with wonders; but a good patch of Indian corn would be the greatest
discovery we could find now, for, Mark, my lad, we shall find that we
want flour in some form."
"Is Indian corn likely to grow here?"
"If some kind friend who has visited this shore has been good enough to
plant some--not without."
They stood gazing for a few minutes at the wondrously fertile growth of
the plants whose roots found their way to the warm stream, and whose
leaves received the steamy moisture, and then climbed slowly back.
"We must explore inland some day, Mark, and see if we can find a hot
spring of good water fit to cook in. I must say I should not like my
cabbage boiled in that."
"That's better," said Mark as they reached the sand once more, and stood
panting.
"Yes; the other's `pad for the poots,' as a Welsh friend of mine used to
say. Now, then, forward to find fresh water and birds. We'll go
another mile, and if we don't find a stream we must try for some fruit."
The dog trotted on a little ahead, and, to their great delight, they
came to the end of the monotonous fringe of cocoa-nuts and found that
quite a different class of vegetation came down close to the shore,
which now grew more rocky, and it was not long before they were able to
slake their thirst on the pleasant sub-acid fruit of a kind of
passion-flower.
A few hundred yards further and Bruff began to trot, breaking into a
canter of two legs after one, and suddenly turned into the jungle, to
come back barking.
They soon reached the spot, to find that quite a fount of pure-looking
water was welling up out of a rock basin, trickling over and losing
itself in the sand, while upon a tree close at hand were at least a
hundred tiny parrots not larger than sparrows, fluttering, piping, and
whistling as they rifled the tree of its fruit.
"Too small for food unless we were starving," said the major. "We shall
have to fill our bags with what answer here to cockles and mussels,
Mark. We must not go home empty-handed."
"Shall I try the water first?" said Mark.
"No need," said the major, pointing to where, at a lesser pool, Bruff
and Jack were slaking their thirst.
The example set by the two animals was followed, and deep draughts taken
of the delicious water, which was as cool and sweet as the other spring
had been nauseous and hot.
"Now, then; forward once more," said the major. "Just one more mile,
and then back, though I believe we could get round, for we must have
come so that the huts are quite to the south. Yes; we're travelling
north-west now, and when we started we were going north-east."
"Hist! Look!" whispered Mark; and he pointed forward.
"Phew!" whistled the major. "Down, Bruff! To heel!"
The dog obeyed, and cocking their guns, and keeping as close to the
trees as the rocky nature of the soil would allow, the two hunters
approached the game Mark had pointed out.
Strange-looking birds they were, each as big as a small turkey, and,
provided that they were not of the gull tribe, promising to be an
admirable addition to the pot.
But though they advanced cautiously, neither the major nor Mark could
get within shot, the birds taking alarm and scurrying over the sand
rapidly.
They tried again, taking shelter, going through all the manoeuvres of a
stalker; but their quarry was too wary, and went off at a tremendous
rate, but only to stop when well out of reach and begin digging and
scratching in the sand somewhat after the fashion of common fowls.
"It's of no use," said Mark at last, throwing himself down hot and
exhausted after they had followed the tempting creatures for fully a
mile.
"No use!" said the major. "What, give up! Do you know what Lord Lytton
says in Richelieu?"
"No," said Mark wearily; and then to himself--"and I don't care."
"`In the bright lexicon of youth there is no such word as fail.'"
"But then Lord Lytton had not been out here hungry and thirsty, toiling
after these sandy jack-o'-lanterns with a heavy gun," said Mark.
"Probably not," said the major. "But, never mind: we may get a shot
yet. One more steady try, and then we'll go back."
"Oh, Major O'Halloran, what a man you are to walk!" said Mark, rising
wearily.
"Yes, my lad," said the major smiling. "I belong to a marching
regiment. Now, look here, Mark; I'm quite sure those birds would eat
deliciously roasted, and that the ladies would each like a bit of the
breast."
"Let's try, then, once more," said Mark; and they went on, with Bruff
dutifully trotting behind waiting for the first shot and the fall of a
bird.
But no; as they advanced the birds still went on, running well out of
range and stopping again to scratch and feed.
There were about fifteen of them, and the more they kept ahead the more
eager grew their stalkers, till after this had been going on for another
half-hour Bruff could stand it no longer, but dashed off at full speed,
barking furiously, with the result that instead of running off like the
wind the birds stopped staring for a few seconds and then all took
flight.
"That's done it!" cried the major angrily. "Hang that dog! No: look,
Mark!"
