Robbins was also disgusted—I saw him look up, and wondered whether he had conceived the idea of chasing the creeping wretch, to throttle him until he confessed what he had done with the key.
But it was something else that had occurred to my good friend.
“Keep looking, Morgan, while I run and make sure if the door is fast.”
As he said this, I saw him bound away.
The door could only be a biscuit’s toss down the wall, and his errand would not consume more than a couple of minutes at the most, while much might hinge upon the result.
I had the lantern, and with added zeal kept up the search. Did ever a more obstinate key exist than the one we so eagerly sought to discover? At least I had never heard of it.
Then back came Robbins, panting from his exertions, for these big men always become winded more easily than those of us who are blessed with lesser bulk.
As I glanced up into his face, I read our finish there; disappointment was plainly expressed in the grim manner in which the mate clinched his teeth.
Such men are not easily downed, and the glow of his eyes told us of a sullen determination to keep up the good work, even though we were compelled to force a way into the hacienda and reach the street by fighting those who might there oppose our progress.