Roger the Bold Part 12

"Where am I? What has happened to me, and why are we here in the forest?" asked our hero three days later, when he opened his eyes for the first time since he had received the treacherous stroke. "Is that you, Tamba? Tell me what has happened. I have been dreaming. I thought that we had come to this New Spain, to Terra Firma, and that you and I and----"

He suddenly broke off with a feeble groan, while the native knelt beside him, taking his hand to comfort him.

"I do not understand, my lord," he said. "You speak your own tongue, and forget that I cannot. What are the questions?"

Roger repeated them feebly, while he closed his eyes, for even there the rays of the sun were trying. But Tamba was a discerning nurse, and at once placed a screen of huge leaves, secured to a stake, between the rays and Roger's eyes.

"You were hurt," he whispered. "The treacherous Spaniard proved to be all that you suspected, and he s.n.a.t.c.hed his opportunity. He is gone, and three days have pa.s.sed since I saw the last of him."

"And he has stolen the golden disc? Then follow! Do not lose another instant. Follow at once, and pursue him till you come up with him. The disc was entrusted to my care, and what am I to say when we return to the brigantine?"

In his dismay he leaned upon his elbow, only to sink again to the soft bed of dried leaves with which the native had provided him, while the latter raised his eyes at the mention of the brigantine.

"I would chase him to the end of the land were I able to do so, master,"

he said. "But what then would have happened to you? You were feeble. You lay senseless in the water, and the blood poured from your wound. I thought of running after this Alvarez. Then I thought of you, and I said to myself that your life was more valuable to me and to the English than was this disc. I stayed, therefore, and Alvarez is gone. But not for good. Master, when you are strong we shall come up with him, and then----"

Even beneath the brown skin of the native there could be seen a tinge of red colour as the blood rose to his forehead and cheeks, called there by his hatred and indignation. For Tamba was one of those simple fellows, a child of the Cuban forest, with few wants, and few likes and dislikes.

His was a faithful nature, which even the cruel whip of the Spanish overseer had been unable to destroy, and where he had placed his faith he kept it. Roger was more than his friend and master, and to see him struck down was an agony to Tamba. Why, then, should he chase after a Spaniard while his lord bled slowly to death? He put aside the idea without a second thought, and on that fatal day promptly set to work to do what was possible. Taking Roger in his arms, he dragged him along the stream to the most suitable open spot, and there he placed him on a soft piece of turf, while he himself sought for roots and herbs, and for something with which to dress the wound. A piece of Roger's clothing had sufficed for the last, and Tamba had been able to stop the bleeding.

Then he went to the sh.o.r.e in search of the English soldiers. But they were nowhere to be seen, though the brigantine lay in the offing, her canvas at full stretch, beating out to sea, two Spanish vessels being in close chase of her. It was a terrible blow, and the native hardly knew how to break the news to Roger.

"You were hurt," he ventured gently. "And I could not pursue the traitor while you lay in the stream. You would have been smothered by the water had the bleeding not killed you. So I brought you here, and I built a hut over you while you lay insensible. I am thankful that you are now able to speak."

Roger opened his eyes and looked round in amazement, and now that the screen of leaves had been placed between him and the sun he could easily see. His eyes blinked at the unaccustomed light, but for all that he could make out that he lay on a comfortable bed, that a hut constructed of poles cut from the forest, and of broad leaves as thatch, covered him, while a cool breeze swept in through the open sides. There, too, was the stream which he had lately traversed, and all about him, on every side, the virgin forest, huge trunks with towering foliage, giant creepers which crept from branch to branch and bridged the s.p.a.ces, and thousands of gaudy flowers. The air, too, seemed to be full of the twitter of birds which flitted here and there. Then his eye went to the spot through which they had come, and he remembered the sea, the brigantine, and his comrades.

"Where are they?" he demanded suddenly, sitting up with another start.

"How is it, if I have been here three days, that they are not with me, that our apothecary has not attended, that Sir Thomas has not been to hear my news? But perhaps they came while I lay senseless or asleep, for I think I must have been unconscious. I have dreamed one long dream.

And, Tamba----"

The native was beside him at once, holding his hand, and lifting a gourd of water to his lips.

"Tamba, I dreamed that this Alvarez had killed me, and that he had made for Mexico, and had taken the treasure. But tell me of my comrades.

Perhaps they thought it better that I should rest here. Has Philip been to see me?"

"He is not here. None are within call, for the brigantine sailed when this traitor struck his blow."

The news was stunning. Roger opened his mouth in amazement, and lay there aghast.

"The brigantine gone without us. They would never desert their friends!

There must be some mistake. They have coasted along, and will return."

He looked at Tamba eagerly, as if fearful to hear his answer.

