There were many curious characters at the camp, as I suppose there are everywhere that a number of men are gathered together. I used to amuse myself studying the various phases of human nature that came under my observation, with the result that some men attracted me and some repelled me.
Aside from the miserly Daggett the man who caused me the most trouble was the surly, scowling Larkin, whom the Major had threatened to shoot on sight if he did not pay me for everything he obtained at my shop. He was a lazy fellow, and did not seem to get ahead as fast as his companions, for that reason. Sometimes, in the heat of the afternoon, he would strike work and come into my hut, where he threatened and bullied me and cast longing glances at the sacks of gold I had accumulated. Uncle Naboth, who, by the way, labored doggedly day after day, as he was commanded, often warned me against Larkin, but I had no fears, being assured the Major would protect me from the villain’s hatred.
One or two others—Hayes and Judson, for instance—were evidently disreputable characters, and affected the society of Larkin when they were not at work. But in the main the miners were decent enough fellows, and seemed to have no thought above securing a fortune from the wealth of the golden sands. They paid me liberally, were just in their dealings, and labored industriously day by day so as to lessen the time of their captivity upon the island.
In the evenings the officers and crew of the “Flipper” were wont to gather in my hut, where they smoked their pipes and conversed more or less gloomily together. None of them, however, was greatly distressed at his fate, and it was wonderful how cheerful Uncle Naboth remained through it all. His silent merriment and sly winks were by no means lacking in these days of tribulations and hard work, and he found many opportunities to exercise his keen sense of humor. In one way his fortunes were really prospering, and each evening he weighed out the day’s receipts, in golden grains, and calculated the profits to us on the sales. I suppose these must have been satisfactory, for he never complained.
I always slept in my hut, surrounded by the store of merchandise and my sacks of gold; but the rest of the crew of the ship had huts of their own, Nux and Bryonia occupying one together.
One night, after I had been asleep for some hours, I was suddenly awakened by the muzzle of a pistol pressed close to my forehead. I opened my eyes, and saw Larkin standing beside me. A tallow candle had been lighted in the hut, and I could see his evil features distinctly.
“Now, my lad,” said he, “keep quiet an’ you won’t get hurt. But if you raise any rumpus or make a sound, I’ll blow your brains out.”
So I lay quiet but I kept my eyes open and eagerly watched what was taking place in the room. Besides Larkin, there were present Daggett, Judson and Hayes—the worst characters in the camp. While Larkin remained beside me to threaten me with his pistol, the others spread out a blanket and dumped into it every sack of gold I possessed. This they secured by tying the corners of the blanket together. Next they spread another blanket and threw into it a quantity of canned meats and other provisions, afterwards tying them up as they had the gold. Then Hayes took the pistol and stood guard over me while the others crept from the hut. They were back in a few minutes, however, bearing another blanket heavily loaded. And now Larkin resumed his place beside me and the others caught up the three parcels and after extinguishing the candle slipped out of the doorway. There was a moon outside, I knew, but it was quite dark in the hut, and the consciousness of being at the mercy of the scoundrel beside me sent cold shivers creeping up my spine.
After waiting a few moments in silence Larkin spoke.
“Look a-here, Sam,” he said gruffly, but in a low voice, “we’ve took some gold and other stuff, as ye know; but we ain’t goin’ to do murder unless we has to. If you’ve got sense enough to keep still for a solid hour, an’ make no fuss, you’ll live to get as much gold, or more, as we’ve just grabbed. But if you try to raise the camp, or foller us, I’ll kill you before you know it. Now, I’m goin’ to stand outside the door for a solid hour—you lay still an’ count sixty seconds to a minute an’ sixty minutes to an hour. If you move before that, you’re a dead one; after the hour ye can howl all ye please, and the louder the better. I ought to stick a knife into you now; but I guess I’ll wait outside the door, an’ see if you mind what I tell you.”
Then with a threatening flourish of his pistol, he slunk away, and as soon as he was outside the door I rose up and followed.
I knew he was lying, well enough, and that his threats were merely meant to terrify me into keeping silent until he escaped. He considered me a mere boy, and believed I would be too frightened to cause him any trouble.
