I wondered if I would see them again, and if it were wise to stick to my exposed post of observation; but while I pondered the matter Daggett came into view again, having passed around the rock. He was now two thirds of the way to the sands, and as he followed the ledge on the inner side, that lay next the face of the main cliff, I saw him suddenly pause upon a broader part of the path than the rest, and then disappear into the rock itself—or so it seemed to my gaze from where I watched. One by one the men came after him, and one by one the rock swallowed them up with their burdens; and now passed a period of tedious waiting.
Both Nux and I had counted the fugitives and saw that all had safely descended to this point, including Bry. But what had become of them now was a mystery.
“What shall we do, Nux?” I asked in indecision. “There’s nothing more to be seen from here.”
The black, whose eyes held a startled expression, made no reply; but he crept with me to a nearer and better position at the edge of the cliff beside the rocking-stone, and together we peered over into the abyss. Now, indeed, the strange disappearance of the robbers was explained, for from our present point of vantage we could see a black spot far down on the inner face of the column of rock, where the ledge passed, and this spot was evidently a cavity into which the men had penetrated.
“All we can do now,” I said, with a sigh of regret, “is to wait until they come out. It would be foolish to follow them into that place.”
Nux nodded an emphatic approval, and we proceeded to lie down upon our faces, so that our eyes just projected over the edge of the cliff, and in this position we watched as patiently as we could for something to happen.
It was fully an hour before the men reappeared. A distant sound of voices, raised high in angry dispute, was the first token that the desperadoes were quitting the interior of the rock. Then Larkin and Daggett came out and stood upon the ledge; the others crowding behind them on the narrow footing, while their guide pointed along the ledge that still continued to lead downward.
They were without burdens now, either of provisions or gold dust; but the two axes were carried over Bry’s shoulder, and another man bore a coil of rope.
They seemed to be disputing together about something, and a few of the words reached our ears. Daggett was urging them to follow a plan he had proposed, while some of the others demurred.
“It’s too hot to work,” we heard one of the men declare.