Joaquim shrugged his broad shoulders.
“_Pallidas_ think evil spirits get out when white man digs deep in theground, Señor. They would kill him for that maybe. _Pallidas_ hate SeñorPemberton for chasing them from settlement. Maybe they kill—we do notknow.”
“And what do you think about Señor Rene, Joaquim?”
“I think, like master, that maybe Señor Rene is being punished for angrytalk about you falling in plane. I think Ceara he hold him there a timeso he will not talk.”
“So you and Mr. Pemberton think Señor Renan didn’t like the treatment Igot, huh? Well, maybe it’s so. At least I like to think that that’s thesort of a bird he is.”
Joaquim nodded as if to say that Renan Pemberton was exactly that kind.Be that as it may, thinking was often convincing to Hal and he had nofurther qualms in that direction. His present anxiety was on the riverand from time to time he wondered just what Goncalves had in his mind.
He did not have very long to wonder, however, for, just before midnight,Joaquim prodded Hal gently in the ribs.
“Canoe she come,” he muttered between his teeth. “We keep back in dark.”
“I’ll say we will,” Hal whispered in return.
The canoe swished through the water and presently appeared just belowthe settlement. There seemed to be no other boats with them, and Hal andthe Indian exchanged glances of satisfaction. Goncalves, sitting smugand content while Pizella slaved at the paddle, seemed to sense nothingunusual.
Hal noticed immediately that Pizella was carrying a bow, and arrows werelying at his feet. When he pushed the boat into the embankment and gotout with his bare feet to make it fast he reached for them. Goncalvessmiled.
“_Pallidas_—si?” he murmured.
“Si,” responded Pizella.
“Not so fast, Goncalves!” Hal roared in a voice that sounded almostsepulchral, coming as it did from under the rain-dripping trees.“_We’ve_ got you covered!” He said _we’ve_ as if it constituted atremendous armed force.
Goncalves moved like lightning. Without a word, he shoved the boat backinto the stream with the tremendous energy of his excitement. For somereason he seemed to have completely forgotten the wading half-caste whostumbled and tripped through the water in his haste to clamber back intothe canoe.
Hal fired the gun then over the Brazilian’s head. But the fellow hadtaken up the paddle and began to stroke vigorously off in the dark.Pizella meanwhile had neither been able to gain the canoe or even keepup with him. Also, it was apparent that the water was too high for himto wade any longer.
He called frantically to Goncalves, called to him to wait, Joaquim said.But as Hal had already aimed another bullet at the Brazilian’s sleekhead, there was no apparent slowing up of the canoe for anything oranybody. Consequently, Pizella dove into the high water, clothes andall.
Hal tried another shot but the darkness and the swiftly moving canoemade a sure aim impossible. He thought he heard Goncalves scream after afourth shot had been fired, but as Pizella was screaming also, theycould not be certain. Be that as it may, the Brazilian kept right onpaddling and was soon out of sight.
Pizella was in a dilemma, to be sure. He could not hope to reach hismaster’s canoe and he was afraid to return toward shore, where goodnessknows what horrible fate awaited him. Hal felt almost sorry for him inthat moment, for Goncalves’ desertion of the half-caste at such a timeand in such a place seemed heartless.
But Pizella seemed to have chosen the lesser of two evils and turninghis back upon the raging current began to swim toward shore. Hal andJoaquim watched him, interested, each thinking that the man was braverthan his master ever dared to be.
In the midst of these reflections, they heard him suddenly shriek, ablood-curdling yelp. He was by that time, too, near enough in to standon his feet, which he did. But even as they watched him they saw himraise his arms and sort of stiffen from head to foot. The next second hehad plunged headfirst back into the stream.
“Electric fish, Señor—he bite Pizella!” Joaquim shouted.
Hal got to his feet ready to jump in after the half-caste, but theIndian put out a detaining arm and pointed to the dark waters.
“Already he sink,” said Joaquim. “Señor no can find now.”
Hal looked, feeling not a little dazed by the episode and saw that itwas true. The water rushing along on its heedless course had carried thehalf-caste completely out of sight. There was not a sign of him.
