CHAPTER LXXXV.
ADVENTURES IN THE VAULTS--NEW FRIENDS--JACK AGREEABLY SURPRISED.
We must now follow Jack's friends in their subterranean flight.
They were, in fact, the remains of some ancient and long-disusedfortifications, of far greater antiquity than the edifice which hadbeen built over them.
Light and air were only admitted by small gratings on the sides of theroofing, which was about level with the ground outside.
As soon as the party had got over the confusion of their hurriedconcealment, Harry Girdwood took the lead.
Their greatest distress was the loss of Jack Harkaway.
That he was not with them soon became evident.
And that being shut outside would be certain death to him, seemedequally so.
Thyra could by no means be consoled.
Her grief at this separation from Jack took the form of intense andviolent lamentations.
She declared that had she known that Jack would thus be left outside,no consideration would have induced her to enter the vaults.
In her frenzy of despair and her love for him, she resolved to go backand perish with him.
But all her efforts were inadequate to raise the stone which hadalready resisted the greater strength of Harry Girdwood.
As soon as the Greek girl could be in the least degree pacified, theparty proceeded through the vaults, Harry reminding them that they wereby no means out of all danger, but that further on some other outlet,or at least more secure retreat might be discovered.
It was a great drawback that they had no lamp or candle, but Tinker hada box of matches, and by lighting one of these at every few yards, theywere enabled to gain some idea of the place they were in.
In this way they penetrated a considerable distance, till arriving at akind of wide underground room, the party rested awhile.
Harry Girdwood now proposed to go and explore the further portion ofthis subterranean region.
Leaving, therefore, the others resting, he took the box of matches, andentered the further passage.
He soon found a low rugged opening, from which another passage branchedoff.
Going through this, Harry was almost sent falling on his face throughmaking a false step, for he did not see that this passage lay more thana foot lower than the other.
Then he struck one of his matches, and by its light perceived that thispassage was lower, narrower, and more rugged and winding than the restof the vaults, and seemed to have been hewn out of the earth, ratherthan built in it.
"Perhaps this leads to a cave," he thought, "inhabited by robbers orwild beasts. In that case I shall come off badly. I ought to havebrought Bogey with me; he's ugly enough to frighten any body. Nevermind, here goes."
And grasping his cutlass in one hand, and in the other a piece oflighted paper, which he had twisted into the form of a torch, HarryGirdwood marched manfully on.
Grazing his head against a jutting piece of rock reminded him that thepassage was growing very small, and it behoved him to stop.
Suddenly Harry stopped.
He heard voices.
He saw the gleam of a light at the end of the passage.
He was apparently approaching some robbers' lair. Here was a freshperil.
But there was still time to draw back from it.
No; urged on by curiosity, Harry determined to see and know the worst.
In a few moments that curiosity was gratified.
He came to a point where the narrow, winding passage terminated,leading out into a lofty, rugged vault fitted up in rude imitation of aroom.
Here, seated upon the floor in a group were about a dozen men, allarmed, and by their dress and appearance evidently Bedouin Arabs.
Harry was at once reassured.
He knew that the Arabs were enemies to the Turks.
The sharp eyes and quick ears of one of these sons of the desert soon"spotted" the stranger, and before he could resist or retreat, gave thealarm.
Two of them seized and secured him.
Harry now feared that his curiosity would cost him dear.
Questioned by their chief, Harry, by dint of words and signs, explainedwhat had occurred.
The Bedouins became at once friendly.
They were ever ready to help even the unbelieving Christians againstthe still more hated Turks.
Two of their number were therefore told off to accompany Harry back.
By the aid of a torch, the three soon found their way to the rest ofthe party, who were astonished and alarmed at the ferocious appearanceof their intending deliverers.
Indeed, the waiter and diver drew their weapons and prepared to offerresistance, but Harry stepped forward and explained that the Arabs werefriends.
Thyra, who could speak perfectly both Turkish and Arabic, acted asinterpreter, and gave a full account of all that had occurred, whichseemed to impress the Bedouins greatly.
The beauty of the speaker produced a powerful effect upon the young andgallant chief to whom Thyra particularly addressed herself.
"Oh, brave sheikh," she exclaimed, "hasten to assist the youngEnglishman whom I love, and who has fallen into their hands while sogenerously saving his friends."
"Lady, more beautiful than the peri of the gate of Heaven," replied thechief, Kara-al-Zariel, "I and the warriors of my tribe will protectthee and thy friends."
Thyra knelt and kissed the hem of the Arab chief's garment in humblegratitude.
He raised her from the ground.
As he did so, the deepest admiration shone from his dark and luminouseyes.
But Thyra felt love only for young Jack.
"We were even now debating how to attack the Turks," said the Arab,"Ibrahim is our enemy; but from thy words, it would appear that theyare strong and many, and armed with the weapons of western science. Inthe desert, we fear neither men, nor kings, nor armies, but in thecities our strength availeth not."
"But you will at least fly to the assistance of brave Jack," imploredThyra.
"It is too late; already the castle is in the hands of the pasha's men,and your friend doubtless is their captive!"
"But you will rescue him?" entreated Thyra; "promise us that."
"I promise to make the attempt, fair maiden," answered Kara-al Zariel;"but it must be by night and by stealth."
"That hope gives me comfort," exclaimed Thyra.
