_ CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT. THE DOSE OF TOOBAH
Doctor Bolter's was a painful position, and he could not help feeling how utterly weak man is in the midst of nature's solitudes. He could have stood meditating for long enough, but he had to find his companion; and after shouting for some time and getting no answer, he listened for the rippling noise of the stream, and heard it sounding very faintly far-off on his right.
Making for it as a starting-place, he found the tracks he had made, the grass being trampled down in all directions. What was more, he found his trail crossed over and over again, and even followed by that of crocodiles, whose toes were marked in the mud wherever it was laid bare.
Twice over he startled one of the reptiles, which fled before him with a rush into the stream, which was little better than an overgrown ditch, and the doctor hastily backed away.
He soon found that all endeavours to hit upon his way back by the trail were useless, and once more he began to shout.
To his great delight his cry was answered, and on making for the sound he heard directly after, the rustling of bushes being thrust aside, and soon after stood face to face with the Malay.
"I have been sleeping," said the latter, smiling. "My arm is better now."
"If our English fellows could stand injuries like these!" muttered the doctor, who looked with astonishment at the light way in which the Malay treated the terrible injury he had received.
"Do you feel as if you could lead the way back?" he said, after halting and rebinding the Malay's wound.
"Oh, yes," the Malay said cheerfully; and he at once set off.
"But my gun?" cried the doctor. "I have left it behind."
The man led him back to the place with the greatest ease, and after wiping the wet and rust from lock and barrel, they set off through the dripping undergrowth, and had been walking about half an hour, the doctor's excitement growing each minute as they drew nearer the camp, when his guide suddenly stopped and laid his hand upon the other's arm.
"Listen!" he said; and as he spoke there was the distant sound of a shot, then another, and other.
"Thank heaven!" cried the doctor, "they are making a fight for it. Get on quickly."
They went on along an old overgrown track, with the sound of the firing growing each minute nearer; and the doctor's heart beat joyfully as he made out that a pretty brisk engagement was going on.
Soon, however, the firing began to drop off, to be renewed from time to time in a straggling manner; and to his great joy the doctor found that those who fired were coming along the track he was upon.
"Yes," said the Malay, who seemed to read his countenance; "but they may be enemies."
Yielding to the latter's solicitations, they hid themselves amidst the dense undergrowth a few yards from the track, and waited patiently.
It was not for long. Soon after they had taken their stand they could hear voices; and directly after, the doctor hurried out as he saw an advance guard of the men of his regiment under a lieutenant.
The men gave a hearty _Hurrah_! as they saw him, and the lieutenant caught him by the hand.
"Glad to see you, doctor; we thought you killed."
"Yes; and I did you," cried the doctor. "How are you all?"
"They'll tell you behind," said the lieutenant. "Forward, my lads."
The guard moved on, and the doctor came upon the little force, firing going on again in the rear.
He met Major Sandars directly, and their greeting was warm in the extreme.
"The scoundrels tried to poison us," said the major.
"Yes, yes, I know," cried the doctor; "but is any one hurt?"
"A few scratches there in the dhoolies," said the major.
"No one killed?"
"Not a soul, thank heaven," cried the major. "But we shall have our work cut out. Ah, here's Horton. All right in the rear?"
"Yes," was the reply; "we are keeping them back. Ah, doctor, I am glad to see you again. You know what's happened?"
"Partly," said the doctor; "but tell me."
They were moving forward as he spoke, and he learned now that the little force was working to hit the river higher up in its course, and from thence try to communicate with the island and the steamer.
"You had not been gone above a couple of hours before, as we were sitting smoking and chatting, and thinking of turning in, first one and then another began to complain of pain and drowsiness.
"The major there was the first to take alarm, thinking it was cholera; but it was Mr Linton who saved us. He no sooner realised what was the matter than he slipped out of the tent, and without waiting for orders made his way to the sergeant's guard, and got the fellow on duty to collect all the men he could to come up to the tent. How many do you think he got?"
"Twenty--thirty--how should I know?" said the doctor impatiently. "Go on."
"Four," said the captain. "All the others were down and half delirious. Fortunately my Jacks had escaped, and thirty of them seized their rifles, and followed Mr Linton at the double to the hut.
"They were just in time. That scoundrel Hamet had given an order and withdrawn from the tent; at one end of which about a hundred of his cut-throats had gathered, kris in hand, and were only waiting for us to get a little more helpless before coming upon us to put us out of our misery.
"Bless your heart, doctor! it would have done you good to see the Jacks clear that tent at the point of the bayonet! And then, while half of them kept the enemy at bay, the other half brought in the sick men, and laid 'em side by side till they were all under canvas.
"It was horrible, I can tell you," continued the captain. "We were all in great pain, but the dull sleepy sensation was the worst, and it seemed no use to fight against it. We all, to a man, thought that we were dying, and so did the sailors, who had not touched the horrible stuff. And yet we could hear every word as plainly as if our power of hearing had been increased, though we could not speak.
