Carried Off Part 17

Harry would never have expected to find any human being able to thread through such a tangled ma.s.s; but Carlo knew what were the powers of Andreas in this respect. Then suddenly the Indian stopped; he looked up into the tall branches above him, and, putting his blow-pipe to his mouth, he collected his breath for the fatal puff. Two feet from the end of the tube two teeth of the acouri were fastened, and these served Andreas for a sight. As Andreas lifted the pipe the boys waited in breathless silence; then, suddenly and swiftly, the arrow flew unerringly upwards. Had it missed? Harry thought so at first; but no: there was a flutter, and then a pajui, an excellent game-bird, came falling heavily to the ground.

'Capital!' cried Harry; 'I don't believe I could do that.' He was going to pick up the bird, but Andreas stopped him, and Carlo cried out:

'Take care, Harry. Andreas will know how to handle the bird; you might touch the poisoned point. This wourali is such a strange thing, though it does not hurt the flesh of the bird in the least.'

Andreas smiled to see Harry's astonishment, and, handing him the blow-pipe, told him to try what he could do, as he himself had to return to the compound; but, as can be easily imagined, Harry's breath was not equal to sending an arrow three hundred feet into the air; he would require many years of practice before he could rival the Indian's dexterity.

After much excitement the two returned to the hut, Carlo thinking it safer to stay some time in the wood after nightfall to make sure the coast would be clear before his return to Santa Teresa.

By the light of their one candle the young Spaniard usually gave Harry lessons in Spanish out of a book he had brought from the castle; and Harry, having heard a great deal of that tongue spoken by the pirates, was an apt pupil. After the lesson they fell to talking about the chances Harry had of finding an English s.h.i.+p, and Carlo a Spanish one.

Certainly the effort ought to be made before the chance of Captain Morgan's return; but how was it to be done? For Andreas' canoe was too slight to trust on the sea, and was, moreover, much in need of repair.

This evening after their discussion Carlo added:

'I have been talking to Andreas about the caves which lie on the bigger island; but how are we to get the girls and my aunt to them, not to mention dear old Catalina, whom we could not leave behind? The bridge is well guarded, and we have no boat to go by water; besides, we should be sure to be taken by one of the pirate s.h.i.+ps. Whichever way I look, escape seems impossible. Then, too, the thought of my father makes me sad; he has suffered so much that I cannot feel angry with him now as I did at first.'

'Never say die, Senor; that is English advice, and it serves the purpose of making one feel ashamed of giving way to despair. I know there is little chance for any of us, and yet I do go on hoping still. G.o.d has allowed me to escape so far, and I mean to keep up a brave heart. At night I dream of my home, and actually the other evening I woke up telling my father about the capture of Chagres Castle. I was deeply disappointed to find myself alone in this hut, I a.s.sure you. But prithee, Senor Carlo, it is time you returned; the Senora will be anxious about you, and will fancy you are in danger of new horrors.'

Carlo agreed, though he was sorry to leave Harry in such uncomfortable quarters; but the latter answered, laughing:

'I am hardy by nature, and I have learnt now to be able to sleep on any bed, even Mother Earth's hardest mattress; and besides, Senor Carlo, I feel more secure here than if I were in your gruesome hole in the castle. Give my duty to my countrywoman, and tell her I am carving her a whistle to wear at her girdle when she is once more free to flit hither and thither at her pleasure.'

Carlo made his way very cautiously out of the forest for fear of meeting any stray dogs that might be prowling round. But all was quiet and silent as he crept up to the breach, which the pirates had never yet taken the trouble to repair. Whether Andreas' warnings had made him more nervous, or whether he were trying to be more watchful, he could not tell; but as he approached the verandah he fancied he heard a slight noise among the bushes. He paused, and the sound ceased; then he made a few steps forward, and, hearing nothing more, he cautiously climbed up the verandah and swung himself as usual over the low balcony. The window was left open, and before closing it he looked down into the bushes. Once again he fancied he heard a soft stir, but the darkness prevented him seeing anything more than a slight waving motion among the great rose-bushes.

