Ned Britton’s plan was to arm our entire company “to the teeth” and march in solid ranks through the forest until we came to the king’s village, which he figured lay about opposite the point where our ship had stranded3. Once at the village we could surprise the place, capture Ilalah, and bear her in triumph back to the wreck4.
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There were several objections to Ned’s optimistic plan. In the first place we did not know the forest, and the Indians did. They could hide behind the trees and pick us off with their arrows before we could use our fire-arms; or they might ambush5 us, and annihilate6 our band. Moreover, we were not sure Ilalah had been taken directly to the king’s village. They might have hidden her somewhere else.
“It’s another case of automobile7, Mr. Moit,” declared Uncle Naboth. “If we’re a-goin’ to get that girl you’ll have to use the convertible8, as sure as fate.”
“There is no doubt of that,” returned the inventor, promptly9. “I have determined10 to start as soon as it is daylight.”
“What is your idea, Duncan?” I asked.
“Simply to enter the country of the Techlas, show them a bold and fearless front, find out where the princess is, and then rescue her in some way. I’m afraid they will treat her badly, because she defied them and ran away with me.”
“But she is to be their next ruler, after Nalig-Nad is dead,” said I.
“Yes, if she outlives him. But the king has two other children, and he may prefer one of them to rule.”
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“That’s a fact,” I answered. “I’ve seen them. And Nalig-Nad must have been furious at Ilalah for favoring the hated whites.”
“There is no time to lose,” continued Duncan, nervously11. “We must start as soon as possible and make our plans on the way. Who will go with me?”
Everyone wanted to go, of course; but finally it was settled that Uncle Naboth and I, with Nux and Bryonia, should accompany Duncan Moit in the automobile. If we did not return within twenty-four hours then Ned Britton was to land his sailors and march quickly through the forest to our rescue. This arrangement was the best we could think of, and when I frankly12 told the men that this hazardous13 duty would not be forced upon them, since the adventure was wholly outside their province as seamen14, they one and all declared they would “see us through” or die in the attempt.
Only Dick Lombard, whose arm had been broken, and an old sailor with a bruised15 knee were to be left behind, that they might care for the ship in our absence.
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“No one can steal the cargo16, anyhow; it’s too heavy,” I remarked; “and if the Indians manage to do us up entirely17 Mr. Harlan will still be able to get his steel beams. So we need not worry over the ship.”
It was a desperate enterprise, and we knew it; but so strong was our admiration18 for the Princess of the Techlas that we did not hesitate to attempt in her behalf all that brave men might be capable of.
At the first break of day we got the automobile over the side and safely launched it. There was not a moment’s unnecessary delay, and as Duncan was now familiar with the river channel we were soon paddling at our best speed up the river.
By the time the red rays of the rising sun gleamed over the water we had passed the two hillocks and reached the southern tributary19 that led into the land of the Techlas.
We saw no Indians in the forest this time. Either it was too early for them to be abroad or they had assembled inland for some purpose. The forest was deserted20.
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Our progress was, of course, much slower than on land. I think the automobile paddled about eight miles an hour in still water, but as we now had to stem a current we made less time than that. But distances are not great in Panama, where the isthmus21 has a breadth of only some fifty miles, so that we were not long in passing the northern forest and coming to the coastal22 plains.
We left the river at the same spot as before, where the bank was low and shelving; for in talking over our plans we had decided23 to make directly for Nalig-Nad’s own village. It was reasonable to suppose that Ilalah had been first taken there, it being the nearest point to the ship from whence they had stolen her. The king might intend to hide her, presently, even if he permitted his rebellious24 daughter to live; but we judged that he would not expect us to give chase so soon. That we would dare venture into his dominions25 a second time the astute26 monarch27 would hesitate to believe.
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We relied much upon the promptness with which we had acted, and although we were forced to travel by a roundabout route we ought, with good luck, to reach the king’s village by the middle of the forenoon.
Once on the broad and level plains Moit allowed his machine to do its best. We knew there were no obstructions28 in the way, so we made a wonderful dash across the country.
No effort was made by the San Blas to oppose us or interfere29 with our progress. We observed no warriors30 at all, and the few farmers we passed scarcely paused in their labors31 long enough to stare at us.
