Books: The Rover Boys in the Jungle
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Arthur M. Winfield >> The Rover Boys in the Jungle
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A journey of several hours brought the party to a small clearing
overlooking the Congo at a point where the bank was fully fifty
feet above the surface of the stream. Here, in years gone by, a
rough log hut had been built, which the African International
Association had once used as a fort during a war with the natives.
The log hut was in a state of decay, but still fit for use and
almost hidden from view by the dense growth of vines which covered
it.
The men who had brought Randolph Rover and Dick hither evidently
knew all about the hut, for they proceeded to make themselves at
home without delay. Taking the Rovers into one of the apartments
of the dilapidated building they tied each to the logs of the
walls, one several yards from the other.
"Now you must wait until Captain Villaire returns," said the
leader of the party in French. He will be here before daylight."
"But what does this mean?" demanded Randolph Rover.
"He will tell you what it means," grinned the brigand, and walked
away to another part of the hut, which was built in a long,
rambling fashion, and contained a dozen or more divisions.
"We are in a pickle," remarked Dick dismally. "This is hunting
up father with a vengeance."
"We won't despair yet, Dick. But I would like to know what this
means."
"It probably means robbery, for one thing, Uncle Randolph. And it
may mean death." And the youth, shuddered.
"If I am not mistaken I saw some of these rascals hanging around
the hotel in Boma."
"That is more than likely. They have been watching their chance
to attack us ever since we left the town."
Slowly the hours wore away until morning dawned. The positions of
both Dick and his uncle were most uncomfortable ones, and the
youth was ready to groan aloud at the strain put upon his
shoulders through having his arms tied behind him.
At last they heard footsteps approaching from the opposite end of
the rambling building.
"Somebody at last!" cried Dick.
He had scarcely spoken when Captain Villaire appeared, followed by
-- Dan Baxter!
CHAPTER XVIII
A DEMAND OF IMPORTANCE
Dick could scarcely believe the evidence of his own eyesight as he
gazed at the former bully of Putnam Hall and the Frenchman who
stood beside him.
"Baxter! Is it possible!" he gasped. "What brought you here?"
"Are you a prisoner, too?" put in Randolph Rover.
"A prisoner!" laughed Baxter. "Well, that's a good one, I must
say. No, I am not a prisoner."
"And what brought you here?" went on Mr. Rover.
"Can't you imagine?"
"He is in with these rascals who have captured us," came quickly
from Dick. "This is how you repay our kindness, Baxter?"
"Your kindness? Bah! I want none of it. Didn't I refuse your
offer, made just before you went away?"
"But you didn't refuse the first money we gave you, Baxter."
At this the bully bit his lip. "We won't talk about that, Dick
Rover. Do you realize that you are absolutely in my power? How
do you like it?"
"It was not you who captured us, Baxter."
"Well, it amounts to the same thing, eh, Capitan Villaire? " and
the big boy turned to the French brigand, who nodded. "We
collared you nicely."
"What of Sam and Tom? " asked Randolph Rover anxiously.
"Ve will not speak of zem udders," broke in Captain Villaire. "Ve
vill speak apout you."
"Did Baxter put up this plot against us? queried Dick.
"To be sure I did," answered Baxter, who loved to brag just as
much as ever.
"And before I let you go I'm going to make you pay up dearly for
all that I have suffered. Captain Villaire, have you had them
searched?" he asked, turning again to his companion.
"Yees, Baxter, but za had not mooch monish wid zem."
"How much?"
"Only about a hundred pounds."
"Then they left it behind at Binoto's place," was the quick
answer. "Now if those others aren't captured --"
"Hush, ve vill not speak of zat," put in the brigand hastily.
"Tell zeni what I haf tole you."
"All right, I will." Dan Baxter turned once more to the
prisoners. "Do you know why you were brought here?"
"To be robbed, I presume," answered Randolph Rover.
"Or that and worse," said Dick significantly,
"I reckon I have a right to all of your money, Dick Rover."
"I don't see how you make that out, Baxter."
"Years ago your father robbed mine out of the rights to a rich
gold mine in the United States."
"That's your side of the story. I claim, and so did my father,
that the mine was ours."
"It's a falsehood. The mine was discovered by my fattier, and if
everything had gone right he would have had the income from it."
"This is ancient history, Baxter. Come to business. What do you
intend to do with us?"
"We intend to make money out of you," was the answer, given with a
rude laugh.
"In what manner?"
"First you will have to answer a few questions."
"Zat ees it," put in Captain Villaire. "How mooch morlish you
bring wid you from America?"
"We didn't bring much," answered Randolph Rover, who began to
smell a mouse.
