Sandokan: The Tigers of Mompracem (The Sandokan Series Book 1) Page 18

  “Yes, Captain.”

  “How do we signal her to approach?”

  “Light two fires on the beach,” replied Paranoa.

  “It would be best to signal her from there,” said Yanez, pointing just past the tip of the peninsula.

  They made their way through the reef-strewn waters to a small wooded islet.

  “This is a good spot; the prahu can approach without fear of running aground.”

  “Have her sail up the river,” said Sandokan. “I want to hide her from the British.”

  “I’ll take care of that,” replied Yanez. “We’ll hide her in the swamp, among the reeds. Once we remove her masts and rigging, we’ll cover her with branches. Paranoa, light the signal.”

  The Malay wasted no time. He gathered some dry wood on the outskirts of the small forest, made two piles and lit them. A moment later, the pirates watched as the prahu’s white lantern was extinguished and replaced with a red one.

  “They’ve seen us,” said Paranoa. “We can put out the fires.”

  “Have any of them been to the bay before?” asked Sandokan.

  “No, Captain.”

  “Then leave them be, they’ll help guide them in.”

  The two pirates sat on the beach, their eyes fixed on the red light as it changed direction. Ten minutes later they spied the ship advancing towards them. Her immense sails unfurled, she looked like a giant bird skimming over the waves, the water crashing before her bow. With two tacks, she arrived before the bay, entered the canal and headed towards the mouth of the river.

  Yanez, Sandokan and Paranoa had abandoned the reef and were rapidly heading back to the edge of the little swamp. As soon as the prahu dropped anchor near the thick reeds lining the shore, they climbed aboard. The crew was about to salute the two pirate captains with a roar of joy, but Sandokan quickly gestured for them to be silent.

  “Our enemies may not be far off,” he said. “Don’t make a sound, we can’t risk being discovered. That’s an order.” Then he turned to one of his men and with a slight tremble in his voice asked, “The two other prahus, have they arrived?”

  “No, Tiger of Malaysia,” replied the pirate. “After we left Paranoa, we sailed towards Borneo, and checked every shelter along the coast, but we did not spot either one.”

  “They may have been blown farther out.”

  The pirate did not reply. He appeared hesitant.

  “Speak your mind,” said Sandokan.

  “Tiger of Malaysia, I fear our ships did not survive the storm.”

  Sandokan dug his nails into his chest.

  “Fate! Fate!” he murmured, shaken. “The golden-haired young woman brings misfortune to the Tigers of Mompracem.”

  “Be strong, little brother,” said Yanez, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We shouldn’t despair just yet. It may be as you say, the prahus may have been driven off farther than we expected and been so badly damaged they could not take to sea. Until we find some debris, we should not assume they sank.”

  “Bah! We can’t wait, Yanez. Who’s to say if his lordship will remain in his villa for much longer?”

  “I hope not, my friend.”

  “What do you mean, Yanez?”

  “Once he’s out in the open we’ll set a trap for him and kidnap his beautiful niece.”

  “An ambush?”

  “Why not? Our Tigers would relish the chance even if his lordship’s soldiers outnumbered us two to one. This clever little mind of mine is already working on what’s sure to be a brilliant plan. Let me rest tonight; come tomorrow, we’ll begin.”

  “I’m counting on you, Yanez.”

  “Rest easy, Sandokan.”

  “We should hide the prahu. Anyone venturing into the bay would spot her immediately.”

  “I’ve thought of everything, Sandokan. I’ve already given Paranoa the appropriate instructions. Come, little brother. Let’s get something to eat. Then, we’ll go lie down. I must confess I’m starving and exhausted.”

  While the pirates, under Paranoa’s direction, were taking down the ship’s rigging, Yanez and Sandokan went below and raided the ship’s stores. Once their hunger had been sated, they threw themselves onto their beds. The Portuguese, who could barely remain awake, fell asleep almost instantly. Sandokan, however, had difficulty closing his eyes. Bleak thoughts and a sinister unease kept him awake for hours. It was only towards dawn that he got some rest, but even that was short.

