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He splashed and stamped along, farther and farther onward until he neared the rampart of the clearing, and put foot upon the tree-bridge. Then he looked down. The lagoon was dry. He stood a moment bewildered, then turned and rushed upon the island. A great sheet of dazzling sunlight swept the place, and beneath lay a mighty mass of olive green, thick, tall, wet, and willowy.
As I touched him, he turned his face toward me, pointing below with one hand. "We are securely blocked, Master Benteen," he asserted gruffly. "A fit reward for associating with papists." "Blocked?" failing to comprehend. "How? Are the savages already astir?" "Look for yourself. See yonder; lights are on the pathway as high as the tree-bridge."
The ground on the side of the river next to the minister's cabin had been looked over repeatedly, and no one seemed to think it possible that the child had crossed the river, and the conclusion came to be general that he had either been carried off by a wild beast, or fallen into the water, and been drowned; and preparations were made for dragging the stream for the body, when one of the party saw a bit of cloth, which Tom recognized as torn from Bub's dress, flaunting from a twig on the tree-bridge.
Ahead loomed black the tree-bridge; but I recall no shrinking fear, only exultation, as I bore down recklessly upon it. It must be crossed, upright, swiftly, with no thought of the yawning depth. If death came we should go down together. "Eloise, steady me with hand against the cliff," I panted, and stepped forth boldly upon the trunk.
As for tracks, no doubt there are plenty, but I never thought of looking for them. You know, brother, we have been too busy in making our tree-bridge, and afterwards exploring the cavern, to think of much else." Karl admitted the truth of these observations; for it was as Caspar had alleged.
They, of course, reached them by crossing the tree-bridge, and then keeping up the stream on the farther side. For several days they had been at work in this new direction, and were getting bark in by the hundredweight. One day Guapo and Leon had gone by themselves Guapo to fell the trees as usual, and Leon, who was now an expert bark-peeler, to use the scalping-knife.
Shortly after passing the marsh, we crossed the "big bayou" by means of its tree-bridge. Oh! that I could have destroyed that log, or hurled it from its position. I consoled myself with the idea, that though the dogs might follow us over it, it would delay the pursuers awhile, who, no doubt, were all on horseback. We now passed through the glade, but I halted not there.
They, of course, reached them by crossing the tree-bridge, and then keeping up the stream on the farther side. For several days they had been at work in this new direction, and were getting bark in by the hundred-weight. One day Guapo and Leon had gone by themselves Guapo to fell the trees as usual, and Leon who was now an expert bark-peeler, to use the scalping-knife.
It was the same which they had used in projecting their tree-bridge across the crevasse; and which they had long ago unrove from its pulleys, and brought home to the hut.
We came forth high in air above the swift, deep water, footing the insecure bark of a rude tree-bridge spanning the current. Once safe on the other bank, our path merely a narrow shelf of stone, we wormed around a sharp projection of the cliff, rising to even greater height than in the gorge below.
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