In the sitting-room everything looked as usual. Felipa was bending over some embroidery as if she were still the little mistress of Santa Teresa, and Etta's face looked flushed with excitement as she fixed her blue eyes intently on a palm-leaf basket she was weaving, which work Andreas had taught her long ago.

'Carlo, look!' she cried. 'I have had a mishap with two baskets, but this one shall succeed. How have you fared to-day, and did Harry Fenn have good sport?'

'Andreas gave him a lesson on the blow-pipe, and I can tell you your Englishman opened his eyes wide. But what of the Frenchman, Senora?

Have you seen him?'

'No; but we heard a bustle in the hall, and the soldier who came this evening said we should have a visitor to-morrow.'

'Has Harry Fenn heard of any s.h.i.+p in our neighbourhood?' said Dona Elena, anxiously. 'Catalina says this Frenchman has a bad name, and that she fears you will be discovered if they set a stronger guard; so do be careful, my poor Carlo.'

Carlo thought of the noise he had heard in the bushes, and wondered if he had already been seen and betrayed; but he deemed it wiser not to mention this.

'One thing I swear,' he said suddenly: 'they shall not separate us again. Felipa, say you will follow where I lead, little sister. If we must die, let us at least die together.'

'Indeed I will, Carlo, for I am weary of being a prisoner,' she answered with a sigh; and Dona Elena, looking up, saw a strange look of pain and sadness pa.s.s over the girl's face.

Suddenly Etta sprang from the low couch on which she was sitting and put her finger on her lips.

'Carlo! Carlo!' she whispered, 'hide quickly! Catalina, help him--I hear steps. Make haste, prithee, make haste!'

Carlo listened, but heard nothing, only Etta's hand pushed him towards the cupboard door, and to please her he retreated. Poor much-tried Dona Elena turned pale, whilst Felipa drew near to her; for now all of them heard distinctly the steps. In two more minutes, after an impatient knock, the expected Frenchman entered, and his quick glances took in the party as he made a profound bow, and said:

'Good! the Senora and the Dona Elena Alvarez, the nurse and the English girl--that was as the Captain said. Good-evening, ladies. I suppose you have not heard that the young Senor Carlo has returned to the island, and that he is now secreted in the wood?'

'My nephew is not likely to keep in the woods when we are here,' said Dona Elena, with great presence of mind.

'That may or may not be; but Captain Morgan is coming back in a few days, Madame, and he sent word that you would all be ransomed or sold as slaves. The young Senor was especially to be well cared for if he landed here. And I fancy I have heard something of such an event.'

Then he added: 'Perhaps that old Spanish woman could tell something about him if we were to ask her questions below.'

Dona Elena rose to her full height.

'You must first kill me before you touch our faithful Catalina. Leave my presence, Monsieur.'

'Well, well, don't be angry, Dona Elena: to-morrow is time enough. As for to-night, we will have a hunt with the dogs in the forest and see for ourselves. Good-night, ladies.'

CHAPTER XVIII.

HUNTING A FUGITIVE.

When Carlo was gone Harry went on with his lesson; and then, feeling somewhat weary after his expedition, he prepared his bed, which preparation consisted merely in fastening up an Indian hammock that Andreas had made for him. And as he did so he could not help thinking of his comfortable bed at home, and of the love which had been his from childhood till the day he was kidnapped. The thought of his parents was always a very sorrowful one to Harry. Ah, if only he could escape! and then, once in England, he would hunt up Etta Allison's uncle and make him send for his niece. But the 'if' was not likely to be fulfilled.

Next, Harry cooked his supper, and this was also a very simple affair; he lit a tiny fire in a s.p.a.ce within the hut between a few bricks, and allowed the smoke to find its way out by a small hole at the side of the hut. After baking his maize cake he quickly extinguished his fire, as smoke was a real element of danger even in this thick forest.

As he now ate his very modest meal, thinking over the plenteous fare in the home-farm, he could not help dwelling on the thought of bright-eyed Etta.

