The Hero of Panama: A Tale of the Great Canal by F. S. Brereton
CHAPTER XIX
Jim Meets with a Surprise
It was an exciting and an anxious moment for Jim and his comrades asthey saw the strangers bounding towards them, and for one brief instantour hero hesitated, wondering whether he ought to respect the white flagwhich the leader of this new band bore. He had already arrestedTomkins's intention of firing on them, and now peremptorily restrainedthe others.
"Stop!" he shouted. "Not a shot. I believe they are friends. Why, as Ilive, if that isn't a white man at their head!"
But the light just now was not so good as it had been. The moon waswaning, and the dawn half broken. In consequence, though the partyanxiously watching the strangers from the rocky eminence could make outtheir numbers, and each individual member of the band, they coulddistinguish nothing more than that. Phineas drew in a deep breath. Hehad learned to trust Jim's judgment, but on this occasion he fearedgreatly that he was making a gigantic error.
"Gee!" he cried in anxious tones. "Supposing they are enemies like therest. They will cut us to pieces. Get ready to shoot, you men."
"By de poker, but if dey not friends, den Tom talk to them same as hetalk wid de oders," growled the negro. "But me tink Massa Jim right;Massa Jim neber make mistake."
It was like the huge fellow to support his young master, of whom he hadan absurdly high opinion; but Sam and Ching were just as emphatic.
"Not need fear rumpus any longer," said the former, dropping the butt ofhis weapon to the ground. "Massa Jim know what him talking about. Noflies on him anyway."
"He, he, he! Velly nice for dis party," lisped the Chinaman. "A minuteago me tink soon hab ebelyting ober. Soon be chopped to little pieces,same as Ching chop de meat for de stew. But now ebelyting jolly. Yo seeprecious soon. Ching knowee well dat dat a white man. Him seen himbefore; him know de movement of him legs. Him and Ching great friendssome time ago."
Could it be true? Even Jim, as he anxiously watched the approachingband, and with no little doubt as to their friendly intentions, couldnot fail to observe that the leader, who in the dim light had theappearance of being a white man, certainly walked in a manner with whichhe was familiar. The swift fling of the legs reminded him of someone;but whom? Where had he known that someone? That was the question. Lessthan a minute later he was staggering backwards as if someone had struckhim a heavy blow. As for the strangers, there was now no doubt that awhite man led them. A tall, thin young man, with somewhat cadaverouscast of countenance, halted within ten paces of the party, still wavinghis white banner, and gave vent to a cry of astonishment, a cry whichJim echoed. Then Sadie, half-hidden behind the men of her party, pushedher way resolutely through them, ran forward, and gazed at the man. Inan instant she had thrown herself upon him.
"Jim!" she screamed; "it's George, George come back to life! Georgealive, when we thought he was dead in the jungle."
"IT'S GEORGE, GEORGE COME BACK TO LIFE!"]
The meeting staggered our hero. He could hardly believe that it could behis brother, he whom they had lost in the jungle now so long ago. Eventhe strong grip which George gave him failed to convince.
"How's it happened?" demanded Jim. "We settled that you were dead, thatthe fever had killed you, and that you had fallen in some hollow in thejungle. Who are all these men here? How is it that you have turned upright away at the very instant when help is wanted? My head is all of awhirl: I guess I'm getting silly."
"Then you needn't blame yourself," came George's answer. "Reckon you'dbe a strange fellow if you weren't a little bit overcome by my turningup after you'd given me over for dead. But, see here, Jim; I'm your ownbrother George right enough, though how it comes that I am still aliveand kicking is a long story. As to how I arrived here on time, that'smuch simpler. The natives I have been living with are at daggers drawnwith a tribe over by the lagoon, and have been greatly troubled becausesome beggarly European rascals have been selling guns and powder tothem. For three months past I've been a kind of king amongst them, andof course I've taken steps to have that other tribe watched. Well, weheard that an expedition was coming this way. We shadowed the nativesthrough the forest, and then heard a shot. Later we followed again, andthen there was heavy firing. I made out your party from the edge of thejungle, and I reckoned that I would help. Of course I couldn't tell whowas in the right. I only knew that the natives who are enemies of ourswere attacking a small party, and so I decided to help the weaker side.Here we are, seventy of us in all, and quite sufficient to make shortwork of those fellows. Now tell me all about the bother."
As rapidly as possible Jim told him how Jaime and his rascally comradeshad abducted Sadie, and how he had followed.
