Part 5 (2/2)
A loud splash was the only answer, as Mr Pepson let his pole fall into the water. d.i.c.k followed suit, and in a little while they were shooting down the river, which in these parts was sufficiently shallow to allow of poling.
”Keep her in near the bank, sir,” sang out d.i.c.k. ”It gets deeper out there, and I've noticed that the fellow who is poling is sometimes unable to bottom. We are getting nearer already. Can we try a shot?”
”Wait,” was the answer. ”We have him in any case. He cannot escape us, and if we only keep him in sight he cannot take our goods. Keep on as we are till we are certain of a shot. If he tries to make to the opposite sh.o.r.e, where all is dense shadow, we will drop our poles and fire together.”
Ten minutes later they had overhauled the runaway to some extent, and when half an hour had pa.s.sed they judged that they were within easy distance.
”Try a shot,” said Mr Pepson. ”Your young eyes are better than mine.
Don't hesitate, my lad. These fellows are rogues and would kill us without a thought. We must teach them a lesson.”
Till that moment our hero would not have thought of hesitating, for he had felt the excitement of the chase, and he realised that he had to do with robbers who no doubt would have no scruples in killing him were he to come upon them. But just then the excitement had lessened somewhat.
They were overhauling the chase without a doubt, and the figure poling the runaway boat looked so harmless there in the moonlight. Also he appeared to be unarmed. However, an order was an order, and his duty was plain. He dropped his pole into the bottom of the boat, picked up his rifle, and took a careful sight.
”Sight about the middle of his body--no higher,” said Mr Pepson. ”That should find a mark.”
Cras.h.!.+ The report of the rifle set the jungle ringing, while it reverberated along the still surface of the river. Then came a shriek, followed by a shout from the sh.o.r.e. The native who poled the boat staggered and almost fell. Then he recovered himself, answered the shout from the sh.o.r.e, and in an instant had swung the boat's head round in that direction.
”We have him sure enough,” cried Mr Pepson, for the first time showing some trace of excitement. ”He is making for the moonlit side, and cannot escape. At least, the boat and its freight are ours again. Drop the rifle and take to the pole.”
They plunged their long poles into the water and sent the craft dancing after the other. But quick as they were, the boat in advance seemed to shoot across the moonlit stretch, and rapidly gained the bank. Again there was a shout, a dark figure ran out into the river, splas.h.i.+ng the water loudly. Then a second followed, while the native who had been aboard threw his pole aside and staggered ash.o.r.e.
”Heavily hit,” gasped Mr Pepson, for the exertion of poling was beginning to tell upon him. ”But I was right. We have the boat, and, after all, what more do we want? Pole easily, d.i.c.k, and keep an eye on those fellows. Ah, they seem to have run for it. We have nothing to fear from them at least.”
They pushed their craft gently into the shallows, till they were almost beneath the trees. Then, giving one l.u.s.ty push, d.i.c.k stepped over the side and waded, dragging the boat after him. A minute later both were ash.o.r.e, and were inspecting the other craft.
”We were just in time,” said Mr Pepson, in tones of the greatest satisfaction. ”Another few minutes and they would have got clear away, and then good-bye to the expedition, for a time at any rate. Make her fast, d.i.c.k, and keep a watch ash.o.r.e.”
Well was it for both of them that d.i.c.k did as he was told. Indeed, from the moment at which he had leaped into the river and commenced to wade, his suspicions had kept him alert with his eyes fixed upon the jungle and bush into which the three dark figures had disappeared. And now he was to find good cause for his wariness, for, of a sudden, as Mr Pepson took the rope which was made fast to the bows of the runaway, and dragged it towards the craft in which they had undertaken the pursuit, a sharp sound came from the depths of the jungle. It was the snapping of a dried twig, a crisp and startling noise which caused both to look up suddenly.
”They are not so far away, I think,” said d.i.c.k, in a low voice.
”Wouldn't it be better if we moved away, sir? We are in the full blaze of the moon's rays here, while they are in the shadow. That's how that robber managed to get away from me down at the coast.”
Hardly had the words left his lips when a single shot rang out, startling the silence, while the flash of the weapon lit up the immediate surroundings of the bush, and showed a dozen dark figures perhaps, all in the act of running forward. d.i.c.k noticed that in the twinkling of an eye, and heard also the click of the missile as it struck a hanging bough some feet in front of him. Then there was a dull thud, that thud which in the old days of large calibre rifles and heavy bullets told unmistakably of a hit. A second later a heavy splash and a sickening gurgle told the young Englishman the horrid truth. His comrade had been struck and had fallen into the shallow water.
It was a terrifying position, and for a second d.i.c.k stood rooted to the spot with consternation. Then his courage returned, and with the memory of that glimpse of charging figures which the flash of the rifle had given him, he stooped, clutched his fallen friend, and staggered to the boat. Half throwing him into it, he leaned across the thwarts, seized his rifle, and extracted a cartridge from the bag. He had still a moment to spare, for the patter of feet and the snap of many a twig told him that the enemy were not yet quite at hand.
”They are bound to kill us both here in the light,” he thought, as the prominence of their position flashed across his brain. ”I'll get into the shadow.”
He had always been noted for his agility, and on this fine night our hero surpa.s.sed himself. Fear gave him strength, or else he could hardly have lifted his comrade as he had done. And now the same stimulus seemed to have sharpened his wits. He leaped at the gunwale of the boat and pushed the craft into deeper water. Then with a parting thrust of his leg he scrambled aboard, while the boat, impelled by the push he had given it, shot across the moonlit shadows, and burst its way into the deep shade of an overhanging tree. d.i.c.k clutched a bough and arrested its further progress. Then leaning his shoulder against the same friendly limb of the tree, he raised the rifle to his shoulder. There was a chorus of loud shouts, the splash of many feet, and in a second ten dusky figures burst into the full light of the moon and rushed towards the tree which hid their quarry. Not till then did d.i.c.k fully realise his danger. He had imagined till now that his foes were natives from the river-banks, thieves who had come out to rob the expedition during the night. But there was one amongst the group charging down upon him who showed that he was mistaken. There was no chance of his being in error, for the brilliant moon lit the scene too well, and showed before him the half-caste James Langdon, who had so recently fled from the coast, carrying d.i.c.k's store of gold with him.
”Then he at least shall suffer now, whatever happens to the others,”
exclaimed our hero. Lifting his weapon again he covered the half-caste, waited till he felt sure of his aim, and pressed the trigger. Once again there was a shout, and one of the unfortunate natives who aided the rascally half-caste, leaped high into the air to fall next instant with a splash into the water.
”Rus.h.!.+ He is now unarmed! Cut the dog to pieces!” shouted James Langdon.
There was an ugly gleam in the eyes of the robbers as they heard the shout, and slight though d.i.c.k's knowledge was of the language of these Fantis, he recognised the meaning of the words. Quick as thought he threw his weapon down and drew his revolver. They were close to the tree now, and nothing but the darkness baffled them. But there was their disadvantage, and d.i.c.k made the most of it. Singling out the foremost he fired full in his face, and then, ere the report died down, pulled heavily on the bough and dragged himself and the native boat still farther into the shadow. A second later the weapon spoke again, and another of the miscreants fell. But still their commander urged them on.
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