Thus excitingly, and, we presume, pleasantly, passed the time at Tiger's
hut during three days.
In that period the Indian hunter quite recovered from his wounds, and
his little girl, Manca by name, began to show decided signs of amendment
under Manuela's careful nursing. During that period, also, Spotted
Tiger conducted his visitors to many scenes of beauty, where the young
doctor not only shot a variety of game, large and small, feathered and
furred, but made acquaintance with many quite new species of plants. He
collected and preserved a few of the rarest of these, but owing to the
style of travelling, both past and prospective, he had to deny himself
much in that respect.
Likewise, during those three days, he made acquaintance with the
numerous pets of Tiger's household--not the human pets, (although he
became a great favourite with these also), but the lower-animal pets--
the turtle, and the noisy parrot already mentioned, a fat little
guinea-pig, a most melancholy red monkey, a young jaguar, a very
juvenile tapir, a flamingo, and other creatures.
The tapir was about the size of a six months' old pig. Instead of the
blackish brown hair peculiar to the adult tapir, its coat was striped
longitudinally with black, grey, and yellow, and was so brilliant in
colour that the animal was quite a dazzling pet! besides which, it was
an affectionate little thing, and particularly susceptible to the
pleasure of being tickled.
The tame jaguar, however, was a very different style of animal. It did
indeed like to be caressed, but it had gradually grown too large to be a
safe plaything, and there was an occasional gleam in its eye which
rendered Lawrence uneasy when he saw the Indian children playing with
it. It was about the size of a small Newfoundland dog, but had grown up
so gradually with the family that they appeared not to realise the
danger attending its great strength. Spotted Tiger himself had indeed
perceived something of it, for at the time we write of he had tied the
animal to a stake with a stout rope, which was long enough to permit of
his ranging in a wide circle.
Little did Lawrence dream of the part that peculiar pet was to play
before the period of three days closed.
It was on the evening of the third day. They were all seated round a
fire at supper, in front of the hut. Lawrence sat beside Manuela, as
usual, and was taking much pains to teach her the correct pronunciation
of an English word, of which she made a wonderful bungle, and seemed to
derive much amusement from the fact, to judge from her occasional peals
of silvery laughter. We use the word advisedly, in deference to the
feelings of our hero, who thought and called the laughter silvery!
Tiger sat on the girl's other side, and Quashy was seated opposite, with
Little Cub and several of the lesser cubs beside him. The pet jaguar
crouched close to its stake, glaring at them. There was nothing unusual
either in the attitude or the glare to cause anxiety, yet Lawrence did
not like it, and while engaged in imparting the difficult lesson
referred 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 brute
of good taste, it chose her as the tenderest of the party. The strong
cord by which it was fastened snapped like a piece of thread, but
Lawrence threw himself in front of the girl, caught the animal by the
throat, and held him with both hands, as if in a vice. Instantly every
claw of the four paws was buried in the flesh of his legs and arms, and
he would certainly have been fearfully rent by his powerful antagonist
if Tiger had not, with lightning stroke, buried his long keen knife in
the animal's heart.
So swiftly and effectually was the deed done, that the jaguar next
moment hung limp and dead in our hero's grasp. Dropping it on the
ground, he turned up his sleeves to examine the wounds.
"Deep enough, but not lacerated, thank God," he said. "They won't give
me much trouble. Come, Quash, into the bush, and help me to look at the
other scratches and dress them. I must appoint you assistant-surgeon
for the occasion!"
Manuela murmured her thanks in a deep, tremulous voice that said much
for her power of gratitude, and, timidly taking the youth's hand as he
passed, humbly touched it with her lips.
The wounds were soon dressed, and, thanks to Tiger's promptitude, they
did 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 out
his hand for a shake in the white man's fashion.
"I'm glad, Manuela," he said, as she frankly grasped it, "that it has
pleased God to make me the instrument of--of--protecting you."
"Twice," replied the girl quickly, and then paused, with a confused
look,--"how you say, twice--or two times?"
"Say which you like," replied Lawrence, with a hearty laugh; "the words
will sound equally well from _your_ lips, but `twice' is the right way."
"Well, twice you have save me. I am gratitude. My father will be
gratitude."
"Tell me, Manuela," returned Lawrence, earnestly, "is your father a
chief?"
"Yes,--a great chief."
There was a peculiar smile on the girl's lips as she said this that
disconcerted him. We have said that he was naturally shy. He had
intended to follow up his first question by asking if her father was
descended from the Incas, but the peculiar smile checked him. He bade
her good-night, and turned abruptly away.
