CHAPTER VII
THE MYSTERIOUS FOOTPRINTS
AT the expiration of the stipulated time, preparations were made forthe circuit of the Island. The "Otters" were ordered to take theirstaves, while to the "Wolves" was allotted the task of carryingseveral lengths of two-inch rope, iron crowbars, a pair of double"blocks" and a pair of single ones. Mr Trematon did not give thereason why these articles need be taken, and speculation as to theiruse ran high.
"Two lads must remain as camp orderlies," he remarked. "Who willvolunteer? Remember a volunteer is worth two pressed."
There were several moments' hesitation. All were exceptionally keenon the trip, and the suggestion that two of them should remain didnot appeal to them in a favourable light.
"I will, sir," said Atherton.
"No," rejoined the Scoutmaster. "The Leaders are exempt, since theyare responsible to me for their patrols."
"I'll remain, sir," exclaimed Tom Mayne.
"That's good. Now, then, a volunteer from the 'Wolves.' That will befair, won't it?"
Coventry major signified his willingness to stay, for although indifferent patrols the two lads were close chums.
"That's settled," continued Mr Trematon. "Now, orderlies, you mustnot go beyond the limits of the camp, except down to thelanding-place. You are to receive any visitors that may come to theIsland, and show them round, giving them any information ascourteously as you can."
In high spirits the two patrols set out, their first halt being atthe ruined oratory. Here Mr Trematon explained the use and nature ofthese buildings in mediaeval days, how that recluses devoted theirlives to prayer and watching. No doubt many vessels inpre-Reformation days owed their safety to the friendly light thatburned every night from hundreds of oratories scattered round thecoast.
The ruins being situated on the highest part of the Island, theScouts had an extensive view of the Cornish shore and of theexpansive Bristol Channel. The day was clear, and the water wasdotted with ships of all sizes, all looking like miniature boats inthe distance. There were colliers, distinguishable by having theirfunnels well aft; tramps, rusty-sided, and with stumpy masts servingmainly to support the derricks for handling cargo; topsail schooners,in which most of the coast-wise trade between the smaller ports isnow carried on; Bristol Channel pilot boats engaged in keencompetition to pick up a job; and a host of small fishing boats fromthe neighbouring ports of St Ives and Padstow.
"How far can we see out to sea, sir?" asked Tenderfoot Scott.
"That depends mainly upon the clearness of the atmosphere. From theheight on which we are now standing--250 feet--we might be able tosee nearly twenty-one miles."
"It's very clear to-day, sir," observed Fraser.
"Yes, too clear for my liking," asserted the scoutmaster. "TregantleHead--over twenty-five miles away--stands up quite plainly. That's asure sign of wet weather and probably a storm in addition."
"A storm! Will there be any wrecks?" asked little Reggie Scott,eagerly. "Will we be able to see them if there are?"
"I trust not," replied the Scoutmaster, solemnly. "I have seenseveral wrecks, and it is not an experience to be desired. Now, lads,forward. Bear away to the right. I want you to see that part of theIsland nearest to Beware Head."
Through a dense belt of gorse and bracken, out of which the startledrabbits scooted with amazing rapidity, the Scouts trooped till MrTrematon called to them to halt. They were then within ten feet ofthe edge of the cliffs that here descend abruptly for a distance ofone hundred and eighty feet.
"Don't ever go closer to the brink of the cliffs than this, unlessyou have a line round you," cautioned Mr Trematon. "The ground mightcrumble under you, although there is far less probability of doing sohere--where the rocks are composed of granite--than on thesouth-eastern coast of England, where the cliffs are of chalk andsoft sandstone."
From where they stood the Scouts could see almost the whole extent ofwater between the Island and Beware Head, a sheet of deep blue seainterspersed with patches of pale green denoting sandy bottom betweenthe weed-covered rocks. Long oily rollers came tumbling inshore withunfailing regularity, breaking with a smother of foam against thebase of the headland.
