Philip did not attempt to speculate upon the intelligence displayed by the chimpanzees as he half-followed and was half-dragged along the narrow tunnel by Alice.
That these two had recognized in the king of the apes their old master whose life they had previously tried to save there could be no question, for on entering the narrow hiding-place in the house Ben Bolt had shown no surprise at finding confined there a man instead of an ape; and on her part, Alice acted as if recognizing the object of their search.
Both these animals must have been aware of the deception practiced upon the other apes and received some inkling of the true state of affairs, otherwise they would not have been so prompt in making this excavation for the purpose of rescuing him.
The labor they had performed was prodigious, as Philip understood while creeping along the tunnel; for, although they moved at a reasonably rapid pace, it was fully twenty minutes before the three emerged into a thicket of mimosas directly back of Ben Bolt’s former prison, and to the fugitive it seemed certain these animals must have commencedtheir labors on the very night when the first mishap occurred to the skin of royalty.
Perhaps Goliah had made his suspicions public; or perhaps, again, Ben Bolt or Alice witnessed the first accident, and understanding who had been masquerading under the guise of the king, immediately formed a plan for his liberation. In either case the result of their labors was certainly brought about by reason rather than instinct, and the animal-trainer thought with a certain chagrin of the time when he believed apes could only be taught by example emphasized with severe punishment.
On emerging from the tunnel Philip could hear the shouts and cries of the apes who were searching the ruins; but the thicket of mimosas hid him from their view, and after beating down the ground as well as possible to hide any evidence of the existence of the tunnel, Ben Bolt motioned for Philip to follow him.
With Alice bringing up the rear, all three pushed forward at the utmost speed until they arrived at the mouth of the grotto in which Philip had previously taken refuge.
Since Goliah was in command of the apes the two chimpanzees were exposed to as much danger as their human comrade, for the huge baboon would undoubtedly make Ben Bolt a prisoner once more in order to separate him from his mate; and, therefore, Philip understood that he was to have the companionship of these beasts during such time as it might be necessary to remain in hiding.
The grotto was far from being a secure place of retreat, since at any moment a squad of apes might pass that way, and Philip now took upon himself the part of conductor, leading the animals directly into the subterranean chambers which he had discovered.
Here they could have light to a certain degree, water from the numberless streams, and plenty of food in the shape of fish; therefore their voluntary imprisonment might be monotonous but not painful, however long a time it should continue.
It was probable Goliah’s forces would discover these under-ground chambers, and to guard as far as possible against what might prove a dire calamity, Philip set about filling the passage leading from the grotto with fragments of limestone, taken from the chamber of statutes.
In this work he was aided by the chimpanzees very materially, and before three hours had passed they were in what appeared to be an impregnable position.
So far as Philip had discovered there was no means of entrance to the subterranean chamber save through the grotto, and with the tunnel half-filled by rocks, there was every reason to believe a siege could be sustained indefinitely. The animals appeared to understand quite as well as did their human companion that they were comparatively safe from Goliah and his forces, and hand in hand they wandered through the caverns, uttering exclamations of surprise or chattering with each other ina low tone, but returning to Philip every moment to make sure he would not again disappear from their view.
A dinner and supper of boiled fish, then a long time of unbroken repose, and another day dawned.
During the hours devoted to slumber Philip had resolved that, in order to occupy his mind and provide the needful exercise for all, he would again take up his work of gathering gold, although it might not be possible to carry it away. When breakfast had been cooked in the boiling spring, and eaten, he motioned for the chimpanzees to follow him down the course of the stream.
In order to make them understand what he wished to do, it was only necessary to take from the water a few of the yellow nuggets, compare them with bits of limestone to show the difference in color, and then carry them to the hiding-place behind the statue. One example was sufficient, and without delay the animals set about gathering the treasure, so useless while Philip remained on the island, but of such great value if he could succeed in conveying it to any civilized portion of the world.
It was not his intention to make of this treasure-gathering absolute labor, but only to perform so much of it as would give the needed exercise in confinement; and after the chimpanzees had worked industriously three hours he motioned for them to desist.
Stretched out on the cool white sand in the cavern nearest the grotto, all three of the fugitives enjoyeda most pleasant siesta. They could contrast the heat outside with the refreshing coolness of the under-ground residence, and Philip admitted to himself that to remain shut up here several weeks might not be as unpleasant as would seem at first thought.
Thus alternately working and resting, the time passed at a reasonably rapid rate until Philip judged that one week of this voluntary imprisonment had elapsed.
During all this time nothing had been heard from the apes, and the chimpanzees no longer acted as if fearing each moment their enemies would find them out. Even Philip felt reassured on this point, and was beginning to make preparations for sending Ben Bolt on a reconnoitering expedition, or of going himself, when loud shouts from the outside proclaimed the fact that Goliah’s army had at last discovered their hiding-place.
Even now Philip felt but little alarm, for by barricading the tunnel it would be possible to hold the entire force at bay.
Goliah, however, did not propose to let his army expend their energy and time in shrieking. About noon on the eighth day of Philip’s voluntary imprisonment the sounds from the grotto proclaimed the fact that the enemy were making preparations for entering the passage.
At the first alarm the chimpanzees were nearly beside themselves with fright; but after observing Philip’s calm demeanor they appeared to gain confidence, and in less than an hour both were sufficientlycomposed to render such aid as their human companion required.
The work of maintaining a defense was not arduous. It consisted simply in breaking the naturally-formed statues into fragments—which was easily done owing to the porous nature of the stone—and packing the pieces into the passage as fast as the wall gave evidence of being weakened by the besiegers.
“They may go on with that sort of work for a month without being able to get at us,” Philip said, much as if the chimpanzees needed encouragement and could understand what he said. “We have only to keep on hand a plentiful supply of material, and the advantage will all be on our side.”
Before the day came to an end the animals had learned so well what was necessary that their companion had no hesitation about trusting them to continue the defense while he caught and prepared fish for supper.
During the night the enemy remained silent, but at the first break of day the attack was continued—this time so methodically that the forenoon was but half spent when the barricade was so far destroyed that Philip could see the besiegers at the further end of the tunnel.