"'Give them water,' I heard the sergeant say.
"'No, no,' said my boatswain; 'you get the rum keg in, my lad, and give 'em a strong dose apiece o' that.'
"The Jacks fetched it in under fire, and they gave us a tremendous dose apiece, and I believe it saved our lives!"
"I'm sure it did," said the doctor. "It set up a rapid action of the heart, and that carried off the poison."
"I dare say it did," said the captain, "but it gave me a beautiful headache. However, the sergeant and the boatswain lost no time, but took matters in their own hands, cut the ropes, and let the tent go by the board, for fear the enemy should set it on fire, and then made the best breast-work they could all round us, a little party charging out every now and then and bringing in boxes, cases, tubs, everything they could lay hold of, to strengthen our position. One time they fetched in half-a-dozen spades, another time the axes; and little by little they formed such a defence, that tipped as it was by our fellows' bayonets, the Malays dare not try to force.
"We soon found, though," he continued, "that they were furious with disappointment, for spears began to fly till our lads searched the nearest cover with some bullets, when the enemy retired a little farther, and then the boys got in the spears and made an abattis with them.
"In spite of the danger and the sudden surprise, our fellows enjoyed it, for they had the pleasure of driving the scoundrels out of their own camp, and they had to put up with the shelter of the trees all night. They made four savage attacks upon us, though, and the first time, from too much ground having been covered by the breast-work, the enemy nearly carried all before them, and it came to bayonetting and the spears getting home; but our brave lads drove them back, and then a few volleys sent them in to cover.
"The next time they attacked, the major and a dozen of the soldiers were ready to help a little. They were too ill to do much, but they held their pieces and made a show of bayonets, and the major managed to take the command.
"The next time we all of us managed to make a show of fighting; while a couple of hours after, when the enemy made their last and most savage attack, they got such a warm reception that they let us have the rest of the night in peace."
"And this morning, then, you began to retreat!"
"Yes," the major said, "there was nothing else for it."
"But why not have retreated by the way we came?" said the doctor.
"Because, my dear fellow, the whole country's up, and this was the only way open. If we had gone by the track our fellows would have been speared one by one, for the jungle is too dense to skirmish through. But here's Linton; he will tell you better than I can."
As the retreat continued, the rear-guard being always closely engaged with the Malays, who pressed upon them incessantly, Mr Linton came up, begrimed with powder, and shook hands.
"This is a horrible affair, doctor!" he said sadly.
"Don't say horrible," said the other, cheerfully. "We shall fight our way through to the river."
"I hope so," said Mr Linton. "But we have scarcely any provisions. Not more, certainly, than a day or two's rations. That is bad enough; but you do not understand my anxiety. We have let ourselves be drawn into a trap, and the whole country rises against us."
"Let it rise," said the doctor, sturdily; "we'll knock it down again."
"But the residency, man--the steamer!"
"Phew!" whistled the doctor. "I had forgotten them."
"I had not," said Mr Linton, sadly, "and I fear the worst."
"Keep up your spirits, man. There are those on the island, and aboard that steamer, who will keep every Malay in the country at bay."
"If they are not overcome by treachery, as we nearly were."
"We must hope then," said the doctor; "hope that those in charge will be more on the alert. I say, though, Linton, did you give these people credit for such a trick?"
"Yes; for I have had more experience of them than you; and I blame myself most bitterly for not being more cautious."
"Regrets are vain," said the doctor. "Let's do all we can to make up for our lapse--if lapse it has been."
"We will," said the resident. "Would to heaven, though, that I could feel more at ease about those we have left behind. If we only had a guide on whom we could depend, matters would not be so bad."
"I have one for you," said the doctor, joyfully.
"Who? Where is he?" exclaimed Mr Linton.
"Here, close at hand," he said.
And hurrying on to where he had left the Malay guide in charge of a couple of soldiers, he found that he had arrived only just in time; for feeling was very strong just then against every one wearing a dark skin, and the men were looking askance at one whom they believed likely to betray them at any moment.
"A Malay!" said Mr Linton, doubtfully.
"Yes, and a trusty one," said the doctor, decisively. "I will answer for his fidelity."
"That is rather bold, doctor," said the major, who just then came up; "but these are times when we must not be too particular. Can he understand us?"
"I was the young chief Ali's servant, and I speak English," said the Malay, quietly.
"That is no recommendation," said Captain Horton, sharply. "That young chief deserted us, like the rest."
"No," said the doctor; "he was assassinated for taking our part; and this man nearly shared his fate."
This decided matters in favour of the Malay being retained as guide; but there was still a difficulty, and that was, would the poor fellow, injured as he was, be able to undertake the duty?
He said he could, however; and as soon as he understood what was wanted, he went to the front, and the retreat was continued. _