addition to being weary and low-spirited, stiff, and a good deal
bruised.
"What! to get the seed, boy?"
Perry nodded.
"Lie down and rest, and wait till the knowledge comes to you, boy.
There, I'll speak out and ask you a question. Do you think it is good
for humanity at large for one of the greatest blessings discovered by
them, for the prevention and cure of a terrible ill, to be solely under
the control of one petty, narrow-minded government, who dole it out to
the world just as they please, and at what price they like? Why, such a
blessing as quinine ought to be easily accessible all the world round,
and if I can succeed in getting our precious little store safely to
England, it will be the beginning of a very great work. Worth the
trouble? Why, the tenth part of what I have obtained of full ripe seed,
of what is undoubtedly the finest white-flowered kind, would be worth a
hundred times the labour and risk we have gone through--worth even
giving up life, my lad, so that others might benefit by what I have
done."
"But suppose, when we get it to England, it won't grow," said Perry.
"Why, you doleful young croaker!" cried the colonel merrily, "I don't
expect it to grow in England. Tropic plants do not flourish in our
little, cool, damp isle. There are plenty of places, though, where it
would grow, if we get it safely home."
"Getting it wet isn't good for it, is it?" said Perry sleepily.
"You are thinking of what you have in your pockets," said the colonel.
"That will not have hurt, for it would dry again pretty soon.--You have
yours safe, Cyril?"
"Yes, sir, there's about three pounds in my pockets."
"I have as much, and John Manning a little more, while I have a small
packet in each of the mules' loads."
"So as to make sure of saving some of it?" said Cyril eagerly.
"Yes, that is the idea, my lad," said the colonel. "Now, boys, Manning
and I will take it in turns to watch. There, get a good rest, and don't
think that I should have gone through all this labour, risk, and
excitement unless I had felt that I was doing something well worthy of
the trouble; so make up your minds to get it safely to San Geronimo."
He left them, as usual, to see where the mules were grazing, and Cyril
sat gazing down before him.
"What's the matter?" said Perry.
"I was thinking that it's all very well for you people to get back home,
only it isn't so pleasant for me."
"Father will speak to Captain Norton for you," said Perry.
"No: I don't want him to. I shall speak myself. I wouldn't have my
father see me sneak in behind yours in that cowardly way. Oh dear, I
wish it was over!"
"Mules feeding well and all quiet, boys," said the colonel; "and to all
appearance there isn't a soul near us for miles.--By the way, Manning,
did you go into the cave?"
"No, sir. Did you tell me? Seemed too damp to use for sleeping."
"No, I did not tell you; but get the lantern and let's look inside. We
don't want to be disturbed by some animal coming out in the night."
Manning took the battered lantern, and led the way to where the spring
came gushing out of what at a distance looked like a long, narrow,
sloping crack, but which proved to be, on closer acquaintance, large
enough for a man to walk in upright by stepping from stone to stone,
round about which the water came gurgling and bubbling out.
It was about a dozen yards from where their fire had been lit, amongst
the stones fallen at different times from the heights above; and as they
approached, a low musical rippling greeted their ear in a pleasant
murmur, suggesting that the spring must come for some distance through a
low, natural passage, whose stony walls caused the echoings of silvery
splashings, which now grew louder and more strange.
"Yes, too damp-looking for a resting-place," said the colonel; "and it
does not look like the lair of any dangerous beast, but we may as well
examine it, and we ought to have done so before. Why, boys, it would
make quite a fortress if we had to defend ourselves. Plenty of
water-supply, and ample room to drive in the mules."
John Manning had gone inside at once, and as soon as he was a short
distance from the narrow entrance, he struck a light and applied it to
the candle within the lantern, holding it above his head, and then
cautiously picking his steps along from stone to stone in the bed of the
stream.
Whish, whirr, came a peculiar sound, and, as if moved by one impulse,
the two boys rushed out, startled, to stand looking back, wondering why
the colonel had not followed.
"What was that?" cried Cyril.
"I don't know. Something rushed by my head," said Perry excitedly, as
he looked vainly round in the dim light, and then back at the faintly
lit-up entrance to the cave, where the lantern, now invisible behind a
curve, shone upon the moist stone wall.
