WHEN the lads awoke on the following morning they were astonished to smell the appetizing odours of roasting meat.
The correspondent was sitting down, busily engaged in rubbing the sword with a piece of wet rag dipped in sand. Five yards away a fire burned dully in the sunlight, while across it a large piece of meat was supported on the long ramrods of the Arab guns.
"Killed anything?" asked Hugh laconically, after the customary morning greetings had been exchanged. Life in the desert is not conducive to good manners, although it may be to good fellowship. "I never heard a shot."
"No, you did not," replied Reeves dryly. "If you had, I trust you would have wakened instantly and stood to your arms. Unfortunately, I was compelled to kill one of our camels. The poor brute went lame. I feared as much yesterday, when I took them to the river to drink; this morning I found that it was a hopeless case. On the one hand, we've lost a good hierie; on the other, we've a good supply of meat and only one camel to feed, although where we are to get another meal for it goodness only knows. But set to, boys, and have a good breakfast. We've more than we can carry with us."
"What are you cleaning up the sword for?" asked Gerald, as he helped himself to a second slice of the savoury meat.
"Only to see what marks there are on the blade," replied Reeves. "So far I've been successful. There are three crosses, some writing in quaint characters which up to the present I have been unable to decipher, and the date."
"What date is it?" asked both lads in the same breath.
"Here you are—MDCCIX, or 1709. So that explodes the Crusader theory."
"Have you any possible explanation?" asked Hugh.
"Cannot say," replied Reeves; "but that will stand for the present. We've much to do before we can make another start."
By the time the remaining camel was loaded it was early noon; but the sun seemed not to affect the three Englishmen as it had during the earlier part of their wanderings. On a day's journey they invariably rested during the heat of the day; but as several precious hours since daybreak had already flown, Reeves decided that the customary halt should be for once dispensed with.
After about ten miles had been traversed, the party came to an abrupt halt. The river, never voluminous, entered into a swamp surrounded by low sandhills. There, as far as they could judge, it ended.
The three comrades gazed at each other in consternation. Although Reeves had previously prepared himself for a discovery of this sort, he felt the disappointment acutely; while the lads, who had been buoyed up by hope and the energy of youth, seemed absolutely "knocked out of time". Retreat was impracticable, a dash into the trackless desert was little short of madness, while to stay where they were was only to court death by starvation.
"We may as well make for the top of that sandhill," said Reeves at length. "Perhaps the river only filters through the sand, and appears again some miles beyond. Rivers do that kind of thing sometimes."
The hill that the correspondent pointed out was the highest of the chain surrounding the swamp, and about a mile from where they stood. It was a faint ray of hope, but in their condition the travellers were glad to grasp even the most shadowy plan that might turn disaster into success.
"Fill up that goatskin before we start," said Reeves. "More than likely we'll feel the want of water before we return."
Gerald took the bottle to the river, but in a few minutes returned with the doleful intelligence that it leaked so badly as to be useless.
"We ought to have kept it moistened. The heat has perished the leather," said Reeves. "Well, we must go without it. Meanwhile, sink it in shallow water; it may take up in time. Be careful to weight it, though, or it may be carried away."
Having done so, Gerald again returned, and the little party, carrying only their firearms, set out towards the hill, the hierie being left hobbled with the rest of the baggage.
As soon as the low-lying ground was traversed, the journey became heavy. Often the travellers were more than ankle-deep in the hot sand, while, as they came to the slope of the hill, they frequently found that their feet slipped back more than they gained. But by dint of great exertion they reached the summit of the hill.
Here the three stood spellbound. Beyond, the desert extended unbrokenly for nearly a mile, then the ground rose abruptly to a height of about four hundred feet. The summit of this hill was clothed in verdure, while above the tops of palms appeared the battlemented walls and towers of a large town. Some of the latter were flat-topped, while others were capped by conical roofs of bright metal that glittered in the sunlight. From the topmost turret floated a banner, but the distance was too great for the spectators to discern its device.
"Hurrah!" shouted Hugh. "We're saved. But what a strange sort of town to tumble against in the midst of the desert!"
"It looks more like a city in the fairy-tale books," said Gerald. "Let's push on at once."
"Steady, lads!" exclaimed Reeves. The man spoke as if lost in thought. "It may be that—— Ah!"
Even as he spoke, the hill upon which the city stood appeared to be riven asunder. The walls and turrets oscillated as if shaken by an earthquake; then, as if wiped out by a titanic hand, the vision vanished, leaving only the trackless desert shimmering in the rays of the powerful sun.
"A mirage!" exclaimed the three simultaneously; then dismay once more overtook them, as they saw only the pitiless waste in front of them.
"Surely there must be a real town over there!" exclaimed Gerald at length, pointing in the direction of the vanished scene.
"Of that I have no doubt," replied Reeves. "A mirage is the reflection of a real object, but that object may be ten miles away, or it may be a hundred—or more. That sort of thing has often lured men to death."
The lads did not reply. Hugh was looking steadily at a point on the distant horizon.
"What's up, Rags?" asked Gerald.
"I believe I can see palm trees. There—more to your right. You are pointing straight at the place."
"So do I," assented Gerald, with no uncertain voice; then, as an afterthought, he added: "I hope it isn't a mirage as well!"
"What did you say?" asked Reeves, who was standing a short distance away.
"We can see palms."
"I believe you are right," was the response, "only I cannot be sure of it."
"Gerald suggested that it might be a mirage. If not, it's a clump of palms, right enough."
