Cumner's Son and Other South Sea Folk — Volume 04Parker, Gilbert
General
Cumner's Son and Other South Sea Folk — Volume 04
Parker, Gilbert
Oceania -- Fiction
At last the time came when we must leave this scene of marvel and terror,
and we retired reluctantly. There were two ways by which we might return
to the bridle path that led down the mountain. The American desired to
take the one by which we had not come; the rest of us, tired out,
preferred to go as we came--the shortest way. A compromise was made by
his Majesty sending 1/60th of the standing army with the American, who
gaily said he would join us, "horse, foot and cavalry," in the bridle-
path. We reached the meeting-point first, but as we looked back we saw
with horror that two streams of fire were flowing down the mountain side.
We were to the left of them both, and safe; but between them, and
approaching us, were Van Blaricom and the native soldier. The two men
saw their danger, and pushed swiftly down the mountainside and towards
us, but more swiftly still these narrow snake-like streams came on.
Presently the streams veered towards each other and joined. The two men
were on an island with a shore of fire. There was one hope--the shore
was narrow yet. But in running the American fell, spraining his ankle
badly. We were speechless, but the King's lips parted with a moan, as he
said: "Lilikalu can jump the stream, but the other--!"
They were now at the margin of that gleaming shore, the American wringing
his hands. It was clear to him that unless a miracle happened he would
see his beloved Chicago no more; for the stream behind them was rapidly
widening.
I think I see that 1/60th of his Majesty's infantry as he looked down
upon the slight and cowering form of the American. His moment of
vengeance had come. A second passed, marked by the splashing roar of the
waves in the hill above us, and then the soldier-naked, all save the
boots he wore-seized the other in his arms, stepped back a few paces, and
then ran forward and leaped across the barrier of flame. Not quite
across! One foot and ankle sank into the molten masses, with a shiver of
agony, he let the American fall on the safe ground. An instant later and
he lay at our feet, helpless and maimed for many a day; and the standing
army of the King was deprived of 1/60th of its strength.
HOW PANGO WANGO WAS ANNEXED
Blithelygo and I were at Levuka, Fiji, languidly waiting for some
"trader" or mail-steamer to carry us away anywhere. Just when we were
bored beyond endurance and when cigars were running low, a Fijian came to
us and said: "That fellow, white fellow, all a-same a-you, long a-shore.
Pleni sail. Pleni Melican flag."
We went to the beach, and there was Jude Van Blaricom, our American. We
had left him in New Zealand at the Pink Terraces, bidding him an eternal
farewell. We wished it so. But we had met him afterwards at Norfolk
Island, and again at Sydney, and we knew now that we should never cease
to meet him during our sojourn on this earth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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