Yussuf the Guide Part 55

Yussuf became quite a favourite, for he was a cook, and often showed the brigands' wives how to make some savoury dish; but for the most part he was busy helping the professor, carrying his paper, cleaning stones, or performing some such office.

And so the days glided by, with the professor perfectly contented, the old lawyer apparently little troubled so long as his snuff held out, and Lawrence growing st.u.r.dier, and enjoying the feeling of health more and more.

The only discontented people were the Chumleys, the gentleman complaining bitterly about the absence of news, and the lady because her husband would chatter so incessantly.

"I say, Yussuf," said Lawrence one night as he sat talking to the guide, "they won't cut off our heads, will they?"

Yussuf shook his head.

"I have only one dread," he replied; "and that is of an attempt being made to rescue us."

"I don't see anything to be afraid of there," said Lawrence laughing.

"But I do," said the Turk seriously. "If an attack were made, those people would become fierce like dogs or rats at bay, and then they might take our lives."

"They would not without, then?"

"No," said Yussuf; "they would threaten, and hold out for a heavy ransom, but if the friends that have been written to are clever, they will make the ransom small, and we shall be freed. But it may take a long time, for the brigands will hold out as long as they think there is a chance of getting a large sum. They are safe here; they have abundant stores, and nothing to do: they can afford to wait."

"Well, I'm sure Mr Preston is in no hurry," said Lawrence; "n.o.body is but the Chumleys."

"And I," said Yussuf smiling.

"You? why, I thought you were happy enough. You haven't said a word lately about escaping."

"No," replied Yussuf smiling; "but sometimes those who are so quiet do a great deal. I am afraid of the winter coming with its snow and shutting us in for months when we could not escape, for, even if the snow would let us pa.s.s, we should perish in the cold. I have been hard at work."

"You have, Yussuf? What have you been doing? Oh, I know; making plans."

"And ropes," said Yussuf gravely.

"Ropes? I have seen you make no ropes."

"No, because you were asleep. Wait a moment."

He rose quietly and walked to the entrance, drawing the rug that hung there aside and peering out, to come back as softly as he left his seat, and glancing at where the professor, wearied out with a hard day's work, was, like his companions by the fire, fast asleep.

"The guards are smoking out there, and are safe," said Yussuf. "See here, Lawrence effendi, but do not say a word to a soul."

"I shall not speak," said Lawrence.

Yussuf gave another glance at the Chumleys, and then stepped to a corner of the great hall-like place which formed their prison, drew aside a rug on the floor, lifted a slab of stone, and pointed to a coil of worsted rope as thick as a good walking-stick, and evidently of great length.

It was only a few moments' glance, and then the stone was lowered, the dust swept over it, and the rug drawn across again.

"You see I am getting ready," said Yussuf.

"But what are we going to do?"

"I have been watching and waiting," whispered the guide, "and I have found a place where we can descend from the old wall over the great defile."

"But it is so awful a place, Yussuf."

"Yes, it is awful; but there is a ledge we can reach, and then creep along and get beyond the sentries. Then all will be easy, for we can get a long way some dark night before the alarm is given, and in the day we can hide. Of course we must load ourselves with the food we have saved up."

"Yes, yes, of course," said Lawrence thoughtfully; "but Mrs Chumley, she would not go down a rope."

"Why, not?" said Yussuf quietly; "she talks like a man."

"When are you going to try, then?" said Lawrence excitedly.

"In about ten days. I shall be ready then, and the nights will be dark.

But, patience--you must not be excited."

"But you will tell Mr Preston?"

"Yes; to-morrow night, when I have finished my first rope. Go to sleep now."

"And you, Yussuf?"

"Oh, I am going to work," he said smiling. "See, my material is here."

He drew out a handful of worsted threads which were evidently part of a rug which he had unravelled, and as soon as Lawrence had lain down, the Turk walked to the darkest corner of the building, and Lawrence could just make out that he was busy over something, but he was perfectly silent.

CHAPTER FORTY.

A GRAND DISCOVERY.

It was the very next day that the professor took his paper, rule, and pencils down to a building that seemed to have been a temple. It was at the very edge of the tremendous precipice, and must once have been of n.o.ble aspect, for it was adorned with a grand entrance, with handsomely carved columns supporting the nearly perfect roof, and the wonder was that the brigands had not utilised it for a dwelling or store. But there it was, empty, and the professor gazed around it with rapture.

The guards stood at the entrance leaning against the wall watching him and Lawrence carelessly, and then, going out into the sunshine, they picked out a sheltered spot, and sat down to smoke.

The professor began to draw. Soon afterwards Mr Burne sat down on a broken column taking snuff at intervals, and Yussuf seated himself with his back to the doorway, drew some worsted from his breast, and began to plait it rapidly, while Lawrence went on investigating the inmost recesses of the place.

"Come and look here, Yussuf," he cried at the end of a few minutes, and the Turk followed him to a part of the building behind where an altar must have stood and pointed down.

"Look here," he said; "this stone is loose, and goes down when I stand upon that corner. It's hollow, too, underneath."

He stamped as he spoke, and there was a strange echoing sound came up.

"Hush!" said Yussuf quickly, and he glanced round to see if they were observed; but they were hidden from the other occupants of the place; and, stooping down, Yussuf brushed away some rubbish, placed his hands under one side of the stone where it was loose, and lifted the slab partly up.

The air came up cool and sweet, so that it did not seem to be a vault; but it was evidently something of the kind, and not a well, for there was a flight of stone steps leading down into the darkness.

It was but a moment's glance before Yussuf lowered the stone again, and hastily kicked some rubbish over it, and lowered a piece of an old figure across it so as to hide it more.