While he was sitting by the fire meditating on this matter, he heard a
step in the bushes. Tiger, who had already retired to his hammock, also
heard it, and bounded to his feet. Next instant Pedro glided into the
circle of light and saluted them.
He appeared to be worn out with exhaustion, for, flinging himself on the
ground beside the fire, he rested his head in silence for a few minutes
on a poncho. Then, observing a piece of manioca cake that had been
dropped by some one at supper, he took it up and ate it almost
ravenously.
"Why, you seem to be starving, Pedro," said Lawrence, earnestly
"Not so bad as that," returned Pedro with a faint smile. "A man can
scarcely be said to starve with so many of the fruits of the earth
around him. But I've been hard pressed since early morning, and--"
"Stay," interrupted Lawrence, "before you say another word, I will go
and 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 of
boiled maize, a bunch of bananas, and a jar of water.
While his friend was busy with these, he asked a few questions, which
Pedro answered briefly.
From the expression of the Indian's face, Lawrence gathered that these
replies caused him some anxiety. As the guide's appetite became
gradually appeased his loquacity increased, but he made few remarks to
Lawrence until the meal was finished. Then, turning to him with a sigh
of contentment, he said--
"I've been slightly wounded, senhor, but I doubt not that you can soon
put me all right."
Taking off his poncho as he spoke, and pushing aside his light cotton
shirt, he revealed the fact that his left breast was bound with a piece
of blood-stained calico.
Lawrence at once examined the wound.
"A slight wound, indeed," he said, "but vigorously dealt. I can see
that,--and you've had a narrow escape, too. Half an inch higher up
would have been fatal."
"Yes, it was meant to kill," was Pedro's quiet rejoinder; "but, thank
God, I had a friend near who meant to save, and he turned the knife
aside in time. Sit down now, I'll tell you how it happened.
"My business required me to visit a certain tribe of Indians at a
considerable distance from here, where the country is somewhat
disturbed, and the white inhabitants are threatening to cut each other's
throats 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 suppose
it won't be the last," continued Pedro, with a grave smile. "Of course
I protested my innocence, explained my object, and showed that my visit
was one of peace. They would have let me go if an enemy had not been in
the camp. You see, Senhor Armstrong, I have many enemies as well as
friends everywhere."
"That is always the case with men who hold decided principles, and try
to act up to them with vigour," returned Lawrence.
"So I have found it," rejoined Pedro, looking earnestly at his young
friend. "You have had a more varied experience of life than I. Has
that been your experience too?"
"It has. But I suspect that my experience of life has not been so much
varied as yours, Pedro, for it has been chiefly among civilised
communities until now. Still, I have observed that it is only those who
swim with the current of public opinion, and jostle nobody, who manage
to keep friends with everybody. When a man ventures to think for
himself,--as he ought to do,--and take action, he is sure to have
enemies as well as friends,--supposing, of course, that he is a man of
any power or influence."
"Well, I suppose it is because I _try_ to have influence," rejoined
Pedro, "that I manage to have plenty of friends and foes,--the last
being 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, this
enemy of mine stirred up a number of men like himself in the camp to
such an extent that they seized me, and carried me to the banks of their
river, with the purpose of throwing me to the alligators. Some of those
who were in my favour ran along with them, and among them I observed one
man who I knew would be willing to risk his life for me. This gave me
hope; but my enemy did not approve of the mode of my execution; he
thought--rightly--that a chance of escape was involved in it; so, to
make sure, I suppose, he came close up, and when they were on the point
of throwing me into the river, he drew his knife and made a plunge at my
heart. My friend must have suspected something of the sort, for he had
also pushed close to me, and I saw him give the would-be murderer the
jostle that turned his knife aside.
"Next moment I was in the river. I knew that it swarmed with
alligators, 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 out
for my life to the opposite bank, which was not more than forty yards
off. I splashed as much as I could, for you know, senhor, that
splashing tends to keep alligators off, though it is not always
successful. Before I had made half a dozen strokes, however, I felt my
flesh 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 as
to what you mean."
"Well," resumed the guide, "I felt my flesh creep, for I heard a most
awful puffing and splashing close behind me. At the same time I heard a
wild cheer on the bank, as if my foes were rejoicing at the prospect of
my being eaten up! I looked back quickly, expecting to see the terrible
jaws and the long rows of teeth; but, to my great surprise, I saw only
my friend pursuing me with his knife in his teeth, as if he wanted to
finish me. I understood the thing at once. The good fellow knew that
two could make a better splashing than one, and he also hoped, no doubt,
that his comrades would give him credit for extreme bravery in thus
jumping into such danger for the sake--as they would suppose--of killing
an enemy! The cheer they gave him showed what they thought on that
point.
