CHAPTER XXII
A Leap for Life
In spite of my desperate struggles, a cord was wound tightly round my ankles, and my arms were bound behind my back. This done, a thick piece of canvas took the place of the hand across my mouth, so that I could scarce breathe, much less utter a sound; and a bandage was tied across my eyes.
Then I felt myself being set upon my feet, a rope was passed round my waist, and I was suspended over the edge of the cliff, as helpless as a trussed fowl.
"Stand by!" I heard a gruff voice exclaim, and the next instant I was lowered into space, where I hung, turning slowly at the rope's end, with the dull murmur of the waves at the base of the cliff some fifty feet below to add to the terror of my situation.
By the number of successive short jerks I knew that I had not been lowered more than ten feet when I was seized by rough hands and dragged in towards the cliff. The rope by which I had been lowered was cast off, and, lifted in a horizontal position, I was borne away.
The sudden change from the scorching rays of the sun to a chilly atmosphere, and the echoing footsteps of my captors, told me that I was being carried along a tunnel in the rocks. I distinctly counted four-and-forty footfalls ere the men set me down upon a stone floor; then the bandage was whipped off my eyes, and I found myself blinking in the subdued daylight.
Surrounding me I recognized Ned Slater and the five others who had slipped away on our retreat through the forest.
"Now, youngster," began the villainous rascal, whom I now knew to be guilty of my father's murder and the theft of the chart, to say nothing of his other crimes, "no beating about the bush, or 'twill be the worse for you. Where lieth the treasure?"
"I know not. You have the chart."
"Aye," he replied, with a hideous oath, "and little good it is to us. It is marked 'Much treasure here'--here, on or near this spot; but that is false. I know it, and you know it. Now, where does the treasure lie--somewhere inland? or was that part of old Miles's plan to mislead us? Come now, answer."
"I cannot say, nor would not if I could."
"You lie, you young rascal. But I'll find a way to make you use your tongue, though you may shout till you're black in the face, for no one will hear you. Search him first."
Two of the rogues emptied my pockets and relieved me of my knife.
"Ho, ho! What have we here?" exclaimed Slater, examining the blade carefully. "'Tis an old acquaintance. Nay, I go farther--'tis my property."
"Considering you sheathed it in my father's body," I replied boldly, "'tis not to be wondered at, you double-dyed murderer."
"All is fair in love and war," he replied. "If your father barred my way, what was to be done? But take heed, lest I plunge it into your body. Now, once again, where does the treasure lie hidden?"
I did not reply, for I was hard at work trying to devise some plan of thwarting him and at the same time of effecting my escape.
Finding that I remained obstinate, they left me lying bound and helpless, with a pannikin of water within a foot of my face, having previously moistened my lips with salt water.
I was indeed in a very tight fix. The cave was about ten feet in height, but owing to a sharp bend I was unable to see how long it was, or in what direction it dived into the rock. Unless one knew of its existence, he might search the ledge above for hours without being aware that its mouth yawned ten feet beneath. No doubt when I was missed a search would be made for me, with the result that it would be supposed that I had fallen over the edge into the sea.
As I lay unable to stir hand or foot, my thirst grew intolerable, my tongue was parched, and my throat burned like a lime-kiln. Yet within a foot stood a vessel of water which, for the good it did me, might have been better out of my sight.
Away in the recesses of the cave I could hear my captors talking in eager tones, doubtless highly excited at their success, for 'twas certain that they thought I held the prized secret.
"Get it from him at all costs, then do as you say," I heard one remark.
"Hush! not so loud," replied another.
"Yet it must be done."
"I know; I'm not saying anything against that, so----"
Here their voices became inaudible, but in those few words I gathered the full signification of their intentions. When they had finished with me they meant to finish me in a very complete sense.
Plan after plan flashed across my mind, only to be dismissed as impracticable, till, with the faintest ray of hope, I lighted on a scheme that might serve my purpose.
At length Ned Slater returned, humming a rollicking air, and with a hideous grin on his face. Stooping down, he raised the pannikin of water to his lips and took a draught with the utmost ostentation.
This done, he motioned as if to give me what remained in the vessel, but when 'twas within a few inches of my mouth he slowly and deliberately withdrew it. Twice did he offer the water, then with a steady hand he poured it on the floor, so that the liquid splashed over my bound hands.
"A curse on my clumsiness!" said he. "I must needs fill the pannikin again."
I heard the hollow sound of his footsteps retreating down the passage, but presently he returned, with the pannikin filled to the brim. Setting it down where it formerly stood, he said:
"Help yourself, you young rascal; there's plenty to spare."
Had the water been a thousand leagues off, I could not have helped myself any the less, and the villain knew it.
"Now, concerning the plan," he began, pointing to the chart which he held in his hand. "Art still of the same mind?"
"I'll tell you," I replied hoarsely; then, feigning with little effort, I began to cough and gulp as if unable to continue.
"Water!" I gasped, after a while.
He raised the pannikin and allowed a thin stream to trickle on to my face, and as I swallowed the cold liquid it seemed to instil new life into my tortured body.
"That chart is not correct," I began.
"I knew it," he replied, in a tone of triumphant expectancy; "but I'll lay hands on the treasure."
"And when you do, can you remove it from the island?"
"I'll find away," he replied, with a leer. "Dost think I have no friends aboard the ships?"
"Cast my hand loose, and I'll trace a plan of the island," I continued, pretending to ignore the latter part of his remark.
"Very well, then; but no trickery, or----" and he touched the hilt of my knife, which he was wearing in his belt.
"Do I look as if I could trick you?" I asked wearily. "A lad with his feet bound could not hope to get the better of you."