"What makes those rollers, sir?" asked Baker. "There's very littlewind, and farther out the sea is quite calm."
"It's called a ground-swell, and is said to be caused by a storm manymiles out to sea. Their presence is also an indication of theapproach of bad weather. I don't want to dishearten you, lads, but wemust 'Be prepared' for all emergencies, and if we are I don't thinkour holiday will be any less enjoyable."
"There's a signal from the lighthouse, sir," announced Atherton.
"Now, then, signallers: what do you make of that?" asked theScoutmaster, as a burst of flags fluttered from a staff rising fromthe gallery of the lighthouse.
"We can't make out, sir," replied Phillips and Neale. "They are notspelling anything."
"No, it is in code. The combination of those three flags means amessage which we could only interpret if we had a signal-code book.One of those vessels 'made her number '--that is, has reportedherself on first sighting a British signal-station--and theinformation will be telegraphed to Lloyd's. See, there's a keeper onthe gallery. Watch him through your pocket telescope, Phillips, andwhen he looks this way tell Neale to call him up."
"What shall I semaphore, sir?" asked the Second of the "Wolves."
"Ask him for permission to visit the lighthouse," replied MrTrematon. "Then, if he says yes, ask what day and what time will beconvenient."
"He's looking this way, sir," reported Phillips.
Standing well apart from his comrades, Neale "called up" thelighthouse. In a few moments Phillips announced that the man waslooking towards them through a glass.
"He's acknowledged, sir," continued the Second of the "Otters.""Another man has taken the glass from him."
"Carry on," ordered the Scoutmaster, and Neale began semaphoring withconsiderable rapidity and accuracy.
Back came the reply: "The keepers of Beware Head lighthouse will bepleased to show the Scouts over the building any day between 9 A.M.and one hour before sunset."
"Acknowledge and thank them, Neale. Say we hope to inspect thelighthouse tomorrow at 2 P.M."
"Has this point any name, sir," asked Phillips, indicating thenorthernmost limit of Seal Island.
"No, I think not," replied the Scoutmaster. "Suppose for our ownconvenience we give it a name. What shall it be?"
"Why not North Cape?" suggested Green.
"I am afraid it doesn't jut out sufficiently into the sea. It is boldand lofty; suppose we say North Head?"
"And the other extremities, East, South and West Heads, sir?" askedSayers, the lad who shared with Reggie Scott the distinction of beingthe Tenderfoot of the "Otters."
"Very good," assented Mr Trematon. "The names are simple enough,which is a consideration, since there is little chance of gettingconfused over the various designations. Now, forward once more."
The route now lay in a south-westerly direction along an ill-definedtrack that followed the edge of the cliffs, which hereabouts attaineda height of about eighty feet.
"We are now over what is known as the Tea Caves," announced theScoutmaster. "These caves are well worth exploring, but at present Iintend to show them to the 'Otters' only. The 'Wolves' must remainhere and attend to the ropes, for we can only reach the caves bybeing lowered over the cliffs. The descent is, with properprecautions, perfectly safe, but a certain amount of nerve isrequired. Should any lad not feel equal to the task he is at libertyto fall out."
"So long as I don't fall in, I don't mind," remarked TenderfootSayers, in an undertone to his chum Scott.
"If Mr Trematon says it is perfectly safe, 'nuff said," repliedReggie Scott. "I'm game." Lashing a pair of staves together to formsheerlegs, the Scouts planted the ends into the ground so that thecrossed portion overhung the cliffs. To the projecting end one of theblocks or pulleys was secured, while "guys" prevented the shee
rlegsfrom toppling over. A rope with a bowline at one end was rove throughthe pulley for the purpose of lowering the explorers. The Scoutsemployed on this work were all provided with life-lines to guardagainst serious accidents should the cliffs crumble.
"That seems perfectly secure," said Mr Trematon, after he had put thegear to a severe test. "Now we are ready for the descent. Attwenty-five feet from the summit of the cliff is a fairly broad path.Each Scout in turn will be lowered on to this ledge, and there hewill stand easy till I rejoin you. Atherton, since you are theLeader, it is your place to go first."
