CHAPTER X.
BY THE LIGHT OF STORM
"One thing I can't understand," Knowlton said, toying with his coffeecup the next morning, "is why Schwandorf should double-cross us. Wenever did anything to him. Another thing I don't quite get is how heexpected to have the Peruvians wiped out when he knew blamed well theywere aware of the enmity of the cannibals. They'd hardly be likely to gointo the bush with us under those circumstances."
"My guess is this," McKay replied. "He set a trap. He is on a friendlyfooting with some of the savages above here, no doubt. He dispatchedthat Indian messenger to stir them up with some false tale and bringthem to some place where they'd be pretty sure to get us. He primed thecrew to jump us at the same place, perhaps. Then the crew would kill usor we'd kill them, and whichever side won would be smeared by theIndians. Sort of a trap within a trap. Why he did it doesn't mattermuch. He double-crossed us, he double-crossed the crew, hedouble-crossed Jose. First thing he knows he'll find he's double-crossedhimself."
"Yeah," Tim grunted. "He better beat it before we git back!"
"He wanted no killing before we reached the cannibal country," McKaywent on, "because then it would all be blamed on the savages and hecould show clean hands. Francisco's vengefulness tipped over his cart."
"Still, he might have known we'd stop here for a call on the coronel,and that there was a big chance for us to be warned here about the feudbetween Mayorunas and Peruvians."
"That probably was provided for. Crew doubtless had orders to preventany such visit, by lying to us or in other ways. We probably would havegone surging past here at top speed."
"Wal, it don't git us nothin' to talk about things that 'ain'thappened," interposed the practical Tim. "Question is, where do we gofrom here? And how?"
All eyes went to the coronel, who sat languidly smoking his morningcigar.
"Coronel, we are in your hands," McKay said, bluntly. "Your men, Ipresume, are all out at work in various parts of the bush. We want acrew and, if possible, guides. Can you help us?"
The coronel flicked off an ash and spoke slowly:
"I have two men, senhores, who have no peers as bushmen. They are thetwo whom you saw yesterday. Frankly, they are most valuable to me, and Ihesitate about sending them on so dangerous a mission as yours. Yet theymight succeed where most men would fail, for they have repeatedly goneinto the bush on risky journeys and returned unharmed. Their adventureswould fill books.
"The older of these two, Lourenco Moraes, has been more than once amongthe cannibals of this region, and so he knows something of them.Naturally he did not live long among them; he left them as soon as hecould. But he has the faculty of extricating himself from hopelesspositions--or perhaps it would be better to say that his cool head andgood fortune together have preserved him thus far. '_Tanta vez vae ocantaro a fonte ate gue um dia la fica_'--the pitcher may go often tothe spring, but some day it remains there.
"Pedro Andrada, the younger, is not so steady and cool-headed asLourenco. Yet he is a most capable man, and the two together--they arealways together--make a very efficient team."
"I bet they do," Tim concurred, heartily. "I like that Pedro lad fine."
"So do I," the coronel smiled. "Now, gentlemen, I will not order thesemen to go with you. If they go it must be of their own choice. They haveonly recently returned from a hazardous mission and they are entitled torest. Yet I have little doubt that they will jump at the chance to risktheir lives in a new venture. If they choose to go, I suggest that youplace yourselves entirely in their hands and give them free rein. Youwould look far for better men."
"And we're lucky to get them," Knowlton acquiesced. "To them and to youwe shall be greatly indebted."
"Not to me, senhor," the coronel demurred "I do nothing but bring youmen together. Theirs is the risk. 'Tonio! Find Pedro and Lourenco. Shallwe go into the office, gentlemen?"
Chairs scraped back and an exodus from the dining room ensued. Outside,the lusty voice of the negro bawled. Soon he was back, and at his heelsstrode the lithe Pedro and the quiet Lourenco. They ran their eyes overthe group, then stood looking inquiringly at their employer.
"Be seated, men. Roll cigarettes if you like," said the coronel. Coollythey did both. Pedro, catching Tim's friendly grin, flashed a quicksmile in return. Lourenco, unsmiling, looked squarely into each man'sface in turn and seemed satisfied with what he saw. Both then glancedaround as if missing some one.
"Your friend Jose has left us," the coronel informed them, dryly,interpreting the look. "He disappeared in the night."
"Ah! That is why one of our canoes is gone," said Pedro. "We are readyto start."
"You mistake," the old gentleman laughed. "We do not want him back.Nothing else is missing."
Whereat Pedro looked slightly surprised. Lourenco's lips curved in afaint grin. Neither made any further comment.
The coronel plunged at once into the business for which they had beensummoned. Succinctly he stated the purpose of the North Americans incoming here, pointed out their need of guides--and stopped there. Hesaid nothing of the dangers ahead, mentioned no reward, did not even askthe men whether they would go. He merely lit a fresh cigar and leanedback in his chair.
A silence followed. Again Lourenco looked searchingly into the face ofeach American. Pedro contemplated the opposite wall, taking occasionalpuffs from his cigarette. At length Knowlton suggested, tentatively:
"We will pay well--"
Both the bushmen frowned. The coronel spoke in a tone of mild reproof:
"Senhor, it is not a matter of pay. These men can make plenty of moneyas _seringueiros_."