Without another word he cut the rope that encircled my arms, then, stepping back a pace, he drew the knife and held it in a menacing position.
I gave a short glance at the rope that bound my feet. It was thin cord, commonly known as half-inch line.
"Let this represent the coast," I began, tracing an irregular line in the dust that covered the floor of the cave. "Here is the cliff, and here the place where the Madre first struck. The first hiding-place of the treasure was here, I take it."
"'Tis more to the east, if yon point marks the cliff. Thus says the chart."
"Does it?" I asked, with feigned surprise. "Art sure?"
"Look for yourself," said he, holding the parchment close to my face.
"The light is bad," I replied, peering at the crabbed writing. "Turn it this way, so that it shows to the best advantage. 'Tis as I said; the place lies to the west of the cliff, just here----"
The villain's face was within arm's length, for in his eagerness he had drawn closer to hear my explanation. My fist shot out with a swift upward movement, and, taking him fairly on the point of his chin, sent him staggering against the opposite wall, whence he fell senseless to the ground.
In two bounds I was at his side, and seizing the knife, I severed the rope that fastened my ankles.
"At least," thought I, as I made ready to strike home, "if I am to die, you'll not live to see my death."
But ere I could achieve my aim, one of the rogues appeared, and, raising his arm, discharged a pistol at me.
The bullet ploughed through my hair, but without a moment's hesitation I flung myself straight at the man. Down he went, screaming with pain, with my knife betwixt his ribs.
Now or never I must gain the mouth of the cave, so, dashing forward, I ran along the tunnel towards the place where I knew the rest of the villains to be, for I heard them shouting in alarm as they hastened to their comrade's aid.
Just then I noticed that the passage, or tunnel, turned sharply to the left, and was quite dark when compared with the subdued light of that portion of the cave in which I had been kept a prisoner.
Down I lay full length on the floor, resting on my left side, and as the four men rushed blindly onward the first tripped over my prostrate body. The second I caught by the ankle, and he also fell, while the remaining two were brought up by a barrier of sprawling legs.
Ere they could realize who I was, I regained my feet, darted betwixt them and the wall of the cavern, and headed straight for the entrance.
Nor did I stop to think, but, gathering speed as I ran, I boldly leapt into space, still grasping the fatal knife in my hand.
Even as I felt myself hurtling through those fifty feet, however, I wondered whether, in my impetuous leap, I would strike the sea or solid rock, for I had not even stopped to see whether the cliff there fell sheer into the water or not.
Fortunately the precipice sloped inwards, so that I escaped being dashed to pieces. Keeping in an upright position, I struck the water feet first with tremendous force, and plunged beneath the surface to a considerable depth.
A few lusty strokes sufficed to bring me to the surface, however, and shaking my hair from my face, I struck out for the shelter of the overhanging cliff, so that I should be unperceived by the rogues in the cave.
It being close on low tide, the rise and fall in those parts being but five feet at most, there was nothing that would afford a foothold; the rocks were as smooth as a plank, and covered with a thick, dark curtain of seaweed.
Owing to the slight swell, the backwash of the waves made swimming a matter of difficulty, as I was continually in peril of being thrown against the cliff; and realizing that the sooner I found a landing-place the better, I again struck out, swimming along the face of the cliff and about ten feet from it, keeping a sharp look-out both for a possible refuge and for the swell, of which every seventh wave was more dangerous than the rest.
Having struck a current or eddy that ran close inshore, I made rapid progress, and in less than a quarter of an hour rounded a spur or headland that I knew was within a few hundred yards of the mouth of the harbour where the Golden Hope lay at anchor.
But here I found, to my peril, that the eddy was no longer in my favour. On the contrary, before I was aware of it I was being rapidly carried out to sea by a current that ran at a rate of over three knots an hour.
Once I realized the impossibility of making headway, I turned on my back and paddled easily. The sea was warm, and unless unforeseen circumstances arose, I could keep afloat for an hour or more with little effort. Ere then I hoped to be seen by the searchers on the cliff, or that the current would have changed in my favour. So, buoyed up by hope, I allowed myself to drift with the tide.
Soon I saw that I was nearly abreast that part of the cliff from which I had leapt, yet at a distance of nearly half a mile from it. I could discern the sloping part of the ledge where I had been surprised, and the dark, yawning mouth of the cavern, though I could see nothing of the rogues who dwelt there. There was some consolation in the fact that neither could they see me, nor was I within musket range; but against that there was the growing prospect of being swept far out to sea, to perish slowly in a vast waste of water.
At length I noticed that the sea, which all around was calm save for a gentle swell, was at a short distance ahead beginning to change in appearance. Short-crested waves were breaking over a shoal. That I knew by experience, but whether 'twas but a "tide rip", or really shallow water, I knew not.
The set of the tide carried me right towards the centre of this extent of agitated water, and to my relief I was soon standing on rocky ground, with the sea barely above my knees.
I was still in a position of great peril, for the rocks were slippery with kelp, while the current was strong enough to threaten to sweep me off my feet. Even though the tide might fall a few inches, I knew full well that ere long the flood would set in, and thus before high water the depth would be too great for me to retain a foothold.
Looking landwards, I saw by the agitation of the waves that the shoal extended well towards the shore, the distance between being but a few hundred yards. At this my hopes recovered, for could I walk or wade in that direction and await the change of tide, the same current that had carried me seawards would render me a good service in bearing me back towards the harbour.
I had not proceeded far, for wading was a matter of extreme difficulty, when a whip-like object seized my leg like a vice. The sensation was paralysing, for it seemed as if I was being burnt in a score of places at once. Like a flash I realized my danger. I was in the grip of an octopus!