The Secret of Sinbad's Cave

  Chapter 8

  Stuck

  Everyone gathered around the hole, pushy and excited. Riki wriggled close on her stomach and shone her light down the passage. ‘I can see something on the floor,’ she said.

  Barnaby grinned. ‘There’s actually something in there!’

  Elijah whacked him over the head. ‘Of course there’s something in there, you moron. That’s why we’ve got businessmen scanning walls with machines that cost millions.’

  ‘But what could possibly be in there that’s worth it?’ asked Riki as she slid back to let the next person have a look.

  ‘Sinbad’s treasure,’ said Nat. ‘They said it themselves – they’re chasing fairy stories.’

  Jack was using a rock to scrape out the plaster, widening the hole. ‘It’s still too narrow,’ he said.

  ‘We’re making a mess,’ said Barnaby, looking at the debris collecting on the floor. ‘How are we going to hide everything?’

  Riki shook her head. ‘There’s no way to hide this. Tomorrow morning, the first guide in here is going to freak out – it’ll be all over the news.’

  Nat considered this. Riki was right. ‘Guys,’ she said, ‘start thinking about an escape plan and a hiding place.’

  Elijah laughed. ‘You’re a crack-up Nat. First day of the holidays and we’re already involved in a treasure hunt, a mystery over a hundred years old, and now we’ve broken into the biggest tourist attraction in the country. What on earth happens tomorrow?’

  ‘Whatever does happen,’ interrupted Barnaby, ‘I want to be part of it.’

  ‘I think we’re all in it together now,’ said Nat, glowing at Barnaby’s comment. ‘And we might be in a whole heap of trouble.’

  ‘Youch,’ said Jack. He pulled his hand back from the hole, and a stream of blood dripped onto the floor. ‘This is nasty work.’

  ‘Is real life harder than PlayStation?’ joked Barnaby.

  ‘Must be your turn, cave geek,’ muttered Jack. He handed the rock to Barnaby, who got to work. Nat showed her own bloody hands to her brother.

  ‘The cave is taking a bit from us,’ said Riki, ‘because we’re trying to take something from her. We didn’t even say a karakia, did we? No wonder there’s resistance.’

  Riki sat down, closed her eyes, and started talking to the cave in Maori. Nat watched for a moment, then sat down beside her and listened. It seemed appropriate. Suddenly it was like the very spirit of the cave was there with them, watching their endeavours. It felt like something was being considered, and each of them was examined curiously. Then a feeling of happiness surrounded Nat.

  ‘The cave likes us,’ said Riki. ‘It likes us being here. We’re different from the usual people it sees. We’re going to be all right.’

  ‘I hope the cave is okay with us taking the treasure,’ said Nat. ‘We have to save our farm.’ She looked at Riki. ‘It’s like the land is part of me. Without those hills, I’m nothing.’

  Riki grinned. ‘That makes perfect sense.’

  ‘It does?’ said Nat. She hugged Riki. ‘Thanks. It’s cool to have someone to talk to about it.’

  ‘Any time,’ said Riki.

  Barnaby wiggled back and put down the rock. ‘I think I can get through,’ he said.

  ‘Feet first?’ asked Elijah.

  ‘Head first,’ said Barnaby. He tightened his head-torch around his forehead.

  ‘Go for it,’ said Elijah. ‘Think skinny.’

  Nat crouched down beside Barnaby as he scrunched his shoulders together and manoeuvred himself into the hole. Pushing off with his feet, he wiggled in, a couple of centimetres at a time. Soon just his legs were sticking out of the hole, and then he stopped.

  ‘Are you okay?’ called Jack.

  ‘Hold on,’ said Barnaby, but his voice was muffled and strained. His feet scraped around to get some purchase, but there was no more forward movement.

  ‘What can you see?’ asked Riki.

  ‘Feathers,’ called Barnaby. ‘They’re big and pretty – I don’t know what bird they’re from.’

  ‘I do,’ said Nat. ‘It means we’re in the right place.’

  ‘Well, that’s a relief,’ said Jack.

  Barnaby’s feet pushed again, but to no avail.

  Elijah leant closer. ‘Is there anything else in there bro?’

  ‘Not sure,’ said Barnaby. There was a renewed effort of shuffling and grunting as he tried to push forward. ‘I’ll come back.’

  Everyone watched as the feet scuffled back on the cave floor. Barnaby reversed until they could see his lower back, and then stopped again.

  ‘What’s going on?’ called Nat.

  There was a pause. They leant down to see if Barnaby was okay.

  ‘I’m stuck.’

  ‘What do you mean, stuck?’ said Elijah. ‘You can get through anything.’

  There was a furious wiggling and kicking. Then a pause. Then – nothing.

  Jack giggled.

  Elijah looked at him. ‘What’s so funny?’

  ‘Barnaby’s stuck,’ said Jack. ‘In a cave. But not even a real cavers’ cave, a tourist cave. He must be pretty shamed.’

  ‘Shut up Jack!’ The voice from the hole was mad. ‘Better than what you could do!’

  But the giggles were infectious. Nat caught them next. All she could see was the bottom half of Barnaby. No adults knew where they were. No help was coming. She imagined them all sitting in the chamber the next morning when the tourists arrived. It’d be hilarious. She couldn’t help herself. She burst into raucous laughter. Suddenly Riki was chuckling too. Then Elijah. Then all four of them were rolling around the floor with belly-aching guffaws at the absurdity of their situation. When they finally stopped, Nat was crying, Jack was doubled over trying to catch his breath – and Barnaby was still stuck.

