CHAPTER X.
THREE IN A TRAP.
The day was declining when Frank, Dick, and Brad came down into ElDiablo Valley. It was, indeed, a dark, wild place, and for some time itseemed almost impossible of access. No plain trail led into it. On anelevation in the valley they had seen a ruined pile that bore a strongresemblance to a crumbling castle. The very appearance of thesebuildings belied the tale that Joaquin Murietta had built them there.Had they been so recently constructed their ruined condition wasunaccountable. It seemed certain that at least a hundred years hadpassed since their erection. About the valley and the castle appearedhanging an air of mystery and romance.
That any one should choose such a remote and desolate spot to rear thosebuildings was beyond comprehension to the three young Americans who nowbeheld the ruins for the first time. Somehow those crumbling stonesreminded them of the march of Cortez and his conquering treasurehunters. What Spaniard of that day, left behind in Mexico and supposedto be dead, had enriched himself with the treasures of the Aztecs andhad escaped northward, only to find himself imprisoned in the new land,and to finally use a part of his treasures to erect this castle?
During the middle hours of the day alone did the southern sunshine fallsoft and golden in El Diablo Valley. Therefore, they descended into theshadows and approached the castle, which seemed to lie silent anddeserted in the midst of the valley.
"It's a whole lot strange we never heard of this place before," observedBuckhart. "Of course, others have seen it."
There was a cloud on Dick's face.
"Do you think, Frank," he questioned, "that there is any hope of findingFelicia here? Since leaving the mission we have seen nothing to indicatethat we were still on the right trail."
"It's a good deal like hunting for a needle in a hay-stack," confessedMerry.
"Maybe those galoots who have her doubled back on us," suggested Brad."Maybe they turned on us there at the mission."
"It's not impossible," was Merry's regretful admission. "However, we arehere, and we will find what there is to find."
There were no echoes in the valley. It seemed a place of silence andgloom. As they approached the ruins they surveyed them with increasingwonder. There were old turrets and towers, crumbling and cracked, as ifshaken by many earthquakes. The black windows glared at them like grimeyes.
"I will bet my boots that there is no one around this yere ranch,"muttered Buckhart. "Perhaps that old priest fooled us a whole lot."
Merry shook his head.
"I am sure not," he said.
They mounted the rise on which the castle was built and passed through ahuge gate and dark passage, coming into a courtyard, with the crumblingruins all around them. Here they paused. Suddenly at one of the narrow,upper windows of the old turret a face appeared. Some one was therelooking out at them. Frank's keen eyes were the first to discover it.Then to their ears came the cry of a voice electrifying them. The faceat the window pressed nearer, and, together with the voice, it wasrecognized.
Dick gave a shout of joy.
"Felicia!" he exclaimed. "There she is, Frank. Can you see her in thatwindow up there? Felicia! Felicia!"
But even as he called to her thus she suddenly vanished. As they staredat the window, another face showed for a moment and another pair of eyeslooked down at them.
Then these also disappeared.
"Waugh!" exploded Brad Buckhart. "Here's where we get into action."
"She's there," declared Frank. "She's there--a captive!"
"It's sure to be a red-hot scrimmage," said Buckhart, looking at hisrevolver. "Take care that your guns are ready for action."
They leaped from their horses and swiftly approached the ruins, leavingthe animals to wander where they might in the valley, well knowing theywould not leave it.
Up the stone steps they bounded, coming to the deepset door, which byits own weight or by the working of time had fallen from its hinges.Nothing barred them there, and they entered. As they dashed in, therewas a sudden whirring sound, and they felt themselves struck and beatenupon as by phantom hands. This was startling enough, but Frankimmediately comprehended that they were bats and the creatures werefluttering wildly about them. From one dark room to another theywandered, seeking the stairs that should lead them up into the turret.
"We need a light," said Merry.
"That certain is correct, pardner," agreed Buckhart. "We are a heaplikely to break our necks here in the dark."
"But we have no light," panted Dick, "and no time to secure a torch. Ifwe waste time for that we may lose her."
"Where are those pesky stairs?" growled the Texan.
Their search led them into a huge echoing room that seemed windowless.Frank was exasperated by the aimlessness of their search. Had they notseen Felicia's face at the window and heard her voice, the silence anddesolation of the place must have convinced them that it was in truthdeserted. But now, of a sudden, there was a sound behind them. It was acreak on the rusty stairs. It was followed by a heavy thud and absolutesilence.
"What was that?" asked Dick.
"It sounded to me," muttered Merry, "like the closing of a massivedoor."
A moment later he struck a match, and by its light they looked around.Holding it above his head, it served to illumine the chamber dimly.
"Wherever did we get into this hole?" asked Brad. "I fail to see anydoor."
The repeated lighting of matches seemed to show them only four barewalls. At last Frank found the door, but he discovered it was closed.More than that, he discovered that it was immovable.
