Hemmed in
"Wait while I call to these fools and order them to come to us," cried
one of the enemy, as he and his comrades walked at a leisurely rate
towards the rock near the summit of which Tyler and Li Sung were in
hiding. "They are probably merely Dyak fishermen who have been washed
into the river and swamped, and why should we take the trouble to climb
for them. Let them come down to us."
"But supposing they are spies?" demanded another. "We know that those
at Sarawak, under the tuan besar (great chief--James Brooke), are
about to attack us, and no doubt they will send some here to see what
preparations we are making; not that we need trouble ourselves, for
they will certainly be beaten. Still, of what use is it to call men who
are spies, for will they descend and come to us like children when they
know that within a minute they will be kneeling before us with their
hands lashed, while one of our number stands above them with his sword
and prepares to sever their necks? Call if you wish, but you waste your
breath."
"That we will see," was the answer, "but if there be no answer you shall
be the first to climb, for I as the leader give you the order. Now,
cease chattering while I shout."
Stepping to a large boulder which lay near at hand he leapt upon it,
and, placing a hand to his mouth, shouted at the top of his voice,
telling those who might be hidden above to come down at once.
"It is useless for you to remain," he said, "for we are ten while you
are but two, and also there are hundreds to follow us. Come then
quietly, for the end will be the same whatever you do. You are caught,
and we claim you as our prisoners."
"Let him claim and shout as much as he likes," said Tyler, with a
reckless laugh, as Li Sung whispered the message in his ear, "I don't
care to hand myself over; for the idea of cold steel and a severed neck
is not enticing. We will just lie perfectly still till we are obliged
to make a move, and then let our action be swift. See here, Li. I will
raise this big boulder upon the wall just where this bush covers the
front. Then, when one of the attackers happens to cross the line it will
follow, I will heave it over and step back at once. You can pick one of
them off with the sling with the same smartness, and perhaps they will
fail to discover our exact position. Look out! That fellow is shouting
again."
Once more did the leader of the little band of pirates spring upon the
boulder, the better to observe the rock, and shout a message at those
who he was sure were in hiding there. Then, hearing no answer, he and
his men put their heads together and once more discussed the matter.
"We waste time," at last said their leader. "Finding that the dogs will
not come to us, which perhaps is not to be wondered at, seeing that they
have nothing to gain, but their heads and their lives to lose, we will
go to them, and afterwards reward ourselves at the expense of their
convenience and comfort. Come, Penchu, yours is the post in advance.
Show us the way."
For a moment it looked as though the dusky Malay who had at first
proposed that the rock be searched would decline the honour thus thrust
upon him, for he glanced above him, and then doubtfully at the bushes
which grew in all directions, wondering which of them hid the enemy.
But his comrades were there to aid him, and, besides, there were only
two above, and they were undoubtedly half-drowned by their upset in
the river. With a scowl at his leader, and a second glance above, he
suddenly made up his mind, and drawing a kriss of large size from his
belt, gripped it between his teeth and turned to the rock.
"Follow me," he shouted, removing the weapon as he did so, "and this
kriss to the man who can be before me in the race to the top. Mind, this
weapon, which I had from my father, goes to the man who can reach these
dogs and slay them in spite of my efforts. Now, I am about to make the
attempt."
He waited a moment to give his comrades time to take up the challenge
and to draw their own weapons. Then he sprang at the obstacle before
him, and, using both hands and feet, came clambering up at a rapid rate.
Beside and behind him rushed his comrades, all eager to be first in the
race, for the prospect of winning a kriss had the greatest attraction
for them, while there was always the hope that one particular man would
have the honour of slaying those who were in hiding.
"Wait for the word," said Tyler, with difficulty restraining his
excitement. "The time has not yet come, but will be here very soon. Are
you ready? Then watch me, and as I lift the boulder take aim with the
sling."
It was hard work to lie there behind that wall and watch with calmness
as ten fierce Malay pirates climbed to the assault, and more than once
was Tyler tempted to give full play to his impetuosity and spirit, and
commence the battle by flinging his boulder down the rock. But as yet
the distance was so great that he might well have missed his aim, and
for that reason he still remained in a crouching attitude, his hands
clasping the boulder, and his eyes fixed upon the figures below.
