CHAPTER VII.--THE MYSTERIOUS STONE.For the first time since their arrival Goo-Goo paid the boys a visit of ceremony, on the day after the battle.Carrambo had apprised them of the honour they were about to be the recipients of, and they stayed at home in consequence.Goo-Goo was very pompous--and precious little else.He was elated with his victory, but did not hesitate to admit that Duncan and his comrades had contributed a little to the turn of the tide of battle.Goo-Goo was even boastfulGoo-Goo was also very thirsty.So Duncan invited him to come inside.He refused. Not even a whole bottle of his favourite sherry would have tempted him to cross the threshold of the fort, because--as he explained through Carrambo--"plenty much debbil lib (live) in one hole below de floor".But he made very small work of a nut-shell of goo-goo that Duncan presented to him with his own hand.Then he explained why he had come. It was to offer to our heroes the two tame elephants that had been captured in battle.Duncan nodded to his fellows, and the gift was accepted unconditionally, and that very day the great wise beasts were taken over.A huge compound was erected for them in a bit of jungle not far off; the king's men building it with their own hands.Moreover, two men were told off to feed and care for the noble brutes, who soon became very great pets indeed, with all hands.The larger of the two might well have been called immense or colossal. He seemed especially fond of Frank, and there wasn't a titbit Frank could think of that he did not bring to Ju-ju of a morning.Ju-ju was certainly grateful. He had one very curious method of showing his gratitude, namely, by encircling the boy with his trunk and swaying him up and down, and to and fro."Gently, Ju-ju," Frank would say sometimes; "gently, Ju, old man."Then Ju would set him quietly down and trumpet with delight.————But as soon as it was dark, all was generally peaceful enough about the fort, for after a residence of some months in king Goo-Goo's country they had got quite used to the cry of wild beasts, and even the roar of lions did not disturb their slumbers.But the nugget and the diamond--oh! these indeed. Duncan's eyes used to sparkle with delight as they were placed upon the table of an evening.What possibilities did they not point to! What joy for the future seemed to scintillate from the diamond! One night something that the king had said during his visit to the fort suddenly flashed across Frank's memory.He almost startled both Conal and Duncan by the eagerness with which he almost shouted:"Cousins!" he cried, "I have the happiest thought that ever I had. Do you not remember that the king refused to come into the fort because devils dwelt in a hole beneath the floor!""Yes, yes, he did say so.""Duncan, those devils are diamonds, and, it may be, gold nuggets as well."His comrades were thunder-struck apparently, but they admitted that in all likelihood Frank's surmise was correct."Then, boys," said Frank, "we shall open a devil hole right here where we sit."This proposal was agreed to, and the work would have commenced the very next day had not a strange adventure happened to Frank.It may be observed that mostly all the terrible adventures did happen to Frank. Some people are born unlucky, you know.But next forenoon Duncan and he had gone towards the forest for the purpose of shooting hyenas, no great or very exalted sport, it is true, but they had become numerous and bold of late, and needed scattering.Duncan had followed a wounded monster some distance for the sake of giving him hiscongé, when he came back---- lo! Frank was gone.For hours and hours Duncan searched all that portion of the forest that he dared to enter, but in vain.But he found his comrade's gun, and at some little distance his cap.So he went sorrowfully home.Further search was made next day, some of the bravest of Goo-Goo's native soldiers assisting.But no more trace of the lost Frank could be found.A whole fortnight went past, and he was mourned for as one dead, and even Carrambo gave up hopes.Frank, he told them, must have been throttled by the gorillas and hung up in a tree.But lo! and behold, one forenoon who should appear againin propria persona, but the laughing little Cockney boy himself.By the hand he led a little long-armed hairy gorilla, that clung to him in terror when Viking began to growl.Jeannie, as she was called, sprang trembling into Frank's arms, but he gently soothed her, and after having a cup of coffee he told his marvellous story.