Passing the bowline under his arms. Atherton walked to the edge ofthe cliff, sat down, and waited till the "Wolves" took the strain onthe rope. Then, unhesitatingly, he slipped over the cliff, and wasslowly lowered through the intervening twenty-five feet. It seemed along distance, especially as the lad had to ward himself off the faceof the granite cliff with his hands. He knew, as did his companions,that it was foolish to look down, even if secured by a bowline, andalthough the temptation to glance downwards to see how much fartherhe had to go was great he had sufficient strength of mind to carryout instructions.
Presently his feet touched fairly level ground; the bowlineslackened. He found himself upon a rocky "bench" or path nearly eightfeet in breadth, which sloped with irregular gradations towards thebase of the cliffs.
Casting off the rope, Atherton called to his comrades to haul away,and he found himself cut off on the face of a wall of granite, that,save for a ledge on which he stood, looked as smooth as a board.
One by one the "Otters" were lowered. Finally the Scoutmasterdescended, and the little party, eight all told, proceeded along thepath leading to the caves.
"Funny name, sir," said Phillips. "Why do they call them TeaCaves--because the place is shaped like the letter T?"
"No, merely another reminder of smuggling days."
"Did they used to smuggle tea?" asked Everest.
"Yes; in the eighteenth century there used to be a very heavy tax ontea in this country; hence smuggling tea was almost as paying a gameas smuggling spirits and lace if the run came off successfully. Hereis the main entrance; do you notice anything peculiar about theroof?"
"Yes, sir," replied several of the lads. "There looks as if there's adeep notch cut across it."
"That is where the smugglers used to hang a painted canvas curtainfrom to deceive the revenue people. Viewed from seaward it was almostimpossible to detect the mouth of the cave."
"But how was the tea carried there? There is no place for a boat toland at the foot of the cliffs."
"That was another smugglers' ruse. The contraband goods were broughtashore at the same place as where we first landed on Seal Island.Wines and spirits were usually taken to Dollar Cove, and hidden inthe cave we explored this morning. The chests of tea were carriedacross the Island, lowered over the cliff, taken along the path wehave just traversed, and stored in these caves.
"He slipped over the cliff and was slowly lowered."_Page_ 73.]
By choosing a hiding-place not directly accessible from the sea, thelaw-breakers put the excise authorities off the scent."
"Isn't it dry here," remarked Phillips. "The dust on the floor is asdry as powder."
"Yes, and you will find that in a few moments our footprints will bewiped out by the wind smoothing over the sand and dust. Did anybodythink to bring a candle?"
"I have two, sir," replied Baker.
"Good, lad!" exclaimed Mr Trematon, approvingly. "Quite a display offoresight, eh?"
"No, sir," admitted the Scout, candidly. "They fell out of a parcelas we were carrying the baggage up to the camp last night. I pickedthem up and put them in my pocket, forgetting all about them till youspoke."
"All the same they will be useful. Give one to Everest, and the twowill be sufficient light for us to see our way."
"Are we going to use twine as a guide, sir?" asked Atherton. "I havea ball of it."
"Not necessarily in this case, Atherton," replied the Scoutmaster. "Iknow the ins and outs of this place very well, and after all they arenot so very extensive."
At twenty yards from its mouth the cave apparently terminated, but MrTrematon called attention to a small hole barely eighteen inchesacross, and almost on the floor level.
"Slip through, Atherton, feet first and let yourself drop."
Unhesitatingly the Leader obeyed. It was an uncanny sensationallowing oneself to drop into an invisible pit, but five feet fromthe edge of the hole Atherton's feet encountered soft sand.
"I'm all right," he said, his voice sounding hollow and unreal in thepitch dark cave.
"Follow on, you fellows," ordered the Scoutmaster. "Pass the light toAtherton, Baker."