"Time's up!" he said quietly, when he judged that they were near enough.
"Ready? Then fire!"
Putting out all his strength he shouldered the piece of rock and rose
from behind the bush. A swift glance told him that three of the enemy
were directly beneath him, and in an instant, and without a trace of
hesitation, he launched the missile at them, watching as it fell
to learn what success he had. Crash! The boulder with ever-increasing
pace fell upon a moss-clad spot some twenty feet above the pirates,
causing them to raise their eyes in that direction and come to a sudden
halt. Then, leaping as if it were alive, it cannoned from the place,
and, twirling with frightful rapidity, flew into their midst, sending
all three rolling to the bank below, where they lay stunned or killed
by the impact. As for Li Sung, stealthily leaning over the barrier he
selected the leading man, the one who had been given the post of honour,
and, flourishing the sling about his head, suddenly let the stone free.
Ah! more sudden than the boulder which had disposed of three of the
attackers the sling sent the stone swiftly to the mark, and ere the
Malay could cry out in dismay, or lift a hand to ward off the blow, it
struck him full upon the forehead, causing him to toss his arm above
his head and then roll to the foot of the rock a helpless and lifeless
object.
[Illustration: "HE LAUNCHED THE MISSILE AT THEM"]
"That will teach them caution," said Tyler, sinking down into his old
position and at once beginning to place another boulder upon the edge
of the wall, "and I believe that none of them saw where the shots came
from. We will play the same game again, though they will certainly
discover us next time, for they will keep their eyes turned to the upper
part of the rock, and will not do as they did before, and rush headlong
and with their gaze bent upon the path immediately at their feet. Ah,
they are having a talk, and do not seem to like the affair!"
Peering through one of the embrasures he could obtain an uninterrupted
view of the bank of the river and of the surroundings of the rock, and
watched eagerly as the surviving natives, filled with alarm at the
sudden misfortune which had fallen upon their comrades, turned as if
with common consent and went rolling and scrambling down to the ground
below, each eager to get to a place of safety. Then they gathered
together at the edge of the water, and for a little time it looked as
though they would take to their boat and fly to the opposite shore. But
their leader restrained them, and at his orders they returned, and began
to walk cautiously towards the foot of the rock.
"We were scared by the suddenness of it all," said the man who was in
command, a long, lanky Malay of forbidding appearance, who carried a
kriss of unusual dimensions. "But we can never think of retiring; for
recollect, my brothers, we are in better case than they, for they are
but two, and are probably barely able to stand after their upset in the
river and their struggle to reach land. Take heart, then, and first,
before renewing the attack, let us take a look at our comrades who have
fallen. For myself, I scarcely know how it is that they came to their
end, for I was climbing with hands and feet, and with my eyes engaged
in picking out the best path by which to reach the top. Then there was
the thud of the boulder falling, and when I looked, three of our good
friends were falling, while Penchu, who led us, had sprung into the air
for all the world like a beast which had just been struck with an arrow.
Come, let us move forward, for our comrades at Rembas would laugh us to
shame were we to return and tell them that we had been driven off by two
half-drowned Dyaks."
Flashing his kriss in the sun he led the way to the fallen pirates, and
turned each one on his back.
"Dead!" he said as he looked at them. "Comrades, their end was swift
and sure, as may ours be when the time comes. Now for Penchu. Ah, see!
he was struck by a stone thrown with great force, for his forehead is
driven in and the skull cracked. Then all the better for us, I say, for
this proves that our birds up there are unarmed."
"Which is just what one could expect, my brother," cried one of the
number crowding about him. "Men who are caught in the bore are lucky
indeed if they escape with their lives at all, while to do so they would
certainly have to discard their weapons. We have them safely, and I
propose that we make the attack again."
"For what reason should we run the risk of having our bodies crushed
with another boulder?" demanded another swiftly. "They are above us,
that we know, though where they are hidden is another matter. Very well,
they will have seen long ere this that resistance is useless, and that
to prolong the fighting and kill more of our party will only lead to
suffering on their part. Let that be pointed out to them, and I warrant
that they will come down to us gladly and submit quietly to what is
bound to follow even as surely as the night comes after the day."
