Читать книгу In Far Bolivia: A Story of a Strange Wild Land - Stables Gordon - Страница 3

Fierce eyes had been watching the little camp foran hour and more, glaring out on the sunnyglade from the dark depths of a forest tree not faroff; out from under a cloudland of waving foliagethat rustled in the balmy wind. Watching, andwatching unwaveringly, Peggy, while she read; watchingthe sleeping Roland; the great wolf-hound, Brawn; and watching the ponies too.

Ever and anon these last would come closer to thetree, as they nibbled grass or moss, then those fierceeyes burned more fiercely, and the cat-like tail of amonster jaguar moved uneasily as if the wild beastmeditated a spring.

But the ponies, sniffing danger in the air, perhaps-whocan tell? – would toss their manes and retreat tothe shadow of the rocks.

Had the dog not been there the beast would havedared all, and sprung at once on one of those nimblesteeds.

But he waited and watched, watched and waited, and at long last his time came. With a coughingroar he now launched himself into the air, theelasticity of the branch giving greater force to hisspring.

Straight on the shoulders or back of poor Bozhe alighted. His talons were well driven home, hiswhite teeth were preparing to tear the flesh from thepony's neck.

Both little steeds yelled wildly, and in nightmarish terror.

Up sprang Brawn, the wolf-hound, and dashed on tothe rescue.

Peggy seized her loaded rifle and hurried after him.

Thoroughly awake now, and fully cognizant of theterrible danger, Roland too was quickly on the sceneof action.

To fire at a distance were madness. He mighthave missed the struggling lion and shot poor Boz, oreven faithful Brawn.

This enormous dog had seized the beast by onehock, and with his paws against the pony wasendeavouring to tear the monster off.

The noise, the movement, the terror, caused poorRoland's head to whirl.

He felt dazed, and almost stupid.

Ah! but Peggy was clear-headed, and a brave andfearless child was she.

Her feet seemed hardly to touch the moss, solightly did she spring along.

Her little rifle was cocked and ready, and, takingadvantage of a few seconds' lull in the fearfulscrimmage, she fired at five yards' distance.

The bullet found billet behind the monster's ear, his grip relaxed, and now Brawn tore him easily fromhis perch and finished him off on the ground, withawful din and habbering.

Then, with blood-dripping jaws he came with hisears lower, half apologetically, to receive the praiseand caresses of his master and mistress.

But though the adventure ended thus happily, frightened beyond measure, the ponies, Coz and Boz, had taken to the bush and disappeared.

Knowing well the danger of the situation, Rolandand Peggy, with Brawn, tried to follow them. ButIrish wolf-hounds have but little scent, and so theysearched and searched in vain, and returned at lastto the sun-kissed glade.

It was now well on towards three o'clock, and asthey had a long forest stretch of at least ten milesbefore them ere they could touch the banks of thegreat queen of waters, Roland determined, with theaid of his compass, to strike at once into thebeast-trodden pathway by which they had come, and makeall haste homewards before the sun should set anddarkness envelop the gloomy forest.

"Keep up your heart, Peggy; if your courage andyour feet hold out we shall reach the river beforedusk."

"I'm not so frightened now," said Peggy; but herlips were very tremulous, and tears stood in her eyes.

"Come, come," she cried, "let us hurry on! Come,Brawn, good dog!"

Brawn leapt up to lick her ear, and taking nothought for the skin of the jaguar, which in morefavourable circumstances would have been borneaway as a trophy, and proof of Peggy's valour, theynow took to the bush in earnest.

Roland looked at his watch.

"Three hours of light and more. Ah! we can doit, if we do not lose our way."

So off they set.

Roland took the lead, rifle in hand, Peggy camenext, and brave Brawn brought up the rear.

They were compelled to walk in single file, for thepathways were so narrow in places that two couldnot have gone abreast.

Roland made constant reference to his littlecompass, always assuring his companion that they werestill heading directly for the river.

They had hurried on for nearly an hour, whenRoland suddenly paused.

A huge dark monster had leapt clear and cleanacross the pathway some distance ahead, and takenrefuge in a tree.

It was, no doubt, another jaguar, and to advanceunannounced might mean certain death to one of thethree.

"Are you all loaded, Peggy?" said Roland.

