureas the doctor.
"Who'll go first?" said the doctor. "Here, I will."
He handed his gun and satchel to Ned, walked a little way to select thebroadest and clearest path, which happened to be a couple of feet higherthan the opposite side, stepped back as far as he could, took a shortrun, and landed easily a couple of feet clear.
"There: nothing," he cried, "but I shouldn't like to try it back. Throwmy satchel over, Ned."
This was done and deftly caught. Then the gun was carefully pitchedacross, the others followed, and the specimens shot that morning.
Then one by one the sailors leaped over, and Jack and Ned remained.
"Will you go next, Ned?"
"Me, sir, and leave you behind? 'Tisn't likely. Don't think about it,sir. It's easy enough. Off you go. The thinking's worse than thedoing."
To an ordinary school-boy it would have been nothing. His legs,hardened by exercise, would have sent him across like a deer, but Jack'smuscles only a short time before were flaccid and weak in the extreme.Still the voyage had done something; the strong will growing up withinhim did more, and without a moment's hesitation, feeling as if hisreputation was at stake, he went sharply to the starting-point, took theshort run, and leaped, but too hurriedly. If he had gone quietly towork it would have been different; as it was, he cleared the gulf andlanded on the other side, but without throwing himself forwardsufficiently to recover himself, and Ned uttered a cry of horror as hesaw the lad apparently about to totter backward into the depths below.
Lenny saved him by a curiously awkward-looking act. He had been on thelook-out on one side, the doctor on the other, to give the lad a hand ashe landed, but instead of a hand he gave him an arm, delivering a sharpblow on the back, and driving him into safety just as he was hopelesslylosing his balance, and the men gave a cheer.
"Thank you, Lenny," gasped the boy breathlessly, as he saved himselffrom falling forward by catching at the nearest sailor; "but don't hitquite so hard next time; it hurts."
A roar of laughter followed this, and the doctor took off his pithhelmet to wipe his forehead.
"That's a nice sort of an example to set a fellow," muttered Ned as hestood on the other side, rather unnerved by what he had seen. "Makes apoor man feel as if he would rather be at home cleaning the plate."
Then in a fit of determination he flung up
his arms, and in regularboyish fashion shouted--
"Clear the way, there. Here comes my ship full sail."
He cleared the gulf with a good foot to spare, and felt triumphant.
Each took his gun or rifle directly without a word of allusion to Jack'snarrow escape, and with the doctor leading the way they began to climbthe steep ascent in silence.
"I hope that fellow's shouting has not scared our birds," said thedoctor after a time. "Quiet as you can, below there."
"They were so far off I don't think the birds could have heard him,"replied Jack. "Perhaps the noise would not have gone out of the gully."
"Perhaps not," said the doctor. Then laconically: "Hurt?"
"Oh, not much," said Jack, smiling. "He did hit me a good bang though."
"Never mind, my lad; I like to see you bear it stoically. Shows meyou're recovering tone. Phew! this is warm work. How much more of itis there?"
"Not half-way up yet," panted Jack.
"Take it coolly, men, or our hands will be all of a tremble, so that wecan't shoot straight."
There was no need to advise an impossibility, for no one could havetaken it coolly. The blocks of stone, the tangled creepers, and higherup the dense undergrowth, made it a slow, laborious task; but at lastthe huge trees of the upper slope were reached, and the work promised tobe lighter.
The doctor made a sign, and they both sat down to rest for a fewminutes, the men who came on smilingly following suit; but all at once apeculiarly hoarse cooing sound arose from not far away among the trees,and all the fatigue passed away as if by magic.
"Pigeons!" whispered the doctor excitedly. "Hark! more of them! Theymust be the big fruit birds, Jack, and we must have a pair or two ofthese. When you're ready we'll go on."
"I'm ready," whispered Jack.
"Then we'll go abreast. Don't you study me. Keep your eyes open, andthe first moment you have a good chance you fire. Get one with eachbarrel if you can."
Jack nodded, and directly after they advanced among the trees, with Nedabout a couple of yards behind, carrying a second gun for whicheverneeded it.
These were exciting moments, more exciting than they knew of, as theycrept forward among the huge trunks, and gazing upward among thebranches, expecting moment by moment to catch sight of the flock ofgreat fruit-pigeons, whose cooing kept stopping and commencing again.
