The Castaways of the Flag (21 page)

           
The boat had
touched land on the southern coast, which Fritz and Frank did not know at all,
the other side of the mountain range which they had seen for the first time
when they came out into the Green Valley. Who could have dreamed that there
could be such an amazing difference in the nature of the soil and its products
between the rich country to the north of the range and the arid plateau which
extended from the peak to the sea?

           
Now they
could understand the arrival of the albatross on the other side of the cliff.
After Jenny Montrose's departure the bird had probably returned to Burning
Rock, whence it flew sometimes to the shore of New Switzerland, though it had
never gone either to Falconhurst or Rock Castle.

           
What a big
part the faithful bird had played in their salvation! It was to him that they
owed the discovery of that second cavern into which little Bob had followed
him, and, as a consequence, the finding of the passage which came out on the
top of the cliff.

           
The
conversation lasted far into the night. But at last fatigue overcame them, and
they slept. But at early dawn they took some food and set out again in high
spirits.

           
Besides the
traces of a fire in the cave, the little band encountered other signs in the
forest and the open country. The trampled grass and broken branches were caused
by the constant movement of animals, ruminants or beasts of prey, but it was
impossible to be under any misapprehension when they came upon the traces of
encampments.

           
"Besides,"
Fritz pointed out, "who but our own people could have planted the flag on
the summit of that peak?"

           
"Unless
it went and planted itself there!" the boatswain replied with a laugh.

           
"Which
would not be a surprising thing for an English flag to do!" Fritz replied
cheerfully. "There are quite a lot of places where it would seem to have
grown by itself!"

           
Led by Fritz,
the party descended the first slopes of the range, which were partly covered by
the forest.

           
Great
obstacles to overcome or serious risks to be incurred seemed unlikely on the
way from the range to the Promised Land.

           
The distance
between the two points might be estimated at twenty miles. If they did ten
miles a day, with a halt for two hours at midday, and slept one night on the
way, they could reach the defile of Cluse in the evening of the following day.

           
From the
defile to Rock Castle or to Falconhurst would be a matter of a few hours only.

           
"Ah,"
said Frank, "if we only had our two good buffaloes, Storm and Grumbler, or
Fritz's onager, or Whirlwind, Jack's ostrich, it would only take us one day to
get to Bock Castle!"

           
"I am
sure that Frank forgot to post the letter we wrote, asking them to send the
animals to us," Jenny answered merrily.

           
"What,
Frank, did you forget?" asked Fritz. "A thoughtful, attentive fellow
like you?"

           
"No,"
said Frank, "it was Jenny who forgot to tie a note to her albatross's leg
before he flew off."

            "
How
thoughtless of me!'' the young woman exclaimed.

           
"But it
is not certain that the postman would have taken the letter to the right
address," Dolly said.

           
"Who
knows?" Frank replied. "Everything that is happening now is so
extraordinary."

           
"Well,"
said Captain Gould, "since we can't count upon Storm or Grumbler or
Whirlwind or the onager, the best thing we can do is to trust to our own
legs."

           
"And to
step lively," John Block added.

           
They started
with the firm intention only to halt at mid-day. From time to time James and
Frank and the boatswain carried Bob, although the child wanted to walk. So they
lost no time crossing the forest.

           
James and
Susan Wolston, who knew noth
ing of the
marvels of New Switzerland, were filled with constant admiration of the
luxuriant vegetation, which is far finer than that of Cape Colony.

           
And yet they were only in the part of the island which was left to
itself, and had never been touched by the hand of man! What would it be like
when they came to the cultivated portion of the district, to the farms at Eberfurt,
Sugar-cane Grove, Wood Grange, and Prospect Hill, the rich territory of the
Promised Land?

           
Game abounded everywhere—agoutis, peccaries, cavies, antelopes, and
rabbits, besides bustards, partridges, grouse, hazel-hens, guinea fowls, and
ducks. Fritz and Frank had good reason to regret not having their sporting guns
with them. The cavies and peccaries and agoutis would not let anyone come near
them, and it seemed likely that they would be reduced to finishing what was
left of their provisions for their next meal.

           
But then the question of food was resolved by a stroke of luck.

           
About eleven o'clock, Fritz, walking in front, made a sign for everyone
to stop at the edge of a little clearing crossed by a narrow stream, on the
bank of which an animal was quenching its thirst.

           
It was an antelope, and it meant wholesome
and
refreshing meat if only they could contrive to capture it somehow!

           
The simplest
plan seemed to be to make a ring around the clearing, without allowing
themselves to be seen, and directly the antelope attempted to break out, to
stop its way, regardless of danger from its horns, overpower, and kill it.

