Tears stood again in Suarez's eyes as he replied: "When I heard their plan, I imagined they would be driven off, provided
a watch were kept. I resolved to risk all in the attempt to reach the
company of civilized men once more. I do not care what the outcome may
be. If I can help you to overcome them I am ready to do so; if not, I
will die by your side. To-night I followed in a canoe unseen. When I
heard the shooting, I leaped overboard and swam to the ship. It was
lucky for me some one seized the canoe which I found there. The men in
her had to swim to other canoes, and two were wounded, I heard them
say; this caused some confusion, and I had something to grasp when I
reached the ship; otherwise I must have been drowned, as the water was
very cold."
"Yet you refused an overcoat a little while ago," interjected
Christobal.
"Ah, yes. For many years I have lived altogether in Indian fashion.
My skin is hard. Wind or rain cannot harm me. But melted ice mixed
with salt water drives even the seals out to sea."
"Can you speak the Alaculof language?"
"Is that what you call them? Their own name for the tribe is 'The
Feathered People,' because all their chief men and heads of families
wear these things," and he touched his head-dress. "Yes, I know nearly
all their words. They don't use a great many. One word may have
several meanings, according to the pitch of the voice."
"They captured you on the Smyth Channel side of the island. Have they
deserted it? Why are they on this side now?" asked Courtenay.
"I believe they brought me here at first because they wished to keep me
on account of my magic, and they knew I would endeavor to escape to a
passing ship. We came over the mountains by a terrible road. I have
been told that landslips and avalanches have closed the pass ever
since. I do not know whether that is true or not, but if I had tried
to get away in that direction they would have caught me in a few hours.
No man can elude them. They can see twice as far as any European, and
they are wonderful trackers."
Suddenly his voice failed him. Though the words came fluently, his
long-disused vocal chords were unequal to the strain of measured
speech. He asked hoarsely for some hot water. When Courtenay next
came across him in the saloon he was asleep, and changed so greatly by
the removal of pigments from his face that it was difficult to regard
him as the same being.
His story was unquestionably true. Tollemache, who had fought an
offshoot tribe of these same Indians, Christobal, who vouched for the
Argentine accent, and Elsie, who seemed to have read such rare books of
travel as dealt with that little known part of the world, bore out the
reasonableness of his statements. The only individual on board who
regarded him with suspicion was Joey, and even Joey was satisfied when
Suarez had washed himself.