"Yes, we may get a shot now," he cried; "they're all in those trees."
"Well, keep close in, and we'll have a try."
They had a couple of hundred yards to go to where Bruff stood barking
furiously at the birds, which kept in the moderately high boughs staring
stupidly down at him, and so intent upon the beast, so novel evidently
to them, that the two hunters had a chance to get close up, and taking
his time from the major, Mark fixed the quivering sight of his gun on
one of the birds, and drew trigger just as the major fired twice.
As the smoke blew away there was a whirring of wings and three heavy
thuds upon the ground.
Away went the birds, but only about fifty yards more, to settle again,
Bruff keeping up with them, and again taking their attention by barking
furiously.
The manoeuvres of approaching were again successfully gone through, and
this time the major whispered:
"Loaded again?"
"Yes."
"Then fire both barrels this time. Try and get a right and left.
Fire!"
Their pieces went off simultaneously the first time; then the major's
second barrel rang out, and Mark's second directly afterwards, and by
sheer luck--ill-luck for the birds--he brought down his first bird from
the branch of the tree dead, and in his random flying shot winged one of
the others so badly that it fell, and Bruff caught it before it had time
to recover and race away.
"Hurrah!" shouted the major as the diminished flock now flew inland over
the jungle. "Seven birds, Mark: a load. And you said you couldn't
shoot! Why, it's glorious!"
"I'm sure it was accident, sir," said Mark with his cheeks burning.
"Then bless all such accidents say I, a hungry man!"
"Yah!" came faintly from a distance.
"What's that?" cried the major.
"Yah!" came again, or what sounded like it, for to their startled ears
it was more like a savage yell.
"Load quickly," cried the major, setting the example. "Savages at last.
Now, the birds and a quick retreat. Wonder how heavy they are; but
save them I will if I have a stand to defend them, and send you back for
help."
Mark caught up his heavy birds and ran back with the major to where the
first they had shot lay, while from behind came another yell, and
looking over his shoulder Mark saw that a spear-armed figure was coming
rapidly in pursuit.
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.
HOW MARK FOUND SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT GAME.
They had not far to go, but in a hot sun, and with the double guns,
ammunition, and the heavy birds, they were panting and in a profuse
perspiration.
"Can't do impossibilities, Mark, my lad," cried the major. "We must
either run for it without our game, or stop and fight for it."
"Oh!" cried Mark; "we can't leave the birds."
"But you can't fight," cried the major, who, as he spoke, began throwing
the great birds behind a clump of rocks.
"But they have taken so much trouble to get," panted Mark.
"And I'm so hungry that I feel like a dog with a bone," snapped the
major. "I won't give 'em up without a fight. Come in here, my boy, and
I'll have a good try for it. We've plenty of ammunition, and perhaps a
peppering with small-shot will scare the blackguards away."
Mark obeyed, and the next moment, with their birds, they were snugly
ensconced in a little natural fortification, open to attack only on one
side, the others being protected by the rocks and the dense jungle.
This movement took them out of sight of their pursuer, who was hidden
now by the trees.
"Now, my boy, lay out some cartridges, and keep down out of sight. You
reload, and keep on exchanging guns. I'm a soldier, and will do the
fighting. I meant to run and leave our dinner, undignified as it may
be; but hang me if I do at the sight of a half-naked savage with a
spear."
"But there must be a whole tribe of them behind, sir," whispered Mark.
"Yes; that's the worst of it. But never mind, I'll pepper their skins,
and perhaps that will stop them. But look here, my boy, if matters
begin to look very ugly you are not to hesitate for a moment."
"Yah!"
A pause.
"Yoy-oy-oy-oy!"
This last in a different tone, but both yells were of a most savage,
highly-pitched nature.
"Another of them," whispered the major; and then, as the sounds were
repeated faintly a long way off, "There's the main body coming on.
Mark, my lad, never mind me. I didn't know what I was saying before.
Here, shake hands, and God bless you, boy! I don't suppose I shall
hurt. Run for it at once, and I'll cover your retreat."
Mark sprang up, placed one foot on the rocks, shook hands with the
major, and in his excitement and dread, as another yell rang out much
nearer, gathered himself up to spring clear of the rough scoria that lay
about, and then turned sharply round and leaped back in his place.
"What now?" cried the major sharply.
"Who's to reload if I go?" said Mark hoarsely; and he looked very white.
"I can, boy. Quick! there's no time to lose."
Mark hesitated for a few moments. On the one side seemed to be safety;
on the other, perhaps death from a set of spear-armed savages. Then he
ground his teeth, and stood fast.