[2] It was briefly as follows:--[1] This is no sailor's yarn, but founded on fact.He had been captured by the awful gorillas, having been first stunned by a blow from a club. Then carried deep into the forest and up into a very high tree. There he found a shelter, quite a hut in fact, and far from being unkind to him, the gorillas fed and tended him every day, only guarding him at night."And this is my little pupil," he added. "Jeannie was given me to educate, I suppose; but early this morning the gorillas went off to do battle with some neighbouring tribe, and Jeannie and I slipped down the tree and ran for it."So here I am!""Heaven be praised!" cried Duncan with tears in his eyes. "You come to us as one risen from the dead.""And what are you going to do with Jeannie?" asked Conal."Oh!" said Frank, "Jeannie is a sweet child. She shall go with us wherever we go.""I hope," said Conal, "her parents won't come for her. It might be rather inconvenient."————Two long months passed away, and our heroes were almost weary of this lonesome and wild land.But they had not been idle all the time of their sojourn here. On the contrary, they had commenced to dig in the fort itself for buried treasure.There was plenty of excitement about this, but for many a weary week no luck attended their excavations.The excitement, however, was somewhat like that of gambling, and once begun they felt they could not give it up until they came to something.So they dug and dug.But all in vain.They still spent much of their time in fishing and shooting, however. These were necessary sports. Food they must have.A rather gloomy time arrived later on, when they had finally abandoned all hopes of finding any buried treasure. Tremendously heavy banks of clouds had rolled up from the horizon and overspread the heavens.Then with terrible thundering and vivid lightning a short rainy season was ushered in. The stream became flooded, so that fishing was now out of the question.But Conal's little Lilywhite visited the fort every day, and--though I cannot say where she found them--never came without a fish, while just as often as not she brought the boys a present of delightful fruit.The rain-clouds were scattered at last, and soon the country all around was greener and more lovely than ever the wanderers had seen it, while the most gorgeous of flowers seemed to spring into existence in the short space of twenty-four hours.Sport began again once more.They still paid visits to the king, but these were not so welcome now to his sable majesty, for the goo-goo was all finished, and he cared for little else--with, of course, the exception of human flesh.Conal was exceedingly well developed, and under certain conditions he would not have objected being reminded of this.But when the king one day felt his arm and said something which Carrambo translated: "Ah, num-num! you plenty good to eat," Conal hardly relished the verdict.But the great elephants became a source of much pleasure to everyone. They were so perfectly tractable and manageable that the boys often went across country with them.This was practice, and Duncan had a meaning for it.Well, one day as Frank was entering the living-room of the fort, his eyes fell upon a curious mark upon a stone, which proved to be an arrow bent partly upwards. He followed its direction with his eye and on another stone found another arrow, then two or three more, and finally there was a square stone above the window with a cross over it, thus (cross symbol).There were no more arrows.Frank rushed out half frantic with joy."Duncan! Conal!" he shouted.They were coming quietly up the hill."Come quick, boys, I've made a discovery!"Then he led them in and pointed the arrows, and the stone marked with the (cross symbol)."The diamonds are there," he said excitedly.————The stone, however, was so firmly cemented in that it defied any ordinary methods to get it out.So they determined to dine first, and go to work on it afterwards.But no one could think or speak of anything else except their hopes of finding the treasure.The boys had made cocoa-nut-oil lamps, and by the little flicker of light these gave, they now set about attacking the flint-hard cement in earnest. They chipped it out bit by bit, and hard, tedious work they found it.But they succeeded at last, and stood silent and with a kind of awesome delight. For there before them was the glad sparkle of diamonds--a sparkle that seemed to dim the light of their poor oil lamp."Boys," cried Duncan, "our fortune is made!"The diamonds, however, were but few--eight in all--but of great size, and apparently of high value, although the boys were no judges.The hole where they had lain was carefully cemented all round, and besides the diamonds they found here two or three nuggets of gold, and a tiny brick of cement about six inches by four by three.Just one word was engraved thereon.That word was evidently Spanish, though partly obliterated--ABRIR--They hoped to find diamonds inside.They did not, however; only a piece of parchment, on which many words were written which they could not understand.They were just putting in the stone again, after carefully storing away the diamonds and parchment, when Viking sprang up fiercely barking, and with his hair erect all along