CHAPTER XVIII
BURT COMES TO LIFE
"Didn't know he was a V. C.," commented Burt, turning past the firstpage. "Say most o' this is spoiled!"
The pages were many of them torn, all were smudged and streaked withdirt, and ominous dark red stains covered a large portion of thebooklet.
"Here's the first place you can read," and Critch turned over a numberof unreadable pages. "Start in right here." Burt settled back and readaloud as follows:
"'June 1st. Five men down. Yusuf cut off from supplies. Will rushto-morrow.
"'June 2nd. Rushed. Lost thirteen. Finished Yusuf. Got lots of ivory,unmounted yet. Read burial service this evening. Big loot to divide.'"
"That next you can't read, most of it," broke in Critch. "There'ssomething about Pongo, though." Burt nodded and continued:
"'--with odd bit of wood. May be some truth in it. Must investigate.If the boys will have a go at it--'
"That's all, there," announced Burt. "All that's about the time hecleaned up on the Arab caravan, eh? Let's see--there's five pages whereeverything's mussed up."
"Looks like blood," laughed Critch, "but it ain't. That's the red stuffthe dwarfs use to stain their things with. See here, on thisspear-shaft. There's a lot comes next that he wrote after he set up inPongo's place--it was his left arm that was hurt, so he could write allright. But you can't make out more'n a few scattered words. Turn to thelast page that's written on. There's where the big thing is."
Burt obeyed, turning over the pages rapidly. Most of the writing hadbeen obliterated or stained over, but although the final page was halftorn away, the remaining words were clear and legible.
"'Dec. 16th. Impossible to carry off the stuff. Must slip away while outhunting if possible. Not much hope. River runs northwest. May find Arabsor English traders to the east or north. Will find from Mbopowhether--'
"And that's all," announced Burt, looking puzzled. "I don't see what youmean by sayin' there's anything big there, though."
"Read it over again," suggested Critch with a grin. Burt did so, andonce more glanced up with a wondering look.
"You got me, Critch. What are you getting at, anyhow?"
"Don't you see?" cried his chum excitedly. "That part about the riverrunning northwest!"
"Well, what about it?" demanded Burt.
"Why, which way does the Makua run?"
"If I remember the map," replied Burt slowly, "it runs due west, joinsthe Loangi, and meets up with the Congo on the way south. Oh, I see!" headded suddenly. "You mean that this river out here runs up to theMakua?"
"Brilliant!" exclaimed Critch sarcastically. "Why, it's got to, Burt!That is, unless it switches off an' goes south. I don't believe it does,though."
"That won't do us much good either," responded Burt. "These dwarfs don'tuse boats, or Cap'n Mac would have gotten off that way."
"What do we want of boats?" demanded Critch. "After you're resurrectedI'll be the boss of this tribe for fair. I'll set them to work on araft, and away we go! If we hit the Makua we're bound to strike youruncle and Cap'n Mac sooner or latter."
"Good for you!" cried Burt, staring at the other in wide-eyedcomprehension. "And we can carry off this whole blamed zareba that way,with the _ankh_ too!"
"Not much we can't," and Critch shook his head. "We could get off withthe ivory, I s'pose, if Mbopo helps us. But not the _ankh_. That's theirreal god, you know. I don't believe we'd dare try that."
"Well, it's getting on toward sunset," and Burt glanced at the sun, justabove the western tree tops. "You'd better chase back and get ready toresurrect me. I ain't anxious to be around here after dark. What's theprogram?"
"Why," replied Critch thoughtfully, "you keep hid till dark. As soon'sit gets good and dark, say eight o'clock, I'll lead out the mob. I don'tknow just yet what I'll do, but I'll bring the mummy in here. You get ahole dug to bury him in. Then I'll lead you out and can shake handswith Pongo."
"With which?" exclaimed Burt.
"With the _ankh_--just lay your hand on him like Mbopo did," explainedCritch, laughing. "Stick that book of Cap'n Mac's in your pocket. If weget out o' here he'd like to see it again, I reckon. So long."
"So long," answered Burt. "Don't keep me waitin' all night, now."
So Critch departed on his mission, while Burt lay back to think thingsover. If it was true that the river near the village ran northwest, thenit almost certainly ran into the Makua, or a tributary of the Makua. Inthat case they would be perfectly safe in floating down. There would bedangers on the way, but by taking a few of the white dwarfs along Burtrealized that these would be greatly lessened. On the other hand, shouldthe river prove to turn and flow back toward the Aruwimi country, theywould probably miss the caravan altogether. In any case, their wholefuture depended upon the issue of that night's "performance," as Burtmentally styled his bringing to life.
The disappearance of the sun roused him to the fact that he had work todo. Taking a spear and a broad-bladed sword from the weapons Critch hadleft, Burt went inside the hut. Here he set to work energeticallydigging the hole for the final resting place of Ta-En-User, the HighPriest of Maat. The tramped earthen floor was easily broken up by meansof the spear, and as the dusk settled down over the forest Burt finisheda shallow hole sufficient to hold the mummy.
"It's kind o' hard lines," he thought, wiping his dripping face as hereturned outside. "Here old Ta was wrapped up carefully three thousandyears back, meaning to lie quiet forever. He don't more than getcomfortably settled down when along come the white dwarfs to rouse himup, and they carry him clear over here. Then he settles down once more,and we come along and finish him. If he'd been buried right in the firstplace--why, if they'd done things different three thousand years backthere wouldn't be any Pongo!"
Burt was roused from his rather intricate calculations by a particularlysavage mosquito settling on his ear. Having disposed of the insect,Burt daubed his face and hands with what remained of the palm oil. Thenhe beat down the grass at a spot where he could see between two of thetusks and settled down to wait. He was uneasy at the idea that the lionmight return at any moment, and felt not the slightest temptation todrop off to sleep.
The swift tropical night settled down over the forest, and soon Burtcould make out the glow of the village fires. After what seemed an agehe heard the sound of chanting mingled with the throb of the tom-toms.This continued for half an hour, then ceased. A few moments later amoving light appeared at the zareba gate, followed by others. Burtguessed that these were torches, and knew that the time was at hand.
More and more torches poured out of the gate, until by their light Burtcould make out fairly well all that took place. It seemed that theentire tribe was leaving the village. At the head of the processionstalked Mbopo, with Critch beside him. Burt could see his chum carryingsomething wrapped in a skin, and knew this was the mummy. Then came thetwo brothers of Mbopo, carrying the golden _ankh_ between them on aspear, while a third man bore the mummy-case. Behind marched thebodyguard of the chief, the rest of the tribe following in a mob.
At the point where the boys had been left for the lion, halfway betweenvillage and hut, the tribe was halted. Mbopo arranged the men and womenin a wide semicircle, evidently following the orders of Critch. The"drum corps" was then brought to the front, the greater part of thetorches were extinguished, and Critch, Mbopo and the bearers of therelics moved forward. Burt saw his chum stop at a point distant about ahundred feet from the hut and directly in front of the gateway.
After a slight delay, a fire was lit here. This presently blazed up,Critch wishing to wait until plenty of light was cast upon the sacredobjects and the gateway of the ivory zareba. At a signal from Mbopo thetom-toms began a steady, regular beat and the pigmies broke into a lowchant that swelled at intervals until the echoes came back faintly fromthe forest. Burt watched the scene through his loophole in silentfascination. He had no fears as to its outcome, for the dwarfs wereplainly under the dominance of Critch.
No
w the fire blazed up higher and higher. Burt saw his chum, whoseflaming hair glowed out in the ruddy light, suddenly raise his hand. Thedrums and chanting stopped abruptly, and the dead silence that ensuedsent a quiver through the boy behind the ivory stockade. Critch bentover, opened the skin bundle, and exposed the mummy to view. At this,one prolonged groan went up from the audience and the crowd went down ontheir faces, even Mbopo falling prostrate.
