Cutlass and Cudgel Part 66

"What, bo's'n?"

"Yes, sir, and me too. Oh, my head! How it bleeds!"

"Why, what are you doing here?"

"They came at us, sir, like mad bulls, and 'fore I knew where I was they had me. Pair o' hands pops up out of the hole, takes hold of my legs, and I was pulled down, had a crack of the head, was danced on, and here I am, sir."

"And me too, sir," said the other voice. "But, I'm much worse than him."

"But the smugglers?"

"All seemed to come over us, sir; banged the door down, and they've been rattling big stones on it. There, you can hear 'em now."

In corroboration of the boatswain's words, there was a dull thunderous sound overhead, as of great stones being thrown down over the trap-door, and all listened in silence for a time till the noise ceased.

The silence was broken by Gurr, who suddenly roared out, as if he had only just grasped the position,--

"Why, they've got away!"

"Every man jack of 'em, sir, and they all walked over me."

"And they've shut us in!"

"Yes, Mr Gurr," said Archy sadly; "they've shut us in."

"But if they were here," cried the master; "that's what I wanted to do to them. I say, Mr Raystoke, you've done it now."

Half angry, half amused, but all the while smarting with the pain caused by a blow he had received, Archy remained silent, listening to the heavy breathing and muttering of his companions in misfortune. The sounds above ground had ceased, and it was evident that the smugglers had made good their escape.

Again the silence was broken by the master, who raging with pain and mortification, exclaimed,--

"Well, Mr Raystoke, sir, you know all about this place; which is the way out?"

"Up above here, Mr Gurr, close to where we stand."

"Very well, sir; then why don't you lead on?"

"Because they have shut and fastened the trap, and heaped about a ton of stone upon it."

"Well, then, we must hack through the door with our cutlashes, and let the stone down."

"What's that?" cried Archy excitedly,--"a light!"

For there was a dull report and a flash of blue like lightning; and, running down the slope, the midshipman beheld that which sent a thrill of terror through him. For, away toward the far end of the cave, there was a great pool of flickering blue light; and, as it lit up the ceiling and the huge square stone supports of the place, he saw that which explained the meaning of what had seemed to be a wonderful phenomenon.

There, beyond the flickering pool of blue and yellow flame, which was rapidly spreading in every direction, he could dimly see quite a wall of piled-up kegs, one of which lay right in the edge of the pool of fire, and suddenly exploded with a dull report, which blew the tongues of fire in all directions, half extinguishing them for the moment, but instantaneously flashing out again in a volume of fire, which quadrupled the size of the pool, and began to lick the sides of the kegs.

"The wretches! They fired the spirits before they escaped," cried Archy, who realised to the full what had been done; and, for the sake of our common humanity, let us say it must have been an act of vindictive spite, aimed only at the destruction of the proof spirit, so that it might not fall into the sailors' hands--not intended to condemn them to a hideous death.

"Back quick to the entrance! We must hack down that door," roared Archy.

"Ay, ay," shouted the men, who the moment before were mad with terror, but who leaped at the command as if their safety were a.s.sured.

"No, no!" shouted the midshipman, as a fresh keg exploded; and in the flash of flame which followed, the place glowed with a ghastly light.

"Yes, sir, yes!" shouted the men.

"I tell you no," cried Archy; "we should be burned or suffocated long before we could get that open."

And, as in imagination he saw the men fighting and striving with one another to get to the trap-door, which remained obstinately closed, he clapped his hand on Mr Gurr's shoulder.

"I know another way," he cried. "Follow me."

"Hurrah!" yelled the men, and the lad had taken a dozen steps toward the pool of fire, when a wild shout came from near the entrance.

"All! Who's that?" cried Archy, as he mentally saw a wounded man being left behind.

"Don't leave a poor fellow to be burnt to death, Mr Raystoke," cried a familiar voice.

"Ram!" cried Archy, running back to where the boy lay bound behind a pile of stones, forgotten for the time, and unheeded by his companions.

"Yes, it's me," said the boy excitedly.

"Quick! Get up. Can you walk?" said Archy, cutting him free.

"Yes," cried the lad.

"Then come on!"

"For the top pa.s.sage," whispered Ram. "That's the only way now."

"Yes. Follow me."

The midshipman had hardly given the command when there was another explosion, a fresh flash of fire, which nearly reached them, and he saw beyond the dancing tongues of flame the black opening he sought.

But this fresh explosion--one of which he knew scores must now rapidly follow--checked him for the moment, and he saw that Ram had disappeared.

"It's our only chance, my lads," cried Archy. "Are you all ready?"

"Ay, ay."

"Hold your breath, then, as you get to the fire, and follow me."

"Through that blaze, my lad?" whispered the master.

"Yes. Don't stop to talk. Now, then," roared Archy, "come on!"

"Hurrah!" cried the men wildly; and Archy dashed forward, but was thrown back, and had to retreat, as a fresh keg exploded and added to the size of the pool, now almost a river of fire many yards wide.