WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide. He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock. As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
Long shafts of golden light were slanting through the window-like opening across the cave. From the direction they took Duke guessed that the sun was low in the west and the afternoon wearing to its close.
He could see gulls sailing by on white wings or perching for an instant on the edge of the window. He could catch a glimpse of the blue sky and hear the great waves dashing against the outside of the cave. Gradually their onset grew quieter. Turning to look at Noel, Duke saw that he had fallen asleep with his head resting on the hard rock.
"A stone for his pillow, like Jacob," Duke said to himself, and a feeling of pity and love for his little brother swept over him. He reproached himself for having led Noel into this trouble. He had promised his mother that he would guard Noel from danger, but not a thought had he given to this promise, nor to the possible consequences of his action when he led Noel through the secret doorway.
"If I'd been straight with mother about the candle this would not have happened," he reflected. "Poor little chap! he does look tired, and he's taken it like a brick and never said a nasty word."
Filled with remorse, Duke slipped off his coat, and rolling it into a rough bolster, placed it beneath Noel's head. Noel opened his eyes as his brother raised him, but they closed again in a moment. Duke watched him with envy. He wished he could sleep. Waiting was dull indeed when he could not talk to Noel.
Then an idea struck him. He would do a little exploring alone. He had taken care not to lose the candle. Perhaps if he found his way back to the rocky platform and groped about on it, he might find the box of matches. If he could only light the candle he would soon run back by the way they had come, and try what hammering on the door would effect.
Screwing up his courage, he set out. It seemed horribly dark in the narrow passage as he moved along it with his back to the light; but Duke went bravely forward till he reached the platform. Once more he caused a flight of birds; but he was prepared for this now, and it startled him less. In vain he searched for the matches; they were not to be found.
Duke made a discovery, however. He came upon the entrance to a path tunnelled through the cliff at a sharp angle to the one which he and Noel had descended. Venturing into it, he perceived to his delight that it rose steeply, and there was a spark of light at its far end. It was a narrower and more rugged path than the other. In places huge stones blocked the way and threatened to make progress impossible; but Duke clambered over them and struggled on, climbing on hands and knees.
The light grew clearer as he went on, till at last he saw before him an opening, veiled by a curtain of brambles, through which a man might have climbed.
The next minute a welcome sound reached Duke's ears. It was the loud, deep bark of a dog.
"Nero! Nero!" Duke shouted, almost beside himself with joy.
Ere he could reach the opening, he saw the dog's dark body pass it, then return, his black muzzle sniffing about the brambles. With a great effort Duke struggled up the last steep bit, pitched head foremost through the brambles, and found himself lying on a grassy slope not far from the top of the cliff, with Nero standing over him. Recovering himself after a few moments, he followed Nero, whose master was not far off, along a little path to the safe ground above.
While Duke was making his way up the hard, steep path, Noel continued to sleep. He was roused by the sound of voices close at hand. He felt sick and giddy as he sat up and looked about him in bewilderment. What strange place was this that he was in, and where was Duke?
Recollection came to him in a moment and added to his distress at Duke's absence. Where could he be? His was not one of the voices which he now heard again and knew that he had already heard in his dreams.
"You must not mind wetting your feet, Ned," said a man's voice. "I can't bring the boat any nearer. You'll just have to wade."
There followed the sound of knocks and splashes with smothered cries and laughter.
"Duke, Duke!" cried Noel. "Where are you? Come quickly. There is someone here with a boat. They must have come to take us home."
Even in his own ears his voice had a strange hollow sound. From the dim recesses of the cave a faint echo seemed to mock him. There was no other response, and his words ended in a sob.
Presently curious sounds caused him to peep down into the cave below. He was in time to see a man's head appearing from the other side of the hole which communicated with the outer cave. Noel recognised the head. It was that of the big round-faced man who had squeezed him so unmercifully as he sat on the coach.
With a painful effort he dragged his unwieldy body through the opening, then pulled after him a short ladder, behind which appeared another man who wore a fur cap. He looked like a sailor and had small, narrow eyes which glanced furtively around as he entered the cave.
