*CHAPTER XXV*

  *IN THE BUSHRANGERS' CAVES*

  "In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure-dome decree, Where Alph the sacred river ran Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea." KUBLA KHAN.

  "Joe!"

  Silence.

  "J-o-o!"

  No answer.

  "J-o-o-o!"

  Profound stillness, broken only by a buzzing fly.

  "If you don't answer within five seconds, an' short ones at that, lookout for squalls. You're only 'possumin', you rascal!"

  Presently a hurtling pillow, and not too soft a one either, struck JoeBlain, who lay flat on his back, with open mouth, closed eyes, and deafears. The missile hit him fair and square on the face, hermeticallysealing his breathing apparatus for a moment.

  A muffled sound, a quick contortion of the body, and an instinctiveclutch of the hands got rid of the obstruction, which in a twinklingdescribed a trajectory that impinged on Tom's left ear.

  "Well, what's in the wind, now?" asked Joe, after this customaryexchange of shots, which was an everyday occurrence.

  "I've an idea, Joe."

  "Howly Moses, you don't mean it! Terrible, terrible! Where did youcatch it?"

  "Catch your grandmother's sister's cat! Only, you're such a numskull,I'd try an' put it in your head."

  "What! my grandmother's sister's----"

  "No, you ass; a simple idea!"

  "Then I'll bet tuppence it's simple enough, you goat!"

  After this complimentary interchange Tom proceeded: "When we went out tothe caves the other day, we said we'd return before the holidays wereended, an' we've come to the larst day, ole man. Ding-bust it! we'llhave to make for home to-morrer, an'----"

  "Ugh! don't mention it! Go on about the caves."

  "Well, then, that day we went out---- Oh Joey! shall we ever forget thesight of 'Fevvers' rollin'----?"

  "Look here, Hawkins, if you can't spit out that idea of yours quick an'lively, you'd better swallow it! If you think to waste my valuabletime----"

  "Your time wasted! Pish! Listen, then. I vote we go out to the cavesan' have a look round for the place where Ben Bolt kep' his horses.It'd be no end of a lark for us to find, after the police an' othershave given it up. What say?"

  "There's not much in your notions, Hawkins, generally speaking; still,you've struck ile this time, sonny. Gewhillikins! it's all right. Let'shave a talk with ole Sandy about it."

  "Oh, he's sure to be nuts on it! He's always talkin' about themystery."

  "Up, guards, an' at 'em! as Cromwell sang out at the battle ofMarathon," quoth Joe, in slight historical confusion, as he tumbled outof bed.

  They dressed quickly and then rushed out to find Sandy, who had risenearlier to yard the horses. Sandy was nothing loth. Indeed, he was aseager as the others, if not more so. He had often brooded over thepuzzle, and discussed it at times with his mates, but oftener withhimself. Like the others, he had theories.

  "I've got to take the harrow to the cultivation paddock after breakfast,an' then I'll be free."

  "Can't you take it now?" suggested Tom. "Good hour yet to breakfast.You'll have whips of time, an' we'll help you."

  Sandy was agreeable, and the boys soon hoisted the harrow on to thecart. They returned in good time for breakfast, and got Mr. M'Intyre'sconsent.

  "Best take us with you, Sandy."

  "Girls 'd only be in the way, Mag."

  "Thanks, me brither! Just wait till you ask me to cut your lunches!"

  "Oh, mother'll do that."

  "Yes; rin to your mither and hold on to her apron-strings. Forselfishness and for cheek, commend me to a brother! You're all alike.I expect Tom and Joe are no better at home, for all they put on mightyinnocent airs here," prattled the girl, in mock sarcasm.

  "I hope you'll count me in, boys?" said Neville. "I have intimated toMrs. M'Intyre that I shall be forced to tear myself away from herunbounded hospitality,"--"Fevvers" was still a trifle stilted,--"but shewill not hear of my leaving till the end of the week. You know," hewent on, "I did not have an opportunity--the last time I--er--we wereout there--and----"

  "You lassoed an Englishman with a stock whip," broke in Jessie thetease.

  "And behaved like a brick," interposed Maggie, who noticed theinvoluntary wince on the part of the Englishman. This was, indeed, asore spot; but he was growing rapidly in grace.

