CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.
Aleck ate heartily, for the state of affairs began to look bright, butas he played his part his eyes were busy, and he noted that thebeautiful effect of light which came through the transparent waterbeneath the submerged arch grew less and less striking till the colourhad nearly faded out, while the water had evidently risen a good deal inthe long canal-like pool, and was still rising, and where the cavern'sweird configuration had in one part appeared through a dim shadowytwilight all was black darkness.
There had been a little talking during the consumption of the meal, butwhen it was ended silence had fallen upon the group. The smuggler hadproceeded to fill a black pipe which he had lit at the lanthorn, andthen drawn back a little, leaving the two youths to themselves; but verylittle was said, conversation in the man's presence seeming to beimpossible.
The pipe was smoked to the very last, and then, after tapping out thehot ashes, the smuggler coughed and turned to the others.
"Look here, gen'lemen," he said; "I think we understand one another abit now, which means I'm going to trust you two and you're going totrust me?"
"Yes," said Aleck.
"That's right, then. Of course, all I want to do is to get safe away soas to bring back the key of them irons, or a file, and as soon as we'vegot them off you're going to give me till to-morrow about this timebefore you come out?"
"We can't stay in this horrible hole all night," cried Aleck,impetuously.
"Don't see as it's much of a horrible hole, master," said the man;"there's plenty to eat and drink, and a good roof over your heads. I'veslept here times enough. There arn't nothing to worry you--no oldbogies. Wust thing I ever see here was a seal, which come in one night,splashing about; and he did scare me a bit till I knowed what it was.But that's the bargain, gentlemen, and there's no running back. There'sthe lanthorn, and there's a box yonder with plenty of candles, and atinder-box with flint, steel, and matches, so you never need be in thedark. Plenty of bread and bacon, cheese, and butter too, so you'll beall right; so there's no call to say no more about that. Now, then, I'mgoing uppards to try if I can find out what's going on outside. I shallkeep coming down to tell you till I think my chance of getting home hascome, and then I shall run off and you'll wait till I come back."
"Very well," said Aleck, who found that he had all the talking to do,and after a time the smuggler rose.
"There," he said, "I'm going now. Say good luck to me."
"Well," replied Aleck, "good luck to you! Be as quick as you can. Butwhat are you going to do about a light?"
"What for?" said the man, gruffly.
"To find your way to the zigzag slopes."
The smuggler laughed softly.
"I don't want any light to go about this place, squire. There arn't aninch I don't know by heart."
"I suppose not," said Aleck, thoughtfully. "But, look here; what aboutthat place?"
"What about it, sir?"
"The getting up. Of course it was easy enough to slide down, but howabout getting up?"
"Didn't I tell you? No, of course, I didn't. Look here, sir; it's allsmooth in the middle, but if you keep close up to the left you'll findnicks cut in the stone just big enough for your toes, and as closetogether as steps. You'll find it easy enough."
"I understand," said Aleck, and the next minute they were listening tothe faintly-echoing steps, for the moment the man stepped out of thefaint yellow glow made by the lanthorn he plunged into intense blackdarkness. But from what he had so far gleaned of the configuration ofthe place the lad was pretty well able to trace the smuggler by hisfootsteps, till all at once there was a faint rustling, and then thegloom around was made more impressive by the silence which endured for acouple of minutes or so, to be succeeded by a faint, peculiar, echoing,scraping sound.
"What's that?" asked the midshipman, excitedly.
Aleck explained that it was evidently the noise made by the scraping ofthe smuggler's boots against the stone, as he ascended the zigzag crackto the surface.
This lasted for about a minute, to be succeeded by a peculiar harshnoise as of stone being drawn upon stone, after which there was anotherpeculiar sound, also in some way connected with stone jarring againststone; but Aleck could give no explanation to his companion as to whatthat might be, feeling puzzled himself. Another stone seemed to bemoved then, and it struck the listener that it might be somehowconnected with the more level of the zigzag passages, though why heshould have thought that he could not have explained.
Probably not more than three minutes were taken up altogether before thelast faint sound had died completely away, and then Aleck found himselfcalled upon to explain the configuration of the natural staircase bywhich ascent could be made and exit found. For it never occurred to thelad that he was in any way breaking the confidence placed in him inmaking the prisoner as familiar with the peculiarities of the cavern ashe was himself. The midshipman, his companion in the strange adventure,had asked him about the shape and position of his prison, and he hadexplained what he knew. That was all.
