The Search for the Silver City Part 38

Teddy whispered, and almost before the words had been uttered the battle was virtually at an end.

Having relinquished its hold of the tree, and unable to encircle the animal's body with its deadly folds, the boa's strength was useless, and from that time on only the snarling of the jaguar and the threshing of the serpent could be heard until the fight came to an end.

"What are you going to do?" Neal asked as Poyor raised his weapon when the silence told that the conflict had been decided in favor of the weaker party.

"Kill the beast. There are too many of her kind already, and I shall be doing a favor to those who come after us by reducing the number."

"Don't shoot; she has proved her right to live, if the theory of the survival of the fittest be correct, and after such a battle it would be cowardly to kill her."

"If, on the morrow, you should find yourself suddenly seized by her, there would not be so much pity in your heart," Poyor replied, and before Neal could make any reply the animal had vanished in the thicket.

"There is no longer any question of what should be done," the Indian said regretfully, after a pause, as he lowered his weapon. "There is a fine skin for those who care to save it."

"It can lay there for all I care," Teddy replied with a laugh. "Fur in this kind of weather isn't pleasant even to think of. Perhaps in the morning c.u.mmings will fancy it worth his while to carry the hide away."

"The ants will have devoured it before the sun rises, and since it has no value for you it is well to go to sleep. One of the white men can call you when it is time to stand your share of the watch."

"Is guard to be kept all night?"

"It would be unsafe for all to sleep. If the jaguars had not met the serpent what would have been the result to those whose eyes were closed in slumber?"

"There is no necessity of saying anything more," Neal replied with a laugh. "We will be ready when our turn comes."

Then, as soon as they could compose themselves sufficiently, the boys surrendered to the demand of slumber, and c.u.mmings must have stood their watch himself, since they were not awakened until another day had come.

Breakfast was already cooked. On a number of gigantic leaves the Indian had spread such food as he could procure: Mangoes without stint; a roasted bird shaped not unlike a goose, and several small, white cones which tasted like radishes.

Except for such articles as bread or vegetables, it was a meal which would have tempted an epicure and to it all hands did full justice.

When their hunger had been satisfied, c.u.mmings said as he shouldered one of the two remaining guns and took up a greater portion of the cartridges:

"It is time we were moving. We can travel reasonably slow, in order that no one may become exhausted; but not an hour must be lost. The way before us is long, even after we reach the sea-sh.o.r.e, and each day wasted is just so much delay in reaching our destination."

"Now that we are really homeward bound you will have no reason to complain because our powers of endurance are too slight," Neal replied, as he took up the remaining weapon, and the march was immediately begun.

CHAPTER x.x.x.

A WELCOME CHANGE.

While they were on the mountain where no shade could be found the boys thought that it would be a wonderful relief to gain the shelter of the forest; but after traveling an hour they realized that the heat was nearly as great in one place as another.

Among the trees the rays of the sun did not beat directly down upon them; but to balance this every breath of wind was shut out, and the atmosphere seemed stifling.

The perspiration rolled from their faces in streams, and so great was the humidity that it seemed as if it would be a positive relief to be in the sunlight.

"I reckon you've got a better opinion of mountain travel by this time,"

c.u.mmings said laughingly, as Neal involuntarily halted. "In such a climate the shade of the trees is a positive discomfort."

"We can stand it," Teddy replied bravely. "Every step takes us just so much nearer the coast, and one glimpse of the sea will repay us for all our exertions."

It seemed as if even Poyor was affected by the heat. He no longer strode forward at such a rapid pace; but lagged from time to time as badly as either member of the party.

c.u.mmings urged first one and then another on until about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and then he said, coming to a full stop by the side of the stream they had been following:

"We can now afford to indulge in a siesta, and shall probably travel all the better for frequent halts. Later in the day one of us will do a little hunting, and the march need not come to an end until it is no longer light enough for us to see the way."

To this very welcome proposition no one had any objections to offer, and in the shortest possible s.p.a.ce of time only the sentinel, which on this occasion proved to be Teddy, was left awake.

It was dull work sitting there listening to the droning of the insects; but no member of the party could have kept watch more conscientiously than did he, and when it seemed impossible to hold his eyes open any longer he paced to and fro to prevent them from closing.

With the exception of the usual noises of the forest, it was as if all nature slumbered, and he had just begun to think that standing watch was a useless precaution when an unusual rustling among the foliage caused him to start in surprise.

His first thought was that the Chan Santa Cruz had followed them over the range; but an instant later this was shown to be a mistake, as four copper-colored men, bearing no resemblance to the inhabitants of the Silver City, however, pa.s.sed through the forest a short distance away without apparently being aware of the proximity of the white party.

To arouse Poyor was but the work of an instant, for it was only necessary to touch him gently on the shoulder when he sprang to his feet.

"There are some men over there," Teddy whispered as he pointed in the direction taken by the strangers.

The Indian started through the underbrush as noiselessly as a serpent, and as he disappeared the boy awakened c.u.mmings.

"Were they armed?" the latter asked, after the short story had been told.

"I didn't notice. My only idea was to arouse you and Poyor, and there wasn't much time for an examination."

"It can't be that they have followed us over the range," c.u.mmings said, half to himself, as he seized his weapon and made sure it was loaded.

"It won't do any harm to be prepared, therefore you had best get the others on their feet; we may have to trust to our legs."

It was not an easy matter to awaken the remainder of the party without causing an outcry; but by first covering the mouth of each with his hand Teddy finally succeeded, and then stood on the alert with them as c.u.mmings made his way in the direction taken by Poyor to a.s.sist in the investigation.

One, two, three minutes of suspense followed, and then came a cry which set all their fears at rest. It was the salutation of friends, and an instant later c.u.mmings shouted:

"Do not fear; we have found acquaintances."

"It is time something of the kind was discovered," Jake said in a tone of relief. "I was beginning to think we should never meet one again."

"They looked like Indians," Teddy said doubtfully, and Neal added:

"I fancy we can take c.u.mmings' word for it. Here they are, and it will soon be possible to know why they were so foolish as to come into this part of the country where wild beasts are not the least of the dangers to be encountered."

The strangers appeared, escorted by Poyor and the white man, and the latter said as they came into the opening selected as a halting place:

"These are acquaintances of ours from Merida, who have visited this section of the country in search of bird skins, which find a ready sale among your people. They have a canoe, and report that a dozen miles below here the stream widens until it can be navigated by reasonably large crafts."

"Since we haven't so much as the smallest kind of a boat I can't see how that information will be of any use to us," Neal replied laughingly.