by James Otis
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE PURSUIT.
During this night of discomforts the boys and Jake succeeded in gainingmore rest than one would have thought possible under the circumstances.
The temperature had fallen so much that, in comparison with the heat ofthe day, it was positively cold; but by lying close together andcovering themselves with half a dozen enormous leaves from a vine whichencircled the rock, they managed to pass the long hours without positivepain.
Whenever Neal, who awakened very often, opened his eyes he saw Cummingsand Poyor standing near at hand like statues, and the naturalsupposition was that they did not seek repose even to the slight extentof sitting down.
Once he called to the white man, proposing to do his share of thewatching; but the offer was positively declined.
"I could not rest even if I should lie down," he replied in a whisper."There are too many chances that the Chan Santa Cruz Indians may creepupon us under cover of this mist, and both Poyor and myself are needed.Sleep if you can, so that we may be prepared for a hard trampto-morrow."
As it proved, however, these excessive precautions were useless. Therain continued to fall steadily and in great volume until daybreak, andthen all hands prepared for another tramp, for each one was socompletely drenched that a little water more or less could not make muchdifference.
The breakfast was by no means a hearty one. The moisture had spoiled theroast tapir, and even the remaining totopostes were so damp as to bedecidedly unpleasant to the sight as well as the taste.
Jake shut his eyes and ate a small quantity: but neither Neal nor Teddycould force the food down, and, in view of the fact that there waslittle likelihood of finding any game on the summit of the mountain, itseemed reasonably certain they would be forced to fast a long while.
The burdens, soaked with water, had increased in weight very materially,and again Poyor overhauled them in order to throw away yet more of theload.
All the fishing tackle, two extra suits of clothes belonging to theboys, the spoiled provisions and, in fact, nearly everything except theammunition and weapons, was left behind when the ascent of the mountainwas continued.
It was not yet time for the sun to rise; but the gray light of comingday served to show the way, and Poyor strode on in advance at a pacewhich would have soon winded the boys had Cummings not ordered him toproceed more slowly.
"We must keep on without a halt until noon," he said, "and it would bebad policy to use a portion of the party up before the journey hasfairly begun."
Even at the best pace possible the progress was by no means rapid, owingto the obstructions in the path. Here it was necessary to make a longdetour that an overhanging ledge might be avoided, and there they wereliterally forced to scramble among boulders of every size at imminentrisk of breaking limbs or being precipitated to the valley below.
Before half an hour had passed the rain ceased falling as rapidly as ithad begun, and as the sun appeared the clouds at the foot of themountain were dispersed.
Poyor halted and turned to look toward the valley.
Almost at the same instant a loud shout was heard and Cummings utteredan exclamation of dismay, as a party of at least a hundred Indians burstinto view about a mile below.
"They halted rather than run the risk of passing us during the storm,"he said half to himself. "Inasmuch as the slowest of that crowd cantravel two yards to our one we are likely to be overhauled in a veryshort time."
"It is the end," Poyor said gravely. "There is little chance of escape,and none of running from them."
"Do you propose that we shall stand and fight?" Cummings asked.
"There is nothing else to be done."
"But we have no show against them."
"As much as to run."
"Here in the open they can soon surround us."
"We will be able to throw up a line of these rocks before they get here,and because it is in the open we can hold them back a few hours."
There was plenty of material near at hand with which to make a sheltersufficient to protect them from the poisoned arrows, and after a fewseconds' hesitation Cummings saw that Poyor's plan was the only onewhich could be carried into execution.
"Set to work lively, boys," he shouted, as he began to throw up thesmaller boulders in a circle. "Everything depends on our getting a fortready before they come within shooting distance."
There was no necessity of urging the boys or Jake to laborindustriously. They could see the enemy and hear their yells of triumphat having tracked the game so successfully, therefore not a second waswasted.
It seemed as if Poyor had the strength of a dozen men in his arms. Helifted huge boulders which the remainder of the party together couldhardly have moved from their resting place; flung the smaller onesaround as if they were nothing more than pebbles, and when the circlehad been raised four feet high, set about digging away the sand from thecenter in order to increase the depth.
The preparations were not yet completed when the foremost of thepursuers came in view from beneath a ledge about forty yards away, andhe said to Cummings:
"Three guns are enough to hold them back while Jake and I finish thework here. Do not hesitate to shoot, for they will stop at nothing whenthe time comes that we can hold out no longer."
