CHAPTER XIV.THE CAVE.
Neither of the boys had thought that it might become necessary for theDay Dreamto leave her anchorage; but as the mate spoke, both remembered what Captain Mansfield said shortly before they left, and the knowledge that their friends had been forced to abandon them brought with it the deepest despair.
They could hear the wind, as it swept across the mouth of the underground passage, and this told plainly that if the schooner had not left this particular portion of the coast, she would probably be a wreck before morning.
During a long while the mournful party crouched upon the damp earth silent, each occupied with his own gloomy thoughts, and then Gil said, as he arose to his feet:
“We mustn’t give way in this manner! Other people have been in worse scrapes and come out all right by keeping a stiff upper lip, and watching for some chance to help themselves. We are acting like babies.”
“You are right, lad,” and Mr. Jenkins stood erect, clasping Gil’s hand. “Let’s see what kind of a place we are in, and then, perhaps, matters won’t appear quite so desperate. I’d give all the wages due me if I knew why these black villains have brought us here.”
“It can’t be to kill us, for that could have been donewithout any trouble when we were on the beach,” Gil replied.
This remark seemed to give Nelse courage, and he said, joining the others:
“There’s no use speculating about what can’t be found out until they choose to tell us. Let’s do as Mr. Jenkins proposed, and find out where we are. I’ve got a box full of matches, and they ought to give light enough to show how the place looks.”
While speaking, he had ignited one of the tapers, and all three gazed around eagerly.
There was but little to be seen. An excavation, evidently formed by the hand of man, about twelve feet deep and eight wide, with nothing in it, save a pile of charred wood, where a fire had once been built, made up a complete description of their prison.
“It isn’t the most comfortable-looking place I ever saw,” Gil said, trying hard to appear cheerful; “but we might at least kindle a small fire, since the materials are so near at hand. If our friends make any objection to the plan, they can’t do much more than put it out.”
A blaze, however small, would be better than the profound darkness, and the boys raked the fragments of wood together, partially covering them with sand to prevent a too rapid consumption of fuel.
It was necessary to use three matches of their now precious hoard, before the flames fastened upon the blackened sticks; but the outlay seemed none too great when the dispiriting gloom was thus partially dispelled.
The one question uppermost in the minds of all was,why they had been made prisoners, and, after gathering around the fire, this thought would have caused another painful silence, but for the mate, who said, briskly:
“The darkness will seem all the more intense when this wood has been burned, and what little we have won’t last a great while.”
“I don’t see how we can help ourselves,” Gil replied, with a sigh.
“I am going out through the passage on a hunt for more.”
“And get another blow on the head? Tied up as you are in that handkerchief, which is covered with blood, you look sufficiently like a pirate without trying to add to your peculiar beauty.”
“But this time I’ll go toward the big cave, where our particular friends are probably enjoying themselves. Light enough comes from there to show if any one is on guard, and I’ll guarantee that these villains don’t get a second chance to hit me with a club.”
As if fearing his companions might try to dissuade him from his purpose, Mr. Jenkins crept on his hands and knees to where he could have a view of the passage.
While it was impossible to distinguish anything distinctly, he was able to satisfy himself that there was no one between the two caves, and he rose to his feet as he whispered:
“I’m bound to have some idea of what them chaps are doing, whether I get any more wood or not. Stay here, and I’ll be back in five minutes.”
“We had rather go with you,” Gil replied, as he approached the mate.
“It wouldn’t be safe. If they should happen to see me, and kick up a row, the passage is so small that the three of us would get all tangled up. You can watch from here, and have some idea of what I am doing.”
He started as the last word was spoken, and the boys could see his form outlined against the faint light until he reached the entrance to this second chamber, when he apparently disappeared in the gloom.
“Where has he gone now?” Nelse asked, in a whisper.
“I reckon he’s simply leaning against the side, out of the range of the fire, watching those who are inside.”
Gil’s surmise was correct. Jenkins was standing where he could get a fairly good view of the interior, and that which he saw caused him mingled feelings of surprise, bewilderment and fear.
