That the cave had once been used as a rendezvous of some sort was plainly evident. At the back was a rude fireplace, with a narrow slit in the rocks overhead, through which the smoke might ascend. Here were several half-burned logs of wood, and two tumble-down boxes which had evidently done duty as benches. On a stick stuck in a crack of the wall hung an old overcoat, now ready to fall apart from decay.
"Rather unwholesome, I admit," said the captain, with a glance at the others. "But a roaring fire in yonder chimney-place will soon alter things. And when I've had one of the men bring some blankets and stores from the Peacock, it will be fairly comfortable."
"Do you mean to keep us here?" demanded Tom.
"We do," answered Arnold Baxter. "And you can thank your stars that you have not been taken to a worse place."
"It's a jolly shame. Why don't you kill us off at once, and be done with it?"
"Because you are worth more to us alive than dead."
"We won't live long if you keep us here," put in Sam. "It's enough to give a fellow the ague."
"We will start a fire without delay," said the captain, and then, turning to Arnold Baxter, he continued: "Can you find the way back to the ship?"
"I think I can," returned the other. "Years ago I was used to tramping the gold regions of the West."
"Then you had better go and tell the mate to bring along that stuff I mentioned before I left. You can easily carry the stuff between you. I'll build the fire and, with the aid of your son, watch the two prisoners."