“Joaquim say right—no?” said the Indian.
“Too right,” Hal answered thoughtfully. “I can’t seem to gather my witstogether and remember how it all happened.”
“That is because the _Pallida Mors_ she is swift, Señor Hal. Like thatshe grabs and then we look—_no more_! The Indian he say she wants allthe time death. So many drown in her, Señor. She look like death—no? Shepale for rushing river.”
“She is pale,” Hal agreed. Even in the darkness her pallid yellowishwaters gleamed eerily. He shuddered and turned his broad back upon thestream. “This pale death business is getting on my nerves, anyway.”
CHAPTER XXXI A DECISION
After a long, solemn conference in the Pemberton hut next morning, itwas decided that Goncalves had been effectually squelched by the rusewhich Hal had so cleverly executed. None of them anticipated a returnvisit from the Brazilian with such a purpose in mind. Old Marcellus feltconfident that they were safe from like marauders.
“But it’s time we heard from Rene,” said the old man. “Besides, somebodyought to put word in General Ceara’s ear about Señor Goncalves.”
“How about me going?” Hal asked more in fun than anything. “I’m sureCeara would receive me as a representative of the Pemberton family,wouldn’t he?”
“I don’t know why he wouldn’t,” Felice said, pursing her full red lipsthoughtfully. “Grandfather couldn’t stand the journey, even if it isonly a five-hour paddle, and Joaquim couldn’t satisfactorily interpret amessage. I’m out of the question in a revolutionary camp, so you are theonly solution. Joaquim can go with you, Mr. Hal. If you start now you’llbe back tonight before midnight.”
“Suits me,” Hal said gaily. “I’ll be tickled pink to pike arevolutionary camp. Only you’re sure they won’t nab me in, huh?”
“General Ceara’s a very just man, Hal,” Old Marcellus assured him. “Ishall give you a letter of introduction to him, telling him that I canvouch for your secrecy.”
“How about Goncalves—he might be so sore at me that he’ll try and whoopup things a bit, huh?”
“General Ceara’s long been provoked with him, Hal,” said Felice,unconsciously using the young man’s Christian name too. “He’ll give yourcomplaints just consideration.”
“As you say, _Felice_,” Hal countered, smiling. “I’m to tell him thenwhat greedy eyes the Brazil-nut has cast on your gold hills, huh? And itgoes without saying, that I’ll tell him word for word about last night.”
“Of course—don’t forget that important part. General Ceara is too muchof a patriot not to see that Goncalves is not a man for the _Cause_.”
“I agree with you, Felice,” Hal said whimsically. “He’d be the cause ofany _Cause_ busting up.”
They talked over the question of food to be taken on the trip, and whileOld Marcellus was writing his letters, they summoned Joaquim and madeknown to him what was required. Then just before noon Felice came downto the river and helped push them off.
“Don’t get nervous, Hal,” she called.
“Your letter to Ceara will explain everything.”
“Even that it’s not my fault that my uncle’s a secret service man,hunting for your brother?” Hal laughed.
“Of course,” she said, giggling merrily. “Your uncle’s not going to huntfor Rene after you get back to _Manaos_, is he?”
“Not if I can see Rene first and Unk next. Those two will compromise andI don’t mean maybe.”
“Indeed they will.”
She waved a dainty handkerchief toward the departingcanoe and smiled sweetly. “Be sure that Rene gets the other letter, Hal!I do hope he’s there all right. He’s got to know we’ve struck gold atlast. And because of you.”
“Don’t thank me, Lady Felice. It was a mere accident. Really, Goncalvesought to get the credit for that.”
She shook her head, trying to look severe at Hal’s raillery, but in theend she smiled and called a warning to the Indian to be careful of theriver. Then when the canoe glided swiftly out of sight of thesettlement, she called, “Adios, Hal! I’ll see you tonight.”
“Adios, yourself, Felice!” Hal called back. “And as for tonight, thatremains to be seen.”
The girl laughed in answer, and Hal listened to its sad, sweet echountil the noise of the rapids deafened him.
