CHAPTER XX.
THE RAPOSA
McKay and Lourenco, in a broad, low, musty-smelling room, faced a manwho stood and a man who sat. The man who stood was the old savage whocould talk in the Mayoruna language. The man who sat was the chief ofthe Red Bones.
In his first words to the visitors the old interpreter revealed that thename of the Red Bone ruler was Umanuh. Later on Lourenco informed McKaythat in the Tupi _lengoa geral_ of the Amazonian Indians (which,however, was not spoken by this tribe) the word "umanuh" meant "corpse."And whatever the name may have signified in the language of the RedBones, its Tupi definition fitted with disagreeable precision. ForUmanuh was a living cadaver.
Gaunt, gray skinned, lank haired, hollow of cheek and eye, with thin,cruel lips so tight drawn that the teeth behind seemed to show through,ribs projecting, clawlike hands resting on bony knees, his whole framemotionless as that of a man long dead, the head man of the bone-dyeingtribe was the antithesis of both the piggish Suba and the herculeanMonitaya. Only his eyes lived; and those eyes were cold and merciless asthose of a snake or a vulture. A man who ruled by ruthless cunning, whowould gaze unmoved on the most ghastly tortures, who would devour humanflesh with ghoulish relish--such was the creature who sat in a red-dyedhammock and contemplated the impassive face of McKay.
"Umanuh, great chief, eater of his enemies, with fangs of the jaguar andwisdom of the great snake, awaits the greeting of the one-whose-hairgrows-from-his-mouth," droned the old mouthpiece of the chief.
"Makkay, leader of the fighting men of the Blackbeards, whose voice isthe thunder and whose hand spits lightning and death, gives greeting toUmanuh," responded Lourenco in a like droning tone.
A pause. Umanuh gave no sign of life. McKay, straight and cold, met theunwinking stare of the chief with his own chill gray gaze. Between thetwo who spoke not was a testing of wills.
"Makkay brings with him none of the Blackbeard warriors," pointed outthe interpreter, who seemed to know his master's thought. "He comes withonly the jungle men of light skins."
"Makkay needs none of his own warriors when he comes in peace. If hecame in war the terrible Blackbeards with him would cause the wholeforest to fly apart in smoke and flame. Since he walks in peace to visithis friend Umanuh, of whose wisdom he has heard, he brings only hisfriends the Mayorunas, who are friends also to the men of the RedBones."
Another pause. The old man now seemed somewhat uncertain of himself. Thesilent duel between McKay and Umanuh went on. At length the chief's eyesflickered a trifle. In a hissing whisper he said something.
"The men of the Mayorunas never come to this country unless seekingsomething," the interpreter promptly spoke up. "What do they seek?"
"Only that which Makkay seeks."
Then, turning to the captain, the Brazilian added: "Capitao, we now havereached the point to talk business. Have you any presents? And is ityour wish to give them now or later?"
"I have a few things. But I'll give them later--if at all. This chief ishostile. Tell him what we're here for and see how he acts."
"It has come to the ears of Makkay," Lourenco informed the man ofUmanuh, "that a man of the Blackbeards lives among the men of the RedBones. Makkay would see that man."
Again the interpreter awaited his master's voice before answering.
"No man of the Blackbeards is among the men of Umanuh," he then denied.
"If he is not among them he is near them," was Lourenco's certain reply."He has been seen both by other Blackbeards and by the Mayorunas. I,too, have seen him. He bears on his bones the sign that his mind is outof his skull. His eyes are green and his hair touched with white. Umanuhand his men know well that I speak true."
The pause this time was longer than before.
"There was such a man, but he is gone."
"Then Makkay asks his friend Umanuh to find that one. A chief so wisecan easily find him where others would see only water and mud."
"If he could be found what would the great Blackbeard leader do withhim?"
Lourenco thought swiftly. To say the Raposa was McKay's friend would dolittle good. Friendship meant nothing to this unfeeling brute. Thereforethe bushman insinuated something which his cruel mind could comprehend.
"If a Red Bone man abandoned his people and went to another tribe, whatwould Umanuh do to him when he was found?"
A cold glimmer in the chief's eyes showed that he thought he understood.Moreover, he would much like to see what sort of torture this hard-facedBlackbeard would use on a fugitive. It might be something even morefiendish than his own pastimes. So the next reply came promptly.
"If that man is found the blackbeard will pay for him?"
"There are gifts of friendship for Umanuh," Lourenco nodded.
"The Blackbeard leader will pay more than the other Blackbeard?"
