CHAPTER XX
Fighting Against Heavy Odds
Bob had often run in track races at high school, but never had heequaled the pace that was now taking him to the boats. It was asthough wings had suddenly lifted him through space at an alarming rateof speed.
The youth had all he could do to prevent coming in contact with thornsand fringed plants, but he did his best. But what of thorns whenProfessor Bigelow needed help?
On and on he went, swinging his rifle over shrubs and bushes. At timesit was necessary to hold his arms high above his head to preventstriking limbs and other projections.
At last, after what seemed a terribly long time, he parted the foliageand gazed ahead to see what was happening. Then a look of rage came onhis face.
On the river bank a terrific struggle was taking place betweenProfessor Bigelow and the two Indians who had been left behind. Themen had the professor down, and the latter's face was ghastly white asstrong arms and hands tried to choke him into unconsciousness.Occasionally he would manage to call out a muffled cry for assistance.
For a moment Bob took in the situation carefully. Then he rushed atthe men with rage and fury and landed on the back of the one nearest,bearing him to the ground with a thud. The Indians glanced up insurprise at this abrupt interruption, and they turned to deal withthis new enemy.
One of the men gained his feet and launched himself with all force atBob's side, the impact hurling the youth from the back of the firstman. But Bob shook the fellow off and threw an arm around his neckwith the strength of one in desperation. There was a terrificstruggle, and the two thrashed about, neither able to gain the upperhand. Bob gripped the Indian's neck with all his strength, and theman's face began to turn purple from the terrific strain. It wasclearly evident that he would soon be put out of the fight.
But the other Indian was not motionless. In fact if it had not beenfor him, the youth would have had the better of the first fellow, forhe was slowly giving out. But suddenly Bob felt a heavy body landingon his back and had to release his hold on the first man.
This again gave the Indians the advantage, and they were quick tosense their chance.
Bob soon saw that he could gain nothing as things were. He must resortto some other means.
Professor Bigelow was now beginning to show signs of life, but he wasso badly battered that what little he did to help amounted to nothing,for he was soon sent sprawling to the ground.
Suddenly Bob gained his feet, intent upon resorting to boxing, amethod that the Indians probably knew little about.
A quick glance around showed that his friends had arrived and weremaking for the boats as fast as they could. But it was only a glance,for the Indians were rushing at him with redoubled force.
Bob caught the first man squarely between the eyes and sent himsprawling to the ground in a dazed condition. The other Indian sawthat it would be useless to continue the fight, for the other whiteswere returning fast.
He turned and made for the boat, Bob at his heels. The youth suspectedthat the man was going after a gun, and he was right. But he hardlyhad the revolver in his hand when Bob pounced upon him and wrenchedthe weapon from his grip. One hard blow put him out of the fight.
Then, for the first time, Bob drew a long breath. He was panting andgasping from exertion, but he hurried over to Professor Bigelow.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"Yes," the professor replied, getting to his feet. And then: "That wasa wonderful fight you put up, Bob. If you had come much later, theIndians would have escaped with the boat and our provisions."
"So that was their game!" said Mr. Lewis angrily, glancing at thestill limp Indian on shore. "They wanted to put you out and thenescape with the boats, leaving us here to starve!"
He drew his fist, and for a moment it looked as if another fight weregoing to take place.
"Just for that we should desert them," gritted Joe.
"Can hardly do that," said Mr. Holton. "It would amount to the same asmurder for robbery, and such punishment is unjust. Now if they hadkilled one of our party it might be different. Even then I'd hesitateto do it."
"But they've got to have some kind of punishment," persisted Joe. "Whoknows but that they'll attempt the same thing later?"
"We'll have to keep a close lookout," returned the professor. "If wesee any more treachery we won't dare take any more chances."
The other members of the crew could not understand the actions of thetwo would-be deserters, and at once cast them aside as traitors,calling them names which, had they been translated into English, wouldhave been extremely shocking to civilized persons.
In a short time the two Indians emerged into consciousness, and theysat awaiting any fate that might be thrust upon them. The explorerswere at a loss to know what to do with the men, but they finallydecided to give them hard jobs in full view of all, so that they couldneither escape again with the boats nor get the others of the crew tothinking their way.
"Probably won't have any more trouble," remarked Mr. Lewis, as theyprepared to start up the river again. "We'll keep a sharp lookout,and if we see any more dishonesty we'll act accordingly."
The specimens were prepared, and they resumed the journey up theriver, hoping that few more days would pass before they found theunknown Indians. The whites were anxious and yet rather fearful tocome in contact with them, fortified as the boats were. ProfessorBigelow, however, took the matter lightly, and often when his friendsthought of his numerous visits to strange tribes, many of themhostile, they were inclined to cast aside their worries and leave thefuture happenings to him. For surely, with his wide experience, hecould see to any predicament.
"We want to make good time today," said Mr. Holton. "Twenty-fivemiles, at least."
"We will," Joe's father assured him. "Unless," he added, "more rapidshold us back."
"I don't think--I hardly believe they will," Professor Bigelow said,but this was a statement of hope rather than of conviction.
Bob and Joe constantly took motion pictures of the country they werepassing through, and often they took the cameras with them on huntingtrips, to photograph not only wild life but any adventures that theymight have. The number of feet of exposed film had grown to nearly athousand, and they intended to make it several more before they"closed" the picture. They were allowed four thousand feet and fullyexpected to use all of it.
The next day after the fracas with the traitorous Indians, they werepaddling swiftly along when suddenly there was a jar and a crash, andthe foremost boat was sent aside and heading in the oppositedirection. At once the explorers were on their feet and had theirrifles in ready grasp. They cautiously peered over the side into theriver, half expecting to see a dozen or more savages leap out and makefor the boat.
But no savages came. Instead there arose a large black body, nearlyten feet long, shaped like a seal, with the faintest suggestion offins protruding from its side. For a moment it glanced about, thenswam on up the river.
"A manatee," said Mr. Holton. "Or sea-cow, if you prefer that name."
"Sure is a whopper," observed Joe. "Looks like it might be dangerous.Is it?"
"No," his father replied. "One of the most harmless animals of SouthAmerica."
Mr. Lewis raised his rifle to bring the creature down as a specimen,but just as he prepared to pull the trigger it darted below the waterand swam off at a rapid pace, leaving a thin streak of ripples behind.Then the naturalists saw that shooting would mean only a waste ofbullets.
A few miles on they came upon another rapids and saw that it would benecessary to lay a portage of logs along the river bank in order toget the boats through. Anxious to make time, they worked untiringlyand had the task completed in a short time.
"Now to get the boats through," said Mr. Holton, beginning to unloadtheir contents.
The canoes were heavy, even with the provisions removed, and itrequired all the combined strength of the whites and the Indian crewto get them beyond the rough stretch. But the underta
king was finallyfinished.
Next the provisions were carried around, placed in the boats, and thelatter were moved into the river. At last the strenuous task wascompleted.
"Ready to go again?" asked Joe.
"It's about noon," said Professor Bigelow. "I suggest that we get alunch."
The others agreed, and an ample repast was prepared.
Then Mr. Lewis advised that they take it easy under low palm trees.The others, with the exception of Bob and Joe, were glad of a chanceto repose. The boys, however, were restless and eager to explore thesurrounding territory. Unlike their elders, their tireless limbs criedout for action, even after hard labor.
"We'll be careful and not take any chances," Joe assured the men.
But had they realized what dangerous country they were in, they wouldnever have started out.