"In a little while the sun will be down," said Mr Pepson, as he
sprawled on the deck of the steam launch that evening. "Then it will be
dark in half an hour or less, and we shall have to think of setting a
watch. Meinheer will take the first one. From seven to nine, Meinheer.
Dick will follow from that hour till midnight, and I shall take the
watch from the first moment of the new day till the light comes. That
will be about three o'clock. Now let us get our supper."
All day they had been steaming without adventure and without
interruption up the broad sweep of the river Pra, seeing nothing to
alarm them, and meeting with no difficulties. So far they had had
plenty of water beneath their keels, and an ample space through which to
steer. But there were signs that the river was narrowing, while all
felt as if the forest was hemming them in.
"Zis is noding do whad we shall have soon," the Dutchman said, with a
wave of his arm. "Zis forest--I have been for some miles into him
before, mine friends--sdredches for a long, long way. Id is tick, too.
See how ze drees shood up close togeder. And watch below. Ze creepers
are everywhere. Id would dake a day do cud a new road a mile long.
Yes. Id is dense. Bud we shall have no drouble. Ze river dakes us do
ze mine."
"For which I am only too thankful," added Mr Pepson. "Our journey
should occupy but three days, or at the most four. If we had to march
through the forest we should have to take an army of Fanti labourers to
cut a road. And then think of the fever."
"And of the machinery, too," exclaimed Dick.
"Yes, that is another point," agreed Mr Pepson. "This country has been
noted for its gold for many years. The Ashantis have carried on a trade
since they became a nation, and there is no doubt that there are vast
natural stores. You may ask, why have others not attempted to open
mines before this? They have done so. The beach at Elmina and at Cape
Coast Castle is strewn with rusting machinery, which has been landed
with a purpose, and then left to rot and rust simply because of the
difficulty of transport, and because of this forest. Luckily for us our
mine is near the river. But here's supper. Sit down, Van Somering."
It was delightful to be out there in the open, even though the air
hummed with myriads of mosquitoes. The launch and her three consorts
lay moored out in the stream some hundred yards or less from the left
bank of the river. About them, but for the buzz of the insects and the
ripple of the water, all was still and silent. Not a beast seemed to be
stirring, while even aboard the boats all had settled down to rest.
Johnnie, the stoker and driver, sat in the engine-well wiping his black
hands after an inspection of the machinery, while the Fanti crew lay
curled up in the bottom of the boats, two in each one, content with the
world, waiting quietly for their evening meal. And now it was ready.
With a broad grin Johnnie announced that the water boiled, while Dick,
who had been superintending a dish of bacon which he had placed at the
furnace door, sang out that it was done to a turn.
"Then I will make the coffee," cried Mr Pepson. "Meinheer, see that
the cloth is laid; and, Dick, steady with the bacon. We will start fair
together."
The cloth consisted of a sheet of newspaper, a very ancient London
daily, which the Dutchman spread out on the deck. Plates were of
enamelled iron--the class of ware to stand half a dozen campaigns--while
mugs were of the same hardy material, and were apt to be used for soup
or coffee, water or good wine, just as circumstances dictated. It was
all very jolly. This _al fresco_ picnic delighted Dick, and he set-to
at the meal with gusto, apologising for his appetite.
"Id is goot! Id will make you grow sdoud, mine friend," grunted
Meinheer, in the midst of consuming a rasher. "Id will make you grow so
big zad ze natives will zink you a gread man. See how zey dread me,
Meinheer Van Somering!"
He looked down at his ample proportions with evident satisfaction, and
then completed his attack upon the rasher.
"Do-nighd all will be quied, mine friends," he went on. "I shall be on
guard, and zese natives will not come. Perhaps lader zey will ask who
we are. I will speak wiz zem. There will be no difficulty. Anozer
rasher, Meinheer Dick."
They ate till they were satisfied, for there was no reason to be careful
with the rations, as they had an ample supply. The repast was ended
with a second cup of steaming coffee, when the burly Dutchman produced a
pipe of dimensions as ample as his own, and with a bowl which took quite
a quantity of tobacco to fill it. Mr Pepson lighted up a cigar, while
Dick produced a briar pipe. Then for some minutes there was silence
between them, while the darkness deepened, and the cigar and the pipes
shone redder and redder.
