THE CANNIBALS.
THE first intimation of his brother's escape from confinement reached
Captain Bramble through the letter which we have already given to the
reader. His rage knew no bounds; he saw at once that he was foiled
completely, that he could do nothing towards his arrest, even, without
casting such dishonor upon his own name as would publicly disgrace him
for all time to come. In vain were all his efforts to discover the
guilty assistants or assistant of the prisoner, as it was not known at
what hour he escaped. Even the three sentinels on duty at the time could
not be identified, though Leonard Hust's friend, Bill, did more than
suspect that some trick had been played upon him during his watch; but
he could say nothing about the matter without making such a case of
self-crimination as to ensure punishment, and that, too, of the most
sanguinary character. Leonard Hust knew this, and feared him not.
There was another party sadly disappointed in this state of affairs, one
who only assumed sufficient importance to be noticed when her services
were needed, but she nevertheless felt and suffered, probably, as much
as any one of our characters. We refer to Maud Leonardo. She had found
lodgings in an obscure residence in the town during the course of the
trial, and had resolved to remain until the sentence was given (of the
result of which no one doubted), and even until the detail of that
sentence should be executed, which she had already, learned would
doubtless be death by hanging at the yard-arm of the ship in which he
was confined. Poor girl! it was sad to think that she could gloat over
this anticipated result--such was the power of her revenge.
But in the same ratio to the intensity of her secret satisfaction at the
hoped-for execution of Captain Will Ratlin, whom she had once loved, but
now so bitterly hated, was her disappointment, vexation, and
uncontrollable anger, at the idea of his escape, of which she was one of
the first to learn.
Captain Robert Bramble, though he did not attempt to find his brother,
would hardly have believed that he would remain openly in town, and at
the mission-house; but Maud reasoned more truly. It was the first
thought that entered her head that he had probably gone thither to be
near and with Helen Huntington, and thither she stealthily crept, and
watched until she saw him, and thus satisfied herself. Knowing nothing
of the discovery that had been made, she hastened to give information to
Captain Bramble, supposing that he would take steps for his immediate
arrest; but in this she was disappointed.
She could not understand the apathy which seemed to have come over the
English officer who so lately had thirsted for the young commander's
blood, and she went away from him amazed and dejected. In vain, thus
far, had her attempts resulted as to sacrificing him whom she so
bitterly despised. She had trusted to others thus far--this she said to
herself, as she mused at the fruitless attempts she had been engaged
in--now she would trust to herself. But how to do it she hardly knew.
When he was under her father's roof, and she unsuspected of hostility to
him, it would have been an easy matter, with her knowledge of poisons,
to have sacrificed his life; but now it was not so very easy for her to
find an opportunity for any sort of approach to him. But this seemed her
last and only resource of vengeance, and she cared to live only to
consummate it.
Actually afraid to bring his brother again to trial, for fear of a
personal exposure, Captain Robert Bramble was now in a quandary; he was
looked to by the court for a conclusion of the suit he had brought, and
was now so situated that he found it necessary to screen that brother
whom he so bitterly disliked, from the cognizance of the authorities.
Indeed, he became nervous lest the exposure should become public in
spite of his efforts at concealing the singular facts. All this, of
course, tended to the safety of his brother Charles, who had rightly
anticipated this state of affairs in relation to the part that Robert
must needs enact; he therefore felt perfectly safe in awaiting an
opportunity for shipment to England in the first vessel bound thither,
and it was at once agreed between Mrs. Huntington, Helen and himself,
that they would go together. The period of the return of Captain
Bramble's ship to England was fast approaching, and passage had been
offered to Helen and her mother therein; but Helen had promptly declined
it, and induced her mother to do so also, though it required some
persuasion to bring this result about.
Charles Bramble, of course, kept within doors at Sierra Leone, and did
not, by exposing his person, provoke arrest. He was reading aloud to
Helen a few days subsequent to his escape from his brother's ship, when
the door of the room was stealthily opened, and a person stepped in.
