Courage, True Hearts Part 56

And now the march was resumed.

Sometimes the little band was so close to the forest that they could hear the howling and din of the gorillas, at other times they were stretching over arid tracts of a kind of prairie land. Nor were these silent and uninhabited. Beasts of the desert were leopards and even lions.

The former fled on sight, the latter did not dare to attack.

Yet when one leapt up almost close to the foremost elephants, and began slowly to retreat with head and tail erect and growling like loudest thunder, bold Carrambo levelled and fired. The bullet must have pierced the splendid beast's heart, for he at once dropped dead in his tracks.

Carrambo was indeed a proud man now, and although the boys knew the shot was only a fluke, he was patted on the back and permitted to wear the laurels he had won.

Yes, but Carrambo had the skin as well as the laurels. And this, after rubbing the inside well with a kind of earth he found near by, and which is often used as a preservative, he stowed it away in one of the howdahs.

On and on they marched all that night, often having to cross small rivers and streams, or journey long distances by the banks of larger ones, which proved unfordable, till at daylight they found themselves on a tree-covered little hill, and here Duncan called a halt for refreshment and for rest.

All were tired, except little Lilywhite. For with the child-gorilla in her arms she had slept most of the way.

She was helped down. Both the shes in fact, and Jeannie soon jumped into Frank's arms, caressing him in the most affectionate manner.

"Behold how she loves her father!" said the boy laughing.

"Well," he added, "I would rather have one little hairy gorilla who loved me, than a thousand hairless bipeds of men who didn't give shucks for me."

To a stream close by ran Lily, and in a surprisingly quick time returned with fish enough for all hands.

And these, one of the men having lit a fire, she speedily cooked.

Lily was, indeed, a jewel in her own way--though a black one.

After a hearty breakfast, of which fruit formed a not unimportant portion, rugs were spread in the shade, and leaving Carrambo on guard--his time for rest would come afterwards--all lay down to s.n.a.t.c.h a few hours' sleep.

Lily squatted at Conal's head, fanning him with a broad leaf, till finally he slept.

Jeannie curled up beside Frank, and Viking with Duncan. So everyone was contented and happy.

I do not think the boys ever slept more soundly than they did under the cool green shadow of those trees, and when the sun had gone a certain distance round, and Carrambo, acting on his instructions, awoke them, they felt as fresh as meadow larks, and quite fit to resume the journey.

"I hope we won't have any more fighting, boys," said Duncan.

"Why not?" said Frank the c.o.c.kney. "I think fighting is good fun.

"Especially," he added, "when you win."

"That's just it, Frank; but the bother is, that if we are hard pressed, the other fellows will win next time, because our cartridges would soon be all expended."

"Let us hope for the best," said Conal. "We have plenty of ammunition for our revolvers."

"True, Conal; but when you are near enough to shoot a savage with a revolver, he is near enough to scupper you with his spear."

They encamped that night close to the banks of a sandy-bottomed river, which Duncan said looked as if it contained gold. And once more Lilywhite a.s.sumed the responsibility of cooking.

Then, keeping the fire still alight to keep wild beasts at bay, the boys left Vike on watch and curled up.

In spite of the warm attentions of scores of very musical mosquitoes they slept long and soundly, and daylight was almost breaking before they awoke.

On and on they journeyed day by day, and many and strange were their adventures among wild beasts and wilder men. But although our heroes always showed a bold front when trouble seemed rising, they found it safest and best, if possible, to make friends with the different tribes they came into contact with.

The beads they still possessed went a long way to cement friendship.

They had been on the road for over a month, for they did not hurry, knowing the advantage of harbouring their strength in case of having to fight for dear life itself.

One day about this time, after crossing a high and desert upland, they descended a hill and found themselves among a very strange people indeed, and in a strangely beautiful country.

As the inhabitants were friendly, Duncan resolved to stay with them for a time, that all might recruit their health, and that Conal might regain his.

The poor lad, in a skirmish with some savages that had taken place farther inland, had been wounded by a poisoned arrow, and although he appeared to have recovered, the wound had broken out afresh, and he was now in so low a condition, that he had to be carried on a bed of gra.s.s made for him in one of the howdahs.

A cool gra.s.s hut was set apart for the poor white boy, as the natives called him, and Lily was a most attentive nurse to him. But indeed all the people near by were unremitting in their attentions, not only to Conal, but to everyone in the camp.

This was a country of villages, scattered here and there wherever the water was most plentiful for themselves and the cattle they owned. But scattered though these were, and but spa.r.s.ely inhabited, yet if the tocsin of war sounded, they speedily flocked to one standard to repel an invading foe. It was a real republic, owning no king or chief, and placing the law in the hands of their elders in virtue of their age and wisdom.

As there was perfect peace and good understanding between these simple pastoral natives and Duncan's little band, the latter were very happy indeed.

Conal got slowly well, but all hands had to remain in this happy land for nearly six weeks before the journey could be renewed.

And poor little Lilywhite stayed here for better or for worse.

Here is how it happened. Shortly before Duncan was about to resume the march towards the big river and city of Lamoo, Carrambo one day came forward, leading a tall and rather ungainly young savage, and addressed Conal as follows:--

"Dis dam young rascal he say you all de same's one fadder to Lily. He want to mally Lily. He gib tree goat foh Lily."

Here he struck the suitor under the chin.

"Hol' you head up, Choo-ka!" he cried. "De white man no eat de likes ob you!"

Choo-ka would have blushed if he hadn't been black.

"Is Lily willing?" said Conal, laughing.

"Oh ees, sah, she plenty willin' 'nuff."

"Well, consider it all arranged."

So Conal lost his nurse, and Choo-ka gained a bride. As, however, the girl had taken a great fancy for Jeannie, Frank gave the gorilla to her as a wedding gift, and Duncan presented her with a string of beautiful beads.

And so they were married, and no doubt lived, or will live, for my story does not date back any very extraordinary number of years, happy ever after.

The journey was now resumed, and with the exception of some adventures with pythons and alligators, they reached the river without much further trouble, and in a few days after this struck the outlying huts of the large Arab city of Lamoo, and were received in the most hospitable way, not only by the Portuguese, but by the Arabs, and even by the sultan himself.

A question now arose as to what they should do with the elephants. It would be impossible to take these to sea with them.