They labored in couples, dragging out the rocks and passing them to those in the rear, who formed a long chain to the outer end of the grotto, where the fragments were thrown down the incline at such a point that the movement of the army would not be impeded.
In this order of working it was possible for them to gain very materially upon the defenders of the cavern, and for the first time since having taken refuge in this place Philip began to fear they might eventually be dragged from what he had believed was a secure retreat, unless it should be possible to change their own plan.
It was while he stood at the mouth of the tunnel trying to devise some means of accelerating the work of defense that he was startled by hearing the report of a cannon in the distance.
His companions immediately rushed to his side, as if understanding that this booming noise meant deliverance for him whom they had labored so hard; and while the three were listening intently a second report was heard.
Now the besiegers began to understand that something unusual was occurring on the island, and when the third report rang out on the still air Philip shouted, in a loud voice:
“A vessel has come! Captain Seaworth has returned, and we shall be able to leave this terrible place!”
The besiegers, confounded and uneasy because of the detonations, which were several times repeated by the echoes, came to a decided stand-still, while Goliah, who was stationed just inside the grotto, leaned forward, sniffing the air and showing every symptom of uneasiness.
With stones in their hands, muzzles turned in the direction of the wind, outstretched necks, hair standing on end, and ears pricked up, the apes tried to realize what Philip himself would have been only too well pleased to understand.
There could be no question but that a vessel was near, yet there were many chances that Philip’s first explanation of the reason of the cannonading was not the true one.
In the cavern it was impossible to say that a tempest might not be raging, and the ship, having struck a reef, was signaling for assistance. Or, again, the Malay pirates were perhaps attacking some vessels close under the lee of the land. In fact, there were very many ways of explaining the reasons for this discharge of ordnance without attributing it to the return of the colonists, and Philip’s first flush of joy was immediately turned to anxiety.
Half an hour passed, during which the besiegers remained like statues, gazing toward the sea; and then, to Philip’s intense relief and almost overwhelming happiness, came the sound of human voices.
The apes appeared to be more and more astonished. The greater number looked frightened, and were already seeking with furtive glances favorable openings for immediate flight. Goliah alone remained firm; but it was possible to tell from the expression of his face that he shared very sensibly in the alarm of his subjects.
Five minutes more passed, and Philip fancied he could hear the tramp of many feet in the distance, when Goliah gave vent to a shrill, piercing whistle, and in an instant every one of the besiegers disappeared. Not a single ape remained in front of the grotto, and only for a few seconds could Philip see their vanishing tails as they sought refuge in the thicket.
Now, instead of trying to fill up the tunnel, those in the subterranean chamber began tearing away at the rocks with feverish energy; and five minutes later Philip, followed by the two chimpanzees, emerged from the grotto into one of the broad roads built under his supervision as king, down which could be seen a large body of men, in the immediate vicinity of the village.
To run forward at the swiftest possible pace was the most natural thing for Philip to do, and in a few moments he was standing before Captain Seaworth, muttering incoherent words expressive of his deep joy, while the two chimpanzees followed close behind him, looking as if they also were relieved in mind by the coming of human beings.
The appearance of Philip, covered as he was withthe fragments of an ape’s skin, caused the most profound astonishment among those who had just landed.
They looked upon him as if believing that he was a veritable wild man, and not a few gave way at his approach, fearing he might inflict some injury upon them.
Although Captain Seaworth and several of his officers were well acquainted with Philip Garland, the animal-trainer, they failed to recognize in this forlorn-looking specimen of humanity the once prosperous merchant, and after gazing at him several moments in undisguised astonishment the captain asked, sternly:
“Who are you?”
“A shipwrecked youth, whose life has been in danger during the past three months.”
“One would say you were more ape than human,” the captain replied with a smile.
“And so I have been; but now the time has come when I can assume my proper place among human beings. This hide is not mine.”
“Which is lucky for you,” one of the officers added, and several laughed heartily, “otherwise we might think it a deed of charity to finish skinning you.”
Then Captain Seaworth, looking at the chimpanzees as if he recognized them, asked:
“How comes it that you have adopted two of my former pets as your servants?”
“These are animals which I once owned andtrained, and afterward sold to you, captain,” Philip said laughingly; and the gentleman, looking up quickly, repeated:
“You sold them to me?”
“Yes. I am, or at least I was, Philip Garland, dealer in wild animals, and sold you these chimpanzees, together with a baboon which I wish had been killed years ago.”
It is needless to describe the astonishment caused by these words. In this youth, only partially covered with the tattered skin of an ape, and with matted and disheveled hair, the officers of the Reynard began to distinguish some familiar features, and a moment later Philip was overwhelmed with questions.
To tell his story would require no slight amount of time, and he proposed that it be delayed until a more fitting moment, for he, in turn, was eager to learn the reasons of the colonists’ sudden departure; therefore he said:
“Inasmuch as your leaving the island has caused me no slight amount of uneasiness and mystification, and can be told more quickly than my story, suppose you first explain. This evening you shall learn the particulars of my reign, for during at least half of my stay here I have been king of the apes.”
“It will require but a few words to clear up what has seemed a mystery if, as I presume, you have already seen the log-book.”
“I have, and the last page in it contained an account of the pirates’ warning which was found on the beach.”
“Exactly,” the captain replied. “In regard to that, Mr. Clark evidently overlooked the weapon on the previous day, for before nightfall we saw the Malay fleet in the offing. It was composed of so many proas that to give battle would have been the height of foolishness, and in the least possible time we embarked on the Reynard, slipping her cables and standing out to sea. It was better to lose our property than run the risk of losing our lives.
“The people were making preparations for a ball, and no work was being done on the plantation, therefore it was possible to embark in less than an hour from the time of the first alarm; but to save any of the household goods was out of the question. The papers relating to the settlement of the island I intended to take with me; but in the hurried departure they, like a great many other things, were forgotten until it was so late that to return for them would have been the height of imprudence, and we abandoned everything with the faint hope of recovering the property on our return.
