CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
AN UNEXPECTED ATTACK AND AN UNLOOKED-FOR ARRIVAL.
Thus excitingly, and, we presume, pleasantly, passed the time at Tiger'shut during three days.
In that period the Indian hunter quite recovered from his wounds, andhis little girl, Manca by name, began to show decided signs of amendmentunder Manuela's careful nursing. During that period, also, SpottedTiger conducted his visitors to many scenes of beauty, where the youngdoctor not only shot a variety of game, large and small, feathered andfurred, but made acquaintance with many quite new species of plants. Hecollected and preserved a few of the rarest of these, but owing to thestyle of travelling, both past and prospective, he had to deny himselfmuch in that respect.
Likewise, during those three days, he made acquaintance with thenumerous pets of Tiger's household--not the human pets, (although hebecame a great favourite with these also), but the lower-animal pets--the turtle, and the noisy parrot already mentioned, a fat littleguinea-pig, a most melancholy red monkey, a young jaguar, a veryjuvenile tapir, a flamingo, and other creatures.
The tapir was about the size of a six months' old pig. Instead of theblackish brown hair peculiar to the adult tapir, its coat was stripedlongitudinally with black, grey, and yellow, and was so brilliant incolour that the animal was quite a dazzling pet! besides which, it wasan affectionate little thing, and particularly susceptible to thepleasure of being tickled.
The tame jaguar, however, was a very different style of animal. It didindeed like to be caressed, but it had gradually grown too large to be asafe plaything, and there was an occasional gleam in its eye whichrendered Lawrence uneasy when he saw the Indian children playing withit. It was about the size of a small Newfoundland dog, but had grown upso gradually with the family that they appeared not to realise thedanger attending its great strength. Spotted Tiger himself had indeedperceived something of it, for at the time we write of he had tied theanimal to a stake with a stout rope, which was long enough to permit ofhis ranging in a wide circle.
Little did Lawrence dream of the part that peculiar pet was to playbefore the period of three days closed.
It was on the evening of the third day. They were all seated round afire at supper, in front of the hut. Lawrence sat beside Manuela, asusual, and was taking much pains to teach her the correct pronunciationof an English word, of which she made a wonderful bungle, and seemed toderive much amusement from the fact, to judge from her occasional pealsof silvery laughter. We use the word advisedly, in deference to thefeelings of our hero, who thought and called the laughter silvery!
Tiger sat on the girl's other side, and Quashy was seated opposite, withLittle Cub and several of the lesser cubs beside him. The pet jaguarcrouched close to its stake, glaring at them. There was nothing unusualeither in the attitude or the glare to cause anxiety, yet Lawrence didnot like it, and while engaged in imparting the difficult lessonreferred to, kept his eye on the brute.
Suddenly, without warning or roar, the dangerous pet sprang at Manuela!Why it selected her we cannot imagine, unless it was that, being a bruteof good taste, it chose her as the tenderest of the party. The strongcord by which it was fastened snapped like a piece of thread, butLawrence threw himself in front of the girl, caught the animal by thethroat, and held him with both hands, as if in a vice. Instantly everyclaw of the four paws was buried in the flesh of his legs and arms, andhe would certainly have been fearfully rent by his powerful antagonistif Tiger had not, with lightning stroke, buried his long keen knife inthe animal's heart.
So swiftly and effectually was the deed done, that the jaguar nextmoment hung limp and dead in our hero's grasp. Dropping it on theground, he turned up his sleeves to examine the wounds.
"Deep enough, but not lacerated, thank God," he said. "They won't giveme much trouble. Come, Quash, into the bush, and help me to look at theother scratches and dress them. I must appoint you assistant-surgeonfor the occasion!"
Manuela murmured her thanks in a deep, tremulous voice that said muchfor her power of gratitude, and, timidly taking the youth's hand as hepassed, humbly touched it with her lips.
The wounds were soon dressed, and, thanks to Tiger's promptitude, theydid not afterwards give much trouble.
