CHAPTER XIX
WHAT HAPPENED TO TOM AND SAM
Let us return to Tom and Sam, at the time they were left alone atBinoto's hostelry.
"I wish we had gone with Dick and Uncle Randolph," said Tom, as heslipped into his coat and shoes. "I don't like this thing atall."
"Oh, don't get scared before you are hurt, Tom!" laughed hisyounger brother. "These people out here may be peculiar, but--"
Sam did not finish. A loud call from the woods had reached hisears, and in alarm he too began to dress, at the same timereaching for his pistol and the money belt which Randolph Roverhad left behind.
"I--I guess something is wrong," he went on, after a pause. "Ifwe--"
"Tom! Sam! look out fo' yourselves!" came from Aleck, and in asecond more the negro, burst on their view. "Come, if yo' isdressed!" he added.
"Where to?" asked Tom hurriedly.
"Anywhar, Massah Tom. De others is took prisoners! Come!" AndAleck almost dragged the boy along.
The Rover boys could readily surmise that Aleck would not act inthis highly excited manner unless there was good cause for it.Consequently, as Sam said afterward, "They didn't stand on theorder of their going, but just flew." Pell-mell out of thehostelry they tumbled, and ran up the highway as rapidly as theirnimble limbs would permit.
They heard several men coming after them, and heard the command"Halt!" yelled after them in both French and bad English. Butthey did not halt until a sudden tumble on Tom's part made theothers pause in dismay.
"Oh, great Caesar!" groaned the fun-loving Rover, and tried tostand up. "I guess I've twisted my ankle."
"Can't you even walk?" asked Sam.
"We ain't got no time ter lose!" panted Aleck, who was almostwinded. "If we stay here we'll be gobbled up--in no time, dat'sshuah!"
"Let us try to carry Tom," said Sam, and attempted to lift hisbrother up. But the load made him stagger.
"De trees--let us dun hide in, de trees!" went on the negro,struck by a certain idea. "Come on, quick!"
"Yes--yes--anything!" groaned Tom, and then shut his teeth hardto keep himself from screaming with pain.
Together they carried the suffering youth away from the highway towhere there was a thick jungle of trees and tropical vines. Thevines, made convenient ladders by which to get up into the trees,and soon Sam and Aleck were up and pulling poor Tom after them.
"Now we must be still," said Aleck, when they were safe for thetime being. "Hear dem a-conun' dis way."
The three listened and soon made out the footsteps of theapproaching party. They soon passed on up the road.
"We've fooled them," whispered Sam.
"But, oh, Aleck, what does it all mean?"
"It means dat yo' uncle an' Dick am prisoners--took by a lot ofrascals under a tall, Frenchman."
"Yes, but I don't understand--"
"No more do I, Massah Sam, but it war best to git out, dat's asshuah as yo' is born," added the colored man solemnly.
Poor Torn was having a wretched time of it with his ankle, whichhurt as badly as ever and had begun to swell. As he steadiedhimself on one of the limbs of the tree Sam removed his shoe,which gave him a little relief.
From a distance came a shouting, and they made out through thetrees the gleam of a torch. But soon the sounds died out and thelight disappeared.
What should they do next? This was a question impossible toanswer.
"One thing is certain, I can't walk just yet," said Tom. "When Iput my foot down it's like a thousand needles darting through myleg."
"Let us go below and hunt up some water," said Sam; and afterwaiting a while longer they descended into the small brush. Alecksoon found a pool not far distant, and to this they carried Tom,and after all had had a drink, the swollen ankle was bathed, muchto the sufferer's relief.
Slowly the time dragged by until morning. As soon as the sun wasup Aleck announced that he was going back to the hostelry to seehow the land lay.
"But don't expose yourself," said Tom. "I am certain now that isa regular robbers' resort, or worse."
Aleck was gone the best part of three hours. When he returned hewas accompanied by Cujo. The latter announced that all of theother natives had fled for parts unknown.
