the yellow god-第25章

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and　crackle　were　welcome　in　the　primeval　silence。

Alan　lay　upon　the　cork　mattress　in　the　open；　for　here　there　was　no
need　to　pitch　the　tent；　if　any　rain　fell　above；　the　canopy　of　leaves
absorbed　it。　He　was　amusing　himself　while　he　smoked　his　pipe　with
watching　the　reflection　of　the　fire…light　against　a　patch　of　darkness
caused　probably　by　some　bush　about　twenty　yards　away；　and　by　picturing
in　his　own　mind　the　face　of　Barbara；　that　strong；　pleasant　English
face；　as　it　might　appear　on　such　a　background。　Suddenly　there；　on　the
identical　spot　he　did　see　a　face；　though　one　of　a　very　different
character。　It　was　round　and　small　and　hideous；　resembling　in　its
general　outline　that　of　a　bloated　child。　At　this　distance　he　could　not
distinguish　the　features；　except　the　lips；　which　were　large　and
pendulous；　and　between　them　the　flash　of　white　teeth。

〃Look　here；〃　he　whispered　to　Jeekie　in　English；　and　Jeekie　looked；
then　without　saying　a　word；　lifted　the　shotgun　that　lay　at　his　side
and　fired　straight　at　the　bush。　Instantly　there　arose　a　squeaking
noise；　such　as　might　be　made　by　a　wounded　animal；　and　the　four　porters
sprang　up　in　alarm。

〃Sit　down；〃　said　Jeekie　to　them　in　their　own　tongue；　〃a　leopard　was
stalking　us　and　I　fired　to　frighten　it　away。　Don't　go　near　the　place；
as　it　may　be　wounded　and　angry；　but　drag　up　some　boughs　and　make　a
fence　round　the　fire；　for　fear　of　others。〃

The　men　who　dreaded　leopards；　looking　on　these　animals；　indeed；　with
superstitious　reverence；　obeyed　readily　enough；　and　as　there　was
plenty　of　wood　lying　within　a　few　yards；　soon　constructed　a　/boma/
fence　that；　rough　as　it　was；　would　serve　for　protection。

〃Jeekie；〃　said　Alan　presently　as　they　laboured　at　the　fence；　〃that　was
not　a　leopard；　it　was　a　man。〃

〃No；　no；　Major；　not　man；　little　dwarf　devil；　him　that　have　poisoned
arrow。　I　shoot　at　once　to　make　him　sit　up。　Think　he　no　come　back
to…night；　too　much　afraid　of　shot　fetish。　But　to…morrow；　can't　say。
Not　tell　those　fellows　anything；〃　and　he　nodded　towards　the　porters；
〃or　perhaps　they　bolt。〃

〃I　think　you　would　have　done　better　to　leave　the　dwarf　alone；〃　said
Alan；　〃and　they　might　have　left　us　alone。　Now　they　will　have　a　blood
feud　against　us。〃

〃Not　agree；　Major；　only　chance　for　us　put　him　in　blue　funk。　If　I　not
shoot；　presently　he　shoot；〃　and　he　made　a　sound　that　resembled　the
whistling　of　an　arrow；　then　added；　〃Now　you　go　sleep。　I　not　tired；　I
watch；　my　eyes　see　in　dark　better　than　yours。　Only　two　more　days　of
this　damn　forest；　then　open　land　with　tree　here　and　there；　where　dwarf
no　come　because　he　afraid　of　lion　and　cannibal　man；　who　like　eat　him。〃

As　there　was　nothing　else　to　be　done　Alan　took　Jeekie's　advice　and　in
time　fell　fast　asleep；　nor　did　he　wake　again　till　the　faint　light
which　for　the　want　of　a　better　name　they　called　dawn；　was　filtering
down　to　them　through　the　canopy　of　boughs。

〃Been　to　look；〃　said　Jeekie　as　he　handed　him　his　coffee。　〃Hit　that
dwarf　man；　see　his　blood；　but　think　others　carry　him　away。　Jeekie　very
good　shot；　stone；　spear；　arrow；　or　gun；　all　same　to　him。　Now　get　off
as　quick　as　we　can　before　porters　smell　a　rat。　You　eat　chop；　Major；　I
pack。〃

Presently　they　started　on　their　trudge　through　those　endless　trees；
with　Fear　for　a　companion。　Even　the　porters；　who　had　been　told
nothing；　seemed　more　afraid　than　usual；　though　whether　this　was
because　they　〃smell　rat；〃　as　Jeekie　called　it；　or　owing　to　the
progressive　breakdown　of　their　nervous　systems；　Alan　did　not　know。
About　midday　they　stopped　to　eat　because　the　men　were　too　tired　to
walk　further　without　rest。　For　an　hour　or　more　they　had　been　looking
for　a　comparatively　open　place；　but　as　it　chanced　could　find　none；　so
were　obliged　to　halt　in　dense　forest。　Just　as　they　had　finished　their
meal　and　were　preparing　to　proceed；　that　which　they　had　feared；
happened；　since　from　somewhere　behind　the　tree　boles　came　a　volley　of
reed　arrows。　One　struck　a　porter　in　the　neck；　one　fixed　itself　in
Alan's　helmet　without　touching　him；　and　no　less　than　three　hit　Jeekie
on　the　back　and　stuck　there；　providentially　enough　in　the　substance　of
the　cork　mattress　that　he　still　carried　on　his　shoulders；　which　the
feeble　shafts　had　not　the　strength　to　pierce。