“A running fight could be made provided we succeeded in preventing the pirates from boarding us; and with a ten-knot breeze we dashed through the fleet without receiving any injury. They opened fire as a matter of course; but those scoundrels do not count upon a fight at long range, because their weapons are not calculated to do much execution from a distance.
“We were not idle. Every gun of the six we had on board was trained with good effect, and beforethey could crawl out of range we sank three proas. Two more of the crafts were disabled, and one was so splintered about the hull that before we were out of sight her crew took to the boats. It was a lesson which I fancy they will not forget for some time; and now that we are to have such an increase of numbers, it will be a very long while before the pirates, either from Sooloo or Magindinao, dare to pay us a visit.
“We made Batavia in due course of time, took on more colonists, and arranged for a large number to follow. They will be here in a few days, and I have returned to complete our work; but I fancy quite as much has been destroyed by the apes as would have been had the pirates landed, although I am surprised at seeing these magnificent thoroughfares, which must have cost no small amount of time and labor.”
“As king of the apes I have been able to do the colony some good,” Philip replied. “These roads were laid out by my subjects, and as far as possible I have endeavored to repair the buildings which they destroyed during the first battle; but of this I shall tell you later.”
Then Captain Seaworth and his officers, eager to hear Philip’s story, proposed that all go on board the Reynard, where the unfortunate man could procure suitable garments; and while the colonists were engaged in ascertaining the amount of damage done the dwellings the little party went to the coast, the chimpanzees following Philip very closely, as if only in his presence could they hope for protection from the vengeful Goliah.
The remainder of that day was spent as far as Captain Seaworth and his officers were concerned, in listening to Philip’s adventures, and when night came one can well fancy the happy sense of relief and security which the animal-trainer experienced on being able to lie down once more in a bed with no fear of an attack from the apes.
It was decided that the chimpanzees should be allowed to go whithersoever they pleased; but after the first visit to the ship no amount of persuasion could induce them to go on shore again. They appeared to realize that only there were they safe, and having been given quarters in a shanty which the carpenter built on deck, they were apparently the most contented of all the ship’s company.
Not until the following day, while the workmen were engaged in restoring the buildings and otherwise putting the settlement into the same shape as it had been at the time of their departure, did Philip tell Captain Seaworth of the discovery he had made in the subterranean chamber. Had he related this portion of his adventures in public the work of establishing the plantation would have been speedily abandoned, for once the fever for gold attacks man all industries languish, and the idea of gaining wealth from the bed of the under-ground stream would have been more disastrous to the colony than many visits from the pirates.
Even Captain Seaworth was undecided as to what should be done. He fully realized the danger attending his enterprise should this discovery bemade known, and after much thought he said to Philip:
“We will let this remain a secret between you and me for the present. You can at different times convey the gold which has been gathered to my house, or to the ship, without letting any of the colonists know what you are doing. Only in the event of our failing to make of this island a fruitful plantation will we acquaint even my most trusty officers with this new source of wealth.”
As a matter of course, Philip was enabled to resume his proper habiliments as soon as he stepped on board the Reynard, Captain Seaworth supplying him with a full outfit, and it was with no slight degree of satisfaction that he surveyed himself in the mirror.
His long and peculiar residence on the island rendered him a valuable adviser to Captain Seaworth, and it was decided that during such time as he would be obliged to remain, owing to the limited means of transportation, he was to act as a member of the board of directors.
The first labor the colonists engaged in was the repairing of the houses which had been injured during the last siege. Then every dwelling was fortified, as far as possible, for it was not to be supposed that such a large body of apes, having once had possession of the settlement, would remain very long at a respectful distance.
Philip’s advice to Captain Seaworth was that before anything was done toward restoring the plantations to their former condition some means be devised for ridding the island of the mischievous and vindictive animals. To plant anew would be only toprovide something for the apes to destroy, and it was by no means safe for the male colonists to go into the fields, leaving the cottages unprotected, since Goliah might lead his forces to an attack at any moment; therefore if the scheme of transforming the island into a garden was to be carried out, the first and all-important task was the destruction or subjugation of the apes.
No one knew better than Philip how difficult would be such a task. At the very lowest computation there were two thousand of these long-tailed brutes against whom war must be waged, and, as has already been shown, they were no mean antagonists. One such as Goliah would be more than a match for three unarmed men, and the strictest orders were issued that the colonists should only go from one point to another when in large numbers, and with sufficient weapons to repel any onslaught which might be made.
This order was promulgated on the afternoon of the same day the Reynard entered the little cove, and before twelve hours had elapsed those of the colonists who thought such a precaution foolish were fully convinced of its wisdom.
The boatswain of the ship, whose constant boast it was that he could overcome, single-handed, any three men who might be opposed to him, laughed at the idea of banding together to resist an attack by monkeys, and openly declared that he was not afraid of all the apes in the Malay Archipelago. He even went so far as to intimate that Philip waslittle less than a chicken-hearted fellow to allow himself to be made a prisoner by such animals, and to do their bidding like a slave. In fact, he did not hesitate to say he doubted Mr. Garland’s story very seriously, and otherwise made so much sport of the “Munchausen Tales,” as he called them, that many of the colonists were disposed to share in his incredulity.
At about four o’clock in the afternoon Captain Seaworth decided to have one of the small cannon brought from the Reynard for the better defense of the village, and instructed the boatswain to proceed to the ship with a sufficient number of men for mutual protection.
“I am going alone,” the old sailor said when he emerged from the captain’s temporary dwelling, speaking to a number of his comrades with whom he had previously been discussing the alleged facts of Philip’s story. “I’ll make it my business to walk half-around the island just to show how much truth there is in the yarn of this monkey-trainer, who has been scared out of his senses by two or three tame baboons.”
Of course this would be a total disregard of the captain’s express commands; but the boatswain flattered himself that his disobedience would not be known save to those in whose eyes he wished to appear as a hero, and away he started, armed only with a stout cudgel, which he declared was enough to frighten all the apes on the island into convulsions.
