The ripples caused by the stone had barely reached the edge of the pond when a loathsome head appeared above the water and a pair of lidless eyes stared malignantly at us. Then, with an eel-like motion, the monster began to swim towards the spot where we were standing. It was a gigantic water-snake.
"Ugh, you brute!" shouted the doctor, and, regardless of the consequences, he drew his Webley revolver and sent a .441-in. bullet crashing through the monster's head. With a quick motion the reptile turned and disappeared beneath the surface, discolouring the dark water with its blood; but hardly had the echoes of the report died away when the surrounding brushwood seemed alive with men, who, uttering furious cries, made directly for us.
The surprise was complete, for before the doctor could raise his weapon or the rest of us lift a hand in self-defence we were borne to the ground and bound hand and foot with ropes of coco-fibre.
The next few moments seemed like a dream. I was dimly conscious of the horde of yelling, savages, who danced around and over our prostrate bodies with every attitude of demoniac fury. Three of their number, evidently priests, judging by their fantastic garb and the bizarre markings of red and white paint that concealed their faces, stood by the edge of the pool solemnly calling upon their outraged deity; but whether the brute was dead or only wounded I could not ascertain, for their efforts were in vain.
At one time it seemed as if the natives would have thrown us into the gruesome pool, but after a great deal of excited jabbering they eventually lashed each of us to a long bamboo and, carried between two men, we were taken towards the village, the shouting natives following in a disorderly mob.
The path led to a gateway other than the one by which we had entered a few days previously, but we were carried to the open space in front of the chief's house. It was a very different reception from our last visit that now awaited us, for the chief, after receiving a report from the priests, stepped over to where the doctor was lying and placed his foot on his neck. He then addressed the crowd, and at the conclusion of his speech a mighty shout went up, and, lifted shoulder high, we were borne into the inner stockade, the same which Dr. Conolly had tried to investigate, and were placed side by side on a low wicker bench.
Though tightly bound to the bamboo pole, I could move my head slightly—just enough, in fact, to see my companions. I was lying between them. The doctor was writhing ineffectually in his bonds, his face red with the exertion; Yadillah's features were absolutely impassive, the Asiatic fatalism having supreme mastery over any emotion under which he might be labouring.
We were alone, for the priests and the crowd of natives were without the gates, making the place ring with their blood-curdling shouts.
At last by a great effort I raised my head sufficiently to look before me, and facing us was a huge wooden image, bedaubed with paint and feathers, while in front was a row of skulls painted a vivid red and an immense block of polished stone. What was behind me I could not observe, but I knew that there was a fire burning within a few yards of where we were lying.
"Reggie," said the doctor in a low tone that I hardly recognized, "I am afraid we are done for. It's all my fault."