"Come along back," cried Cyril; "what cowards they will think us. It
must have been birds. Ah! yes; look, dozens of them," he cried,
pointing to where what seemed to be faint shadows kept gliding out and
shooting upward over the face of the rock, to disappear at once in the
evening gloom.
"Think they are birds?" said Perry, in an awe-stricken voice.
"Birds or bats," said Cyril. "How stupid to be startled like that!
Come along."
He sturdily led the way back, ashamed of the sudden access of fear which
had come upon him; though entering so strangely weird-looking a place by
the feeble light of a lantern, and when unnerved by long toil and the
dangers they had lately passed through, it was not surprising, and
stronger folk might easily have been scared.
He had hardly got well inside again before his face was brushed by a
soft wing, and he felt ready to run back once more, but this time he
mastered the dread, and felt that Perry's hand was laid upon his arm
just as the colonel's voice, which sounded hollow, echoing, and strange,
said softly: "Goes in, perhaps, for miles.--Look, boys."
The voice sounded close to his ear; but to his surprise he found that
the lantern was quite a hundred yards in, and the light glimmering from
the surface of the tiny stream, while there was plenty of room on either
side for them to walk.
"Where are you, boys?" said the colonel, more loudly.
"Here, sir; coming," cried Cyril, who grasped the fact, now, that their
sudden rush out had not been noticed.
"It's all safe so far; no crevices or chasms," said the colonel; and as
the two lads approached, "Did you see the birds? They are flying about
overhead in flocks. Hark at the rush of their wings!"
As he ceased speaking, and his voice was no longer reverberating and
whispering about overhead, a peculiar fluttering, whirring sound, as of
many wheels in rapid motion, struck upon the boys' ears, a sound which
added strangely to the mysterious air of the place. It was evident,
too, that the roof was now far above their heads, giving room for the
strange dwellers in darkness to wheel and swoop about, often so close
that the wind raised by their pinions beat upon the explorers' cheeks.
"Lucky I'd got the lantern door shut," said John Manning, in a strange
whisper, "or they'd have blown it out a dozen times over.--Shall I go
any farther, sir?"
"No; it is of no use. But what a hiding-place! There's room, Manning,
for quite a brigade.--What's that?"
A sharp crash fell upon their ears, as of a stone dislodged somewhere
high up in the distance; and this was evidently the case, for they heard
it rattle down, loosening others, and sending a reverberating echo along
the cavern, which told of its vastness being greater than they had
before imagined.
"One of the birds loosened a stone, sir," said John Manning. "Look out:
here they come."
For, evidently alarmed by the falling stones, there was now the rush as
of a mighty wind, and the little party could feel that a great flock of
birds was passing overhead toward the entrance, hurriedly making their
escape out into the open air.
"Let's follow their example," said the colonel; "we are only wasting
time. But this would make a capital retreat if we were attacked; and we
could defend it against hundreds."
"Till we were starved, or burned out," grumbled John Manning.
"It would take a forest on fire to burn us out of this, sir," said the
colonel. "What! make difficulties? We have plenty to encounter
without. Now then, forward with the light."
John Manning faced round, and led on at once, while, as he held up the
lantern, the dark mass of birds in a regular train could be seen passing
on toward the entrance, which was reached directly after, both boys
uttering a sigh of relief on finding themselves once more in the outer
darkness, where they could breathe freely, and feel as if a great danger
had been escaped.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.
THE CAVE'S MOUTH.
As soon as they were outside, Cyril looked round for the birds,
expecting to see them swooping about in all directions, but there was
nothing visible between him and the stars; and with the peculiar nervous
feeling which he had felt in the cavern assailing him again, he turned
to the colonel, who laughed.
"Well," he said, "did you think it was something of what the Scotch call
`no canny,' my lad?"
Cyril felt more uncomfortable still.
"Do you think they really were birds?" he said.
"Of course; the South American cave-bird. A regular nocturnal
creature."
"What! a sort of owl, sir?"
"No. Perry here has seen their relatives at home."
"I? No, father," said the boy wonderingly.
"Nonsense. What about the nightjars you have seen hawking round the oak
trees in Surrey, after sunset?"
"Oh yes, I remember them," cried Perry.
"Well, these are, I fancy, birds of a similar kind, but instead of
frequenting trees, they live in flocks in these dark caverns, and go out
of a night to feed. Our light startled them just as they were about to
take flight. This must be one of their great breeding-places.--But no
more chatter. Sleep, and get a good night's rest."
