"WHERE'S YOUR DESPATCH?"
"It's all right, sir," cried Roberts. "Our lads coming."
"Well done!" said the lieutenant, with a sense of relief running through
him. "Can you see who it is?"
"Tom May, sir."
"Only May? Well, he brings a message, I suppose.--Where's your
despatch, man?" he cried, as the big sailor came within hearing.
"Not got none, sir; on'y a message from Mr Murray, sir;" and the man
related his experience.
"A regular fight, then?"
"Yes, sir."
"But no one badly hurt?"
"No, sir."
"Tut, tut, tut! Whatever has Mr Murray been about to go astray like
that? I did think I could trust him! And now it is quite open to his
being taken, boat and men, by these scoundrels before I can get down to
him?"
"Yes, sir," replied the messenger. "I don't think they'll be long afore
they come up the river after him."
"Then how could he be so absurd as to send you, when either of the
others would have done? He ought to have kept you."
"Thought I was a bit crippled, sir," said the man.
"But you didn't say you were much hurt."
"No, sir; no good to holloa, as I see."
"What to do?" muttered the lieutenant; and his first thought was to fire
the building, his second to gather his men together and make a start.
He paused for a few moments to glance round in the full expectation of
seeing a movement among the trees or some sign of their being watched;
but the place was perfectly quiet and apparently deserted.
"Well, May," he said, as he caught the man's eyes fixed questioningly
upon him, "what is it?"
"Thought perhaps you might be going to give orders to fire the place,
sir."
"What for, man?" said the lieutenant, starting at the sailor's
similarity of idea.
"Keeping 'em from holding it, sir."
"We may want to hold it ourselves, and there seems to be a want of
fortification."
The next minute the big seaman was ordered to the front to act as guide,
and being thoroughly now in an enemy's country every needful precaution
was taken--precautions which soon seemed to be highly necessary, for the
little party had not proceeded far before, as Roberts with a couple of
men brought up the rear, he became aware of the fact that they were
being followed by what seemed to be a strong body of men stealing after
them through the plantation.
A halt was called, and the rear-guard faced round, with the effect that
those who followed could be seen to retire amongst the long lines of
sugar-canes and maize, which offered plenty of cover.
The lieutenant impatiently gave the order again to advance, and this was
followed by halt after halt; but the enemy seemed to be content with
keeping just in touch, no attack being made; but it was evident that
whoever was answerable for the tactics was pretty keen and ready, and
the lieutenant thoroughly realised the precariousness of his position
and the need for care if he intended to reach the boat.
"Nothing better can be done, Mr Roberts," he said. "We must let them
see that we are ready for them. It seems to check them every time."
"Yes, sir," replied the middy; "but doesn't it mean that they are
waiting till we reach some other party hidden between here and the
river, and that as soon as we get close up they'll make a dash for us?"
"Very likely, Mr Roberts," said the lieutenant; "but if it does we must
make a dash for them. Anyhow we must not let them think we are afraid."
"Oh no, sir," replied the middy excitedly. "But what about me letting
my fellows give them a volley to drive them back a little faster?"
"A volley of two, Mr Roberts," said the lieutenant sarcastically, "and
a waste of ammunition that we must husband."
"Beg pardon, sir; only what I thought," said the middy.
"Quite right to speak, my lad; but tell me, can you make out what our
pursuers are like?"
"Mixed lot, sir. They seem to be sailors and blacks."
"Humph! Well, we are pretty well surrounded. I don't like these
cowardly-looking tactics, but I must get back to Mr Murray and the
boat. We are gaining a knowledge of the country, and when we come again
it must be in force. Much farther, May?" said the lieutenant, after
pressing on to the front to where the big sailor was trudging steadily
on.
"'Bout two hours, sir," replied the man.
"Two hours? Surely not!"
"Yes, sir; quite that."
"Are you certain? Surely you have not lost your way?"
"Not this time, sir," replied the man confidently. "It's much further
than you thought."
The officer was silent, and always with the signs behind of a party
getting ready to close up, the retreat was kept up, till all at once Tom
May stopped short, and once more the lieutenant hurried to his side.
"What is it--enemy in front?"
"No, sir. All clear; but that comes from about where the boat lies,
sir."
"Firing?"
The answer came at once in the sound of a distant shot, a faintly heard
report which sent a thrill through every man of the party, who needed no
incitement to stretch out in a quicker step, one which would have been
increased to a trot but for the checking of the officer in command, who
kept the sturdy fellows well in hand so that they might come up to their
companions with the boat, cool and ready to take action.
But as the pace was increased somewhat, Roberts was made fully aware of
the presence of the secretive enemies, who still kept under cover--cover
that was fast becoming cane brake and wilderness, as cultivation grew
more sparse.
"It means a rush before long," thought the lad, and he did not fail to
utter a few words of warning from time to time as his heart began to
beat heavily with excitement, and at the same time he had hard work to
control the longing to hurry forward to the help of those who were
plainly heard to respond to a steadily-kept-up fire which all felt must
come from the enemy.
"We're getting pretty close now, sir," said May, in answer to a question
from the lieutenant, who was marching by the guide's side. "Enemy's got
a boat up the river, sir, I'm sartain, and that's our Mr Murray and the
lads keeping 'em in check. Don't you think it might be double, sir,
now?"
"I'd say yes, my man, but we must get in cool and steady."
"Ay, ay, sir!" replied the big sailor, and he gave a sidelong glance at
his officer as he spoke, shifted his musket from his right shoulder to
his left, and passed a hand over his streaming face in a way which made
Mr Anderson smile.
Another five minutes, during which the fire on both sides was evidently
growing hotter, and then with a cheer which was answered from the river,
the party of relief dashed forward, and the firing ceased as if by
magic, while the lieutenant, as he reached the water's edge at the head
of his men, looked down the slowly gliding water in vain for signs of
the enemy, the long curve of the bend to his right being unoccupied, and
_no trace_ of a boat in sight.