CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.
A CAPTURE, FLIGHT, SURPRISE, AND RESCUE.
If true love is, according to the proverb, more distinctly proved to betrue by the extreme roughness of its course, then must the truth of thelove of Angut and Nunaga be held as proved beyond all question, for itscourse was a very cataract from beginning to end.
Poor Nunaga, in the trusting simplicity of her nature, was strong in thebelief that, having been found and saved by Angut, there was no furthercause for anxiety. With an easy mind, therefore, she set herself to thepresent duty of spearing cat fish with a prong.
It was fine healthy work, giving strength to the muscles, grace andactivity to the frame, at the same time that it stimulated the appetitewhich the catfish were soon to appease.
"It grows late," said Pussimek, "and will be dark before we get back tocamp."
"Never mind; who cares?" said the independent Sigokow, who was fond of"sport."
"But the men will be angry," suggested the mother of Ippegoo.
"Let them be angry--bo-o-o!" returned the reckless Kabelaw.
"Nunaga," said Nuna, looking eagerly over the side, "there goesanother--a big one; poke it."
Nunaga poked it, but missed, and only brought up a small flat-fish,speared by accident.
Old Kannoa, who also gazed into the clear depths, was here observed tosmile benignantly, and wave one of her skinny arms, while with the othershe pointed downwards.
The sisters Kabelaw and Sigokow, each wielding a pronged stick,responded to the signal, and were gazing down into the sea with upliftedweapons when Pussimek uttered an exclamation of surprise and pointed tothe shore, where, on a bush, a small piece of what resembled scarletribbon or a strip of cloth was seen waving in the wind.
"A beast!" exclaimed Pussimek, who had never before seen or heard ofscarlet ribbon.
"Saw you ever a beast so _very_ red?" said the wife of Okiok doubtfully.
"It is no beast," remarked the mother of Ippegoo; "it is only a bit ofsealskin dyed red."
"No sealskin ever fluttered like that," said the mother of Arbaliksternly. "It is something new and beautiful that some one has lost. Weare lucky. Let us go and take it."
No one objecting to this, the oomiak was paddled towards the land.Nunaga observed that the sisters Kabelaw and Sigokow were each eager tospring ashore before the other and snatch the prize. Having a spice ofmischievous fun in her she resolved to be beforehand, and, being activeas a kitten, while the sisters were only what we may style lumberinglyvigorous, she succeeded.
Before the boat quite touched the gravel, she had sprung on shore, andflew towards the coveted streamer. The sisters did not attempt tofollow. Knowing that it would be useless, they sat still and the otherwomen laughed.
At the success of his little device the robber-lieutenant of Grimlekchuckled quietly, as he crouched behind that bush. When Nunaga laid herhand on the gaudy bait he sprang up, grasped her round the waist, andbore her off into the bushes. At the same moment the rest of the bandmade a rush at the oomiak. With a yell in unison, the women shovedoff--only just in time, for the leading robber dashed into the seanearly up to the neck, and his outstretched hand was within a foot ofthe gunwale when he received a smart rap over the knuckles from Sigokow.Another moment, and the oomiak was beyond his reach.
Alas for old Kannoa! She had been seated on the gunwale of the craft,and the vigorous push that set the others free had toppled her overbackwards into the sea. As this happened in shallow water, the poor oldcreature had no difficulty in creeping on to the beach. The incidentwould have tried the nerves of most old ladies, but Kannoa had nonerves; and in regard to being wet--well, she was naturally tough andaccustomed to rough it.
The disappointed robber observed her, of course, on wading back to land,but passed her with contemptuous indifference, as if she had been merelyan over-grown crab or lobster. But Kannoa determined not to be left todie on the shore. She rose, squeezed the water out of her garments andfollowed the robber, whom she soon found in the bushes with hiscompanions eagerly discussing their future plans. Nunaga was seated onthe ground with her face bowed on her knees. Kannoa went and sat downbeside her, patted her on the shoulder and began to comfort her.
"We must not stay here," said the leader of the band, merely casting alook of indifference at the old creature. "The women who have escapedwill tell the men, and in a very short time we shall have them howlingon our track."
"Let us wait and fight them," said one of the men, fiercely.
"It would be great glory for a small band to fight a big one, no doubt,"returned the leader in a sarcastic tone; "but it would be greater gloryfor one man to do that alone--so you had better stay here and fight themyourself."
A short laugh greeted this remark.
"It will be very dark to-night," said another man.
"Yes; too dark for our foes to follow us, but not too dark for us toadvance steadily, though slowly, into the mountains," returned theleader. "When there, we shall be safe. Come, we will start at once."
"But what are we to do with the old woman?" asked one. "She cannotwalk."
"Leave her," said another.
"No; she will bring evil on us if we leave her," cried the fierce man."I am sure she is a witch. We must carry her with us, and when we cometo a convenient cliff, toss her into the sea."