Easier said than done. The boys lay down in company with John Manning,
but it was long enough before either Cyril or Perry could drop off!
They would close their eyes, but only by an effort, for they were always
ready to start open again at some sound high up on one or the other side
of the narrow winding valley. It was cold too, in spite of the
blankets, and when Cyril did at last slumber, he felt that he could
hardly have been asleep an hour, as he started up into wakefulness
again.
Something was wrong he was sure, and he stretched out his hand to touch
John Manning, who awoke instantly and sat up.
"All right," he said, in a low voice.
"No, no, don't move," whispered Cyril, grasping his arm. "I fancied I
heard something."
"Eh? Fancied? Perhaps it was fancy, sir. I'll ask the colonel."
"Listen first."
They knelt there in the darkness, attent for some minutes.
"Don't hear anything, sir. I'll go and speak to the colonel. What did
you fancy?"
"I--I don't know," faltered Cyril. "It must have been while I was
asleep. Yes," he whispered excitedly, "that was it."
"The mules!" said the old soldier. "What are they doing here in camp?"
For there came plainly now the soft pattering of hoofs on the stony
ground, and directly after a tall figure loomed up out of the darkness.
"Want me, sir?" said John Manning, in a quick whisper.
"As you are awake, yes. There is something stirring close at hand,
whether wild beast or Indian I can't say. Keep watch, and cover us
while I get the mules into that cave."
John Manning's double gun was already in his hand, and he stood fast
while the colonel went by with the leading mule, the others following.
Then directly after the soft pattering ceased, and the watchers knew
that the patient animals had been led right into the cave.
"Hear anything, Master Cyril?" whispered John Manning.
"No."
"And one can't see down in this dark gash," grumbled the man. "We
humans are worse off than any of the animals. We can't see so well, nor
hear so well, nor smell so well, nor run, nor fly. Lucky for us, we've
got gumption enough to make telescopes and steam-engines and ships, or I
don't know what we should do."
"Who's that?" said the colonel, returning. "Cyril?"
"Yes, sir."
"Go and stand at the mouth of the cave, and mind that the mules don't
come out."
Cyril obeyed, and took up his position on a stone in the gurgling
stream, to stand listening to the soft patter of the mules within, and
to the faint whispers which came time after time from where he had left
the colonel and John Manning.
He had been at his position for some few minutes, turning from time to
time in the darkness to cast a furtive look back into the entrance of
the cavern, hardly able to restrain a shudder, as he thought of its
unknown depths and the strange sound they had heard of the stone
falling, and he could not help wishing that Perry was with him for
company's sake.
For there was a terrible feeling of lonesomeness there in the darkness,
especially at a time like that, when he had just been roused from an
uneasy sleep by something unexplained at which the colonel had taken
alarm.
"He said either Indian or wild beast," mused the boy. "What wild beast
could there be?" There were, he knew, the wild varieties of the llamas,
guanacoes, and the like, but they were timid, sheep-like creatures; and
there were, he knew, pumas, the South American lions, as they were
called, and perhaps jaguars--both these latter cat-like, nocturnal
creatures; but they were animals of the forests, and not of these
sterile, rocky valleys. Still, there might be other dangerous beasts in
plenty, and his eyes wandered here and there, and he held his gun ready,
though in that deep gloom he felt that he would be quite at the mercy of
anything which attacked.
He had just reached this point, when his thoughts took a fresh
direction--suppose some savage creature should be in the cave, and
suddenly spring upon him from behind.
He turned cold with horror, and tried to call for help, but his mouth
and throat were dry from the nervous trepidation he suffered; for he had
suddenly been touched just below the shoulders, something big having
given him a rude thrust. This was followed by another, which nearly
sent him down into the water from the stone.
But he recovered himself, turned sharply, and struck out with his right
hand--a quick angry blow, while he felt as angry with himself for his
absurd cowardice, the second thrust having awakened him to the fact that
he had received a heavy push from the head of one of the mules, which
had come silently close up, and was desirous of getting out again into
the open air.
Cyril's blow drove the animal hastily back, and as he stood listening,
he heard the effect of his sharp action, for there was a good deal of
pattering about when the mule turned sharply to its companions, driving
them farther in. Then there was silence once more.