"Thou seemest greatly to love this Frankish youth," observed the chief,bending his dark eyes upon her; "if so, he is much to be envied."
"Gallant emir," said Harry, addressing Al-Zariel at this juncture, "isthis cave safe from the entrance of our common enemy?"
"Safe as the top of Caucasus, as far as we are concerned," the chiefanswered. "The Turks know not of these vaults, and if they did, wouldnot venture here to be at our mercy. It was through these vaults thatwe intended to enter and take the town by surprise."
"But where does the other end lead to?" asked Harry.
"Into our native desert, where its opening is concealed by a denseshrubbery," replied Al-Zariel. "We have often found these caves veryuseful in our excursions against the Turks. But you and your friendsshall accompany us to our tents, where the Turks will be bold indeed toseek you."
Harry thanked him for this generous offer.
This arrangement having been made, the party quitted the caves by meansof a narrow path leading between two walls of high rock.
Two of the chief's men, disguised as Turks, were left behind to enterthe town and keep an eye upon the condition of affairs there.
The chief of course took command of the party.
He seemed to make Thyra the especial object of his care.
It was evidently a case of "love at first sight" towards her who hadbeen, with equal suddenness, smitten with Jack Harkaway.
And both attachments were equally hopeless.
In some parts the path was so narrow that it was with difficulty theycould squeeze through it.
This rugged path proved particul
arly difficult to Mr. Mole, whose headwas, as usual, not entirely free from the fumes of alcohol, and whoseungovernable legs still insisted upon going all ways but the right one.
But his Arab friends occasionally assisted his progress by prodding himin the back with their long spears, a species of incitement he couldwell have dispensed with, but which they insisted upon affording.
The poor orphan, too, was, as usual, bowed down with weight of woe.
"Oh, what a cold I am having," he exclaimed, pathetically, feeling forhis pocket handkerchief. "It's tumbling into that fountain that did it.Oh, dear, what shall I do? It will be my death, I know it will."
Such was the burden of his lament, which greatly amused the others,especially Bogey and Tinker.
They were now on the edge of the desert some distance outside the wallsof the town.
The Arab tents could be faintly descried in the distance.
They had still some distance to walk in order to reach them.
The road, however, was now plain and easy, consisting of the usual flatdesert sand.
On nearing this encampment, they were challenged by a Bedouin sentinel,but the chief, stepping forward and explaining, the whole group were ofcourse readily admitted.
The black and white camel-hair tents dotted the plain to a considerabledistance, and numerous horses and camels were picketed round.
One of the principal Arabs having conferred with Kara-al-Zariel, hewent back to his English guests, saying--
"Christian friends, I will now show you what will cheer your heartseven more than the flesh of lambs, or odour of pure bread. Behold!"
And throwing back the curtains of the tent, he exposed Jack Harkaway,attired as a Turk, peacefully sleeping upon a rude couch.
The astonishment and relief of mind experienced by our friends at thisdiscovery cannot be described.
Their joy at finding Jack safe was equal to their wonder how he hadescaped.
But what words will denote the ecstasy of Thyra?
With a cry of delight, she ran towards him, and kneeling beside hiscouch, poured forth thanksgivings to Heaven for his deliverance.
This caused some jealousy to the noble chief, who now began to perceivehow passionately the "Pearl of the Isles," as he called the beautifulGreek, was enamoured of the youthful Briton.
"Stay," he said, as Thyra passionately impressed her lips on the browof the sleeping youth. "Stay, or you will wake him. The Christiansleeps the slumber of the weary; disturb him not, and his waking willbe all the more joyous."
"Thou sayest right," answered Thyra. "If he is happy, sleeping orwaking, 'tis not for me to intrude upon his happiness. But I will sithere and watch his slumbers, that I may be the first to greet him whenhe wakes."
"You mustn't do any thing of the kind, miss!" interposed the waiter."Girls can't live upon love, though you seem inclined to try at it, andas we've got a nice supper awaiting us at that tent, Mr. Girdwoodinsists upon your coming to join us."
With some difficulty Thyra was induced to assent, and again left theobject of her idolatry sleeping in blissful unconsciousness of herpresence.
A short time, however, only elapsed before, either awakened by someoutward sound or disturbed by some dream, young Jack started up, muchconfused and puzzled to find himself in this strange place.
Then he remembered the events of the day.
"Halloa! what's that?"
Could he believe his eyes, or was it possible that, beyond the group ofBedouins sitting feasting around the camp fire, was another group,among which the figures of Harry Girdwood, of Mole, and of Thyra wereconspicuous?
It must be a dream.
Jack leapt to his feet, fixed his eyes on the group, and now recognisedalso Mr. Figgins, the Will-o'-the-Wisp forms of Bogey and Tinkerflitting about and waiting on the others.
Now convinced, Jack rushed out of his tent into the larger one.
A perfect storm of welcome greeted him, and mutual surprise and delightwere exhibited by all.
Thyra was beside herself with joy.
"Oh, dear Jack," said she, "I thought never to see you more."
"How did you get away from the Turks?" asked Harry Girdwood and two orthree of the others in chorus.
Jack told his story, and in turn listened to his companions'adventures, and there were mutual congratulations upon their escape.
Never in all Jack's wanderings was there a happier occasion than thisreunion.
Jack Harkaway's Boy Tinker Among The Turks Page 27
