THE STAMPEDE
"You're a long time getting here," I observed, as Norris took up the
oars.
"Yes," returned Norris. "And we wouldn't be getting here at all, if
those voodoo skunks had had their own way about it."
"Did they give you trouble?" I asked.
"Oh, I guess--yes, some," he said. "But we gave them trouble, eh,
Robert?"
Robert acquiesced.
"I reckon they'll some day be telling their voodoo grand-children how a
bunch of white devils came to their island and raised particular--"
"Raised particular 'hotel,'" assisted Ray, who saw that Norris was about
to stumble on an impolite word.
We climbed aboard the _Pearl_ and Rufe fed the four while they gave us
their tale.
"We got nearly everything loaded onto Carlos' little wagon, and Carlos
was going to hitch up the donkey, when those voodoo skunks showed up,"
said Norris. "They didn't knock on the door or ring the bell, but stood
off like the pack of hyenas they are.
"Carlos talked to them. They said we must give up the kids, or they
would burn the shack with us in it. I told Carlos: 'Tell them that if
they don't clear out right quick some of them will soon be burning
in--in--'"
"Where Beelzebub tends the ovens and the climate is equable," offered
Ray, politely.
"I don't know how many voodoo there was in the crowd," continued Norris.
"The people from the village came round, too,--I suppose, to see the
fun. There were some guns; and those fellows began to get their heads
together. I got mad, finally, to see those skunks so cheeky; and I
forgot English wasn't their talk, and called out: 'Any of you who don't
want to get into the battle better crawl into your holes!'
"There must have been some that got that, for pretty quick there was a
scattering, and only about a dozen or so stayed on. They were the ones
who'd come on business, I guess.
"Pretty soon Melie said there were some of the blacks sneaking up toward
the wagon, out by the barn. I got to the back door with my rifle, and I
blowed the high peaked hat off the nearest skunk--sorry now I didn't
blow his head off. Those fellows didn't stop to pick up that hat.
"Those cusses in front had begun to move up with their guns ready. But
Robert had his little twenty-two ready too; and they hadn't come far
when he let the leader have one in his off hind foot. He limped off
howling, and the others suddenly recollected other appointments.
"'Now we've got to make our start,' I said."
"While the audience is wondering what'll be the next scene," prompted
Ray.
"Something like that," admitted Norris. "So we bundled the black babies
up, while Carlos hitched up the mule. And when we started for the barn,
I saw Melie sprinkling some seeds about the ground and back stoop. 'What
are you planting grass for?' I said. 'You're not coming back.'
"She laughed and said that the voodoo men were barefoot, and the seeds
would give them sores that would disable them for weeks. Well, we got
started. Carlos drove; Robert went ahead with his rifle, and I followed
behind with mine.
"We poked along for about three miles, and no sign of those voodoo
cusses. Then Carlos pulled up and waited for me to catch up.
"'Well,' I said, 'do you reckon they've given up the fight?' And Carlos
said there was a little steep hill about a mile ahead, that the road
passed round; and he was some afraid the enemy might be laying for us
there, and would roll rocks down on us. He said we might avoid the place
by a roundabout way through the woods, but it would be hard going, and
we'd lose time.
"I called Robert and told him our troubles. 'Wait ten minutes,' he said,
'and then drive up to a couple of hundred yards of the place, and stop
till I whistle for you to come on.' And then he trotted on ahead. In ten
minutes we started. Carlos pulled the donkey to a stop at the right
place, and we waited.
"In a minute we heard a howl--then another howl--then a howl every
second, for about six howls. Then we heard a stampede in the woods, off
to our right.--Better let Bob tell what happened."
"I hurried on ahead till I saw the hill," said Robert. "It was a ridge
that ended right at the road, and all covered with the woods. I turned
off and climbed to the top of the ridge pretty well back; and I moved
toward the road cautiously. Then I saw those black fellows--I guess
there was near a dozen--right at the end of the ridge. They had a screen
of brush toward the road, but on my side it was all open. They had some
big bowlders all ready to push over. I slipped back a little and climbed
into a tree. I got a good seat in a crotch, from where the view was
good.
"Pretty soon I heard the wagon. And those fellows heard it too. They
peeked through the brush, and--"
"And they licked their chops," struck in Ray.
"I had my magazine full," continued Robert, "and I had my peep-sight
set. One black's pants were tight with stooping to look--and I gave him
the first little bullet."
"Right on the '_spank_,'" said Ray.
"Yes," continued Robert, "I got the idea from Ray. Well that one let out
a howl. And then I peppered the next one in the leg, and he howled.
Another one got it in the shoulder. They were mightily puzzled--not
hearing anything--so they couldn't use their guns. They didn't wait to
look round very long, but hiked out, running by right under my tree.
Before they got away I hit six or seven--some of them limped as they
ran."
"When we heard the stampede," said Grant Norris, "we didn't need Bob's
whistle to tell us to come on. There were no voodoo skunks going to hang
back for any more, after all that 'whoop-er-up.' We got into town
without any more accidents, and--"
"That was mighty fortunate for the voodoos," drawled Ray. "But where's
the pickaninnies?"
"Melie here, turned them over to a priest," said Norris. "We lost some
time finding him."
Carlos had edged up, and I could see he wanted a word with me. So I led
him toward the schooner's bow; and he told me his news, leaning on the
rail.
"Duran, he is in the city," he said.
He had touched on the thing that was in my mind; for during Norris's and
Robert's recital of their adventures, I was wondering where this white
voodoo should be all that while. I was conscious that it was this
man--or fiend--that was to continue to be the center and spring of all
our interest to the end of the chapter.
"Have you seen him?" I asked.
"No, I have one friend in the city who see him," Carlos said. "He buy
new picks, an' he buy pack-straps, for to carry things on thee back, and
new rope an' pulleys."
It developed that this friend of Carlos had long been of help to him, in
keeping an observant eye on Duran when in his city haunts; and it came
out that this friend's home was on the very street on which Robert and I
had first encountered Duran.
"Well, Carlos," I said, "if we are to find this gold mine of yours,
we'll have to keep an eye on Duran."
"Yes," he nodded. "And he kill' my father, an' my brother." And Carlos
smiled a smile with his teeth set, and that gave him a sinister look. In
spite of the night I could see so much of his face. It was more lust for
vengeance than love of gold that showed there then.
"I can speak for us all, Carlos," I said; "We will see this thing
through. And we all want to see this man brought to justice for his
crimes."
"Ah, I glad for to hear you say that!" he said. "Maybe we can find for
you much gold. I hope that."
I called the others into conference; and we made plans for our next
move. We would turn in at once for a good sleep; and before daylight we
would go ashore and into the city and pick up Duran's trail. Carlos's
friend had promised to keep his eye on Duran's movements, which he had
learned to interpret in limited measure.
Before taking to our pallets, on the deck, we bade goodbye to the
Cambons, who were to take steamer for home on the morrow. Little Marie
made me promise to come to her home some time soon, said she would adopt
me for her brother, so that I could have a good mother, too, in the
place of the good mother I had lost.