CHAPTER X
A RUN ASHORE, AND WHAT FOLLOWED
"Have we struck?" came from Si, as he leaped up from his bunk, his face full of sudden fear.
"We've hit something," returned Walter, who had not understood the cries from the deck owing to the wind.
Another bumping and a grinding followed, and they felt the transport list heavily to port. Si clasped Walter by the shoulder, and in the darkness each braced the other. Were they going to the bottom of the ocean? The question arose in the mind of each, but neither put it into words.
Yells and screams arose, for in a moment of extreme peril men are very much like wild animals, and a mad rush was made for the deck. But hardly had the first man come up than he was ordered under shelter again.
"Keep in, or you'll be hurled overboard," was the advice given. "We have struck a regular cyclone." The words were caught up in the fury of the whistling wind, which howled and shrieked with the energy of a demon. The rain swept the deck in sheets, and but little could be seen excepting when the lightning flashed across the storm-swept sky.
The minutes to follow were full of alarm for everybody on board. Even the captain could not tell how badly the transport was damaged or how close the ship was to running on another hidden reef.
"Make an examination and report at once," was the order passed to the ship's carpenter, and then the water well was sounded. It gave six inches of water in the bow compartment.
The Central continued to back, but when an attempt was made to bring her around, the wind struck her broadside so heavily that she nearly keeled over. The force of the elements had broken open the doors of the upper cabin, and the things flying through the air had smashed in a score of windows. The crashing of glass and the banging of furniture added to the confusion, and soldiers and jackies ran from one spot to another not knowing what to do. On the companionway there was a jam, and several went down, one man to be extricated from the crowd later on with a broken arm, and another with three ribs crushed in. This experience on the Central is one which many volunteers and regulars will not forget as long as they live.
At last the wind appeared to abate a trifle, and then the transport turned in a semicircle and came up to head it. In such a storm it was foolhardy to remain near the coast, and accordingly they ran due east, whence they had come.
When the carpenter came up, he announced a severe straining of half a dozen planks, but no, serious damage. The water still continued to come in, yet not so swiftly but that the donkey engine attached to the hose took care of it with ease.
The night to follow seemed unusually long, but with the coming of the day the hurricane was a thing of the past, and by eight o'clock the sun was pouring down its rays as clearly and fiercely as ever. The ocean still rolled in regular hills of alternate milk and greenish foam, with here and there a choppy sea which sent the spray flying from one end of the deck to the other. The great danger of the storm was over, and everybody was correspondingly thankful.
"I want no more of that sort of thing," observed Walter, when at breakfast.
"Nor I," answered Si. "I reckon that's as bad as the storm Larry and that Luke Striker encountered."
"Just about. But we can be happy that we didn't go overboard as they did."
"These storms seem to be so much worse than those we have on the Atlantic."
"Well, I don't know about that, Si. They have 'em pretty rough around the West Indies and off the coast of Hatteras."
Toward nightfall the transport came in sight of Luzon, at a point not far distant from the cape they were expecting to round. Here there was a beautiful little bay, with water as clear as crystal.
"That is pretty, isn't it?" observed Walter, and then, as he gazed at the hill beyond, covered with its tropical growth of many colors, he added: "I'd like to take a run ashore there, if only for quarter of an hour."
"So would I," answered his chum. "But what's the use o' wishing, Walter?" he went on. "We're booked for Manila, and we won't stop anywhere else."
But Si was mistaken. The ship's carpenter had now announced to the captain that the damage done was growing greater, and that the transport had better lay-to for a few hours for repairs. The chart was examined and the bay found sufficiently deep, so the Central entered it and dropped anchor fifty yards from the beach.
At once the men began to beg to go ashore. All put in a claim at the same time. But it was manifestly impossible that fourteen hundred and thirty men could go ashore in a few small boats in the short time allowed, and so soldiers and sailors were told to draw lots, the lucky ones being limited to just one hundred.
"Hurrah, I'm to go!" cried Si, after trying his luck, and then, as he saw Walter's face fall he added, in a whisper: "I don't care much, and if you draw a blank you can go in my place."
"No, I won't cut off your pleasure," said Walter, and then tried his own luck. "I'm with you, Si!" he cried enthusiastically. "Come, let's get in the first boat." And off they rushed. But the first boat was already full, and they had to wait for the second. Soon the happy crowd on board were landed, and the small craft went back for others of the lucky ones.