"Every chamber!" replied the girl.

There was no tremor about her now; and nobackwoods Indian could have acted more coolly andcourageously.

"Blaze away at that tree then, Peg."

Peggy opened fire, throwing in three or four shotsin rapid succession.

The beast, with a terrible cry, darted out of the treeand came rushing along to meet and fight the littleparty.

"Down, Brawn, down! To heel, sir!"

Next moment Roland fired, and with a terribleshriek the jaguar took to the bush, wounded andbleeding, and was seen no more.

But his yells had awakened the echoes of the forest, and for more than five minutes the din of roaring, growling, and shrieking was fearful.

Wild birds, no doubt, helped to swell the pandemonium.

After a time, however, all was still once more, andthe journey was continued in silence.

Even Peggy, usually the first to commence aconversation, felt in no mood for talking now.

She was very tired. Her feet ached, her brow washot, and her eyes felt as if boiling in their sockets.

Roland had filled his large flask at the littlewaterfall before leaving the glade, and he now made herdrink.

The draught seemed to renew her strength, and shestruggled on as bravely as ever.

—

Just two and a half hours after they had left theforest clearing, and when Roland was holding outhopes that they should soon reach the road by thebanks of the river, much to their astonishment theyfound themselves in a strange clearing which theyhad never seen before.

The very pathway ended here, and though the boywent round and round the circle, he could find noexit.

To retrace his steps and try to find out the rightpath was the first thought that occurred to Roland.

This plan was tried, but tried in vain, and so-wearyand hopeless now beyond measure-theyreturned to the centre of the glade and threwthemselves down on the soft green moss.

Lost! Lost!

The words kept repeating themselves in poorRoland's brain, but Peggy's fatigue was so completethat she preferred rest even in the midst of dangerto going farther.

Brawn, heaving a great sigh, laid himself downbeside them.

The warm day wore rapidly to a close, and at lastthe sun shimmered red through the forest trees.

Then it sank.

The briefest of twilight, and the stars shone out.

Two hours of starlight, then solemnly uprose theround moon and flooded all the glade, draping thewhispering trees in a blue glare, beautifullyetherealizing them.

Sorrow bringeth sleep.

"Good-night, Rolly! Say your prayers," murmured Peggy.

There were stars in the sky. There were stars toothat flitted from bush to bush, while the winds mademurmuring music among the lofty branches.

Peggy was repeating to herself lines that she hadread that very day:

* * * * *

—

The forest was unusually silent to-night, but everand anon might be heard some distant growl showingthat the woods sheltered the wildest beasts. Oran owl with mournful cry would flap its silent wingsas it flew across the clearing.

But nothing waked those tired and weary sleepers.

So the night wore on and on. The moon hadreached the zenith, and was shining now with alustre that almost rivalled daylight itself.

It must have been well on towards two o'clock inthe morning when Brawn emitted a low and threatening growl.

This aroused both Roland and Peggy, and the formerat once seized his rifle.

Standing there in the pale moonlight, not twentyyards away, was a tall, dark-skinned, and powerful-lookingIndian. In his right hand he held a spear orsomething resembling one; in his left a huge catapultor sling. He was dressed for comfort-certainly notfor ornament. Leggings or galligaskins covered hislower extremities, while his body was wrapped in ablanket. He had no head-covering, save a mattedmass of hair, in which were stuck a few feathers.

Roland took all this in at a glance as he seized hisrifle and prepared for eventualities. According to thetraditional painter of Indian life and customs theproper thing for this savage to have said is "Ugh!"He said nothing of the sort. Nor did he give ventto a whoop and yell that would have awakened thewild birds and beasts of the forest and every echo farand near.

"Who goes there?" cried Roland, raising his gun.

"No shootee. No shootee poor Indian man. Ifriendee you. Plenty friendee."

Probably there was a little romance about Roland, for, instead of saying: "Come this way then, old chap, squat down and give us the news," he said sternly:

"Advance, friend!"

But the Indian stood like a statue.

"No undahstandee foh true."

And Roland had to climb down and say simply:

"Come here, friend, and speak."

Brawn rushed forward now, but he looked a terror, for his hair was all on end like a hyena's, and hegrowled low but fiercely.

"Down, Brawn! It's a good man, Brawn."

