"No; not this time."
"What?" I said sharply.
"Indians. That was a nice row we had that day, though, Master George."
"Mass' George going have fishum-line?" said Pomp, suddenly, as the dark
line of forest began to look green, and higher up there was a tiny point
of orange mist.
"No," I said; "we'll get right on home."
Pomp seemed so disappointed that I added, "Perhaps we will fish later
on."
Vague as the promise was it sufficed to raise Pomp's spirits, and he
tugged well at his oar, while I watched the splashing of fish in the
river, heard the low, floundering noise made by the alligators, and
listened to the fresh, clear song of the birds which were welcoming the
coming of another day.
Then slowly the sun rose to glorify the dripping reeds and canes, and
fringe them as if with precious stones; the different kinds of ducks and
cranes disturbed by our boat fled at our approach with much flapping of
wings and many a discordant cry. And before I could fully realise it,
and think of anything else, it was bright, beautiful morning; all
glorious, free, fresh, and delicious, with the moss draping the sunlit
trees, the water sparkling, and the sensation growing upon me that I had
just escaped from prison, and was going home.
"Not sorry you got up so soon, are you, sir?" said Morgan, smiling, as
he saw how eager and excited I had grown.
"Sorry? No," I cried. "Here, you two, are you tired? Morgan and I
will row."
"No, no," said Hannibal, showing his white teeth. "We row Mass' George
boat all away."
"Look, Mass' George," cried Pomp, as there was a scuffle, a splash, and
a good-sized alligator startled by our coming hurried into the river.
"You like shoot um?"
"No, no. Let's get right away home first."
"All the same, sir, we'll load the guns," said Morgan. "I don't think
we shall want to use 'em, but there's a few marks about this boat to
show that sometimes it is necessary."
He pointed laughingly to the holes left where the arrows stuck in the
sides and thwarts.
"I broke out an arrow-head this morning," he said; and he picked it up
from where it lay.
Pomp watched us eagerly as we charged all three pieces, and laid them
down in the stern, after which I sat thoroughly enjoying the scene,
which was all as fresh to me as if I had never been there before. But
at the same time, as we went on, I recognised the different spots where
the Indians had made their stand to harass us during our memorable
escape down the river, notably at the wooded point we passed round just
before reaching the mouth of our stream, and leaving the main river
behind.
Then, as the space contracted and the banks seemed to draw gradually
closer together, we soon began to get into more familiar parts, and at
last the higher trees and points and bends were all memorable, known as
they were to Pomp and myself in connection with fishing excursions or
hunts for squirrel or nest.
The stream here ran swiftly, and swirled round some of the bends, at
times well open, at others so close did the forest come that we seemed
to be going along between two huge walls of verdure; and I don't know
whether they would have noticed it, but just before we turned into our
lesser river, something induced me to begin talking rather rapidly to
both Pomp and Hannibal, for we were passing the place where the slaver
had lain, and as we came by, it seemed to me that the poor fellows must
begin thinking of the horrors of that day when we brought them up in
that very boat, one dying, the other as wild as any savage creature of
the forest.
"Here we are at last," I cried, as we came close up to the cut-down
trees on the bank which served as posts to our landing-place.
"Yes. Take your piece, Master George," said Morgan, "and don't shout
aloud. Let's have a good look round first."
It was good advice, and we made our rowers take the boat up a couple of
hundred yards past the landing-place, and then let her drift back. But
all was still. There were two or three busy squirrels, and some birds,
but no sign of lurking enemy.
"It's quite safe, I think," I said.
"Yes, sir, safe enough. No Indian here, or we should have had an arrow
at us before now."
"We may fasten the boat there, and leave it?" I said.
Morgan hesitated.
"Well, yes," he said; "we had better keep all together. It would not be
fair to leave those two alone to mind her in case the Indians did come."
"If they do," I said, "we must retreat overland if we can't get to the
boat."
"Or they get it first," said Morgan, grimly.
So we landed at the familiar place, the boat was made fast, and with
Hannibal carrying one of the guns, we started for the old home, all
eager and excited except Pomp, whose brow puckered up, and I knew the
reason why--he had no gun to carry.
"Here, Pomp," I said; "you keep close to me, and carry my gun."
The sun was shining brilliantly over the river; now it began to shine in
the wood all over Pomp's smooth black skin, out of his dark eyes, and
off his white teeth, as he shouldered the piece, now the very embodiment
of pride.
We had not far to go, and as we went on and found everything as we had
left it, and no signs of enemy, the shrinking feeling which had haunted
me, and made me fancy I saw a living savage behind every great tree,
passed away, and I strode on till we reached the clearing where Morgan
and I killed the rattlesnake, and there the same shrinking feeling
attacked me again, for it was here that we had long back made our first
acquaintance with the enemy.
My eyes met Morgan's, and he was evidently thinking the same thing as he
gave me a nod.
"No rattlesnakes here to-day, sir," he said, and he smiled meaningly,
"not of any sort. Shall I go first?"
"No," I said, rather unwillingly, for I felt that I ought to lead; and,
taking the firelock now from Pomp, I went toward the path leading
through the forest trees to our larger clearing where the house and
garden stood.
"Mass' George let Pomp go firs and see if any-boddy dah," whispered the
boy.
"No," I said; but Morgan turned to me quickly, as Pomp looked
disappointed.
"Why not let him go on? He'll creep through the trees like a snake, and
get there and back unseen if there's danger."
"Nobody see Pomp if him hide."
"Go then," I said; and the boy darted off at once through the densest
part, while we followed cautiously, for there was the possibility of
some of the Indians lurking about still.
