CHAPTER XVII.A SUCCESSFUL SCHEME.
When the mate and cook started out to ascertain the whereabouts of the natives, the former carried the revolver, and the latter had strapped to his back the bundle of signal rockets.
At the time their only idea was to learn what the blacks were doing, and to that end Andy led the way back toward the cave, circling around in such a manner as would permit an approach from the south.
After traveling at a rapid pace for twenty minutes or more, the cook came to a halt, exclaiming as he did so:
“Dere’s no use tuckerin’ our legs all out at de start, kase dere’s plenty ob time.”
“How is it that you know this island so well? You move around as if you had always lived here.”
Andy tried to evade the question by speaking of the weather and the possibility that the yacht could approach the northern coast by the following morning; but Jenkins insisted on an answer, and finally the old fellow said:
“I mought jes’ as well tell de trufe; but I don’ hanker after habin’ de capt’in know erbout it.”
“Have you ever taken a hand in this voudoo business?” Jenkins asked, sternly, as he watched the old man’s face closely.
“Nebber! Nebber! I’se done gone bin in a good many scrapes, but nuffin like dat. Six or ten years ago, when I was young an’ flighty like, annuder colored man an’ me runned away frum a brig what we’d shipped in, an’ hid hyar. De voudoos cum mighty nigh killin’ us erfore we got took off, an’ dat’s how I’se sich a pertic’lar ’quaintance wid de island.”
“Then you have seen these fellows before?”
“Ef dey ain’ jes’ de same, dey looks a drefful sight like em.”
“And you knew where the cave was before I said anything about it?”
“’Deed I didn’t, fo’ a fac’. I nebber seen it; but I reckon it was ’cause we kept mighty near de beach all de time watchin’ fur a vessel.”
“What did you find to eat?”
“Dere’s plenty ob oysters ’roun’ de shore, an’ it’s a prime place fur turtles. Dere ain’t no danger ob goin’ hungry ef deDay Dreamdon’ come back fur a week.”
“I’m glad to hear that, for the yacht may be away some time—I don’t see any signs that this wind will haul around very soon—and the food supply promises to become serious to us. If you are rested, let’s push on; the boys may grow frightened if we stay too long.”
Andy acted upon this suggestion at once, and the two did not halt again until they had reached a point from which a view of the entrance to the cave could be had, while they were screened by the foliage.
From the first glance it appeared as if the blacks had not returned to their underground hiding-place; but afterwaiting five minutes, a woolly head was seen at the entrance for an instant, and then drawn back very quickly, as if its owner did not dare to expose any portion of his precious body very long at a time.
“I’se gwine ter plump one ob dese yere rockets right inter dat hole,” Andy whispered, as he began to unwrap the package.
“Don’t do anything so foolish,” the mate replied in the same cautious tone. “They would then see the stick, and know it wasn’t the work of supernatural beings. Besides, we can use them to better advantage by waiting until the whole gang come outside.”
“Wha’ you’se mean by dat?”
“Some of them have still got the revolvers taken from the boys an’ me. If we could manage to put our hands on them it wouldn’t be much of a job to hold the crowd in check for as long as we wanted to stay.”
“But how’s we gwine ter do dat wid de rockets?”
“I don’t know; we’ll wait a while, and perhaps something may turn up in our favor.”
Andy was eager to continue his work of terrifying the blacks, but he managed to restrain his impatience, as Jenkins requested, and during the next hour the two remained silent and almost motionless, watching intently for the appearance of their enemies.
During this time two or three of the party had peeped out several times, without showing any more of their bodies than was absolutely necessary, and Andy had begun to grumble because of the delay, when the entire crowd emerged.
They were walking in couples, with the old fellows, who had put on a yet larger supply of paint, leading the way, and, from the look of anxiety on their faces, it was plainly seen that even the alleged priests felt very uncomfortable in mind.
Andy held one of the rockets at such an angle as would send it in the midst of the party when it was fired, resting the base against a tree to avoid the recoil; but Jenkins prevented him from lighting the match until the crowd were a dozen yards beyond the entrance to the cave.
“Now give me your revolver,” the mate whispered, “and be sure to take good aim. If you miss, all that has been done will be wasted.”
The old darky, probably remembering when he had been chased by this or a similar gang,adjusted the rocket very carefully, and then ignited the fuse. At the same instant Jenkins discharged every barrel of the revolver, aiming low to avoid killing any outright, and this portion of the scheme was a perfect success.
“Andy adjusted the rocket and ignited the fuse.”See page 136.
