I lowered my gun and pushed him away gently. ‘Why don't you sit down, Sam?’
He staggered back and flung his arms wide. ‘Well, if that don't beat all? Would you listen to the boy wonder turning the other cheek.’
He blundered along the counter sending glasses flying. ‘But I fixed you, wonder boy. I really fixed you good.’
Figueiredo glanced at me, frowning. I said, ‘Nobody fixed me, Sam, I just got caught, that's all.’
The remark didn't seem to get through to him and in any event, was unnecessary for he condemned himself out of his own mouth with no prompting from me.
He reached across the counter, grabbing Figueiredo by the front of his jacket. ‘Heh, listen to this. This is good. Wonder boy, here, was running out on me, see? Leaving me in the lurch so I fixed him good. He thought he was taking his last mail run, but I slipped him a little extra something that sent him straight to Machados. Don't you find that funny?’
‘Very funny, senhor,’ Figueiredo said, gently disengaging himself.
Hannah slid along the bar, laughing helplessly, glasses cascading to the floor. When he reached the other end he simply fell on his face and lay still.
Figueiredo went round the end of the bar. He sighed heavily. ‘A bad business this.’ He turned and held out his hand to me. ‘No one regrets what you have been through more than myself, Senhor Mallory, but by some miracle you are alive and that is all that matters. Naturally, I will make a full report to Manaus as soon as possible. I think you will find the authorities more than anxious to make amends.’
It didn't seem to matter much any more. I dropped to one knee beside Hannah and felt his pulse which was still functioning.
‘How is he?’ Mannie demanded.
‘Not good. He could probably do with a stomach wash. If it was me, I'd give him something to make him vomit then I'd lock him in the steam house and leave him there till he sobered up.’
‘Which was exactly what we were trying to do when he attacked us,’ Figueiredo said. ‘You have come at an opportune moment, my friend.’
‘How's that?’
He went behind the bar, found a bottle of his best whisky, White Horse, no less and poured me one. ‘The day after your unfortunate arrest, Sister Maria Teresa came to see me with as hair-brained a scheme as I have ever known. It seems this Huna girl, Christina, who Senhorita Martin purchased from Avila, had persuaded the good Sister that if she was returned to her people she could obtain news of Senhorita Martin's sister and her friend, perhaps even arrange for their return.’
For a moment, I seemed to see again the Huna girl standing on the veranda of the house looking across at me, the flat, empty face, dark animal eyes giving nothing away.
‘Good God, you surely didn't let her fall for that?’
‘What could I do, senhor?’ He spread his hands. ‘I tried to argue with her, but I had no authority to prevent her leaving and she persuaded Avila and four of his men to go with her. For a consideration, naturally.’
‘You mean they've actually gone to Santa Helena?’ I said in astonishment.
‘In the mission launch.’
I turned to Mannie. ‘And Joanna?’
He nodded. ‘She and Sam had one hell of a row that day. I don't know what it was all about, but I can guess. She told him she was going with Sister Maria Teresa. That she never wanted to see him again.’
Poor Sam. So in the end, he had lost all along the line?
‘You've been in touch with them?’ I said. ‘They have a radio?’
‘Oh, yes, I insisted they took the one the military left in my care. It seems the girl went into the jungle the day they arrived and has not returned.’
‘And that doesn't surprise me.’
‘You think the whole thing could be some sort of trap to get them up there?’ Mannie asked.
‘On her part, perhaps, to put herself right with her people if she wants to return to them permanently. They'd catch on to the idea fast enough.’ I turned back to Figueiredo. ‘What's the latest development?’
‘Huna have been seen near the mission for two days now. Some of Avila's men panicked and insisted on leaving. It seems Sister Maria Teresa stood firm.’
‘So they cleared out, anyway?’
‘Exactly. Avila was on the radio just before noon. Reception was bad and he soon faded, but he managed to tell me that three of his men had cleared out at dawn in the mission launch, leaving the rest of them stranded.’
‘Anything else?’
‘He said the drums had started.’
‘Which was why you were trying to sober up our friend?’ I stirred Hannah with my foot. ‘Have you been in touch with Alberto?’
‘He's on leave, but I spoke to a young lieutenant at Forte Franco an hour ago who said he'd contact Army Headquarters for instructions. In any case, what can they hope to do? This is something to be handled now or not at all. Tomorrow is too late.’
‘All right,’ I said. ‘I'll leave at once in the Hayley. Is she ready for off, Mannie?’
‘Is now. She was having magneto trouble, but I've fixed that.’
‘How come the Bristol's here?’
‘Sam went down-river by boat and flew her back. Had to just to keep a plane in the air while I fixed the Hayley. Once that penalty clause comes into operation he has a fortnight to find another pilot. He still hoped something would turn up or at least I thought he did.’
He hurried out and Figueiredo said, ‘With four to bring back you must go alone, which could be dangerous. Would a machine-gun help?’
‘The best idea I've heard today.’
He beckoned and I went round the bar counter and followed him through the bead curtain into the back room. He sat down, grunting, beside an old cabin trunk, took a key from his watch-chain and opened it. There were a dozen rifles, a couple of Thompson guns, a box of Mills bombs and quantities of ammunition.
‘And where did you get this little lot?’ I demanded.
‘Colonel Alberto. In case of attack here, Take what you wish.’
I slung one of the Thompson guns over my shoulder and stuffed half a dozen fifty-round clips of ammunition and a couple of Mills bombs into a military-type canvas haversack. ‘If this doesn't do it, nothing will.’
I returned to the bar and paused beside Hannah. He moaned a little and stirred. I turned to Figueiredo who had followed me through. ‘I meant what I said. Lock him in the steam house and don't let him out till he's sober.’
‘I will see to it, my friend. Go with God.’
I patted the butt of the Thompson gun. ‘I prefer something you can rely on. Don't worry about me. I'll be back. Keep trying to raise Avila. Tell him I'm on my way.’
I smiled bravely, but inside, I felt considerably less sanguine about things as I went down the steps into the street.
I took the Hayley up and out of there fast. The last time I'd flown her to Santa Helena it had taken me forty minutes. Now, with the wind under my tail, I had every chance of doing it in half an hour.
When I was ten minutes away, I started trying to raise them on the radio without any kind of success. I kept on trying and then, when I was about three miles down-river from Santa Helena, I found the mission launch. I reduced speed, banked in a wide circle and went down low to take a look.
The launch was grounded on a mudbank, her deck tilted steeply to one side. The hull and wheelhouse were peppered with arrows and the man who hung over the stern rail had several in his back. There was no sign of the other two. I could only hope, for their sakes, that the Huna hadn't taken them alive.
So that was very much that. I carried on up-river, my speed right down, and passed low over the mission. There was no sign of life and I tried calling them over the radio again. A moment later and Avila's voice sounded in my ear with reasonable clarity although the strength was weak and there was lots of static.