narrow tree-fern shaded gorge where the spring had been found; but
though they listened intently for a few moments, there was utter
stillness till all at once there was a fresh sound, something between a
sigh and a moan, such as an animal might utter if it had been struck
down.
Mark's eyes swept the land beyond the cocoa-nut grove wildly; but he
could see nothing save the rocks and flowering shrubs; then he glanced
at the shaded sands where their friends were sleeping, but the sound had
not awakened them.
"I can't make it out, Mark," said the major, as he keenly swept the
place as far as the trees would allow. "Couldn't be fancy, could it?"
The answer came in a piteous burst of howls, followed by a hissing
sound, and directly after Bruff appeared, tearing along on three legs,
his last tucked out of sight, the rough shaggy hair which formed a ruff
about his neck bristling; and close behind him, Jacko running as if for
his life.
"No," said the major; "it couldn't be fancy. They heard it too."
Bruff ran up to Mark, and crouched at his feet shivering and whining;
while Jacko kept running from one to the other, chattering in a low tone
and staring wildly about as if in a terrible state of excitement.
"Can you hear anything coming, Mark?" said the major. "Down, dog! lie
still!"
Mark listened intently; but there was not a sound to be heard but the
distant boom of the breakers on the barrier reef, the beating of his
heart, and the growling of the dog. Once only came a shrill chizzling
chirping, evidently made by some kind of cricket, otherwise there was
the stillness of a torrid day when the very vegetation begins to flag.
"I can't hear it, sir," he whispered.
"So it can't be coming," said the major, looking uneasy. "I'm puzzled,
Mark. It was neither lion nor tiger, though something like the roar a
lion can give; it was not like an elephant's trumpeting, nor the
grunting of a rhinoceros; and it could not be a hippopotamus, for we are
out of their range, and there is no big river--there can't be--here."
"Could it be some enormous serpent?" whispered Mark.
"I never heard a serpent do anything but hiss, my lad, though they say
the anacondas make strange thunder in the North American forests."
"It might be a large crocodile."
"Yes, it might," said the major; "but if it was, the noise is something
quite new to me."
"It is more likely to be some terrible beast here that we never heard of
before, sir," faltered Mark. "Don't laugh at me, sir, I can't help
feeling nervous."
"You'd be a wonder if you could," said the major. "I feel ten times as
uncomfortable as I did at any time yesterday. We knew what we had to
meet then, but this is something--"
Whoor-r-oor!
The sound came again with terrible violence, but though it was as
horrible and awe-inspiring it was either farther away or the animal
which uttered the cry had turned its head in another direction.
"It's beyond me, Mark, my lad," said the major, drawing a long breath;
"but it can't see us here, whatever it is, and it is something strange
to be roaring like that by day."
"I wonder it has not woke anyone up," whispered Mark.
"Worn out," replied the major, laconically; and then they stood peering
out from among the trees, and watching intently for a long time without
hearing a sound, till the cricket began to utter its chirruping note
again.
This was taken up by another close by, and by another at a distance, and
then quite a chorus followed, resembling the sounds made by the
house-cricket of the English hearth, but more whirring and ear-piercing.
"It must have gone back into the jungle, Mark," said the major, "or else
fallen asleep. Anyhow I'm not at all pleased to find we have such a
neighbour."
"Do you think it is a dangerous beast?" whispered Mark.
"I can't say till I've seen it, but it sounds very much like it."
"I know what it is!" said Mark in a low excited voice.
"You do?"
"Yes. It is in that jungle, yonder."
"I don't know where it is, but it must be somewhere near. Well, what is
it?"
"A wild man of the woods."
"What! an orang-outang?"
Mark nodded.
"Well, if it is, we shall have to tame him. My word, he must have a
fine broad chest, Mark, and he has a wonderful voice for a song. There,
I don't think we are in any danger for the present, and it must be
nearly the end of our watch by the look of the sun. Here comes the
captain."
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
HOW BILLY WIDGEON WAS DAMPED.
Mark turned sharply, to see that his father was approaching, and his
first words were concerning the time.
"It must be beyond your watch, major," he said. "Why didn't you wake
me?"
"Well, the fact is, we've had a scare," said the major; and he related
their experience.
"It's strange," said the captain; "but we are well armed. It may be, as
Mark says, some kind of monkey. They can make atrocious noises. How
are the sick men?"
"Sleeping beautifully," said the major. "And you?"
"Far better; that little sleep has worked wonders. I'll go and rouse up
Small."
