CHAPTER XVII
Danger and Difficulty
Twice in succession did the collection of Malays and Dyaks who composedthe attacking force endeavour to overcome the gallant defenders of thesteep rock beside the bank of the river Sarebus. And on each occasionthe leader of the gang who had their quarters in Rembas sat at hisleisure before his hut on the opposite side of the water, and with glassfixed to his eye watched the fighting with interest.
"They are curs," he cried at last, when the final attempt to reach thebarricade above had been defeated, "and as a punishment I swear that nohelp shall come to these dogs of mine till they have these two strangersin their hands. Are they not two only, while my men number twenty timesas many? Then they shall stay till all are killed or until they canbring me tidings of their success. But I will send them a message to theeffect that if they allow the enemy to escape I shall vent my anger uponthem. Yes, I will warn them that the attempt must be made, and will saythat if it prove too much for them then they shall suffer."
With this resolution before him the leader of the Rembas piratesdespatched a boat to the farther bank, and with it one of his chief men,with instructions to give his message and then return.
"You can say that no food or drink shall be sent till they have capturedthese men, and that it will be better for them to die on the side ofthe rock than to return here unsuccessful," said he, as the man set outto do his bidding. "It is absurd to think that so many of my men aredefied by a couple of natives from China!"
"A messenger," said Tyler, who caught sight of the sampan as it shot outinto the stream. "Will it recall these men, or will it bring news thatreinforcements are to come?"
"Not dat, massa," answered Li Sung with assurance, accompanying theremark with the customary shake of his head, as if to add emphasis tohis words. "Dese pirates tink dey knowee how to fight, and de leaderover deir say dat not a man comee to help till we taken. He tell dem totakee plenty care unless we slip away. Dat all he comee for."
"Then we shall have to be doubly cautious," said Tyler, "and I'm goingto set myself to work to think out the matter, for escape we must. In anhour it will be dark, so that we can count upon that time in which tomake up our minds, and I think that we are not likely to be disturbed.Unless, of course, the message which is coming to our attackers rousesthem to fury, and they throw themselves upon us again. Now, how could wemanage to get away?"
Throwing himself upon the ground he fixed his eyes upon the figures ofthe enemy beneath, and watched them half listlessly while he endeavouredto find a means whereby he and Li Sung could slip from their retreat andget safely away.
"It must be done," he kept murmuring to himself. "For to-day this hasbeen the very best of havens, but to-morrow it will be untenable, forthirst will be our greatest enemy, and up here we have no means ofsatisfying it. So leave we must, at the risk of our lives. By Jove!"
"Massa keepee plenty quiet," cried Li Sung at this moment, suddenlypointing to the bank beneath. "De messenger havee come, and Li tink datsome little game be played. What for dey light de torches?"
He asked the question with a puzzled expression on his face, andpointed again with a long lean finger to some figures which could beseen flitting about amongst the jungle. That they were the pirates wasperfectly clear, though for what reason they ran hither and thither,while some of their number advanced with flaring bundles of somematerial in their arms, was a matter of some difficulty to determine.
"I have it!" exclaimed Tyler at last, having watched them carefully."They find that we are prepared to make a fight of it, and as you havesaid, the message from the other side has made them determined to tryagain before the darkness falls. They know that we should shoot themdown when they had gained the rock, and that we have boulders ready forthem, so they have thought of another way of beating us. Some fellowamongst them has his wits about him, for he has pointed out to them thatthough there is a clear space round this rock, yet bushes crop out fromone side almost to the edge of the jungle which surrounds us. Those samebushes are continuous with the ones by which the rock is clothed, andthere are sufficient here to roast us. Do you follow now?"
"And de men over deir?" demanded Li Sung thoughtfully, after havingmaintained silence for more than a minute as he puzzled over the matter.
"They have been cutting and collecting reeds and long, dry grass. Thereis no difficulty about that, for beyond a day's rain we have had veryhot weather of late, and everything is dry. They have made the grassand reeds into bundles, and you can see that they are running forwardwith them and are tossing them down in a line from the jungle. It willrequire very few indeed to reach the belt of dry bushes which joinsthose upon the rock, and then--"
Tyler did not finish the sentence, but began to reach for his rifle, andplace a pile of ammunition close to his hand.
