The Secret Mountain tss-3 Read online

  “Your face looks green!” cried Peggy to Mike, as they set off together down the strange river-tunnel.

  “So does yours!” said Mike. “Everything looks green. I feel as if we must be under water! It’s because we can’t see any daylight at all — only the green of the trees and of the stream below.”

  The stream became swifter as it ran down the valley. In no place did the trees break — the tunnel was complete the whole way. The rafts were really splendid, but towards the end of the journey they began to break up a little. The outside edges fell off, and the rafts began to loosen from the creeper-ropes.

  “Hie! We shall soon be in the water!” yelled Ranni. “Where do we land?”

  The guide shouted something back. “Well, that’s a good thing!” cried Ranni. “We’re nearly there, children.”

  The bobbing rafts spun slowly round and round as they went along. It really was a most peculiar journey, but the children loved every minute. They were sad to see their rafts gradually coming to pieces, getting smaller and smaller!

  Suddenly the stream ran into a large still pool. It ran out again the other end of the pool, but when the guide gave a loud shout, everyone knew that their journey’s end had come. The pool was their stopping place. If they went any further they would go right round the mountain and into the next valley.

  Ranni’s raft spun into the quiet pool, and by pulling at the branches of a nearby tree he dragged himself and Paul to the bank, on which grew thick bushes. All the others followed, though Mike and Peggy nearly sailed right on, for their raft was right in the very middle of the current! However, they managed to swing it round and joined the others.

  “If I don’t get off my raft it will disappear from under me,” said big Ranni, whose weight had made his raft break up more than those of the others. Everyone jumped off their rafts and stood on the banks of the pool. They had to stand on rotting branches and roots, for the trees and bushes grew so thickly there that the bare ground could not be seen.

  “Well — we’ve arrived,” said Pilescu. “And now — where’s the mountain? We should be at the foot.”

  The guide, with a frown on his face, took them through the thick bushes, squeezing his way with difficulty, and came to a tall tree. He climbed it, beckoning the others behind him.

  Ranni climbed up, and one by one everyone followed. They all wanted to see what the man had to show them. Monkeys fled chattering from the branches as the little company climbed upwards, helping themselves by using the long creepers which hung down like strong ropes.

  Their guide took them almost to the top of the tree. It towered over the bush below, and from its top could be seen, quite close at hand, the Secret Mountain!

  A Pleasant Surprise

  The Secret Mountain towered up steeply. It was covered by the curious yellow bushes, which gave it its strange appearance from a distance. The bushes had yellow leaves and waxy-white flowers over which hovered brilliant butterflies and insects of every kind.

  But it was the mountain itself that held the children’s eyes. It was so steep. It looked quite impossible to climb. It rose up before their eyes, enormous, seeming to touch the sky. They were very near to it, and Nora was quite frightened by its bigness.

  The tribesman frowned as he looked at it and muttered strings of queer-sounding words to himself. He was plainly going no further. Only the money he had been promised had made him come so far. He slid down the tree and spoke rapidly to Ranni.

  Ranni told him where he would find his reward, and the man nodded, showing all his white teeth. He called to Mafumu, and the two of them disappeared into the bushes.

  “Hie, Mafumu — say good-bye!” yelled Jack, very sorry indeed to see the merry little fellow going. But his uncle had Mafumu firmly by one ear and the boy could do nothing.

  “Well, he might at least have said good-bye,” said Peggy. “I did like him. I wish he was going with us.”

  “Did Mafumu’s uncle give you any idea at all as to how we might get into the mountain?” Mike asked Ranni. Ranni shook his head.

  “All he would say was that we should have to walk through the rock!” he said. “I don’t think he really knew what he meant. It was just something he had heard.”

  “Walk through the rock!” said Jack. “That sounds a bit like Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Do you remember — the robbers made their home in a cave inside a hill — and when the robber chief said ‘Open Sesame!’ a rock slid aside — and they all went in!”

  Pilescu and Ranni did not know the tale, and they listened with interest.