Previous to letting the men disembark, those in command of the transport had examined the shore carefully through their glasses without seeing a trace of any natives, hostile or otherwise, so the brief outing was considered absolutely safe. The men were told not to go out of sight or hearing of each other and to keep within gun sound of the ship.
"I don't believe we'll see any of the rebels away up here," said Walter, as he and Si ran along the beach and to the nearest patch of grass. "We are miles and miles away from where they have been battling, and the chances are the natives in this neighborhood know little or nothing of the war."
"Well, I wouldn't be too sure o' thet, Walter. These Filipinos have good runners, even if they ain't got telegraph lines, and the word is bound to be passed around sooner or later. We had better keep our eyes peeled."
"Oh, of course we'll watch out, Si, and I intend to keep my pistol where it will be handy."
The two walked along the beach in company with a number of others, and then began to ascend the hill leading up from the water. Here the rocks were numerous and the shrubbery thick, but the exertion seemed to do them good. At last they stood on the top of the hill and from this point could obtain a view of several miles around.
"What a beautiful island!" was Walter's comment. "How rich the foliage is and what a gay coloring."
"I see some cocoanuts," said Si. "Wonder if they are good to eat?"
"We might try them, if we can reach them," returned Walter, and then they began to fling stones at the nuts, since the trees appeared to be too tall and straight to be ascended. It was great sport after having been boxed up so long on shipboard, and when Si at last brought one of the nuts down, both shouted in glee. Walter kept on throwing until he, too, brought down a prize, and thus they kept the sport up without paying attention to the others of the party who had come in that direction, and these men gradually passed out of sight and hearing.
"Now I'm going to see what's in this nut," said Si, placing the object on a flat rock. He hammered away vigorously and presently the nut cracked into a dozen or more pieces. But alas! the meat inside was wormy and sour, being far over-ripe.
"Fooled!" said Si, dolefully. "Try yours." And Walter did so, with a result equally disappointing.
"I don't believe they are all that way," said Walter. "Let us see if we can't bring down some good ones." And then they began throwing once more, keeping up the fusillade until their arms ached. Six other cocoanuts were brought down, one hitting Walter on the shoulder with such force that it lamed him. But the new lot of nuts were as bad as the old.
"Sold," sighed Si. "And I had my mouth all set for a big, sweet piece, too."
"Where are the others?" burst out Walter, suddenly. "I don't see them anywhere."
"They can't be far off," answered his chum. "Come, I think they went in this direction."
"That direction? You mean in this direction." And Walter pointed in a directly opposite way.
"No, I mean this way."
"I'm sure they didn't go that way, Si. The last I saw of them, Branwood was passing that rock."
"And the last I saw of them, Carrington was passing that clump of bushes," returned Si, very soberly. "We can't both be right."
"That's true, and I think—"
"That you are right, o' course—" Si gave a short laugh.
"And you think you are right, Si Doring."
"Exactly, and why shouldn't I? My eyesight is jest as good as yours, ain't it?" The Yankee boy paused for a moment. "But don't let us quarrel over it, Walter. It's too serious. If we can't find the crowd, we had better make tracks for the shore. As soon as we spot the ship we'll be O. K."
"All right; the shore it is, then. But in which direction is the shore, according to your notion?" And Walter gazed at Si dubiously.
"That way." And the Yankee lad pointed with his long finger.
"This time I agree with you. Come." And side by side they started down the hill, but at a different point from where they had ascended. A hundred yards were covered when they found themselves in an undergrowth so dense that further progress was impossible.
"We missed it this trip, that's certain," said Walter, with a deep sigh. "We'll have to go back."
"All right, then, we'll go back," grumbled Si. He was still disappointed over the cocoanuts. "Wonder if we can't find the trail we left when we came up?"
They went back to the trees and began a hunt for the trail. Here and there they found footprints, but nothing definite enough to follow. Then they tried a new way to the shore, along a tiny mountain stream, which bubbled and dashed over a series of moss-grown rocks.
The stream led around the edge of a small cliff, and here the undergrowth was as thick as that before encountered. But what surprised the lads more than anything was the sight of a nipa hut, set up against the cliff.
"Hullo, a hut!" cried Walter.
"Sure enough," responded his chum. "Wonder if any of the people who live here are around? If they are, we might— Oh!"
Si got no further, for at that instant he found himself gripped tightly from behind. Walter was also seized, and a second later both of the boys were hurled flat on their faces. They tried to rise, and each started to give the alarm, but then several war-clubs were flourished in the air over them, they saw dark and ferocious faces thrust close to their own, and then followed several telling blows which speedily rendered them insensible.