"We've had disappointments enough for one day," replied Reeves decisively. He had shaken off his meditative mood, and was now alert and resourceful. "We'll go back now and rest till to-morrow. At dawn we'll come here again, and if in the clear morning light the trees are still visible, we will then know that it is not a mirage. In that case we'll make a dash for it."
Turning on his heel, he led the way back to the river. In spite of Fortune's rebuff, he felt confident that a successful ending to their troubles and tribulations was in sight.
TOWARDS the middle of the afternoon Reeves stood up, stretched his long limbs, and looked meditatively in the direction of the hill from which the three comrades had witnessed the mirage.
"Lads," he exclaimed, "I've changed my plans. We'll load up the camel, take a stock of water with us—that is, if the goatskin doesn't leak—and make for yonder hill once more. If the palms are still visible, I'll take a bearing, and as soon as it gets dark we'll make a dash for it. The stars will guide us."
"I'm game," replied Hugh. "But why do you want to journey by night?"
"We might find the oasis already occupied by someone else," replied Reeves. "In that case we could skirt the place without so much risk of being discovered."
"But what if there are no more oases beyond that one?" asked Gerald.
"Either there must be, or else we will not Inn find anyone in possession of it. My own opinion is that it is the northernmost part of a chain of fertile land; and, moreover, I don't think we'll find Arabs there."
"What makes you think that?" asked Hugh.
"Cannot say," replied the correspondent. The lad had heard his elder speak thus before. He knew that Reeves had an explanation, but for some reason preferred to keep it to himself.
Within a very short space of time the hierie was loaded up—the leathern bottle held its precious contents very satisfactorily—and with eager steps the three travellers set out towards the sandhill.
In the slanting rays of the setting sun the clump of palm trees stood out clearly against the horizon. From the height at which the trio stood—about one hundred feet above the level of the desert—the distance could not be less than eleven miles. All doubts as to the palms' existence were at an end.
Setting two of the ramrods in the sand, so that they were in line with the distant oasis, Reeves waited till the sun dipped beneath the horizon, and the stars shone forth with the extreme brilliancy of the tropics.
"I've fixed it!" he exclaimed, after carefully checking his bearings. "Now, forward!"
Allowing their rate of progress to be two miles an hour, between five and six hours must elapse before they gained the hoped-for haven of rest, even if the desert presented no unlooked-for obstacles and there was no necessity to halt. Each of the party was to ride for approximately one hour, Gerald being given the first place upon the hierie.
Mile after mile passed without incident, till suddenly the travellers disturbed a number of large birds, which, uttering fearful cries, soared wildly in the air.
"That's good!" exclaimed Reeves. "The first birds we've met since we left Wadi Tlat. That shows we must be nearing a place that is capable of supplying food to these creatures."
More than two-thirds of the distance was completed when a fairly dense scrub was encountered, clusters of prickly cacti impeding the already slow progress of the little band. The soil, too, instead of consisting of soft, drifting sand, began to become hard and sun-baked. All this told of the presence of conditions capable of supporting animal life.
"What's that?" asked Hugh, as a low rumble was borne to their ears. Reeves did not reply, but, loosening his pistol in the folds of his shawl, he bade his young companions see that their firearms were ready for instant use.
"Are they lions?" asked Gerald, after a while.
"Aye," replied the correspondent grimly, "and much too near for my liking. We may have to use our guns, but I don't want to, except as a last resource. Get off that camel, Hugh. You'll feel much safer on your feet."
Hugh instantly obeyed, yet somehow he felt as if he were much safer on his lofty perch. Nevertheless he half-cocked his cumbersome flintlock and marched beside Gerald. Reeves was walking on the right outside, slightly in advance of the others, while the hierie served as a screen from attack on the left.
Suddenly there was the rush of some heavy body, a dull thud, and a squeal from the camel as the poor brute was borne to the ground. The lads had a momentary glimpse of the flashing eyes of some enormous animal, which had struck down the hierie and was savagely rending its slender neck.
Reeves aimed at a distance of less than three yards with his long flintlock, but the weapon missed fire.
"Let him have it, lads!" he shouted; but both, though they presented their guns, could not fire. With a muttered exclamation the correspondent snatched the musket from Hugh and again took aim. This time there was a deafening concussion; but, without waiting to see the result of his shot, Reeves threw down the discharged weapon, and drawing his automatic pistol he sent four shots in rapid succession into the head of the groaning beast, which was still mauling the unfortunate hierie.
"That's done it!" he exclaimed, as the huge brute rolled over on top of its victim. "Look out, lads! There may be another about, so reload that musket."
But with the firing the roars ceased, and a great crackling of the brushwood showed that some if not all of the lions were in full retreat.
"He's settled the hierie for us," remarked Reeves, after vainly attempting to pull the dead lion off the camel's body. "It's tramp with a vengeance now. Take the water bottle and the dates, Gerald; they are what we require most at present."
"We've made enough noise to arouse every denizen of the place for miles around," he continued, as, well laden, the three proceeded on their way. "Why didn't you shoot the brute when I told you to?"
"I tried to, but I couldn't pull the trigger," replied Gerald, and Hugh answered in a similar manner.
"You were not lacking in courage," said Reeves. "You both stood up to it like born hunters. But do you know what you did not do? I'll tell you. You forgot to full-cock your muskets. Never mind now, but remember it in future. Many a man has done the same thing before to-day."
After a while the scrub gave place to coarse grass about a foot in height, while standing clearly against the starlit sky were the lofty outlines of the palm trees of the desired oasis.