  “Well, the way in may be by means of a moving rock,” said Ranni. “But, good gracious, we can’t go all round this enormous mountain looking for a moving rock! And if we did find it, I’m sure we should not know the secret of moving it!”

  They were all sitting down at the foot of the tree, eating a meal, for they were hungry and tired. It was hot in the valley, even in the shade of the trees. The calls of the birds, the hum of insects and the chattering of monkeys sounded all the time. The sun was sinking low, and Pilescu made up his mind that they must all camp where they were for the night, He glanced up at the enormous branches of the tree they were under, and wondered if, by spreading out the rugs in a big fork halfway up, the children could sleep there safely.

  “I don’t like letting the children sleep on the ground tonight,” he said to Ranni. “I daren’t light a fire to keep wild creatures away, because if we do we shall attract the attention of the Mountain Folk — and we don’t want to be surrounded and captured in the night. Do you think that tree would hold them all?”

  Ranni glanced upwards. “The tree would hold them all right,” he said. “But supposing they fall out in their sleep!”

  “Oh, we can easily prevent that,” said Pilescu. “We can tie them on with those creeper-ropes.”

  The two men had been talking to one another in their own language, and only Paul understood. He listened with delight.

  “We’re going to sleep up in a tree!” he told the others, who listened in astonishment. “We daren’t light a fire tonight, you see.”

  “Golly! How exciting!” said Mike. “I really don’t think anyone could have had such a lot of thrills in a short time as we’ve had this week!”

  Pilescu made the children climb the tree whilst it was still daylight. Halfway up the branches forked widely, spreading out almost straight, and there was a kind of rough platform. Pilescu stuffed the spaces between the branches with creepers, twigs and some enormous leaves that he pulled from another tree. Then he spread out half the rugs, and told the children to settle down.

  They spread themselves on the rugs, joyful to think they were to spend a whole night in a tree. Some monkeys, who had been watching from the next tree, set up a great chattering when they saw the children settling down.

  “They think you are their cousins from a far-off land,” said Pilescu with a broad grin. “They’re not far wrong, either. Now lie still whilst I cover you with these other rugs, and then I’m going to tie you firmly to the branches.”

  “Oh, Pilescu — we’re too hot to be covered!” cried Paul, pushing away the rug.

  “It will be very chilly in the early morning,” said Pilescu. “Very well — leave the rug half off now, and pull it on again later.”

  Pilescu and Ranni made a very good job of tying the children to the tree. Now they were safe! The two men slid down the big tree to the ground. The monkeys fled away. The children talked drowsily for a while, and Peggy tried her hardest to keep awake and enjoy the strangeness of a night up a tree.

  But her eyes were very heavy, and although she listened for a while to the enormously loud voices of some giant frogs in the nearby marsh, and the curious call of a bird that seemed to say, “Do do it, do do it,” over and over again, she was soon as fast asleep as the others.

  As usual, Ranni and Pilescu took turn and turn about to watch. They both sat at the foot of the great tree, one at one side, the other at the other. Rann
i took first turn, and then Pilescu.

  Pilescu was very wide awake. He sat with his gun in his hand watching for any movement or sound nearby that might mean an enemy of some kind. He, too, heard the frogs, and the bird crying “Do do it, do do it.” He heard the trumpeting of far-off elephants, the roar of some big forest cat, maybe a leopard, and the stir of the wind in the branches of the trees.

  And then, towards dawn, he heard something and saw something that was not bird or animal. Something or someone was creeping between the bushes, very slowly, very carefully. Pilescu stiffened, and took hold of his gun firmly. Could it be any of the Folk of the Secret Mountain?

  The Something came nearer, and Pilescu put out a hand and shook Ranni carefully. Ranni awoke at once.

  “There’s something strange over there,” whispered Pilescu. “I can only see a shadow moving. Do you suppose it’s a scout sent out by the Mountain Folk?”

  Ranni peered between the bushes in the dim light of half-dawn. He, too, could see something moving.

