CHAPTER X
Running the Gauntlet
There was tense silence aboard the launch from the moment when she hadplunged from the placid waters of the lagoon on to the brightly litsurface of the stream which the two fugitives had followed. For half anhour scarcely a word was spoken, while all eyes searched the path ahead,and peered vainly into the deep, impenetrable shadows on either hand.But at length Tom broke the trying silence, a sharp exclamation comingfrom the bows, where he was stationed.
"By lummy," he called, "but dat precious queer. Minute ago dere a brightlane ob water ahead; now noding, jest noding, all dark and black. MassaMajor, yo ain't gwine ter steam ahead like dis all de while! S'pose derea big rock ahead. S'pose de water come to an end. Dat be very awkward."
"Steady," called out the Major. "Guess it is queer, as Tom says; for aminute ago I could have sworn that this stream ran on clear and unbrokena good mile ahead. Now, it's suddenly blocked out. Perhaps there's abend 'way there in front."
"I'm sure," answered Jim promptly. "If we run on gently we shall findthat the stream opens up again before we get to that patch of darkness.Gee! Guess I'm right; it was a bend."
Meanwhile he had slowed down his motor; and it was fortunate he had doneso, for as the launch covered the intervening space lying betweenherself and the dense shadow, to which Tom had drawn attention, it wasnoticed by all that the fairway had narrowed considerably. At the bend,when she was gliding slowly forward, the banks came together veryabruptly, leaving a stream of water between them which was but a fewfeet wide. And while the rays from the moon fell upon the surface forsome dozen boat-lengths ahead, beyond that point the distance wasshrouded in darkness, the jungle cut off the rays as if with a shutter,casting a dense shadow on every side. Instantly the Major issued hisorders.
"Stop her," he cried in low tones. "This is a teaser. I don't much careabout going on through that narrow lane; for if there were folks roundhere to attack us, we might have a job to get out again. Chances are wecouldn't turn the boat, and that would mean reversing all the way. Whatdo you say, Jim? It's a teaser, ain't it?"
But for the moment our hero was engaged with his engine. He threw outhis lever at the Major's orders, and then pushed it right forward, tillthe propeller was reversing. Having brought the boat to a standstill, heleft the motor running gently, and clambered forward till he was besidethe officer.
"Guess it'd be better to stay right here," he said shortly. "I quiteagree that if we went along that narrow lane we might be placingourselves in a difficulty. We might find ourselves in a regular bottle,with only a narrow neck from which to make our escape. Best lie heretill morning, when we shall see where we are, and what sort of a placethat stream leads to."
"Den boil de kettle an' hot up de food," sang out Ching, who was stillhuddled at the stern of the vessel. "Plenty hungry and thirsty, MassJim, an if havvy food to eat, den de time slippy along velly quickly."
The Major nodded his head vigorously. "You are a man in a hundred, Jim,"he said, giving vent to a laugh. "'Pon my word, when I am next sent offon an expedition I shall make it a point that you come along with yourservants. A more useful lot I never hit upon. Gee! Of course we'rehungry. Jest get to with it, Ching."
"Drop de anchor, eh!" demanded Tom, standing to his full height forward,and holding the pole erect in the air. Indeed, for the moment he looked,with the moon playing upon him, for all the world like a dusky sentry,keeping guard over all on the launch and her surroundings. Then he setthe pole down with a clatter, there came to the ear the clank and chinkof a chain being dragged across the boarding. Tom lifted the launch'sanchor from its rests, and held it out at arm's length, as if it were afeather.
"Drop um in?" he asked, poising it above the water. "Wat you say, sir?"
"Let her go," cried the Major. "When she's fast, haul in the slack, andlet me know what depth we've got. Reckon this is as good a place to liein as we could have, for we're well in midstream, and those rascalscould not easily reach us from the banks. But of course they could sendtheir bullets whizzing amongst us, and that's a risk we shall have tolaugh at. What's the time, Jim?"
