A HURRIED DEPARTURE.
Neal and Teddy were in a state of the most painful suspense from the
moment Poyor returned until the time for their departure arrived.
The one hope was that Jake would succeed in finding his way back, for
the thought that he might be captured was terrible, and they sat near
the entrance listening intently to every sound.
"You're bound to be disappointed if you count on hearing him," Cummings
said bitterly.
"But there is a chance that the Indians are some distance from here,"
Teddy replied. "Poyor didn't find any until he reached the line of
sentinels."
"I am not saying that he is necessarily captured yet; but it would be
little short of a miracle if he found his way back after going any
distance from this cave. I wouldn't dare to make the attempt."
"But are we to go away without trying to find the poor fellow?" Neal
asked in a tone of distress.
"It would be useless to search, and we are now in too much danger to
waste any time," Cummings said sternly. "Our one chance of escape was
to give the enemy the idea that we had succeeded in getting out of the
country, and he has destroyed it. Now this portion of the forest will be
filled with Indians, and in twenty-four hours from the moment he or his
trail is seen, we shall be discovered. We cannot aid him, and I doubt
whether I would be willing to do so if it was possible, for a man of
average common sense who will act as he has done deserves punishment."
The boys made no reply. Each instant their companion's anger against
Jake increased, and it was not well to rouse him by further
conversation.
Near the bank of the stream Poyor had built a fire and was cooking a
portion of the tapir and the fish, for in the hurried flight which was
soon to be begun there might not be an opportunity to prepare food.
The Indian had unpacked the bundles in order to discard everything not
absolutely necessary, and was tying each compactly when the boys
approached.
"Why are you making only three packages?" Neal asked. "Teddy and I want
to do our full share of the work, and it isn't right for you and
Cummings to lug everything."
"You will be forced to do more than an equal share because that which
Jake carried must now be divided between us," Poyor replied grimly. "The
fourth load is to be made up of the provisions."
"Are you going straight for the coast, and try to force your way through
the line of sentinels?"
"That cannot be done. We must now ascend the mountain range on the north
of the forest."
"But by so doing the journey will be made much longer, won't it?"
"Very much."
"Then why not try to fight through?"
"Because it is impossible. Not one of us would live to see the ocean."
There was not much comfort to be derived from such a conversation, and
again the boys went to the entrance where Cummings was examining
carefully all the weapons.
"You must carry plenty of cartridges where they can be gotten at
quickly," he said, as they came up. "It is impossible to say what may
happen, and no precaution should be neglected. The guns are in good
order, and with them we may succeed in holding the enemy at such a
distance that their arrows cannot be used."
"We have filled our pockets," Neal replied, and throwing himself upon
the ground, he watched Cummings and Poyor at their work.
Ten minutes later the Indian came to the entrance and said as he began
to crawl through the narrow passage:
"I will make one effort to find him who has caused us so much trouble."
"Don't spend any time on such a fool," Cummings cried fiercely. "He knew
the danger, and if he chooses to run into it, jeopardizing our lives at
the same moment, nothing too bad can happen to him."
"He may be near at hand. I will make a search," Poyor replied as he rose
to his feet on the outside, and Neal whispered to Teddy:
"If Jake can be found matters won't seem quite so hard, for it will be
terrible to think of him wandering around until captured, and we running
away from him."
Teddy nodded his head; but did not dare trust himself to speak. He had
been thinking of home until the tears were so very near his eyelids that
he feared they would overflow.
During the next half hour not a word was spoken by either of the little
party, and then Poyor returned alone.
There was no necessity of questioning him, and Neal covered his face
with his hands to hide the distress he knew must be pictured there, for
there was no longer any hope the engineer would accompany them on their
rapid and most dangerous flight. By this time the meat was cooked, and
the Indian brought a generous supply to the entrance; but no one had any
particular desire for food.
"You must take some," Cummings said, when Neal and Teddy turned away.
"We may not have an opportunity to eat again for many hours, and it is
necessary to be prepared for a long tramp."
The boys managed to swallow a small quantity after considerable effort,
when the final preparations were made, and by the time they were
completed the sun had set.
Night had not fully settled down when Poyor gave the signal for the
start, and one by one the fugitives crept from the cave, pushing their
bundles before them, since the passage was not sufficiently large to
admit of their walking upright.
