Jack at Sea Part 70

"Go then," said the doctor, "and mind, you are not to attempt to return."

"Arks your pardon, sir, but it'll be 'bout two hours 'fore I get down to the boat."

"No, no; not half that time," cried the doctor.

"We've come a long way, sir. What do you say, mates?"

"All two hours," was the reply.

"Yes, sir, you've been so anxious 'bout it you arn't noticed how the time goes, and as I was going to say, by the time I get down to the boat it will be black as the inside o' one o' the coal-bunkers."

The doctor stood gazing at the man wildly.

"There won't be no more searching then."

"You're right, you're right," groaned the doctor. "There, stop with us.

Come what may the poor fellows must be found."

_Bang_! went a signal gun again, and the echoes rolled away up the mountain, growing fainter and fainter, while the lovely grove, full of dazzling light and darkest shade, resplendent in its beauty, and with the air fragrant with the freshened odour of leaf and flower, seemed to Doctor Instow the most horrible solitude to which man had ever been condemned.

"There they go again," said one of the men, as once more a gun was fired.

"Forward," cried the doctor, rousing himself from his utter despondency.

"Which way, sir?" asked Lenny.

"Any way, my lads. System is of no use here. We must trust to chance."

"Think he can have got over into the next gully, sir?" said Lenny.

"No, no, impossible. It would take a party of strong men to cut a way through, and they would not make the clearance in a week. Forward!

Open out and keep on giving a hail from time to time."

Another signal gun for their recall was fired.

"We can't help it," said the doctor. "Forward, my lads. We must find them now."

It was not until the occasional glimpses of the sky they caught told him by their altered colour that the night was close at hand, that the doctor once more halted, and then gave the order for the party to return as well as they could upon their tracks.

And now as they staggered more than walked wearily back a shot was fired every few minutes, and a short halt made to listen for a response.

But none came, and they struggled on through the darkness, the rapidness of the descent of the ground and the roar of the torrent at their side being their only guides, for the darkness beneath the trees was now intense.

How long they had been going downward no one could have said, as they kept now in line, following each other closely, with Lenny first, when after stumble and fall at every few yards, as the doctor's gun flashed and the report rang out, it was at length answered from higher up on their left.

"At last!" cried the doctor, rousing himself from the feeling of exhaustion which seemed to have deadened all his energies. "Bear to the left, Lenny, for a few minutes, and then I'll fire again."

"Ay, ay, sir!" said the man huskily, and in a very short time he stumbled and fell, rolling down a precipitous part.

"Hurt?" cried the doctor.

"Dunno, sir," said the man with a groan. "Feels like it; but don't you mind me, you fire again."

The doctor c.o.c.ked his piece and raised it to fire in the air, when a shot rang out again, apparently about a hundred yards away, the flash before the report being plainly seen.

"Ahoy!" yelled Lenny hoa.r.s.ely, and this was answered faintly.

"That's Ned," growled Lenny. "No, no; not his voice," cried the doctor.

"Mind how you go down there."

The words were useless, for the men were too much worn out to study anything, and they let themselves slide down, only too glad to get to the bottom.

"Ahoy!" came now, and as they answered there was a breaking and rustling heard among the trees, shouts and sharp orders could be heard, and in a few minutes the two parties encountered.

"Have you found him?" cried the doctor, for he had known for some moments that he was wrong.

"Found him!" came back in the voice of Sir John, full of agony. "Is not Jack with you?"

The doctor's answer was a groan before he announced what had happened.

A few minutes' conversation followed between Sir John and the mate, before the former said sharply, in a tone which cut the doctor to the heart--

"Can you give me no idea where you missed them first?"

"Not the slightest," said the doctor bitterly. "We are completely lost."

There was silence for a few moments before Sir John spoke again.

"Go on down to the mouth of the gully," he said sharply, "and make the best of your way on board."

"What are you going to do?" said the doctor.

"Stop here till daylight, and then continue the search. Better make a fire, my lads."

"Yes," cried the mate. "It may guide them to us."

"I must stay," said the doctor.

"I do not want you," said Sir John coldly, "and you are too tired to be of any use."

"I suppose so," said the doctor bitterly, "but I must stay all the same."

"Then back with you, my men," said Sir John.

"Keep on downward near the stream, and you must come upon the boat."

There was a dead silence.

"Well," said the mate sharply, "why don't you go?"