"Want's half an hour of midnight, sir. Guess we might have a feed, andthen turn in."
The arrangement was one to be recommended, and the Major fell in with itinstantly. Jim stopped his motor, shut off the gasolene and oil, andmade a careful inspection of the machinery with the help of his electrictorch. Ten minutes later Ching announced that hot coffee was ready, and,rising from the petroleum stove situated as far forward from the motoras was possible, and over which he had been bending, proceeded to dealout the beverage to each member of the expedition. Sam followed him witha tin of biscuits, while the ponderous and good-natured Tom thrust hisarm over the shoulder of his diminutive comrade, offering squares ofcheese which he had cut ready, and had placed upon the lid of the box toserve as a tray.
"Guess better eat as much as you can," he laughed, opening his cavernousmouth. "S'pose dose scum come along fine and early; den hab noting toeat, but p'raps plenty bullet. Den very sorry yo not fill up to-night."
In any case he availed himself of his own advice, and sat on the edge ofthe well devouring enormous mouthfuls. As to the others, each ateaccording to his appetite, and we record but the truth when we say thatin no case did that fail them. Their rush across the lagoon in the wakeof the fugitives, the excitement of the chase generally, and thefreshness of the night had given them all a feeling of briskness, andwith that feeling came undoubted hunger. Besides, it might be necessaryto push on without a pause, once there was light enough with which tosee, then he who had not partaken of a full supper might regret thefact, and might have many hours to wait before an opportunity occurredof taking food.
"Jest you turn in and take a sleep, Jim," said the Major, when the mealwas finished. "It's just midnight now, and between two and three in themorning we shall have light. I'll take the watch till then, and Tom mayas well be along with me. That big chap somehow seems to make one feelquite secure and safe."
Within five minutes silence once more reigned over the launch, while themoon peeped down upon a number of figures huddled in the well. TheChinaman lay bunched in a little ball right aft, which he seemed to haveappointed as his own particular quarters, while Sam lay curled up like afaithful dog at his master's feet. The Major sat beside the engine, arifle barrel resting against his shoulder, and Tom was perched on therail, his big eyes searching every shadow, a smile of serene happinesson his face. And at length the morning came. While the moon still hunglow in the sky, prepared to disappear altogether, a rosy hue lit up thedense banks of green on either hand, and, falling upon the tree trunks,brought them into prominence. Swiftly the light increased in strengthtill the banks beneath the trees were visible. The surface of the watergleamed white and cold, and every feature of the launch stood outdistinctly. It was time to move. The Major rose from his seat and peeredinto the narrow channel through which he had not dared to take his menduring the darkness. He was on the point of issuing an order when at aspot a little to the right, still hidden somewhat by the lack of light,a puff of white smoke was seen to burst. Flame ringed it in the centre,while the smoke itself rose and spread in wide billows. Somethingthudded heavily against the side of the launch, while an instant later adeafening report broke the morning silence, and reverberated along theforest.
"Eugh!" cried Tom in alarm, his eyes prominent. "Yo hear dat, massa? Demscum do as I say and start in right early. Tom not like de bulletssinging and humming about his head."
As if the Major could have failed to hear! He started violently as thereport swept across the water, and then clambered across into the cab.Jim and the others were already on their feet, while the crafty Chinghad uncurled himself, and now lay full length upon his face, a rifle athis shoulder.
"Do dat again and me fire fo sure," he cried. "Mass Jim, you call out ifdis Chinaboy to send dem a bullet."
But Jim had other matters to attend to, for he realized that any instantit might be ne
cessary to set the launch in motion. He crawled along intothe engine well, and with the light now to help him, had his motorrunning within the space of a few seconds.
"One of you boys get that anchor lifted," commanded the Major, his eyesfixed upon the spot from which the shot had come. "Tomkins, just fixyour sights 'way over at that corner, and if there's another shot, send'em a bullet. You needn't be careless either; this time they're askingfor a lesson."
