CHAPTER XVII
JULIAN'S STORY AGAIN--THE SEARCH FOR THE LOST COMRADES
The storm had put things on the _Pearl_ topsy-turvy. Norris' first carewas for his cannon, of which he was happy to find the lashings had held.He threw off the tarpaulin.
"Ah!" he said, "she's O. K. Just a little--"
He was cut short by Robert.
"There goes a boat!" cried Robert. "And there's Wayne and Ray in it!"
"The h--l!" said the staring Norris, and he ran to where Captain Maratand two sailors were unlashing one of our boats. In a pair of minutes wehad it in the water.
"Robert, Julian, Carlos," spoke Captain Marat. "We go."
Captain Marat and Carlos each took up a rifle, and the next minute wewere pulling for shore. We had not covered half the distance to thebeach, when we were attracted to another boat moving from the _Orion_,this one full of black men. Then Norris' cannon boomed. That boat fullof black men took the shot in the middle and ceased to be a boat. I sawmen swimming toward the _Orion_. Some must have been killed, though Icould not tell for the debris.
"Norris got them!" Robert said, exulting.
Captain Marat's eyes danced. "Thad Englishman one ver' good man," hesaid.
We hurriedly pulled to the beach and sprang out. We ran down the beach away, then pushed through the cocoanut palms and into the forest, to headoff those with Wayne and Ray. But we were too late, and the forest toothick, we could not see them. We searched for hours; and then it beganto grow dark, so we went back to the _Pearl_.
"When they got in the jungle you had no chance," said Norris, when wetold of our failure. "I'll have a try in the morning," he added.
Rufe had supper on the table. While we ate, we talked over what was tobe done.
"It ver' plain what Duran he want to do," said Captain Marat. "He wantto hide thee boys again, an' w'en we look for them, then he sail away."
"Well it's up to us," said Norris, "to see that he doesn't sail awaytill we find them. Now, and I'll bet he don't!"
We divided the night into two watches; nine to twelve, and twelve tothree. Norris, Robert, and I were to take the first watch, Captain Maratand Carlos that from twelve to three. We were to go in the small boat tothe islet, and move along the beach to some place near the _Orion_, andobserve any activity that might be going on there.
During that first watch all was quiet on the _Orion_. There was littlemovement on her deck, which was plainly visible in the bright moonlight.There were one or two wounded, as we could see by the conduct of thosewaiting on them.
It was during Captain Marat's watch that Duran returned aboard in theother boat. It was plain, Captain Marat said, that Wayne and Ray werenot in the boat with him.
Day had just dawned when Norris and Robert and I climbed down into theboat to go ashore in search of the boys.
"Now, Captain Marat," said Norris, as we cast loose, "the first signsthat skunk shows of clearing out, give him that shot alongside. I'llhear it an'll be back in a jiffy. And we'll soon have him out of hisnotion."
"All righ'," said Captain Marat. "I do like you wish."
We pulled our boat high on the beach and cut brush and covered it, tohide it and protect it from the hot sun. We searched all over the southhalf of the island--it was three or four miles long. We saw no signs ofour two missing friends.
Near noon, we came to the eastern end of the island, where were twohills. And there we were surprised to see a schooner in a small bay. Atent was among the trees close to the beach.
"We'll have to see what's here," said Grant Norris. And he walked up andlifted the flap of the tent. "No one home, it seems," he added.
We had a good look at the schooner. _Susanna_ showed on her bows.
"I won't be satisfied till we've had a look at the Susannians," saidNorris. "We'll take a look round for them."
"Here's a new trail, going up this way," said Robert, moving toward thenorth.
We'd gone above half a mile, a good deal of it in forest not so thick inunderbrush, when we heard voices. Then we came upon four rough-looking,bearded men, digging. They saw us, and one of them came forward.
"Good morning," said Norris. "We're looking for a couple of boys thatare on this island--wonder if you've seen anything of them."
"Boys," said the man, "I ain't ever seen no boys on this island 'ceptthem two you got with ye."
"Well," said Norris, "maybe you've seen some black cannibals with awhite cannibal among them?"
"Lor' bless you!" returned the man, "there ain't no cannibals in theseparts."
"Well," said Norris, "you can take it from me, there's no less than adozen cannibals on this here island right now, and a white skunk istheir leader."
The man had no reply. He looked a little nonplused.
"Well, boys," said Norris, "I guess we'll hike along."
And we moved off, leaving the man staring after us.
It was nearing noon, so we moved directly west. We had promised to beback at mid-day.
"I don't like the looks of those men," said Robert. "And that fellow wetalked with--I think he pretended to be surprised when you told himabout the black men."
"They don't any of them shine with honesty, that's certain," saidNorris. "We'll have to have another look at their place, and theirboat."
He had some thought he didn't express.
"What do you suppose they're digging for?" I asked.
"I guess they've got a hunch there's treasure buried on this island,"answered Norris. "I wouldn't wonder if this place has been dug overtwenty times."
We approached a region of low, wet ground. The smell of the place wassickening. It gave me a feeling of giddiness, a nausea, and depressionof spirits. Robert afterward confessed the same thing. He said it madehim feel something like death and corruption was rising and surroundinghim.