Everybody　sprang　up　and　with　a　curious　fascination　instead　of
attempting　to　do　anything；　watched　the　porter　who　had　been　hit　in　the
neck　somewhere　in　the　region　of　the　jugular　vein。　The　poor　man　rose　to
his　feet　with　great　deliberation；　reminding　Alan　in　some　grotesque　way
of　a　speaker　who　has　suddenly　been　called　on　to　address　a　meeting　and
seeks　to　gain　time　for　the　gathering　of　his　thoughts。　Then　he　turned
towards　that　vast　audience　of　the　trees；　stretched　out　his　hand　with　a
declamatory　gesture；　said　something　in　a　composed　voice；　and　fell　upon
his　face　stone　dead！　The　swift　poison　had　reached　his　heart　and　done
its　work。

His　three　companions　looked　at　him　for　a　moment　and　the　next　with　a
yell　of　terror；　rushed　off　into　the　forest；　hurling　down　their　loads
as　they　ran。　What　became　of　them　Alan　never　learned；　for　he　saw　them
no　more；　and　the　dwarf　people　keep　their　secrets。　At　the　time　indeed
he　scarcely　noticed　their　departure；　for　he　was　otherwise　engaged。

One　of　their　hideous　little　assailants；　made　bold　by　success；　ventured
to　run　across　an　open　space　between　two　trees；　showing　himself　for　a
moment。　Alan　had　a　gun　in　his　hand；　and　mad　with　rage　at　what　had
happened；　he　raised　it　and　swung　on　him　as　he　would　upon　a　rabbit。　He
was　a　quick　and　practised　shot　and　his　skill　did　not　fail　him　now；　for
just　as　the　dwarf　was　vanishing　behind　a　tree；　the　bullet　caught　him
and　next　instant　he　was　seen　rolling　over　and　over　upon　its　further
side。

〃That　very　nice；〃　said　Jeekie　reflectively；　〃very　nice　indeed；　but　I
think　we　best　move　out　of　this。〃

〃Aren't　you　hurt？〃　gasped　Alan。　〃Your　back　is　full　of　arrows。〃

〃Don't　feel　nothing；　Major；〃　he　answered；　〃best　cork　mattress；　25/3　at
Stores；　very　good　for　poisoned　arrow；　but　leave　him　behind　now；
because　perhaps　points　work　through　as　I　run；　one　scratch　do　trick；〃
and　as　he　spoke　Jeekie　untied　a　string　or　several　strings；　letting　the
little　mattress　fall　to　the　ground。

〃Great　pity　leave　all　those　goods；〃　said　Jeekie；　surveying　the　loads
that　the　porters　had　cast　away；　〃but　what　says　Book？　Life　more　than
raiment。　Also　take　no　thought　for　morrow。　Dwarf　people　do　that　for　us。
Come；　Major；　make　tracks；〃　and　dashing　at　a　bag　of　cartridges　which　he
cast　about　his　neck；　a　trifling　addition　to　his　other　impedimenta；　and
a　small　case　of　potted　meats　that　he　hitched　under　his　arm；　he　poked
his　master　in　the　back　with　the　muzzle　of　his　full…cocked　gun　as　a
signal　that　it　was　time　to　start。

〃Keep　that　cursed　thing　off　me；〃　said　Alan　furiously。　〃How　often　have
I　told　you　never　to　carry　firearms　at　full　cock？〃

〃About　one　thousand　times；　Major；〃　answered　Jeekie　imperturbably；　〃but
on　such　occasion　forget　discreetness。　My　ma　just　same；　it　run　in
family；　but　story　too　long　tell　you　now。　Cut；　Major；　cut　like　hell。
Them　dwarfs　be　back　soon；　but；〃　he　puffed；　〃I　think；　I　think　Little
Bonsa　come　square　with　them　one　day。〃

So　Alan　〃cut〃　and　the　huge　Jeekie　blundered　along　after　him；　the
paraphernalia　with　which　he　was　hung　about　rattling　like　the　hoofs　of
a　galloping　giraffe。　Nor　for　all　his　load　did　he　ever　turn　a　hair。
Whether　it　were　fear　within　or　a　desire　to　save　his　master；　or　a
belief　in　the　virtues　of　Little　Bonsa；　or　that　his　foot　was；　as　it
were；　once　more　upon　his　native　heath；　the　fact　remained　that
notwithstanding　the　fifty　years；　almost；　that　had　whitened　his　wool；
Jeekie　was　absolutely　inexhaustible。　At　least　at　the　end　of　that
fearful　chase；　which　lasted　all　the　day；　and　through　the　night　also；
for　they　dared　not　camp；　he　appeared　to　be　nearly　as　fresh　as　when　he
started　from　Old　Calabar；　nor　did　his　spirits　fail　him　for　one　moment。

When　the　light　came　on　the　following　morning；　however；　they　perceived
by　many　signs　and　tokens　that　the　dwarf　people　were　all　about　them。
Some　arrows　were　shot　even；　but　these　fell　short。

〃Pooh！〃　said　Jeekie；　〃all　right　now；　they　much　afraid。　Still；　no　time
for　coffee；　we　best　get　on。〃