In the cave, which was circular, and about twenty feet in diameter, were seventeen negroes, seated back against the wall of earth, thus leaving the greater portion of the floor space free. Four small fires were burning, as if to designate the points of the compass, and between these stood the most repulsive-looking old negro the mate had ever seen. His wool was gray, and hung in matted locks nearly to his shoulders. His toothless mouth appeared to be the focus of a mass of wrinkles so deep as to destroy all semblance of a face, and gave his head the appearance of a bag with one end puckered by a drawing-string.
The skin of some animal served as a sort of petticoat for the old fellow, and around his neck was wound anodd sort of necklace, seemingly composed of small bones, the ends of which reached nearly to the ground. His feet were bare, as was the upper portion of his body, and in each hand he held a long knife, the blade dripping with blood.
When Jenkins first saw the hideous creature, he was standing silent and motionless, as if wrapped in deep thought; but after a few seconds he aroused himself, began walking around each fire in turn, muttering in guttural tones, and drawing the blade of the knife across his chest, causing the blood to flow in tiny streams with every stroke.
The spectators watched him as if spellbound. No one so much as moved, and Jenkins could have sworn that they were literally holding their breath.
Weaving his way in and out among the piles of burning wood, the old fellow continued to hack and cut at himself until the entire upper portion of his body was covered with blood, and then, crouching upon the earth, he gazed steadily into the flames for several moments.
Jenkins was about to turn away, believing the performance had come to a close, when the negro sprang to his feet with a quick, agile movement, and looked around upon his companions like one just awakening from a dream.
Now it could be told from the expression on the black faces that all believed they were about to hear some wonderful revelation, and after a certain length of time, probably made as long as possible in order to render his words the more impressive, the old man began to speak, slowlyat first, but increasing in vehemence until it sounded more like the snarl of an angry animal than the result of a human voice.
He spoke in a language which Jenkins did not understand, but, under the circumstances, it was not difficult to fancy the long harangue had especial reference to the prisoners.
During at least fifteen minutes he continued in the most impassioned strain, and then ensued the same scene the mate had witnessed near the beach.
All present began the apparently meaningless dance and song around the fires, and Jenkins, thinking he had seen enough of this mummery, made his way back to those whom he knew were awaiting his return.
There was no thought of gathering wood as he crept cautiously through the passage, and when he reached the place allotted to the prisoners, all was dark and still.
“Are you here, boys?” he asked, in a low tone.
“Yes, you almost stepped on us. What are they doing over there? We heard the same kind of a chant that attracted our attention when we landed to begin this foolish trip which has ended so disastrously.”
“They are cutting those silly capers over again. This is what I saw.”
Then Jenkins gave a detailed account of all that had taken place in the chamber, from the time of his arrival, and when he had finished, Gil asked:
“What do you suppose they are up to?”
“I reckon Andy could tell you, for there can be no doubt but that these are a lot of voudoo worshipers, andthe fellow with the knife must be a priest, or something of that kind.”
“Do you suppose they could know that we were in search of pirates’ treasure?” Nelse asked.
“Not unless some of them understand English, and heard us talking when we came ashore this morning.”
“That might be,” Gil said, half to himself; “but so long as we hadn’t found any, I can’t imagine why we should have been made prisoners.”
“Perhaps it was because we saw them at their dances,” Nelse suggested.
To Gil this did not seem a very plausible explanation, but since he could advance nothing better, it was accepted as the true reason.
“We have got to get out of here somehow,” Mr. Jenkins said, after a long pause. “They may not intend to do us any harm, but we won’t take the risk, if it can be avoided. Toward morning I’m going to make one more effort to find out how many are on guard at the entrance. If we could only get hold of our revolvers! I know who has them, and it is certain he isn’t with the mummers, therefore he must be outside.”
“With his eyes wide open, to prevent you either from escaping, or trying to get your own again.”
“We will see about that. We won’t make any move until nearly morning, therefore it’s a good idea to get some sleep, if possible. Lie down, and I’ll call you before daybreak.”
The conditions were not favorable for slumber, but yet the boys were so tired that in a very short time both weresleeping quietly, and the mate, seated near the entrance to the excavation, was keeping strict watch, with apparently not the slightest idea of closing his eyes.
He could hear the discordant chant from the inner cave, now rising high, and again dying away until it was lost in the distance, and this was continued so long that, despite his will, the unconsciousness of sleep came upon him.