Chapter 16

A SURPRISING TRIP TO THE CAVE

The house was completed and partly furnished. New bedding was prepared for the bedrooms, the Chief installed in one, and the other two reserved for John and the Professor. The new living room, which was commodious, served as a dining room, and a door was cut through from the old kitchen to the new dining parlor.

The other rooms in the original building were reserved for the boys. John was now fully recovered, and felt like beginning his task anew, although he did not recall any of the previous work which he was engaged in. Chief was progressing well in his education, and the constant source of wonder to all was that he did not take the advantage his liberty gave him to leave them.

One day John had a long conversation with him on the subject, and afterwards the boys were curious to know the result of the interview; but the result of the talk was not, apparently, satisfactory to John, and the subject was not pressed. He was entirely well, and took a keen interest in everything around him, and participated in the work. Each new phase had some special attraction, and as the days passed less anxiety was felt on this score.

In one of the evening conferences it was finally decided to make the preparations for a trip to the portion of the island where the savages had their homes. This meant a good supply of weapons and ammunition.

The following circumstances determined them on this course:

The Professor, addressing John, on this occasion, said: "We were intensely interested in the review of your experiences on the island; but there are several things which we are anxious to know about, and in some particulars you may be able to supply the missing links. We have not yet shown you the message which we found in the _Investigator's_ lifeboat, so that if you will get it, Harry, you may be able to tell us something about it."

This was the little slip of paper which had on it the following inscription: "We cannot hold out much longer. Wright and Walters were captured yesterday. Will."

Harry handed it to him, and he looked at it for some time. "I do not know who Wright and Will are, but Walters was one of the crew of the sailing vessel that we took from San Francisco."

"Had you any knowledge of any of the boats of the _Investigator_ being on the west side of the mountains during the time you were in that neighborhood?"

"No; during my stay with the tribe to which Chief belonged I tried in every way to ascertain something about the fate of my companions. Only once during that time did I get any sort of knowledge on that point. When I tried to describe the men, all denied any knowledge of them; but pointed to the youths of the village, and I could not understand what they meant. That is now made plain to me, as, undoubtedly, they meant the ones referred to were boys."

"And, now, there is another thing I want to know from Ralph and Tom. Did either of you have a photograph of some of the boys on the ship?"

George found the photograph which they had taken from one of the warriors in the second day's fight.

Ralph and Tom both declared that it was the first time they had ever seen the photograph, and on closer examination it was seen that while Harry and George were shown on the picture, neither of the other boys' features were there.

"Did either of you boys know of any of those mentioned in the message?"

"I knew a Will, but I do not remember his last name. I do not think Wright was the name of anyone on shipboard. I am sure he was not one of the boys," was Ralph's answer.

This information pointed to two things clearly: That there were other boys, belonging to their ship, castaway on the island, and that at least one of the crew of John's vessel might be found. It also assured them of the certain knowledge that there were others, either wandering about, or sharing the captivity mentioned in the message.

"I should state here," continued John, "I was informed by one of the chiefs that their disposition to the shipwrecked mariners had been, in the past, a friendly one, but that some time previously, how far back I do not know, a crew had been saved, and instead of rewarding them for the service, had murdered one of the chiefs and committed such excesses, that in self-protection they slaughtered them, and, thereafter, took prisoners only in order to use them for their sacrifices."

The plans for the forthcoming expedition were now fully discussed in every detail. The first proposal was to build a vessel of sufficient size to accommodate the party, but to this John offered the same objection which they had theretofore found so potent when the last trip was undertaken. It would take too long, and when they reached the savages it would be necessary to make a trip or trips inland.

The situation now was entirely different. There was no longer a question in their minds as to the existence of savages, and, furthermore, they knew the location, and the knowledge of John was positive on another point: They were not located near the sea, and the most powerful tribes were far inland.

All these facts compelled them to undertake the journey overland. The wagon was the only means to transport their supplies, and as all except the Professor, were vigorous, they would be far better able to cope with the savages in that way than by the sea route.

Now let us see what was necessary for the purposes of defense. They had a force of six men, as Chief was not considered one of the force, notwithstanding his friendly attitude. They had ten guns, and Ralph and Tom had been engaged for weeks in turning out additional gun barrels, for which the stocks had not yet been prepared.

John suggested that twenty-five of the guns would be ample for almost any force that might be brought against them, and that provision should be made so that while in defense, each could carry two guns, by having one of them strapped on the back.

Ammunition was of more importance, really, than guns. They had learned this at the last encounter, and it was lack of this that eventually forced them to retreat.

On that basis, namely, of twenty-five guns, ten rounds would mean two hundred and fifty shells, and it was then considered that the most important thing would be to utilize the time of two for the purpose of making the shells. This was the most laborious process, as every step had to be done by hand, the dies being in the form of separate punches, held and driven by hand, as they had no such thing as a press for manipulating the dies.

One morning Harry said: "I know it isn't the proper thing to suggest it while we are all so busy making the preparations for the expedition, but I think we ought to make a trip to the cave before we start."

Neither of them objected to the proposal, and George went to the Professor, and told him that he and Harry had conferred on the subject of the cave, and with his permission they would take the boys there.

