CHAPTER XXIII.
SECRET OF THE CAVE.
The cook hurried away so quickly that his companions had no time to persuade him to a different course, even provided they wished to do so, and when he was out of sight Jenkins said, as he took up the load of oysters which Andy brought:
“It won’t do any good for us to stay here talkin’ about what the old fool has done, for we must get under cover before it is too dark to admit of seeing our way through the woods. His pig-headedness may cost him his life, but we are not to blame. It only remains for us to take care of ourselves.”
“Do you propose to go directly there, or shall we circle around so they can’t track us easily?” Nelse asked.
“It’ll be as well to drive ahead, I reckon; they’ll find us out anyhow, for we can’t hide the trail any better than these woods will do it for us.”
Then Jenkins signified that he was ready, and the little party, each carrying a quantity of oysters, followed at his heels in perfect silence.
The mate had the bearings of the old palm well in mind, and went directly toward it without swerving to the right or the left, coming to a halt only when he reached the spot where, a few hours previous, the boys had been so certain a large amount of treasure was about to be found.
Although he had said that the blacks would be certain to discover their hiding-place, he took good care not to make any more noise than was absolutely necessary.
“Swarm down there,” he whispered, cautiously, “and the last man shall pull the rope after him, for it won’t do to let those blacks have a chance to steal it.”
“If we do that, how will it be possible for us to come up again?” Gil asked. “We can’t make the rope fast above while all hands are below.”
“I have thought of that. We must take the chances of climbin’ up the sides by diggin’ small holes where the sand is hardest. At all events, I’ll guarantee we get back here again, if they leave enough of us.”
One of the sailors obeyed the motions made by the mate, and began to slip slowly down the rope. When he was at the bottom of the shaft first one and then another of the bags were lowered, until all had disappeared, and then the second sailor followed his comrade.
“Now remember to pull the rope after you, an’ don’t show yourselves again till you hear me speak,” Jenkins said, as he urged Gil toward the mouth of the shaft.
“What do you mean? Don’t you intend to come with us?”
“Not just yet. We’ve got to have water, an’ I’m goin’ for some.”
“You’ve nothing to bring it in, no matter how much you should find.”
“I’ve got a scheme for attendin’ to that part of the business, an’ want to leave as soon as possible, so don’t make me stay here chinning.”
Gil realized that it was not the time to ask many questions, and he obeyed without another word, after Nelse had let himself down the opening.
In less than five minutes from the time the second sailor joined the first all hands except Jenkins were crouching in the tunnel, with the rope coiled up beside them, and already had the shades of night gathered so densely that it was impossible to distinguish each other, save by the tones of the voices.
Now they had reached what seemed a desirable hiding-place while the matter was under discussion, it no longer appeared either safe or comfortable, and the prospect of being besieged while in such cramped quarters was anything rather than pleasant.
“I’m beginnin’ to think Andy had more sense than the rest of us,” one of the sailors said, as he tried to find a spot where he could stretch out at full length. “It’ll be mighty hard lines after them imps shut us in here like rats in a trap, an’, when the captain comes back, I’d like to know how he’s goin’ to find us if there are fifteen or twenty blacks standin’ around the openin’ up there ready to kill the first who shows himself long enough to hail them as may be huntin’ for us.”
This was a phase of the case which neither Gil nor Nelse had taken into consideration, and they began to feel very uncomfortable in mind.
“What should we do if we heard father and couldn’t let him know where we were?” he asked, in a whisper.
“I’m sure I don’t know,” Nelse replied, with a long-drawn sigh. “It is certain we couldn’t make our whereabouts known, and I’m inclined to think we’ve been more than foolish to come here.”
“We might leave now, and take our chances in the woods as Andy is doing.”
“How would you contrive to get out?”
“Gracious! I’d forgotten that we’re shut in here already,” Nelse exclaimed, and then he relapsed into silence, while Gil tried in vain to see some cheerful ray in the very disagreeable situation.
During the next half-hour nothing was said, and then one of the sailors spoke:
“Never mind what’s goin’ to happen, there’s no call for us to be hungry while there are so many oysters waitin’ to be invited to supper. Here goes for a couple of dozen. Can you boys open them?”
“I never tried, but this seems like a good time to begin,” Gil said, with a vain attempt to laugh.
“You’d make a poor fist if you’re green at the business. Set close, both of you, an’ I’ll engage to fill you up before startin’ in for myself.”
