Books: The Rover Boys in the Jungle
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Arthur M. Winfield >> The Rover Boys in the Jungle
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"Silence, Baxter! I have a pistol and you know I am a good shot.
Stand where you an and put both hands over your head."
"Will I stand? Not much!" yelled the bully, and flung his torch
straight at Tom. Then he turned and ran for the fort, giving the
alarm at the top of his lungs.
The torch struck Tom on the neck, and for the moment the youth was
in danger of losing his hold on the vines and tumbling to the
jagged rocks below. But then the torch slipped away, past Sam and
Aleck, and went hissing into the dark waters of the Congo.
By this time Cujo had reached the top of the cliff and was making
after Baxter. Both gained the end of the fort at the same time and
one mighty blow from Cujo's club laid Baxter senseless near the
doorway.
"Help! help!" The cry came in Dick's voice, and was plainly
heard by Sam and Tom. Then Captain Villaire appeared, and a rough
and tumble battle ensued, which the Rovers well remember to this
day.
But Tom was equal to the occasion, and after the first onslaught
he turned, as if summoning help from the cliff. "This way!" he
cried. "Tell the company to come up here and the other company
can surround the swamp!"
Several pistol shots rang out, and the boys saw a Frenchman go
down with a broken arm. Then Captain Villaire shouted: "We have
been betrayed -- we must flee!" The cry came in French, and as if
by magic the brigands disappeared into the woods behind the old
fort; and victory was upon the side of our friends.
CHAPTER XXI
INTO THE HEART OF AFRICA
"Well, I sincerely trust we have no more such adventures."
The speaker was Randolph Rover. He was seated on an old bench in
one of the rooms of the fort, binding up a finger which had been
bruised in the fray. It was two hours later, and the fight had
come to an end some time previous. Nobody was seriously hurt,
although Sam, Dick, and Aleck were suffering from several small
wounds. Aleck had had his ear clipped by a bullet from Captain
Villaire's pistol and was thankful that he had not been killed.
Baxter, the picture of misery, was a prisoner. The bully's face
was much swollen and one eye was in deep mourning. He sat huddled
up in a heap in a corner and wondering what punishment would be
dealt out to him. "I suppose they'll kill me," he groaned, and it
may be added that he thought he almost deserved that fate.
"You came just in time," said Dick. "Captain Villaire was about
to torture us into writing letters home asking for the money he
wanted as a ransom. Baxter put it into his head that we were very
rich."
"Oh, please don't say anything more about it!" groaned the
unfortunate bully. "I -- that Frenchman put up this job all on
his own hook."
"I don't believe it," came promptly from Randolph Rover. "You met
him, at Boma; you cannot deny it."
"So I did; but be didn't say he was going to capture you, and I -"
"We don't care to listen to your falsehoods, Baxter," interrupted
Dick sternly.
"You are fully as guilty as anybody. You admitted it before."
Cujo had gone off to watch Captain Villaire and his party. He now
came back, bringing word that the brigand had taken a fallen tree
and put out on the Congo and was drifting down the stream along
with several of his companions in crime.
"Him won't come back," said the tall African. "Him had enough of
urn fight."
Nevertheless the whole party remained on guard until morning,
their weapons ready for instant use. But no alarm came, and when
day, dawned they soon made sure that they had the entire locality
around the old fort to themselves, the Frenchman with a broken arm
having managed to crawl off and reach his friends.
What to do with Dan Baxter was a conundrum.
"We can't take him with us, and if we leave him behind he will
only be up to more evil," said Dick. "We ought to turn him over
to the British authorities."
"No, no, don't do that," pleaded the tall youth. "Let me go and
I'll promise never to interfere with you again."
"Your promises are not worth the breath used in uttering them,"
replied Tom. "Baxter, a worse rascal than you could not be
imagined. Why don't you try to turn over a new leaf?"
"I will -- if you'll only give me one more chance," pleaded the
former bully of Putnam Hall.
The matter was discussed in private and it was at last decided to
let Baxter go, providing he would, promise to return straight to
the coast.
"And remember," said Dick, "if we catch you following us again we
will shoot you on sight."
"I won't follow -- don't be alarmed," was the low answer, and then
Baxter was released and conducted to the road running down to
Boma. He was given the knife he had carried, but the Rovers kept
his pistol, that he might not be able to take a long-range shot at
them. Soon he was out of their sight, not to turn up again for a
long while to come.