"It's a precious long yarn, like yours," he laughed, gripping George'shand for the twentieth time, for even now he found it hard to believethat this good news was actually and really true. "But, to begin with, Itook a job on the Panama Canal."
"Won a job is truer, I guess," interrupted Phineas, who was beaming onour young hero and his long-lost brother. "Won a job on the PanamaCanal, sir. Let me tell you that this young Jim of yours has done mightywell since you took it into your head to clear off into the jungle. Tobegin with, he started right off for New York; for he had to find a jobsomewhere. Then there was a collision. The ship foundered, and I wasleft aboard her when the crew took to the boats. Jim there swam out andsaved me. Give you my word, the risk he ran makes my hair stand on endeven nowadays. Of course I was grateful. After all, life's pleasantto a man working on the canal; there's a real interest in it. Ioffered to get our young friend a job, and house his sister. That's howthe business started. He won the job, siree; won it outright and by asfine a show of grit as ever you could come across."
George's sallow, fever-haunted face brightened at the words: hestretched forward a hand to grip his brother's, and then to take that ofPhineas.
"It's the one thing that has troubled me ever since I was lost in theforest," he said feelingly. "There was always Sadie, and what hadhappened to her. I knew that Jim and the boys would stick to her andsupport her; but the willingness to do so doesn't make it alwayspossible. Guess I owe you a lot, Mr. Phineas, and Jim's my own brother.I always knew he had grit."
"See here," burst in Phineas, who seemed to have suddenly found a loosetongue, "you don't owe me a cent's worth. I'll get ahead with this yarn,for this young Jim ain't likely to give it all. And ef I wasn't to tellevery word, there's Tom and Sam and Ching would soon see that the newsreached you. Eh, boys?"
In the fading moonlight Tom gave an expansive, seven-foot grin, andwagged his head. Sam's little eyes twinkled brightly, while the Chinamanundid his pigtail, and coiled it again, glancing from one to the other."If you not guess dat Mass Jim play de game, den you velly stupid, sah,"he said. "But you know him from de days when we were all on de salvageboat. Massa Jim a demon to work, and never know what it am to fear."
"Listen to this," went on Phineas, wagging a finger at the three, tosilence them. "There were a number of Spaniards aboard the boat thatfoundered. They fought for the boats, and Jim and Tom had a stand-upfight with them, supporting the captain and crew thoroughly. Well, Jimhere knocked a rascal down, who, it turned out, was one of a gang ofruffians who had been infesting ports along the Gulf of Mexico, and whoof late had been carrying on their evil practices on the canal zone.This rascal was brought back to Colon with the others, and the gangbegan operations again. But this particular man imagined he had a grudgeagainst Jim. He deliberately fired at him one night when in my quarters.Of course we followed, that is, Jim and his boys did. They tracked thefellow to a house where the gang were situated, and as a result, whenthe police arrived, three of the gang were taken, though not until Jimhad nearly lost his life. Two got away, and the police followed rightaway along the coast, across a lagoon to the jungle 'way ahead of us.There was a fight between themselves and the native tribe these rascalshad taken refuge with, while the two men were killed or severelywounded. Back comes Jim, takes on a special job on the works, and thengets mixed up with the
The sallow face of the man who had so suddenly joined the party lit upagain, while he regarded his brother in a manner somewhat different fromthat he had been accustomed to aboard the salvage boat. For then Jim hadappeared as only a boy to George. But now it was as a man that hisbrother found him, a young, strenuous, self-possessed man, who, withouta shadow of doubt, had been winning the golden opinion of those withwhom he had come in contact. In place of being stranded by his pastmisfortunes, and finding life a struggle, George had now learned thatJim was prospering, that he had won a lucrative job on the canal works,and later, when Phineas was able to speak further with him, that therewere many amongst the officials who predicted that our hero would risehigh, and would, when he was a little older, fill a position ofresponsibility.
"And so you rescued Sadie, and took their plunder from them!" gaspedGeorge. "That's a good beginning, and those bodies lying out there showthat your party has done well in the attack. Now let me give a littlefurther information. Guess those rascals you followed across the lagoonwere wounded only, for our tribe have had certain news that two whitemen were with their enemies. Guess they've come along with this secondparty, and have now joined hands with the men you tracked to this spot.Who's leader here?"
Phineas jerked his head in Jim's direction, while Tomkins, who had stoodnear at hand all the while, grinned ever so little.
