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Hunting the Skipper: The Cruise of the "Seafowl" Sloop, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 28. "Where's Your Despatch?" |
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_ CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. "WHERE'S YOUR DESPATCH?" "It's all right, sir," cried Roberts. "Our lads coming." "Well done!" said the lieutenant, with a sense of relief running through him. "Can you see who it is?" "Tom May, sir." "Only May? Well, he brings a message, I suppose.--Where's your despatch, man?" he cried, as the big sailor came within hearing. "Not got none, sir; on'y a message from Mr Murray, sir;" and the man related his experience. "A regular fight, then?" "Yes, sir." "But no one badly hurt?" "No, sir." "Tut, tut, tut! Whatever has Mr Murray been about to go astray like that? I did think I could trust him! And now it is quite open to his being taken, boat and men, by these scoundrels before I can get down to him?" "Yes, sir," replied the messenger. "I don't think they'll be long afore they come up the river after him." "Then how could he be so absurd as to send you, when either of the others would have done? He ought to have kept you." "Thought I was a bit crippled, sir," said the man. "But you didn't say you were much hurt." "No, sir; no good to holloa, as I see." "What to do?" muttered the lieutenant; and his first thought was to fire the building, his second to gather his men together and make a start. He paused for a few moments to glance round in the full expectation of seeing a movement among the trees or some sign of their being watched; but the place was perfectly quiet and apparently deserted. "Well, May," he said, as he caught the man's eyes fixed questioningly upon him, "what is it?" "Thought perhaps you might be going to give orders to fire the place, sir." "What for, man?" said the lieutenant, starting at the sailor's similarity of idea. "Keeping 'em from holding it, sir." "We may want to hold it ourselves, and there seems to be a want of fortification." The next minute the big seaman was ordered to the front to act as guide, and being thoroughly now in an enemy's country every needful precaution was taken--precautions which soon seemed to be highly necessary, for the little party had not proceeded far before, as Roberts with a couple of men brought up the rear, he became aware of the fact that they were being followed by what seemed to be a strong body of men stealing after them through the plantation. A halt was called, and the rear-guard faced round, with the effect that those who followed could be seen to retire amongst the long lines of sugar-canes and maize, which offered plenty of cover. The lieutenant impatiently gave the order again to advance, and this was followed by halt after halt; but the enemy seemed to be content with keeping just in touch, no attack being made; but it was evident that whoever was answerable for the tactics was pretty keen and ready, and the lieutenant thoroughly realised the precariousness of his position and the need for care if he intended to reach the boat. "Nothing better can be done, Mr Roberts," he said. "We must let them see that we are ready for them. It seems to check them every time." "Yes, sir," replied the middy; "but doesn't it mean that they are waiting till we reach some other party hidden between here and the river, and that as soon as we get close up they'll make a dash for us?" "Very likely, Mr Roberts," said the lieutenant; "but if it does we must make a dash for them. Anyhow we must not let them think we are afraid." "Oh no, sir," replied the middy excitedly. "But what about me letting my fellows give them a volley to drive them back a little faster?" "A volley of two, Mr Roberts," said the lieutenant sarcastically, "and a waste of ammunition that we must husband." "Beg pardon, sir; only what I thought," said the middy. "Quite right to speak, my lad; but tell me, can you make out what our pursuers are like?" "Mixed lot, sir. They seem to be sailors and blacks." "Humph! Well, we are pretty well surrounded. I don't like these cowardly-looking tactics, but I must get back to Mr Murray and the boat. We are gaining a knowledge of the country, and when we come again it must be in force. Much farther, May?" said the lieutenant, after pressing on to the front to where the big sailor was trudging steadily on. "'Bout two hours, sir," replied the man. "Two hours? Surely not!" "Yes, sir; quite that." "Are you certain? Surely you have not lost your way?" "Not this time, sir," replied the man confidently. "It's much further than you thought." The officer was silent, and always with the signs behind of a party getting ready to close up, the retreat was kept up, till all at once Tom May stopped short, and once more the lieutenant hurried to his side. "What is it--enemy in front?" "No, sir. All clear; but that comes from about where the boat lies, sir." "Firing?" The answer came at once in the sound of a distant shot, a faintly heard report which sent a thrill through every man of the party, who needed no incitement to stretch out in a quicker step, one which would have been increased to a trot but for the checking of the officer in command, who kept the sturdy fellows well in hand so that they might come up to their companions with the boat, cool and ready to take action. But as the pace was increased somewhat, Roberts was made fully aware of the presence of the secretive enemies, who still kept under cover--cover that was fast becoming cane brake and wilderness, as cultivation grew more sparse. "It means a rush before long," thought the lad, and he did not fail to utter a few words of warning from time to time as his heart began to beat heavily with excitement, and at the same time he had hard work to control the longing to hurry forward to the help of those who were plainly heard to respond to a steadily-kept-up fire which all felt must come from the enemy. "We're getting pretty close now, sir," said May, in answer to a question from the lieutenant, who was marching by the guide's side. "Enemy's got a boat up the river, sir, I'm sartain, and that's our Mr Murray and the lads keeping 'em in check. Don't you think it might be double, sir, now?" "I'd say yes, my man, but we must get in cool and steady." "Ay, ay, sir!" replied the big sailor, and he gave a sidelong glance at his officer as he spoke, shifted his musket from his right shoulder to his left, and passed a hand over his streaming face in a way which made Mr Anderson smile. Another five minutes, during which the fire on both sides was evidently growing hotter, and then with a cheer which was answered from the river, the party of relief dashed forward, and the firing ceased as if by magic, while the lieutenant, as he reached the water's edge at the head of his men, looked down the slowly gliding water in vain for signs of the enemy, the long curve of the bend to his right being unoccupied, and _no trace_ of a boat in sight. _ |
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