CHAPTER XII "It was Dreadful in the Forest"

ankatthatominousstillness.Iquickenedmypaceintoarun.Thezarebarosebeforeme,evenasIhadleftit,butthegatewasopen.Irushedin.Inthecold,morninglightitwasafearfulsightwhichmetmyeyes.Oureffectswerescatteredinwildconfusionoverthegroundmycomradeshaddisappeared,andclosetothesmoulderingashesofourfirethegrasswasstainedcrimsonwithahideouspoolofblood. IwassostunnedbythissuddenshockthatforatimeImusthavenearlylostmyreason.Ihaveavaguerecollection,asoneremembersabaddream,ofrushingaboutthroughthewoodsallroundtheemptycamp,callingwildlyformycompanions.Noanswercamebackfromthesilentshadows.ThehorriblethoughtthatImightneverseethemagain,thatImightfindmyselfabandonedallaloneinthatdreadfulplace,withnopossiblewayofdescendingintotheworldbelow,thatImightliveanddieinthatnightmarecountry,drovemetodesperation.Icouldhavetornmyhairandbeatenmyheadinmydespair.OnlynowdidIrealizehowIhadlearnedtoleanuponmycompanions,uponthesereneself-confidenceofChallenger,anduponthemasterful,humorouscoolnessofLordJohnRoxton.WithoutthemIwaslikeachildinthedark,helplessandpowerless.IdidnotknowwhichwaytoturnorwhatIshoulddofirst. Afteraperiod,duringwhichIsatinbewilderment,Isetmyselftotryanddiscoverwhatsuddenmisfortunecouldhavebefallenmycompanions.Thewholedisorderedappearanceofthecampshowedthattherehadbeensomesortofattack,andtherifle-shotnodoubtmarkedthetimewhenithadoccurred.Thatthereshouldhavebeenonlyoneshotshowedthatithadbeenalloverinaninstant.Theriflesstilllayupontheground,andoneofthem—LordJohn's—hadtheemptycartridgeinthebreech.TheblanketsofChallengerandofSummerleebesidethefiresuggestedthattheyhadbeenasleepatthetime.Thecasesofammunitionandoffoodwerescatteredaboutinawildlitter,togetherwithourunfortunatecamerasandplate-carriers,butnoneofthemweremissing.Ontheotherhand,alltheexposedprovisions—andIrememberedthattherewereaconsiderablequantityofthem—weregone.Theywereanimals,then,andnotnatives,whohadmadetheinroad,forsurelythelatterwouldhaveleftnothingbehind. Butifanimals,orsomesingleterribleanimal,thenwhathadbecomeofmycomrades?Aferociousbeastwouldsurelyhavedestroyedthemandlefttheirremains.Itistruethattherewasthatonehideouspoolofblood,whichtoldofviolence.Suchamonsterashadpursuedmeduringthenightcouldhavecarriedawayavictimaseasilyasacatwouldamouse.Inthatcasetheotherswouldhavefollowedinpursuit.Butthentheywouldassuredlyhavetakentheirrifleswiththem.ThemoreItriedtothinkitoutwithmyconfusedandwearybrainthelesscouldIfindanyplausibleexplanation.Isearchedroundintheforest,butcouldseenotrackswhichcouldhelpmetoaconclusion.OnceIlostmyself,anditwasonlybygoodluck,andafteranhourofwandering,thatIfoundthecamponcemore. Suddenlyathoughtcametomeandbroughtsomelittlecomforttomyheart.Iwasnotabsolutelyaloneintheworld.Downatthebottomofthecliff,andwithincallofme,waswaitingthefaithfulZambo.Iwenttotheedgeoftheplateauandlookedover.Sureenough,hewassquattingamonghisblanketsbesidehisfireinhislittlecamp.But,tomyamazement,asecondmanwasseatedinfrontofhim.Foraninstantmyheartleapedforjoy,asIthoughtthatoneofmycomradeshadmadehiswaysafelydown.Butasecondglancedispelledthehope.Therisingsunshoneredupontheman'sskin.HewasanIndian.Ishoutedloudlyandwavedmyhandkerchief.PresentlyZambolookedup,wavedhishand,andturnedtoascendthepinnacle.InashorttimehewasstandingclosetomeandlisteningwithdeepdistresstothestorywhichItoldhim. "Devilgotthemforsure,MassaMalone,"saidhe."Yougotintothedevil'scountry,sah,andhetakeyoualltohimself.Youtakeadvice,MassaMalone,andcomedownquick,elsehegetyouaswell." "HowcanIcomedown,Zambo?" "Yougetcreepersfromtrees,MassaMalone.Throwthemoverhere.Imakefasttothisstump,andsoyouhavebridge." "Wehavethoughtofthat.Therearenocreepersherewhichcouldbearus." "Sendforropes,MassaMalone." "WhocanIsend,andwhere?" "SendtoIndianvillages,sah.PlentyhideropeinIndianvillage.Indiandownbelowsendhim." "Whoishe? "OneofourIndians.Otheronesbeathimandtakeawayhispay.Hecomebacktous.Readynowtotakeletter,bringrope,—anything." Totakealetter!Whynot?Perhapshemightbringhelpbutinanycasehewouldensurethatourliveswerenotspentfornothing,andthatnewsofallthatwehadwonforScienceshouldreachourfriendsathome.Ihadtwocompletedlettersalreadywaiting.Iwouldspendthedayinwritingathird,whichwouldbringmyexperiencesabsolutelyuptodate.TheIndiancouldbearthisbacktotheworld.IorderedZambo,therefore,tocomeagainintheevening,andIspentmymiserableandlonelydayinrecordingmyownadventuresofthenightbefore.Ialsodrewupanote,tobegiventoanywhitemerchantorcaptainofasteam-boatwhomtheIndiancouldfind,imploringthemtoseethatropesweresenttous,sinceourlivesmustdependuponit.ThesedocumentsIthrewtoZambointheevening,andalsomypurse,whichcontainedthreeEnglishsovereigns.TheseweretobegiventotheIndian,andhewaspromisedtwiceasmuchifhereturnedwiththeropes. Sonowyouwillunderstand,mydearMr.McArdle,howthiscommunicationreachesyou,andyouwillalsoknowthetruth,incaseyouneverhearagainfromyourunfortunatecorrespondent.To-nightIamtoowearyandtoodepressedtomakemyplans.To-morrowImustthinkoutsomewaybywhichIshallkeepintouchwiththiscamp,andyetsearchroundforanytracesofmyunhappyfriends.