  Neville winced under Jess's sally, but took it in good part. "It's allpart of the breaking-in process, Miss Jessie. I believe I can dismountnow a little more gracefully. I shall be glad of an opportunity to seethe famous bandit's caves. It will be something to relate in England."

  It did not take the boys long to get ready. Half an hour later theparty was _en route_ for the caves, determined to solve the puzzle.

  "You'll do nothing rash, boys?" said the careful mother at parting,"Have you enough candles?"

  "Plenty; also ropes and tucker. Don't worry about us, mother; we maynot be back till near bedtime--depends on what luck we have."

  "You've got a scheme, Sandy, I s'pose?" remarked Joe, as they joggedalong the road.

  "Yes, Joe, I've an idea; but of course only testing it will prove itsworth. The caves are situated in a spur running north and south. Theopening, we know, is on the east side. Nothing bigger than a wallaby ora dingo, save of course a man, can squeeze through that opening. Eitherthere is another and separate cave adjacent, where the 'rangers stalledtheir horses, or there is an easier entrance somewhere in the spur thathas a connection with the ones we have already visited."

  "You must remember, though, Sandy, that Inspector Garvie and his menspent days in searching the locality, an' how are we chaps to do in aday what they failed to do after several days, and with black trackers,too?"

  "I'm not likely to forget that."

  "I vote, then," said Joe, "we go straight to the caves an' explore 'emfirst."

  "It'd take us all day to search those ravines and bluffs on the westside," added Tom, "so I'm in favour of Joe's proposal."

  "I'm not sure that I should have a voice in this matter," spoke Neville."You fellows will have to settle it between yourselves. Whatever youdecide upon will be agreeable to me."

  "Matter's decided, then," answered Sandy. "Joe and Tom are for thecaves direct. Honestly speaking, although I would dearly love a try atthe western side, for I'm convinced that the outlet lies there, I think,on the whole, we'd better stick to the caves, giving them first show,anyhow."

  "Carried unanimously by a large majority, as Denny would say," cried Joethe spokesman.

  On arrival at the camping grounds, the place of the late serio-comicadventure, the explorers--for such we must call them--unsaddled, andshort-hobbled their horses.

  "I vote," said Joe, "that we boil the billy an' have a go at the tuckbefore we tackle the caves. It'll be better than taking the prog withus, an' 'll save us coming out for lunch."

  "Agreed!" chorus the rest with a readiness and gusto which in matters ofmeat is almost an instinct of boyhood. Accordingly the wood isgathered, and ere long, with whetted appetites, they are absorbinglyengaged on a substantial meal.

  "There are three things to remember, mates. First of all, the candles.We'll divide them equally, three apiece. Here's a box of matches foreach. Father gave me a caution, about lights. We're to carefully watchthe candles as we proceed through the passages. He says the poisonousgases collect in places that are not well ventilated, an' that meansdeath in no time if we remain in such spots."

  "How'd we know, Sandy?"

  "I was just going to tell you. If we get into such places, father says,the candle will burn dimly, an' if it's very bad, will go outaltogether. When we happen on such spots, if there are any, we are toretreat immediately; so don't forget, boys, should we be separated."

  "That," said Neville, "is most important." He related one or twoincidents of fatal accidents in connection w
ith English collieriesthrough fire-damp. That danger, though, is seldom encountered in suchcaves as the boys were intent on exploring.

  "What's the third thing, Sandy?"

  "The third thing, Hawkins, is to make fast to this green-hide. It istwenty-five feet long, an' we'll tie on to it as we go through thepassages. Father says there are often holes in the floors and verysteep inclines. Best to be on the safe side, though I don't supposewe'll really need it."

  "I say," queried Neville, "hadn't we better take some stout cudgels withus, for fear of snakes and wild beasts?"

  "Happy thought, Mr. Neville. Not for wild beasts, though an old-mankangaroo can be as dangerous as a bear with his paws when he's bailed upby the dogs."

  "What about monkeys, then?"

  "Monkeys? We haven't any."

  "Well, I heard one of the travellers say, while he was having a feed atthe men's hut, that he'd been engaged to go for a mob of monkeys."

