Captain Mansfield had sent a boat ashore in search of the missing members of his crew, and one can fancy some portion of the prisoners’ mental distress at knowing friends were so near and they unable to make their whereabouts known.
Again Mr. Jenkins attempted to free himself; but after receiving several warning pricks from the point of a knife, in token of what might follow in case he persisted in fighting, he gave up the struggle.
Again and again did the cries come to their ears, borne on the wind, which was steadily and rapidly increasing, and then another report of a musket told that this last boat had been recalled.
Gil and Nelse were almost frantic. Both realized that the negroes would not have dared to commit such an outrage, unless they were so strong in numbers as to resist an attack, and the thought of what might be their fate on this island, which had already been the scene of so many bloody dramas, was ample excuse for any display of weakness or terror.
The negroes marched rapidly on for at least half-an-hour, and then, coming suddenly, as if from the very bowels of the earth, a bright flame appeared directly in front of the leaders.
As their eyes became accustomed to the gloom, the boys saw that the blaze proceeded from half-a-dozen torches, held by as many men, who had come out of what appeared to be a cave in the side of a hill.
Here quite a lengthy conversation ensued, and then the prisoners were led through a passage sufficiently wide for three men to walk abreast, to a small cave situated about fifty feet from the opening.
Further on, the glow, as of a fire, could be seen, thus showing that beyond their halting-place was another and a larger underground chamber, where, probably, those who had been performing the uncouth antics near the beach found a shelter.
The prisoners were thrust into the small cave, or excavation, without ceremony, and the others went on, apparently indifferent as to what might be done by the whites.
The place was so dark that no idea could be formed of its size, or what it might contain, and even if it had been light, Mr. Jenkins would hardly have given it any attention at that moment.