Part 57 (1/2)

”We must run it at all events;” and wis.h.i.+ng his friend goodbye, Adair returned on board with the information he had gained.

The calm still continued; but as a breeze might at any moment spring up, Jack and he anxiously looked out for Jose. They were indeed in a hurry to recommence the ascent of the river, for the longer they delayed, the greater risk they ran of being attacked.

The sun set, and still Jose had not made his appearance. Jack was just going below when Needham came aft. No one had showed more anxiety about the mids.h.i.+pmen than he had.

”It has come into my mind, sir, that if the young gentlemen are anywhere hereabouts they may have caught sight of the brig, and will be trying to make their way down to the sh.o.r.e abreast of us. If you will give me leave to take the jollyboat, I will pull in and have a look for them; and even if they don't come, Jose may be wis.h.i.+ng to get off, with any information he has picked up, though I have no great hopes that he will do much.”

”I am afraid not either,” said Jack, ”but by all means take the boat and remain as long as it continues calm. Should a breeze spring up, you must, whether successful or not, return on board. It is my duty to proceed up the river as fast as I can, and my anxiety to recover my brother and Mr Desmond must not make me neglect that.”

Needham found no difficulty in obtaining volunteers for his expedition.

They went well-armed in case any hostile natives might appear, though the country people in general showed a friendly disposition.

Jack and Terence while at their frugal supper of corn beef and biscuit, talked over a plan for protecting the men, should they be fired at as they ascended. They arranged to build a barricade of hammocks and bags to defend the helmsman on the port side while the crew were sent below, they of course intending to remain on deck.

”The fellows have not shown themselves to be good shots, and if the breeze holds we may run by them without much damage,” observed Jack.

”But if the wind should fall or blow down the river?” suggested Terence.

”Then we must go about and wait for a better opportunity for running up,” answered Jack. ”We may try it at night and may slip by the more dangerous places without observation.”

They both talked hopefully of recovering the mids.h.i.+pmen, and yet they could not help occasionally feeling that the youngsters might after all have lost their lives.

At last they turned in, Bevan having the watch. Though very gallant British officers, they were not heroes of romance, and therefore required sleep as much as anybody else. Jack had left directions to be called should a breeze spring up or Needham return on board. It had gone two bells in the morning watch when Norris came into the cabin and awoke Jack.

”There is a light air from the south'ard, and it has been getting stronger for the last few minutes, but the boat has not come off yet,”

he said.

Jack sprang up.

”We will make sail and stand over to the other sh.o.r.e to pick her up,” he answered; ”we must not delay a moment.”

The anchor was hove up, and sail quickly made, the breeze rapidly increasing. She had got halfway across to the western sh.o.r.e when the boat was observed approaching and was soon alongside.

”We have seen nothing of the young gentlemen, sir, nor has the spy shown his face,” said Needham. ”I waited till the last moment, hoping that some one would appear. I fancied I saw people moving about on the bank, and now and then heard voices close down to the boat. We pulled some way down the river and then back again as high up as we had gone down, every now and then shouting out the young gentlemen's names, so that if they had been anywhere hereabouts they must have heard us.”

Jack agreed with Needham that Tom and Gerald were not likely to be in the neighbourhood, and the boat being dropped astern, to be in readiness should they or the spy appear, the _Supplejack_ continued her course up the river. The increasing daylight enabled Jack to see his way, and of course a sharp lookout was kept on the sh.o.r.e.

The brig continued on for some distance, neither cavalry nor artillery being seen. A few foot soldiers were observed trudging along, and occasionally country people appeared on the high ground, but none of them came down to the beach.

The appearance of the banks varied considerably in different places; in some they were sloping and were covered with trees and shrubs, in others they consisted of high earthy cliffs with the open plains of the Pampas reaching to the edge of their summits. Frequently the telescope revealed projecting from the cliffs the bones of the megatherion, mastodon, milodon, and other huge antediluvian animals, of which, however, neither Jack nor Terence knew the names. Sometimes they were so distinct that they were remarked by the men, who wondered how such strange animals could have found their way there.

”They cannot have gone and buried themselves,” sagaciously observed Bill Lizard, the boatswain's mate.

”For my part, howsomedever, I cannot think that anybody would have taken the trouble to bury them,” answered Needham. ”It's a pity we have not got Mr Scrofton on board; he would have told us all about it, no doubt.”

The s.h.i.+p's company, however, had soon other matters to engage their attention. The brig was now approaching that part of the river where the deep channel runs under the lofty and perpendicular cliffs of San Lorenzo. The bed is as wide as in other places, but on the eastern side is a line of islands extending for several miles, and forcing the current over to the west. It was still doubtful, however, whether the enemy had observed the brig, or would venture to attack her if they had.

Terence had gone aloft to be able to get a better view over the plain, when he made out several hors.e.m.e.n, and what he at first took for carts in the far distance, but which as they emerged from a cloud of dust partially concealing them he discovered were field-pieces. There could be little doubt that the _Supplejack_ would not escape without being fired at. Fortunately there was a good stiff breeze, and under all sail she stood boldly up the clearly defined channel. The ensign was flying at the peak, and Jack ordered one to be hoisted at each masthead, to show the enemy that he intended to fight as long as the masts stood, or his vessel remained above water.