  By the time he stepped back on deck, the pirates had already finished their work. The ship had been pushed to the edge of the swamp among a thick cluster of reeds. The masts and rigging had been taken down and the entire vessel had been covered with reeds, leaves and branches. A passer-by would have easily mistaken it for a grove of plants or a large mound of vegetation swept there by the storm.

  “What do you think, Sandokan?” asked Yanez, who was already on the bridge, standing below an attap that had been erected on the stern.

  “Excellent work,” replied Sandokan.

  “Now, come with me.”

  “Where?”

  “Ashore. I’ve assembled twenty men to go with us.”

  “All part of your plan, Yanez?”

  “You’ll know soon enough. Men! Lower the launch, mind the ship and keep your eyes open.”

  Chapter 22

  The Prisoner

  ONCE THEY HAD crossed the river, Yanez led Sandokan into the middle of a dense thicket where twenty men lay in wait, all well armed and equipped with a woollen blanket and a small sack of provisions. Paranoa and his lieutenants were there as well.

  “Is everyone here?” asked Yanez.

  “Yes, Captain,” came the reply.

  “Listen carefully,” said the Portuguese. “Ikaut, you’ll return aboard, if something happens, you’ll send a man to this very spot, where he’ll find someone awaiting orders. We’ll also relay instructions through him; once you receive them, execute them immediately, no exceptions. Be careful and stay alert. Don’t let yourself be surprised by the Red Coats, and remember, even though we’ll be a good distance from here, we can receive a message within minutes.”

  “You can count on me, Señor Yanez.”

  “Excellent! Now, return to the ship and keep your eyes open.”

  While the lieutenant made his way back to the prahu, Yanez, having taken command of the men, began to head up the river.

  “Where are you taking us?” asked Sandokan, unable to guess the Portuguese’s plan.

  “All in good time, little brother. Before we go any further, how far would you say Lord Guillonk’s villa is from the sea?”

  “About two miles, as the crow flies.”

  “Then we have more than enough men.”

  “To do what?”

  “Bah, a little patience, Sandokan.”

  He got his bearings with a compass he had taken from the prahu and headed beneath the trees, marching rapidly. After having gone four hundred metres, he stopped near a large camphor tree towering over a thick clump of bushes, turned to one of the pirates and said, “You’ll set up here; don’t leave your post, for any reason, until ordered to do so. The river is only four hundred metres away, you can communicate quite easily with the prahu; another man will be set up four hundred metres east of here. You’ll relay to him any order issued from our ship. Any questions?”

  “No, Señor Yanez.”

  While the Malay began to build himself a small attap by the base of the giant tree, the band of pirates headed forward, pausing only for Yanez to station his men.

  “Have you grasped my plan?” Yanez asked Sandokan.

  “Yes,” the latter replied, “and I admire your cunning. With our sentries stationed throughout the jungle, we’ll be able to stay in contact with our ship, even from Lord James’ villa.”

  “Yes, Sandokan, and more importantly, we’ll be able to inform Ikaut to send reinforcements or to ready the prahu and set sail.”

  “What about us? Where are we going to set up camp?”

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nbsp; “On the path to Victoria. We’ll be able to keep an eye on movements to and from the villa and take whatever measures are necessary to prevent his lordship from escaping. Once he decides to leave, we’ll ambush him and make off with Marianna.”

  “What if his lordship decides to stay put?”

  “By Jupiter! We’ll attack the villa or find another way to kidnap the young woman.”

  “Best not to be forced to such extremes, Yanez. As I’ve said, Lord James would kill his niece before he’d let her fall into my hands.”

  “By the saints! He wouldn’t!”

  “He would.”

  “Then we’ll have to be cunning.”

  “You have an idea?”

  “We’ll find one, Sandokan. I’d never forgive myself if that wretch murdered that lovely young woman.”

  “It’d be the death of the Tiger of Malaysia; I wouldn’t be able to survive without her.”

  “I’m well aware of that… unfortunately,” sighed Yanez. “That woman has bewitched you.”

