CHAPTER XXX.
SHOOTING IN THE FOREST AND BEING SHOT.
Before supper-time, the mule team came in with a load of game. Washburnhad gone out with the sportsmen this time, for during my absence hewould not leave the steamer for a moment. I counted seventeen deer, thesmallest kind I had ever seen, and twenty-one wild turkeys. The nextday the sport was resumed, and I joined the party. At the suggestion ofColonel Shepard, we took a couple of landing-nets, though what for Icould not imagine. But we had not gone half a mile before I discoveredthe use of them.
The woods were full of young quails, which in the South are calledpartridges, the latter taking the name of pheasants. These quails ranin flocks of a dozen or less, and with the landing-nets we could coverthe whole brood. We gathered them up, and put them into a large basket,with a cover, which we had brought with us for the purpose.
We went several miles farther south than the party of the day beforehad gone; and the shooting was so abundant as to be "rather too much ofa good thing." Before noon we had all we wanted, and it seemed to bewicked to shoot any more. The sportsmen from Enterprise had not been upas far as this, and the game had hardly ever been disturbed in itshaunts.
I was tired of the sport before the others, and I started back for themule team about eleven. I was within two miles of the landing, as Ijudged, for we had to estimate all our distances, when I heard thecrack of a revolver or a rifle. At the same instant I felt a burningsensation in the back of the neck. I placed my hand upon the place, andfound that a ball had just grazed it. My hand was covered with bloodwhen I removed it.
I expected another shot would follow immediately, and I raised my gun,which was loaded with ball, and looked about me. I deemed it prudent tododge behind a magnolia, of which there was an occasional one in theforest. I could judge from the situation of the wound on my neck fromwhat direction the ball had come. My getting behind the tree hadderanged the calculations of the intended assassin. He stood at adistance of not more than sixty feet from me, pointing a rifle towardsme.
It was Griffin Leeds.
Though I could have shot him, I preferred to be killed rather than tokill. But before I could do anything, or even consider what to do,another actor appeared on the stage. I saw Griffin Leeds look behindhim once, as though he feared an interruption, and doubtless he heardthe step of the third person. Until the stranger was close upon theoctoroon, I had not seen him. In the soft sand that formed the soil ofthe forest, one could hardly hear the sounds of approaching footsteps.
The stranger stepped from behind a large pine-tree, and before I hadrecovered from my surprise at his appearance, he fell upon GriffinLeeds, handling him with an ease that astonished me. He flung him onthe ground like an unclean bird, and then pointed his own rifle at hishead.
It was entirely safe for me under these circumstances to leave myhiding-place, and I walked towards the scene of the last encounter. Ikept my gun in position for use, though I was not at all inclined tofire upon a human being. I wondered who had thus interfered to save mefrom the bullet of Griffin Leeds. Then I wondered how Griffin Leedshappened to be in the woods, miles above the head of ordinarynavigation. I thought of my wound, and placed my hand upon it. It wasbeginning to feel very sore, and the blood was still flowing veryfreely from it. I bound my handkerchief around my neck, but I found itdifficult to cover the place.
I had been shot at the day before. Was it not probable that the sameperson had fired both shots? Then I thought of the noise I had heardwhile I was measuring the depth of the river. There was somehiding-place in the after part of the Wetumpka which we had not yetdiscovered. In that place Griffin Leeds had been concealed, perhapsfrom the time we left Welaka, on our trip up the Ocklawaha. This seemedto me to be a satisfactory solution of this part of the mystery. I wasso well satisfied that I did not care to hear any evidence on thesubject. I could not have understood it any better if all the detailshad been given to me under oath.
But it was plain enough to me that Griffin Leeds could not have existedin his hiding-place for nearly two weeks, or even one, without theconnivance of some person on board. Of course that person was Cornwood.
Who was the stranger that interfered to save me? I concluded he wassome hunter, who had taken a hand in the affair simply from the love offair play. I walked towards him, and soon came near enough to note hisappearance. He wore a long beard, and was dressed in a commontravelling suit.