But in a few minutes Pomp was back, looking very serious, but ready to
tell us at once that no one was there.
Upon this we pushed on rapidly, and soon stood in the midst of our
lovely clearing, framed in by the forest, where everything seemed more
beautiful than ever, except in one place, where, with the strands of
creepers already beginning to encroach on the blackened ruins, lay a
heap of ashes, with here and there some half-burned timbers and ends of
boards.
I felt a choking sensation as I looked at the ruins, and thought of how
many pleasant hours I had passed there with my father, and now I could
only just trace out where the rooms had been, so complete was the
destruction the fire had made.
Not that it was surprising, the whole place having been built solidly of
the finest pine from the sandy tract between us and the little river--
wood that I knew would blaze up when dry and burn with a fierce resinous
flame.
But it seemed so pitiful that the delightful little home, with all the
pleasant surroundings, over which my father had toiled to make it as
much as possible like an English country home, should have been entirely
destroyed. And for what?
Ah, it was a hard question to answer. But I supposed then that as we
had come into the land the savages looked upon as their special
hunting-ground, they considered that they had a right to destroy.
I tore myself away from the heap of black and grey ashes, and rejoined
Morgan, who said nothing, but accompanied me then around the garden,
which to our great surprise we found untouched. It was weedy, and
beginning to show a great want of the master's hand, but otherwise it
looked delightful after the desolation I had just left.
"Seems hard as my part should have escaped, and your part be all burnt
up, Master George," said Morgan, slowly. "But it ar'n't my fault. I'd
almost rather they'd ragged the garden to pieces, and cut down the
trees, than have burnt the house."
"It can't be helped," I said, thankful for the sympathetic way in which
the man spoke, and at the same time a little amused at his considering
the garden his part, and the house wherein he always lived too as being
ours.
We went all round and were on the way to the hut where the blacks slept,
when I suddenly noticed that Pomp was not with us, and I drew Morgan's
attention to the fact.
"He was here just now, because I saw him stoop down and pick up
something to throw at a bird."
"No, no: don't shout," I said. "I dare say he'll be here directly, and
one don't know how near the enemy may be."
But Hannibal did not seem satisfied, and he began looking round the
garden and peering about close up to the trees in search of the boy,
though without success.
I had taken little notice of this, for I had been talking in a low voice
to Morgan about the garden, and whether it was worth while to do
anything, seeing that beyond a little weeding nothing hardly was
required.
"I thought the fences would all be down, and the place trampled, and
that I should have to cut rails and stakes to save the place from
desolation."
So said Morgan, and I agreed that as far as the garden was concerned we
had met with a pleasant surprise.
"We'll have a good meal now," I said. "Let's sit down under the big
cypress," and I pointed to the great tree which had proved so good a
friend during the flood, and unslinging the bag which he had been
carrying, Morgan led the way toward the resting-place.
"Why, Hannibal's gone now," I said, looking round wonderingly. "Oh, I
know," I added, laughing; "he heard me say we would have something to
eat, and he has gone to look for Pomp."
We were soon comfortably seated with the food spread before us, and as I
cut some of the bread and salt pork we had brought, I said--
"It's of no use to go looking out for Indians, I suppose. We must
chance their being near."
"If we go looking for them, Master George, we shall have to spend all
our time over it. I'm beginning to hope we shan't see them any more."
Then Morgan's mouth became too full for him to talk with comfort, and
I'm afraid mine was in a similar condition, for the long row, the fresh
air, and the absence of breakfast before starting had had a great effect
upon my appetite.
"I wish they'd come now," I said, as I half turned to Morgan, who was
leaning forward with his head thrown back in the act of drinking from a
bottle, when I felt as if turned to ice--frozen--motionless--gazing up
at a great muscular brown arm raised to strike; and I don't know how to
explain it, for the space of time must have been short as that taken up
by the flashing of lightning; but all the same, the time seemed
prolonged to me sufficiently for me to see that the owner of that arm
was half concealed behind the tree; that the hand belonging to that arm
held one of the keen little axes used by the Indians; that the blow was
intended for my head; and I knew that before I could utter a word to
alarm my companion, all would be over.
A good deal to think in that moment of time, but people do see and think
a great deal instantaneously, just as they have quite long dreams in a
few instants of time; and as I tell you, I thought all that as I saw the
raised axe, and I could not stir, though it was in motion to strike me
down.
A loud report set me free, the sound of a shot from the forest, and the
Indian sprang forward between me and Morgan, turned half round, struck
at the air with his tomahawk, then twisted back so that I had a full
view of his hideous, distorted face, and then it was hidden from me, for
the little axe escaped from his hand, and he fell clutching and tearing
at the grass and leaves.
By this time Morgan and I had seized the fire-locks we had stood against
the trunk of the tree, and stooped down to shelter ourselves with its
trunk, as we presented the barrels at where we heard some one crashing
through the bushes. But it was Han.
"Mass' George not hurt?"
"No, no," I said. "Did you fire?"
He nodded shortly, and gave me the piece to reload as he picked up the
axe the Indian had let fall, and took the savage's knife from his belt
to stick it in his own.
"If there's one Indian there's more," said Morgan, excitedly. "Quick,
sir, ram the bullet well down. We must make for the boat. Where's that
boy Pomp?"
"No," said Hannibal, shaking his head; "gone, gone. Han look for him;
saw Indian and Mass' George."
"And you fired and saved my life," I cried, catching his hand, as I gave
him back the reloaded piece.