It had sounded to be so close that they felt puzzled, and wonderedwhether they had passed them, for the doctor argued that if they hadtaken fright the rustle of their wings would have been heard among thebranches.
All at once Jack, who walked on the doctor's left, held his gun in hisleft hand only, and made a sign with his right.
His companion crept close to him, and the next moment a flock ofenormous pigeons, which had been feeding on the fallen nuts of one ofthe biggest trees, rose with a tremendous rushing of wings, and fourbarrels were fired into them, with the result that three birds fell.
"Our dinner, Jack, and the men's too," cried the doctor; and the boyfelt a chill of horror run through him, as from close behind there was awild cry from Ned, followed by a shouting amongst the men a dozen yardsbelow. Then _shot_--_shot_--_shot_ followed one another quickly, andLenny cried--
"Down, gentlemen, down!"
The doctor dropped instinctively, and began to creep to Ned, who hadfallen heavily, when he heard Lenny cry--
"Down, Mr Jack--down!" and he saw the lad standing motionless, staringwith horror at the ground.
The next instant something whizzed by his ear and struck quivering inthe tree-trunk behind. Then he dropped into shelter, and began rapidlyto reload.
"Fall back on us, my lads," said the doctor sharply, "and don't fireunless you have a good chance. Keep well under cover."
"The blacks?" panted Jack.
The doctor nodded. "Is Ned--hurt much?"
"Can't tell yet, my lad. How are you, Ned--much hurt?"
"Oh, it hurts, sir, horrid," said the man faintly; "but I shouldn't mindthat. It's feeling so sea-sick and swimming I mind. Let's go back tothe yacht."
"Yes, of course; but you can't walk."
"But I will walk, sir; must walk. 'Tain't my leg, it's my arm," criedthe man, who was sick with agony, but full of spirit. "Who's going tocarry a fellow in a place like this?"
"Much hurt, mate?" said Lenny, who now crept to them on all fours.
"What's the good o' asking stupid questions, old 'un?" cried Nedpetulantly. "Course I'm much hurt. Can't you see it's gone right intomy arm? Why look at this--gone right through. Going to cut thearrow-head out, sir?"
"No," replied the doctor sharply. "Kneel, and be a man. I won't hurtyou more than I can help."
"All right, sir. No use hollering," cried Ned cheerily.
"Look out there!" cried one of the sailors from below. "They're goingto rush us!"
"Never mind me, sir," said Ned, letting himself sink back. "You threehas to fight. Nasty cowardly beggars--shooting a man behind his back!Let 'em have it, I say."
He had hardly spoken when the men below fired a little volley across thegully, and then there was a cheer.
"That's scut 'em to the right-about, sir. We've dropped two," cried oneof the men, and they crept back under the dense cover to where Ned lay.
The doctor had seized his gun, but he laid it down again, and took out akeen-bladed knife.
"Thought you wasn't going to cut out the head, sir?" said Ned faintly.
"I am not," replied the doctor.
"Oh, don't you mind me, sir. I tell you I won't shout. You do what'sright. I know it must come out; but I'd take it kindly, Mr Jack, sir,if you'd lay hold of my hand. Cheer a fellow up a bit. Go on, doctor;I'm game."
"That you are, my lad," said the doctor, and kneeling behind thesufferer he took hold of the long arrow, which had completely transfixedthe fleshy part of the arm, and snapped it sharply in two on the sidewhere it had entered, then in an instant he had drawn the head portionright out of the wound in the same way in which it was driven.
"That's the way, sir. Don't you be afraid to cut," said Ned sturdily,but with his eyes shut. "I'll bear it; but I didn't know you'd got ared-hot poker up here to dress the wound with.--What! have you got itout?"
"Yes. Take hold of these pieces, Lenny."
"Well, you have been quick, sir. My word, it was a stinger--just likeas if twenty thousand wasps was at you. Eh! going to bind it up?"
"Yes, only lightly. It will be all the better for bleeding a bit. Nowthen! We must retreat as fast as we can. Can you get up, Ned?"
"Can I get up, sir! I should just think I can! I'm not going to make aregular how-de-do because I've got a prick from a bit of wood."
"Are the enemy coming on, men?" said the doctor sharply.
"Can't see any more of 'em, sir," sail one of the sailors. "I thinkthat volley scared 'em a bit."
"Here, take my arm, Ned. Jack, you come next. Come on, my lads."
"All right, sir, we will," cried Lenny.
