“Ah, no. They cannot even believe he is really dead, Señors—they saythey _won’t_ believe it till they find his body. And so they wait andthe jaguar shrieks on moonlight nights. But _Santarem_ is long in thedistance, Señors—the story is ended.”
“Not for the Pembertons, I guess,” said Hal sympathetically. “Gosh blameit, I’d like to help those poor people find that man so’s they could getaway and live like civilized people.”
“I think,” said his uncle, after the captain had left them quite alone,“that you have enough on your hands right now. What with your worriesabout Pizella, my future worries about tracing these munitions to Renan,I think we have sufficient for two human minds.”
“Aw, we could tackle this Pemberton business afterward, couldn’t we,Unk? Even if we just stopped to pay them a friendly visit. Gol darn it,I should think they’d be tickled silly to talk to a couple ofsympathetic Americans after living in the wilderness and surrounded bysavages all their....”
“I take it this _Pallida Mors_ will have you for a visit, come sunshineor storm, eh, Hal?”
“And how! A nice little surprise visit to the Pembertons,” Hal museddelightedly.
Destiny thought differently about it evidently, for Hal was the one tobe surprised, not the Pembertons.
CHAPTER VI A FAMILIAR FOLLOWER
They departed from the main stream and proceeded up the black waters ofthe _Rio Negro_ just after sunrise. _Manaos_, with its modern buildings,crowded streets and electric lights, was indeed a “city lost in thejungle,” for a half mile beyond the city limits, the jungle, primevaland inviolable, lay like a vast green canvas under the sparklingsunlight.
“No one in the city knows what is in that forest twenty miles away,”Señor Goncalves informed Hal and his uncle as they drew into the wharf.“_Manaos_ does not care to know, Señors, for she prefers to be a littleNew York and forget the naked savages that roam the forests.”
“Believe me, I wouldn’t forget the naked savages if I was a _Manaosan_,”said Hal earnestly. “I’d take hikes into the jungle and see what wasdoing.”
“That is understood, Hal,” laughed his uncle. “But there are few_Manaosans_, if any, that are cursed with your snoopiness. Lifeapparently means much to them and they are far too wise to risk thatprecious gift just to find out what the wild, naked savage is doing inhis own jungle. You don’t mean to tell me that you are adding thesuburbs of _Manaos_ to your already overcrowded itinerary!”
“Listen, Unk, I’m going to see all there is to see and you can’t blameme. Gol darn it, this is my first trip to Brazil and the Amazon, andI’ve only got a few months to see it in. Boy, it’s the chance of alifetime maybe, so why miss anything?”
The dapper Brazilian twisted his trim little moustache and laughed.
“Ah, Señor Hal he has the right idea, Señor Keen,” he said. “He goes infor—what you call it—sport? Ah, but that is well. So I shall show himplaces—no? There are the movies to go to—even you shall see thisafternoon a fine aviation field where is a great friend of mine, JoséRodriguez. He is what you Americans call the _Ace_—yes?”
“Gosh,” Hal said, “I’d think it was immense to meet a Brazilian Ace.Think he’d like to take us up for a spin around?”
“Ah, that is just what I was going to suggest, Señor Hal. He is verykind, José. Perhaps you would like him to take you for the spin over the_Manaos_ jungle, eh?”
“Great—_immense_!” Hal enthused. “You do think of things, Goncalves—I’llsay that for you! So we start this afternoon, huh?”
“To be sure, Señor Hal.”
It was something to look forward to and Hal did all of that while theamiable Señor escorted his uncle to _Manaos’_ best hotel. The trials ofregistering and selecting comfortable rooms always bored him and hepreferred returning to the hostelry when all those formalities were overwith.
Consequently, Hal strolled through the busy little city after havingbreakfast at a quaint coffee house. Up one street and down another, heambled along with a grace that attracted attention wherever he went.Clad in white polo shirt, immaculate flannels and sport shoes, hissplendid, towering physique and crown of red-gold hair stood out in boldrelief against the short, dark-skinned _Manaosans_. More than one duskydamosel arrayed in New York’s latest fashion allowed herself a secondglance at him in passing.
