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Fitz the Filibuster, a novel by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 25. A Tropic River |
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_ CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. A TROPIC RIVER Strict watch was set, no lights were shown, and a quiet, uneventful night was passed, the boys sleeping so hard that it was with some difficulty that they were awakened, to start up wondering that it was day. "Why," cried Fitz, "I feel as if I had only just lain down." It proved, though, that they had each had nine hours' solid sleep, and after a hasty breakfast, preparations were made for ascending the river. The men were armed, the largest boat lowered, and Fitz hung about watching eagerly all that was going on; but, too proud to ask questions, he waited to see how matters would shape themselves. As he expected, Poole came to him after a time, and in answer to the middy's questioning looks said eagerly-- "The Don's hacienda is right up this river somewhere, and the dad is going up in a boat with about half the lads, to see how the land lies, while old Burgess stops at home and takes care of the _Teal_. And I suppose he will have to take care of you too, you being a prisoner who don't take any interest in what we do. What do you think?" "Think? That I shouldn't do any harm if I came with you, should I?" "Well, I don't know," said Poole, with mock seriousness. "You wouldn't like to come too with me?" Fitz looked at him blankly. "It's going to be quite an expedition. The lads are going to have rifles and plenty of ammunition; revolvers too. I am going to have the same, because there is no knowing what sort of fellows we may meet. But, as the dad says, if they see we are well-armed they won't meddle with us. In these revolutionary times, though, every one is on the rampage and spoiling for a fight. Pity you can't go with us." Fitz was silent. "You see, I could have arranged it nicely. We might have had old Andy to carry a couple of bags, and you could have had the governor's double gun, and looked after the pot. We should have had you blazing away right and left as we went up the river at everything that the Camel said was good to eat. You would soon have filled both the bags, of course." "Look here," said Fitz, "none of your sneers! I dare say if I tried I could shoot as well as you can." "Sneers!" cried Poole, with mock solemnity. "Hark at him! Why should I sneer about your filling the bags when you are not going? Of course you wouldn't. You'd think it wouldn't be right. I thought of all that, and said so to father." Fitz coughed, and then said huskily-- "What did he say?" "What did he say? Well--" "Why don't you speak?" cried Fitz angrily. "You might give a fellow time. What did father say?" "Yes, of course!" "Oh, he said he didn't like much shooting, because he did not want the enemy to know we were up the river, but that if I saw anything in the shape of a deer or a big bird, or anything else good to eat, I was to fire." "Hah!" sighed Fitz, as he saw himself spending a lonely day on board. "Hah!" sighed Poole, in imitation. "I wish you had been going too." Fitz looked at him searchingly. "There!" he cried. "You are gammoning me." Poole could not keep it in; his face expanded into a broad grin. "I knew you were," cried Fitz. "Yes, it's all right, old chap. The governor said that you were to come, for he didn't think that there would be any trouble, and it would be a pleasant change for you." "Your father is a regular trump," cried Fitz excitedly. "I say, though; I should have liked to have a gun." "Well, you are going to have his. I'll carry a rifle, so as to bring down all the bucks." "How soon do we start?" "Directly. Old Burgess is looking as blue as Butters' nose because he has got to stop at home, and Butters himself is doing nothing else but growl. He didn't like it a bit when the dad said that he must be tired after the other night's work. But he's got to stop." Half-an-hour later the well-manned boat was being pulled vigorously up the rapidly narrowing river, with the two boys in the bows, on the look-out for anything worthy of powder and shot which might appear on either bank; but there was nothing save beauty to recompense their watchful eyes. Birds were plentiful enough, and of the loveliest plumage, while every now and then a loud splash followed the movement of what seemed to be a log of wood making the best of its way into deep water. And once high in a mighty tree which shot up its huge bole from the very mud of the bank, Poole pointed out a curious knot of purple, dull buff and brown, right in the fork where a large branch joined the bole. "Not a serpent, is it?" whispered Fitz. "It is, though," was the reply; and the middy raised his piece. "No, no; don't shoot," said Poole softly. "It isn't good to eat, and we might be giving the alarm." Fitz lowered the double gun with a sigh, and the boat glided on, sending the rushing water in a wave to go lapping amongst the bushes that overhung from the bank, and directly after the serpent knot was hidden by the leaves. The rapid little river wound here and there, and they went on mile after mile, with the steamy heat growing at times almost unbearable. But the men did not murmur, tugging away at their oars and seeming to enjoy the beauty of the many scenes through which they passed, for every now and then the river widened out, to look like some shut-in lake. And so mile after mile was passed, no spot where they could land presenting itself in the dense jungle which covered the banks, and it was not till afternoon that at a sudden turn they came upon an opening which had evidently been produced by the axe, while a short distance farther on at a word from the skipper the progress of the boat was checked at a roughly-made pier of piles driven into the mud, to which were pinned huge sticks of timber, beyond which was a rough corduroy road leading evidently to something in the way of civilisation. "It must be up here somewhere, boys," said the skipper. "Two of you stop as keepers, my lads, while we land and go and see. The hacienda must certainly be hereabouts from the description Don Ramon gave;" and as all stepped on to the rough timber pier, the skipper instructed the boat-keepers to get well under shelter out of the sun and to keep strict watch, before leading the way along the wooded road through the thick growth which had newly sprung up amongst the butts of the great trees that had been felled or burned off level with the soil. It must not be judged from this, that it was any scene of desolation, for every stump and relic of fallen tree was ornamented with lovely orchids, or wreathed with tangling vines. Butterflies of the most vivid hues fluttered here and there in the glorious sunshine, while humming-birds literally flashed as they darted by. The clearing had evidently been the work of many men, and it was plain to see what the place must have been before the axe was introduced, by the dense mass of giant trees that stood up untouched a couple of hundred yards on either side--the primaeval forest in its glory, untouched by man. _ |
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