The account took some time, for the prisoner's interest seemed toincrease with what he learned, and his questions succeeded one anotherpretty quickly, with the result that in his explanations Aleck had toinclude a good deal of his own personal life, after which he did notscruple to ask his companion a little about his own on board ship.
"I say," said Aleck, at last, "isn't it droll?"
"Droll!" groaned the midshipman. "What, being shut up here?"
"No, no; our meeting as we did in Rockabie harbour, and what took placewith the boys. I never expected to see you again, and now here have Ifound you out, a prisoner, chained by the leg, and in ever so short atime you and I have grown to be quite friends."
"Yes," said the midshipman, drawing a deep breath. "I didn't like youthe first time we met."
"And I didn't like you," said Aleck, laughing. "I thought you werestuck-up and consequential. I say, I wish Tom Bodger were here!"
"What, that wooden-legged rase sailor?"
"Yes."
"What good could he do--a cripple like that?"
"Cripple! Oh, I never thought of him as a cripple. He's as clever asclever. There isn't anything he won't try to do. I was thinking thatif he were here he'd be scheming some plan or another to get rid of thechain about your leg."
"Hah!" sighed the midshipman, "but he isn't here. I say!"
"Well?"
"Hadn't you better have another candle to light--that one's nearlyburned down?"
"I've got one quite ready, lying out here on the stone."
"Hah! That's right," said the prisoner. "It's so horrible to be in thedark."
"Oh, no; not when you've got company."
"But be quite ready. It might go out quickly."
"Well, if it did, I know where the flint and steel are."
"You couldn't find them in the dark."
"Oh, couldn't I? I kept an eye on everything Master Eben did."
"I say, do you think he will come back?"
"Yes; he's sure to, unless some of the cutter's men catch him and carryhim off."
"Ah! and you think, then, that he wouldn't speak, out of spite, andleave us here to starve?" cried the middy, excitedly.
"No, I don't," said Aleck; "I don't think anything of the sort. Don'tyou be ready to take fright."
"I've been shut up in this place so long," said the middy,apologetically, "and it has made me as weak and nervous as a girl."
"Well, try not to be," said Aleck. "Look here; there's nothing likeseeing the worst of things and treating them in a common-sense way.Now, suppose such a thing did happen as that Eben Megg did not comeback--what then?"
"We should be starved to death."
"No, we shouldn't, for I daresay there's a good store here of biscuitsand corned beef out of some ship, as well as smuggled goods, that wecould eat."
"Till all was finished," said the middy, sadly.
"What of that? W
e could get out, couldn't we? I know the way."
"Oh, yes. I had forgotten that. But was there any door to the waydown--trap-door?"
"Door? No," said Aleck, laughing. "It's all the natural stone, justchipped a little here and there to make it easier."
"That's right," said the midshipman, sadly. "But it is a terrible placeto be shut up in. Hasn't he been very long?"
"Oh, no. I daresay he'll be a long time yet. Come, cheer up. Let'swatch the water there. I wish I knew what the time was. Can't we tell?When the water looks blackest it ought to be high water. I wonderwhether we shall see the arch quite cleared and the light shiningthrough. Have you noticed it?"
"Don't!" said the young sailor, rather piteously. "I know what itmeans--you are talking like this to keep up my spirits."
"Well, suppose I am?"
"Don't try; it only makes me more weak and miserable. You can't thinkof the horrors I've suffered."
"But--"
"Yes, I know what you're going to say--that I ought to have been firmer,and fought against the dread and horror, and mastered the feelings."
"Something of the sort," said Aleck.
"Well, I did at first, but I gradually got weaker and weaker, till inthe darkness and silence something happened which scared me ten timesmore than the being here alone."
"Something happened? What?" said Aleck, wonderingly.
"I suddenly felt frightened of myself."
"I don't understand you."
"I was afraid that I was losing my senses."
"Well, then, don't be afraid like that any more, for you're not going tolose them."
"Men have lost their wits by being shut up alone," said the middy,piteously.
"Perhaps. But you're not going to, for you're not alone, and all you'vegot to do is to lie there patiently and wait. I say, aren't you tired?"
"Oh, horribly. I couldn't sleep for the horror I felt."
"Well, you could now. Go to sleep, and I'll wake you when Eben Meggcomes back."
"No," said the middy; "I couldn't sleep now. Suppose I awoke at lastand found that you had gone!"
"Ah, you're going to imagine all sorts of things," said Aleck, who feltthat he must do something to keep his companion from brooding over hisposition.
"Look here; suppose I go up the passage and see if I can make outanything about Eben!"
Before he had finished speaking he became aware of how terribly the poorfellow had been shaken by his confinement. For the lad caught himspasmodically by the arm with both hands.
