Part 49 (1/2)
”It must be neither or both, if we're a pair,” chuckled Alzura.
”Why can't you be satisfied?” growled Barriero. ”You've plenty of food, no work to do, and are well treated. And there isn't one chance in a thousand of your getting through.”
”Crawford said one in a hundred!”
”Well, anyway, you're certain to lose your lives, and I shall be blamed for not stopping you. It's my duty to inform the sergeant, and have you chained up.”
”You can't,” said Alzura--”you can't betray us.”
”You're two lunatics--stark, staring lunatics--and I wish you had told me nothing of your mad scheme.”
”It's awfully risky,” said I, ”but not so mad as you think. We shall choose our night, and we know just where to land. Then we shall take provisions to last us three or four days.”
”You won't need them,” interrupted Barriero, in a tone of conviction which was far from encouraging.
But now that the affair had really been decided on, the dangers of the mora.s.s soon lost some of their terrors. We were able to talk about them calmly, and thus grew familiar with them, at least in imagination.
Every day we set aside a portion of the dried meat and biscuit which formed the chief part of our food, until at last we had as much as could be carried easily. It would be stupid to load ourselves with too heavy a burden, as Barriero rather unkindly reminded us.
We waited three whole weeks after coming to our decision before starting on the venture, and then, one favourable night, slipped down to the edge of the islet. Barriero, who had kept the secret, came to wish us good-bye, and the poor old fellow shook like a timid child.
”It is a mad game,” said he, ”a downright mad game. I shall never forgive myself for allowing you to go. It isn't too late now to draw back. Do take my advice, and don't risk it. I shan't sleep a wink all night if you go.”
”Never mind, my boy,” replied Alzura, laughing; ”you'll have plenty of time afterwards for a nap.--Now, Juan, off with your clothes.”
The other prisoners were sound asleep in their huts; so were the soldiers, with the exception of the two sentries. These men were supposed to keep a sharp lookout, but nothing had happened for so long a time that their duty was mostly a matter of form. However, Barriero kept watch while we each stripped and made a bundle of our food and clothes to carry on our heads.
”Good-bye, old man,” we said to him when we were quite ready; and he, gripping our hands, whispered back,--
”Good luck; but I wish you would not go. Take care, and come back here rather than lose your lives, if you cannot find the track.”
We promised to do so, and then took quietly to the water. The first part of the journey gave us no trouble whatever. We were both good swimmers, and quickly arrived at the spot which we had selected as the landing-place. Here we crouched on a patch of firm ground, undid our bundles, and proceeded to dress quickly. A smothered exclamation from Alzura made me glance at him. In his hurry he had whisked his s.h.i.+rt a yard or two away, and it had settled in the liquid mud.
”There's an end to that garment!” said he. ”Well, after all, it's no great loss; 'twas mostly made of holes. What have you found, Juan?”
”A stout staff tipped with iron, left here by the soldiers, most likely. What a piece of luck, my boy! Now we shall be able to test the ground.”
”Yes, the balance is on our side,” said he happily, b.u.t.toning his tunic. ”Are you ready? Give me the staff, and I'll go first.”
Of course I could not let him do that; so turning it off with a laugh, I cried,--
”No, thank you. I'm not going to trust my life to your hands, or rather feet. Now, follow me closely. Walk just where I do, and if you see me disappearing, pull me back sharp. We're on the track now, and must try to keep on.”
”Spoken with the wisdom of a sage!” said Alzura saucily. ”I say, Juan, how shall I know when you're moving?”
There was certainly reason for his sarcasm. As often as not, when I raised my foot I brought it down in the same place again, or, according to Alzura, even went a step backward. The night was not particularly dark--indeed, we had doubted whether it was dark enough for us to swim ash.o.r.e un.o.bserved--but the marsh was fearfully deceptive.
In places the track was merely a dry hump here and there, for which I had to feel with the staff. Twice, in spite of every precaution, I missed my footing, and the second time had sunk to the waist before Alzura could pull me out.
”I can't see you very well, Juan,” said he, laughing, ”but I have an idea that you would cut a fine figure in a ballroom just now.”
”Especially if it were a fancy-dress affair,” I replied in the same tone.