"Not likely, when I own to it too. I say, I wish they"d leave us alone."
"Look here, Mr Brazier, sir," said the old sailor just then, after admonishing his men to pull their best, "I"m going to ask you to let me manage this."
"No," said Brazier sternly; "I wish to avoid all the bloodshed possible."
"So do I, sir--specially ours," said Shaddy drily; "and mine would be the way."
"Quick, then: explain," said Brazier, as the boys listened eagerly.
"Make haste, for the enemy are very near."
"Soon done," said Shaddy, "only what I proposed, sir: you folk keep me supplied with guns, and I"ll try "em with gentle measures first, and rough ones after. I"m a tidy shot, eh, Mr Jovanni?"
"Yes, excellent," said the lad.
"Very well, then, you shall try to stop them," replied Brazier, "but I warn you that if I am not satisfied I shall take the lead myself."
"All right, sir, but don"t you make the mistake of giving up and trusting these people! That means death for all of us. _They must be beaten off_."
There was something very startling in Shaddy"s tones as he uttered these words, and Brazier looked at him wonderingly.
"We shall have to come back this way, so why not retreat at once with the stream?"
"Because we don"t come back this way, sir; that"s all. Didn"t the lads tell you? I"m going to take you into the big river another way."
"I say, look out!" cried Rob excitedly, as he saw the water flashing behind at the rapid dip of the Indians" paddles and noticed the stolid look in the heavy round faces of the men astern, who sat ready with their bows and arrows, the spears of the paddlers projecting from the front.
Almost directly after the intentions of the Indians were shown not to be peaceful, for a straggling flight of arrows came whistling through the air, several of the missiles falling just astern, some in front, but for the most part striking the boat and sticking in the awning and the shelter made astern.
"Any one hurt?" shouted Shaddy sternly, and receiving an answer in the negative, he muttered as he thrust the double gun he held through an opening,--
"That"s because they"re on the move and we"re on the move. If we"d been standing still, and them too, every shot would have told. Look out; they"re going to fire again. My turn first. Pull, my lads; don"t you mind me."
As the words left his lips he fired at intervals of about a quarter of a minute both barrels of the fowling-piece; and at the flash of fire, followed by smoke curling up slowly and hiding the boat, the Indians stopped paddling and sat watching.
"That has beaten them off," cried Rob eagerly. "Was it blank cartridge, Shaddy?"
"Yes, my lad. Next"s going to be number six if they come on after us."
The men pulled hard and increased the distance between them and the canoes rapidly, while the travellers" hopes grew high. But all of a sudden there was a yell, paddles splashed again, and satisfied of the harmlessness of the fire and smoke, the Indians took up the pursuit again.
"Oh, very well, if you will be hurt," said Shaddy, "it"s your fault, not mine," and he thrust the barrels once more through the opening in the barrier of boxes.
"How long will it take us to reach the next rapid, Naylor?" asked Brazier excitedly.
"Half "hour, sir, but we must beat "em off before we can land, or they"ll stick us so full of arrows, we shall look like hedgehogs. Hi!
sit and lie close, every one. Look out! Arrows!"
But the flight was not discharged until the Indians had gained a good deal more ground. Then the whistling was heard, accompanied or followed by sharp raps, but again, in answer to Shaddy"s inquiry, there came a cheery "No!"
"Now then," he said, "let"s see what they say to us, sir, and how far the charge will scatter and carry."
As he spoke he took careful aim a little to his right and fired quite low, changed the position of his piece, and fired again a little to his left.
The smoke hung so heavily for a minute or two that there was quite a screen between them, beyond which shouts, savage yells, and cries of pain could be heard, while upon rowing beyond the smoke and into full view of the fleet of canoes the fugitives could see that the paddling had again ceased, and men were standing up gesticulating, while others were evidently in great pain from the stinging shots.
"Now you know that we can bite as well as bark," growled Shaddy, "and if you"ll all take my advice you"ll go back home and leave us alone, because if you don"t I shall use buckshot, and some of you mayn"t be able to handle a paddle again."