But where could he and his fellow thieves go? How could they penetrate the wild thicket? That was the question that puzzled me. And then I remembered that Daggett was with them, who was reputed to be able to travel at will throughout the interior of the island.
When I reached the door and looked around I could at first see no signs of the man who had just left me. Then I discovered a dark form creeping along the edge of the jungle, and at once I sprang into the shade myself and crept after him. He was going slowly, and in my eagerness I closed up most of the distance between us, until I was dangerously near. But he did not look around, and while my eyes were fastened upon him he dropped to his knees, pushed aside a thick bush, and disappeared into the thicket.
That was all the information I wanted, just then; so I hastily marked the place by heaping a mound of sand before the bush, and then ran back to my hut as fast as I could go. I was terribly humiliated at being robbed so coolly of the gold that had been placed in my care, and rashly resolved that I would recover it by my own efforts, without disturbing the slumbers of my uncle or the Major. So, entering the hut, I secured three revolvers, of the Colt type, and several boxes of cartridges for them, all of which I had secretly smuggled from the ship and hidden among the groceries, for the Major had forbidden any of our crew having fire-arms. I had thought that an emergency might arise, some time, when these revolvers would be useful to us, and now I blessed my foresight in secreting them.
Having secured the weapons I ran quickly to the hut of Nux and Bryonia, and cautiously awakened them. At my first touch Bry sprang into the air and alighted on his feet.
“What’s matter, Mars Sam?” he demanded.
“I’ve been robbed, Bry!” I panted.
“Robbed!” echoed Nux, who was now beside us.
“Yes; Larkin and his gang have taken every bag of our dust.”
Through the dim light I could see their white eyeballs glaring at me in amazement.
“What you goin’ do, Mars Sam?” asked Bry.
“I’m going to give chase, and make the rascals give it back. That is, if you will be my friends, and stand by me,” I said. “By daybreak every bag must be in my hut again.”
“Sure ’nough,” murmured Nux.
“We ready, Mars Sam,” announced Bry, quickly.
“Then take these revolvers, and follow me.”
I gave a weapon to each, having hastily loaded them; and then I turned away, followed by the dark forms of the two Sulus.
“They’re thieves, you know; burglars and outlaws,” I said. “So if we have to shoot them down, no one can blame us.”
They made no answer to this remark, and soon we had left the camp behind and reached the bush underneath which Larkin had disappeared. In a low voice I related what I had seen, and Bryonia, who was a master of woodcraft, at once dropped to his knees and vanished into the thicket. I followed closely after him, and Nux brought up the rear. After creeping a few paces through the underbrush Bry grasped my hand and raised me to my feet, and I discovered that we were now in a well-defined but narrow path which allowed us to stand upright.
It was dark as pitch in the grim forest, and we could only feel our way along; but it was not possible for us to get off the path, which had doubtless been cut by Daggett to afford his entrance into the interior of the island, and if our progress was slow those whom we pursued could not proceed at much greater speed themselves; so we crept along, stumbling over roots and tearing our clothes by brushing against the briars on either side, for a period of nearly an hour. Bryonia glided before us as stealthily as a panther, and often I was not certain but that he had left us far behind; but Nux made as much noise as I did, and puffed much harder to get his breath, so I did not fear being abandoned in the black wilderness.
The ground seemed to rise gradually as we penetrated into the wild interior, but the path remained as narrow as at first. Now that my first excitement and indignation had cooled, this midnight pursuit began to look doubtful of result. The robbers knew the way much better than we did, and they were so far ahead of us that we heard no sound of any sort to guide us. More than once I was tempted to abandon the chase, for my folly in undertaking it grew more and more evident; but the two blacks had no thought of turning back, and I was ashamed to call a halt.
Suddenly I ran plump into Bryonia, who grasped my arm as firmly as if it were in a vice, and held me rigid. Nux immediately ran into me, but stopped short at the moment of contact.
“What is it, Bry?” I asked, in a whisper.
“Look!” he answered, and swung me around in front of him. Then, as I peered into the darkness, a faint ray of light became visible. In a moment I perceived that it was growing bigger and brighter, and then I knew what it meant.