"We must stop them," he said sternly, "or else we shall be roasted andsmoked like pigs. Get your weapon, Li, and let them know that we canreach them; for I tell you that if the bushes here are set alight thisplace will be impossible. The flames will flare all round it, and thereare sufficient leaves about to cause the densest of smoke, which wouldchoke us."
That he had not overstated the case was abundantly clear to the wilyChinaman, and once the latter's cunning mind had grasped the meaningof the movement below, and he had become alive to the danger of thesituation, he set about the defence of the rock with alacrity. Snatchingat his rifle, he rested it upon a boulder, and peered amongst thestones, awaiting an opportunity for a shot. As for Tyler, his weaponspoke out almost instantly, and one of the dusky figures which wasloaded with a bundle of reeds fell forward into the jungle, while thosewho were near at hand ran to a place of shelter with a howl of dismay.
"One," said Tyler quietly, replacing the charge. "I can see that thosefellows are scared, and that they fear our guns. We have shown them thatwhen we fire we hit the mark as a rule, and it will be disconcertingto them to discover that we have them still in range. However, I havelittle doubt that one of their number will pluck up courage before verylong, and will make a dash forward. In that case we shall be unable tostop him."
For half an hour the pirates hidden below in the jungle, or watchingthe rock from a safe distance on the bank of the river, made no furthermovement. Then a flaring light suddenly appeared amongst the trees,attracting the attention of the defenders of the rock and occupying alltheir thoughts.
"Some fellow about to make a rush," thought Tyler. "Keep your eye onhim, Li, and fire when you see him run. Ah, there he is moving, but onlyto one side! In a few moments he will make up his mind to risk it, andthen there will be a rush, and we shall have to do as well as we can."
Twice or three times was the blazing mass moved to a different part ofthe jungle, on each occasion causing alarm to Tyler and his companion,and making them think that the moment had arrived when the man who hadcharge of it would summon all his courage, and, determined to risk thebullets of the defenders, would dash out into the open, with the objectof crossing the narrow space which stretched between the jungle and thestraggling line of bushes which extended from the base of the rock. Withrifles at their shoulders, and eyes glued to the sights, they watched,ready to pull the triggers the instant they sighted the man. Then ofa sudden each gave vent to a startled cry, and, swinging round to theleft, emptied their weapons at the retreating figure of a man who hadrun out from an entirely different point, and, safe in the thought thatthe attention of the defenders was occupied in another direction, haddashed at the bushes and flung a mass of blazing reeds upon them.
"Cleverly done, and the man deserves to escape," cried Tyler, seeingthat both he and Li Sung had missed the mark. "It was an artful ruse,and we were taken in. It just shows that they have a fellow down therewho has sharp wits, for by attracting our notice to one part of thejungle they made the task of setting the bush on fire possible. But whatare we to do? Sit still and be roasted or smothered by the flames andsmoke, or descend the rock and make a fight of it?"
"That
no savee us, massa," exclaimed Li Sung. "We dead all de same, andde pirate takee de head. Li say stay here a little bittee and see whichway de wind blow. P'r'aps it send de fire along de rock and not reachus."
"There is no use in thinking that that will happen," replied Tyler, "forthere is hardly any breeze just now, and once well alight the busheswill burn up in this direction. What about the top? Surely by hangingover the other side we might escape the heat and smoke."
As he spoke he turned and stared at the summit of the rock, which cutclear and sharp across the sky, showing a thin ridge on the farther sideof which the mass fell away abruptly, forming a slope which was soprecipitous that no one could hope to retain a footing.
"If we could get over there we should be safe for a time," he said tohimself, "and the enemy could not reach us with the poor muskets whichthey possess. We will wait and see how the fire goes, and then, ifnecessary, we will retreat to the top. Now how could we manage to retaina position there for a time? Our strength would soon give way if we hadto cling with our hands."
Unconsciously he asked the question aloud, and as if it had beenaddressed to him the cunning Chinaman turned and answered it without theslightest delay.