"Pardon," said Knowlton, and thereafter held his tongue.
Deliberately Lourenco finished his smoke, pinched the coal between ahard thumb and forefinger, and spoke for the first time.
"May I ask, senhor, if you are the commander?" His gaze rested on McKay.
"I am."
"And do I understand that we shall at all times be subject to yourorders?"
"In case any orders are necessary--yes. But I assume that you will notneed commands."
A quiet smile showed in the bushman's eyes. He glanced at Pedro. Thelatter met the look from the corner of his eye, without wink, nod, orother sign. But when Lourenco turned again to McKay he spoke as if allwere arranged.
"When do we start, Capitao?"
Tim slapped his leg and cackled.
"By cripes! there ain't no lost motion with these guys. Hey, Cap?"
McKay smiled approvingly.
"We shall get on together" he said. "Lourenco and Pedro, this is not aone-man party. We are three comrades, who now become five. If at anytime one man needs to command, I, as senior officer, will take thatcommand. Otherwise we are all on an equal footing."
"Just so," Lourenco agreed. "If it were otherwise you would still bethree men--not five. Since that is plain, let me say frankly that yourbig canoe had best stay here, also everything you do not need in thebush. Two light canoes are faster, easier to handle and to hide. Pedroand I have our own canoe and will provide our own supplies. We will pickout a three-man boat for you and load it with what you select from yourequipment. After that every man swings his own paddle."
"_Cada qual por si e Deus por todos._ Each for himself and God for usall," Pedro summarized.
"That's the dope," applauded Tim. "Now say, Renzo, old feller, what d'yeknow about these here, now, Red Bones up above here? And have ye gotanything on that Raposy guy?"
Lourenco shook his head.
"I know little of the Red Bone people, for I have never met them. Thatis one reason why I now should like to meet them. I have heard of them,yes; and the things I have heard are not pleasant. Yet it may be thatthe tales are worse than the people. I have also heard terrible storiesof the light-skinned cannibals, the Mayorunas; yet I have been among thecannibals and found them not so bad--though it is true that they eat theflesh of their enemies; I have seen it done. But it makes a very greatdifference how they are approached and wh
o the men are who approachthem. It is possible that we may go unharmed among even _los OssosVermelhos_--the Red Bones. We shall see.
"Of the Raposa I think I do know something. I have seen him."
Everyone except Pedro sat up with a start.
"You have seen him?" exclaimed the coronel. "When? Where? How? Why haveyou not spoken of it?"
"Because, Coronel, I forgot it until now. It meant nothing to us--yes,Pedro was with me--except that it was one more queer thing in the bush.In time I might have remembered it and told you. But you know we havebeen busy."
"True. But go on."
"It was only a little time ago. We were returning from the scouting tripon which you sent us to locate new rubber trees. We wereseven--eight--seven--"
"Eight days' journey from here," prompted Pedro.
"_Si._ We were in our canoe when a sudden storm broke and we gotashore to wait until it was over. The place was on an _ygarape_--acreek--about two days away from the river. The trees were large and theground free from bush. In a flash of lightning we saw a man peering outat us from a hollow tree.
"He was naked and streaked with paint--that was all we saw in theflashes that came and went. The rain was heavy, and we stayed where wewere until it ended. Then we ordered that man to come out.
"He came, and he held bow and arrow ready to shoot. We, too, were readyto shoot, but we held back our bullets and he held back his arrow. Wesaw that his paint was red and that it traced his bones; that his skinwas that of a tanned white man and his hair was dark with a white streakover one ear. No, we did not notice the color of his eyes--the light wasnot good and he stood well away from us.
"We looked around for other men, but saw none. We asked him who he wasand what he wanted, but he gave no answer. He looked at us for a longtime, and we at him. Then he began walking away sidewise, watching ussteadily, holding his arrow always ready. Finally he disappeared amongthe trees and we saw him no more. But we heard him, senhores; twicebefore we lost sight of him he spoke out in a queer voice like that of aparrot. And the thing he said was, 'Poor Davey!'"
McKay thumped a fist on his chair.
"Davey! David Rand!"
"Perhaps so, Capitao. I do not know. But he spoke English."
"By thunder! David Rand! Merry, where's that picture?"
Knowlton was already unbuttoning his pocket flap. Quickly he producedthe photograph.
"That the fellow?"
Lourenco studied the face. The eagerly anticipated affirmative did notcome.
"I cannot say surely. This is a full-faced, clean-shaven man with hairclose trimmed. That one's face was gaunt, covered partly with beard andpartly by long hair, and we were not close to him, as I have said. Iwould not say the two were the same until I could have a better look atthe wild man."
"You didn't follow him?"
"No. Why should we? He had done nothing to us and we let him go his way.We did look at his hollow tree, though. But it was only an empty tree,not his home; a place where he had stepped in out of the storm. We hadother things to do, so we got into our canoe again and paddled off."
"You can find the place again?"
"Yes. But I much doubt if we shall find him there."
"Never mind. We've something to start with now, and that's worth a lot.Get busy with your boats and supplies, boys, right away. Tim and Merry,let's dig out our essentials and start. We're on a hot trail at last.Let's go!"