THE BAT OWNS DEFEAT
At daybreak Wyndham entered the cabin and wakened Marston. The latter
yawned, stretched his arms, and glanced at the compass.
"It's getting light. I expect I've been asleep," he said. "Where are we
heading?"
Wyndham picked up the chart and indicated a spot. "This bay. She has
made a good run, although the wind has nearly gone."
"You know where to find the Bat, I think?"
"I have a notion," Wyndham replied, indicating another spot some
distance from the coast. "But come up on deck. The sun will soon rise
and I must try to get our bearings."
Marston went up. The wind had dropped and was now very faint.
_Columbine_, carrying all the sail they could set, scarcely crept across
the smoothly heaving sea. Ahead, a bank of mist hid the low coast;
farther back, vague mountain tops rose against the pale sky. In places,
rippling streaks lined the gray water. The picture had a strangely flat
and lifeless touch that reacted on Marston. He felt dull, and shivered,
although it was not cold. Turning to the galley, he saw a plume of smoke
trail from the bent funnel.
"I'll get some coffee and then we'll talk," he said.
Coming back in a few minutes with a jug, he sat down on the
stern-gratings.
"To begin with, can you hide the boat?" he asked.
"Not properly. There are one or two creeks, but they'd, so to speak,
invite examination. On the whole, I'd sooner trust an open beach.
_Columbine_'s low hull and masts won't be very distinct against a
background of forest. I'm steering for an anchorage behind some shoals."
Marston signed agreement. "Larrinaga can't keep the tug searching the
coast; he'll send her back for supplies. I expect he knows how to reach
the Bat."
"It's possible. He has spies and the German Colonel has, no doubt, made
careful plans. There are two routes; east and west of the high ground,
and I reckon he'll send the _cazadores_ up in two columns. The first
will probably try to get behind the Bat's position."
"Then, we'll strike one column's line of march," said Marston,
thoughtfully. "In fact, since we must come back, we'll strike it twice."
"Yes. I see some advantage in this. Our taking their path won't matter
when we go up, because we'll be in front, and we agreed that the time of
our arrival is important. We must give the Bat just long enough to reach
the coast before the soldiers turn back and cut us off. I expect it will
mean our pushing across the hills for some distance. When we cross their
line we'll be in front again."
Marston signified his agreement by a nod. It was plain that they must
leave much to luck, and lighting his pipe, he leaned against the rail.
As the sun rose the mist ahead began to melt. Wooded heights rose out of
the streaming vapor and presently Wyndham found the marks he wanted and
went off to sleep while Marston kept his anxious watch. It was now
nearly calm. Sometimes a puff of wind ruffled the water; sometimes the
sails hung slack and the ripple at the bows died away. The sun got hot,
the smooth swell shimmered with reflected light, and nothing indicated
when the sea-breeze would begin.
The calm, however, would not stop the tug, and Marston pictured her
steaming up from San Cristobal with engines thumping hard and the empty
lighters astern. News of _Columbine_'s departure had, no doubt, reached
the mission; bugles would be calling and the _cazadores_ strapping on
their equipment ready to start. Still it was a long march to the harbor
and Marston hardly thought the troops would embark before nightfall. If
wind would come, Wyndham might keep in front of them, but in the
meantime _Columbine_ hardly moved. Marston wondered whether they ought
to hoist out the gig and tow, although the labor would be exhausting and
they could not make much progress.
A dark streak broke the glittering surface, a cool draught touched
Marston's face, and the slack sails swelled. _Columbine_ began to move,
and presently gathering speed, listed over to the fresh sea-breeze.
After an hour or two, he wakened Wyndham, who got another bearing and
changed the course. At dusk they steered for the coast and towards
morning anchored behind a shoal. There was nothing but the background to
hide the vessel and Marston knew the risk when they landed with four of
the crew. In the steamy heat of the forest, exertion soon wears a white
man out, and the negroes were needed to carry food and some shelter from
the dew at night.
After dark on the second evening, they reached the Bat's headquarters,
in the company of a gang of savage negroes. They were exhausted by the
journey, their clothes were torn, and they did not know if the negroes
were their captors or their guides. So far as one could see, the village
looked mean. A few small mud huts stood among mahogany trees and big
cottonwoods. There was no light in the huts, but a fire burned outside
one, and although the night was warm, indistinct figures crouched about
the blaze. They vanished and appeared again when the light leaped up,
and Marston remembered the factory boys squatting round the fires in
Africa. But the Kroo laborers sang, and these fellows were strangely
silent. In fact, a daunting quietness brooded over the spot.
