by James Otis
CHAPTER XXX.
A WELCOME CHANGE.
While they were on the mountain where no shade could be found the boysthought that it would be a wonderful relief to gain the shelter of theforest; but after traveling an hour they realized that the heat wasnearly as great in one place as another.
Among the trees the rays of the sun did not beat directly down uponthem; but to balance this every breath of wind was shut out, and theatmosphere seemed stifling.
The perspiration rolled from their faces in streams, and so great wasthe humidity that it seemed as if it would be a positive relief to be inthe sunlight.
"I reckon you've got a better opinion of mountain travel by this time,"Cummings said laughingly, as Neal involuntarily halted. "In such aclimate the shade of the trees is a positive discomfort."
"We can stand it," Teddy replied bravely. "Every step takes us just somuch nearer the coast, and one glimpse of the sea will repay us for allour exertions."
It seemed as if even Poyor was affected by the heat. He no longer strodeforward at such a rapid pace; but lagged from time to time as badly aseither member of the party.
Cummings urged first one and then another on until about eleven o'clockin the forenoon, and then he said, coming to a full stop by the side ofthe stream they had been following:
"We can now afford to indulge in a siesta, and shall probably travel allthe better for frequent halts. Later in the day one of us will do alittle hunting, and the march need not come to an end until it is nolonger light enough for us to see the way."
To this very welcome proposition no one had any objections to offer, andin the shortest possible space of time only the sentinel, which on thisoccasion proved to be Teddy, was left awake.
It was dull work sitting there listening to the droning of the insects;but no member of the party could have kept watch more conscientiouslythan did he, and when it seemed impossible to hold his eyes open anylonger he paced to and fro to prevent them from closing.
With the exception of the usual noises of the forest, it was as if allnature slumbered, and he had just begun to think that standing watch wasa useless precaution when an unusual rustling among the foliage causedhim to start in surprise.
His first thought was that the Chan Santa Cruz had followed them overthe range; but an instant later this was shown to be a mistake, as fourcopper-colored men, bearing no resemblance to the inhabitants of theSilver City, however, passed through the forest a short distance awaywithout apparently being aware of the proximity of the white party.
To arouse Poyor was but the work of an instant, for it was onlynecessary to touch him gently on the shoulder when he sprang to hisfeet.
"There are some men over there," Teddy whispered as he pointed in thedirection taken by the strangers.
The Indian started through the underbrush as noiselessly as a serpent,and as he disappeared the boy awakened Cummings.
"Were they armed?" the latter asked, after the short story had beentold.
"I didn't notice. My only idea was to arouse you and Poyor, and therewasn't much time for an examination."
"It can't be that they have followed us over the range," Cummings said,half to himself, as he seized his weapon and made sure it was loaded."It won't do any harm to be prepared, therefore you had best get theothers on their feet; we may have to trust to our legs."
It was not an easy matter to awaken the remainder of the party withoutcausing an outcry; but by first covering the mouth of each with his handTeddy finally succeeded, and then stood on the alert with them asCummings made his way in the direction taken by Poyor to assist in theinvestigation.
One, two, three minutes of suspense followed, and then came a cry whichset all their fears at rest. It was the salutation of friends, and aninstant later Cummings shouted:
"Do not fear; we have found acquaintances."
"It is time something of the kind was discovered," Jake said in a toneof relief. "I was beginning to think we should never meet one again."
"They looked like Indians," Teddy said doubtfully, and Neal added:
"I fancy we can take Cummings' word for it. Here they are, and it willsoon be possible to know why they were so foolish as to come into thispart of the country where wild beasts are not the least of the dangersto be encountered."
The strangers appeared, escorted by Poyor and the white man, and thelatter said as they came into the opening selected as a halting place:
"These are acquaintances of ours from Merida, who have visited thissection of the country in search of bird skins, which find a ready saleamong your people. They have a canoe, and report that a dozen milesbelow here the stream widens until it can be navigated by reasonablylarge crafts."
"Since we haven't so much as the smallest kind of a boat I can't see howthat information will be of any use to us," Neal replied laughingly.
"It won't take long for me to explain. I propose to hire them to carryus to the sea-shore, and thus save just so much labor of traveling onfoot."
"Is their canoe large enough?"
"It will carry a dozen."