  "Ha--ha--ha! Well, you are a----Why, the man was talking about sheep.Monkey is a pet name for them. We'll want some sticks, though, as wellas the tomahawk."

  So saying, Sandy proceeded to hack at a cluster of gum saplings, and cutthree waddies about five feet in length, and a fourth one eight feetlong, and proportionately thick. Armed with these and carrying theother necessaries, including a billy of water and a snack of food, theexploration party proceeded to the cave entrance.

  After gaining access to the first cave, the boys allowed Neville a fewminutes' pause to get at home with his surroundings, before going on tothe second or cathedral chamber. They then pursued their way throughthe tortuous and difficult passage between the two chambers, till atlength they arrived at the opening.

  "Hello!" exclaimed Sandy, who was in the lead, with an involuntary gasp.

  "What's up?" cried Joe, who was immediately behind him.

  "Why, ladder's gone!"

  "Jemima! you don't say so. Why--how----?"

  "It's gone, all right," replied the leader, as he peered by the light ofhis candle into the gloomy recesses of the cave. "Clean gone! Don'tsee it on the floor below, so it can't have dropped."

  Joe, squeezing abreast Sandy, and doubling the light power, added hiseyes to those of his mate in the search.

  "No go," said he, after a keen but vain search. "Anyway, I can see howto get down easy enough." So saying, he placed his stick across themouth of the passage, jamming it on either side into an interstice."There!" he exclaimed, as he hung his weight upon the transverse beam,which, though bowing, did not crack when bearing his weight. "Let's putthe rope round this, an' we'll slip down less'n no time."

  "Wait a jiffy, Joe," said Sandy, who had been critically eyeing thestaff. "We'll make 'assurance doubly sure,' as your father said in hissermon last Sunday,"--poking his stick while he spoke, into the samecavities as the other occupied. "That will stiffen it. It's easyenough getting down: we could jump, for that matter. It's the gettingup that's the problem. There, it's as stiff as a fire-bar now. Here'sthe first to go down."

  Holding the rope, the boy swung off, and was soon standing on the floorof the lower cave. The others followed rapidly. They could find notrace of the missing ladder. Not only was the ladder spirited away,there were other signs which showed that the caves had been enteredsince the last visit of the boys, and on proceeding to the thirdchamber, where the bushrangers slept, there were manifest signs ofdisturbance.

  "Some un's been here, that's certain."

  Sandy gave voice to the one opinion. The bark bunks occupied by theoutlaws were thrown off their trestles to the ground. There was nogainsaying Sandy's statement. The situation was peculiar. The boysmight well be pardoned for being a little fearsome and creepy under thecircumstances.

  "I heard Dickson tell your father, Sandy, at the brumby hunt, that aparty was comin' out from Tareela to visit the caves. P'r'aps it's themthat have moved the ladder."

  "Don't think it could have been," persisted Joe. "There's no sign oftheir camp outside."

  "What about the 'rangers?"

  The thought was decidedly unpleasant, and when voiced it struck a chillin the hearts of all. As a matter of fact, the thought had lain inSandy's mind from the time he missed the ladder.

  Ben Bolt was not a desperado of the Morgan or Kelly type--men who wereconscienceless, treacherous, and full of the blood-lust. Many, indeed,of his acts of gallantry and open-hearted generosity, if theatrical,were nevertheless redeeming qualities in the old-time bushranger. A manof great resource and daring, a thorough bushman, a superb rider,mounted always on the finest of horses,--stud stock mostly, which he"lifted" from celebrated breeding stations,--the 'ranger was, in somerespects, a picturesque figure, and had a most adventurous career. Oftenlocated and even sighted by the police, he was always able to make goodhis escape, either by bush strategy or by an amazingly daring piece ofriding in rough country, at which even his intrepid pursuers, themselvesaccomplished horsemen, stood aghast.

  There was a spirit of romanticism about the fellow. His dress andappearance gave colour to that. He was passionately attached to hiswife and children, and often incurred desperate risks in visiting themwhen "home-sickness" seized him. His house was ever under thesurveillance of the police, who fondly hoped to catch him by that lure.Yet, though often within an ace of capture, he always escaped.Outwitting the subtlest efforts of the police, he was their despair.Though of a sanguine temperament, there were seasons when he was thevictim of a black mood. At such times he was most dangerous and cruel.

