CHAPTER XXIX.IN THE TUNNEL.
During several moments Jenkins remained motionless, as if trying to decide what course to pursue, and the boys bent forward in their efforts to hear the first sound which should come from the direction of that ray of light; but nothing broke the almost profound silence, save their own labored breathing.
“They are goin’ to take plenty of time about it, an’ we’ll do the same,” Jenkins whispered, cautiously, with his mouth close to Gil’s ear. “The idiots think the light don’t show through, an’ are tryin’ to find out if we’re in the tunnel.”
“Well, what’s to be done? We can’t stand here till they come.”
“Take off your shoes, an’ we’ll steal down to the shaft. We mustn’t make a stand here, for it ain’t certain a lot of ’em won’t come in from the outside at the same time.”
In their stockinged feet the three crept softly down the passage, hugging the left side to avoid being precipitated into the excavation, until they arrived at the point where Andy, clutching firmly the “charm” on his bosom, was keeping watch.
In reply to Jenkins’ whispered questions, he declared that nothing larger than a night bird had moved in thevicinity, and on being told of what was occurring at the opposite end of the tunnel, would have leaped to his feet with a cry of alarm but for the firm hold the mate had upon him.
“Sit still, an keep your wits about you while I creep back a short distance,” the latter whispered. “If you make a noise, or try to kick up any bobbery because you don’t like our way of managin’ things, I’ll shoot you as quick as I would one of them voudoo-dancin’ black men.”
This threat was sufficient to reduce Andy to a state of complete submission; but it destroyed his usefulness as a watcher, for he was no longer in a frame of mind where he could distinguish between a genuine noise and his own imagination.
“Be ready to shoot the first heathen who shows his head,” the mate said to Gil, and then he disappeared in the tunnel.
It was useless to expect any assistance from Andy, and the boys stood at the foot of the shaft listening intently, with their revolvers ready for use; but nothing save the sighing of the night wind among the foliage came to their ears.
The mate moved as noiselessly as a shadow, and the silence was almost terrifying.
The minutes passed like hours, fearing as the boys did that each instant would come the sounds of conflict, proclaiming that they must begin the struggle for life, and fully half-an-hour had passed before Jenkins appeared, saying in a low, hurried tone, as he stood beside Gil and Nelse:
“They have started. I counted six before the door was closed, an’ they’ll be here in about five minutes. Our best plan is to hug the wall of the shaft close by the entrance to the tunnel, an’ wait till they are at close range, when every shot will count.”
“We’ll do whatever you think best,” Gil replied, nervously, and the mate continued:
“We can’t fight very long with the small number of cartridges, so each one must bring down a man. If the fellows from the top join in, as I reckon they’re bound to do, keep far enough inside to prevent them from seeing the flash of the powder, an’ take to your hatchets when the last shot has been fired. It’s better to die here fightin’ than allow ourselves to be taken prisoners for their pleasure.”
“We’ll do our share,” Gil said, “and now I shan’t hesitate to try to kill a human being.”
“It’s your life or theirs, an’ you’d be foolish to have any scruples now. I’ve brought the iron box here in case there should be a chance of gettin’ out of this place; but I don’t s’pose we’ll have any call for it, because there are too many blacks for us to get the best of in a fair fight.”
Jenkins ceased speaking very suddenly, for at that moment a rustling of the leaves was heard from the top of the shaft, and all expected the onslaught would be made at once.
Even Andy understood it was a question of fighting, and that his charm would not avail him at such a time, therefore he joined the defenders, although he had no weapon.
One, two, three minutes passed, and to the boys it seemed as if every drop of blood in their bodies was literally boiling with excitement. Their mouths became parched, and each tried in vain to moisten his burning lips, as he mentally braced himself for the coming struggle.
The suspense was worse than reality, and only with the greatest difficulty could Gil prevent himself from shrieking to break the awful silence. Five minutes more passed, and it seemed as if fully half-an-hour must have elapsed when the little party were absolutely electrified by hearing a blood-curdling cry from the forest, which was echoed and re-echoed by the trees until one could have sworn a hundred men were in their last agonies.
Almost at the same instant the sound of footsteps came from the tunnel, and before the boys could draw their weapons, it was succeeded by a cry of distress from a dozen throats.
Then all was still once more.