"Massa havee saved de China boy more dan once," he said in gratefultones. "Him catchee Li Sung by de coat when him almost smothered wid dewater, and now him show how both keep away from de fire. Li say dat wehang on de oder side easy. We take de cloth from de waist and make himinto a loop. Den we put de leg into him and sit dere easy till de flameshavee gone. He, he, he! We not catched yet by a velly long way."
The prospect of dangling over the steep cliff seemed to afford thisson of the East the greatest satisfaction, for again he beamed uponhis young leader, while he whipped the cloth from about his waist, andwith a deft twist fashioned it into a loop. At the opposite end heformed another, and then twisted the material on itself till it had theappearance of a rope.
"Plenty fine and strong," he said, holding it up with pride. "De one endhang on a rock or de stump of a bush, and de oder for de leg."
"I believe you have thought of the very thing," exclaimed Tyler indelight. "With a sling like that we could sit all day long and nevertire. We will wait till the heat gets too great for us and then we willretire. Get hold of your share of the ammunition and food while I takemine. Now, how is the bonfire going."
He almost laughed as he spoke, but a moment later his face wore aserious expression, for though but little time had elapsed since the manbelow had so daringly set fire to the bushes, yet the hot sun overheadhad dried the wood till it was like tinder, and scarcely had it feltthe flame than it flared in all directions. Then, as if there had beena train of powder laid beneath, the conflagration spread almost as fastas a man could run, for all the world like the veldt fires in Africa,and, sweeping along the straggling line, quickly reached the base of therock. And here, with abundant material before it upon which to vent itspower, the flame spread to either hand, and thence came marching up thesteep rock, fanned by a gentle breeze from the river. Like an army instraggling array it swept the rock before it, and halting here, fallingback there for an instant as it met with a bush of more succulent wood,which defied its power on account of its moisture, it came staggeringupwards, ever upwards, roaring as it went, and sending forth densemasses of blinding, hot smoke. Very quickly the bushes which grew justbelow the retreat in which Tyler and the Chinaman had taken up theirstation were singed and frizzled by the heat, while they themselves weredriven backwards. A minute and they were racing up the steep slope,madly eager to escape from the fire and get to a safe distance.
"Here is a clear spot with only one strong bush growing," gasped Tyler,as they reached the summit, halting at a spot which was clear and bareof growth save for a solitary bush. "Out with your knife, Li, and hackit down. That's the way. Leave enough to fasten our slings to."
Desperately and in all haste did the Chinaman carry out the order, for ahot wave fanned his cheek, and a cloud of smoke and sparks told him thathe had no time for delay. In a few minutes, therefore, he had lopped offthe greater part of the bush, leaving the base of it alone. And to this,thrusting their slings over the gnarled and twisted root till they wereclose to the ground, did the two suspend their weight, hoping that itwould not fail them and send them tumbling to the ground beneath.
Meanwhile the pirates below had watched with eager eyes as the fireadvanced, and set up a babel of discordant shouts as they saw the twofigures above forced to retreat. With loud and discordant yells theyfollowed their course to the summit of the rock, and then, as theywatched and noted the methodical way in which the bush was lopped offand the slings attached, a doubt, and fear that after all they were tobe beaten in this, their final attempt, assailed them. With a shout ofindignation and annoyance they raced through the jungle to the back ofthe rock, and, arrived there, stared up at Tyler and Li Sung, who swungeasily at their posts, their weight supported by the slings, while theyprevented their bodies from swaying too much by grasping the edge ofthe rock with their fingers. Instantly a fusillade was opened in theirdirection, the bullets for the most part falling short, or patteringharmlessly against the rock. A few, however, struck with resoundingthuds, warning Tyler that a blow from one, while it would not penetrateperhaps, would be likely to stun the one who was hit should it happen tocome in contact with his head.
"We must put a stop to that game," he said suddenly. "They seem to haveforgotten that we, too, are armed, and we must remind them. Just placeyour hand on my shoulder to steady me, and I will give them a shot.That's the way. Now I can lift my rifle without swinging round andrunning the risk of toppling over."
