The searchers' way was now a narrow crack such as might have been formed
by some mighty convulsion of nature which tore apart a gigantic mass of
stone, the fracture running here and there where veins of some softer
material had yielded, to be separated sometimes only two or three feet,
and at others opening out to form rugged chambers as much as twenty feet
in extent, whose roofs ran up so high, that the dim light from the
lanterns failed to reach them. Here and there were niches and crevices
which were carefully searched in the expectation of their proving to be
hiding-places; but the men, who forced their way in without hesitation,
failed to obtain any result.
Upon reaching one which seemed to be the deepest, Dickenson, who was
first to notice it, paused to shout, "Now, Dirck, old chap, come out and
surrender before we fire."
"No, no," cried Lennox; "how do we know but what there may be quite a
store of powder farther in?"
"But it looks such an awkward place," said Dickenson. "A fellow with a
bayonet might keep a regiment at bay."
"Yes," said Lennox coolly; "it looks awkward, but come on."
As he spoke he pushed by, sword in hand, and began to explore the
suspicious-looking rift.
"Oh, come; play fair," cried Dickenson. "I was first."
"Come along," said Lennox, with his voice sounding smothered.
"Oh, very well," grumbled Dickenson. "Bring the lantern, sergeant. We
may as well see ourselves skewered."
He plunged in hastily, closely followed by the lantern-bearer, and as it
seemed to be an extremely likely hiding-place, the rest of the party
were halted ready to give assistance. But at the end of a minute the
lantern had shown that it was a blind lead, and the explorers hurried
back, and the advance was continued through narrow crack and rough
opening, till the lights threw up the blank stone where the rift
suddenly contracted.
"Why, here's the end of the cave!" cried Captain Roby. "We must have
passed him somewhere."
"Then he is hiding somewhere high up on a shelf by the roof."
"No, no; look here," cried Lennox, stepping in advance. "Lantern--
quick!"
Sergeant James stepped forward to where the young lieutenant was
standing by a rough opening in the floor of the cavern, and upon the
light being directed downward, to the surprise of all, the rugged branch
of a small tree could be seen lowered down into a sloping position, with
its boughs cut short off to form rough steps, their regularity
suggesting that they were near akin in their growth to those of a fir,
and affording good foot and hand hold to any one wishing to descend.
"We're on his track, sure enough," said Lennox, letting his blade hang
from his wrist by the sword-knot, and beginning to descend quickly, the
sergeant with the light closely following.
The next minute the leaders of the party were in a wide and spacious
chamber, fairly level as to its floor, with the sides running into
rugged niches and holes, all of which were well searched, without avail,
a couple of men being left, sentry-like, at one which ran down like a
sloping passage into some lower place.
Along this, as soon as the big chamber had proved to be empty, Lennox
hurried. The descent was very steep and rugged, and necessitated his
lowering himself down by his hands in two or three places, till a lower
story, so to speak, was reached, in the shape of a vast chamber of the
most irregular form, the whole party assembling about the entrance,
where the lights were held-up, to show dimly what seemed to be huge,
rounded lumps placed here and there upon heaps of broken stones or
blocks which had fallen from the roof some ten or a dozen feet overhead,
while at one end the top of the cave sloped down to join the rising
floor.
"This seems to be the bottom of the cave," said Captain Roby. "Now,
sharp, my lads. Keep that way out safe."
"Which?" said Dickenson. "Here's another hole in the floor. Lantern
here. Yes, there's another private staircase with a flight of steps
ready. This ought to be the well. Yes; come and listen. You can hear
water rushing."
Sure enough, as they bent over the gloomy, mysterious-looking hole, up
which a cool, moist breath of air arose, they could hear the gurgling
rush of hurrying water, while the light held down showed the rugged bark
of another tree ready for descent.
"Will you go down, Lennox?" said the captain.
"Oh yes, I'll go down," was the reply.
"Well, undress," said Dickenson banteringly. "It means a swim. Don't
spoil your neat uniform."
"Will you go?" asked Lennox sharply.
"Oh yes, I'll go," said Dickenson.
"Thank you," replied Lennox through his set teeth.--"Here, sergeant,
give me the lantern."
Catching it from the man, he planted his foot upon the first branch
stump a foot below the edge of the yawning hole; but the moment he
touched it a violent jerk was given to the tree-trunk, just as if it had
been seized by some one below and wrenched round.
Lennox's position was so insecure, with one hand holding the lantern,
that he was thrown off his balance, and he would have fallen headlong
down but for the snatch he made at the sergeant, who also caught at him,
slipped, and the two were nearly precipitated down the horrible place at
the bottom of which the water was rushing with a hollow, echoing,
whispering sound.
The tree saved them, the sergeant getting a firm hold; but between them
the light of the lantern was shut off, hidden between the two men for
the moment, and an attempt was made by Dickenson to reach and drag it
up.
"I've got it," he cried. "Let it come. No, I haven't; mind."
For it had slipped through his fingers, and it went clattering down the
rough, well-like place, striking against one of the projecting stumps of
the tree-trunk, which turned it right over and threw it with an echoing
crash against the wall, lit it up for a moment, and then the flame
within was extinguished.
"Yah!" roared Captain Roby as the place was plunged into absolute
darkness. "Here, bring up the other lantern."
There was silence, broken by panting and scuffling as of two men engaged
in a struggle.