"Who has Ned's gun?" said Jack. "That must not be left behind."
"I've got it, sir; he's loaded too," said one of the sailors.
"Forward then," cried the doctor.
"I can get on without your arm, sir," grumbled Ned now sturdily. "No, Ican't. Things turn round a bit somehow. Thank you, sir. I shall bebetter directly."
At that moment there was a heavy concussion, and a rolling echo whichwent reverberating up the gully toward the mountain top.
"One of the big guns," said Lenny. "That means a signal to come back."
"Then the black fellows are in sight there," cried Jack excitedly."Come on."
The start was made, with Ned making a brave effort to keep his legs, andsucceeding fairly well as they struggled on through the tangled growth,Jack springing to the front, hunting-knife in hand, to slash away atcreepers and pendent vines which came in their way. But every now andthen the poor fellow stopped short.
"Bit touched in the wind,
gentlemen," he said cheerily. "Go on againdirectly. If there is a chance to get a mouthful of water I should likeit. If there ain't, never mind.--Off we goes."
The doctor said nothing, but supported him all he could, and theystarted again, with Jack leading and the sailors forming theirrear-guard, retiring in regular military fashion, dividing themselves intwos, one couple halting face to the enemy till the rest had gone on ahundred yards and halted, and then trotting or rather forcing their wayalong the track, to pass their companions and halt again.
Moment by moment an attack was expected, but it was not made, thoughfrom time to time those in the rear caught sight of a black face peeringround the trunk of a tree, showing that they were followed.
At last as they descended they came to a spot where the stream in theravine could be reached, and the wounded man drank of the cool clearwater with feverish avidity, while the doctor frowned as Jack looked athim with questioning eyes.
"Does take the conceit out of you, Mr Jack," said Ned, as theycontinued their retreat. "I did think I was a better-plucked one thanthis. Talk about a weak 'un; I'm downright ashamed of myself."
"Don't talk so much, my man," said the doctor. "Keep your breath forthe exertion."
"Cert'nly, sir. That's right," said the man in quick, excited tones."Won't say another word, only this. I should like to have just one popat the chap who shot me, and hit him in the same place. I'm ashamed tosee you working so hard, Mr Jack, sir. How far is it down to theboat?"
"About a mile, Ned; but pray do as Doctor Instow says--keep quiet."
"Right, sir, I will," replied the man, setting his teeth hard, his drawnface showing the agony he was in; and they went on descending, to bestartled by another heavy detonation.
"Another signal," said the doctor; but the words were hardly out of hislips when there was a fresh report running up the gully, and beingmultiplied in echoes which gradually died away.
"Those are not signals, Jack," said the doctor quietly. "It means anattack upon the yacht by the canoes."
"Oh! and we not there," cried the lad excitedly.
"_Well_, the more lucky for us, eh?"
"Doctor Instow!" cried Jack indignantly; "when these men are wanted tohelp defend the vessel. Pray, pray try and walk faster, Ned."
"Trying my best, sir, but I'm very shaky. Legs must be a regular pairof cowards, sir, for they won't hurry a bit. Ah!"
The poor fellow reeled and would have fallen but for the doctor's strongarm supporting him and letting him gently down.
Just then the regular short, sharp report of rifles reached their earsfrom below, announcing that there was no mistake about an attack beingmade upon their friends, and the anxiety of Jack and the doctor wasincreased as they trembled for the fate of the two men left as keepersof the boat in which they had come ashore.
"I hope they have escaped back to the yacht," said the doctor.
"They wouldn't do that," cried Jack indignantly. "But what is to bedone? Can't we make a sort of stretcher with two of the guns?"
"No," said the doctor, "it would take time; and the wood is too thick.I'll carry him for a few hundred yards."
"Let me have first go, sir," cried Lenny. "You're tired. I'll takehim. Help me get him on my back, so as not to hurt his arm."
This was done, poor Ned remaining quite insensible; and once more theybegan to descend through the solemn aisles of the forest, with thesunshine coming through the leaves in showers of rays, while the firingaway below them kept rolling up to where they were.
After a time Lenny was relieved, and dropped into the rear-guard, andthis evolution was performed again and again, Jack still leading theway, and hacking through some growing rope from time to time.
"Soon do it now, sir," said the man who was carrying. "Keep a goodheart, sir. That's the best o' being mates. Chap goes down, andt'others 'll always carry him. Hullo! what, a'ready?" he continued, asone of his companions came to relieve him. "I've only just begun."