"Not a word now," cautioned Reeves.
Treading as silently as possible, the three drew nearer and nearer the oasis. Several times they halted and listened intently, but no sound came to their ears save the soft swish of the leaves in the faint breeze.
All at once the silence was broken by a human voice, speaking in a strange mixture of Anglo-French.
"Stand, whoever you are, in the name of the overlord of Croixilia!"
"We are friends," replied Reeves, speaking in French.
"Throw down your weapons and advance, if you are what you say," replied the voice.
"Place your muskets on the ground," said Reeves in a low tone. "I don't think we need fear." Nevertheless, he retained his automatic pistol, though it was hidden from sight in the folds of his shawl.
The three Englishmen advanced boldly towards the shadow of the palms, the correspondent being slightly in front of the others. A horn lantern was flashed in their faces, and in its gleam they could see the faces of their interrogator and the men who were with him.
There were five of them—short of stature, none being over five feet six inches in height, but broad-shouldered and strongly built. They were dark-complexioned, but in spite of their bronzed features it was evident that they were not of Arab or negro descent. All had short, carefully-trimmed black or dark-brown beards. As for their clothing, as far as the Englishmen could discern, they wore short-kilted skirts, and buskins of undressed hide, their bodies were clad in chain hauberks similar to that found on the skeleton in the desert, while on their heads were quilted caps, strengthened by bars of steel. One man had a pear-shaped shield slung across his back, two more had bows and quivers, and all carried short spears.
"Who are you and whence come ye?" demanded the man with the lamp, in the same strange jargon, which Reeves, fortunately, was able to understand.
"We are English, and——"
"English?" interrupted the questioner.
"From England, then," replied Reeves, thinking that the men did not grasp the significance of his answer.
"England? Is it possible? Remember, friends, the words of the wise monk André," exclaimed the man, turning to his companions.
"They speak somewhat according to our tongue," said another, who had walked across to the spot where the muskets had been placed. "But take heed; they have the weapons of the accursed infidels."
"They are indeed the arms of the Arabs who held us captive, but we have taken them from them in fair fight," replied Reeves.
"Then you have journeyed far and are wearied?"
"We are," assented the correspondent.
"Rest, then, till dawn," replied the man with the lantern. "Your weapons we must needs retain till we find you to be honest men. Rest in peace and fear nothing. Tomorrow we must take you to Sir Jehan de Valx, our overlord of Croixilia."
The leader of the party said a few words in an undertone to one of his men. The latter raised his spear in salute, and bade the three Englishmen follow him.
Less than fifty yards from the edge of the oasis were half a dozen tents, made, not of camel cloth, as are those of the Arabs, but of a coarse white linen fabric, and ranged in a circle. In the centre a fire glimmered darkly, for the embers only remained.
"Walter!" shouted the guide, and presently a man, clad like the others, except that a leathern jerkin took the place of the hauberk, appeared from one of the tents.
"Food and drink for these strangers, Walter," said the guide authoritatively. "Then see well to their comfort till the morning. I salute you—farewell!" and, raising his spear with a respectful gesture, he turned and vanished between the palm trunks.
Without a word the man Walter brought a portion of steaming lamb, a bowl of vegetables, a loaf of brown bread, and an earthenware vessel filled with wine. Knives, forks, and cups there were none. This appetizing fare he set down upon the ground, then retired as silently as he had come.
Even in the midst of their astonishment the travellers could not ignore the pangs of hunger, and soon they were deep in their repast, Reeves cutting the meat with the dagger, which he had also concealed in his sash.
"We have fallen upon a mediaeval race of Europeans. Of that there is not the slightest doubt," remarked the correspondent, when his hunger was partly appeased. "They have not even advanced to the use of knives and forks, sharing their meat in precisely the same manner as did our Norman and early English ancestors."
"Who do you think they are?" asked Hugh.
"Descendants of the Crusaders. A few weeks ago I would have ridiculed the suggestion, but, by Jove! it seems that the old legend is true after all. Well, they seem to treat us decently, so that's a comfort."
"I hope they will send us down to the coast," observed Gerald.
"No doubt they will if they can," replied Reeves, slicing off another portion of meat. "But it wouldn't be a bad plan to ask that fellow a few questions. Walter!"
"Try shouting 'waiter' instead," suggested Gerald, when the summons brought no response.
The correspondent called again, but still there was no reply. Then, considering awhile, he clapped his hands. The man immediately appeared.
"Tell me," said Reeves, speaking slowly and distinctly in English, "how is it that we find men of fair complexion living in the desert?"
Walter did not reply, but remained absolutely impassive, as if failing to comprehend the question. Reeves repeated his words in French.
"My eyes, my ears, my mouth are for use solely in my master's interests," replied the man, in the same strange dialect that the others had spoken, except that he used but a few words of French derivation. Reeves could follow the uncouth tongue with very little difficulty—the question of language troubled him but slightly. The two boys, being familiar with Chaucer'sCanterbury Tales, found that Walter's speech was more intelligible to them than that of the man who had first hailed them, and who seemed to be a person of position. "Therefore," concluded the former, "I cannot tell you."
"I wish I had something to smoke," said Reeves to the lads. "A good meal without a smoke to finish up with is like a concert without the National Anthem—you feel as if something, is wanting." Then, turning to the man, who was still standing rigidly by the fire, he asked: "Can you let me have some tobacco?"
Walter shook his head. "I know not what you mean," he replied. "If sleep you require, these tents are at your service."
With a gesture Reeves dismissed him.