At length it was dark, so dark on the surface of the river that nothing
was visible, and Dick could hardly see the figures of his comrades. But
that was only for a little while. Soon a big pale, African moon got up,
and, riding clear of the jungle, flooded the course of the river, the
left bank near which the boats lay, and the tree-tops and jungle along
that side. On the far bank all was densely dark, and no eye could
penetrate the deep shadow which cloaked the dark and forbidding forest
which stretched unbroken beside the Pra.
"Bed!" called out Mr Pepson, indulging in a yawn. "Meinheer, yours is
the first watch. Wake Dick at nine. Good-night."
"Good nighd, mine friends. Sleeb well, for I shall protect you."
The Dutchman went aft to the tiny cabin, and fetched his rifle and a bag
of cartridges. Then he seated himself upon the roof of the saloon, the
rifle across his knees, and his pipe held firmly between his teeth.
Dick, too, was tired. It had been a long and interesting day, and he
had watched the passing banks of the river till his eyes ached. Now he
felt drowsy. He got up from the deck, stretched his arms and yawned,
and then went off to the bows. A minute later he was wrapped in his
blanket, which covered him from head to foot, his head was on a bag
containing clothing, while his legs were stretched along the deck. Half
an hour later he was asleep; all aboard, in fact, had turned in for
their rest, save the solitary Dutchman, who still nursed his rifle, and
puffed volumes of smoke from his lips without ceasing.
No wonder that Dick was charmed with this trip up-country. It appealed
with all its force to a young fellow of his age. He revelled in the
strangeness of the scenery, the dense, awe-inspiring forests, and all
the teeming life hidden in their midst, and the silent, slow-flowing
river. That evening, too, he had thought how beautiful it all was, and
how peaceful. He had admired the cold rays of the moon, the sleepy
boats lying beneath it, and the dark figures stretched out beneath the
thwarts. He had listened, too, for a time to the music of the bush,
which came now more loudly to his ear. There was the chatter of a
regiment of monkeys, the call of night birds innumerable, and the
droning hum of the insects. Ever and anon there came a deeper sound, as
if from some beast wandering in search of its meal, while once, as he
awoke and rose on his elbow, he caught sight of a graceful four-footed
animal--a gazelle--tripping gently into the river to drink. After that
he stretched out again, and, lulled by the droning sounds, slept deeply.
"What was that? Ah! that beast again!" he suddenly said in a whisper,
as, some two hours later, he wakened with a start, only to close his
eyes again, for he realised at once that the shriek he had heard was one
which had often disturbed him at Cape Coast Castle--one which proceeded
from the throat of a harmless forest animal.
"Hoot! Hoot! Hoot!"
"An owl now," thought our hero, dreamily. "There it goes again, and
quite close, too. Bother the bird!"
"Hoot! Hoot!"
This time Dick sat up on his elbow, and looked about him vainly for the
bird. "Hoot! Hoot!" It came from his right, and he slowly turned his
head in that direction. Then he did a curious thing. He lay flat of a
sudden, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes vigorously.
"That's rummy!" he murmured beneath his breath. "One of the boats has
disappeared, and the others are moving away, and--what does it all
mean?"
He rolled on to his back, lifted his head cautiously, and stared at the
roof of the cabin. There was the figure of the Dutchman--immovable,
looking fantastically huge, and sprawled out at full length. There was
no pipe now to be seen, no smoke issued from his lips, while the rifle
reposed beside him. Then came a deep, muffled snore. Meinheer Van
Somering was asleep.
"Then there is some one near us," said Dick, swiftly. "Some one is
stealing the boats. I must act with caution."
He had had experience of a midnight marauder before, and he determined
on this occasion not to be so easily beaten. He rose to his knees, and
crawled along the deck till he reached the Dutchman. A moment later he
had the rifle in his hands, and had drawn back the lock. Click! At the
crisp sound some one stirred. A dusky figure stood up on one of the
boats close by, and commenced to pole lustily. Then a second stood
erect, and Dick could hear the splash as his pole fell into the water.