Three hours later, the piece of ordnance not having arrived, Captain Seaworth sent half a dozen colonists to the ship, and in due time they returned with the information that the boatswain had not arrived at the coast. The foolhardy man had been absent from the settlement sufficiently long to have made four or five trips to the tiny harbor, and, believing his desire to show contempt for the apes had resulted in a catastrophe, those who heard his boasts laid the matter before the captain and Philip.
It was then too late to make any search for the unfortunate man, since night, which comes on so suddenly in the tropics, was already close at hand, and it would be worse than reckless to venture into the thicket where the animals could so readily conceal themselves.
That Goliah and his forces had taken the boatswain prisoner, even if they had not murdered him, Philip felt certain; but nothing could be done until morning, and immediately after sunrise fifty well-armed men set out, following as nearly as possible the supposed direction in which he had gone.
The search was not of long duration. When the party arrived within a hundred yards of the terminus of the road leading to the south they saw that which caused the stoutest-hearted to draw back with a shudder.
Hanging to the lower limb of a mangrove-tree, exactly as Philip had seen the skeleton of the mandrill suspended, was the unfortunate boatswain. The rope for the execution of the deed had been formedfrom strips of his clothing, and a party of Western lynchers could not have done the deed more thoroughly.
From such slight evidence as could be seen among the underbrush or foliage, it was not probable the sailor had had an opportunity to defend himself more than a few seconds. Most likely Goliah’s forces leaped upon him so quickly, and in such numbers, that before he could strike many blows he was over-powered; but that he was alive when suspended from the tree could be readily seen.
After the unfortunate man was given a Christian burial there was not one among the colonists who questioned any detail of Philip’s story, however improbable it may have seemed. Now that there could be no question as to the dangers which menaced, Captain Seaworth resolved to rid the island of the brutes, if possible; and to this end, acting under Philip’s advice, he went to work systematically.
The buildings were left in charge of forty well-armed men, and the strictest orders issued against the women venturing out of doors under any pretense. Then all save a force necessary to guard the ship were set at work cutting paths through the thicket at different angles from the settlement, in order that there should be no opportunity of concealment for the apes within reach of the house.
This task required no small amount of labor, and three days elapsed before the colonists were in condition to open the battle.
During this time they had every evidence thatGoliah’s forces were watching them intently, for more than once could be heard shrill cries in the thicket as if spies were reporting to their commander the progress made, and on several occasions the workmen saw dark forms flitting by, but at such a pace as to render it impossible to shoot with any accuracy of aim.
It was on the night previous to the day set for the general attack that the vessel from Batavia arrived with reinforcements, and then Captain Seaworth had quite an army under his command.
Had the colonists been going forth to meet a regularly organized force of men they could not have proceeded more carefully. The new-comers, who were well aware of the fighting qualities of apes, were by no means disposed to make light of the intended engagement, but at the same time no one seemed disposed to shirk his duty.
Divided into squads of twenty, each man carrying fifty rounds of ammunition, the detachments started from the village, marching through the paths and down the roads, and diverging as do the spokes of a wheel from its hub.
Philip, who commanded the party which proceeded toward the south, had tried to induce the chimpanzees to accompany him, believing they could give timely warning of the approach of the enemy; but these intelligent animals were far too wise to put their precious bodies in such jeopardy. They probably understood what the result would be in case of capture, and all the inducements held out bytheir master were insufficient to persuade them even to step over the ship’s rail.
During the first half hour after the forces began to advance, those in the village heard no sound. Then came a few scattering shots, followed by another time of silence, until finally the rattle of regular and rapid firing from the road down which Philip had passed told the anxious listeners that the battle was in progress.
The party commanded by Philip had marched down the broad avenue fully two-thirds of the entire distance from the village to the sea-shore without seeing so much as the tip of an ape’s tail, when suddenly every man came to a halt without waiting for the word of command as a piercing scream from the thicket at the left rang out on the clear air.
Involuntarily the colonists gazed in the direction from whence the cry had come, and as they did so a vast army of apes poured out from the thicket on the opposite side of the road armed with stones and sticks, attacking them with such fury that before the men could recover from their bewilderment three had fallen mortally wounded.
Philip, who was in the rear of the troops, delayed firing in the hope of having as a target the gigantic form of Goliah.
In this, however, he was unsuccessful, for that worthy had taken good care to be out of harm’s way, although more than once Philip fancied he saw his grinning face. It was but a few seconds, however, that he could remain inactive, so vigorous and well-directed was the shower of rocks, and then hedischarged his repeating-rifle again and again into the solid ranks of apes without producing any apparent effect.
During fifteen minutes this hot engagement continued, and then, as a shrill cry arose which could be distinctly heard above the rattle of musketry, every ape who was left alive vanished amid the thicket in a twinkling, leaving the colonists at liberty to count the cost of this first attempt at subduing the original proprietors of the soil.
Five men were dead, three severely wounded, and hardly one had escaped without some injury. On the other side at least forty apes were left behind, either dead or unable to beat a retreat. It was safe to assume that as many more had carried away bullets in their bodies; but this made the victory a costly one for the colonists, when the number of apes supposed to be on the island was taken into consideration.
“Twenty engagements like this and we shall no longer have men enough to defend the village,” Philip said to himself as he gave the order for the dead and dying to be carried back to the dwellings.
While this portion of Captain Seaworth’s army were returning in funeral procession the sounds of conflict could be heard from the extreme northern end of the road, and the reports of the weapons continued for about ten minutes, when they died away entirely, causing Philip to believe the apes had pursued the same tactics as during the first engagement.
The vast army of apes poured from the thicket attacking the party with great fury.—(See page 259.)
The vast army of apes poured from the thicket attacking the party with great fury.—(See page 259.)
When Philip and his decimated party reached the main building of the settlement, the squad of men commanded by Mr. Clark, first officer of the Reynard, could be seen approaching, bearing ominous-looking burdens, which told that their portion of the conflict had also been attended with fatal results. As the remainder of the colonists returned, company by company, having seen no signs of the enemy, Captain Seaworth called a council of war, since it was evident that Goliah did not intend to give battle again during this day.
