CHAPTER XXII.RUN TO COVER.
Andy was not the only one who felt as if an unkind fortune had dealt the crowning blow in a series of disasters, and that it would be useless to struggle longer against such overwhelming odds.
It is true the little party were armed, after a certain fashion, and could act on the defensive for a short time in a creditable manner; but the supply of ammunition was woefully small, and when the last cartridge should have been fired they had only two knives and two hatchets with which to hold their own against a party of perhaps forty.
To each one these thoughts came much as if they had been presented for consideration, and, after five minutes or more had been spent in mournful reflections, Jenkins said, with a feeble attempt at cheerfulness:
“It’s worse than foolish for us to sit here moonin’ over what we’ve got to meet like men. It’ll be strange if we can’t hold our own against such a crowd as is on this island; but we sha’n’t make any headway by suckin’ our thumbs.”
“You are the leader, and we are waiting to hear what you propose doing,” Gil replied, forcing himself to speak firmly and even carelessly, because of the effect he knew his words would have upon the others.
“That’s what I haven’t had time to decide on,” Jenkins said, deliberately. “Suppose we try to cook up some plan between us? What is your opinion, Andy?”
The old darky shook his head, but made no reply. He was without hope, and could do no more than clutch the charm which was covered by his shirt; but even his faith in this seemed to have been shaken by the news that the main body of the enemy had returned to the island.
Jenkins waited a few seconds for some one to speak, and, as all remained silent, he said, in a thoughtful tone:
“It stands to reason we’ve only got to hold our own a few days at the outside, for the captain is bound to be back before long, and then all the trouble will be at an end. It is now so near night that I reckon we can count on bein’ left alone till mornin’, an’, with so much time before us, we ought to be able to make considerable headway takin’ care of ourselves. The first thing is to find a hidin’-place, an’ Andy knows more about this island than any one else, so he must attend to that portion of the work.”
“It can’t be did,” the old fellow said, in a whisper. “Dem brack debbils done gone know ebbry spot on dis yere islan’ whar a skeeter could poke his nose, an’ dey’s boun’ to hab us out ’fore ter-morrer mornin’.”
“That remains to be seen,” Gil replied. “It is certain they’ll get hold of us if we sit here doing nothing, but it must be possible to hide during the short time father will be gone.”
“You are right, Gil, an’ if we don’t lose our pluck, things is sure to come out all right,” Jenkins said, approvingly.“It won’t do to trust to the shelter of the trees, for those fellows can track us down; so I go in for hittin’ on some spot where we can hold out against them till the captain comes.”
“Yes, but where’ll we find such a place?” Nelse asked.
“That is what we must hunt for, an’ there’s no time to lose, because it’ll soon be too dark to travel around much.”
Jenkins looked toward Andy as he spoke, but the old darky did not so much as move an eyelid. He acted as if all hope had fled, and he was trying to resign himself to the inevitable.
“I should think it would be a good idea to hunt around for food before we go into hiding,” Nelse said, after a pause. “We may be obliged to keep under cover quite a while, and, according to the experience I have had on this island, it isn’t always convenient to go whenever a fellow feels so disposed.”
“You are right, my boy, and I’ll hunt for a hiding-place if the rest will act on your suggestion. We can meet here any time between now an’ sunset, so there’ll be no danger of losing each other. Andy, show them where the shell fish can be found easiest.”
The cook, who had thrown himself on the ground as if in such despair that his legs could no longer be depended upon to do their duty, rose slowly and silently, which was sufficient intimation that he would so far oblige, however unnecessary he might think it to provide for a party who were doomed to death.
“Bring in everything eatable you can find,” Jenkinssaid, and then started through the underbrush to perform his portion of the work.
Gil was forced to speak quite sharply to Andy before the latter would lead the way toward the beach, but after the old fellow once started he did his best to procure the provisions in the shortest possible space of time.
When the party left the shelter of the trees, and walked cautiously out on the sands, where the gentle swell of the sea was rolling up in tinkling measures, not a sign of the enemy could be seen. It was as if they were alone on the island, and, while this apparent security caused the others to feel considerably more confident than at any time since it had been discovered the boat was stolen, it filled Andy with the gravest apprehensions.
“I’se done been hyar afore,” he said, with a solemn shake of the head, “an’ I tell yer, honey, we’se gwine ter hab a power ob trubble.”
“There don’t seem to be any signs of it around here,” Nelse replied, with a laugh.
“Dat’s kase yer don’t know wha’ kin’ ob folks dese yere imps be, honey. Dey’s layin’ low like now; but look out fur ’em, look out, I say, an’ don’ trus’ de snake jes’ kase he ain’ in de humor fur bitin’. Dey’s done got dere eyes on us now, an’ when de right time comes we’se gwine to fin’ it out.”