Nelse turned toward Jenkins as if to ask whether this had simply been a trick of the imagination, and then came a cry of terror from the tunnel, repeated again and again until the air was filled with the hideous noise.
What it could mean no one knew, and as Andy cowered in mortal terror against the side of the shaft, Jenkins saw a human form outlined upon the lighter darkness of the opening.
Raising his revolver he fired, and a heavy body fell to the ground almost at their feet.
“What is the matter?” Gil asked, unable longer to remain silent.
“I’m blest if I know. Anyhow, here’s one of the villains, an’, what’s worse, he ain’t dead.”
Again a tumult in the tunnel was heard, and Nelse cried:
“The fellows who were trying to surprise us have fallen into the underground chamber. So much is certain; but what’s the meaning of that?” and he stopped for an instant as the shrieks from the forest rang out again in such a tone of agony there could no longer be any question that a human soul was being sent to its final account.
The terrifying cries died away in the distance, even as the little party listened, and once more silence reigned, save when the wounded mass of humanity gave vent to a groan.
Unless one believed in voudooism as did Andy, everything was incomprehensible, and even the old darky could think of no satisfactory explanation just at this moment, for he cowered close to the others, shaking like one in an ague fit, and clutching with the strength of despair at the mysterious “something” concealed beneath his shirt.
One, two, three minutes more passed, and then Jenkins said, with a long-drawn breath:
“I can’t stand this sort of thing any longer, boys. We’re bound to find out what’s been goin’ on, an’ the facts can’t be any worse than a fellow’s imagination as he stands here shiverin’.”
The boys would have followed him as he went into the tunnel, but he prevented them by saying:
“Stay here, an’ keep a mighty sharp watch. Nobodyknows but that all this yellin’ was done to throw us off our guard.”
“I’m certain those noises couldn’t have been made for effect, an’ you’ll find a whole crowd in the place where the diamonds came from,” Nelse replied, in a decided tone.
“Then all the more reason why some one should be there to prevent them from crawlin’ out. I can take care of a good many, if they’re in that trap; but we are bound to watch out for all the chances.”
Jenkins was so reckless as to light a match before he was more than a dozen feet inside the tunnel, and a moment after the boys saw a glow, telling that he had ignited one of the torches.
From the outside not a sound came, and in a few seconds the boys heard the mate’s cheery cry:
“You were right, Nelse. The whole boilin’ of ’em are in here like rats, an’ believe I’m goin’ to kill ’em.”
“Can you see them?” Gil asked, in surprise.
“Of course I can, as well as if the whole lot were on exhibition in a dime museum. One of you come here an take a peep, for there’s no question now but that some of their plans have gone wrong.”
Nelse ran into the tunnel in response to this invitation, and on reaching the hole saw seven black forms crouching at the bottom in deepest terror, while Jenkins was amusing himself by walking around the edge of the excavation throwing the light on the huddling mass, and threateningthe poor wretches with what he proposed doing when it should be convenient.
“Do you think it is just safe to stand here while more of the party can jump in on you by the same way these came?” Nelse asked, and this question put a very sudden end to the mate’s sport.
“Wait while I have a look around,” he said, as he handed the torch to the boy and disappeared in the darkness.
Before Nelse could explain the cause of his delay to Gil, the mate returned, saying, in a tone of satisfaction:
“They’ve shut the door tight, to keep us out in case these fellows failed, I reckon, an’ it won’t be a bad idea for me to keep watch there while you an’ Gil divide the work here. We must stop any nonsense at the beginnin’, an’ then they can’t get the upper hands of us.”
“Is there a real necessity of watching this crowd?”
“Of course; otherwise they could soon manage to wriggle out by climbin’ on each other’s shoulders. Stand by and shoot the first who rises to his feet,” Jenkins replied, and then he added, in a stern tone to the trembling blacks, as if believing they could understand him: “Don’t you so much as move, or we’ll kill the whole boilin’ the same as we would mosquitoes. Lay down, an’ the first one who raises his head shall serve as an example for the rest.”
It was evident that the fellows understood the purport of his words, for they crouched yet lower, and he added to Nelse:
“Don’t hesitate to shoot if they make any show oftryin’ to get out, for our lives depend upon holdin’ the whole crowd.”
“You ought to tell Gil where I am.”
“He’s got sense enough to know that at such a time as this he must remain at his post, so do as I tell you, an’ don’t take your eyes off the gang for a single minute.”