The Adventures of Don Lavington Part 62

"Ahoy! Come up here, sir!" shouted a familiar voice, and a hail came back.

"Here's a hole in the rocks up here," came plainly now.

"Ramsden," whispered Don in Jem's ear.

They stole back a little more into the gloom, Jem offering no opposition now, for it seemed to them, so plainly could they see the bright greenish-hued daylight, and the configuration of the cavern's mouth, that so sure as any one climbed up to the shelf and looked in they would be seen.

Impressed by this, Don whispered to Jem to come farther in, and they were about to back farther, when there was a rustling sound, and the figure of a man appeared standing up perfectly black against the light; but though his features were not visible, they knew him by his configuration, and that their guess at the voice was right.

"He sees us," thought Don, and he stood as if turned to stone, one hand touching the warm rocky side of the cave, and the other resting upon Jem's shoulder.

The man was motionless as they, and his appearance exercised an effect upon them like fascination, as he stood peering forward, and seeming to fix them with his eyes, which had the stronger fancied effect upon them for not being seen.

"Wonder whether it would kill a man to hit him straight in the chest, and drive him off that rock down into the gully below," said Jem to himself. "I should like to do it."

Then he shrank back as if he had been struck, for the sinister scoundrel shouted loudly,--

"Ahoy there! Now, then out you come. I can see you hiding."

CHAPTER THIRTY.

A DETERMINED ENEMY.

Don drew a long breath and took a step forward to march out and give himself up, but Jem's hands clasped him round, a pair of lips were placed 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 to the cave, without dismay now, till, to his surprise, the man began to whistle 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 be hiding in here."

There was a rattling and rustling of stones and growth, and then the man at the entrance stooped down and held out his hands to a.s.sist some one to ascend, the result being that the broad heavy figure of Bosun Jones came into view.

"Not likely to be here, my lad, even if they were in hiding; but this is a 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 n.i.g.g.e.rs looked as if they knew something, and that tattooed fellow who has run away from Norfolk Island has encouraged them to desert. As like as not they may be in here listening to all I say."

"Well then, go in and fetch them out," said the boatswain. "You can go in while I have a rest."

Don's heart beat fast at those words, for he heard a loud hissing sound beside him, caused by Jem drawing in his breath; and the next moment, as he held his arm, he felt a thrill, for it seemed as if Jem's muscles had tightened up suddenly.

Then there was a hot breath upon his cheek, and a tickling sensation in his ear beyond; Jem's lips seemed to settle themselves against it, and the tickling sensation was renewed, as Jem whispered,--

"I've cleared my decks for action, Mas' Don. It was that beggar as told on us. You stand aside when he comes on."

Don twisted his head round, caught Jem by the shoulder, and favoured him with 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 hold of 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 of the 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, and are saving you for the pot."

From where Don and Jem stood in the darkness they could see their spying sinister friend give quite a start; but he laughed off the impression the boatswain's words had made, and began to come cautiously on, feeling his way as a man does who has just left the bright sunshine to enter a dark place.

Jem uttered a loud hiss as he drew his breath, and Ramsden heard it and stopped.

"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!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Ramsden: and he came cautiously on.

Don felt Jem's arm begin to twitch, and discovery seemed imminent. For a few moments he was irresolute, but, knowing that if they were to escape they must remain unseen, he let his hand slide down to Jem's wrist, 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 if yielding to silently communicated superior orders Jem followed him slowly, step by step, with the greatest of caution, and in utter silence.

The floor of the cave was wonderfully smooth, the rock feeling as if it had been worn by the constant pa.s.sage over it of water, and using their bare feet as guides, and feeling with them every step, they backed in as fast as Ramsden approached, being as it were between two dangers, that of recapture, and the hidden perils, whatever they might be, of the cave.

It was nerve-stirring work, for all beyond was intense darkness, out of which, as they backed farther and farther in, came strange whisperings, guttural gurglings, which sounded to Don as if the inhabitants of the place were retiring angrily before their disturbers, till, driven to bay in some corner, they turned and attacked.

But still Don held tightly by Jem's wrist, and mastering his dread of the unknown, crept softly in, turning from time to time to watch Ramsden, who came on as if some instinct told him that those he sought for were there.

"Found 'em?" shouted the boatswain; and his voice taught the hiding pair that the cave went far in beyond them, for the sound went muttering by, and seemed to die away as if far down a long pa.s.sage.

"Not yet, but I think I can hear 'em," replied Ramsden.