he said, "must have already collected over twenty thousandpounds in nuggets and pearls, and will willingly give of this my storefive hundred pounds worth of gold by weight, if you, Captain Dickson,and you, Hall, will do the same. Thus shall we restore reason andhappiness to a fellow-creature, and one of the best-hearted sailors thatever lived and sailed the salt, salt seas."
Both Dickson and Hall must need shake hands with Reginald, and, whilethe tears stood in his eyes, the former said:
"That will we, my dear boy, and God will bless your riches, and restoreyou all your desires whenever we reach our British shores again."
And so that very night there was no more happy man than Johnson.
Another Saturday night in the men's mess. Dickson willingly spliced themain-brace twice over, and the night passed pleasantly on with yarn andsong till midnight. But the thief Harry was never mentioned. It wasbetter thus. Already, perhaps, the man had met his doom, and so theyforgave him. Yet somehow this incident rankled in Reginald's bosom, andmade him very uneasy.
"I say," he said to Dickson one day, "I confess that the flight of HarryJenkins with poor Johnson's gold has made me suspicious."
"And me so as well," said Dickson.
"I mean," said Reginald, "to bury my treasure, and I have alreadyselected a spot."
"You have? Then I shall bury mine near yours. I have ever liked you,doctor, since first we met, and we have been as brothers."
They shook hands.
Appealed to, Mr Hall said straight:
"I am a wealthy man, and, if ever I reach America, I shall have morethan I can spend. I shall leave mine in the box where it is. I admit,"he added, "that if there be one thief among six men, there may be two,and gold is a great temptation. But I'll go with you at the dead ofnight, and help to carry, and help you to bury your treasure."
They thanked him heartily, and accepted his kindly assistance.
The spot at which Reginald had chosen to hide his gold and treasure wascalled Lone Tree Hill. It was on a bare, bluff mountain side. Herestood one huge eucalyptus tree, that might have been used as a landmarkfor ships at sea had it been in the track of vessels. But this island,as I have already said, was not so.
Strangely enough, all around this tree the hill was supposed to behaunted by an evil spirit, and there was not a native who would goanywhere near it, even in broad daylight. The spirit took many forms,sometimes rushing down in the shape of a fox, or even wild pig, andscaring the natives into convulsions, but more often, and always beforean earthquake, the spirit was seen in the shape of a round ball of flameon the very top of the tree.
This was likely enough. I myself have seen a mysterious flame of thiskind on the truck or highest portion of a ship's mast, and we sailorscall it Saint Elmo's fire. I have known sailors, who would not havebeen afraid to bear the brunt of battle in a man-o'-war, tremble withsuperstitious dread as they beheld that mysterious quivering flame atthe mast-head. Some evil, they would tell you, was sure to happen. Astorm invariably followed. Well, generally a gale wind did, owing tothe electric conditions of the atmosphere.
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A bright scimitar of moon was shining at midnight when Dickson andReginald, assisted by Hall, stole silently out and away to the hills tobury their treasure.
There were few sounds to be heard to-night on the island. Far out inthe bay there was at times the splash of a shark or the strange cooingof a porpoise, and in the valley the yapping of foxes in pursuit oftheir prey. The mournful hooting of great owls sounded from the woods,with now and then the cry of a night bird, or shriek of wounded bird.
It was a long and stiff walk to Lone Tree Hill; but arrived there, theyset to work at once to dig at the eucalyptus root. The holes made--Dickson's to the east, Reginald's to the west--the nuggets, enclosed instrong tarpaulin bags, were laid in, and next the pearls, in smallcash-boxes, were placed above these. The earth was now filled in, andthe sods replaced so carefully and neatly that no one could have toldthat the earth had ever been broken or the sods upturned.
Then, breathing a prayer for the safety of their treasure, on which somuch might depend in future, they walked silently down the hill and backto the camp.
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But that very night--or rather towards morning--an event took place thatalarmed all hands.