Soon the "Otters" found themselves in a much larger cavern, the wallsof which were most fantastic shapes, while the dust on the floor, nolonger disturbed by air currents, showed that the place had beenvisited at no distant date. There were the footprints of a man, bothgoing and returning.
"What do you make of these, Atherton?" asked the Scoutmaster,pointing to the tracks on the sand.
Candle in hand, the Leader knelt down and examined the footmarks.
"They are the footprints of a man wearing a ten boot," he announced."They are not those of a working man, I think, because there are nohobnails. The person, whoever he is, seems to be a timid individual,as he evidently walks on his toes; the impression of the heels aremuch fainter."
"A good deduction, Atherton; it looks as if we are on the verge of amysterious discovery."
"What if the man is still in the cave, sir?" asked Green, cautiously."He might be listening to what we are saying."
"No fear of that," replied Mr Trematon. "There has been only one manhere recently, and his tracks show that he came and went again.Follow the footprints, Atherton, and see if you can make any moredeductions."
Keeping by the side of the trail in order that the marks should notbe obliterated the Leader proceeded slowly and cautiously, the restof his companions following.
Ten yards from the "needle's-eye," that served as a means of accessto the inner cave, Atherton discovered one used and two unused waxvestas.
"What do they suggest, Atherton?" asked Mr Trematon.
"I think, sir, that they confirm my previous theory. A poor man isnot in the habit of carrying wax vestas. He is usually content withSwedish safeties. Besides, this person is evidently careless andwasteful, since he drops two unlighted vestas."
"So well, so good, Atherton," replied the Scoutmaster. "Now let'sproceed."
Once or twice the tracks became confusing, since the footmarkscrossed each other; but with little difficulty Atherton followed thein-going track till they stopped at a deep niche in the rocky wallson the right-hand side of the cave.
In the candle-light Atherton thoroughly examined the sand and dust. Apiece of charred newspaper attracted his attention. He picked it up,unfolded it, and studied the printing.
"Quite recent," he commented. "Here is an account of the King's visitto the new Naval and Military Orphanage at Bexhill. That took placeon Saturday, so that if this is not a portion of a Sunday paper, itappeared yesterday. That proves, I think, that the person, whoever heis, visited the cave as recently as yesterday."
"No doubt it was a tourist, keen on visiting the Tea Caves,"suggested Everest. "His supply of matches ran short, so he made atorch of a piece of newspaper. After all there's nothing in that,except that it has given us a chance to practise spooring."
"I am not so sure of that, Everest," said Mr Trematon, quietly. "Inthe first place the Tea Caves are difficult of access, and a strangerwould enlist the services of one of the local fishermen as a guide.This man comes alone. Secondly, he visits the cave with an avowedobject: he walks straight to this place, stands almost in the samespot for some time, and then kneels. The impressions of his toes andone knee prove that. Then he returned to the open air as directly ashe came."
"Perhaps he's buried something, sir," suggested Sayers.
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bsp; "For the time being we will let our investigations rest," said MrTrematon. "We have no spades with us, and should the mysteriousvisitor return he would notice that the soil had been disturbed, andbecome alarmed and suspicious. So we must endeavour to detect the manshould he come again. If he were here for no good purpose it is morethan likely that he will not revisit the Tea Caves till after ourcamp is struck."
"You mean us to dig, sir?" asked Reggie Scott.
"Yes. Unless anything unforeseen occurs we will bring spades andthoroughly examine this portion of the ground on the day before wereturn home. But we must be off or the 'Wolves' will wonder what hashappened to us. Cover your footprints, lads."
The Scouts' footprints were carefully obliterated as they retracedtheir steps, an empty haversack drawn over the trail completing thefinishing touches. Only a minute inspection would reveal the factthat a party of lads had traversed the inner cave.
"What have you been up to, Atherton?" asked his chum Simpson, as theLeader of the "Otters" was hauled up to the top of the cliff.
"Wait and see," retorted Atherton, laughing. "That's all right,Simpson. Mr Trematon will tell you everything round the camp fireto-night."