"How easy it is to let one's self be frightened," thought Cyril. "I
wish I were braver, and more like a man."
Then he wondered why the colonel and John Manning did not come to him,
and whether they were searching about for the cause of alarm. All was
very still now, and it was some time since he had heard a whisper.
"Very likely I shall hear a shot fired," he thought, and making up his
mind not to be startled if he did, for that it would be a good sign and
a proof that the cause of their night alarm had either been killed or
frightened away, he stood gazing out into the darkness in all
directions, and then smiled and complimented himself on his firmness.
"Not going to be scared at that," he muttered, for there had been a
sudden clattering of hoofs among the stones inside the cavern--just such
a sound as would be made if one of the mules had kicked out at its
companions, and made them start.
All was silent again for a minute, and then there was a faint splash.
"One of them gone down to drink," said Cyril to himself, and he turned
now and looked inward along the narrow opening, and could see faintly
one of the stars reflected in the black water, now twinkling, now
burning brightly. Then it disappeared, as if a cloud had passed across
the heavens, though that could not be, for another star gleamed closer
to him, but that was blotted out too.
"One of the mules coming out," he said, starting and raising his hand,
when there was a sudden bound made by something which had been crawling
slowly out of the cave's mouth; and as the boy struck at it wildly, his
fist touched something warm and soft, and the object, whatever it was,
made a stone or two rattle where it alighted, and then was gone.
Cyril raised his gun, but he did not draw trigger, for it was folly to
fire quite at random, and he was leaning forward, peering into the
darkness, when a faint click made him turn again toward the mouth of the
cave, just in time to be driven backward and lose his feet as another of
the creatures leaped out and dashed away into the darkness.
Two, and they were not mules, though evidently four-footed creatures.
But what could they be? he asked himself, as he recovered his feet and
stood with presented piece, his heart throbbing, and his finger on the
trigger, ready to fire at the next movement from the cave. They could
not be pumas, for the touch he had of the first one's body was not
furry; neither could they be large monkeys, for they would not have
smooth bodies, and besides, these creatures were too large.
He was still in doubt, when there was a sound behind him, and as he
turned sharply, a husky whisper:
"Don't fire, my lad. What was that?"
"Did you hear it, Manning?"
"Yes, and had a glint of some one running by me."
"Some one?"
"Yes. Indian, I think; did you see him?"
Cyril told him of what he had seen, and was just finishing, when there
was a faint whisper and a movement of a stone or two as some one hurried
up.
"Manning--Cyril--"
"Yes, sir."--"Yes, sir."
"Look out. Some one passed me just now. Who's this--Perry?"
"Yes, father," came in excited tones from out of the darkness. "Was it
you who fell over me?"
"No: when? where?"
"Just now. Then it must have been Cyril. He went down heavily, but
jumped up and ran away."
"Indians, sir," said John Manning, in a low angry growl. "They passed
the line of sentries, and must have been trying to spot the camp."
"Absurd."
"Fact, sir. Ask Mr Cyril here."
"Yes, sir; two Indians--I thought they were wild beasts--came crawling
out of the cave and jumped by me."
"You saw them?"
"Oh no, sir: it was so dark; but I hit at one of them and felt him."
"Came out of the cavern?"
"Yes, sir."
"But are you sure?"
"Quite, sir; I heard them frighten the mules, which began trampling, and
then one of the men sprang out."
"Shall I light the lantern, sir, and go in and see if there's any more?"
growled John Manning.
"No, my man; in all probability there were only the two, and perhaps
they were not enemies to be feared. Possibly we have scared them more
than they scared us."
Cyril mentally demurred to that, but said nothing, and the colonel went
on:
"I'm afraid our night's rest has gone," he said, "for it is impossible
to lie down with the knowledge that Indians who may be enemies are
about.--Did you see anything as you made your round, John Manning?"
"No, sir; but I heard something twice. It may have been only an animal,
but something moved a few little stones up to the left. When I went
cautiously up, whatever it was had gone. Did you see or hear anything,
sir?"
"I thought I heard a whisper a short distance away, but I could not be
sure. I am sure, though, that some one glided by me, and Perry here had
the best of evidence that one of the Indians fell over him."
"Unless it was Cyril; he did lie down to sleep by me, father."
"I've been on guard here by the cave's mouth for ever so long," said
Cyril sharply, as if resenting the fact that his companion should have
been sleeping while he watched.
