Cutlass and Cudgel Part 67

"It's now or never!" cried Archy frantically, and he rushed into the blue flames, which leaped about his feet and up as if to lick his face.

A dozen strides, splashing up blue fire at every step, and he was through it, and where a faint current of cold air seemed to be meeting him.

Almost as he reached the farther side, the men came leaping and yelling after him, to stand beating the tongues of fire from their feet and legs.

_Bang_--_bang_--a couple more explosions, and the men crowded up to Archy, the master included, as if to ask what next.

"Are you all here?"

"Ay, ay, sir."

"And that boy?"

"I'm here," cried Ram. "Quick, before they all go off."

"Yes," said Archy. "Forward!"

He led the way into the darkness once more, but into an atmosphere which he could breathe. Then up the familiar way, with its rugged steps, and on to the newly mortared wall, with its loophole, through which the glorious light of day streamed.

"Now, my lads, cutla.s.ses here. That wall's new. Four of you work, and loosen the stones, the others take them and throw them back below."

The men cheered, and, headed by Mr Gurr and d.i.c.k, worked as they had never worked before.

The stones were hard to move at first, but it was child's play compared to the toil through which the young midshipman had gone when he attacked the wall. First one yielded, then another, and, as they were dragged out, the men cheered, and pa.s.sed them back to those down the rough steps.

With every stone removed, hope strengthened the little party; but as the explosions followed fast, and the flames began to flicker and play up the pa.s.sage in which they were penned, Archy closed his eyes for a few moments to mutter a prayer, for his thoughts were getting wild.

Just then, he knew that some one else thought as he did, for a hand touched his arm, and a voice whispered,--

"It wasn't my fault. It must have been Jemmy Dadd. I say--case they can't make a way out in time--shake hands once, mate. I do like you."

Something like a hysterical sob burst from the young midshipman's breast at this; and, facing death as he was just then,--a horrible death which might follow at any moment,--the lad's hand grasped that of his young gaoler--officer and smuggler, but both boys of one blood, who had fought each according to his lights.

"Hah!" sighed Ram, as he gripped hard, and then let go. "Now, then, tell 'em to shove the stones, sharp, and let 'em fall out. Quick!

Before the powder ketches."

"Powder?" said Archy in an awe-stricken whisper. "Yes; there's a lot not far from the kegs." The men cheered, as the fresh order was given, and a new set took the places of those who were growing weary, sending the stones out rapidly, till there was room for a man to creep through.

"Here, Ram, you through first, and show them how to climb on the shelf."

"No, no, you lead, Mr Raystoke," cried the master. "Silence, sir! I know what I'm doing," yelled Archy. "Out with you, Ram."

The boy went through like a rabbit, pa.s.sing something dark before him, and then rapidly one by one the men followed, with the flames roaring horribly now below, and explosion after explosion following quickly, the cave rapidly becoming a reservoir of fire.

"Hurrah! That's all," cried Mr Gurr. "Now, Mr Raystoke."

"No, sir, you."

"I say you."

"And I--"

Archy yielded to his superior in the expedition, crept out, and the master was following, and got stuck, but a fierce tug from a couple of the men set him free, and he had only just joined the two boats' crews standing side by side on the shelf of rock, when the whole cliff seemed to shake; and, as if the pa.s.sage they had left were some vast cannon, the artificial wall left was blown right out by an awful burst of flame, the stones hurtling down as if the end of the cliffs had come, and falling with a mighty splash into the chasm.

The men stood white and awe-stricken, expecting the cliff to crumble away beneath them, but save that a stream of fire roared out of the opening, all was now still.

Then, in the midst of the awe-inspiring silence, Ram spoke,--

"I thought it wouldn't be long before the powder caught;" and then, before any one could reply, the lad said quietly, "I didn't want to be burnt to death. Better go to prison for smuggling. I say, I got this rope. Hadn't we better make it fast somewhere, and then you can all get down to the big shelf? I'll come last, and unfasten it."

"And then how will you get down?" said the master suspiciously.

"Oh," said Ram, laughing, "I can climb down; can't I, orficer?"

"Yes," said Archy quietly. "He can get down. You will not try to escape, will you, Ram?"

"No; not I. What's the good?" said Ram sadly. "It's all over now."

The rope was made fast, and by its help the men easily reached the great ledge, Ram coming down soon after with the coiled-up rope about his shoulder and under one arm.

"Couldn't have got away if I wanted to," he said, laughing frankly in Archy's face. "I say, I am hungry! Aren't you? Don't I wish I'd got one of mother's baskets full of good stuff!"

"Where's your mother?" asked Archy.

"Up at the farm."

"And your father?"

"Oh, he went off in the lugger this morning, after they'd tried to run a cargo. Your cutter was too quick for them though. We tried to get out to her, but the skipper sent a shot at us, and we came back here, only you saw us, and run us down."

"Where do you suppose your men are now?" asked Archy.

"Don't know, and if I did, I wouldn't tell," said the boy bluntly. "I say," he added, after a pause, "I give you a pretty good run last night, didn't I?"

"You young dog!" growled the master.

"Well, if I hadn't, you'd have found the way in yonder, and I wasn't going to let you if I could help it."

"Ah, you'll be hung, sir."

"Get out!" cried Ram. "Your skipper wouldn't hang a boy like me. Think the cutter will be long?" said the boy after a pause, during which all had been watching the flame which seemed to flow out of the opening far overhead.

"I don't know; why?" replied Archy.

"Because she'll have to come and take us off. This rope's long enough, and we shall have to slide down into a boat."

But the cutter was long. For the lugger had escaped to Holland consequent upon the _White Hawk_ being so short-handed, and it was toward evening that she came close in to search for the crews, and all the party descended in safety to the boat, which rowed under in answer to the signals made by firing pistols.