The Hidden Treasure
Bob looked at his father in surprise.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Simply that no one is there to drive away now," was the reply. "We
have captured all of the Arabs--even the two thieves who stole
Fekmah's map. And I might add that we have located the hidden
treasure."
"What! You've been there?"
"No, but we've seen the cave in which it is. In fact, it is possible
to see it from here."
Mr. Holton took out his binoculars and handed them to his son.
"Look away over there," the naturalist said, pointing to a distant
wall of rock that was many hundred feet high. "That small shelf on the
side of the cliff is an opening into the cave in which are the hidden
riches."
Bob scanned the landscape ahead. Then he cried out in surprise and
amazement.
"A cave away up in that cliff? Seems impossible. How can you get to
it?"
"Must be an entrance on the other side," Dr. Kirshner replied.
"Fekmah's map no doubt points it out. Whether he remembered to put it
on the duplicate after the original was stolen, we have yet to see.
Where is he now?"
"Who, Fekmah? I left him at camp this morning."
"Let's go there now."
First, however, Dr. Kirshner engaged in conversation with the Tuaregs
in their own language. He told them, among other things, of how
grateful he and the other former prisoners were for their help in
releasing them from the clutches of the Arabs.
The natives were very courteous and friendly, inviting the
archæologist to their village. He returned that he would be delighted
to visit them, and concluded by saying that they would be given a
reward for their generous services.
"Now let's get out of here," he said, turning to his friends. "I'm
particularly anxious to get back to camp and see Fekmah. I wonder if
any misfortune could have come upon him and our camels."
The Americans, Tuaregs, and Arab captives left the cave behind and
trudged down the mountainside. But before they did so, they carried
out the food supply that had been in the cave for the prisoners and
their guards. It consisted of simple native food, but was welcomed by
the Americans and Tishmak.
"There is much more in the cave where the hidden treasure is,"
remarked Joe, as he walked beside his chum, who was leading his camel.
"We won't need to worry about not having enough to eat for many
weeks."
"Doubt if we'll stay here that much longer," Bob said. "But I imagine
it'll come in handy all right."
The Arabs were ordered to walk in front of the Americans and Tishmak.
The Tuaregs rode on to their village, after asking their newly made
friends to visit them the next morning.
It required several hours for the explorers and their captives to get
back to camp, going on foot as they did. But when they finally came
within sight of the tent and camels, all gave sighs of relief.
Fekmah came running out to meet them, his face showing an intense
thankfulness at again seeing his American friends and Tishmak alive
and apparently none the worse for their experience.
"So Bob got you from Arab demons," he muttered and then added: "I knew
he would do it."
Nothing would satisfy him but a complete detailed account of their
experiences, and it was Mr. Lewis who related all of the happenings
since they had last left camp.
"Howard [Mr. Holton] and Tishmak and I were sure greatly relieved when
our captors took us to the cave where Joe and Dr. Kirshner were being
held," Mr. Lewis finished. "Funny, but we had not dreamed of them
being prisoners."
"And I see you've brought the rascals with you," observed Fekmah.
"What are we going to do with them?"
"I'm sure we've all been thinking about that," Dr. Kirshner returned.
"There are no police so far south as this, and we can't very well take
them with us back to Wargla. I wonder how it would be to take them to
an oasis fifty miles or so from here and leave them? There would be no
danger of them starving, because dates and water would furnish food.
And they couldn't get away without camels."
"Sounds all right," Mr. Holton said. "Do you know where there is such
an oasis?"
"No, but I'm sure our Tuareg friends do. I'll ask them in the morning.
Until then we'll have to keep our eyes on these Arabs. It might be
well to tie them up."
This was thought good advice, and the captives were bound together so
tightly that they could not escape.
The remainder of that day passed idly, and the explorers retired
shortly after the evening meal.
"But we must be up early in the morning," Mr. Holton told them. "We
have a big day before us."
They all slept the sleep of exhaustion and did not awaken as early as
they had intended.
Breakfast over, Dr. Kirshner and Bob got on their camels and started
for the Tuareg village. The others put in a request to go also, but
the archæologist stoutly refused, saying that no time must be wasted.
"We only want to make arrangements to take these Arab crooks to an
oasis and leave them," he said. "If more of you go, it will
necessarily keep us longer."