"They are centuries behind the times," he exclaimed. "Very interesting, but confoundedly awkward for some things. Well, lads, we may as well turn in. I think we may sleep without fear of interruption, which is more than we have done for some time now. To-morrow we may learn something more interesting."
In a very few minutes the lads were sleeping soundly, but Reeves tossed uneasily upon his soft couch. His mind was full of the strange characters and things he had met. The mediaeval weapons, the garbled language, the absence of the most usual table utensils and (Reeves sighed) tobacco—all pointed to a discovery that would fill the civilized world with astonishment. And he, Arthur Reeves, with the two lads, was to be the herald of momentous tidings! He would have given anything to be in telephonic communication with his editor for one brief hour.
He lay and pondered, until the easiness of his bed began to feel uncomfortable. Placing a blanket on the ground, he stretched himself upon the hard couch of Mother Earth, and in less than five minutes he was fast asleep.
THE sun was high in the heavens when the three comrades awoke. Throwing back the flap of the tent, Reeves slipped out. The other tents had been struck, and were already strapped to the backs of small, heavily-limbed horses, while seated on the ground were the five men who had challenged the trio on the previous night. They had divested themselves of their armour, and were engaged in polishing the closely interlocked rings of their hauberks.
The Englishman could not help noticing that, although their limbs were powerfully built, and their muscles stood out like lumps of polished stone, their feet were small and well-formed.
"Good morrow, stranger," they exclaimed courteously, when they saw that Reeves was astir; and the correspondent, not to be outdone, courteously replied.
"You asked Walter, our servant, questions concerning us," said he who had been the spokesman overnight. "We will tell you as much as is expedient. For the rest you must wait till you have seen Sir Jehan. What would you ask?
"We are of the State of Croixilia," he replied, in answer to Reeves's question. "Concerning its history you may learn much later—if it be our lord's will. At this moment we are expecting an attack from our hereditary enemies, the infidel Arabs of the tribes that are known as the Kharili. For that purpose we have been keeping watch and ward on the eastern borders of our territory, This day our relief arrives, and we are free to return to the city for another month."
"What is the name of your city?"
"It is called Charleton, after Sir Charles de Wyke, who led our ancestors hither. But tell me how are worked these weapons that the infidels use. Beforetimes we have seen several, which have been captured in fight, and though they did us grievous harm in spite of the hauberk and helm, we could not find how they were shot, having neither Spring nor cord, even as our crossbows have."
"That I can explain," replied Reeves; but in spite of his careful and practical instruction the Croixilian seemed unable to grasp the principle of powder and shot.
"I would rather place my faith in an honest longbow than in that evil-smelling and thundering tube," remarked the latter, covering his ears as the correspondent discharged one of the flintlocks. "It was that noise we heard in the night, and we were fully expecting a horde of these men of Kharili to pour upon our outpost."
"We were beset by a lion."
"It wants indeed courage to cross the lion country at night," replied the man meditatively. "Even when we go thither—and that is rarely—twenty men with bows can scarce drive them off."
"These gave us confidence," said Reeves, tapping the stock of the musket. "And here, too, is a weapon that, though small, would pierce a hauberk like an arrow shot through yonder tent."
"Have a care!" exclaimed the Croixilian. "Tell it not to our overlord, Sir Jehan, or his anger will be aroused. He loves brave men, but the boaster he abhors."
"I do not boast," replied Reeves calmly. "If you will but place your coat of mail in front of that shield, I will prove my words."
"Try him, Garth!" exclaimed the others.
Without a word the man placed the hauberk against the trunk of a palm tree, propping it up by means of a pear-shaped shield, and motioned to the correspondent to perform his promise.
The buckler was of heavy wood, nearly an inch thick, and strengthened with plates of iron; while the mail was made of links of steel.
"Put the armour in front of the shield, Rags," said Reeves, as he threw out his ten notched cartridges and recharged with two pointed nickel bullets.
Standing at less than ten yards' distance, the correspondent raised his weapon and, without apparently taking aim, pressed the trigger. There was a faint flash, a sharp crack, and a very thin wreath of smoke.
"You have failed!" exclaimed the man Garth. "Your arrow, or whatever you call it, has not even struck the hauberk."
"If you were inside it you wouldn't be alive now," replied Reeves, striding over to the palm tree. "See!"
The look of incredulity on the faces of the Croixilian soldiers turned to one of blank astonishment when they saw that a link in both back and front of the hauberk had been severed as if with a cold chisel, while a small circular hole marked the passage of the bullet into the shield. Turning the buckler round, a jagged gash, caused by the bullet flattening against the steel, was disclosed. Pulling out his dagger, Reeves probed the tree trunk, and presently extracted the distorted lump of nickel and lead.
"By St. George, I crave your pardon, stranger!" exclaimed Garth. "This passes my understanding. Mail is useless against the weapon. But now you must break your fast, for it is a good five leagues to the city."
"Doesn't it seem wonderful?" remarked Gerald, as the three sat down to breakfast. "We have suddenly dropped back into the Middle Ages. Why haven't these fellows made progress, the same as the rest of the world?"
"Possibly they have—after a fashion," replied Reeves; "only, you see, their rate of progress has been slower. I should put it down to want of intercourse with other nations; consequently a sort of national stagnation has ensued. That is evident by the disbelief expressed by the man Garth, who seems quite a decent sort of fellow in spite of it."
"I wonder how they will swallow yarns about railways, aeroplanes, submarines, and wireless telegraphy, for example?" said Hugh.