"Young, ain't he?" he asked, in his usually blunt manner. "But thereain't no flies on him, siree. He's shown us how to move, has MisterJim."
"Then what do you propose? Stay here and build up a barricade of stones,or attack the enemy boldly?" asked George.
Jim did not answer for the moment. He knew that even now that his partyhad been so well reinforced it was smaller in numbers than the enemy. Tomarch out across the open would certainly lead to great loss, for mostof the natives with Jaime and his ruffians were armed with firelocks. Onthe other hand, there was not much to be gained by staying in theirpresent position, for that would carry them no nearer to safety.Unless----
To the surprise of all he suddenly struck his thigh with the palm of hishand, and gave a shout of triumph. He was in the very act of tellingthose who stood around what plan he suggested, when a rifle snapped fromthe forest, and a bullet whistled just overhead. Then a storm of ballscame swishing out over the open, and were followed by the appearance ofthe enemy. They swarmed from the shadows, massed in one corner, andthen, to the thunderous beat of native drums came racing forward.
"Back to your places," shouted Jim. "Fire as soon as you are inposition. George, how many of your men are armed with guns?"
"Thirty at the most; they trust to spears and a long curling knife."
"One more question; did those rascals see you join us?"
"Certain to have done so," answered George. "But whether they have acorrect idea of our numbers is an altogether different matter."
"Then line up all the men without guns at the back of the firing party.When I give the word, lead them out against the enemy; we must drivethem back whatever happens."
The ten minutes which followed were full of movement, and were, in fact,more than strenuous; for Jaime was desperate. He was furious to havebeen worsted so easily, and, reviewing the whole affair, it made himtremble with rage when he recollected that all his carefully made planshad come to naught. The greatest blow of all was that the treasure whichhe had stolen had been taken from him, and that by four men alone,simply because he himself had relaxed his usual caution. It wastherefore with shouts of rage that he led the enemy. Dashing forward atthe head of some hundred and fifty of them, he urged them on in spite ofthe bullets which hissed through their ranks. He himself seemed to beara charmed life; for though Tomkins made more than one effort, he failedsignally to bring the robber chief to the ground. Always his bulletstruck the man on one or other side, or him who was following.
"Thunder!" shouted the policeman at last, angry at his want of success."That's the fifth time I've drawn a bead on him and missed. See if Idon't do it this time. It's the only thing that'll save us."
He leant his cheek against the butt of his rifle with more than usualcare, and pulled steadily on his trigger. Then he jerked the weaponbackward with an exclamation of disgust, and rapidly pushed a charge ofcartridges into his emptied magazine; for Jaime was still untouched. Thebullet intended for him had struck one of his white followers, and thosewho watched saw the man pitch forward with arms and legs outspread, andcome with a thud to the ground. Nor did he move a muscle afterwards. Bythen Jaime and those with him were within twenty yards of the eminence.
"Ready?" asked Jim, placing himself beside George at the head of hisnatives, while the ever-watchful Tom came sidling up to him, his riflegripped in his enormous hands. "Then charge!"
George shouted. A man amongst the natives blew on a horn, while anotherbeat a drum. Then some forty of them launched themselves past the firingline, and fell upon the charging enemy furiously. At once it becameevident that the fight was to be one to a finish. The men who hadfollowed George had without doubt the greatest hatred for those others,and for that reason fought with a ferocity which was terrible. Shouts ofconsternation came from the enemy at their sudden appearance. Men inrear turned and fled, while those in the van came to a halt. Jaimeturned and beckoned to them. In the short space at his disposal hethreatened his followers. Then he and those with him were overwhelmed.In one brief minute the rush of Jaime and his supporters was convertedinto a mad retreat, with a band of dusky men in rear of them slashingand cutting desperately. As for Jim and George, they were carriedforward by the natives, and, with the lusty Tom beside them, thrusttheir way far in amongst the flying enemy, striking right and left withtheir rifles. Nor was Tom satisfied with that. The negro was possessedof enormous strength, and nothing could resist him. He dashed far beyondhis comrades, discarding his rifle. His ponderous fists shot out inevery direction, flooring the enemy; then, catching sight of Jaimestruggling amidst the natives, and possessed, it seemed, with the sameterror which had suddenly assailed them, Tom leapt at him, covering theground in enormous bounds, and easily clearing a path before him. In atrice he was level with the robber, and though the latter turned andendeavoured to bring a weapon to bear on the negro, the gallant Tom wastoo quick for him. He had him by the collar in an instant, the fingersof his right hand encircled the back of the neck, causing the wretch todrop his revolver and shriek. Then, just as had happened earlier on, theman was swung like a bale into the air, and was whirled above the headsof the others.
