Part 18 (1/2)

”Revolvers!” exclaimed our hero at once. ”Tomkins, I think there were two revolver shots then. Eh?”

The man nodded; he had hardly time to speak.

”Guess so,” he said abruptly. ”Revolvers--those villains we're after.

They've set a whole crowd on to us.”

”Then the sooner we are out of their reach the better. See here,” cried Jim; ”try to find out where those particular ruffians have got to and pepper them. Sam, get to the wheel; we'll make over to the far bank; that'll bother them.”

The motor buzzed and roared as he switched his levers forward, while the water pump gathered such power from the momentum that the pressure within the jackets increased wonderfully. Ching, despite all his efforts and all his cunning, could no longer seal that rent made by the bullet.

True, he reduced the leakage wonderfully; but from all round the margin a spray of hot water swept broadcast, quickly drenching our hero to the skin. It was a trifle, however: Jim congratulated himself that he was not likely to be scalded.

”With a motor on a car ash.o.r.e it would be different,” he told himself, as he put the launch in motion. ”Here the temperature cannot very well rise too high. She takes in her supply direct from the river, and pumps it right through the jackets and out again. Swing her over, Sam. See here, Tomkins, I'm going straight for the far bank, and will swing round in a circle when I get near. We'll bring up end on, beneath a tree if possible; then we shall present less of a mark. Ah! Good shooting!

That'll make 'em careful.”

As yet he had had no time in which to reckon the odds opposed to them, nor the imminence of the danger in which the expedition stood. Minor matters occupied his attention, those and vague queries as to how he should proceed. He noted with satisfaction that Tomkins and his two comrades were making excellent practice. At least half a dozen of the enemy had already fallen.

”Round with her, right round, Sam,” he commanded, when the launch was near the bank. ”Steady! Back her! How's that for a tree?”

With Sam aiding him at the wheel, and he himself controlling the pace of the launch, Jim soon manoeuvred her beneath a tree which swept its branches right into the water. Then he threw his lever out, slowed the motor, and crawled into the cab. With Tom's help he laid the Major on his back and carefully searched for a wound. And very soon they came upon the result of the bullet. There was a huge, discoloured b.u.mp on the top of his head, while an ugly graze crossed the forehead. For the rest, he was breathing deeply and regularly, while the pupils were equal.

”Bullet knock de sense clean out ob him head,” explained Tom, as if he were completely conversant with the matter. ”Knock de Ma.s.sa Major silly.

To-morrow, when he wake up and come to himself, he hold de hands to him head. Oh, how him ache! Him feel more silly den dan he look now. But, Ma.s.sa Jim, dis a bit ob hot stuff. Dis quite all right. Once de fun begin Tom like it hot and plenty. Yo bide little bit; soon dem debil fire away all dere powder and ball. Den time to make a move; den Tom hab someting more to say about de wound. Yo see dat!” and he held out a bruised and swollen hand for Jim's inspection; ”sc.u.m of a black n.i.g.g.e.r do dat. Yo see. Tom not forget when de time come.”

Really the big fellow was too much for Jim. Grave though the situation was, he was forced to laugh again. For Tom did not stop at threats; his words lost all their impressiveness without the gestures. And the latter, terribly fierce though they were--for when he bared his teeth in a snarl no one could look more like a demon than Tom--were instantly banished and forgotten by the fellow's well-known merry smile. Tom's six-foot smile was too catching. His comical face never failed to draw laughter from his audience.

”If you stand up and expose your ugly head like that you won't be left when the powder has been done with!” exclaimed Jim severely, suppressing his mirth. ”Now, listen to this: Tom will watch up stream, Ching will keep a lookout in the downward direction, while Sam will hop ash.o.r.e.

Don't go more than a few feet away, lad,” he warned the little negro.

”Just enough to keep us from being surprised, and to allow you to rejoin instantly. Say, Tomkins, supposing we give over firing?”

A flushed face turned towards him, while the policeman regarded our hero as if he thought him demented.

”Let 'em go on shootin' and not answer!” he gasped. ”Why, of all----”

”It's like this,” explained Jim curtly. ”All the time you fire they know where we're lying. I don't say we're likely to get bad wounds at this distance, for most of the weapons yonder are gas barrels, I reckon, but a revolver bullet might hit by accident, and then it'd be a case with one of us.”

There was indecision on Tomkins's face for the s.p.a.ce of a few seconds.

To tell the truth, though an excellent fellow, he was one who boasted unusual independence, both in word and act, and while it was a fact that he had suggested that Jim should take the Major's place, he had taken it for granted that orders from our hero would not be very frequent, and that he would mainly direct by managing his motor, and seeing that a course was steered. And here he was fighting the vessel. There was something approaching a scowl on Tomkins's face as the thought flashed across his brain. He swung round to look at the enemy. But a second later he was glancing up at Jim once more, his weapon idle beside him.

”You're a conjuror, I guess,” he said abruptly. ”I'd forgotten those revolvers. I thought your suggestion was a bad one; then, blessed if one of them rascals didn't drop in a shot. Look there! He winged me!”

He grinned as he held out a finger of his left hand for inspection.

”That's what I got for being foolish. You're right, sir,” he said with decision. ”What next?”

”See that you don't touch the branches overhead. They'd see them moving from the far side. Sam there? Come aboard. Now,” he went on, when the negro had dropped into the well of the launch, ”not a sound from anyone.

They won't hear the motor while she is running light. We'll run down stream under the trees, and then make a break into the open. A hundred-yards start will allow us to laugh at all their weapons.”

There was agreement on all the faces about him. Tomkins nodded very decidedly, showing that the plan met with his approval.