"No; let the poor fellow sleep," said the major. "I don't want to lie
down. Do you, Mark?"
"No; I couldn't sleep with that noise so near," said Mark. "I should
like to stay. But wouldn't it be best to get the boat launched again in
case there is any very great danger?"
"It would not take long to launch that," said his father. "If we are
not molested for the night we will begin exploring to-morrow. This
evening we must try and rig up a shed for the women. To-morrow we shall
be better able to think what we can do."
The captain looked at the two wounded men, who seemed to be sleeping now
more easily, and then taking his gun he proposed to the major that they
should make a little search round their resting-place to see what was
the cause of the noise they had heard.
This meant leaving Mark alone, and he looked up so ruefully at the
major, that, recollecting his own qualms, the latter objected to the
plan.
"No, no, Strong," he said; "if there is any danger let it come to us, I
don't see any use in going to meet it."
"As you will," said the captain quietly. "What we seem to want now is
rest and strength. Oh, here is one of the men!"
Bruff and the monkey drew their attention to him by going toward the
place where the men were sleeping, Bruff limping, but wagging his bushy
tail, and the monkey cantering towards his old friend Billy with plenty
of low chattering and sputtering noises.
This awoke Small, who rose and came out of the grove to walk slowly
along the sands comparing notes about their injuries, which were
fortunately very slight.
"What shall we do, captain?" said Small.
"Take the boat and see if you can recover the sail. You can go with
them if you like, Mark."
Mark turned to go eagerly.
"Can you launch the boat?"
"Ay, ay, sir; it ain't far," was the reply; and the three went down to
the spot where the gig lay, ran her down into the smooth water, and
pushed out, Small thrusting an oar over the stern and giving it the
necessary fish-tail motion known as paddling, while Mark and Billy
Widgeon looked out for the submerged sail.
It was soon found and towed ashore, where, after the boat had been made
fast to a piece of rock, the canvas was drawn over the dry burning
sands, first on one side and then on the other, parting readily with its
moisture, and being finally left in the hot glow.
The captain joined them directly after with the major.
"Did you hear it, father?" whispered Mark.
"No, my boy; all has been perfectly silent. Now, to see if we cannot
make some kind of shelter."
It was by no means a difficult job, for Small and Billy Widgeon soon set
the boat mast free from its lashings, which were utilised to fasten the
slight spar horizontally between two thin cocoa-nut palms at about three
feet from the ground, which was here, as for the most part about them,
covered with soft dry drifted sand.
Over this it was proposed to hang the sail as soon as it was dry and peg
out the sides, for which purpose Small and his companion took out their
knives, and, attacking a low scrubby bush, soon had a sufficiency ready.
"Not much of a place, Mark," said the captain cheerfully; "but it will
make a dry little tent for the ladies till we see what we can do."
The next thing was to overhaul the stores, which made so poor a show
that the captain knit his brow, but cleared it directly, and helped to
place all together in a little heap beneath the cocoa-nut trees in
company with the ammunition, of which there was a fair supply, and the
arms.
"I think these men should carry revolvers in their belts," said the
captain, "in case of there being any danger."
"Decidedly," said the major in an emphatic way.
"Which I shouldn't say as there was, sir," said the boatswain, "unless
some of these copper rascals come and land, for this here must be only a
little island, as a climb up the mountain will show us when you like to
go, sir."
"Never mind, Small, carry a loaded revolver. Better be prepared than be
caught helpless. Besides, you might, perhaps, unexpectedly get a shot
at a pig, and such a chance mustn't be lost."
Danger past, a sailor soon recovers his good-humour, and Billy Widgeon
ducked down, doubling himself up in a silent laugh.
"Which is right, Billy, my lad," said the boatswain good-humouredly.
"He thinks if we waits for pork till I brings down a pig with a
six-shooter the crackling won't burn and the stuffing spoil."
He thrust the weapon through the waistband of his trousers, right at the
back, so as to leave his hands free, and then looked up at the captain
for orders.
"We shall have to set-to and get provisions somehow, Small," said the
captain, "and begin in real earnest to-morrow, trying what we can do
with the guns inland. Suppose you and Widgeon try to unlay one of the
sail-ropes and make a fishing-line."
"And about hooks?" said the major.
"Ah! that has been a puzzle," said the captain, "that I have not solved
as yet."
"I know," said Mark eagerly. "The ladies are sure to have some
hair-pins."
