Bunyip Land Part 16

The result was that he left the spot where he had been lying half-way between us and the carriers, went to the stream, where he lay flat down with his lips in the water, and drank, and then came quietly up to my side, where he squatted down in as near an imitation of Gyp as he could a.s.sume, pouting out his lips and nose and waiting for a bone.

The doctor burst out laughing, while I could not tell whether to set it down to artfulness or to simple animal nature on the poor fellow's part.

However, I was too English at heart to lower my follower, so I did not treat him like a dog, but hacked off a good bone and sent him to his place.

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal, and, as the doctor said, somewhat lightened our loads, when all at once it seemed to me that a spasm ran through Jack Penny where he lay. Then, as I watched him, I saw his hand stealing towards his gun, and he looked at me and pointed towards where a dense patch of big trees formed a sort of b.u.t.tress to the great green wall of the forest.

For a few moments I could see nothing; then I started, and my hand also went towards my piece, for peering round the trunk of one of the trees, and evidently watching us, was one of the most hideous-looking faces I had ever seen. The eyes were bright and overhung by dark wrinkled brows, and, seen in the half light, the head seemed as large as that of a man. In fact I was convinced that it was some fierce savage playing the spy upon our actions.

I felt better when I had fast hold of my gun--not that I meant to fire, only to protect myself--and I was reaching out a foot to awaken the doctor, who had thrown himself back with his hat over his face, when I found that Gyp had caught sight of the hideous countenance, and, with a fierce bay, he dashed at the creature.

Jack Penny and I started to our feet, Jimmy went after the dog, waddy in hand, and his yell awakened the doctor, who also sprang to his feet just in time to see the creature leap up at a pendent branch, swing itself up in the tree, and disappear amongst the thick leaf.a.ge, while Gyp barked furiously below.

"Big monkey that, my lads," said the doctor. "I did not know we should see anything so large."

Jack Penny was all eagerness to follow and get a shot at the animal; but though he looked in all directions, and Gyp kept baying first at the foot of one tree then at the foot of another, he did not see it again.

Where it went it was impossible to say; perhaps it travelled along the upper branches, swinging itself from bough to bough by its long arms; but if it did, it was all so silently that not so much as a leaf rustled, and we were all at fault.

I was not sorry, for the idea of shooting anything so like a human being, and for no reason whatever, was rather repugnant to my feelings, so that I did not share in my companion's disappointment.

"Depend upon it, he has not gone far," said the doctor, when Jack Penny stood staring at the tree where we saw the ape first. "There, lie down, my lad, and rest, and--hallo! what's the matter with Jimmy?"

I turned to see the black standing close by, his waddy in one hand, his boomerang in the other, head bent, knees relaxed, an expression of the greatest horror in his face, as he s.h.i.+vered from head to foot, and shook his head.

"Why, what's the matter, Jimmy?" I cried.

"Bunyip," he whispered, "big bunyip debble--debble--eat all a man up.

Bunyip up a tree."

"Get out!" I said; "it was a big monkey."

"Yes: big bunyip monkey. Come 'way."

For the sudden disappearance of the ape had impressed Jimmy with the idea that it was what the Scottish peasants call "no canny," and as it was his first interview with one of these curious creatures, there was some excuse for his apparent fear, though I am not certain that it was not a.s.sumed.

For Jimmy was no coward so long as he was not called upon to encounter the familiar demons of his people, the word bunyip being perhaps too often in his mouth.

The black's dread went off as quickly as it came, when he found that he was not noticed, and for the next two hours we lay resting, Jack Penny and I seeing too many objects of interest to care for sleep. Now it would be a great beetle glistening in green and gold, giving vent to a deep-toned buzzing hum as it swept by; then a great b.u.t.terfly, eight or nine inches across, would come flitting through the trees, to be succeeded by something so swift of flight and so rapid in the flutter of its wings that we were in doubt whether it was a b.u.t.terfly or one of the beautiful sunbirds that we saw flas.h.i.+ng in the suns.h.i.+ne from time to time.