"How mooch?"
"About two hundred pounds."
"Humph, a thousand dollars!" sneered Baxter. "That won't do at
all."
"You must haf brought more!" cried the French brigand angrily.
"Not much more."
"You leave zat in Boma, wid ze bankers, eh?"
"Yes."
"But you baf von big lettair of credit, not so?"
"Yes, we have a letter of credit," answered Randolph Rover. "But
that won't do you any good, nor the money at the banker's
neither."
"Ve see about zat, monsieur. Proceed," and Captain Villaire waved
his hand toward Dan Baxter.
"This is the situation in a nutshell, to come right down to
business," said the former bully of Putnam Hall coolly." You are
our prisoners, and you can't get away, no matter how hard you try.
Captain Villaire and his men, as well as myself, are in this
affair to make money. The question is, what is your liberty worth
to you?"
"So you intend to work such a game?" demanded Dick.
"That's the game, yes."
"Well, I shan't pay you a cent."
"Don't be a fool, Dick Rover. We are not to be trifled with."
"Well, I haven't any money, and that ends it. You already have
all I had."
"Then you will have to foot the bill," continued Dan Baxter,
turning to Randolph Rover.
"If you value your liberty you will pay us what we demand."
"And what do you demand? " questioned Mr. Rover.
"We demand twenty thousand dollars -- ten thousand for the liberty
of each."
This demand nearly took away Randolph Rover's breath.
"Twenty thousand dollars!" he gasped. "It is -- is preposterous!"
"Is it? You are worth a good deal more than that, Mr. Rover. And
I am demanding only what is fair."
"You shall never get the money."
"Won't we?"
"Never!"
"Perhaps you'll sing a different tune in a few, days -- after your
stomachs get empty," responded Dan Baxter, with a malicious gleam
in his fishy eyes. So you mean to starve us into acceding to your
demands," said Dick. "Baxter, I always did put you down as a
first-class rascal. If you keep, on, you'll be more of a one than
your father."
In high rage the former bully of Putnam Hall strode forward and
without warning struck the defenseless Dick a heavy blow on the
cheek.
"That, for your impudence," he snarled. "You keep a civil tongue
in your head. If you don't --" He finished with a shake of his
fist.
"You had bettair make up your mind to pay ze monish," said Captain
Villaire, after a painful pause. "It will be ze easiest way out
of ze situation for you."
"Don't you pay a cent, Uncle Randolph," interrupted Dick quickly.
Then Baxter hit him again, such a stinging blow that he almost
lost consciousness.
"For shame!" ejaculated Mr. Rover. "He is tied up, otherwise you
would never have the courage to attack him. Baxter, have you no
spirit of fairness at all in your composition?"
"Don't preach -- I won't listen to it!" fumed the bully. "You
have got to pay that money. If you don't -- well, I don't believe
you'll ever reach America alive, that's all."
With these words Dan Baxter withdrew, followed by Captain
Villaire.
"You think za will pay?" queried the French brigand anxiously.
"To be sure they will pay. They value their lives too much to
refuse. just wait until they have suffered the pangs of hunger
and thirst, and you'll see how they change their tune."
"You are certain za have ze monish?"
"Yes; they are rich. It will only be a question of waiting for
the money after they send for it."
"I vill not mind zat."
"Neither will I -- if we are safe here. You don't think anybody
will follow us?"
"Not unless za find ze way up from ze rivair. Za cannot come here
by land, because of ze swamps," answered the Frenchman. "And ze
way from ze rivair shall be well guarded from now on," he added.
CHAPTER XIX
WHAT HAPPENED TO TOM AND SAM
Let us return to Tom and Sam, at the time they were left alone at
Binoto's hostelry.
"I wish we had gone with Dick and Uncle Randolph," said Tom, as he
slipped into his coat and shoes. "I don't like this thing at
all."
"Oh, don't get scared before you are hurt, Tom!" laughed his
younger brother. "These people out here may be peculiar, but --"
Sam did not finish. A loud call from the woods had reached his
ears, and in alarm he too began to dress, at the same time
reaching for his pistol and the money belt which Randolph Rover
had left behind.
"I -- I guess something is wrong," he went on, after a pause. "If
we -"
"Tom! Sam! look out fo' yourselves!" came from Aleck, and in a
second more the negro, burst on their view. "Come, if yo' is
dressed!" he added.
"Where to?" asked Tom hurriedly.
"Anywhar, Massah Tom. De others is took prisoners! Come!" And
Aleck almost dragged the boy along.
The Rover boys could readily surmise that Aleck would not act in
this highly excited manner unless there was good cause for it.
