Nelse did as he was bidden; but while standing at the edge of the
excavation holding the torch in one hand and his revolver in the other,
he could not fail to realize how quickly the tables might be turned if
the blacks should make a combined dash.
That which held them in subjection was the fact that the walls of the
underground chamber were so high they could not gain the floor of the
tunnel without climbing on each other’s shoulders, and while this was
being done the sentinel would have ample opportunity to shoot with
reasonable accuracy of aim.
Meanwhile Gil was straining his ears for the repetition of that fearful
noise which had literally caused the blood to chill in his veins, and
Andy remained crouching within the shadow of the tunnel busily engaged
in executing a series of wonderful contortions evidently intended as an
incantation to weaken the power of the voudoo worshipers.
During fully half an hour matters remained in this condition, not a
sound save the usual night noises of the forest breaking the silence,
and then the old darky, his alleged spell having been wrought, came
toward Gil as he said:
“I’se gwine ter take my trick at standin’ watch, an’ you’se kin fin’ de
odders.”
“It won’t take much hunting to do that, for I reckon they are guarding
the other end of the tunnel; but, if you can attend to matters here for
a while, I’ll be glad to see how things are getting on.”
“I’se done gone fixed myself,” was the grave reply, and Gil naturally
came to the conclusion that the “fixing” was neither more nor less than
those wonderful contortions in which the old darky had been indulging.
Nelse was more than pleased at seeing his friend, for the mental strain
of watching over so many of the enemy was beginning to tell upon him,
and, what seemed more important, the torch was nearly consumed.
“Stand here a while and I’ll make another,” he said, glad of any excuse
which should take him from the chamber, with its frightened, cowering
occupants, and Gil readily agreed to shoulder the responsibility.
To recount all that took place on this eventful night would be tedious.
It suffices to say that a strict watch was kept at each point from
which danger might be anticipated, and when morning came every member
of the party felt thoroughly worn out and exhausted.
Jenkins had but little fear an attack would be made during the day,
except it might be from the farther end of the tunnel, and proposed to
run the risk of this by withdrawing the sentinel from that point and
stationing him at the underground chamber, where his duty would be to
stand watch over the entire tunnel.
“In that way we shall all get a chance to sleep, which is what we’re
needin’ mighty bad, an’ I’ll take the first trick. Andy shall stay near
the shaft, an’ you boys are to have a good two-hour snooze.”
“It strikes me that the torches won’t hold out a great while longer,”
Nelse said, as he looked ruefully at the small supply of wood, which
had diminished rapidly since the blacks were caught in the trap.
“We won’t worry about that. Time enough when we’ve used the last one.
The important thing is to get some rest, an’ I want you boys to begin
without delay so’s Andy an’ I can have our turn.”
Despite the fact that they had thought it would be impossible to close
their eyes in slumber, while in a situation of such peril, the boys had
hardly stretched themselves out on the floor of the tunnel before they
were sleeping soundly.
Not until three hours later did either awaken, and then the mate
aroused them with a cheery cry of:
“All hands on deck!”
To their great surprise they saw the shaft comfortably full of black
men, and Jenkins said, in reply to their questions:
“Andy an’ I did that while you were snoring. We found out that the
fellows in the treasure-chamber could understand a kind of lingo he
talks, an’ then we made ’em know what was wanted. We brought ’em up
here one by one, after tyin’ the hands of each with that string-piece
he wore around his waist, an’ now they’re quiet an’ harmless as lambs.
None of ’em dares to wink very hard, an’ we can do all the watchin’ at
this place.”
“Ain’t you afraid they will make a sudden rush?” Nelse asked, thinking
it anything rather than safe to allow the fellows so near.
“Not while their hands are tied, an’ one of us manages to keep awake.
They know what the result will be if any of ’em so much as moves his
head the wrong way, an’ I reckon they’ll stay quiet enough.”
“But what about the door at the other end of the tunnel?”
“I’m takin’ my chances on that ’cause we’ve dug away the earth at the
top of the treasure-chamber, an’ it’ll be a mighty smart darky who can
crawl along there without tumblin’ in, seein’s they can’t afford to
bring a light with ’em. You see, this does away with the trouble about
torches, an’ I’ll admit that I don’t know how we could a-got more when
these were used up. Now, I’m goin’ to take about forty winks. Andy has
been right there for the last hour, so you can turn him out for the
next trick.”