"I would advise you not to spring these upon them all at once," replied Reeves dryly. "They might need ocular demonstration—then where would you be? But hurry up with your breakfast; they are waiting for us before they make a start."
Soon the cavalcade began its homeward journey, the soldiers riding horses rather higher than those on which the baggage was packed, while the three Englishmen were provided with steeds resembling those ridden by the Croixilians. Reeves noticed that the saddle was very similar in construction to those used by the Arabs, but the stirrups were more after the style of Europe. Also he remarked that all the men wore a copper cross, which was affixed to the breast of the hauberk after the coat of mail had been donned.
The oasis extended for nearly a mile, giving place to a broad and deep ravine through which a river flowed with extreme violence, leaping over ledges and foaming betwixt jagged rocks in a manner that rendered it impossible for a horseman to cross.
"Whence comes this river?" asked Reeves.
"From the sand beyond the plain of Zachor," replied Garth. "It gushes up from a large lake; but there are men who say that it tunnels underground from the great desert of the north. Many of us have journeyed thither, but none have found these words to be true."
"We found a Croixilian lying dead in the sand close to the river of which you speak," said the correspondent. "See! here is his dagger."
Garth took the weapon and examined it carefully.
"Certain it is that this belonged to one of us," he exclaimed. "See the sign of the Knights of St. Peter, an Order to which all of us here present belong."
"How long ago did the man die?" asked Reeves.
"That I cannot say. For years past we have journeyed into the desert, and many of us have not returned."
"Why did they go?" asked Hugh, who was able to follow the conversation with tolerable ease.
"To seek a sign," replied the man briefly, and in a manner that showed that he was unwilling to enlighten his listeners further on the matter. "But here we turn aside. Were it a clear day we might be able to perceive the city from this hill; but ere we cross the river we must needs travel a long distance down the valley."
Between the river and the rocks that rose steeply on the north side of the valley ran a broad path, which ages ago had doubtless been formed by the action of the water, showing that the stream had been far greater than it was now. The cliffs, jagged and showing signs of volcanic agency on their higher parts, were smooth and rounded at their bases; while on the stiff mud that formed the floor of the valley tropical vegetation grew profusely.
"This river, if properly held, ought to keep back your enemies, the Arabs," observed Reeves.
"And would do so if it encircled Croixilia," replied their guide. "From this side we fear no foes, but from the east and from the west the infidels frequently appear in vast numbers."
"And where does the river flow to?" asked the Englishman.
"That also I cannot tell you," was the reply. "Away to the south for more than fifty leagues we have followed its course, but——"
The man stopped hesitatingly, as if speaking of some mystery; then, setting spur to his horse, he cantered on ahead to join the horsemen who were leading the cavalcade, leaving the three comrades to their own companionship.
Presently the cliffs on either side of the river began to converge, till they formed a gate or narrow pass barely fifty yards in width. Here the path plunged abruptly into a natural tunnel, where, in the sudden contrast from the glare of the sun, the Englishmen were unable to see a yard ahead.
"Pull up till we get used to the gloom," exclaimed Reeves, "or we shall be banging our heads against the solid rock."
Apparently the Croixilians realized the difficulty in which their guests were placed, for three of them dismounted and took the reins of the horses the Englishmen were riding. At length, after fifty yards or more had been traversed, a small, semicircular disk of white was observed in the distance. It was the end of the tunnel.
Five minutes later Reeves and his companions were blinking in the sunshine. They found themselves on the borders of an open plain, the river merging into a large lake that, although apparently not more than a mile in width, extended as far as the eye could reach. On the opposite side was a small stone fort, with loopholes fashioned in the form of a cross, like those for the use of crossbowmen in feudal castles.
Winding his horn, one of the escort blew a loud blast, and presently a boat shot out from behind a low stone quay. In it were four men with fair complexions, and, as they ran the boat ashore and leapt out, Reeves noticed that they, too, wore a device on the right breasts of their grey tunics, only instead of a cross this was the letter T.
Into the boat the travellers with their baggage made their way, the horses having to swim across; and, urged by the powerful strokes of the rowers, the craft shot out for the opposite shore.
During the voyage the cross-bearing men held well aloof from the T wearers, who, for their part, maintained a submissive silence. Reeves would have liked to ask questions, but the silence seemed contagious, and he held his tongue.
"Follow us carefully, riding one behind another," cautioned Garth, as the cavalcade resumed its way. "One step to the right hand or to the left means death."
The three comrades instantly complied, wondering what could be the reason for the extraordinary caution, for the land was flat, and composed, as far as they could see, of hard, sun-baked clay, with no sign of a path or beaten track of any description.
On and on they rode, for more than two miles, in a perfectly straight line. Reeves noticed, however, that the direction was maintained by keeping a solitary tree in line with a peculiarly-shaped crag, both being a long distance from the river.
Suddenly Garth, who was leading, stopped and dismounted. Grasping his short spear, and treading cautiously, he stuck it into the ground. It was like driving a sharp knife through a pie crust. The soil offered a temporary resistance, and then the spear-haft sank, almost as far as the hand that held it, without the faintest effort.
With a gesture of annoyance the Croixilian withdrew the weapon and drove it in at a different spot, this time with more caution. Here the soil was firm, and the spearhead had to be forced home.
Remounting, Garth now directed his course almost at right angles to the former path, the rest of the party following him closely. As the last man passed the spear he withdrew it, dismounting for the purpose of stamping down the hole in the earth. Gerald was the only one of the three Englishmen who witnessed this act, which was performed with stealth, and he resolved to tell Reeves about it at the first opportunity.