Consequently, as Sam said afterward, "They didn't stand on the
order of their going, but just flew." Pell-mell out of the
hostelry they tumbled, and ran up the highway as rapidly as their
nimble limbs would permit.
They heard several men coming after them, and heard the command
"Halt!" yelled after them in both French and bad English. But
they did not halt until a sudden tumble on Tom's part made the
others pause in dismay.
"Oh, great Caesar!" groaned the fun-loving Rover, and tried to
stand up. "I guess I've twisted my ankle."
"Can't you even walk?" asked Sam.
"We ain't got no time ter lose!" panted Aleck, who was almost
winded. "If we stay here we'll be gobbled up -- in no time, dat's
shuah!"
"Let us try to carry Tom," said Sam, and attempted to lift his
brother up. But the load made him stagger.
"De trees -- let us dun hide in, de trees!" went on the negro,
struck by a certain idea. "Come on, quick!"
"Yes - yes -- anything!" groaned Tom, and then shut his teeth hard
to keep himself from screaming with pain.
Together they carried the suffering youth away from the highway to
where there was a thick jungle of trees and tropical vines. The
vines, made convenient ladders by which to get up into the trees,
and soon Sam and Aleck were up and pulling poor Tom after them.
"Now we must be still," said Aleck, when they were safe for the
time being. "Hear dem a-conun' dis way."
The three listened and soon made out the footsteps of the
approaching party. They soon passed on up the road.
"We've fooled them," whispered Sam.
"But, oh, Aleck, what does it all mean?"
"It means dat yo' uncle an' Dick am prisoners -- took by a lot of
rascals under a tall, Frenchman."
"Yes, but I don't understand --"
"No more do I, Massah Sam, but it war best to git out, dat's as
shuah as yo' is born," added the colored man solemnly.
Poor Torn was having a wretched time of it with his ankle, which
hurt as badly as ever and had begun to swell. As he steadied
himself on one of the limbs of the tree Sam removed his shoe,
which gave him a little relief.
From a distance came a shouting, and they made out through the
trees the gleam of a torch. But soon the sounds died out and the
light disappeared.
What should they do next? This was a question impossible to
answer.
"One thing is certain, I can't walk just yet," said Tom. "When I
put my foot down it's like a thousand needles darting through my
leg."
"Let us go below and hunt up some water," said Sam; and after
waiting a while longer they descended into the small brush. Aleck
soon found a pool not far distant, and to this they carried Tom,
and after all had had a drink, the swollen ankle was bathed, much
to the sufferer's relief.
Slowly the time dragged by until morning. As soon as the sun was
up Aleck announced that he was going back to the hostelry to see
how the land lay.
"But don't expose yourself," said Tom. "I am certain now that is
a regular robbers' resort, or worse."
Aleck was gone the best part of three hours. When he returned he
was accompanied by Cujo. The latter announced that all of the
other natives had fled for parts unknown.
"The inn is deserted," announced Aleck. Even that colored wife of
the proprietor is gone.
"And did you find any trace of Dick and my uncle?" asked Sam.
"We found out where dat struggle took place," answered, Aleck.
"And Cujo reckons as how he can follow de trail if we don't wait
too long to do it."
"Must go soon," put in Cujo for himself.
"Maybe tomorrow come big storm -- den track all washed away."
Tom sighed and shook his head. "You can go on, but you'll have to
leave me behind. I couldn't walk a hundred yards for a barrel of
gold."
"Oh, we can't think of leaving you behind!" cried Sam.
"I'll tell you wot -- Ise dun carry him, at least fe a spell,"
said Aleck, and so it was arranged.
Under the new order of things Cujo insisted on making a scouting
tour first, that he might strike the trail before carrying them
off on a circuitous route, thus tiring Aleck out before the real
tracking began.
The African departed, to be gone the best Part of an hour. When
he came back there was a broad grin of satisfaction on his homely
features.
"Cujo got a chicken," he announced, producing the fowl. "And here
am some werry good roots, too. Now va dinner befo' we start out."
"Right yo' am, Cujo!" cried Pop, and began to start up a fire
without delay, while Cujo cleaned the fowl and mashed up the
roots, which, when baked on a hot stone, tasted very much like
sweet potatoes. The meal was enjoyed by all, even Tom eating his
full share in spite of his swollen ankle, which was now gradually
resuming its normal condition.
Cujo had found the trail at a distance of an eighth of a mile
above the wayside hostelry. "Him don't lead to de ribber dare,"
he said. "But I dun think somet'ing of him."
"And what do you think? " asked Tom, from his seat on Aleck's
back.
"I t'ink he go to de kolobo."
