The Golden Magnet Part 12

"Ugh, the brutes!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Tom. "They'd make short work of a fellow if he was thrown in for live bait. But, I say, that is some one shouting, Mas'r Harry."

"Paddle down closer towards the rapids, Tom," I said excitedly.

Then, for a moment we forgot our own danger as with a sharp stroke or two we sent the canoe out in full stream, so that it swept down swiftly.

"You're right, Mas'r Harry--you're right!" said Tom, eager now as I was myself. "Look--look, there's a canoe upset!"

"Paddle away!" I cried as another shout came ringing towards us, just as I obtained a good view of what was taking place below.

"But we shall be over too, Mas'r Harry, if you row like that. Lord help them, though, if there ain't a woman in the water!" Tom cried, working his paddle furiously--an example I had set him.

Swaying about, the little vessel raced almost through the troubled waters, which each moment grew more rough, leaping and dancing, and threatening at times to splash right into our frail boat.

Our excitement was pardonable, for right in front of us, and about two hundred yards down the river, there was a sight which made my nerves tingle, and the paddle in my hands to feel like a straw. A canoe of about double the size of our own had been overset in the rapids, and, with four figures clinging to it, was rapidly floating down stream amidst the boiling waters, which leaped and seethed round them. Now we could see that two of the figures were making efforts to turn the canoe; but it was evident that in the rough water, and with the others clinging to it, this was impossible; and, evidently half-strangled and bewildered in the fierce rush, they had given up the next minute, and were clinging to the vessel's sides.

Now it was hurried down a rapid with a tremendous rush, to be tossing the next moment in the deep below, whirling round and round, now half under, now by its buoyancy rising again with its clinging freight, to be swept into an eddy where the water was comparatively calm, but only to be slowly driven back again into the swift current hastening down the rocky slope; and a groan of dismay burst from my breast as I saw the boat dashed against a great black jagged ma.s.s of rock right in its way.

But the next instant the party had glided round it, and were again being swept downwards where the river was one ma.s.s of creamy foam.

How we went down I cannot tell you, for it was due to no skill on our part; the wonder is that we were not overset a score of times; but somehow, almost miraculously, we seemed to avoid rock after rock that was scattered in our way, the little canoe bounding along in a mad race as we plied our paddles with all the energy at our command. I have often thought since that our rough action and chance-work way of running the gauntlet amidst the rocks was the reason of our success, where skilled managers of a canoe would have come to grief; but, be that as it may, in a wild exciting race we dashed on and on down the gradual watery slope, the noise of many waters thundering in our ears, while, with what I believe is the true generous spirit of an Englishman pervading us, we forgot our own danger in the sight of that incurred by the party in the rapids.

"Go it, Mas'r Harry!" Tom roared, mad almost with excitement, as he scooped away with his paddle. "Hurraw! Who's afraid? That's a good un! Now again! Brayvo! lay into it, my hearty!"

We gained upon the upset boat swiftly, when, as the clinging party were swept into a tolerably smooth reach that intervened between a fierce race of water and the next dangerous spot, I saw one of the men leave the canoe and strike boldly out for the sh.o.r.e, followed directly after by two more, whose dusky skin proclaimed them of Indian blood.

"Why, only look there--three men and one woman!" cried Tom. "And if they haven't gone away and left her! This ain't old England, Mas'r Harry; we don't do things that how at home. Paddle away! Mind, sir, or you'll have us over! Only wish I had a couple of tallow staves instead of this wooden spoon. Paddle away, sir! Cowardly warmint! That's it, sir; this boat's as light as a cork, but don't have us over. We shall soon reach her now--mind, steady, for I'm scared to death of the water, and I wouldn't swim as they do, not for a thousand pounds--not but what I could if I liked. That's it, sir, only another thirty yards--long strokes and steady ones, and--hold on, my dear, we're coming."

"Push on, Tom--push on, and save your breath," I cried, "for Heaven's sake! Ah!--"

I could not restrain that cry--it burst from my lips, for just at that moment I saw the female figure, yet clinging to the overturned canoe, glide from her hold, as if drawn away by some invisible agency down, down, gradually beneath the swift tide.

"It's one of them great wild beasts got her!" cried Tom, giving vent to the thought that had flashed across my brain. "Oh! don't--pray, pray don't, Mas'r Harry!" I heard him shriek. "I'm scared to death of these waters, and if you go I must too, for I swore I'd stick to you like a-- Oh, Mas'r Harry!"

