“I feel as if I can’t leave it. I must stop and take care of the rest, even if I stay alone,” said Briscoe.
“No,” said Brace; “that would be folly. It will be safe enough till we return.”
“But look here: suppose we build a raft, and load that? We could tow it down with the boats.”
“Yes,” said Brace, “and end by upsetting it and sending all to the bottom.”
“Look here,” said Sir Humphrey: “I am going to set you both a good example.”
He hurried out into the light, while after another glance round Briscoe said slowly:
“Yes, a raft would end by shooting it all off into the river. Let’s make sure of what we’ve got.”
And, rushing out, he set steadily to work helping to get the objects still waiting down to the boat, and then he was the first to lead the way and mount from terrace to terrace to the slope and by the way to the great tank, where the water was making a strange reverberating sound.
“That noise is enough to keep the Indians away,” he said to Brace, as he paused with him till all the men had passed. “It’s as good as a safe.”
When all were down, the L-shaped entrance was carefully blocked with stones and covered with rubbish, earth, and growing plants, so that there was no sign of the place having been disturbed, and by that time the boats were back at their moorings, with the captain shaking his head at them.