"Stop!" he shouted. "Bring that boat back, or I fire!"
He covered the nearest figure with his weapon, and waited, while his
shout was followed immediately by a scuffling behind him, and by the
almost instant appearance of Mr Pepson. The latter seemed to take in
the position at a glance. His eye detected the boat now so far away,
the two remaining ones being poled by the two dark figures, and the
huge, lumbering body of the Dutchman, still motionless and asleep.
"Shoot," he said, quietly.
Dick lifted the weapon again, sighted for his man, and fired. There was
a loud shriek, and hardly had the echo of the shot died down when a
splash told that the bullet had reached. But our hero was not content.
He stretched for the bag, snatched another cartridge, and, having placed
it in the rifle, covered the second man. However there was no need to
fire, for a second splash told that the miscreant, warned by the fate of
his comrade, had leaped overboard.
"What has happened?" demanded Mr Pepson, sharply, but with no trace of
excitement in his voice. "You were asleep, for it is barely half-past
eight. You found our watchman also asleep, and the boats departing.
Did you see any one else?"
"No one," answered Dick, promptly. "But there must be one other at
least. Look! There is a man poling the far boat."
"And he is too far away for a shot now. I might hit him, but the light
is deceptive."
"Then why not follow sir?" exclaimed Dick. "Johnnie banked the fires,
and in a few minutes there should be steam. That boat won't have a
chance. We shall be up with her before she can get far."
"But not before our goods are stolen. No, we will give chase in one of
the other boats," said Mr Pepson, with decision. "Meinheer, bring the
steamer along at once. Dick and I will follow."
Already he was throwing off the hawser which held the anchor, and, as he
did so, Dick seized a pole. A few strokes took the launch close to the
moving boats which had been so silently set adrift.
"Hold on, Johnnie, and you too, Meinheer," called out Mr Pepson. "Now,
Dick, get aboard with the gun, and I'll follow with another. We'll make
one boat fast and pole the other down."
He ran along the deck of the launch, while Dick leaped into one of the
native craft, two of which remained lashed side by side, and were
floating away together. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. He sprang
back into the launch, seized the bag of cartridges, and satisfying
himself that it was well filled, slung it over his shoulder and again
sprang into the native boat.
"Better get all ready for the pursuit," he said to himself. "I'll set
the two boats free, and toss the end of a rope attached to one to
Meinheer. He can make it fast aft and follow with the boat in tow."
He fell upon the lashings with eagerness, and when Mr Pepson appeared
from the cabin, carrying a rifle, Dick had the two boats separated, and
had tossed a rope attached to one to the Dutchman.
"Catch, Meinheer!" he shouted, for the burly Dutchman, since he had
become fully awake, seemed to be endeavouring to collect his wits. The
report of the rifle had brought him languidly to his feet, and now he
stared at his two comrades in amazement, wholly unable to understand the
need for such bustling, or for so much excitement.
"Bud whad is zis?" he demanded. "Is id ze middle of ze nighd, or--
whad?"
"It means that you've been asleep when you ought to have been keeping
watch," answered Mr Pepson, bluntly. "Some thieves have cut our boats
adrift, and one is being poled away. Don't stare, Meinheer. Take the
rope Dick has thrown and make it fast. Then follow as soon as you have
steam. Johnnie, get that fire to blaze."
He stepped into the native craft and took the pole which Dick offered
him.
"Ready?" asked Dick.
A loud splash was the only answer, as Mr Pepson let his pole fall into
the water. Dick followed suit, and in a little while they were shooting
down the river, which in these parts was sufficiently shallow to allow
of poling.
"Keep her in near the bank, sir," sang out Dick. "It gets deeper out
there, and I've noticed that the fellow who is poling is sometimes
unable to bottom. We are getting nearer already. Can we try a shot?"