"And what is the kolobo?" asked Sam with interest.
"De kolobo old place on ribber-place where de white soldiers shoot
from big fort-house."
"A fort!" cried Tom. "But would the authorities allow, them to go
there?"
"No soldiers dare now -- leave kolobo years ago. Place most
tumble down now. But good place fo' robbers."
"I see. Well, follow the trail as best you can -- and we'll see
what we will see."
"And let us get along just as fast as we can," added Sam.
On they went through a forest that in spots was so thick they
could scarcely pass. The jungle contained every kind of tropical
growth, including ferns, which were beautiful beyond description,
and tiny vines so wiry that they cut like a knife.
"This is tough," remarked Sam. "But I suppose it doesn't hold a
candle to what is beyond."
"Werry bad further on," answered Cujo. "See, here am de trail,"
and he pointed it out.
Several miles were covered, when they came to a halt in order to
rest and to give Aleck a let up in carrying Tom. The youth now
declared his foot felt much better and hobbled along for some
distance by leaning on Sam's shoulder.
Presently they were startled by hearing a cry from a distance.
They listened intently, then Cujo held up his hand.
"Me go an' see about dat," he said. "Keep out ob sight, all ob
you!" And he glided into the bushes with the skill and silence of
a snake.
Another wait ensued, and Tom improved the time by again bathing
his foot in a pool which was discovered not far from where Cujo
had left them. The water seemed to do much good, and the youth
declared that by the morrow he reckoned he would be able to do a
fair amount of walking if they did not progress too rapidly.
"But what a country this is!" he murmured.
I declare they could burn wood night and day for a century and
never miss a stick."
"I thought I heard some monkeys chattering a while ago," answered
Sam. "I suppose the interior is alive with them."
"I dun see a monkey lookin' at us now, from dat tree," observed
Aleck. "See dem shinin' eyes back ob de leaves?" He pointed with
his long forefinger, and both, boys gazed in the direction. Then
Tom gave a yell.
"A monkey? That's a snake! Look out for yourselves!"
He started back and the others did the same. And they were none
too soon, for an instant later the leaves were thrust apart and a
serpent's form appeared, swaying slowly to and fro, as if
contemplating a drop upon their very heads!
CHAPTER XX
THE FIGHT AT THE OLD FORT
For the instant after the serpent appeared nobody spoke or moved.
The waving motion of the reptile was fascinating to the last
degree, as was also that beady stare from its glittering eyes.
The stare was fixed upon poor Tom, and having retreated but a few
feet, he now stood as though rooted to the spot. Slowly the form
of the snake was lowered, until only the end of its tail kept it
up on the tree branch. Then the head and neck began to swing back
and forth, in a straight line with Tom's face.
The horrible fascination held the poor, boy as by a spell, and he
could do nothing but look at those eyes, which seemed to bum
themselves upon his very brain. Closer and closer, and still
closer, they came to his face, until at last the reptile prepared
to strike.
Crack! It was Sam's pistol that spoke up, at just the right
instant, and those beady eyes were ruined forever, and the wounded
head twisted in every direction, while the body of the serpent,
dropping from the tree, lashed and dashed hither and thither in
its agony. Then the spell was broken, and Tom let out such a yell
of terror as had never before issued from his lips.
Crack! came a second shot from Sam's pistol. But the serpent was
moving around too rapidly for a good aim to be taken, and only the
tip of the tail was struck. Then, in a mad, blind fashion, the
snake coiled itself upon Aleck's foot, and began, with
lightning-like rapidity, to encircle the colored man's body.
"Help!" shrieked Aleck, trying to pull the snake off with his
hands. "Help! or Ise a dead man, shuah!"
"Catch him by the neck, Aleck! " ejaculated Tom, and brought out
his own pistol. Watching his chance, he pulled the trigger twice,
sending both bullets straight through the reptile's body. Then
Sam fired again, and the mangled head fell to the ground.
But dead or alive the body still encircled Aleck, and the
contraction threatened to cave in the colored man's ribs.
"Pull him off somehow!" he gasped. "Pull him off!"
Crack! went Tom's pistol once more, and now the snake had
evidently had enough of it, for it uncoiled slowly and fell to the
ground in a heap, where it slowly shifted from one spot to another
until life was extinct. But neither the boys nor the colored man
waited to see if it was really dead. Instead, they took to their
heels and kept on running until the locality was left a
considerable distance behind.
"That was a close shave," said Tom, as he dropped on the ground
and began to nurse his lame ankle once more. "Ugh! but that snake
was enough to give one the nightmare!"
"Don't say a word," groaned Aleck, who had actually turned pale.