  “Cursed me, Yanez. Whoever would have thought that I, whose heart beat only for the victory of battle and the destruction of my enemies, would have one day been conquered by a young woman from the very race I had vowed to fight to the death! At the very thought of it, my strength gives way and my blood begins to boil! And yet, I am unable to sunder this chain around my heart, Yanez, nor will I ever be able to forget those eyes that have so bewitched me. Let’s not talk about it anymore. Let fate unfold as it will.”

  “Even if it should be fatal to Mompracem, Sandokan?” asked Yanez.

  The Tiger of Malaysia dropped his eyes and fell silent.

  They had arrived at the outskirts of a forest. To one side lay a small field dotted with bushes, gambirs, and groves of areca trees. A path ran through it, however, it appeared seldom used, for parts of it had been overgrown with grass.

  “Is this the path to Victoria?” asked Yanez.

  “Yes,” Sandokan replied.

  “Lord James’ villa can’t be too far from here.”

  “I can make out part of the outer wall down there, just beyond those trees.”

  “Perfect,” said Yanez. He turned to Paranoa, who had followed them with six men and said, “Go to the edge of the forest, find a spot surrounded by thick brush and set up our tents.”

  The pirate set off immediately. Once he found a suitable site, he had the tents erected, taking care to conceal them behind a collection of branches and banana leaves. He had all their supplies, which consisted of canned food, smoked meat, biscuits and several bottles of Spanish wine, put away, then sent six men off to patrol the forest, to ensure no spies were lurking nearby.

  Meanwhile, Sandokan and Yanez had gone to check the garden wall. They got to within two hundred metres of it, scanned it from end to end and, not spying any soldiers, they turned back, returned to camp and stretched out beneath the main tent.

  “Are you satisfied with things so far, Sandokan?” asked the Portuguese.

  “Yes, brother,” replied the Tiger of Malaysia.

  “We’re only a few paces from the path to Victoria. If his lordship decides to leave the villa, he’ll be forced to pass beneath our rifles. We can assemble twenty determined men in less than half an hour, our entire crew in an hour. As soon as he makes his move, we’ll attack.”

  “We won’t let him escape,” replied Sandokan. “Even if we have to battle an entire regiment.”

  “Then I guess we should eat something to preserve our strength, little brother,” laughed Yanez. “Our morning stroll has left me famished.”

  They devoured their breakfast, smoked several cigarettes and had just opened a bottle of whiskey when Paranoa suddenly rushed into the tent. The good Malay, usually so calm and level-headed, appeared greatly excited.

  “What’s happening?” asked Sandokan, reaching for his rifle as he rose to his feet.

  “Someone’s coming, Captain,” replied Paranoa. “I heard a horse approaching.”

  “It could be a soldier heading for Victoria.”

  “No, Tiger of Malaysia, it’s coming from Victoria.”

  “Is he still far off?” asked Yanez.

  “I think so.”

  “Come, Sandokan.”

  They gathered their weapons and headed outside, while their men hid among the bushes and quickly readied their rifles. Sandokan headed towards the path, dropped to his knees, put an ear to the ground and heard the sound of galloping hooves.

  “Yes, someone’s riding towards us,” he said, getting up swiftly.

  “I recommend we let him pass,” said Yanez.

  “We’re going to take him prisoner, my friend.”

  “What? Why?”

  “He could be taking an important message to the villa.”

  “If we attack him, he’ll defend himself. He’ll fire his musket, and the blast will be heard by the soldiers in the villa.”

  “We’ll capture him before he can draw his weapons.”

  “It’ll be difficult, Sandokan.”

  “It’ll be easier than you think.”

  “How so?”

  “The horse is advancing at a gallop. It won’t be able to avoid an obstacle. The rider will be thrown off and he’ll fall into our hands.”

  “What kind of obstacle?”

  “Paranoa, get me a long vine.”

  “Ah, yes, perfect,” said the Portuguese. “What an excellent idea! Yes, let’s capture him, Sandokan! By Jupiter, he’ll be more than useful! I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before.”

  “What are you talking about, Yanez?”

  “You’ll find out soon enough. What an excellent little ruse!”

  “You’re laughing!?”