  “I’ll slip behind that bush and pounce on whatever it is,” whispered Ranni. “I can move away from this side of the tree without being seen.”

  So big Ranni slid away as silently as a cat, and crawled behind the nearest bush. From there he made his way to another bush and waited for the Something to come by.

  He pounced on it — and there came a terrified yell, and a shrill voice that cried out something that sounded like “Yakka, longa, yakka, longa!”

  Ranni picked up what he had caught and carried it to Pilescu. It was something very small — something that both men knew very well. They cried out in amazement.

  “Mafumu!”

  Yes — it was Mafumu. Poor Mafumu, crawling painfully along the bushes, searching for the friends he had left the day before.

  “Mafumu! What has happened?” asked Ranni. The boy told him his story.

  “I went back a long way with my uncle, but he was unkind to me, and he told me he would give me to the first crocodile he saw in a river. So I ran away from him to come back to my new friends. And a big thorn went into my foot — see — so I could not walk, I could only crawl.”

  The poor little boy was so tired, and in such pain that tears fell out of his eyes. As dawn came stealing over the countryside, big Ranni took the poor little fellow into his arms, whilst Pilescu pulled out the great thorn from his foot. He bathed the hurt and bound it up with lint and gauze. He gave the boy something to eat and drink and then told him to sleep.

  But comfortable though he was in Ranni’s arms, Mafumu would not stay there. He must go to his new friends, and especially Jack!

  So up the tree he climbed, and was soon snuggled down beside Jack, who did not even wake when the boy lay almost on top of him.

  “Mafumu may be helpful to us,” said Pilescu to Ranni. “He knows the language of the tribes around here, he knows where to find fruit and drinking water, and he can guide as well.”

  In the morning, what loud cries of amazement came from the tree above, when the children awoke and found Mafumu with them!

  “Mafumu!”

  “How did you get here, Mafumu?”

  “Mafumu, get off me, I can’t move!”

  “Mafumu, what have you done to your foot?”

  Mafumu sat up on Jack’s legs and grinned round happily.

  “Me back,” he said, proud that he could say some English words with the right meaning. “Me back.” Then he went off into his usual gibberish.

  “Hallo, goodnight, shutup, what’s the matter!”

  Everyone laughed. Jack punched him on the back in a friendly manner. “You’re an idiot, but an awfully nice idiot,” he said. “We’re jolly glad to see you again. I shouldn’t be surprised if you help us quite a lot!”

  And Jack was right, as we shall soon see!

  The Wonderful Waterfall

  As the little company sat eating their breakfast they talked about what would be the best thing to do. How were they to find a way into the Secret Mountain?

  “You know, I believe that Mafumu’s uncle knew something,” said Ranni. “I rather think there is some sort of secret way in, if only we could find it.”

  “Ranni! I know how we could find it!” said Mike excitedly. “Couldn’t we hide until we see some of the Secret Mountain Folk — and then track them to see how they get inside?”

  “Yes — if we could only see some of the folk, without them seeing us!” said Ranni. “We should have to scout round a bit — it is perfectly plain that no one could possibly get into the mountain from this side — it’s so steep. I don’t believe even a goat could get up it!”

  “Well — let’s explore round the other side,” said Mike. “Hurry up and finish your breakfast, girls. I can hardly wait.”

  “Of course, you realize that we shall all have to be very careful,” said Pilescu. “It is quite possible that the folk in the Secret Mountain already know we are here, and are waiting to capture us.”

  “Oooh,” said Nora, not liking the sound of that at all. “I shall keep very near to you and Ranni, Pilescu!”

  “I hope you will,” said Pilescu, taking the little girl’s hand in his. “I would not have come on this mad adventure if I had known what it was to be. But now it is too late to draw back.”

  “I should think so!” cried Mike indignantly. “Why, Pilescu, things are going very well, I think. We have discovered where our parents are — and we may be able to rescue them at any time now. We’ve got guns!”

  “Yes — but first we have to find where your parents are!” said Pilescu. “And how to get to them.”