"By de poker, but dis time yo not get 'way!" bellowed Tom, mad withexcitement. "Yo not get back to dem scum to lead dem against MissieSadie. See here, me break yo neck if yo move. Me crush ebery bone in yobody. Yo hear dat? Den keep quiet or me pound yo to a jelly."
The miserable fellow was not able to move so much as a finger, so firmlydid Tom grip him; and if he imagined that his comrades would help him,he was much mistaken. For they were terrified, and fled back to theforest with George's men hanging on behind them. Indeed, in five minutesthere was not a trace of the enemy, save the numerous bodies which layin the open. There was only Jaime de Oteros, a prisoner now, cringingat the feet of our hero, and looking askance at the panting men abouthim.
"Now, sah," said Tom, drawing in a deep breath, "not want dis scum anylonger. Suppose we hang um straight off and so save heap ob trouble."
"Tie him up fast, and set a watch over him," commanded Jim promptly."Now, George, I'm ready to give you my plan for the future. I was aboutto do so when the enemy charged. But, first, are they likely to leaveus?"
George shook his head promptly, then exchanged a few words with one ofthe natives who was evidently of some importance. "They will
"Then we'll keep them hanging about in the forest. See here, George,"said our hero eagerly. "This party of mine was to be merely a sort ofcutting-out expedition. We rode hard in order to come up with thisruffian Jaime, and rescue Sadie. The main party was to steam to thelagoon, and there attack the natives. They were then to endeavour tojoin hands with us. Seems to me we have an excellent chance of acombined movement. We stay here, and make pretence that we dare notmove. Meanwhile you send off a couple or more men to our other party.When could they reach us?"
"To-morrow morning, perhaps a little earlier. Gee, this is a good plan!The head of the lagoon is only a bare twenty miles from us. My men couldreach the spot by late this afternoon. Your other party would marchright off, and, allowing for the difficulties of getting through thejungle, could be here even earlier than I said. It's a fine move; fine,and will be just the thing to put an end to this matter."
"And your men could start at once, and leave without the enemy being thewiser?"
Once more George appealed to the native chief, and presently returned tohis brother. "They shall go at once. We will send two parties,consisting of three men each. They will slip away from this spot withoutanyone seeing them, and will each bear the same message. They will marchback with your people, and will crawl in here to let us know of theirarrival."
Jim called Phineas and Tomkins to him, and discussed the plan with themfor a few moments. Then, as all agreed with it, George nodded to thenative. Almost instantly six men stood forward from amongst the seatedthrong, their eyes shining in the sunlight, for by now broad day wasupon them. A few guttural words were spoken, then, one by one, thenatives wormed their way from the eminence. Jim could hardly havebelieved it possible that men could leave the spot without watching eyesdiscovering them; but he had never watched such natives as these before,nor seen how it was possible to take advantage of hollows and boulders.
"Gone!" said George, at length, giving vent to a sigh of satisfaction."Now I suppose we can settle down to the ordinary life of those who arebesieged?"
"Which reminds one of breakfast. Ching!" shouted our hero. "Breakfastfor our party, and slippy with it," he commanded, when the Chinaman hadput in an appearance. "I suppose your natives will fend for themselves,George?"
"They are almost vegetarians," came the answer, "and each man carriessufficient with him to appease a hearty appetite and to slake histhirst. That's the best of their diet. It supplies food and drink at thesame moment. And talking of vegetarians reminds me of myself; youremember I was down with fever?"
"And dived overboard when delirious," Jim nodded.