But Hal was invulnerable where the _Manaos_ maidens were concerned. Hisweakness was adventure. Also, during the first part of his stroll he wastoo interested in watching the thousands of Amazonian vultures whichhovered overhead. Garden after garden was crowded with strange birds:egrets with their delicate feathers, duckbills, curious snipe with clawsin the bend of their wings, and parrots shrieking in an alien tongue ashe passed.
Once he stopped to observe a blustering _jaribu_, or Amazonian heron,who was trying to lord it over two gorgeously plumed egrets. Suddenly hewas aware of a shadow behind him, and when he turned he saw Pizella notten feet distant. Hal swung completely about and faced the half-caste.
“You’re not,” he said calmly, “following me, are you?”
Pizella was inscrutable. He did not even slacken his shambling pace andas he caught up with Hal his shifty eyes were expressionless and seemednot to see his questioner. In point of fact, he even made so bold as toattempt to pass right by.
But Hal would have none of it. He leaned down from his great height andclosed his large, slim hand tightly over the man’s scruff.
“I was talking to you, Pizella,” he said quietly. “Maybe you can’tunderstand my language, but, by heck, you can understand what my handmeans.”
Pizella’s face never changed. He glanced up at Hal in that sameexpressionless manner as if he neither heard nor understood. To makematters worse a crowd began to gather and in a couple of seconds therewas such a pushing, babbling and confusion that the half-caste got away.
Hal pushed through the throng after him but was destined todisappointment. Pizella was nowhere in sight. Gardens to the right ofhim, gardens to the left of him—the man might have escaped through anynumber of them. In any event, he was not to be found.
After searching for almost two hours, Hal turned back to the hotel,thoughtful and troubled.
CHAPTER VII HUNCHES
“It’s got to look downright serious, Unk,” Hal said, after enteringtheir rooms in the hotel. “It’s not just a coincidence, my meeting himlike that, or he wouldn’t have pulled away when he saw his chance. Whywasn’t he reported to the police?”
“The captain promised me he would attend to it, Hal. Apparently hedidn’t. I myself saw Pizella not fifteen minutes ago.”
“How—where?”
“Señor Goncalves has a room on the next floor,” Denis Keen explained. “Ihad occasion to think that perhaps I could get him to give me thatletter to His Excellency, the interventor, this afternoon and I went up.Just as I got to the Señor’s room, whom was he showing out the door butPizella.”
“_Unk!_ You....”
“Wait a minute before you come to conclusions. I did. Goncalves actedannoyed more than surprised—I would even go so far as to say that he wassomewhat agitated.”
“With you coming unexpectedly?”
“He directed a flow of abuse at the departing Pizella’s head. Told himnot to show his nose around there again and words to that effect. Then,with his usual cheeriness and perfect hospitality, he invited me in andtold me that Pizella had the brass to seek him out and ask him for a jobas guide on his expedition. So that explained it.”
“What do you think about it, Unk?”
“Everything,” Denis Keen chuckled, and rose to fleck some ashes from hiscigarette. “Perhaps that poor devil has really been seeking a job asguide right along. Perhaps that is why he did all that sneaking aroundthe boat—one can’t get much out of him. He seems hopelessly ignorant andyet there’s always that sullen look and shifty eye to consider.... Oh,well,
he’s either one thing or the other—an ignorant half-caste or anexceedingly clever half-caste. I’d like to know which.”
A knock sounded at the door and at their summons a boy entered with anote. Hal took it.
“From the Brazil-nut,” he said after the boy had gone. “Very informal.He says: ‘Will the Señors excuse me from accompanying them to the fieldat two o’clock this afternoon? Business will detain me, but I beg of theSeñors to not disappoint my very good friend, José Rodriguez, as he hasmade arrangements and has set aside time to take you up for thespin—yes? A car will come for you at two, Señors.... Regretfully....’He’s signed his name with a flourish, Unk. Well, it’s up to us to put inour appearance alone. I....”
“Then you’ll put in _your_ appearance alone, Hal. I have no intention ofgoing. I’ve got a more serious matter to attend to. Besides, I’m notkeen about airplaning in any country—much less this. I’d be just aspleased if you didn’t go either.”
“Aw, Unk, you’d think I was some kid. Why, I can handle controls nowlike nobody’s business. Besides, this Rodriguez is an Ace! Do yousuppose anything’s likely to happen just because we’re in Brazil?Gosh....”
