Guy in the Jungle: or, A Boy's Adventure in the Wilds of Africa

"And if we don't find any," cried Canaris, "we can cook them by holding them in the flame of the torch."

CHAPTER XXIV.

SIR ARTHUR WAKES AT THE RIGHT TIME

At this point Forbes positively insisted on getting up, and, in spite of the slight dampness that still lingered about his clothes, he pulled them on and announced himself ready to start. All were glad to leave the spot which was connected with such a horrible event, and soon the island was far in the rear.

The second stage of the journey was monotonous and uneventful. A few slight rapids were encountered, but for the most part the river was swift and smooth.

The character of the shores now began to change, and instead of the sharp ledges falling sheer to the water, sandy beaches skirted the edge, and from the canoes they could make out gloomy holes and passages that pierced the sides of the cavern.

They were strongly tempted at times to stop and explore these unknown mysteries, but the reflection that every moment thus wasted would prolong their stay on this underground stream always checked the impulse.

A flat, rocky ledge served for their next resting-place. It extended back ten yards to a steep wall of rock, and here, in a hollow cavity, Canaris found a mass of driftwood that was dry enough to burn.

The fish were cooked rudely over a fire, but without salt they were unpalatable and no one cared to eat them.

The luxury of a camp fire was enjoyed while they slept, and, although no watch was kept, the night – if night it really was – passed without alarm.

Colonel Carrington had managed to retain during his captivity a small note-book and pencil. In this he kept a record of the journey, jotting down each night the incidents of the day's cruise, and a page from this diary will convey to the reader a clear idea of the uneventful manner in which the first week passed away – a week in long-to-be-remembered contrast to the dreadful period that followed.

Third stage.– Traveled all day on smooth water. Rocky shores. Camped on an island. Could find no wood and slept in the dark.

Fourth stage.– Today we passed rocky islands in great profusion. Once far overhead we saw a single gleam of light shining in from a crevice. So far our calculation is correct. Day is day, and night is night.

Fifth stage.– Nothing important. Ran a few rapids and camped on the right shore on a sandy beach.

Sixth stage.– All goes well. We are making many miles a day. The current continues strong. Camped on flat rock in midstream.

Seventh stage.– Current still good. River very wide and obstructed with rocks. Narrowly missed an upset several times.

Eighth stage.– Traveled rapidly. Camped on a big spit of sand on right shore. Vast cavern behind us. Too sleepy to explore it.

Here the peaceful monotony of the colonel's record ended. On this sloping, sandy beach began the first of that string of adventures which to their last moment will send a shudder through those who participated in them.

As the colonel stated, they were so weary from the long day's journey that no investigation was made of the vast cavern that lay behind them.

Guy advanced a few yards with his blazing torch.

"It probably terminates with a rocky wall," he said carelessly: "It's no use looking into it tonight."

Sir Arthur suggested that it would be well to make sure that no danger lurked in its darkness, but Guy handed him the torch and bade him go satisfy himself. He very promptly declined the honor.

A meager supper was eaten, for already the stock of food showed a perceptible diminution, and by common consent Guy began from that time to serve out short rations.

A quantity of driftwood had been brought in the canoes from a previous camping-place, and with this a small fire was built. In its cheerful flickering glow they fell asleep, and an hour later a faint gleam from the charred embers was all that relieved the darkness of the cavern.

When Sir Arthur Ashby turned uneasily on his rugs some time afterward, even this feeble light was gone. The ex-governor was consumed with a burning thirst. He had an undeniable craving for champagne and iced claret, but in the unavoidable absence of these drinks water would have to do.

As he sat up, a faint noise reached his ears from the direction of the canoes, and supposing it to be Canaris, who had performed similar favors for him before, he called out loudly:

"My good fellow, fetch me a drink, will you? I'm deucedly dry."

The noise instantly ceased and was not repeated, though Sir Arthur waited breathlessly for a full minute.

Once he fancied he heard a slight rippling of water, but that, too, ceased at once.