"And swam like a maniac till I reached the jungle. Well, I must haveraced through it for a couple of miles or more before I came to a stop.At last I dropped down in the very middle of a camp formed by thesenatives. I was dead beat, raving with fever, and as weak as a child. Byall accounts, too, guess I had hardly a shred of clothing left on me,and my skin was torn by brambles. By good luck, anyway, I had stumbledamongst natives who had met white men before, and had no particulardislike for them. In fact, they have an absurdly high idea of them. Theytreated me like a brother. They looked upon me from the first as if Iwere a great chief, and fed me with fruits taken in the forest. And itseems that fever is not unknown amongst them. You see, they don'tinhabit the swamp lands, so they do not often come in contact withmalaria. Guess they ain't acclimatized to fever the same as othernatives who live on the lagoons; in consequence they get attackswhenever they come down to the water, and have learned how to treattheir patients. I mended slowly. For weeks I couldn't walk, and had tobe carried on a form of stretcher; but I shook off the fever. Lifebecame altogether more pleasant, and though, of course, I was longing toget back to settled parts, so as to rejoin you and Sadie, yet, while Iwas tied by weakness, I admit that I found life pleasant, and kinderhosts I could not have wished for. At last I was about strong enough totravel, and had already arranged for an escort to take me to Colon whenthis affair turned up. Gee! It's the strangest thing that ever happened.To think that in place of discovering you in New York, or somewhere inthe States, you should have run up against me out in this jungle!"
They chatted for long over their breakfast, Jim learning every detail ofhis brother's life, while George gathered a good deal of what hadhappened at Colon. But from Phineas he heard fuller particulars.
"You can't expect the lad to talk about himself," he told George. "It'sdead against his modest nature. But he's done fine. He's shown real gritfrom the beginning, and alongside of it a determination to get on and acommon sense that was bound to win advancement. He's earning good wages.Jim is well enough off at this moment to offer you a home, and cansupport you till you also are earning wages. Mark this too: if we comeout of this soundly, and Jim gets back to Colon with those dollars, theCommission will have heaps of praise and thanks to give. Shouldn'twonder if it resulted in further advancement. I know he's young; butguess that don't matter. America's a go-ahead country. She don't reckona man to be a Solomon just because he's old and wears hair on his face,no more than she reckons that a youngster without a line on his lip isclear out of sense. She judges a man by what he does, and gives herfavours without thought of years and appearance. Well, here's Jim youngenough we'll allow; but he's done things. His name's known better thanthe Police Major's from end to end of the canal works. He's come outtrumps on every occasion, and if he wins home now I say it'll be atriumph."
Let the reader imagine George's amazement at all he heard, for he hadalways looked upon Jim as too young for serious consideration. And herehe was, a man in effect, though hardly come to that station in point ofyears; but a man for all that, and already occupying a fine position. Itafforded food for thought, and for long George sat sucking the stem ofthe pipe which Tomkins had generously loaned to him. And all the whilebullets flickered from the jungle; they clipped corners from theboulders, smashed heavily against trees on the far side of the clearing,or sent spurts of dust into the sunlit air. It was an occupation, infact, to watch the result of the enemies' efforts, and to speculate onthe effect of the next shot. But it was an occupation also which was aptto become monotonous. Men fell asleep, in spite of the bullets, and onlywakened now and again when the thumping of a native drum warned of apossible rush; but though the enemy massed at times, and seemed on thepoint of charging, they never actually came into the open. Theycontented themselves with more or less continuous firing.
"Which don't hurt a fly, and only makes a chap hungry," said Tomkins, ashe lay on his back in the shelter cast by a boulder. "But guess we shallwant to be careful once the darkness comes. If there's a bright moonit'll be right enough; if not, there'll be ructions."
The hours dragged by slowly, and at length evening arrived. Jim lookedoverhead anxiously, and noted that thick banks of clouds were floatingin the sky, while the moon would not rise for two hours.
"It'll be dark in an hour," he said, stretching himself beside Phineasand his brother. "I've been talking to Tomkins, and he agrees with methat the most dangerous time will be before the moon rises, which meansthat the enemy may attack immediately night comes. Have either of you asuggestion to offer?"
"Just this," answered George. "As soon as it is sufficiently dark we'llsend my fellows into the jungle across there. They'll be back withinfive minutes with as much firewood as we want. Then we'll lay a pilesome twenty yards from our position, and so all round this eminence.Once in position we'll set fire to them, and the glow should last tillthe moon helps us."
The scheme found approval with Jim and Phineas at once, so that, as soonas it was dark enough, George sent a dozen of his natives creeping intothe forest. They were back within a few minutes, a
CHAPTER XX
Success to the Panama Canal
Even in the machinery shops at Gorgona Jim had never listened to such adin as came from the charging enemy as they burst from the cover of theforest; for a dozen native drums were being thumped, horns were sounded,while each individual shouted and shrieked at the pitch of his lungs. Itseemed, indeed, as if Jaime's followers imagined that the racket wouldscare the defenders and help them towards victory. The giant Tom,standing over the captive, saw his eyes scintillate, while Jaime halfrose to his feet; but in a moment he was cowering again. Not because Tomscowled at him, and stretched forth a hand, but because the nativeplaced to guard him flourished his long knife before the prisoner'sface.