“If they don’t do any more than keep their eyes on us for the next hour we shall stand a good chance of laying in a stock of provisions, for the oysters appear to be plentiful on this part of the beach.”
Andy contented himself with simply shaking his head,as if to say he could tell a great deal more if he felt disposed, and then all hands began industriously gathering the shell fish, which were to be seen just above the low water mark in enormous beds.
It was hard work to detach them from the seaweed and rocks, but the little party were literally laboring for life, and before an hour had passed a heavy load for each member was secured.
“There’s no need of taking more than we can lug comfortably,” Gil said, when the tide had covered the largest beds, “and now comes the question of how they may be carried to the place where we agreed to meet Jenkins.”
“I reckon my mate an’ me can rig up somethin’ that’ll answer for baskets,” one of the sailors replied, as he began gathering a quantity of vines, and in this labor Andy assisted without being especially requested so to do.
Under the skillful fingers of the three men the vines soon assumed shape, and the sun was yet above the horizon when five rude receptacles had been woven.
After these were filled with oysters it was found that each one had as much of a load as could comfortably be carried on his back, and, laden heavily, all hands started for the rendezvous, arriving there just as the mate returned, looking tired and disappointed.
“We’ve done our portion of the work,” Gil said, cheerily, “and what have you accomplished?”
“Nothin’, so far as a hidin’-place is concerned. It won’t do to go so far into the interior of the island that we stand a chance of gettin’ lost while tryin’ to find our way back to the beach, an’ I can’t find a spot where anythingbigger than a rabbit could hide himself this side of the cave.”
“Did you see anything of the blacks?”
“Yes, the whole crowd are near the entrance, an’ from the appearance of things they have got over the scare we gave ’em.”
“How many are there?”
“Thirty at the lowest calculation, without countin’ them as were hidin’ in the cave. All hands are loafin’ around the entrance, as if not carin’ whether we saw them or not, an’ I reckon they’ve sized us up mighty nigh right.”
“But what are we to do to-night?” Nelse asked, his voice betraying the uneasiness he felt.
“There is only one plan I can think of, which is to get into the tunnel we found.”
“Why, that would be putting ourselves directly in their power!” Nelse cried, and Andy looked at Jenkins as if fancying the mate had suddenly lost his reason.
“When it comes to dots, we are in their power already, and without much chance to defend ourselves, if they should surround us in this thick underbrush. There we could hold our own for a while, at any rate, because not more than one could attack us at a time, an’ our revolvers would keep ’em back a good many hours.”
The boys immediately recognized the force of the argument, as did both the sailors, but Andy was literally beside himself with impatience because such a scheme had been proposed.
“I’se done gone got enuff ob dis yere crowd,” he said, angrily. “When you cotch de old man runnin’ his noseinter de hornet’s nes’ jes’ tell him he’s makin’ a mighty big fool outer hisself. We’se bad enuff hyar widout makin’ it wuss.”
“But, Andy, it really seems to be the best thing we can do,” Gil said, persuasively. “It is as Mr. Jenkins says—we shall at least have a chance of defending ourselves there, and it’s only necessary to hold out until father gets back before the trouble will be at an end. Then we can show these scoundrels a trick or two at hunting which perhaps they won’t appreciate so well.”
“I ’preciate dis yere scrape, an’ ain’ gwine ter put my nose in any mo’,” the old fellow replied, doggedly. “Ef you is boun’ dar, go ahead, an’ Andy’ll kinder grub ’roun’ fur hisself.”
“But we mustn’t separate, you obstinate old man! Can’t you see that there’s a chance, with all this food, of holding our own a good many hours?”
“Whar’s de water? Bymby somebody’s gwine ter want er drink, an’ den whar’ll de debbils be?”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Gil exclaimed, in dismay, and Jenkins added, quickly:
“We must try to lay in a stock to-night. I’ll run the risk of snoopin’ round a bit after dark, an’ it’ll be hard lines if I can’t bring in a little. At any rate, it’s better to be in the tunnel, where we’ve got a show for our lives, an’ be thirsty, than stay out here where all hands can be surrounded by daylight. If Andy won’t go with us I don’t see any other way than let him paddle his own canoe.”
The sailors decided in favor of the mate, and Gil andNelse could do no less than agree with the more experienced and less timid portion of the party.
“We’ll go to the tunnel,” Gil decided, after a pause, “and if Andy wants to stay outside it can’t be helped.”
“I’se gwine ter look arter myself,” the cook replied, doggedly, and, without further conversation, he disappeared among the underbrush.