But the correspondent kept his eyes well in front of him, striving to detect some leading marks for the new direction. Presently he gave vent to a gentle chuckle. Garth was keeping the left side of an immense baobab tree in line with a small cleft in the cliffs that bordered the treacherous plain on three sides.
"Now, sirs, you are free to ride together," exclaimed the Croixilian, as he wheeled and rode past, towards the men forming the rearguard, in order to recover his spear. Though they were still on the sun-baked plain, Reeves had no hesitation in taking advantage of the permission. The idea of treachery seemed out of the question. Had the Croixilians wished to take advantage of them, they would have done so ere this; but Reeves could not help wondering where the soft crust ended and the firm ground began, since there were no signs that there was such a place.
"We should have been properly sold if we had attempted to cross the plain on our own account," said Hugh.
"I shouldn't have attempted it," rejoined Reeves. "Stick to the river would have been my plan."
"I hope we won't have to find our way back by ourselves," remarked Gerald. "I saw that the fellow who picked up Garth's spear seemed mighty careful to cover up his tracks."
"How?" asked the correspondent, and Gerald told him.
"H'm! Perhaps the caution was necessary, though not on our account," he observed. "However, I think I can find the path if we are put to it. But here is another remarkable freak of nature."
He pointed to the gap in the cliffs, which now assumed the appearance of the letter Z turned slightly askew. Hitherto a portion of this had been hidden by the great baobab, but now the opening of the gorge was fully revealed.
"Don't make a noise, as you value your lives!" exclaimed Garth, who again returned to lead the cavalcade. "A shout would bring rocks about your heads."
Owing to the peculiar formation of the gorge, it was impossible for direct light to enter from above, but the gloom was by no means so intense as in the tunnel on the other side of the river. The floor, too, was composed of soft sand, so that the horses' hoofs made little or no noise. Here and there the travellers had to avoid huge boulders that had fallen from above, showing that the Croixilian's caution had not been unnecessary. Throughout the length of this formidable pass the path ran steeply for more than a mile; then the walls of rock began to diverge, so that the sunlight streamed uninterruptedly upon the ground.
"The danger is now past, sirs," said Garth, "although this pass is still some distance in length."
Presently the horn was again blown, and in response a long-drawn note came from the extremity of the narrow way, and the Englishmen saw that nearly a dozen men were awaiting the little cavalcade.
charleton
charleton
[Illustration: THE CITY OF CHARLETON]
[Illustration: THE CITY OF CHARLETON]
"What news, my brother?" asked one of them, as the parties came together.
"Great news!" replied Garth.
"Of the accursed Moslems?"
"No; of these," he replied, pointing to Reeves and his companions.
The guardians of the pass were for the most part bowmen, clad in quilted coats; while two wore hauberks, and were evidently men of authority. All of them bore the distinctive sign of the copper cross.
"We must away, Gaston," said Garth, after they had conversed aside for some moments. "Sir Jehan will be right glad to see these," and he indicated his newly-found companions.
On breasting the next hill the lads gave an exclamation of surprise, and involuntarily reined in their steeds to take in the scene that lay before them.
Less than a mile away was a large town, perched on a steep crag. It was the city they had seen in the mirage.
"Yonder lies Charleton," exclaimed Garth proudly, pointing to the collection of battle-merited walls and towers. "Have you ever seen the like?"
"I have seen larger, but none so fair," replied Reeves, with a gallantry of which he had hitherto thought himself incapable.
"Yonder is the Mound of Pharamond, on which is built the palace of our overlord, Sir Jehan. To the left are the twin towers of St. George and St. Michael, which were all but overthrown when last the vile followers of the false prophet surged against our walls. Faith! I trust such times will not occur again, though it seems as if we may soon be called upon to defend our gates once more."
FOR the remaining distance up to the chief gate of the city the land was given over to cultivation, enclosed cornfields, reminding the lads of their own country, predominating. Each plot or field was comparatively small in extent, and in each enclosure was a large pile of fuel.
"That is one of our means of defence," said Garth, in answer to the correspondent's question. "Each field is tended by two husbandmen. Should the signal be given that our enemies are approaching, the corn is to be cut and carried into the city. Should the time be insufficient, those stacks of fuel are to be fired and cast amongst the standing wheat, so that it may be consumed."
So well were the preparations for defence carried out that no trees were permitted to be grown within a mile of the walls, and all uneven ground that would afford a shelter to a lurking foe had been carefully levelled. Soon the great drawbridge spanning a deep moat was crossed, and, passing beneath the lofty rounded archway, Reeves and his companions found themselves within the capital of Croixilia. The streets, narrow but well maintained, were crowded with people. They took the greatest interest in the strangers who, though dressed in Arab clothing, were not Moslems but members of a great white race that none of the citizens had ever before seen.
All the houses were built in the modified Eastern style, the walls being of considerable thickness, the windows narrow, and the roofs flat. In every case the parapet was machicolated, thus turning the houses into a series of fortifications, and at the same time bearing silent testimony to the dangers to which this nation in arms was exposed.
At length Garth halted his men in front of the palace on the Mound of Pharamond, over which floated a white flag with a red cross—exactly the same as the banner of St. George. Then, bidding the Englishmen accompany him, their guide knocked upon the great brazen knocker.
Immediately the door was flung open, and the three comrades found themselves in the courtyard of the palace, where the green turf—so utterly unexpected in the heart of Africa—again reminded them of the shady lawns of the ancestral homes of England. Within the courtyard were men of all conditions—some armed, others having the appearance of merchants; for it was the Audience Day, and Sir Jehan denied admission to no one who desired to speak with his overlord.