“They’ve gone into camp, and lit a fire!” said I, pleased to have overtaken them.
“Dey do’n’ know we’s coming,” chuckled Nux, from behind.
But Bry stood like a statue, holding fast to my shoulders and peering over my head at the enemy. We could now see that the forest was much thinner here than at the point we had entered, and just beyond, in a little hollow where Larkin and his men were encamped, the trees grew quite scattered.
“Our best plan,” said I, after a moment’s thought, “will be to creep up to them and make a sudden attack.”
“One, two, free, fou’,” counted Bry, in his deep voice. “No use to ’tack, Mars Sam. Dey got guns, an’ kill us all quick.”
“We have our revolvers,” I suggested, rather disappointed at his prediction.
“Nux an’ Imighthit somefin’, an’ we might not,” said Bry. “If we hit somefin’ it might be a man, an’ it might not.”
This was discouraging, and it called to mind the fact that I was not much used to fire-arms myself.
“Still, I don’t mean to go back without doing something to recover our gold,” said I.
“Wait!” whispered the black, and swung me around back of him again. How he managed this I do not know, for the path was very narrow. Next moment he disappeared, as if the earth had swallowed him up.
Nux gave a laugh, and sat down upon the ground. After a few moments I followed suit, squatting in the place I had been standing, for even from that distance I could see by the flickering firelight the dim forms of the robbers gathered around it.
And now I perceived that Bry’s decision was wise. We were too far from camp to expect assistance in case of an emergency, even if our friends succeeded in finding the entrance to the jungle that was so cleverly concealed under the bush. So whatever was to be done must be done by ourselves—a boy and two black men against four desperate and well-armed villains, who would stop at no crime to retain the gold they had stolen.
Evidently they did not fear pursuit now, for we could hear the murmur of their voices as they laughed and shouted at one another.
We waited in silence for a long time, and as the gloom of the silent forest became intensified by the distant light I began to feel for the first time a thrill that was akin to fear.
Finally I noticed a black body wriggling its way toward us through the brush like some huge snake, and a moment later Bryonia stood before me.
“I creep close an’ hear what dey say, Mars Sam,” he reported. “Dey goin’ watch all night. I watch, too. Tomorrow maybe we catch ’em. You an’ Nux go sleep.”
I protested at once that I was not sleepy; but Bry led us away from the path to a quiet place where he had found a bank of moss, and here he cautioned us to remain quietly. He himself crept once again toward the camp fire, and a moment later was wholly invisible. Nux whispered to me tales of Bryonia’s skill as a woodsman, wherein it seemed he had excelled in his native land; but they grew monotonous, in time, and before I knew it I had fallen fast asleep on the mossy bank.
When I opened my eyes it was broad daylight, and at first I could not remember where I was. But as I sat up I saw before me Nux and Bryonia, seated calmly side by side, with the wilderness all around me and the distant voices of the robbers echoing faintly in my ears. The sun was up, for I could see it glinting through the trees; so, as a recollection of my surroundings came back to me, I asked Bry what was going on.
He said the men were breaking camp, having slept late, and that presently they were going to travel still further into the interior. I could not imagine what they had in view, or where they expected to hide from the vengeance of the men they had plundered; but Bry declared we could follow them without ourselves being seen, so I decided not to give up until we had tracked them to their hiding place—if, indeed, they had one.
Presently we could see them tramping away to the southward, carrying the gold and provisions they had tied up in the blankets. There must have been two or three hundredweight of the gold, so the packages were heavy, and they had to take turns carrying them. But men seldom feel overburdened by the weight of gold, so we heard no complaints from the bearers.
Bry went on alone, hiding behind rocks and trees but keeping the men well in sight. After him trailed Nux, keeping Bry in sight; and then, as far away as I dared, I followed Nux, trying to imitate the example of the blacks and to hide myself as well as possible.
Before noon I grew hungry, for we had brought no provisions of any sort with us. The robbers paused to lunch, and then went on; but although I searched carefully, I could not find a morsel of food that they had cast aside. Of water there was plenty, for we crossed several small streams; but food began to be more precious than gold to me, and I vaguely wondered if I should die of starvation before I got back to camp.
