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The Young Berringtons: The Boy Explorers, a novel by William H. G. Kingston |
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Chapter 17. Their Condition Appears Desperate... |
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_ CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. THEIR CONDITION APPEARS DESPERATE--THE CAPTAIN AND HIS PARTY TO THE RESCUE--RETURN TO STRATTON--THE YOUNGER CHILDREN LOST IN THE SCRUB. "Harry and Reggy, we must sell our lives dearly," exclaimed Paul, as he prepared for a last desperate struggle with the blacks, who were infuriated at the loss of so many of their companions. The fact that they had not taken to flight showed that they were a fierce and warlike tribe, very different from most of those found in the southern parts of Australia. Harry had climbed to the higher part of the rock to take a look round. "Hurrah!" he cried, "I see some horsemen coming across from the north-east, and driving some horses before them. They must be ours, and the people must be our father's party." Paul and Reggy echoed Harry's shout. "We must not give in, whatever we do," said Paul, "we have our pistols loaded, and we must drive back the black fellows with them. Don't either of you miss your aim. We must not fire until they are close upon us. As soon as they come near enough I'll give their chief, if they've got one, the contents of my rifle, and that will, perhaps, check them." Harry had still kept his post at the top of the rock, and taking off his jacket he waved it, pointing to the flag which flew just above them, while he shouted with all his might, forgetting, in the excitement, that the horsemen were too far off to hear him. His action, however, attracted the attention of the blacks, and they, looking round, discovered the horsemen. They immediately halted, and began jabbering away in loud voices. It was evident that they were alarmed at the sight of the strangers. If three lads and a black had been able to hold them in check for so long a time, what chance would they have when encountered by a party of well-armed men on horseback? Such, probably, was the tenor of their remarks to each other. Notwithstanding this their chief endeavoured to lead them up the hill, apparently hoping to capture the fort before the arrival of the horsemen. He was flourishing his spear and shouting to his companions to come on, when he got within range of Paul's rifle. "It is his own fault," said Paul, taking aim. His bullet struck the right shoulder of the savage, who went spinning round down the hill, and was soon in the midst of his followers, who now took to flight helter-skelter, and were soon lost to sight among the trees. Bendigo proposed sallying out and killing some more of them, but Paul ordered him to remain quiet. "We will hold our position until the white men come up," he said. "Harry, do you think they are our father's party?" "No doubt about it," answered Harry. The defenders again raised a loud shout. This time they were heard, and, the captain leading, they were all soon mounting the hill. All that had occurred was briefly told. The captain had observed the beautiful run from the hill, and, fortunately turning back, had descended, and found the only entrance which existed. He had seen the flag in the distance, and guessing by whom it was hoisted, was making his way towards it. He at once saw the necessity of teaching the blacks a lesson, and the horses he had recovered being saddled, the whole party set off in pursuit. The blacks, however, had got the start of them, and swam the river, having left their wives and children on the other side. "I trust they have received a lesson they will not easily forget, and that when we come here, as I hope to do, they will not venture to attack us," said the captain. Paul and Harry were delighted at hearing that their father had resolved to apply for the run. As no one else was likely to have made a claim for it, there was every probability that it would be granted to him. They were much surprised at the altered appearance and manners of Hector, whose cheek was well browned, and who looked infinitely more manly and fit for work than he had done before. He seemed in good spirits and greatly to have enjoyed the trip. Indeed, as they sat round the camp fire that evening, not a grumble did he mutter. The captain was, of course, grieved to hear of Mr Hayward's illness, though he hoped that they should find him perfectly recovered on their return. The next morning Bendigo went out to ascertain whether the blacks had taken their departure, while the captain and his party rode round the proposed run to notch the trees and make other marks for identifying it. The whole day was thus occupied, and on their return Bendigo met them with the satisfactory intelligence that the blacks had gone off to a distance, carrying their dead with them. It was a sign that they did not intend to come back. The following morning, after a good night's rest, the whole party commenced their journey homewards. The captain, having been very sparing of his ammunition had sufficient to enable them to obtain food, though, during two or three days they were somewhat hard put to it for water. The hole in which they found the dead cattle contained a sufficient supply for the horses and Bruce, but none of the rest of the party, except Bendigo, felt inclined to taste it. They found Mr Hayward quite recovered. The shepherds had treated him with all the attention they possibly could. The captain had warned his party not to speak of the new run in the presence of the shepherds, lest they might mention it to their employers, and create some dispute. Stopping on Sunday to rest, they travelled on for the remainder of the week, performing nearly thirty miles a day, the horses all the time obtaining no other food than the grass they could pick up, and often having to go several hours without water; still they and their riders got back to Stratton in very good condition. The captain had, without loss of time, to go to Brisbane to obtain legal possession of his new run. As soon as possible after his return, he intended to set out with his flocks, herds, and his family for the site of the new station. The children, in consequence of the out-door life they led, had got into somewhat erratic ways. Miss Saville had done her best to teach the younger girls, as well as Tommy and Albert, but even they were apt to break loose and to rebel against her authority, as well as that of their elder sisters. The season of wild fruit had come round, and raspberries were especially plentiful. Rob and Edgar determined that they must go off to the scrub to obtain a supply for preserving, and Tommy and Albert insisted on accompanying them. "I go too," said Effie; "if we cannot reach the fruit high up, we can