With Tom's voice ringing in my ears, but having no more effect than they would have had in staying the swift rush of the rapids, I had in one and the same moment recognised the drowning face, and, paddle in hand, leaped from the frail canoe into the foaming river.

That was a wild and thrilling moment, when, nerving myself to the encounter, I battled with the fierce water, trying to put into practice every feint and feat that I had learned in old bathing times at home, when sporting in the summer evenings in our little river. Speed, though, and skill in swimming seemed unavailing here, as I felt the waters wreathe round me, strangling me, as it were, in a cold embrace; then seizing me to drag me here, to drag me there; dashing me against this rock, against that, and directly after sending a cold chill of horror through every nerve, as a recollection of the hideous reptiles abounding in the river flashed upon me, when I felt myself sucked down lower and lower in the vortex of some eddy between the rocks. It was like dreaming of swimming in some horrible nightmare, my every effort being checked when I strove to reach the drowning girl; and again and again, when just on the point of clutching her light garments, I was swept away, to begin once more fighting towards her with the energy of despair.

At last, however, my arm was round her, and two little hands closed upon my shoulders, clinging to me with a despairing grip, as I fought hard to keep on the surface; but only to be swept here and there, helpless as a fragment of wood, the muddy water the while thundering in my ears and bubbling angrily at my lips.

Now up, now down--over, and over, and over, rolling along a shallow smooth platform of rock, and then into deeper water again. I began to feel that I was fighting my last fight, and that the enemy was too strong.

But still I fought on--more feebly, 'tis true, but still with the stubborn determination of an unworthy representative of that nation which was said by a great general not to know when they were beaten.

Then came a respite, as I was swept into still water; but I was too weak now to take advantage of it before I was borne into the next rapid, foaming to receive me with my burden.

The river was here like a series of long rugged steps, with here fierce tumbling waters, there a smooth interval, but only to be succeeded again and again by broken water, into another foaming chaos of which I was swept.

It was now one wild confusion of struggling wave and roaring, foaming surf; then came a dim sense that I was half stunned by a fierce blow-- that I was growing weaker--that I was drowning fast; and for an instant a pang shot through me as I seemed to see vividly a portion of my past life, and thought of how hard it was to die so young.

I was again swept into the still water, and my arm struck out involuntarily as, my lips well above water, I drew in a long breath--a long invigorating draught of the breath of life; but my efforts were feeble, and my mind was misty and confused, but only for a few moments.

In a flash, as it were of light, the horror of my position came upon me, and I gave utterance to a cry of terror, for suddenly there was a fierce rushing swirl in the water. I felt something strike me obliquely; then the light figure I had striven so hard to save was almost jerked from my arm, and the next instant we were being borne swiftly along through the water upstream and towards the sh.o.r.e.

Jerk, jerk, jerk! and I gazed with horror upon the pale face close to mine, fortunately insensible; my eyes seemed ready to start from their sockets with horror; there was a sensation as of a ghostly hand stirring my wet hair; and then once more I gave utterance to a strange hoa.r.s.e cry that startled even me; for as--in spite of my weakness--my mental energies grew momentarily clearer I thoroughly realised the horror of our position, and that we were being dragged rapidly away by one of the ravenous reptiles of the river.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

IN THE WOODS.

Death, we are told, has been met by the brave-hearted again and again unflinchingly; but such a death as was now threatening me and the poor girl I was trying to save must have made the stoutest blench. For my part, a chill of horror seemed to pa.s.s through every limb, thoroughly unnerving me, so that my efforts were but feeble as I felt myself sweeping through the water towards the bank, where the stream ran swiftly, but free of rocks, while its eddies and whirlpools showed that there were holes and places worn in beneath the banks, to one of which it seemed evident the monster was making.

I made one desperate struggle, as, nearing the bank, the water shallowed; but the slight figure was still dragged swiftly onward, while twice over I felt the rough slimy body of the monster in contact with my legs. All defence or attack--all prospect of escape, seemed out of the question, and by the action of the water I was turned over helplessly upon my back, the muddy stream flowing over my face half-strangling me.

I had during the last few moments been fast approaching to a dreamy state, which dulled the acute horror of my position, and I believe that a few more moments would have produced insensibility, when I was galvanised, as it were, back into vigorous action by a sound as something grazed my shoulder.