The words had hardly left his lips when another shot rang out from thebank, the smoke blowing up again into the cool morning air. It wasfollowed by another and another, till from some twenty places smokeobscured the bank and the forest. As to the missiles, they flew, hummed,and screamed overhead, some dropping into the water beyond, othersthudding against the far bank, while a few, just a few only, struck thelaunch, making her wooden sides rumble. Not a man aboard was hit, thoughmany escaped narrowly.
"Precious near every time," cried Jim, reddening under the excitement,and finding it extremely difficult to refrain from bobbing. "Gee! Ideclare that one of those bullets went within an inch of my arm whileanother struck the top of the cylinder here, and--hi! look at this!" heshouted.
That last bullet had, in fact, done real damage; for it happened to be abig one, discharged from a huge muzzle-loader, sold to the man who hadfired the weapon by men who palmed it off as of the latest construction.Almost as big as a pigeon's egg, the mass of lead had struck thecylinder heavily, and with disasterous results. A column of water wasspurting upward from the rent made in the copper cooling jacket.
"Done any damage? Not harmed the engine, I hope?" said the Major,looking across at Jim, and then at Tom, who meanwhile was tugging at theanchor chain. "I hear her running; that sounds hopeful."
Jim did not answer for the moment. At the first hasty inspection heimagined that the missile must have made a rent in the copper jacket andalso cracked the cylinder casting itself. But a close survey of thedamage showed him that the worst had not happened. The motor was heavilybuilt, and no doubt the casting had been strong enough and thick enoughto stand up to the blow. As to the water jacket, the damage was serious,but could be remedied. He could make a temporary repair inside half anhour, if given the opportunity, some sheet copper, and a soldering lamp.But for the present the rent must remain; the water must continue topump up into the air.
"We'll get along in spite of the damage, Major," he sang out cheerily."But I shall want a man along here to bail. Ching, jest you hop in herewith me and bring some sort of a pannikin."
"Got um! By de poker, but I tink dat anchor fixed down below beneath arock," shouted Tom at this instant, lurching back on the for'ard deckand just saving a fall into the well. "Dat ting stick like wax, and Tomnot move um at fust. Hi, by lummy, you ober dere, yo do dat again andTom say someting to yo. He skin yo alibe. He roast de flesh on yo bonesand eat you."
Jim grinned; even in the midst of such excitement the huge negro amusedhim, so that he was forced to laugh. Indeed the antics Tom indulged inwere enough to cause a shout of merriment. It seemed that a bullet,fired at him a second earlier, just as he was hauling up the anchor, hadstruck him on the back of the hand; and though it had done nothing morethan break the skin, it had caused a great deal of pain. It was that,and the suddenness of it all, which had roused the ire of the negro.
"You black son ob gun yo!" he bellowed, shaking a huge fist towards thebank from which the shot had come. "Me break yo into little pieces,smash yo into fine jelly."
"Hop right down off that deck, and see that you've placed the anchor outof harm's way," commanded the Major sharply. "Bullets are bad enough,but when they ricochet from an anchor they give very nasty wounds. Ah!"
He had hardly finished speaking when there came another rollingdischarge from the bank, followed by the rush of the bullets, and thenby a dull thud. The officer commanding the expedition fell forward inthe cab, struck his forehead against the edge, and subsided in a heap onthe floor. Instantly one of his men bent over him.
"Knocked silly, sir," he said, addressing Jim. "What's to be done?"
He looked at his two companions and awaited their answer. But one ofthem was busily engaged. Tomkins crouched in the well, his rifle to hisshoulder and a perfect stream of fire issuing from the muzzle. Indeed,no one could have handled a magazine rifle better. But he came to theend of his supply of cartridges within a minute, and faced roundquickly.
"What's that?" he demanded anxiously. "The Major hit? Say, this is bad!"
"Knocked silly; not killed," explained his comrade, shooting a cartridgeinto his own barrel. "What's to be done?"
