The Argosy, January 1907 — page 32: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

214 I heard a distant sound, and listened attentively. “Chen I recognized it as the baying of hounds. José, too, heard it at the same moment and stopped short. “This way—quick! ”’ he cried. He began running toward the north- east, which was at an angle to the way we hack come. as ‘“ What is it?’’ I panted as I struggled along at his side. “ Bloodhounds!”’ he answered. “I didn’t suppose there were any about here. There must be a village farther inland. They’ve discovered our escape, and have put the bloodhounds on our trail.” Again a horror beset me. It seemed then that the disasters of our expedition were never to end. Earth and sea con- spired to undo us. The animals were leagued against us as well as man. First the crabs, now the hounds. I remembered fearful tales I had read of runaway slaves with the bloodhounds on their trail, and my heart turned sick with despair. With full strength escape would have been most difficult; but in our present state there seemed no possibility of win- ning away from the savage beasts. I knew that for my part I could run but little farther. Soon I must fall down in my tracks and wait till the dogs came up. A glance at Billy showed that he was in the same predicament. José, however, was running easily with no sign of fatigue. “Why do you go back? much farther,’ I groaned. ‘Be patient. It is only a little way now,” the outlaw answered. { said no more. It took all my breath for the running. And then, when it seemed to me that I must fall at the next step, we reached the stream where we had drunk. Without pause José plunged in, and we after him. He turned up the stream and waded as fast as he could, while Billy and I followed obediently. We understood now that José was em- ploying the old plan of trying to throw the hounds off the scent by walking in water. We waded in silence for nearly an hour. Then [ refused to make another step, and José reluctantly consented to halt. But he bade us retrace our steps [ cannot run THE ARGOSY. a little way to where there was an over- hanging bank. This was formed by the roots of a great tree which grew beside the stream. The lattice of roots had held the earth firm above them while the wear of the water had burrowed below, so that there was a little grotto here. Into this we crept and I managed to pull myself out of the water and stretch along a lower tangle of roots as on a rough couch. José and Billy got similar resting-places, and there we awaited the issue. We could hear the baying of the hounds from time to time. Once they ‘sounded very near, and I fancied that they were on our tracks leading to the stream. Afterward the baying sounded farther and farther away, but it never quite ceased throughout the day. So all that day we remained beneath the bank, our only relief the drinking of enormous quantities of water. ‘Toward nightfall, José ventured out and waded slowly up the stream a little way. When he returned he brought a handful of berries and roots, which he divided be- tween Billy and myself. I do not know to this day what the things were, but I do know that the taste of them to me then was as nectar, and that they refreshed me wonderfully. -Afterward, despite the hardships of my couch, I fell asleep, and slept fitfully till sunrise. With the first light, we were off again, going straight south. In this, fortune favored us, for beyond was a bending of the shore, so that in two hours we came in sight of the sea. The battle-ship was nowhere to be seen, and there was no sound of the bloodhounds. As yet we had not seen a hut or any sign of man, but in the middle of the afternoon, after mounting a little rise of ground, we saw a village that nestled in a hollow of the shore. In the small harbor several schooners lay at anchor. Our opportunity was at hand. During the day we had eaten a few roots and berries gathered by José, and now he found more for us, and we quenched our thirst from a small stream near by. It was a strange thing to me that we CORNICLOOKS (E@)