When the last black disappeared in the foliage, a noise directly behind him caused him to look for their return from that quarter, and his surprise can be better imagined than described when he saw Andy standing in front of him, his wide mouth open to its fullest extent in silent enjoyment of the complete rout.
“Where in the name of all that’s wonderful did you come from?” he cried, and would have followed this with other questions, had not the cook whispered hurriedly:
“Dere ain’t no time ter tork now, kase we’s boun’ ter be outer dis yere place before dem debbils cum back. Don’ speak a word.”
With remarkable celerity, Andy cut the bonds of vines, and while Jenkins was rubbing his arms and legs to restore the circulation, the cook released the boys.
It was as if the sudden change of position served to restore them to consciousness, and by the time the cook had made his arrangements for flight, they were aware of the rescue.
Gil would have followed Jenkins’ example, and overwhelmed the negro with questions; but the mate whispered:
“Keep quiet, now; we can hear all about it later.”
Andy’s first care was to gather up the rope-like vines and throw them on the fire, after which he ran into the thicket, returning a few seconds later with a large package wrapped in sailcloth.
“I’se gwine erhead, an’ you’se mus’ cum erlong mighty fas’ ef yer don’ wan’ ter see dem imps ergin.”
Without waiting for a reply, he started toward the coast to the westward, running so rapidly, laden though he was, that the others had quite as much as they could do to keep pace with him.
During fully half an hour the flight was continued, and just when Nelse was on the point of saying that he could hold out no longer, however great might be the danger, Andy halted in the midst of a palmetto thicket.
“We’se gwine ter stay hyar fur erwhile,” he said, speaking with difficulty, because of his heavy breathing; “but dere mus’ be a mighty snug watch kept, kase dem debbils are boun’ ter fin’ out wha’s been ergoin’ on.”
“Tell us how you happen to be here, and where the yacht is?” Gil asked, as soon as it was possible to speak.
Andy’s story, interspersed as it was with threats against and commentaries upon the voudoos, would require too great a space to be related in his own words; but the substance was as follows: