The Ocean Wireless Boys on the Pacific

It was well they had hastened, for the rascally landlord of the place had, by this time, aroused all the half-castes in the place and as, headed by Captain Sparhawk, they set off into the jungle, there was a scattering firing of shots behind them. Nobody was hurt, however, and they hastened forward to the place where Muldoon told them the capture had taken place.

Salloo was consulted and he made a careful examination of the surroundings. It was considered quite safe to make this halt, as the tumult behind them had died out and was probably only incited by the hotel owner in order to get them out of the village.

“Must wait till light come,” decided Salloo at last, “no can make out trail in dark.”

It seemed a whole eternity till dawn, but at last it grew light and the Malay darted hither and thither in the vicinity. At last he announced to Captain Sparhawk that he thought he knew, from the direction the trail took, the place to which the prisoners had been conveyed.

“Me think they take um to old fort on river,” he declared.

“Then let us go there at once,” said Captain Sparhawk eagerly. “Is it far?”

“No velly far through jungle. But Salloo no know trail. Velly bad swamp in there and if no know trail get in tlubble plenty quick.”

“Then we can’t reach them,” said Billy with a groan.

“Salloo know other way,” was the reply, “we go round by ribber. Then climbee cliff, find fort at top.”

“Then let’s start at once,” said Captain Sparhawk. “I don’t want to lose a second of time.”

“No, begorry, those spalpeens may have taken them further on by the time we git there if we don’t put a good foot forward,” said Muldoon.

Salloo glanced up at the sky. A light, fleecy haze overspread it.

“Nuther reason we hully,” he said. “Salloo think big storm come to-mollow. Rain washee out the tlacks.”

They set off along a narrow track that Salloo said would bring them to the river, whose course they must follow to the deserted fort. The jungle contained every kind of tropical growth, and huge ferns as big as trees waved over the path. But the atmosphere was close and feverish, with a humid heat that was very tiring. At times they encountered vines which had grown across the trail and had to be cut. Some of these were thin and wiry and could cut like a knife; others were as thick as a man’s arm and bore brilliant, though poisonous-looking blossoms of every color.

“Bad traveling,” remarked Captain Sparhawk, “still I suppose we must expect that on a seldomly frequented trail.”

“Him get velly bad further on,” was all the comfort Salloo could offer, “but not velly far to ribber once we strike udder trail.”

Before long they came to the track he had referred to which branched off at right angles to the one along which they had been traveling.

Several miles were covered, however, when it became time to halt for lunch. They made a hasty meal of canned goods instead of stopping to light fires, as Salloo thought it would be inadvisable to advertise their whereabouts by smoke columns in case the “enemy” had scouts out. They had hardly resumed their wearisome journey when they were startled by hearing a cry from a distance. Salloo came to an instant halt.

“Keep out ob sight, all of you,” he said, “Salloo go see what makee noise.”

He glided off into the dense vegetation with the silent, undulatory movements of a snake.

“Begorry, I wonder what that critter was?” said Muldoon in a low voice.

“I don’t know. I only hope it wasn’t a band of natives who might prove unfriendly,” muttered Billy.

“Well, so far we have had more trouble with white men than with natives,” said Captain Sparhawk, a remark of which they all felt the truth.

“It might have been monkeys chattering,” suggested Raynor, after a pause, during which they all listened for some sign of Salloo.

“And spaking of the divil,” exclaimed Muldoon, “look, there’s a monkey looking at us now. See those two black oys back in the threes?”

He pointed with his forefinger and they all gazed in that direction. It was Billy who first discovered the nature of Muldoon’s monkey.

“That’s not a monkey. It’s a big snake! Look out for yourselves!” he yelled.

“A python!” cried Captain Sparhawk.

He started back and the others did the same. But Muldoon tripped over a bow and fell sprawling headlong. As he scrambled to his feet a serpent’s form appeared above him as it swung from a big tree. The next instant there was a cry of horror from them all.

The serpent had made a sudden lunge and a cry broke from Muldoon as, before he could make a move to help himself, he was enwrapped in the spiral folds of the great python.

Captain Sparhawk seized his revolver from his belt and leveled the weapon. But the next moment he lowered it. To have fired would have been to imperil Muldoon’s life, and there might still be a chance of saving him.

The monstrous reptile that had the unfortunate boatswain in its grip was large, even judged by the standards of the immense pythons of the New Guinea and Borneo forests. It must have been fully thirty-five feet long.

Billy could not endure the sight and put his hands in front of his eyes. When he removed them it was to behold a stirring sight.

CHAPTER XXX. – IN THE COILS OF A PYTHON

From the jungle there had darted a lithe figure. It was Salloo. He had traced the source of the mysterious cries to a troop of monkeys. He was returning when Muldoon’s despairing cry broke on his ears.

The Malay, guessing that there was serious trouble, glided through the jungle at the best speed of which he was capable, making his way swiftly through thickets that a white man could not have passed at all. There is one weapon with which a Malay is always armed – his kriss, a razor-edged sword about two feet long, with a “wavy” outline. This kriss Salloo now drew from under his single garment.

One instant it flashed in the sunlight and the next, during which it was impossible to follow its movements, so swift were they, the python’s head was severed. But instantly, by a convulsive movement, its coils tightened and Muldoon emitted another pitiful cry. But, fortunately, the life of the snake had departed and soon its coils relaxed and its gaudily-colored body slipped in a heap to the ground.

They all sprang forward to Muldoon’s aid, for the man, powerful and rugged, was almost in a state of collapse as the result of his terrible experience. An examination by Captain Sparhawk soon showed that no bones had been broken, as they had at first feared, and after restoratives had been administered, and after a short rest, Muldoon announced that he was ready to march on again.

“That was a close shave, Muldoon,” remarked Raynor, as they pressed onward, after Muldoon had nearly wrung the hand off Salloo in expressing his thanks for the Malay’s courageous act, which had undoubtedly saved the boatswain’s life.

“Ouch! Don’t say a wurrud,” groaned the Irishman, “I thought I was a goner sure. Divil a bit more of snakes is it I want to see.”

That evening they reached the river, and leaving them camped, Salloo set off on a scouting expedition. It was a long time before he returned, but when he came in he brought good news. He had located the old fort and reported that the ruffians who had carried off Mr. Jukes and Jack were all there enjoying themselves round a big fire and apparently in no fear of an attack.

“Me see um white boy there, too,” he added. “Same boy hang round hotel at Bomobori all time.”

“Donald Judson!” exclaimed Billy. “How can that be possible? I can’t fit him into this at all.”

“Well, the question is, now that we have tracked the rascals, what’s the next move,” said Captain Sparhawk.

“Me think now good time attack,” counseled Salloo. “They no think anyone near. Give ’em heap big surprise.”

“Begorry, that’s well said, naygur,” approved Muldoon, “I’m aching to git a good crack at thim.”

After some consultation it was decided to make the attack at once. If they delayed they would have to wait till the next night in order to surprise Broom’s band and there was no telling what might happen during the twenty-four hours that would elapse.

Luckily, there was a moon, though it was somewhat obscured by the haze which Salloo had drawn attention to as presaging a storm. The party, piloted by Salloo, started off up the river, which was low, as the weather had been dry and there was plenty of room for them to pass between the bank and the water’s edge.

At last they arrived in sight of the cliff and Raynor’s heart gave a bound. At the top they could see the red glare of the camp fire, though they could not see any of the men.

“There’s one good thing, the ascent of the cliff will be easy,” said Billy, in a whisper, as he drew attention to the knotted and twisted vines that hung down it.