  "It could hardly be Ben Bolt," said Sandy at length. "It's quitepossible that the town party has been. How could Ben be here an' inQueensland?"

  "Well, what's next, Sandy?"

  "I'd like us to explore the opening in the passage first, Joe. Come,boys, let's shin up."

  This was speedily accomplished, and the pals proceeded to the spot thatwas in Sandy's eye, so to speak.

  "Here's the place I meant!" exclaimed he, when they had retraced theirsteps some distance through the passage. The opening, at first sight,appeared to be a deep recess. Upon close examination, however, it wasfound that the wall and the roof did not meet. There was a hole sometwo feet in diameter.

  "I spotted this when I came with father," explained the leader. "Now,if one of you fellows will give me a hoist, I'll get my head andshoulders into that opening above, and find out whether it's a chimney,or takes a turn and forms a passage."

  Accordingly Joe, stooping a little, received Sandy on his shoulders, bywhich he was able to rise into the hole.

  "Hurrah--hurrah!" he exclaimed a minute later. "It's a passage allright, boys. There's a sort of landing, anyway, and it looks as thoughthere's a passage beyond. Hold steady, Joe, an' I'll try an' get myhands on the ledge."

  The boy made several efforts without avail, for he was an inch or so toolow.

  "Step on my shoulders, Sandy." It was Neville who had placed himselfalongside Joe. His shoulders were at least three inches higher. Thusraised, Sandy had no difficulty in grasping the ledge of the landing.Catching the lad's feet with his hands, Neville pushed the boy higher,and soon he worked his way on to the floor of the ceiling, as it were.

  This done, he proceeded to light his candle and explore, for it wasimpenetrably dark. Following the passage inwards, the boy advanced somedistance. He found that it widened as he proceeded, and became easierto traverse.

  "I'd better return now for the other chaps," muttered the lad.Accordingly he retraced his steps and explained matters to the anxiouslywaiting group. By the aid of the green-hide lariat, the others weresoon up with the leader on the landing.

  Here, then, was a new situation. In all probability the foot of man hadnever trodden this place. There were no traces of any living thing. Itwas in no light mood, therefore, that the boys made a start. Theirposition was unique and thrilled them. They might, in a literal way,bring to light the hidden things of darkness. Not for ages, or ever, inall likelihood, had those walls been lighted up and gazed
upon. Whitherwould the pathway lead?

  Proceeding, they encountered no difficulty for some time, as the passagewidened in places, enabling them to walk abreast. Soon, however, itbegan to contract, and in places it became a squeeze. The roof, too,dipped considerably, so that it could be touched by the extended hand.

  Sandy, who was still leading, began to experience a tired feeling.There was a peculiar sensation in his ears, and a tightening in thethroat. After advancing a few steps farther he stumbled and almostfell. His candle, too, began to burn very dimly. His followers wereexperiencing similar feelings. In a moment the cause of this untowardfeeling came flashing across his mind.

  Joe, behind him, cried out, "I say, Sand ... I'm gettin' ... short..."

  "Back, everybody! Fire-damp!" cried the leader in a raucous voice,after a violent effort.

  It was a narrow squeak. Though only a few minutes in the poisoned air,they were all on the verge of unconsciousness. Gasping, trembling, thesweat oozing from every pore, they struggled on until they reached thewidened area of the passage, and then sank, exhausted, to the ground.Tom, who was at the tail of the procession was not so bad as the others,not having penetrated so far into the poison zone.

  The pure air soon revived them. Their respiration, which was verylaboured at first, improved as soon as the sweet, dry air entered theirlungs, and ousted the putrid gas which had lodged there. A pull at thewater-can, which fortunately they had brought with them, helped them alot, and in a short time they were themselves again.

  "That ends chapter one," said Joe dryly. "Whereaway now, Captain?"

  "We've come to the end of our tether sudden enough, and with avengeance. It'll be something, Mr. Neville, to tell 'em in England.Let us get back to the old passage. This is nothing but a death-trap."