At evening the men made camp again, this time in a little clearing strewn with fallen logs; and when Bry rejoined me in a clump of trees where Nux and I had halted, I told him frankly that I was faint with hunger, and that unless I could find something to eat I could not go on. I have no doubt the blacks were hungry, too; but they were more inured to hardship, and could bear it better.
But Bry volunteered to try to secure some food, and as soon as darkness had fallen he crept toward the camp, managing to approach to within five yards of the camp fire, around which the robbers sat smoking and talking. He was concealed by a huge log, behind which he hid, listening carefully to the conversation, which he afterward retailed to me.
“So far,” Larkin was saying, “we couldn’t have done better. By this time I guess we’re pretty safe from pursuit.”
“No one could find their way here in a year,” boasted Daggett, his lean face grinning with delight. “I’m the only man on the island as knows the trails.”
“Are you sure you can lead us to that queer rock you tell of?” asked Judson, a little uneasily.
“Sure. And once there, we could defy an army,” returned Daggett. “Then we can make our raft, row out to where the ship is, and sail away home.”
Larkin gave a rude laugh, ending it with an oath.
“There’ll be some tall cussin’ in the camp,” he said.
“Major’ll be crazy,” assented Daggett.
“I swiped every grain o’ gold he had, while he lay a-snorin’,” chuckled Hayes, a big ruffian who was called “Dandy Pete,” in derision, because he was so rough and unkempt. “Pity we couldn’t ’a’ got all there was in camp.”
“There’s enough to make us all rich, my boys, anyhow,” remarked Larkin. “It’s nearly broke my back, luggin’ of it, an’ there’s only four of us to divide.”
At this they seemed to grow thoughtful, and all sat silently smoking for several minutes.
“What bothers me,” said Judson, breaking the silence, “is how we’re to get that blasted ship into some civilized port. There ain’t a man here as knows anything about sailin’.”
“That’s all right,” said Larkin, confidently. “The sun rises in the east, don’t it? Well, all we’ve got to do is h’ist the sails and let the wind blow us towards the east. Some time or other we’ll get to the American continent, and then we can run down the coast to ’Frisco. It’s no trouble to sail a ship.”
“We’ve got to get away, somehow,” grumbled Judson, “or our gold won’t be of any use to us. When are we going to divide?”
“When we get on the ship,” said Daggett, promptly.
“When we’re at sea will be better,” added Larkin.
They looked at one another suspiciously.
“It’s got to be a fair divvy,” said Dandy Pete, with an oath, “or else there won’t be so many to divide up with.”
“What do you mean by that?” demanded Larkin, angrily.
“I mean I’ll stick a knife in your ribs, if you try any trickery with me,” replied Pete, scowling. “You made the terms yourself, and you’ve got to live up to ’em. It’s a quarter each, all around.”
“That’s wrong!” yelled Daggett, springing to his feet. “I’m to have a third, for guiding you. If it hadn’t been for me, you couldn’t get away with the gold at all.”
“Who promised you a third?” asked Hayes.
“Larkin.”
“Well, let Larkin make it up to you, out of his own share. I’m going to have a quarter.”
“And so am I,” said Judson, fingering his revolver.
Larkin glared at them with a white face.
“We won’t quarrel about it, boys,” he said, after a time. “There’s plenty for all, and we must hang together till we’re out of danger. I’ll take what you think is right, for my share.”
“I’ll take my third, an’ no less,” growled Daggett.
No one looked at him. Each seemed to be busy with his own thoughts.
Bryonia had chosen this especial log to hide behind, because the robbers had placed their sack of provisions upon it. While listening to the conversation I have recorded, the black had stealthily reached up his hand and managed to extract from the bundle a tin of corned beef and a handful of ship’s biscuits. Then he wriggled carefully away, and in a few minutes had rejoined Nux and me, where we hid among the trees.
I think no food has ever tasted quite so delicious to me as did that tinned beef and stale biscuit. When divided amongst three there was little enough in each share, but it sufficed to allay our hunger and give us fresh strength and courage.
After we had eaten, Bry decided to go back again for more, since another opportunity to purloin from the bundle of provisions might not be offered us.
