adventure(冒险)-第42部分
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My word； Binu Charley finish altogether。 S'pose me kill 'm him； no good
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along me。 Plenty white fella marster cross along me。 S'pose me no kill
'm him； bimeby he give me plenty tobacco； plenty calico； plenty
everything too much。〃
〃There is only the one thing to do；〃 Sheldon said to Joan。
She drummed with her hand and waited； while Binu Charley gazed
wearily at her with unblinking eyes。
〃I'll start the first thing in the morning；〃 Sheldon said。
〃We'll start；〃 she corrected。 〃I can get twice as much out of my
Tahitians as you can； and； besides； one white should never be alone under
such circumstances。〃
He shrugged his shoulders in token； not of consent； but of surrender；
knowing the uselessness of attempting to argue the question with her； and
consoling himself with the reflection that heaven alone knew what
adventures she was liable to engage in if left alone on Berande for a week。
He clapped his hands； and for the next quarter of an hour the house…boys
were kept busy carrying messages to the barracks。 A man was sent to
Balesuna village to command old Seelee's immediate presence。 A boat's…
crew was started in a whale…boat with word for Boucher to come down。
Ammunition was issued to the Tahitians； and the storeroom overhauled for
a few days' tinned provisions。 Viaburi turned yellow when told that he
was to accompany the expedition； and； to everybody's surprise； Lalaperu
volunteered to take his place。
Seelee arrived； proud in his importance that the great master of
Berande should summon him in the night…time for council； and firm in his
refusal to step one inch within the dread domain of the bushmen。 As he
said； if his opinion had been asked when the gold… hunters started； he
would have foretold their disastrous end。 There was only one thing that
happened to any one who ventured into the bushmen's territory； and that
was that he was eaten。 And he would further say； without being asked；
that if Sheldon went up into the bush he would be eaten too。
Sheldon sent for a gang…boss and told him to bring ten of the biggest；
best； and strongest Poonga…Poonga men。
〃Not salt…water boys；〃 Sheldon cautioned； 〃but bush boysleg belong
him strong fella leg。 Boy no savvee musket； no good。 You bring 'm boy
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shoot musket strong fella。〃
They were ten picked men that filed up on the veranda and stood in the
glare of the lanterns。 Their heavy； muscular legs advertised that they
were bushmen。 Each claimed long experience in bush… fighting； most of
them showed scars of bullet or spear…thrust in proof； and all were wild for
a chance to break the humdrum monotony of plantation labour by going
on a killing expedition。 Killing was their natural vocation； not wood…
cutting； and while they would not have ventured the Guadalcanar bush
alone； with a white man like Sheldon behind them； and a white Mary such
as they knew Joan to be； they could expect a safe and delightful time。
Besides； the great master had told them that the eight gigantic Tahitians
were going along。
The Poonga…Poonga volunteers stood with glistening eyes and
grinning faces； naked save for their loin…cloths； and barbarously
ornamented。 Each wore a flat； turtle…shell ring suspended through his
nose； and each carried a clay pipe in an ear…hole or thrust inside a beaded
biceps armlet。 A pair of magnificent boar tusks graced the chest of one。
On the chest of another hung a huge disc of polished fossil clam…shell。
〃Plenty strong fella fight；〃 Sheldon warned them in conclusion。
They grinned and shifted delightedly。
〃S'pose bushmen kai…kai along you？〃 he queried。
〃No fear；〃 answered their spokesman； one Koogoo； a strapping； thick…
lipped Ethiopian…looking man。 〃S'pose Poonga…Poonga boy kai… kai
bush…boy？〃
Sheldon shook his head； laughing； and dismissed them； and went to
overhaul the dunnage…room for a small shelter tent for Joan's use。
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CHAPTER XXIVIN THE BUSH
It was quite a formidable expedition that departed from Berande at
break of day next morning in a fleet of canoes and dinghies。 There were
Joan and Sheldon； with Binu Charley and Lalaperu； the eight Tahitians；
and the ten Poonga…Poonga men； each proud in the possession of a bright
and shining modern rifle。 In addition； there were two of the plantation
boat's…crews of six men each。 These； however； were to go no farther than
Carli； where water transportation ceased and where they were to wait with
the boats。 Boucher remained behind in charge of Berande。
By eleven in the morning the expedition arrived at Binu； a cluster of
twenty houses on the river bank。 And from here thirty odd Binu men
accompanied them； armed with spears and arrows； chattering and
grimacing with delight at the warlike array。 The long quiet stretches of
river gave way to swifter water； and progress was slower and more dogged。
The Balesuna grew shallow as well； and oftener were the loaded boats
bumped along and half…lifted over the bottom。 In places timber…falls
blocked the passage of the narrow stream； and the boats and canoes were
portaged around。 Night brought them to Carli； and they had the
satisfaction of knowing that they had accomplished in one day what had
required two days for Tudor's expedition。
Here at Carli； next morning； half…way through the grass…lands； the
boat's…crews were left； and with them the horde of Binu men； the boldest
of which held on for a bare mile and then ran scampering back。 Binu
Charley； however； was at the fore； and led the way onward into the rolling
foot…hills； following the trail made by Tudor and his men weeks before。
That night they camped well into the hills and deep in the tropic jungle。
The third day found them on the run…ways of the bushmennarrow paths
that compelled single file and that turned and twisted with endless
convolutions through the dense undergrowth。 For the most part it was a
silent forest； lush and dank； where only occasionally a wood…pigeon cooed
or snow… white cockatoos laughed harshly in laborious flight。
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Here； in the mid…morning； the first casualty occurred。 Binu Charley
had dropped behind for a time； and Koogoo； the Poonga… Poonga man who
had boasted that he would eat the bushmen； was in the lead。 Joan and
Sheldon heard the twanging thrum and saw Koogoo throw out his arms； at
the same time dropping his rifle； stumble forward； and sink down on his
hands and knees。 Between his naked shoulders； low down and to the left；
appeared the bone…barbed head of an arrow。 He had been shot through
and through。 Cocked rifles swept the bush with nervous apprehension。
But there was no rustle； no movement； nothing but the humid oppressive
silence。
〃Bushmen he no stop；〃 Binu Charley called out； the sound of his voice
startling more than one of them。 〃Allee same damn funny business。
That fella Koogoo no look 'm eye belong him。 He no savvee little bit。〃
Koogoo's arms had crumpled under him； and he lay quivering where
he had fallen。 Even as Binu Charley came to the front the stricken
black's breath passed from him； and with a final convulsive stir he lay still。
〃Right through the heart；〃 Sheldon said； straightening up from the
stooping examination。 〃It must have been a trap of some sort。〃
He noticed Joan's white； tense face； and the wide eyes with which she
stared at the wreck of what had been a man the minute before。
〃I recruited that boy myself；〃 she said in a whisper。 〃He came down
out of the bush at Poonga…Poonga and right on board the Martha and
offered himself。 And I was proud。 He was my very first recruit〃
〃My word！ Look 'm that fella；〃 Binu Charley interrupted； brushing
aside the leafy wall of the run…way and exposing a bow so massive that no
one bushman could have bent it。
The Binu man traced out the mechanics of the trap； and exposed the
hidden fibre in the tangled undergrowth that at contact with Koogoo's foot
had released the taut bow。
They were deep in the primeval forest。 A dim twilight prevailed； for
no random shaft of sunlight broke through the thick roof of leaves and
creepers overhead。 The Tahitians were plainly awed by the silence and
gloom and mystery of the place and happening； but they showed
themsel