"Strap the pack on firmly," Cummings said in a whisper, when they were
in the open air. "We may be obliged to run, in which case there must be
no chance of losing our baggage. You boys follow Poyor, and I will bring
up the rear."
The Indian was waiting for them to get into proper marching order, and
instantly this had been done he started at a rapid pace.
As they left the cave it seemed to Neal and Teddy that Jake had really
been abandoned, and, regardless of what he had done, they felt that it
was cruel to hurry away so soon.
"It could have done no harm to wait until morning," Neal said in a
whisper, when they halted a short distance from the starting point while
Poyor went ahead to reconnoiter.
"And by that time we might have found ourselves besieged. It would have
been a delay of twenty-four hours, for all our traveling must be done in
the night," Cummings replied. "We have taken the only course he left
open to us, and we won't discuss the matter any more."
The march was resumed after a short delay, and not until two hours had
passed did the Indian so much as slacken his pace.
They had arrived where the forest is less dense; but the undergrowth
more tangled, and Poyor signified by gestures that the boys would be
allowed a short time of rest.
Teddy was about to ask if he could take off the pack, for the cords were
cutting into his flesh in a painful manner; but the Indian checked him
with a quick motion of the hand.
The party were now near where it was supposed a line of sentinels was
stationed, and, holding his finger to his lips, Cummings gave them to
understand that the utmost silence must be preserved.
Again Poyor went forward alone, and the tired boys sat with their backs
against a tree thinking only of Jake and his possible fate.
The silence was so profound as to be almost alarming. Here and there
amid the foliage could be seen countless fire-flies; but not even the
rustling of the leaves broke the stillness, and it did not require any
very great stretch of the imagination to fancy that the enemy were
lurking close at hand awaiting an opportunity to spring upon them.
Once a rat-like tuza ran past within a few inches of Teddy's feet, and
as the boy leaped up in affright, fancying the vengeful Indians had
discovered him, it was with difficulty he repressed a cry of alarm.
With so many horrible things to think of it was a decided relief when
Poyor came gliding noiselessly back to announce that the journey could
be continued, and once more the little party picked their way over
fallen and decaying timber, or through thickets where thorns tore both
clothing and flesh.
After a time they reached ascending ground, showing that they were on
the foot hills of the range, and the advance became more laborious,
until, shortly before sunrise, Neal declared that he could go no
farther.
"We must stop," he whispered to Poyor. "I have held out as long as
possible, and could not keep on half a mile more if the enemy were in
close pursuit."
The Indian nodded his head to signify that the halt should be made, and
a few moments later he turned aside into a small ravine or cut on the
side of the hill.
Here he threw down his burden, and the boys followed the example, paying
no attention to the advantages or disadvantages of the spot as a refuge
during the day which was so near at hand.
Lying at full length on the ground, heeding not that deadly reptiles
might be close at hand, Neal and Teddy fell asleep almost immediately,
and Poyor proposed that Cummings should also seek repose.
"I will watch," he said, "and when the sun rises we can decide whether
it is safe to stay here."
Although the white man was weary he would not admit that the Indian
could bear more fatigue, and insisted on keeping awake until it was
learned if they should be warranted in remaining.
In perfect silence the two stood guard over the sleeping boys, and when
the morning came the important question was soon settled.
The place of refuge to which chance had brought them was admirable both
for purposes of defense and for hiding. It was a deep, narrow cut
extending thirty feet into what appeared to be a mass of sandstone, and
at the entrance was not more than ten feet wide, while over the top the
foliage grew so luxuriantly as to completely conceal them from the view
of any one who might be above.
In front the trees were small, and it was possible to see forty or fifty
yards down the side of the hill, therefore the enemy could not approach
unobserved save from the top.
"It is good," Poyor said approvingly. "We can remain here until night."
"But why have we not met the sentinels which you believe to be so
numerous?"
"They are further on. At the end of the next march we shall be in their
midst."
"And then comes the most difficult portion of our journey. But we won't
search for trouble," Cummings added after a short pause. "Let us have
breakfast, and then one shall stand guard while the others sleep."
Poyor unpacked the provisions, awakened Neal and Teddy, and with a view
before them which, under other circumstances, would have called forth
expressions of the most lively admiration, the little party made a
hearty meal.