CHAPTER XXVI
To the Rescue
For a distance of several hundred yards the country remainedcomparatively level, although dotted with huge rocks. Then mountainsloomed up before them, and they found it necessary to travel slower.
Bob was followed by about fifteen Tuareg warriors, all magnificentspecimens of "desert knights." Each man was armed with a rifle which,although inferior to Bob's high-velocity type, could do much damage.
Bob was almost certain he could find the way without the small sketchmap he had made from the top of the tall peak the night before. But hehad the map in his pocket and intended to consult it if necessary.
Breathlessly he led the way through the rough country and at last cameto the spot where his father and friends had been captured by theArabs.
From then on, finding the way would be easy, the youth thought, for hehad only to move toward an odd formation of twin peaks that loomed upabove the other mountains in the distance. The cave in which thosecaptured were probably being held was along the side of those talldouble peaks.
To make sure of this, Bob got out the map and scrutinized it closely.Then, satisfied that he was right, he dashed forward, the Tuaregs athis heels.
The way now led up the side of a large hill. There was a break just toone side of the path, and the rescuers could look down to the foot ofa deep gorge. Bob kept his dromedary as far away from the brink aspossible, to do away with the grim possibility of the ground givingway from under his camel's feet.
Finally, after trudging over a high plateau, they began climbing thebase of the twin peaks. At first the ascent was very gradual, but in ashort time the path curved upward around the side of the mountain.
"Getting there, all right," observed Bob, as he noticed that they werenow several hundred feet above the plateau.
At last they came to the top of a wide ledge, from which they couldlook out over scores of miles of rugged country. As the shelf began tonarrow, Bob called a halt.
He took out the paper of native words and told the Tuaregs that theywere now near the cave in which were his father and friends. It wouldonly be necessary to round a corner before coming to its entrance.
But first he divided the group of natives into two sections. One,under the command of the chieftain, was to move on around the ledge tothe cave from the west. The other, led by himself, would climb thesteep side of the mountain and walk on above to the other side of thecavern. Then they would meet at the entrance and surround the Arabsand release the prisoners.
When Bob gave the word, the Tuaregs swung into action. Those in hisgroup followed him up the cliff to the brink, while the men under thechieftain began moving around the ledge.
It was a dangerous climb up the steep side of the mountain, but atlast Bob pulled himself up to another ledge about fifty feet above thelower one. Then he led the way several rods along its surface. When hethought they had passed beyond the entrance to the cave, he led thedescent to the lower shelf.
A moment later he saw that he had miscalculated. He had not gone farenough beyond the cavern to escape the wary eyes of the Arabs who werestationed as guards.
"Caught!" he exclaimed. "Caught square!"
Four Arabs were sitting out in front, and they were on their feetinstantly as their eyes fell on Bob. The latter was no more thantwenty-five feet away from them, much nearer than he had expected tobe.
The Arabs' rifles were standing against the wall of rock near thecave. But before the men could get to them, Bob rushed forward. With awild shout he kicked the rifles away and dashed into the cavern.
Startled exclamations--exclamations of joy, surprise, happiness--cameto the youth's ears, and he realized that he had at last found hisfather, Joe, and the others.
"Bob! You here!" cried Mr. Holton in wild excitement.
"You old rascal! I knew you'd get us out!" came from Dr. Kirshner.
But there was no time for that. Danger was at hand.
"Quick!" he commanded. "Hide. Here, take my rifle, somebody. I'll usemy pistol. There's no time to lose!"
The words were scarcely out of his mouth when the four Arabs dartedinside the cave and made for the captives and their new enemy. Theywould not be beaten so easily!
With a terrific crack to the chin, Bob sent the foremost Arab to theground. The other three men were making for the prisoners in the backof the cave.
Mr. Holton had taken Bob's rifle and was by the youth's side lookingfor other Arabs.
Suddenly Bob noticed that the man whom he had knocked down was gettingto his feet and making for the rifles not far away.
Without hesitating a moment, the youth dashed out of the cave anddirected a stinging blow to the Arab's nose. The latter staggered amoment at the edge of the cliff, and then, to the horror of the twoAmericans, fell backwards over the cliff.
Bob gave a cry of regret. Despite the fact that the Arab was an enemy,the young man did not wish to send him to his death.
Mr. Holton had also been touched deeply.
"You--you shouldn't have done that," he muttered. "But--it couldn'thave been helped."
Now a chorus of shouts and yells rent the air, and the Tuaregs rushedinto the cave. To the surprise and relief of the Americans, they hadcaptured the two thieves who stole Fekmah's map. Where had they foundthem?
Mr. Holton, Dr. Kirshner, and the other former prisoners were takenaback at sight of the natives. At first they thought them otherenemies. Bob soon gave an explanation.
The thieves were searched for Fekmah's map, but the latter was notfound.
Meanwhile a struggle was taking place at the rear of the cave.
Joe in particular attracted Bob's attention. The former youth wasgrappling with a large, powerful fellow, who was vainly trying tochoke his young enemy.
"Joe's sure a fighter," remarked Bob, as he and his father looked onfor a moment.
"We had better help him, though," Mr. Holton said. "Come on."
But a second later they saw that this would be unnecessary, for Joehad suddenly jerked away and sent his fist with all force into theArab's jaw, knocking him out.
"Great work!" commended Mr. Holton. "That fellow was dangerous."
The two remaining Arabs saw that they had no chance against so many,and they surrendered without a struggle.
"Now tell us all about it," urged Dr. Kirshner, speaking to Bob. "Wewant to know how you managed to engage the aid of these Tuaregs."
Briefly the youth outlined his adventures since escaping from theArabs the day before. He told of climbing to the top of the peak, ofsaving the Tuareg chieftain from death, and of getting the paper ofTuareg words.
"That's all," he finished. "Only these natives came up here with me toget you out of the clutches of these Arabs."
"A wonderful demonstration of ingenuity," breathed Mr. Lewis. "Weexpected you all the time. Knew you'd find some way."
"But our greatest work is yet before us," Bob said. "We must drive theArabs from the hidden treasure--if we can locate it."
"No," came from Mr. Holton, "we won't need to do that."