"Wait," was the answer. "We have him in any case. He cannot escape us,
and if we only keep him in sight he cannot take our goods. Keep on as
we are till we are certain of a shot. If he tries to make to the
opposite shore, where all is dense shadow, we will drop our poles and
fire together."
Ten minutes later they had overhauled the runaway to some extent, and
when half an hour had passed they judged that they were within easy
distance.
"Try a shot," said Mr Pepson. "Your young eyes are better than mine.
Don't hesitate, my lad. These fellows are rogues and would kill us
without a thought. We must teach them a lesson."
Till that moment our hero would not have thought of hesitating, for he
had felt the excitement of the chase, and he realised that he had to do
with robbers who no doubt would have no scruples in killing him were he
to come upon them. But just then the excitement had lessened somewhat.
They were overhauling the chase without a doubt, and the figure poling
the runaway boat looked so harmless there in the moonlight. Also he
appeared to be unarmed. However, an order was an order, and his duty
was plain. He dropped his pole into the bottom of the boat, picked up
his rifle, and took a careful sight.
"Sight about the middle of his body--no higher," said Mr Pepson. "That
should find a mark."
Crash! The report of the rifle set the jungle ringing, while it
reverberated along the still surface of the river. Then came a shriek,
followed by a shout from the shore. The native who poled the boat
staggered and almost fell. Then he recovered himself, answered the
shout from the shore, and in an instant had swung the boat's head round
in that direction.
"We have him sure enough," cried Mr Pepson, for the first time showing
some trace of excitement. "He is making for the moonlit side, and
cannot escape. At least, the boat and its freight are ours again. Drop
the rifle and take to the pole."
They plunged their long poles into the water and sent the craft dancing
after the other. But quick as they were, the boat in advance seemed to
shoot across the moonlit stretch, and rapidly gained the bank. Again
there was a shout, a dark figure ran out into the river, splashing the
water loudly. Then a second followed, while the native who had been
aboard threw his pole aside and staggered ashore.
"Heavily hit," gasped Mr Pepson, for the exertion of poling was
beginning to tell upon him. "But I was right. We have the boat, and,
after all, what more do we want? Pole easily, Dick, and keep an eye on
those fellows. Ah, they seem to have run for it. We have nothing to
fear from them at least."
They pushed their craft gently into the shallows, till they were almost
beneath the trees. Then, giving one lusty push, Dick stepped over the
side and waded, dragging the boat after him. A minute later both were
ashore, and were inspecting the other craft.
"We were just in time," said Mr Pepson, in tones of the greatest
satisfaction. "Another few minutes and they would have got clear away,
and then good-bye to the expedition, for a time at any rate. Make her
fast, Dick, and keep a watch ashore."
Well was it for both of them that Dick did as he was told. Indeed, from
the moment at which he had leaped into the river and commenced to wade,
his suspicions had kept him alert with his eyes fixed upon the jungle
and bush into which the three dark figures had disappeared. And now he
was to find good cause for his wariness, for, of a sudden, as Mr Pepson
took the rope which was made fast to the bows of the runaway, and
dragged it towards the craft in which they had undertaken the pursuit, a
sharp sound came from the depths of the jungle. It was the snapping of
a dried twig, a crisp and startling noise which caused both to look up
suddenly.
"They are not so far away, I think," said Dick, in a low voice.
"Wouldn't it be better if we moved away, sir? We are in the full blaze
of the moon's rays here, while they are in the shadow. That's how that
robber managed to get away from me down at the coast."
Hardly had the words left his lips when a single shot rang out,
startling the silence, while the flash of the weapon lit up the
immediate surroundings of the bush, and showed a dozen dark figures
perhaps, all in the act of running forward. Dick noticed that in the
twinkling of an eye, and heard also the click of the missile as it
struck a hanging bough some feet in front of him. Then there was a dull
thud, that thud which in the old days of large calibre rifles and heavy
bullets told unmistakably of a hit. A second later a heavy splash and a
sickening gurgle told the young Englishman the horrid truth. His
comrade had been struck and had fallen into the shallow water.