As he lay down, Jenkins motioned toward the mouth of the tunnel, where
the cook was sleeping with his huge mouth opened to its widest extent,
and it seemed to the boys as if the former had but just stretched
himself out when he was aiding Andy in the snoring concert.
Some of the prisoners had so far recovered from their fears as to
be able to indulge in slumber, and those who remained awake were
doing their best to convince the watchers that their intentions were
peaceable.
Although the situation was decidedly improved from what it had been
when the boys lay down, it was yet far from being reassuring, and not
until ten minutes or more had passed did they feel at all comfortable
in mind.
Then Gil said, as he saw the iron casket lying near the entrance, where
Jenkins had placed it for safe keeping:
“I think it’s about time we examined those documents. You keep your
eyes on the fellows, an’ I’ll find out what’s written there.”
“Go ahead; but I don’t believe you’ll have much luck, for most likely
it’s in French or Spanish, an’ we ain’t very well posted in those
languages, although we might have been by studying a little harder.”
“It’s English!” Gil exclaimed, in a tone of satisfaction, as he drew
the stained documents from their long resting-place, and forced to use
the greatest caution in opening them lest the paper, brittle with age,
should be destroyed.
“If you read it, go on, an’ I’ll keep my eyes on this crowd of very
interesting young gentlemen,” Nelse said, as he settled himself into
a more comfortable position for listening, and displayed his revolver
ostentatiously.
“The writing is plain enough, except in places where the ink has faded,
and I reckon I can get through with it, so here goes for the first
sheet.”
“How many are there?”
“Seven or eight; but the most of them appear to be memoranda of
business transactions, for all except the first are covered with
figures. It starts off like a will:
“I, Nissage Boyer, native of France, and adopted citizen of the
United States, owner of the finest plantation on the island of Hayti,
and lessee of the government forest containing the most valuable
dye-wood, deposit here a memoranda of my possessions in case I should
never succeed in leaving this place alive, hoping it may fall into
the hands of my family, who, fortunately, are now safe in New York.
“During the past year I have done my best to keep out of political
entanglements; but Soulouque, who capers like a crowned monkey under
his borrowed name of Faustin I., has laid many traps, some of which I
have fallen into, and, in order to retain possession of my property,
and at the same time send my family to a place of safety, I bound
myself to his falling fortunes. Now, in the year 1857 I find myself
threatened both by the emperor and insurgents. Trying to serve two
masters, I have fallen to the ground, and am a fugitive, trusting to
the fidelity of my slaves, and seeking an opportunity to set sail for
the United States.
“Condemned to death by both parties, I should have been executed
several days ago but for some of my negroes, who aided me to reach
this island, where I fitted up a place of refuge in the year
Soulouque declared himself emperor, knowing full well that the evil
times would soon come, and hoping this might serve as a hiding-place
for my dear ones. The shaft, the tunnel and the main cave were
probably built by the buccaneers who settled here in 1702; but the
voudoo worshipers have made the island their abiding-place so long
that none of the negroes and few white men care to visit it.
“Protected by these same voudoo priests, who have always done all in
their power to frighten their countrymen away from this place, I am
awaiting the arrival of a fisherman’s vessel which should be here in
a week at the outside, unless the situation at the capital becomes
so grave that all the sailing crafts will be seized by the alleged
emperor or the so-called insurgents. I have succeeded in bringing
away the most valuable of my personal property, and, in addition, a
necklace of diamonds for which I sold the contents of a warehouse,
taking them in exchange, since gold is not readily gotten hold of
without exciting suspicion that the owner wishes to leave the island.
“The stones, together with as much money as I have been able to
secrete, will remain in this subterranean chamber----”
“Look here,” Nelse cried, interrupting Gil, “according to what you’ve
been reading we haven’t found any pirates’ treasure, but something for
which an owner may appear at any moment.”
“That’s just the size of it, and when we give up the diamonds we
sha’n’t be able to account very satisfactorily for what the sailors
stole. Our story will seem rather fishy, I’m afraid; but let’s find out
the balance of this communication, and then we shall know better what
must be done.”
“Are we to give up all hope of coming at the gold which is described by
the chart?”
“I think we may as well own up that it is a failure; but we can tell
after I----”
The conversation was interrupted by a noise from the outside, and,
springing to his feet, Gil went toward the edge of the shaft, arriving
there just as a shower of missiles descended.
Standing near the edge of the shaft as he did, Gil escaped a blow; but
the prisoners were hit freely, and they set up such an outcry as caused
Jenkins and Andy to spring to their feet very suddenly.