his spine.At the same moment they perceived a terrible face at the open window.It was that of a savage in his war-paint--the lips were painted red, great red rings were around each eye, and cheeks and brow were daubed with spots of white."Idle curiosity, I suppose," said Duncan, "or a trick to frighten us. For now that the goo-goo is all exhausted, I believe the king would like to see the very last of us."When Carrambo came next day they told him about the terrible face at the window.Carrambo considered for a moment, then shook his head."Dat no good," he said. "You close all de debbil pit?""Yes," said Duncan."Dat bad sabage see somefing, sah! He go tell de king. King make bobbery soon. Plaps cut all you troats, like he kill pore leetle Lilywhite to-mollow.""What!" cried Conal, "kill Lilywhite! If he dares, I'll put a bullet through his fat and ugly phiz.""Poh Lilywhite!" continued Carrambo, as if speaking to himself. "But," he added, "s'pose you come to-night, I take you to de hut. Lily come back heah; den not die."Conal at once agreed, and Carrambo came for him some hours after sunset.The butchering hut was at a considerable distance from the main village, and, strange to say, unguarded. But they crept in and found Lily bound hand and foot.She was speedily rescued, and in an hour's time they were all back at the fort.But Conal had seen something that night which seriously alarmed both him and his companions.The savages were squatted out-of-doors around fires, and all in war-paint.They looked fierce and terrible.Very busy, too, were they, sharpening horrid knives and spears.This was fearful intelligence to bring back, and Carrambo, being asked what it all meant, did not hesitate a moment in replying."It mean dis," he said; "dey tink dat you open de debbil hole again. To-mollow dey come plenty twick and cut all you troats, foh shuah.""Carrambo," said Duncan after a pause, "can you guide us towards Lamoo?""Ees, sah, I guide you foh tlue!""Without having to go through that gorilla-haunted forest?""Ees, sah, ees," was the quick reply. "I myse'f not go t'loo de folast.""Well, Carrambo, send for the men who attend to the elephants, and we shall start this very night."The two elephant attendants were very sincere, and when Duncan promised them clothes and beads and many fine gifts, they readily consented to go with them to the coast.So packing was commenced without a moment's delay.And none too soon, as things turned out.
CHAPTER VII.--THE MYSTERIOUS STONE.For the first time since their arrival Goo-Goo paid the boys a visit of ceremony, on the day after the battle.Carrambo had apprised them of the honour they were about to be the recipients of, and they stayed at home in consequence.Goo-Goo was very pompous--and precious little else.He was elated with his victory, but did not hesitate to admit that Duncan and his comrades had contributed a little to the turn of the tide of battle.Goo-Goo was even boastfulGoo-Goo was also very thirsty.So Duncan invited him to come inside.He refused. Not even a whole bottle of his favourite sherry would have tempted him to cross the threshold of the fort, because--as he explained through Carrambo--"plenty much debbil lib (live) in one hole below de floor".But he made very small work of a nut-shell of goo-goo that Duncan presented to him with his own hand.Then he explained why he had come. It was to offer to our heroes the two tame elephants that had been captured in battle.Duncan nodded to his fellows, and the gift was accepted unconditionally, and that very day the great wise beasts were taken over.A huge compound was erected for them in a bit of jungle not far off; the king's men building it with their own hands.Moreover, two men were told off to feed and care for the noble brutes, who soon became very great pets indeed, with all hands.The larger of the two might well have been called immense or colossal. He seemed especially fond of Frank, and there wasn't a titbit Frank could think of that he did not bring to Ju-ju of a morning.Ju-ju was certainly grateful. He had one very curious method of showing his gratitude, namely, by encircling the boy with his trunk and swaying him up and down, and to and fro."Gently, Ju-ju," Frank would say sometimes; "gently, Ju, old man."Then Ju would set him quietly down and trumpet with delight.