by James Otis
CHAPTER XXII.
JAKE'S VENTURE.
The boys followed Cummings' advice; but owing to the fact that they hadtaken no exercise the slumber was neither prolonged nor refreshing.
When they awakened Poyor and Jake were yet asleep, and they went softlyto where Cummings was keeping most vigilant watch.
"Had enough of it?" he asked with a smile.
"Yes: we are not feeling so comfortable in mind that we can sleep atwill, and just now a little goes a great way," Neal replied.
"Don't make the mistake of dwelling upon your troubles. By putting themfrom your mind you are in better condition to meet what may come, andbesides, fretting never did mend matters."
"I'll admit that the advice is good; but it is not every one who canfollow it."
"Why not? Have you tried by looking for something else with which tooccupy your attention?"
"Shut up here as we are it would be pretty hard work to think ofanything except our own situation."
"I'm not so certain of that. Suppose we try by speaking of the countryon whose shores you were cast by the waves?"
"It was formerly an independent republic; but now forms one of theMexican states," Teddy replied promptly.
"I'll admit that to be true; but it is a small fund of information for aschoolboy to have regarding a country which was probably the mostpowerful on the hemisphere hundreds of years before Columbus crossed theocean. Here have been found the ruins of forty-four large cities; theremains of enormous artificial lakes, paved roads, and, in fact, all theevidences of a high state of civilization which existed before Europecould boast of the slightest form of government."
"You may be certain that I shall study about it with more interest incase we are so fortunate as to be able to go to school again," Teddyreplied. "Tell us about the people who lived here when it was so great."
"I wish I could," Cummings said with a sigh. "If it had been possiblefor us to have taken from the Silver City any records, or sculpturedfigures, or plates of a historical nature, I might have succeeded insolving that which the student can speak of only as a mystery. Beforethe Conquest it was known as Maya--that is to say, the territory nowcalled Yucatan, and the Chan Santa Cruz yet speak the Maya language. Itis only certain that for many centuries there was here an importantfeudal monarchy, which doubtless arose after the Toltec overthrow of thevery ancient kingdom of Xibalba."
"Cortez was the first white man to come into this country," Neal saidhalf questioningly.
"Not by any manner of means. In the year 1502 Ferdinand Columbus, drivenby adverse currents out of his southerly course, sighted a group ofislands off Honduras, and captured a huge canoe, which is described ashaving been as wide as a galley and eighty feet long, formed of thetrunk of a single tree. In the middle was an awning of palm leaves, notunlike those of Venetian gondolas, under which were the women, childrenand goods. The canoe was propelled by twenty-five Indians who worecotton coverlets and tunics without sleeves, dyed various colors andcuriously worked. The women wrapped themselves in large mantles ofsimilar material.
"The men wore long swords, with channels each side of the blade, edgedwith sharp flints that cut the body as well as steel. They had copperhatchets for chopping wood, belts of the same material, and cruciblesin which to melt it. For provisions they carried roots and grain, a sortof wine made from maize, and great quantities of almonds. This is afragment of the history of Yucatan, simply a suggestion of what can befound by study, and some day when you have nothing to do, ask Poyor totell you of his people's traditions."
Cummings had succeeded in interesting the boys despite Neal's assertionthat it would be impossible to think of anything but their owncondition, and Teddy asked, hoping to hear more about the country:
"How large is Yucatan?"
"I question if even the officials know. It is set down as containing76,560 square kilometres, with 302,315 inhabitants; but the last figurescan be only guess-work, since regarding the unconquerable tribes of theinterior, such as we are now trying to escape from, all is conjecture."
This concluded the conversation so far as Cummings was concerned, forPoyor had awakened and joined the party, and there was very much to bediscussed with him relative to what move should be made, when asufficient time had elapsed.
In order that the boys might understand all which was said, the two menspoke only in English, and when the consultation was brought to a closethe former had a very clear idea of the condition of affairs.
"It is safe to venture out in search of food," Poyor said, when Cummingsintimated by his silence that there was no further topic which he wishedto discuss, "and I will go for a short time."
"Why not take one of the boys with you?" the leader of the expeditionasked. "It is dull work for them here, and a little exercise will bebeneficial."
"Not yet," the Indian replied quickly. "Too broad a trail would surelyattract the attention of the enemy, and we must not run such a risk."
"Very well, we will do a little fishing in order to have somethinghearty for supper in case you are not successful."
