A DIVING-BELL.
This sudden revelation that Mrs. Weldon was acquainted with the true
state of things left Dick speechless. Even had he been capable of
replying, she gave him no opportunity, but immediately retired to the
side of her son. The various incidents of the march had all gradually
enlightened her, and perhaps the exclamation of Cousin Benedict on the
preceding evening had crowned them all; anyhow the brave lady now knew
the worst. Dick felt, however, that she did not despair; neither would
he.
He lay and longed for the dawn, when he hoped to explore the situation
better, and perchance to find the watercourse which he was convinced
could not be far distant. Moreover, he was extremely anxious to be out
of the reach of the natives whom, it was only too likely, Negoro and
Harris might be putting on their track.
But as yet no glimmer of daylight penetrated the aperture of the cone,
whilst the heavy rumblings, deadened as they were by the thickness of
the walls, made it certain that the storm was still raging with
undiminished fury. Attentively Dick listened, and he could distinctly
hear the rain beating around the base of the ant-hill; the heavy drops
splashed again as they fell, in a way altogether different to what they
would upon solid ground, so that he felt sure that the adjacent land
was by this time completely flooded. He was getting very drowsy when it
suddenly occurred to him that it was not unlikely the aperture was
getting blocked up with damp clay; in that case he knew that the breath
of the inmates would quickly vitiate the internal atmosphere. He crept
along the ground and had the satisfaction of finding that the clay
embankment was still perfectly dry; the orifice was quite unobstructed,
allowing not only a free passage to the air, but admitting the glare of
the occasional flashes of lightning, which the descending volumes of
water did not seem to stay.
Having thus far satisfied himself that all was well, and that there was
no immediate danger, Dick thought that he might now resign himself to
sleep as well as the rest: he took the precaution, however, of
stretching himself upon the embankment within easy reach of the
opening, and with his head supported against the wall, after a while
dozed off.
How long his light slumber had lasted he could not say, when he was
aroused by a sensation of cold. He started up, and to his horror
discovered that the water had entered the ant-hill and was rising
rapidly; it could not be long, he saw, before it reached the cells
which were occupied by Hercules and Tom. He woke them at once, and told
them what he had observed. The lantern was soon lighted, and they set
to work to ascertain what progress the water was making It rose for
about five feet, when it was found to remain stationary.
"What is the matter, Dick?" inquired Mrs. Weldon, disturbed by the
movements of the men.
"Nothing very alarming," answered Dick promptly; "only some water has
found its way into the lower part of the place; it will not reach your
upper cells; probably some river has overflowed its boundaries."
"The very river, perhaps," suggested Hercules assuringly, "that is to
carry us to the coast."
Mrs. Weldon made no reply.
Cousin Benedict was still sleeping as soundly as if he were himself a
white ant; the negroes were peering down on to the sheet of water which
reflected back the rays of the lantern, ready to carry out any orders
given by Dick, who was quietly gauging the inundation, and removing the
provisions and fire-arms out of its reach.
[Illustration: They set to work to ascertain what progress the water
was making.]
"Did the water get in at the opening, Mr. Dick?" asked Tom.
"Yes, Tom, and consequently we are coming to the end of our stock of
fresh air," was Dick's reply.
"But why should we not make another opening above the water level?" Tom
inquired.
"A thing to be thought about," said Dick; "but we have to remember that
if we have five feet of water here inside, there is probably a depth of
six or seven outside. In rising here the flood has compressed the air,
and made it an obstacle to further progress, but if we allow the air to
escape, we may perhaps only be letting the water rise too high for our
safety. We are just as if we were in a diving-bell."
"Then what is to be done?" asked the old negro.
"No doubt," replied Dick, "we must proceed very cautiously. An
inconsiderate step will jeopardize our lives." Dick Sands was quite
correct in comparing the cone to an immersed diving-bell. In that
mechanical contrivance, however, the air can always be renewed by means
of pumps, so that it can be occupied without inconvenience beyond what
is entailed by a somewhat confined atmosphere; but here the interior
space had already been reduced by a third part through the encroachment
of the water, and there was no method of communicating with the outer
air except by opening a new aperture, an operation in which there was
manifest danger.
Dick did not entertain the slightest apprehension that the ant-hill
would be carried away bodily by the inundation; he knew that it would
adhere to its base as firmly as a beaver-hut; what he really dreaded
was that the storm would last so long that the flood would rise high
above the plain, perhaps submerging the ant-hill entirely, so that
ultimately all air would be expelled by the persistent pressure.