The Bat's hut was larger than the rest and a rude veranda occupied the
front. There was no furniture except some mats and stools, and a
badly-cleaned paraffin lamp gave a dim light. The Bat sat on a carved
stool and wore a striped tennis jacket over his dirty white clothes. His
legs and feet were bare; his lips stuck out and his nostrils were wide,
and Marston felt that to fear and shrink from him was ridiculous. Yet he
did shrink. Then he noted with some surprise that Father Sebastian
occupied a mat in the corner. Next moment the Bat looked up with a
mocking grin.
"Why you lib for my village? It d---- poor place," he said.
"We'll explain that later," Wyndham replied. "In the meantime, why is
Father Sebastian here?"
"I take care of him," said the Bat. "Fool black man rob his church." He
paused and added with a cruel smile: "Them fool man pay."
Wyndham turned to the priest. "Will you give us a few minutes, _padre_?
We will send for you soon."
Father Sebastian got up and the Bat nodded, as if he gave him leave to
go. He went out and Wyndham sat down on a mat.
"Now," he said, "suppose you drop this negro mummery and talk like an
Englishman. I want to remember you are Rupert Wyndham. No doubt you
meant to keep the missionary for a hostage, but it's not important. I
imagine you did not expect to see us?"
Rupert's face changed. Something of its coarseness vanished, his lips
straightened, and he looked less like a mulatto.
"I did expect you. Anyhow, I heard white men were coming, although I
could only account for one," he said and added with an ominous smile: "I
sent to meet you because I did not want you to lose your way."
Marston knew that in Africa the negroes can signal news across the bush
with remarkable speed. It looked as if Rupert had learned how this was
done and taught his people.
"Whom did you expect?" he asked.
"Peters. He is a fool, but he has pluck. Some pluck is needed when one
tries to blackmail me!"
"I imagine Peters will come later, but not to bargain with you," Marston
said dryly. "We have some grounds for believing he means to sell you to
the Government."
Rupert's glance got very keen. "Ah," he said, "this is interesting!
Perhaps it explains your visit, which rather puzzled me."
"Before long you will get some fresh news," Wyndham interposed.
"Larrinaga and the German colonel, with two or three companies of
_cazadores_, have landed and are marching for your village."
For a few moments Rupert did not move and his face was inscrutable. Then
he looked up and the red veins in his eyes were very plain.
"Is this true? You will find it dangerous to cheat me!"
Wyndham told him what they had found out and stated the conclusions they
had drawn. When he stopped Rupert nodded.
"It looks plausible; you are cleverer than my spies, but we will wait.
If the soldiers have landed, I will soon know."
"You may wait too long!"
"If there's a risk, you share it," said Rupert meaningly. "You were rash
when you came to see me without being asked. However, the entrance of
the lagoon is shallow and the surf is often bad. Can Larrinaga find the
channel?"
"Pepe, the pilot, is with him. I expect he'll steer the tug."
"Ah!" said Rupert. "I rather trusted Pepe, but he has been bribed. Well,
it is possible he will get his reward. However, I imagine you have made
some plans for me."
Wyndham braced himself. Although luck had given him strong arguments,
Rupert was bold and cunning. Since his situation looked desperate, he
might try some desperate remedy that would ruin them all. He must be
persuaded to use the obvious way of escape.
"You can't fight; it's too late," he said. "If you start now and we
push across the hills between the two columns, we may cross one
detachment's line after they have passed. When they find out you have
gone, we will have got a start and ought to travel faster than loaded
soldiers. The schooner is ready and would sail in a few minutes after we
got on board. I don't see another plan, and if you're caught Larrinaga
will shoot you. His men are well equipped and drilled. He has been
getting ready for some time."
Rupert pondered for a minute or two, and the others waited anxiously.
Then he said, "If I go, I leave people who trusted me in Larrinaga's
power. It is not a very heroic exit."
"Does this count for much?"
"On the whole, it does not," said Rupert coolly. "After all, my
followers can take care of themselves. They are an elusive lot and Don
Ramon would soon wear out his troops hunting them in the bush. All the
same, to slink away is something of an anti-climax."
"We didn't run a big risk in order to help you save your dignity,"
Wyndham rejoined, and Rupert gave him a mocking smile.
"Your object's plain and I owe you nothing. You hope to mend the
family's fortunes, and see an awkward chance of its getting known that a
leader of negro rebels is your relation. However, what do you reckon to
do with me if I go? You proposed, another time, that I should return to
England."
"We don't propose it now. We'll land you at an American port and I will
try to pay you a small allowance so long as you stay in the United
States. The South might suit you and one could trust the Americans to
see you didn't make trouble there."
