THE PURSUIT.
"Now for it," cried Canaris. "Don't be scared. In two minutes we'll be
out of reach of these fiends."
His appearance belied his words, for he was trembling with fright. The
rope about Melton's legs had not been loosened, and he was instantly
lowered on the other side. In less time than it takes to tell, Guy and
Canaris had joined him, and all three felt the solid earth beneath their
feet again.
The situation was now extremely critical. The tomtom still rang out from
the palace, and the drums were beating in the watch-towers, though their
volume of sound could be heard but faintly above the constantly
increasing roar of the maddened people.
The fugitives had scaled the wall at a point on the western side of the
city very close to the southern angle; the western gate was still more
remote, and from these gates the pursuit must come.
That it would come quickly no one could doubt, for the rabble of Somalis
who had led the chase through the market-place had by this time reached
the gates with the tidings of the fugitives' escape over the wall.
Canaris took a bag and a rifle and Guy followed his example.
Not a second of time was lost, but, turning to the southwest, they
dashed down the long, slanting hill toward the valley that opened clear
and distinct at their feet. Their ears rang with the horrid din and
turmoil, and this spurred them on to greater efforts as they plunged
forward with great strides.
At the angle of the wall stood a watch-tower, and from this coign of
vantage the guards saw the fleeing fugitives, outlined by the
treacherous moonlight.
Crack! crack! crack! rang their rifles, and the bullets whistled keenly
through the air, but the flying figures went straight on and speedily
vanished over the crest of the hill.
The valley beneath the town was skimmed across, and then, scaling a low
stone wall, they plunged into the shadow of a big plantation and ran on
between rows of limes and coffee trees.
Guy feared that the Arabs who owned these orchards would join in the
pursuit, but Canaris assured him that there was little danger of that.
An uproar in the town, he declared, was always the signal for the
dwellers outside the walls to shut themselves in their houses.
A danger from another source, however, threatened them, for with a
furious growl a great dog came bounding on behind, and by his loud
outcry made the location of the fugitives very plain to their enemies.
The brute persistently followed them up, snapping at their heels, and
baying loudly. No stones could be found, and to use firearms would only
make matters worse. On the farther side of the plantation, however, the
dog stopped and uttered a long-drawn howl that was caught up in echoes
across the valley.
"I'm giving out," cried Melton faintly. "You'll have to leave me."
Canaris turned on him fiercely.
"Do you hear the mad fiends howling behind us? They are scattering over
the country, and if we are caught, good by," and he whipped his hand
across his throat. "You must keep up, only half a mile more, and I'll
hide you so securely that the fiends can never find us."
"Year hear?" added Guy. "Only half a mile more, Melton, and then rest."
But all this encouragement was of little use. Forbes was suffering now
from the reaction, and his strength was almost gone. A sound of shouting
suddenly rose from the valley, and taking Melton by the arms they fairly
dragged him along.
A hill now loomed up before them, and clutching stones and limbs of
trees they made their way painfully to the summit.
Looking toward the town they could see torches moving to and fro across
the valley, and twinkling through the leafy avenues of the plantation.
Their old enemy, the dog, began to howl again, but a rifle-shot speedily
cut his career short.
As they hastened down the western slope of the hill the sound of water
broke on their hearing, and then the stream came in view, a swift and
narrow torrent brawling over rocks and ledges.
Guy ran ahead, and filling his helmet, offered it to Melton, who drank
deeply.
"I feel like a new man," he cried; "that was splendid."
Canaris now led them down the stream for some distance until a shallow
place permitted them to wade across. The valley had become a gorge. The
sloping hills gave way to great frowning masses of rock so high and so
close that no moonlight pierced the shadows. Finally the Greek stopped
and pointed above his head.
"We must climb the rocks," he said. "Are you equal to it?"
Melton looked dubiously at the steep side of the gorge, but before he
could reply Canaris started up, and he had no alternative but to follow.
Guy came close behind to catch his friend if he should give out.
The ascent, however, was not so bad as it looked. Canaris picked his
way with great skill, winding along the face of the cliff in a zigzag
manner. Had it been daylight dizziness would have caused them to lose
their heads, for the gulf below grew deeper every moment, and at places
the path was but a foot wide.
At length Canaris climbed over a big rock that barred the way, and then
assisted Melton and Guy to the top.
"Here we are," he said cheerily, "and just as safe as though we were in
the Acropolis at Athens."
They stood on a small plateau, protected by a low parapet of jagged
rocks that extended in a half circle. The top of the cliff was close
over their heads, and behind them was a natural grotto scooped concavely
out of the solid rock. It was a perfect hiding place and a splendid
point of defense in case of an attack.
Melton dropped feebly on the stone floor, and Guy and the Greek sat down
against the parapet. Reaction had come to all of them. Now they were
really safe, the terror and excitement of the flight was visible on
their faces. Their clothes were soaking wet, and the perspiration rolled
down their cheeks.
"Look," exclaimed Canaris, leaning over the parapet, "look down there!"
He pointed into the gorge, and Guy, glancing down, saw torches flaring
against the rocky walls, revealing in their glow dark, swiftly-moving
figures, and weird shadows dancing on the waters of the torrent.
Canaris observed Guy's expression of alarm, for he said calmly: "Don't
fear. We are perfectly safe; try and sleep some; you need rest badly."
Canaris stretched himself out flat, and, after making sure that Melton
was sleeping--for the poor fellow's weariness was greater than the pain
of the wound--Guy, too, lay down on the hard rock, and fell instantly
asleep.
Dawn had been very near when they reached their hiding place. Through
the early hours of the morning they slept on, heedless of the loud
cries, the sounds of anger and wrath that floated up from the shadows of
the gorge, and when the sun was past its meridian, Guy awoke. Canaris
stretched himself and sat up at the same time.
Their first thought was of Melton. He was still sleeping, but it was a
restless, uneasy slumber, for he tossed about and moaned.
The heat was now very great, and they suffered terribly from thirst. Far
below they could hear the water rushing over its stony bed, and the
sound was maddening.
Even had one dared to attempt that perilous descent in the broad light
of day, there would have been danger from another source, for all that
afternoon Somalis and Arabs in large and small parties passed up and
down the gorge, even scanning at times the rocky sides of the cliff, but
never for a moment suspecting the close proximity of those they sought.
At last Melton awoke. He was weak and feverish. His wound had opened,
and his clothes were heavy with stiffened blood. He complained bitterly
of thirst, and talked at times in a rambling, excited manner.
"He's in a bad way," said the Greek. "We must leave here as soon as
night comes, and as he is too ill to walk, he must be carried."
"What do you propose to do?" asked Guy.
"Well," rejoined Canaris, "we shall travel only at night. If all goes
well, we will be fifty miles distant in four or five days, and on the
fifth night we shall reach our journey's end."
"Our journey's end?" queried Guy.
"Yes; of our land-journey at least, for we shall then be at the entrance
to the underground river."