pick that growing near the ground as fast as you can." Without asking leave they all set off, having first provided themselves with large baskets which Rob and Edgar had been busy in manufacturing. They would certainly not have been allowed to go without Betty, but she was watching over little Sybil, who was unwell, and was not aware that they had set out. They went along to the westward on the edge of the scrub which the flood had not reached--indeed, its traces had even disappeared from the surface which it had covered. They were somewhat disappointed at first in not finding fruit in the abundance they had expected, and so they went on and on until they reached a part of the scrub sufficiently open to enable them to penetrate into it. Here Rob and Edgar thought that they could without difficulty procure plenty of fruit. They were soon hard at work picking away with great delight. "Keep together," cried Rob, "or we may chance to lose ourselves." "No fear," answered Effie, "we will look where you go." Edgar said the same. Rob felt very proud of being the leader of so large a party, but in his eagerness to pick a quantity of fruit, he did not watch over them as carefully as he should have done. On and on they went, Rob making a remark every now and then to those near him. Presently he heard Tommy shriek out, "A snake, a snake!" and throwing down his basket, he ran off towards the more open part of the scrub. "Come back!" cried Rob. "It is only a paddy-melon, and won't hurt you or any one else." Tommy, however, would not stop. "Come along, Edgar, and catch the child," cried Rob, forgetting Effie and Albert, whom he had not seen for some minutes. It was some time before Tommy could be overtaken. "You stupid monkey!" cried Rob, when he caught him; "there are no snakes here to do you any harm." Tommy, however, was not easily persuaded, and still asserted that he had seen the head of a big snake. At length they got him to come back and pick up his basket. "Hulloa! Where are Effie and Albert?" asked Rob. "We left them close here, I am sure." They looked about in every direction; they shouted, but no answer came. "This is provoking!" cried Rob. "I expected those children to keep close to us; see how obstinate they are! I'll make them remember this when we catch them." Rob became very anxious when, after hunting about for some time, he could find neither his little sister nor his cousin. How they could have got out of hearing seemed incredible. Rob, though very clever in his own opinion, was in a serious difficulty. While he fancied that he was going west, he had turned east; and thinking that he was just getting out of the scrub, he found himself, to his surprise, close to the river. His first exclamation was, "Dear me! how could we have got over to the other side?" Then, after due reflection, he recollected that was impossible; he must have gone in an opposite way to what he had supposed. Darkness came on. Tommy began to cry, and Edgar felt very much inclined to join him. "Poor Albert! poor Effie! Where can they have gone?" They were a long way from home, they knew; but they dreaded going back without their little brother and sister. Indeed, in the dark they would be unable to find their way, for they had no notion of steering themselves by the stars. The fruit, though very fit for making jelly, was full of seeds, and not satisfying; but they had no other food, so at last they sat down and ate enough to allay the cravings of hunger. The alarm at Stratton became very great when the children did not return. No one knew in what direction they had gone, but the baskets they had made had disappeared; consequently, it was supposed that they had set off on an expedition to pick fruit. At that hour it was impossible to see their trail; even Betty could not do it. However, Mr Hayward, accompanied by the boys and Bruce, at once started in search of the missing children. They made their way along the edge of the scrub, and penetrated into it whenever they could find an opening, cooing at the top of their voices, and shouting loudly, "Rob, Tommy, Effie, Albert! answer! Where are you?" No answer came. "I trust that the black fellows have not got hold of them," said Mr Hayward. "We must pursue, and get them back," cried Harry. "Savage as the natives are, they would not dare to injure them." Mr Hayward did not reply; he might have known more of the natives than Harry did. At length, having gone some distance, they heard a faint cooey in reply to theirs. "Hurrah! That must be Rob's voice," exclaimed Harry; "though where it came from I cannot tell. I will cooey again." Harry gave another loud cooey; again a distant answer was heard. "Why, that must be behind us," said Harry; "it comes from the edge of the scrub." They had by this time made their way into the interior. Bruce, on hearing the second cooey, pricked up his ears and bounded forward. They turned back, guided by Rob's voice, and casting the light of their lanterns about, they at length saw Rob standing up, with Tommy and Edgar lying down near him. "Oh, I am so thankful you have come!" exclaimed Rob. "Have you found Effie and Albert?" The question alarmed Mr Hayward and the other boys. "No; what has become of them?" asked Harry. "We lost sight of them all of a sudden, and though we hunted about, we have not seen them since; and then we could not find our way home in the dark." Mr Hayward saw that there was no use in scolding poor Rob, who was already dreadfully alarmed, and fully conscious that he was to blame for the loss of the two children. Tommy and Edgar, who had dropped off soundly asleep from fatigue, were now awakened. "I will continue the search for the other children," said Mr Hayward, turning to the boys; "but the rest had better return with Rob and the little ones. If I do not soon come back with the children, follow in this direction in the morning with Bendigo and Betty, who will assist in tracing them out better than we can. Do not alarm your mothers more than is necessary, and assure them that I have little doubt but that we shall find the truants. I will take Bruce with me." "Go, good dog--go!" said Harry, patting him on the head. Bruce understood his duty, and without hesitation accompanied Mr Hayward; while Harry and Reggy, taking charge of the children, made their way back to Stratton with the rest of the party, the younger ones every now and then sobbing as they thought of their carelessness in losing sight of Effie and Albert. It is needless to describe the alarm which the disappearance of the two children caused their mothers and sisters. The elder boys were eager to set off again at once, but were persuaded to wait until daylight; when, accompanied by the two blacks, they immediately started off to commence a search for the lost children. _ |
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