*CHAPTER XXX*
*Crowded Moments*
A Search Party--Touch and Go--Food--Sowinski Reappears--TrackersTracked--Recrimination--De Profundis--After Long Years
"Now, Jack," said Mr. Brown when Hi Lo was gone, "do you think it saferto stay here, or to leave the mine and hide in the woods till theevening?"
"Here certainly, Father. If we go away we stand a chance of running upagainst a search party. They are bound to search the workings."
"Yes, if they remember the mine," said the Count. "It has not beenworked for several years. And suppose they come into it. How can weescape them?"
"Hi Lo and I nearly came to grief in one of the galleries. The air wasvery foul. We might hide there, going as far in as is safe. We couldkeep wet handkerchiefs about our mouths and hold out longer than thepursuers. They wouldn't dare to strike a light for fear of anexplosion."
"What is the height of the gallery?" asked Mr. Brown.
"From five to eight feet, I should say. It varies. The other galleriesseem to be regular."
"Well, whatever the height, the purer air will be at the top. If in oneof the higher parts we could raise a platform and mount it we mightventure farther in than if we remained on the floor. Can we do that?"
"Yes, there are some logs just at the entrance. It's worth risking, andthe sooner the better."
Hurrying to the entrance, Mr. Brown and Jack carried in as many balks oftimber as they could find, dropping them at the turning of the gallery.Then, holding their breath, they rushed one of the logs into the galleryas far as they dared, and ran back to the open passage. They repeatedthis operation until a small platform was raised some two feet above thefloor; then, bidding Jack remain in safety, Mr. Brown mounted to testthe result. He found that the air, though foul, was not bad enough tobe dangerous. The position would be endurable for a few minutes. Hehoped that it would not be necessary to have recourse to this unpleasantplace of refuge, but it was well to know that it existed in case ofneed. Then, somewhat sickened by the foul air they had swallowed, theywent to find the Count, who had volunteered to keep watch at theentrance to the mine.
He reported that he had seen, far off on the hillside, two parties ofmen moving in different directions, in a manner that suggested a search.But they had now disappeared. For some time nothing further was seen,and Jack and his father took the opportunity to exchange confidencesabout all that had happened since that June day when they had parted atthe door of their house in Moukden.
Suddenly the Count, who had remained constantly on the watch,considerately leaving father and son to themselves, touched Mr. Brown onthe arm and pointed. The heads of half a dozen men could be seentopping the brow of a slope about 300 yards below them. Instantly thethree withdrew into the first gallery, taking the precaution to removetheir boots, so that they would not be heard if they had to retreat tothe platform. In a few minutes they heard the echoing voices of the menas they left the open and entered the mine. It was impossible to seewho they were, but the Count recognized the voice of one of the prisonwarders, and Mr. Brown that of a prisoner who had occupied the next bedwhen he was for a week in hospital. It was soon apparent what theprisoner had been brought for. The party halted within a few yards ofthe fugitives, and their words were now distinctly audible.
"Now, Scuratoff, you know the galleries?" said the warder.
"Yes; I worked here seven years ago."
"Then lead the way. Is it safe to light a lantern?"
"Maybe; I cannot say. It used to be safe enough in the main gallery,but in my time there was foul air in the side galleries. We hadsafety-lamps."
"Yes, confound it! I looked for a safety-lamp, but there wasn't one tobe found in the place. We must do the best we can with the ordinarylantern; and to make sure, we'll only use it in the main gallery. Ifthe air in the others is too foul for a light, it will be too foul forlife."
The waiting fugitives heard the click of the lantern as the warderopened it, and silently retreated into the side gallery, raising theirmake-shift respirators to their mouths. They saw a feeble light at thejunction of the two passages. The search party continued their progressand halted where the galleries branched, being now in full view of thethree within.
"This is the dangerous passage--this one to the right," said theprisoner. "Better take the light away."
The warder retreated some paces with the lantern.
"Go in, Scuratoff, as far as you can. Foul air be hanged! You'll bewell rewarded, remember, if you find the runaways--a year off yoursentence, at any rate."