"Which we can temper in the fire and hammer into shape," said the
captain. "Think you could raise a barb at one end before we point it,
major?"
"I think I can try," replied the major.
"And I could pynt 'em on the stones," said Billy eagerly.
"Then the fishing difficulty is over," said the captain. "Fish are sure
to swarm off those rocks."
"I say, Billy," said Small, giving one ear a rub, "aren't there a couple
o' fishing-lines in the locker of the gig?"
Billy gave one of his short legs a slap, turned sharply and ran down to
the boat, where he lifted a triangular lid in the bows, and gave a cheer
as he plunged in his hand.
"Three on 'em," he cried, "and good uns."
"Then we sha'n't starve yet, major. There are fish and water."
"And cocoa-nuts in plenty," cried Mark.
"If we can get at them," said the major.
"Why, Billy, couldn't you climb one o' them trees?" cried Small.
"I could--one of the small ones," said Mark.
"But the small ones don't seem to bear nuts," said the captain quietly.
"I dunno," said Billy, after a spell of thinking. "I'm a bit skeert
about it."
"What, afraid?" growled Small.
"No, no, not afraid," said Billy; "skeert as I couldn't get up. You see
there's no branches, not a sign o' one till you gets to the place where
the nuts grows, and then the branches is all leaves."
"No," said the major, looking at Billy with his head on one side, "he is
not a countryman of mine. That was an English bull, Mark."
"Why, o' course!" cried Billy, slapping his leg. "I've got it."
"Got what, m'lad?" said Small.
"The coky-nuts," said Billy, smiling. "'Tis his natur' to."
"Don't talk conundydrums, m'lad," said the boatswain. "If so be as
you've got the coky-nuts, let's have 'em, for I'd like a go at one
'mazingly."
"Why, I aren't got the nuts, gentlemen," said Billy; "but, as I said
afore, it is his natur' to."
"Whose, Billy?" said Mark.
"Why, the monkey's, sir. Here, Jack."
The monkey, who was performing a very kindly office for Bruff, as the
dog lay stretched upon the sand, and making a slight repast off the
insects, left off searching, and ambled in a sideways fashion to Billy.
"Look ye here, my hearty," said the latter, as the monkey leaped lightly
in his arms, and holding him with one, the sailor picked up an old dried
nut in its husky covering.
"These here's coky-nuts, as you knows very well; so let's pick out a
good tree, and up you goes and gets some and throws 'em down."
Jack uttered a chattering noise, took hold of the light nut, turned it
over, and let it fall.
"Toe be sure," said Billy, smiling with pride. "Then let 'em fall, and
`below!' and `ware heads!' says you. Ain't he a monkey to be proud on,
Master Mark?"
"Send him up then, Billy, and let's have some down."
"That I just will," said the little sailor; and toddling to one of the
most heavily-laden of the trees near, where the nuts could be seen
pendent beneath the plumose leaves which glistened in the evening sun,
he placed the monkey against the smooth-stemmed tree.
"That's your sort," he cried; "up you goes, Jack, and shies down all the
lot."
The monkey seemed to enjoy the task, and catching the smooth stem with
its fore-paws he began to ascend quite readily, while those below
watched him till he reached the crown of the graceful tree, fifty feet
above their heads.
"Bravo, Jack!" said the major. "I claim the three first nuts for the
ladies."
"And I the next for the wounded men," said Mark.
"And you shall have 'em, my lad," said Billy excitedly. "I say, Mr
Mark, sir, aren't he a monkey to be proud on? He's cleverer than lots
o' men."
Meanwhile Jack had climbed solemnly into the verdant nest above the
nuts, and now looked down to where Bruff was staring wonderingly up at
him, and uttered a low chattering, to which the dog responded with a
bark.
"That's them, Jack. Chuck 'em down, old lad," cried Billy, smiling
gleefully, as he rubbed his hands up and down his sides.
Jack changed his position, his tail giving a whisk or spin round, and
looked down at Bruff, who now ran to the other side.
"Come, matey! Let's have 'em," said Billy. "Here, look sharp! Chuck
down the whole lot."
Jack chattered again, and then as Bruff barked he barked in no very bad
imitation, while he took hold of a leaf and gave it a shake.
"No, no; the nuts, stoopid, not them there leaves," cried Billy.
Jack shook another leaf and barked at the dog, who barked up at him, and
reared up and scratched the tree.
"Here, you be off, and don't interrupt," cried Billy, throwing his cap
at the dog. "Don't you see he's busy?"