"What was it made that cry?" he asked. "I did not like it. It sounded wisht."
"Wisht!" echoed the other contemptuously. "It does not take much to frighten you Cornishmen with your signs and omens. You heard nothing but the screech of a gull. Bring the ladder here. We'll soon see if the old chap hides his gold in that hole up there."
NOEL crouched back trembling. He knew now that these men had not come as his friends. He glanced upwards and saw the plant flourishing over his head in the crevice it was put to screen. Oh! if only Duke were there! Duke was so fearless and always knew what to do.
"I'd better mount first while you hold the ladder," said the stout man.
Noel heard them placing the ladder against the wall of rock immediately below the place where he sat. In another minute the head and shoulders of the fat-faced man appeared above the opening. Noel stared at him, unable to speak, while he appeared amazed to see the boy.
"Well! I never!" he exclaimed. "Here's your banshee or whatever you call it, Isaac. Who would have expected to find a kid in this hole? I think I have seen you before, my young friend. Now tell me how you come to be perched up here?"
He climbed into the rock cell and stood over Noel, awaiting his reply. Noel was almost too frightened to speak.
"We came down from the old house," he said breathlessly; "the door slammed and we could not open it again."
"From the old house!" repeated the man eagerly. "Then there is a way down. Tell me how you found it."
"Duke found it, I didn't," said Noel.
"Who is Duke, and where is he?" demanded the man.
"Duke's my brother. I don't know where he is. I wish I did," said Noel, beginning to cry.
By this time the other man had climbed up beside them. Noel's sobs ceased for very terror as he met the glances with which they were regarding him.
"Look here, Ned," said Isaac. "We shall have to be quick if we are going to get through with this business. The other kid's got off, it seems. He may find his way home and bring others to this place. You can see for yourself that it's not here the old chap hides his gold. There's no sign of a trap-door or anything of the sort."
The big man glanced around him at the solid rook which formed the three walls, roof, and floor of the chamber. He saw nothing like an opening.
"Let's ask the kid," he suggested. "He may be able to tell us something."
"My dear little man," he said, changing his tone and adopting a wheedling manner, "you seem to have got here by a track that would suit a mole better than me. Did you on your way down come across anything like a hidden chest or box, or see any sort of place where a miser might hide his money?"
A denial leaped to Noel's lips; but he did not suffer it to pass them. He was silent for a moment ere he said: "I have not seen a box."
"Ah ha! but you have seen something," said the burly man. "Look, Isaac, this boy can tell us where the money is!"
"Then he'd better tell us at once," said Isaac sharply. "Out with it, lad, and no humbug."
Noel's face had grown very white; but he set his lips firmly and said not a word.
"Speak this instant," said the round-faced man fiercely. "Tell us where it is, or I'll—" His hand was uplifted to strike. Noel closed his eyes as he awaited the blow. He believed these men might kill him, but he would not betray the secret; nor would he say that he did not know where the gold was. But ere the blow descended the man named Isaac had seized his comrade's arm.
"Stay, Ned," he said in an undertone. "I told you I would have no violence, and I meant it. There's no need for it, if you manage the little lad properly. Let me speak to him."
"Now look here, little master," he said, addressing Noel—"if you tell me all you know, it shall be the better for you. I'll see that you have something good to carry back to school. But if you refuse to help us, we'll just take and pitch you into the sea, or throw you down from the rock. Now then."
Noel made no reply, nor did a violent shake produce from him anything more than a sob of fear.
"Leave him alone," said the big man in a tone of disgust. "He's just as senseless as a mouse in the clutches of a cat. I don't believe he knows, after all. We'll find it without his help if it's anywhere near. Let us see where this passage leads."
"Ay, but first we must stop the kid's mouth," said the other. "We don't want his cries to attract attention to us. Give us that silk handkerchief of yours, Ned."
His companion handed over the article and looked on without pity while Isaac skilfully bound it as a gag across Noel's mouth. Then he proceeded, to tie the boy's hands and feet together.
