Under the Waves: Diving in Deep Waters Part 26

"Musha!" with great emphasis, then placing both hands to his mouth he gave vent to a roar that would have done credit to a South African lion.

As neither of the ladies understood the meaning of "Musha," they listened to the roar with a thrill of unutterable horror. Miss Pritty, as if fascinated, leant forward, the better to observe her foe.

Suddenly, like the lightning-flash, and without even a shriek of warning, she lost her balance and dived head-foremost into the bosom of Rooney Machowl!

Well was it for the bold Irishman that Miss Pritty was a light weight, else had he that day ended his career in the jungles of Borneo. As it was he went down like a shock of corn before the scythe, grasped Miss Pritty in an embrace such as she had never before even imagined, and proceeded to punch her poor head.

Then, indeed, she made herself known by a powerful scream that caused the horrified man to loose his hold and spring up with a torrent of apologies and self-abuse.

"Och! it's not possible. Baste that I am! Oh ma cushla astore, forgive me! It's a gorilla I thought ye was, sure, for I hadn't time to look, d'ee see. It's wishin' you had staved in my timbers intirely I am."

Rooney's exclamations were here cut short, and turned on another theme by the sudden appearance of Aileen Hazlit, who soon found that her friend was more alarmed than hurt.

"I _am_ so glad you have found us, and so surprised," said Aileen, who had met Rooney in England during one of her visits to Joe Baldwin's abode, "for we have quite lost ourselves."

Rooney looked a little awkwardly at the fair girl.

"Sure, it's glad I am myself that I've found you," he said, "but faix, I'm lost too! I do belave, howiver, that somebody's goin' to find us."

He turned his head aside and listened intently. Presently a cry was heard at no great distance. It was replied to by another.

"Pirates," said Rooney, in a hoa.r.s.e whisper, drawing a cutla.s.s from his belt.

As he spoke another cry was heard in an opposite direction.

"Friends!" exclaimed Rooney. "Sure we're surrounded by friends and foes! Come, git into the tree, ladies. I'll give a hail, an' if the varmin should come up first, I'll kape them in play. Don't show yer purty faces dears, an' be as aisy as ye can."

So saying, Rooney gave vent to a true British cheer, while the ladies ascended once more into the tree.

The cheer was instantly replied to by counter-cheers and howls. A minute more and two half-naked Malays, armed with spears and long shields, bounded into the clear s.p.a.ce and attacked the Irishman, but Rooney had placed his back to the tree and was ready for them. Although he was scarcely a match for two such men, whose peculiar and bounding mode of fighting he did not understand, Rooney nevertheless quickly disabled one by the sheer strength of a blow, which cut through the shield and wounded his enemy's head. The other he sprang upon like a wild cat and grappled with him. At that moment a third Malay glided on the scene, brandished his spear, and stood by the swaying combatants awaiting a favourable opportunity to thrust his weapon into the white man's back. He stood right under the branch in which the ladies were concealed. Miss Pritty saw his intention and felt convinced he would succeed. In desperate alarm at the danger of her protector, and horrified at what she was about to do, she grasped the pirate by the hair and tore out a large handful, at the same time uttering shriek upon shriek mingled with appalling bursts of hysterical laughter.

This saved Rooney, who turned just in time to protect himself, but as he did so six more pirates leaped upon the scene and overpowered him. They also sprung up the tree, and quickly brought down the ladies.

Poor Miss Pritty had gone fairly off into violent hysterics by that time. She was carried down in the arms of a pirate, into whose hair she had permanently fastened her ten fingers, while she filled the woods with unearthly cries.

Before any advantage, however, could be taken of this success, a cheer was heard close at hand. Next moment, Edgar Berrington burst on the scene, followed by the captain of the gun-boat and a body of men. The pirates did not await them, but fled instantly.

"Fire a volley, lads," shouted the captain.

The men obeyed, and one or two yells told that it had not been without effect, nevertheless, all the miscreants escaped with the exception of Miss Pritty's captive, who, unable to clear himself from her close embrace with sufficient speed, was collared and throttled into submission by Edgar.

"We'll divide our force here," said the captain. "I'll follow them up a while with some of the boys, and you, Mr Berrington, will return with the rest to the gun-boat, in charge of the ladies."

