Bunyip Land Part 50

"No go no farrer, Ma.s.s Joe, Jimmy fine a doctor an Ma.s.s Jack Penny. Hi come along Jimmy now."

He was just repeating this in my ear when we were hurrying on faster, for the sounds of our pursuers came clear upon the wind, when our guide stopped short and fell back a few paces as a low angry growl saluted him from the darkness in front and he said something sharply to us in the native tongue.

His words evidently meant "Fall back!" but I had recognised that growl.

"Gyp!" I cried; and the growling changed to a whining cry of joy, and in an instant the dog was leaping up at my face, playfully biting at my hands, and then darting at Jimmy he began the same welcoming demonstrations upon the black.

"Ma.s.s Joe, Ma.s.s Joe, he go eat up black fellow. Top um away, top um away."

"It's only his play, Jimmy," I said.

"Him eat piece Jimmy, all up leggum," cried the black.

"Here, Gyp!" I cried, as the dog stopped his whining cry of pleasure, but growled once more. "Here," I said, "this is a friend. Pat his head, sir, and--, where is he, Jimmy?"

"Black white fellow, Ma.s.s Joe?"

"Yes, yes, where is he?"

"Gone 'long uder way. Run back fas fas. Fraid o Gyp, Gyp send um way."

"Stop him! Run after him! He must not go," I cried.

I stopped, for there was a low piping whistle like the cry of a Blue Mountain parrot back at home.

"Jack Penny!" I gasped, and I answered the call.

"Iss, yes, Ma.s.s Jack Penny," cried Jimmy, and Gyp made a bound from my side into the darkness, leaving us alone.

We heard the crash and rustle of the underwood as the dog tore off, and I was about to follow, but I could not stir, feeling that if I waited our guide might return, when, in the midst of my indecision, the whistle was repeated, and this time Jimmy answered.

Then there was more rustling, the dog came panting back; and as the rustling continued there came out of the darkness a sound that made my heart leap.

It was only my name softly uttered, apparently close at hand, and I made a bound in the direction, but only to fall back half-stunned, for I had struck myself full against a tree.

I just remember falling and being caught by some one, and then I felt sick, and the darkness seemed filled with lights.

But these soon died out, and I was listening to a familiar voice that came, it appeared, from a long way off; then it came nearer and nearer, and the words seemed to be breathed upon my face.

"Only a bit stunned," it said; and then I gasped out the one word:

"Doctor!"

"My dear Joe!" came back, and--well, it was in the dark, and we were not ashamed: the doctor hugged me to his heart, as if I had been his brother whom he had found.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

HOW WE MADE FURTHER PLANS.

"Why, Joe, my lad," he said at last, in a voice I did not recognise, it was so full of emotion, "you've driven me half-wild. How could you get in such a fix?"

"Jimmy get in big fix," said an ill-used voice. "n.o.body glad to see Jimmy."

"I'm glad to feel you," drawled a well-known voice. "I can't see you.

How are you, Joe Carstairs? Where have you been?"

"Jack, old fellow, I'm glad!" I cried, and I grasped his hands.

"That will do," said the doctor sternly. "Are the savages after you, Joe?"

"Yes, in full pursuit, I think," I said. "But my guide. I can't leave him."

"Your guide? Where is he?"

"I don't know. He was here just now. He brought us here."

"Jimmy-Jimmy say um goes back along," said the black. "He no top, big fright. Gyp bite um."

"One of the blacks, Joe?" said the doctor.

"No, no!" I said, so excited that I could hardly speak coherently. "A white man--a prisoner among the blacks--like a savage, but--"

"No, no," said Jimmy in a disgusted tone; "no like savage black fellow-fellow. Got a dust in head. No tink a bit; all agone."

"His mind wanders, being a prisoner," I stammered. "He is with the blacks--a prisoner--with my father."

"What?" cried the doctor.

"He has a fellow-prisoner," I faltered. "I am not sure--it must be--my father!"

"Ma.s.s Joe find um fader all along," said the black. "Jimmy find um too."

"Be silent!" cried the doctor. "Do I understand aright, Joe, that your father is a prisoner with the people from whom you have escaped?"

"Yes--I think so--I am not sure--I feel it is so," I faltered.

"Humph!"

"Have you seen him?"

"No," I said. "I did not know he was there till I was escaping."

"Jimmy see um. All rightums. Find Ma.s.s Joe fader."

"You saw him, Jimmy?" I panted.

"Iss. Yes, Jimmy see him. Big long hair beard down um tummuck."