"They went three days ago, as I have said, my lord," said the native.

"When I had tended to you and returned to the sh.o.r.e the s.h.i.+p was out on the horizon, and two Spaniards were in chase of her. She has not appeared since, though I have been to look. But one of the Spaniards has returned, and yesterday she sent men ash.o.r.e to search. But they failed to come this way, and returned to their vessel. We are safe for the moment."

"But what is to become of us? We are stranded in an unknown land. We are alone, without friends, and who knows how many enemies about us? Perhaps even this Alvarez will return with his friends and murder us."

"He has gone for good," was the rea.s.suring answer. "I followed his track when you were well enough to be left, and it goes straight on for leagues. He fled without turning, never dreaming that the s.h.i.+p would leave us here. But we shall live through this trial, my lord. This coast is not far from the part for which we sailed--of that I feel sure; for would this Alvarez have run just here had the distance been over great?

What he can do, we can also."

"And will!" exclaimed Roger, with more strength and energy than he had hitherto displayed. "We also will make for Mexico, and do our best to treat with Montezuma, or, rather, with his successor. What fun if Peter and the others followed us to find the matter all arranged! How Peter would bridle! How his face and nose would s.h.i.+ne! But I must not fly too far. I have yet to get well. What is the nature of the injury, Tamba?"

"A simple dagger wound, just beneath the shoulder blade, which penetrated the lung, and nearly killed because of the bleeding. My lord lay there and coughed for hours, till I thought that he would die. Then the blood ceased to come from his lips, and he grew better. To-day you have spoken for the first time."

"And from this moment I proceed to get strong and well, for I cannot bear to lie here while my comrades are gone. Nor can I stay much longer and think that Alvarez has possession of the golden disc. By his own word--honest words, I feel sure--this disc keeps the secret of the treasure of the Mexicans. And we are bound to Mexico with the thought of taking some of those riches from the Spaniards before all are gone. Then there is no time to lose. I must grow strong, and follow, and then, Tamba, should I see this Alvarez, I swear to punish him for this treachery, not because I have suffered a wound, but because all aboard the brigantine will have suffered. He shall die, and I will kill him."

There was an ugly gleam in the sick youth's eye--a gleam which his friends had seen there before when the brigantine had laid herself aboard the Spanish galleon. Roger was not vindictive, nor even pugnacious, but a wrong was a wrong, and treachery was the worst of offences. As to the riches in Mexico, it never occurred to our hero to think what right he and his comrades had to them. The expedition was formed, as many were to be in later days, to obtain gold, to wrest it from the Spaniards or from the natives, and preferably from the former, for it is easier to stand aside and watch while one man gathers gold than to collect it one's self. And also, the prize to be obtained is then greater. Nowadays such an expedition would be inexcusable; but then it was different. It was common for nations who were friendly in home waters to come to blows when far away, and these expeditions for the gathering of gold were looked upon as legitimate, a fair adventure, not as open piracy, as we should now consider them to be. However, Roger need not be blamed if he gave little thought to the matter, considering his age; and, besides, he had other things to occupy his mind. His thoughts, in fact, were busy with Alvarez, while he blamed himself time and again because he had not preserved more caution.

"I was a fool," he thought, "to turn my back even for a second, and, of course, the fellow took advantage of the fact. But how he hoodwinked us all! Even I could never prove that he was a rogue. But now one can see through the whole matter. He was selected, for what reason I dare not say, nor why a big galleon was not sent--but he came out in a tiny boat, and sailed from Cuba towards the west. No doubt he was on the look out for us, and therefore saw us before we caught sight of him. What was easier, then, than to tear the sail, to disarrange the boat, and to throw food and water overboard as soon as he was sure that he was discovered? And I have my suspicions that he could talk something of our language, for he progressed amazingly. In any case, he played the part well, and we were deceived. And this is the result!"

Roger sat up and surveyed himself and his long legs in dismay. It was the very first time that he had ever been laid up, and the experience was new to him. He felt strangely weak, and trembled after the slightest exertion. But he could think, if he could not move, and he spent his time in watching Tamba, and in wondering how this adventure would terminate. Nor had he missed the mark by much when he spoke of the Spaniard; for a clever trick had been successfully played upon the leader of the English. It happened that not far from the mine in Cuba on the very day on which it was captured was a Spaniard, this same Alvarez, and his quick ears detected the noise of firing. That led him to investigate during the following night, for he, too, had heard of the presence of an English s.h.i.+p on the coast. He had found the mine in the hands of the enemy, and he had debated what he ought to do. If he left for the nearest Spanish post the s.h.i.+p would be gone, while if he stayed she would go when her damages were repaired. Then he thought of the disc, for which a big reward had been offered, and, being an adventurous fellow, and one, moreover, accustomed to Englishmen, for he had once attended an amba.s.sador at the court of St. James, he determined to seek for the reward himself. He knew of a boat along the coast, and spent a few days in fetching her. Then he despatched a native to his comrades, telling them of his discovery, timing its arrival so that none could interfere.