The earth shook and trembled, and finally heaved; and it felt as if thehouse were a ship in the doldrums crossing the Line. Everyone wasdashed on to the floor, and for a time lay there almost stunned, giddy,and even sick. It passed off. But in an hour's time a worse shockfollowed, and all hands rushed into the open air to seek for safety.
Outside it was not only hot and stifling--for not a breath of wind wasblowing--but the air had a strange and almost suffocating sulphurousodour. And this was soon accounted for. Now, not far from Lone TreeMountain was a high and conical hill.
From this, to the great astonishment of all, smoke and flames were nowseen issuing. The flames leapt in marvellous tongues high up throughthe smoke. There was the whitest of steam mingling with the smoke, andanon showers of dust, scorai, and stones began to fall.
For a minute or two the sight quite demoralised the trio. But the men,too, had run out, and all had thrown themselves face down on the groundwhile the heaving of the earth continued. It was a new experience, anda terrible one. Dickson went towards them now.
"I do not think, boys, that the danger is very extreme," he said. "ButI advise you to keep out of doors as much as possible, in case of agreater shock, which may bring down our humble dwelling. And now, Hall,and you, Reginald," he added, "the ladies at the palace will, I fear, bein great terror. It is our duty to go to them. Our presence may helpto cheer them up."
Daylight was beginning to dawn, though from rolling clouds of smoke inthe far east the sun could only be seen like a red-hot iron shot. Itwas evident enough to our heroes when they had climbed the highestintervening hill, that the island from which the Armada had come was farmore severely stricken than this Isle of Flowers was.
But as they still gazed eastward at the three or four blazing mountainson that island, they started and clung together with something akin toterror in every heart.
"Oh, awful! What can it be?" cried Reginald.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
A TERRIBLE TIME.
Never until the crack of doom might they hear such another report asthat which now fell upon their ears. At almost the same moment, in acomminglement of smoke and fire, a huge dark object was seen to becarried high into the air, probably even a mile high. It then took awesterly direction, and came towards the Isle of Flowers, getting largerevery second, till it descended into the sea, end on, and not two milesaway. It was seen to be a gigantic rock, perhaps many, many acres inextent.
The waters now rose on every side, the noise was deafening; then in,landwards, sped a huge bore, breaker, or wave, call it what you please,but darkness almost enveloped it, and from this thunders roared andzigzag lightning flashed as it dashed onwards to the island shore. Themen they had left behind had speedily climbed the rocks behind the camp,for although the wave did not reach so high, the spray itself would havesuffocated them, had they not looked out for safety.
It was an awful moment. But the wave receded at last, and the sea wasonce more calm. Only a new island had been formed by the fall of therock into the ocean's coral depths, and for a time the thunder andlightning ceased. Not the volcanic eruptions, however. And but for theblaze and lurid light of these the enemy's isle, as it was called, musthave been in total darkness. Truly a terrible sight! But our heroeshurried on.
Just as they had expected, when they reached the Queen's palace theyfound poor Miss Hall, and even little Matty--with all her innocentcourage--in a state of great terror. The Queen alone wasself-possessed. She had seen a volcanic eruption before. Ilda waslying on the couch with her arms roun
d Matty's waist Matty standing byher side. The child was now seven years of age, and could talk andthink better. Reginald, after kissing Ilda's brow, sat down besidethem, and Matty clambered on his knee.
Meanwhile, the darkness had increased so much that the Queen called uponher dusky attendants to light the great oil lamp that swung from theroof. The Queen continued self-possessed, and tried to comfort herguests.
"It will soon be over," she said. "I am assured of that. My experienceis great."
But Matty refused all consolation.
"I'se never been a very great sinner, has I?" she innocently askedReginald, as she clung round his neck.
"Oh, no, darling," he said; "you are too young to be much of a sinner."
"You think God won't be angry, and will take you and me and Ilda andQueen Bertha straight up to Heaven, clothes and all?"
"My child," said Reginald, "what has put all this into your head?"