Speaking about food had caused the boys to remember that they were very hungry, and they accepted the generous proposition without delay.
It is certain that trouble seems less when viewed by one whose stomach is full, as Gil and Nelse soon learned. When the satisfactory meal was ended both ceased to think the situation so very desperate, and actually began to plan what steps should be taken to continue the search for the supposed treasure as soon as Captain Mansfield returned.
That Jenkins did not come back, although the night had fully shut in, gave them no uneasiness, for all believed he would play the spy once more before joining them, and it would not be surprising if he were absent until past midnight.
It was dull work sitting there in the darkness after the conversation regarding their movements when they should be free was exhausted, and it seemed as if they must have been in the tunnel several hours, when Gil said, with a yawn:
“Of course, somebody must keep awake so’s to hear Jenkins when he wants the rope passed up to him, but that’s no reason why all hands of us should sit here nodding.”
“You’re right, lad. Turn in, an’ me an’ my mate will ’tend to the rest of the business.”
“But you must have some sleep.”
“We’ll have a chance to get plenty before leavin’ this ’ere hole, so don’t trouble your head about us.”
“We’ll crawl back a short piece, and try to find a place where we can stretch out at full length,” Gil suggested, and Nelse replied:
“Go ahead; I’ll follow close enough to keep hold of your coat.”
Gil proceeded on his hands and knees to avoid a possible fall, and at least twenty yards had been traversed when his companion asked:
“Don’t you think we’ve gone about far enough? It isn’t safe to get too near that door at the end, for there’s no knowing when the blacks may come down this way.”
“Up to this point a fellow would have had to double himself into a bowknot in order to lay down, and we’re not so very far from the shaft. I’ll go on a little further, and then if it hasn’t widened we might as well rejoin the others, because——”
The sentence was never finished, for at that instant Nelse felt the earth sink beneath him, and Gil’s coat was torn from his grasp as its owner plunged forward.
For a few seconds Nelse remained motionless, unable to understand what had happened, and then he realized that his companion must have been precipitated into a cavity of some kind, although the floor of the tunnel appeared firm when the whole party traversed it a few hours previously.
“Gil! Gil!” he called, and it seemed almost an endless while before the reply came:
“I’m all right, but I must have fallen twenty feet or more, and the breath was pretty nearly shaken out of my body.”
“What can I do to help you?”
“Get the rope and pull me out, for I don’t fancy staying here all night.”
“It doesn’t sound as if you were buried very deep.”
“I’m not buried at all, but simply in a big hole, which I don’t care to explore for fear of getting into worse trouble.”
By this time Nelse had collected his partially scattered senses, and at once made his way back to the shaft with all speed, startling the sailors into something very nearly resembling fear, as he hurriedly told what had befallen Gil.
“This ’ere is gettin’ too hot to suit me,” one of the men said, in a tone of apprehension. “Who knows but that them black scoundrels have got a way to let the whole bottom drop out of the tunnel, an’ that’s why we’ve been allowed to crawl in here.”
“Of course such a thing couldn’t be, because they had no idea we should find the shaft—perhaps don’t know where we are.”
“That may be, but I’m beginnin’ to think a good deal as Andy does about the island’s bein’ bewitched.”
“It wouldn’t do any good just now if you were positive that such a state of affairs existed. Gil is in the hole, and it doesn’t seem fair to leave him there while we talk nonsense.”
“You’re right, lad, an’ I’m an old fool. Here’s the rope; heave ahead an’ we’ll foller, but be careful not to tumble into the same place.”
“Some one should stay here in case Jenkins comes back,” Nelse suggested, as he began to retrace his steps, and one of the sailors said, as he lighted his pipe:
“I’ll hang around. You two can ’tend to him, I reckon.”
It was not an easy matter to find the cavity without falling in, and Nelse moved forward slowly, calling to Gil from time to time until the latter answered, thus guiding him to the proper place.
“Where’s the rope?” he asked, and, instead of replying, the sailor lighted a match, saying as he did so:
“I’d like to have a squint around before we do very much, for it ain’t sure——”
“Have you got the rope?” Gil cried, impatiently.
“It’s here, an’ we’ll soon have you out.”
“Can’t you send down some kind of a light? I’ve fallen on what I truly believe is the decaying fragments of a chest, and unless I’m very much mistaken in regard to what I’ve got in my hand, we’ve struck the treasure at last.”