Then Sir Arthur uttered a loud shout, which speedily wakened his companions.

"What's wrong?" cried the colonel anxiously. "Did some one call? I surely heard a noise."

"I want a drink, that's all," said Sir Arthur. "I heard someone down at the canoes and supposed it was Canaris. Was it you, Carrington?"

"No, certainly not," exclaimed the colonel, now thoroughly awake. "Here, Chutney, Forbes, pass me a match, quick. I have none about me."

They were all on their feet instantly, and Guy lost no time in lighting the torch which he kept always by his side.

Holding it over his head he led the way to the shore, and the first brief glance showed only too plainly what was the matter.

"One canoe is missing!" he cried despairingly.

"What, you don't mean it!" exclaimed Forbes. "How can that be possible?"

"It's gone," said Guy blankly. "No doubt of it. Here is the mark of the keel leading down to the water. That's not the worst of it, though. Half our provisions are gone with it, and one lamp and an oil-flask as well."

"By Jove, Chutney, it's that savage who has done this," cried Melton. "It can be accounted for in no other way. We forgot all about the scoundrel's presence in the cavern."

"But how could he have lived all this time without food?"

"I don't know," answered Melton. "He must have managed it in some way, though. These Gallas are tough, wiry fellows and can stand a good deal of hardship."

The circumstances all seemed to confirm Melton's supposition. Unfortunately the fact that this Galla warrior was also making the cruise of the river had been overlooked, and now, as a result of this negligence they had lost a canoe and half of their supplies.

"We have one thing to be thankful for," said Guy. "If Sir Arthur had not wakened when he did we would undoubtedly have lost all. His shout scared the rascal, and he did not wait to make off with the other canoe."

"Yes, here is the mark of a third boat," announced the colonel, who had been making an investigation on his own account, "and footprints are visible on the sand. The scoundrel must have been here when we landed."

"I wanted you to make a search," said Sir Arthur, "but my advice was disregarded. You see the result."

"Prepare to start at once," interrupted Guy sharply. "We must pursue the thief and recover our canoe."

In less than five minutes they embarked and pushed away from the shore.

"Put out the torch," said Guy. "If the rascal sees the light he can get out of our way and we will pass him unperceived."

"But how will we capture him in the dark?" asked Melton.

"We must depend on our hearing," was the reply. "We will push ahead quietly and listen at intervals for the stroke of his paddle."

Under these circumstances the recovery of the canoe was very doubtful, but there was plainly no other course, so they proceeded to carry out Guy's plan as carefully as possible.

Five paddles were all that remained, one for each of them, and with quick, noiseless strokes they moved rapidly down the river, keeping the canoe headed with the current as far as possible, and pausing at times to listen for any trace of the thief.

Thus they journeyed for an hour or more, but no sound of any kind reached their ears, and it began to look very much as though the Galla had been passed unseen in the darkness.

"He could hardly have kept ahead of us for such a distance," said Forbes. "I'm afraid we have missed him, Chutney."

Guy made no reply. The canoe at that instant grated harshly on some obstacle, and throwing out his arms, Melton discovered that the current had carried them against one of the steep, rocky shores. He was about to shove the canoe forcibly away with his paddle when Guy whispered sharply:

"Hold tight to the rock. I hear something above us."

CHAPTER XXV.

THE JOURNEY ON THE LAKE

In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

"Be ready with a match," whispered Guy. "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

Perfect silence ensued, and the dip of the paddle was no longer heard. With nervous haste Forbes lit the torch, and the sudden light revealed an empty canoe floating bottom up a few yards out in the stream.

They paddled quickly alongside, and leaning over Guy turned the drifting boat right side up.

It was empty, of course. The contents had gone to the bottom, and near the center the frail sides, seen plainly in the torchlight, were actually crushed inward like a shattered egg-shell.

Where was the occupant of a moment before? What tremendous force had wrought this havoc?

The current carried them on and on, but no one spoke; no one dared utter the thoughts that were in his mind.

At last Guy said in faltering tones, "Nothing but a serpent could have inflicted that injury to the canoe."