Brawn smelt the Indian's hand, and, seemingsatisfied, went back to the spot where Peggy sat wonderingand frightened.

She gathered the great dog to her breast and huggedand kissed him.

"What foh you poh chillun sleepee all in de woodso? S'pose wild beas' come eatee you, w'at den you do?"

"But, friend," replied Roland, "we are far fromBurnley Hall, our home, and we have lost everything.We have lost our ponies, lost our way, and lost ourselves."

"Poh chillun!" said this strange being. "But nowgo sleepee foh true. De Indian he lie on blanket. Hewatchee till de big sun rise."

"Can we trust him, Peggy?"

"Oh yes, yes!" returned Peggy. "He is a dear, good man; I know by his voice."

In ten minutes more the boy and girl were fastasleep.

The Indian watched.

And Brawn watched the Indian.

—

When the sun went down on the previous evening, and there were no signs of the young folks returning, both Mr. St. Clair and his wife became very uneasyindeed.

Then two long hours of darkness ensued before themoon sailed up, first reddening, then silvering, thewavelets and ripples on the great river.

"Surely some evil must have befallen them," moanedMrs. St. Clair. "Oh, my Roland! my son! I may neversee you more. Is there nothing can be done? Tellme! Tell me!"

"We must trust in Providence, Mary; and it iswrong to mourn. I doubt not the children are safe, although perhaps they have lost their way in thewoods."

Hours of anxious waiting went by, and it wasnearly midnight. The house was very quiet and still, for the servants were asleep.

Burly Bill and Jake had mounted strong horses atmoonrise, and gone off to try to find a clue. But theyknew it was in vain, nay, 'twould have been sheermadness to enter the forest now. They coo-eed overand over again, but their only answer was the echoingshriek of the wild birds.

They were just about to return after giving theirlast shrill coo-ee-ee, when out from the moonlit forest, with a fond whinny, sprang Coz and Boz.

Jake sprang out of his saddle, throwing his bridleto Bill.

In the bright moonlight, Jake could see at oncethat there was something wrong. He placed his handon Boz's shoulder. He staggered back as he withdrew it.

"Oh, Bill," he cried, "here is blood, and the pony istorn and bleeding! Only a jaguar could have donethis. This is terrible."

"Let us return at once," said Bill, who had a rightsoft heart of his own behind his burly chest.

"But oh!" he added, "how can we break the newsto Roland's parents?"

"We'll give them hope. Mrs. St. Clair must knownothing yet, but at early dawn all the ranch must bearoused, and we shall search the forest for miles andmiles."

—

Jake, after seeing the ponies safe in their stable, left Bill to look to Boz's wounds, while withSt. Clair's leave he himself set off at a round gallop toget assistance from a neighbouring ranch.

Day had not yet broken ere forty good men andtrue were on the bridle-path and tearing along theriver's banks. St. Clair himself was at their head.

I must leave the reader to imagine the joy of all theparty when soon after sunrise there emerged fromthe forest, guided by the strange Indian, Roland,Peggy, and noble Brawn, all looking as fresh as thedew on the tender-eyed hibiscus bloom or the wildflowers that nodded by the river's brim.

"Wirr-rr-r-wouff, wouff, wouff!" barked Brawn,as he bounded forward with joy in every feature ofhis noble face, and I declare to you there seemed tobe a lump in his throat, and the sound of his barkingwas half-hysterical.

St. Clair could not utter a word as he fondlyembraced the children. He pretended to scold a little, but this was all bluff, and simply a ruse to keep backthe tears.

But soft-hearted Burly Bill was less successful.He just managed to drop a little to the rear, and itwas not once only that he was fain to draw the sleeveof his rough jacket across his eyes.

—

But now they are mounted, and the horses' headsare turned homewards. Peggy is seated in front ofBurly Bill, of whom she is very fond, and Roland issaddled with Jake. The Indian and Brawn ran.

Poor Mrs. St. Clair, at the big lawn gate, gazingwestward, sees the cavalcade far away on the horizon.

Presently, borne along on the morning breeze comevoices raised in a brave and joyous song:

And she knows her boy and Peggy are safe.

"Thank God for all his mercies!" she saysfervently, then, woman-like, bursts into tears.