  “Well, let’s make a start,” said Mike. “Come on. It will be too hot soon to explore anywhere! All my clothes are sticking to me already.”

  The party packed up their things. Ranni and Pilescu carried most of them, but the children had to take some too. Mafumu as usual carried his share balanced on his head. They all set off cautiously, keeping as near to the foot of the queer steep mountain as they could, and yet taking cover as they went, so as not to be seen.

  It was difficult going. Mafumu was a great help, for he seemed to know the best paths at once. He went in front, with Ranni and Jack just behind him. Pilescu was at the back, his hand on his gun. He was taking no risks!

  As they went round the mountain a strange noise came to their ears.

  “What’s that?” said Nora, alarmed. They all stood and listened. Mafumu beckoned them on, not knowing why they had stopped.

  “Big noise, Mafumu, big noise,” said Jack, holding up his hand for Mafumu to listen. The boy laughed.

  “Big water,” he said. “Big water.” He was very proud of himself for being able to answer Jack in his own language. He was as sharp as a needle, and in half an hour was quite able to pick up twenty or more new words.

  “Big water” said Jack puzzled. “Does he mean the sea?”

  “No — I know what it is — it’s a waterfall!” said Mike. “Hark! It sounds like thunder, but it’s really water tumbling down the mountain-side not far off. Come on — I bet I’m right.”

  The little company pressed on, following their new guide. The noise grew louder. It really did sound like thunder, but was more musical. The echoes went rolling round the valley, and now and again the noise seemed to get inside the children’s heads in a queer manner. They shook their heads to get it out! It was funny.

  And then they suddenly saw the waterfall! It was simply magnificent. It fell almost straight down the steep mountain-side with a tremendous noise. Spray rose high into the air, and hung like a mist over the fall. The children could feel its wetness on their faces now and again from where they stood, awed and silent at the sight of such a wonderful fall of water.

  “My goodness!” said Peggy, full of astonishment and delight. “No wonder it makes such a noise! It’s a marvellous waterfall. It’s coming from the inside of the mountain!”

  “Yes — it is,” said Mike, shading his eyes and looking upwards. “There must be an underground
river that wanders through the mountain and comes out at that steep place. Golly! How are we going to get by?”

  It was very difficult. They had to go a good way out of their path. The waterfall made a surging, violent river at its foot, that shouted and tumbled its way down the valley, and joined the hidden river down which they had come not long before.

  Mafumu was not to be beaten by a waterfall! He made his way alongside the surging water until he came to a shallow part, where big boulders stuck up all the way across.

  “Hurryup, hurryup,” he said, pointing to the stones. “We go there, hurryup.”

  “I believe we could get across there,” said Ranni. “The stones are almost like stepping-stones. I will carry Nora across, and then Peggy — and you take Paul, Pilescu. The boys can manage themselves.”

  “I can manage by myself,” said the little Prince indignantly. “I’m a boy too, aren’t I?”

  “You are not so big as the others,” said Pilescu with a grin, and he caught up the angry boy and put him firmly on his shoulder. Paul was red with rage, but he did not dare to struggle in case he sent Pilescu into the water. As it was, Pilescu lost his footing once, and almost fell. He just managed to swing himself back in time, and sat with a bump on a big rock. Paul was almost jerked off his shoulder.

  The girls were taken safely across. As Ranni had said, the stones were almost like stepping-stones, although one or two were rather far apart — but fortunately the water there was only waist-deep, so a little wading solved the difficulty. The other three boys got across easily. Mafumu jumped like a goat from one stone to another.

  And now they were the other side of the waterfall. The noise of its falling still sounded thunderous, but they liked it.

  “The foam is like soap-suds,” said Nora, watching some swirling down the river.

  The sun was now too high for any of them to go further. Even Mafumu was hot and wanted to rest. Also his foot pained him a little now, in spite of the careful bandaging. Everyone curled up in the cool shade of an enormous tree, where they could occasionally feel the delicious coldness of the misty spray from the waterfall.