"Now, then, hold fast by the side--hold fast!" was shrieked in my ears as a hand grasped mine, guiding it to the edge of the canoe, to which I clung with renewed energy as we were racing through the shallows at a tremendous rate. Then came a shouting, and the vigorous beating of the water with a paddle, a tremendous rushing swirl, which nearly overset the canoe, and our locomotion was at an end, the vessel floating lightly in a deep pool beneath the trees. A few strokes of the paddle and the prow struck the muddy bank; and before I could recover from the prostration I felt myself dragged on to the gra.s.s, and my arm roughly torn from the waist it so tightly encircled; but not before I had seen that the clinging garments were torn--rent down one side, evidently where the huge beast had seized its prey; and then there was the muttering of voices, the rustling of the undergrowth as a pa.s.sage was forced through it, and we were alone.

"I'd have said thanky for a good deal less than that, if it had been me," said Tom gruffly, as he stood gazing after the retreating party.

"They're a nice lot, Mas'r Harry--swam off like a set of copper-skinned varmints, and left the gal to drownd; and when some one else has the pluck to save her, they look savage and disappointed, and s.n.a.t.c.h her away just as if they were recovering stolen goods. My eye, though, Mas'r Harry, it was a narrer escape--worse than swinging under that old donkey's nose!"

My only reply was a shudder.

"I didn't think it so precious bad, Mas'r Harry, when we was up at that landing-place in the ship; but I do think now as we're getting it rather warm: only ash.o.r.e here a few days, and we've had our lodging shook about our ears; I've been pitched over a precipice like the side of a house; and you've been a'most swallowed and drowned by a great newt. I'll give in. It is a trifle hotter than it was at home. But say, Mas'r Harry, it ain't going to be all in this style, is it? Why it's like being heroes in a book--Robinson Crusoe and Man Friday, and all on in that tune, and us not knowing how much hotter we're going to have it!"

"Matter of chance, Tom," I said, wringing the water from my clothes as I stood in the hot sun. "We may be here for years and have no more adventures. Perhaps, after so rough a welcome, matters may turn out gloriously."

Tom began to whistle and pick leaves to chew and spit out again, till I p.r.o.nounced my readiness to proceed.

"Paddles are both in the boat," said Tom, then, as he secured the canoe by its bark rope to a tree, "we've got over the river, Mas'r Harry, that's one thing; but how far we are down below the landing-place I dunno, I'm sure."

We proved to be much farther below than I thought for, enough time elapsing for my clothes to get nearly dry in the patches of hot sun we pa.s.sed as we wound our way through the forest, the rushing noise of the river on our right guiding us in our efforts to keep within range of the bank, which we avoided on account of the huge beasts we had seen basking there.

"This is a rum sort of country and no mistake, Mas'r Harry," said Tom at last, as he stood mopping the perspiration from his face; "but, somehow or other, one feels just the same here as one did in the old place, and I'm as hungry now as if I hadn't had a morsel to eat for a week. Is it much farther, Mas'r Harry?"

"I don't know how many miles we've come," I replied.

But his words had fully accounted for a strange sensation of faintness that troubled me. A little more perseverance, though, brought us to the track--one that we might have reached in a quarter of the time had we known the way.

A short walk showed us that we were correct, for we went along the track to the river, so as to make sure of this being the one we sought--for being lost in these wilds was something not to be thought of for a minute. There, though, on the other side of the stream, was the landing-place from which we had started, only to reach our present position after a roundabout eventful journey.

"All right, Mas'r Harry--come along," said Tom, turning.

And now, pursuing the track, we found that we were gradually mounting a slope, till the trees were left behind and we stood upon an eminence looking down upon my uncle's house.

All that we had seen beautiful before seemed to fail before the picture upon which we now gazed, where all that was lavish in nature had been aided by the hand of man, cultivation subduing and enriching, till the region below us blushed in beauty; for we were looking down upon a lightly-built, pleasantly-shaded house, with its green jalousie-covered windows, and great creeper-burdened verandah, gaily-painted, and running right round the house.

The place stood in the midst of a grove of verdure of the most glorious golden-green, rich with the great crimson, coral-like blossoms of what is there called _madre del cacao_--the cocoa's mother--tall, regularly planted trees, cultivated for the protection and shade they give to the plants beneath, great bananas loaded with fruit, bright green coffee bushes, and the cocoa with its pods, green, yellow, blood-red, and purple. The roughly erected fences were, so to speak, smothered with glorious trumpet-blossomed convolvuli, whose bright hues were peering ever from a bed of heart and spear shaped richly green leaves.