Moreover, with his knowledge, already gained, of Asiatic cunning, he ought to have reflected that if two of their dusky enemies were within the house there were likely to be others in the immediate4 neighborhood. It looked as if Mustad had entered the dwelling5 expecting to find the physician there. He was prepared with an excuse for his abrupt6 departure and an explanation that would satisfy his indulgent master and mistress. Keeping his companion in the background the wretch7 could then complete his plans for turning the party over to the fury of their brother murderers, who probably were calmly waiting on the outside for the signal.
Nothing of all this, we repeat, entered the head of Jack until he had made the change in the course he was following and had passed down the slope to the river bank. His effort to mislead his enemies necessarily took him some distance above the point where he had left the boat, and he now set out to find his way to it. It was while he was engaged in doing so that he became aware that he was followed.
"Well, I'll be hanged!" he muttered, coming to an abrupt stop; "it seems to me that these infernal imps8 are everywhere."
He had not seen any one, but a rustling9, grating noise in the shadow of the nearest tree told him where the immediate danger lay. Believing that an unexpected course was best he wheeled and ran at full speed toward the tree, which contained a large number of dense10, wide-spreading branches.
The result was surprising. Instead of one native, two leaped out from cover and ran away at full speed. They had been stealing after him, on the watch for a chance to bring him down by a blow in the back, when the tables were turned in this unexpected manner. Jack, therefore, had no hesitation11 in firing at the one on his right, and immediately after at his companion, whose superior speed had placed him considerably12 in advance. As a consequence, he missed the latter, while the first emitted a screech13, leaped high in air and sprawled14 forward on his face as dead as Julius Caesar.
The fact that his pursuers were two in number led the young man to believe they were Mustad and his companion, whom he had heard in the house. A few minutes later he made another halt. He was able, despite the gloom, to identify the spot where he had left the boat, but it was not in sight.
"I told them not to wait for me, and they acted on my suggestion. They can't be far off, and I hope have run into no trouble."
The occurrences of the last quarter of an hour gave Jack a vivid idea of the increasing peril15. The natives from the nearby town were hunting for the physician, his daughter and himself, all of whom had not left the house a minute too soon and now, while he paused on the shore of the river and listened, he too caught the sound that had filled his friends with dread16. There were no noises from the jungles to the eastward17, though at times the outcries are terrifying, and the shouts and shrieks18 of the mutineers and their victims at Meerut and Delhi were too far away to reach his ears, but he heard now and then the faint sound of paddles out on the stream.
"Anderson spoke19 of using paddles," reflected Jack, "but it was a misnomer20, for they have none, and they would not have pushed so far out from shore when they knew I expected to return so soon. All that proves that a party of devils have also a boat and are hunting for the one in which our new friends are groping for safety."
This threatened to make a new complication, but the plain course for Jack was to keep along the shore of the river and press his search for the craft, which he was certain was not far off.
His experience had taught him the need of unceasing vigilance, and as he advanced, he scrutinized21 the ground in front and on every hand, like a scout22 stealing into a hostile camp. Within less time than he counted upon he saw the boat lying close to shore, where his friends were awaiting him. As soon as he recognized the craft he announced himself in a guarded undertone, to guard against any mistake, and the next moment clambered aboard, where, it need not be said, he was warmly welcomed.
After they had exchanged greetings the doctor asked:
"Did I not hear the report of your pistol a little while ago?"
"Inasmuch as I discharged it very probably you did."
Thereupon Jack told of what he had seen and done since leaving the boat to recover the pistol of Miss Marlowe. It was a story of deep interest to all, and his account of his meeting with the faithless Mustad deeply stirred his master.
"Despite my denunciation of the fellow I confess I had a lingering suspicion that I might have been mistaken; but all doubt now is removed. There is no native in all India to be more dreaded23 than he."
"I have a faint hope that it was he with whom I made my fourth bull's-eye," remarked Jack.
"Hardly likely. Probably there were two others skulking24 on the outside and waiting for a chance at us."
"But they had all the chance they could have asked at me."
"It may have been the doctor and his daughter whom they were the most eager to secure," suggested Mr. Turner.
"That is my belief," added Anderson.
"And mine, too," joined the doctor himself. "It seems to be a trait of our perverse25 human nature to hate with the deepest intensity26 those who have done us the greatest kindness."
This remark meant more to Jack Everson than to any one else, for he believed that it was the daughter who was the special object of the natives. That reminded him of the weapon he had secured.
"Here," he said, "take it before I forget to return it."
"You risked a good deal for my sake," she said gratefully, accepting the weapon, "and I cannot thank you sufficiently—— Well, I declare!"
She was in the act of placing the pistol in the pocket of her dress when she made the discovery that her weapon was already there. Jack Everson had taken Mustad's own property from him.
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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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acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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3
pluckily
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| adv.有勇气地，大胆地 | |
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4
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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8
imps
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| n.（故事中的）小恶魔( imp的名词复数 )；小魔鬼；小淘气；顽童 | |
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9
rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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12
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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13
screech
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| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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14
sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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17
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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18
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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20
misnomer
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| n.误称 | |
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scrutinized
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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23
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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24
skulking
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| v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 ) | |
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25
perverse
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| adj.刚愎的；坚持错误的，行为反常的 | |
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26
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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