CHAPTER NINETEEN.
A FRESH PERIL.
Shaddy"s advice was easier to give than to execute. For though by holding on to the boughs they were able to anchor the boat, it proved to be a difficult task to force it in among the submerged stems to the spot where the clear s.p.a.ce of elevated ground offered a satisfactory landing-place.
Thanks to the skill of the boatmen, however, a landing was at last achieved, and as soon as Brazier leaped ash.o.r.e he was followed by Rob and Shaddy, the latter giving his men a few sharp orders before joining the others, who were trying to force their way back along the bank toward where they had last seen their companion.
This was difficult, but possible for a short distance, and they pressed on hopefully, for, consequent upon the sudden turn of the river here forming a loop, they had only to cross this sharp bend on foot, not a quarter of the distance it would have been to row round.
But before they had gone fifty yards the high-and-dry land ended, and Rob, who was, thanks to his activity, first, was about to wade in and continue his way among the submerged roots.
But Shaddy roared at him,--
"No, no, my lad; don"t make matters worse! You mustn"t do that. The things have moved out of the river in here to be away from the rush and to get food. We don"t want you pulled under."
"But we must go on, Naylor," cried Brazier in agony.
"It ain"t the way to help him, getting ourselves killed, sir," retorted Shaddy. "Let"s get more in. Water don"t go far."
He was quite right, for after about ten minutes" struggle along the edge they found themselves as nearly as they could guess about opposite to the spot where their unfortunate companion had been swept out of the boat, but about a hundred yards inland and separated from the regular bed of the stream by a dense growth of trees, whose boughs interlaced and stopped all vision in every direction, more especially toward the river.
"You see, we must wade," cried Rob; and he stepped into the water with a plash, but Shaddy"s strong hand gripped him by the shoulder and drew him back.
"I tell you it"s madness, boy. If he"s alive still you couldn"t reach him that way."
"If he"s alive!" groaned Rob.
"If he"s alive," said Shaddy, repeating his words. "Steady a moment!
He may be up in one of the boughs, for he"s as active as a monkey in rigging and trees."
Then, putting his hands to his mouth, he shouted in stentorian tones,--
"Ahoy! ahoy!"
But there was no response, and Rob and Brazier exchanged glances, their faces full of despair.
"Ahoy!" shouted Shaddy once more.
Still no reply, and a cold chill ran through Rob and his eyes grew dim as he thought of the bright, handsome, dark-eyed lad who had been his companion so long, and with whom he had been such friends till the miserable little misunderstanding had thrust them apart.
"It must be farther on," said Brazier at last, when shout after shout had been sent up without avail.
"Think so, sir?" said Shaddy gloomily. "I thought it was about here, but p"r"aps you"re right. Come on. River made a big twist there, and it"s hard to tell distance shut up half in the dark among the trees. I did hope," he continued, as he forced his way in among the trees and held boughs aside for them to follow, "that the poor lad had swung himself up and would have made his way like a squirrel from branch to branch till he reached dry land, but it don"t seem to be so. There, sir, we must be "bout opposite where we saw him. Can"t be no farther.
Ahoy! ahoy! ahoy!"
They all listened intently after this, but there was no sound of human voice, only the shrieking of parrots and chattering of monkeys.
Shaddy shouted again, with the result that he startled a flock of birds which were about to settle, but rose again noisily.
They all shouted together then, but there was no response, and feeling that their efforts were useless, they went on a short distance, and tried once more without result.
"He"d have answered if he had been anywhere near, sir," said Shaddy gloomily. "I"ll go on if you like, but take my word for it he ain"t here."
Rob looked at both despairingly, but he was obliged to take the guide"s words for those of truth, and, feeling utterly crushed, he slowly followed the others as they began to return, feeling the while that if it had not been for the edge of the water by which they walked it would have been impossible to find their way back through the dense wilderness.
Their guide returned by their outward steps as accurately as he could, but it was not always possible, for in coming out the bushes had been forced on in the same direction and then sprung back together, after the fashion of the withes in a fish-trap, and presenting their points, thorns, and broken stems in a perfect _chevaux de frise_.
In these cases Shaddy had to select a different path, the exigencies of the way forcing him more inland, and at last, in spite of his experience, he stopped short, looked about him and then upwards, seeking to make out the sky, but it was completely shut off, and they stood in a twilight gloom.
"What"s the matter, Shaddy?" said Rob at last, after looking at the man"s actions wonderingly; but there was no reply.
"For goodness sake, man, don"t say that you have lost your way," cried Brazier excitedly.
Shaddy still remained silent, and took off his hat to scratch his head.
"Do you hear me, man? Have you lost your way?"
"Don"t see as there"s any way to lose," growled Shaddy. "I ain"t seen no path. But I have gone a bit wrong."
"Here, let me--" began Brazier, but Shaddy interrupted him.
"Steady, sir, please! Don"t wherrit me. I shall hit it off directly.
You two gents stand just as you are, and don"t move. Don"t even turn round, or else you"ll throw me wrong worse than I am. You see, the place is all alike, and nothing to guide you. One can"t tell which way to turn."
"But tell me," said Brazier, "what are you going to do?"
"There"s only one thing to do, sir: find the river, and I"m going to make casts for it. You both stand fast and answer my whistles; then I shall know where you are and can come back and start again. If we don"t act sensible we shall lose ourselves altogether and never get out of it."
"And then?" said Brazier.
"Oh, never mind about _then_, sir. I"ve lost my way a bit, and I"m going to find it somehow, only give me time."
"Which way do you think the river lies?" said Rob gloomily.
"I"m going to try out yonder, sir. You see we"ve turned and doubled so that I can"t tell where we are."
"But it"s out that way, I"m sure," said Rob, pointing in the opposite direction.
"Why are you sure, sir?"
Rob shook his head.
"Ah, to be sure, dear lad!" said the guide; "you only think it"s out that way, and I daresay Mr Brazier here thinks it"s out another way."
"Well, I must confess," said Brazier, "that I thought the river lay behind us."