Not daring to move, lest they should attract attention to themselves, and yet filled with eagerness to rush forth and rescue the hapless prisoners who had fallen into the hands of the pirates, Tyler and his followers watched with staring eyes as the sampan was rowed to the shore. They saw a little girl of some seven years of age lifted from the boat, and gazed with saddened faces as she turned with outstretched hand to clasp that of the young woman who accompanied her. Then they watched as the two white and forlorn figures were led into the stockade and were ushered into a hut.
"Time to be returning," said Tyler suddenly, and in such determined tones that the Chinaman was startled. "Give the word and let us hurry."
Without waiting for his followers he sprang to his feet and went off through the jungle, his brow deeply furrowed and his mind full of the last scene which he had witnessed.
CHAPTER XI
A Midnight Encounter
Six hours and more had passed since Tyler and his little band of Dyak followers had witnessed the passage of the two helpless captives from the English vessel to the pirates' stronghold, and already darkness had fallen over the island of Borneo. The scream of thousands of parrots, the chatter and hoarse voice of many a monkey, had ceased for the night, while the hush of the forest, which but for birds and monkeys would have been almost unbroken during the hot day, had now been replaced by the buzz and hum of myriads of insects, and by the calls and weird cries of other denizens of the jungle whose habit it was to set out during the hours of darkness in search of their food.
What were those objects filing in and out between the trees, each so ghost-like and so silent? Were they human beings lost in the jungle, or a collection of wild beasts? Well might the question have been asked, had anyone happened to catch sight of them, for they came without so much as a sound, each one treading noiselessly where the other had been, all bent low as if to escape the overhanging boughs, and everyone with eyes which glared into the depths of the dark forest. Occasionally the weird note of some animal in advance came to their ears, and instantly they lifted their heads for a second, and then changed their direction. In front marched a lithe and active leader, and happening to emerge at that moment from the darkness of the forest the pale rays of a small moon, which had risen early and would soon be gone, fell upon him and showed that it was Tyler. Then these were, after all, human beings, and none other than the tribe of Dyaks who were on their way to Sarawak. Yes, led by our hero, who had returned from the haunt of the pirates, the Dyaks were on their way to the spot before which floated the fleet of prahus upon the possession of which their safety depended.
"Remember the orders," said Tyler, as he emerged into the clearing, turning to a swarthy native beside him, whose features bore an unmistakable resemblance to those possessed by John Marshall. "We arrive at the place agreed upon, and the men at once divide as already arranged. Then the leaders of the companies come to me and we discuss the situation. After that we set about the embarkation without delay. Now get back to your own men, for they will miss you."
With an involuntary lift of his hand to his head, as was the custom aboard ship, the boatswain turned in obedience to the order, and threaded his way through the trees till he arrived at the rear of the procession, where he sat down till the tribe moved forward again. Meanwhile Tyler stood in the centre of the clearing, waiting till his scouts brought news that no one was at hand.