In pursuance of this plan, the fierce robber tied the old woman up in abear-skin--made a bundle of her, in fact--and swung her on his back.Fortunately, being rather deaf, Kannoa had not heard what was in storefor her; and as the position she occupied on the fierce man's broad backwas not uncomfortable, all things considered, she submitted withcharacteristic patience. Poor, horrified Nunaga thought it best to lether companion remain in ignorance of what was proposed, and cast aboutin her mind the possibility of making her escape, and carrying the newsof her danger to the camp. If she could only get there and see Angut,she was sure that all would go well, for Angut, she felt, could puteverything right--somehow.
In a short time the robbers were far away from the scene of theirconsultation; and the darkness of the night, as predicted, became sointense that it was quite impossible to advance further over the roughground without the risk of broken limbs, if not worse. A halt wastherefore called for rest, food, and consultation.
The spot on which they stood was the top of a little mound, with thickshrubs on the land side, which clothed a steep, almost precipitousdescent. Just within these shrubs, as it were under the brow of thehill, Nunaga observed a small natural rut or hollow. The other, or sea,side of the mound, was quite free from underwood, and also very steep.On the top there was a low ledge of rock, on which the fierce robberlaid his bundle down, while the others stood round and began to discusstheir circumstances. The leader, who had taken charge of Nunaga, andheld one of her hands during the journey, set the girl close in front ofhim, to prevent the possibility of her attempting to escape, for he hadnoted her activity and strength, and knew how easily she might elude himif once free in the dark woods.
Although these woods were as black as Erebus, there was light enough toenable them to distinguish the glimmer of the sea not far off, and atremendous cliff rising in solemn grandeur above it.
"Yonder is a good place to throw your witch over," remarked the leadercarelessly.
The fierce robber looked at the place.
"Yes," he said, "that might do; and the way to it is open enough to becrossed, even at night, without much trouble."
At that moment a bright idea suddenly struck Nunaga.
Have you ever noticed, reader, how invariably "bright ideas" deal suddenblows? This one struck Nunaga, as the saying goes, "all of a heap."
She happened to observe that the leader of the band was standing withhis heels close against the ledge of rock already mentioned. In aninstant she plunged at the robber's chest like a female thunderbolt.Having no room to stagger back, of course the man was tripped up by theledge, and, tumbling headlong over it, went down th
e steep slope on theother side with an indignant roar.
The rest of the robbers were taken by surprise, and so immensely tickledwith the humour of the thing that they burst into hearty laughter asthey watched the frantic efforts of their chief to arrest his career.
All at the same instant, however, seemed to recover their presence ofmind, for they looked round simultaneously with sudden gravity--andfound that Nunaga was gone!
With a wild shout, they sprang after her--down the slope, crashingthrough the underwood, scattering right and left, and, in more than oneinstance, tumbling head over heels. They were quickly joined by theirnow furious leader; but they crashed, and tumbled, and searched in vain.Nunaga had vanished as completely and almost as mysteriously as if shehad been a spirit.
The explanation is simple. She had merely dropped into the rut orhollow under the brow of the hill; and there she lay, covered withgrasses and branches, listening to the growlings of indignation andastonishment expressed by the men when they re-assembled on the top ofthe mound to bewail their bad fortune.
"We've got the old witch, anyhow," growled the fierce robber, with ascowl at the bundle which was lying perfectly still.
"Away, men," cried their leader, "and search the other side of themound. The young witch may have doubled on us like a rabbit, while wewere seeking towards the hills."
Obedient to the command, they all dispersed again--this time towards thesea.
What Nunaga's thought was at the time we cannot tell, but there isreason to believe it must have been equivalent to "Now or never," forshe leaped out of her place of concealment and made for the hills at thetop of her speed. Truth requires us to add that she was not much betteron her legs than were the men, for darkness, haste, and rugged groundare a trying combination. But there is this to be said for the girl:being small, she fell lightly; being rotund, she fell softly; beingindia-rubbery, she rebounded; and, being young, she took it easily. Ina very short time she felt quite safe from pursuit.
Then she addressed herself diligently to find out the direction of theEskimo camp, being filled with desperate anxiety for her old friendKannoa. Strong, almost, as a young Greenland fawn, and gifted,apparently, with some of that animal's power to find its way through thewoods, she was not long of hitting the right direction, and gaining thecoast, along which she ran at her utmost speed.
On arriving--breathless and thoroughly exhausted--she found to herdismay that Angut, Simek, Rooney, and Okiok had left. The news of hercapture had already been brought in by the women with the oomiak, andthese men, with as many others as could be spared, had started offinstantly to the rescue.
"But they are not long gone," said Nunaga's mother, by way of comfortingher child.
"What matters that?" cried Nunaga in despair; "dear old Kannoa will belost, for they know nothing of her danger."
While the poor girl spoke, her brother Ermigit began to prepare himselfhastily for action.
"Fear not, sister," he said; "I will run to the great cliff, for I knowit well. They left me to help to guard the camp, but are there notenough to guard it without me?"
With these words, the youth caught up a spear, and darted out of thehut.
Well was it for old Kannoa that night that Ermigit was, when roused, oneof the fleetest runners of his tribe. Down to the shore he sprang--partly tumbled--and then sped along like the Arctic wind, which, we mayremark, is fully as swift as more southerly breezes. The beach near thesea was mostly smooth, so that the absence of light was not a seriousdrawback. In a remarkably short space of time the lad overtook therescue party, not far beyond the spot where the women had been surprisedand Nunaga captured. Great was their satisfaction on hearing of thegirl's safe return.
"It's a pity you didn't arrive half an hour sooner, however," saidRooney, "for poor Angut has gone off with a party towards the hills, ina state of wild despair, to carry on the search in that direction. Butyou look anxious, boy; what more have you to tell?"
In a few rapidly-spoken words Ermigit told of Kannoa's danger. Instantaction was of course taken. One of the natives, who was well acquaintedwith the whole land, and knew the mound where the robbers had halted,was despatched with a strong party to search in that direction, whileRooney, Okiok, and the rest set off at a sharp run in the direction ofthe great cliff which they soon reached, panting like race-horses.
Scrambling to the top, they found no one there. By that time the shortnight of spring had passed, and the faint light of the coming dayenabled them to make an investigation of the ground, which tended toprove that no one had been there recently.
"We can do nothing now but wait," said Red Rooney, as he sat on aprojecting cliff, wiping the perspiration from his brow.
"But we might send some of the young men to look round, and bring usword if they see any of the robbers," said Simek.
"If we do that," replied Okiok, "they will get wind of us, and clearoff. Then they would kill my great-mother before casting her away."
"That's true, Okiok. We must keep quiet," said Rooney. "Besides, theyare pretty sure to bring her to the cliff, for that is a favourite modeamong you of getting rid of witches."
"But what if they _don't_ come here?" asked Ippegoo.
"Then we must hope that they have slept on the mound," returned Okiok;"and Angut will be sure to find them, and kill them all in their sleep."
"Too good to hope for," murmured Arbalik.
"We must hide, if we don't want to be seen," suggested Simek.
Feeling the propriety of this suggestion, the whole party went into acave which they found close at hand and sat down to wait as patiently asmight be. Rooney was the last to enter. Before doing so he crept onhands and knees to the extreme edge of the cliff and looked down.Nothing was visible, however; only a black, unfathomable abyss. But hecould hear the sullen roar of ocean as the waves rushed in and out ofthe rocky caverns far below. Drawing back with a shudder, a feeling ofmingled horror, rage, and tender pity oppressed him as he thought ofKannoa's poor old bones being shattered on the rocks, or swallowed bythe waves at the foot of the cliff, while behind and through Kannoathere rose up the vision of that grandmother in the old country, whoseimage seemed to have acquired a fixed habit of beckoning him to comehome, with a remonstrative shake of the head and a kindly smile.
They had not long to wait. They had been seated about ten minutes inthe cavern when the man who had been left outside to watch came glidingin on tip-toe, stepping high, and with a blazing look about the eyes.
"They come," he said in a hoarse whisper.
"_Who_ come, you walrus?" whispered Okiok.
"The man with the witch."
On hearing this, Rooney, Okiok, and Simek went to the entrance of thecave, followed by the rest, who, however, were instructed to keep undercover till required, if no more than three or four men should arrive.
A few seconds later, and the robber chief appeared on the flat space infront of them. He was closely followed by a squat comrade and thefierce man with the bundle on his back. As they passed the cave, thebundle gave a pitiful wail.
This was enough. With a silent rush, like three bull-dogs, our heroesshot forth. Rooney, having forgotten his weapon, used his fist instead,planted his knuckles on the bridge of the leader's nose, and ruined it,as a bridge, for evermore. The robber went down, turned a completeback-somersault, regained his feet, and fled. Okiok seized the fierceman by the throat almost before he was aware of the attack, causing himto drop his bundle which Rooney was just in time to catch and carry intothe cave. There he set it down tenderly, cut the fastenings of theskin, and freed the poor old woman's head.
It was a beautiful sight to see the livid hue and gaze of horror changeinto a flush of loving benignity when Kannoa observed who it was thatkneeled beside her.
"Poor old woman!" shouted Rooney in her ear. "Are you much hurt?"
"No; not hurt at all; only squeezed too much. But I'm afraid forNunaga. I think she got away, but I was bundled, when I last heard
hervoice."
"Fear no more, then, for Nunaga is safe," said Rooney; but at thatmoment all the men rushed from the cave, and he heard sounds outsidewhich induced him to follow them and leave the old woman to look afterherself.
On issuing from the cave, he saw that the fierce robber was the only onecaptured, and that he was on the point of receiving summary justice, forSimek and Okiok had hold of his arms, while Arbalik and Ippegoo held hislegs and bore him to the edge of the cliff.
"Now then!" cried Simek.
"Stop, stop!" shouted Rooney.
"_One--two--heave_!" cried Okiok.
And they did heave--vigorously and together, so that the fierce man wentout from their grasp like a huge stone from a Roman catapult. There wasa hideous yell, and, after a brief but suggestive pause, an awfulsplash!
They did not wait to ascertain whether that fierce man managed to swimashore--but certain it is that no one answering to his description hasattempted to hurl a witch from those cliffs from that day to this.