A CHANGE OF BASE.
Although the boys did not know the full extent of the danger, they could
understand something of the anxiety felt by both Cummings and Poyor when
the shelter of the cave had been left behind.
The latter moved with the utmost caution, taking half a dozen steps and
then stopping to listen; halting whenever the foliage rustled more than
he fancied was usual and otherwise acting as if believing the enemy had
completely surrounded them.
Under such circumstances the advance was necessarily slow, and at least
an hour was consumed in traveling less than a mile.
Teddy was on the point of protesting against such excessive precaution
when the sound of voices caused all the party to crouch low among the
bushes, hiding themselves in the foliage just as four Chan Santa Cruz
Indians came to a halt not more than twenty feet away.
It was not difficult to distinguish the form of each one even amid the
gloom, and from their manoeuvers Teddy and Neal were confident that
they had halted for the remainder of the night.
It would have been impossible to hold any conversation, however guarded,
without the certainty of being heard while these men were so near, and
the fugitives remained motionless, hardly daring to breathe, until it
seemed as if some change of position must be made regardless of the
consequences.
Each one with the possible exception of Poyor, was so cramped as to be
in great pain: but all knew that the slightest unusual noise among the
foliage would have attracted attention.
Of course Cummings' party was more than a match for the Indians; but in
addition to his disinclination to begin a fight, was the chance that
there might be others in the immediate vicinity who would join in the
battle, thus reducing the odds which appeared to be in favor of the
white men.
It was in the highest degree important, also, that they remain hidden,
for once the Indians got a glimpse of the party it would be a simple
matter to track them to the next hiding place.
There was another and a very weighty reason why both Cummings and Poyor
wished to avoid an encounter in the forest, even though their weapons
were much superior to those carried by the Chan Santa Cruz so far as
rapid work was concerned. Unless struck in some vital part, the chances
are in favor of recovery from a bullet wound; but let the skin be
punctured ever so slightly by arrows poisoned with the venom of the
snake known as the nahuyaca and death is certain to follow.
With all this in mind it is little wonder that the fugitives suffered
considerable pain before making any attempt to change positions, and
that they would be forced to remain exactly where the halt had been
made, until morning, seemed positive.
Poyor was well content to stay there as long as the men carried on a
conversation, for he was thus enabled to get some valuable information
concerning their proposed movements, and not a word escaped him.
Three hours elapsed before the pursuers gave any sign of leaving the
place, and then a peculiar sound as of a night bird calling to its mate,
caused them to start to their feet.
It was evidently a signal from another party of pursuers, for these men
answered it by a similar cry, and it was repeated several times by those
in the distance.
A moment later the Indians had started, and as they disappeared Neal
whispered to Teddy:
"I never realized before how much comfort there is in the ability to
move whenever a fellow feels so disposed."
"If I'd been obliged to keep still ten minutes longer I believe my legs
would have dropped off," Teddy replied with a sigh of relief.
There was no time to say anything more; Poyor had begun the advance, and
the little party moved slowly and silently through the gloomy forest
until the Indian halted in front of an opening slightly larger than the
one leading to the cave they had just left.
Jake did not wait to be told that the journey had come to an end; but at
once crawled through, followed by Cummings with the materials for making
a torch, and in a few moments the boys were also inside.
Poyor did not accompany them; he wanted to assure himself that they had
not been discovered, and proposed to stand guard among the trees until
this had been accomplished.
The cavern was not more than half as large as the one first visited; but
was formed of the same peculiar stone. Here also was a stream across one
corner, the bottom of which sloped gently up to the shore of fine white
sand, and, so far as could be ascertained, it did not afford a home for
disagreeable monsters in the shape of alligators.
There was plenty of evidence near the entrance to show that in addition
to searching the cave the Indians had made a long halt. Fragments of
totopostes were scattered around, and a small pile of fine shavings told
where one of them had repaired an arrow.
The only objection which could be found in this new refuge was that it
had not been taken possession of by tohs. Cummings searched everywhere
in vain for the "chickens," and the troubled look on his face spoke
plainly of his disappointment in failing to find a supply of food close
at hand.
"If we should be discovered and besieged it will be a case of short
rations," he said as the little party returned to the opening to wait
for Poyor.
"Don't you suppose there are fish in the stream?" Teddy asked.
"I never heard that there were; but even if it was stocked with them we
should be none the better off since there are neither hooks nor lines
here."