"Oh," she answered, "because I know the Day of Judgment has come."
Well, there was some excuse for the little innocent thinking so.
Without the thickest darkness reigned. Dickson and Hall went to thedoor, but did not venture out. Scoria was falling, and destroying allthe shrubs and flowers in the beautiful valley. The river was mixedwith boiling lava, and the noise therefrom was like a thousand enginesblowing off steam at one and the same time. Surely never was such loudand terrible thunder heard before; and the lightning was so vivid and soincessant that not only did the island itself seem all ablaze, but eventhe distant sea. Crimson and blue fire appeared to lick its surface inall directions.
But the burning mountain itself was the most wondrous sight eyes of mancould look upon. The smoke and steam rose and rolled amidst the play oflightning miles high apparently. The peak of the mountain itself shotup a continuous stream of orange-yellow flame, in which here and theresmall black spots could be seen--rocks and stones, without a doubt.
But the cone of the great hill itself was marvellously beautiful. Forrivers of lava--Dickson counted nine in all--were rushing down its sidesin a straight course, and these were streams of coloured fire, almostevery one a different hue--deep crimson, green, and blue, and evenorange.
Were it not for the terror of the sight, our heroes would have enjoyedit. Reginald carried Matty to the door to see the beauty of the burningmountain. She took one brief glance, then shudderingly held closer toReginald's neck.
"Take me back, take me back!" she cried in an agony of fear. "That isthe bad place! Oh, when will God come and take us away?"
All that fearful day and all the following night scoria and ashescontinued to fall, the thunder never ceased, and the lightning was stillincessant. There was no chance now of getting back to camp, and theytrembled to think of what might have taken place.
Towards morning, however, a wondrous change took place. The sky gotclearer, a star or two shone through the rifts of heavy, overhangingclouds. The fire no longer rose from the mountain, only a thickballoon-shaped white cloud lay over it. Then the rain began to fall,and, strangely enough, mingled with the rain, which felt warm, weregigantic hailstones and pieces of ice as large as six-pound shells.Then up rose the glorious sun. Like a red ball of fire he certainlywas; but oh, what a welcome sight!
That forenoon, all being now peace and quiet, Dickson and his comradesdetermined to march back to camp and ease their minds. After a long andtoilsome journey over the hills, many of which were covered with ashes,they reached camp, and were glad to find the men alive, and the houseintact. A rampart had been built around the barracks, as Hall calledit, and inside was a large drill-yard.
Dickson served out rum to the men, and they soon were cheerful enoughonce more. The guns had been mounted on the walls, and all rifles werestowed away inside. This was at a suggestion from Hall.
"You never can trust those niggers," he said quietly, shaking his head.
And well it was, as it turned out, that Dickson had taken Mr Hall'sadvice.
That same afternoon, about two o'clock, the same savages who had foughtwith rifles from the bush against the invaders came hurriedly andsomewhat excitedly into camp. The spokesman, a tall andsplendid-looking native, gesticulated wildly, as he almost shouted inthe officers' ears:
"To-mollow molning dey come! All dis island rise! Dey come to kill andeat!"
The officers were astonished. What had they done to deserve so terriblea fate?
"Dey blame you for all. Oh, be plepared to fight. Gib us guns, and wetoo will fight plenty much. Foh true!"
A very uneasy night was passed, but the yard and guns had been clearedof cinders and scoria, the bulwarks strengthened, and before the sunonce more shone red over the sea Dickson was prepared for either battleor siege. Everyone had been assigned his quarters.
The day was still, hot, and somewhat sultry. Luckily the littlegarrison was well provisioned, and the water would last a week or evenlonger. Low muttering thunders were still heard in the direction of thevolcano, and sometimes the earth shook and trembled somewhat, but it wasevident that the subterranean fires had burnt themselves out, and itmight be a score of years before another eruption occurred.