When we came to Ogo’s village, however, we saw by means of the glass that the place was swarming32 with Indians, who were as busy and excited as bees in a hive. This puzzled us, and made us fear the princess might be in this place instead of the village farther on. But we decided to stick to our first programme, so we circled around the town to the north and continued on our way.
Much faster than we had covered the distance before we now fled over the plain, and soon the enclosure became visible and our journey was almost over.
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A great jagged section of the wall had been blown up by the explosion, wrecking33 some of the huts at the same time; but as we drew nearer we discovered that Nalig-Nad had caused a big ditch to be dug, in the form of a half moon, reaching from one end of the broken wall to the other. This ditch was evidently made on our account, and as it circled outward into the plain it prevented most effectually our entering the enclosure with the automobile.
We smiled at so childish an attempt to bar us from the village, but it informed us plainly that the king had anticipated our return and feared us, which knowledge served to encourage us very much.
We halted the machine outside the ditch, a hundred yards or so from the wall, and then proceeded to take careful observation of the condition of affairs at the village.
272
Our arrival had created no apparent excitement. There were no crowds to be seen and the few natives, men or women, who stalked across the space that was visible within the wall, going from one building to another, merely turned their faces toward us for a moment and then continued on their way. A woman sat at one side of the gap milking a goat; another near her was hanging some newly washed tunics34 on the edge of the broken wall to dry in the sun; but neither of these gave us more than a glance or allowed us to interrupt their occupation.
This apathy35 was mystifying. Surely we had created enough excitement at the time we left the king’s village to ensure a degree of interest in our return. If the savages36 imagined their puny37 ditch any protection they were likely to find themselves much mistaken.
Presently we saw something that aroused us to action. Ilalah appeared, crossing the enclosure from one of the side huts to the king’s palace. Her hands were bound firmly behind her back and her eyes were covered with a thick scarf which effectually blindfolded38 her. She was led and pushed along by two sour visaged old women, who showed their princess scant39 courtesy.
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Moit swore roundly under his breath and I myself was filled with indignation at the poor girl’s condition; at the same time we were gratified to know we had found her by coming promptly to the right place.
“Now,” said Duncan, grimly, “we know what to do.”
“They will bring her out again, sooner or later,” he answered, “and then we must make a dash, seize her, regain41 the automobile, and fly back to the ship.”
“Easy enough!” ejaculated Uncle Naboth, admiringly.
The women had finished milking and hanging out their clothes. Just now the courtyard seemed deserted.
“This is our chance,” cried Moit. “Follow me, all of you except Mr. Perkins. He must stay to guard the machine and to wave us a signal when Ilalah appears. We will creep up to the broken wall and hide behind it until the princess comes back. Then we will make a rush all together and capture her before the Indians know what we are about. Are you all armed?”
We were, and ready.
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Duncan leaped from the car and we followed him. Then, bounding across the narrow ditch, we ran silently but quickly to a position behind the wall, where those inside could not see us. There we crouched42, panting, to await Uncle Naboth’s signal.
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收听单词发音
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1
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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incensed
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| 盛怒的 | |
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stranded
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| a.搁浅的，进退两难的 | |
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4
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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6
annihilate
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| v.使无效；毁灭；取消 | |
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7
automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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convertible
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| adj.可改变的，可交换，同意义的；n.有活动摺篷的汽车 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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13
hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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14
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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15
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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16
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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17
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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19
tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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isthmus
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| n.地峡 | |
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coastal
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| adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的 | |
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23
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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25
dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 )； 领土； 疆土； 版图 | |
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astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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obstructions
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| n.障碍物( obstruction的名词复数 )；阻碍物；阻碍；阻挠 | |
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29
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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30
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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32
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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33
wrecking
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| 破坏 | |
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34
tunics
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| n.（动植物的）膜皮( tunic的名词复数 )；束腰宽松外衣；一套制服的短上衣；（天主教主教等穿的）短祭袍 | |
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35
apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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36
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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37
puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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38
blindfolded
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| v.（尤指用布）挡住（某人）的视线( blindfold的过去式 )；蒙住（某人）的眼睛；使不理解；蒙骗 | |
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39
scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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40
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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41
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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42
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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