"So, yo know what to expect if yo try to escape," said Tom. "I leave yowid dis friend while I go to teach those scum manners. Yo move onelittle piece, and see how nicely he cut yo to tiny bits."
He indicated the native with a wave of his hand, then went off to thefiring line, swinging his rifle as if it were a toy and weighed but afew ounces. Meanwhile the defenders had opened fire upon the enemy.
"Steady does it, boys," sang out Tomkins, who was a tower of strengthto Jim and his friends. "Use your magazines, but see that every shottells. It don't do to fire and miss every time. Let each bullet find itsman. It'll bring them to a halt sooner than anything."
But there are limits to the powers of such a small force as Jimcommanded; for though George's natives who were armed with guns blazedat the enemy, it was clear that they missed their aim more often thannot. Then, too, the light was tricky. The flickering flames cast by thecircle of fires served to show the figures of the enemy; but here andthere were black shadows, and the rifles had to catch their men as theyraced across the lighted parts. In consequence the host of attackerssoon approached the eminence on which the defenders had taken theirstand. They were abreast of the fires in two minutes, and, at a shoutfrom Jim, George prepared to launch his second party of natives at them.
"Wait till they have almost reached us," cried Jim; "then let them go.Call to the others who are firing with their guns to join in the charge.This time every man will have to be employed."
The situation was indeed very critical, for the enemy had advanced infull strength, while the fitful light had helped them. In the space of afew seconds the leaders were within a yard of the boulders behind whichTomkins and his party were lying, and rifle practice was no longerpossible. George shouted. His natives gave vent to a hoarse bellow,while the man with the drum thumped it madly. Then some seventy blackfigures leaped over the boulders, and there began a hand-to-handcontest, the ferocity of which can hardly be described. The twobodies of men, attackers and attacked, swayed this way and that. Some ofthe enemy even managed to leap over the boulders and gain the innercircle, only to be shot down instantly by Jim and his friends. Then,when matters had become desperate, and the din was deafening, shoutswere heard from a distance. Sam dashed up to Jim, his face working withexcitement, his eyes blazing.
"Friends comin', sah," he bellowed. "I see dem run from de forest. Deycharging from behind; dey policemen."
Whoever they were, the rear ranks of the enemy quickly discovered theirpresence, and turned to face them. Then across the clearing there camethe sound of cheering. A loud command rang out, and in a trice a strongbody of men had hurled themselves against the enemy. Not a shot wasfired; for to have done so would have been to have risked shooting Jimand his party. But long, gleaming bayonets were at the ends of therifles, and the strange weapon played havoc with the natives. The shoutsof those in rear reached their comrades in front, and caused them toturn away. Then, for some five minutes, the enemy were caught betweentwo forces, George's natives using their knives with terrible purpose. Afew moments later and those of the enemy who were left turned tail andfled to the forest, pursued by volleys.
Have you ever heard excited men cheer, men who had hardly expected to bealive at that moment? That is how Jim and his men cheered. They set thejungle ringing, they dashed out into the open and wrung the hands ofthe Police Major and his party, and then they sat down and roared at theantics of George's natives; for the latter were filled with triumph.Undoubtedly they had fought most bravely, and had proved the salvationof Jim and his tiny party; but in doing so they had gained their end.They had broken the power of the tribe which had threatened to molestthem, and which had been so plentifully supplied with muskets by Jaimeand his men. George's hosts had broken their power for evil, and hadthemselves now become possessed of the weapons; for the enemy had castthem to the ground as they fled.
"Gee! What a sight!" cried the Major, as he surveyed the scene, now thatthe moon had risen and lighted the clearing. "There's a heap of menkilled, and I'm told that amongst them are four white men. But Jaimeisn't there. The scoundrel who led the robbers, and caused all thistrouble, has had his usual good fortune, and managed to get away."
Jim smiled, and winked in Tom's direction. Then he nodded to Ching, andat the signals the two fine fellows darted away to the back of the camp.
"Major," said our hero a moment later, as he saw Tom and Chingreturning, "allow me, first of all, to present you with a prisoner. Heis Tom's capture, and was snatched from the midst of his men. Allow meto introduce Jaime de Oteros."
