Queen Sheba's Ring

  CHAPTER XIII

  THE ADVENTURES OF HIGGS

  A more weary and dishevelled set of people than that which about thehour of dawn finally emerged from the mouth of the ancient shaft on tothe cliffs of Mur it has seldom been my lot to behold. Yet with a singleexception the party was a happy one, for we had come triumphant throughgreat dangers, and actually effected our object--the rescue ofHiggs, which, under the circumstances most people would have thoughtimpossible. Yes, there he was in the flesh before us, having injured hisknee and lost his hat, but otherwise quite sound save for a few triflingscratches inflicted by the cub, and still wearing what the nativescalled his "black windows."

  Even the Prince Joshua was happy, though wrapped in a piece of coarsesacking because the lion had taken most of his posterior clothing, andterribly sore from the deep cuts left by the claws.

  Had he not dared the dangers of the den, and thus proved himself a herowhose fame would last for generations? Had I not assured him that hishonourable wounds, though painful (as a matter of fact, after they hadset, they kept him stiff as a mummy for some days, so that unless hestood upon his feet, he had to be carried, or lie rigid on his face)would probably not prove fatal? And had he not actually survived toreach the upper air again, which was more than he ever expected to do?No wonder that he was happy.

  I alone could not share in the general joy, since, although my friendwas restored to me, my son still remained a prisoner among the Fung. Yeteven in this matter things might have been worse, since I learnedthat he was well treated, and in no danger. But of that I will writepresently.

  Never shall I forget the scene after the arrival of Higgs in our hole,when the swinging boulder had been closed and made secure and the lampslighted. There he sat on the floor, his red hair glowing like a torch,his clothes torn and bloody, his beard ragged and stretching in aNewgate frill to his ears. Indeed, his whole appearance, accentuated bythe blue spectacles with wire gauze side-pieces, was more disreputablethan words can tell; moreover, he smelt horribly of lion. He put hishand into his pocket, and produced his big pipe, which had remainedunbroken in its case.

  "Some tobacco, please," he said. (Those were his first words to us!) "Ihave finished mine, saved up the last to smoke just before they put meinto that stinking basket."

  I gave him some, and as he lit his pipe the light of the match fell uponthe face of Maqueda, who was staring at him with amused astonishment.

  "What an uncommonly pretty woman," he said. "What's she doing down here,and who is she?"

  I told him, whereon he rose, or rather tried to, felt for his hat,which, of course, had gone, with the idea of taking it off, andinstantly addressed her in his beautiful and fluent Arabic, saying howglad he was to have this unexpected honour, and so forth.

  She congratulated him on his escape, whereon his face grew serious.

  "Yes, a nasty business," he said, "as yet I can hardly remember whethermy name is Daniel, or Ptolemy Higgs." Then he turned to us and added,"Look here, you fellows, if I don't thank you it isn't because I am notgrateful, but because I can't. The truth is, I'm a bit dazed. Your sonis all right, Adams; he's a good fellow, and we grew great friends.Safe? Oh! yes, he's safe as a church! Old Barung, he's the Sultan, andanother good fellow, although he did throw me to the lions--because thepriests made him--is very fond of him, and is going to marry him to hisdaughter."

  At this moment the men announced that everything was ready for ourascent, and when I had attended to Joshua with a heart made thankful byHiggs's news, we began that toilsome business, and, as I have alreadysaid, at length accomplished it safely. But even then our labours werenot ended, since it was necessary to fill up the mouth of the shaft soas to make it impossible that it should be used by the Fung, who nowknew of its existence.

  Nor was this a business that could be delayed, for as we passed theplateau whence Oliver and Japhet had crossed to the sphinx, we heard thevoices of men on the farther side of the rough wall that we had builtthere. Evidently the priests, or idol guards, infuriated by the rescueof their victim, had already managed to bridge the gulf and werecontemplating assault, a knowledge which caused us to hurry ourmovements considerably. If they had got through before we passed them,our fate would have been terrible, since at the best we must have slowlystarved in the pit below.

  Indeed, as soon as we reached the top and had blocked it temporarily,Quick, weary as he was, was sent off on horseback, accompanied byMaqueda, Shadrach, now under the terms of his contract once more a freeman, and two Mountaineers, to gallop to the palace of Mur, and fetch asupply of explosives. The rest of us, for Higgs declined to leave, andwe had no means of carrying Joshua, remained watching the place, orrather the Abati watched while we slept with our rifles in our hands.Before noon Quick returned, accompanied by many men with litters and allthings needful.

  Then we pulled out the stones, and Oliver, Japhet, and some othersdescended to the first level and arranged blasting charges. Awhile afterhe reappeared with his companions, looking somewhat pale and anxious,and shouted to us to get back. Following our retreat to a certaindistance, unwinding a wire as he came, presently he stopped and pressedthe button of a battery which he held in his hand. There was a muffledexplosion and a tremor of the soil like to that of an earthquake, whilefrom the mouth of the shaft stones leapt into the air.

  It was over, and all that could be noted was a sinkage in the groundwhere the ancient pit had been.

  "I am sorry for them," said Oliver presently, "but it had to be done."

  "Sorry for whom?" I asked.

  "For those Fung priests or soldiers. The levels below are full of them,dead or alive. They were pouring up at our heels. Well, no one willtravel that road again."