"That was the meaning of the splash," replied Melton. "The huge coils must have been thrown around it. The poor fellow had only time for one cry when he was dragged out."

"Then the serpent must have been following us down the river," cried the colonel. "I supposed he was dead after that bullet lodged in his neck."

"That serpent is dead," said Forbes solemnly, "or I should never have escaped from his coils. This is another serpent. The river must be the abode of many like them."

This alarming statement was unfortunately only too likely to be true. Sir Arthur was terribly distressed, and prophesied a speedy reappearance of the monster and a fate similar to that of the poor savage in store for them all.

His anxiety was shared by his companions, though not expressed as openly, and all possible haste was made to get away from the horrible spot.

A brief search was carried on in hopes of finding the lost provision bags, but, with the exception of a single floating paddle, nothing was picked up. The bags must have sunk with the lamp and oil-flask.

Nothing was seen of the other canoe – the one originally taken by the savage – and they came to the conclusion that it had been purposely abandoned farther up the river.

The balance of that day they traveled with a dread sense of impending danger. The terrible scene so recently witnessed had left an ineffaceable impression and by tacit consent they paddled in silence, afraid of the sound of their own voices.

The river had suddenly become narrow, and ran with dizzy speed between two rocky walls that reflected on both sides the glow of the torch which Sir Arthur carried in the stern.

Half a dozen times they dashed through brawling rapids, but no mishap occurred, and, as their increasing drowsiness warned them that night was close at hand, they succeeded in finding a landing-place on the left shore which offered some protection until morning.

A small quantity of wood still remained, and with this a fire was kept burning all night, while they took turns at guarding the camp, for after the recent events they no longer dared to sleep unprotected and in utter darkness.

The scant amount of food now remaining was a source of great uneasiness, but Chutney infused fresh hope into the party by the confident prediction that if the present daily rate of speed were maintained the supply would last until the end of the journey.

Already the pure air of the cavern had done wonders for Sir Arthur and the colonel, and they had nearly recovered their usual health and strength. The one canoe held them all very comfortably, and they seemed to make better progress than when they had been divided into separate parties.

That night nothing occurred to cause any alarm, and they resumed the cruise in fairly good spirits. The river still continued narrow and the current swift. No dangerous water was encountered, and everything was going on satisfactorily when Guy suddenly shouted with all his might, "Back water! Quick! quick!" and looking ahead they saw a steep rocky promontory, against which the current split and swung off into two channels, one to the right, the other to the left.

In spite of their utmost efforts they continued to float down inch by inch.

Which was the proper channel? It was a puzzling problem on which perhaps hung life and death. There was no time for consideration, and under the circumstances Guy adopted the only possible course.

"Head the canoe straight for the center of the rock and let her drift," he cried. "The current shall decide for us."

This was instantly done and they drifted with perfect accuracy straight for the splitting point in the stream.

For a moment it looked as though they would be flung against the rocks and upset, but as the canoe reached the turning-point it trembled an instant in the balance and then darted headlong into the channel to the right.

"A good omen," cried the colonel. "The river Juba lies on our right. This must be the proper channel."

It was a very narrow channel, at all events, and a very swift one, too, for the rocky walls on either side were almost close enough to touch with the paddles, and they were moving at a dizzy rate of speed.

"There are rapids below us," said Forbes. "I can hear them dimly."

Melton's hearing was unusually acute, for as yet the rest could hear nothing, but in a few seconds the distant roar was audible to all, and it grew ominously louder with every second.

They grasped the sides of the canoe in anxious suspense – for it was useless to paddle – and the angry waters were almost in sight, when Sir Arthur dropped his torch, and instantly they were plunged in total darkness.

No time remained to strike a fresh light. The sullen crash of the waters drowned the sound of their voices, and the canoe blindly took its own course and they felt the chill spray spattering their faces.

"Bump, bump, bump," went the quivering boat, grinding and crashing on loose rocks, and then with one terrific lurch, that sent them sprawling on their knees, the violent tossing subsided and the choppy waves smacked the bottom of the canoe.