"For guests, you take a bold line. It's rather strange you imagine I'm
forced to agree. You don't seem to understand that there's not much to
prevent my leaving you here and going off with your yacht."
"We thought about this," Wyndham replied. "If we don't return by a
stipulated time, _Columbine_ will sail and carry a statement I left with
the mate to the British officers at Kingston, Jamaica. The cable is
ready for slipping, the sails are loose, and if strangers try to board
her, the boat will go to sea."
"One must approve your caution," said Rupert dryly. "Well, I think my
plans were good, and but for two things they might have been carried
out. Our robbing Father Sebastian's church forced Larrinaga to move, but
I was not responsible for this. The other's more important and the
mistake was mine." He turned to Marston as he went on: "When you were
ill with fever I ought to have poisoned you. Instead I tried a cure
civilized doctors would hesitate to use."
"Ah!" said Marston, "you saved my life?"
"I don't want thanks. To some extent, I thought it policy. It did not
seem worth while to bother about your antagonism then. Afterwards, when
we tried to drown you, we were too late. You had persuaded your partner;
your work was done. If you had not meddled, I'd have led him where I
wanted."
"I think that is so, Bob. I owe you much," Wyndham interposed.
"If Harry had brought me the supplies I needed, I could have fought the
President's troops," Rupert resumed, fixing his bloodshot eyes on
Marston. "Well, you spoiled the plot, and if I'm beaten now, it is not
Larrinaga but you who wins. You ought to be flattered. For such a man
as you are, it's a remarkable victory!"
There was something sinister in his sneering voice and Wyndham said
sharply, "It will be prudent for you to see Bob does not fall ill again.
If I meet with any misfortune, he will make you accountable."
Rupert shrugged. "We will let it go and wait until news about the
soldiers arrives. In the meantime, I have some preparations to make. You
can sleep until I come back. Nobody will disturb you."
"I have a pistol, but don't expect to use it," Wyndham replied. "Your
need of our help is our best protection, and so long as the need is
obvious I think we are pretty safe."
When Rupert went out they lay down on the mats. Although they were near
physical exhaustion, it was impossible to sleep. The tension they had
borne had not relaxed, because until the news of the soldiers' advance
was signalled the situation was not free from danger. The tug might
strand among the shoals, a strong breeze and breaking surf might stop
her entering the lagoon to land the troops, and delay would give Rupert
time to form fresh plans. Marston did not trust him yet. If Rupert could
escape without their help, he would not leave them at liberty to meddle
again.
They heard nothing from outside and the hut was very quiet. The silence
began to wear Marston's nerve. He could not wait much longer, but it
might be rash to go out, and he forced himself to smoke, although the
tobacco burned his tongue and his mouth was parched. It looked as if
Rupert were not coming back. Perhaps he had cheated them and gone off
alone. Marston pictured his malicious grin as he stole off through the
bush and left them to wait for Larrinaga.
At length, however, Rupert returned to the hut. "I have got news," he
said coolly. "Your boys are ready and we will start. Father Sebastian is
an embarrassment; you will see that we cannot leave him behind."
"Send for him," said Wyndham. "You had better understand that I'm
accountable for his safety."
Father Sebastian came in, and Wyndham asked if he would promise to say
nothing about their visit and departure with the Bat.
"No," said Father Sebastian, "I will not promise. I do not know what is
happening, but it looks as if the punishment this man deserves were
overtaking him. I will not help him to escape."
"You are in his power yet," Wyndham remarked.
Father Sebastian smiled. "I am an old man and my work in the dreary
swamps is hard. My life is not worth much; there are things I value
more."
"I was wrong," said Wyndham quietly. "However, since you refuse, we must
take you with us as far as the coast. It would help if you promised not
to run away."
"I will run away, if it is possible. This man is bad and cruel; I think
he killed your agent, and now he is stealing off, the soldiers must be
coming. I will warn them if I can."
"After all, is this your business? You are a missionary," Wyndham urged.
"I am the Church's servant and a citizen of the country the Bat defies.
Perhaps its rule is corrupt, but it is better than his. Its citizens
are Christians and follow the light, although their steps are sometimes
weak; these others would plunge the land in the dark of superstitious
horror. I know, I have long watched the shadow deepen."
"You are a loyal servant," Wyndham replied. "I am afraid you must come
with us, but we will try to make your journey easy."
"White man fool man! Black man fix them thing different," Rupert
remarked with his cruel grin. Then he indicated Marston and added in
good English: "This fellow is certainly a fool, but his boyish scruples
have beaten my cleverest schemes."
He signed them to go out. The Krooboys from the schooner were waiting,
and in a few minutes the party plunged into the woods.