CHAPTER XIX.
THE RED BONES
Four days the expedition tramped steadily onward through the ruggedlabyrinthine hills. Four nights its members slept in utter exhaustion.Neither by day nor by night was any sign of the Raposa seen, nor of anyother human being.
So tired from the constant struggle did the Americans become that theirjaded brains began to picture the mysterious wild man as a merelegendary creature, which they never would find even though theysearched the inscrutable forests until the end of time. Yet when, on thefifth day, Tucu informed them that they now were nearing the principalsettlement of the Red Bones, the announcement cheered them as if theywere about to enter a civilized city and there meet David Rand safe andsane.
Not that any chance of striking his trail had been neglected in themeantime. It was thoroughly understood that if he were met anywhere hewas to be made prisoner, and that thereafter the back trail should betaken. Lourenco had impressed on Tucu the fact that the whole journeyhad for its object the finding of the wild man, and that he must not bekilled if found. Since the Indians were not in the habit of hunting soassiduously anyone but a bitterly hated foe, it is quite possible thatthey misunderstood the spirit of the quest and believed the "dead-alive"prowler would, if captured, undergo some extremely unpleasant treatmentat the hands of the white men. But so long as it was made clear that theRaposa must be caught alive, if caught at all, Lourenco did not troubleabout what the Mayorunas might surmise.
Now, as the end of the long, pathless trail approached, arose a questionof which McKay had previously thought but had not spoken--how he was toconverse with the Red Bone chief. Lourenco asked Tucu whether the RedBones spoke the Mayoruna tongue. Tucu replied that they did not. Headded, however, that the languages were not so dissimilar as to preventsome sort of understanding being reached between members of the twotribes. The veteran bushman nodded carelessly.
"When the tongue fails, Capitao, the hands still can talk," he said. "Ittakes more time and work, that is all. Ah, here is a path!"
It was so. For the first time since leaving the Monitaya region a pathlay under their feet. And for the first time Tucu and his fellowMayorunas, glancing along that faint track, showed hesitation.
"Why the delay?" snapped McKay.
"They suspect traps. I will go ahead and feel out the way. I have doneit before on other paths."
After a few words to Tucu, Lourenco cut a long, slim pole. With this inhand he preceded the column, walking slowly, pausing sometimes,continually prodding the path, studying it with unswerving gaze as heprogressed. The thin but rigid feeler, strong enough to tip the cover ofany pit or to spring any concealed bow or blowgun, was at least ten feetlong, and between the scout and the head of the line Tucu preservedanother ten-foot interval. Progress was necessarily slow, but it wassure.
In this fashion they advanced perhaps half a mile. Not once did theyhave to leave the path, but Lourenco's caution did not diminish. Rather,it increased as they neared the Red Bone town. At length another pathjoined the one on which they were traveling. Here Lourenco paused forminutes, inspecting with extreme care the ground and the bush.
Suddenly he cocked his head as if listening. Then, with a backwardmotion of the hand to enjoin silence, he faced down the branch path andstood calmly waiting.
To those behind came a light rustle of leaves and a scuffle of movingfeet; a sudden cessation; then Lourenco's voice speaking to some oneconcealed behind the intervening undergrowth. His tone was slow, quiet,easy--the tone which, even if the words were not understood, wouldsoothe suspicious and abruptly alarmed minds. After another shortsilence he resumed talking, pointing carelessly to the place behind himwhere stood the silent file of Mayorunas. A guttural voice replied. Ahead peered cautiously from the edge of the bush, stared fixedly atTucu, and withdrew. The voice sounded again. Immediately three Indiansstepped into view, poised for action. Another interval of staring, andthey relaxed.
"Come forward, comrades," said Lourenco. They came, halting again at thejunction of the trails. Tucu spoke to one of the newcomers, who scowledas if only partly understanding, but grunted some sort of answer. Thosebehind the Mayoruna leader craned their necks and scanned the Red Bonemen, who continued to eye with evident misgiving the tall-bonnetedcannibals and the broad-hatted pair of whites.
Man for man, these Red Bones were in every way inferior to theemissaries of Monitaya. Their bodies were more gaunt, their skins morecoppery, their foreheads lower, and their expressions much lessintelligent. Furthermore, they wore not even the bark-cloth clouts whichformed the sole body covering of the Mayorunas--they were totally naked.The one point of similarity between the two tribes was that the faces ofthe Red Bone men were streaked with red dye. But the facial design wasmuch different: two short transverse stripes on the forehead, and threelines on each cheek, running from the eyes, the end of the nose, and thecorners of the mouth, straight back to the ears. Studying those visages,Knowlton and McKay recalled Schwandorf's statement that these people notonly ate human flesh, but tortured prisoners of war. It was easy tobelieve that he had told truth.