"Boys," he said grimly, as the match in his fingers fluttered out andfell into a little glowing, coal at his feet, "we are trapped. It'splain now that we did a foolish thing in rushing in here without alight. That glimpse of Felicia lured us into the snare, and it will beno easy thing to escape."
"Let me get at that door!" growled Buckhart.
He flung himself against it with all his strength, but it stoodimmovable. They joined in using their united strength upon it, but stillit did not stir.
"Well, this certain is a right bad scrape," admitted the Texan. "I don'tmind any a good hot fight with the odds on the other side, but I admitthis staggers me."
"What are we to do, Frank?" whispered Dick.
"Easier asked than answered," confessed Merry. "It's up to us to findsome means of escape, but how we can do so I am not ready to say."
"Pards," said the Texan, "it seems to me that we are going to geta-plenty hungry before we leave this corral. We are some likely tostarve here. The joke is on us."
"Hush!" cautioned Merry. "Listen!"
As they stood still in the dense darkness of that chamber they heard amuffled voice speaking in English. It seemed to be calling to themderisively.
"You're very courageous, Frank Merriwell," mocked the voice; "but seewhat your courage has brought you to. Here you are trapped, and here youwill die!"
"Hello!" muttered Merry. "So my friend, Felipe Dulzura, is near athand!"
The situation was one to appall the stoutest heart, but Frank Merriwellwas not the one to give up as long as there was the slightest gleam ofhope. Indeed, in that darkness there seemed no gleam. It is notwonderful that even stout-hearted Brad Buckhart began to feel that "thejig was up."
In most times of danger, perplexity, or peril, Dick relied solely onhimself and his own resources; now, however, having Frank at hand, heturned to him.
"Is there any chance for us to escape?"
"Boys," said Merry, "we must not think of giving up until we have madeevery effort in our power. The first thing to be done is to sound thewalls. You can help me in this. Go around the walls, rapping on them andlistening. See if you can find a hollow place. This is not the donjon,and it may have been originally intended for something different from aprison room."
Directed by him, they set about their task, sounding the walls. Hopelessenough it seemed as they went knocking, knocking through the darkness.When the room had been circled onc
e and no discovery made, Buckhartseemed quite ready to give up the effort in that direction. Frank wasnot satisfied, but continued feeling his way along the walls, rappingand listening as he went. Finally he remained a long time in one place,which aroused the curiosity of his boy comrades.
"Have you discovered anything?" asked Dick.
Before replying Merry struck a match.
"Here, boys," he said, "you will see there is a crack in the wall. Thatmay be the cause of the hollow sound I fancied it gave. But, look!" headded, holding the match high above his head, "see how the crack widensas it rises toward the ceiling. By Jove, boys! it's almost wide enoughup there for a cat to get through."
Then the match burned too short to be held longer, and he dropped it.Several moments he stood in silence, paying no heed to the words of Dickor Brad. His mind was busy. Finally he said:
"Get up here, boys, both of you. Face this wall and stand closetogether. I want to climb on your shoulders. I am going to examine thatcrack. It may be our only hope of salvation."
They followed instructions, and Merry mounted to their shoulders, onwhich he stood. In this manner he was high enough to reach some distanceinto the crack in the wall. He found nothing but crumbling bits ofcement and stone, which was a disappointment to him.
"Keep your heads down," he said. "I am going to see if I can loosen someof this outer coat of cement here. It may rattle down about your ears."
He pulled away at the cement, cleaving it off easily and exposing thefact that the wall was somewhat shabbily built above a distance of eightfeet from the floor. An earthquake or convulsion of nature, or whateverhad caused the crack in the wall, had seriously affected it, and itseemed very shaky and unstable indeed.
Several times he shifted about on the boys' shoulders to give them rest,as his heavy boots were rather painful after remaining in one position afew moments. They were eager to know what progress he was making.
"I can't tell what it amounts to, boys," he declared. "This crack maylead nowhere, even if I can make an opening large enough to enter."
At length he was compelled to descend in order to give them a chance torest. Three times he mounted on their shoulders and worked at the cementand stones until the skin of his fingers was torn and his handsbleeding. He was making progress, nevertheless, and it seemed more andmore apparent that, if given time enough, an opening might be made thereat that height in the wall. In his final efforts he loosened a mass ofthe stuff, that suddenly gave way and went rattling and rumbling downinto the wall somewhere. To his intense satisfaction, this left a holelarge enough for a human being to creep into.
"Brace hard, boys," he whispered. "I am going to make a venture here. Iam going to crawl into this place."
"Be careful, Frank!" palpitated Dick. "What if you get in there and theold wall crumbles on you! You will be buried alive! You will besmothered, and killed!"
"Better that than starvation in this wretched hole," he half laughed."We will have to take chances if we ever escape at all. Steady now."
They stiffened their bodies, and he gave a little spring, diving intothe opening as far as he could and slowly wiggling and dragging himselfforward. In this manner he gradually crept into it, although it was nosimple matter. There was barely room enough for him to accomplish thisfeat, and when it was done he lay still a few moments to rest. As he laythus he heard some of the stones and cement rattling and falling beneathhim, and felt the whole wall seem to settle. His heart leaped into histhroat, for it seemed, indeed, that he was about to be smothered andcrushed to death in that place. Still he did not retreat. Instead ofthat, he squirmed and crawled forward as fast as possible. Suddenly amass of the wall came down upon his back and shoulders, and he waspinned fast.
Trying to squirm forward still farther, he found himself held as if inthe jaws of a vise, and never in his adventurous career had his positionseemed more desperate and helpless. Dust filled his eyes and nostrils,and he seemed smothered.
Summoning all his wonderful strength, Merry made a mighty effort.Suddenly, as he did so, the wall beneath him seemed to give way, anddownward he fell, amid showers of stones and cement, which rained uponhim. He had fallen into some sort of open space, and, although somewhatdazed and stunned, he quickly crept forward to escape the falling massof stuff. In this he was successful, and, although the air of the placeseemed dense and stifling, he was practically uninjured.
As soon as possible, he sought to learn what kind of a place he haddropped into so unexpectedly. There were yet a few matches left in hismatch safe, and one of these he lighted. Its light showed him a small,narrow passage, leading away he knew not where. Behind him there was amass of fallen debris where the top of the passage had caved in. Eventhen still more was threatening to fall, and he quickly moved away.
"I have heard of secret passages in old castles and mansions," Frankmuttered, "and this must be one of them. Where will it lead me? It musttake me somewhere, and this is better than remaining in the chamberwhere we were trapped."
For a long time he felt his way cautiously onward along the passage. Hecame in time to its end. His hand could feel nothing but the barestones, and it seemed that the passage terminated there. Once more hestruck a match, the light of which revealed to him nothing of anencouraging nature.
"Well," he said, "I seem to be in a trap still. It can't be possiblethis was simply a blind passage. Why was it constructed? There must besome way of getting out of it."
Again at the end of the passage he fell to sounding the wall andlistening. His hands roamed over it, feeling every protrusion orirregularity. Finally he touched something that was loose. Immediatelyhe pressed it with considerable vigor, upon which there was a faintmuffled click, and a heavy door that had been skillfully covered bycement swung slowly against his hands.
Frank's wonderful command of his nerves kept him from uttering anexclamation of satisfaction. He quickly seized the edge of the door andpulled it wide open. Fresh air rushed in upon him, and he filled hislungs with a sensation of satisfaction and relief.
He now thought of returning and seeking to assist Dick and Brad infollowing him, but after a few moments he decided to investigate stillfurther. Soon he found himself on a high terrace, which opened into aninclosed courtyard of the ruins. As he leaned there, looking down, thering of ironshod hoofs came through the arched gate, reaching his ears.A moment later two horsemen rode into the courtyard, leading behind themthree animals. The clank and clang of the horses' feet upon theflagstones echoed in the inclosure. Merry drew back, watching andlistening.
"Three fine beasts," said a voice in Spanish. "And they are ours,comrade. The chief said we were to have them if we captured them."
"Why not?" sullenly returned the other man. "Are we to have nothing? Isthe chief to get it all?"
"Hush, Jimenez!" hastily warned the first speaker. "Better not let himhear you utter such words."
"At least one can think, Monte," retorted Jimenez. "We take all therisks, and what do we get? Not even when we faced that young devilAmericano at the mission did the chief put himself in peril. He urged uson, but he took good care of his precious self, I noticed."
"If you talk more in this manner, Jimenez," exclaimed Monte, "with you Iwill have nothing whatever to do!"
"Bah! You are a coward," snarled the other. "Now, be not hasty in yourmovements, for I, too, am armed."
"Fly at it!" whispered Frank, in satisfaction. "Go at each other, and doyour prettiest. Cut each other's throats, and I will applaud you, yourascals!"
But the two scoundrels did not engage in an encounter. After growling alittle at each other, they proceeded with the horses to a part of thecourtyard where the stables seemed to be, and there disappeared. Merrydid not have to watch long for their return. They again crossed the openspace below and disappeared; but, listening where he stood, he heardtheir voices, and they seemed ascending stairs not far away.
His curiosity now fully aroused, with a pistol in his hand, Frank stoleonward as swiftly as possible in
an attempt to keep track of them. Heleft the terrace and came to the stairs by which they ascended. Even ashe stole like a panther up those stairs, he caught the hum of voices andthe flash of a light.
Thus it was that the daring young man at last reached a dark nook, fromwhich sheltered spot he could peer through an open door into a lightedroom where several men were gathered. Beyond doubt these were themembers of Black Joaquin's band, several of whom had set upon him at SanMonica Mission.