His pluck evaporated, all his assurance gone, Jaime stood with Tom'sgrip on him as if he feared that the next moment would be his last. Hisknees knocked together, his lips trembled, while his shifty eyes lookedaskance at the negro.
"Dere you am, sah," cried Tom, lifting his prisoner by the arm as if hewere a toy. "Dis am de scum dat cause all de trouble, dat dare tocapture missie."
For a full minute the Major regarded Jaime; then he spoke quietly.
"Jim," he said, "it's you who should have the post of policesuperintendent, for this is a most important capture. Tom, too, has donefinely; finely, I say. But in capturing this man you give us theopportunity of bringing him to his deserts, and so making absolutelysure that no other people shall be victimized. More than that, perhaps,you give the Commissioners a chance through him to recover the money hehas stolen."
Jim signalled to Ching, and at once the Chinaman approached the party,his pigtail swinging out behind him. On his broad shoulders two blackbundles were supported, and these he dumped upon the ground at theMajor's feet without the smallest ceremony. Indeed he might have beenhandling merely a parcel of clothing.
"Why! What are these? Where's that description?"
The police officer dived into an inner pocket, but Jim saved him thetrouble of referring to the description of the missing property. "Seehere, Major," he said, "Ching and I had a bit of fine fortune. When wecrept into Jaime's camp to rescue my sister we brought away at the samemoment these two packages. We knew the dollars stolen were wrapped inblack waterproof paper, and we guessed clean off that these were they.Since then I have opened both in Mr. Phineas's presence. There ain't adoubt as to what they contain."
The Major could have hugged our hero. His delight was more than evident.The sight of the recovered treasure took his breath away, and sent himspluttering and coughing. Then he began to laugh. He rocked from side toside, holding his flanks, till the tears ran down his cheeks. And Tomjoined in with him. The huge negro's face broadened, his mouth expandedtill it was a veritable cavern, then he bellowed with laughing, shakingin every limb, and almost knocking the breath out of his prisoner'sbody.
"Gee! It do take eberyting, don't it, Major, sah?" he shouted, when atlength he could control himself. "Here am dis scum dat cause all detrouble. Him ride off from de canal works tinking he made fools of allob us. But he hab to reckon wid very wise people. Massa Jim dere tostand in him way, and yo too, sah, I reckon. See what happen. All himfriends killed, and, lummy, dat a good t'ing for
The huge fellow went off into another loud guffaw till Jim stopped him.As for the Major, he had now become more serious. Warmly hecongratulated Jim and his comrades on their prowess, while George camein for a particular friendly greeting.
"Guess there'll be shouts when we get back to the canal works," he saidat length; "and the sooner we go the better. Are your party too tiredto march in the morning?"
"They'd rather set out soon than stay here much longer," came theanswer. "We've still some hours before morning, and if you and your menwill settle matters here, and see to the burial of those who have beenkilled, my party will take a sleep, which will put them on nicely. Itwill be the first time many of us have closed our eyes since we partedfrom Colon."
A little while later a number of figures were snoring in their blankets,while the natives whom George had brought aided the Major's party.Wounded men were attended to. Palanquins were made for those amongsttheir number who were unable to walk; and fortunately there were onlythree in the Major's party, while Jim's had come through the ordealscathless. As to the men who had suffered damage amongst George'snatives, arrangements were made for them to stay in the clearing tilltheir comrades returned. At an early hour on the following morning thewhole party set out for Colon, a dozen of the police going by way of thelagoon, where they would pick up the long launch which had brought them,while the rest--Jim and the Major amongst the party--rode through theforest. About noon on the following day they reached the summit of aridge overlooking Gatun, and at once cheered loudly.
"Ain't it a sight for sore eyes?" cried Phineas, his face shining in thesunlight. "You'd hardly expect to see men 'way over there, working as iftime was pressing. But see 'em. Gangs at the dam, gangs on the railway,and hundreds hidden from sight in the valley, or 'way up at Culebra.And watch the smoke from the diggers, the locos, and the drillers! It'sgood to think that it's all American, and that things are goingsmoothly."
"Thanks to the fact that a rascal has been captured," ventured thePolice Major. "Don't forget that, please. The best of energies may bebrought to naught if there is a rascal secretly at work attempting towreck matters. Things were getting to look bad when our prisoner madehis last little effort. But Jim has seen to that. Say, lad, was it asection you were bossing?"
Our hero coloured and admitted the fact as if he ought to be ashamed ofhis advancement.