Lourenco almost blinked. What other Blackbeard? The Raposa himself? Butthe Brazilian repressed his bewilderment.
"Makkay will first see the man to make sure he is the Blackbeard whomMakkay wants," he dodged. "Then he will pay well."
"Umanuh will see the gifts now."
"The gifts cannot be shown now. They are packed away. When Makkay haslooked on the man Umanuh shall look on the gifts."
Another eye duel between the chief and McKay. As before, the captain'seye proved the harder.
"Umanuh will think of the matter. Night comes. The man hunted by theBlackbeard is not here. The Blackbeard and his men may stay to-nightacross the water. When the sun rises again Umanuh will talk further."
"It is well. Let Umanuh tell his men to stay on this side of the water,that we may not mistake them in the night for enemies."
When Umanuh had hissed assent the old man stepped to the doorway andsummoned the hatchet-faced warrior. To him instructions were given. Heturned and carried the commands to the tribesmen.
"Makkay wishes Umanuh peaceful rest," said Lourenco. With which heflicked his eyes toward the door. McKay, with stiff stride, stalked out.Lourenco followed. Both felt the snake eyes of the cadaverous chiefdwelling on their backs.
To the waiting Knowlton, Pedro, and Tucu it was briefly explained thatpreliminary negotiations had been concluded and that camp now would bemade on the farther side of the creek. Tucu, observing that the Red Bonemass behind was dividing again to let the visitors pass through, gavethe word to his men. The column began to move out, marching in reverseorder. Pedro muttered swiftly to his partner.
"Lourenco, see that house with the barred door where the clubman standsguard. Remember where it is."
The other swept the loop in one quick glance, located the house, andfell into step without a word, the guarded structure fixed on his brainas clearly as if he had studied it for an hour. Walking down themalodorous street, he said, quietly, "There will be a small moonto-night."
"You are becoming a reader of the mind, comrade," Pedro grinned. No morewas said.
Down to the shore of the creek trooped the party, followed closely bythe hatchet-face and a score of tribesmen. The whites and the Mayorunasgot into half a dozen of the waiting canoes and paddled across. In otherdugouts the Red Bone men also crossed, but they did not land. As soon asthe borrowed boats were empty the tribesmen took them in tow andreturned to their own bank. The visitors were left on a partly clearedshore, separated from their uncordial hosts by some twenty yards of deepwater. Not one canoe was left them. Furthermore, the Red Bones now beganactivities indicating an intention to establish a night-longwatch on theirside of the stream.
"Taking no chances of our raiding them to-night, or even snooping aroundtown," said Knowlton. "Keeping everything in their own hands. Reckonwe'd better post sentries to-night, Rod, just to keep an eye on thatoutpost of theirs."
McKay nodded.
"We four will take it in turn," he agreed. "Lourenco--Pedro--you--I.Three-hour tours."
"Pardon, Capitao," interposed Pedro. "It would be well to change that.You two senhores take the first two watches."
"Why?" frowned McKay.
The captain's frown deepened, but he studied Pedro's devil-may-care facekeenly before answering.
"Humph! What's up your sleeve? Out with it!"
Pedro glanced around him and across the water. The tribesmen, both ofthe Mayoruna force and of the Red Bones, were watching the colloquy.
"We are watched, Capitao. Let us make camp now and talk later. These mendo not understand our words, but we cannot tell what they may see in ourfaces. Now speak harshly, as if I had been insolent."
McKay did. He thundered at the young bushman as if about to do himbodily injury.
Pedro retreated a step, as if taken aback by the storm he had unleashed.When McKay stopped he replied: "Excellent, Capitao. Now I go to startwork on the _tambo_."
He trudged away with a sullen gait. On both sides of the stream theIndians muttered and looked at the tall commander with increasedrespect. Truly, the Blackbeard was a fierce ruler and one who must notbe angered; he had the voice of a great gun and the temper of a jaguar.That other man was lucky to have his head still on his shoulders!
When the camp was made at the edge of the bush and the four comradeswere grouped in their hammocks, Lourenco narrated in detail theconversation with Umanuh. Knowlton reciprocated with news of what he andPedro had seen at the corner of the barred house.
"I almost jumped after him, Rod," he admitted. "Had all I could do tohold myself. But I knew anything sudden like that might start war rightthere, and we wouldn't have a Chinaman's chance of getting away withhim, so I stood fast. But he's here, and old Umanuh's a liar by theclock if he says otherwise."