"Don't be greedy, matey," said the new-comer with a grin. "You alluswas such a chap for wanting to have more 'n your share. Gently, let meget under the poor chap here without hauling him about so. That's yoursort. Warm work, mate?"
"Tidy," said the man relieved with a grin. "Warmer where there's none."
On they went again with the relieved man taking his place ready for thedefence if called upon, and the fresh bearer toiling on as if there wasnothing to mind.
"Mustn't whistle, I suppose, Mr Jack?"
There was a shake of the head.
"S'pose not. Like letting the beggars know where we are. My word, howthings seem to grow here. Take some muscle to cut a good road. Say,sir; think poor Ned here's much hurt?"
"Hurt a good deal, of course, but it can't be a dangerous wound."
"I dunno," said the man thoughtfully, after a few minutes' silence. "Ishe onsensible like, sir?"
"Yes, quite," said Jack, after a look at Ned's face.
"Can't hear what I say then, sir? I'm a bit afeard for him."
"Why?"
"Chap wouldn't go like this after a hole being made in his arm. I had abayonet through mine once, but it didn't turn me this way. Felt a bitsick at first, but it made me feel hot and savage after."
"What do you mean?" said Jack, baring his head for a moment.
"Arrows, sir; poison."
"Ah!" ejaculated Jack in horror. "Then that's what made Doctor Instowlook so serious."
"That's it, sir. But don't you say anything. I dare say as soon as weget aboard the doctor 'll put some of his acquy miracolus on it, and setit right again. My word, they're having a good round with the niggers.I do wish we were aboard in the fun. I don't like this running away."
The bottom of the forest slope at last, and now an open park-likestretch lay between them and the patch of jungle which ran down to wherethey had left the boat. But upon this being neared they could see nosign of her.
Jack put a whistle to his lips and blew shrilly, but there was no signstill, and his heart sank as they hurried on across the open part towardthe cover; and none too soon, for the party of blacks which had beenfollowing them from where the first attack was made suddenly appeared atthe edge of the forest they had just left, and arrow after arrow camewhizzing by to stick in the shrubs and dense grass around.
"Don't stop to fire till we are in cover," cried the doctor, and theykept on till they were once more hidden by the low jungle scrub, when atthe doctor's order four shots were fired amongst the trees from whencethe arrows kept coming.
These had their effect, and the missiles ceased falling, but a darkfigure appeared from time to time, and it was evident that the enemywere running from cover to cover, so as to try and cut them off from theshore.
Just, however, as this danger was growing imminent, there was a loudhail from the part of the lagoon hidden from them by the low scrub."Here they are, sir," cried Lenny. "Then now for it, my lads; a sharprun to the boat. Here, take my gun, some one. I'll carry him now."
"He's all right, sir," cried the man upon whose back Ned still hung, andthe bearer rose from his knees. "Some one take care as they don't spearme, and I'll soon have him in the boat."
"Lead on, Jack," cried the doctor.
"All here?" said Jack.
"Yes. Forward."
The distance was short now, and in a few minutes they had put the lowgrowth between them and their enemies, and were running toward where theboat, with its two keepers, was being backed on to the sand.
"Hooray!" panted Ned's bearer, as he waded in and let the poor fellowglide over the gunwale of the boat, following directly after.
The others, as soon as Jack and the doctor were aboard, dropped theirrifles in, ran the boat out till they were waist deep, and then gave afinal thrust and slipped over, to seize their rifles again and squatdown ready to fire.
They were none too soon, for a party of about a dozen blacks, armed withspears and bows and arrows, came into sight, and began to shoot.<
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"Give them a volley," said the doctor sternly. "Six of us. We can't bemerciful now."
The pieces were rested upon the sides of the boat, and the sharp rattleof gun and rifle followed, Jack and the doctor firing both barrels oftheir fowling-pieces, loaded with largish shot.
The effect was instantaneous. As the cloud of smoke rose, they couldsee that two of the blacks were down, and several running wildly aboutas if in terrible pain. Then the two fallen men were seized by thewrists and dragged under cover, from which arrow after arrow wasdischarged--fortunately without effect--till the vigorous strokes of theoars took them beyond their reach, and toward where a dense cloud ofsmoke hung over the lagoon, drifting slowly toward them in the softsea-breeze, and completely hiding the yacht.