"Well, Leonard Hust," said Charles Bramble, "what has brought yon here
so clothed in mystery? Art well, my good fellow?"
"Yes, very well, master Charles; but I come to tell you that you must
get away from this place, for a few days at least. It is not safe for
you."
"What is in the wind, Leonard, now? Have the court scented me out?"
"Yes, mister Charles, and your brother Robert has agreed to deliver you
up!"
"Has he?" added Charles Bramble, musing. "I did not expect that."
"Yes, sir; and I thought I would just slip over here and advise you to
get off as quick as possible, for the officers will be over here in an
hour or so."
"Thank you, Leonard. What is that protruding from your pocket?"
"Pistols, sir."
"Very good, Leonard, I will borrow them."
"They are yours, sir, with all my heart."
"Are they loaded, Leonard?"
"With two slugs each, sir, and as true as a compass."
These formidable preparations startled Helen, who looked beseechingly
towards him whom she loved better than her own life. She came and placed
a hand timidly upon his shoulder, and looked into his face with all the
wealth of her heart expressed in her eyes, as she said:
"Pray, pray, Charles, be cautious, be prudent for my sake, will you
not?"
"I will, dearest," he whispered, as he leaned forward and pressed his
lips to her pure white forehead. "We shall not long be separated--I feel
that we shall not."
Leonard Hust, who had befriended the younger brother while the two were
under the parental roof, still clung to the interest of Charles Bramble.
He had already procured for him a guide--a negro runner--who knew the
coast perfectly, and with him for a companion, and a small pack of
provisions, and well armed, Charles Bramble determined to make his way
by land back to Don Leonardo's factory on the southern coast. In so
doing, he would be able not only to elude all pursuit, but would also be
able to further his own pecuniary interest by settling up his affairs
with Don Leonardo, and arranging matters as to the property that had
been entrusted to him by the owners of the "Sea Witch."
Charles Bramble awaited impatiently the coming of the guide, until
indeed he was afraid that longer delay would expose him to the arrest
which he so much desired to avoid, and then telling Leonard that he
would hasten forward to the outskirts of the town, where he would await
the guide. Leonard Hust promised to bring him directly, and thus they
parted; the younger brother, hastening towards the jungle at the
environs of Sierra Leone, at length reached the designated spot, where
he quietly awaited the arrival of his guide. It was quite dark before
the expected individual came; but at length he did arrive, and thrusting
a note into the hands of the impatient refugee, waited for orders.
Charles opened the paper and read in a rough school-boy hand, that he,
Leonard Hast, had intended to come to see him off, but that he could
not, and that the bearer was a faithful guide, somewhat eccentric, but
reliable.
Charles Bramble looked carefully for a few moments at the companion of
his long and dangerous journey. He saw before him the person of a negro,
slender, agile, rather below the usual height, and clothed after the
style of the settlers, in pants and jacket, but with a red handkerchief
bound upon the head. In a coarse, leathern belt, the negro wore a short
double-edged knife and a pistol, while in his hand he held a short,
sharp spear, which served for staff and weapon both, and was designed
more particularly for defence against the wild animals that infested the
jungle in all directions.
The guide was painted in the face after fantastic style often adopted by
the shore tribes in Africa, in alternate lines of red and yellow and
white, so as to give a most strange and inhuman expression to the
countenance. But Charles Bramble was familiar with these tricks of the
race, and saluting the guide kindly told him his plans, and asked if he
could guide him on the route. Being assured in the affirmative, he felt
satisfied, and the two, by the light of the moon, which was now creeping
up in the heavens, commenced their journey, intending, after passing a
few leagues, to make up their camp, light their fires to keep off the
wild animals, and sleep.
The resting-place was at last found, and after the usual arrangements
had been completed, and a circle of fire built around them, the two lay
down to sleep. Fatigue soon closed the eyes of our young adventurer, and
he slept soundly, how long he knew not; but after a while he was
awakened by the breaking of some decayed branches near him, and
partially opened his eyes, half asleep, half conscious, when to his
utter amazement he beheld, or fancied he beheld, a dozen pairs of
glistening eyes peering at him from out the jungle. He did not stir, but
feigning to be still asleep, he cautiously watched to see what all this
meant. They surely did not belong to wild animals--those eyes!