————But as soon as it was dark, all was generally peaceful enough about the fort, for after a residence of some months in king Goo-Goo's country they had got quite used to the cry of wild beasts, and even the roar of lions did not disturb their slumbers.But the nugget and the diamond--oh! these indeed. Duncan's eyes used to sparkle with delight as they were placed upon the table of an evening.What possibilities did they not point to! What joy for the future seemed to scintillate from the diamond! One night something that the king had said during his visit to the fort suddenly flashed across Frank's memory.He almost startled both Conal and Duncan by the eagerness with which he almost shouted:"Cousins!" he cried, "I have the happiest thought that ever I had. Do you not remember that the king refused to come into the fort because devils dwelt in a hole beneath the floor!""Yes, yes, he did say so.""Duncan, those devils are diamonds, and, it may be, gold nuggets as well."His comrades were thunder-struck apparently, but they admitted that in all likelihood Frank's surmise was correct."Then, boys," said Frank, "we shall open a devil hole right here where we sit."This proposal was agreed to, and the work would have commenced the very next day had not a strange adventure happened to Frank.It may be observed that mostly all the terrible adventures did happen to Frank. Some people are born unlucky, you know.But next forenoon Duncan and he had gone towards the forest for the purpose of shooting hyenas, no great or very exalted sport, it is true, but they had become numerous and bold of late, and needed scattering.Duncan had followed a wounded monster some distance for the sake of giving him hiscongé, when he came back---- lo! Frank was gone.For hours and hours Duncan searched all that portion of the forest that he dared to enter, but in vain.But he found his comrade's gun, and at some little distance his cap.So he went sorrowfully home.Further search was made next day, some of the bravest of Goo-Goo's native soldiers assisting.But no more trace of the lost Frank could be found.A whole fortnight went past, and he was mourned for as one dead, and even Carrambo gave up hopes.Frank, he told them, must have been throttled by the gorillas and hung up in a tree.But lo! and behold, one forenoon who should appear againin propria persona, but the laughing little Cockney boy himself.By the hand he led a little long-armed hairy gorilla, that clung to him in terror when Viking began to growl.Jeannie, as she was called, sprang trembling into Frank's arms, but he gently soothed her, and after having a cup of coffee he told his marvellous story.[2] It was briefly as follows:--[1] This is no sailor's yarn, but founded on fact.He had been captured by the awful gorillas, having been first stunned by a blow from a club. Then carried deep into the forest and up into a very high tree. There he found a shelter, quite a hut in fact, and far from being unkind to him, the gorillas fed and tended him every day, only guarding him at night."And this is my little pupil," he added. "Jeannie was given me to educate, I suppose; but early this morning the gorillas went off to do battle with some neighbouring tribe, and Jeannie and I slipped down the tree and ran for it."So here I am!""Heaven be praised!" cried Duncan with tears in his eyes. "You come to us as one risen from the dead.""And what are you going to do with Jeannie?" asked Conal."Oh!" said Frank, "Jeannie is a sweet child. She shall go with us wherever we go.""I hope," said Conal, "her parents won't come for her. It might be rather inconvenient."————Two long months passed away, and our heroes were almost weary of this lonesome and wild land.But they had not been idle all the time of their sojourn here. On the contrary, they had commenced to dig in the fort itself for buried treasure.There was plenty of excitement about this, but for many a weary week no luck attended their excavations.The excitement, however, was somewhat like that of gambling, and once begun they felt they could not give it up until they came to something.So they dug and dug.But all in vain.They still spent much of their time in fishing and shooting, however. These were necessary sports. Food they must have.A rather gloomy time arrived later on, when they had finally abandoned all hopes of finding any buried treasure. Tremendously heavy banks of clouds had rolled up from the horizon and overspread the heavens.Then with terrible thundering and vivid lightning a short rainy season was ushered in. The stream became flooded, so that fishing was now out of the question.But Conal's little Lilywhite visited the fort every day, and--though I cannot say where she found them--never came without a fish, while just as often as not she brought the boys a present of delightful fruit.The rain-clouds were scattered at last, and soon the country all around was greener and more lovely than ever the wanderers had seen it, while the most gorgeous of flowers seemed to spring into existence in the short space of twenty-four hours.Sport began again once more.They still paid visits to the king, but these were not so welcome now to his sable majesty, for the goo-goo was all finished, and he cared for little else--with, of course, the exception of human flesh.Conal was exceedingly well developed, and under certain conditions he would not have objected being reminded of this.But when the king one day felt his arm and said something which Carrambo translated: "Ah, num-num! you plenty good to eat," Conal hardly relished the verdict.But the great elephants became a source of much pleasure to everyone. They were so perfectly tractable and manageable that the boys often went across country with them.This was practice, and Duncan had a meaning for it.Well, one day as Frank was entering the living-room of the fort, his eyes fell upon a curious mark upon a stone, which proved to be an arrow bent partly upwards. He followed its direction with his eye and on another stone found another arrow, then two or three more, and finally there was a square stone above the window with a cross over it, thus (cross symbol).There were no more arrows.Frank rushed out half frantic with joy."Duncan! Conal!" he shouted.They were coming quietly up the hill."Come quick, boys, I've made a discovery!"Then he led them in and pointed the arrows, and the stone marked with the (cross symbol)."The diamonds are there," he said excitedly.————The stone, however, was so firmly cemented in that it defied any ordinary methods to get it out.So they determined to dine first, and go to work on it afterwards.But no one could think or speak of anything else except their hopes of finding the treasure.The boys had made cocoa-nut-oil lamps, and by the little flicker of light these gave, they now set about attacking the flint-hard cement in earnest. They chipped it out bit by bit, and hard, tedious work they found it.But they succeeded at last, and stood silent and with a kind of awesome delight. For there before them was the glad sparkle of diamonds--a sparkle that seemed to dim the light of their poor oil lamp."Boys," cried Duncan, "our fortune is made!"The diamonds, however, were but few--eight in all--but of great size, and apparently of high value, although the boys were no judges.The hole where they had lain was carefully cemented all round, and besides the diamonds they found here two or three nuggets of gold, and a tiny brick of cement about six inches by four by three.Just one word was engraved thereon.That word was evidently Spanish, though partly obliterated--ABRIR--They hoped to find diamonds inside.They did not, however; only a piece of parchment, on which many words were written which they could not understand.They were just putting in the stone again, after carefully storing away the diamonds and parchment, when Viking sprang up fiercely barking, and with his hair erect all along his spine.At the same moment they perceived a terrible face at the open window.It was that of a savage in his war-paint--the lips were painted red, great red rings were around each eye, and cheeks and brow were daubed with spots of white."Idle curiosity, I suppose," said Duncan, "or a trick to frighten us. For now that the goo-goo is all exhausted, I believe the king would like to see the very last of us."When Carrambo came next day they told him about the terrible face at the window.Carrambo considered for a moment, then shook his head."Dat no good," he said. "You close all de debbil pit?""Yes," said Duncan."Dat bad sabage see somefing, sah! He go tell de king. King make bobbery soon. Plaps cut all you troats, like he kill pore leetle Lilywhite to-mollow.""What!" cried Conal, "kill Lilywhite! If he dares, I'll put a bullet through his fat and ugly phiz.""Poh Lilywhite!" continued Carrambo, as if speaking to himself. "But," he added, "s'pose you come to-night, I take you to de hut. Lily come back heah; den not die."Conal at once agreed, and Carrambo came for him some hours after sunset.The butchering hut was at a considerable distance from the main village, and, strange to say, unguarded. But they crept in and found Lily bound hand and foot.She was speedily rescued, and in an hour's time they were all back at the fort.But Conal had seen something that night which seriously alarmed both him and his companions.The savages were squatted out-of-doors around fires, and all in war-paint.They looked fierce and terrible.Very busy, too, were they, sharpening horrid knives and spears.This was fearful intelligence to bring back, and Carrambo, being asked what it all meant, did not hesitate a moment in replying."It mean dis," he said; "dey tink dat you open de debbil hole again. To-mollow dey come plenty twick and cut all you troats, foh shuah.""Carrambo," said Duncan after a pause, "can you guide us towards Lamoo?""Ees, sah, I guide you foh tlue!""Without having to go through that gorilla-haunted forest?""Ees, sah, ees," was the quick reply. "I myse'f not go t'loo de folast.""Well, Carrambo, send for the men who attend to the elephants, and we shall start this very night."The two elephant attendants were very sincere, and when Duncan promised them clothes and beads and many fine gifts, they readily consented to go with them to the coast.So packing was commenced without a moment's delay.And none too soon, as things turned out.