Edgar was about to object, but the captain silenced him at once with:--

"Come, sir, you're under my orders. Do what I bid you."

There was no resisting this, so Edgar turned, not unwillingly, and gave his arm to Aileen, who seized it with a grateful eagerness that sent a thrill of delight through all his frame.

"Come along, my lads," he cried. "Take care of Miss Pritty, poor thing!" he added, turning to Rooney.

The Irishman obeyed. He stooped and lifted her in his arms. She had been lying in a state of semi-insensibility with her eyes tightly shut.

The moment she felt herself being lifted, she clutched her protector by the hair, and held on, shrieking.

"Ay, tug away, cushla!" said Rooney, as he moved after his friends, "it's not much of _that_ ye'll manage to root up."

"Have you seen my father?" asked Aileen, anxiously, as they moved on together.

"He is safe," answered Edgar; "I found him exhausted in the hut which he told me you had occupied, and had him conveyed on board the gun-boat."

"Thank G.o.d!" exclaimed Aileen, fervently, "but," she added, with a slight shudder, "it seemed to me as if his mind had been unhinged--and-- and he was wounded."

"A mere scratch on the temple," said Edgar, "yet sufficient, with surrounding circ.u.mstances, to account for the temporary madness that a.s.sailed him. Fear not, Aileen, he is safe now, through G.o.d's mercy, and you shall soon be safe beside him."

A feeling of deep grat.i.tude and restfulness stole over the poor girl's spirit, and she almost wept for joy as they stepped into a small boat, and were rowed over the calm water to the gun-boat, which lay, black and still, under the deep shadow of a bank of luxuriant foliage.

"My child," said Mr Hazlit, sadly, as they reclined together on the couches of the little cabin, while Edgar sat on a camp-stool near them, Miss Pritty having been consigned to the captain's berth, "they tell me that this fearful work is not yet over. There is to be more fighting and bloodshed."

"How? What do you mean, papa?"

"Tell her, Mr Berrington."

"We have just had news sent us by a fast row-boat from a town about sixty miles along the coast that a large fleet of pirate-prows have been seen off the coast. They have taken several trading prows, and captured many men belonging to the Sarawak territory, besides several Chinamen.

When our captain completes his work on sh.o.r.e here, he intends to start at once in chase of these pirates, in the hope of destroying them and freeing their slaves."

"G.o.d help us," said Aileen, "it seems as if men in this part of the world, gloried in pouring out blood like water."

"Some of them undoubtedly do. Perhaps it may reconcile your mind to the destruction of these miscreants to know that for every one killed there will probably be saved the lives of dozens--if not hundreds--of innocent men and women, whom he would have murdered, or doomed to hopeless slavery, in the course of his wicked career."

As Edgar spoke, the sound of oars was heard. Presently the captain and his men leaped on deck. The moorings were cast loose, our hero took his station at the engine, and the gun-boat glided swiftly down the river, leaving the pirate stronghold in flames.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

LIFTS THE CURTAIN SLIGHTLY AS TO PIRATICAL DOINGS IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.

Silently they glided on, until the shades of evening fell, and the brilliant stars came out. Silently, for the gun-boat went at half-speed; silently, for her engines were good and new, and worked softly without the jarring of age or mal-construction; silently, because those on board were in a tranquil mood, and did not raise their voices above a low murmur.

"How romantic," said Aileen, in a low tone, as she sat by the stern-rail and watched the gleaming track left by the screw; "how enjoyable, if we could only forget what has just pa.s.sed, and the object we have in view.

The world is a mystery!"

"Is this the first time you have thought so?" asked Edgar, who leaned on the rail near her.

"Well, I think it is," she replied, with a sad smile; "at least it is the first time I have been deeply impressed with the thought."

"It is a very old thought," returned the youth, musingly. "Philosophers from the earliest times have recorded it. Thoughtful men and women of all ages have expressed it. Young people of all generations fancy they have discovered it. The Bible is a key which opens up much of it, and makes it plain; but much still remains in mystery, and I suppose will continue so to remain, till Time merges in Eternity."

"Do you think such mystery undesirable?" asked Aileen.