“Oh, I know, Hal. It’s absurd, I suppose, for me to object to yourgoing, but I guess you’re wishing some of that accursed hunch businesson me. Something’s making me feel this way.” He laughed uneasily.“Perhaps I’m just a little upset about other matters. Still, promise meyou’ll be careful—I could never face your mother if anything happened toyou while you were with me.”
“Unk, you’re the limit! You’d think I had never set foot in a cockpitbefore! Why, Mother’s been up in the air with me. She says I’m a worldbeater and she’s going to let me try for my pilot’s license next year.Why, she came up with me twice when Bellair was down on a visit to teachme. Gosh....”
“All right, Hal,” said Denis Keen, pacing up and down the room. “You’reold enough to know what you’re doing, I suppose. This Bellair—he’s oneof the famous brothers, eh? Oh, I know they’re considered expert airmen.Glad to hear they’ve taught you what you know. Guess they could give yousome fair pointers as to what to do in a tight place, eh?”
“And how!” Hal exclaimed with a wry smile. “They don’t teach anythingelse but. They’re stunters on a large scale, and if you can’t learnabout planes from them, you’ll never learn. But why all these questionsabout what I learned from the Bellairs, huh? Are you really afraid Imight get into a tight place with an expert like this Rodriguez issupposed to be?”
“Well, strangers, you know, Hal ... methods are varied among airmen,aren’t they? Oh, I know you’re laughing up your sleeve. Now’s yourchance to poke fun at me about hunches, eh? Well, I won’t give in to it,then. You go ahead. We’ll have luncheon, then I’ll ride with you in thecar that Señor Goncalves has so generously sent for. The mansion of HisExcellency, the interventor, is half-way toward the field, I’ve beengiven to understand.”
“You going there this afternoon, Unk? Why, I thought Goncalves was goingto write that letter and fix it for you to go there tomorrow?”
“No, he changed all that when I saw him in his room just a while ago. Hetold me he had already telephoned the interventor, explaining my want ofguides and an interpreter, and His Excellency, being terribly busy withthe affairs of State, requested Señor Goncalves to arrange those mattershimself.”
“In other words, the interventor doesn’t want to be bothered with you,huh, Unk? He wants the Brazil-nut to do the work.”
“So the dapper Señor told me in his inimitable way. But the fly in theointment is this—Goncalves doesn’t know that it is the duty of theinterventor to see _me_, neither does he know that it is of paramountimportance for me to see His Excellency regarding Renan and Ceara beforeI leave _Manaos_. His Excellency apparently didn’t understand who theAmerican Señor was whom Goncalves was trying to tell him about. Theyassured me when I left Rio that the interventor here would be notifiedof my coming. So I’m going this afternoon and no one is to beenlightened as to my whereabouts—_no one_! Understand, Hal?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die,” Hal laughed. “Go to it, Unk.”
“Most assuredly I will. I’ve got to see His Excellency about gettingFederal aid. Do you know, Hal, I had the feeling when I was talking withGoncalves in his room that he wasn’t any too anxious for me to see theinterventor! His attitude ... I don’t know ... perhaps, I imagined thattoo. Come on, let’s wash up and get down to luncheon before I hatch upsome more hunches to worry about.”
“Unk,” Hal laughed, “you’re a chip off the young block and I don’t meanmaybe.”
CHAPTER VIII A DUTCH UNCLE
Hal got out of the car at the edge of _San Gabriel_ aviation field andlooked about. Leveled from the surrounding jungle, it was situated atthe extreme end of the city and here and there over its smooth-lookingsurface were divers planes, some throbbing under the impetus of runningengines and some still, with their spread wings catching the reflectionof the afternoon sun.
Three good-sized hangars dotted the right side of the field and Halcaught a glimpse of mechanics busy within. Several groups of men stoodabout chattering, while here and there some nondescript individualloitered about with that solitary air that at once proclaimed him asbeing one of that universal brotherhood of hoboes.
One, whose features were distinctly Anglo-Saxon, despite the ravageswhich the South American climate had made upon his once fair skin,strolled over to Hal’s side the moment he espied him. He was hatless andhis blond hair had been burned by countless Brazilian suns until it wasa kind of burnt straw color. And his clothes, though worn and thin, gavemute testimony of the wearer having seen a far happier and moreprosperous era than the present one.
