Andy was not the only one who felt as if an unkind fortune had dealt
the crowning blow in a series of disasters, and that it would be
useless to struggle longer against such overwhelming odds.
It is true the little party were armed, after a certain fashion, and
could act on the defensive for a short time in a creditable manner;
but the supply of ammunition was woefully small, and when the last
cartridge should have been fired they had only two knives and two
hatchets with which to hold their own against a party of perhaps forty.
To each one these thoughts came much as if they had been presented
for consideration, and, after five minutes or more had been spent
in mournful reflections, Jenkins said, with a feeble attempt at
cheerfulness:
“It’s worse than foolish for us to sit here moonin’ over what we’ve got
to meet like men. It’ll be strange if we can’t hold our own against
such a crowd as is on this island; but we sha’n’t make any headway by
suckin’ our thumbs.”
“You are the leader, and we are waiting to hear what you propose
doing,” Gil replied, forcing himself to speak firmly and even
carelessly, because of the effect he knew his words would have upon the
others.
“That’s what I haven’t had time to decide on,” Jenkins said,
deliberately. “Suppose we try to cook up some plan between us? What is
your opinion, Andy?”
The old darky shook his head, but made no reply. He was without hope,
and could do no more than clutch the charm which was covered by his
shirt; but even his faith in this seemed to have been shaken by the
news that the main body of the enemy had returned to the island.
Jenkins waited a few seconds for some one to speak, and, as all
remained silent, he said, in a thoughtful tone:
“It stands to reason we’ve only got to hold our own a few days at the
outside, for the captain is bound to be back before long, and then all
the trouble will be at an end. It is now so near night that I reckon
we can count on bein’ left alone till mornin’, an’, with so much time
before us, we ought to be able to make considerable headway takin’ care
of ourselves. The first thing is to find a hidin’-place, an’ Andy knows
more about this island than any one else, so he must attend to that
portion of the work.”
“It can’t be did,” the old fellow said, in a whisper. “Dem brack
debbils done gone know ebbry spot on dis yere islan’ whar a skeeter
could poke his nose, an’ dey’s boun’ to hab us out ’fore ter-morrer
mornin’.”
“That remains to be seen,” Gil replied. “It is certain they’ll get hold
of us if we sit here doing nothing, but it must be possible to hide
during the short time father will be gone.”
“You are right, Gil, an’ if we don’t lose our pluck, things is sure
to come out all right,” Jenkins said, approvingly. “It won’t do to
trust to the shelter of the trees, for those fellows can track us down;
so I go in for hittin’ on some spot where we can hold out against them
till the captain comes.”
“Yes, but where’ll we find such a place?” Nelse asked.
“That is what we must hunt for, an’ there’s no time to lose, because
it’ll soon be too dark to travel around much.”
Jenkins looked toward Andy as he spoke, but the old darky did not so
much as move an eyelid. He acted as if all hope had fled, and he was
trying to resign himself to the inevitable.
“I should think it would be a good idea to hunt around for food before
we go into hiding,” Nelse said, after a pause. “We may be obliged to
keep under cover quite a while, and, according to the experience I have
had on this island, it isn’t always convenient to go whenever a fellow
feels so disposed.”
“You are right, my boy, and I’ll hunt for a hiding-place if the rest
will act on your suggestion. We can meet here any time between now an’
sunset, so there’ll be no danger of losing each other. Andy, show them
where the shell fish can be found easiest.”
The cook, who had thrown himself on the ground as if in such despair
that his legs could no longer be depended upon to do their duty, rose
slowly and silently, which was sufficient intimation that he would so
far oblige, however unnecessary he might think it to provide for a
party who were doomed to death.
“Bring in everything eatable you can find,” Jenkins said, and then
started through the underbrush to perform his portion of the work.
Gil was forced to speak quite sharply to Andy before the latter would
lead the way toward the beach, but after the old fellow once started he
did his best to procure the provisions in the shortest possible space
of time.
When the party left the shelter of the trees, and walked cautiously
out on the sands, where the gentle swell of the sea was rolling up in
tinkling measures, not a sign of the enemy could be seen. It was as if
they were alone on the island, and, while this apparent security caused
the others to feel considerably more confident than at any time since
it had been discovered the boat was stolen, it filled Andy with the
gravest apprehensions.
“I’se done been hyar afore,” he said, with a solemn shake of the head,
“an’ I tell yer, honey, we’se gwine ter hab a power ob trubble.”
“There don’t seem to be any signs of it around here,” Nelse replied,
with a laugh.
“Dat’s kase yer don’t know wha’ kin’ ob folks dese yere imps be, honey.
Dey’s layin’ low like now; but look out fur ’em, look out, I say, an’
don’ trus’ de snake jes’ kase he ain’ in de humor fur bitin’. Dey’s
done got dere eyes on us now, an’ when de right time comes we’se gwine
to fin’ it out.”