           
The
difficulty was to carry through this operation without alarming an animal whose
sight is so keen, hearing so sharp, and scent so delicate.

           
"While
Jenny and Susan and Dolly and Bob halted behind a bush, Fritz, Frank, James,
Captain Gould, and the boatswain, armed only with their pocket knives, began to
work round the clearing, keeping well under cover in the thickets.

           
The antelope
went on drinking at the stream, showing no signs of uneasiness, until Fritz got
up sharply and uttered a loud shout.

           
At once the
animal sprang up, stretched out its neck, and jumped towards the brake, which
it could have cleared in a single leap.

           
It made for
the side where Frank and John Block were standing, each with knife in hand.

           
The beast
sprang, but took off badly, fell back, bowled the boatswain over, and struggled
to rise.

           
Then up came
Fritz, and throwing himself upon the animal, succeeded in driving his knife
into its flank. But this one blow would not have been sufficient if Captain
Gould had not succeeded in cutting its throat.

           
The animal
lay motionless among the branches, and the boatswain got up nimbly.

           
"Confounded
brute!" exclaimed John Block, who had escaped with a few bruises.
"I've shipped more than one heavy sea in my time, but never been bowled
over like that!"

           
"I hope
you are not much hurt, Block?"
Captain
Gould asked.

           
"No:
only scratched, and that don't matter, captain. What annoys me is to have been
turned upside down like that."

           
"Well,
to make up for it we will keep the best bit for you," Jenny answered.

           
"No,
Mrs. Fritz, no! no! I would rather have the bit that pitched me on to the
ground. That was its head. I want that animal's head I''

           
They set to
work to cut up the antelope and take out the edible parts. Since they were now
assured of food to last them until the evening of the following day, there
would be no need for them to trouble further about it before they got to the
defile of Cluse.

           
Fritz and
Frank were no novices where the preparation of game was concerned. Had they not
studied it in theory and in practice in twelve years' hunting among the
grass-lands and woods of the Promised Land? Nor was the boatswain clumsy over
the job. He seemed to derive real revengeful pleasure in skinning the animal.
Within a quarter of an hour the haunches, cutlets, and other savoury portions
were ready to be grilled over the embers.

           
As it was
nearly noon, it seemed best to camp in the clearing, where the stream would
furnish clear, fresh water. Captain Gould and James lighted a wood fire at the
foot of a mangrove. Then Fritz placed the best bits of the antelope over the
glowing embers and left Susan and Dolly to superintend the cooking.

           
By a lucky
chance Jenny had just found a quantity of roots such as can be roasted in the
ashes. They were of a kind to satisfy hungry stomachs, and would agreeably
complete the bill of fare for luncheon.

           
No flesh is
more delicate than that of the antelope, which is both fragrant and tender, and
everybody agreed that this was a real treat.

           
"How
good it is," John Block exclaimed, "to eat real meat which has walked
in its lifetime, and not crawled clumsily over the ground!"

           
"We
won't cry down turtles," Captain Gould replied; "not even to sing the
praises of antelope."

            "
The
captain is right,'' said Jenny. "Without those excellent creatures, which
have fed us ever since we got to the island, what would have become of us?
"

           
"Then
here's luck to turtles!" cried the boatswain. "But give me another
chop."

           
When this
refreshing meal was finished, they set out once more. They had no time to lose
if the afternoon stage was to complete the ten miles planned for the day.

           
If Fritz and
Frank had been alone, they would have paid no heed to fatigue. They would have
marched all night and made but a single stage of the whole journey to the
defile. They may have had the idea now, and it was certainly very tempting, for
they could have got to Rock Castle in the afternoon of the following day. But
they did not venture to suggest going on ahead.

           
Besides,
think of the happiness of all arriving together at their much-desired goal, to
throw themselves into the arms of the relations and friends who had been
waiting so long for them, who might have lost all hope of ever seeing them
again!

           
The second
stage was done under the same conditions as the first, in order to husband the
strength of Jenny and Dolly and Susan Wolston.

           
No incident
occurred, and about four o'clock in the afternoon the edge of the forest was
reached.

           
A fertile
champaign extended beyond. Its vegetation was entirely due to the productivity
of the soil, verdant grass-lands and woods or clumps of trees studding the
country right up to the entrance to the Green Valley.

           
A few herds
of stags and deer passed in the distance, but there was no question of hunting
them. Numerous flocks of ostriches were also seen, reminding Fritz and Frank of
their expedition to the country near the Arabian Watch-tower.