"If ever a man was snatched from the jaws6 of death," he said, "I am that man."
"And I am another," added Jared Long, who approached in the gloom. "It seems to me like a veritable miracle."
The New Englander explained that, after his furious dash for shelter from the building, he did not believe his chances were any better than those of the man he left behind him. He started, with the intention of making his way by a circuitous7 course to the river, but had not gone far when he was struck by the baseness of his desertion of his friend. He, therefore, turned about with the resolve to try to do something for him, but had no more than caught sight of the structure again when he descried8 the Professor coming like a whirlwind for the trees.
Long moved to the point at which he saw he was aiming, and held his Winchester ready to open on any pursuers that might try to follow him. He would have picked off a dozen or so, for he was cool and collected, and fully9 determined10 to stand by his friend to the death.
Fortunately, however, for all parties concerned, none of the Murhapas pursued the Professor, though, as has been told, a number under the leadership of Ziffak dashed off in another direction, without endangering the fugitives11 in the least.
It was a marvellous deliverance, indeed, for our friends, and they understood the part the giant head chieftain had taken in extricating12 them from the peril13. Their hearts glowed with gratitude14 to the savage15, whose friendship for them they could not understand, but who had proven it in such a striking manner.
But it could not be said that they were yet free from danger; and there was much to do before they could breathe freely.
It needed but a brief consultation16 to agree that after what had taken place, it was the height of madness to attempt to push on to the enchanted17 lake and burning mountain. King Haffgo was so roused that there was not the slightest chance of escape. The only earthly probability of accomplishing anything in that direction, was by bringing a force strong enough to sweep the warlike Murhapas from their path.
Thankful would the little party of explorers be if they were permitted to get out of the Matto Grosso with their lives.
They waited in the margin18 of the wood until the return of Ziffak and his baffled company. It was easy to understand the clever trick played by the chieftain upon his followers19, and Grimcke and Long were convinced that no further attempt, at least for a time, would be made to capture them.
But being free to attend to their own safety, their thoughts naturally turned to the missing members of the company, especially to Ashman, who unquestionably was involved in the most imminent20 peril.
It was clear that his two friends could do nothing in his behalf. They did not know where to look for him, and such an attempt was sure to be followed by disastrous21 consequences to themselves.
It was a singular conclusion to which Grimcke and Long arrived and yet perhaps it was natural. They believed that Ashman had escaped before they did themselves, and that he was probably waiting at some point down the Xingu for them. They decided22 to pass in the same direction and strive to open communication with him.
How little did they suspect that though he was for the time out of the power of his enemies, yet the Princess Ariel was his companion, and that instead of seeking to flee from the dangerous country, he had actually penetrated23 farther into it.
After carefully reconnoitering their surroundings, therefore, the Professor and Long approached the Xingu at a point a third of a mile below the Murhapa village. Everything seemed to be quiet and motionless around them, with the exception of the river, yet they were given precious little time for wonderment or speculation24.
The first amazing sight on which their eyes rested was their own large canoe drifting down stream. They stood a moment, not knowing what to make of it, but speedily reached the right conclusion: Ziffak had set it free for their special benefit.
It was floating sideways near the middle of the Xingu, and showed there was no one on board.
It was too invaluable25 to be allowed to get away from them, or to run the risk of a passage through the rapids below. Long decided to swim out to it, but, before he could enter the water, the Professor showed him that some one had anticipated them. A short distance up the bank, a native was in the act of entering the Xingu, while his companion stood on the bank, evidently about to follow him.
The clear moonlight enabled the explorers to identify them as Bippo and Pedros, the former being the one already in the water.
"Let them go," whispered the Professor, "they may as well do it for us."
Pedros was but a few strokes behind his friend, and the two were seen to clamber over the side of the craft at the moment it came opposite where the delighted white men were standing.
At this juncture26, the Professor called to them in a guarded voice. Their expressions of amazement27 were ludicrous, and it was only after they had stared for several minutes and the call was repeated that they comprehended that their friends were near.
Then the two showed their extravagant28 delight by leaping up and down like a couple of children, and uttering cries that, to say the least, were imprudent.
