The Search for the Silver City Part 10

"Some one has been here! Perhaps father arrived before we did."

"There's no such good luck," Jake replied. "While you fellows were snoozing I went a long bit in that direction."

"Then it's only a waste of time for me to go over the same ground," and Neal retraced his steps, adding when he gained Teddy's side, "I'll do my share of that work."

"You spoke too late, for I have finished. Now let's see what can be done in the way of hunting; a roasted bird will be a big improvement over salt meat, and I count on finding plenty of game."

"All right, provided Jake is willing to stay here alone."

"What is to prevent me from joining the party?"

"Someone must remain in case the boats heave in sight," Neal replied in a positive tone, and the engineer said carelessly:

"I didn't think of that; but it'll be all right, I'll keep my eyes peeled," and he added to himself, "I wish he wasn't so certain about the others coming, an' then the disappointment wouldn't be quite so great."

Jake cautioned the boys against going very far from the beach because of the danger of getting lost in the forest, and as they disappeared among the underbrush he threw himself upon the ground, unable longer to fight against the despair which was rapidly overpowering him.

He understood perfectly well how great would be the danger in attempting to make their way through the wooded portion of the country at this season of the year, when fever germs lurked in every spot where stagnant water was to be found, and knew at the same time how extremely difficult it might be to find a place offering any more advantages than did the narrow strip of sand on which they had been thrown.

"It wouldn't be quite as bad if I knew where we are," he said to himself. "It can't be possible that we're on the coast of South America; but if that should prove to be the case we'd make a pretty mess of it by trying to cross."

Then came the thought that perhaps it would be better to travel up the coast, and as to the advisability of this he studied a long while without being able to arrive at any satisfactory conclusion.

Two hours were spent in this profitless speculation, and then the boys returned, bringing with them two large hoccos, birds looking not unlike wild turkeys.

"We shan't starve while such game as this is to be found," Neal cried triumphantly. "I believe we might have shot a dozen by staying longer; but there was no sense in doing so just for the sake of killing. It will be a hard job to eat all this meat before it spoils."

"How far in did you go?" Jake asked, rising to his feet quickly and trying to banish from his face the look of dejection, lest his companions should suspect how desperate he believed the situation to be.

"Not more than half a mile," Teddy replied.

"What is the general appearance of the country?"

"The undergrowth is very dense in places, and above here, a little to the right, we came upon what seems to be a swamp. It was there we found these birds, and something else which is not quite so promising."

As he spoke Teddy pulled up his s.h.i.+rt sleeve, and pointed to several black specks on his skin.

"They are ticks, or garrapatas, as the Spaniards call them," Jake replied, as he opened his pocket knife. "The sooner you get rid of them the better, for they will make what is likely to be a bad sore unless a cordial invitation to leave is extended."

"Are you going to cut them out?" Teddy asked in alarm.

"Not exactly; but you won't get rid of the pests without considerable pain, for they have the faculty of crawling under the skin mighty fast."

Jake set about the work in a methodical manner, causing Teddy to cry aloud very often as the insects were pulled or dug from the flesh.

Then Neal was called upon to undergo the same operation, and not until nearly an hour had pa.s.sed were the hunters free from the painful pests.

It was now nearly sunset, and all hands set about preparing the hoccos for roasting, by first plucking the fowls, removing the intestines, and sticking them on a sharpened stake in front of the fire.

It was not an entirely satisfactory method of cooking, for while one portion was done brown, another would be hardly warmed through; but, as Teddy said, "it went a long way ahead of nothing," and all three worked industriously, turning the game or piling on the fuel until, about an hour after sunset, the task was completed.

By this time the castaways were decidedly hungry, and the half-cooked fowls tasted better than had the most elaborate meals on board the Sea Dream.

CHAPTER IX.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

When, supper having been eaten, preparations were made for the night, Neal insisted that one of the party should remain on guard during the hours of darkness, in order to watch for the boats, and Jake had no slight trouble in convincing him that it was not absolutely necessary.

"We couldn't see their lights half a mile away if they have any hoisted, which isn't likely, for the oil must be scarce by this time," the engineer said, "and, in case we did sight them, what good would it do?

We should induce them to land here, and we know how dangerous that is even in the daytime. I had rather let them pa.s.s without knowing where we are, than to be the innocent cause of a second disaster."

After considerable discussion Neal was made to understand that no good could come of posting sentinels, and the little party lay down on the bed of leaves; but, owing to the suspense concerning the fate of the others, neither slept very soundly.

It was hardly light enough to see surrounding objects when Jake began to prepare breakfast, and as soon as the sun rose Neal and Teddy paced to and fro on the beach gazing seaward; but without seeing that for which they sought.

For the first time Neal began to despair concerning his father, and returning to the camp he said in a voice choked by sobs:

"I don't believe we shall ever see either of them again. The wind has held steady since we landed, and they should have been here a long while ago. Our boat couldn't have sailed so much faster than theirs that we should arrive twenty-four hours in advance."

"Now put out of your mind the idea that we are not to see all hands some time," Jake replied quite sharply. "I'm willing to admit that they may not strike here, for I might as well own up to the truth, and say the chances are against two boats coming so far and hitting the same spot on the coast. That doesn't prove, however, that there has been any further disaster."

"Then you do believe that they won't come here?"

"Yes."

"Why haven't you proposed to make some change?"

"I didn't want to say anything until we were certain the boats wouldn't heave in sight. I shouldn't advise making a move yet awhile; but since you've broached the subject we may as well talk plainly."

"Do you think we are likely to be taken off by a vessel?"

"The fact that none have pa.s.sed within our line of vision certainly shows that such a chance is slim. I have come to the conclusion that we are not on the island of Cuba, and it stands us in hand to try for some town or sea-port. We might stay here a month, and then have a craft heave in sight when the surf run so high as to prevent a boat landing."

"What do you want to do?"

"Strike straight through the woods. There must be people living here somewhere, and the sooner we find them the sooner we'll get home."

"Why not follow along the beach?"

"Because, if this is an island, as it surely must be, we could get across quicker than around, and, besides, with all these coral rocks the beach is not the best sort of a road for traveling, loaded down as we shall be."

Neal was silent for a moment, and Teddy took advantage of the opportunity to ask: