The Land of Mystery

  CHAPTER XVII.

  THE NEW ALLY.

  The amazement which so nearly overwhelmed Fred Ashman during the fewminutes succeeding the surrender of Ziffak, was shared in all itsentirety, when the two presented themselves before the astoundedexplorers in the canoe.

  In fact, Jared Long came within a hair of shooting the Hercules, beforethe situation could be explained to him. Even then he refused forawhile to believe the astonishing story, but declared that someinfernal trickery was afoot. Finally, however, he and the Professorand Bippo and Pedros realized that the most powerful enemy had becometheir ally.

  Ziffak showed a strange talkativeness after joining the company.Seating himself on the ground where all were now veiled in shadow, heanswered the questions that were rained upon him, until most of theinformation given in the preceding chapter was told to the wonderinglisteners.

  The account of the dreadful reception that awaited their predecessorsthree years before, would have deterred such brave men as the explorersfrom pushing further, but for the fact that they had secured anall-powerful friend at court. Believing that he could pave the way fora friendly reception, they were eager to visit what seemed to them anenchanted land.

  There was some uneasiness over Waggaman and Burkhardt, who, it could beeasily seen, would at the most do nothing more than disguise theirenmity under the guise of friendship, holding themselves ready for sometreachery that would bring about the death of the visitors.

  The conversation lasted a long time, and was ended by the naturalquestion put to Ziffak as to what should be the next step.

  From what he had already stated, it was evident they were not yetthrough with the Aryks. Despite their frightful repulse, they wouldhold the Murhapas in greater dread than the whites; and, well aware ofthe penalty of allowing them to pass above the rapids, would nevercease their efforts to prevent such a disaster. It followed,therefore, that something must be done to spike their guns, and Ziffakwas the only one who could do it.

  The whites were not surprised, when he offered to return to the pointdown the river, where he had left his canoe, recross to the other side,and make known to the Aryks that it was his wish that the explorersshould be molested no further.

  The announcement would be a surprise indeed to them, but there was nonewho would dare question the authority of such a source.

  During the absorbingly interesting conversation, Ziffak stated that hisobject in coming from the other side was to reach the camp of thewhites at the same time that an attack was made by the Aryks who socunningly used the floating logs and trees as a screen to hide theirapproach. He preferred his course to that of accompanying them.

  It will thus be seen, that, although the act of Fred Ashman in passingdown the Xingu seemed like a mistake, yet it was the most providentialthing that could have occurred.

  Having made known his plan, the burly chieftain set about carrying itout with characteristic promptness. Without saying good-bye, he roseto his feet, and walking rapidly off, soon disappeared in the directionof the spot where took place his encounter with the puma and hismeeting with Fred Ashman.

  He had not been gone long, when those left in camp caught sight of thelittle boat skimming swiftly across the Xingu below them. Thepreliminaries of the singular movement in their favor was going onaccording to programme.

  But, with the departure of Ziffak, something like a distrust of hisfriendship entered the minds of the three whites. Bippo and Pedroswere so overcome by what they had seen that they were unable tocomprehend what it all meant. They kept their places in the boat andlistened and wondered in silence.

  The Professor hoped for the best, though he admitted that there wassomething inexplainable in the business. He had spent hours inexamining the strange fish of the Upper Xingu, in inspecting theremarkable plants, which he saw for the first time, and in studying thezoology and mineralogy of the region. He had been delighted andpuzzled, over and over again, but all of these problems combined failedto astonish him as did the action of Ziffak and the story he told.

  Ashman was the most hopeful of all. He had been with the native morethan the rest, and was given the opportunity to study him closely. Hewas confident that he read the workings of his mind aright, and thatthe fellow would be their friend to the end.

  Jared Long, the New Englander, was equally positive in the otherdirection. He maintained that since the leopard cannot change hisspots, no savage showing such relentless hatred of the white race asdid Ziffak, could be transformed into a friend for no other reason thanthat he had been made a prisoner.

  He insisted further that, if he succeeded in helping them through tothe Murhapa village, it would be only with the purpose of securing amore complete revenge. Such a powerful tribe as his need feel nomisgiving in allowing a small party to enter their town; for, afterthat was done, they would be so completely at their mercy that therewas no possibility of any explorer ever living to tell the tale.

  He especially dwelt upon the undoubted influence possessed by Waggamanand Burkhardt. They would never consent to yield the influence theyhad held so long, nor could they be induced to share it with any oftheir own countrymen.

  Grimcke and Ashman laughed at his fears, but strive as much as theychose, they could not help being affected more or less by hispessimistic views.

  However, the brave fellow declared that he would accompany them on thehazardous journey, and stick by them to the end. If they could notsurvive, they would fall together.

  By this time the night was far along. A careful scrutiny of the otherbank failed to reveal anything of their enemies, though all believedthere were plenty of them along the shore.

  Ashman proposed, that now, since they were entirely screened by theprojecting shadow of the wood, they should cautiously push their way upthe bank, as near as possible to the rapids, so as to lessen thedistance that was to be passed on the morrow. There could be noobjection to this, and adjusting themselves in the usual manner in thelarge canoe, they began the ascent of the river.

  Naturally they would have kept close to the shore to escape, so far asthey could, the force of the current, and the main object now was toprevent their movements being seen by the vigilant Aryks across thestream, who might resume hostilities before Ziffak could make hiswishes known to them.

  Our friends did not forget that a large body of these warriors hadpassed the Xingu above the rapids to reach the bank along which thecraft was now stealing its way; but they had received such treatmentthat the survivors hurried from the vicinity.

  Still there was a probability that after rallying from their repulse,more of them had swam across and were at that moment on the westernshore, on the watch for just such a movement as was under way.

  If this should prove the case, it could not be expected that Ziffakcould interfere in time to prevent another sanguinary conflict; butthat might come about, even if the explorers remained where they hadstopped until daylight. If the Aryks were prepared to attack themwhile on the move, they could do so with equal effect while they werenot in motion.

  The increasing roar of the rapids was a great disadvantage, for itdrowned all inferior noises and compelled our friends to depend ontheir eyesight alone to discover the approach of danger.

  There was an involuntary shudder on the part of all, when they cameopposite the scene of the desperate fight, and they hastened pastwithout exchanging a word.

  They had not much further to go when they found themselves, for thetime, at the end of their voyage. It was impossible to ascend further,because of the rapids, which tossed the canoe about as though it werean eggshell.

  A halt was therefore made, and, at the moment this took place, allobserved that day was breaking, the light rapidly increasing in thedirection of the Aryk village.

  "_Just what I told you_!" exclaimed Jared Long, as the simultaneousdiscovery was made by all, that the forest around them was swarmingwith the vengeful savages, eager for another and bloodier joust at arms.