“If they don’t do any more than keep their eyes on us for the next hour
we shall stand a good chance of laying in a stock of provisions, for
the oysters appear to be plentiful on this part of the beach.”
Andy contented himself with simply shaking his head, as if to say he
could tell a great deal more if he felt disposed, and then all hands
began industriously gathering the shell fish, which were to be seen
just above the low water mark in enormous beds.
It was hard work to detach them from the seaweed and rocks, but the
little party were literally laboring for life, and before an hour had
passed a heavy load for each member was secured.
“There’s no need of taking more than we can lug comfortably,” Gil
said, when the tide had covered the largest beds, “and now comes the
question of how they may be carried to the place where we agreed to
meet Jenkins.”
“I reckon my mate an’ me can rig up somethin’ that’ll answer for
baskets,” one of the sailors replied, as he began gathering a quantity
of vines, and in this labor Andy assisted without being especially
requested so to do.
Under the skillful fingers of the three men the vines soon assumed
shape, and the sun was yet above the horizon when five rude receptacles
had been woven.
After these were filled with oysters it was found that each one had as
much of a load as could comfortably be carried on his back, and, laden
heavily, all hands started for the rendezvous, arriving there just as
the mate returned, looking tired and disappointed.
“We’ve done our portion of the work,” Gil said, cheerily, “and what
have you accomplished?”
“Nothin’, so far as a hidin’-place is concerned. It won’t do to go so
far into the interior of the island that we stand a chance of gettin’
lost while tryin’ to find our way back to the beach, an’ I can’t find a
spot where anything bigger than a rabbit could hide himself this side
of the cave.”
“Did you see anything of the blacks?”
“Yes, the whole crowd are near the entrance, an’ from the appearance of
things they have got over the scare we gave ’em.”
“How many are there?”
“Thirty at the lowest calculation, without countin’ them as were hidin’
in the cave. All hands are loafin’ around the entrance, as if not
carin’ whether we saw them or not, an’ I reckon they’ve sized us up
mighty nigh right.”
“But what are we to do to-night?” Nelse asked, his voice betraying the
uneasiness he felt.
“There is only one plan I can think of, which is to get into the tunnel
we found.”
“Why, that would be putting ourselves directly in their power!” Nelse
cried, and Andy looked at Jenkins as if fancying the mate had suddenly
lost his reason.
“When it comes to dots, we are in their power already, and without
much chance to defend ourselves, if they should surround us in this
thick underbrush. There we could hold our own for a while, at any rate,
because not more than one could attack us at a time, an’ our revolvers
would keep ’em back a good many hours.”
The boys immediately recognized the force of the argument, as did both
the sailors, but Andy was literally beside himself with impatience
because such a scheme had been proposed.
“I’se done gone got enuff ob dis yere crowd,” he said, angrily. “When
you cotch de old man runnin’ his nose inter de hornet’s nes’ jes’ tell
him he’s makin’ a mighty big fool outer hisself. We’se bad enuff hyar
widout makin’ it wuss.”
“But, Andy, it really seems to be the best thing we can do,” Gil said,
persuasively. “It is as Mr. Jenkins says--we shall at least have a
chance of defending ourselves there, and it’s only necessary to hold
out until father gets back before the trouble will be at an end. Then
we can show these scoundrels a trick or two at hunting which perhaps
they won’t appreciate so well.”
“I ’preciate dis yere scrape, an’ ain’ gwine ter put my nose in any
mo’,” the old fellow replied, doggedly. “Ef you is boun’ dar, go ahead,
an’ Andy’ll kinder grub ’roun’ fur hisself.”
“But we mustn’t separate, you obstinate old man! Can’t you see that
there’s a chance, with all this food, of holding our own a good many
hours?”
“Whar’s de water? Bymby somebody’s gwine ter want er drink, an’ den
whar’ll de debbils be?”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Gil exclaimed, in dismay, and Jenkins
added, quickly:
“We must try to lay in a stock to-night. I’ll run the risk of snoopin’
round a bit after dark, an’ it’ll be hard lines if I can’t bring in a
little. At any rate, it’s better to be in the tunnel, where we’ve got a
show for our lives, an’ be thirsty, than stay out here where all hands
can be surrounded by daylight. If Andy won’t go with us I don’t see any
other way than let him paddle his own canoe.”
The sailors decided in favor of the mate, and Gil and Nelse could do
no less than agree with the more experienced and less timid portion of
the party.
“We’ll go to the tunnel,” Gil decided, after a pause, “and if Andy
wants to stay outside it can’t be helped.”
“I’se gwine ter look arter myself,” the cook replied, doggedly, and,
without further conversation, he disappeared among the underbrush.