Trapped by Malays Part 64

After this the lad sat peering through a dense, green curtain of the beautiful tropic leaf.a.ge, till by degrees all the mist had floated away with the stream, leaving the water glittering and sparkling in the bright sunshine, and giving the watchers a clear view of the flowing river and the jungle that bowed its pendent branches so that they kissed the water, while farther on tall, rigid palms shot up and displayed their feathery tufts of great leaves, to sway gently in the hot sunshine.

"Let's see, Mister Archie; don't seem to be many paths where helephants and things come down to drink. I don't believe if we were landed there we could get through those woods. I wonder what makes them call them jungles. I suppose it means because the trees are all junged up together so that you can't get through. If they called it tangle there'd be some sense in it. But that ain't the worst."

"What is, then, Pete?" replied Archie, speaking so that his companion in misfortune should not think him surly and distant.

"Why, we have got to carry them four little chesties and the gun right through it in the dark. Well, we've got 'em, sir, and that's what we come for."

"Yes, Pete; and it will be a relief to get them to the Residency."

"Yes, sir; and we have got to do it; and that means we shall, somehow."

The lad ceased speaking, and bent down to shift the four square, solid-looking boxes a little, and as he did so he uttered a low grunt.

"I say, sir, it's been so dark that we couldn't tell what we were doing, but lookye here. These 'ere two bottom ones are standing right in the water. It's to be hoped they are tin-lined, or else what about the cartridges? What do you say to laying them two bamboo poles right across the boat for the day, and standing the boxes on them?"

"Good idea, Pete!" And the two lads busied themselves in placing the boxes so that the moisture would drip away, with the possibility of their getting dry in the sunshine, which was already beginning to fill their shelter with semi-horizontal rays.

"Here, I say, sir, if we had known what a ramshackle old wreck this 'ere sampan is we should have stepped along pretty gingerly while we were poling--at least I should, for it looks to me as if you could shove your foot through anywhere. Look at the sides! Why, they are half-rotten!"

"Yes, Pete; it's a wonder that the boat did not go to pieces when we ran up against that other one in the night."

"That it is, sir. Why, if I'd known I believe I should have liked to travel outside, hanging on, with my legs in the water."

"As a bait to tempt crocodiles, Pete?"

"Oh, I say, don't, sir! You give one the shivers."

As the lad spoke he peered over the side of the boat and half drew his bayonet from his belt.

"Might be one of those beauties under the bottom now, sir," he said half-apologetically. "Nice morning, though, ain't it? Talking about hanging one's legs over the side, we might lay them up a bit to dry;"

and he set the example of stretching his own out on the seat-like thwart, and sitting silently for a while gazing through one of the openings across the river.

Then, as if being silent wearied him, his tongue began to go again.

"Suppose you can't make out exactly where we are, sir, can you?"

"No, Pete; the river winds about so."

"Of course, sir. Well, no wonder--it ain't got anything else to do.

Got your watch, sir?"

"Yes;" and Archie drew it out from his pocket.

"What time is it, sir?"

"One," said Archie dryly.

"Can't be, sir. Why, that means afternoon, and the sun's only just up."

"It means that it was one o'clock when we waded into the river, and the water got in, Pete."

"Stopped! I'm blest! If you had thought of it, sir, you'd better have left it at home. 'Home, home, sweet home!'" hummed the lad. "But this ain't home, and I'm precious hungry; but I'd a deal rather be here, after all, than in the old whitewashed barracks where we were stationed last, with nothing but drill, drill, drill, till one felt as if they had drilled a hole right through you. Feel anything of your head now, sir?"

"Yes, Pete; but not much."

"That's the same with my hurt, sir; but one can't expect what we got to get well directly. Wish we'd got something to do, if it was only to clean one's buckles and lay on a bit of pipeclay. Is my face dirty, sir?"

"Horribly, Pete. Is mine?"

Pete showed his teeth in a broad grin.

"Well, it would be all the better for a wash, sir, before you went in to mess. We might have a bit of a sluice. But I suppose it would be risky to try and get closer in to the bank?"

"You couldn't, Pete. It would be impossible to force the sampan through this tangle. Why do you want to move? We are in a capital place."

"I was thinking of getting some soft mud out of the bank to use instead of soap. It's wonderful cleansing, sir. I know what I should like to do."

"Not talk, Pete, for you are doing that now?"

"Yes, sir, I know," said the poor fellow sadly. "I feel as though if I didn't go on saying things and thinking of doing something, I should go half-dotty."

"Nonsense, Pete! See how beautiful it is all round."

"Yes, sir, lovely! But who's going to enjoy it when your inside keeps on saying, 'Soup and 'tater--soup and 'tater--soup and 'tater,' and there ain't none? Plenty of croc soup, of course. But, I say, Mister Archie, sir, think it would be safe to bathe?"

"No; but I think you must be _half-dotty_, as you call it, to propose such a thing."

"Right, sir. Of course! It does look very pretty about here, but one can't help feeling that one of them pretty, smiling creatures may be lying in there, just where the leaves touch the water, and watching us all the time. Here, I should like to murder some of them. What do you say to fixing bayonets on the end of them bamboo poles, and then pitching leaves or bits of dead wood into the water as a bait for them reptiles, and having a bit of sport to pa.s.s away the time?"

"I don't feel much disposed for sport, Pete."

"Course you don't, sir; but, you see, we've got hours and hours to sit here till it's dark. One feels as if one must do something. Here, I know! Capital! I've got no tackle but green leaves. I'll clean that gun."

"No cleaning-rod, Pete."

"Must be, sir."

"Of course; but it will be hanging up somewhere in the Doctor's bungalow."

"Might cut a young, thin bamboo, sir," said Pete, looking sharply round, and feeling in his pocket for his knife.

"I can see no bamboos," said Archie--"nothing but crooked boughs."

"Well, anyhow, sir, we might rub the specks of rust off with leaves.

Would you like to have first turn?"

"No, Pete. I feel as if I could do nothing but sit still and rest and think."