Bruff caught the cap up in his teeth and trotted away with it, whereat
Jack chattered and sputtered more loudly, and again shook one of the
leaves, whilst the little party below looked on in an amused fashion.
"Why, Billy," said the boatswain at last, in the most stolid of tones,
"don't seem to me as that there is a monkey to be proud on."
"Oh yes, he is, Mr Small, sir! He's a good un, and he'd ha' sent them
there nuts a showering down if that there dorg hadn't begun his larks.
Here, give me my cap."
"Never mind the cap, Billy," said Mark, laughing, "we want the nuts."
"So do I, Mr Mark, sir," said Billy, scratching his head, "and I'd give
old Jack such a clout o' the head if I was up there."
"Ah! you'll have to teach him how, my man," said the major. "No nuts
that way."
"He knows, begging your pardon, sir," said Billy. "You just wait a
minute, sir, and you'll see."
"No," said the major, "it does not seem any use to wait. Come, Strong,
let's see how our wives are getting on."
"Well, I do call that shabby," muttered Billy. "Just as I was a taking
all this trouble. Here, you, sir, shy down one o' them nuts."
"Chick!" said Jack.
"Do you hear?"
"Chack!" said Jack.
"Now, look here," said Billy, stooping down and picking up a handful of
sand; "if you don't chuck down some of them here nuts I'll shy this here
at you and knock you off your perch."
"Chick, chick, chick! Chack, chack, chack! Chicker, chicker, chacker,
chacker, chacker, chack!" sputtered the monkey, dancing up and down in
the tree.
"Well, I am blamed!" cried Billy savagely, as he saw the captain and
major strolling away and the boatswain and Mark laughing at him. "It's
all his orbstinacy--that's what it is. I'll give him such a wunner when
I gets hold of him. I'll make him say `chack!'"
But there seemed to be no more chance of Billy getting hold of the
monkey than of the nuts, and the more he scolded and abused the curious
animal the more loudly it sputtered at him, and seemed to expostulate
and scold by turns.
"There, it's of no good," said the boatswain; "give it up, my lad."
"Yes," said Billy sulkily, "I'm a-going to; but if I don't sarve him out
for this my name aren't Widgeon."
"Come along, Mr Mark," said the boatswain, "Jack's going to roost up
there to-night."
"Wish he may tumble out o' the tree, then, and break something," growled
Billy, whose dignity was touched.
"He won't tumble," said the boatswain, "he knows better. Come along,
Mr Mark."
"Want him down, Billy?"
"Course I does, and I'm sorry for him when he do come, for I'm a-going
to warm his skin, that's what I'm a-going to do for him."
"Shall I get him down?"
"You can't," cried Billy sourly.
"Better than you can get cocoa-nuts," said Mark, laughing, for the
perils were all forgotten, and the strange noise in the jungle might
never have been. "Here, Bruff."
The dog trotted up with Billy's cap in his mouth, surrendered it
dutifully; and then Mark caught up a piece of drift-wood--a branch swept
ashore by the current--and raising it in a threatening way, Bruff
uttered a low howl.
Whish went the stick through the air, and Bruff crouched at his feet,
grovelling in the sand, and holding up his wounded and bandaged paw as
he whined piteously, as if that injury were sufficient to exempt him
from being beaten.
Mark bent over him, caught him by the loose skin of his neck, and struck
the sand a heavy bang.
The dog whined softly as if beaten, and Jack began to dance about up in
the cocoa-nut tree, snaking the leaves and chattering savagely.
Another blow on the sand, a howl, and a furious burst from the monkey,
who spat and scolded more fiercely.
Another blow, and another, and another; and as Bruff whined, the monkey
came scuffling down the smooth columnar trunk, and was evidently on his
way to attack Mark, but Billy caught him before he could reach the
ground, administered a smart cuff on the ear, and would have delivered
another, but, quick as thought, Jack sprang from his grasp, spun round,
leaped upon his back like lightning, bit him in the thick of the neck,
and then bounded away towards the jungle, followed by the dog.
"Now I calls him a warmint," said Billy, rubbing his neck softly. "A
warmint--that's what I calls him. Only let me get hold on him again;
and if I don't make him warm, my name aren't Widgeon."
"You've got about the worst on it this time, my lad, and no mistake,"
said Small, laughing, while Mark stamped about and held his sides.
"Yes, I've got the worst on it," said Billy; "but I'll sarve him out--a
warmint. My neck a-bleeding, Mr Small?"