  “And with good reason. You’ll see, Sandokan. Oh, how we’re going to trick his lordship! Paranoa, ready the vine, hurry!”

  Assisted by two men, the Malay laid a solid vine across the path, keeping it low to the ground, hidden by the tall grass. Once it was in place, he hid behind a bush and drew his kris, while the remainder of the Tigers spread out farther up the path to prevent the rider from fleeing, if by chance he managed to escape the trap. The horse was rapidly approaching; it would not be long before it came within sight.

  “There he is!” whispered Sandokan, who had hidden beside Yanez.

  A few moments later, a horse jumped over a bush and came galloping up the path. A handsome young man clad in a sepoy’s uniform sat in the saddle. He could not have been more than twenty-two or twenty-three years of age. Eyes darting nervously in all directions, he kept spurring his horse, anxious to reach the safety of the villa.

  “Stand ready, Yanez,” whispered Sandokan.

  Spurred by its rider, the horse raced forward, rapidly moving towards the vine. The trap sprung and the poor beast fell heavily to the ground, its legs twitching as it neighed in fear.

  The pirates lunged. Before the rider could move, Sandokan had relieved him of his sword, while Paranoa pinned him where he lay and pointed a kris at his chest.

  “Don’t move! Surrender and we’ll spare your life!” shouted Sandokan.

  “Wretches!” exclaimed the soldier, attempting to twist himself free.

  With the assistance of a few pirates, Paranoa bound him securely and dragged him towards the bushes, as Yanez carefully examined the horse, fearing the poor animal had broken a leg when it fell.

  “By Jupiter!” the Portuguese exclaimed happily. “I’ll cut a fine figure at the villa. Sergeant Yanez de Gomera! I never thought I’d see stripes on my sleeves.”

  He tethered the horse to a tree and went to join Sandokan, who was searching through the sergeant’s pockets.

  “Did you find anything?” he asked.

  “Not so much as a scrap of paper,” replied Sandokan.

  “He’ll talk,” said Yanez, fixing his eyes on the young man.

  “No,” the prisoner replied.

  “Careful,” replied Sandokan in a tone that would have made even the toughest person tremble.
“Where were you heading?”

  “I was out for a ride.”

  “Ah, is that so!”

  The Tiger of Malaysia drew his kris and put it to the soldier’s throat.

  “Talk or I’ll kill you!” he thundered.

  “No,” replied the soldier.

  “Talk!” replied Sandokan, pushing in the blade.

  The prisoner howled in pain as the kris pierced his skin and bathed the blade in blood.

  “I’ll talk! I’ll talk!” stammered the sepoy, the colour draining from his face.

  “Where were you going?” asked Sandokan.

  “To see Lord James Guillonk.”

  “For what reason?”

  The soldier hesitated, but as the pirate raised his kris once more, continued, “To deliver a letter from Baron Rosenthal.”

  Anger flashed in Sandokan’s eyes.

  “Give me that letter!” he exclaimed hoarsely.

  “It’s in my hat, beneath the lining.”

  Yanez picked up the soldier’s hat, ripped open the lining, pulled out the letter and immediately unfolded it.

  “What does that dog of a baron write?” asked Sandokan.

  “He’s warning his lordship of our imminent arrival in Labuan. He says that a cruiser spotted one of our ships heading towards these shores and that he should tell his soldiers to double their vigilance.”

  “Nothing else?”

  “Oh yes! By Jupiter! He sends a thousand greetings to your Marianna and pledges his undying love.”

  “May God curse that wretch! I’ll give him a thousand greetings the next time he crosses my path.”

  “Paranoa,” said the Portuguese, carefully examining the letter, “Send a man to the prahu and have him bring me some paper, a pen and some ink.”

  “What do you intend to do with those things?” asked Sandokan.

  “They’re needed for my new plan.”

  “And what plan would that be?”

  “The one I’ve been formulating for the last half hour.”

  “Are you going to take the secret to your grave?”

  “I couldn’t bear to leave you guessing. I’m about to go to Lord James’ villa.”

  “You’re what!?!”

  “That’s right,” replied Yanez, as calmly as if he were discussing the weather.