Tomkins cast a sympathetic glance at the Major, and then across at theriver bank. A second later his eyes strayed to Jim's figure, and for afew moments he watched the young fellow as he tended to his engine, andwith Ching's help placed a board padded with oiled cotton waste over therent in the cooling jacket.
"See here," he cried abruptly. "The Major's down. Guess that youngfellow had best take his place. He knows how to work this concern, andhe ain't no fool by a long way. Get to at it."
He took it for granted that Jim would accept the post of commander, andpromptly turned towards the bank again, his magazine alreadyreplenished.
Meanwhile it may be wondered who had caused the whole commotion, whowere the miscreants who had so suddenly and treacherously fired into thelaunch.
Five minutes almost had passed since the first shot came, when the bankswere hardly visible. But the dawn comes quickly in the tropics. The daywas full upon them now, and, looking up, Jim could perceive the mass oftangled undergrowth beneath the forest trees, while right by the edge ofthe water were a number of dusky figures. If he could have had anyreasonable doubt that they were natives Tomkins speedily helped him to adecision. For the man was a first-class marksman, and now that the lightwas strong enough he began to make good use of his rifle. As Jim staredat the bank, one of the dusky figures turned and scrambled towards thejungle. But it seemed that the man had already been hit; for suddenly heswerved and almost tumbled. Then he faced round again, and stoodunsteadily leaning on his weapon. The next instant a terrible shoutescaped him; the native, for a dusky individual it was without question,dropped his weapon and thrust both arms high into the air. Then heseemed to crumple up entirely, and, falling forward, rolled with a loudsplash into the river. Within a second a comrade had followed him to thesame destination, dispatched thither by the policeman's unerring rifle.
Bang! Bang! From a long length of the bank splashes of smoke came, andonce more bullets sped towards the launch. Jim heard their thudding, andeven noted the various queer sounds they made, the dull blow of onestriking her broadside, the cheep of another which merely grazed herrail, and then the nasty screaming of a missile which hit the anchorchain, and, being deflected in its course, rose almost vertically, andlater on brought a shower of leaves from the trees beyond. But that wasnot all. Two bullets at least passed with a peculiar whizz, and went oninto the jungle on the other bank, as if they had been driven withgreater force than all the rest.
"Revolvers!" exclaimed our hero at once. "Tomkins, I think there weretwo revolver shots then. Eh?"
The man nodded; he had hardly time to speak.
"Guess so," he said abruptly. "Revolvers--those villains we're after.They've set a whole crowd on to us."
"Then the sooner we are out of their reach the better. See here," criedJim; "try to find out where those particular ruffians have got to andpepper them. Sam, get to the wheel; we'll make over to the far bank;that'll bother them."
The motor buzzed and roared as he switched his levers forward, while thewater pump gathered such power from the momentum that the pressurewithin the jackets increased wonderfully. Ching, despite all his effortsand all his cunning, could no longer seal that rent made by the bullet.True, he reduced the leakage wonderfully; but from all round the margina spray of hot water swept broadcast, quickly drenching our hero to theskin. It was a trifle, however: Jim congratulated himself that he wasnot likely to be sc
alded.
"With a motor on a car ashore it would be different," he told himself,as he put the launch in motion. "Here the temperature cannot very wellrise too high. She takes in her supply direct from the river, and pumpsit right through the jackets and out again. Swing her over, Sam. Seehere, Tomkins, I'm going straight for the far bank, and will swing roundin a circle when I get near. We'll bring up end on, beneath a tree ifpossible; then we shall present less of a mark. Ah! Good shooting!That'll make 'em careful."
As yet he had had no time in which to reckon the odds opposed to them,nor the imminence of the danger in which the expedition stood. Minormatters occupied his attention, those and vague queries as to how heshould proceed. He noted with satisfaction that Tomkins and his twocomrades were making excellent practice. At least half a dozen of theenemy had already fallen.
"Round with her, right round, Sam," he commanded, when the launch wasnear the bank. "Steady! Back her! How's that for a tree?"