The Professor sternly ordered them to hold their peace and paddle the boat to shore. They set to work with a will and brought the craft to land, only a short distance below, where the white men had reached the river. Instantly, they stepped on board, and with the exception of the single absent member, our friends stood in the same situation as a short time before.
It was Jared Long that in his flight from the beleaguered29 building took the extra Winchester with him, so that the little party could not have been better armed. Luckily, too, there was an abundant supply of ammunition30 on board, so that the old feeling of confidence came back to the party when they once more felt they were masters of the boat and all it contained.
Their desire now was to increase the distance between themselves and the Murhapa village, from which all had had such a narrow escape. When Bippo timidly asked his masters whether they meant to return or attempt to go any farther up the Xingu, they were assured that no such thought was in the mind of either of the explorers. They would only be thankful if they could get back to the Amazon without ever meeting another Murhapa.
This was enough for the natives, who were willing to jump overboard and tow the boat faster than it was already going. That, however, was unnecessary, and they were told that they had only to obey orders as cheerfully as they had done from the beginning and that undoubtedly31 everything would come out well.
It was past midnight, when the roaring just below, which was increasing every minute, warned them they were approaching the dangerous rapids. Possibly the craft might have passed safely through but it would have been imprudent to make the attempt for which no necessity existed.
Accordingly, the boat was once more run ashore32 and drawn33 against the bank, with the view of raising it upon their shoulders to be transported to the calmer waters below.
The four men were in the very act of lifting the craft, when to their terror, fully a score of Aryks suddenly emerged from the wood and surrounded them. All were armed with the frightful34 javelins35, a prick36 from one of which was enough to cause almost instant death.
The whites could not have been caught at greater disadvantage, and Bippo and Pedros were so overcome that they were unable to move. Long was on the point of opening a fusillade, when Professor Grimcke was struck by the fact that no one of the Aryks offered to harm them. They chattered37 like a lot of magpies38, and gathering39 round them made a movement as if to take possession of their boat.
The New Englander would have showed fight, had not his companion said in a low tone:
"They are friendly! They mean to do us no harm!"
Such was the astounding40 truth, and it was easily explained. Ziffak on his way up the Xingu with his new friends had warned the Aryks that they must do the whites no harm: they were on their way at that time to the Murhapa village as friends, and the head chieftain told his allies that any further hostility41 would be visited with the punishment of death.
The Aryks were not likely to forget such a notice. They had seen the boat approaching; and, being totally unsuspicious of what had occurred during the earlier part of the evening, were anxious to manifest their good will by carrying the canoe around the rapids.
Jared Long could hardly credit the truth, and held himself ready for a desperate fight; but, when the boat was lifted upon the shoulders of a half dozen stalwart warriors42 who started down the shore with it, he smiled grimly and admitted that the Professor was right.
The load was quite burdensome, but the carriers stepped off, highly pleased with the privilege, while the rest of their party straggled after them, the whites and their servants bringing up the rear.
Bippo and Pedros were not quite able to comprehend the extraordinary condition of affairs, and kept close to the heels of their masters like a couple of frightened dogs.
At the base of the rapids, the Aryks set down the boat, with great care, saluted43 in their rude way, and turning about, disappeared in the forest from which they had emerged.
"If they only knew," said Long when they were drifting down stream once more.
"But they don't," replied the Professor, "and yet they will learn the truth before long."
The boat was allowed to drift a half mile further, when, convinced they had gone far enough, they ran into land, disembarked and carried it in among the trees, where it was out of the sight of any one passing up or down the Xingu. Then they prepared to await the coming of Fred Ashman, doubtful, however, whether he ever would come.
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1
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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3
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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devoutly
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| adv.虔诚地，虔敬地，衷心地 | |
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fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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7
circuitous
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| adj.迂回的路的，迂曲的，绕行的 | |
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8
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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12
extricating
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| v.使摆脱困难，脱身( extricate的现在分词 ) | |
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13
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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16
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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18
margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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19
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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20
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
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22
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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23
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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24
speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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juncture
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| n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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28
extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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29
beleaguered
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| adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰 | |
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30
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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33
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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34
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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35
javelins
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| n.标枪( javelin的名词复数 ) | |
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36
prick
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| v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛 | |
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37
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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38
magpies
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| 喜鹊（magpie的复数形式） | |
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39
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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40
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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41
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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42
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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43
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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