It proved afterwards to be a b.u.t.terfly or day-moth, for we saw several of them afterwards in the course of our journey.

Over the birds Jack Penny and I had several disputes, for once he took anything into his head, even if he was wrong, he would not give way.

"These are humming-birds," he said, as we lay watching some of the lovely little creatures that were hovering before the flowers of a great creeper, and seemed to be thrusting in their long beaks.

"No," I said, "they are not humming-birds;" and I spoke upon my mother's authority, she in turn resting on my father's teaching. "There are no humming-birds here: they are found in America and the islands."

"And out here," said Jack, dictatorially. "There they are; can't you see 'em?"

"No," I said, "those are sunbirds; and they take the place of the humming-birds out here in the East."

"Nonsense! Think I don't know a humming-bird when I see one. Why, I saw one at Sydney, stuffed."

"When you two have done disputing," said the doctor, "we'll start."

"Look here, doctor; ain't those humming-birds?" said Jack.

"No, no, doctor," I cried; "they are sunbirds, are they not?"

"I don't know," said the doctor; "let's make haste on and ask the professor."

I sprang to my feet as if stung by a reproach, for it seemed to me as if I had been thinking of trifles instead of the great object of my mission.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

HOW JACK PENNY WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH HIMSELF.

It was intensely hot when we started again, the heat seeming to be steamy, and not a breath of air to fan our cheeks; but we trudged on for a time without adventure, till all at once a b.u.t.terfly of such lovely colours flashed across our path, that it proved too much for Jack Penny, who laid down his gun, s.n.a.t.c.hed off his hat, and went in pursuit.

We could not go on and leave him; so we stopped to rest, and watch him as he was hopping and bounding along through a tolerably open sunlit part, full of growth of the most dazzling green. Now he neared the insect; now it dashed off again, and led him a tremendous chase, till, just as the doctor shouted to him to return, we saw him make a dab down with his hat and then disappear.

"He has got it," I said; for I could not help feeling interested in the chase; but I felt annoyed again directly, as the doctor said coldly:

"Yes: he seems to have caught his prize, Joe; but we must defer these sports till our work is done."

Just then we saw Jack Penny rise up and turn towards us. To hide my vexation I shouted to him to make haste, and he began to trot towards us, his long body bending and swaying about as he ran.

Then he jumped and jumped again, and the doctor shaded his eyes with his hands.

"He has got into a swampy patch," he said. "Of course. There's a bit of a stream runs along there, and--"

"Ow!" came in a dismal yell, followed by a furious barking, as we saw Jack make a tremendous jump, and then disappear.

"Help, help!" came from among some dense green growth, and hurrying forward we at last came in sight of our companion, at least in sight of his head and shoulders, and we could not approach him, for the ground gave way beneath our feet, the bright green moss almost floating upon a treacherous bog.

"Hold on!" shouted the doctor; "we'll help you directly;" and taking out his big knife he began to hack at some small bamboos which grew in thick clumps about us.

"Make haste," moaned Jack, "I'm sinking;" and we could see Gyp, who was howling furiously, tearing at the soft moss as if to dig his master out.

"Give Jimmy knife," said the black, who was grinning and enjoying Jack Penny's predicament.

I handed him mine, and he too cut down armfuls of the young green bamboo, the carriers coming up now and helping, when, taking a bundle at a time, Jimmy laid them down, dancing lightly over them with his bare feet, and troubling himself very little about danger, as he made a sort of green path right up to Jack.

"His black fellow pull up," shouted Jimmy; but I ran up to where he was, and each taking one of Jack's hands he gave a wriggle, floundered a bit, and then we had him out covered with black mud; and though we were standing up, he would not trust himself just then erect, but crept after us on hands and knees, the soft bog beneath us going up and down like a wave.

As soon as he was quite safe there was a hearty laugh at Jack Penny's expense; and the doctor drily asked for the b.u.t.terfly.