With Sam aiding him at the wheel, and he himself controlling the pace ofthe launch, Jim soon manoeuvred her beneath a tree which swept itsbranches right into the water. Then he threw his lever out, slowed themotor, and crawled into the cab. With Tom's help he laid the Major onhis back and carefully searched for a wound. And very soon they cameupon the result of the bullet. There was a huge, discoloured bump on thetop of his head, while an ugly graze crossed the forehead. For the rest,he was breathing deeply and regularly, while the pupils were equal.
"Bullet knock de sense clean out ob him head," explained Tom, as if hewere completely conversant with the matter. "Knock de Massa Major silly.To-morrow, when he wake up and come to himself, he hold de hands to himhead. Oh, how him ache! Him feel more silly den dan he look now. But,Massa Jim, dis a bit ob hot stuff. Dis quite all right. Once de funbegin Tom like it hot and plenty. Yo bide little bit; soon dem debilfire away all dere powder and ball. Den time to make a move; den Tom habsometing more to say about de wound. Yo see dat!" and he held out abruised and swollen hand for Jim's inspection; "scum of a black niggerdo dat. Yo see. Tom not forget when de time come."
Really the big fellow was too much for Jim. Grave though the situationwas, he was forced to laugh again. For Tom did not stop at threats; hiswords lost all their impressiveness without the gestures. And thelatter, terribly fierce though they were--for when he bared his teeth ina snarl no one could look more like a demon than Tom--were instantlybanished and forgotten by the fellow's well-known merry smile. Tom'ssix-foot smile was too catching. His comical face never failed to drawlaughter from his audience.
"If you stand up and expose your ugly head like that you won't be leftwhen the powder has been done with!" exclaimed Jim severely, suppressinghis mirth. "Now, listen to this: Tom will watch up stream, Ching willkeep a lookout in the downward direction, while Sam will hop ashore.Don't go more than a few feet away, lad," he warned the little negro."Just enough to keep us from being surprised, and to allow you to rejoininstantly. Say, Tomkins, supposing we give over firing?"
A flushed face turned towards him, while the policeman regarded our heroas if he thought him demented.
"Let 'em go on shootin' and not answer!" he gasped. "Why, of all----"
"It's like this," explained Jim curtly. "All the time you fire they knowwhere we're lying. I don't say we're likely to get bad wounds at thisdistance, for most of the weapons yonder are gas barrels, I reckon, buta revolver bullet might hit by accident, and then it'd be a case withone of us."
There was indecision on Tomkins's face for the space of a few seconds.To tell the truth, though an excellent fellow, he was one who boastedunusual independence, both in word and act, and while it was a fact thathe had suggested that Jim should take the Major's place, he had taken itfor granted that orders from our hero would not be very frequent, andthat he would mainly direct by managing his motor, and seeing that acourse was steered. And here he was fighting the vessel. There wassomething approaching a scowl on Tomkins's face as the thought flashedacross his brain. He swung round to look at the enemy. But a secondlater he was glancing up at Jim once more, his weapon idle beside him.
"You're a conjuror, I guess," he said abruptly. "I'd forgotten thoserevolvers. I thought your suggestion was a bad one; then, blessed if oneof them rascals didn't drop in a shot. Look there! He winged me!"
He grinned as he held out a finger of his left hand for inspection.
"That's what I got for being foolish. You're right, sir," he said withdecision. "What next?"
"See that you don't touch the branches overhead. They'd see them movingfrom the far side. Sam there? Come aboard. Now," he went on, when thenegro had dropped into the well of the launch, "not a sound from anyone.They won't hear the motor while she is running light. We'll run downstream under the trees, and then make a break into the open. Ahundred-yards start will allow us to laugh at all their weapons."
There was agreement on all the faces about him. Tomkins nodded verydecidedly, showing that the plan met with his approval.
