The Search for the Silver City Part 39

"It won't take long for me to explain. I propose to hire them to carry us to the sea-sh.o.r.e, and thus save just so much labor of traveling on foot."

"Is their canoe large enough?"

"It will carry a dozen."

"Then our troubles are indeed over," Teddy cried joyously; but c.u.mmings dampened his ardor somewhat when he added:

"There will then remain the journey around the coast, and with such a load it would not be safe to put to sea in their craft. But let us enjoy the blessings which come to us," he added, on observing how quickly his companions' countenances fell. "Half a loaf is decidedly better than no bread at all, and when a tramp of six days can be set aside we have good cause to feel pleased."

The strangers had not waited to be welcomed by the other members of the party. Without stopping to be invited they began preparations for cooking on rather an extensive scale, using the contents of their well filled game bags, and the savory odor which soon arose brought Jake to a full realization of the good fortune that had come to them.

"With those fellows to hunt the game it will be a regular feast from here to the coast," he said approvingly, "and I think this is the first piece of good luck we've had since leaving the Sea Dream."

The newcomers could not speak the English language, consequently all the conversation on the part of the fugitives was carried on by c.u.mmings and Poyor; but these two interpreted such portions as they thought might be of interest to the boys.

From the middle of what is known as the "dry season" until the period of almost incessant rains is well advanced, these hunters spend their time on one or another of the streams leading from the coast, and they consider themselves well paid when a year's work nets each an hundred dollars.

"That is really a large amount of money to them," c.u.mmings explained when Neal suggested that hunting was not a very profitable employment.

"One quarter of the sum will serve to purchase the absolute necessities of 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 become landed proprietors by leasing logwood cuttings, sub-letting the land to those who will pay fifteen cents a hundred pounds for all that can be gathered."

The strangers were quite as satisfactory cooks as Poyor, and when the dinner had been spread on the leaves each member of c.u.mmings' party was ready to do it full justice.

After the meal a short time was spent by the men in smoking, and at about four o'clock in the afternoon the journey was resumed.

Feeling secure because of numbers, and the reports made by the newcomers that there was no one in the immediate vicinity the boys were allowed to follow their own inclinations as to the line of march, and each strayed here or there as he pleased until the coming of night forced them to keep together because of the danger to be apprehended from wild animals.

It was late in the evening when they arrived at the hunters' camp; but c.u.mmings did not propose to remain there even for one night.

He insisted that they could travel by water as well during the hours of darkness, 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 beginning of the journey until morning; but he was determined, and after some controversy the men made the canoe ready.

Neal, Teddy and Jake were stationed amids.h.i.+ps, where thanks to the generous size of the craft, they could stretch out at full length whenever the fancy seized them. Poyor was seated in the bow, c.u.mmings on the stern thwart, and the owners of the boat where they could use the paddles to advantage.

Of this first night's journeying the boys knew very little. The stream was narrow, and lined on either bank with trees so that at times even the heavens were obscured by foliage, therefore they could perceive nothing save the dark wall on either side.

From the movements of the helmsman it was possible to understand when the canoe was rounding a bend, or being pulled from the bank; but that was all, and, weary of watching without being able to see anything, the boys soon gave themselves up to slumber.

When they awakened the little craft was moored to the bank at a point where the stream formed a basin; a fire was burning brightly, and over it Poyor bent in a suggestive att.i.tude.

"Well, this is the kind of traveling that suits me," Teddy cried, springing to his feet and arousing his companions. "While we were sleeping the boat drifted steadily on, and, at this rate, when we arrive at the coast all hands ought to be in good condition for a long tramp."

"Where's c.u.mmings?" Neal asked, as he in turn arose from the bottom of the 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 fish roasting in the coals, and you may eat at any time."

"Is there a chance of meeting with an alligator or a crocodile in this stream?"

"Not here."

"Then I'm going to have a bath," and Neal began to undress, Teddy and Jake quickly following his example.

During half an hour they had most glorious sport swimming, and then the return of the hunters literally laden down with game warned them that it was time to prepare for the morning meal.

CHAPTER x.x.xI.

THE SEA.

After breakfast the voyage was resumed.

The owners of the canoe urged that the party remain in camp until the following day, in order as they said, that all hands might be the better fitted for the journey; but c.u.mmings decided against such delay in a very emphatic manner.

"It is of the greatest importance to these boys that we reach the coast at the earliest possible moment," he said, "and there is no good reason for halting any longer than is necessary for the purpose of cooking.

With such a large crew each one can get all the rest he needs, and yet not be obliged to do a great amount of labor."

Very unwillingly the Indians took their seats in the boat, and during the day the boys saw very much to interest them.

Among the trees were monkeys in regular droves, and the more mischievous appeared to think it great sport to follow the craft and pelt the occupants with fruit.

Next to these long tailed brutes, black squirrels were the most numerous, and had the party been on a hunting excursion it would have been possible to load the canoe to the water's edge with this species of game.

Now and then a sleek jaguar showed himself. Again a drove of peccaries peered out from among the underbrush, and more than once c.u.mmings was forced to exert all his authority to prevent the Indians from stopping to bag an incautious tapir which had come to the stream for water.

The animals seen on this day's journey were few, however, as compared with the birds.

There were times when it seemed as if the channel was literally blocked with them, and as the boat advanced they dived under the surface or flew with harsh, discordant cries past the travelers' heads.

There were tantales with hard, crooked beaks, white heron, the spoon-bill with pink plumage, long necked flamingoes with flaming wings, cranes on their stilt-like legs, and teal and ducks in greatest variety.

Only once did c.u.mmings allow any shooting to be done, and then it was to bring down a jacana that the boys might see the long spur, sharp as steel, which nature has placed under the wing, thus rendering him a formidable antagonist even to the boa.

For the noon-day meal there was plenty of provisions left from breakfast, and while the canoe was being borne along by the current at the rate of three or four miles per hour, the little party regaled themselves with meat or fruit as fancy dictated.

When the sun was within an hour of sinking behind the trees the word to halt was given, and that they had covered a long distance since morning could be told from the alligators and the turtles which were so numerous as to often render navigation dangerous.

"You will indulge in no more baths this side of Progresso," c.u.mmings said, as the boys leaped ash.o.r.e just as the long snout of an alligator appeared at the very edge of the water, its owner waiting in the hope that by falling overboard some of the boatmen would provide him with a supper. "The presence of these fellows shows that we are nearing the coast, and if they will give us half a chance you shall know the taste of fresh water turtle, which is much finer than that of their cousins from the sea."

It would have been a very agile alligator who could have stopped Poyor in his search for a toothsome morsel, and in a short time two, known as hicoteas, were roasting in the midst of a roaring fire.

"While a fellow is traveling in this manner he can't complain of the bill of fare," Jake said, in a tone of most perfect content, as he helped himself to another portion of the turtle. "With a different kind of food at each meal, and all of the primest quality, we ought to grow fat."