It was not until the heat of the day had been spent that the
expedition resumed its journey, after, an excellent meal made from
the supplies Captain Villaire's party had left behind in their
hurried flight. Some of the remaining supplies were done up into
bundles by Cujo, to replace those which had been lost when the
natives hired by Randolph Rover had deserted.
"It's queer we didn't see anything of that man and woman from the
inn," remarked Dick, as they set off. "I reckon they got scared
at the very start."
They journeyed until long after nightfall, "To make up for lost
time," as Mr. Rover expressed it, and so steadily did Cujo push on
that when a halt was called the boys were glad enough to rest.
They had reached a native village called Rowimu. Here Cujo was
well known and he readily procured good accommodations for all
hands.
The next week passed without special incident, excepting that one
afternoon the whole party went hunting, bringing down a large
quantity of birds, and several small animals, including an
antelope, which to the boys looked like a Maine deer excepting for
the peculiar formation of its horns.
"I wonder how Mr. Blaze is making out?" said Tom, when they were
returning to camp from the hunt.
"Oh, I reckon he is blasting away at game," laughed Sam, and Tom
at once groaned over the attempted joke.
"Perhaps we will meet him some day -- if he's in this territory,"
put in Dick. "But just now I am looking for nobody but father."
"And so are all of us," said Tom and Sam promptly.
They were getting deeper and deeper into the jungle and had to
take good care that they did not become separated. Yet Cujo said
he understood the way perfectly and often proved his words by
mentioning something which they would soon reach, a stream, a
little lake, or a series of rocks with a tiny waterfall.
"Been ober dis ground many times," said the guide.
"I suppose this is the ground Stanley covered in his famous
expedition along the Congo," remarked Dick, as they journeyed
along. "But who really discovered the country, Uncle Randolph?"
"That is a difficult question to answer, Dick. The Portuguese,
the Spanish, and the French all claim that honor, along with the
English. I fancy different sections, were discovered by different
nationalities. This Free State, you know, is controlled by half a
dozen nations."
"I wonder if the country will ever be thoroughly civilized?"
"It will take a long while, I am afraid. Christianity will have
to come first. Many of the tribes in Africa are, you must
remember, without any form of religion whatever, being even worse
than what we call heathens, who worship some sort of a God."
"Don't they believe in anything? " asked Sam.
"Nothing, Sam. And their morality is of the lowest grade in
consequence. They murder and steal whenever the chance offers,
and when they think the little children too much care for them
they pitch them into the rivers for the crocodiles to feed upon."
"The beasts!" murmured Tom. "Well, I reckon at that rate,
civilization can't come too quick, even if it has to advance
behind bayonets and cannon."
CHAPTER XXIL
A HURRICANE IN THE JUNGLE
On and on went the expedition. In the past many small towns and
villages had been visited where there were more or less white
people; but now they reached a territory where the blacks held
full sway, with -- but this was rarely -- a Christian missionary
among them.
At all of the places which were visited Cujo inquired about King
Susko and his people, and at last learned that the African had
passed to the southeast along the Kassai River, driving before him
several hundred head of cattle which he had picked up here and
there.
"Him steal dat cattle," explained Cujo, "but him don't say dat
stealin', him say um -- um -"
"A tax on the people?" suggested Dick.
"Yes, um tax. But him big Vief."
"He must be, unless he gives the people some benefit for the tax
they are forced to pay," said Tom.
At one of the villages they leaned that there was another
American Party in that territory, one sent out by an Eastern
college to collect specimens of the flora of central Africa. It
was said that the party consisted of an elderly man and half a
dozen young fellows.
"I wouldn't mind meeting that crowd," said Sam. "They might
brighten up things a bit."
"Never mind; things will pick up when once we meet King Susko,"
said Dick. "But I would like to know where the crowd is from and
who is in it."
"It's not likely we would know them if they are from the East,"
said Sam. "Probably they hail from Yale or Harvard."
Two days later the storm which Cujo had predicted for some time
caught them while they were in the midst of an immense forest of
teak and rosewood. It was the middle of the afternoon, yet the
sky became as black as night, while from a distance came the low
rumble of thunder. There was a wind rushing high up in the air,
but as yet this had not come down any further than the treetops.
The birds of the jungle took up the alarm and filled the forest
with their discordant cries, and even the monkeys, which were now
numerous, sit up a jabber which would have been highly trying to
the nerves of a nervous person.
"Yes, we catch um," said Cujo, in reply to Dick's question. "Me
look for safe place too stay."