"A grand suggestion, and one which we will put in practice," exclaimed
the leader, snatching at the chance of avoiding further danger. "Stand
quiet, all of you, and listen as I shout to them. Above there!"
Once more he placed his hands to his mouth, so as to make the sounds
carry farther, and called to those in hiding. But there was no answer,
though he repeated the words on four occasions.
"Then I will say what I have to say to the rock, well knowing that they
will hear," he cried, seeing that his call had been ignored. "Above
there! You who are in hiding on the rock, and who have killed four of
my men, I give you warning that we will kill you, as you deserve, if
you resist us again. For the loss which you have caused your lives are
forfeit, and I call upon you to come down to us and suffer the penalty.
Failing that we will drag you down by the neck, and then you shall learn
what it is to lose a life with difficulty. Come, we wish you no worse
than those others whom we have captured on former occasions. Come down
and let the matter be ended."
It was strange to hear his quaint suggestion, and at another time Tyler
would have been amused at the naïveness of it. But danger threatened
now, and life was at stake. As Li Sung interpreted the message, word for
word, a feeling almost of fear assailed our hero, and his heart sank at
the prospect of early death. Then, remembering that he and his companion
were as yet unseen, and that they might still do as well as formerly,
his spirits rose, and he turned to the Chinaman with a smile upon his
face.
"We will lie like mice and make no move. At least that is what I say.
For you, Li Sung, you may issue from our hiding-place if you wish, and
descend. For myself, the idea of being beheaded is sufficient to make me
fight like a tiger and until I am killed."
"And for me, too, massa. De Chinee boy been wid de Malays, and he know
dat dey not tink de same of life. A man am happy in dis world, but when
him dead he happier still, so dey say. And when de time come for choppee
de head, dey kneel wid a laugh on dem lips, and dey die easy. Chinamen
am de same, but Li velly different. He not likee to lose de life, for he
havee little wife and child in Singapore."
"Then we will stay quietly here and await events. Those fellows will
scarcely dare to return to Rembas and tell their comrades that they have
been defeated by two men alone, and for that reason they will remain
till they see that their case is hopeless. That will suit us well, for
we can easily beat them off, and if only we can defer the arrival of
reinforcements till night has fallen, we shall have a better chance of
escape. But what are they doing?"
Thrusting his head as close to the boulders as was possible, he peered
through the narrow opening and watched the party of pirates with
interest. As for the latter, the fact that their extraordinary demand
had met with no reply, and that silence alone had followed, filled them
with astonishment; for these Malays, with their comrades of the Dyak
race who had thrown in their lot with the men of the sea in place of
tilling the soil as did so many of their people, had a peculiar code of
their own, and held life in such little esteem that, as in China, it was
almost possible to buy a reprieve for one about to die by paying for a
substitute. Fate was fate to them, and when all was lost, when sickness
came, and when capture seemed imminent, it was a simple and an easy way
to step forward to meet the inevitable, and to pass from the world
with as little trouble as possible. Then was this not a desperate case?
Could those above who were hidden on the rock hope to escape? Absurd!
They were cornered, and sooner or later, and in any case within an hour
or two, they would be captives, and their fate would be upon them. Then
why go to the labour of putting it off? Why not come down and end the
matter, so that these men might return to the opposite shore and prepare
to meet the foreigners who were about to enter the river? Extraordinary
though the idea was, it was in keeping with the upbringing of the Malays
and the Dyaks, for they, like the Chinese, thought nothing of death, and
met their end for the most part with a smile upon their faces. However,
on this occasion the pirates had foes to deal with of a different
stamp, and finding that no answer came to their warning, they collected
together again to discuss the situation.
"The day advances, and soon the noonday heat will be upon us," said
their leader in tones of vexation. "Let us put an end to this matter at
once, and then return to Rembas. It is plain to all that the dogs who
killed our friend will keep to their lair till we hunt them out, and
that being the case, we will rush to the attack again. Keep your eyes
open and fixed well above you. Your hands and feet will be sufficient to
allow you to choose a good path."