McKay, standing behind Pedro, shifted his position a bit. At once theeyes of the three Red Bones widened and riveted on his face. Heretoforethey had seen only his hat and eyes, the rest being hidden from them byPedro's neck and an intervening palm tip. Now that they saw hisblack-bearded jaw, they started slightly and peered intently at him.
"I think, Capitao, you would do well to shave," Pedro suggested, with asmile.
"'Fraid so," the captain granted. "Black beards evidently are _de trop_in the jungle social set at present."
But then one of the Red Bone men came forward, still squinting narrowly,and his expression was not hostile. In fact, it was more friendly thanit had yet been. After a closer scrutiny, however, his face turnedblank. Slowly he stepped back and muttered something to his companions.
At this Pedro's eyes narrowed speculatively. But his expression did notchange, and he said nothing.
A lengthy conference took place between Lourenco and Tucu on the onehand and the three Red Bone tribesmen on the other; a difficult talk inwhich words and sign language both were used and frequently repeated.Eventually an understanding was reached. The three stepped back, pickedup some small game which they had dropped on beholding Lourenco,returned, and led the way along the path. Lourenco cast aside his pokestick and resumed his usual place in the column. The whole line movedahead at a much smarter gait than before.
"Note--this path is not mined," thought Knowlton.
This proved true. Moreover, the way now was more broad and firm, so thattravel on it was much easier. After twenty minutes of rapid tramping itdebouched abruptly into a cleared space. Here all halted.
Before them lay a town of small, low huts, crowded closely together intwo parallel rows which curved together at one end. The other end layopen, giving access to a sizable creek whereon floated canoes. At thewater's edge, along the crude street studded with charred stumps, andamong the damp-looking huts moved naked figures of men and womenoccupied with various sluggish activities. Some of the men already hadspied the invading party and were standing at gaze.
"Comrades, we have reached the end of our trail," said Lourenco, runninga cool eye over the place. "Now all we have to do is to find your Raposaand get him and ourselves away alive."
"That's all," Knowlton echoed, unsmiling. "The reception committee isforming now." And with the words he unbuttoned his holster.
A shrill yell had run along the double line of houses, and out into thestumpy street now swarmed men armed with hastily seized weapons. Handspointed, confused exclamations sounded, and a compact detachment ofwarriors came jogging toward the newcomers. The three guides drew awayfrom the Mayorunas. The latter promptly fitted arrows to their bows,inserted darts in their blowguns, lifted spears or clubs, and with eyesglittering awaited whatever might befall.
A couple of rods away the Red Bones halted, bows ready. A hatchet-facedsavage who seemed to be in comma
nd rasped something at the threehunters, who quickened their pace toward him. Tucu strode out four pacesbeyond his own men and stopped. Then both parties waited while thehunters reported what they knew to the hatchet-face.
"What did you tell them, Lourenco?" asked McKay.
"That we came on a friendly visit to the chief, for whom we hadimportant words."
"Nothing of the Raposa?"
"No. They wasted much time arguing that we must tell them all ourbusiness and let them inform the chief, while we were to stay back onthe path until permitted to enter the town. We told them our talk wasfor the chief alone, and that we should come here whether they liked itor not. So, having no choice, they led us in."
McKay made no comment. None was necessary. Furthermore, his steady eyeshad caught a simultaneous head movement of the Red Bones--a peeringmovement, as if all were seeking some one man among the new arrivals.Pedro observed this. He spoke softly to Lourenco.
"Lourenco, tell Tucu to say to the Red Bones that we come led by ablack-bearded white man; that this blackboard comes from the far-offcountry where all men wear black beards; that the blackbeard will speakwith the chief only."
The Americans looked queerly at the young Brazilian, as did Lourencohimself. But without question Lourenco obeyed. Calling to Tucu, he gavethe message. Tucu moved his head slightly, but gave no other sign ofhaving heard.
"Now, Capitao, step forward a little and show yourself more clearly,"prompted Pedro.
With another puzzled glance McKay did so. He saw that the brown eyes ofthe younger man held a dancing gleam, but he could not read the thoughtbehind those eyes. Yet he noticed that as soon as he stepped out the RedBones all focused their gaze on him. More than that, the spokesman ofthe three hunters pointed at him and said something to thesharp-featured leader.
Now that leader came forward alone. Six feet from Tucu he halted againand talked in a growling tone. The Mayoruna leader, cool and dignified,made answer. After a somewhat protracted exchange Tucu turned his headand motioned to Lourenco, who went forward, listened, replied shortly,and came back. Meanwhile the first detachment of Red Bones had beenstrongly reinforced by others who had come up singly or in smallparties. Now the expedition was outnumbered at least four to one byhard-faced, brute-mouthed, naked men ready, if not eager, for trouble.
"The Red Bone says we shall see the chief," Lourenco stated. "At firsthe said only you, Capitao, should go to him. Then he insisted that weall lay down our arms. Tucu has told him we lay down our arms for no manor men; that we come in peace--otherwise there would be many more of us;that we leave in peace unless the Red Bones themselves bring on a fight.In that case, though we are few, there lies behind us the power ofMonitaya, and behind Monitaya the power of the Mayoruna chiefs, allstrong enough to wipe the Red Bone nation off the face of the ground."
