CHAPTER IX
COMPLICATIONS
'Does my eye squint, Ephraim, me lad?' asked Grinson, looking up intothe face of his taller companion.
Meek gazed so earnestly at his questioner that his eyes converged.
'I don't see no sign of it, Mr. Grinson,' he said, 'and I wouldn'tsuppose as how you 'd be visited with that affliction at your time oflife.'
'That's what I thought. Then why the mischief can't I hit that tree?'
Meek looked sadly at the tree in question, as if mutely reproaching itfor declining to be hit.
'Maybe there 's a bias in the spear, like in bowls,' he said. 'My spear's just the same, for dash me if I can hit the trunk neither.'
The two seamen, with half a dozen natives, were on outpost duty in aglade a few miles on the seaward side of the village. Trentham hadreported the result of his reconnaissance to the ailing chief, whorealised at once that an attempt to release his men by force from anenemy equipped with the fire magic that his ancestors had lost was boundto fail. When Trentham pointed out that the Germans would probably makefurther raids, to increase the number of their slaves, and suggested thepropriety of establishing outpost stations where watch might be kept, heassented, and agreed that Grinson and Meek should take their turns withthe rest. Each band of natives chosen for this duty was accompanied byone who belonged to the chief's own caste, so that Meek's dread of beingeaten, though not wholly removed, was a good deal lessened. The two menbeguiled the tedious hours by practising spear-throwing under thetuition of the natives, but after three days had gained little skill.Grinson was more vigorous than accurate in his casts, while Meek,handling his spear as if it were a paper dart, could throw neither farnor straight; he was a model of patient ineptitude.
'I tell you what it is, Ephraim,' said the boatswain, sitting on thegrass, 'spears ain't tools for Christians, and I 'd scorn to demeanmyself to these poor heathens, what knows no better. We 'll leave 'emto 'em, me lad. Not that they 'd be any good if the Germans come withguns.'
'D' you think they will, Mr. Grinson?'
''Course they will, if they come at all. I don't know what the gentsmean by sticking on here. We can't do no good, and if they 'd listen tome we 'd slip off and chance our luck.'
'Aye, my vittals don't agree wi' me. I 'm falling away, Mr. Grinson.Look here.'
Meek was drawing together the band of his trousers to show how much hehad fallen away, when Hoole came into the glade.
'Grinson, come with me,' he said. 'I want you to relieve Mr. Trenthamat a new post we 've fixed up about a mile away. Carry on till I comeback, Meek; I 'll relieve you then for a spell.'
Meek looked far from happy when left alone with the natives. Havingnothing else to do, he picked up his spear and resumed his feeblepractice. While he was so engaged, the natives, who had been seated,solemnly watching him, suddenly sprang to their feet and gazedexpectantly towards the trees. Meek had heard nothing, and as he ambledforward to retrieve his spear he was startled by the silent appearanceof Kafulu, one of the men who had been captured. Still more amazed washe to see that the Papuan carried a rifle.
The natives greeted their comrade with cries of joy, and crowded abouthim, plying him with questions. In a few moments they fell silent, andlistened intently as Kafulu eagerly addressed them. Meek, a little inthe background, watched his gestures, wondering what he was saying, andwhy he continually brandished the gun. Presently Kafulu turned andpointed in the direction from which he had come, and then Meek noticedthat his back was seamed with scarcely healed weals. His attention wasimmediately diverted, for among the trees at which Kafulu was pointinghe caught sight of the faces of several white men, who appeared to bemaking signs of friendship. Now thoroughly alarmed, he turned to flee;but the Germans issued suddenly from the forest; one of them made a signto Kafulu, who sprinted across the glade with some of his companions,sprang upon Meek from behind, and hauled him back.
KAFULU SPRANG UPON MEEK FROM BEHIND.]
'Mr. Grinson. Ahoy, Mr. Grinson!' shouted Meek.
His last word was smothered by a big hand laid across his mouth, and hiseyes widened with amazement when he looked into the face of his captor.There were six Germans, armed with rifles. Forming a guard round thenatives, they hurried them into the forest, with Meek helpless in theirmidst.
About an hour later Hoole and Trentham returned to the spot.