It was a terrifying position, and for a second Dick stood rooted to the
spot with consternation. Then his courage returned, and with the memory
of that glimpse of charging figures which the flash of the rifle had
given him, he stooped, clutched his fallen friend, and staggered to the
boat. Half throwing him into it, he leaned across the thwarts, seized
his rifle, and extracted a cartridge from the bag. He had still a
moment to spare, for the patter of feet and the snap of many a twig told
him that the enemy were not yet quite at hand.
"They are bound to kill us both here in the light," he thought, as the
prominence of their position flashed across his brain. "I'll get into
the shadow."
He had always been noted for his agility, and on this fine night our
hero surpassed himself. Fear gave him strength, or else he could hardly
have lifted his comrade as he had done. And now the same stimulus
seemed to have sharpened his wits. He leaped at the gunwale of the boat
and pushed the craft into deeper water. Then with a parting thrust of
his leg he scrambled aboard, while the boat, impelled by the push he had
given it, shot across the moonlit shadows, and burst its way into the
deep shade of an overhanging tree. Dick clutched a bough and arrested
its further progress. Then leaning his shoulder against the same
friendly limb of the tree, he raised the rifle to his shoulder. There
was a chorus of loud shouts, the splash of many feet, and in a second
ten dusky figures burst into the full light of the moon and rushed
towards the tree which hid their quarry. Not till then did Dick fully
realise his danger. He had imagined till now that his foes were natives
from the river-banks, thieves who had come out to rob the expedition
during the night. But there was one amongst the group charging down
upon him who showed that he was mistaken. There was no chance of his
being in error, for the brilliant moon lit the scene too well, and
showed before him the half-caste James Langdon, who had so recently fled
from the coast, carrying Dick's store of gold with him.
"Then he at least shall suffer now, whatever happens to the others,"
exclaimed our hero. Lifting his weapon again he covered the half-caste,
waited till he felt sure of his aim, and pressed the trigger. Once
again there was a shout, and one of the unfortunate natives who aided
the rascally half-caste, leaped high into the air to fall next instant
with a splash into the water.
"Rush! He is now unarmed! Cut the dog to pieces!" shouted James
Langdon.
There was an ugly gleam in the eyes of the robbers as they heard the
shout, and slight though Dick's knowledge was of the language of these
Fantis, he recognised the meaning of the words. Quick as thought he
threw his weapon down and drew his revolver. They were close to the
tree now, and nothing but the darkness baffled them. But there was
their disadvantage, and Dick made the most of it. Singling out the
foremost he fired full in his face, and then, ere the report died down,
pulled heavily on the bough and dragged himself and the native boat
still farther into the shadow. A second later the weapon spoke again,
and another of the miscreants fell. But still their commander urged
them on.
"Think of the rifles and other goods," he shouted. "There is only one
between you and the prize, and he is only a boy. Rush him! Cut him to
the chin! Stand aside and I will lead you. Now, are all ready?"
He turned to look at his men, and waved a native sword overhead to
encourage them. Then he peered into the dense shadow and was in the
very act of leading a final charge when there was a sudden and
unexpected interruption. A single shot rang out from the river, while
one of the enemy fell on his face in the water and disappeared from
sight.
"Ahoy! Mine friends! Are you zere?" came in the guttural tones of the
Dutchman.
"Fire on them," shouted Dick, levelling his revolver again and sending a
shot into the group. "Fire, Meinheer! Drive them off. Mr Pepson is
badly wounded."
An instant later the nose of the steam launch shot into view, some fifty
yards from the bank, and Dick caught a glimpse between the leaves of the
big tree which sheltered him of the anxious face of Johnnie, peering
from over the engine-well, and of the portly figure of the Dutchman, a
portion of which was hidden by the cabin aft. He stood there prominent
in the rays of the moon, a rifle in his hands, and his short sword
attached to his side. Then, as his eye lit again on the group of
natives, he lifted the weapon, and hardly had the report of Dick's
revolver died down when there was a flash, and the half-caste who had
formerly robbed our hero, and who had now made such an artful attack
upon the boats of the expedition, clapped his hand to his thigh and gave
vent to a loud bellow. Then he turned and fired a shot at the Dutchman,
a shot which flew past in the air, screaming and hissing towards the
opposite bank of the river. But long before it could have reached that
destination the robber had swung round on his heel, and with a shout of
defiance had raced for the shadows. After him Dick sent the remainder
of his magazine, while Meinheer Van Somering, when he had recovered from
the consternation into which the shriek of the shot had thrown him,
followed his example, much to our hero's trepidation, for the bullets
flew on either hand, cutting a shower of leaves from the trees.