As nearly as could be judged about a hundred of the apes had been killed, or so severely wounded as to make their deaths certain; but, on the other hand, twelve men were dead, and fully twenty so badly disabled as to render it impossible for them to take any further part in the defense of the settlement for many weeks to come.
“To continue in this way will simply be to exterminate ourselves,” Captain Seaworth said when his officers were assembled. “The apes so far outnumber us that in less than a week we shall be at the mercy of the animals unless some safer plan of attack can be devised; therefore I call upon you, gentlemen, for an expression of opinion as to what course we shall pursue.”
Among the entire party there was no one who could make a suggestion which seemed at all feasible. Even Philip was at a loss to know what course could be pursued with any chance of ultimate success, and but for the fact that he was afraid ofbeing called a coward he would then and there have advised an abandonment of the scheme of colonizing the island.
It was not until the unsatisfactory session had nearly ended that Mr. Clark proposed a plan whereby it might be possible to inflict injury upon the apes without suffering any loss of life themselves.
“Let us bring all the heavy cannon from the ship,” he said, “and place them in the dwellings where the openings in the forest can be commanded. Then for two or three days every person on the island shall remain concealed. By the end of that time the apes may fancy we have beat a retreat and gather around the buildings in such force that we can kill off a few hundred. It is not a very brilliant suggestion, I must admit; but since no one has anything better to offer, it will be only a waste of seventy-two hours at the most to try the experiment.”
No member of the party cared to say that he was really afraid of an army of apes, although many had greater or less doubt as to whether they would ever be able to carry out the original scheme of making there a plantation, and the first officer’s plan met with the approbation of all.
“Two parties, numbering fifty each, will proceed at once to the ship for the purpose of bringing on shore the heavy guns,” the captain said, as he adjourned the council, “and after they have been placed in position all the women and a portion of the natives must take refuge on the Reynard, whilethe remainder of our force conceal themselves in the houses.”
With this the party separated. Mr. Clark and Philip were detailed to command the respective crews who were to bring up the ordnance, and the others, with Captain Seaworth at their head, went to pay the last honors to those who had fallen in the singular engagement.
The ship’s surgeon was the busiest man on the island, and while the dead were being suitably interred he, with the women as nurses, established a hospital in the court-yard of Captain Seaworth’s house. The awnings were replaced by spare canvas; hammocks were slung on either side, where patients would be most likely to get the benefit of cooling draughts of air, and every preparation was made for a long time of enforced seclusion.
The four central buildings of the village were selected as the ones to be fortified; holes were pierced in the shutters to receive the muzzles of the cannon, and loop-holes made that the men might be able to train the pieces. Powder, grape and canister were brought in large quantities from the ship and stacked up in the rooms, until the buildings intended for the peaceful occupancy of industrious colonists looked like the embrasures of a fort.
At the end of the day succeeding the battle everything was in readiness for the experiment, and fully two-thirds of the colonists were sent on board the Reynard, with orders to remain concealed. It was not deemed advisable to remove the wounded fromthe court-yard, for unless the apes should begin a regular siege, as they had done when Philip was alone, this temporary hospital would not be exposed to an attack.
Captain Seaworth, Philip, Mr. Clark and the second mate had charge of the cannon, and from sunrise on the first day after these arrangements had been completed the four commanders watched carefully and eagerly for the coming of the apes, whose curiosity it was hoped would lead them to their death.
From the moment when everything was in readiness for the carrying out of Mr. Clark’s scheme there were no sounds to be heard on the island save those caused by the apes or the myriad forms of insect life. It was as if the colonists had suddenly been stricken dumb; and so careful was the captain and his officers to carry out the plan thoroughly that this silence was not broken by any one under their command.
Save for the six ominous-looking protuberances from the shutters, everything about the village was as it had been when the colonists fled before the pirates, and even human beings might have been deceived by this pretended abandonment of the island.
It was not expected that the apes would make any demonstration during the hours of darkness; therefore, with the exception of a sentinel at each loop-hole, the entire party slept until morning, when certain noises in the adjacent forest proclaimed the fact that Goliah’s forces had taken note of the unusual silence.
It so chanced that Philip was stationed at a point overlooking the same portion of the thicket as when he alone defended the building; and inasmuch as itwas directly opposite his station that Goliah had taken his stand during both times the settlement had been attacked, the animal-trainer naturally hoped the huge baboon would direct the movements of his followers from the spot he had previously occupied.
If the leader could be killed it was but natural to suppose his followers would be dispersed, and Philip’s great desire was to put an end to the career of the baboon who had caused him so much suffering.
Two hours after sunrise the first decisive move was made by the enemy. Previous to this moment they could have been heard chattering among the thickets; but now a party of about a dozen, who had evidently been sent forward to spy out the situation of affairs, came boldly from the shelter of the trees and marched entirely around the settlement.
The purpose of the concealed party was to wait until the main body of the enemy had been massed where a volley of grape-shot could be sent into their midst; therefore these spies were allowed to return to their leaders unmolested.
At the end of the third hour another party reconnoitered in much the same fashion as had the first, save that they went on the verandas of several cottages, trying the doors and windows, and when they disappeared to make a report Philip understood that the time was near at hand when a salutary lesson might be given.
From the thicket could be heard a noise as ofbreaking limbs, shrill cries of command, and now and then a hoarse shout from Goliah, until suddenly fully one-half the main body of apes burst into view from among the foliage.
Philip looked in vain for Goliah; that wily old baboon had no intention of exposing his precious person when there were soldiers enough under his command to do the fighting.
The guns were already trained, and at the signal, which was the discharge of a revolver by one of the men stationed near Captain Seaworth, the six cannon belched forth their iron hail, mowing great gaps through the enemy’s lines.
There was no opportunity to repeat this dose, for in a twinkling every animal who yet had command of his limbs disappeared, and nothing was left in view of the concealed party save huge piles of dead and wounded.
Although it was not probable the apes would show themselves again, no sound was made by those in concealment save such as was necessary in reloading the cannon, and until four o’clock that afternoon all remained on the alert, but without seeing or hearing a single member of Goliah’s forces.
That it was useless to continue the ambush any longer Captain Seaworth knew perfectly well, and at the word of command the colonists came out from their hiding-places to perform such duties as were absolutely necessary in the way of preparing food for themselves and their wounded comrades in the court-yard.
Among the first work to be done was to bury the slain, for in that tropical climate the bodies would decompose rapidly, and thus, even after death, be a source of danger to those who had killed them.
The number of the fallen was less than had at first been supposed. One hundred and twelve were all that could be found, and while it was reasonable to believe fully as many more had received wounds of which they would soon die, the ranks of the enemy had not been decimated to any appreciable extent.
The sun set before the deep trench which had been dug to receive the bodies was filled, and after this duty had been performed preparations were made for the night, since it was possible Goliah might try to avenge the blow which had been struck.
As the shadows lengthened and the deep gloom settled down over the island gunners were stationed at the pieces once more, and again the little village was in a state of comparative repose, save directly in the rear, where half a dozen men were bringing water and hewing wood.
Captain Seaworth had the same idea as had Philip, that, true to their imitative habits, the apes, if they made an attack after nightfall, would do so at the same point from which their previous efforts had been directed, and, therefore, but little attention was given to what might be passing in the rear.
The cooks were preparing a hearty meal, for the men in ambush had not been served with anything warm during two days. The kitchen doors andwindows were open, and the laborers were pursuing their respective tasks without thought of harm, when suddenly a volley of rocks, coming thickly as drops of rain in a summer shower, descended upon the unprotected portion of the main building, taking by most complete surprise even those who were on the alert.
As these missiles struck the sides and roof of the house or fell through the open doors and windows, the noise was so deafening that fully five minutes elapsed before Captain Seaworth could make his orders understood, and in that brief time no slight amount of damage had been done.
The awning in the court-yard was partially torn down; several of the wounded men received still further injury; two of the cooks were disabled, and the stove was overturned, strewing the coals on the kitchen floor in such a way as started a blaze among the dry wood, which threatened speedy destruction to the house.
There was no longer any thought of retaliation, for it was necessary that the flames should be extinguished before they gained too much headway, and the orders were to form lines for passing water.
Hardly had this work been begun when another shower of rocks descended upon the laborers, driving them in from the spring as several of the party fell under the well-directed assault, and during the short time of confusion which ensued the fire gained no inconsiderable headway.
Only three or four men could work to advantageat bringing water from the spring in the court-yard, for the flow was not large enough to permit of much being carried at a time, and while they were engaged in this nearly useless labor Captain Seaworth ordered all the others save those in charge of the cannon to form a cordon around the building for the purpose of keeping up an incessant discharge of musketry into the thicket.
Not a single ape could be seen as the men marched bravely to their posts amid the falling missiles, and their volleys, however rapid, had but little effect, owing to the fact that they were forced to fire at random.
After the muskets had been emptied half a dozen times, and the attack had been checked in some slight degree, every third man was told off to fight the flames; but so much time had elapsed that before the work was well begun it could be plainly seen that all their efforts were vain.
Then, in order to save the lives of the helpless ones in the court-yard, a still larger number of defenders were assigned the duty of conveying the wounded to a building on the outskirts of the settlement, and while this was being done it seemed as if every tree in the vicinity concealed an enemy who kept up a continuous discharge of rocks.
For those in charge of the cannon to remain in the house where they could only shoot directly in front was useless, and under Philip’s command the ordnance was taken outside. From this point, first in one direction and then another, heavy charges ofsmall shot were poured into the thicket from whence came the missiles in the greatest profusion, but evidently without doing much injury to the enemy.
The situation was now deplorable. That the main portion of the settlement would be consumed there could be no question, for the flames had fastened upon the wings on either side of the court-yard, and as all the cottages were of such an inflammable material it needed but little to complete the work of destruction.
The glare of the flames threw into brightest relief those who were struggling to protect themselves and save the property, and thus they afforded good targets for the unseen enemy, who had now completely surrounded the village.
By the time the wounded had been removed from the building at least half a dozen more men were in need of the surgeon’s skill, for since the flames had illuminated the scene so brilliantly the apes were able to aim with more accuracy, and Captain Seaworth soon began to realize that his entire force might be killed or disabled if any further attempt at fighting fire was made.
Philip was so deeply engaged in directing the movements of those at the cannon that he paid no attention to what was taking place outside his own sphere of action. Knowing perfectly well the manners of the apes, he understood that if the volleys of grape should cease even for a few moments Goliah’s forces would charge in overwhelming numbers, believing the colonists were growing weaker. Therefore, as rapidly as four men could clean and load each piece, it was discharged point-blank at that portion of the thicket in which the enemy appeared to be concealed in greatest force.
The range was too short to permit of the grape-shot doing as much execution as it would have done at five or six times the distance, and after seven oreight rounds had been fired Philip discarded the iron balls entirely, loading the cannon heavily with pebbles and fragments of rock, which, flying in every direction, would spread over a much larger space than round shot.
It was while he was most active in this work, and when the two cottages immediately adjoining the central dwelling had caught fire, that Captain Seaworth approached the chief of artillery looking troubled and pale.
“That a body of men should be routed by apes seems ridiculous,” he said; “but at this moment I confess I see no chance of success in this unequal battle. What is your opinion?”
Philip delayed answering only long enough to discharge one cannon at the thicket of mimosas south of the burning village, and then, after directing the gunners to clean and reload the piece in the shortest possible time, he replied, gravely:
“I am ready to obey your orders, captain, whatever they may be, and however much they vary from my own ideas; but I am convinced that a continuation of this fight will result in the disablement of all your forces. Already the natives are growing alarmed in the presence of an unseen enemy who, without fire-arms, can do so much execution, and if they should become panic-stricken the white members of the party will be left to the mercy of the apes.”
“Then you propose——”
“I propose nothing, captain. I have simply givenmy opinion because you asked it, and not with any desire to influence your movement.”
