CHAPTER IX.
A FRIEND IN NEED.
At the point where Jordan, Speake and Tirzal had vanished into thewood, Matt and Dick found a faint path--a path so little traveled andso blind that it could not be seen from the deck of the _Grampus_, evenwhen she was hauled close to the shore.
"It's as plain as a hand spike," remarked Dick, as he and Matt madetheir way along the path, "that Jordan and the others took a slant inthis direction."
"That's the kind of a guess I'd make," said Matt. "By following thepath, though, we don't want to forget that they got into trouble. Whenyou're on a road that leads to trouble, Dick, you've either got toleave it or else be mighty careful."
"I don't know how we'd get through this jungle if we didn't follow thepath. Tirzal claims to know the country. If that's a fact, then it'smain queer he couldn't pilot Jordan and Speake around any stray groupsof insurrectos."
"Our failure to see anything of the schooner while we were off thecoast, or anything of a launch from the schooner while we were comingup the river, rather gave Jordan the idea that Fingal and Cassidy wereon the wrong track. But I'm inclined to think Jordan was wide of histrail. They must have sent word here and enabled the revolutionists tofix up some sort of a trap."
"Shiver me! I can't begin to tell you how surprised I am at the wayCassidy is acting--that is, if he's gone into cahoots with this swab ofa Fingal for the purpose of backcapping our plans to save one of ourown countrymen. What sort of a two-faced bandicoot is Cassidy, anyhow?He must be mighty sore to act like that. But mayhap you're mistaken,Matt."
"I hope I am," returned Matt gravely. "I always liked Cassidy, and Ihate to see a good man go wrong in such a way as that."
The boys had dropped their voices to an undertone. While they talked,they hurried ahead along the dim, winding path, keeping their eyesconstantly ahead.
Owing to the close growth of trees, but very little sun filtered to theground below, and a twilight gloom hovered over the narrow way. Mattwas in advance, and suddenly he halted, whirled on Dick and pulled himbehind a matted vine that hung from a tree beside the path.
"Hist!" whispered Matt, in his chum's ear. "I can hear voices aroundthe turn in the path ahead. Some one is coming this way. Crouch downand perhaps they'll go past without seeing us."
Scarcely breathing, the two boys knelt behind the matted vine, eachholding his weapon ready in case they should be discovered andcompelled to fight for their freedom.
It was not long before the men whom Matt had heard came stragglingaround the turn in the path. To their amazement, no less a person thanFingal was at the head of the column. The light was none too good formaking observations at a distance, but there could be no mistaking theburly form in the dingy blue cap and coat and dungaree trousers.
Fingal slouched along with the thwartship roll of a sailor with stableground under him. At his back came half a dozen nondescript men, ofvarious shades of color from coal black to light yellow.
These men, no doubt, formed part of the rebel army. They were allbarefooted, their clothes were ragged, and they wore straw hats. Eachhad a machete strapped about his waist, but there the uniformity oftheir accoutrements ceased. Two had no arms apart from the machetes;one of the remaining four had a long-barreled, muzzle-loading rifle,and the other three had revolvers. Fingal had no rifle, but there was abelt about his waist that supported a six-shooter over his hip.
The file was still talking as it passed the two boys, but it wasSpanish talk and neither Matt nor Dick could understand anything thatwas said.
Without seeing the boys, the file swept on and vanished around anotherbend. Matt drew a long breath of relief.
"We're out of that mess, Dick," he murmured, getting up and steppingback into the path. "I guess we've settled all doubts about Cassidy andFingal. Fingal's here, and I'll bet something handsome Cassidy can't bevery far off."
"Cassidy's trying to down us," growled Dick, "and that's as plain asthe nose on your face. The old Sou'wegian! He ought to be trussed up ata grating and pounded with the 'cat' for this. I never thought it ofthe old sorehead! Where do you suppose that pack is going?"
"They're looking for the _Grampus_, I guess."
Dick chuckled.
"And the old _Grampus_ is ten feet under water! If Gaines is nextto his job, he's fixed things so they won't be able to see even theperiscope ball."
"Trust Gaines to do everything possible. I don't think the submarineis in any particular danger, but we couldn't help her any if she was.We'll keep on and see where this trouble road lands us."
"Aye, aye, old ship! Luck seems to be on our side, so far, and here'shoping that it will stay with us."
Matt once more took the lead and set the pace. The ground they werecovering had a slight inclination upward, and the path continued towriggle, serpent fashion, through the dense growth of timber.
It was the almost impenetrable screen of the woods that suddenlyplunged the boys into difficulties. Rounding an abrupt turn, beyondwhich it was impossible to see because of the dense foliage, Matt andDick plunged recklessly into full view of an encampment. It was a largeencampment, too, and pitched in the midst of a big clearing. The placewas not a hundred yards off, and Matt, pulling himself short up, gota glimpse of black soldiers lolling and smoking under rough canvasshelters.
For an instant he halted and stared; then whirled face about.
"Back, Dick!" he exclaimed. "Run, run for your life!"
The words were hardly necessary. The boys had been seen and a wildclamor came from the encampment. A fizzing sputter of firearms awokeechoes in the timber, and scraps of lead could be heard slapping andzipping through the leaves.
"We might be good for three or four," panted Dick, as he stretched hislegs along the path, "but we have to knock under when the whole rebelarmy gets after us."
"Save your breath!" cried Matt. "Run!"
"Where'll we run to? That other pack, with Fingal, is ahead."
"Never mind. The largest force is behind."
The dark-skinned rebels were tearing along like mad. The boys, lookingover their shoulders, could see them wherever the path straightened outinto a short, straight-away stretch. At such times, too, some one ofthe pursuing rabble let fly with a bullet. The bullets went wild, forthere is no such thing as accurate shooting by a man who is on the run.
The boys were holding their own--perhaps doing a little better.
"We can distance 'em," puffed Dick, "if they'll only give us a littletime. We'll be around the next turn and halfway to the one beyondbefore they show up again."
Dick had hardly finished speaking before he came to a sudden halt.
"Keep on!" panted Matt.
"Can't! We're between two fires, matey. That other gang has heard thefiring and is coming back. Let's get behind trees and do the best wecan for ourselves. Oh, this _is_ a rum go!"
Matt was able to hear the men racing along in advance of them, and thelarger force behind was drawing nearer and nearer.
The outlook was dark, and the only thing left for the boys to do seemedto be to dig into the dense undergrowth and take their chances of beingtracked down.
With one accord they sprang toward the left-hand side of the path. Thetimber, in that direction, seemed a trifle less thick than on the right.
Before they had vanished they heard a guarded voice calling from theright.
"Matt! Motor Matt!"
Startled at hearing his name, the young motorist paused and whirledabout. His astonishment grew. A woman--a young woman--had emergedthrough the trailing creepers and was beckoning wildly.
"This way!" she called, still in the same guarded tone. "Quick, if youwant to save yourselves."
A moment more and Matt and Dick both recognized the speaker. She wasnot one whom they would have trusted had circumstances been other thanthey were. Just then, however, but little choice was left them.
"It's that or nothing," muttered Dick, and he and Matt charged backacross the path and followed the girl into a ta
ngle of bushes.
Hardly had they vanished when both parties of pursuers pushed intosight from right and left.