For the first time since their arrival Goo-Goo paid the boys a visit of ceremony, on the day after the battle.
Carrambo had apprised them of the honour they were about to be the recipients of, and they stayed at home in consequence.
Goo-Goo was very pompous--and precious little else.
He was elated with his victory, but did not hesitate to admit that Duncan and his comrades had contributed a little to the turn of the tide of battle.
Goo-Goo was even boastful
Goo-Goo was also very thirsty.
So Duncan invited him to come inside.
He refused. Not even a whole bottle of his favourite sherry would have tempted him to cross the threshold of the fort, because--as he explained through Carrambo--"plenty much debbil lib (live) in one hole below de floor".
But he made very small work of a nut-shell of goo-goo that Duncan presented to him with his own hand.
Then he explained why he had come. It was to offer to our heroes the two tame elephants that had been captured in battle.
Duncan nodded to his fellows, and the gift was accepted unconditionally, and that very day the great wise beasts were taken over.
A huge compound was erected for them in a bit of jungle not far off; the king's men building it with their own hands.
Moreover, two men were told off to feed and care for the noble brutes, who soon became very great pets indeed, with all hands.
The larger of the two might well have been called immense or colossal. He seemed especially fond of Frank, and there wasn't a titbit Frank could think of that he did not bring to Ju-ju of a morning.
Ju-ju was certainly grateful. He had one very curious method of showing his gratitude, namely, by encircling the boy with his trunk and swaying him up and down, and to and fro.
"Gently, Ju-ju," Frank would say sometimes; "gently, Ju, old man."
Then Ju would set him quietly down and trumpet with delight.
————
————
But as soon as it was dark, all was generally peaceful enough about the fort, for after a residence of some months in king Goo-Goo's country they had got quite used to the cry of wild beasts, and even the roar of lions did not disturb their slumbers.
But the nugget and the diamond--oh! these indeed. Duncan's eyes used to sparkle with delight as they were placed upon the table of an evening.
What possibilities did they not point to! What joy for the future seemed to scintillate from the diamond! One night something that the king had said during his visit to the fort suddenly flashed across Frank's memory.
He almost startled both Conal and Duncan by the eagerness with which he almost shouted:
"Cousins!" he cried, "I have the happiest thought that ever I had. Do you not remember that the king refused to come into the fort because devils dwelt in a hole beneath the floor!"
"Yes, yes, he did say so."
"Duncan, those devils are diamonds, and, it may be, gold nuggets as well."
His comrades were thunder-struck apparently, but they admitted that in all likelihood Frank's surmise was correct.
"Then, boys," said Frank, "we shall open a devil hole right here where we sit."
This proposal was agreed to, and the work would have commenced the very next day had not a strange adventure happened to Frank.
It may be observed that mostly all the terrible adventures did happen to Frank. Some people are born unlucky, you know.
