CHAPTER XXXI.AN OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL.
It was several seconds before the mate understood what had happened, and then, realizing that the enemy was making an attack, he shouted as he darted into the tunnel:
“Keep your eyes open, boys, for it’s certain they’ll try to take us from both sides at the same time.”
“I reckon you and I had better hold on here,” Gil said to Nelse. “There’s mighty little use rushing into a place where you can’t see a thing, and unless we look sharp the whole crowd will be in from this end.”
Andy remained motionless, and for this he could not be blamed very severely, since he had no weapons with which to defend himself; therefore he would only be in the way of the others in case a hand-to-hand fight ensued.
Stones, fragments of trees, and even earth were thrown in from the top of the shaft, the enemy remaining concealed from the view of those at the bottom meanwhile, until the prisoners succeeded in making their friends understand that no damage was being done to the white party, and then the attack ceased at this point.
From the tunnel the boys could hear a medley of sounds; but since there was no report of firearms they rightly concluded that the danger was not sufficiently great to warrant Jenkins in making his presence known.
“What is going on in there?” Gil shouted, after five minutes passed and the din had not subsided.
“The whole boilin’ of ’em have struck the trap, an’ are flounderin’ around in great style,” the mate replied. “Are you all right out there?”
“The blacks can’t do anything without inflicting the most damage on their friends, and since understanding that fact have been quiet. There’s nothing to fear here for a while, so if you need one of us I’ll come.”
“I reckon this end of the fight is takin’ care of itself; but we’re shut in now, an’ can count on starvin’ or surrender.”
Up to this moment the boys had been so interested in the manuscript found in the so-called treasure-chamber that they had forgotten both thirst and hunger; but now they began to realize there was nothing in the way of provisions, and, what was worse yet, not a drop of water had been procured.
“I wish he hadn’t said anything about it,” Nelse whispered, “for now I begin to feel as if I must have a drink.”
“You’ll have to take it out in feeling for a while, because it would be the height of folly to venture away from this place until father comes.”
“And that may not be for a week.”
“It can’t be helped, unless——”
“Unless what?” Nelse asked, eagerly, as Gil hesitated.
“I fancied for a minute that we might possibly make a trade with these fellows. How would it do to tell them they might go, if their friends would bring us water and food?”
“It isn’t probable they’d agree to it.”
“I reckon they are like almost everybody else, and would do a good deal to save their own lives.”
“That is true, and it couldn’t do any harm to try the scheme, although I don’t believe it will amount to anything; but it’s only fair Jenkins should know what we intend to do.”
“Go up the tunnel, and ask him what he thinks of the plan. I’ll stay here on watch, and if he agrees we can make Andy do the talking.”
Nelse ran into the passage, returning a few moments later, as he said:
“Mr. Jenkins is willing we should try to make the trade; but he don’t believe it can be done.”
“How are things in there?”
“The fellows tumbled into the hole; but there were so many that all but two managed to get out, and the chances are they’ll be more careful in the future.”
“Does Jenkins think there will be another attack?”
“He says they’re bound to starve us out, for it must be known how easily that can be done.”
“Is he holding the two who are in the hole?”
“There’s no need for him to do anything, since the fellows can’t get out, an’ we’ve got such a small number of cartridges that it would be foolish to shoot at men who are unable to do any mischief.”
“Then there’s no reason why we shouldn’t try my plan. Here, Andy, talk to these fellows.”
The old darky came forward very unwillingly, and Gil explained the offer he wanted to make.
“I’se boun’ to tell ’em, honey; but it won’t do the leastest mite ob good.”
“Go ahead, and we’ll soon find out what they think of it. At all events, there’ll be no great amount of harm done.”
Andy did as he was bidden, and after a long conversation, during which it seemed as if both the interpreter and the prisoners had considerable difficulty in understanding what was said, the blacks hailed those on the outside.
Then no slight amount of talking ensued, the men on the surface keeping themselves securely hidden, and at the close Andy was called upon once more to learn the result of the interview.
“Dey say how dey ain’ got anything to do dis yere bizziness,” the old man replied, after a painful effort to understand the prisoners; “but some ob de gang am gone to fin’ out ef it kin be fixed.”
“You won’t get any water, that I’ll guarantee,” Jenkins said, as he emerged from the tunnel. “They have gone to talk with the old men, an’ them fellers ain’t sich fools as not to know it’ll only be necessary to wait twenty-four hours before our jig is up.”