Moving a step forward, Critch faced the sacred hut and began to speak.His voice came faintly at first, but as he gained confidence it ranglouder. The words came plainly to Burt. Critch first delivered all theFrench he could think of, then broke into Antony's oration, which he hadlearned at school the year before. Perhaps fearing that Mbopo mightcomprehend too much of this, Critch switched off abruptly and delivereda complete conjugation of the Latin verb "habeo," speaking slowly anddistinctly in as deep a voice as he could assume.
Burt was doubled up in silent laughter, and he saw his chum pause attimes as though struggling to repress his feelings also. But his facewas away from the pigmies, and his voice remained firm enough. Burtcould well imagine the effect produced by all this mummery upon theignorant and highly superstitious pigmies, ridiculous as it might appearto him.
Finally Critch ran out of words, it seemed, for he stopped suddenly. Thefirelight gleamed on hundreds of eyes behind his figure, and Burtwondered vaguely what would happen if the waiting tribe should by anychance see through their trickery. The thought made him collect all hisforces, and at this moment Critch stooped again. Picking up the mummy,he touched it to the golden _ankh_.
At the action a ripple of sound rose from the pigmies, followed by whatwas almost a wail of fear as Critch straightened up, the mummy in hisarms, and began walking slowly toward the sacred hut. Burt knew it wastime to get inside, so he slipped in through the hole made by the lion,the doorway being in view of the crowd. A moment later the form ofCritch darkened the entrance.
"Fine work!" whispered Burt. He was answered by a sigh of relief.
"Take Ta, will you? I'm all in." Critch sank weakly down, and with somerepugnance Burt caught the mummy. Placing it in the hole, he filled inthe earth, tramped it down, and sprinkled leaves and bones over theplace. "Say," went on his chum, "that may have sounded funny to you, butit was something fierce!"
"Never mind," murmured Burt. "You did it mighty fine, old man."
"It was awful to think what'd happen if I made a slip," confessedCritch. "Honest, Burt, I was so weak-kneed I could hardly walk overhere! How you coming?"
"He's buried," responded Burt as he finished his task. "Do we go outnow?"
"No use keeping them waitin'," said Critch. "I'm goin' to leave the_ankh_ and the mummy-case in here for good. Are you ready? Give me ahand."
Burt helped his chum to his feet. Critch stepped into the doorway,holding Burt's hand. Then began a slow and solemn advance across thefirelit space before the hut. As the figures of the two boys came intosight of the pigmies, an indescribable murmur of awe swept from thecrowd. Then came a prolonged groan of unutterable horror as Burt's facestood out more clearly, and Burt, whose gaze was fixed on Mbopo, saw thepigmy chief go down in the dust, his extended hands trembling in thefirelight. A moment more and the boys stood beside the _ankh_.
Releasing Burt's hand, Critch caught the loop of the symbol of Maat andstood it on end. Then Burt placed his hand on it beside that of Critch.At this a click, seemingly of joy, arose from the crowd. Mbopo lookedup, his face ashen gray, and wild amazement in his eyes.
Critch now beckoned the two brothers forward, and at his repeatedgestures they trembling took up the _ankh_ on the spear and awaited hisfurther commands.
"Take one end o' the case," directed Critch. Burt obeyed, and the twoboys led the way back to the hut. No sooner had they deposited the_ankh_ than Burt chanced to touch one of the pigmies in the dark. Theman gave a terrific shriek and dashed through the doorway, followed byhis brother. For a moment a wild fear clutched Burt. What if the mobimagined that they were hurting the two men? The boys hurried out, andfound the men prostrate beside Mbopo. Critch raised them up and Burt,needing no instruction, smilingly touched each of the shrinking men inturn. Finding that they suffered nothing, their fear gradually lessened,and as Mbopo grasped the hand of Burt there was a look of joy in thehonest eyes of the young dwarf that told far more than any words couldhave done.
Then Critch led the way to the village. The crowd, still prostrate,separated to let them through. Ten minutes later the boys lay side byside on a heap of skins in a hut, too much overcome by the strain toeven speak. But as Burt fell asleep, he knew that they had won thefight.
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