Part 32 (1/2)
”I hope the felloill co the ed in a skirht have seen so forward at Santarem; but the whites had all escaped out of the place before we passed by, and the red-skins had possession of it”
”I rather think ere fortunate in escaping those same red-skins!”
exclaimed Houlston ”They murdered all the whites they could find, and they would probably have treated us in the same way if we had fallen in with them If those fellows had attacked us, depend upon it we should have had to fight hard for our lives”
”Perhaps,the ene,” observed the recluse ”However, follow your own plan I trust, for the sake of humanity that it may be labour lost”
I did not hear John's reply, but he continued the work Scouts were sent out at night to watch the entrance of the channel, lest the rebelsthe hours of darkness; while we all slept with our ar a shot fired Another followed ”The rebels are co out ”To your posts, my friends!”
In less than a minute our whole party had assembled, and with my father at our head, we advanced in the direction whence the shots had proceeded Before we had goneup with the announcearape Daylight was just then breaking, though it had not penetrated into the forest The two Indians were again sent back to watch the further movements of the rebels Weconveyed all our stores and provisions within the stockade, retired to it, there to await the ene that the Indians had landed, and were advancing through the forest
”Let me now try, my friends, what I can do with these people,” said the recluse, standing up in ourthem for some time
They know uments than to those hich you are prepared to receive thee best,” said my father
Senhor Pimento appeared to have little confidence in his success, and addressing his people, entreated theive the not even a stick in his hand, went forth fro the shades of the forest Our Portuguese friends were in a great state of agitation; but my sisters, especially Ellen, ree ”Oh, I am sure Arthur's father will accomplish what he undertakes,” she answered ”I have therefore no fear of an attack”
We, however, could not help looking anxiously for the return of the recluse The time went slowly by ”I am afraid the wretches will shoot him before he has time to speak to theenerous, warm-hearted disposition, proposed that some of us should sally out, and try and overtake him before he reached the enemy
This was overruled by ment,” he observed ”He knows the character of the people better perhaps than we do Hark! what is that?” The sound of h the forest, as fro on to attack us!” cried Tony; ”ill give them a warm reception”
”I hope rather that those sounds betoken that the Indians have recognised our friend,” observedout, as if they expected to see the rebels approaching in battle array At length a single figure appeared e from the forest It was the recluse He hurried forward towards us, and on entering the fort, took my father, John, and I aside
”I have not been so successful as I should wish,” he said ”They are perfectly ready to let the English, hoo free, but they insist that the Portuguese gentleh they consent to allow the rest of his family to accompany you if you wish it”
”We cannot accept such terms,” said my father at once ”We are resolved to defend our friends with our lives!”
”I thought as much,” said Mr Mallet ”I proain time Is there no way by which your friends can escape by the other end of the igarape?”
”There may be, but the Indians know it as well as we do,” observed my father, ”and would probably lie in wait to catch theive up our friends who have hospitably entertained us, and that if they insist on attacking the fort, they must take the consequences”
The recluse oncethe e, tried to persuade his father to escape with hientleman declared at once that he would not make the attempt, as he was sure he should thus only fall into the hands of his enemies
We now anxiously awaited the return of our friend An hour passed by,a the fort, soreater number with bows and arrows