That night, as they were about to retire to their several hammocks,Lawrence went up to the Indian girl, and, for the first time, held outhis hand for a shake in the white man's fashion.
"I'm glad, Manuela," he said, as she frankly grasped it, "that it haspleased God to make me the instrument of--of--protecting you."
"Twice," replied the girl quickly, and then paused, with a confusedlook,--"how you say, twice--or two times?"
"Say which you like," replied Lawrence, with a hearty laugh; "the wordswill sound equally well from _your_ lips, but `twice' is the right way."
"Well, twice you have save me. I am gratitude. My father will begratitude."
"Tell me, Manuela," returned Lawrence, earnestly, "is your father achief?"
"Yes,--a great chief."
There was a peculiar smile on the girl's lips as she said this thatdisconcerted him. We have said that he was naturally shy. He hadintended to follow up his first question by asking if her father wasdescended from the Incas, but the peculiar smile checked him. He badeher good-night, and turned abruptly away.
While he was sitting by the fire meditating on this matter, he heard astep in the bushes. Tiger, who had already retired to his hammock, alsoheard it, and bounded to his feet. Next instant Pedro glided into thecircle of light and saluted them.
He appeared to be worn out with exhaustion, for, flinging himself on theground beside the fire, he rested his head in silence for a few minuteson a poncho. Then, observing a piece of manioca cake that had beendropped by some one at supper, he took it up and ate it almostravenously.
"Why, you seem to be starving, Pedro," said Lawrence, earnestly
"Not so bad as that," returned Pedro with a faint smile. "A man canscarcely be said to starve with so many of the fruits of the eartharound him. But I've been hard pressed since early morning, and--"
"Stay," interrupted Lawrence, "before you say another word, I will goand fetch you some food."
"No need, senhor. My old friend Spotted Tiger has forestalled you."
This was true. The Indian, having seen at a glance how matters stood,had gone up to the hut without speaking. He now returned with a bowl ofboiled maize, a bunch of bananas, and a jar of water.
While his friend was busy with these, he asked a few questions, whichPedro answered briefly.
From the expression of the Indian's face, Lawrence gathered that thesereplies caused him some anxiety. As the guide's appetite becamegradually appeased his loquacity increased, but he made few remarks toLawrence until the meal was finished. Then, turning to him with a sighof contentment, he said--
"I've been slightly wounded, senhor, but I doubt not that you can soonput me all right."
Taking off his poncho as he spoke, and pushing aside his light cottonshirt, he revealed the fact that his left breast was bound with a pieceof blood-stained calico.
Lawrence at once examined the wound.
"A slight wound, indeed," he said, "but vigorously dealt. I can seethat,--and you've had a narrow escape, too. Half an inch higher upwould have been fatal."
"Yes, it was meant to kill," was Pedro's quiet rejoinder; "but, thankGod, I had a friend near who meant to save, and he turned the knifeaside in time. Sit down now, I'll tell you how it happened.
"My business required me to visit a certain tribe of Indians at aconsiderable distance from here, where the country is somewhatdisturbed, and the white inhabitants are threatening to cut each other'sthroats by way of mending political affairs. They took me for a spy.It is not the first time that I have been taken for a spy, and I supposeit won't be the last," continued Pedro, with a grave smile. "Of courseI protested my innocence, explained my object, and showed that my visitwas one of peace. They would have let me go if an e
nemy had not been inthe camp. You see, Senhor Armstrong, I have many enemies as well asfriends everywhere."
"That is always the case with men who hold decided principles, and tryto act up to them with vigour," returned Lawrence.
"So I have found it," rejoined Pedro, looking earnestly at his youngfriend. "You have had a more varied experience of life than I. Hasthat been your experience too?"
"It has. But I suspect that my experience of life has not been so muchvaried as yours, Pedro, for it has been chiefly among civilisedcommunities until now. Still, I have observed that it is only those whoswim with the current of public opinion, and jostle nobody, who manageto keep friends with everybody. When a man ventures to think forhimself,--as he ought to do,--and take action, he is sure to haveenemies as well as friends,--supposing, of course, that he is a man ofany power or influence."
