Part 29 (1/2)
The wood was extremely tough, and it was half an hour before Abdool could cut through them, and free three or four of the bamboo poles. While he was doing this, Harry and the interpreter stood talking together, apparently watching the movements of the Malays.
”We are going to try and escape,” Harry said. ”Will you go with us, or remain here? They will certainly kill us, if they overtake us; there is just a chance that they will not kill us, if we stay.”
”They will kill us,” the man said, confidently. ”It may not be today, because the rajah will be looking over his presents, and will be in a good temper; but tomorrow they will come in and kris us. a.s.suredly I will go with you.”
When Abdool announced that he had cut through the rattans, Harry joined him, telling the interpreter to wait at the entrance till he called him.
”What next, master?” Abdool asked.
”The next thing will be to pull up the bamboos. If you have cut all their las.h.i.+ngs, this ought not to be very difficult; but it will make it easier if we cut the ground away, as deep as we can, on this side of them.”
Kneeling down, they set to work with their knives and, after half an hour's work, they had laid bare the bottoms of four of the bamboos, which were sunk two feet into the ground.
”Now, Abdool, we ought to get them up easily enough.”
With their united strength they pulled up a bamboo, replaced it in its position and, one by one, got the other three up, put them in again, and lightly filled in the earth.
”Now we can go, at a minute's notice,” Harry said. ”At any rate, we had better wait till it is dark.”
The sun had just set, when they saw the rajah come out of his hut. He gave an order, and the four troopers were brought out, and placed in a line. Four natives took their places behind them, kris in hand.
”They are going to murder them!” Harry exclaimed, in horror.
”Now, Abdool, there is not a moment to be lost; it will be our turn, next.”
Their guards had all risen to their feet, watching what was going on. Three of the bamboos were plucked up in a moment. This afforded an opening sufficiently large for them to pa.s.s through and, keeping the hut between them and the guard, they made their way through the plantation, and dashed into the forest. They heard yells of satisfaction in the village, and Harry had no doubt that the four troopers had been murdered.
They ran at full speed through the forest and, ten minutes later, heard loud shouts of dismay; and had no doubt that a party had been sent to take them out to execution, and had discovered their escape. It was already almost dark, under the thick shade of the trees; but for half an hour they ran on, the Malay in advance, for he could see any obstacles better than they could, the habits and training of his youth having given him experience in such work.
For a time they had heard loud shouts behind them. These had been useful, in enabling them to keep a straight course. The Malay now turned, and struck off at right angles to the line that they had been pursuing.
”We must keep on, for a time,” he said. ”When they do not overtake us, they will scatter through the forest in all directions.”
For hours they toiled on, sometimes at an easy walk, sometimes breaking into a run. At last the Malay admitted that, for the time, they were safe; and they threw themselves down upon the ground.
”Tomorrow,” he said, ”they will take up the search in earnest, and will track our footsteps. We had better take to a tree, now. It will not be safe to stay here.”
The others cordially agreed as, for some time, they had heard the roars of wild beasts, which abounded in these forests; and Harry and Abdool had run with their open knives in their hands, prepared for a sudden attack.
”The others will have gone back to the village, long ago,” the Malay said, when they had made themselves as comfortable as they could, in the forks of the tree, ”except the men who were guarding us. They will not dare venture into the village, for they would fear the rajah's anger, even more than death from a tiger. They will be first in the search, tomorrow morning.
”Which way do you wish to go, my lord?”
”I have been thinking it over, as we came. I think that our best plan will be to go on to Joh.o.r.e. Doubtless the road down the coast will be watched. How far from Joh.o.r.e do you think we are?”
”Not very far,” the Malay said. ”We have been going in that direction, ever since we first turned--not very straight, perhaps, but certainly in that direction. I think that we cannot be more than five or six miles from the town. It lies between the hills we crossed, and the higher ones beyond. We have been descending a little, all the time.”
”I am afraid that Joh.o.r.e will not be very pleased to see us arriving empty handed, and to learn that the escort he sent us have all been killed. Still, the news that we bring him, that his enemies are not far off, will be useful to him; and we will offer to aid him in the defence of his town, if he is attacked. At any rate, it is a satisfaction to know that we have not very far to go, and have got so good a start of the fellows behind us that they are not likely to overtake us, before we get there.”