But next forenoon Duncan and he had gone towards the forest for the purpose of shooting hyenas, no great or very exalted sport, it is true, but they had become numerous and bold of late, and needed scattering.
Duncan had followed a wounded monster some distance for the sake of giving him hiscongé, when he came back---- lo! Frank was gone.
For hours and hours Duncan searched all that portion of the forest that he dared to enter, but in vain.
But he found his comrade's gun, and at some little distance his cap.
So he went sorrowfully home.
Further search was made next day, some of the bravest of Goo-Goo's native soldiers assisting.
But no more trace of the lost Frank could be found.
A whole fortnight went past, and he was mourned for as one dead, and even Carrambo gave up hopes.
Frank, he told them, must have been throttled by the gorillas and hung up in a tree.
But lo! and behold, one forenoon who should appear againin propria persona, but the laughing little Cockney boy himself.
By the hand he led a little long-armed hairy gorilla, that clung to him in terror when Viking began to growl.
Jeannie, as she was called, sprang trembling into Frank's arms, but he gently soothed her, and after having a cup of coffee he told his marvellous story.[2] It was briefly as follows:--
[1] This is no sailor's yarn, but founded on fact.
He had been captured by the awful gorillas, having been first stunned by a blow from a club. Then carried deep into the forest and up into a very high tree. There he found a shelter, quite a hut in fact, and far from being unkind to him, the gorillas fed and tended him every day, only guarding him at night.
"And this is my little pupil," he added. "Jeannie was given me to educate, I suppose; but early this morning the gorillas went off to do battle with some neighbouring tribe, and Jeannie and I slipped down the tree and ran for it.
"So here I am!"
"Heaven be praised!" cried Duncan with tears in his eyes. "You come to us as one risen from the dead."
"And what are you going to do with Jeannie?" asked Conal.
"Oh!" said Frank, "Jeannie is a sweet child. She shall go with us wherever we go."
"I hope," said Conal, "her parents won't come for her. It might be rather inconvenient."
————
————
Two long months passed away, and our heroes were almost weary of this lonesome and wild land.
But they had not been idle all the time of their sojourn here. On the contrary, they had commenced to dig in the fort itself for buried treasure.
There was plenty of excitement about this, but for many a weary week no luck attended their excavations.
The excitement, however, was somewhat like that of gambling, and once begun they felt they could not give it up until they came to something.
So they dug and dug.
But all in vain.
They still spent much of their time in fishing and shooting, however. These were necessary sports. Food they must have.
A rather gloomy time arrived later on, when they had finally abandoned all hopes of finding any buried treasure. Tremendously heavy banks of clouds had rolled up from the horizon and overspread the heavens.
Then with terrible thundering and vivid lightning a short rainy season was ushered in. The stream became flooded, so that fishing was now out of the question.
But Conal's little Lilywhite visited the fort every day, and--though I cannot say where she found them--never came without a fish, while just as often as not she brought the boys a present of delightful fruit.
The rain-clouds were scattered at last, and soon the country all around was greener and more lovely than ever the wanderers had seen it, while the most gorgeous of flowers seemed to spring into existence in the short space of twenty-four hours.
Sport began again once more.
They still paid visits to the king, but these were not so welcome now to his sable majesty, for the goo-goo was all finished, and he cared for little else--with, of course, the exception of human flesh.
Conal was exceedingly well developed, and under certain conditions he would not have objected being reminded of this.
But when the king one day felt his arm and said something which Carrambo translated: "Ah, num-num! you plenty good to eat," Conal hardly relished the verdict.
But the great elephants became a source of much pleasure to everyone. They were so perfectly tractable and manageable that the boys often went across country with them.
This was practice, and Duncan had a meaning for it.
Well, one day as Frank was entering the living-room of the fort, his eyes fell upon a curious mark upon a stone, which proved to be an arrow bent partly upwards. He followed its direction with his eye and on another stone found another arrow, then two or three more, and finally there was a square stone above the window with a cross over it, thus (cross symbol).