"Well, I suppose it is because I _try_ to have influence," rejoinedPedro, "that I manage to have plenty of friends and foes,--the lastbeing sometimes unreasonably bitter."
"That proves your influence to be powerful," said Lawrence.
"H'm! it may be so. I know not. Time will show. At all events, thisenemy of mine stirred up a number of men like himself in the camp tosuch an extent that they seized me, and carried me to the banks of theirriver, with the purpose of throwing me to the alligators. Some of thosewho were in my favour ran along with them, and among them I observed oneman who I knew would be willing to risk his life for me. This gave mehope; but my enemy did not approve of the mode of my execution; hethought--rightly--that a chance of escape was involved in it; so, tomake sure, I suppose, he came close up, and when they were on the pointof throwing me into the river, he drew his knife and made a plunge at myheart. My friend must have suspected something of the sort, for he hadalso pushed close to me, and I saw him give the would-be murderer thejostle that turned his knife aside.
"Next moment I was in the river. I knew that it swarmed withalligators, and felt an uncomfortable thrill as I went in head foremost;but I knew also that I was a strong and swift swimmer, so I struck outfor my life to the opposite bank, which was not more than forty yardsoff. I splashed as much as I could, for you know, senhor, thatsplashing tends to keep alligators off, though it is not alwayssuccessful. Before I had made half a dozen strokes, however, I felt myflesh creep. Do you know what it feels like to have your flesh creep?"
"No, not exactly," replied Lawrence; "but I have a pretty good guess asto what you mean."
"Well," resumed the guide, "I felt my flesh creep, for I heard a mostawful puffing and splashing close behind me. At the same time I heard awild cheer on the bank, as if my foes were rejoicing at the prospect ofmy being eaten up! I looked back quickly, expecting to see the terriblejaws and the long rows of teeth; but, to my great surprise, I saw onlymy friend pursuing me with his knife in his teeth, as if he wanted tofinish me. I understood the thing at once. The good fellow knew thattwo could make a better splashing than one, and he also hoped, no doubt,that his comrades would give him credit for extreme bravery in thusjumping into such danger for the sake--as they would suppose--of killingan enemy! The cheer they gave him showed what they thought on thatpoint.
"We both gained the opposite bank--I a few yards in advance. You may besure I was not slow in bounding up the bank. I could hear the howl ofrage with which the villains saw the failure of their plan. What ismore, I could both hear and see the arrows that were sent after me, but,through God's blessing, none of them touched me, and I was soon in theshelter of the woods. I could also hear my friend panting at my heels.
"I'm a pretty fair runner," continued Pedro, "but my friend is a better.He passed me like a deer. `Come on,' he cried, `you've no time tolose.' From which I knew he meant that the blackguards would cross theriver in canoes and pursue me. He led me across a spit of jungle-landwhere the river took a sudden bend, and came out on the bank at the headof a long rapid. On reaching the bank he pulled out a small canoe whichhad been concealed there, and told me to jump in. `You'll have to runthe rapid. It's not much of a chance, but it's your only one.' Isqueezed his hand, thanked him hastily, and was soon paddling quicklywith the current. In a few moments I heard my friend shouting with rageand brandishing his knife. He was acting, I knew. Looking back I sawthat a number of men had joined him, and again the arrows began to droparound me, but I was soon beyond their reach and battling with therapid.
"Well was it for me that I have been much used to canoeing, for thewords of my friend, `It's not much of a chance,' were literally true.For some minutes I was whirled about by eddies and shoots in such a waythat it seems to me now a miracle that I escaped being dashed to piecesseveral times. I forgot all about my pursuers, so great was the danger;but when at last I ran out of the lowest shoot into the water below therapids, I saw, on looking back, that they were still following me alongthe banks. I was going faster, however, than they were, so I felteasier in my mind, till I saw them jump into several canoes and push offin chase. By that time I had more than a mile of start, and the sun wassetting. `Now, Pedro,' said I to myself, `it's a fair race for yourlife; so bend your back to it, my boy.' I went on till it grew so darkthat I could hardly see twenty yards ahead of me. Then I put ashore,hauled the canoe up among the reeds, climbed into a tree and went tosleep, for well I knew that it would be death both to them and me if wecontinued descending a stream like that in the dark.
