It was with a feeling of thankfulness that can be well understood that
we returned once more to the small cavern, to seek the rest and
refreshment of which we were all so much in need.
The words of encouragement we were able to utter respecting our present
safety were most thoroughly needed, while the lights we now ventured to
burn took off something of the sense of oppression caused by the
darkness.
Our arrangements were soon made for one to be always on guard, and
trusting to the dread of the Indians for our safety in other directions,
we gladly partook of the welcome rest.
At the end of some hours we were seated together to consult upon our
future operations, and arrived at the decision that the sooner we set
off the better, and the next night was fixed upon for our departure.
"You see, Harry," said my uncle, "that the difficulty is in journeying
through the forest; if once we can strike a stream, the rest is easy."
"Or would be if we had boats, uncle, or--"
I stopped short, for I had recalled the skin-raft once more, and the
possibility of increasing its size. As my uncle had said, if once we
could hit upon a good stream, the rest would be easy, floating ever
downward from stream to river, and from river to one of the great
waterways.
Then came the subject of the treasure.
"But are you sure that you have it safe?" said my uncle anxiously.
"As safe, Uncle, as I soon hope to have our other treasures," I said,
cheerfully.
A visit to the mouth of the cave showed that all was still, and the
valley to all appearance deserted.
But our walk was not unprofitable, for we were able to collect a good
bundle of pine-wood for torches, left behind by the Indians--brightly
burning, resinous wood, which cast a powerful light when in use.
We found Tom watching his prisoner on our return, and my aunt and Lilla
ready to welcome us gladly. But not a sigh was uttered--not a question
as to when they might expect to escape; they were patience exemplified.
As to the prisoner, Tom said that he was as sulky as a bear with a sore
head. It was a great tie upon us, but upon retaining him in safety
rested our success; for it seemed evident that the Indians believed that
their share in the matter was at an end, and had gone away strengthened
in their belief that it was death to him who penetrated the mysterious
portion of the cave, sacred to the thunder god, Garcia not having
returned.
My uncle relieved Tom--not to rest, but to aid me in seeking to recover
the treasure; but upon a second consideration it was determined not to
proceed further until the next morning.
Watching and sleeping in turns, the next morning arrived, and we once
more journeyed to the mouth of the cave.
All in the vale was silent as the grave; not a leaf rustling.
On returning, the mules were well fed, only leaving one more portion.
We breakfasted, and the prisoner, compelled at last by hunger,
condescended to partake of some food; when we afterwards moved to a
narrow part, where our proceedings were to him invisible.
A rather anxious question now arose: what were we to do with him?
We could not leave him bound, to die of starvation in the darkness of
the cavern; humanity forbade the thought for an instant. We could not
take him with us, neither could we take his life in cold blood, even
though our safety depended upon it.
"We must take him a part of the way, and then leave him in some track,
where there is a possibility of his being found," said my uncle. "He
ought to die, Harry; but we cannot turn murderers."
It was evident that our prisoner did not expect much mercy; for we could
see that his face was absolutely livid when, pistol in hand, either of
us approached to examine his bonds; and once, in his abject dread, he
shrieked aloud to Lilla to come and save him from me.
My uncle's seemed the only plan that we could adopt; and leaving him in
charge, Tom and I fixed our light at the head of the raft, and, to the
horror of Lilla and Mrs Landell, set off upon our subterranean voyage--
one which produced no tremor in us now, for familiarity had bred
contempt.
The passage was safely traversed till we came to the hiding-place of the
treasure, when, after a few attempts to fish up the packages, we found
that there was no resource but for one of us to plunge boldly into the
icy water.
Tom would have gone, but I felt that it was my turn; and after divesting
myself of my clothing I lowered myself over the side of the raft, waded
a little, and then, after a few tries, succeeded in bringing up, one at
a time, the whole of the treasure. Then, with a little contriving, I
once more obtained a place upon the heavily-weighted raft, dressed, and
we floated back in triumph to where, torch in hand, stood Lilla gazing
anxiously along the dark tunnel, and ready to give a joyous cry as she
saw our safe return.
I sent Tom to relieve my uncle's guard, and he hurried excitedly to my
side and helped me to unload.
"Harry, my boy," he exclaimed huskily as we lifted the packages on to
the rocks, "I can hardly believe it. Is it true?"