As it was very dark by this time, Nux and I crept nearer, to where a big rock lay; and here, hidden by the deep shadows, we were able to distinguish clearly all that transpired around the camp fire.
Bry being between us and the light, we could follow his creeping form with our eyes until we saw him lying safely hidden behind the log, with the bundle of food just over him. By this time all the robbers had lain down to sleep except Larkin, who had taken the watch and sat moodily smoking beside the fire, on which he tossed now and then a handful of fuel.
Suddenly, as he looked toward the sack that rested upon the log, he saw it move. In an instant a pistol shot rang out, and the robbers sprang to their feet with cries of alarm.
“Somebody’s behind that log!” shouted Larkin, who was himself trembling with fear.
At once Bryonia arose to his feet, stepped over the log, and calmly advanced into the light of the fire, holding out his hand in greeting and smiling broadly into the angry faces confronting him.
“Don’ shoot poor Bry,” he said, pleadingly. “I’se run ’way to j’ine you.”
“Run away!” exclaimed Larkin, while the others looked at the black suspiciously. “Why did you do that?”
“So’s I won’ haf to work any mo’,” answered Bry. “Dey’s jest killin’ me in dat camp, luggin’ bags o’ sand an’ washin’ gold all day.”
“Who came with you?” asked Daggett.
“Nobody ’t all,” declared Bry. “I seen yo’ all leave de camp, an’ so I crep’ along after yo’. Wouldn’t have let yo’ know I was here, sure ’nough, but I got so hungry. I couldn’t stand it no longer, so I tried to steal somefin’ to eat, an’ Mars Larkin he shot de gun at me.”
“How did you know we had quit the camp for good?” enquired Pete, in a surly tone.
“Saw you take de gold, suh. So I ’pects you ain’t comin’ back agin’, an’ thought I’d j’ine yo’. If you’ll take me ’long an’ feed me, Mars Hayes, I’ll help tote de gold.”
Bryonia’s statement was so simple that the miners were inclined to believe him. Nux and I, who had crawled nearer to the fire when the pistol shot rang out, could hear distinctly every word, and for a moment I was horrified that Bry should prove false and desert to the enemy. But Nux was chuckling gleefully, and whispered: “Dat Bry, he mighty clever boy, Mars Sam!” So I began to comprehend that Bry was acting a part, with the idea of saving Nux and me from discovery and ultimately recovering the gold. Therefore I kept silent and listened eagerly.
Evidently the miners were not of one opinion concerning the new arrival.
“Let’s kill the nigger,” said Daggett. “Then we won’t run any chances.”
“Don’t be a fool,” retorted Larkin. “Bry can be useful to us. He’s the cook of the ‘Flipper’, I’m told, and besides helping to carry the gold, he can cook our meals when we get to sea, and help sail the ship.”
“If he’s run away from camp, why, he’s one of us,” said Judson, yawning and sitting down again. “And if it comes to a fight, he counts for one more on our side.”
“But he don’t get any gold,” added Dandy Pete.
“Not an ounce!” declared Daggett.
“Don’t want any gold,” said Bry, composedly. “Only want to get away.”
“All right,” decided Larkin. “You can come along. But you’ve got to obey orders, and the first time I catch you at any tricks, I’ll put a bullet into you.”
Bry grinned from ear to ear, as if he considered this a good joke, and then he warmed his hands over the fire while Judson brought him something to eat from the bundle.
Afterward all lay down to sleep again except Larkin, who resumed his watch. It was too soon to put any trust in Bry, so the black, having eaten his fill, lay down beside the others.
Nux and I cautiously retreated to the rock, and consulted as to what we should do under these circumstances. The black man had perfect confidence in his comrade, and proposed that we should still follow the band of robbers and wait for Bry to find a way to communicate with us and assist us. This seemed reasonable to me, also.
As we were chilled to the bones in the cold night air, Nux suggested that we go into camp until morning, and led me a long distance back into the woods, where we finally came to a deep hollow. Here there would be little danger that a fire could be seen by the robbers; so we gathered together some twigs, and as I had matches in my pocket a fire was soon started that proved very grateful to us both. We then agreed to take turns watching until daylight, and while Nux lay down to sleep I took the first watch. But in some way—perhaps because the fire was so cosy and agreeable,—I gradually lost consciousness, and when morning came both Nux and I awoke with a start to find the fire out and the sun glinting brightly through the trees.