"Then lie out there right forward, Tom," said Jim, lowering his tones."Those long arms of yours will do as fenders. Push us off if we get toonear to a tree. But don't touch 'em if you can help it. Get on to thatwheel, Sam; I'm moving off at once."
He threw in his lever and set the propeller turning very slowly, but thelaunch felt the effect instantly. She was already heading in the rightdirection, and at once began to glide away beneath the leafy covering.It happened, too, that she was able to pursue this course for more thana hundred yards before a break in the bank, where there had been aspecies of landslide, and where the trees receded sharply, caused her tocome into the open.
"Take her clear into the centre, and then head her for the lagoon," saidJim, calling gently to Sam. "Tom, slip back into the cab. All hands keeptheir heads as low as possible. Don't fire a shot unless there's actualneed, and if there's trouble, let every man who has no other specialduty pepper those rascals for all they're worth. Over with her."
Bizz! gurr! gurr! The motor roared at his bidding, while the propellerlashed the shallow water into foam. Ching grabbed at the covering placedover the rent in the water jacket, and then turned his face from theengine. For, though there was nothing there to harm one, still the sprayforced in all directions by the pump was disagreeable, to say the leastof it, and made seeing almost impossible! Bizz! Gurr! the launch shotdown the last few yards of the dark lane beneath the trees. Sam, his eyefixed on the opening, swung his wheel right over, while Jim nudged hislevers a trifle higher. The planks at his feet had started to ditheragain, and practice told him that the vessel must be moving. But theywere not shaking and vibrating to such an extent as to make standingupon them uncomfortable. There was no need for such an exhibition ofhaste yet awhile.
"Might bust the jacket altogether," Jim told himself. "Might have a badbreakdown. Better get along as we are. I can squeeze a little more outof her if there's occasion. Ah, here she goes round into the open!"
Turning abruptly, as Sam swung the wheel over, the launch canted on herheel till a stream of water swamped far up the rail-less deck astern.The bows lifted from the surface in spite of Tom's enormous weight,while a big bow wave collected beneath her cutwater, and, gathering insize as the propeller shot the boat forward, was presently spreadingacross the surface of the river, and washing heavily against the nearestbank. Straight as a dart the vessel was directed to the point that Jimhad mentioned. She cut obliquely across the stream, and, almost beforethose aboard could have believed it possible, was heeling again to theswerve of her rudder.
"Done them brown. Cut out below them, and left 'em well behind. Boys!"cried Tomkins, beside himself with delight, "I 'low as we've somethingto thank the chief for. He's done a cute thing; he's stolen a real marchon them blackguards."
"Not know so much, siree," answered Tom from his post in the cab, wherehe had retired at Jim's orders. "Massa Jim all right, don't you fear. Heknow right well what him up to; but what yo say to dat, and to dat? Dembullets buzz too close fo Tom's likin'."
/> That the passage of the launch had been observed there could not now bea shadow of doubt, for the far side of the river had already displayedseveral patches of smoke, billowing from the rifles of the enemy. ButTomkins laughed at the idea that they could prove harmful.
"Jest you squat right down here at my feet, darkie," he laughed. "Thenyou won't have no cause to get wonderin' whether a bullet's comingalong. Fer me, I guess as we're well out of a ruction that looked at onetime likely to get too hot fer anything. You ain't got sich a thing as alight along of you?"
Tom grunted. It annoyed the big fellow to have a recommendation to placehimself in safety. His eyes gleamed white in the morning light; hissharp teeth gritted together.
"Yo policeman," he said, as he extracted his pipe from his pocket, andstill leaned on the edge of the cab, within full view of those on thebank of the river, "yo Tomkins, yo ain't the only one as wants a smoke.By gum, but Tom like a draw too, 'specially early in de mornin', whendere a chance of gettin' a bullet. Yo sit right there and wait. Matchesain't so plentiful in this locality."
He stuffed his pipe methodically and slowly. Then he put the stembetween his teeth and, slowly again, struck one of his matches. He wason the point of offering the light to the policeman when a suddenexclamation came from Sam.