"He is the same man we saw in the forest, Lourenco, or my eyes aretwisted," added Pedro.
"Hm! Something very fishy here," commented McKay.
"Very fishy indeed, Capitao," Lourenco echoed. "The man is within call,yet Umanuh says he is not here. And Umanuh wants us to buy the man. Whatis more, he asks if we will pay more than the other Blackbeard. Whatother Blackbeard? The man himself has a dark beard, and since we leftheadquarters Pedro and I have grown black whiskers, too. Yet Umanuhcannot mean the crazy man would pay him to stay here, or that either ofus Brazilians would try to buy him. There are no other men with blackbeards--except the German woman-stealer; and of course he cannot be theone."
"No?" Pedro asked, softly.
"No, certainly. Why? Of what were you thinking?"
Pedro's brown eyes twinkled, but he made no answer. He only inhaled along puff from his cigarette and looked across the water at thehairpin-shaped town.
"What about that visiting trip of yours to-night?" McKay asked.
"I wish to see what is in that house with the barred door, Capitao. WhenI am curious about such a matter Lourenco always becomes curious, too,so I shall have to take him with me. If I did not he would say I wasmaking love to the chief's wives."
"_Por Deus!_ That may be all the barred house holds--the wives of thechief," guessed Lourenco. "Why waste time and risk death to look intothat place?"
"_Quem nao arrisca nao ganha_, as the coronel would say--he who risksnothing gains nothing. I feel that we should visit that house. Somethingcalls me back to it."
Lourenco studied his partner a moment, then nodded slowly. But McKayinterposed decided objection.
"Too dangerous. Also unnecessary. We'll get Rand--if the man isRand--through the chief. Your night spying might ruin everything and getyou killed into the bargain. Nothing to gain and all to lose. Stayhere."
Pedro's eyes hardened. But it was Lourenco who answered.
"Capitao, I think we had best do as Pedro says. It is a queer thing andI cannot explain it, but I have known him to have such ideas in the pastand they have always worked out for the best. He himself does not knowwhy he does some things--things which look totally foolish and whichoften are very dangerous--except that he feels like doing them. Yet Ihave never known this foolishness to fail to turn out well. He and Iwill go over to-night and see what we may see."
The captain's brows drew together. Flat insubordination! Then heremembered that these men were not subordinates at all; remembered alsowhat Coronel Nunes said concerning their ability to get into and out ofdangerous situations. When Knowlton sided with them he capitulated.
"Up in the States we'd say Pedro was 'riding his hunch,'" was thelieutenant's remark. "And I've known a hunch to bring all kinds of goodluck. Gee! I'd like to go across with you lads myself! But I'm no jungleexpert, especially after dark, and I'd only be in the way. Besides,we'll sure have to stick here and keep up appearances while you're gone.How will you get over? There's no way but swimming, and this creek'sprobably inhabited by the usual 'gators and snakes and things."
"When one can travel only by swimming, one swims," Pedro smiled. "Leavethat to us, senhores. Now the sun sinks fast and I have hunger. Let useat."
Night was at hand. While the whites talked some of the Mayorunas hadquietly slipped away into the bush, seeking whatever fresh meat might beobtainable without straying too far from camp. Naturally, the huntingwas poor so near an inhabited place, but now the absent men camestealing back with a few small birds and one monkey. Though the savagesasked nothing and evidently expected nothing from the whites to eke outthis scant provision, the latter opened their meager larders to Tucu,ordering him to see that every man had at least a few mouthfuls to eat.Tucu, like a good commander, made no bones of accepting the invitationfor the good of his men. When all hands had stowed away the last meal ofthe day the rations were reduced almost to the vanishing point.
"Those miserable whelps over there might have had the decency to give usa few bites," Knowlton growled, looking at the Red Bone men on the otherbank, who were gorging themselves on meat brought by their women.
"It is quite possible that they intend to give us several bites lateron," Pedro suggested, with a mirthless smile.
"Uh-huh. Shouldn't wonder. But it's also possible that they'll have toassimilate a few lead pills before chewing us up. Rod, we'll have ourwork cut out standing guard to-night. I wouldn't put it past that lyingold Umanuh to try rubbing us out before morning."
"Nor I," concurred McKay. "Only question is whether he dares take achance against our guns and against the likelihood that Monitaya willsend other men to investigate our disappearance. Better keep well out ofsight."