"No, no," he panted. "Don't leave me--pray don't leave me."
"Very well, then, I'll stay," said Aleck; "but I do hope the poor fellowwill not be caught by the cutter's men."
Aleck felt sorry as soon as he had said these words, for his companiongave another start.
"You feel that he won't come back?"
"I feel," said Aleck, quietly, "that we seem to be wasting time. Haveyou got a knife?"
"Yes, of course."
"So have I. Well, mine has a small blade; has yours?"
"Yes. Why?"
"One small blade would not be strong enough, but if two were thrust intothe back of those irons together we might be able to open them. Ibelieve all these fetters are opened by a square key, and I'm going totry."
"Ah, yes; do."
"Once get you free, we could pass the time climbing up the naturalstaircase, and get a look out from the top at the fresh green trees andclear sky."
Aleck's attempt to take his companion's attention was successful,inasmuch as after the production of the knives, and the changing theposition of the opened lanthorn so that the dim light should do its bestin illuminating the rusty anklet and chain, the midshipman began to takesome feeble interest in the proceedings.
Aleck knew as much about handcuffs and fetters as he did about thebinomial theorem, but he was one of those lads who are always ready to"have a try" at anything, and, after examining the square deeply-setholes which secured the anklets, he placed the two pen-blades of theknives together, forced them in as far as they would go, and tried toturn them.
The first effort resulted in a sharp clicking sound.
"There goes the edge of one blade," said the lad, coolly. "I hope it'syour knife, and not mine. Hullo! Hooray! It turns!"
For the blades held fast, jammed as they were into the angles of theorifice, and the operator was able to turn the knives half way, and thenall the way round.
"Now try," said the midshipman, beginning to take deep interest in theattempt.
"I have," said Aleck, gloomily; "the blades turn the inside, but thething's as fast as ever."
"But you are not doing it right," said the middy.
"I suppose not; you try."
"No, no; go on. But you haven't turned enough."
"It wants the proper key," said Aleck.
"No, I think those knives will do, after all. I saw a sailor put inirons once for striking his superior officer, and I think that partwants not only turning like a key in a lock, but turning round andround, as if you were taking out a screw."
"Oh, I see," cried Aleck, with renewed eagerness, and he turned andturned till, to his great delight, the anklet fell open like anunclasped bracelet, and then dropped on to the folded sail-cloth whichformed the prisoner's couch.
"Hooray!" shouted Aleck again.
"Hurrah! Hurrah!" cried the young officer, with a decision in his voicethat brought up their first meeting in the harbour.
"There, it's all right," cried Aleck, as the young officer caught him bythe hands; "nothing like patience and a good try."
"I--I can't thank you enough," said the middy, in a half suffocatedvoice.
"Well, who wants thanks, sailor?" cried Aleck. "Don't go on like that.It's all right. I'm as glad as you are. Now, then--oh, I say, yourbeing shut up here has pulled you down!"
"Yes, more than I knew, old fellow," said the middy. "There, I'm betternow. You can't tell what an effect it had upon one. There were timesin the night when, after dragging and dragging at that miserable iron, Igrew half wild and ready to gnaw at my leg to get it free. Why, if youknow the way out we can escape now."
"Yes, but let's play fair by Eben Megg. He has gone to try and get thekey to open this thing, and I promised that I would wait till he cameback."
"But he will not come back, I feel sure. He's only a smuggler, andready to promise anything."
"Oh, no," said Aleck, "I don't think that. If he is not taken by themen from the boat he'll come back, I feel sure. So let's wait till themorning."
"I can't--I tell you I can't," cried the midshipman, half wild withhysterical excitement. "I must get out now at any cost. I couldn'tbear another night in this place."
"Nonsense," cried Aleck, good-humouredly. "You bore it when you feltalmost hopeless as a prisoner; surely now that you are as good as freeyou can manage to bear one more night!"
"No, I cannot and I will not," cried the young officer. "See to thatlanthorn at once, and let's get out of this living tomb."
Aleck lit a fresh candle and secured it in the sconce, watching themidshipman the while as he sat up rubbing the freshly-freed leg, andthen stood up and stamped his foot as if the leg were stiff. Then, asif satisfied that he could get along pretty well, he turned to hiscompanion.
"It's rather bad," he said, excitedly; "but--I can manage now. Jump upand come along."
Aleck remained silent.
"Do you hear?" cried the middy.
"Yes. It's time now that we had something more to eat," said the lad,quietly.