The man groped his way in, while Jack and the others quietly drew backto the little platform, where they took their stand. Nearer and nearerdrew the Russian; it seemed as though he must discover them, and Jack'shand instinctively went to one of the two pistols he had had theforethought to bring from the junk. Then the voice of the warder,sounding hollow in the vaulted passage, was heard calling.
"Do you find anything?"
"Neither man nor beast," replied the prisoner in a shout. Hitherto hehad held his breath, but after speaking he took a mouthful of the foulair. Instantly he turned, rushed down the passage, and stumbled gaspingat the opening into the main gallery.
His companions dragged him out into the purer air, and the warderretreated still farther with the lantern. Jack and the others steppeddown from the platform, and hurried towards the main gallery, to get themuch-needed air while the man was being revived.
"That's enough for that one," they heard the warder say. "We'll pushon."
When the searchers passed the entrance of the gallery, the fugitives hadagain retreated, but were within two yards of them.
It was long before the Russians returned, and meanwhile the fugitivesventured into the main gallery, to enjoy the comparatively pure air aslong as they could before they had again to seek shelter. At last thesearch party, baffled, passed by towards the entrance. Jack heard thewarder commenting on the chain they had seen hanging over the edge ofthe precipice. Somebody at some time must have descended by its meansto the ledge; but if the fugitives, they had paid the penalty, for therewas no sign of them.
They left the mine. Ten minutes afterwards Jack ventured as far as theentrance. They had disappeared.
By and by Hi Lo returned with a small supply of food, which the threeate ravenously. He reported that every junk in the bay had beensearched; and that the "missy" had hardly been prevailed upon not toreturn with him, so anxious was she to see her father. The condition ofCount Walewski was pitiful to behold. Privation and anxiety weretelling upon his already broken constitution, and Jack feared lest underthe terrible suspense his heart strings should snap.
"Keep a good heart, my friend," said Mr. Brown. "In a few hours allwill be well."
The day wore away, all too slowly, and evening settled down over thehillside. Jack, looking out, saw a slight mist rising from the sea, andwelcomed it as favouring their dash to the bay, where the vessels atanchor were already raising their riding-lights. So intent was he uponthe scene seawards that he had not noticed two men, who were coming upfrom the woods, furtively, as if fearful of being observed. When he didsee them, he shrank back in momentary alarm, remembering immediatelythat as he had not left the shade of the dark entrance he could not havebeen seen. He watched their approach. One of the two was of hugestature; the other!----Jack felt his heart leap, for the other, whom inthe distance he recognized rather by his gait than his features, wasAnton Sowinski, the man whom he believed to be hundreds of miles away inManchuria, in the safe hands of Ah Lum.
"Look-see, masta!" whispered Hi Lo at his elbow. "Polo man, galaw!"
Once more his father's enemy was upon his track. The Pole's presencewas of evil import. What was he doing here? Was he merely a searcher,like the rest? He halted near the entrance, and the taller man, whoovertopped him by at least six inches, stooped and drew from behind abroken truck a coil of rope. Then b
oth came into the gallery.
Jack slipped back to the others.
"Sowinski!" he said in a whisper. During their conversation earlier inthe day he had told his father of his dealings with the Pole, and of theman's identity with Ladislas Streleszki, the traitorous steward of theCount. This news Mr. Brown had kept from the old man, who had been allalong in absolute ignorance that he owed his exile and imprisonment to amember of his own household.
Once more the fugitives shrank back into the foul passage. As the twomen passed the entrance Jack heard Sowinski say:
"I cannot understand it. Are you sure they searched the cavern? Thereare not two caverns?"
"No, barin. There is only one. Scuratoff guided them; there is nomistake."
They turned into the left-hand passage. Jack instantly resolved tofollow them. Without his boots he would be inaudible, and they carriedno light. Accustomed as he now was to the darkness of the mine, hecould move about it more rapidly than the Pole and his companion. Hewhispered his intention to his father.
"Better not."
"I don't think there's any danger. We three should be able to deal withthe men, big as the Russian is. I'll give you one of my pistols. Hi Locan fetch an iron rail from the workings for the Count to use."
