Chapter 38
Cave in the Desert
Muller and Tandor joined Hilgard face-down on the foul-smelling floor of the cave as the swarm of bats flew out through the cave's opening to hunt for their evening's meal of insects.
Hilgard was a little shaken having had little experience with the creatures that seemed to fly so erratically. Muller and Tandor did not take advantage of Hilgard's fright to tease him. Instead, they dusted themselves off and got about the business of exploring the cave recesses that were home to the bats.
Tandor's torch still burned, so he relit Muller's and Hilgard's which had both been doused by the wind of bat wings or the dirt of the cave's floor.
All three men began inspecting the walls of the cave to find the passageway to the bats' nesting area. Tandor found a hole where a breeze came through and turned to Muller. "Do you think you could hoist me up on your shoulders so I could get a look?"
Hilgard pushed Tandor up onto Muller's shoulders. Tandor stuck his torch through the hole to the space beyond. A large cavern was revealed with some broken stalagmites and stalactites lying on the floor.
"Someone's got here before us," Tandor said. "There's white powder been scraped off to about as high as a man can reach, but above that, there's white powder left on the walls."
Muller gave a disgusted cluck. "We'll need something to stand on. I suppose that means another silver coin to that opportunist at the oasis. He's sure to have ladders for a price."
Tandor nodded. "It's either that or me standing on your shoulders for the hours it will take."
"At least we've found it," Hilgard said, looking on the bright side. "I would not have put it past the old man to have taken us to the wrong cave."
"There is that," Muller agreed.
Within a few hours, the three men were back with ladders and full stomachs and only a few coins lighter in the pockets. They decided to get a few hours sleep before starting the difficult work of scraping powder from the cave's walls.
They awoke just before dawn, lit their torches and carried their ladders and empty bags into the cave.
They passed their ladders through the opening between the chambers, pulling the last one through behind them and started to work. They had one bag about half full when Tandor stopped and stood still, looking up.
"Are you taking a rest?" Hilgard asked, hoping he might take a rest as well.
Tandor shook his head. "Where are they?" he asked.
"Who?" Muller stopped work and stared at Tandor.
"The bats. It's daytime—their sleep time. They should be hanging from the ceiling. Where are they?"
Muller and Hilgard looked up into the dark overhang. No bats.
Tandor was already moving his ladder around, waving his torch, checking for another opening. The other two joined in the search.
Before long, Hilgard's torch began to sputter. "I have it! It's only a large crack but I think I can make it wider."
He pushed out a few loose rocks and let them fall into the dark hollow beyond.
He stuck his torch in and promptly pulled it out again. His face was a little pale. "I've found the bats."
Hilgard climbed down the ladder and Tandor quickly climbed up to take his place. He thrust his torch through the opening and drew in a sharp breath.
The cavern was huge. A maze of sparkling white calcite columns rose up from the floor and down from the ceiling. Thousands of bats stirred restlessly, unaccustomed to even the faint light of a single torch in their lair. At the floor of the cavern a shallow lake reflected the white columns bathed in torch light. It was a breathtaking spectacle.
Tandor's eyes traveled to the walls of the huge cavern. Thick streams of white powder networked the walls.
Tandor looked down at Muller. "You've got to see this to believe it."
Muller took Tandor's place on the ladder. He let out a slow whistle as he pushed his torch through the crack in the wall. After taking in the alien beauty of the cavern, he shook his head in a mixture of excitement and dismay.
"We're going to have to buy those camels after all. This will be too much for the horses to carry."
For the third time the three men returned to the cave, this time with three camels in tow.
"That old man drives a hard bargain," Tandor mused.
"We can not miss an opportunity like this," Muller said. "This should provide a lifetime supply of the powder for Fernland's army."
"And Helsop's," Tandor rushed to add.
"And Helsop, of course," Muller agreed. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then continued. "I've been thinking about who might have been here before us to scrape the white powder in the other cavern and I think it likely was men from Barburee. Who else would need the white power? It could have been fertilizer traders, but I think Barburee men more likely."
"Why are you concerned about who it might have been?" Hilgard asked.
"They will likely come back to take the powder up high that they left behind the first time. I'm glad we stopped when we did. If the old man described us, it might get back to the Great Khan that we stole his white powder. That could put King Geoffrey in a difficult position."
Tandor nodded. "We can seal the third cavern back up the way we found it. With luck the Barburee men won't find it. We'll leave the rest of the white powder in the second cave for the Great Khan."
"I think that would be wise," Muller agreed.
After two days of scraping white powder from the walls of the third cavern, the three men set off on their horses, leading three camels loaded with bags of white powder behind them. They headed for the oasis to fill up with water and dates before moving on to Venito. The old man ran out to meet them. He was very agitated and kept pointing toward the oasis.
Hilgard began to translate when the old man clamed down.
"He says Barburee men were here looking for us."
"What? When?" Muller stammered.
"Two days ago." Hilgard continued to listen while trying to sooth the old man's fear. "They said they followed us—no, they followed our tracks when we did not come back to Taz. Then the sand storm came and covered our tracks but they thought we were headed here."
The three were surprised to hear they had missed a sandstorm while in the cave.
"Why did they follow us?" Muller asked.
"They thought we might have gotten lost. Also we had their horses."
"We can not let them find us with camels loaded with the white powder," Tandor warned.
"Let me think," Muller said, holding his hand up to silence his companions. "Which direction did they go?"
The old man looked down at his feet, then said something in a low voice.
"He told them we were going on to Venito because he couldn't think of a lie," Hilgard said.
"A fine time for him to grow a conscience," Muller murmured. He looked off in the direction of Venito and seemed to make a decision. "We can not go on to Venito. The ship has likely left without us anyway. We took longer here than was planned. We will leave the horses to graze here in the oasis where the Barburee men can find them." He took a deep breath and looked at his companions. "We will cross the desert with our camels."
Hilgard translated Muller's speech to the old man, who reacted with a flurry of words. Hilgard turned to Muller. "The old man says he is afraid of the Barburee soldiers. He says they never pay for anything. He says he will be our guide across the desert for a very fair price."
Muller did not trust the old man but they needed a guide familiar with the area. "Ask him what his idea of a fair price is, and... ask him what his name is. If he's to be our guide we should at least know that."
Hilgard translated the question. "He says his name is Akbar, and since we are now friends, one silver coin will suffice."
Muller stuck out his hand and Akbar grasped it. They shook hands and Muller produced the last of his silver coins.
Princess Electra Book 3 Gypsy Music Page 38