CHAPTER XXXII THE CORONEL GONCALVES
They turned off the _Pallida Mors_ and into a narrower stream. Smallcataracts sprayed down over rocky cliffs, sending a continuous foam overthe surface of the water. On the whole, it seemed to be not so rough,and they glided along hour after hour under the beaming sun until Halbegan to tire.
Joaquim’s knowledge of the region was uncanny and Hal perceived, beforevery long, that the Indian must have made many such trips back and forthto Ceara’s camp. Also, he seemed to know just to the minute when theywould arrive at the lonely jungle spot.
It was middle afternoon when Hal helped Joaquim push the canoe well upinto the foliage overhanging the river bank. Then they clambered up, upand, with the Indian in the lead, came to a narrow trail over which theymarched for a half hour.
“Do we walk as far as we ride?” Hal asked wearily.
Joaquim shook his head.
“Soon now,” he muttered. “Listen, Señor!”
A man’s voice cried out sharply and Joaquim answered him quickly. Halcould see no one, but presently a rather wretched-looking young man intattered khaki emerged from between the trees. He glanced at thenewcomers suspiciously.
“He want know who come here,” the Indian interpreted. “He want know whatwe have to show we come. I say letter from Señor Pemb.”
“Righto,” Hal said briskly, and took out his letters. The one addressedto General Ceara he gave to the sentry and the other he returned to hispocket.
The fellow looked at the address on the envelope, turned it every whichway, then glanced at Hal suspiciously again. Finally he spoke to theIndian, talking for an interminable time. When he had finished Joaquimpassed on the news.
“The General Ceara he is not here, but the sentry say come, it will beall right.”
“All right by me, Joaquim old boy. Where is Ceara—out to lunch?”
The Indian shrugged his shoulders and at a gesture from the sentry theyfell into a march. Hal, for some reason, felt not so comfortable abouthaving the fellow tramping at his back with a bayonet in position. Butas Joaquim seemed not to mind this military formality, he made the bestof it too.
After a five-minute tramp they came suddenly out on a broad plain.Dotted about its outskirts were hundreds of small thatched huts. Menroamed about, shaggy and unkempt in their wrinkled and tattered khaki.Others lounged about on the ground before their huts and staredcuriously at the newcomers.
They passed at least a half-dozen sentries before their guard commandedthem to stop before a hut, much larger and more sumptuous looking thanthe rest. Hal decided that this must be the headquarters of the famousCeara.
At a gesture from the guard, they were surrounded by reinforcementswhile he stepped inside the hut, manifestly to announce their arrival.Hours seemed to pass while they waited and Hal exchanged severalcalamitous glances with Joaquim.
“Miss Felice is expecting us back before midnight,” he said to theIndian once. “From the looks of things, we can’t be certain whichmidnight.”
Hal had reached the stage when he was resting first on one foot and thenon the other, and neither one resting at all. The sentry at thatjuncture came out and once more addressed the Indian who in turnaddressed his tall young charge.
“We go in,” he said. “We see Coronel Goncalves, not General Ceara. Cearahe not here.”
“What?” Hal asked.
But it was too late. The sentry and a rear flank fairly carried them inwith occasional light proddings of their bayonets. A large,low-ceilinged room loomed up before Hal’s bright blue eyes, as did themany broken-down chairs circled around a rickety table.
Behind the table Goncalves was purring and twisting his littlemoustache.
He smiled sardonically up to Hal’s vast height and straightening hisdapper little self in the chair placed his elbows upon the table.
“Ah, such a pleasure, Señor Hal!” he purred softly. “To whom do I owe iton this my first audience as Coronel of the revolutionary forces?”
Hal sent down his most brilliant smile in return.
“You don’t owe it to me, Goncalves,” he said with an uproarious laugh.“You owe it to Mr. Pemberton. I came to save him and his daughter thefatigue of a journey.”
“I remember you were kind, Señor Hal.”
“Never mind all the apple-sauce, fellow. Joaquim and I are in a hurry.My letter is for General Ceara.”
“Por Deus!” said Goncalves with a mournful face. “You are but too late,Señor Hal. General Ceara has died with the fever.”