The more he pondered the more he felt himself driven to the conviction
that the inundation would be wide and deep. It could not be, he felt
sure, entirely owing to the downpour from the clouds that the rapid
flood was rising; there must have been the sudden overflowing of some
stream to cause such a deluge over the low-lying plain. It could not be
proved that the ant hill was not already under water, so that escape
might be no longer possible, even from its highest point.
With all Dick's courage, it was yet evident that he was very uneasy; he
did not know what to do, and asked himself again and again whether
patient waiting or decisive action would be his more prudent course.
It was now about three o'clock in the morning. All within the ant-hill
were silent and motionless, listening to the incessant turmoil which
told that the strife of the elements had not yet ceased.
Presently, old Tom pointed out that the height of the water was
gradually increasing, but only by very slow ascent. Dick could only say
that if the flood continued to rise, however slowly, it must inevitably
drive out the air.
As if struck by a sudden thought, Bat called out,--
"Let me try and get outside. Perhaps I might dive and get through the
opening."
"I think I had better make that experiment myself," answered Dick.
"That you never shall," interposed Tom peremptorily; "you must let Bat
go. It may not be possible to get back, and your presence is
indispensable here. Think, sir, think of Mrs. Weldon, and Master Jack,"
he added in a lower tone.
"Well, well," Dick assented, "if it must be so, Bat shall go."
And turning to Bat, he continued,
"Do not try to come back again; we will try, if we can, to follow you
the same way; but if the top of the cone is still above water, knock
hard on it with your hatchet, and we shall take it as a signal that we
may break our way out. Do you understand?"
"All right!" he said, "all right, sir."
And after wringing his father's hand, he drew a long breath, and
plunged into the water that filled the lower section of the ant-hill.
It was an exploit that required considerable agility; the diver would
have to find the orifice, make his way through it, and, without loss of
a moment, let himself rise to the surface outside. Full half a minute
elapsed, and Dick was making sure that the negro had been successful in
his effort, when his black head emerged from the water. There was a
general exclamation of surprise.
"It is blocked up," gasped Bat, as soon as he had recovered breath
enough to speak.
"Blocked up?" cried Tom.
"Yes," Bat affirmed; "I have felt all round the wall very carefully
with my hand, and I am sure there is no hole left; I suppose the water
has dissolved the clay."
"If you cannot find a hole," exclaimed Hercules, "I can very soon make
one;" and he was just about to plunge his hatchet into the side of the
ant-hill, when Dick prevented him.
"Stop, stop! you must not be in such a hurry!"
He reflected for a few moments, and went on,--
"We must be cautious; an impetuous step may be destruction; perhaps the
water is over the top; if it is allowed to enter, then at once is an
end of all."
"But whatever we do," urged Tom, "must be done at once; there is no
time to lose."
He was right; the water had risen till it was quite six feet deep; none
but Mrs. Weldon, Jack, Nan, and Cousin Benedict, who were lodged in the
upper cells, were fairly above its surface.
Dick now came to his determination. At about a foot above the
water-level, that is, about seven feet from the ground, he resolved to
bore a hole through the clay. If he should find himself in
communication with the open air, he would have the proof he desired
that the top of the cone was still uncovered; if, on the other hand, he
should ascertain that he had pierced the wall below the surface of the
external water, he would be prepared to plug up the hole
instantaneously, and repeat the experiment higher up. It was true that
the inundation might have risen even fifteen feet above the plain; in
that case the worst had come, and there was no alternative but that
they must all die of asphyxia.
Carefully considering the chances of his undertaking, Dick calmly and
steadily set about his task. The best instrument that suggested itself
for his purpose was the ramrod of a gun, which, having a sort of
corkscrew at the end for extracting the wadding, would serve as an
auger. The hole would be very small, but yet large enough for the
requisite test. Hercules showed him all the light he could by holding
up the lantern. There were several candles left, so that they were not
in fear of being altogether in darkness.
The operation hardly took a minute; the ramrod passed through the clay
without difficulty; a muffled sound was distinguished as of air-bubbles
rushing through a column of water. As the air escaped, the water in the
cone rose perceptibly. The hole had been pierced too low. A handful of
clay was immediately forced into the orifice, which was thus
effectually plugged; and Dick turned round quietly, and said,--
"We must try again."
The water had again become stationary, but its last rise had diminished
the amount of breathing space by more than eight inches. The supply of
oxygen was beginning to fail, respiration was becoming difficult, and
the flame of the candle burned red and dim.