He partially turned without moving his body to ascertain if the guide
was still by him, but found that he was gone. There was treachery
somewhere--there was danger about him--this he seemed to feel
instinctively, but still, feigning sleep, he almost held his breath to
listen. He soon learned by his sense of clearing that there were some
half dozen or more of negroes near to him, and that he was the subject
of their conversation. He could even detect his guide's voice among the
rest, though the conversation was carried on scarcely above a whisper.
He had on a previous voyage taken much pains to familiarize himself with
the language spoken by the shore tribes in the south, and he now had
little difficulty in understanding a considerable portion of the remarks
which were making by the gang who were secreted in the jungle so near to
where he was lying, while he pretended sleep.
He soon learned that his guide was followed by a half dozen or more of
negroes, who had lately visited Sierra Leone on some business of their
own, and who, in common with the guide, belonged to a fierce and warlike
tribe, whose chief village was but a few leagues from Don Leonardo's
factory. At first it was difficult to make out the actual purport of
their scheme, though Charles Bramble could guess what he did not hear,
and was satisfied that the cannibals intended to lead him, apparently in
good faith, to the neighborhood of their village, where he was to be
seized, sacrificed to some deity of these poor ignorant creatures'
manufacture, and afterwards be eaten in council with great ceremony. All
this he could distinctly make out, and certainly it was anything but
agreeable to him. But Charles Bramble knew the race he had to deal with;
he fully understood the fact that one after white man with his wits
about him was equal to cope with a dozen of them at any time, and he
felt prepared.
He gathered at once that it was their intention to guide him safely
until near their own village, where they would seize upon him, and from
that moment make him a prisoner. Meanwhile none but his guide was to be
seen by the traveller, so it was agreed, and he was to receive care and
kind attention until the time appointed. Knowing all this, of course he
was prepared for it, and now saw that for the present and the few coming
days, he need have no alarm, and beyond that he must trust to his ready
wit, personal prowess, and the indomitable courage which was natural to
him. It may seem strange, but reasoning thus, he soon fell to sleep
again in good earnest.
The next morning, he met his guide with frankness, and the best of
feeling seemed to prevail day after day, until suddenly one evening
before night had fairly set in, and the day before he had anticipated
any such attempt, the negroes suddenly fell upon him, and pinned his
arms, and otherwise disabled him, so that he was completely at their
mercy. Already they had arrived at the environs of their village, and
into it they bore him in great triumph. Council was at once held, and it
was resolved that on the morrow the prisoner should be sacrificed, and
cooked, and eaten! This was anything but agreeable to our adventurer,
but he did not despair. Thrusting his hand into his pack, he discovered
an almanac that he had brought with him from Cuba.
Turning over the hieroglyphics and singular figures, to the wonder and
amusement of the negroes, he saw that on the morrow an eclipse of the
sun would take place, and he immediately resolved to turn the fact to
good account. He summoned the chief of the tribe and told him to his no
small amazement, in his own tongue, that to-morrow, the Great Spirit
that ruled the sun would put a veil over it in displeasure at the
detention of his white child by them, but that as soon as they should
loose his feet and arms, and set him free, the veil would be removed.
Amazed at such an assertion, the chief consulted among his brethren, and
it was agreed that if the white man's story proved true, then he should
be released.
At the hour appointed on the following day, the negroes were surprised
and terrified to see the gradual and almost total eclipse of the sun,
and attributed it to the Great Spirit's displeasure because of their
detention of the white prisoner, as he had foretold. They hastened to
loose his arms and to set him on his way rejoicing. They even bore him
on their shoulders for leagues in a sort of triumphal march, and did not
permit him to walk until they had brought him safely and deposited him
with his arms and pack before the doors of Don Leonardo!