Then the Indian went cautiously out through the narrow passage, and hehad but just disappeared when Jake awakened.
"What's goin' on?" he asked with a yawn. "Has Poyor left us again?"
"He thought it might be possible to get some game near by, and proposesto make the attempt," Cummings replied carelessly. "Now that you areawake stand watch awhile, for the boys and I are going to catch a fewmore fish."
Jake seated himself by the entrance, and Cummings led the way to thestream, never fancying for a single moment that the sentinel mightdesert his post.
The second effort to draw food from the water was more successful thanthe first. Cummings had hardly dropped the line before the bait wasseized, and he landed a fairly good sized fish, after which he proposedthat Teddy should try his hand at the work.
"I don't want to monopolize all the fun," he said laughingly, "thereforeyou boys had better take turns until we get enough for supper. To-nightwe'll ask Poyor to cut another pole, and then both can enjoy the sportat the same time."
The fish were smaller than those previously taken and half an hourelapsed before there were enough on the shore to make up what Cummingsbelieved was sufficient for a hearty meal.
Then the three walked slowly toward the entrance to relieve Jake; but,to the surprise of all, he was not there.
"It is my fault," Neal cried while Cummings was looking around in thebelief that the sentinel had gone to another portion of the cave andwould soon be back. "I knew from what was said this forenoon that he hadan idea of venturing out, and made up my mind to watch him closely; butthe history lesson and the fishing caused me to forget it entirely."
"Do you mean that he has had an idea of leaving us?" Cummings asked inastonishment.
"No; he simply proposed to take a walk. He thinks it is as safe for himas for Poyor."
"But I, who surely understand the woods better than he, would not dareto attempt it."
"You know what he has done."
"If he does not lose his own life ours may be sacrificed," Cummings saidpassionately. "The Indian can go through the undergrowth without leavingany sign of his passage: but for Jake to do so is simply to set up aguide-board by which the enemy can find us."
"I should have told you at once," Neal said in self reproach.
"You are not to be blamed in the slightest; but if I could get my handson him at this moment he would regret most sincerely ever having such athought in his head."
"What will be the result?" Teddy asked in distress.
"If he succeeds in finding his way back, which I doubt very much, wewill be forced to make a change regardless of the consequences, and ifhe is captured it becomes a case of our putting the greatest possibledistance between this cave and ourselves," Cummings replied bitterly.
"I might go out and try to find him," Neal suggested, and his companionput an end to any such idea by saying impatiently:
"Your efforts t
o aid him would only result in making our own positionjust so much the worse. We must wait until Poyor comes back, and learnwhat he has to say in regard to the affair."
"But it seems cruel to let him run into danger without saying a word."
"It is not half as bad as it is for him to jeopardize all our lives. Hedid the same thing once before, and the consequence was that instead ofmaking back tracks to my shanty, as could easily have been done, we areforced to skulk around two or three weeks with no certainty of escapingeven at the end of that time."
Both Neal and Teddy understood that it would be useless to say anythingmore in Jake's favor, and as a matter of fact, they felt quite as bittertoward him as did Cummings, for it was not difficult to see what mightbe the result of his foolish excursion.
In silence the little party waited until the Indian returned bringingthe carcass of a tapir, a small quantity of alligator pears, and twoso-called cabbages cut from palm trees.
"It is not difficult to get all the food that may be needed provided wecan keep the fact of our being here a secret," he said in a tone whichshowed how greatly he was pleased by his success.
"And that we shall not be able to do many hours longer except by somepiece of rare good luck," Cummings said bitterly. "Jake went out a longwhile ago, and is now, I presume, roaming around in order to give theenemy an opportunity of looking at him."
"Went out?" the Indian repeated in surprise. "Do you mean that he hasleft the cave?"
"That is exactly the size of it."
"Why did he do such a foolish thing?"
"Because he was too much of a baby or an idiot to stay in hiding untilthe danger had passed. He claimed that exercise was necessary."
"He will get all he needs," Poyor said half to himself, as he allowedthe supply of provisions to fall unheeded from his hands. "We also mustleave this place."
"Do you mean that we should go at once?" Cummings asked as if he hadbeen expecting such a remark.
"When the night has come we will start, and with but little hope ofbreaking through the line of sentinels."
"Are we not to wait for Jake?" Neal interrupted.
"If he does not return before we are ready there will be little chanceof ever seeing him again," was the grim reply as Poyor paced to and fro,evidently so disturbed that it was impossible for him to remain in oneposition.