There were no more arrows.
Frank rushed out half frantic with joy.
"Duncan! Conal!" he shouted.
They were coming quietly up the hill.
"Come quick, boys, I've made a discovery!"
Then he led them in and pointed the arrows, and the stone marked with the (cross symbol).
"The diamonds are there," he said excitedly.
————
————
The stone, however, was so firmly cemented in that it defied any ordinary methods to get it out.
So they determined to dine first, and go to work on it afterwards.
But no one could think or speak of anything else except their hopes of finding the treasure.
The boys had made cocoa-nut-oil lamps, and by the little flicker of light these gave, they now set about attacking the flint-hard cement in earnest. They chipped it out bit by bit, and hard, tedious work they found it.
But they succeeded at last, and stood silent and with a kind of awesome delight. For there before them was the glad sparkle of diamonds--a sparkle that seemed to dim the light of their poor oil lamp.
"Boys," cried Duncan, "our fortune is made!"
The diamonds, however, were but few--eight in all--but of great size, and apparently of high value, although the boys were no judges.
The hole where they had lain was carefully cemented all round, and besides the diamonds they found here two or three nuggets of gold, and a tiny brick of cement about six inches by four by three.
Just one word was engraved thereon.
That word was evidently Spanish, though partly obliterated--ABRIR--
They hoped to find diamonds inside.
They did not, however; only a piece of parchment, on which many words were written which they could not understand.
They were just putting in the stone again, after carefully storing away the diamonds and parchment, when Viking sprang up fiercely barking, and with his hair erect all along his spine.
At the same moment they perceived a terrible face at the open window.
It was that of a savage in his war-paint--the lips were painted red, great red rings were around each eye, and cheeks and brow were daubed with spots of white.
"Idle curiosity, I suppose," said Duncan, "or a trick to frighten us. For now that the goo-goo is all exhausted, I believe the king would like to see the very last of us."
When Carrambo came next day they told him about the terrible face at the window.
Carrambo considered for a moment, then shook his head.
"Dat no good," he said. "You close all de debbil pit?"
"Yes," said Duncan.
"Dat bad sabage see somefing, sah! He go tell de king. King make bobbery soon. Plaps cut all you troats, like he kill pore leetle Lilywhite to-mollow."
"What!" cried Conal, "kill Lilywhite! If he dares, I'll put a bullet through his fat and ugly phiz."
"Poh Lilywhite!" continued Carrambo, as if speaking to himself. "But," he added, "s'pose you come to-night, I take you to de hut. Lily come back heah; den not die."
Conal at once agreed, and Carrambo came for him some hours after sunset.
The butchering hut was at a considerable distance from the main village, and, strange to say, unguarded. But they crept in and found Lily bound hand and foot.
She was speedily rescued, and in an hour's time they were all back at the fort.
But Conal had seen something that night which seriously alarmed both him and his companions.
The savages were squatted out-of-doors around fires, and all in war-paint.
They looked fierce and terrible.
Very busy, too, were they, sharpening horrid knives and spears.
This was fearful intelligence to bring back, and Carrambo, being asked what it all meant, did not hesitate a moment in replying.
"It mean dis," he said; "dey tink dat you open de debbil hole again. To-mollow dey come plenty twick and cut all you troats, foh shuah."
"Carrambo," said Duncan after a pause, "can you guide us towards Lamoo?"
"Ees, sah, I guide you foh tlue!"
"Without having to go through that gorilla-haunted forest?"
"Ees, sah, ees," was the quick reply. "I myse'f not go t'loo de folast."
"Well, Carrambo, send for the men who attend to the elephants, and we shall start this very night."
The two elephant attendants were very sincere, and when Duncan promised them clothes and beads and many fine gifts, they readily consented to go with them to the coast.
So packing was commenced without a moment's delay.
And none too soon, as things turned out.