We made all haste toward the camp of the robbers, but when we arrived at the place we found it deserted. They could not have been gone long, however, for the embers of the fire were still aglow; and Nux, who was keen as a bloodhound on a trail, declared he would have no trouble in following the band.
Before we left, however, we made a search for food, and to our joy discovered behind the log a can of beans and some more biscuits, which Bry had evidently found an opportunity to hide there for our benefit. We began the chase even while we ate, for Nux picked out the trail with ease and threaded his way between the trees with absolute confidence.
It was nearly noon when he halted suddenly.
We had come to the edge of the forest. Before us lay a broad table-land, barren of any trees or brush whatever, and beyond this strip of rock the blue sea stretched away to the horizon.
“Why, we’ve crossed the island!” I exclaimed.
“Only one end of de island,” corrected Nux. “De bay where our ship lays ain’t half a mile away.”
It surprised me that the shrewd black should know this, but I did not question his statement. Just now my attention was drawn to the robbers, who had halted upon the further edge of the table-land, which even from where we stood, could be seen to form a high bluff above the ocean. At this place it ran out into a little point, and just beyond this point, but separated from the mainland by a wide gulf, stood an island-like peak of rock, its flat surface on a level with the bluff. It must at one time have formed a part of the mainland, but some convulsion of nature had broken it away, and now a deep fissure isolated it from the bluff.
Nature was responsible for two other curious freaks. One was a group of tall pines, three in number, which grew on the separate peak where there seemed scarcely enough soil covering the rock to hold the roots of the trees. Yet on the main bluff there were no trees at all.
The other phenomenon was a great rock, that must have weighed thousands of tons, which lay upon the edge of the bluff so nicely balanced that it almost seemed as if a good push would precipitate it into the gulf below. It was triangular in shape, and the base rested on the bluff while its outer point projected far over the gulf till it towered almost above the isolated point of rock I have described.
The robbers, when we first saw them, were engaged in earnest consultation. It appeared that Daggett was explaining something about the great rock, for he pointed toward it several times, and then at the islet. The others leaned over the edge of the gulf, looked into the chasm below, at the triangular rock, at the barren islet, and then drew back and shook their heads.
Then Daggett, whom I had always considered a coward, did what struck me as being a very brave act. He climbed upon the sloping rock, and gradually crept upward on his hands and knees. When he reached a point above the center the huge rock began to tremble. Daggett crept a little further along, and now the entire mass of rock, which was poised to a nicety, raised its vast bulk and tipped slowly outward. Daggett slid forward; the point of rock under him touched the islet and came to rest, and then he leaped off and stood safely upon the peak, while the rocking-stone, relieved of his weight, slowly returned to its former position.
A cheer went up from the men, and they hesitated no longer. Bry crept up the stone next, and was tipped gracefully upon the islet. One after another Hayes, Judson and Larkin mounted the rocking-stone and were deposited upon the rocky point, together with their bundles of gold and provisions.
We could not see very well what became of them, after this, for the big rock hid them from our view; but as it was evident they could not get back again—at least by the same means they had employed to reach the islet,—Nux and I made bold to creep out of our shelter and approach the point that jutted outward into the sea.
Then, to our surprise, we saw that the flat top of the rock was deserted. The robbers, together with Bry and the treasure, seemed to have vanished into thin air!
From our better position we could now see the sides of the great rock which reared itself nearly a hundred feet from the shore and stood like some gigantic, flat topped obelisk, keeping guard by the lonely sea. Some ancient convulsion of nature, such as an earthquake or a lightning bolt, had evidently split it from the main precipice of rock near which it stood; for the huge crevice that separated it, and which extended entirely down to the beach, almost followed its outlines in every particular. But what had cast up that great rocking-stone, and placed it in so finely balanced a position that it could be made a curious but effective bridge to the isolated peak? No one can tell. Another freak of nature, doubtless, for no mortal hands could ever have moved so great a weight of solid rock.