"Very well, but be careful, my boy."
Jack slipped away in the wake of the two conspirators. In a few momentshe heard the Russian apparently hailing someone in a low voice.Approaching within a few yards of them he heard the man still hailing.There was no reply. Then there was the chink of a boot against a chain.
"What's that?" cried Sowinski in his harsh voice. "Light your candle."
The posselentsy lit his candle. The two saw the chain wound about thewedges, and hanging over the brink. Jack wished he had removed it.
"Scuratoff had no rope," said the Russian. "He must have gone down tothe ledge with this. Now tell me if I was right, barin."
"Hold your tongue, fool! The candle throws no light downward. Let itdown over the edge."
Fastening it to the rope, the posselentsy paid the latter slowly out. Adash of spray from the waterfall extinguished the flame.
"Pull it up again!" cried Sowinski with a curse. Jack feltinstinctively that the man was at a white heat of baffled rage.
Once more the candle, lighted after some trouble, was lowered. Thistime it escaped a wetting. The Russian stretched himself on his faceand peered over.
"I can see nothing. Bozhe moi! They are not there."
He rose slowly and clumsily, pulling up the rope with the candle at theend. Then he turned and faced the Pole, and by the sputtering lightJack saw the look of silly amazement on his face.
"What did I tell you, you clumsy, hulking fool!" cried Sowinski throughset teeth. "You've bungled it; idiot that you are. Why, why, I repeat,didn't you take my hint and do for them outright?"
"If it comes to that," replied the man, red with sullen anger, "whydidn't you do it yourself? You wanted to run no risks; you wanted itdone cheap; did you think I'd chance another twenty years in the prisonyonder for two hundred roubles? No, I wouldn't do it. This was yourplan; your plan, to save a few paltry roubles. I'd have cracked theirheads if you'd made it worth my while; you've only yourself to blame."
"Yes, I was a fool to trust the thing to a sheep-headed lout like you."
"Sheep-headed! Look you, I stand no abuse. I've done your job; twohundred roubles is little enough for it; and I'll trouble you to handover the balance."
"The balance!" snarled Sowinski. "Eka! You may think yourself lucky tohave got what you have. You get no more from me."
"We'll see about that, you white-livered little rat!"
The man made a sudden step forward and shot out his free hand to gripthe Pole by the throat. But Sowinski, instinctively aware of what wascoming, drew back quickly, his right hand seeking his pocket. TheRussian saw the movement, flung himself forward,--dropping the candle,which sputtered on the floor of the passage--seized the Pole with hisright hand, and with the left clutched at the other's right arm. But hewas a second too late. He missed his grasp, and even as he swung hisopponent round with the intention of hurling him into the abyss, therewas a flash and a report that startled a hundred echoes from the cavernand the galleries. The Russian gave a quick grunt; then all was indarkness; they had trodden out the light. Into the next moments so muchwas crowded that Jack could never disentangle the separate events in hismind. His father's voice; a cry from Hi Lo; an appalling scream fromSowinski; a dull thud, followed by a brief silence save for the splashand rumble of the cataract. Then, through the sound of the waters, camea second and heavier thud that turned Jack's blood cold. At his side hisfather struck a match.
"They're gone!" gasped Jack, white to the lips.
"Your pistol?"
"No."
"Thank God!"
Tempter and tempted had struck the ledge in their fall, rebounded, andgone headlong to the rocks a hundred feet below.
Some few minutes after midnight, a sampan put off silently from asolitary angle of the bay. Creeping through the white mist, slowly, toavoid the intervening junks, it skirted the anchored vessels and quietlyran alongside of the _Yu-ye_. A hooded figure leant over the bulwarks,watching with straining eyes as five dark figures climbed up the side.
Count Walewski tottered into his daughter's arms.
Jack turned away and spoke to the skipper. An order was given in a lowvoice. The junk, riding on a single anchor, slipped the cable and ranup her enormous foresail. Spars and cordage creaked; but all was silentaround; and the sail filling to the strong north-easter, the junk beganto make way towards the open sea.