"Strong stuff, that," said Knowlton.
"Strong, yes. But no stronger than is needed to impress these people.Tucu intends to prevent trouble if he can; and often the best way toprevent trouble is to make the other man realize what may happen to himif he starts it. Also he has his orders from Monitaya to stay with us atall times, and he will follow that order even if you, Capitao, try tochange it. Now we go together to the chief."
He nodded to Tucu, who grunted to the Red Bone leader. The hatchet-facein turn shouted something to the men behind. Slowly they drew apart intotwo groups.
"You are the leader, Capitao," suggested Lourenco. Promptly McKaymarched forward, head up, eyes front, face bleak. The rest followed,Tucu falling in behind McKay when the captain passed him. Preceded bythe Red Bone spokesman, the line advanced between the two bodies ofcopper-skins and swung along the evil-smelling avenue to its upper end.
There, in the very center of the loop joining the two rows of huts, wasa house twice as big as any other. From its doorway the inhabitant ofthat house could watch the whole life of the Red Bone town. Obviously itwas the home of the chief. At its door a pair of warriors stood guard,but of the ruler himself there was no sign.
Ten paces from it the thin-featured leader stopped and motioned to McKayto halt. As the captain and the line behind him did so he stalkedonward, passed through the doorway, and faded from sight in the dimnessbeyond. With one accord the members of the visiting party looked aroundthem.
The street behind now was filled with the mass of Red Bone warriors whohad trooped after the column. All exit in that direction was blockaded.But the ex-officers noted that between the houses were spaces each wideenough to hold a couple of men, and in an undertone McKay gave defensiveinstructions to Lourenco.
"If fighting starts, have the Mayorunas take cover along these houses oneach side. We who have guns will use the chief's house. We can sweep thewhole street from there. You two fellows capture the chief alive ifpossible. He'll be more useful as a hostage than as a corpse."
Pedro beamed approval of this swiftly formed plan. Lourenco muttered toTucu, who in turn passed the word down the line. Then all stood waiting.
Presently the Red Bone man came out. He shouted a name. From the doorwaynear at hand, where he had been standing and peering at the small butformidable body of newcomers, an old man now stepped forth and advanced,limping a little, to the hatchet-face. The latter talked briefly to him,then to Tucu. The Mayoruna leader pointed to Lourenco. The old man spoketo the Brazilian, who answered at once. Thereupon the wizened old fellowentered the chief's house.
"That old man speaks the Mayoruna tongue quite well, Capitao," saidLourenco. "He says you and I shall enter and talk through his mouth withthe chief. All others remain outside, and we must leave our rifleshere."
"All right. Glad we can leave Tucu out here to control these fellows.Here, Merry." He passed his rifle to Knowlton. Pedro took Lourenco'sgun. With packs still on their backs the chosen men proceeded to thedoorway and entered the house where waited the ruler of the Red Bonetribe.
Behind them the line settled into easier postures of waiting. The RedBones, though so compactly ranged as to cut off any chance of escape,held their distance, obviously neither inclined to fraternize nor readyto precipitate conflict by crowding. Thus, while keeping their ears openfor any sound of a concerted movement from behind, the visitors coulduse their eyes to inspect the huts nearest them.
In some of these, women stood near the doorways, staring with unwinkingabsorption at the light-skinned, athletic men outside who were so muchbetter to look upon than their own mates. The Mayorunas returned thestares with the brief glances of men accustomed to noticing everythingbut totally uninterested--as well they might be, for these poorlyshaped, heavy-mouthed, mud-skinned females were not to be compared withtheir own women. Knowlton and Pedro, too, looked them over, but with thesame expression as if inspecting a family of lizards. Then they glancedinto other huts now empty of life, and in a couple of these they sawrigid red-hued objects hanging from the roofs.
"The red bones of the dead, senhor," Pedro muttered, and his blondcompanion, peering again at the sinister decorations, nodded withoutreply.
Voices came to them from the chief's house, talking with droningdeliberation. Evidently no cause for friction had yet arisen. They lettheir eyes rove on beyond the guarded doorway, to pause at a house ashort distance away at the right. There stood a clubman, who leaned idlyon his weapon, but showed no intention of moving from his place. Thedoor of that house was closed. Not only closed, but barred on theoutside.
"Hm! Looks like a jail," said Knowlton. Pedro smiled, but an intent lookcame into his face and he studied the closed house.
Suddenly both started. At one corner of the house, unseen by theclubman, a head had cautiously slipped forth. For only an instant ithung there before dodging back out of sight. But both the watching menhad seen that the face, though half masked by long dark hair and a thickbeard, was much lighter than that of any Red Bone savage. And in thehair above one ear was a white streak.