He turned to look each of his men in the face, and then, seeing that
none of them held back, he did as his dead comrade had done when leading
the first charge, and having placed his kriss between his teeth came at
the rock at a fast run, hoping to scale it rapidly.
"Steady!" whispered Tyler, seeing that Li Sung had swung his sling about
his shoulder. "Wait till they are upon us as before, and then let them
have your stone. In any case we must try to avoid a shot, for the sounds
would at once attract others from over the water."
"Makee noise not matter," exclaimed Li Sung with a shake of his head.
"De men of Rembas know dat dere am fighting, and dey sending oders to
see. Velly soon Li and Massa havee de bullets about dem."
As he spoke he pointed eagerly over the top of the wall to the river
beyond, and a glance in that direction caused Tyler to give vent to an
exclamation of dismay.
"Three more sampans," he cried in accents of alarm. "And all filled with
men. That will add thirty at least to the attacking force, and will
increase our difficulties immensely."
For the instant the same feeling of consternation as had assailed him
before came suddenly upon him; and then, as he took in the situation,
and realized the strength of the position which he and the Chinaman
held, his face brightened, and he turned to look at the seven remaining
men below with spirits as high as ever they were before.
"Of course we are cornered," he said to himself, "and we are in a
desperately tight place. But others have managed to do well under
similar circumstances, and we shall do the same. After all, I think that
we have much to be thankful for, for we might well have been drowned in
the river, and then again, what luck to have struck upon such a spot as
this! Why, fifty shall not turn us out, for after our escape from the
bore I do not mean to be easily beaten. Ah, here comes the leader! and,
foolishly for himself, he has chosen a line which I can reach. In a
minute he will be hurled to the bottom of the rock."
With courage renewed by his reflections, Tyler stared at the pirates,
and watched as they slowly clambered up the steep face of the rock.
Unlike the occasion which had preceded this attack, he was as cool and
as collected as if he were on the _Dido_ eating his dinner amongst his
messmates, and at once checked the Chinaman's eagerness to deliver a
shot.
"Wait," said Tyler shortly. "When the boulder goes you can fire, but
till then remain behind the wall."
Panting with their exertions, and led by the man who had first rushed to
the assault, the seven pirates came clambering up the rock, their eyes
searching every likely spot above, while they wondered which of them
would be the one to sight the fugitives. Then, as they neared the summit
without a sign of their presence having been come upon, and without a
stone or boulder having been thrown, they began to doubt that they were
still there, and halted to stare at one another questioningly.
"Are the birds flown then?" demanded their leader, sitting down to rest.
"Fools that we were, not to have set a watch upon the back of this rock,
for while we have talked they have slipped away."
"Not so," shouted one of his men. "I myself strolled in that direction,
and I tell you that no living man could descend the rock on the farther
side unless possessed of a long rope. They are here, above us, and we
shall come upon them crouching in the bushes and whining for their
lives."
"Then forward!" cried the leader. "Let us make an end of them, but
remember, they are not to die here. For the trouble which they have
given us in thus climbing, for the loss of our friends, we must demand
of them a price, and they shall pay it. Before they take their last
breath they shall be sad at the thought that they did not fall in with
our wishes when first we called to them. But let us not delay. Follow
me!"
This time with kriss in hand he came clambering up the steep slope, with
eyes watching eagerly for some movement to tell him of the presence
of the fugitives. But there was not so much as the tremble of a leaf,
while not & sound broke the silence. A minute passed, and just as the
Malay was about to call for a second halt, convinced that the birds were
flown, a figure suddenly erected itself before him, and, half-hidden by
an enormous bush, reared a boulder on high. Ah! The Chinaman took aim at
his man with the utmost calmness, and then, ere the poor wretch could
spring aside, or could shout in his terror, the mass of stone caught him
on the breast and bore him backwards. A second and he was rolling and
pitching on his way to the bottom, and even while his comrades were
wondering how it had all happened, and were marvelling at the sight of
the Chinaman, the unfortunate leader came with a thud on the bank of the
river, and, rolling forward for all the world like a rabbit which had
just been shot, came to a halt with face buried in the mud and limbs
which were strangely contorted.
Once more it looked as though the attackers would lose heart and fly
for their lives. But, emboldened by the thought that they had at length
located the enemy, they suddenly plucked up their courage and, urged on
by one of their number possessed of more spirit than his comrades, they
came panting and struggling up the steep slope, determined to reach the
lair of the Chinaman and wreak their vengeance upon him.
"A Chinaman!" shouted the one in advance. "We will swing him to the
highest branch by means of his tail of hair, and we will spend the day
and amuse ourselves by emptying our guns at his body. Fear him not,
for he has boulders alone to hit us with, and those we can avoid by
spreading out. Scatter at once, and be sure that none of you advance
directly beneath the spot."
Acting upon this advice, and warned by the fate which had so suddenly
and unexpectedly overtaken their leader, the surviving Malays at once
separated till wide intervals lay between them, and then advanced upon
the wall behind which Tyler and Li Sung were crouching, at a pace which
promised to bring them to close quarters before many seconds had passed.
"One little moment," gasped Li Sung, peering at them over the barrier.
"China boy soon stop de little game. He pick out de man who am in front,
and he send him to join him brother. Watch de sling, massa."
With deft hand and unerring eye, which showed that he had spent many
an hour in practising the use of his weapon, Li Sung stood erect and
leant over the wall. Round swung the sling till it churned the air into
a high-pitched whistle. Then, as the finger loosed one of the strings,
the band fell limply upon his wrist and hand, while the stone which had
lain in the pouch flew down the side of the rock as if it had been fired
from a gun, and, as in the former case, struck full upon the forehead of
the Malay who had taken it upon himself to lead his comrades. Like an ox
felled with the stroke of a pole-axe he collapsed upon the moss-grown
path, and then, with nothing there to retain its position, the limp and
lifeless body slid downwards, toppled over, and, gathering way as it
went, rolled over and over till its further progress was arrested by the
bank beneath.
"That should stop them," exclaimed Tyler as he watched the body fall,
"and it was a capital shot, Li Sung. I watched him, and feel sure that
the stone must have battered a hole in his skull. But wait. Will they go
after all, or are they determined to come closer to us?"
Once again it was a doubtful point whether the Malays would retire on
the death of their comrade, or whether they would push up the face of
the rock and come to hand-grips with those whom they were attacking.
Indeed, it wanted very little to cause their determination to waver and
send them down to the bank, or to infuse fresh courage into their hearts
and cause them to dash headlong at their enemies. They paused, looked
doubtfully at one another, and then turned to watch the body of the man
who had gone to the bank below. Then one of them happened to cast a
glance across the river, as if to measure the distance in case he wished
to make good his escape. Instantly his eye fell upon the three sampans
which were being rowed across, and realizing that they must contain
companions and brothers-in-arms who were coming to help, he shouted a
few words to his comrades.
"They will jeer at us," he cried, attracting the attention of all to
the approaching boats. "When they learn that there are only two on this
rock, and that we have failed to take them, they will bid us return to
Rembas and mind the children and the flocks! We must capture and kill
these beggarly Chinamen. Who will follow me?"
For a moment he turned to stare at his brothers, and then, with
flashing kriss in his hand, and eyes fixed upon the low wall with its
covering of bush, he came clambering up towards it, ready to leap the
obstacle as soon as he was near enough, and slaughter those who lay
behind. As for the others, stung to the quick by the thought that their
companions of Rembas would jeer and laugh at them, they turned with
desperation to renew the assault, determined to die there rather than be
dishonoured.
"We need not fear them greatly," said Tyler quietly, as he watched them
ascending, "for the rock is very steep, and we are placed at a great
advantage. Remember that we may have to fight hard for our lives later
on, and for that reason deal gently with the ammunition. I shall make
use of these boulders as long as possible."