"You think the storm will be a heavy one?" asked Randolph Rover
anxiously.
"Werry heavy, massah; werry heavy," returned Cujo. "Come wid me,
all ob you," and he set off on a run.
All followed as quickly as they could, and soon found themselves
under a high mass of rocks overlooking the Kassai River. They had
hardly gained the shelter when the storm burst over their heads in
all of its wild fury.
"My, but this beats anything that I ever saw before!" cried Sam,
as the wind began to rush by them with ever-increasing velocity.
"Him blow big by-me-by," said Cujo with a sober face. "Him big
storm, dis."
"The air was full of a moanin' sound," to use Aleck's way of
expressing it. It came from a great distance and caused the
monkeys and birds to set up more of a noise than ever. The trees
were now swaying violently, and presently from a distance came a
crack like that of a big pistol.
"Was that a tree went down?" asked Randolph Rover, and Cujo
nodded. "It is a good thing, then, that we got out of the
forest."
"Big woods werry dangerous in heap storm like dis," answered the
African. "Tree come down, maybe kill um. Hark! now um comin'!"
He crouched down between two of the largest rocks and instinctively
the others followed suit. The "moanin" increased until, with a
roar and a rush, a regular tropical hurricane was upon them.
The blackness of the atmosphere was filled with flying tree
branches and scattered vines, while the birds, large and small,
swept past like chips on a swiftly flowing river, powerless to
save themselves in those fierce gusts.
"Keep down, for your lives!" shouted Randolph Rover; but the roar
of the elements drowned out his voice completely. However, nobody
thought of rising, and the tree limbs and vines passed harmlessly
over their heads.
The first rush of wind over, the rain began, to fall, at first in
drops as big as a quarter-dollar and then in a deluge which
speedily converted the hollows among the rocks into deep pools and
soaked everybody to his very skin. Soon the water was up to their
knees and pouring down into the river like a regular cataract.
"This is a soaker and no mistake," said Sam, during a brief lull
in the downpour. "Why, I never saw so much water come down in my
life."
"It's a hurricane," answered Randolph Rover, "It may keep on --"
He got no further, for at that instant a blinding flash of
lightning caused everybody to jump in alarm. Then came an
ear-splitting crack of thunder and up the river they saw a
magnificent baobab tree, which had reared its stately head over a
hundred feet high from the ground, come crashing down, split in
twain as by a Titan's ax. The blackened stump was left standing,
and soon -- this burst into flames, to blaze away until another
downpour of rain put out the conflagration.
"My, but that dun been awful!" murmured Aleck with a shiver. "Ise
glad we didn't take no shelter under dat tree."
"Amen," said Tom. He had been on the point of making some joke
about the storm, but now the fun was knocked completely out of
him.
It rained for the rest of the day and all of the night, and for
once all hands felt thoroughly, miserable. Several times they
essayed to start a fire, by which to dry themselves and make
something hot to drink, but each time the rain put out the blaze.
What they had to eat was not only cold, but more or less water-
soaked, and it was not until the next noon that they managed to
cook a meal.
When at last the sun did come out, however, it shone, so Sam put
it, "with a vengeance." There was not a cloud left, and the
direct rays of the great orb of day caused a rapid evaporation of
the rain, so that the ground seemed to be covered with a sort of
mist. On every side could be seen the effects of the hurricane-
broken trees, washed-out places along the river, and dead birds
and small animals, including countless monkeys. The monkeys made
the boys' hearts ache, especially one big female, that was found
tightly clasping two little baby monkeys to her breast.
The storm had swollen the river to such an extent that they were
forced to leave the beaten track Cujo had been pursuing and take
to another trail which reached out to the southward. Here they
passed a small village occupied entirely by negroes, and Cujo
learned from them that King Susko had passed that way but five
days before. He had had no cattle with him, the majority of his
followers having taken another route. It was thought by some of
the natives that King Susko was bound for a mountain known as the
Hakiwaupi -- or Ghost-of-Gold.
"The Ghost-of-Gold!" repeated Dick. "Can that be the mountain
father was searching for when he came to Africa?"
Inquiries from Cujo elicited the information that the mountain
mentioned was located about one hundred miles away, in the center
of an immense plain. It was said to be full of gold, but likewise
haunted by the ghost of a departed warrior known to the natives as
Gnu-ho-mumoli -- Man-of-the-Gnu-eye.
"I reckon that ghost story, was started, by somebody who wanted,
to keep the wealth of che mountain to himself," observed Tom. "I
don't believe in ghosts, do you, Cujo?"