"Get up, you villain!" said the stranger, as I approached.
Griffin Leeds did not wait for a second command, but sprang to hisfeet. He looked at me, and he saw that I had a gun in my hand. I aimedat him.
"Take your hand from your pocket!" I called to him.
He did so; but the stranger sprang upon him again. Putting his handinto the side-pocket of his sack-coat, he drew from it a smallrevolver. Not satisfied with this, he continued the search, and tookfrom another pocket a knife like that the wretch had attempted to useon board of the Sylvania. He was then satisfied that the fellow wasentirely disarmed.
"I am exceedingly obliged to you for the service you have rendered me,"I began. "This is not the first trouble I have had with this----"
"Never mind that, my dear Alick," interposed my deliverer.
Before I had an opportunity to look at him again, he had folded me inhis arms as though I were a little girl, instead of a strapping bigboy, weighing one hundred and fifty. I had no need to conjecture anylonger who my deliverer was. It was my father.
The tears rolled down his cheeks, as they did down mine when I sawthem. But he was hardly changed since I last saw him. I was so happy atthis reunion that I forgot everything else. I dare say we both indulgedin exclamations. While we were using them, Griffin Leeds began to moveoff. I pointed my gun at him.
"Go to that magnolia, and stand on this side of it: and if you attemptto run away, I will shoot you!" I added; but I don't think I meant halfof it.
The octoroon doggedly obeyed. I looked at my father, whom I hadsupposed to be dead for months of the period that had separated us. Hehad been to England and to India since we parted. I had roamedthousands of miles, believing all the time that I was earning my dailybread.
"We meet at last!" exclaimed my father. "I find you in deadly peril,and come at the moment when I may save you!"
"I was shot at before to-day; and I am afraid I have a traitor oneither hand wherever I go;" and I explained in as few words as possibleabout Cornwood and Griffin Leeds, expressing my belief that the pilotwas the agent of Captain Boomsby.
"That old villain still believes I am dead," replied my father. "I wentinto his saloon in Jacksonville, but he did not know me. I talked aboutyou; and he said you had a steamer that belonged to him, and he shouldhave possession of her in a couple of weeks. He insisted that he wasyour guardian. I did not undeceive him."
"We had better walk back to the steamer, father,"--how dear the namesounded to me! "What shall we do with that fellow?" I pointed atGriffin Leeds.
"Let him march ahead of us."
We started Griffin Leeds, and followed him back to the river. On theway I told my father all that happened since I came to Florida inMarch, including my suspicions in regard to Cornwood, and the evidenceI had against him.
"Don't think any more about him, or the wretch ahead of us. I shalltake command of this expedition from this time; and you know I havebeen a major in the English army," said my father, smiling.
"Why didn't you write to me, father? It is a long time since I heard aword from you," I asked.
"I did not write to you in January because you were away, and could notget my letters. I did not write to you in February, because I expectedto see you before any letter could reach you. I expected to be inJacksonville the last of February; but when I was half-way to New Yorkthe steamer broke her shaft, and had to return under sail. It was the8th of March when I sailed the second time from Liverpool. When I gotto Jacksonville, I heard that you had gone on a trip up the river. Ifollowed to Pilatka, and was told that you had g
one up the Ocklawaha. Itook the next boat for that river, but seeing the Sylvania at Welaka, Imade further inquiries, and learned that you had gone up the St. Johns.I followed you till I found your steamer. I saw no one on board that Iknew, but a man told me you were in the woods hunting, and had gonesouth of the landing.
"I started to find you; and went along till I came to that fellowskulking through the woods. I supposed he was going to join your party,and I followed him. I heard the crack of rifles in the distance, aboutthe time I first saw that villain. I concluded it was the firing of thehunters. Suddenly this man raised his rifle and fired. I had not seenyou before. You know what happened then. I have only to say, Alick,that I shall not let you out of my sight again."
"I hope you won't, father."
