"A fortune for each of you when you put this on the sloop!"
Back through the cave they rushed, torches flaring. Once a bearer stumbled over a powder can, and the torch holder all but sprawled over him. Umballa's hair stood on end. Fear impelled the men toward the exit.
"There is powder enough here to blow up all of Hind! Hasten!"
At the mouth of the exit the men with the torches, finding no further need of them, carelessly flung them aside.
"Fools!" roared Umballa; "you have destroyed us!"
He fled. The bearers followed with the burden. Down the side of the promontory they slid. Under a projecting ledge they paused, sweating with terror. Suddenly the whole island rocked. An explosion followed that was heard half a hundred miles away, where the gunboat of the British Raj patrolled the shores. Rocks, trees, sand filled the air, and small fires broke out here and there. The bulk of the damage, however, was done to the far side of the promontory, not where the frightened Umballa stood. A twisted rifle barrel fell at his feet.
"To the sloop!" he yelled. "It is all over!"
On the far side the other treasure seekers stood huddled together, scarce knowing which way to turn. The miracle of it was that none of them was hurt. Perhaps a quarter of an hour passed before their faculties awoke.
"Look!" cried Kathlyn, pointing seaward.
What she saw was Umballa, setting adrift the boats which had brought them from the mainland.