"Neal and I have got plenty of both, so what's to hinder our finding
out? A fresh fish wouldn't taste badly."
"Very well. I'll stay here on guard, and----"
He was interrupted by the arrival of Poyor, who had crept through the
short passage without making sufficient sound to be heard by those who
were supposed to be watching, and, speaking in English, he said to
Cummings:
"I do not think there is any one near here, and now I wish to go further
on to learn where the next line of sentinels is posted. We may be able
to change our quarters again, and if every move takes us nearer the
coast we shall be gaining just so much every time. You must keep a
better watch, however, for if I can surprise you, so can others."
"I will take it upon myself to see that no one else is able to do the
same thing," Cummings replied with a laugh. "When you are outside in the
vicinity I always feel secure; for the best Chan Santa Cruz that ever
lived couldn't pass without your knowledge. Did you hear anything of
importance while we were hiding so near that party?"
"From what they said it is positive fully a hundred men have been sent
from the city to search for us, and with the sentinels there must be
double that number between here and the coast."
"It would seem as if with so many they ought to run us to the ground
finally," Cummings said musingly. "Where were those fellows going?"
"They had been following the wet track examining the caves, and began
near the range of hills which forms the east boundary of their country.
One of the party believed we had doubled back in order to cross the
swamp, and if we can remain hidden it may not be long before all the
searchers will be sent in that direction."
"Did they make any talk about what would be done with us in case they
run us down?" Jake asked.
"All are to be taken to the city alive, if possible, and it is not hard
to say what would be our fate there."
"What do they do with their captives?" Jake continued, as if this not
very cheerful subject fascinated him.
"A white man would be sacrificed in the temple before the gods, and the
death stroke would not be delivered until much torture had been
inflicted."
"Don't talk of such horrible things," Teddy interrupted nervously. "It
can do us no good to learn all the terrible particulars. I want to keep
my mind on the one idea of escape."
"That is where you are right," Cummings replied approvingly. "We shall
be worth any number of dead men for some time to come, and won't discuss
even the possibility of capture. When are you going to start, Poyor?"
"When I have bound more guaco leaves on this man's wound," was the
answer, and now the boys noticed that he had brought a fresh supply of
the wonderful shrub.
After preparing it as before the bandage was removed, and by the light
of a splinter of fat wood which Cummings fired with a match, it could be
seen that the edges of the gash had already united.
"To-morrow there will be no reason for keeping it tied up."
"That is to say, the wound will be healed, and you'll have a souvenir of
the Silver City which can never be lost," Cummings added.
"I won't complain, for I came out of the scrape much better than I
deserved," the engineer replied with a laugh.
Poyor was now ready to go on the scout, and he delayed only long enough
to say:
"There must be no talking while I am away, for one who speaks cannot
listen, and if the enemy should come here again his approach will be
like that of a serpent."
"You shan't have any cause to complain," Cummings replied, and an
instant later the Indian had left the cave.
Teddy now thought the time had come when he should settle the question
of whether there were any fish in the stream, and after gaining
Cummings' permission to make the attempt he and Neal brought out the
lines and flies which had been saved from the wreck of the Sea Dream.
"We shall need bait," he whispered. "If there were a million fish there
they couldn't see a fly in the dark, and, besides, if this river runs
underground entirely not one of them knows anything about insects."
"A piece of roasted toh will be the very best we could have," and Neal
soon brought out some of the toughest portions of the remnants left from
the last meal.
Cummings would not listen to their proposition that a fire be lighted,
therefore it was necessary to work in the dark, and they experienced
considerable difficulty in beginning the task.
Then, while Jake sat near by deeply interested in the experiment, the
boys moved their lines to and fro, forced to wade quite a distance into
the water, and ten minutes passed before there was any sign that their
efforts would be rewarded by success.
"I've got a bite," Teddy whispered excitedly. "By the way he pulled it
must have been a big fel---- Hello, he's taken hook and all!"
"Tie on another quick while I try to catch him," and Neal ventured
further into the water, throwing the line as far as possible toward the
other side.
The thought came into Jake's mind that, while no alligators had been
seen when they first entered it was by no means certain one or more
would not follow down the course of the stream, and he was on the point
of warning Neal not to venture too far from the edge of the shore, when
there was a mighty splash, a cry of fear and pain from the fisherman,
and the engineer shouted regardless of the fact that the enemy might be
close at hand:
"Help! An alligator has got Neal!"