The tall African shrugged his ebony shoulders, "Maybe no ghost --
but if dare is, no want to see 'um," he said laconically.
Nevertheless he did not object to leading them in the direction of
the supposedly haunted mountain.
So far the natives had been more or less friendly, but now those
that were met said but little to Cujo, while scowls at the whites
were frequent. It was learned that the college party from the
East was in the vicinity.
"Perhaps they did something to offend the natives," observed
Randolph Rover. "As you can see, they are simple and childlike in
their ways, and as quickly offended on one hand as they are
pleased on the other. All of you must be careful in your
treatment of them, otherwise we may get into serious trouble."
CHAPTER XXIII
DICK MEETS AN OLD ENEMY
One afternoon Dick found himself alone near the edge of a tiny
lake situated on the southern border of the jungle through which
the party had passed. The others had gone up the lake shore,
leaving him to see what he could catch for supper.
He had just hooked a magnificent fish of a reddish-brown color,
when, on looking up, he espied an elderly man gazing at him
intently from a knoll of water-grass a short distance away.
"Richard Rover, is it -- ahem - possible?" came slowly from the
man's thin lips. "Surely I must be dreaming!"
"Josiah Crabtree!" ejaculated Dick, so surprised that he let the
fish fall into the water again. "How on earth did you get out
here?"
"I presume I might - er -- ask that same question," returned the
former teacher of Putnam Hall. "Did you follow me to Africa?"
"Do you imagine I would be fool enough to do that, Mr. Crabtree?
No, the Stanhopes and I were content to let you go -- so long as
you minded your own business in the future."
"Do not grow saucy, boy; I will not stand it."
"I am not saucy, as you see fit to term it, Josiah Crabtree. You
know as well as I do that you ought to be in prison this minute
for plotting the abduction of Dora."
"I know nothing of the kind, and will not waste words on you. But
if you did not follow me why are you here?"
"I am here on business, and not ashamed to own it."
"Indeed. And you -- did you come in search of your missing
father?"
"I did."
"You once said he was missing. It is a long journey for one so
young."
"It's a queer place for you to come to."
"I am with an exploring party from Yale College. We are studying
the fauna and flora of central Africa -- at least, they are doing
so under my guidance."
"They must be learning a heap -- under you."
"Do you mean to say I am not capable of teaching them!" cried
Josiah Crabtree, wrathfully.
"Well, if I was in their place I would want somebody else besides
the man who was discharged by Captain Putnam and who failed to get
the appointment he wanted at Columbia College because he could not
stand the examination."
"Boy! Boy! You know nothing of my ability!" fumed Crabtree,
coming closer and shaking, his fist in Dick's face.
"Well, I know something of your lack of ability."
"You are doing your best to insult me!"
"Such an old fraud as you cannot be insulted, Josiah Crabtree. I
read your real character the first time I met you, and you have
never done anything since which has caused me to alter my opinion
of you. You have a small smattering of learning and you can put
on a very wise look when occasion requires. But that is all there
is to it, except that behind it all you are a thorough-paced
scoundrel and only lack a certain courage to do some daring bit of
rascality."
This statement of plain truths fairly set Josiah Crabtree to
boiling with rage. He shook his fist in Dick's face again. "Don't
dare to talk that way, Rover; don't dare - or -- I'll -- I'll --"
"What will you do?"
"Never mind; I'll show you when the proper time comes."
"I told you once before that I was not afraid of you -- and I am
not afraid of you now."
"You did not come to Africa alone, did you?"
"To be sure I did not. I have a large party with me."
"In this vicinity?"
"Yes, within calling distance. I tell you that -- and it's the
truth -- so that you won't try any underhand game on me."
"You - you --" Josiah Crabtree broke off and suddenly grew
nervous. "See here, Rover, let us be friends," he said abruptly.
"Let us drop the past and be friends-at least, so long as we are
so far away from home and in the country of the enemy."
This sudden change in manner astonished Dick. Was Crabtree
serious? Certainly the man's manner would indicate as much.
"Well, I'm willing to let past matters, drop -- just for the
present," he answered, hardly knowing what to say. "I wish to pay
all my attention to finding my father."
"Exactly, Richard - and - er - you -- who is with you? Anybody I
know?"
"Sam and Dick and Alexander Pop."
"Is it possible! And that black, how is it be came along?"
"He joined us by accident. But what of your party?"
