OUT OF THE TREE.
"What avail is all this?" said Harry; "it is likely the savages have
already heard our conversation. Besides, they will certainly see us,
when we are drawn up out of the top of the trunk."
"It ain't likely they've heard us," said Turk, "as there's sich an
infernal din with the roarin' of the fire here and the volcano above;
but as to their seein' us, I dare say that may happen."
"Throw me the cord--quick!" cried the stranger, "and let me haul you
up here with my precious gold!"
Turk threw the end of the cord.
"You may go first," said Harry to the old tar.
"Not a bit of it, lad!" answered Turk; "I ain't one of that sort, do
ye see! There's no hurry for me. Your life is more valuable than that
of sich an old lubber as your humble servant, Tom Turk."
Harry, however was firm.
He fastened the end of the line quickly under the armpits of the
sailor, and ordered the stranger to haul away.
Assisted by his own efforts and by the pulls from the man above, Turk
soon was drawn through the opening.
Then a savage yell proclaimed that he was seen, and the trick to
effect of his release discovered by the natives.
"Quick, my lad!" shouted Turk, throwing down the line to his friend,
as several spears whizzed round his head.
"Give me my gold!" almost shrieked the stranger, as he snatched the
bag from the old seaman's pocket, and thrust it into his own, "and
stand by to follow me, if you'd escape the natives."
"Jist hold on a minnit!" said Turk, clutching the man by the arm;
"I don't know who you be; whether you be humanized or t'otherwise,
but one thing is sartin, it's playin' us a very scaly trick fur you
a-tryin' to get off, when you know that the life of a feller creatur'
is still to be saved."
"Quick then, quick!" screamed the stranger, "don't you perceive that
the natives are going to fling more spears?"
"They can't hurt ye, if you ain't human," said Turk--then he added,
eyeing the stranger curiously, "if you have what's tarmed a caudal
canpendage, that is a tail, do you see, as all non-human bein's has, I
wish you'd show it, so that I may know whose acquaintance I have the
honor of makin."
"Whiz! whiz! buz-z-z!" came more spears, passing within a few inches
of the speaker's head.
While talking, Turk had not neglected his friend, who by this time had
passed the line round his breast and given the word to haul.
The two pairs of arms soon had him up, when turning, the stranger was
seen running along a branch extending from the burning tree to another.
"There goes either the devil or a spook!" said Turk; "it's the
queerest creatur' I ever saw, thinkin' of its gold under sarcumstances
like the present."
"Follow me, follow me, if you would escape," the man was now heard
screaming out at the top of his voice.
The seamen obeyed, gliding after the figure, which seemed to dart
along with the speed of a squirrel.
Having gained the other tree, the strange guide descended half way,
then, by a drooping branch, swung himself quickly to the ground.
Harry and his friend followed, the twain being pursued by the savages.
Every nook and corner seemed familiar to the leader.
On he went, dashing away with a speed which rapidly widened the
distance between him and his followers.
By powerful efforts, however, the two men continued to keep in sight.
Finally Harry paused. The steps of the savages were heard crashing
along but a short distance behind him.
"Come on!" cried Turk, seizing the other's arm.
"No," answered the latter, "the man is evidently carrying us further
and further from Mary. For my part, I shall endeavor to ascertain the
fate of the girl, if I die for it."
All efforts of his friend to persuade him to keep on proved unavailing.
"Well, one thing is sartin," said the old tar, "where you go, there,
sir, Tom Turk, who never yet deserted a chum, goes too!"
"Thank you," answered Glenville, squeezing the arm of his friend.
Stepping to one side, and crouching in the shrubbery, Turk persuaded
Harry to do the same.
At this time, these two men were concealed from the savages by a high
rock, round the angle of which they had passed.
The natives, when they made the turn, believing that the two had kept
on, continued the pursuit in a straight line, seeing the form of the
strange guide, faintly visible in the far distance.
When the savages had passed, making straight for the burning peak,
Harry and his companion rose.
"Which way now?" inquired Turk.
"Towards the beach. There we may find Mary, either dead or alive, as
there, it would seem, the greater number of the savages are gathered."
Accordingly, they moved toward the beach, cautiously keeping in the
shadow of the shrubbery, when they finally found themselves within
about fifteen feet of a spot occupied by a dozen warriors, all of
whom stood upright, their glances bent upon the steep sides of the
volcanic cliff.
"What is that?" inquired Harry, suddenly, trembling in every limb.
"There are savages speeding up the cliff, and if I mistake not, I
just saw the gleam of a light dress, as if the rascals were bearing a
female between them."
"Ay, ay," said Turk. "I saw it too, and it was sartinly a most
melancholy sight."
"That woman that we saw could of course be none other than Mary
Manton," said Harry. "Come, we will at least die fighting for the
girl."
Before his friend could say a word, he was speeding along toward the
cliff, still keeping in the shadow of the shrubbery, so that the
natives could not see him.
Now he and his companion eventually arrived at the base of the cliff.
The natives in pursuit of the guide had, of course got there before
them, and were now seen speeding up the steep ascent in hot pursuit of
the strange man.
"Come," said Harry; "come!"
As he spoke, he sped straight up the cliff.
"Well," muttered Turk, as he panted for breath, "this is hot work for
sich old timbers as I be. The lad won't give me a chance to breathe.
I may as well make up my mind to go to etarnity, the road to which
is where we are now goin'; so I'll jist make one chaw of this plug,"
pulling from his pocket a great piece of tobacco, the whole of which
he at once thrust into his right cheek.
On he went, until suddenly he uttered a loud cry, as Harry disappeared
from his sight.
Believing that the young man had fallen into some one of the deep
chasms with which the cliff abounded, he hurried on, and was somewhat
relieved to perceive that the object of his fears had merely fallen
into a small rocky pit, with the exception of a few slight bruises,
hurting himself but little.
Springing into the pit, the old tar assisted his prostrate friend to
his feet.
At the same moment, clapping his hand to his brow, and uttering a wild
cry, the young man pointed far above him.
Gazing in the indicated direction, Turk uttered a sort of despairing
grunt, and sat down on a flat, protruding shelf of rock, as if
completely overcome at the spectacle which now met his gaze.
This spectacle, which has already been described, was none other
than that of the young girl and Captain Brand, far above the
two adventurers, distinctly revealed in the lurid gleam of the
fire-spouting crater, being swung back and forth for a fling into the
red-flaming jaw of the horrible chasm!