"Eat? Eat? Who's going to think of eating now? I want to get out andbreathe the cool, soft air. I feel just as if I were coming to lifeafter having been buried. Here, pick up the lanthorn and let's start."
"If Eben Megg does not come back by the morning," said Aleck, coldly.
"What! Do you mean to tell me that you are going to stay here all nightwhen the way's open?"
"The way is no
t open," said Aleck, coldly.
"Not open? You told me there was no door or fastening at all."
"There is neither, but it's shut up by the promise I gave that man."
"You tell me really that you mean to stop here all night waiting forhim?"
"Yes," said Aleck; "I was quite ready to stop here all night to keep youcompany when you were a prisoner chained to that wall."
The midshipman stood staring down at his companion as if half stunned,till better thoughts prevailed.
"Yes," he said, at last, in a quieter way. "So you were; and you wouldhave done it, wouldn't you?"
"Of course I would," said Aleck.
"And it wouldn't be fair to break your word, eh?"
"That's what I feel," was the reply.
"Yes, and I suppose it's right, Aleck--that's what they call you?"
"Yes, that's what they call me," said the lad, coldly.
"Yes--yes," said the middy, slowly. "I say, you're not an officer, butyou're a jolly deal more of a gentleman than I am. You see, I've been aprisoner so long, and I want to get out."
"Of course; it's only natural."
"Well, then, you're going to show me the way out?"
"To-morrow morning, when I feel satisfied that Eben Megg will not come."
"No, no, to-night--if it is to-night yet. Come!"
"No," said Aleck, firmly. "I gave him my word that I'd wait, and I'llstay even if he doesn't come back; but I have no right to try and stopyou."
"No, that you haven't; but I'm not going to behave worse than you do.Now, once more, are you going to show me the way out?"
"No," said Aleck.
To his intense astonishment the midshipman threw himself back upon hisrough couch again.
"All right," he said; "I know what it means when you're all alone in thestillness here and your brain's at work conjuring up all sorts ofhorrible things. You've behaved very handsomely to me, old fellow, andI'm not going to be such a miserable beggar as to go and leave you inthe lurch. If you stay, I stay too, and there's an end of it. Now,then, snuff the candle and hunt out some prog. I've been so thateverything I put into my mouth tasted like sawdust, but I feel now as ifI could eat like anything. Look sharp."
"Do you mean this?" cried Aleck, turning to his companion, excitedly.
"Of course I do," said the middy, merrily. "Think you're the onlygentleman in the world?"
It was Aleck's turn to feel slightly husky in the throat, but he turnedaway to the rough basket and began to hand out its contents, joining hiscompanion in eating hungrily, both working away in silence for a time.
Then the ex-prisoner opened the conversation, beginning to talk in aboisterous, careless way.
"I say, Aleck, we shall have plenty of time before lying down to sleep.Let's light two or three candles and have a jolly good rummage of thesmugglers' stores."
"We will," cried the lad addressed.
"I shouldn't wonder if we find all sorts of things. Treasure, perhaps,from wrecked vessels. I wouldn't bet that these people hadn't beenpirates in their time. That Eben, as you call him--I say, it ought tobe Ebony--he looks a regular Blackbeard, skull-and-crossbones sort of acustomer. We'll collar anything that seems particularly good. I'm justin the humour to say I've as good a right to what there is as anybodyelse; but we'll share--fair halves. I say!"
"What?"
"Old Blackbeard will stare when he finds that we've opened the irons.My word, I must go and see Mrs Ebony again. Nice woman she is, and nomistake."
"Did she fasten the iron ring on your ankle?"
"Well, no; I think it was an ugly old woman of the party; but I couldn'tbe sure, for they half killed me--smothered me, you know--and when Icame the half way back to life the job was done."
Aleck entered into the spirit of the rummage, as his companion calledit, and their search proved interesting enough; but after finding a vaststore of spirits, tobacco, and undressed Italian silks, the principalthings in the cavern were ship's stores--the flotsam and jetsam ofwrecks, over which they bent till weariness supervened.
"Tired out," said Aleck, at last.
"So am I," was the reply, as they threw themselves side by side on therough bed, after extinguishing all the candles they had stuck about therock and confining themselves to a fresh one newly set up in thelanthorn.
"Shall we let it burn?" said Aleck, in deference to his comrade'sfeelings.
"Oh, hang it, no!" was the reply. "It might gutter down and set us onfire."
"Then you don't mind being in the dark?"
"Not a bit with you here. Do you mind?"
"I feel the same as you."
Five minutes later they were both sleeping quietly and enjoying asrefreshing a slumber as ever fell to the lot of man or boy.