'Hullo! There's no one here,' said Trentham. 'Meek understood that hewas to wait here until relieved?'
'Yes. He looked a trifle uneasy, but he wouldn't desert his post.Surely----'
'They couldn't resist the temptation, you mean? I hope it's not so badas that. Let us see if we can trace the way he 's gone. Here 's hisspear on the ground.'
'And here are his footprints. By gum, Trentham, look here: a good manyEuropean boots have been treading the grass. They came from the forest,and went back again. Germans, sure!'
'It looks like it. But it's unaccountable. The natives are toosharp-eared to have been taken by surprise. They ought to have got Meekaway in time.'
'I 'll be shot if they haven't gone too! These are prints of bare feet,aren't they?'
'There 's no doubt about that. They _must_ have been surprised andcollared, without a shot fired. This is pretty bad, Hoole.'
'I guess they wanted more miners. Wonder they haven't raided the villagelong before this.'
'I suppose they didn't think it worth while to come so far from the coveand make an organised raid. Bows and spears wouldn't be much useagainst firearms, of course; but the Germans might have lost a few menin a regular attack, and they preferred to snap up small parties hereand there.'
'Any good going after them?'
'Not an atom. You may be sure they 're armed, and we have--onerevolver. Things are in a deuce of a mess, Hoole. If the natives aresuch poor scouts we stand to lose more of these outposts. We shall haveto drop the scheme. And the immediate thing now is to go and bringGrinson back; he 'll be mad at losing Meek. We had better talk thingsover with him, and see if anything can be done; for the life of me Ican't think what.'
Trentham's contempt of the Papuans' scouting ability was not justified,as he would have known could he have heard and understood what Kafuluhad said to his comrades. He had told them that the white men had thefire magic of which they had heard. It was hidden in the stick heshowed them. If they would work for the white men, they too would begiven sticks like the one he carried, and then they would be the lordsof the village. Kafulu was Hahn's dupe and decoy.
When Grinson heard that his companion of twenty-five years had beencaptured, his eyes became moist, and at first he seemed incapable ofspeech. Then his lips were pressed together rigidly; he flung away hisspear, snatched out his knife, and cried:
'Which way, sir? Let me get at 'em.'
'You 'd do no good, Grinson,' said Trentham. 'They 'd shoot you down.'
'But 'tis Ephraim, sir--the lad as has been wi' me all over the sevenseas. I can't fool about and do nothing when my mate is digging coalfor those blackguard Germans. I put it to you, young gentlemen----'
'Yes, we understand; but you must see that we three are not in aposition to attack goodness knows how many men armed with rifles. Weshould only be killed or collared too. The sole chance of rescuingMeek----'
'Say the word, sir,' said Grinson as Trentham paused.
'Well, I confess I see no chance at the present moment; but at any rateit will be hopeless if we get into the Germans' clutches ourselves.Some plan may occur to us. Meanwhile let us get back. I 'm afraid thechief will be cut up at the loss of more of his men.'
With the natives of the outposts they set off towards the village. Longbefore they reached it there came through the forest a long-drawnmournful howl, or rather a chorus of howls, like the cries of hundredsof dumb animals in pain. Ejaculations broke from the lips of thenatives. They looked at one another with expressions of dismay, thenset
off at a trot, howling as they went.
'They 've already got wind of it at the village,' said Hoole. 'Perhapsone or two fellows escaped.'
''Tis worse than that, sir,' said Grinson. 'It means death. I heard theniggers howl like that, the time I was at Moresby. It fair chills yourblood, though they 'll laugh like hyenas as soon as the funeral's over.'
Hurrying on, with the horrible sound growing ever louder, they arrivedat the village, and found the whole population assembled in front of thestockade, rocking themselves to and fro, and howling incessantly. Darklooks greeted the white men as they passed through the midst of thethrong and entered at the open gate. Within, all was silent. No onewas to be seen except the medicine-man, who was just issuing from thechief's house. He stalked slowly through the enclosure and out at thegate. Then the people emerged from their huts, and a number of theelder men formed up in procession and marched slowly into the house.When they had disappeared, the interpreter came up to Trentham.
'Chief fella, he gone dead,' he murmured.