I smiled in his face, and then with more rope we bound the packages
securely before leaving them to drain off the water.
Our next act was to carefully take the raft to pieces and save the bands
by which it was secured. This was no easy task, for the water had
saturated and tightened the fastenings, which we did not cut, because
they would be extremely valuable in fastening it together again.
It proved to be a very, very long job, but we worked at it with all our
might, knowing as we did that our future depended upon our getting the
pieces of our pontoon safely with us to some stream, where we could fit
it once more together and use it to help in floating down to a place of
refuge.
"It's a rum job, Mas'r Harry," said Tom. "My word, if these knots
weren't well tied! I never thought about having to undo it over again."
"Never mind, Tom; work away," I cried.
"Oh! Ah! I'll work away," he replied. "That's better! That's one of
'em. They won't bear the lot, Mas'r Harry, when we fits it together
again?"
"If the raft is not strong enough, Tom, we must make it stronger," I
said; and he gave a grunt and worked away, tugging at the knots and very
often using his teeth.
At last, though, we had all the ties secured together in a bunch ready
for immediate use--the poles bound in small bundles, and the skins
fastened together by their necks, they having the advantage of being
very light.
Then followed a pause for rest and refreshment, with a short
consultation between my uncle and me as to our plans, which resulted in
a busy hour at work, two of the mules being laden then with the gold.
This was a very difficult task, as the packages were so awkward and
heavy, the object being to make them secure against any antic on the
part of the mules if they became restive, and also to guard against the
corners of the plates rubbing the animals' backs.
"I'd give anything to open those bags, Harry," said my uncle. "I feel
as curious as a boy."
"Take my word for it, Uncle," I replied, "that they are wonderful
treasures. Come, I'll make a bargain with you."
"What is it, my boy?"
"You shall do the unpacking and the breaking up when we set to in
safety, and melt them down into ingots."
"If we ever have the chance," he said sadly.
"Don't be down-hearted, Uncle," I cried cheerily. "Recollect we are
English, and Englishmen never know the meaning of the word `fail.'"
"True, my boy," he replied; "but we have our work before us."
"And that's just the work we mean to get done," said Tom, interposing
his opinion. "And now just you look here, moke," he continued,
addressing the mule he was helping to load--one which kept on laying
down its ears and showing its teeth as if it meant to bite--"here am I
a-doing all I can to make your load easy and comfortable for your ugly
back, and you're saying you're a-going to bite. Am I to kick you in the
ribs? 'Cause if you're not quiet I just will."
The mule seemed to understand either Tom's words or the threatening
movement of his foot, for it allowed itself to be loaded in peace; and
soon after the valuable treasure was declared to be quite safe, though I
knew perfectly well that any violent fit of kicking on the part of the
obstinate beasts must result in the whole being dislodged.
The next task was to apportion the remainder of our extremely reduced
stock of provision between the two mules that my aunt and Lilla were to
ride; and upon these mules, on the off-side away from the stirrup, I
proposed to secure the light poles and skins of the raft.
"They will be very awkward going amongst the trees," I said, "but it is
the best we can do."
"Why not carry them?" said my uncle.
"Because we must have our hands free to use our weapons," I replied.
"True, my lad," he said, "and we might have to drop and not recover
them."
"They'll be no end of a bother for the ladies, Mas'r Harry," said Tom.
"Lookye here: they sticks 'll ride as comf'able as can be atop of the
gold bags. Why not have 'em here?"
"Because, Tom, it may be necessary to leave the gold bags behind, and we
shall want the raft to escape."
"Leave the gold behind, Mas'r Harry!" he cried; "not if I know it."
"Life is worth more than gold, Tom," I said in reply.
Tom made no answer. He only set his teeth very hard, and the skins and
poles were secured just as I wished.
Towards evening, according to arrangement, Tom led the way with one of
the gold mules; my uncle followed leading another and bearing a light,
and the others required no inducement to keep close behind.
Garcia must have imagined that he was to be left to starve, for he did
not see me as I stood back listening to the pattering of the mules' feet
upon the hard rock, and the silence that fell directly after when they
touched sand; and, raising his voice, he gave so wild and despairing a
shriek that my uncle came hurrying back.
"Harry, my dear lad, surely you have not--"
"No, Uncle," I said contemptuously, "I had not even spoken. It was his
coward heart that smote him."