That the precaution was very necessary both could see, for, suspendedas they were, with one leg thrust through the sling till the lattergripped them about the thigh, the greater part of their weight wasabove the point of support, and had it not been for the grip which eachhad obtained on the edge of the rock they would have run the dangerof capsizing and slipping from the sling. It was a matter of somedifficulty, therefore, to make use of a weapon, but with Li to helphim Tyler contrived to get his rifle to his shoulder. Then he calmlyselected the nearest of the pirates, and just as the latter was about tofire at him, he pressed the trigger and sent his bullet into the man.
"See how they scamper away," he cried with a laugh, as the Malays tookto their heels. "We shall not be troubled again by their firing, Ifancy, and very soon darkness will hide them from our view. I supposethat it is not possible to clamber down this side, for it has suddenlystruck me that the rock will be very hot on the farther slope."
Both looked well about them before deciding upon the matter, andsearched the steep face upon which they hung with the hope that theywould be able to discover some ledge, a few projections perhaps, whichwould afford a means by which they would be able to reach the groundbelow. But a goat could not have hoped to retain a footing there, forthe rock might very well have been cut with a knife, so smooth andunbroken was its surface, and so precipitous was its slope. Thereforeboth gave up the idea, and at once prepared to clamber over the ridgeonce more.
"We have been here a quarter of an hour, and at the rate at which theflames were advancing I imagine that the fire will have burnt itselfout by now," said Tyler, as he attempted to peer over the top. "Howlucky for us that we had this place to retreat to, and that the edgeof the rock kept the heat and smoke away! But for that we should havebeen stifled, and should have rolled in a helpless condition to thebank below. But I fancy that there is very little smoke now, and when Ihave waited ten minutes longer I shall hoist myself up, and see what ishappening. After that we can sit on the very top and wait for the rockto cool."
The time he had mentioned having at length passed, Tyler hoisted himselfwith all gentleness by means of the sling, and peered over the summitof the ridge, to find that the farther side had been swept clear of allbushes, and lay blackened and smoking below him. Here and there a tinyflame still existed, feeding upon the underwood beneath some mass ofvegetat
ion which had been of large proportions. But for the most partthe fire was gone, while the smoke was disappearing every minute. Of thepirates there was no sign at first, but as Tyler's head appeared overthe top, they emerged from the edge of the jungle and set up a shout ofdefiance.
"Aloft there!" called out the one who had now assumed the leadership;"do not think that you will escape us, for we are determined to captureyou. Indeed, our lives are forfeited if we fail to do so. Up to this youhave kept us at bay, for your guns are good, and can reach farther thanours, while the boulders and rocks protect you. But men can climb in thedark, and seeing that we cannot drive you to submission by means of afire, we will close upon you in the night. Think and dream of that. Ifyou lie down and sleep, or sit there watchful as a hawk, the end willstill be the same, for we shall creep silently upon you. When you feelmost secure we shall lay our hands upon you, and then, my friends, atime awaits you in Rembas. We hear that the men of Sarawak are comingup, and since that is the case we will kill you both with certainceremonies, so that luck may come to us. I who am one of the sea Dyaksswear that this shall be your fate."
With a defiant wave of his hand the man disappeared in the forest, andthough Tyler stared after him, and watched the intervals between thetrees, he could see no one else. Then he turned to Li Sung to gather theman's meaning, and afterwards directed his gaze to the river.
"Evidently they mean to cut off escape in that direction," he said, "forone of their sampans is taking up a position off the bank, and will liethere during the night, moving slowly backwards and forwards. Perhapsthey expect us to steal down and capture one of their boats, but theywill be mistaken. And that reminds me. Come up, Li Sung, and point outto me the spot where we hid the craft in which we entered the river."
It wanted but a few seconds to enable the active Chinee to come to hismaster's side, and at once he swung to the right and pointed eagerly tothe edge of the rock.
"Allee rightee," he exclaimed in a whisper. "De pirate below not findhim for sure, and de fire not go dat way. Massa can see dat dere am nobushes till de ones dat hidee de boat, so allee velly fine. We runneeaway in him."