"Look dar!" he shouted. "Not tink dat good for dis here party. Tings isall changed round. Dey's chasin' us instead of we bein' after dem. MassaJim, dis am a bit of a conundrum."
Conundrum or not, the situation was sufficiently serious. Even Tomkinswent red and hot as he realized to the full the gravity of this newmovement. For the motor launch was not the only one on the river. Thelaunch on which the two ruffians had escaped from Colon, and which theythemselves had chased in the late hours of the previous night, was nowchasing them, but under altered circumstances. There were fifty darkfigures swarming over her decks.
"Right straight down the centre!" cried Jim, waving to Sam. "You hold ondead straight unless I give you an order. I think we shall just clearher."
But would they? That was the question. The steam launch which haddisappeared so mysteriously on the previous night had suddenly dartedout from the opposite bank of the river, her decks crowded with men.Moreover, she was fully prepared for a speedy journey, for steam washissing and whistling from her escape. There was a white wave under herfoot, a spreading surf behind her, while the course she followedpromised to bring her alongside Jim's vessel before the latter couldmake her way down the long stretch of water that led to the lagoon.Indeed it looked very much as if the stranger would intercept theirpassage, and then--what was the prospect?
"Boys," called out Jim after a minute, during which time he had pushedhis throttle and ignition levers as far forward as was possible, "seehere, boys, there may be a tussle before us. Get to work right now withyour rifles. Give it to 'em hot. We may be able to scare 'em."
Pip! Pop! The sharp reports of the Government rifles punctuated thesemi-silence which followed, while screams of rage came from the crowdeddecks of the enemy. Pip! Pop! Tomkins and his friends splashed theirbullets in the centre of the throng, and sent more than one of the duskywarriors rolling. Meanwhile, under Jim's guiding hand, the motor launchsped faster towards the lagoon, till her whole frame shivered andvibrated. In such acute cases a second's space of time will change thecomplexion of matters entirely, will advance the fortunes of one partyagainst those of the other. And here there was an illustration of thefact. Jim's engine raced madly, while the propeller took a firm grip ofthe water. The vessel bounded forward at a pace which easilyoutdistanced that of the steam launch. Very soon it became apparent thatJim and his friends would slip past the launch that was steaming fromthe opposite bank to intercept them.
"Keep at it with those rifles, boys!" he shouted, delighted at the turnmatters had taken, and, heedless of the spray of water which gushed inall directions from the rent in the cooling jacket of the motor. "Keepdown their fire, and if you catch a sight of those rascals, pepper themproperly. Hooray! We'll best 'em yet."
"Run past dem as if they was lame and walking," sang out Tom, bubblingover with excitement. "Den turn and gib dem what fo. Yo tink dat goodadvice, massa. Yo do as I say; den we knock dem into little pieces. Tomable to find de blackguard dat fired dat shot; den smash um to a jelly."
But seconds bring great changes in the fortunes of parties, as we havealready observed, and now, having smiled upon Jim and his comrades,Dame Fortune--a fickle dame at any time--turned her face from them. Thatrent in the water jacket, the spray which the pump forced past the plugwhich Ching held in position, proved the undoing of the party. Therhythmical buzz of the engine suddenly ceased. The explosions camehaltingly, while the revolutions lessened sensibly, so much so as toreduce the speed of the boat. Then Jim's practised ear told him that theignition had given out, that the vital spark, without which the motorwas useless and now deficient, had been cut off, and thus the motor hadbeen sent adrift. Let us express the matter in proper terms--the flow ofwater had smothered the magneto, and the current was shorted; no longerdid it flow uninterrupted and insulated to the cylinders. It expendedits force elsewhere, sent sparks flashing about the magneto, and in theshort space of a minute entirely stopped the motor. But the steam launchmade no pause in her progress. She pushed on towards the stranded boatswiftly, while a shriek of delight and triumph burst from the horde ofnatives crowding her decks.