Old Gold Part 47

"You mean to leave them behind?"

"That's about it, sir. They've gone. It isn't my doing. I didn't drive them away."

"What, skipper?" cried Briscoe, laughing. "It that wasn't driving, what was it?"

The captain's face puckered up into a peculiar grin in which the corners of his eyes partic.i.p.ated with those of his mouth.

"Well, it wasn't a bad charge, was it?" he said. "But now then, business. Let's have all those cooking traps and things aboard again.

Eh? Oh, there's your chap hard at work over them, Mr Briscoe. I missed him, and thought he'd gone off with the gang."

"What, my Dan?" cried Briscoe. "I say, skipper, did you get a crack in the fight?"

"Nary crack, sir, as you'd say," replied the captain. "Why?"

"Because your head doesn't seem clear this morning."

"I beg his pardon, then," said the captain, in a gruff voice. "Now then, all on board as soon as we can, and let's be off before we catch Mr Briscoe's complaint and want to stop and wash for gold."

The American laughed at the captain's dry remark, and joined in with the rest, working away till all that had been landed was on board the larger boat, when Brace turned to the captain.

"This is all very well," he said; "but we were aground last night, and you were speaking about searching to-day for a channel along which we could pick our way."

"That's right, sir," said the captain grimly; "but Nature's been on our side."

"I don't know what you mean," said Brace, staring at him.

"River's a foot deeper than it was last night. There's been a storm somewhere up there in the mountains."

"I see no sign of it," said Sir Humphrey. "Oh, yes, I do. Look, Brace: the water is nothing like so clear."

"That's right, sir," said the captain. "These rivers alter a deal sometimes in twenty-four hours. Have we got everything on board?"

"Ay, ay, sir," cried Lynton.

"Except the rest of the crew, captain," said Sir Humphrey.

"Oh, yes, of course, sir; but we shall ride lighter without them."

"You never mean to leave them to starve in this wilderness, captain?"

"Aren't this a matter of navigation, Sir Humphrey?" asked the captain sternly, but with a twinkle in the eye.

"Certainly not," said Sir Humphrey. "It is a question of common humanity."

"About six common men, sir," said the captain. "Well, we shall see.

Anyhow, I'm going on up the river to give them a lesson; and if we come back and find them all reduced to skins and skeletons down upon their marrow-bones asking to be took aboard, why, then, perhaps, we shall see, and--what in the name of wonder's up now?"

For all at once, as the boats pushed off and the sail of the foremost was being hoisted, the six men reappeared from where they had hidden in the woods and came running towards them, shouting and making signs.

"They've caved in at once, skipper," said Briscoe laughingly. "Look here, you'd better have a court-martial and sentence them to give each other a round dozen with a rope's-end upon the bare back."

"Look, look!" shouted Brace, springing to his feet and shading his eyes, before s.n.a.t.c.hing up a rifle, an example immediately followed by the rest, for there in the distance appeared the whole of the six deserters running hard in a knot, and dodging in and out among the trees as they made for the sh.o.r.e, while in full pursuit there was about double their number of savages apparently armed with bows and arrows, of which they made use by stopping from time to time to send a shaft in pursuit of the fugitives.

"Shall we land and go to their help?" said Brace.

"I don't think we need," said Sir Humphrey. "They seem to be holding their own in running, and I suppose now, captain, you'll have no objection to them on board?"

"Not a doubt of it, sir," said the captain drily.

"Here, Lynton, haul that boat alongside. We shall want them now, Mr Brace."

"Of course," replied the young adventurer.

"But you haven't looked down the river, sir."

"What at?" said Brace, staring; and then, panting with his excitement: "I say, there are four large canoes coming up."

"That's right, sir," said the captain gravely. "Now look the other way.

See that?"

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

THE FIRE GROWS HOTTER.

"I do," said Briscoe, staring. "I can see two canoes coming round the bend yonder, half a mile away."

"Two!" cried Brace excitedly; "why, there are three."

"Yes," said the captain coolly; "we're took front, back, and flank.

Better put off the rope's-ending now, Mr Briscoe, eh?"

"Well, it would be better," said the American coolly, as he carefully loaded his piece. "These things are as well done privately and without a lot of lookers on. It might give these dark gentlemen a bad opinion of the whites."

"What are you going to do, captain?" said Sir Humphrey impatiently.

"There's only one course open to us, sir--and that is to fight."

"I mean what will you do about those men who are ash.o.r.e?"

"Oh, they're settling that themselves, sir," said the captain, with a chuckle of satisfaction. "They've broke away like so many naughty boys who think they can manage for themselves, and as soon as they start they've got frightened and are running home for safety."

"But you'll take them on board, won't you?" said Brace.

"Certainly I shall, and make 'em fight too, sir," said the captain.

"Yes," said the American, "and they'll have to do their level best.