I sent Hop Tossford with the mules, for I did not care to leave myfather again. We went on board of the Wetumpka. I called out Moses, andBen, who knew my father. They were glad to see him for my sake, if notfor their own. Buck tied Griffin Leeds to a stanchion on the steamer,for we had driven him on board ahead of us. I was more curious thanever to know where the "ghost" that haunted the lower deck of theWetumpka had been concealed.
"Where did you hide on board, Griffin?" I asked.
"I don't answer any questions," he replied, in a surly tone.
"All right," I replied, and taking Ben with me, I went aft.
The paddle-box extended almost the whole width of the boat; and under apile of rubbish, which had evidently been placed there to conceal it,was a scuttle, leading into the hold of the port twin boat. Raisingthis, we found a mattress from one of the berths, a blanket, and somedishes. We had not thought of the holds of the twin boats before, forthere were two openings near the great gangway into them. We had thrownlightwood down into them, and filled them up. We had not thereforesupposed it possible for any one to get into these holds. Here GriffinLeeds had lived, and Cornwood had carried him his meals.
"I think that is the best place for him," said my father, after he hadlooked into the port hold. "Send him back again, and set a watch overthe man Cornwood."
We went up into the saloon after this had been done, and Miss Margiewas delighted to see my father. He was introduced to the other ladiesas Sir Bent Garningham. About one o'clock, the hunters came in with abigger load of game than on the day before. They were just in time toescape a tremendous thunder-shower, for the rain began to fall intorrents about the time they entered the cabin. Owen was ratherembarrassed when he saw my father, who however extended to him acordial greeting. Nothing was said about the occurrences of the past.
Our dinner that day was composed entirely of the fish and game procuredby our sportsmen. We had venison in various dishes, and roast turkey ofthe finest quality. While we were eating, the rain beat down in sheetsupon the deck over our heads. The lightning was terrific, and we heardit strike several times in the forest. For two hours it poured, andthen the sun came out, and brightened up the dripping scene.
"I found this rifle in the woods," said Washburn, taking the piece fromhis state-room, where he had put it when he came in.
"That was the one with which Griffin Leeds fired at me," I replied. "Iforgot all about it, and left it on the ground. Whose is it?"
He showed it to several, and at last to Cornwood. He hesitated; butfinally said it was his, and he had left it in the woods when the teamcame. Inquiry proved that he had taken no rifle with him. He had nodoubt lent it to Griffin Leeds.
We were to have stayed at this landing one day longer, but when I toldOwen and Colonel Shepard that the river had fallen two inches in themorning, they decided that it would not be safe to remain any longer.The shower must have raised the river a little; and if we went at once,we might get over. I ordered the mules to be taken on board; and assoon as they and the wagons were shipped, I intimated to Cornwood thatwe were ready to resume our trip. To my astonishment he protestedagainst going, and declared there would be no difficulty about thewater. We had no idea, he insisted, of the game in the woods.
"Cast off the fasts!" I shouted to the deckhands, from my place on thesaloon deck.
Cornwood looked in the direction of the woods, and seemed to be greatlytroubled. He evidently thought his agent was still in the woods, and Iwas not disposed to undeceive him. The deckhands hauled the fasts onboard, and the boat began to drift down the river. Very reluctantly thepilot went to the wheel, and after some manoeuvring got the Wetumpkaheaded down the river. He still kept one eye on the shore.
My father had dressed my wound as soon as we got on board. It was notmuch more than a scratch, though it made my neck so stiff for a coupleof days that I could hardly turn it. I had it bound up, and just as theboat was approaching the shoal place, Cornwood asked me what ailed myneck. It was clear enough that he did not know what had transpired inthe woods.
"In accordance with the plan you arranged with Captain Boomsby beforeyou came on board of the Sylvania, I have been shot," I replied. "Theball, instead of going through my head, only grazed my neck. Your manis a very bad shot."
"My man! Who is my man?" demanded Cornwood. But I saw that he was paleunder the charge.
"Griffin Leeds, of course," I answered. "But you have managed it veryclumsily, from the moccasin down to the shooting. You ought to haveemployed a man that could hit the side of a house at sixty feet."
"I don't understand you," gasped he.
