Part 34 (1/2)

”Then you needn't blame yourself,” came George's answer. ”Reckon you'd be a strange fellow if you weren't a little bit overcome by my turning up after you'd given me over for dead. But, see here, Jim; I'm your own brother George right enough, though how it comes that I am still alive and kicking is a long story. As to how I arrived here on time, that's much simpler. The natives I have been living with are at daggers drawn with a tribe over by the lagoon, and have been greatly troubled because some beggarly European rascals have been selling guns and powder to them. For three months past I've been a kind of king amongst them, and of course I've taken steps to have that other tribe watched. Well, we heard that an expedition was coming this way. We shadowed the natives through the forest, and then heard a shot. Later we followed again, and then there was heavy firing. I made out your party from the edge of the jungle, and I reckoned that I would help. Of course I couldn't tell who was in the right. I only knew that the natives who are enemies of ours were attacking a small party, and so I decided to help the weaker side.

Here we are, seventy of us in all, and quite sufficient to make short work of those fellows. Now tell me all about the bother.”

As rapidly as possible Jim told him how Jaime and his rascally comrades had abducted Sadie, and how he had followed.

”It's a precious long yarn, like yours,” he laughed, gripping George's hand for the twentieth time, for even now he found it hard to believe that this good news was actually and really true. ”But, to begin with, I took a job on the Panama Ca.n.a.l.”

”Won a job is truer, I guess,” interrupted Phineas, who was beaming on our young hero and his long-lost brother. ”Won a job on the Panama Ca.n.a.l, sir. Let me tell you that this young Jim of yours has done mighty well since you took it into your head to clear off into the jungle. To begin with, he started right off for New York; for he had to find a job somewhere. Then there was a collision. The s.h.i.+p foundered, and I was left aboard her when the crew took to the boats. Jim there swam out and saved me. Give you my word, the risk he ran makes my hair stand on end even nowadays. Of course I was grateful. After all, life's pleasant to a man working on the ca.n.a.l; there's a real interest in it. I offered to get our young friend a job, and house his sister. That's how the business started. He won the job, siree; won it outright and by as fine a show of grit as ever you could come across.”

George's sallow, fever-haunted face brightened at the words: he stretched forward a hand to grip his brother's, and then to take that of Phineas.

”It's the one thing that has troubled me ever since I was lost in the forest,” he said feelingly. ”There was always Sadie, and what had happened to her. I knew that Jim and the boys would stick to her and support her; but the willingness to do so doesn't make it always possible. Guess I owe you a lot, Mr. Phineas, and Jim's my own brother.

I always knew he had grit.”

”See here,” burst in Phineas, who seemed to have suddenly found a loose tongue, ”you don't owe me a cent's worth. I'll get ahead with this yarn, for this young Jim ain't likely to give it all. And ef I wasn't to tell every word, there's Tom and Sam and Ching would soon see that the news reached you. Eh, boys?”

In the fading moonlight Tom gave an expansive, seven-foot grin, and wagged his head. Sam's little eyes twinkled brightly, while the Chinaman undid his pigtail, and coiled it again, glancing from one to the other.

”If you not guess dat Ma.s.s Jim play de game, den you velly stupid, sah,”

he said. ”But you know him from de days when we were all on de salvage boat. Ma.s.sa Jim a demon to work, and never know what it am to fear.”

”Listen to this,” went on Phineas, wagging a finger at the three, to silence them. ”There were a number of Spaniards aboard the boat that foundered. They fought for the boats, and Jim and Tom had a stand-up fight with them, supporting the captain and crew thoroughly. Well, Jim here knocked a rascal down, who, it turned out, was one of a gang of ruffians who had been infesting ports along the Gulf of Mexico, and who of late had been carrying on their evil practices on the ca.n.a.l zone.

This rascal was brought back to Colon with the others, and the gang began operations again. But this particular man imagined he had a grudge against Jim. He deliberately fired at him one night when in my quarters.

Of course we followed, that is, Jim and his boys did. They tracked the fellow to a house where the gang were situated, and as a result, when the police arrived, three of the gang were taken, though not until Jim had nearly lost his life. Two got away, and the police followed right away along the coast, across a lagoon to the jungle 'way ahead of us.

There was a fight between themselves and the native tribe these rascals had taken refuge with, while the two men were killed or severely wounded. Back comes Jim, takes on a special job on the works, and then gets mixed up with the remainder of the gang. They play all sorts of tricks, and finally rob the Commission offices, and, as a special mark of their hatred to Jim, abduct Sadie. There we are, siree. Right down to the present moment. Jim and the boys went off this very evening, crept up to the gang, and brought away the girl and the plunder. You've seen what followed.”

The sallow face of the man who had so suddenly joined the party lit up again, while he regarded his brother in a manner somewhat different from that he had been accustomed to aboard the salvage boat. For then Jim had appeared as only a boy to George. But now it was as a man that his brother found him, a young, strenuous, self-possessed man, who, without a shadow of doubt, had been winning the golden opinion of those with whom he had come in contact. In place of being stranded by his past misfortunes, and finding life a struggle, George had now learned that Jim was prospering, that he had won a lucrative job on the ca.n.a.l works, and later, when Phineas was able to speak further with him, that there were many amongst the officials who predicted that our hero would rise high, and would, when he was a little older, fill a position of responsibility.

”And so you rescued Sadie, and took their plunder from them!” gasped George. ”That's a good beginning, and those bodies lying out there show that your party has done well in the attack. Now let me give a little further information. Guess those rascals you followed across the lagoon were wounded only, for our tribe have had certain news that two white men were with their enemies. Guess they've come along with this second party, and have now joined hands with the men you tracked to this spot.

Who's leader here?”

Phineas jerked his head in Jim's direction, while Tomkins, who had stood near at hand all the while, grinned ever so little.

”Young, ain't he?” he asked, in his usually blunt manner. ”But there ain't no flies on him, siree. He's shown us how to move, has Mister Jim.”

”Then what do you propose? Stay here and build up a barricade of stones, or attack the enemy boldly?” asked George.

Jim did not answer for the moment. He knew that even now that his party had been so well reinforced it was smaller in numbers than the enemy. To march out across the open would certainly lead to great loss, for most of the natives with Jaime and his ruffians were armed with firelocks. On the other hand, there was not much to be gained by staying in their present position, for that would carry them no nearer to safety.

Unless----

To the surprise of all he suddenly struck his thigh with the palm of his hand, and gave a shout of triumph. He was in the very act of telling those who stood around what plan he suggested, when a rifle snapped from the forest, and a bullet whistled just overhead. Then a storm of b.a.l.l.s came swis.h.i.+ng out over the open, and were followed by the appearance of the enemy. They swarmed from the shadows, ma.s.sed in one corner, and then, to the thunderous beat of native drums came racing forward.

”Back to your places,” shouted Jim. ”Fire as soon as you are in position. George, how many of your men are armed with guns?”

”Thirty at the most; they trust to spears and a long curling knife.”

”One more question; did those rascals see you join us?”

”Certain to have done so,” answered George. ”But whether they have a correct idea of our numbers is an altogether different matter.”

”Then line up all the men without guns at the back of the firing party.

When I give the word, lead them out against the enemy; we must drive them back whatever happens.”