"Steady, Meinheer!" he shouted. "You will be hitting us soon. We are
here under the tree. I had to seek shelter from the light, for they
would have picked us off easily. Bring the launch in and I will wade
out to you. I fear that Mr Pepson is seriously hurt."
Leaping overboard he pushed the boat clear of the tree and of the
shadow, and soon had it alongside the launch, for the latter steamed
gently into the shallows. Then the leader of the expedition was lifted
aboard, the two boats were made fast to the stern of the steamer, and
they pushed out into the stream.
"Better make for the far shore," said Dick. "Then we shall not be
treated to long shots."
"Bud zese wicked robbers, Meinheer," gasped the Dutchman. "Shall we led
zem go free? Shall zey escape?"
"We can do nothing more," was Dick's answer, given with decision. "They
are gone long ago. The forest has swallowed those who are alive. Let
them run, Meinheer, and do not trouble any more about them at the
present time. To-morrow, when there is light, we will visit the bank
again and see what has happened to them. For the moment let us look to
Mr Pepson. Now, Johnnie, steer us for the far side, and when you reach
the shadow, come to a stop just inside its edge. Whatever you do, keep
steam up, and have the propeller just moving, so that we shall not be
drifted down-stream. Now we will light the lamp and see to our friend."
Without hesitation he took the lead, now that Mr Pepson was
incapacitated, for he realised in a moment that Meinheer Van Somering
was not to be relied on in such an emergency. Indeed, he had been
struck with amazement at the boldness already displayed by his stout
friend, for who would have expected, knowing him as they did, that he
would have dared to stand there so conspicuously on the deck of the
launch and fire upon the robbers? Meinheer Van Somering had gone up in
Dick's estimation. He had proved that he had some store of courage
after all. But he lacked self-control. At this moment when he should
have been cool and thoughtful, for the danger had passed, he was
tramping the deck from end to end, causing the stout launch to heel to
either side. And every minute he would halt and stare at the forest
which had just been left. At such moments his fist would close round
his rifle, while his finger would feel for the trigger.
"Mein word!" he cried. "Bud zey would have killed us! Zey were robbers
and murderers. Ah! I shod two of zem. Meinheer Dick, you saw me do
id."
"I saw," growled our hero, "but we can talk of that later. Come and
help with the lamp. Put your rifle down and leave the robbers to take
care of themselves. Come, Meinheer, our comrade may be bleeding to
death."
There was a tone of command now in his voice, and at the sound Meinheer
dropped his weapon and came aft. Already Dick had been able to find the
lamp, and just as the Dutchman reached him he struck a match and lit the
wick of the candle.
"Hold the lamp, please," he said. "Higher, so that I can get a good
view. Now, what has happened? I heard the bullet strike heavily. Ah!
Thank heaven! He is alive."
"And zere, I zink, is ze wound. See, Meinheer Dick, zere is blood. Oh,
mine poor friend! How he has been hurd!"
"Higher!" commanded Dick, as the Dutchman, forgetful of his request,
lowered the lamp. "That is right. Keep it there, please, till I have
ripped the coat open. Ah, here is another wound in the head. That will
account for his being insensible."
Together, the Dutchman's tendency to undue excitement arrested by the
coolness displayed by his young companion, they cut the shoulder of the
coat away and inspected the wound. Then they went in search of bandages
and dressings, for the thoughtful Mr Pepson had included a cabinet of
drugs and instruments in the outfit of the expedition. Neither of the
two friends who looked to the wounds had had previous experience, but
common sense helped them, while the lamp allowed them to read the
clearly printed directions contained in the cabinet. They bathed the
wounds in the shoulder and the scalp, and applied the dressings. Then
they put the arm in a sling, and placed it across the wounded man's
chest.