"Yes, and the sooner the better," said Tyler with unusual decision. "Wehave to go. That is perfectly clear, for we shall be killed or starvedto death if we remain. Very well, then the question follows as to whenwe shall go. Shall it be at once, when the darkness has fallen, or shallit be during the night? My vote is given for an instant start, forotherwise the pirates will discover the boat as they creep this way;and then, again, they will rush us as we are preparing to leave. Bettergo as soon as the night comes, so as to get away before they can havesurrounded the rock."
"And massa will choose de river and de boat?" asked Li Sung.
"Yes, the jungle is out of the question. It will be filled with scouts,who will be at points all round the edge of the clearing."
"Den you say dat we sneak to de sampan and out into de river?"
"Yes, Li, but not at once. You may be sure that those fellows arewatching all round, and I think that to attempt to embark opposite herewill end in discovery. If we go to the right, or strike into the junglebehind, the same will happen."
"Den massa says go de oder way?" demanded Li in amazement. "He say gowhere all de pirates am now, and where dey arrive to attack us?"
The proposition was, to say the least of it, a startling one, andyet Tyler was not inclined to relinquish it. For he had had long tothink the matter over, and as he sat there looking down through thesemi-darkness which had now covered the land, he felt sure that anattempt to leave the rock would be suspected. Indeed it was morethan likely that the threat which the Dyak leader had shouted to himwas merely meant to throw dust in his eyes, to make him think that anattempt would be made to assault during the night. Instead of doingthat, however, the pirates would probably at once take up commandingpositions, and then, in the belief that the two Chinamen would descendand slip into the darkness, would keep their eyes alert and make everyeffort to take them. Would they think to guard every spot alike? No. AsTyler considered the point he felt sure that that part of the forestwhere they were at that moment would be deserted, and that it was bythat path that they must escape.
"You see," he said, suddenly turning upon Li Sung, "they know that wehave seen them land, and that their boats are pulled up there. They havebeen in that position ever since they came, and they will reckon thatwe shall keep away from it as far as possible. Is that not what otherswould do?"
For answer the Chinaman gently scratched the top of his head, for thoughcunning he was no reasoner, and, to tell the truth, had he been alonewould have elected to go in the opposite direction to that which hisleader had suggested.
"Well," demanded Tyler, staring into his face eagerly, "what would a manof your country do? What would you do?"
"Me go de oder way. Me slip into de forest and runnee for de life,"gasped Li Sung.
"And that is what the majority of fellows would do. That is what thepirates would do, and will expect of us. Then we take the road I havepointed out, and if we are discovered--"
"Li Sung plenty knowee den," exclaimed his follower, snatching at hisknife and brandishing it in the air. "Li not care how he go, so long asmassa lead de way; but he can fight. He hate de pirate!"
"Then we will settle the matter, for it is already almost time to setout."
For some thirty minutes the two crouched there on their perch,discussing their plans and listening eagerly for sounds of the enemy.Then, having tucked their revolvers into their belts, and swung theirrifles over their shoulders, they began to creep down the steep slope ofthe rock, taking a line which would bring them to the spot where theyhad hidden the boat. Soon slight sounds came to their ears, and as theyhalted to listen each realized that the enemy was on either hand andbehind, and that the noise which they could hear was made by the piratesas they stole through the forest to take up their positions.
"They are preparing to catch us, but are not quite ready yet," whisperedTyler. "Then we will not waste a moment, for while they move intoposition we will slip away."
Sweeping the ground before him with his hands ere he ventured to takea step in advance, Tyler at length reached the foot of the rock, andat once crept into the bushes which, owing to the fact that they weregrowing far to one side, had escaped the conflagration. Ah, there wasthe light river-boat! and in a trice the two silent figures were bearingit away on their shoulders. Turning to that part of the bank which hadbeen occupied by the enemy they stole along in that direction, theirfeet buried in the hot ashes left by the fire, which effectually maskedany sounds which might have been made. Soon a belt of trees barred theirprogress, and at once dropping the boat they grasped it with both handsand bore it along dangling at arm's-length. A hundred yards were coveredin absolute silence, and both were beginning to think that fortune hadbefriended them and that freedom was before them, when Tyler gave ventto a startled cry, and of a sudden, as if the ground had been cut frombeneath his feet, disappeared from view.
