CHAPTER XXIII. PATRICK SHOWS HIS CLEVERNESS.
Nattie and Mori exchanged glances of dismay.
"Confound it! isn't that provoking?" exclaimed the latter. "That stupid detective had to let him slip just when the chase commenced to be interesting."
"Patrick must have suspected something, and he was sly enough to fool his follower. Now what are we going to do?"
"Get off at Yowara and take up the search ourselves; that's all we can do. Surely some one must have seen the Irishman. The very fact that he is a foreigner should draw attention to him. Don't worry, old boy; we'll find him before many hours have elapsed."
"I sincerely hope so," replied Nattie, gazing abstractedly through the coach window.
After a moment of silence he said, suddenly:
"Perhaps Yowara is the rendezvous where he is to meet Ralph. Do you know anything about the place?"
"No, except that it is a small town of seven or eight hundred inhabitants. It is where people leave the railway for the mountain regions of Northern Japan. In a remote part of the interior are three volcanoes, one of them being Bandai-San, which is famous for its eruptions."
"Bandai-San?" slowly repeated Nattie. "Isn't it at the base of that volcano where those peculiar mud caves are found?"
Mori eyed his companion inquiringly.
"What are you driving at?" he asked.
"Just this: It struck me that Ralph and Willis Round would certainly try to find a hiding place for Grant where they need not fear pursuit, or inquisitiveness from the natives. I have heard that these caves are avoided through superstitious reasons. Now why——"
"By the heathen gods, I believe you have guessed their secret!" impulsively exclaimed Mori. "It is certainly plausible. A better hiding place could not be found in all Japan. The natives will not enter the caves under any consideration. They say they are occupied by the mountain demons, and to prove it, tell of the awful noises to be heard in the vicinity."
"Which are caused by internal convulsions of the volcano, I suppose?"
"No doubt. The mountain is generally on the verge of being shaken by earthquakes, but it is some time since one occurred. It's a grewsome place enough."
"We will search it thoroughly just the same," said Nattie, grimly.
On reaching Yowara, they found the recreant detective at the station. He had recently returned from a trip through the surrounding country, but had not discovered any trace of the Irishman. He appeared crestfallen and penitent.
The boys wasted little time with him. Proceeding to the village hotel, or tea house, they sent out messengers for three jinrikishas and in the course of an hour were ready to start into the interior.
The spare vehicle was loaded with canned food and other stores, as the railroad town would be the last place where such articles could be purchased. Each had brought a brace of good revolvers and plenty of ammunition from Yokohama.
Mori personally selected the karumayas, or 'rikisha men, from a crowd of applicants. He chose three stalwart coolies to pull the carriages, and three bettos, or porters, to assist on mountainous roads. One of the latter was a veritable giant in stature and evidently of great strength.
He was called Sumo, or wrestler, by his companions, and seemed to possess greater intelligence than the average members of his class. Mori eyed him approvingly, and told Nattie that he would be of undoubted assistance in case of trouble.
Before leaving the village, the Japanese youth bought a keen-edged sword, similar to those worn by the ancient warriors, or samurais, and presented it to Sumo, with the added stipulation that he would be retained as a guard at increased pay.
The fellow shouted with delight, and speedily showed that he could handle the weapon with some skill. Thus equipped, the party left the railroad and set out for a village called Inawashiro, fifteen ris, or thirty miles distant.
In Japan the coolie rule is twenty minutes' rest every two hours. Their method of traveling is at a "dog trot," or long, swinging pace, which covers the ground with incredible swiftness. Mori's skill in selecting the karumayas soon became apparent, the distance to the destination being almost halved at the end of the first stretch.
The country through which the boys passed was flat and uninteresting, the narrow road stretching across a broad expanse of paddy fields, dotted with men, women and children knee-deep in the evil-smelling mud.
When a halt was called to rest and partake of refreshments, Mori accosted a native coolie, a number of whom surrounded the party, and asked if aught had been seen of a fiery-faced, red-whiskered foreigner clad in the heavy clothing of the coast.
The man eyed his questioner stupidly, and shook his head. The sight of a couple of copper sen, or cents, refreshed his memory. He had noticed a short, squat foreigner (called to-jin) in the interior. He was mounted upon a horse and had passed four hours before.
"Four hours?" echoed Mori, addressing Nattie. "Whew! he has a good start. And on a horse, too. That is the reason we could get no trace of him in the outskirts of Yowara. He must have left the train before it stopped and skipped into the brush, where he managed to secure a mount. He is certainly clever."
"But not enough to fool us," replied Nattie, complacently. "We will be hot on his trail before he reaches the caves."
After the customary rest of twenty minutes, the party resumed the road. As they proceeded the general contour of the country changed. The flat, plain-like fields gave way to rolling woodlands and scattered hills. The second hour brought them to the small village of Inawashiro.
Here was found a well-kept tea house, with spotless matted floor, two feet above the ground, a quaint roof, and the attendance of a dozen polite servants. Before the party had barely reached their resting place, the entire inhabitants, men, women and children, thronged about to feast their eyes upon a to-jin.
Inquiry developed the fact that Patrick had passed through the town not quite two hours before. This was cheering news. They were gaining on him. A brief lunch, and again to the road. Nattie and Mori examined their revolvers after leaving the village. Sumo cut a sapling in twain to prove his prowess.
At the end of the fourth mile a crossroad was reached. One, a broad, well-kept thoroughfare, led due north, while the other, apparently merely a path running over a hill in the distance, bore more to the westward. Mori called a halt.
"Which shall we take?" he asked, scratching his head in perplexity.
"That is the question," replied Nattie, ruefully. "Confound it! we are just as apt to take the wrong one as not. If we could run across some person who has seen Patrick we would be all right."
"Here comes a yamabushi, excellency," spoke up Sumo, pointing his claw-like finger up the path.
"It is a priest," exclaimed Mori, a moment later. "Perhaps he can enlighten us."
Presently a tall, angular man emerged from the narrower road and slowly approached them. He was clad in a peculiar robe embroidered with mystical figures, and wore his hair in long plaits. In one hand was carried a bamboo staff, with which he tapped the ground as he walked.
Mori saluted him respectfully.
"Peace be with you, my children," said the priest, mildly.
"May your days be long in good works, and your soul as lofty as Fuji San," replied the Japanese youth, with equal politeness. "Pray tell us, father, have you seen aught of a red-bearded foreigner traveling by horse?"
"I passed him two ris back. He was a barbarian, and beat his animal with severity. Which is against the teachings of——"
The good man's words were lost in the distance. Nattie and Mori, with their 'rikishas and attendants, darted past him and scurried up the path at their utmost speed. It was scurvy repayment for the information, but the news that Patrick had been seen within four miles acted as a spur.
"Don't falter, men," called out Mori, urging the karumayas. "Ten yen extra to each if you tarry not until I give the word. On ahead, Sumo; watch for the foreigner. Be cautious and return when you sight him."
The gigantic betto scurried up the path in advance and disappeared past a clump of bushes. The jinrikishas speeded as fast as their pullers could trot. As the party darted by an overhanging mass of rock a head was thrust forth from behind it.
The face of the man was broad and burned by the sun, and under the chin was a tuft of reddish whisker. The eyes were sharp and piercing, and they danced with triumphant glee as they peered after the cavalcade.
"Oh, ho! oh, ho! so it's ye, me bold Nattie? It's a good thing Oi thought of taking a quiet look to see if Oi was being followed. It's a bit of a trick Oi learned in India, and it'll prove to be the death of ye, me boys. Oi'll just take another path to the rendezvous, and see if we can't kind of waylay yez."