Most of the persons present wore the copper cross, a few more wore the T-shaped device, while others sported a red cross with an additional bar above the horizontal line.
"Here is the guest chamber, where you can refresh yourselves. Water, also, and clean raiment are at your service," said Garth. "Afterwards Sir Jehan will be pleased to receive you."
Having bathed and clothed themselves in white robes, somewhat after the style of those of the superior Arab class, the Englishmen set to with a will upon tempting viands.
When they had eaten to their hearts' content, they waited till Garth again appeared.
"I have already announced your arrival, and the general audience is postponed," he informed them. "The overlord of Croixilia will see you at once. But be pleased to bring your arms with you."
Passing through a broad hall and up a wide flight of stairs, the Croixilian paused outside a lofty door, which was covered with rich hangings. Here two men, tall in comparison with their fellows, stood on guard, being completely equipped in chain armour and carrying enormous axes; while another, clad in black velvet, with a cap of maintenance on his head and a golden chain flung round his neck, demanded the names and style of the three strangers.
"Style!" remarked Reeves to his young companions, after he had given the official their names. "The nearest approach to style that I could boast of was my stylo. pen, and those rascally Arabs sneaked that. Now," he continued, dropping his banter, "keep your eye on Garth, and do what he does—unless he makes too great a fool of himself before this big pot."
The next instant the Englishmen found themselves in a spacious hall built of white stone and surrounded by aisles, which were separated from the main building by massive rounded arches springing from plain rounded pillars.
In the middle of the tiled floor was a fountain, out of which the water splashed melodiously into a fern-grown pond. Here and there were heavy wooden benches, which formed the only furniture of the hall. At the farthermost end was a dais, approached by seven stone steps; and on it, in a massive wooden chair, resembling the letter X, sat the overlord of Croixilia.
Sir Jehan de Valx was a burly man of middle height, dark-complexioned, and wearing a closely-trimmed beard, after the fashion of the majority of the men of Croixilia. He was dressed in a kirtle of dark blue, edged with ermine, while over his shoulders was a cloak of white samite, marked with a triple crown in red. He was unarmed, but held a short ivory rod in his right hand. Ranged on either side of him were about twenty men of rank, all wearing double-lined crosses similar to those Reeves had observed in the courtyard.
Marching with head erect up to the foot of the dais, Garth saluted, the movement resembling a military salute performed by both hands at the same time. Reeves and the lads did likewise, after setting their flintlocks on the floor.
"These, then, are the men from England?" exclaimed Sir Jehan in a deep voice. "Welcome!"
For nearly two hours Reeves kept the ruler of Croixilia engrossed with the story of their adventures in the desert and the wonders of Europe, particularly of Great Britain. Sir Jehan, Reeves noticed, used a language that corresponded with the Anglo-Norman tongue, subject to slight variations for which the lapse of time was responsible. (The lads were already making vast strides in the study of the Croixilian tongue, thanks to their fair knowledge of French and their interest in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer.)
Sir Jehan was deeply interested in the weapons of the strangers, especially in Reeves's automatic pistol. The correspondent begged to be excused the pleasure of giving Sir Jehan a practical exhibition of the pistol, on the reasonable grounds that the ammunition, if used, could not be replaced; but, on the other hand, he fired several rounds from the flintlocks at a number of stout planks, which were brought into the hall for the purpose.
"By St. Michael, if we had those weapons we should be more than a match for the Moslems!" exclaimed the knight. "Of what is that black powder composed?"
Reeves hastened to explain the nature of the ingredients, upon which Sir Jehan (after considerable difficulty, owing to the strange names) elicited from his councillors that similar minerals were to be found in the mountains of Kadir.
But when the correspondent proceeded to tell Sir Jehan of railways, steamships, telephones, and aeroplanes, the Croixilian's face showed unmistakable signs of disbelief, till one of the attendants reminded, him of a prophecy uttered centuries before by a certain Peter de Calvador, that when men should fly and fiery carriages pass over the earth without being drawn by horses, the deliverance of Croixilia would be at hand.
At length the audience came to an end, Sir Jehan desiring Garth to regard the Englishmen as his honoured guests, and to provide everything requisite for their comfort; and, having taken leave of the head of the State, Reeves and his companions withdrew.
Before the day was done the Englishmen learned the history of this derelict European colony. The Croixilians were, as Reeves had anticipated, the descendants of Crusaders. Just before the capture of Jerusalem by Saladin, several English knights, with their wives, families, and followers, succeeded in stealing through one of the gates, contrived to pass with little loss through the weakest part of the besiegers' lines, and escaped southwards into Egypt. Here, finding that their retreat to the shores of the Mediterranean was cut off, they crossed the Isthmus of Suez, and took forcible possession of six large galleys. Even in the twelfth century the possibility of coasting around Africa was deemed an accepted fact, and that sorry remnant of the Crusaders ventured upon this dangerous enterprise.
But the voyage ended disastrously, all the ships being wrecked on the western shore of the Red Sea. For a long time the devoted band remained in the professedly Christian country of Abyssinia, till, influenced by a monk, they set out on a march to the interior, with the object of regaining the sea at the Pillar of Hercules.
After many privations the adventurers found themselves on the plateau of Khir. There, according to a vision that appeared to Peter the Monk, the march came to an end, until the signs at which Sir Jehan's attendant had hinted appeared.