"Well, why don't you go?"
"I won't be such a coward," cried Mark in a hoarse whisper.
"It is no cowardice to retreat," cried the major, "when your superior
officer gives the word."
"You're not my superior officer," said Mark between his teeth. "What
would my father say?"
"That you obeyed orders."
"He wouldn't," growled Mark. "He'd call me a contemptible cur. So I
should be if I went. How could I face Mrs O'Halloran and Miss Mary
again?"
The major seemed to choke a little, and he gave quite a gasp, whilst
certainly his eyes were suffused with tears as he cocked his gun and
turned upon Mark.
"I order you to go, sir," he said. "Run for it while there's time."
"I won't," cried Mark fiercely. "I'm going to stop and load the guns."
The major gave a long expiration, as if he had been retaining his
breath, but said nothing, only laid his gun-barrel ready on the natural
breastwork of rock before him, waved Mark a little way back into
shelter, and then stood ready as the beat of feet on the sand was
plainly heard, accompanied by a hoarse panting as of some one who had
been running till quite breathless.
Then from just round behind some intervening branches which grew out
broadly by the projecting rocks there came another hoarse yell.
"Yah!"
There was a pause, and from the distance an answering cry.
Then a terrible silence. The steps had ceased, but the hoarse panting
continued, and for the moment Mark was in hopes that their concealment
might prove effectual, and the savages pass on, and to aid this he bent
down softly to make a threatening gesture at Jacko, and to hold Bruff's
muzzle tightly closed as the pair lay on the birds, among whose feathers
Jack's fingers were already busy.
The major had evidently caught the idea, and he too drew back, when once
more came the terrible yell, and the keen point and half a dozen feet of
the lance dropped into sight, while through the leaves which partially
concealed him they could make out a portion of the figure of the savage.
The silence now was terrible, and Mark held his breath, hardly daring to
breathe, in dread lest the major should fire, for he could have laid the
man lifeless without raising the gun to his shoulder.
Then all at once, in the midst of the hot stillness of that tropic land,
with the blue sea lying calm beyond, the sparkling creamy foam where the
ocean pulsated on the coral-reef, there came a hideous screech and the
swift beat of wings.
Startling enough, but only the cry of a passing parrot, and the sound
had hardly died away when the point of the spear was slowly raised, and
disappeared behind the trees.
Then once more came the loud yell.
"Yah!" and its repetition three times, now telling of the savages being
scattered. And then--
"Oh, dear! oh, dear! Where can they be got to? I'm sure I saw 'em come
by here."
"How--how--how--how!" burst out Bruff, and shaking his head free he
leaped out, followed by Mark and the major, to confront their
spear-armed enemy, about whom the dog was leaping and fawning.
"Why, Jimpny," cried Mark, "is this you?" as he caught the stowaway's
hand.
"You scoundrel!" roared the major. "You frightened us, and--no, you
didn't quite frighten us," he said, correcting himself, "but we thought
you were a savage!"
"So I am, sir," whimpered the man. "Look at me."
He did look one after a fashion as he stood there, Malay spear in hand,
his only garment being a pair of canvas trousers whose legs had been
torn-off half-way above his knees. For he was torn and bleeding from
the effects of thorns, his skin was deeply sunburned, and a fillet tied
about his head, stained red with blood, kept back his tangled hair,
while his eyes had a wild and scared look.
"Well, it was excusable to think you one," said the major.
"But how came you here?" cried Mark excitedly.
"I don't know, sir," whined the man, piteously. "I've been mad, I
think. I believe I'm mad now; and I was just telling myself that it was
another of the dreams I had while I was so bad from this chop on the
head; and that I had only fancied I saw you two shooting, when old Bruff
barked and came out."
"You've been wounded then?"
"Yes, sir, badly, and off my chump."
"But how?"
"One of those Malay chaps gave me a chop on the head with his sword,
sir; and I fell down on the deck and crawled right forward down by the
bowsprit and lay between some ropes and under an old sail, and then I
got mixed."
"Mixed?" said the major.
"Yes, sir; I was so bad I didn't know which I dreamed and which was
real, only it seemed that there was a lot of fighting and shooting and
yelling."
"You didn't dream that," said Mark sadly.
"I'm glad of that, sir; but I suppose I dreamed that the Malay chaps
made the sailors go over the side into one of the boats and row away."
"That must be quite true," said the major gravely.
