AN INTRUDER
As they undressed for bed they heard the throb of the engines cease and,
after the captain gave some orders in blatant Portuguese, the boat
slowed down and stopped. An obliging steward informed Hal that they were
anchoring at the entrance to the Narrows, waiting for daybreak before
they dared pass through its tiny channels.
“Then that means we’ll have a nice, quiet night to sleep,” said Denis
Keen, stifling a yawn. “Those engines are the noisiest things in
Christendom.”
Hal undressed with alacrity and said nothing until after he had crawled
into his bunk.
“You feel all right about everything, huh, Unk?” he asked thoughtfully.
“That is—I mean you don’t think that these revolutionary fellows would
have any reason to get after you, huh?”
Denis Keen laid his shoes aside carefully and then got into the bunk
above his nephew.
“My mind’s at peace with all the world,” he chuckled. “I’m not
interested in the revolutionary fellows—I’m interested in trailing down
Renan to find out how, when and where he gets in communication with
American munitions men. That’s my job, Hal. It’s the American munitions
men that the U. S. government will eventually handle satisfactorily, and
I’ve got to find who they are. As for Renan—if he’s a U. S. citizen and
we can get him on U. S. territory—well, so much the better. But if not,
Brazil has reason enough to hold him, and if I can help them to do it, I
will. Of course, in sifting things down to a common denominator, the
Brazilian rebels wouldn’t have any reason to think kindly of me. My
presence in their country is a warning that their munitions supply will
shortly be cut off.”
“Then the Brazil-nut—if he is a spy, would have reason enough to want to
find out what you know, huh?”
“If he is a spy, he would. If he could decipher my letter he would find
out that the Brazilian Government has reason to believe that Renan is in
a jungle spot many miles back from the _Rio Yauapery_. It is in a
section still inhabited by wild tribes. But Renan wouldn’t worry about a
little thing like that. If he’s visiting General Jao Ceara, commanding
the rebel forces, then the savage element is twofold. From all accounts,
Ceara’s got a wild lot of men—half-castes for the most part—he’s one
himself.”
“Man, and we’ve got to go to a place like that!”
“Maybe not. If I know these half-castes as well as I think I do, they
can be bribed into giving me a little information. In that way I can
find out when and where the next munitions shipment is due and lo, to
trace the rest of the story, both before and after, will be
comparatively easy.”
“I hope so, Unk. Gosh, there’s promise of thrills, though, huh?”
“Some. We’ve been promised adequate military protection. We’re to work
out of _Manaos_. Now I’ve told you all I know, Hal, so put your mind at
rest for the night. My precious code letter is safe in my pajama pocket.
Go to sleep. I can hardly talk, I’m so drowsy.”
Hal stretched out and, after pounding his pillow into a mound, lay down.
He could catch a glimpse of the deck rail through the tiny window and
watched the shadows playing upon it from the mooring lights, fore and
aft.
A deep, languorous silence enveloped the clumsy boat, and now and again
Hal caught a whiff of the damp, warm jungle in the faint breeze that
blew about his curly head. It gave him pause, that smell of jungle, and
in his mind he went many times over every detail of what his uncle had
told him concerning Renan, that colorful man of mystery who was even
then hidden away in a savage stronghold.
The thought of it was fascinating to an adventurous young man like Hal
and he felt doubly glad that he had given up the prospect of a mild
summer in the north woods for this strange and hazardous journey on the
Amazon. He closed his eyes to try and visualize it more clearly and was
soon fast asleep.
His dreams were vivid, fantastic things in which he did much breathless
chasing through trackless jungle after hundreds of bayonets. That the
bayonets were animate, breathing things did not seem to surprise him in
the least. Neither did he feel any consternation that this vast army of
firearms should suddenly resolve itself into one human being who quickly
overpowered him and stood guard over his supine body.
Ever so gradually his subconscious being was aroused to an awareness
that another presence was standing over him and looking down upon his
sleeping countenance. Startled by this realization, Hal became suddenly
alert. He felt a little chilled to lie there trying to feign sleep while
he thought out what move he should make first.
Suddenly, however, he knew that this alien presence was no longer beside
him. He heard not a sound until the door creaked and in a second he was
on his feet shouting after the fleeing intruder.
A sailor came running and at Hal’s orders he continued the chase while
the excited young man hurried back into the cabin to get his shoes.
Denis Keen was by that time thoroughly aroused and on his feet.
Hal explained the situation in a few words while he pulled on his shoes.
“I guess I surprised him, Unk—just in time,” he said breathlessly.
“Just in time to see him get away,” said Denis Keen significantly. “My
pajama pocket....”
“You mean, Unk....”
“That my letter has been stolen.”