Then Philip rushed forward to another cannon which had been loaded, and after discharging it returned to Captain Seaworth, who said:
“I am convinced you are correct. With the limited amount of water at our command it will be impossible to stay the progress of the flames, and we must leave the village to its destruction. Withdraw your guns one by one after I have sent the wounded to the ship. It will be necessary for you to cover the retreat with the cannon, because we have so many in the hospital that nearly the entire working-force are required to transport them.”
“Then it is to be a retreat?”
“If we were fighting against men I should feel warranted in a complete surrender to prevent further slaughter; but since that is impossible it must be as you say—a retreat. I will send those who are fighting the flames to assist you in the more rapid discharge of the cannon while we are carrying the wounded to the ship. Messengers must be dispatched to Mr. Clark, with instructions for him to forward all aboard the Reynard to aid us on the way.”
Philip wasted no time in reply. He realized fully how important it was that a more vigorous defense should be made just at this moment, and he urged the men to renewed exertions, if indeed that was possible when every one battled for life itself.
Then began what has probably never had an equal in warfare—the retreat of a large body of armed men before a party of apes.
As Captain Seaworth had said, it required the greater portion of his force to convey the wounded, and so few remained to work the heavy guns, drawing them back a few paces toward the sea-coast after each discharge, that the commander himself was forced to assist Philip.
It was fully a quarter of an hour before the last wounded man left the building which had been converted into a temporary hospital, and then, foot by foot, the little party of artillerists literally fought their way backward, while the rapid discharge of fire-arms from those in advance told that the apes had already circled around the retreating army. As a cannon was discharged it would be drawn twenty or thirty paces to the rear, the men reloading even while it was moving, and the showers of stones came thicker and more frequent.
Before half the necessary distance was traversed Philip’s left shoulder had been so severely cut with a fragment of rock as to render the arm useless, while blood streamed down the captain’s face from many minor wounds. Hardly a man among those who were protecting the rear was uninjured, and just when Philip began to fear that what had commenced as an orderly march would end in a complete rout, reinforcements from the ships arrived.
This party of thirty fresh men, each with a plentiful supply of ammunition, checked the closely-pursuingapes, and it became possible to move the cannon forty or fifty yards after each discharge.
Finally, to the intense relief of all, the beach was gained, and here it was necessary to form in regular line of battle while the wounded were being conveyed to the ships in small boats.
It seemed as if the apes understood that this was their last opportunity, for they immediately redoubled their efforts. But now, however, being so near a place of safety, the men fought even more courageously than before, and huge sheets of flame burst from the weapons as the missiles went hurtling through the branches, causing great slaughter, as could be told by the shrieks of the wounded and dying animals.
Then the cannon were abandoned on the sea-shore when the boats from both vessels were drawn up ready to receive the defenders at the same moment, and, still discharging their muskets rapidly, the men were at last conveyed to a place of comparative safety.
The deck of the Reynard looked not unlike that of a line-of-battle ship after a terrific naval engagement. Hammocks were slung in every direction; improvised cots were placed fore and aft; and the surgeon, with all the women, was fully occupied in dressing the wounds until the sun once more sent down his pitiless glare over the island and the sea.
Looking shoreward, along the road Philip had caused to be made while he was king of the apes, nothing could be seen of the picturesque little villagesave a heap of blackened, smoking ruins. The flames had done their work thoroughly, and not a single building remained standing. That the scheme of colonizing the island must be abandoned for the time being, at least, Philip understood, since even if Goliah and his forces could have been exterminated immediately a return to the United States was necessary in order to replenish the stores, as well as to provide new buildings for the laborers.
When the wounded had been made as comfortable as was possible under the circumstances, Philip thought for the first time of the two chimpanzees, and not seeing them anywhere around, he feared, through some mischance, they had gone ashore in one of the boats, in which case their doom was certainly sealed.
In this, however, he was mistaken. Half an hour later, while assisting the crew to rig up temporary berths in the hold, he found the two animals cowering in the forward portion of the ship, behind some spare cables, and it was many moments before he could induce either to come on deck.
Toward noon, when the intense heat rendered it almost impossible for the crew to continue the work of converting the ship into a temporary hospital, Captain Seaworth held another consultation, and this time it had no reference to how the apes might be exterminated, but was simply a question of when it would be possible to set sail.
There were yet a sufficient number of men to work the ships as far as Batavia, unless they wereattacked by the pirates; and after deciding that it would be better to run the chances of a fight at sea than be caught at anchor by the Malays, Captain Seaworth reported the fact of Philip’s having found a vast amount of treasure in the subterranean chambers.
Never yet did blood outweigh gold, and every member of the council was eager to become possessed of the precious metal, even at the risk of another encounter with the animals. There was but little discussion necessary in order to arrive at the opinion of the majority, which was that they should defer sailing until at least one journey could be made to the grotto, and a certain amount of the wealth be brought away.
Each hour increased the anxiety of Captain Seaworth and his officers. There was every reason to believe the pirates would return, and perhaps very soon. It was not the custom of Malays to acknowledge themselves vanquished so quickly, and doubtless they had the fullest information concerning the movements of the colonists from the numberless small proas or sampans which can be met in any direction under the guise of honest traders.
Now that the colonists had returned, it was to be expected the pirates would avenge themselves for the injuries inflicted by the Reynard, and it was more than probable these reprisals would be made at the earliest possible moment. As Mr. Clark suggested:
“This time there will be no warning given. The weapon we found serves to notify any of their friends we may have with us to be on the alert, and when the scoundrels come again it will be with the utmost secrecy.”
The ship which brought the natives from Batavia must also be taken back, and there were hardly more than sufficient able-bodied men left after thebattle to work both crafts into port. If, therefore, the pirates should attack while the vessels were at anchor, it would be possible to make only the slightest show of defense. The Malays could easily finish that which Goliah had begun, and the massacre would be complete.
“Since we have decided to visit the cave,” Captain Seaworth said, as the council of war was brought to a close, “I believe it should be done without loss of time. The apes have received such a punishment as will probably prevent them from renewing hostilities until after they have recovered somewhat from the effects of the battle, and the journey can be made more safely to-morrow morning than twelve hours later.”
