Part 23 (1/2)

”I hope so,” said Sir Humphrey calmly, and he closed his eyes once more, while Brace turned his upon his companion with a look full of wild anxiety, but only to receive a quiet nod and a rea.s.suring smile in return.

”I don't think there are any more near,” said Briscoe, ”and I don't want to have the unpleasant feeling upon my conscience that I've killed a fellow-creature; but if any more of them send arrows in this direction, Dan and I will shoot at sight, and we're uncommonly good shots.”

He had hardly uttered the last words when there was a sharp whirr as if a beetle had darted by the speaker's ear, and they could see an arrow stuck quivering in a tree the boat was just pa.s.sing, while Dan immediately sent a charge of buckshot cras.h.i.+ng among the leaves.

”That was a bad aim,” said the American, facing sharply round, ”and I can't see who sent it. Can you make out a bit of dark skin anywhere among the bushes, Dan?”

The man shook his head as he quickly reloaded his weapon, and there was a grumbling murmur in the negative.

The rustling, was.h.i.+ng sound of the water beneath the boat as the men urged it along with all their might, everyone giving a thrust with his oar whenever he could reach a tree, was now the only thing that disturbed the silence.

But the opening out of the creek into the river seemed as far off as ever, and Brace's agony increased as he kept watching for the bright suns.h.i.+ne flas.h.i.+ng from the water, but only to turn his eyes back to where his brother lay with his face looking very hard and drawn.

”Can't get a glimpse of anyone,” said Briscoe; ”and I don't think it's of any use to fire to scare 'em. Whoever fired that last shot must be on the land, for there's no sign of a boat. Does anyone of you hear paddling?”

”No, no. We can't hear anything moving,” came in chorus.

Then Brace spoke out excitedly: ”Surely we ought to be back in the river by this time! Have we missed our way?”

”Well, I don't like to say we have,” replied the American; ”but it does seem a very long time before we get out of this watery swamp. Hold hard a minute, my lads, and try and make out how the stream runs.”

The men ceased thrusting at the tree-trunks as soon as Briscoe had given the word, and by slow degrees the boat came to a stand, and then began to float back in the opposite direction to that in which they had been forcing it.

”Why, we're going wrong,” cried one of the men excitedly, springing up.

”Well, never you mind,” said the American sharply. ”Just you sit down and wait for orders. We'll tell you which way to go.”

”But--” began the man.

”Silence, sir!” cried Briscoe sharply. ”All! look out!”

An arrow stuck in the side of the boat so close to Brace that it pa.s.sed through his loose flannel s.h.i.+rt, pinning it to the wood; and Briscoe swung himself round and fired sharply in the direction from which it had come.

The shot rattled among the leaves, and they and a few twigs came pattering down into the water, while directly after there was another report from right away to their left.

”Hah! that must have come from the brig,” cried Brace.

”Right,” said Briscoe. ”Now then, lads, you know which way to punt her along: the creek opens out and winds about in all sorts of ways, and I daresay we could wander in a regular maze for hours; but we know which direction to make for now. You listen keenly for the next answer to my shot, Mr Brace, for I'll fire again soon: only I should like something to fire at. See that arrow?”

”Yes,” said Brace, stretching out his hand to withdraw the arrow from where it had pierced the side of the boat.

”Don't do that; let it be, and draw your flannel over the feathering.

Look at the slope it takes. I fancy the man who shot that must have been seated on the branch of a tree.”

”It may have been shot from a distance and taken a curve.”

”No,” said Briscoe; ”there are too many boughs for it to have come through. It was sent from pretty close, I should say; and between ourselves I hope we shan't have any more. Ah, that's right, my lads.

She's moving nicely now. I only wish you were able to row.”