Part 8 (1/2)

Picking up his gun, Wilc.o.x was about to turn off into the wood when Stephen said:

”We had better take three or four cocoa-nuts each, Wilc.o.x. There is no saying whether we shall come back to this place, and it is as well to have something to eat.”

Each tied some nuts together, threw them over their shoulders, and started along the river bank. The stream was bordered by a thick undergrowth, which afforded an effectual screen for anyone behind it. After going for about a quarter of a mile they stopped to listen. There was a faint throbbing sound in the air.

”Paddles!” Steve exclaimed.

”Ay, and native paddles, sir. Our men don't paddle like that, and I fancy,” he went on after listening again, ”there is more than one canoe.

That settles it, sir. There isn't a chance of our ever seeing our mates again.”

”Oh, don't say that, Wilc.o.x! Even if some have been killed, the others may have been taken prisoners. I can't believe they have all been murdered.”

”Well, I hope not, sir, but it looks very black. If they had pounced upon them sudden, and there had been no fighting, they might have kept them prisoners a day or two till they made a grand feast and killed them; but that firing we heard settles it to my mind. I should say there ain't no manner of doubt that our fellows will have killed some of the n.i.g.g.e.rs, and I expect that the two canoes closed in on them, and then it would be all over in a minute.”

When the canoes were within a quarter of a mile the rowers broke into a sort of chant, with occasional wild shouts and yells.

”There they come,” Wilc.o.x said as two long canoes, paddling abreast, rounded a turn in the river a short distance away. ”There must be something like fifty men in each canoe.”

In a short time the canoes came along at a high rate of speed. The sailor gave a sudden exclamation of fury.

”What is it?” Steve asked.

”Don't you see, sir, in the stern of each of the canoes, piled up by the steering oar, there are some heads.”

”I can't look at them,” Steven said, drawing back from his peep-hole through the leaves.

”They are whites,” the sailor muttered. ”There ain't no doubt about it. I would give all my pay for the voyage to have the _Tiger's_ crew here, that we might give them murdering villains a volley.”

But Stephen did not hear him; he had thrown himself down, and the tears were running down his cheeks. The loss of the second mate, who had always been cheery and kind, and of his fellow apprentice, Joyce, completely unnerved him. Up to now he had hoped, but what before had been doubt as to their fate had now been converted into certainty.

”Don't give way, Master Steve,” the sailor said, stooping over him and laying his hand on his shoulder. ”It is a bad job, there ain't no denying it. What happened to them half an hour ago may happen to us before long; we have got to be up and doing, sir.”

”You are right, Wilc.o.x,” Steve said, as he rose to his feet. ”In the first place, could you count the heads?”

”No; there was a pile of them in each boat; there may have been three, there may have been four in each.”

”Well, one thing is certain, Wilc.o.x; we must find out if any of them are still alive, and if so we must try and get them out of the Malays' hands.”

”I am ready to try, sir. When a chap sees such a thing as that he don't seem to care much for his life; and at least if we are caught we can polish off a few of the villains before we go under, so I am game to do anything you may order.”

”It is not for me to order, Wilc.o.x; I am only a young apprentice, and you are an experienced sailor; and now that we are alone and in danger together, it is for you to lead.”

”Well, if that is the way you look at it, sir, I am willing to do all I can; and if we find there is any of our mates alive we will get them out if it is possible, never fear.”

”Do you think those canoes are going to put to sea?” Steve asked.

”Not they; they have just gone down to the mouth of the river to see whether that boat came from a s.h.i.+p lying off the sh.o.r.e or whether it was alone. There, do you hear those yells? They have got out of the canoes, and found the place where we camped last night. We walked about there a good bit, and it ain't likely they will be able to find out whether there was seven or nine of us. Besides, I don't think they will look much, for they would take it for certain we should all go up the river together; and so we should have done if it had not been that you and I were left behind to look out for a sail.”

In half an hour the two canoes came back again. They both kept well over to the opposite side of the river to avoid the full force of the current, and the sailor and Stephen attempted to count the heads in their sterns.

They could not make out the number, but were inclined to agree that the two dark ma.s.ses were about the same size.