It did not take the two long to get to the natives' village. The
chieftain at once came out to meet the newcomers, and Bob introduced
Dr. Kirshner to them.
After a few casual remarks the scientist got to the point. He told the
natives of his desire to banish the Arabs to an oasis, if any were
near. He also asked if enough camels could be borrowed to take the
crooks there.
The chieftain at once replied that he knew of an oasis a half-day's
journey from the village, and that he would gladly let them have the
camels.
"Fine!" Dr. Kirshner said in the native tongue. "We'll go there at
once."
The chieftain insisted upon leading them to the oasis, for, he said,
they could not find it alone.
Dr. Kirshner consented, and the head native at once herded enough
camels to take the prisoners away. Then the Americans and the Tuareg
chieftain started for the explorers' camp to get the Arabs.
"Be glad when this job's over," remarked Bob, as they rode toward
camp. "I'm anxious to see the hidden treasure."
They arrived at camp and placed each Arab on a dromedary. After
preparing a lunch to last them until they would return, Dr. Kirshner,
Bob, and the Tuareg chieftain began the journey to the oasis, riding
behind the prisoners and guarding them closely.
The oasis was about forty miles away, situated on a barren sand plain
surrounded by mountains. The Tuareg explained that there was no other
well near and that the prisoners would be forced to stay there for an
indefinite period, for no caravans passed along that way.
In order to get to the place it was necessary to go through the
mountains, and traveling was not any too easy. But they rode with a
determination and finally arrived at the oasis.
The Arabs were commanded to dismount and walk forward. Then, after
filling their canteens with water, the Americans and the Tuaregs
started the return journey, herding the dromedaries ahead of them.
"Now that that's over, maybe we can rest easy," said Dr. Kirshner.
"Those Arabs can't get away because of not having camels, and the
monotony will punish them greatly."
Bob, the scientist, and the Tuareg made good time that afternoon,
arriving at the explorers' camp just before sundown. The chieftain
lost no time in getting back to his village, after being thanked
warmly for his services.
"We'll see that those Tuaregs get a reward," said Mr. Holton. "Just as
soon as we get to the hidden treasure we'll give it to them."
The natives had not been told of the cave of riches, however, for fear
that their age-old desire to raid might get the better of them.
Very early the next morning the explorers got their belongings placed
on the dromedaries and started out for the cave of treasure. Although
it would mean only a few hours' journey, they were extremely
impatient.
"Wonder if those Arabs carried any of the riches away?" asked Bob, as
they rode toward the high wall of rock, in the side of which was the
cave.
"No," Mr. Holton returned. "They hadn't started yet. Were just looking
over everything. At least that's what our guards told us. It seemed
that they intended to carry the stuff out in a day or two."
"Wanted to catalog everything first, huh?" asked Bob. "Well, it's a
good thing we stopped them when we did."
Fekmah found it necessary to consult his duplicate map very
frequently, and he wondered if he had remembered to put in all the
details accurately.
Finally, after they had passed the tall wall of rock and were
following a narrow trail up the mountain on the opposite side of the
cliff, Dr. Kirshner turned to Bob.
"You asked the other day how we were to get into the cave," he said.
"Of course it would be impossible to scale that lofty cliff. Fekmah's
map points out a narrow opening in the rock somewhere in this
vicinity, and we ought to find it in a very few minutes now."
He had scarcely uttered the words when Fekmah cried out in delight and
pointed to a peculiar rock formation not far ahead.
"There it is," he declared joyfully. "There is where we enter mountain
to get cave of treasure."
The explorers, led by Fekmah, moved on up to the spot.
"Here's an opening!" cried Joe, pointing to a small crack that was
barely large enough to let them in.
Getting out their flashlights, they followed Fekmah through the crack
and into a narrow tunnel. The air was damp and heavy from the breath
of ages, but they trudged on through.
After what seemed like hours, the passageway gradually became lighter,
and the explorers found themselves in a large cave.
Suddenly Joe stumbled and fell, unable to catch himself.
"What's this!" he mumbled.
Then, as his light was turned to the floor, he gave an exclamation of
joy.
"The hidden riches!" he said excitedly. "I've found them!"