Part 13 (2/2)
”The girl's o,” said the other
”Sure she is,” returned Red Sanders, ”an' if we go buttin' into that there thicket we'll be dead too Ugh! Poor Miller Poor Swenson It's orful Did you see wot they done to 'em beside cuttin' off their heads?”
”Yes,” whispered Wison, looking suddenly behind hi in the direction that his companion had looked
”Wot was it?” he whiht I seen soet outen this,” and without waiting for a word of assent from his co the little path toward the spot where Divine, Blanco, and Bony Saere stationed When they arrived Bony was just on the point of setting out for the spring to fetch water, but at sight of the frightened, breathless men he returned to hear their story
”What's up?” shouted Divine ”You host
Where are the others?”
”They're all murdered, and their heads cut off,” cried Red Sanders ”We found the bunch that got Miller, Swenson, and the girl They'd killed 'em all and was eatin' of 'em e jumps 'em Before we kneot had happened about a thousand ot us separated, and e seen Theriere and Byrne kilt we jest natch'rally beat it Gawd, but it was orful”
”Do you think they will follow you?” asked Divine
At the suggestion every head turned toward the trail dohich the two panic-stricken men had just come At the same moment a hoarse shout arose from the cove below and the five looked down to see a scene of wild activity upon the beach The defection of Theriere's party had been discovered, as well as the absence of the girl and the theft of the provisions
Skipper Si about like a madman His bellowed oaths rolled up the cliffs like thunder Presently Ward caught a glimpse of the men at the top of the cliff above him
”There they are!” he cried
Skipper Simms looked up
”The swabs!” he shrieked ”A-stealin' of our grub, an' abductin' of that there pore girl The swabs! Lemo to 'eht on here sure
Gather up so Skipper, you're too fat to do any fightin' on that there hillside, so you better stay here an' let one o' the un,” for Ward kneell the mettle of his superior that he much preferred his absence to his presence in the face of real fighting, and with the gun in the hands of a braver man it would be vastly ht, but he sa that starvation one, and everything be lost with the loss of the girl For food and ht to the death
Up the face of the cliff they hurried, expecting ed or fired upon by those above them Divine and his party looked doitha manner They found themselves truly between the devil and the deep sea
Ward and his men were halfway up the cliff, yet Divine had lanced timorously toward the dark forest behind fro faces of the head-hunters appear
”Surrender! You swabs,” called Ward fro the last mother's son of you to the yardarrazed perilously close to Ward, against whom Blanco cherished a keen hatred Instantly Ward's revolver barked, the bullet whistling close by Divine's head L Cortwrite Divine, cotillion leader, ducked behind Theriere's breastwork, where he lay sprawled upon his belly, tre in terror
Bony Sawyer and Red Sanders followed the example of their commander
Blanco and Wison alone ro ran to Divine's side and snatched the terror-strickenhe fired at Ward The bullet,its intended victim, pierced the heart of a sailor directly behind hi down the steep declivity, his fellows sought cover
Wison followed up the advantage with a shower of well-aimed missiles, and then hostilities ceased teone?” queried Divine, with tre the quiet that followed the shot
”Gone nothin', yo big cowahd,” replied Blanco ”Do yo done suppose dat two wine to stan' off five? Ef yo white-livered skunks 'ud git up an' fight we ood min' to cut out yo cowahdly heart fer yo, das wot I has--a-lyin' der on yo belly settin'