"I vought shuah I was a goner, I did fo' a fac'! I don't want to
meet no mo' snakes!"
The two boys reloaded their pistols with all rapidity, and this
was scarcely accomplished when they heard Cujo calling to them.
Soon the native put in an appearance. When told of what had
happened he would not believe the tale until he had gone back to
look at the dead snake.
"You werry lucky," he said. "Him big wonder um snake didn't kill
all of yo'!"
Cujo had made an important discovery. He had located Captain
Villaire's party at the old fort, and said that several French
brigands were on guard, by the trail leading from the swamp and at
the cliff overlooking the river.
"I see white boy dare too," he added. "Same boy wot yo' give
money to in Boma."
"Dan Baxter!" ejaculated Sam. "Can it be possible that he is
mixed up in this affair?"
"I can't understand it at all," returned Tom. "But the question
is, now we have tracked the rascals, what is to be done next?"
After a long talk it was resolved to get as close to the old fort
as possible. Cujo said they need not hurry, for it would be best
to wait until nightfall before making any demonstration against
their enemies. The African was very angry to think that the other
natives had deserted the party, but this anger availed them
nothing.
Four o'clock in the afternoon found them on the edge of the swamp
and not far from the bank of the Congo. Beyond was the cliff,
overgrown in every part with rank vegetation, and the ever-present
vines, which hung down like so many ropes of green.
"If we want to get up the wall we won't want any scaling ladders,"
remarked Tom grimly. "Oh, if only we knew that Dick and Uncle
Randolph were safe!"
"I'm going to find out pretty soon," replied Sam. "I'll tell you
what I think. I think they are being held for ransom."
"I was thinking of that, too. But I didn't dream of such a thing
being done down here although, I know it is done further north in
Africa among the Moors and Algerians."
Cujo now went off on another scout and did not return until the
sun was setting. Again he was full of smiles.
"I can show you a way up de rocks," he said. "We can get to the
walls of um fort, as you call um, without being seen."
Soon night was upon them, for in the tropics there is rarely any
twilight. Tom now declared himself able to walk once more, and
they moved off silently, like so many shadows, beside the swamp
and then over a fallen palm to where a series of rocks, led up to
the cliff proper.
"Sh-ah!" came presently from Cujo. "Man ahead!"
They came to a halt, and through the gloom saw a solitary figure
sitting on a rock. The sentinel held a gun over his knees and was
smoking a cigarette.
"If he sees us he will give the alarm," whispered Tom. "Can't we
capture him without making a noise?"
"Dat's de talk," returned Aleck. "Cujo, let us dun try dat
trick."
Cujo nodded. "Urn boys stay here," he said. "Cujo fix dat
feller!"
And off he crawled through the wet grass, taking a circuitous
route which brought him up on the sentinel's left.
Presently the sentinel started to rise. As he did so Cujo leaped
from the grass and threw him to the earth. Then a long knife
flashed in the air. "No speak, or um diet" came softly; but, the
Frenchman realized that the African meant what he said.
"I will be silent!" he growled, in the language of the African.
"Don't -- don't choke me."
Cujo let out a low whistle, which the others rightly guessed was a
signal for them to come up. Finding himself surrounded, the
Frenchman gave up his gun and other weapons without a struggle.
He could talk no English, so what followed had to be translated by
Cujo.
"Yes, de man an' boy are dare," explained Cujo, pointing to the
fort. "Da chained up, so dis rascal say. De captain ob de band
want heap money to let um go."
"Ask him how many of the band there are," asked Sam.
But at this question the Frenchman shook his head. Either he did
not know or would not tell.
After a consultation the rascal was made to march back to safer
ground. Then he was strapped to a tree and gagged. The straps
were not fastened very tightly, so that the man was sure to gain
his liberty sooner or later. "If we didn't come back and he was
too tight he might starve to death," said Tom.
"Not but wot he deserves to starve," said Aleck, with a scowl at
the crestfallen prisoner.
At the foot of the cliff all was as dark and silent as a tomb.
"We go slow now, or maybe take a big tumble," cautioned Cujo.
"Perhaps him better if me climb up first," and he began the
dangerous ascent of the cliff by means of the numerous vines
already mentioned.
He was halfway up when the others started after him, Sam first,
Tom next, and Aleck bringing up in the rear.
Slowly they arose until the surface of the stream was a score or
more of feet below them. Then came the sounds of footsteps from
above and suddenly a torch shone down into their upturned faces.
"Hullo, who's this?" came in English and the Rover boys recognized
Dan Baxter.
"Silence, on your life!" cried Tom.
"Tom Rover!" gasped the bully. "How came you --"
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