"They are a set of rich young students from Yale in their senior
year who engaged me to bring them hither for study and - er --
recreation. And that puts me in mind. You will not -- ahem -- say
anything about the past to them, will you?"
CHAPTER XXIV
JOSIAH CRABTREE MAKES A MOVE
As quick as a flash of lightning Dick saw through Josiah Crabtree's
scheme for, letting matters Of the past drop. The former teacher
of Putnam Hall was afraid the youth would hunt up the college
students from Yale and expose him to them.
As a matter of fact, Crabtree was already "on the outs" with two
of the students, and he was afraid that if the truth regarding his
character became known his present position would be lost to him
and he would be cast off to shift for himself.
"You don't want me to speak to the students under your charge?"
said Dick slowly.
"Oh, of course you can speak to them, if you wish. But I - ahem -
- I would not care to -- er - er --"
"To let them know what a rascal you are," finished Dick.
"Crabtree, let me tell you once for all, that you can expect no
friendship, from me. You are not worthy of it. When I meet those
students I will tell them whatever I see fit."
At these words Josiah Crabtree grew as white as a sheet. Then,
setting his teeth, he suddenly recovered. "Are those your
friends?" he demanded, pointing up the lake shore.
As was perfectly natural, Dick turned to gaze in the direction.
As be did so, Crabtree swung a stick that be carried into the air
and brought it down with all force on the youth's head. Dick felt
a terrific pain, saw a million or more dancing lights flash
through his brain-and then be knew no more.
"I guess I've fixed him," muttered the former teacher of Putnam
Hall grimly. "He knelt beside the fallen boy and felt of his
heart. "Not dead, but pretty well knocked out. Now what had I
best do with him?"
He thought for a moment, then remembered a deep hollow which he
had encountered but a short while before. Gazing around, to make
certain that nobody was watching him, he picked up the unconscious
lad and stalked off with the form, back into the jungle and up a
small hill.
At the top there was a split between the rocks and dirt, and into
this he dropped poor Dick, a distance of twenty or more feet.
Then he threw down some loose leaves and dead tree branches.
"Now I reckon I am getting square with those Rovers," he muttered,
as he hurried away.
The others of the Rover party wondered why Dick did not join them
when they gathered around the camp-fire that night.
"He must be done fishing by this time," said Tom. "I wonder if
anything has happened to him?"
"Let us take a walk up de lake an' see," put in Aleck, and the
pair started off without delay.
They soon found the spot where Dick had been fishing. His rod and
line lay on the bank, just as he had dropped it upon Josiah
Crabtree's approach.
"Dick! Dick! Where are you?" called out Tom.
No answer came back at first. Then, to Tom's astonishment, a
strange voice answered from the woods: "Here I am! Where are
you?"
"Dat aint Dick," muttered Aleck. "Dat's sumbuddy else, Massah
Tom."
"So it is," replied Tom, and presently saw a tall and well-built
young man struggling forth from the tall grass of the jungle.
"Hullo, what are you?" demanded the newcomer, as he stalked toward
them.
"I guess I can ask the same question," laughed Tom. "Are you the
Dick who just answered me?"
"I am Dick Chester. And who are you?"
"Tom Rover. I am looking for my brother Dick, who was fishing
here a while ago. Are you one of that party of college students we
have heard about?"
"Yes, I'm a college student from Yale. May I ask where you come
from?"
In a brief manner Tom told Dick Chester. "We can't imagine what
has become of my brother Dick," he went on.
"Perhaps a lion ate him up," answered the Yale student. "No, you
needn't smile. We saw a lion only yesterday. It nearly scared Mr.
Crabtree into a fit."
"Mr. Crabtree!" burst Torn. "Josiah Crabtree?"
"The same. Do you know him?"
"Indeed I do -- to my sorrow. He used to be a teacher at the
academy I and my brothers attend. But he was discharged. He's a
regular rascal."
"You are sure of that?" queried Dick Chester. "I have thought so
all along, but the others, would hardly believe it."
"I am telling the truth, and can prove all I say. But just now I
am anxious about my brother. You say you saw a lion?"
"Yes. He was across the lake; but Mr. Crabtree was scared to
death and ran away. Frank Rand and I took shots at the beast, but
I can't say if we hit him."
"It would be too bad if Dick dunh fell into dat lion's clutches,"
put in Aleck. "I reckon de lion would chaw him up in no time."
"Go back and call Cujo," said Tom. "He may be able to track my
brother's footsteps."
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