"Ah, well," went on the Major, smiling slyly, "guess there's otherbillets going! But there's Gatun: I'll send the sergeant along withJaime to the station, and then we four will ride to Ancon. There I canreport, and hand over the dollars."
Need the reader wonder that the return of the party caused a hugesensation? Indeed the excitement nearly caused a stoppage of work alongthe zone, a matter almost without precedent. For the hustle andperseverance of the white employees is something out of the ordinary.The fever to press on with an undertaking in which their own personalhonour becomes, sooner or later, helplessly involved will hear of nodelay, and thrusts aside all obstacles. But the news 'phoned up and downthe zone was really too entrancing. Jim's name was soon on every man'slips, while even stolid officials cheered when they heard that the gangof robbers was destroyed, the leader captured, and the dollarsrecovered. Besides, Sadie was back again, and that caused the utmostsatisfaction, her abduction having roused the anger of the workers. Aweek later found Jim promoted to a still more responsible position,while a reward in money was handed to him, and to his three trustyservants. With the help of Phineas and other people George obtained apost amongst the employees, and should you happen to call in at theisthmus, there you will find him and his brother, as eager as theircomrades.
For strenuous work is the order of the day, and every day, along thefifty miles of works. Let Americans not forget it. Let those who can,pay a visit to their kith and kin slaving at the vast project theircountry has commenced on, and bear in mind that the spirit of doggedcourage, of common sense and energy, which won advancement for the heroof this narrative, is possessed by one and all of the workers. For thoseothers, the more numerous body, who for business reasons and others areunable to visit Panama or Colon, we say, let them obtain the fullestinformation as to the giant canal which is building there. The day iscoming, is indeed getting very near at hand, when America will achieve atriumph, and when it will behove each and every citizen to know everydetail, so that the boys and girls of the race, the future citizens ofAmerica, always eager for knowledge, may be told how the triumph wasaccomplished, how thousands laboured and slaved for years far from thesight of their fellows, and how by dint of superhuman effort, byastuteness and most praise-worthy perseverance, they brought their taskto a successful termination. For ourselves we long for the day when wemay board a steamer and voyage on her decks from the Atlantic up throughthe giant locks of Gatun to that vast lake which will extend to Obispo,and from thence steam through the cutting at Culebra, finally descendingthrough the locks at Pedro Miguel and at Milaflores to Pacific level. Welook forward to that great day, knowing that none will admire more thanwe shall the work which Jim and thousands of others will have helped toaccomplish. As for Jim himself, we wish him all prosperity. He is a trueAmerican. Idleness he does not know, while a strenuous life attractshim. Our hero is made of the stuff which forces difficulty and dangeraside cheerfully, and which points without hesitation the road tosuccess.
* * * * *
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
_At the Villafield Press, Glasgow, Scotland_
* * * * *
BY CAPTAIN F. S. BRERETON
The Great Aeroplane. A Thrilling Tale of Adventure.
A Hero of Sedan. A Tale of the Franco-Prussian War.
How Canada was Won. A Tale of Wolfe and Quebec.
With Wolseley to Kumasi. The First Ashanti War.
Roger the Bold. A Tale of the Conquest of Mexico.
With the Dyaks of Borneo. A Tale of the Head Hunters.
Foes of the Red Cockade. A Story of the French Revolution.
A Knight of St. John. A Tale of the Siege of Malta.
Indian and Scout. A Tale of the Gold Rush to California.
John Bargreave's Gold. Adventure in the Caribbean.
Roughriders of the Pampas. A Tale of Ranch Life in South America.
Jones of the 64th. A Tale of the Battles of Assaye and Laswaree.
With Roberts to Candahar. A Tale of the Third Afghan War.
A Hero of Lucknow. A Tale of the Indian Mutiny.
A Soldier of Japan. A Tale of the Russo-Japanese War.
Under the Spangled Banner. The Spanish-American War.
In the King's Service. A Tale of Cromwell's Invasion of Ireland.
In the Grip of the Mullah. Adventure in Somaliland.
With Rifle and Bayonet. A Story of the Boer War.
One of the Fighting Scouts. A Tale of Guerrilla Warfare in South Africa,
The Dragon of Pekin. A Story of the Boxer Revolt.
With Shield and Assegai. A Tale of the Zulu War.
A Gallant Grenadier. A Story of the Crimean War.
LONDON: BLACKIE & SON, LIMITED, 50 OLD BAILEY, E.C.