"Then it was an Indian," said the boy sharply.
"We have the mules safe, Manning," said the colonel, "and now we must
make sure of the baggage. Stand together, boys, facing two ways, while
Manning and I get the packs into the cave."
"But there may be more Indians in there, sir," said Cyril.
"If there are, we must drive them out. That must be our fort for the
present."
At that moment there was a faint whistle from a distance, and it was
answered from somewhere high up on the mountain-side.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.
BETWEEN TWO STOOLS.
No time was lost. The two boys were posted at the cavern entrance, one
to try to check any advance from the valley, the other to guard against
the escape of the mules, and stay by his presence any Indian who might
still be in hiding.
This latter was Cyril's duty, and this time he set his teeth and stepped
right within the opening, encouraged by the fact that he had the colonel
and John Manning constantly coming and going with the mule-packs, till
only two were left to bring in.
"I can hear people coming nearer," whispered Perry just then, and the
colonel threw his load down at his son's feet.
"You lads carry that in," he said.--"Manning, quick, we must get those
other packs. They're coming on."
John Manning, who was walking back from the cave, hastened his pace, and
the two men hurried through the darkness to where the last two packages
lay.
"You keep watch," said Cyril. "I'm the stronger, and will get the pack
inside."
Perry said nothing, but felt glad and yet sorry, for he dreaded to
re-enter the cave alone, and at the same time was ashamed to relegate
the task to his companion.
But there was no time for hesitation. Something serious was evidently
going on by the spot where the packages had been stacked, for there were
shouts and cries, and Cyril stooped to lift the pack, meaning to hurry
into the cave and then return to pick up the gun he left with Perry, and
stand ready to support their companions, in case he could do any good.
The package was heavy, but he hoisted it on to one shoulder, and was
about to bear it into the cave, when he was driven backward, and fell
heavily, to be trampled under foot by a couple of men who charged out,
plainly showing that there were others inside.
It was almost momentary work. The men were there and then gone in the
darkness, and, sore and angry, Cyril struggled to his feet.
"Why didn't you fire?" he cried.
"What at? I might have hit you, or perhaps my father," protested Perry.
"Trampling on a fellow like that," grumbled Cyril, rehoisting his load.
"Yes; they had each got a pack."
"What! our packs?" cried Cyril excitedly.
"Yes; I could just make that out," said Perry.
"Oh!" ejaculated Cyril, stepping close in, and throwing down his load so
as to regain his gun, "what will the colonel say?"
Not what the boy expected, for just then he came panting up with John
Manning, carrying a pack between them; while the rattling of the loose
stones told that they were being pursued.
"Quick, both of you," cried the colonel, "fire in the direction of the
noise."
Cyril's gun spoke out with both barrels rapidly, one after the other,
the flashes cutting through the darkness, and the reports being followed
a few seconds later by quite a volley of echoes, which ran reverberating
along the gorge, to die away slowly in the distance; but before they had
ceased, the little party was well inside the very doubtful shelter they
had chosen, and John Manning posted at the entrance with his loaded
piece.
"Why didn't you fire?" whispered Cyril.
"I did."
"That you didn't. I did twice."
"I mean," said Perry, "I pulled the trigger, but the thing wouldn't go
off.--Oh!"
"What's the matter?" said Cyril eagerly, as he reloaded his piece.
"Don't say anything," whispered Perry. "I forgot to cock it."
"A narrow escape, Manning," said the colonel just then.
"Tidy, sir," replied the old soldier; "but I don't like losing that
pack. Shall I make a charge and fetch it in?"
"Madness, man," said the colonel. "Let it go. We've got all the others
safe."
"No, father," cried Perry excitedly; "two Indians rushed out of this
place while you were gone, and each man had one of the packs."
"What!" cried the colonel in a despairing tone; "three of my precious
packages of seed--gone?"
No one spoke; but from out of the darkness came the peculiar sound of
one grinding his teeth, and a pang of misery and disappointment shot
through Cyril as the colonel said bitterly:
"Two of you with guns, and you could not check those brutes."
"No, sir," growled John Manning; "how could they without bay'nets?
'tain't to be done."
"It was all so sudden, father," put in Perry, his words saving John
Manning from a stern reproof. "Cyril was knocked down, and there was
not time to fire."