This task, however, was never finished, for suddenly the barking of a dog and the sound of voices were heard from outside the cave. Isaac sprang down the ladder and was off like a shot. The other man tried to follow, but ere he could get his big form through the hole which opened into the outer cave, Nero had gripped him and held him a prisoner with the upper part of his body in one cave and his legs in the other.
It would have gone badly with him had not Mr. Fletcher come speedily to the rescue. Then the ruffian got off, much to the gentleman's regret when he found the condition in which poor little Noel was left. As it had been impossible for the men in their haste to remove the ladder, Mr. Fletcher had no difficulty in reaching the boy and carrying him down in safety.
Noel had fainted, and as an unconscious burden Mr. Fletcher bore him through the waves to where his mother and Duke were waiting just beyond their reach.
It took Noel some days to recover from the shock of that alarming adventure. Meanwhile, efforts were made to trace the two scoundrels who had treated him so roughly. The man named Isaac was well known to the police as a seaman of doubtful character belonging to that neighbourhood, whose occasional visits to his native place afforded little satisfaction to the inhabitants.
Of the big man nothing was known save that he had visited Trevethick during the previous summer, and was believed to have come from Bristol.
WHEN he began to talk things over with Duke, Noel was much astonished to find that his brother regarded him in the light of a hero.
"I could never have done it," Duke protested. "I should either have shown the men where the money was, or I should have told a story and declared that I did not know. After all, Noel, you are braver than I."
"Oh, no! How can you say so?" cried Noel. "You know how I hate being alone in the dark, and I am frightened at ever so many things that you don't mind in the least."
"All the same, I should have been afraid of those men, and I would not have held out as you did," said Duke. "I should have told them a lie, and that would show me a coward, would it not, mother?"
"You are right; it is a cowardly thing to tell a lie," said Mrs. Bryden. "Noel was sorely tempted to do so, and I am glad and thankful that he resisted the temptation. A man, or a boy, is not a coward because he feels fear, but only if he gives way to that fear when he ought to struggle against it. A man's limbs may tremble when his heart is resolute, and it is the heart that counts. You cannot grow up to be brave, true, strong men, fighters on Christ's side against the evil of the world, unless you learn while you are boys to resist the temptations to meanness and cowardice and deceit, which are, I think, a boy's worst faults."
"It was all through my not being straight that we got shut behind that door," said Duke. "Mother, I will try to be straight; but it is not easy when the other boys want you to do things."
"I know it is not easy," said his mother. "It is often very hard to do right; but there is One Who is ready to help us in every difficult effort if we trust in Him. You know Whom I mean, boys—our Elder Brother, Who was tempted as we are, yet never overcome by evil."
The boys were silent for a few moments, then Noel asked:
"Did you know, mother, that there was a door behind that picture?"
"No, dear. I wonder now that it never struck me that there must be a secret passage to the shore from the old tower, for that explains why it was so difficult to trace Mr. Alan's comings and goings. His movements were attended by so much mystery that some of the more ignorant people about here believed him to be a wizard."
"Will you tell him how we found his gold?" asked Duke.
"I think not," said Mrs. Bryden; "it would excite him too much. But I shall tell his brother."
She had hardly said it when the post arrived, bringing her a letter. It was from Mr. Oscar Torrington, and brought sad news. The change had done his brother no good. His mental trouble had increased. In fact, he had grown worse, and had died in a few days. Mr. Oscar was bringing his brother's body home to be buried at Trevethick, and the funeral would take place on the day following his arrival. After giving many necessary directions, Mr. Torrington thoughtfully added a line to beg that Mrs. Bryden would not send away her boys on his account.
So it came about that the boys themselves led Mr. Torrington to the spot where his brother's hoard was hidden. He was greatly interested in the story of Noel's encounter with the thieves. He took such a liking for the little boy as helped to soothe his grief for the loss of his brother. He told Mrs. Bryden that the money Noel had saved from the men should be spent on his education and advancement in life.
In after years the boys spent many happy days at Egloshayle House. Noel continued to be such a favourite with its owner, who had no near relatives of his own, that, as the lad approached manhood, it was rumoured in the neighbourhood that Mr. Torrington meant to make him his heir.
THE END.
LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED.