“I always told you I could do something else than fall in,” was the message Tubby sent back as he strutted about below.
Rob’s next act was to arouse the sleepers and Major Dangerfield. They were all naturally warm in praise of Tubby’s clever device. It was tested by Rob who slid down it in perfect safety, but landed with barked shins and scraped hands. That was a cheap price to pay for deliverance, though, and the others, when they followed him, felt the same way about it.
“Now what are we going to do?” said the major as they all stood in a group on the ground.
“I think——” began the professor.
But the words were taken out of his mouth. Rob made a hasty sign to the others to conceal themselves. A sudden heavy rumbling sound had echoed through the air. It was followed by a red flash from the direction of the mouth of the cave.
“They’ve blown the rock up!” cried the major.
“That’s why they were all prowling around there to-night, I suppose,” exclaimed Tubby.
“Let’s get to the canoes and arm ourselves,” said the major; “we can catch them all red-handed.”
First the rope by which they had escaped was cut as high as possible from the ground, and then the major’s suggestion was carried out. They reached the entrance of the cave just in time to hear footsteps approaching down the passage.
They crouched quietly till Dale emerged from the cavern entrance, stumbling over the shattered fragments of the big rock that had blocked it. His arms were full of plunder from the chests, and he was able to offer little resistance. He was seized and bound and gagged without his having any opportunity to make an outcry. One after another, as they came out, the rest of Hunt’s gang were served the same way. Hunt and his son, however, in some manner became alarmed as they neared the entry. They dashed back, outfooting the lads who pursued them. Down the passage they fled and stumbled blindly, in their fear, along the further passage and up the steps to the top of the Ruby Glow peak.