Real Gold Part 25

This had the effect of making them halt a few yards from them, and keeping their faces fixed upon the English party, they talked rapidly among themselves.

At that moment Cyril caught sight of Diego hanging back among the men in the rear.

"There's our guide, sir," he said hurriedly. "Shall I call him?"

"He there?" said the colonel sharply. "Yes, call him. No: go through them, and fetch him, boy."

Cyril hesitated for a moment or two, and his heart beat high; but the order had been given in true military style, and it had its influence.

The boy felt that he would be backed up by the colonel in all he did, and throwing his gun over his right shoulder, he stepped boldly forward, finding that the white was master even here; for the Indians, taken by surprise at his firmness, parted at once to let him pa.s.s, and then Cyril's pulses beat a little more rapidly, for the men closed up again, shutting him off from his friends.

The boy felt this, but he knew that he must not show fear, and without a moment's hesitation, he walked on up to where Diego stood half hidden behind a couple of the Indians, and clapping his hand upon the man's shoulder, "Come," he said, "the colonel wants you."

The guide shrank at Cyril's touch, and looked at his fellows for support, but no one stirred, and uttering a low sigh, the man allowed himself to be marched away to where the colonel stood, the Indians giving way on either side, and then closing up again in silence, and without the slightest show of menace.

For to them it was as if a superior being had calmly pa.s.sed among them and fetched one, each man feeling relieved that he was not the one selected, and that, had he been, he would have felt compelled to go.

"Well done, British boy," said the colonel to Cyril, as he stopped before him with the guide, who looked of a curious dusky colour now; his eyes showing the whites around the iris, and his lips seeming parched as he moistened them hastily with his tongue from time to time.

"Now then," continued the colonel sharply, as if he were addressing a delegate from a mutinous company of his old regiment, "why have you brought all these men after me, sir?--Interpret quickly, Cyril."

This was done, and the man's voice trembled as he answered.

"He says they made him come, sir," said Cyril.

"Which is a lie," cried John Manning; "for he has been dodging us all the time."

"Silence there. 'Tention!" cried the colonel harshly, and the old soldier drew himself up smartly, lowered and then shouldered arms, just as if he had been on parade.

It was a trifle, but it had its effect upon the Indians, giving them a great idea of the importance of the colonel, who stood there, erect and stern, issuing his orders; and in their eyes he was a great white chief, if not a king.

"Now," he said sharply, "let that boy ask him what these people want."

Cyril interpreted and obtained his answer, the peril of their position sharpening the boy's faculties, and making him s.n.a.t.c.h at words of which he was in doubt.

"They have come," said Cyril, "to see why you are here. They say you have no right to come amongst the kina gatherers, and that you must go back to the coast at once."

"Indeed!" said the colonel haughtily. "We shall see about that. Tell them, boy, that I am the English chief of a great white queen; that I have come into this country to examine it and its products, and that I will shoot dead with this piece the first man who dares to interfere with me and mine."

"Hear, hear!" growled John Manning.

"Silence in the ranks," cried the colonel sharply; while, gaining confidence, Cyril's voice partook somewhat of his leader's imperious command, as he repeated the words as loudly as he could, so that all might hear.

There was a low fierce murmur from the little crowd, which was now augmented by the bark peelers, who closed the English party up from the rear.

"What do they say?" cried the colonel, taking a step forward, and c.o.c.king his piece at the same moment.

"That they will make us prisoners, sir," said Cyril.

"Who dared say that?" roared the colonel, and taking another step forward, he looked fiercely round, with the result that to a man the Indians bent their heads before him, and not one dared look him in the face.

"Hah!" he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, "that is better. Now tell them I wish to see the kina gathered and prepared."

Cyril gave the interpretation of his words, and Diego and an old Indian came humbly forward and laid down their bows and arrows at his feet.

The colonel took a step and planted his foot upon the weapons. Then drawing back, he pointed down.

"Pick them up!" he said sternly in English, and repeated the words in Spanish, when a low murmur of satisfaction arose, and the men stooped, lifted their weapons, and then making deprecating signs, they led the way into the clearing where the cinchona trees had been cut down, and the people had been busy collecting and drying the bark.

The colonel went on first, and Cyril and John Manning next, followed by Perry and Diego.

"It does one good, Master Cyril," whispered John Manning, "it does one good again, my lad. That's the sort of man the colonel is. Fit for a king, every inch of him. There ain't many men as would have faced a body of savage Indians with their bows and arrows like that. He's the right sort of stuff, ain't he? and yet they let him leave the army and go on half-pay."

"Yes, but do you think there will be any treachery?" replied Cyril.

"No, sir, I don't, so long as we show 'em we mean to keep the upper hand of 'em. They daren't. They know the colonel meant what he said, and felt that every word he said was true, and that a big chief had come among 'em."

"Yes, I could see that," said Cyril.

"My word, he was like a lion among a lot o' them big, long-necked sheep, sir; and you did your part of it splendidly."

"I did?" said Cyril, looking at the man in wonder.

"Yes, you, sir. I only wish our Master Perry would speak up as bold."

"Why, John Manning," said Cyril, half laughing, "if you only knew how I felt."

"I do, sir."

"Not you, or you would not talk like that."

"I tell you I do, sir. You felt just as I did first time I went into action, and heard the bullets go whizzing by like bees in the air, and saw some of them sting the poor fellows, who kept on dropping here and there, many of 'em never to get up again. I thought I was in a terrible fright, and that I was such a miserable coward I ought to be drummed out of the regiment; but it couldn't have been fright, only not being used to it; and I couldn't have been a coward, because I was in the front rank all the time, close alongside of your father; and when we'd charged and driven the enemy flying, the colonel clapped me on the shoulder and said he'd never seen a braver bit of work in his life, and of course he ought to know."

"I did feel horribly frightened, though," said Cyril.

"Thought you did, sir, that was all. You couldn't have done it better."

"I don't know," said the boy, smiling. "Suppose the Indians had found me out?"

"Found you out, sir? Bah! If it comes to the worst, they'll find out you can fight as well as talk. Now, just look here, sir; didn't you ever have a set to at school, when you were at home in England?"

"Yes, two or three."

"And didn't you feel s.h.i.+mmery-whimmery before you began?"

"Yes."

"And as soon as you were hurt, forgot all that, and went in and whipped."

"Well, yes, I suppose so."