CHAPTER TWELVE.
A RAFT BUILT--MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF JACK PEEK.
Not till their raft was complete did the two boys think of again eating.They had been working, it must be remembered, for several hours sincethe meal they took soon after they got on board. Having finished thebeef and cheese, they lighted a couple of lanterns which they found hungup in the forepeak, and hunted about for more food.
They discovered some casks of salt beef, and another of biscuits, a drumof cheese, and several boxes of dried fruit. They had thus no lack ofprovisions, but they did not forget the necessity of supplyingthemselves with a store of water.
Hunting about, they found two small vessels, which they filled from oneof the water-casks.
There were several oars below, three of which they took and placed inreadiness on deck--one to steer with, and the other two for rowing.
They had, lastly, to rig their raft. A fore-royal already bent wasfound in the sail-room, and a spar served as a mast. How to step it,and to secure it properly, was the difficulty, until Bill suggestedgetting a third chest and boring a hole through the lid, and then, bymaking another hole through the bottom, the mast would be well stepped,and it was easy to set it up by means of a rope led forward and twoshrouds aft.
Knowing exactly what they wanted to do, they did it very rapidly, andwere perfectly satisfied with their performance.
The tide must come up again, however, before they could launch theirraft. It would not be safe to do that unless the wind was off shore andthe water smooth. Of this they were thoroughly convinced. Some hoursmust also elapse before the hitherto tumultuous sea would go down; whatshould they do in the meantime?
Bill felt very unwilling to go away without wishing their friends theTurgots good-bye. He wanted also to tell Jeannette of the smugglers'store. The Turgots, at all events, would have as good a right to it asany one else, should the proper owners not be in existence.
Jack did not want him to go.
"You may be caught," he observed, "or some one may come down anddiscover the vessel, and if I am alone, even should the tide be high, Icould not put off."
"But there is no chance of the tide coming up for the next three hours,and I can go to the village and be back again long before that,"answered Bill.
At last Jack gave in.
"Well, be quick about it," he said; "we ought to be away at daylight, ifthe wind and the sea will let us; and if we don't, I'm afraid there willbe very little chance of our getting off at all."
Bill promised without fail to return. There was no risk, he was sure,of being discovered, and it would be very ungrateful to the Turgots togo away without trying to see them again. He wished that Jack couldhave gone also, but he agreed that it was better for him to remain to doa few more things to the raft. Before he started they arranged thetackles for launching it; and they believed that, when once in thewater, it would not take them more than ten minutes or a quarter of anhour to haul the empty casks under the bottom and to step and set up themast. They might then, should the wind be favourable, stand boldly outto sea.
This being settled, Bill lowered himself down on the sand by a rope, andran off as fast as he could go.
Jack quickly finished the work he had undertaken; then putting his handinto his pocket, he felt the gold pieces.
"It's a pity we shouldn't have more of these," he said to himself. "Idon't agree with Bill in that matter. If he does not care about themfor himself, I do for him, and he shall have half."
As he said this he emptied his pockets into one of the chests.
"I shall want a lantern by-the-bye," he said; and springing below, hesecured one with a fresh candle in it.
Having done this, he forthwith lowered himself, as Bill had done, downon the sand, and quickly made his way to the cavern.
He had left the basket with the tinder-box, and the remnant of theirprovisions at their camp, which he soon reached.
His desire to obtain the gold overcame the fears he had beforeentertained of ghosts and spirits.
Having lighted his lantern he took up the basket, which had a cloth init, and pushed forward. The pale light from his lantern, so differentfrom that of a couple of blazing torches, made the objects around lookstrange and weird. He began not at all to like the appearance ofthings, and fancied at last that he must have got into a different part,of the cavern; still he thought, "I must have the gold. It would be sofoolish to go away without it. It belongs to us as much as to anybodyelse, seeing that the owners are dead. Their ghosts won't come to lookfor it, I hope. I wish I hadn't thought of that. I must be goingright. It would have been much pleasanter if Bill had been with me.Why didn't I try to persuade him to stop?"
Such were the thoughts which passed through Jack's mind; but he was abold fellow, and did not like giving up what he had once determined on.
He saw no harm in what he was doing; on the contrary, he was serving hisfriend Bill as well as himself, or rather his mother, for he wanted thegold for her. In the meantime, Bill was hurrying on towards theTurgots' cottage. He should astonish them, he knew, by waking them upin the middle of the night, or rather so early in the morning; but theywould appreciate his desire to wish them good-bye, and would be verymuch obliged to him for telling them of the treasure in the cavern.