Fairly accurate records had been kept of the history of the State of Croixilia, and according to the manuscripts there was an almost constant warfare between the Moslems and the Christians from the middle of the fourteenth century down to the present date. Nevertheless, the city of Charleton—named after its founder, Sir Charles de Wyke—was built and put into a good state of defence.
The Croixilians were divided into three classes: the knights—the direct descendants of the three leaders of the expedition—whose distinctive mark was the double-lined cross; the commoners, comprised of tradesmen, farmers, and artisans, all trained to the use of arms, their badge being the simple cross; and the serfs, who wore the letter T. This latter class was formed of persons who by sloth or by crime against individuals in the State had forfeited their rights of free citizenship. Knights and commoners found guilty after a fair trial by their peers were relegated to this class, and on them the menial work of the State devolved. Once a serf, there was no chance of being restored to the former classes, unless through some valiant deed of arms. The outward sign of the serfs signified that a portion of the cross, representing honourable citizenship, had been taken away from them, leaving only the T-shaped device. A few crimes against the State—such as treason and rebellion—were punishable by death, as well as wilful murder, apostasy, and blasphemy. With these exceptions there was but one punishment for civil offences—a lifelong serfdom.
Thrice it was recorded that the Arabs succeeded in entering the town, and that on each occasion they met with a severe reverse in the streets between the battlemented houses, the last being in 1617. But since the use of firearms by the Arabs the scale was slowly turning in their favour. The Croixilians found that armour and personal courage were alike hopeless in an encounter in the open, and only the massive walls of the city prevented the extermination of the State at the hands of the Mohammedans.
Curiously enough, Croixilia made little progress compared with her parent nation. This was, as Reeves had suggested, owing to a lack of intercourse with other peoples. Firearms the men could not understand, printing was unknown, the domestic arts and crafts were still mediaeval. In short, the State was almost exactly in the same position as England was in the twelfth century—steeped in superstition and prejudice.
Yet it was kept fully alive by its military organization. Every man could use some weapon. The knights relied upon lance, sword, and mace; the commoners were expert in the use of the crossbow, longbow, and sword; while the serfs were armed with spears and short swords.
A few weeks prior to the Englishmen's arrival, a powerful combination of the Arab tribes lying to the east and west of Croixilia had threatened the city, and outposts were formed on all sides. The north side was fairly secure from assault, owing to the natural defences afforded by the river and the "plain of pitfalls", but in order to be warned of a possible junction of the enemy on that side, the Croixilian outposts had been advanced well into the desert; and it was at this station that the English fugitives had fallen in with Garth and his comrades.
For the next week or two Reeves and the two lads were received in daily audience by Sir Jehan, who began to realize that their knowledge of the modern science of war was an asset that would be of immense value to him in the threatened invasion.
For his part, Reeves readily consented to do his best for his entertainer. He realized that, with the Arabs holding the western plains, any attempt to follow the river would be hopeless; and until the way was clear it would be well to remain in comparative security in Charleton, rather than risk a tedious journey through an unknown and hostile country.
One of his first acts was to establish a powder factory, sulphur and saltpetre being found in the hills lying to the south of the city. Under direct supervision the serfs proved excellent and intelligent workmen, and soon Reeves had the satisfaction of knowing that there was a sufficient quantity of explosives to last throughout a protracted siege.
His next thought was to provide firearms. Up to the present the total number available amounted to four—the three flintlocks and the automatic pistol. For the latter only thirty-five cartridges remained, and, failing a proper capping machine, the correspondent realized that a further supply of ammunition was unobtainable.
He therefore directed his attention to the manufacture of flintlock guns; but here he was foiled. Although he took to pieces one of the weapons, and carefully explained the working parts, the artisans replied that the work was beyond them. Flints, too, were unobtainable, so Reeves decided to construct a number of small cannons, and mount them at convenient positions upon the wall.
This was accordingly done, for the Croixilians were fairly expert in bell-founding, and were able to construct moulds to the plans that Reeves drew for their guidance. Day and night the great wood-fed forges were kept constantly at work, till forty pieces of muzzle-loading, smooth-bore, firing a six-pound ball, were ready for use.
Still not satisfied, the indefatigable Englishman directed his attention to the manufacture of cast-iron shells, which were filled with a rough-and-ready fuse composed of thin folds of damp cotton sprinkled with powder.
The first experimental shot turned out disastrously, the shell bursting almost as soon as it left the muzzle. Three men were seriously wounded by the flying fragments, while those who served the gun were thrown into such a state of consternation that they could not be induced to come within twenty yards of the weapon.
"Well, Hugh," exclaimed the newly-appointed director of ordnance, "it can't be said that our shells are ineffective. I think I see what's wrong: the exploding of the charge in the gun drives the fuse into the bursting charge of the shell. I'll make allowances for that."
Next day, in the presence of Sir Jehan and his knights and most of the principal inhabitants, one of the guns was again brought out for trial. This time Reeves and the two lads were obliged to do the work of loading and firing; but, dreading a repetition of the previous failure, even the correspondent felt "jumpy" when he applied the linstock.
There was a blinding flash and a deafening roar as the gun leapt backwards with the recoil. Anxiously Reeves watched the flight of the projectile, till at a distance of over a mile it burst with a loud detonation.
"'Tis full five arrow flights!" exclaimed Sir Jehan in utter astonishment. "The Moslems will fare badly if they appear before our walls."
"I hope to do better than that," replied Reeves; "but, since I cannot serve forty pieces of cannon, I must have assistance from your men."