"The inn is deserted," announced Aleck. Even that colored wife ofthe proprietor is gone.
"And did you find any trace of Dick and my uncle?" asked Sam.
"We found out where dat struggle took place," answered, Aleck."And Cujo reckons as how he can follow de trail if we don't waittoo long to do it."
"Must go soon," put in Cujo for himself.
"Maybe tomorrow come big storm--den track all washed away."
Tom sighed and shook his head. "You can go on, but you'll have toleave me behind. I couldn't walk a hundred yards for a barrel ofgold."
"Oh, we can't think of leaving you behind!" cried Sam.
"I'll tell you wot--Ise dun carry him, at least fe a spell,"said Aleck, and so it was arranged.
Under the new order of things Cujo insisted on making a scoutingtour first, that he might strike the trail before carrying themoff on a circuitous route, thus tiring Aleck out before the realtracking began.
The African departed, to be gone the best Part of an hour. Whenhe came back there was a broad grin of satisfaction on his homelyfeatures.
"Cujo got a chicken," he announced, producing the fowl. "And heream some werry good roots, too. Now va dinner befo' we start out."
"Right yo' am, Cujo!" cried Pop, and began to start up a firewithout delay, while Cujo cleaned the fowl and mashed up theroots, which, when baked on a hot stone, tasted very much likesweet potatoes. The meal was enjoyed by all, even Tom eating hisfull share in spite of his swollen ankle, which was now graduallyresuming its normal condition.
Cujo had found the trail at a distance of an eighth of a mileabove the wayside hostelry. "Him don't lead to de ribber dare,"he said. "But I dun think somet'ing of him."
"And what do you think?" asked Tom, from his seat on Aleck'sback.
"I t'ink he go to de kolobo."
"And what is the kolobo?" asked Sam with interest.
"De kolobo old place on ribber-place where de white soldiers shootfrom big fort-house."
"A fort!" cried Tom. "But would the authorities allow, them to gothere?"
"No soldiers dare now--leave kolobo years ago. Place mosttumble down now. But good place fo' robbers."
"I see. Well, follow the trail as best you can--and we'll seewhat we will see."
"And let us get along just as fast as we can," added Sam.
On they went through a forest that in spots was so thick theycould scarcely pass. The jungle contained every kind of tropicalgrowth, including ferns, which were beautiful beyond description,and tiny vines so wiry that they cut like a knife.
"This is tough," remarked Sam. "But I suppose it doesn't hold acandle to what is beyond."
"Werry bad further on," answered Cujo. "See, here am de trail,"and he pointed it out.
Several miles were covered, when they came to a halt in order torest and to give Aleck a let up in carrying Tom. The youth nowdeclared his foot felt much better and hobbled along for somedistance by leaning on Sam's shoulder.
Presently they were startled by hearing a cry from a distance.They listened intently, then Cujo held up his hand.
"Me go an' see about dat," he said. "Keep out ob sight, all obyou!" And he glided into the bushes with the skill and silence ofa snake.
Another wait ensued, and Tom improved the time by again bathinghis foot in a pool which was discovered not far from where Cujohad left them. The water seemed to do much good, and the youthdeclared that by the morrow he reckoned he would be able to do afair amount of walking if they did not progress too rapidly.
"But what a country this is!" he murmured."I declare they could burn wood night and day for a century andnever miss a stick."
"I thought I heard some monkeys chattering a while ago," answeredSam. "I
suppose the interior is alive with them."
"I dun see a monkey lookin' at us now, from dat tree," observedAleck. "See dem shinin' eyes back ob de leaves?" He pointed withhis long forefinger, and both, boys gazed in the direction. ThenTom gave a yell.
"A monkey? That's a snake! Look out for yourselves!"
He started back and the others did the same. And they were nonetoo soon, for an instant later the leaves were thrust apart and aserpent's form appeared, swaying slowly to and fro, as ifcontemplating a drop upon their very heads!