And now was solved the problem of the mysterious disappearance of the robbers; for, looking over the edge, we saw them creeping slowly down the side of the cliff. A natural ledge, varying from one to three feet in breadth, led from the top down to the bottom, circling entirely around the crag with a sort of corkscrew regularity. It was a dizzy path, most certainly, and I did not wonder to see the men cling fast to the inner side of the rock as they crept down the tortuous ledge; but Daggett, who evidently knew the place well, led them fearlessly, and the others followed, dragging their burdens and the sacks of gold dust as best they could. I certainly expected to see one or more of them tumble headlong at any moment; but no accident happened and presently, as they descended, the path wound around the opposite side of the rock, and they were lost to view.
I wondered if I would see them again, and if it were wise to stick to my exposed post of observation; but while I pondered the matter Daggett came into view again, having passed around the rock. He was now two thirds of the way to the sands, and as he followed the ledge on the inner side, that lay next the face of the main cliff, I saw him suddenly pause upon a broader part of the path than the rest, and then disappear into the rock itself—or so it seemed to my gaze from where I watched. One by one the men came after him, and one by one the rock swallowed them up with their burdens; and now passed a period of tedious waiting.
Both Nux and I had counted the fugitives and saw that all had safely descended to this point, including Bry. But what had become of them now was a mystery.
“What shall we do, Nux?” I asked in indecision. “There’s nothing more to be seen from here.”
The black, whose eyes held a startled expression, made no reply; but he crept with me to a nearer and better position at the edge of the cliff beside the rocking-stone, and together we peered over into the abyss. Now, indeed, the strange disappearance of the robbers was explained, for from our present point of vantage we could see a black spot far down on the inner face of the column of rock, where the ledge passed, and this spot was evidently a cavity into which the men had penetrated.
“All we can do now,” I said, with a sigh of regret, “is to wait until they come out. It would be foolish to follow them into that place.”
Nux nodded an emphatic approval, and we proceeded to lie down upon our faces, so that our eyes just projected over the edge of the cliff, and in this position we watched as patiently as we could for something to happen.
It was fully an hour before the men reappeared. A distant sound of voices, raised high in angry dispute, was the first token that the desperadoes were quitting the interior of the rock. Then Larkin and Daggett came out and stood upon the ledge; the others crowding behind them on the narrow footing, while their guide pointed along the ledge that still continued to lead downward.
They were without burdens now, either of provisions or gold dust; but the two axes were carried over Bry’s shoulder, and another man bore a coil of rope.
They seemed to be disputing together about something, and a few of the words reached our ears. Daggett was urging them to follow a plan he had proposed, while some of the others demurred.
“It’s too hot to work,” we heard one of the men declare.
“It’s not too hot to hang,” shouted Daggett, in reply, “and you’ll hang, every mother’s son of you, if we don’t get to the ship!”
That seemed to be an effective argument, for after a few more words of protest the men followed Daggett along the ledge, Bry coming last of all.
The path was broader from there on, and they made rapid progress, soon being again lost to our view around the rock. Just as Bry disappeared he looked up and saw Nux and me eagerly watching from above. For an instant he paused to wave his hand and grin at us reassuringly; then he passed around the edge and vanished after the others.
“Dat Bry don’ ’pear to be much scared,” said Nux, in an encouraged tone.
“No,” I answered, thoughtfully. “He’s got some plan in his head, I’m sure, to help us. But where have the men gone now?”
Nux could not answer this problem, but after a few moments it solved itself, for the robbers and Bry appeared upon the sandy shore, close to the water, and walked briskly along the narrow strip of beach between the lapping waves and the grim precipice of the mainland. It was not long before a bend in the coast hid them completely, and then we sat up and looked at one another inquiringly.
“What we do now?” asked the black.
“Let’s go down the rock,” I suggested, assuming to be braver than I really was. “They’ve left the gold behind them, that’s sure; and the gold is what we’re after, Nux. Once we have recovered that, it doesn’t matter so much what becomes of the thieves.”
“Won’ dey come back?” enquired Nux, hesitatingly.