"Quick, massa! Where am you?" demanded Li Sung eagerly, while a shoutin the forest told that Tyler's cry had been heard. "You speakee plentyquick, and Li comee to helpee you."
"I'm down below in a hole of some sort," answered Tyler swiftly,picking himself up and feeling about in the darkness. "I have got into atrap of some sort, for I can feel a number of pointed bamboos all aboutme, and was lucky to miss falling upon them and being spiked. Lean downand haul me up quickly. Now up with the boat again and run. This way tothe river!"
Realizing the plight into which his master had fallen, Li Sung no soonerheard what had happened than he threw himself upon his face at the edgeof the yawning pit into which Tyler had tumbled, and, stretching out ahand, rapidly hoisted the latter out. Then both grasped the boat oncemore and set off for the river at the fastest pace. As for the pirates,they set the jungle ringing with their shouts, and, uncertain what hadhappened, for the trap had not been of their setting, but had beenprepared for some old engagement now long
forgotten, they rushed hitherand thither, calling to one another to tell them where the enemy were.
"Into the water with her, and on board," said Tyler as they reached thebank of the river and waded in. "Now, have you a paddle? Then let everystroke tell."
There was no need for explanation, for both knew that they must pullfor their lives. Kneeling, therefore, in the bottom of the boat, theyeach grasped a paddle with both hands and thrust the blade deep into theriver. Then the surface swirled behind them, the craft gathered way, andere a minute had passed they were shooting along beneath the overhangingbranches.
"Keep where we are," gasped Tyler as he laboured at his paddle. "It ispitch dark in here, while outside the sharp eyes of the natives wouldpick us out. Keep a good look-out, and be ready to push her off in casewe run into the bank."
That the latter was a likely occurrence was to be expected, forbeneath the leafy avenue even in brilliant daylight all was sombre andclouded with gloom, while now that darkness had fallen and the sun haddisappeared the tunnel under the trees presented not a ray, and indeedwas buried in such obscurity that the two fugitives felt as thoughhemmed in by it, as though they could actually feel the darkness whichsurrounded them. But what could they do? Emerge into the open, so as toescape the risk of plunging into the trunk of a tree or running aground?That would be madness, for, as Tyler had observed, the night outside wasnot so black that the eyes of the Malays and sea Dyaks would fail topierce it. And once they caught even the faintest glimpse of the flyingboat, a suspicion even that it was paddling in that direction wouldbring them howling after it, and then the fate of the two Chinamen wouldbe sealed. Yes, in an instant Tyler realized their precarious position;and though for the moment he considered whether it would not be betterto halt where they were and lie still beneath the trees, he dismissedthe idea next second, feeling that were they to do so the pirates wouldsoon surround the spot, and, confident that they had cut off escape,would remain patiently till morning came and allowed them to surge downupon their daring enemies. Forward, therefore, and at all speed, was theorder, and, reckless of the consequences, they plunged their paddlesstill deeper into the water till the bows of the tiny river-boat hissedagainst the stream, and sent the foam scudding on either side.
Hark! A shout, louder and more piercing than any which had preceded it,suddenly burst from the forest behind them, while the babel of voicescame to an abrupt end. Then the cry was repeated, and ere a second hadpassed an answering hail came from up and down the river. Almost at thesame moment the prow of the river-boat dashed into a pile of drift-wood,and, running forward till half her length was piled upon it, came to ahalt, stranded there beneath the tunnel of trees.
"Hop out and float her again," whispered Tyler calmly. "Now stand stilland listen. You heard the hail? Then did you catch those which answeredit?"
"Yes, massa. A shout came from up de river, and anoder from down below.We am caught. We am prisoner at last, and when de day comee again poorLi and him massa die. Dey lose de head, and when de men comee fromSarawak and kill de pirate dey find dem slung to de back of de Dyaks."
