CHAPTER THIRTY.
A DETERMINED ENEMY.
Don drew a long breath and took a step forward to march out and givehimself up, but Jem's hands clasped him round, a pair of lips wereplaced to his ear, and the yard-man's voice whispered,--
"Stand fast. All sham. He can't see."
Don paused, wondering, and watched the dark figure in the entrance tothe cave, without dismay now, till, to his surprise, the man began towhistle softly.
"Likely place too," he muttered. "Are you coming up here, sir?"
"What is it?"
"Likely looking cave, sir; runs right in; looks as if they might behiding in here."
There was a rattling and rustling of stones and growth, and then the manat the entrance stooped down and held out his hands to assist some oneto ascend, the result being that the broad heavy figure of Bosun Jonescame into view.
"Not likely to be here, my lad, even if they were in hiding; but this isa wild goose chase. They're dead as dead."
"P'r'aps so, sir; but I think they're in hiding somewhere. Praps here."
"Humph! No. Poor fellows, they were drowned."
"No, sir, I don't think it," said Ramsden. "Those niggers looked as ifthey knew something, and that tattooed fellow who has run away fromNorfolk Island has encouraged them to desert. As like as not they maybe in here listening to all I say."
"Well then, go in and fetch them out," said the boatswain. "You can goin while I have a rest."
Don's heart beat fast at those words, for he heard a loud hissing soundbeside him, caused by Jem drawing in his breath; and the next moment, ashe held his arm, he felt a thrill, for it seemed as if Jem's muscles hadtightened up suddenly.
Then there was a hot breath upon his cheek, and a tickling sensation inhis ear beyond; Jem's lips seemed to settle themselves against it, andthe tickling sensation was renewed, as Jem whispered,--
"I've cleared my decks for action, Mas' Don. It was that beggar as toldon us. You stand aside when he comes on."
Don twisted his head round, caught Jem by the shoulder, and favoured himwith the same buzzing sensation as he whispered,--
"What are you going to do?"
Jem re-applied his lips to Don's ear.
"I'm going to make him very sorry he ever come to sea. Once I gets holdof him I'll make him feel like a walnut in a door."
"Don't look a very cheerful place, Mr Jones," came from the mouth ofthe cavern.
"Afraid to go in?"
"Afraid, sir? You never knew me afraid."
"Well, in you go and fetch them out," said the boatswain with a laugh."If you don't come back I shall know that the Maoris have got you, andare saving you for the pot."
From where Don and Jem stood in the darkness they could see their spyingsinister friend give quite a start; but he laughed off the impressionthe boatswain's words had made, and began to come cautiously on, feelinghis way as a man does who has just left the bright sunshine to enter adark place.
Jem uttered a loud hiss as he drew his breath, and Ramsden heard it andstopped.
"Mr Jones," he said sharply.
"Well?"
"Think there's any big snakes here? I heard a hiss."
"Only steam from a hot spring. No snakes in this country."
"Oh!" ejaculated Ramsden: and he came cautiously on.
Don felt Jem's arm begin to twitch, and discovery seemed imminent. Fora few moments he was irresolute, but, knowing that if they were toescape they must remain unseen, he let his hand slide down to Jem'swrist, caught it firmly, and began to back farther into the cave.
For a few moments he had to drag hard at his companion but, as ifyielding to silently communicated superior orders Jem followed himslowly, step by step, with the greatest of caution, and in uttersilence.
The floor of the cave was wonderfully smooth, the rock feeling as if ithad been worn by the constant passage over it of water, and using theirbare feet as guides, and feeling with them every step, they backed in asfast as Ramsden approached, being as it were between two dangers, thatof recapture, and the hidden perils, whatever they might be, of thecave.
It was nerve-stirring work, for all beyond was intense darkness, out ofwhich, as they backed farther and farther in, came strange whisperings,guttural gurglings, which sounded to Don as if the inhabitants of theplace were retiring angrily before their disturbers, till, driven to bayin some corner, they turned and attacked.
But still Don held tightly by Jem's wrist, and mastering his dread ofthe unknown, crept softly in, turning from time to time to watchRamsden, who came on as if some instinct told him that those he soughtfor were there.
"Found 'em?" shouted the boatswain; and his voice taught the hiding pairthat the cave went far in beyond them, for the sound went muttering by,and seemed to die away as if far down a long passage.
"Not yet, but I think I can hear 'em," replied Ramsden.
"You can hear a self-satisfied fool talking," said the boatswain,ill-humouredly.
"So can Mr Jones," muttered the man. "Hear you. That's what I canhear."
"What are you muttering about?"
"I think I can hear 'em, sir. Now then, you two, give up. It'll be theworse for you if you don't."
Don's hand tightened on his companion's wrist, and they stood fast, forRamsden was stopping in a bent attitude, listening.
There was nothing to be heard but the whisperings and gurglings, andthen they saw him draw his cutlass and come on.
Jem's muscles gave another jerk, but he suffered himself to be drawnfarther and farther into the cave, till they must have been quite twohundred yards from the mouth; and now, for the first time, the almoststraight line which it had formed, changed, and they lost sight of theentrance, but could see the shadow of their enemy cast upon theglistening wall of the place, down which the water seemed to drip,giving it the look of glass.
All at once Don, as he crept back, felt his left foot, instead ofencountering the smooth rock floor, go down, and as he quickly withdrewit and felt nearer to him, it was to touch the edge of what seemed agreat crack crossing the floor diagonally.
As he paused, he felt that it might be a "fault" of a few inches inwidth or depth, or a vast chasm going right down into the bowels of themountain!
"There's a hole here," he whispered to Jem. "Hold my hand."
Jem gripped him firmly, and he reached out with one leg, and felt overthe side outward and downward; and, just as he was coming to theconclusion that the place was terribly deep, and a shudder at the dangerwas running through him, he found that he could touch bottom.
He was in the act of recovering himself, so as to try how wide the crackor fault might be, when a peculiar strangling sensation attacked him,and he felt that he was falling.
The next thing he felt was Jem's lips to his ear, and feeling hiswhisper,--
"Hold on, lad. What's the matter?"
He panted and drew his breath in a catching way for a few minutes beforewhispering back,--
"Nothing. Only a sudden giddiness."
Jem made no comment, but gripped his hand tightly, and they stoodlistening, for the shadow cast faintly on the walls was motionless, andit was evident that their enemy was listening.
"I'm going on, Ramsden," said the boatswain. "Come along!"
"All right, sir. Join you as soon as I've got my prisoners."
"Hold 'em tight," shouted the boatswain, and then there was a loudrustling sound, followed by the words faintly heard, "Look sharp. It'sof no use fooling there."
Don could hear Ramsden mutter something, but he did not seem to becoming on; and mastering the dull, sluggish feeling, accompanied by athrobbing headache, the lad stole cautiously back to where he could lookround and see their approaching enemy between them and the light.
To his intense surprise he found the man had his back to them, and wasretiring; but as he watched, Ramsden made an angry gesticulation, turnedsharply and came on again, but seemed to catch his foot against aprojecting piece of rock
, stumble and fall forward, his cutlass flyingtwo or three yards on before him with a loud jingling noise.
What followed riveted Don to the spot.
Adventures of Don Lavington: Nolens Volens Page 30