Standing behind the barricade each selected a missile, Li Sung twirling
his sling aloft and sending stone after stone at the Malays, while
Tyler rolled huge boulders down upon them. But the pirates had learnt
their lesson, and as they came they took advantage of every bit of
available cover. Each hollow and nook held an enemy, crouching out of
range of the stones and boulders, and with eye following every movement
of the defenders. Waiting till they had need to select another missile,
the figure would spring from the patch of cover and dart to another
favourable spot higher up. And thus, with the cunning and stealth of an
Indian, they came closer and closer to the barrier, till it wanted only
a short rush to come up with it.
"Revolvers and rifles!" said Tyler, seeing that stones were of little
avail. "We shall be able to pick them off, and you will see how quickly
they will scamper to the bottom. Look! there is the man who called to
them to encourage them! He is watching you with the sling, and when you
have let the stone go he will make a rush. Now, I have covered him with
the revolver, so you can fire."
Grasping his master's meaning immediately, Li Sung slung the missile
at the Malay, and then snatched at the second revolver. As he did so
the pirate leapt to his feet, and judging that he was now sufficiently
near to reach the wall, and would be upon the enemy before another stone
could be fitted, he came directly up the slope, discarding the boulders
and rocks which lay there, and which would have afforded him cover.
Snap! The report of Tyler's weapon set the echoes ringing, while the
heavy bullet which his revolver carried hit the man plump in the chest,
bringing him to an abrupt halt. There was a shout and a shriek as the
pirate felt the blow, and then, summoning all his remaining power, he
swung his kriss back over his shoulder, and taking rapid aim at the
Chinaman above, sent the keen blade of steel hissing towards him. Next
moment he had tumbled back upon the ground, where, clutching madly
at moss and bush, he slowly slid to the bottom. As for Tyler, he had
expected the man to fall dead at once, and started back as the kriss
flew in his direction. But it was hopeless to expect to escape it, and
ere he had time to dodge to either side the point of the blade struck
upon his fore-arm, and, pressed onward by the weight of the metal,
perforated the limb.
"First blood to the enemy," said Tyler quietly. "A flea-bite which
will do me no harm, but which will teach me to keep an eye upon their
weapons. It was quickly done, and proved an excellent shot, made under
the most unfavourable circumstances."
"It am a velly lucky escape, massa," cried Li Sung, darting to Tyler's
side and removing the kriss. "Li havee seen one fine man hit in de body,
and de blade go right through him, so dat he fallee dead. Massa one
velly quick, and if him not move one little piecee him dead too. Wait
there while China boy ties up de aim. Nothing to fear from de pirate."
Tearing a shred of linen from his coat, Li Sung rapidly applied it
as a bandage to the arm, thereby arresting the flow of blood, which
threatened to be free. Then he pointed triumphantly to the bank below,
where the remaining Malays were gathered.
"Dey velly angry," he said with a little snigger, the nearest approach
to a laugh which this son of the East would indulge in. "Dey not knowee
what dey do, and dey fear deir friends and what dey say. Velly soon Li
and de massa have to fight plenty hard."
The prospect of hard knocks and a desperate encounter seemed to please
Li Sung, for he beamed upon Tyler as though this was the happiest day
in his life. "Li havee been in nasty place before dis wid de massa, and
he knowee dat allee turn out right. Massa Tyler bring him allee de way
through de jungle, he lead Chinee boy and de Dyaks to Paddi, and den to
Sarawak with de prahus. But dat am not allee. Him save Li when de water
nearly cover him, and now him lies beside him servant and helps him to
make de Malays run."
"Then you think that we shall be hotly engaged before very long," said
Tyler, staring down at the pirates below. "It seems to me that we are
cornered, and that we shall be lucky if either of us see the _Dido_ and
Sarawak again. Not that we are going to be beaten easily, for we have a
splendid position, and will make the most of it. During the day we can
beat our enemies off, but at nighttime it will be a different matter.
Then they will creep to the top like so many snakes, and before we can
deal with them they will rush upon us. We shall have to go once the
darkness falls, and it becomes a question as to how the retreat is to be
carried out."
"Plenty easy to creep down de rock in de dark till near de bottom," said
Li Sung thoughtfully. "De Malays climb up de hill, and we go down. Dey
not knowee, and we not knowee. Dey rush to dis wall with deir krisses
in deir hands, and massa and him servant slip away in de dark into de
jungle. Who am to stop dem?"
"A splendid idea, and one which we will follow," exclaimed Tyler with
enthusiasm. "The matter had troubled me very much, and I was wondering
what we could do, for I am sure that to remain here once night has come
will be to lose our lives. But this is a plan which will meet the case.
They will crawl here in the hope of falling suddenly upon us, and we
will slip down. If we meet, all the worse for our plan, though I fancy
that in the confusion we could make good our escape. If not, we gain our
object, and they reach this lair to find the birds gone. Pick up your
rifle, Li, and let us teach the rogues that it is death to come close to
the rock."
Determined to keep the enemy as far away as possible till evening fell,
Tyler and his companion disposed themselves upon the ground, and with
their weapons resting upon the piled-up boulders took steady aim at the
pirates. As the three boats arrived, and were drawn up on the bank, they
sent two bullets amongst the assembled natives, with the result that a
couple tumbled on their faces, while the remainder separated with cries
of indignation and surprise. But they were not permitted to enjoy more
than a moment's peace, for very shortly another shot rang out in the
still air, and a huge Malay, who seemed to occupy the post of chief,
and about whom the men had been gathered, gave vent to a shriek, and,
plunging forward on the edge of the river-bank, went splashing headlong
into the water.
"A long shot, but I gave a little elevation, and aimed for the
centre of his shoulders," said Tyler to himself. "That will give us
breathing-space. Now, Li, I am hungry, and, as we always say in England
that a man fights better when he has had some food, we will open that
bag and see what there is to eat. We can keep a watch upon those
fellows as we have our meal, and can plant a shot amongst them whenever
necessary."
It was wonderful to see the calm manner in which the two sat down to
their meal, the Chinaman contenting himself with some rice which they
had had the forethought to have boiled before setting out on their
expedition, and Tyler directing his attention to some biscuit and meat,
which formed part of their store. Of water they had none, but that
mattered very little at the moment, for they had been chilled by their
upset in the river, and, though hot, the sun had done little more than
warm them, without inducing thirst. But the lack of something with which
to moisten their lips made retreat from the rock all the more essential,
and as they ate they discussed the matter eagerly.
"It is our only chance," said Tyler thoughtfully. "To remain here till
to-morrow will mean certain ruin, for we should be parched with thirst,
and then again, our ammunition will not last long enough. That is why I
have suggested keeping the enemy at bay now, and making good use of our
weapons. But there is a point which we have not considered. Once we are
down below, which direction are we to take? Are we to steal one of their
boats or make into the jungle?"
"The last, massa," said Li Sung. "Den, later on, we steal down upon de
bank, and we take one of de sampan and sail for Sarawak."
"And what about our orders?" demanded Tyler with some warmth. "After
coming all this way, and being almost drowned in the river, I am not
going back with my tail between my legs and with no information to give.
Not a bit of it. I shall stay near Rembas and do my best to spy upon
them. Then, if you like, I will drop down to the mouth of the river and
wait there for the expedition to arrive."
"Massa am de chief, and he say what we do," said Li Sung, with a shrug
of his ungainly shoulders and a look of resignation. "If him say dat
we go and be killed, Li havee to obey. But me not likee dis stay in de
river. Me plenty much afraid."
"Then you are a foolish fellow," exclaimed Tyler angrily, for he was
determined not to be thwarted in his attempt to learn tidings of the
pirates, and in what he considered a duty, for which he had had the
great honour to be specially selected. "If you don't like to stay, go
back by yourself, though I shall be sorry to lose you. I have firmly
made up my mind that I remain in the neighbourhood till I have satisfied
my curiosity. But watch those men below. Something seems to have upset
them."
At once both stared eagerly over their barricade, and saw with some
concern that the pirates had collected at such a distance that they
could not suffer loss from the bullets of the defenders. And there,
grouped about the one who was in command, they stared out into the river
with their eyes fixed upon a tiny object which was approaching.
"A swift sampan, and one dat brings de orders and de news," said Li Sung
with the assurance of one who was well acquainted with the facts. "De
man who am chief in Rembas havee one of de long tubes through which de
white man lookee wid de eye, and he see allee dat havee happened. He
send to dem to say must take de Chinamen. Well, we see to dat when de
time come."
"We shall have something to say, I have no doubt," agreed Tyler, "and we
must not spare a man. It will be a case of rapid shooting and loading.
Here, let us arrange the ammunition in a handy form, so that there
will be no loss of time in sorting, and so that we can ram a charge in
without delay. Now, what is their next move?"
By now the narrow sampan which they had seen flying across the river,
propelled by a dozen lusty oarsmen, had reached the bank, and had
deposited there a Malay of forbidding appearance. That he was a man of
some consequence was evident, for they showed him every deference, and,
after listening to a short harangue which he delivered, followed him
with loud shouts towards the rock.
"He will lead them, and we shall have to fight," said Tyler with a
calmness which astonished himself. "Fire quickly, Li, and see that you
do not miss, for we want to show them that to approach the rock is
dangerous. Then they will put off the real attack till darkness has
fallen, and will aid us in our plan."
That strict orders had been received to capture the insolent foreigners
who had dared to come into the river Sarebus, and who had suffered
shipwreck there, was plainly to be seen, for now that they had a new
leader the pirates ran towards the rock with shouts of exultation, and,
unmindful of the warning which they had already received, commenced to
climb it in scattered knots and groups, evidently with the intention
of approaching the wall from many quarters and so annihilating the
defenders. But they had a couple of marksmen to contend with, for Tyler
had had sufficient practice by now to make certain of his man, while
the Chinaman's trained eye only required the steadiness which his young
leader constantly urged upon him to enable him to hit the mark on every
occasion.
"Not a shot to be thrown away, just remember that," exclaimed Tyler
sternly as the pirates came running along the bank. "Pick out your man,
follow him for a second, and then press the trigger gently."
Almost at once his own weapon snapped, and the man who ran just behind
the leader doubled up and rolled in a heap.
"A little high," said Tyler calmly, "but otherwise straight enough. We
will see what this will do."
Once more he brought the weapon to his shoulder, and was about to press
the trigger, when the Malay at whom he aimed disappeared in a hollow
and caused him to pick out another man. But Tyler was not so easily to
be put off, and conscious that a blow at the leader would have far more
effect than one at his followers, he watched till the big Malay again
made his appearance. His rifle snapped instantly, and the pirate fell
upon his face, where he lay without a move.
"A few more like that and they will run," shouted Tyler. "Pick off those
in advance, so that their comrades may see them fall. That will make
them afraid, and they will soon hang back and long for shelter."
That his advice was good there could be no doubt, for nothing is more
demoralizing in such an engagement than for those who are attacking in
the open, and advancing up a hill, to suddenly find the lifeless bodies
of their comrades rushing past them, or to be swept away and carried
to the ground below by the weight of one tumbling upon them. At once
the prospect of a similar fate cools their ardour, and if they be not
filled with courage and determined upon victory they are apt to retire
in disorder. And so, neglecting those who clambered in rear, Tyler and
his companion fired as rapidly as possible on those who were in the
forefront, sending man after man rolling to the bottom. Then, as the
attackers clustered together on the hill-side, attracted unconsciously
by the thought of mutual protection and aid, our hero suddenly
relinquished his weapon, and, with a shout to Li Sung to do the same,
began to toss boulders down upon the enemy. Nor did he have to continue
long at the task, for very soon the pirates turned with shrill cries of
dismay and went sliding to the bottom, where they took to their heels
and did not stop till they had put a safe distance between themselves
and the defenders.
"That will keep them quiet for a time, and if only they will remain
inactive till the darkness falls we shall be safe. Come, help me to
build up the wall again and gather a store of boulders."
Without taking the trouble to crouch, for they knew that the pirates
had seen them, Tyler and his companion set about the work, and having
accomplished it sat down to rest, waiting impatiently for the night to
come when they would put their plan to the test and do their utmost to
escape from a trap which might well prove disastrous.