"Yes, you do. But the game is up. The gentleman who came to-day is myfather, and Captain Boomsby will give up the chase as soon as he seesand knows him."
"I am sure I don't know what you are talking about."
"Then we won't talk any more," I added, retiring from the pilot-houseafter the boat had passed over the doubtful shoal, which the rain hadrendered harmless.
At seven in the evening we reached Enterprise, where we remainedovernight. At daylight the next morning, before any of our passengerswere stirring, we started down the river again. At two in the afternoonwe were alongside the Sylvania. We merely put Washburn, Ben Bowman,Landy Perkins, and Hop Tossford on board of her, to run her down toJacksonville, and kept on our way. But it was midnight when we made thewharf of the company that owned the Wetumpka. Except those in charge ofthe steamer, all were asleep. About daylight, the Sylvania anchored inthe berth she had occupied before.
Our fish and game which had been kept in the extra ice-house were inexcellent condition. I sent my share to the Carlton Hotel, whoseproprietors had been polite to me. I had handed Griffin Leeds over tothe police on our arrival. On Monday morning we were all back again onboard of the Sylvania, and were glad enough of the change into her. Butwe had had a magnificent time up the river; all hands were satisfied,and ready for another cruise.
Monday was the first day of April, and Owen came on board to settle hisaccounts. He insisted upon paying me seven hundred dollars for themonth; but my father resented the proposition. He allowed me to takethe amount I had received the month before, and no more.
"Owen, you have behaved very badly," said my father seriously.
"I know I have, uncle; but I have repented it, and I hope you willforgive me," replied Owen. "The nobleness of Alick conquered me, and Iam a better fellow than I ever was before in my life."
"I have heard what Alick has to say about it; and so far as the past isconcerned, I freely forgive you for his sake," added my father.
"I was led away by Mr. Carrington," pleaded Owen.
"No man has any right to be led away by another. It is the devil in hisown heart that leads him away, and not another man. Owen, you made acontract with my son when he thought he had nothing in the world butthis steamer."
"I did; and I have paid all I agreed to pay."
"And been extremely liberal, father," I added.
"I find no fault; but I annul the contract," said my father. "My sonshall be in no one's employ, not even in yours, Owen."
"I should be glad to continue the arrangement to the end of the year,"replied Owen.
"No; Alick can go where he pleases with his y
acht from this day. He mayinvite whom he pleases to go with him. But he shall be under nobody'sauthority but mine."
I was as much astonished at the decision of my father as Owen could be;but I said nothing, and my cousin soon went on shore, for he wasstaying at the house of Colonel Shepard. We had landed the Garbrooks atGreen Cove Springs, where their yacht was waiting for them.
On Tuesday came the trial of Griffin Leeds. Cornwood's defence wasweak, and he seemed to have no pluck. His client was convicted ofassault with a dangerous weapon, and sentenced to five years; and Isuppose he is now serving in some convict gang. Chloe found a permanentplace with the Shepards. Cornwood left for St. Augustine as soon as thetrial of Griffin Leeds was finished. My father and I called at thesaloon of Captain Boomsby, merely to satisfy him that I was not anorphan, and that it would be useless for him to enter into any moreconspiracies. I paid Cornwood one hundred and fifty dollars; and Idon't know what the captain paid him, but I think nothing. If he hadobtained possession of the Sylvania, he might have collected a heavyfee. As a pilot and guide he was a greater success than as a lawyer.
My story is told, so far as Florida is concerned, for the present,though I did not believe I should be able to pass Indian River Inletwithout running in and catching a few of those redfish. With mynewly-acquired liberty I was considering where to go next, and whom toinvite to go with me. My father spent much of his time with the Hon.Mr. Tiffany, at the Carlton, where I was glad to meet Miss Margie asoften, at least, as once a day.
The future was still an open question, though I liked my cousin Owen sowell that I did not wish to think of parting with him. I was certainlyindebted to him for the pleasure of being "Down South" during thewinter, and the magnificent time I had enjoyed during our "YachtAdventures in Florida."
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