Loosening his legs, which of late we had slackened so as to guard
against numbness, we made him rise; and then forcing my arm under his, I
led him along till we overtook the last mule bearing my aunt; and then
our slow, dark journey was continued till, nearing the entrance, the
lights were extinguished and my uncle, taking Tom's place as leader, the
latter stole forward, and returned in half an hour to say that the sun
had set, and that though he had watched long and carefully from the very
mouth of the cave, there was nothing to be seen.
We went forward then, to rest for fully an hour in the cavern close now
to the barrier, for the darkness fell swiftly into the ravine, rolling,
as it were, down the mountain-sides; and then, with beating hearts, we
prepared to start, our course being along the little valley to the
entrance, and then, according to my uncle's plans, as nearly south-east
as we could travel until we could hit upon a stream.
The time for starting at length came, and after a little further
consultation Garcia was once more carefully secured and laid upon his
back in the mouth of the cave, that being the only plan we could adopt;
and then, panting with excitement, each man with all his weapons ready
for immediate action, we started in single file and began to move down
the ravine.
The darkness was intense, and but for the sagacity of the leading mule
our progress would have been slow indeed; but the patient brute went on
at a quiet, regular pace, and his fellows followed, the breathing of the
animals and the slight rustle through the herbage being all that smote
the ear.
I should think that we had gone about a quarter of a mile, straining our
eyes to catch sight of an enemy on either side as we made our way
through what was like a dense bank of darkness, when, loud and clear
upon the night air, rang out a wild, strange cry, which made us
instinctively stop to listen.
Twice more it rang out, evidently distant, but still plainly heard as it
echoed along the ravine.
"It is some beast of prey, but it will not come near us," said my uncle,
to encourage Mrs Landell.
"Harry, what is it?" whispered Lilla.
Her soft arm was passed round my neck as she clung, trembling, to me,
unable to master her agitation.
"We must push on," I said.
Once more the mules were in motion when the cry rang out again, louder
and clearer this time.
I did not answer Lilla's question, for I thought it better not; but I
had my own thoughts upon the subject, and I was wondering whether my
uncle suspected the meaning of the cry, when I was startled by a voice
which seemed to rise out of the darkness.
"Mas'r Harry--Mas'r Harry! I shall never forgive myself. Only to think
of me being the one as tied the last knot, and then never to think of
gagging him. He'll be there shouting till he brings down all the
Indians within twenty miles. Let's make haste, for I sha'n't breathe
till we get out of this great long furrer here."
The darkness was still so thick that we could hardly see the bushes
against which we brushed, while even when passing beneath dense masses
of foliage there seemed to be no difference. A hundred enemies might
have been right in front of us, and we should have walked right into
their midst.
It was a daring adventure; but it was only by keeping on that we could
hope to escape, and if the black darkness did not prove our friend until
we were clear of the ravine, I felt that we could hardly hope to get
away.
The cries still continued at intervals; but now every cry only seemed to
nerve us to greater exertion, and at last they sounded but faintly, as,
under the impression that we were now past the entrance to the rift, I
was about to tell Tom to try and bear off to the right, if the
undergrowth would allow. We had all drawn up, and the mules were
reaching down their heads, tempted by the dewy grass, when Tom gave a
warning whisper; and directly after, just to our left, came the sound of
bodies moving through the bushes, coming nearer and nearer, till about
abreast, when they turned off again, and seemed to be proceeding up the
ravine towards the cavern.
It was a painful five minutes as we stood there, trembling lest one of
the mules should shake buckle or strap; for no one there, on afterwards
comparing notes, had a doubt as to the cause of the sounds. It was
evidently a body of some half dozen men making their way as fast as the
darkness would allow, and it was not until all was once more quiet that
we could again breathe freely, and continue our journey as swiftly as we
could pass through the trees.
We had no difficulty in journeying to the right, and it soon became
evident that we were out of the rift; but I had very little hope of our
being able to continue in a straight line, seeking the direction where
we expected to find a river.
Our progress was necessarily slow, but every half mile, we all felt, was
that distance nearer to safety. I was hopeful, too, about our trail;
the dew fell heavily, and that and the elastic nature of the growth
through which we passed, would, I thought, possibly conceal our track
from those who might try to follow it.
And so we journeyed on through that thick darkness, till the first grey
dawn of day found us still hurrying through the dripping foliage, heavy
everywhere with the moisture deposited during the night.