Hal looked straight down into the little man’s snapping eyes, and theywavered before his own steady gaze. Goncalves was lying, he knew.
“I don’t believe anything of the kind, Goncalves,” Hal said withstartling frankness. “But, nevertheless, I can tell you what we want._Renan!_ His grandfather and sister are worried sick about him. Nowdon’t lie about that, fellow—you can’t put anything over on me likelies—I can read them in those soul reflectors of yours. And, man, theydon’t add to your charms any, believe me.” He laughed mockingly. “Now doI hear where Renan is or not?”
“You shall see him, Señor. _Si._ In a moment, eh? Just I want to ask youhow is the fine old Señor Marcellus, eh? And the what-you-call stuck upFelice—no? Ah, she hate me. But the Coronel Goncalves does not care,Señor Hal. I get back. Si. While you and the Señor Renan are safe underguard, some _Pallidas_ shall steal down upon the Pemberton granddaughterand her grandfather—no? I shall make it so. Si. The _Pallidas_ they hatethe Pemberton for taking their settlement from them. They think thefamily have evil spirits because the señorita’s father dig a mine, eh?They want ver’ much to rid their tribe of evil spirits, these_Pallidas_, and to kill the Pembertons they think will bring them luck.”
“You’re an idiot to even say such things,” Hal shouted. “Your mind mustbe all cut up, isn’t it? Who ever gave you charge of a lot of normal menanyway? An idiot bossing sane men. Well, let me tell you, Goncalves—youlay a finger on that girl or her grandfather and your days are numbered.They’re numbered anyway, as a matter of fact. Unk must be on your trailgood and plenty by now ... when you think you’re fooling a Yank likeUnk, you’ve got to go some!”
“Ah, Señor Hal. Such talk! But how will you know what the CoronelGoncalves is doing when you are no more, eh? You won’t, Señor!” Suddenlythe little man’s face twisted in a maniacal smile. “I want that gold atPembertons’, _si_? I shall get it and no one shall be alive to know!_Cada qual por si e Deus por todos!_” he added.
Joaquim touched Hal’s hand affectionately as the guards pushed him pastwith their bayonets.
“He say ‘each for himself and God for us all,’ Señor. I thought you liketo know.”
“Sure, thanks, Joaquim,” Hal muttered breathlessly. “Looks as if we’regoing to be separated, huh. Well, over the river and so long, old top!”
“_Adios_, Señor Hal! _Adios!_”
Whatever became of Joaquim, Hal never knew. Suffice to say, he neveragain saw the kind-hearted and faithful Indian.
CHAPTER XXXIII RENAN!
The guards marched Hal to a hu
t not far from the river trail and with apush thrust him into the gloomy interior. Suddenly he felt a hand reachout and touch his shoulder.
“Keen, as I live!” cried a familiar voice.
Hal looked down, his eyes becoming accustomed to the dimness, and sawthe smiling face of Rene Carmichael.
“_Renan Carmichael Pemberton!_” he laughed and proffering his handgripped the other’s with a hearty pressure.
“Well, I hear you’ve got the dope all firsthand, eh, Keen?”
“And how!” Hal laughed. “But I don’t know which I like better—Rene orRenan! I’ll change off to vary the monotony, huh? Just the same I’m darnglad to see you—boy, how glad!”
“And you’re well and safe, eh, chappie? Heavens, but I was worried aboutyou. I suppose you thought that I didn’t care what happened to you, eh?”
“Never. I just didn’t know, that’s all.”
Renan pointed to two rickety stools. They sat down.
“Not knowing that it was a put-up job by that skunk Goncalves, I camestraight here to get Ceara to help me. That’s where I made my mistake,for Goncalves was here and when he heard me mention your name to thegeneral, all was off. He accused me of being an informer to the Federalsand all that sort of thing. Ceara understood that I didn’t knowRodriguez from Adam and he thought it was pretty rotten work forGoncalves to do, but he couldn’t say too much. He was afraid ofGoncalves, that’s the long and short of it. That’s why he had to put mein here—he _had_ to, or that little trouble maker would have gone allover this camp saying the _General_ played me for a favorite—which hedid.”