Careless of risk, they passed the falling curtain and hurried on the track of Sounding Sea, who was moving slowly through a natural tunnel, the mouth of which gaped blackly at his pursuers. Had the Maori not lit a torch the comrades could have done nothing but await his return.
Suddenly Terence swung back an arm and barred George's advance, for the tunnel took a turn, widening into a cave. Peering round the angle, they saw Sounding Sea, his torch set down, searching for something he appeared to have dropped.
The tunnel took a turn, widening into a cave (page 194).
But there was something else. Something which brought George's teeth together with a click, and caused Terence to clench his fists.
Stretched upon a mat, his wrists and ankles bound, and further secured by a rope round his middle, which was attached to an iron bar let into the floor of the cave, lay Paeroa, while a few feet from him was Kawainga, much in the same case, save that her feet were free.
Even in that light it could be seen that the unhappy pair looked miserably weak and ill, though scraps of food and a bowl of water showed that starvation had not been added to their other tortures.
Terence felt the arm he held quivering in his grip. Indeed, George restrained himself with difficulty; for the sight of the poor sufferers set his blood aflame, and another black mark was added to the long tally against Te Karearea.
Just then Sounding Sea spoke. 'Where is my mere, O Paeroa? It was in my belt when I fed you.' He made a dive and drew a wooden mere from the folds of the scanty mat upon which Paeroa lay. 'Pig!' he vociferated. 'Would you steal my club? Were it not that Te Karearea ordered me to keep you alive, I would dash out your traitor's brains. As it is—take this!'