The Professor's assent was given with a smile of pleasure, and several lamps were put into condition for the event. All was excitement now with the young spirits, and the Professor assisted them in the preparations.

It did not take long to reach the mouth of the cavern, and lighting the lamps, descended slowly. Neither George nor Harry had informed the boys of the treasure within the cave, nor of the skeletons which were discovered, although, when the boys had asked the source of the skeletons in the laboratory enough of an evasive answer was given to make them suspect the source, and this was confirmed when Harry told them, days before, that they had also discovered a cave.

They descended the steps, and made their way along the passage leading to the first recess. As the chamber came into view the boys were entranced at the sight. It was a novelty to them. It was the first time they had ever witnessed such a thing.

To Harry and George it was no longer a thing to marvel at. They were veterans in the exploring field.

"This makes a fellow feel queer in here," exclaimed Tom, as he glanced around at the magnificent stalactites.

"Did we tell you," replied George, "about the mysterious thing that happened to us the second time we came in?"

"No; what was it?"

"We entered from the other opening by the sea."

"Another opening? Do you mean that this cave has two openings just like the one John spoke about?"

"Yes; but this is a mighty long one, and it had a lot of water in it twice when we visited it, but I don't think we shall find any here now."

"Why not?"

"Because we have not had much rain for the past month."

"But you forgot about the mystery."

"That's so; we went in from the other end and had gone up nearly to where the water began, when we put one of the lights on a ledge, and went forward with the other, and when we had gone about a hundred feet, it disappeared, and we have never found it to this day."

"That does seem odd. Do you think it was taken by some one?"

"Well, we could not possibly account for it in any other way but that it fell off the ledge by some accident. How that could be possible I don't know, as George declared he had placed it in a secure position."

By this time they had reached the recess, and George suggested that the entire cave should be examined, and Ralph was somewhat in the lead. Everywhere was the universal whiteness of the calcareous deposit. As they reached the vicinity of the chests, where the copper vessels were, they formed a striking contrast to the whiteness all around.

"What are those things there?" asked Tom, stepping back in surprise, pointing to the vessels.

Ralph peered forward, to get a better view. "It looks like kettles of some kind."

Harry passed the boys and walking up to one of the kettles, overturned it, and as a shower of the coins slid out, and rolled about, they were amazed beyond all description.

Ralph was the first to recover, and he picked up some of the coins: "Didn't you know about these? I believe they are gold; look, Tom. Did you ever see anything like this?"

Tom was stupefied. "I don't wonder that men will risk their lives to get treasure like this. Here we didn't hunt for it and we found it."

"Yes, but Harry and George knew all about it; didn't you?"

And the boys laughed an assent.

"Why don't you take it out of here?"

"Well, it seems to be pretty safe in this place; and if we should have been attacked by the natives, we should have a place of retreat and have our treasure with us."

After putting the coins carefully back, Harry said: "Probably we may be able to discover something else." And he moved forwardly to the right, with Tom following close, and the boys pressing up to see what else might be found. There, at the place where the Professor had deposited them in a row were the five skeletons, and they presented such a ghastly sight that they shrank back in horror.

"We found these in a little different position when we first arrived."

"In what way?"

"They were in all sorts of positions in front of the recess, and some of them had the knives still sticking in their ribs, and one or two, one of which the Professor has, had a big bullet in the skull, which we took out and can show you."

"Where did you find these?"

"Right in front of the place where the treasure was found."

"Well, did they have a fight, do you think, for the possession of the treasure?"

"Undoubtedly."

"Now, let us go around to the other side of the cave."

It will be remembered that in the other portion of the cave the skeletons and the treasure, as well as the weapons, were left just as they were found by the boys, because they had never informed the Professor of their secret visit to the cave, when they discovered the chained captives and the skeletons about them.

The party passed around the first projecting wall which separated the two large chambers, and as they were moving along something sounded in the second chamber ahead. The boys stopped suddenly. In a moment more the same peculiar dull and ominous sound was continued, and it seemed to be very near.

The boys looked at each other in amazement. During all of the previous visits there had never been the slightest sound within the cavern.

"Possibly," said Harry, "it may be running water."

"It doesn't sound like water to me. I will--" but Harry did not have an opportunity to say anything more, as a terrific roar, like a cannon shot, rang out, and the boys were simply petrified.

"What do you think that was?" whispered George. They drew close together, and spoke in whispers.

"This will never do," declared Harry. "If there is anything in this place we might as well know it now as later. Will you join me in the hunt?"

And the boys responded with one assent. "Let us go to the second chamber. Come on, boys." And they bravely stalked down the corridor.

When the chamber was reached a hollow laugh greeted them, followed by two hearty laughs. The Professor and John had entered the opening at the sea end, and hurriedly made their way to the second chamber, where they awaited the coming of the boys.

The boys were intensely relieved, and the Professor was so happy to see the determined and resolute spirit they manifested, that he complimented them highly.

John was no less profuse in his commendations. "I want to say, that men can be brave when they know what they have to fight, and who their enemies are; but it takes the stoutest heart to go forth and defend yourself, or assume the offensive against an unseen and an unknown enemy."