  ‘We need some kai,’ said Riki. ‘What supplies have we got?’

  Jack didn’t need a second invitation to eat. He went for his backpack and produced muesli bars, a bottle of juice and some crackers.

  ‘Want something to eat?’ called Elijah to his brother.

  ‘As if food will help at a time like this!’ yelled Barnaby.

  ‘It’s not our fault you ate too many pies,’ said Jack, and he started giggling again.

  ‘He’s right,’ said Elijah. ‘Your squeezing days are over. A year ago, you could have made it through there no sweat. Jack’s skinnier than you – we should have sent him.’

  ‘Too late now,’ said Jack, cracker crumbs falling from his mouth.

  ‘We could pull you out,’ called Nat. ‘What part of you is stuck?’

  ‘Shoulders,’ came the reply. ‘If you pull it’s going to hurt.’

  ‘Better than being caught here tomorrow morning,’ muttered Elijah.

  As they munched their treats, an amiable silence fell over the group. Everyone was in good spirits.

  Riki was beaming. ‘This is fun,’ she said. ‘We’ll get him out – the cave just doesn’t want to give up its treasures too easily.’

  ‘It doesn’t belong to the cave though,’ said Nat.

  Riki looked at her. ‘It doesn’t belong to us either. But if you’d looked after something for over a hundred years, you’d be pretty attached to it too.’

  ‘You’re right,’ said Nat. ‘Hey Barnaby,’ she called, ‘have a chat with the cave. Ask it to let you go.’

  ‘What are you guys drinking out there?’ said Barnaby. ‘I’m not talking to a cave!’

  ‘Could be worth a go,’ called Elijah. Nat shot him a grateful look.

  There was another silence, this time loaded with anticipation. Everyone watched Barnaby’s feet wriggle, then wriggle again. After a moment, he slid back smoothly, and pulled his dusty head out of the hole. He blinked at everyone, and then let out a massive sigh of relief. Nat threw her arms around him. Everyone cheered. Barnaby glared at them.

  ‘Get off,’ he said, pushing Nat aside. ‘I heard you laughing with the rest of them. You’re supposed to be my friends
!’

  ‘But you did really well,’ said Riki. ‘And you’re okay. Here, have something to drink.’

  Barnaby snatched the juice from her and guzzled it. Then the rest of the crackers and two muesli bars disappeared down his throat.

  ‘Well if you didn’t fit before, you certainly won’t after that,’ said Jack.

  ‘Shut it, beanpole,’ said Barnaby. ‘One day you’ll grow muscles too.’

  ‘I can probably make it,’ said Nat. She’d been considering the idea for a while, but it took some confidence to say it out loud.

  ‘Splatters?’ said Jack. ‘Doubt it.’

  Nat ignored him. ‘I’m the smallest one here. It’s worth a shot.’

  ‘You don’t like squeezes,’ said Barnaby.

  ‘No I don’t. But if I don’t give it a go, I don’t know how else we’re going to get in.’

  Nat didn’t wait for permission; she just wriggled straight into the hole. Please let me through, she said to herself. Please let me through to get the treasure so the bad guys don’t find it. She quickly found herself at the end. The floor was sprinkled with feathers – the same as the roc feather in their attic.

  ‘Are you okay?’ called Jack.

  ‘Yep,’ she yelled. ‘I can see the feathers.’

  ‘Keep going Nat, you’re doing great,’ said Elijah.

  Pulling her shoulders together as tightly as she could, she slid out of the hole.

  ‘Guys! I made it!’ she called. She could hear them whooping and cheering.

  Nat was in a small room with a low roof, so she could stand, but she doubted if Barnaby or the boys could have. Rewi must have been a little man. Either that or he had a very slight helper. She examined the wall she’d crawled through. It looked like it was originally accessible by a narrow slit. Rocks and other debris had been slid into the gap and then been mortared over – all from the inside. They must have plastered up the crawl space when they’d withdrawn. They’d done a masterful job.

  She carefully checked the room. Apart from the feathers, it was empty.

  ‘What can you see?’ called Riki.

  ‘Nothing,’ said Nat. ‘But the floor is scratched, like something was dragged across it.’

  ‘So the treasure’s been moved,’ she heard Barnaby say.

  ‘Are there any other clues?’ asked Elijah.

  Nat scanned the room again. Suddenly she saw something in the far corner.

  ‘Nat!’ called Elijah. ‘What have you got? ’

  ‘Not sure,’ said Nat. ‘Something’s carved into the cave wall.’

  ‘Is it a message?’ asked Barnaby.

  ‘It’s a picture,’ said Nat. ‘A bird with huge wings. Does anyone have paper and pencil?’

  ‘I do,’ said Riki.

  Nat reached down the crawl hole and Riki passed them through. Holding the paper to the rock, she ran the pencil over the wall, creating a rubbing. The drawing came alive before her.

  Nat looked around the room one last time. She wondered about collecting up the feathers, but decided to leave them with the cave. It would be rude to take all its treasures. Saying a silent thank you, she scooted back through the hole, without any trouble at all.