Many a time, no doubt, had the humble Chinee seen men of the race whichinhabited Borneo setting out upon an expedition to levy war upon theirneighbours, and time and again had he observed the fact that all, ornearly all, of the warriors carried the heads of former victims slung totheir girdles, for that was their custom. No wonder, therefore, as theprospect of imprisonment conjured up the scene and brought it afresh tohis memory, that he shivered there, and, seeing that the end seemed sonear, thought only of the worst. But Tyler also had heard of the custom,and indeed had even seen it with his own eyes. However, he was not thelad to be so easily frightened, and moreover he recognized the factthat life was sweet, and that to retain it now all his thoughts must bedirected to escape, and not to the consequences of capture.
"Silence!" he exclaimed in low but commanding tones, the firmness ofwhich caused the Chinaman to suddenly cease his whining. "We are notcaught yet, and even if we are, what will it matter to either of us ifour heads are taken and carried about, for we shall be dead? Don't befoolish, for, as I have said, we are not taken yet. There is a sayingamongst my people which runs: 'First catch your bird, then cook him'.Let the pirates lay hands on us, then, and it will be time to moan aboutour fate. For the present it is our work to get away from them, and formy part I mean to escape whatever the difficulties. Now, get hold of thebows and lift. That's the way. Turn to the left and scramble into thejungle."
Abashed by the lecture which he had received, and encouraged by thebravery and calmness shown by his leader, Li Sung obediently carried outthe order, and, lifting the head of the boat, carried it towards thebank. Tyler picked up the stern, and together they bore their craft intothe jungle close at hand, and deposited it silently there.
"They shall have their patience tried," he said, as he threw himselfupon the ground. "No doubt that shout warned men who were watching upand down the river, and now that they have been put on their guard theothers will embark and will scour every foot of the water. If we hadstayed on the drift-wood we should have been discovered, for they willsearch with torches to help them. Now we are hidden again, and can waittill the noise and the keenness of the hunt have died down."
"Hush, massa! Li hear someting, and him tink he see a light too."
Whispering the words the faithful fellow stretched forth a warning handand touched Tyler on the sleeve. Then both stared through the jungle,and made sure that they could hear faint sounds, as of someone paddling,approaching close to them. As for the light, at first it was difficultto determine whether Li Sung had been drawing on his imagination, orwhether he had actually seen one. But presently a dull reflection on thewater as it rippled beneath the trees attracted their attention, andthey became aware of the fact that a distant flare, which was all buthidden by the leaves, was illuminating the stream before them.
"Searching the part beneath the boughs," whispered Tyler; "and overthere are other torches. Lie still for your life, and do not make asound. But first get hold of your rifle."
Instantly each swung his weapon to the front, and brought the butt tohis shoulder. Then, prepared to fire if occasion should call for it,they lay still as ghosts amongst the bushes, peering at the enemy.It was a strange scene to look upon, and to Tyler as he lay there itbrought back memories of many a jolly day at home. For here was a long,narrow native boat, drifting slowly down beneath the boughs, with twomen to send it along with an occasional stroke, while some twentyothers, all with the scantiest of clothing and with weapons bared, stoodor kneeled up and stared at the leaves, into the trees, and amongst thebushes which lined the bank, hoping, with the aid of the light castfrom a torch which was thrust into a bed of clay in the bows, that theywould be able to find a trace of the fugitives for whom they sought.Uncanny though the scene was, and in spite of the fact that his lifewas at stake, Tyler's thoughts flew involuntarily to a day of dayswhich he had spent not so long ago with his school comrades. There wasa regatta, and at its end the boats had rowed in procession through thedarkness, sending up fireworks, while the majority of the crew stood aswell as the craft would permit and called loudly to their friends uponthe bank. At the head of each of the craft had smoked and flared a torchof pine-wood which served to lighten the scene. How similar it had beento this at which he was now looking! For a moment he almost forgot thecircumstances as he recalled old friends, comrades in the days when hewas a lad at school, before the _Dido_ had been thought of. Then with astart he remembered his position at that moment, and at once his handtightened upon the stock of his weapon, while the fingers of his otherhand felt for the revolver which was thrust in his belt.
