CHAPTER XI
The Dancing Pirates
The _Swift Arrow_ rode at anchor in the gathering dusk, inside a snugbay formed by a U-shaped island of the Kinapusan Group. The island wasvery small, and uninhabited. It was surrounded by larger islands thatformed a kind of screen.
"Let's hope we can spend the night undisturbed," Zircon boomed as hefinished the last of his coffee. "I could use a good night's sleep."
"We all could," Rick agreed. He helped himself to more of the stewScotty had concocted. "Funny about a fight. That one was over in a fewminutes, but I feel as though I'd done a day's work at hard labor."
"A perfectly normal reaction," Zircon replied. "Our minds and bodies arewonderful things. When we face danger our whole system goes into highgear, our endocrines pumping fluids that get our bodies ready for fastaction, or for wounds. We operate at top physical efficiency. Then, whenthe danger is past and our minds signal that it's time to get back tonormal, we show the effects of our overstimulation by a kind oflassitude."
That was true, Rick knew from his own experience. It seemed that he wasalways scared stiff before a fight, cool as could be during it, and limpas boiled lettuce when it was over.
Zircon changed the subject. "Scotty, when you first spotted the pirates,from what direction were they coming?"
The boy thought it over. "From about due south," he said at last. "Butwhen they spotted us the line shifted to the east, on an interceptioncourse. They came from south originally, though."
"Not from southwest?" Zircon persisted.
"No. If anything, it was a little east of south, not west."
"Uhuh. That was my impression, but I wanted to be sure. Now, accordingto the chart, most of the scattered islands of the Tawi Tawi Group liemore westerly than south of here. If the pirates came from due south, itmeans they swung wide to miss the inhabited islands."
Chahda asked, "What means this to you, sir?"
"I'm not sure. I think it means we had better search the seas to theeastward of the main Tawi Tawi chain. The pirates would certainly havecome from a westerly direction if their headquarters were anywhere nearTawi Tawi."
The big scientist rose. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm forbed. Who has the first watch?"
"I'm on the eight-to-midnight," Rick replied. "It's after eight now, soI'll stand by. Chahda relieves me at twelve, you come on at four, andScotty finishes the night."
They had arranged the anchor watches that way because a single guardwould be enough while at anchor, and it would allow each of them a goodnight's sleep.
Zircon and Chahda retired at once, but Scotty lingered. The two sat onthe afterdeck and watched the stars for a few moments.
"How are we doing?" Scotty asked quietly.
Rick knew what he meant. "I'm scared," he said. "It's a big ocean, andwe could miss easily. Also, I'm thinking about what Chahda said. Even ifwe find Shan, we won't get Tony and Shannon back without a fight. Theremust be hundreds of pirates, if the fleets we've seen are a sample." Hewas sure that the northern attack had been made by a different groupthan the one that attacked earlier in the day.
"Do you think they're still alive?" Scotty asked.
"We have to assume they are. What else can we do?"
"Nothing," Scotty replied sensibly. "Except say our prayers faithfully."
"Amen," Rick said. "Go on to bed. You must be tired."
"I am. See you in the morning."
After Scotty had gone below, Rick sat quietly, depending more on earsthan eyes to keep watch. Again and again he reviewed every bit ofinformation they had obtained, re-examining it to see if any nugget ofvalue might have been overlooked. At last he decided they had doneeverything possible. The rest would be persistence, and luck.
His thoughts turned to home, and he wondered what his folks were doing.It was nine o'clock, Manila time. At Spindrift it was eight thismorning. The family would be gathering for breakfast, and Barby would beslipping Dismal, the family pup, scraps of bacon under the table.
Rick resolved to send a cable from Tawi Tawi, if they should stop there.He knew the family would be anxious to know how things were going.
The watch ticked away without incident. A few minutes before midnightRick woke Chahda and joined the Hindu boy in a glass of cold coke. Thenhe went to bed and drifted off to sleep immediately.
Some inner instinct awakened him. For a moment he lay quietly, his heartpounding, eyes blinking in the darkness. Then he heard the pad of barefeet as Scotty got to his feet.
"What's up?" Rick whispered.
"Just restless, I guess," Scotty whispered back.
Rick was wide awake now. He slipped into shoes and trousers while Scottydid the same. A few minutes in the cool air on deck would make himsleepy again, he thought.
"On deck!" Chahda gave a wild yell. "Come quick!" The words werepunctuated by gunfire.
Instantly Zircon leaped to his feet and ran for the door.
Rick emerged into the lesser darkness of the deck in time to see Chahdafire at moving shapes on the water. The Hindu boy's shot was answered bya dozen rifles, and Rick heard Chahda gasp.
"Pirates!" Chahda yelled. "Where is light?"
For answer, Scotty switched on the boat's searchlight and swiveled it.Rick shouted. A dozen vintas were closing rapidly, propelled by paddles.Fleetingly he thought that some sound or sense of danger must haveawakened him, then he grabbed for Shannon's bow, realized in the sameinstant that it would do little good in the darkness, and put it back.
Zircon took the pistol from Chahda while Scotty found his rifle. The twostarted a steady fire that was returned in ragged volleys as the piratestried to shoot out the light. They came close, but the light stoodundamaged. Rick thanked his guardian angel that they were poor shots.
It was obvious that even pistol and rifle fire could not keep thepirates from boarding. Rick jumped to the controls and started theengines. If they could only slip the anchor, it might be possible to ramthrough the pirate craft and find safety in the open water. But even ashe borrowed Chahda's kris and started to run to the bow to cut theanchor rope, the first vinta slammed into the torpedo boat.
Dark figures swarmed up the sides with piercing yells. Rick ran to meetthem, swinging the kris.