"No, m'lad, only a bit red. He's give it a bit of a pinch; that's all."
"Yes, and I'll give him a bit of a pinch when I ketches him. I calls
him a warmint--that's what I calls him."
Billy kept on repeating this as he followed Mark and the boatswain to
where the two wounded men were lying, and just then one of the sailors
came out of the grove to join them, his services being enlisted to help
stretch the sail over the mast and peg it tightly down, for it was now
pretty well dry, the result being that a fairly good shelter was
provided for the ladies, who soon after came out to join the captain and
major just as the sun was going down, and the short tropical twilight
set in.
There was no desire for another meal, the weariness consequent upon the
exertions and anxieties of the past still inviting rest; and after all
had sat upon the sands for a while gazing at the phosphorescent sea, and
the great stars which glowed out of the purple sky, a fresh watch was
set, Mr Gregory being roused now from his heavy sleep.
"Shall I tell him about the noise we heard?" said the major.
"It would only be fair," the captain said; and the result was told.
"Well," he said, "Small's going to share my watch, and we'll have the
guns. If whatever it is comes, I daresay we shall have a shot at it
before it does us any mischief, and I suppose if you hear firing,
gentlemen, you'll rouse up."
Half an hour later those two were keeping their lonely vigil, while the
rest followed the example of the men who had not yet been awake, and
sought in sleep and in simple trustfulness for the rest which was to
give them strength for the labours of another day.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.
HOW MARK STRONG PASSED A BAD NIGHT.
The sand made a comfortable bed, and Mark had not lain down very close
to one end of the little tent before he became aware that he had two
companions in the shape of Bruff and Jacko, who just at dusk had come
stealing back out of the jungle, and kept close to him and out of Billy
Widgeon's reach.
Weary as he was, Mark found it a difficult task to go to sleep. Nothing
could have been more comfortable than his bed, the soft dry sand fitting
in to his shape so as to give rest to his tired muscles, and the
pleasantly cool night breeze that floated through the leaves of the tall
palms breathed upon his sun-scorched cheeks. Now and then there was the
hum of mosquitoes, but they did not molest him; and as he lay listening
to the distant boom of the surf and watched the great twinkling stars he
now and then nearly lost consciousness, and the tall columns of the
cocoa-nut trees took the shape to him of the supports of the old
four-post bedstead at home.
Then he would start into wakefulness again and listen, fancying that he
heard rustling sounds from the jungle inland, and as he raised his head
he fully expected to hear the awful roar of the uncouth beast as it came
down toward the grove.
But all was silent, and he was obliged to confess that it was fancy as
he turned over, and with his back to the sea and its murmuring boom as
in slow pulsation the billows curved over and broke, he now lay looking
inland.
The cocoa-nut trees formed quite a narrow belt, so narrow that where he
lay he could see between their trunks the starlit sky over the sea on
the one side and the darker sky over the mountain a few miles away.
The stars shone very brightly here, too, and every now and then there
was the nicker of lightning, generally so slight that it was but pale;
but now and then there was a flash which seemed as if the sky opened and
displayed the shapes of the clouds, and these were like mountains, or
might be the mountains themselves as far as he could tell.
Still sleep would not come, and he turned again and again till he grew
more hot and weary, and began to think at last how delightful it would
be to go down to the edge of the sea, undress, and bathe in the cool
sparkling water.
Very nice, but there were drawbacks. He did not know what strange
creatures might be roaming about in search of prey, and he had often
read that the lagoons about the tropic islands were infested with
sharks.
Then he began to think over their future in this strange place, not with
any feeling of dread, for there was a delightful novelty in the idea of
exploring this unknown island; of building their own houses, making
their own gardens, and fishing, hunting, and leading a life of
adventure. All this seemed delightful, for he would not be alone. At
times he thought of how pleasant it would have been if there were a
companion of his own age; but on the whole the prospect was fascinating,
and even the sensation of dread did not master the satisfaction.
There would be journeys into the interior; the burning mountain to
ascend; strange birds, butterflies, and reptiles to discover, and
perhaps mines of precious stones and gold. Plenty to see, plenty to
find, especially wild fruits, such as were written of in the tropics.
Everything with its spice of danger was tempting, till the recollection
of that appalling roar came again, and with it a sensation of dampness
about his forehead.
At last, just as Mark had decided that he would get up and go and join
Mr Gregory and Small, to sit and talk to them, he dropped off fast
asleep, and started into wakefulness again listening, for he fancied he
had heard that appalling roar.