About a foot higher than the first hole, Dick now set about boring a
second. The experiment might again prove a failure, and the water rise
yet higher in the cone; but the risk must be run.
Just as the auger was being inserted, a loud exclamation of delight was
heard proceeding from Cousin Benedict's cell. Dick paused, and Hercules
turned the lantern towards the excited naturalist, who seemed beaming
with satisfaction.
"Yes, yes; I see it all well enough," he cried; "I know now why the
termites left their home; they were wide-awake; they were more clever
than we are; they knew that the storm was coming!"
Finding that this was all the worthy entomologist had to communicate,
Dick, without comment, turned back again to his operation. Again the
gurgling noise! again the water's upward rush! For the second time he
had failed to effect an aperture to the outer air!
[Illustration: All fired simultaneously at the nearest boat.]
The situation was to the last degree alarming. The water had all but
reached Mrs. Weldon, and she was obliged to take her boy into her arms.
Every one felt nearly stifled. A loud singing was heard in the ears,
and the lantern showed barely any light at all. A few minutes more and
the air would be incapable of supporting life. One chance alone
remained. They must bore another hole at the very summit of the cone.
Not that they were unaware of the imminent danger of this measure, for
if the ant-hill were really submerged the water from below would
immediately expel the remaining air and death must be instantaneous. A
few brief words from Dick explained the emergency of the crisis. Mrs.
Weldon recognized the necessity,--
"Yes, Dick, do it; there is nothing else to be done."
While she was speaking the light flickered out, and they were in total
darkness.
Mounted on the shoulders of Hercules, who was crouching in one of the
side-cells, his head only just above water, Dick proceeded to force the
ramrod into the clay, which at the vertex of the ant-hill was
considerably harder and thicker than elsewhere.
A strange mingling of hope and fear thrilled through Dick Sands as he
applied his hand to make the opening which was to admit life and air,
or the flood of death!
The silence of the general expectation was broken by the noise of a
sharp hissing; the water rose for eight inches, but all at once it
ceased to rise; it had found its level. No need this time to close the
orifice; the top of the ant-hill was higher than the top of the flood;
and for the present, at least, they could all rejoice that their lives
were spared!
A general cheer, led by the stentorian voice of Hercules, involuntarily
broke from the party; cutlasses were brought into action, and the clay
crumbled away beneath the vigorous assault that was made upon it. The
welcome air was admitted through the new-made aperture, bringing with
it the first rays of the rising sun. The summit of the ant-hill once
removed, it would be quite easy to clamber to the top, whence it was
hoped they would soon get away to some high ground out of reach of the
flood.
Dick was the first to mount the summit; but a cry of dismay burst from
his lips!
A sound only too well known to travellers in Africa broke upon his ear;
that sound was the whizzing of arrows.
Hardly a hundred yards away was a large encampment; whilst, in the
water, quite close to the ant-hill where he stood, he saw some long
boats full of natives. From one of these had come the volley of arrows
which had greeted his appearance above the opening of the cone.
To tell his people what had happened was the work of a moment. He
seized his gun, and made Hercules, Bat, and Actæon take theirs, and all
fired simultaneously at the nearest boat. Several of the natives were
seen to fall; but shouts of defiance were raised, and shots were fired
in return.
Resistance was manifestly useless. What could they do against a hundred
natives? they were assailed on every hand. In accordance with what
seemed a preconcerted plan, they were carried off from the ant-hill
with brutal violence, in two parties, without the chance of a farewell
word or sign.
Dick Sands saw that Mrs. Weldon, Jack, and Cousin Benedict were placed
on board one boat, and were conveyed towards the camp, whilst he
himself, with the five negroes and old Nan, was forced into another,
and taken in a different direction. Twenty natives formed a body-guard
around them, and five boats followed in their rear.
Useless though it were, Dick and the negroes made one desperate attempt
to maintain their freedom; they wounded several of their antagonists,
and would doubtless have paid their lives as a penalty for their
daring, if there had not been special orders given that they should be
taken alive.
The passage of the flood was soon accomplished. The boat had barely
touched the shore, when Hercules with a tremendous bound sprang on to
the land. Instantly two natives rushed upon him. The giant clave their
skulls with the butt end of his gun, and made off. Followed though he
was by a storm of bullets, he escaped in safety, and disappeared
beneath the cover of the woods.
[Illustration: The giant clave their skulls with the butt end of his
gun.]
Dick Sands and the others were guarded to the shore, and fettered like
slaves.