"Well, I slept like a top, for I was dead beat; but two or three times Iawoke with a tremendous start under the impression that I was falling.I've always found it so when obliged to spend the night in the branchesof a tree. Did you ever sleep so, Senhor Armstrong?"
Lawrence confessed that he had never yet indulged in such bird-likerepose.
"Well, it's not so difficult as you might think," continued Pedro, witha meditative gaze at the fire, "especially if you're very tired, hardpressed for time, and in some danger. Under these circumstances it'swonderful what a fellow can do to make the best of his opportunities.You find out, somehow, the securest way to twine your legs and arms inamong the branches, and twist your feet and fingers into the forks andtwigs--don't you know?"
Yes, Lawrence knew well; at least, if he did not know exactly, he had apowerful imagination!
"Well, then, long before daylight I was up and off, feeling my way asbest I could in the first grey glimpses of dawn, so that I got a goodstart--at least I thought so; but soon I found my pursuers had alsostarted early and were overhauling me; and no wonder, seeing that theircanoes were large and well manned. I now felt that I had no chance ofescaping by water, but I had by that time got into a part of the countrywith which I was well acquainted, and knew that if I could only reach acertain point before being caught, I might take to the bush and crossoverland to my friend's hut here. That was early this morning. Theonly trouble I had was that my wound was beginning to give meconsiderable pain, and I felt losing strength for want of food. I hadscarce time to cat, much less to search for food, they pressed me sohard. However, a man makes a hard struggle for life, so I tightened mybelt, and set to work with such good will, that I was soon a long wayahead of them, and got out of sight at a place where the river takes anumber of bends and is full of small islands. At last, about noon, Ireached the desired point, paddled carefully in among the reeds, so asto prevent the savages seeing where I had landed, jumped ashore, hid thecanoe, stepped out as hard as I could, and--here I am."
"But," exclaimed Lawrence, with some excitement, "if you left theIndians so recently, won't they be close on your heels?"
"No fear. I came here in a straight line overland. By the windings ofthe river they cannot be here, even at the soonest, before the afternoonof to-morrow. But they will probably give up the chase long beforegetting this length. Besides, if they did arrive, they would find awarm reception from four well-armed men, instead of catching one poorunarmed fugitive. But we won't give them the chance. We will be up andaway by daybreak. Tiger here has agreed to join us in our tri
p toBuenos Ayres. He will take his wife and family down stream to hisfather-in-law's tribe, where they will be safe till his return. Are youall well, and ready for a start?"
"Yes, all well--and shall be ready as soon as you please."
"That's right. Where's Quashy?"
"Close alongside. Don't you hear him?"
Lawrence referred to a sound like the drone of a giant mosquito, whichproceeded from the negro's nose, for that worthy was a heavy sleeper--when not in danger--and had not been disturbed by the arrival of theguide.
Giving vent to a prolonged yawn, Pedro rose and stretched himself. Thenhe went up to the sleeping Quashy and took him by the nose, at the sametime putting his hand on his mouth to smother the inevitable yell in itsbirth. When sufficiently awake to be released with safety, the amiablenegro was permitted to raise himself, and when aware of who had graspedhim, he beamed with good-will, and gleamed with surprise.
"Get up, Quashy, and help them to pack," said Pedro, curtly, "we startat daybreak."
Quashy was on his feet in a moment. "Don't rouse me till it's time tostart," added Pedro, who thereupon rolled into the vacant hammock, andwas asleep--perchance in the land of dreams--almost as soon as hiswearied head reposed on the negro's pillow.