"None can save the situation but myself," he wrote. "But I have faith in English humanity, and I will risk the attempt. If successful, I will claim the reward of Fernando Cortes."

The reader will have seen that Alvarez had made no mistake. No Englishman worthy of the name would have done ought else than succour a derelict man, and the Spaniard, having a specious story, was able to ingratiate himself. With the result that the disc was gone, and our hero, the giant crossbow-man and lieutenant, lay fretting in the forest, chained by stronger links than were ever worn by a prisoner.

A week later Roger was able to rise, while within ten days he could walk. Then, too, the wound was healed, thanks to the attention of Tamba.

Meanwhile, nothing had been seen of the brigantine.

"You say that you have seen the Spaniard in the offing, and nearer in once or twice," said Roger, thoughtfully, as he and the native crouched over the fire which burned at the foot of one of the trees. "Then I fear that the coast is being patrolled, and that our friends are unable to return. Did you hear firing on that day when Alvarez struck me?"

"None. Not a gun, my lord. I saw the brigantine away at sea, and two galleons after her; but there was no fighting."

"Then Sir Thomas practised the old ruse," said Roger. "He doubled back at night, and I have little doubt sailed towards the land. But finding it patrolled, he sheered off again, and sailed right away, with the intention of returning. He will do that if he is allowed to, and in case we are gone, we will place a mark or a letter on the sh.o.r.e. Let us wait for three weeks, and then we will march. Now tell me of these natives you have seen."

Tamba had, in fact, seen some strange natives on the far side of the forest, and hastened to speak of them.

"They are tall, well clothed, and have straight black hair, such as I have," he said. "They were in a body, some forty strong, and I think that they were hunting. But I did not approach nearer, for the forest goes very far, and it was past noon."

"Then let us make an expedition there when we have put our mark up on the sh.o.r.e," said Roger. "We will take three days over it, and return here again. It will be a good chance for me to test my strength."

On the following morning they went down to the beach, and there, having stripped a large piece of bark from a tree, Roger, who had learned to write--a very unusual accomplishment in those days--cut letters upon it.

"We are well, and await your return," he said. "We are going into the country for three days from this, and shall be back in case you come."

"There!" he added, showing it to Tamba. "There is no date, for the simple reason that I don't know what month it is, nor the day of the month; but if they come they can, and will, wait for three days. Now we will go. Let us take our crossbow and our other weapons, for these natives may prove unfriendly. Food we can get on the way, for the forest will be full of fruit."

"In the open s.p.a.ces there is plenty, but not in the depths of the jungle," answered Tamba. "Then there are animals. I have seen deer in the clearings, snakes, and other beasts that I do not know. We are secure from starvation, while water is plentiful."

"Then we can set out with a light heart. Now, you give the lead, only recollect that the direction is almost due north."

Tamba could have found his way through the forest almost blindfolded, so accustomed was he to the work, and Roger soon found him invaluable; for our hero was not yet so strong that he could march all day, struggling through the underwood, and then search for his evening meal. In fact, he had to take frequent rests, while Tamba went off into the forest, always with the knowledge that he could find his master with the greatest ease.

It was on one of these occasions, when Roger lay full length in the shade, fanning himself with a leaf, that a beautiful creature, a deer of some species, leaped into the natural clearing on the edge of which Roger lay, and paused there, listening to the crash as Tamba pushed his way through the underwood. It was a fine opportunity, and for the first time for many a day Roger tried his hand with his favourite weapon. His hand sought the crossbow slowly and silently, and a shaft was fitted in a twinkling. But even the creak of the cord as the bow was sprung back was sufficient to alarm this wild creature. It lifted its head suspiciously, sniffed the air, and, catching sight of the strange figure at the base of the tree, bounded away in the opposite direction. Roger sat up suddenly and brought the bow to his shoulder. He took a rapid aim, and fired just as the deer was disappearing. Then he gave vent to a shout of triumph, which brought Tamba racing back to him.

"A meal of flesh is more acceptable than one of fruit; at least it is so to me," said Roger, joyously. "Now, Tamba, set to work with me, and we will skin the beast, and cut him into quarters. But, tell me, how much farther have we to march before we come to the open country?"

"About six leagues. Three hours will take us there, my lord."

"Then we will push on as soon as the beast is quartered, and will carry the joints. To-night we will rest and feast, and to-morrow we will march into the open lands."