It was evident that the savages did not think so. For as long as thecloud hung over the peak they did not consider themselves safe. Abouttwelve o'clock that day distant shouts and cries were heard in thenearest glen, and presently an undisciplined mob of nearly a thousandhowling savages, armed with bows and spears and broad black knives,appeared on the sands, in their war-paint. It was evidently theirintention to storm the position, and determinedly too. They halted,however, and seemed to have a hasty consultation. Then a chief boldlyadvanced to the ramparts to hold a parley. His speech was a curiousone, and he himself, dressed partly in skins and leaning on a spear likea weaver's beam, was a strangely wild and romantic figure.
The officers appeared above the ramparts to look and to listen.
"Hear, O white men!" cried the savage chief, in fairly good English;"'tis you who brought dis evil on us. We now do starve. De rice and defruit and de rats and most all wild beasts dey kill or hide demselves.In de sea all round de fish he die. We soon starve. But we not wish tofight. You and your men saved us from the foe that came in der bigblack war canoe. Den you try to teach us God and good. But we all sameas before now. We must fight, eat and live, if you do not leave theisland. Plenty big canoe take you off. Den de grass and trees andfruit will grow again, and we shall be happy and flee onct mo'."
"An end to this!" cried Dickson angrily. "Fight as you please, and assoon as you please. But mind, you will have a devilish hot reception,and few of you will return to your glens to tell the tale. Away!"
As soon as the chief had returned and communicated to his men the resultof the interview, they shrieked and shouted and danced like demons.They brandished their spears aloft and rattled them against theirshields. Then, with one continuous maddened howl, they dashed onwardsto scale the ramparts. "Blood! blood!" was their battle cry.
Well knowing that if once they got inside the little garrison would soonbe butchered, Dickson immediately had both guns trained on them. Hehimself did so.
"Bang! bang!" they went, and the grape made fearful havoc in the closeand serried ranks of the cannibals. The rifles kept up a witheringfire. Again, and quickly too, the guns were loaded and run out, andjust as the enemy had scaled the brae they were once more met by theterrible fire, and positively hewn down before it.
Not even savages could stand this. They became demoralised, and fledincontinently. And they soon disappeared, carrying many of their deadwith them. Far along the beach went they, and as stakes were placed inthe ground, large fires built around them, and one or more of the deadthrown on each, it was evident that they had made up their minds not tostarve.
One of the blacks was now sent out from the fort to make a circuit roundthe hills, and then, mingling with the savages, to find out out what wastheir intention.
He returned in a few hou
rs, and while the awful feast was still goingon. A night attack was determined on, and they believed they wouldinherit strength and bravery by eating their dead comrades. That wasthe scout's report.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.
MORE FEARFUL FIGHTING--GOLDEN GULCH--"A SHIP! A SHIP!"
Forewarned is, or ought to be, forearmed. Nevertheless, it must beconfessed that Dickson and the others greatly dreaded an attack bysavages under cover of the moonless darkness of a tropical night. Allwas done that could be done to repel the fury of the onslaught. Butcome it must and would.
Just as the sun was sinking behind the western mountains, amidst luridand threatening clouds, a happy thought occurred to one of the sailors.
"Sir," he said to Dickson, "the darkness will be our greatest foe, willit not?"
"Certainly. If these demon cannibals would but show front in daylightwe could easily disperse them, as we did before. Have you any plans,McGregor?"
"I'm only a humble sailor," said McGregor, "but my advice is this. Wecan trust the honest blacks we have here within the fort?"
"Yes."
"Well, let them throw up a bit of sand cover for themselves down here onthe beach and by the sea. Each man should wear a bit of white cottonaround his arm, that we may be able to distinguish friend from foe. Doyou follow me, sir?"
"Good, McGregor. Go on."
"Well, captain, the cannibals are certain to make direct for thebarracks and attempt to scale as they did before. I will go in commandof our twenty black soldiers, and just as you pour in your witheringgrape and rifle bullets we shall attack from the rear, or flank, rather,and thus I do not doubt we shall once more beat them off."
"Good