“Andy adjusted the rocket and ignited the fuse.”See page 136.
“Andy adjusted the rocket and ignited the fuse.”See page 136.
The rocket plowed its way through the entire line from the rear, as if it had come out of the cave, and no less than five were thrown to the ground, while it could be seen that two of the others had received the attention of bullets.
Those who were uninjured fled at the utmost speed into the thicket, screaming with terror, and heeding not the cries of their companions, who were begging for assistance.
The leaders yelled louder than their followers, andthought only of their own safety, while all hands dropped everything which might impede their flight.
In the foliage a short distance from where the overturned ones were lying, the rocket, caught among the branches, hissed and sparkled, causing the most intense desire on the part of those remaining to leave that particular portion of the island as quickly as possible.
While scrambling to their feet they did not cease to scream at the full strength of their lungs, and once they were in a condition to run, every man sought the shelter of the bushes.
“Now is our time,” Jenkins said, hurriedly. “You rush out there and hunt for the weapons—I fancy some of them were dropped during the scramble—while I see what there is in the cave that we might want.”
Andy ran like a deer in one direction, while Jenkins went in another, and five minutes later the two returned laden with the spoils.
The old darky brought into the thicket two revolvers with one ammunition belt, four freshly-killed animals, such as the blacks had roasted for breakfast, and three murderous-looking knives.
Jenkins found two knives, a couple of hatchets, a small bag filled with yams, and a spade, he saying, as he held up the last-mentioned implement for Andy’s inspection:
“I don’t know what we want of such a thing, but I was determined to bring away as much as possible, and it may come in handy before we leave.”
“We’se boun’ ter make ’em pay fur de rockets, an’ de spade will count on de bill. Hadn’ we better mosey’long to de boys? Dey’ll be erbout wild ef we don’ cum mighty soon.”
“Lead the way, and I’ll follow; but be careful, for it won’t do to let those fellows have a glimpse of us.”
Andy understood only too well that their safety depended upon remaining under cover, and he conducted the mate back to the place where the boys had been left, by a circuitous route toward the east.
“I’se ’lowin’ dat dem debbils hab all gone ober to the souf shore, kase it’s frum dere dey kin strike across to de big island, so all we has ter do is keep on our end, ef we don’ wan’ ter see ’em.”
When the two were with the boys again nearly five hours had elapsed since the time of their departure, and both Gil and Nelse were decidedly disturbed in mind.
“I had just decided that we ought to go out in search of you,” the former said, as the cook and Jenkins threw themselves on the ground nearly exhausted by the long, rapid tramp.
“That would have been a foolish proceeding, even if we had got into trouble,” the mate said, with a laugh. “If the scoundrels could down us, it is safe to say you’d hardly been able to render any assistance. It’s all right, though, an’ we can count on being left to ourselves until morning at the earliest.”
Then Jenkins told the boys of what had been done, and once more Nelse and Gil began to have hopes that a search might be made for the supposed treasure.
“Can we have something to eat now?” Nelse asked.
“Wait till dark, honey, an’ den I’se gwine ter git up areg’lar jubelee feast. We kin build a fire, an’ dey can’t see de smoke.”
“The flames will show more plainly.”
“Dey won’t, kase I’se de boy what knows how ter fix sich t’ings.”
They were well aware that Andy understood best what should be done, and both tried to wait patiently until the time when their hunger could be appeased without too great danger.
When the sun set the strength of the wind seemed to increase, and Jenkins stated as his opinion that another twenty-four hours must elapse before the yacht could be brought to the old anchorage.
“It don’t make so much difference, now that the blacks are frightened, and we can defend ourselves in reasonably good shape,” he said, cheerily. “Unless they contrive to surprise us, I’ll answer for it that we will hold our own against twice the number.”
“At the same time I’d rather be on board the yacht until we know they have left the island,” Nelse said, with a feeble attempt at a smile.
“So had I; but since it is necessary to wait, we might just as well look on the bright side of the affair. How long before you are going to dish up some of those rabbits, Andy?”
“I’se ready ter make a start now, an’ dat spade is gwine ter come in mighty handy. Ef you’ll dig a hole, I’ll mosey ’roun’ fur wood.”
It was dark, not so much as a star appearing in the inky blackness of the clouds, and the little party could safelymove to and fro at will, provided they were careful not to make a noise.
All hands assisted the cook, whose fireplace was so far beneath the surface that the flames could easily be screened from view by bushes, and never had the boys sat down to a more thoroughly enjoyable meal than this one of roasted rabbits—more properly speaking, agoutis—and yams.