The Pathless Trail Part 13

"He--Jose? Not possible!" he stuttered. "Jose--this man--defended you against his companions?"

"Exactly."

The Brazilian slowly shook his head. Then suddenly he nodded as if an illuminating thought had crossed his mind.

"I see. Jose is very well paid."

"One dollar a day," was McKay's dry retort.

At that moment 'Tonio re-entered with a larger tray than before, bearing more coffee, long cigars, and squat gla.s.ses in which glowed a golden liquid. Tim sat up with a grunt and helped himself with both hands. When the coronel's turn came he disregarded the drinks, but lit the cigar as if he needed it.

"_De noite todos os gatos sao pardos_," he said. "At night all cats are gray. I am much in the dark, gentlemen. If you would be so good as to enlighten me--"

He paused, looking sidewise again at Jose as if the _puntero_ had suddenly grown wings or horns.

"All right," nodded Knowlton, biting and lighting his cigar. "We are somewhat in the dark ourselves as to why Jose has been so zealous, for he has been very taciturn since the recent fight at our camp. Perhaps Jose also is a bit hazy about our expedition--he looked rather surprised just now. So here is the situation."

Briefly then he outlined the object of the search, stating that the ident.i.ty of the mysterious Raposa was a matter of some concern to certain persons in the United States and that the expedition had been formed with the view of settling the question. From the time of the landing at Remate de Males, however, he narrated events more fully, giving complete details of Schwandorf's activities, Francisco's offense, and the final attack by the crew. While he talked the coronel's frown deepened. Also, Jose gradually a.s.sumed the expression of a thundercloud.

And when the tale was done the _puntero_ exploded.

"_Sangre de Cristo!_" he yelled. "_El Aleman_--the German--he told you we would go among the cannibals? We? Peruvians? _Madre de Dios!_ If ever I get within knife length of him! Nunes, you see, do you not?"

The coronel nodded grimly.

"I see that he planned to have all of you destroyed. Senhor Knowlton, that black-bearded and black-hearted man suggested that you take Mayoruna women? He told you they were shapely of body and tried to put into your minds the thought of making them your paramours? The snake!

"He did not tell you, then, that the Mayoruna men allow no trifling with their women; that any alien man attempting to embrace one of them would be killed. But it is true. If you should succeed in establishing friendly relations with the men--which is not at all likely--you would forfeit all friendship, and your lives as well, by the slightest dalliance with any of the women.

"He told you that more than one man has risked his life to win a Mayoruna woman? That is true. But he gave you a false impression as to the way in which the risk was incurred. He did not tell you that Peruvian _caucheros_ have sometimes raided small isolated _melocas_ of the Mayorunas, shooting down the men and carrying off the girls to be victims of their b.e.s.t.i.a.l l.u.s.t. He did not tell you that for this reason any Peruvian is considered their enemy and is killed without mercy wherever found. Yet he tried to send you with Peruvian guides into their country. He knew the Peruvians would be killed on sight--and you with them."

CHAPTER IX.

FIDDLERS THREE

Black looks pa.s.sed among the men as the duplicity of Schwandorf lay plain before their eyes. Tim growled. Jose hissed curses. The coronel whirled to him.

"Jose! What was his object in trying to destroy you and your crew? You have been his man. You know much about him. He wanted to stop your mouth, yes? Dead men tell no tales."

The _puntero's_ eyes glittered. For a moment the others thought he was about to reveal important secrets. Then his face changed.

"I know no reason why we should be killed," he declared.

"I do not believe you," the coronel declared, bluntly.

Jose shrugged, calmly drank the coronel's wine, lighted the coronel's cigar, leaned back in the coronel's chair, and eyed the coronel with imperturbable insolence.

"See here, Jose," demanded McKay, "you've had something up your sleeve all along. Now come clean! What is it?"

Jose puffed airily at the cigar, saying nothing.

"What orders did Schwandorf give you?"

This time the reply came readily enough.

"To take you twenty-four days up the river and put you ash.o.r.e. To prevent any trouble before that time."

"Ah! And after that?"

"Nothing. At least, nothing to me. What may have been said to the other men I do not know. Schwandorf came to me last, after he had picked all the others."

"And what do you know about Schwandorf?"

"What is between me and Schwandorf will be settled between me and Schwandorf. My duty to you senores lies only in handling the crew. Now that there is no crew my duty ends. Also, Capitan, I would like my pay now."

"You quit?"

"Why not? I have done my best. I can do no more. I am crippled. I am of no further use to you. Give me my pay, a little food, a small canoe, and I go."

"It is possible, Senhor Jose," spoke the coronel, with ironic politeness, "that you may not go so soon. You have killed two men recently. You refuse to reveal some things which should be known about the German. Perhaps the law--"

Jose burst into a jeering laugh.

"Law? You speak of law? There is no law up the river but the law of the gun and the knife. And if there were, senor, what then? I killed in a fair fight. I killed men who would do murder. I killed on the west bank of the river--Peru. Neither you nor any other Brazilian can lay hand on me. And though I now have only one good arm, it will not be well for anyone to try to hold me. My knife and my right hand still are ready."

"By cripes! the lad's right!" Tim blurted, impulsively. "And I'll tell the world I'm for him. He's got a right to keep his mouth shut if he wants to. He don't owe us nothin'. Mebbe he's got somethin' up his sleeve, at that; but he stuck with us in the pinch, and--"

"And we'll give him a square deal, of course," Knowlton cut in. "Jose, your own wages to this point, at a dollar a day, are eighteen dollars.

The wages of the five other men to the place where they--quit--would aggregate seventy-five dollars. Grand total, ninety-three. The others chose to take their pay in lead instead of gold, so their account is closed. Therefore I suggest that their pay go to you as _puntero_, _popero_, and good sport. What say, Rod?"

"Make it a hundred flat," McKay agreed.

"Right. A hundred in gold. Satisfy you, Jose?"

"Indeed yes, senor. I did not expect such generosity."

"That's all right, then. We'll fix you up before we move on, and--Say!

Are you in Schwandorf's pay, too?"

Jose hesitated. Then he replied:

"Since you mention it, I will admit that _el Aleman_ offered me certain inducements to make this journey. I now see that he had no intention of meeting his promises. But you can leave it to me to collect from him whatever may be due."

Even the coronel nodded at this. The gleam in the Peruvian's eyes presaged unpleasantness for Schwandorf.

"You gentlemen, of course, will not attempt to continue your journey for the present," the coronel suggested. "You are fatigued and I shall greatly appreciate the pleasure of your companionship. New arrangements also will be necessary in the matter of a boat and men."