It would make their fortunes, and Jeannette would be the richest heiressin the neighbourhood; for, of course, he would bargain that she shouldhave a good share. There might be some difficulty in getting the goodsaway without being discovered, which would be a pity, as they were of asmuch value as the boxes of gold. However, he was doing what was rightin giving them the opportunity of possessing themselves of the treasure,though he considered that he could not take it himself.
He got round to the back door, under the room where Pierre slept. Heknew that he would not be out fishing then, as the weather would haveprevented him.
He knocked at once. No answer came. The third time, and he heard someone moving, and presently Pierre sang out, "Who's there?"
"It's one you know; let me in," answered Bill, in a low voice, for hewas afraid of any one who might by chance be in the neighbourhoodhearing him.
Pierre came downstairs and opened the door. Bill explained all that hadhappened, except about the treasure.
"You going away!" cried Pierre. "It would be madness! You will onlyfloat about till another storm arises and you will be lost."
"You don't know what we can do," answered Bill. "We shall probably bepicked up by one of our ships before we reach England; and, if not, weshall get on very well, provided the wind holds from the southward, andafter the long course of northerly gales there's every chance of itsdoing that."
"I must consult my father before I let you go," said Pierre.
"You would not keep us prisoners against our will," said Bill, laughing,as if Pierre could only be in joke. "Come, call your mother and fatherand Jeannette, and let me wish them good-bye. I haven't many minutes tostop, and I've got something to tell them, which I've a notion will besatisfactory."
Pierre went to his father and mother's and Jeannette's rooms, and soonroused them up. They appeared somewhat in _deshabille_, and looked veryastonished at being called out of their beds by the young Englishman.
"What is it all about?" asked Captain Turgot.
"We are going away," replied Bill, "but we could not go without againthanking you for all your kindness; and to show you that we are notungrateful, I have to tell you how you can become a rich man in a fewhours, without much trouble."
On this Bill described how they had found the smuggler's treasure.
Captain Turgot and the dame held up their hands, uttering variousexclamations which showed their surprise, mixed with no little doubt asto whether Bill had not been dreaming.
He assured them that he was stating a fact, and offered, if CaptainTurgot and Pierre would accompany him, to show them the place, as hethought that there would be time before daylight, when he and Jack haddete
rmined to set sail.
"I am sure he's speaking the truth," cried Jeannette; "and it's verykind and generous of you, Bill, to tell us of the treasure, when youmight have carried it off yourself. I know of the cave, for I saw itonce, when I was very nearly caught by the tide and drowned, though Idon't think many people about here are acquainted with it; and very few,if any, have gone into the interior."
Captain Turgot and Pierre confessed that they had never seen it, thoughthey had gone up and down the coast so often; but then, on account ofthe rocks, they had always kept a good distance out.
At last Bill and Jeannette persuaded them that there really was such acave; but on considering the hour, they came to the conclusion that thetide would come in before they could make their escape from it, and theywould prefer going when the tide had again made out. Bill, theythought, would only just have time to get on board the vessel, if he wasdetermined to go.
"But if you have so much gold, you could purchase a good boat," saidCaptain Turgot; "and that would be much better than making your voyageon a raft."
Bill acknowledged that such might be the case, but he was unwilling torisk any further delay. He trusted to his friends' honour to let him goas he had determined. He had come of his own accord to bid themfarewell, and they would not really think of detaining him against hiswill.
The fact, however, was that Captain Turgot doubted very much the truthof Bill's story. Had any band of smugglers possessed a hiding-place onthat part of the coast, he thought that he should have known it, and hefancied that the young Englishman must in some way or other have beendeceived.
"Where is the gold you speak of?" he asked. "You surely must havesecured some for yourself."
Bill replied that Jack had, but that he had not wished to touch it.
"Then you give it to us, my young friend," said Captain Turgot; "whereis the difference?"
"No! I only tell you of it, that you may act as you think right. Ifyou find out the owners, I hope you will restore it to them; but, at allevents, it's Frenchmen's money, and a Frenchman has more right to itthan I have."
Captain Turgot did not quite understand Bill's principles, thoughperhaps Jeannette and Pierre did.