"But I was very much off my head, sir, and so weak and thirsty. I know
I didn't dream about the fire though, for the ship was afire."
"Yes," said Mark; "the poor _Petrel_!"
"It was very horrid, gentlemen; for as I lay there I couldn't speak nor
move, only look up at the glare and blaze and sparks, and from where I
lay, afraid to stir in case they should chuck me overboard, I saw those
savage chaps go over the side and leave the ship; and then there was a
blow-up, or else it was before--I don't know, for I was all in a muddle
in my head and didn't know anything, only that it was getting hotter and
hotter; and at last I was in a sort of dream, feeling as if I was going
to be roasted."
"How horrible!" cried Mark.
"Yes, sir, it was horrid, for the masts ketched fire and burned right
up, and the great pieces of wood kept falling on the deck, and ropes
were all alight--and swinging about with the burning tar. I didn't
dream all that, for I see the big mast blazing from top to bottom, and
it fell over the side; and then the others went, and the spars was on
fire, and the booms at the sides. And at last, as the fire came nearer
and nearer, sir, I knew that if I lay there any longer I should be
burned to death, and I thought I'd move."
"And very wisely," said the major.
"Yes, sir; but I couldn't," said the stowaway. "I wanted badly, and
tried and tried, but I was much too weak. And that's what made it seem
like a dream; for the more I tried to creep out from under the sail, the
more I lay still, as if something held me back. And all the time there
was a puddle of melted pitch bubbling and running slowly toward me. My
face burned and my hands were scorched, the wood was crackling, and the
pitch rising up in blisters. And if the smoke had come my way I
couldn't have breathed; but it all went up with the flames and sparks.
But the heat--oh, the heat!"
"And you couldn't crawl out?"
"No, sir; couldn't move--couldn't raise a hand; and I lay there till I
couldn't bear it no longer, and tried to shriek out to the Malay chaps
to come and put me out of my misery, for I wanted to die then; and I'd
waited too long, for I couldn't even make a sound."
"And what happened next?" asked Mark, for the man had ceased speaking.
"Dunno, sir. One moment it was all fiery and scorching, the next I
seemed to go to sleep like, and didn't feel any more pain till I woke."
"Till you woke?" said the major.
"Well, yes, sir. It was like waking up, to find it was all dark, and
the wind blowing, and the rain coming down. Then the sea was roaring
horribly; and after lying perished with cold there and helpless for a
long time, I suppose I went to sleep again. Oh, dear me!"
The major and Mark exchanged glances, for the poor fellow put his hand
to his head and stared about him for a few moments as if unconscious of
their presence.
"But you got safe to land?" said Mark at last.
"Eh?"
"I say you escaped," said Mark.
"Did I, sir?"
"Yes, of course. You are here."
"Oh, yes--I'm here, sir! but I don't know hardly how it was."
"Can't you recollect?"
"Yes, I think I can, sir, only my head's so tight just now. I think
this handkerchief I tied round when it bled does it, but I'm afraid to
take it off."
"Wait a bit and we'll do that," said the major kindly.
"Will you, sir? Thank ye, sir."
"But how did you get ashore?" said Mark.
"In the ship, sir. I suppose the rain and the waves must have put out
the fire, and what's left of her went bumping over rocks and knocking
about, making my head ache horribly till I went to sleep again; and when
I woke it was all bright and fine, and the half-burned ship close to the
sands in shallow water, so as when the tide's down you can walk ashore."
"The ship here?"
"Yes; round there, sir," said the poor fellow wearily. "There's some
half-burned biscuit in her, and I've been living on that and some kind
of fruit I found in the woods when I could get ashore. I brought this
thing for a walking-stick."
"Then the ship is ashore here?" cried the major joyfully.
"Yes, sir; but she's not good for anything but firewood," said the
stowaway sadly.
"Ah! we shall see about that," said the major. "I'm glad you've
escaped, my lad."
"And has everybody else, sir?" said the man.
"No, not everybody," said Mark; "but my father and the ladies and the
officers are safe."
"Don't say as Billy Widgeon isn't saved, sir," cried the man piteously.
"No, because he is," replied Mark.
"That's a comfort," said the stowaway.
"Look here, my man," said the major, "how far is it to the ship?"
"I don't know, sir. I'd come a long way when I heard guns, and walked
on till I saw you; and I thought I should have dropped when I lost sight
of you again."
"Ah, you're very weak," said the major.
"'Taint only that, sir; for it's enough to frighten a man to death or
send him mad to be all alone here in a place like this."