At last we got to our boat, and rowed aboard the _Pearl_. Captain Maratreported that Duran had remained on board the _Orion_ all morning, andthat the blacks had been busy putting on a new foresail.
Captain Marat and Carlos took their turn on shore, after the noon meal,to search over the north half of the island. Norris, Robert, and myselfwere to keep watch over the movements of Duran and his black crew.
"What do you think, boys?" said Norris, when we had seen Marat andCarlos disappear among the palms on shore. "Do you think Wayne and Raymight be on that ship of those treasure-hunters?"
"Not very likely," said Robert. "Duran has found a better hiding place.The boat is too public. But I shouldn't wonder if he hasn't some dealwith those men."
"Just what I've been thinking," agreed Norris. "But if they're not foundby dark we'll have to look out; the _Orion_ will sure be trying for agetaway tonight, and we've got to prevent that. I don't think he'll tryit in daylight, for he isn't so sure what we might do. But we'll have toknow what he's up to."
So we three prepared to embark in the small boat. It was deep waterclose under the sheltering isle, so both schooners lay fairly close into the narrow beach of it. We were soon over, and up among the brush ofthe hill. We found a good lookout, from which we could peer down on thedeck of the _Orion_, where the blacks lounged lazily.
"Everything's ready for sailing," said Norris. "And there's that whitecuss using his glasses to see what he can see on shore."
It was a tedious afternoon, hot, not a breath stirring. We were gladwhen the sun set and we saw Captain Marat and Carlos returning. Wehurried back to the _Pearl_ to meet them.
They were alone. Their faces were gloomy with failure. Not a sign of anykind had they found to encourage them. Rufe was so disappointed, tearswere in his eyes.
"I jes' had a kind o' notion," he said, "you-all would a' had dem boysback wid ye dis time. I jes' been fixin' de bes' kin' o' bread puddin',de kin' dem boys was so crazy about. Dey ain't had a decen' meal forebber so long!"
When we were at supper, and Rufe had poured a second cup of coffee allround; I heard him mumbling to himself, as he went to the galley, "Ijes' goin' to save dat puddi
n' anyway. I ain't goin' to give up--no sah,I ain't goin' to give up." And the pudding was not forthcoming; and noone inquired for it.
Captain Marat and Carlos went to watch the _Orion_ this time. The moonwas very bright; the cocoanut palms stood out distinct on that shore tothe east. Somewhere behind them lay our two friends, Wayne and Ray, andI wondered how they were faring. A light breeze sprang up after nineo'clock, and the ripples danced on the waters of the bay. It was then wesaw Captain Marat and Carlos coming in the boat.
"They make ready to sail," said Captain Marat, before he scrambled overthe rail.
"High there! Rufe!" called Norris. "Heat that poker." And he went to hisgun and threw off the tarpaulin, and with help rolled the carriageround, and trained the gun.
Presently we heard the squeal of a block coming from the _Orion_.
"That means a sail going up," said Robert.
"Now, the poker!" cried Norris.
Rufe came running forward with the glowing iron.
There came a flash and a "Boom!"--and a splash over near the _Orion_.Then we heard the rattle of the block as the sail was allowed to drop.
"They took the hint," said Norris. "That fellow is not so dull."
Marat and Carlos were soon again off to the isle to watch; and Norrisrammed home another charge in the brass cannon; and Rufe kept a littlefire going in the galley stove. We waited long for another attempt tosail on the part of the _Orion_, but no such news came from thewatchers.
At last came an alarm from Rufe. "Dar!" he cried. "You-all--look dar!"
Instinctively we looked toward the _Orion_. Then we turned to Rufe whopointed shoreward. There, under the palms we saw a beaconflashing--flash followed flash.
"It's Wayne and Ray!" cried Robert.
We produced a lantern and signalled back. But the shore signals hadsuddenly ceased.
"To the boat!" cried Norris.
Directly, the three of us were moving shoreward, Norris and Robertpulling with all their might.
When we touched shore, we saw four men coming from down the beach.
"It wasn't them," said Robert. "The light was up here."
The four were the treasure-hunters.
"It's a fine night," said Norris, moving to meet the men.
"Tolerable," returned the leader.
"But it's awful dry," said Norris. "We've been trying to make it rain.Hear the shot?"
Robert and I fell back, gazing into the shadows under the palms, hopingfor signs of Wayne and Ray. Presently I heard a low whistle, just asRobert plucked me by the sleeve and pulled me to the boat.
There were the two boys in the water. We covered them while they climbedin and crawled under the seats.
And so Robert and I moved back to the group. Just to make talk, Norriswas quizzing the men about the game on the island; but we contrived, bysigns, to convey to Norris that we had news.
"Well, boys," said Norris at last, "let's have another little row beforewe turn in."
It was a jolly crowd rowed back to the _Pearl_.
"Say, Ray," said Norris. "What did you want to run off and hide yourselfthat way for?"
"Want to," sniffed Ray. "Oh, just to see how good a hunter youwere--wonderful how easy you found us!"
"Well, let's try it again," said Norris, "and I'll bet you my new gun--"
"Thanks," said Ray. "Turn about's fair play, I'm going to stay in baseand keep Rufe company."
And here again Wayne takes up the tale.