The Jungle Fugitives | Page 9

number to be counted or their
motions observed, but, as in the former instance, the sounds indicated
that they were using paddles.
Since it was certain that the natives were searching for the fugitives in
the boat under the shadows of the bank every one of the latter
wondered that the pursuers remained out in the stream, when there was
need of unimpeded vision. They half expected their enemies to turn to
the left and come directly for them. But nothing of the kind took place.
The craft headed down the river, the sound of the paddles so slight that
only the closely listening ear could hear them, until it melted in the
gloom and vanished from sight.
It was a vast relief for the moment, but little comfort could our friends
take from the fact. Their enemies were not likely to go far, when they
would suspect that something of the nature described had occurred, and
they would return and grope along shore for their victims. So certain
was Dr. Marlowe of this turn that he believed the wisest course was for
the entire party to abandon the boat, and, as may be said, "take to the
woods." They had the whole night before them, and, with his intimate

knowledge of the roads, paths and trails of the country and jungles, he
was confident of guiding them beyond danger and to some place where,
when morning dawned, there would be little to fear in the way of
discovery.
This course would have been taken except for the absence of Jack
Everson. There was no way of apprising him of the change of plan, and,
with his ignorance of the topography of their surroundings, he would be
certain to go astray, and for any one in his situation, to go astray meant
death.
CHAPTER VII.
AN UNEXPECTED MEETING.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jack Everson found matters exceedingly interesting.
When he informed his friends that he would rejoin them in the course
of a few minutes the possibility of anything interfering with his
promise did not occur to him. That danger threatened every member of
the little company may be set down as self-evident, but what could
happen to disturb him in the brief interval spent in running up the slope,
dashing into the house and back again to the river's side?
Such were his thoughts as he entered the shadows and hurriedly
approached the front veranda. Although he had reached this spot within
the preceding twenty-four hours the evening meal and the preparations
for flight had given him sufficient knowledge of the interior to remove
all difficulty in going straight to the table in the dining-room and taking
the forgotten revolver therefrom.
The first tingle of misgiving came to the young man when he was close
to the porch and about to step upon it. He remembered that it was
himself who had extinguished the lamp on the table as the three were
about to pass into the hall and out of doors, but lo! a light was shining
from that very room. What could it mean?
"That's deuced queer," he thought, coming to an abrupt halt; "I screwed

down that lamp and blew into the chimney in the orthodox fashion, so
it couldn't have been that I unconsciously left the wick burning."
At this juncture he made another significant discovery. The front door
which he had seen Dr. Marlowe close was partly open. The inference
was inevitable: some one was in the house. In the brief time that had
passed one or more persons had entered and were busy at that moment
in the interior. Perhaps they had been watching among the shadows on
the outside for the occupants to leave the way open for them to pass
within.
Prudence dictated that Jack Everson should not linger another moment.
Indeed, he ought to have counted himself fortunate that he had made
his discovery in time to save himself from running into a trap. He
should return to his friends with the alarming news and help them in
getting away with the utmost haste possible. But Jack did nothing of
the sort.
The chief cause of his lingering was his desire to obtain the revolver
belonging to Miss Marlowe. Recalling the paucity of firearms among
the people on the boat he felt that a single weapon could be ill spared.
But above and beyond this cold truth was a vague, shuddering
suspicion, amounting to a belief, that the young woman would soon
need that very weapon; that, without it she would become another of
the unspeakable victims of the fiends who made the Sepoy Mutiny one
of the most hideous blots that darken the pages of history. He
compressed his lips and swore that the revolver should be recovered, if
the thing were possible,