Hal caught the look of racial hunger on his face and warmed toward himimmediately.
“Hello, fellow,” said he with a warmth in his deep voice. “My name’sKeen—Hal Keen.”
A light shone from the stranger’s gray eyes.
“Carmichael’s mine, Keen,” he said pleasantly. “Rene Carmichael. Awfullyglad to speak the English language with a fellow being.”
“But Americans aren’t speaking the English language, Carmichael,” Hallaughed with a twinkle in his deep blue eyes. “Nevertheless, as long asyou can understand me, that’s all that counts, huh?”
“It’s music to my ears, Keen,” answered Carmichael gravely. “It’sdeucedly odd how one will criticize Americans when one is safe at home,but just get away in this corner of nowhere and see the smiling face andbroad shoulders of a Yankee pop up out of this dark-skinned crowd! Itell you, Keen, it makes a chap like myself almost want to fall on yourshoulder and weep.” His weather-beaten face crinkled up in a smile, ashe looked up at Hal. “You don’t carry a stepladder around with you so Ican do that, eh?” he asked whimsically.
“Nope,” Hal laughed. “Notwithstanding my height, I couldn’t conceal it.”He glanced at Carmichael sympathetically. “Funny what you just saidabout Americans—I’ve thought that way about Englishmen too and yet assoon as I laid eyes on you, I felt just like you say you do. Kindredspirits and all that sort of thing, huh? Anyway, I guess the realtrouble, the reason for all our prejudices is that we dislike everythingwe don’t know and, consequently, can’t understand, huh?”
“And now that you’ve met a regular Englishman—what is it, love at firstsight?” His eyes danced with merriment.
“You’re aces high, Carmichael. I’m tickled pink we’ve run into eachother, that’s a fact. My uncle and I were supposed to look for aBrazilian named Rodriguez out here who is dated to take us for a spin.Unk couldn’t come, so here am I alone. How would you like to take hisplace? I’d feel better if you came along—someone who can understand me.”
The fellow studied Hal closely for a moment, then nodded.
“I’ll come, but I shouldn’t really. I’m due to sail for _Moura_ at four.I’ve got a toothbrush and one or two other necessities of life back a
tthe hotel which I have to get.”
“Then you’re not a ho ...” Hal just caught himself in time. “Honestly,I’m sorry, awfully....”
“Save the effort, Keen. I love to be thought a hobo. As a matter of factI am—in a sense. I’m very poor really, but I don’t _have_ to wear myclothes as long as I’ve worn this suit. It’s just that it suits my—ah,purpose.” He laughed and his voice was musically resonant. “Literally,though, I’m not a hobo. I really do _something_ for a living, and a hardenough living it is, old chap.”
“I believe it,” said Hal earnestly. He studied the fellow a moment,taking note of the buoyant broad shoulders and tall slender figure. Forhe was really quite tall, when one did not consider Hal’s toweringheight.
“You’re deucedly odd for what I’ve heard about Americans, Keen,” saidCarmichael. “You’re straightforward and honest, and not a bit snoopy.Seem to take me at my face value and all that. No questions—nothing.”
“Why not?” Hal countered. “It wouldn’t be my business, Carmichael. Butsomebody’s given you a devil of an opinion of Americans! I know thereare some pretty poor specimens that go shouting around in Europe, butthere’s lots of the other kind too, and lots that stay at home. Well, Iguess I’m the kind you haven’t heard about, huh? I’m snoopy in somethings, though—don’t think I’m not.”
“Aren’t we all?” Carmichael returned. “It’s the way of life and people,I suppose. But there’re some kinds that get on a chap’s nerves. Yours isthe kind that doesn’t. That’s why I want to tell you not to takeseriously what I gave you to understand about my being from thecontinent. I’ve lived all my life in Brazil—perhaps that’s why I like toplay for five minutes or so that I’m really a native of some othercountry. I was educated in an English school in Rio and for eight happyyears I fooled myself that I was a citizen of some Anglo-Saxon country.No doubt that sounds deucedly odd coming from a chap born here. But Ishall never assimilate Latin ways if I live to a ripe old age in thisdesolate corner of the world.” He laughed bitterly. “I can only hopethen that I shall be allowed the company of Anglo-Saxons in the spiritworld, eh, Keen?”