"Teddy, you sit there," Cummings said, as he pointed to an aperture inthe wall which had been left as a loop-hole. "Neal, you're stationednext to him, and I'll hold this place. Now work lively, and pick offevery one of those yelling villains that comes within range."
He discharged both barrels of his weapon in rapid succession as heceased speaking, and the two leaders disappeared immediately; butwhether they had been hit by the leaden messengers, or only frightened,no one could say.
Teddy raised his gun as a third man pressed forward, and, as heafterward confessed, closed his eyes while pulling the trigger, for tofire deliberately at a human being was something inexpressibly terrible.
Even if he did not hit the mark the bullet must have gone so near theman as to frighten him, for when Neal discharged his weapon at a fourthIndian the entire party beat a retreat, disappearing behind the ledge.
"They can't send an arrow from that distance with any accuracy of aim,"Cummings said in a tone of satisfaction, "therefore we may count onkeeping them back until night, at all events."
"And then what?" Teddy asked with a shudder.
"That is something we won't talk about yet awhile," was the grave reply."We've got at least twelve hours before us, providing they don't catchus napping, and at such a time as this it is a much longer lease of lifethan I expected."
Teddy and Neal looked at each other in silence. The situation mustindeed be desperate if Cummings could count on remaining at liberty onlyone day, and then----
In fancy Teddy could see them led back to the Silver City as prisoners.He almost heard the strains of music while they were marched into thetemple amid the slender, silver-tipped columns, with the throng ofpeople following to witness the torture and final stroke which shouldrelieve them from suffering.
"What is the matter?" Neal whispered. "You have turned as white as aghost."
"I was thinking of what will happen when those murderers get us in theirpower."
"Don't do anything of the kind; it is too terrible. I will die herefighting rather than be taken prisoner."
"And is that all the hope we have left?"
"To be killed here? Perhaps not; but it is far preferable to the torturePoyor and Cummings say is sure to be our portion in case of capture."
Neal's face was also pale; but there was a certain look of determinationabout it which told he had made up his mind for the worst, and wouldstruggle manfully to the end.
Jake on the contrary, was nearly paralyzed with fear. He understood nowif never before all the trouble he had brought upon his companions,first by making their presence in the city known, and, lastly, bybetraying the whereabouts of the party when he ventured out of thecave. That the Indians would not be
turned from their purpose herealized fully, and there could be no mistaking the desperate conditionin which he had placed all hands.
He was supposed to be aiding Poyor; but, as a matter of fact he could dolittle more than look out over the fortifications, fearing each momentthat the enemy would make a sudden dash.
The particular thought in the minds of all was as to what might be donein the way of replenishing the larder, for now the siege had reallybegun the question of how food could be procured was a serious matter,more especially since no one had eaten what would be worthy the name ofbreakfast.
Neither Cummings nor Poyor feared a direct assault. In their opinion itwas only a question of holding the enemy in check, and to this alone didthey pay any attention.
Cummings watched over the line of rocks, and at the slightest show of aliving target discharged his weapon; but, so far as could beascertained, without inflicting any injury upon those who were ready todeal out death at the first opportunity.
"It is only a question of holding back until the night comes, when theycan ascend the mountain, and, being above us, be able to shoot us downwithout exposing themselves," Teddy said as he sat by the aperturewatching for a sight of the enemy.
"We will wait until sunset before we give up entirely," Neal replied, ina tone that showed he had lost all hope. "Then, unless Poyor can devisesome plan for escape, we shall have to stand a hand to hand fight whichcan result in but one way."
"You admit that we can't escape?" Teddy replied interrogatively. "Fiveagainst a hundred won't be able to stand very long."
"We can at least hold our own a few hours, and when the end comes wewill be found fighting."
This was poor consolation for a fellow who hoped his friend might seesome better way out of the difficulty, and Teddy settled back to watchfor an opportunity to discharge his weapon with effect; but feeling thatit was vain labor so far as the ultimate result was concerned.
During the forenoon, while every crevice in the rocks was running withwater, Poyor filled the canteens, and when this work was done heinsisted that Jake should continue to aid him in lowering the levelbehind the line of rocks; but the engineer was, to use his own words,"completely played out," and the necessary work was neglected until hecould gain a certain amount of rest, which, under the circumstances,every other number of the party was willing to forego for a time.
