At the Point of the Sword Part 49

"It must be neither or both, if we're a pair," chuckled Alzura.

"Why can't you be satisfied?" growled Barriero. "You've plenty of food, no work to do, and are well treated. And there isn't one chance in a thousand of your getting through."

"Crawford said one in a hundred!"

"Well, anyway, you're certain to lose your lives, and I shall be blamed for not stopping you. It's my duty to inform the sergeant, and have you chained up."

"You can't," said Alzura--"you can't betray us."

"You're two lunatics--stark, staring lunatics--and I wish you had told me nothing of your mad scheme."

"It's awfully risky," said I, "but not so mad as you think. We shall choose our night, and we know just where to land. Then we shall take provisions to last us three or four days."

"You won't need them," interrupted Barriero, in a tone of conviction which was far from encouraging.

But now that the affair had really been decided on, the dangers of the mora.s.s soon lost some of their terrors. We were able to talk about them calmly, and thus grew familiar with them, at least in imagination.

Every day we set aside a portion of the dried meat and biscuit which formed the chief part of our food, until at last we had as much as could be carried easily. It would be stupid to load ourselves with too heavy a burden, as Barriero rather unkindly reminded us.

We waited three whole weeks after coming to our decision before starting on the venture, and then, one favourable night, slipped down to the edge of the islet. Barriero, who had kept the secret, came to wish us good-bye, and the poor old fellow shook like a timid child.

"It is a mad game," said he, "a downright mad game. I shall never forgive myself for allowing you to go. It isn't too late now to draw back. Do take my advice, and don't risk it. I shan't sleep a wink all night if you go."

"Never mind, my boy," replied Alzura, laughing; "you'll have plenty of time afterwards for a nap.--Now, Juan, off with your clothes."

The other prisoners were sound asleep in their huts; so were the soldiers, with the exception of the two sentries. These men were supposed to keep a sharp lookout, but nothing had happened for so long a time that their duty was mostly a matter of form. However, Barriero kept watch while we each stripped and made a bundle of our food and clothes to carry on our heads.

"Good-bye, old man," we said to him when we were quite ready; and he, gripping our hands, whispered back,--

"Good luck; but I wish you would not go. Take care, and come back here rather than lose your lives, if you cannot find the track."

We promised to do so, and then took quietly to the water. The first part of the journey gave us no trouble whatever. We were both good swimmers, and quickly arrived at the spot which we had selected as the landing-place. Here we crouched on a patch of firm ground, undid our bundles, and proceeded to dress quickly. A smothered exclamation from Alzura made me glance at him. In his hurry he had whisked his shirt a yard or two away, and it had settled in the liquid mud.

"There's an end to that garment!" said he. "Well, after all, it's no great loss; 'twas mostly made of holes. What have you found, Juan?"

"A stout staff tipped with iron, left here by the soldiers, most likely. What a piece of luck, my boy! Now we shall be able to test the ground."

"Yes, the balance is on our side," said he happily, b.u.t.toning his tunic. "Are you ready? Give me the staff, and I'll go first."

Of course I could not let him do that; so turning it off with a laugh, I cried,--

"No, thank you. I'm not going to trust my life to your hands, or rather feet. Now, follow me closely. Walk just where I do, and if you see me disappearing, pull me back sharp. We're on the track now, and must try to keep on."

"Spoken with the wisdom of a sage!" said Alzura saucily. "I say, Juan, how shall I know when you're moving?"

There was certainly reason for his sarcasm. As often as not, when I raised my foot I brought it down in the same place again, or, according to Alzura, even went a step backward. The night was not particularly dark--indeed, we had doubted whether it was dark enough for us to swim ash.o.r.e un.o.bserved--but the marsh was fearfully deceptive.

In places the track was merely a dry hump here and there, for which I had to feel with the staff. Twice, in spite of every precaution, I missed my footing, and the second time had sunk to the waist before Alzura could pull me out.

"I can't see you very well, Juan," said he, laughing, "but I have an idea that you would cut a fine figure in a ballroom just now."

"Especially if it were a fancy-dress affair," I replied in the same tone.

We were in no merry humour, mind you; but the weakest joke was better than dwelling on the horrors which surrounded us. Each of us knew that, but for Alzura's quickness, I should have disappeared for ever, leaving no trace behind me. Twice before the break of day I had saved him from a similar fate.

We left the islet about ten o'clock, and at midnight were still in the mora.s.s, unable to move. Alzura had joined me on a piece of firm ground, just large enough for us to stand on, and no more. It was darker now, so that we could see nothing clearly, while I failed to touch any solid substance, except that behind us, with my pole.

Alzura's attempts were equally unsuccessful.

"You're a pretty guide!" said he. "You've got off the track; we had better try back. Give me the staff."

"Be careful; mind how you turn. Can you feel the ground where we stood just now?"

"Yes; here it is," and the next minute he stepped back to feel for the proper path, while I stood trembling lest he should slip in and be smothered before I could get to his a.s.sistance.

"Can you find a place?" I asked.

"Only towards the lake. It's nothing but marsh to right and left. I think I'll come to you again. What is it? Did I hurt you?"

"Oh no, not at all!--only crushed my toes a bit with the pole! What are we going to do now?"

"I suppose it's too early for breakfast?" he began, and then in a different tone he added hastily, "Oh, I say, what a joke! I've dropped my bundle of food somewhere. Perhaps it's just as well; I shall walk lighter."

"But you'll want something to eat," I suggested.

"Of course I shall. How dense you are! Don't you see how the accident will benefit us both? There are two now instead of one to eat your rations, so you will have all the less to carry."

"Oh," said I doubtfully, not quite appreciating the logic. "Well, we don't want breakfast yet, and the question is, what are we to do? The sergeant's bound to discover our escape at breakfast-time, and a search-party will be sent ash.o.r.e immediately."

"It will be light in an hour or two," observed Alzura cheerfully--"at least light enough for us to find the track again. Let us sit down; it won't be so tiring, and we can't make ourselves any wetter or dirtier.

It's a good thing I didn't start on this journey alone; I should be with my provisions now."

"It's always pleasanter to have company," said I, shivering, and not noticing the absurdity till Alzura laughed.

There was certainly very little pleasure in our position just then. We were wet through, chilled to the marrow, and plastered with mud from head to foot. Our limbs felt horribly cramped, yet we almost feared to stretch them, and the enforced delay was fast diminishing our chances of escape. The dawning light might show us the route, but it would also set the soldiers on our heels. Altogether, I was rather inclined to envy Barriero, sleeping peacefully in his hut.

As soon as ever it became light enough, Alzura jumped up, saying, "Where is the pole?" and grasping it, he began trying to touch bottom.

He poked long and vigorously in all directions, but without success, till it seemed as if our only plan was to return and give ourselves up.

"Yet there must be a way out," said I impatiently. "The track leads here plainly enough, and it wouldn't come to an end just in the middle of the mora.s.s."

"I shouldn't think so," said Alzura. "I wonder whether they've missed us yet. How old Barriero will grin on seeing us back again!"

"We aren't back yet," I replied. "Look at that hump yonder. It seems solid, doesn't it? Lend me the pole. Ah, too short! What d'you think, Alzura?"

"It looks all right," said he; "but appearances are often deceptive.

Besides, we can't reach it."

"We can jump it, perhaps."