"We both gained the opposite bank--I a few yards in advance. You may be
sure I was not slow in bounding up the bank. I could hear the howl of
rage with which the villains saw the failure of their plan. What is
more, 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 the
shelter 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 to
lose.' From which I knew he meant that the blackguards would cross the
river in canoes and pursue me. He led me across a spit of jungle-land
where the river took a sudden bend, and came out on the bank at the head
of a long rapid. On reaching the bank he pulled out a small canoe which
had been concealed there, and told me to jump in. `You'll have to run
the rapid. It's not much of a chance, but it's your only one.' I
squeezed his hand, thanked him hastily, and was soon paddling quickly
with the current. In a few moments I heard my friend shouting with rage
and brandishing his knife. He was acting, I knew. Looking back I saw
that a number of men had joined him, and again the arrows began to drop
around me, but I was soon beyond their reach and battling with the
rapid.
"Well was it for me that I have been much used to canoeing, for the
words 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 way
that it seems to me now a miracle that I escaped being dashed to pieces
several 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 the
rapids, I saw, on looking back, that they were still following me along
the banks. I was going faster, however, than they were, so I felt
easier in my mind, till I saw them jump into several canoes and push off
in chase. By that time I had more than a mile of start, and the sun was
setting. `Now, Pedro,' said I to myself, `it's a fair race for your
life; so bend your back to it, my boy.' I went on till it grew so dark
that 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 to
sleep, for well I knew that it would be death both to them and me if we
continued descending a stream like that in the dark.
"Well, I slept like a top, for I was dead beat; but two or three times I
awoke 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 branches
of a tree. Did you ever sleep so, Senhor Armstrong?"
Lawrence confessed that he had never yet indulged in such bird-like
repose.
"Well, it's not so difficult as you might think," continued Pedro, with
a meditative gaze at the fire, "especially if you're very tired, hard
pressed for time, and in some danger. Under these circumstances it's
wonderful 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 in
among the branches, and twist your feet and fingers into the forks and
twigs--don't you know?"
Yes, Lawrence knew well; at least, if he did not know exactly, he had a
powerful imagination!
"Well, then, long before daylight I was up and off, feeling my way as
best I could in the first grey glimpses of dawn, so that I got a good
start--at least I thought so; but soon I found my pursuers had also
started early and were overhauling me; and no wonder, seeing that their
canoes were large and well manned. I now felt that I had no chance of
escaping by water, but I had by that time got into a part of the country
with which I was well acquainted, and knew that if I could only reach a
certain point before being caught, I might take to the bush and cross
overland to my friend's hut here. That was early this morning. The
only trouble I had was that my wound was beginning to give me
considerable pain, and I felt losing strength for want of food. I had
scarce time to cat, much less to search for food, they pressed me so
hard. However, a man makes a hard struggle for life, so I tightened my
belt, and set to work with such good will, that I was soon a long way
ahead of them, and got out of sight at a place where the river takes a
number of bends and is full of small islands. At last, about noon, I
reached the desired point, paddled carefully in among the reeds, so as
to prevent the savages seeing where I had landed, jumped ashore, hid the
canoe, stepped out as hard as I could, and--here I am."
"But," exclaimed Lawrence, with some excitement, "if you left the
Indians so recently, won't they be close on your heels?"
"No fear. I came here in a straight line overland. By the windings of
the river they cannot be here, even at the soonest, before the afternoon
of to-morrow. But they will probably give up the chase long before
getting this length. Besides, if they did arrive, they would find a
warm reception from four well-armed men, instead of catching one poor
unarmed fugitive. But we won't give them the chance. We will be up and
away by daybreak. Tiger here has agreed to join us in our trip to
Buenos Ayres. He will take his wife and family down stream to his
father-in-law's tribe, where they will be safe till his return. Are you
all 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, which
proceeded 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 the
guide.
Giving vent to a prolonged yawn, Pedro rose and stretched himself. Then
he went up to the sleeping Quashy and took him by the nose, at the same
time putting his hand on his mouth to smother the inevitable yell in its
birth. When sufficiently awake to be released with safety, the amiable
negro was permitted to raise himself, and when aware of who had grasped
him, he beamed with good-will, and gleamed with surprise.
"Get up, Quashy, and help them to pack," said Pedro, curtly, "we start
at daybreak."
Quashy was on his feet in a moment. "Don't rouse me till it's time to
start," added Pedro, who thereupon rolled into the vacant hammock, and
was asleep--perchance in the land of dreams--almost as soon as his
wearied head reposed on the negro's pillow.