“I hope not,” said I, truthfully. “At least not until after we’ve got back the gold. But there’s no time to lose. Follow me.”
Having thus assumed the leadership, I strove to banish all unmanly fear and boldly sprang on to the end of the rocking-stone that rested on the mainland. Slowly and with caution I crept up its incline until I was directly over the gulf. It was now that the stone should tip, but it seemed that my weight, being less than that of any of the men who had passed over, was not sufficient to balance the rock, so it began to look like a risky thing for me to climb further up the tapering point.
“But it’s got to be done,” I muttered to myself, setting my teeth firmly together; and then, summoning what courage I possessed, I lay close to the rock and crawled steadily upward, digging my toes desperately into the irregular hollows of the surface, to keep from sliding into the gulf that yawned below. Higher and higher I climbed, and at last the huge rock trembled and then gently sank beneath me. For a moment I was exultant; but I had crept so near to the slippery point of the wedge that I could find no rough projection to grasp with my fingers, and therefore as soon as my head became lower than my feet I slid headforemost to the point and tumbled off before the rocking-stone had reached a point of rest upon the peak.
Fortunately, however, I had been carried over the gulf, and although I lay, half-stunned, upon the very edge of the great precipice, I was not much hurt. In another moment I managed to drag myself to a position of greater safety, while the rocking-stone, relieved of my weight, reared its nearest point into the air again and fell slowly back into its original position.
Nux, who had watched breathlessly my adventure and hair-breadth escape, was trembling violently when he in turn mounted the stone. But I called out to reassure him, and his greater weight caused the wedge to tip more quickly, so that he effected the passage to the rocky peak with comparative ease.
Once beside me the faithful fellow began rubbing my limbs briskly to renew their circulation and ease the bruises, and it was not long before I felt sufficiently restored to announce my resolve to continue the adventure.
“Come on, Nux,” said I, scrambling to my feet, “we must get that gold before Daggett and his gang come back.”
The black was staring at the rocking-stone, now removed from our table-like refuge by a good twenty feet.
“How we get back again?” he asked, in perplexity.
“I don’t know,” said I. “That’s a question we’ll have to face afterward. The main thing is to get the gold, and it’s certain that if we can find no way to escape the robbers will be as badly off themselves.”
Nux shook his head.
“Dat won’ help us, Mars Sam,” he said, gravely.
But already I was engaged in eagerly peering over the edge of the peak to find the ledge by which the men had descended, and in an instant I discovered it. It started with a projection scarcely six inches wide, which lay nearly four feet from the top, and it is small wonder that I looked at it dubiously, at first. For if I let myself over, and missed my footing, I would be tumbled sheer down the face of the cliff.
“I go first,” decided Nux, who had also glanced over the cliff.
There was a crack in the rock, near the edge, which afforded him a hold for his hands, and clutching this the black let his body slide over until his feet touched the projection.
“Now, Mars Sam,” he said. “You hold on me, an’ come down.”
This I quickly did, and found the feat much less difficult than I had feared. Just at the top where my companion’s feet rested, there was sufficient incline to enable me to lean against the rock, and a few steps further on the ledge widened until the path was quite easy to follow.
I went first, followed closely by the black, and although it was not a descent one would have chosen for a pleasure excursion there was little of danger to be encountered by those with cool heads and determined hearts, such as we strove to maintain.
Round and round the great pillar of rock we crept, nearing the foot gradually until we came at last to the side facing the main cliff and found the opening of a large cavern beside us.
Filled with eager curiosity I took a step or two inside, and found the cavern to be fully ten feet in height and about fifteen feet in depth. There was no light except that which came through the round entrance, and as this faced the side of the cliff it was so shadowed that it required a few moments for me to accustom my eyes to the gloom, so that I could see plainly the interior of the cave.
Its floor was strewn deeply with sand, an evidence that when the waves rolled high they rebounded from the face of the cliff and deposited their sand in the cavern. The marks of numerous footprints, however, were all that could be seen in the cave, and it did not take me a moment to guess what had occupied the robbers so long.
“They’ve buried the sacks of gold and the provisions under the sand!” I exclaimed.
“Sure ’nough,” agreed Nux.