CHAPTER XV.--THE PROVISIONS ALL GONE.
When the raft was repaired, the blankets, arms, and little stock of foodwere put on board and securely fastened, each one took his accustomedplace, with Maj in the middle, and the voyage was resumed.
How far they had come, Sam had no means of telling, he only knew to hissorrow that he was being borne further and further away from his father.
Without this awful anxiety on his mind, the situation would have beensufficient to shake the nerves and courage of a strong man.
The brave youth felt that he was not only battling in these depths forhis own life, but for the lives of those whom fate had thrown with himon this most thrilling voyage.
He fully realized the situation, and the fortitude with which he facedit redounds the more to his credit.
They were on a shaky raft at the bottom of the mightiest gorge in allthe world.
Even if they could reach the top, they would find themselves in themidst of an arid, trackless desert, cut up by other canyons, across whichnaught but the mountain eagle could pass in safety.
The hunger, ever gnawing at his vitals, kept before him the fact thattheir provisions were nearly out.
If by dying, Sam could save his beloved father and return to safety hiscompanions in these trials, he would not have hesitated about facingdeath; but as it was, he determined to do his full duty while hisstrength lasted, though no eye but God's appreciated the effort he wasputting forth.
The canyon through which they were now passing, had the highest wallsthey had yet seen. For more than a mile their glistening gray sides shotup to the thin belt of dark blue sky, their summits crowned withpinnacles that in comparison would dwarf the highest and nobleststructure ever built by human hands.
As if resting after their mad dance in the whirlpool, the waters flowedcalmly and silently down, yet with a speed that told Sam they weremoving at the rate of about four miles an hour.
The most wonderful thing about these depths was the dim twilight, andlong before the sun went down in the upper world, the stars were visiblefrom the bottom of the canyon.
As night approached the passengers scanned the shores eagerly, andlooked ahead to every bend in the tortuous river, hoping they might beable to find a strip of shore or a ledge of rocks on which to make alanding, but in vain.
"It don't look's if dar was any more shoah," said Ike, in a loud,frightened tone, that echoed from rock to rock for nearly a minute afterhe had spoken.
"Not within sight," said Sam, with affected cheerfulness.
"Den wat's we to do?"
"We must keep on."
"On de raft?"
"The only chance is between that and the water."
"Dat's so," said Ike, solemnly.
"Too muchee watel, too lillee glub; no likee dis fix belly muchee," saidWah Shin.
"You must try and rest as best you can," said Sam. "Ulna and I will taketurns in steering the raft."
"All night, Mistah Sam?"
"Yes, Ike, all night."
"Den you done lost faith in dis chile?"
"I have not. Why do you ask?"
"Coz, Mistah Sam, I ain't agoin' to sleep while you weah yorself out. Imay be purty mean, but I ain't nigh so mean as dat. I ken steer in dedark as well as de next man, an' I'm agoin' fer to try, if so be youdon't objeck."
"Me, too; allee same like Ike. Me no steels so well likee me cookee, butI tly, too," said Wah Shin.
"I am glad to see, boys," said Sam, feeling stronger for the spiritshown by his two most dependent companions, "that you are willing to doyour part. If we come out all right, as I believe we shall, it will bebecause we never felt like giving up."
"Dem's my sentiments," said Ike, heartily.
"Me say allee same likee dat," joined in Wah Shin, who showed that hewas coming out strong as their trials increased.
Ulna spoke not a word, but in the dim and fading light his dark faceglowed with a pride and pleasure more eloquent in its expression thanwords.
To show that he appreciated their efforts, and with the belief that itwould be better for all, if each was made to feel that he had animportant share of the responsibility on his shoulders, Sam decided thatthey should take turns in steering during the night, in the same orderthat they would if on guard.
These arrangements were hardly completed when the impenetrable darkness,to which no mortal with eyes could ever grow accustomed, came down onthe canyon.
Sam had matches in a water-proof case, and with the help of these andhis watch they were enabled to mark the hours during that long, drearynight.
During the watches of heavy, painful darkness, the raft swept swiftlyand silently on, meeting with no mishap but giving to its occupants theimpression that they were falling down, down through the depths of arayless and fathomless space.
When it became light enough to see the next morning, Sam noticed thatall his companions looked older, and he reasoned that this was due tohunger, mental anxiety and want of sleep.
Even in the days of plenty, Ike was always ready to eat, and, as we haveseen, the desire for more food was ever on his mind, from the hour whenSam thought it prudent to limit the rations.
From the moment it was light enough to see he kept his eyes fastened onthe little bag containing their remaining stock of provisions. It wasevident, from the expression of his mouth, that he was trying torestrain his feelings, but unable to resist, he at length exclaimed:
"See heah, Mistah Sam!"
"What is it, Ike?" asked Sam, who already guessed what was coming.
"How does yeh feel 'bout dis time?"
"Pretty well, Ike; how are you?"
"I'ze mighty holler!" groaned Ike, and he pressed his hand over his beltand bent himself forward in a most comical way.
"Hungry, Ike?"
"Hungry!" repeated Ike, "dat ar' word don't nigh begin foh to 'spressjest how I feel."
"Cheer up, Ike; we'll find a landing-place presently, and then we'llhave something hot."
"W'en a feller's as holler an' hungry as I am, he ain't so mightypartickler whedder do grub's hot or cole. De question wif him is, is darenough to fill up all de emptiness."
"Very true, Ike----"
Sam's sentence was cut short by an exclamation from Ulna, who had risento his feet and was pointing to a line of shore on the left, where grewa cluster of stunted bushes.
They succeeded in getting the raft to this point and made a landingwithout any difficulty.
Here they found a great quantity of drift-wood, and Wah Shin and Ikestarted a fire while Sam and Ulna, with an eye to the future, selectedsome stout pieces of timber with which to strengthen their raft.
"Don't you t'ink," asked Ike as he pointed to their little stock offood, "dat dar ain't no use in makin' two bites ob a cherry?"
"Why do you ask that, Ike?"
"Coz, dar ain't more'n nuff grub dar foh one right-down, honest, squarmeal, an' if us was to eat it, we'd all feel a heap sight bettah."
"But the future, Ike?"
"Wa'al, sah, I ain't hungry in de futah; Ize hungry right jest now atdis bressed minute."
"Me feel allee same like dat," said Wah Shin.
As this was exactly how Sam and the uncomplaining Ulna felt, the formergave orders to warm up all the food and divide it into five shares, oneof which was to be for Maj.
They had a good supply of coffee left and a few pounds of bread with alike quantity of meat.
We shall not attempt to describe that feast. Only those who have longendured the pangs of hunger can appreciate it.
Each one rose from the banquet much relieved and refreshed, and in theirenjoyment of the present they quite lost sight of the fact that theirlast particle of food was gone.