"If they find us, fire the rifle, then give them a few shots with therevolver and fly. But we must take the boat, and must embark within afew seconds."
He whispered the words in his companion's ear, and then watched to seehim nod. A second later the native boat drew opposite, and both layas if glued to the ground, scarce
ly daring to breathe lest the soundshould be heard. Then with feelings of relief they noted that the craftwas gradually passing beyond them, and were preparing to turn andcongratulate themselves on their good fortune, when one of the nativesgave vent to a cry of astonishment, while the boat came to a sudden halt.
"Aground!" cried the man who was stationed in the bows, at oncespringing over the side; "and--do my eyes deceive me, or is this themark of a second boat, perhaps the one in which the Chinamen escaped?Remember, comrades, we know that it was by that means that they left us,for they had hidden the craft which brought them here, and their gunsprevented us from finding her. What have you others to say?"
He stood aside while his comrades splashed in the water and wadedtowards him. Then the torch was snatched from its support and brought tothe spot, over which all bent eagerly.
As for Tyler and Li Sung, they almost trembled with apprehension, and,believing that they were about to be discovered, brought their weaponsto bear upon the gathering of natives, and made ready to discharge themand then run for their lives.
"It is your fancy, comrade," at length cried one of the pirates. "Thebows of our boat crashed upon the drift-wood here, as you can seefor yourself, for there is a deep furrow. Then you sprang overboard,lightening the load and causing her to move again. There is nothing inthese signs, and I therefore urge you to press on. Remember, all ofyou, that our lives are forfeit if the day dawns and still finds usunsuccessful. Push on then, and let us not delay."
"As you will," grumbled the one who had at first raised the question,and who had spent the time in staring into the jungle towards the spotwhere Tyler lay. "Only if we lose them on account of the fact that youwill not take my warning, then it will be sad for all of us. For me,Rembas shall not see me again, for to return would be to die."
"Then, as we all love the lives which we lead, and desire to go back toour homes, let us push on in all haste," cried his comrade. "Then shallwe be more sure of coming upon these rascals."
With a heave they lifted the craft from the obstruction and placed herin deep water. Then they sprang aboard, and before the fugitives couldbelieve their eyes, their enemies were sweeping down the stream, onlythe reflection of the light being there to show that they actuallyexisted.
"We will let them tire of the search," said Tyler, with a big sigh ofrelief, "and then we will take to the water ourselves and make for thelower reaches. For the present we will lie still and listen, for othersmay come this way."
And so with ears straining for sounds which would warn them of the nearpresence of the enemy, and with all their senses alert, they waited inthe forest for some three hours or more, not daring to stir from theirhiding-place. Then, judging that the keenness of the search was overand that they might venture to take to the river, they crept from thejungle, lifted their boat into the stream, and embarked. A thrust ofthe foot and she was afloat, and a stroke of the paddle directed heron her way. Then, with the current to carry them, they let her driftsilently through the night, being careful, however, to keep her stillbeneath the overhanging boughs. At length the latter came to an end, andthe open river was before them. At once they took to their paddles, andwere urging their craft into the centre of the Sarebus when a long, darkobject which had been lying in close to the bank shot out behind themand came racing in their wake. Then a dusky figure in the front graspedat a pole, at the end of which was attached a hook with which it was thecustom of the pirates of Borneo to tear their enemies from their prahus,and, thrusting it out into the night, made a dash at the unconsciousfigure of the rearmost of the two at the paddles. It caught; the hookpassed beneath his arm and became entangled in his clothing.
"Back!" shouted the pirate. "Hold on your paddles!"
There was a startled cry of surprise, the guttural exclamation of aChinaman, and ere Tyler had time to think, he was over the side andbeing dragged into the enemy's boat. Down came the shaft of the poleupon his head, rendering him unconscious of the roughness with which hewas handled. Thrust here and there, hauled this way and that, he was atlength pushed into the stern and left to lie there, while the piratesturned their attention to the remaining fugitive. But of him there wasnot a sign. The darkness or the river had swallowed him up.
With the Dyaks of Borneo: A Tale of the Head Hunters Page 19