“Why did you leave the tunnel?” Gil asked, in surprise.
“Because there’s no use in staying there any longer. They’ve given up tryin’ to come in by that way, an’ in a few minutes the bosses of this ’ere fun will know jest how we’re situated.”
“Then you believe I did wrong in proposing to make the trade?”
“No, I don’t. It can make mighty little difference to us just now, an’ there was no harm to try.”
During the next five minutes the little party remained in almost perfect silence, each one thinking over the situation until all understood how futile would be their struggles unless Captain Mansfield returned very shortly, and then came a hail from the outside, which was answered by one of the prisoners.
A short conversation ensued, and when it was ended Andy stepped forward to act as interpreter.
One of the prisoners spoke at some length, and then the old darky said, hesitatingly:
“Dey says ef we’se willin’ for to come out as prisoners dey’ll gib us all we’se wants; but dere won’t be any water sent down hyar. Ef you’se gwine ter make any bargain, Marse Jenkins, don’ koun’ me in, kase I knows wha’ dese fellers am boun’ ter do, ef dey gits de chance.”
“Don’t you worry, Andy, we haven’t the slightest idea of acceptin’ any such temptin’ offer. Tell that feller to say to the others we’re goin’ to stay right where we are, an’ some of this crowd will be sorry before the row is ended.”
“Say that if any attack is made on us we shall feel obliged to defend ourselves by shooting the prisoners,” Gil added, hoping the threat might frighten the leaders; but by no means intending to carry it into execution.
The old darky did as he was bidden, and during the next five minutes a most exciting conversation followed between those above and the ones below; but it finally ceased, and Andy seated himself in the tunnel once more,this time taking good care to keep well out of range, as he said:
“Dat ends de tork, an’ now dey’s countin’ on windin’ dis yere bizziness up mighty quick.”
“Do you know what they mean to do?” Jenkins asked.
“Nebber a word; but one ob de rascals said dey’d hab us outer hyar right soon.”
“They had better begin now, for we shall need a pile of drivin’ before agreein’ to give ourselves up to sich a gang,” Jenkins said, as he flourished his revolver; but the look on his face belied the words, for he understood only too well how soon the struggle must be ended, and had no hope Captain Mansfield could return in time to aid them.
The hour which followed was passed almost in perfect silence. Each member of the party had bitter food for reflection, and all knew how soon they would be overpowered in case the enemy made a vigorous attack.
The one question which troubled them all was as to which quarter the next move might be expected from, and the boys were quite certain the blacks would confine themselves to the tunnel, since there they could at least enter without exposing themselves to the fire from the revolvers.
“I believe they’ll do——”
Gil ceased speaking very suddenly as a thin thread of blue smoke came curling down the passage, and his eyes involuntarily sought Jenkins’.
“That’s the size of it,” the mate exclaimed, as heleaped to his feet. “They’ve hit on a plan that’ll do us up in a little while without our bein’ able to stop it.”
“You mean they’re going to smoke us out?”
“Of course; can’t you see the plan has already been begun? We shall have to stay in the shaft, an’ from the top they’ll accomplish their work regardless of what we may do to the prisoners.”
Even while Jenkins was speaking the smoke increased in volume, and before five minutes passed all the party were standing at the entrance of the tunnel trying to free their eyes and lungs from the stifling vapor.
“There they come,” Nelse cried, and at that instant half-a-dozen spearlike clubs were thrown, two of them striking so near Jenkins that the sleeve of his coat was torn into shreds.
Without stopping to think that they might need the cartridges more at some future time, Gil discharged two barrels of his revolver at random, and in reply came more missiles, one of which knocked Andy senseless.
Both the boys would have sprung to his side, but that the mate restrained them, as he said, sharply:
“There’s no time to attend to him; we’ve got to look out for ourselves, an’ it’s time something——”
At that instant a loud cheer, unmistakably from the throats of white people, was heard, and Jenkins cried, excitedly:
“Here comes the captain! I know that shout; but I’m blest if I understand how he could have got here so quick. Now we shall see the imps take to their heels, an’ I’d like to have a chance to help them along.”
Before he could say anything more, Gil saw his father’s face peering over the edge of the shaft, and the revulsion of feeling from such a depth of despair to that of certainty his troubles were at an end, caused him to reel and relapse into a state of semi-unconsciousness, which was not very far removed from a veritable fainting spell.