"Well, well, my young friend, if go you must, I will not detain you.You and your companion will run a great risk of losing your lives, and Iwish you would remain with us. To-morrow, as soon as the tide is out,Pierre and I will visit the cavern, which, I think, from yourdescription, we can find; and we will take lanterns and torches. AgainI say I wish you would wait, and if there is a prize to be obtained,that you would share it with us."
Jeannette and Pierre also pressed Bill to remain, but he was firm in hisresolution of rejoining Jack, and setting off at once.
He was so proud of the raft they had made, that he would have been readyto go round the world on it, if it could be got to sail on a wind, andat all events he had not the slightest doubt about its fitness to carryhim and Jack across the Channel.
Bill had already delayed longer than he intended, and once more biddinghis friends good-bye, he set off for the wreck. He hurried along asfast as he could go, for he felt sure that at daybreak it would be seen,if not from the shore, from the sea, and that people would come andinterfere with his and Jack's proceedings.
As he knew the way thoroughly, he made good progress. On gettingabreast of the wreck, he looked out for Jack, but could nowhere see him.
The water was already coming round the vessel, and in a short time wouldbe too deep to wade through. He thought that Jack must have gone below,but he was afraid of giving a loud shout, lest his voice might be heard.He accordingly, without stopping, made his way on board.
Great was his alarm when he could nowhere discover Jack.
Could he have gone to the cavern? or could he have been carried off?
The latter was not probable, for had the stranded vessel beendiscovered, people would have remained in her.
"He must have gone to the cavern, and to save time, I must follow him,"he said to himself; and sliding down the rope, he made his way as fastas he could towards its mouth.
He quickly climbed up, and hurried on as fast as he dare move in thedark, holding out his hands to avoid running against the sides, or tosave himself should he fall.
He knew that there were no pitfalls or other serious dangers, or hecould not have ventured to move even so fast as he did.
He shouted out as he went Jack's name.
"How foolish I was not to bring a lantern with me," he said. "Jack issure to have taken one if he went to get more gold, and that I suspectis what he has been after; if he has a light, I shall see it, but Idon't."
"Jack! Jack!" he again shouted out; but the cavern only echoed with hisvoice.
Bill was a fine-tempered fellow, but he felt very much inclined to beangry with Jack. All their plans might be upset by his having left thewreck. Even should he soon find him, they would have to swim on board,and set off in their wet clothes; but that was of little consequencecompared with the delay.
At last his hands touched the rock near their camping-place, and hethence groped his way on; for having so often traversed the cavern inthe dark, he found it as easily as a blind man would have done.
He soon felt his feet treading on the ashes of their former fires, andfeeling about, he discovered the things which Jack had thrown out of thebasket.
Among them was a candle and the tinder-box. Jack having a lightedlantern, had not troubled himself to bring it.
The basket was gone! This convinced him that Jack had been there. Hequickly lighted the candle, and as there was not a breath of air, he wasable to walk along with it in his hand.
The stalactite formations, which appeared on both sides, looked as weirdand strange to him as they had to Jack, but he, knowing perfectly wellwhat they were, did not trouble himself about their appearance.
He went on, keeping his gaze ahead, in the hopes of meeting Jack. Hewas sorry that he had not made more determined attempts to persuadeCaptain Turgot and Pierre to accompany him; for if anything should havehappened to his companion, they would have assisted him. But what couldhave happened? that was the question. Sometimes he thought that Jackmight, after all, not have come to the cavern; but, then, who could havecarried away the basket?
Brave as he was, the strange shadows which occasionally seemed to flitby made him feel that he would much rather not have been there allalone.
Suppose, too, the smugglers should have returned, and, perhaps, caughtJack; they would seize him also, and it would be impossible to persuadethem that he had not come to rob their store. Still, his chief anxietywas for Jack.
He thought much less about himself, or the dangers he might have toencounter.
Bill was a hero, though he did not know it, notwithstanding that he hadbeen originally only a London street boy.
"I must find Jack, whatever comes of it," he said to himself, as hepushed on.
At last he reached the low entrance of the smugglers' store-room, asJack and he had called it. He crept on carefully, and as he gained theinner end of the passage, he saw a light burning close to where thegoods were piled up, but no voices reached his ear.
If the smugglers were there, they would surely be talking. He rose tohis feet, holding out the candle before him. Seeing no one, he advancedboldly across the cavern. There lay a figure stretched upon the ground!
It was Jack!