As he spoke the last light of day vanished. Stars and a quarter moonleaped out in the swiftly darkening sky. The small fire of theexpedition threw dim shadows against the poles of the night shelters.Lights glimmered in the Red Bone huts, and other lights began to streakacross the gloom--the bright little lanterns of fireflies coasting alongthe stream. But at the point where the Red Bone night guard lurked nolight shone. They had built no fire, and now they were almost invisiblein the faint moonshine--sinister shadows which even now might bemeditating murder or worse.
Lourenco lounged over to Tucu, who was watching those shadows with afixed cat stare, and informed him that until morning a man with a gunwould be always on guard while the rest slept. The Indian gruntedapproval. By way of precaution against being killed by his own men, theBrazilian added the information that later on he and his comrade wouldleave the camp and go upstream for a time. At this Tucu's eyes dwelt onhis, veered to the lights of the town, and returned. In them was aplain, though unspoken, question. The bushman ignored it and strolledback to his _tambo_.
The moon sailed higher. The animal uproar of early night began todiminish. The fire, almost buried under slow-burning wood whose acridsmoke alleviated the insect pests, smoldered dull red. McKay andKnowlton drew lots for the first sleep, the captain winning and promptlygetting under his net. In the Mayoruna shelter all was dark and silent,each man sleeping lightly with one hand on a weapon. The two Braziliansalso were out of sight in their hut.
Up and down, a barely distinguishable figure, Knowlton passed slowlywith holster unbuttoned and rifle cocked, eyes turning periodically tothe Red Bone outpost and ears
intent to pick any unusual sound out ofthe night noise. Gradually the small lights of the town faded out. Toall appearance, sleep had whelmed it for the night. The watchers on thefarther shore stirred a little at times, but the blot they made in themoonshine remained fixed in the same spot. The only moving things werethe khaki-clad sentinel and the blazing fireflies.
Another hour rolled slowly by. The sentinel stopped and stood at acorner of the _tambo_. Now was as good a time as any for the Braziliansto start their perilous reconnaissance. Perhaps they had gone to sleep.He squinted at their hammocks. Yes, they were occupied. Stepping softlyto the hammock of Pedro, he lifted the net to whisper to the occupant.Then he stared, dropped the net, and lifted Lourenco's curtain. A soft,self-derisive chuckle sounded in his throat as he stole out again.
The hammocks were occupied, yes; but only by packs and rifles. Armedonly with machetes, the two bushmen now were--where? He did not evenknow when or which way they had gone. Fine sentinel, wasn't he, to lettwo full-grown men sneak away right under his nose? And if they couldget out so slick, why couldn't somebody else--a murderous Red Bone, forinstance--get in with equal facility?
Wherefore he became all the more alert. Instead of resuming his slowpace, he stood quiet at a corner, scrutinizing everything within hisrange of vision, listening more intently than ever. Two or three timeshe leaned forward and lifted his piece as some splashing noise in thecreek came to him; but each time the cannibal guards on the other bankalso sprang to see what caused the sound, then grunted to one anotherand relaxed, so he knew it was made by piscatory or reptilian life. Nearhim nothing moved. And the moon sailed on westward, smoothly, steadilymeasuring off the silent hours of the night watch.
Then all at once every nerve in him strained toward the back of the_tambo_. Something was there! He had not heard it--seen it--smelledit--but he felt it; a nameless thing that did not belong there. Withsmooth speed he pivoted, looked, listened. Nothing there.
Motionless, feeling slightly creepy, concealed under the roof corner, hewaited. A sound came--a stealthy sound. Something was creeping in.Lourenco and Pedro, perhaps? Stooping low, he peered along the groundunder the hammocks.
A man was coming--coming on all-fours like an animal. He was toostealthy to be either of the Brazilians. Knowlton glimpsed him onlydimly, but he was sure this was no man who belonged here. And now, as ona previous occasion almost identical in its circumstances, the watchmanacted in accordance with Tim Ryan's General Order Number Thirteen.
In three jumps he was upon the invader. His gun butt crashed down on therising head. The other collapsed on the ground.
Swiftly Knowlton snapped a match with his thumb-nail. The sudden flarehalf blinded him, but what he saw made him suck in his breath. When thematch went out he turned the senseless body over, drew his pocketflashlight, stabbed its white ray downward. Then he committed theunpardonable sin of the army--he dropped his rifle.
Dark haired, dark bearded, streaked with red dye and bleeding slightlyat the nose, at his feet lay the man for whom the indomitable trio hadtraveled thousands of miles and dared all the deaths of the jungle--theRaposa.
The Pathless Trail Page 20