The babble of voices sounded strange as the oars dipped fast, and for a time they were allowed to pursue their way in peace, but at last it was seen that the wounded had all been transferred to certain of the canoes, and with a fierce yell the Indians came on again, with paddles beating, and the water splashing; while another flight of arrows whistled about the travellers, fortunately without hurting a soul.
"I shall have to give them a stronger dose this time," said Shaddy.
"I"ll try swan shot first," and inserting a couple of cartridges loaded with heavy pellets, he took careful aim, and fired twice.
This time there were loud shrieks mingled with the fierce, defiant cries, and as the smoke was left behind it was plain to see that there was consternation in the little fleet, and for some time they did not pursue.
"What are you two about?" said Shaddy suddenly as he caught sight of Rob and Joe making some preparation.
"Wait a minute, and you"ll see," said Rob, and he went on with his task, which was the preparation of something in the fashion of a torpedo, for about a pound of powder had been transferred from their keg to a small tin canister, in whose lid they drove a hole, and pa.s.sed through it a slow match, made by rubbing a strip of rag with moistened gunpowder, which dried up at once in the hot evening sunshine. At the bottom of the canister a charge of shot had been placed, and upon trying it in a bucket the tin floated with about an inch of its top out of water.
"Now," said Rob when he had finished, Brazier nodding his head in approval--"it"s quite calm, and when the enemy comes on again I"m going to stick a wax match in the hole with the end touching the slow match, set light to it, and let it float down towards the Indians. The wax match will burn nearly a minute, and I want them to paddle up round it to see what the floating light means, and then if we"re in luck it will go off bang and give them a startler."
"And suppose it goes off while you are lighting it, and gives you a startler, and sends us all to the bottom, how then?"
"Oh, we must risk that," said Rob coolly.
"I"m willing, if Mr Brazier is," said the old sailor quietly.
"Rob will be careful," said Brazier, and they waited with the contrivance ready, but all hoping that Shaddy"s last shots had produced the desired effect.
It was a vain hope, for once more the canoes tore on to make up for lost ground, and at last, when Brazier and Shaddy made ready to fire at the enemy, Rob gave the word for the men to cease rowing, and as the boat steadied he told Joe to light a match and lowered the canister into the water.
"Be careful, Rob," cried Mr Brazier. "See that there is no powder loose."
"Be quick, my lad, or they"ll be on to us."
_Crack_! went the match, and as it blazed up it was applied to one stuck upright in the top of the canister. This blazed in turn, and the flame flickered a little and threatened to go out as the nearly submerged tin glided away with the stream; but directly after the flame burned up steadily, and as Rob gave the word to row once more the dangerous contrivance was left behind. A minute later they had the satisfaction of seeing the canoes gather round the tiny light and their occupants cease rowing as they sat evidently wondering what was the meaning of the fire burning in the midst of the water--a perfect novelty to them.
"No go!" said Shaddy suddenly. "Match has gone out."
"Burned out," said Brazier.
"All the same, sir, and hasn"t started the touch-rag. Wish it had answered, because it was clever and would have given the beggars a good lesson not to meddle with respectable people. Here, we shall have to fire, sir. They"re coming on again."
But they were not, for the whole fleet was gathered about the canister, which, unseen by the occupants of the boat, was emitting a sputtering little fire as the touch-rag burned slowly; and the wonder of this going on from a round, silvery-looking object just above the surface of the water kept the ignorant enemy at a respectable distance.
"Pull, my lads," shouted Shaddy. "We may get into a better place if we reach the next rapid."
As he spoke there was a deafening roar, a column of water rose in the air, and a dull concussion struck the boat, while a cloud of smoke hung over the group of canoes, and, lifting, showed half of them to be swamped, and dozens of the Indians swimming about trying to reach the boats which floated still.
As far as the little party could make out, no one had been hurt, but the consternation was terrible. No further efforts were made in pursuit, and for the next half-hour the boat was rowed on and reached the rapid before the enemy was seen again.