“You’ll keep a bright look-out, Beddoes,” said the gunner. “We shan’t be gone more than half an hour or so, I take it. The men mustn’t leave this spot, but they may sit down and rest so long as you keep four sentries posted.”
“Ay, ay, sir; I’ll keep my weather eye lifting, and see that nothing goes wrong.”
Ned, in lieu of his rifle, took a small tomahawk with him wherewith to mark the trees as we went along, and then we crept forward through the forest in the direction of the pillar of blue smoke. We had discarded our side-arms before starting, as we decided that they would only encumber us. Our loaded revolvers we kept in our belts, more as a matter of precaution than anything else, for we did not anticipate exchanging shots with any one.
The undergrowth grew less dense as we advanced, and we were able to proceed rapidly and silently, always keeping the pillar of smoke directly ahead. The side of the valley we were descending was steep, and in places almost precipitous; but we kept our footing in a marvellous manner notwithstanding. We could hear the rushing of the stream very distinctly as it swirled around the boulders that obstructed the way, or leaped over some cliff-like rock into a deep abyss below. It was now evidently not far distant. Now and again we heard a subdued shout from some one beneath us, but ordinary voices could not now be distinguished above the roar of the torrent.
Ned assiduously marked our path by chipping at the trees; but presently all need for this precaution vanished, for we found ourselves upon a regular beaten path leading down into the depths of the valley.
The gunner halted for a moment, and lifted a warning finger to enjoin silence and secrecy upon us. Then he resumed the route with stealthy but rapid footsteps. My heart was beating so with suppressed excitement that I could not help fancying that my companions must hear its prodigious thumps. I glanced at Ned. As was natural in a man who had passed through numberless perils, he looked quite unconcerned, but his bronzed face wore its usual determined expression.
The path, at first stony and precipitous, at length wound its way onward at a gentler gradient, and seemed to be nearing the base of the hilly slopes which flanked the savage ravine. The timber here was magnificent, some of the stately trees towering up with their spreading branches to an altitude of a hundred and fifty feet. Lizards ran about in all directions; dragon-flies darted hither and thither; and far above our heads birds of gaudy plumage flitted from tree to tree.
We came at length to a place where four narrow beaten tracks met, and the gunner halted for a moment and peered about him.
“I vote for keeping straight on,” I whispered hurriedly.
Mr. Triggs nodded, and glided on as before.