He realized vaguely that the pirate yells had turned somehow to screamsthat seemed anguished, but his thoughts were occupied only with gettingthe Moros off the deck. In the faint scattered light at the side of thesearchlight beam he saw that they were dancing, wildly, like Indians ina TV horse opera!
Scotty joined him in the wild rush up the deck and the two boys hit theMoros at the same instant. Rick swung the kris like a flail, while thebutt of Scotty's rifle slammed into bodies and heads.
The Moros turned with one accord and went over the side!
Zircon yelled, "Another boat back here!"
But Rick and Scotty had troubles of their own. Moros were pouring ontothe deck from the bow, where another vinta had tied up to the anchorrope. They ran to meet the new attack, and were astonished to see thepirates go into the same screaming dance. Then they were fighting again,Rick wielding the kris with deadly effect, too frantic even to wonderwhy the Moros weren't fighting more fiercely.
From the stern came a wild yell from Zircon, a great bellow that hadovertones of pain. Rick's breath caught. Had the big scientist gonedown?
But the bellowing roar continued and he knew Zircon was still alive.Rick could do nothing at the moment anyway, except to swing the krisuntil his arm felt as though the muscles were on fire. Next to him,Scotty slammed home a butt stroke that lifted a pirate high off his feetand threw him outward into the water. It was an instant before Rickrealized the deck was clear, then he turned and ran to the stern whileScotty reversed his rifle and shot the vinta clear of pirates in theglare from the searchlight. From the corner of his eye Rick could seethe Moros from the bow vinta scuttling through the water toward otherboats, and toward land.
At the stern Zircon towered like a mighty champio
n of mythology. Ricksaw him lift a pirate bodily, pluck the barong from his hand, and throwhim against two other pirates. At the scientist's side Chahda foughtvaliantly with his left hand, his flying barong glittering in thescattered back light of the searchlight. By the time Rick reached hisfriends the deck was clear.
Chahda ran and swiveled the searchlight, and Rick saw that the vintaswere pulling away, amidst yells of rage from the pirates. Up on the bow,Scotty was shooting as fast as he could aim and pull trigger, withpauses only to slap a fresh clip into the rifle. The return firecontinued, but without order or enthusiasm, and in a few moments itstopped altogether.
"They're gone," Rick said with relief. "Is anyone hurt?"
"Little bit," the Hindu boy answered. "When is time, maybe could usebandage."
Scotty joined the three on the stern. "I'll get the first-aid kit.Professor, are you hurt?"
"Like fire," Zircon answered grimly. "I'll never be the same again." Hesank down on a convenient seat and began to examine his feet. "But let'sget out of here and attend to Chahda when we're under way. They mayattack again, if they can find shoes."
The comment baffled Rick, but he didn't stop to question. He hurriedforward to pull in the anchor, and found a vinta still attached to therope. For a moment he debated about cutting it loose, then realized thatit would only be picked up by the pirates and used against them. Heuntied the vinta line from the anchor rope and temporarily hitched it toa bitt while he hauled in the anchor.
The vinta was light and easy to tow. He hauled it to the stern of theMTB and attached the line to a cleat. Scotty was already at the wheel.
"Go!" Rick commanded.
Scotty shot the searchlight beam toward the entrance to the harbor andput the engines in gear. The MTB moved with gathering speed, followingthe clear path indicated by the searchlight. Once the light picked up avinta, but off to one side. Scotty gave it a wide berth.
As they cleared the bay, Rick got the first-aid kit and took Chahda downinto the cabin. The Hindu boy's shoulder was covered with blood. Rickhurriedly cut way the clothes, afraid of what he might find. Zirconjoined him, watching anxiously.
"Is not bad," Chahda said. "Just made me stop fighting for a fewminutes."
Rick saw that the boy was right. A bullet had creased his rightshoulder, digging a deep furrow from which the blood welled. It waspainful, but at least they weren't faced with the problem of getting thebullet out. He sterilized the wound and bound it tightly with gauzepads. Then he washed Chahda clean of blood and put him to bed with ablanket over him in case of shock.
"How about you, Professor?" Rick asked. "You said something about beingwounded, but I don't see any blood."
Zircon chuckled grimly. "Not much blood, anyway. How did you happen tobe wearing shoes?"
Rick explained that he and Scotty had awakened before the attack and hadgotten partially dressed to go on deck.
"Then you don't know," Zircon said. Suddenly he put his head back androared with laughter. "Did you ever see anything weirder than thosepirates dancing? I thought they'd gone insane in wholesale lots!"
Rick stared at the scientist. "I noticed," he said. "I wondered aboutit, too."
"But you don't know the reason!" Zircon pointed at Chahda, who grinnedweakly from his bunk. "There's the cause of it all. He routed the enemywith minimum help from us, even after he was wounded."
Rick turned to stare at Chahda. "What's he talking about?"
The Hindu boy shook his head. "I was sleepy, and I afraid maybe fallasleep, which big disgrace. So what I do? I fix things to hurt pirates,but also I hurt Professor Zircon, for which I plenty sorry."
"But how?" Rick demanded.
"Oh, I remembered that in Jolo I never see Moros wear shoes. Not verymany, anyway."
Zircon had mentioned shoes, too. Rick groaned with impatience. "Whathave shoes to do with it?"
Chahda grinned. "I borrow the professor's cannon ammunition. All aroundedge of deck I sprinkled, so when pirates come, they dance, and soonthey have plenty."
Rick got it then. He sat down and laughed until Scotty had to stick hishead in to see what was going on.
Rick pointed at Chahda. "The Hindu wizard!" he roared. "You know what hedid? He sprinkled the deck with tacks! No wonder the pirates danced!"