With some difficulty Guy lit a fresh torch, and its light revealed a strange condition of things.

No shore was visible on either side, and overhead was empty space instead of the low lying roof that always met their gaze.

"We are no longer moving," cried the colonel in astonishment.

"Impossible!" exclaimed Guy, but on putting his hand in the water all doubt was instantly removed. The canoe was stationary.

They paddled on to the right, to the left, in every direction, but the dark water lay calm and sluggish on all sides.

"We are on a lake," said Guy. "There is no doubt of it; a vast underground lake."

"There must be an outlet on the other side, though," replied Melton. "All we need do is to paddle across and find it."

"But which is the proper side?" said Canaris. "Are we headed straight now?"

"By Jove, I don't believe we are," replied Guy. "I'm afraid we are completely mixed up. We will paddle until we reach the shore, and then follow it till we come to the outlet."

"Yes, that will do very well," said the colonel. "The lake cannot be so very large. I wish we had time to complete a survey of it. I should like to make a report to the Royal Geographical Society."

"I wish the honorable members of the R. G. S. could change places with us," said Sir Arthur, with a groan. "I have no doubt some of those lunatics would enjoy this beastly hole. There is no accounting for taste, Carrington."

The colonel made no reply. He was keeping stroke with Chutney's paddle, sharing with him the outlook ahead. The minutes passed on, but still no signs of any shore.

"It's a pretty fair-sized lake after all," said Guy.

"And we are the first white men to navigate its waters," remarked the colonel solemnly. "This is a wonderful discovery. Our fame as great explorers will be assured if we ever get back to England."

"Land ahead!" shouted Guy suddenly, and snatching the torch from Sir Arthur, he stood erect as the canoe shot gently toward a dim object that rose from the gloom twenty yards distant. Amid breathless silence the keel nicked the sandy beach and Guy sprang out.

One brief second he held the flaming torch aloft.

Then he turned and tottered with trembling limbs towards the canoe. He tried to speak, but no words came, and his face was pallid and horror-stricken.

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE ISLE OF SKELETONS

Believing that some terrible danger threatened, Forbes was in readiness to push the canoe back into the lake, but Guy stopped him with a wave of the hand.

"I'll be all right in a moment. My nerves went back on me; that's all."

He glanced toward the shore with a shudder, and then filled the palm of his hand with water and drank it.

"Come on," he said bravely; "don't be alarmed. It's nothing that can harm us."

His companions followed him timidly up the sandy slope. The torch threw a bright light on the scene, and every one of them shuddered as Guy stopped and pointed before him.

On a flat, rocky plateau, three or four feet above the level of the lake, lay a gleaming mass of bones, all dried and whitened by age.

"Human skeletons, by gracious!" burst from the colonel, and it was easy to see that he spoke the truth.

Human skeletons they were, but instead of being joined together, skulls, arms, and legs lay scattered about in awful confusion.

"This is horrible," said Forbes. "Who were these unfortunates, and what could have caused such mutilation?"

Guy advanced to the center of the plateau, flashing the torch around him, and turning to his companions, he cried: "This is an island; there is water all around it."

"Look here," exclaimed Canaris eagerly; "here lies a raft of logs, half buried in the sand."

This new discovery promised some light on the mystery, and they crowded hastily around the Greek, who was bending over the rude structure.

It lay half way up the beach, and over the lower extremities of the logs a thick layer of sand had been washed. Close by were half a dozen coarse sacks, which proved on inspection to contain skins of leopards and tigers, bright colored feathers, coffee, and aromatic gums. All were in fairly good condition.

"Here is something else," cried Forbes. "Arms, by Jove! Spears and axes, torches and paddles. Well, by gracious, what does this mean?"

An inkling of the truth flashed upon them simultaneously, and they stared at each other in frightened silence.

"This was the last load of natives to go down the river," said Canaris quietly. "Here is their raft, their trading goods. Yonder lie their bones. Their journey ended here."

