At last all that could be done was accomplished and the still unconscious man was lifted to an improvised stretcher and carried to the boat. The Indians were still sullen and Colcord wore a scowl, his spirits evidently ruffled, as he carried on a wordy argument with Sam who stood guard, holding the rope with one big fist and a threatening paddle with the other.
Placing the wounded man on his stretcher beneath the arched awning in the stern of the boat, Mr. Pauling called the Bahaman aboard, the explorer ordered the Boviander to push off, and the Indians, vastly relieved at being able to get clear of the spot, seized their paddles and swung the big coorial into the stream.
“I suppose it’s ‘home James,’ now,” remarked Rawlins. “We’ve got the goods--even if they are damaged, and by glory, I’m dead sorry it’s all over but the shouting.”
“So am I,” declared Tom. “Gosh, it’s hard to believe the excitement’s over and the man we’ve been after so long is really captured.”
“Gee, yes, and isn’t it too bad we can’t radio to Colonel Maidley that we’ve got him?” put in Frank. “I wish we had our sending set here.”
“Jehoshaphat!” ejaculated Tom, a sudden idea coming to him. “Perhaps we’ll have some excitement yet--I’d forgotten about the loot. Perhaps this fellow’ll tell us where ’tis.”
“Little chance of that,” declared his father. “He’d die with the secret, just to baffle us. Hello, he’s coming to! I’m sorry to do it, but we’ll have to put irons on him, Henderson. No knowing what he may do when he finds himself here.”
“Yes, it seems inhuman to manacle an injured man,” agreed Mr. Henderson as he rummaged in his kit bag and got out handcuffs. “But we can’t afford to take chances. He’d drown himself in a moment rather than go to trial. But we’ll be as merciful as we can. Just lock one wrist and ankle.”
An instant later the steel rings snapped about one of the man’s wrists and an ankle and Mr. Henderson snapped the others to the boat’s timbers. A few minutes after he had been thus secured, the fellow opened his eyes and looked about; but there was no sign of recognition in his glance, and mumbling a few incoherent words he again closed his eyes. Mr. Pauling poured a glass of water and put it to the fellow’s lips and he gulped it down eagerly, but said nothing.
“Off his bean a bit yet,” commented Rawlins, “and I’m not surprised. That was an almighty wallop he got.”