LITMIR.BIZ

      Chapter 14:

       On the Pacific Coast.

       Table of Contents

      "A close shave, indeed," Ned said, raising himself with difficulty from the ground. "Another moment, and I think my ribs would have given in. It seemed as if all the blood in my body had rushed to my head."

      "Do you feel badly hurt?" Tom asked, anxiously.

      "No," Ned said, feeling himself all over. "Horribly bruised, but nothing broken. To think of our not seeing that monstrous boa!

      "I don't think," he continued, "that I can walk any farther today. I feel shaken all over."

      "Then we will camp where we are," Tom said cheerfully. "We have got a stag, and he will last us for some days, if necessary. There is plenty of fruit to be picked in the forest, and on this mountain side we are sure to be able to find water, within a short distance."

      Lighting a fire, the deer was soon cut up, and the lads prepared to spend a quiet day; which was all the more welcome inasmuch as, for the last three weeks, they had traveled without intermission. The next day Ned declared himself well enough to proceed on his journey; but his friend persuaded him to stop for another day.

      Late in the evening Ned exclaimed, "What is that, Tom, behind that tree?"

      Tom seized his bow, and leaped to his feet.

      "I see nothing," he said.

      "It was either a native, or a gigantic monkey. I saw him, quite plainly, glide along behind the tree."

      Tom advanced cautiously, but on reaching the tree he found nothing.

      "You are sure you were not mistaken?" he asked.

      "Quite certain," Ned said. "We have seen enough of Indians, by this time, to know them. We must be on the lookout, tonight. The natives on this side are not like those beyond the mountains. They have been so horribly ill treated, by the Spaniards, that they must hate any white face; and would kill us without hesitation, if they got a chance. We shall have difficulty with the Spaniards, when we fall into their hands; but they will at least be more reasonable than these savages."

      All night they kept up their fire, and sat up by turns, on watch. Several times they thought that they heard slight movements, among the fallen leaves and twigs; but these might have been caused by any prowling beast. Once or twice they fancied that they detected forms, moving cautiously just beyond the range of the firelight; but they could not be certain that it was so.

      Just as morning was breaking, Ned sprang to his feet.

      "Wake up, Tom!" he exclaimed; "we are attacked;" and as he spoke, an arrow quivered in the tree just over his head.

      They had already discussed whether it would be better to remain, if attacked, in the light of the fire, or to retreat into the shadow; and concluding that the eyes of the natives would be more accustomed to see in darkness than their own, they had determined to stay by the fire, throwing themselves down on their faces; and to keep the natives at bay beyond the circle of the light of the flames, till daylight. They had, in readiness, heaped a great pile of brushwood; and this they now threw upon the fire, making a huge pyramid of flame, which lit the wood around for a circle of sixty yards. As the light leaped up, Ned discharged an arrow at a native, whom he saw within the circle of light; and a shrill cry proclaimed that it had reached its mark.

      There was silence for a while in the dark forest and, each moment that passed, the daylight became stronger and stronger.

      "In ten minutes we shall be able to move on," Ned said; "and in the daylight, I think that the longer range of our bows will enable us to keep them off. The question is, how many of them are there?"

      A very short time sufficed to show that the number of the savages was large; for shrill cries were heard, answering each other, in the circle around them; and numbers of black figures could be seen, hanging about the trees in the distance.

      "I don't like the look of things, Ned," Tom said. "It is all very well. We may shoot a good many before they reach us, and in the open no doubt we might keep them off. But by taking advantage of the trees, they will be able to get within range of their weapons; and at short distances, they are just as effective as are our bows."

      As soon as it was broad daylight, the lads started through the forest, keeping up a running fight with the natives.

      "It is clear," Tom said, "we cannot stand this much longer. We must take to a tree."

      They were on the point of climbing, when Ned exclaimed:

      "Listen! I can hear the sound of bells."

      Listening intently, they could make out the sound of little bells, such as are carried by horses or mules.

      "It must be a train to one of the mines. If we can reach that, we shall be safe."

      Laying aside all further thought of fighting, the boys now ran, at headlong pace, in the direction of the sounds. The natives, who were far fleeter of foot, gained fast upon them; and the arrows were flying round them, and several had inflicted slight wounds, when they heard ahead of them the cry of:

      "Soldiers on guard. The natives are at hand. Fire in the bushes."

      The boys threw themselves upon their faces as, from the thickets ahead, a volley of musketry was heard.

      "Load again," was the order, in Spanish. "These black rascals must be strong, indeed, to advance to attack us with so much noise."

      Crawling forward cautiously, Ned exclaimed, in Spanish:

      "Do not fire, senors. We are two Spaniards who have been carried away from the settlements, and have for long been prisoners among the natives."

      A cry of surprise was heard, and then the Spaniard in command called them to advance, fearlessly. This they did. Fortunately they had, long before, settled upon the story that they would tell, when they arrived among the Spaniards. To have owned themselves Englishmen, and as belonging to the dreaded buccaneers, would have been to ensure their imprisonment, if not execution. The imperfection of Ned's Spanish, and the fact that Tom was quite ignorant of the language, rendered it difficult for them to pass as Spaniards. But they thought that, by giving out that they had been carried away in childhood--Tom at an earlier age than Ned--their ignorance of the language would be accounted for.

      It had been a struggle, with both of them, to decide upon telling an untruth. This is a point upon which differences of opinion must always arise. Some will assert that under no circumstances can a falsehood be justified. Others will say that to deceive an enemy in war, or to save life, deceit is justifiable, especially when that deceit injures no one. It was only after very great hesitation that the boys had overcome their natural instincts and teaching, and

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