"And why did it end here?" demanded the colonel.

"Yes, why?" echoed Chutney, and then no one spoke for a full minute.

"What was to prevent them from continuing on their way?" resumed the colonel finally. "They had a raft and paddles; the water was all around them. What caused their death?"

"Starvation," suggested the Greek.

"It was not starvation that killed them," exclaimed Guy, who had turned back to the center of the island. "Here is a bag of dates and dried meat all shriveled and moldy. They met their death in some horribly sudden fashion, that is certain. How do you account for their skeletons being torn apart and the bones flung together? Could starvation do that?"

"It was serpents," said the Greek; and that brief sentence made their blood run cold.

"Yes," continued Canaris, observing the doubt in their faces; "they must have been surprised in the night and crushed to death. That alone can account for their broken bones. But, remember, all this was thirty years ago or more."

"Yes, you are right, Canaris," said Chutney. "I believe, upon my word, what you say is true. The monstrous serpents of the cavern devoured them."

Sir Arthur beat a rapid retreat to the canoe, and the rest were not slow in following his example.

"Let us get away from this horrible spot as quickly as possible," said the colonel; "and, besides, we are losing precious time on this lake. We must seek the outlet at once and resume the journey."

They paddled gladly away from the Isle of Skeletons, as the colonel insisted on naming it, and steered as straight a course as possible.

Under the pressure of four paddles the canoe maintained a rapid speed, but in spite of this it was fully an hour, and probably much more, before they found the shore of the lake. They rested a little while beside the perpendicular wall of rock, uncertain which way to turn.

"It won't make much difference," said Guy; "either course must bring us to the outlet. Suppose we try the right."

This proposition met with favor, and off they started once more, taking care to keep the shore constantly in sight, lest they should lose their bearings again.

In less than half an hour the sound of running water was heard in the distance, and they paddled faster than ever in their intense longing to escape from the lake.

Louder and louder grew the roar of the water, until they seemed to be almost upon it, and just when they were preparing for a dash into the rapids Chutney rose in the canoe with a cry of surprise, and the torchlight showed plainly a fierce body of water running, not out of, but into the lake.

They had come back to the starting point. It was here they had entered the lake, and now all must be done over again.

"Back water," cried the colonel. "Don't get into the current. It may sweep us out and we shall lose our bearings. Turn the canoe and we will go back the way we came."

There was no help for it. It only remained to atone for the lost time by paddling as rapidly as possible.

With difficulty the canoe was snatched from the influx of the current and headed this time to the left.

"It will be a lengthy paddle," said Guy. "The lake is by no means a small one."

"I'm hungry," exclaimed Sir Arthur. "Isn't it about time for lunch?"

"Your suggestion is eminently proper, Sir Arthur," declared the colonel. "On a full stomach we shall travel faster, Chauncey. Do you concur with our views?"

Guy evidently did, for a supply of dates and crackers was forthwith produced, and while they were eating the canoe was permitted to remain stationary.

They started away in somewhat better spirits, Chutney in the bow keeping a sharp watch for danger ahead, while Sir Arthur held his torch from the stern, lighting the water for some yards around.

The dreary monotony of the journey was most trying. The shore presented an unbroken perpendicular wall of stone falling sheer to the water, damp and slimy with drippings, while overhead was empty space, a dome of vast height, to judge from the echo of their voices.

They paddled on and on, pausing occasionally to rest their weary arms, then dashing away with more vigor than ever. Not for an instant did they lose sight of the shore. It was their only guide. At last Sir Arthur's arm dropped feebly, and it was seen that he was half asleep. Canaris took the torch from his hand, and sinking into the bottom of the canoe, the ex-governor fell instantly into a deep slumber.

"I'm actually getting drowsy myself," confessed the colonel. "It must be night. Surely we ought to be halfway round the lake by this time."

Guy admitted that he, too, was beginning to grow sleepy, and as Forbes and Canaris alone professed to be as fresh as ever, it was decided that they should navigate the canoe for a time and allow the others an opportunity to rest.