Part 32 (1/2)
”That is the best plan, Capitao,” Lourenco agreed For the first time since the Americans had known him his voice held a note of suppressed excitement ”It is the only plan worth while And I do not think we shall have to take to our legs soon--if at all I believe this creek connects with that which flows past the Monitaya _s _Por Deus!_ If only we had known the Raposa was here!”
”Why?”
”Because then we could have brought couess what the barred house holds”
”Well?”
”Women of the Mayorunas! Girls stolen fro Judas!” ejaculated Knowlton ”Are you sure?”
”Sure, co around the Mayoruna tribe houses and capturing girls ent into the bush They have taken the prisoners to the water, where the trails alere lost and where they could find hiding places until night, then drive their canoes past the clearings and get out of that country
So there must be some water connection by which these o downstreaht”
”But hat's the idea of their stealing the girls? For victiirls still alive?”
”Do you not see, senhor?” Pedro broke in, impatiently ”Did not Umanuh ask if ould pay more than the other Blackbeard for the Raposa? What other Blackbeard?”
”Schwandorf!” the Americans blurted, simultaneously
”Not so loud! Schwandorf, of course! Uirls by stealth and sells thes While the Mayorunas all blame the Peruvians for the disappearances, U these woain--and it may be that Schwandorf is not far off at thisthe wildhim also; and he wonders whether we or Schwandorf will pay the ht!” Knowlton coincided ”He's stalling for ti us here while Schwandorf comes up, I'll bet No wonder he and his ht we'd cooods You fellows hty slick job to find out this stuff without getting caught Isn't the house guarded at night?”
”Indeed it is! Two clubmen are there now, and there is only the one door Not even aBut Lourenco worked a ss at the back while I watched the clubh the hole he whispered with one of the women inside If only we had known the wild uards and tried to bring back the women But of course your business about the Raposa had to be thought of first, so all we could do was to tell them friends were here”
For a few seconds there was the silence of thought Then Knowlton chuckled
”I'll say we have our hands full this night Noe not only have to get ourselves and Rand out of here, but also rescue the fair dare 'Twon't do to leave theet the rest of his arone--one way or another What's done has to be done now or never”
”Right!” McKay commended ”We'll have to save the women, of course
Question is--how?”
Lourenco answered at once
”My idea, Capitao, is this: We till return With us ill take Tucu The three of us can handle those guards quietly We ht balk at the last ht think thee ht; but Tucu can handle them When once we are clear of the houses Tucu can lead the women to the bank above here, and we shall try for the canoes Then it will be fast work to get away, but if we have good fortune it can be done”
”Confound it! You fellows are taking all the risks! Can't you take more men--”
”No No man but Tucu He has a cool head These others, if they kneould go blood-e their lost woet us all killed Noill talk with Tucu”
He slipped into the Mayoruna shelter and returned with the cannibal leader, who
Then, in whispers which the other tribesmen could not overhear, he explained the situation Knowlton took another turn or two along his post, finding that the Red Bones across the water were stirring about and evidently aware that soet into a canoe or to send a ain at the corner near the whispering pair he heard Tucu grinding his teeth, and as the savage turned his face toward the Red Bone outpost it was a mask of murder But he spoke no word as he slipped back to his own men
”He ake another man and tell him what to do,” Lourenco explained
”But only we four shall know of the women until they are freed Will one of you lend Tucu abow on this trip”
A few ripping McKay's machete As a final word Lourenco said: ”Our men here may move about a little after a time, but do not try to keep them quiet