'She has the sweetest face I ever clapt eyes on,' he thought, 'and her hair is like golden light on a thistle-down. How my mother would be made glad with her sweet speecheries! Nay, but when I get back--if G.o.d wills I ever do get back--then I will e'en come here again and fetch her away, if so be her uncle will not do it. In truth I will; and then I will ask her to be my wife, and she will be the comforting of the old people, for she has such brave, sweet, winning ways, and has far more courage than the pretty Spanish girl, who could be turned about whichever way the wind blew, and has, besides, no pretty witcheries.'

Harry, having thus settled his own future, took out his little prayer-book and read a gospel, thinking as he did so of Mr. Aylett, and wondering, as he had done many and many a time, what his friend had thought when he had heard of his disappearance. Now and then he half feared whether he had fancied that he had gone willingly with the freebooters; and this idea troubled him; but at other times he put it away as impossible.

Harry was about to kneel down to say his prayers--which wors.h.i.+p seemed only natural in the midst of this beautiful forest with the spreading palms, and the Bois Chataigne opening its petals in the darkness and the many other forest giants--when suddenly he heard Andreas' very faint whistle, although in the deep silence of solitude he had not noticed his approach--indeed nothing around him but well-known sounds, such as distant notes of a few birds.

Harry started up, and would have called out, but remembered caution, so that he even put out his light before he opened the door. He was glad enough now that Carlo's lessons helped him to understand Andreas'

meaning, if not quite all his words.

'Quick, Senor, and quiet; this place is no longer safe: they are going to beat through the forest with the dogs to-night. They fancy you are the Senorito; but, thank G.o.d, he is safe, at least for to-night. Follow quickly, but first take everything away from the hut.'

With quick dexterity the Indian unswung the hammock and rolled up in it the few properties that were in the hut; then, placing this on his head, he led the way forward, plunging yet deeper into the wood. Harry followed as best he could, enduring patiently many a scratch from sharp p.r.i.c.kles and thorns, and many a bruise and tumble. 'Wait a moment, Senor,' said Andreas after a time; 'I will put this bundle in this stream and drag it down some way; the dogs will then lose the scent.

Give me your hand: we must wade up this streamlet. Ah, Senor, it is a cruel sport, hunting the human being with fierce dogs. In the old days the Spaniards hunted down the poor Indians--when I was a boy I have seen them--and now the white men hunt each other.' Then, with a low chuckle, Andreas added, 'I have made the dogs stupid with my powder; they will be very slow; but I dared not stupefy them altogether for fear of discovery. Now, Senor here is your hiding-place; I know you can climb.

This big trunk would shelter many men, but it is a secret few know of.

The Indians made the retreat long ago, and many a poor hunted being has found safety here.'

Harry did as he was bid, and with a good deal of help, which he would have despised had it been light, he found himself half-way up a great trunk, now hollow in parts, and showing that decay had set its hand there. When they had reached this position Andreas crept through a tiny aperture, and the two found themselves in a small room in the huge hollow tree. The hand of man had made a floor and roofed it in, so that there was a hollow tree above and a hollow tree below. It was so beautifully contrived that when the door was opened it could be fastened from within and leave no mark of its being a door on the outside, whilst a hole in the ceiling would let in air and a small amount of light.

Andreas smiled at Harry's exclamations of surprise and admiration.

'The Senor will be safe here if the dogs do not pick up the scent again; if they do, see, here is a bow and arrow and some big stones. Don't let any one climb up, but do not open the door unless you are sure you are discovered; they will look up the hollow tree but will see nothing.'

Andreas did not wait to be thanked, and, with another warning not to open the door, he slipped down, and was soon purposely making a false scent to another hiding-place known to some of the Indians who might be employed by the pirates to scour the forest for Carlo.

Andreas crept back to the castle an hour later, just as the party organised by Sieur Simon was about to start, and, pretending he was awakened by the noise, he crept out of his hut near the compound and offered to join the party. His services would most likely have been accepted had not a negro told the Frenchman that Andreas was very fond of the young Senor and that he would be of no use.

Simon, always on the look-out for treachery, told Andreas to go back to his compound, and that when Captain Morgan returned it would then be seen if the Indian knew anything of the runaway Carlo.