“You might also continue, captain, by saying that it would be safer to go now than wait eighteen hours,” Mr. Clark said.
Instead of replying, Captain Seaworth looked at Philip questioningly, and the latter said, after a brief time of thought:
“I am of the opinion that the attempt should be made at once. We can return by sunset, and it will then be possible to take advantage of the night-breeze to get under way.”
There was no necessity for any further discussion, and preparations for the journey were begun without delay.
As a matter of course it was necessary to leave behind as many of the able-bodied men as would be sufficient to work the boats, because it was unsafe tomoor the little crafts where the apes might destroy or set them adrift, and after the crew had been told off for this purpose there were but twenty-two uninjured ones to go in search of the treasure.
Few as these were in number, they made a formidable host because of their weapons. Each carried a repeating-rifle, two revolvers, and a cutlass, with ammunition enough to continue a spirited engagement for at least an hour.
The afternoon was not more than half spent when the little party was conveyed from the ship to the shore, and, forming in a column of fours, marched up the southern avenue to the ruins of the village, each man on the alert for the slightest suspicious sound which should betoken the coming of the enemy.
During the march they took note of one singular fact—the absence of any dead or wounded apes.
It was in this avenue that they had seen scores of the enemy fall before the discharge of the cannon, and it was not probable they had killed less than a hundred. On the foliage were stains of blood, and the broken surface of the road showed where the soil had absorbed the life-blood of many a human being as well as animal; but there were no other traces of the fray. Several times did Captain Seaworth and Philip leave the ranks to penetrate a short distance among the underbrush, but without gaining any information as to the disposition of the dead.
On arriving at the ruins of the village it wasfound deserted, like the avenue, and the treasure-seekers continued on their way to the grotto.
This last portion of the journey was supposed to be the most dangerous, and yet they reached the mouth of the cavern without having been molested.
The work of carrying away the treasure which had seemed so dangerous now appeared to be a very simple task, and Philip, followed by his companions, marched boldly into the grotto without a thought of danger, when suddenly a shower of stones came from the tunnel with such effect that three of the party were stricken down.
Naturally the first thought of the men was to return the fire; but on raising their weapons there were no adversaries to be seen. As Philip and the chimpanzees had barricaded the passage, so now had Goliah, and a narrow slit at the top of the wall through which the volley of stones had been sent was the only aperture visible.
To aim at this opening would simply be a waste of ammunition, since the bullets could only strike the top of the tunnel, and this Philip understood in a very few seconds.
There was no necessity, however, for him to advise the beating of a retreat. Each man in turn, on finding himself confronted by a shower of stones when no enemy was visible, took refuge outside the grotto, some of the more thoughtful carrying the wounded with them; and here the gold-hunters took counsel together.
“We can now understand why there were nowounded to be seen,” Captain Seaworth said. “The big baboon has profited by Mr. Garland’s example and fortified himself in this place, where he has most likely set up a hospital. The question now is, Can we dislodge him with the force at our command?”
“To that question I say, most emphatically, No,” Philip replied. “The passage is so long, the amount of rock in the chambers so great, that a thousand men would hardly be sufficient to vanquish the apes while they remain in a position which is almost impregnable.”
“Do you mean that we cannot recover the treasure?” Mr. Clark asked in surprise.
“You can answer that as well as I,” was Philip’s reply. “The tunnel is not less than forty feet long, and through it but two men can pass at a time. At the further end we may safely say there are not less than five hundred apes, who can procure plenty of their peculiar ammunition by overturning the stalactites; and from your experience in monkey warfare do you fancy, now our party is reduced to nineteen, that we can effect an entrance?”
“It may be that only a few of the baboon’s followers have taken refuge here,” Mr. Clark suggested; and the captain replied, quickly:
“There can be little doubt but that they are all within the chamber, otherwise we should most certainly have been attacked while coming up the road. Mr. Garland has described the structure of this place so well that we can fully understand the condition of affairs, and I see no possible chance of recoveringthe treasure until the apes have retreated.”
“Which is the same as saying that we must abandon all hope of getting it, since it would be hardly less than madness to remain here in view of the fact that the pirates may return at any moment,” Mr. Clark added.
“Exactly so, gentlemen but at the same time I leave it to you to say whether we shall go, or remain in the faint hope of being able to dislodge the baboon army.”
However eager the party might be to gain possession of the vast treasure which they knew to be in the cavern, all were forced to confess that under present circumstances it was impossible to obtain it, and with one accord the march to the sea was taken up.
Already had the night-wind begun to blow. The ships were rising and falling on the swelling sea, tugging at their cables as if impatient to be away, while far on the horizon toward the south could be seen, by the naked eye, a tiny smudge of black which betokened the coming of some craft, for no land lay within the range of vision in that direction.
“Ahoy on the Reynard!” Captain Seaworth shouted, and in the absence of any officer the surgeon answered the hail.
“Have the lookouts reported a sail in the vicinity?”
“Ay, ay, sir. A fleet of proas coming from the southward. Most likely the pirates whom we met before.”
This was sufficient to settle the question of treasure-seeking, if that which had been seen at the grotto was not convincing; and although Goliah had wrought so much destruction, to him they were now probably indebted for their lives, since, if it had been possible to enter the subterranean chamber, they would have remained several hours, in which time the Malays could have approached so near as to render flight impossible.
In less than thirty minutes both ships were under way, every sail set and drawing, and before the island of apes had faded in the distance the pirate fleet was lost to view.
The scheme of colonizing the island was a failure. It had cost the lives of many, the limbs of not a few, and all the property brought from New York, while absolutely nothing had been accomplished.
The port of Batavia was made without incident, and, after only so long a stay as was necessary to settle up certain business matters connected with the corporation, the Reynard set sail for the home port.
To-day Philip Garland is in New York, and with him are the two chimpanzees; but whether he ever returns to the island, of which he was once king, in search of the vast treasure known to be there, is a question he only can answer, and at the present time he has not decided.
[THE END.]