"Why, it's a very beautiful place, Jimpny."
"Yes, sir, to look at; but as soon as you go into the woods to find
fruit there's things flies at you, and every now and then in the night
there's a great bull roaring thing that makes a horrid noise."
"Indeed!" said the major, exchanging glances with Mark.
"Yes; something dreadful, sir."
"Ah, well! we needn't talk about that now," said the major. "We will
not go on to the ship, but get back to camp--eh, Mark?"
"Yes, sir: the news will be glorious," cried Mark.
"And what are you going to do?" said the major drily. "Go back to the
ship?"
"Go back to the ship, sir!" cried the stowaway wildly. "No, no, sir!
Pray don't leave me alone! I can't bear it, sir--I can't indeed--it's
too awful! Mr Mark, sir, don't let him leave me! Say a kind word for
me! I'd sooner lie down and die at once!"
He flung himself upon his knees, the spear falling beside him on the
sand, as he joined his hands together and the weak tears began to stream
down his cheeks.
"Get up!" said the major roughly, "and act like a man. Don't be such a
whimpering cur!"
"No, sir, please, sir, I won't, sir; but I'm very weak and ill, sir.
Take me with you, please, sir, and I'll do anything you like, sir."
"Why, you ought to be ashamed of yourself," said the major sharply, "for
thinking that two English gentlemen would be such brutes as to leave a
sick and wounded man alone in a place like this. Eh, Mark?"
"Yes, sir," said the lad, flushing at being called an English gentleman.
"But he is very weak and ill."
"That's it, sir--that's it," cried the man piteously. "You will take
me, then?"
"Of course. Come along," said the major. "Confound that monkey!"
For, while they had been intent upon the man's account of his escape,
Jack had been busy covering himself with feathers, as he plucked away at
first one and then another of the birds.
"Ah! would you?" cried the major as Jack chattered fiercely upon the
bird being taken from him, and then retreated behind Bruff.
"I'll carry those, sir," said Jimpny. "I'll take that too. Would you
lend me a handkychy or a bit o' string, Mr Mark, sir, to tie their legs
together, and then I can carry the lot over my shoulder, some before and
some behind."
"Fore and aft," said Mark, taking a piece of fishing-line from his
pocket.
"Yes, sir, that's it," said the man; "but I can't never recollect those
sailors' words.
"That's your sort," he continued cheerfully, as the birds' legs were
securely tied, and as he knelt on the sand he got them well over his
shoulder, got up slowly by a great effort and essayed to start, then
reeled, and recovered himself, reeled again, and fell headlong with his
load.
He raised himself slowly to his knees, and looked pitifully from one to
the other, and then at his load.
"I'm no good," he said in a whimpering tone. "I never was no good to
nobody, and I never shall be."
"Bah! stuff!" cried the major. "Here, untie them, and tie two, two, and
four together, Mark. I'll take four, and you a pair each."
"Let's make Bruff carry two," said Mark, as soon as the birds were
freshly disposed, and hanging a pair pannier fashion over the dog's
back, leaving thus a pair apiece, they started, after a vain attempt on
the part of the stowaway to obtain permission to carry four.
Bruff protested at first, and seemed to consider it to be his duty to
lie down and get rid of his load; then when it was replaced, with stern
commands to him to carry it, he took upon himself to consider that it
must be carried in his jaws, when Jack bounded to his side and began to
pick out the feathers.
But after a little perseverance the teachable dog bore his load well
enough, and the little party trudged back over the firm sand. They made
a pause by the clear water for refreshment and then went on again, but
only slowly, for the stowaway was very weak and the heat great, while it
was piteous to see the brave effort he made to keep up with his load.
This at last was plainly too much for him, and he was relieved, Mark and
the major taking it in turns.
But even then it was all the poor fellow could do to keep on walking,
and the journey back proving longer than they had imagined, it was night
and quite a couple of miles away when Jimpny broke down.
"I don't mind, gentlemen," he said; "I shall be so near the camp that I
sha'n't mind."
"Near the camp!" cried the major; "why, we are nearly an hour's walk
away."
"Yes, sir; but that can't matter now. I know that there's someone in
the place and that my trouble's over, so I can lie down here in the soft
sand and go to sleep till morning, and then I shall be able to come on."
"Here, Mark," said the major decisively, "pick out a comfortable spot
somewhere. Here, this will do--by this point. We'll settle down here.
Leave the birds, my lad, and go on with the dog. Ask the captain to
send three men to help us back into camp. I'll stay with Jimpny till
they come."