"He is coming to," said Dick, after a while. "We will give him a few
drops of water. Hold his head so, Meinheer. Now I will pour a little
between his lips."
An hour later their friend was conscious again, and was sitting up with
his back leaning against the gunwale.
"I feel dizzy and my head aches dreadfully," he said, with a plucky
smile. "Look in the cabinet, Dick, and you will find something there
which will quiet me. Then perhaps I shall get to sleep and be myself
to-morrow. Never fear, my friends. The wounds are not so serious, for
the gash in my shoulder is merely a flesh wound, and the bone is quite
uninjured. As to the scalp wound, I am a fortunate man. I think that
the bullet must have glanced from a bough, for I heard a sound just
before I was struck. Then it hit my shoulder, and as it flew on just
touched my head, glancing from the bone, and hitting me hard enough to
stun me. By the way, I was standing in the water. I suppose Dick
pulled me out again? That is another debt I owe him."
"You ought to keep quiet," was our hero's answer, as he arrived with a
bottle and a glass in his hand. "Here we are, sir. A teaspoonful in a
little water, and then silence. There, drink it up, and sleep. We will
look to the safety of the boats."
He held the glass to Mr Pepson's lips and watched as he feebly drained
it, for there was little doubt that the leader was sadly injured, and
only his pluck had allowed him to chatter at all. However, he
obediently drank the mixture, and seemed to be glad to settle down on
the rug which the Dutchman produced. Another rug was thrown over him, a
cushion placed under the wounded limb, and the lamp removed from before
his eyes. Dick and Meinheer retired to the far end of the launch and
stood there chatting in whispers, till, in less than half an hour, the
deep breathing of the sufferer told that he was asleep.
All this while the launch, with the boats trailing out behind her, lay
in the dense shadow of the river-bank, her propeller barely moving, so
that she just held her place in the river. Close at hand could be heard
the murmur of the leaves in the forest, the chatter of monkeys, and the
call of night birds, arrested a little while ago by the reports of the
rifles. And on the other side a fine moonlit vista was displayed. The
surface of the river Pra lay spread out in the rays of the pale African
orb, while the water rippled and slid down toward the sea, seeming to be
particularly peaceful on this lovely night. Looking at its shining
surface, and at the wonderful lights and shadows beyond scattered along
the face of the jungle, one almost wondered whether the coming of the
robbers were not after all a dream. Whether murder and theft had, in
fact, been attempted, and whether away on that far shore there actually
lay the dark forms of the attacking natives who had lost their lives in
the bold and dastardly attempt. But there could be no doubt. As Dick
Stapleton stood in his shirt sleeves upon the roof of the tiny cabin,
rifle in hand, and cartridge bag about his sturdy shoulders, his eager
eyes searched every shadow, and followed every line of river and forest
which was illuminated. Suddenly his arm shot out. His figure became
rigid, while his finger pointed across the water.
"There is one of the rascals, at any rate," he said. "He has come to
look to his comrades, and no doubt thinks that we are far away by now.
See, Meinheer, I could pick him off from here as if he were a bird, and
I should be justified. But that's not the sort of game I like to play.
They're beaten. They've had a lesson, and I fancy Master James Langdon
will remember it. As for us, I should say that we have had a very
narrow escape."
There was a grunt of approval and acquiescence from Van Somering, a puff
of smoke proceeded from his lips, and he growled out a reply.
"Mein friend," he said, in condescending tones, "we are conquerors, is
id nod so? Zen zere is no need to kill more of zese men. Led zem go
peacefully while we make ze mosd of ze nighd which remains. Meinheer,
id is near ze hour of midnighd. Your wadch should commence now. I will
sleeb, for I am weary."
He seemed to have forgotten the fact that it was his drowsiness which
had almost brought disaster to the expedition, and that Dick's watch
should have commenced at nine and ended at twelve. With a grunt he
rolled along the deck, leaving our hero in command of the situation.