"Then our troubles are indeed over," Teddy cried joyously; but Cummingsdampened his ardor somewhat when he added:
"There will then remain the journey around the coast, and with such aload it would not be safe to put to sea in their craft. But let us enjoythe blessings which come to us," he added, on observing how quickly hiscompanions' countenances fell. "Half a loaf is decidedly better than nobread at all, and when a tramp of six days can be set aside we have goodcause to feel pleased."
The strangers had not waited to be welcomed by the other members of theparty. Without stopping to be invited they began preparations forcooking on rather an extensive scale, using the contents of their wellfilled game bags, and the savory odor which soon arose brought Jake to afull realization of the good fortune that had come to them.
"With those fellows to hunt the game it will be a regular feast fromhere to the coast," he said approvingly, "and I think this is the firstpiece of good luck we've had since leaving the Sea Dream."
The newcomers could not speak the English language, consequently all theconversation on the part of the fugitives was carried on by Cummings andPoyor; but these two interpreted such portions as they thought might beof interest to the boys.
From the middle of what is known as the "dry season" until the period ofalmost incessant rains is well advanced, these hunters spend their timeon one or another of the streams leading from the coast, and theyconsider themselves well paid when a year's work nets each an hundreddollars.
"That is really a large amount of money to them," Cummings explainedwhen Neal suggested that hunting was not a very profitable employment."One quarter of the sum will serve to purchase the absolute necessitiesof life in a country where fruit can be had for the labor of gathering,and in ten years they can well afford to retire from business, or becomelanded proprietors by leasing logwood cuttings, sub-letting the land tothose who will pay fifteen cents a hundred pounds for all that can begathered."
The strangers were quite as satisfactory cooks as Poyor, and when thedinner had been spread on the leaves each member of Cummings' party wasready to do it full justice.
After the meal a short time was spent by the men in smoking, and atabout four o'clock in the afternoon the journey was resumed.
Feeling secure because of numbers, and the reports made by the newcomersthat there was no one in the immediate vicinity the boys were allowed tofollow their own inclinations as to the line of march, and each strayedhere or there as he pleased until the coming of night forced them tokeep together because of the danger to be apprehended from wild animals.
It was late in the evening when they arrived at the hunters' camp; butCummings did not propose to remain there even for one night.
He insisted that they could travel by water as well during the hours ofdarkness, while it would be no more labor for one to guide the canoe,allowing her to drift with the current, than to stand watch.
The strangers used every argument to induce him to defer the beginningof the journey until morning; but he was determined, and after somecontroversy the men made the canoe ready.
Neal, Teddy and Jake were stationed amidships, where thanks to thegenerous size of the craft, they could stretch out at full lengthwhenever the fancy seized them. Poyor was seated in the bow, Cummings onthe stern thwart, and the owners of the boat where they could use thepaddles to advantage.
Of this first night's journeying the boys knew very little. The streamwas narrow, and lined on either bank with trees so that at times eventhe heavens were obscured by foliage, therefore they could perceivenothing save the dark wall on either side.
From the movements of the helmsman it was possible to understand whenthe canoe was rounding a bend, or being pulled from the bank; but thatwas all, and, weary of watching without being able to see anything, theboys soon gave themselves up to slumber.
When they awakened the little craft was moored to the bank at a pointwhere the stream formed a basin; a fire was burning brightly, and overit Poyor bent in a suggestive attitude.
"Well, this is the kind of traveling that suits me," Teddy cried,springing to his feet and arousing his companions. "While we weresleeping the boat drifted steadily on, and, at this rate, when we arriveat the coast all hands ought to be in good condition for a long tramp."
"Where's Cummings?" Neal asked, as he in turn arose from the bottom ofthe canoe.
"Gone for game," the Indian replied.
"Oh, we're not to have breakfast until it is shot," he added laughingly.
"It makes no difference what they find, for there are twenty fat fishroasting in the coals, and you may eat at any time."
"Is there a chance of meeting with an alligator or a crocodile in thisstream?"
"Not here."
"Then I'm going to have a bath," and Neal began to undress, Teddy andJake quickly following his example.
During half an hour they had most glorious sport swimming, and then thereturn of the hunters literally laden down with game warned them that itwas time to prepare for the morning meal.
