CHAPTER XVII.
A CLOSE SHAVE.
The Greek's extreme terror sprang from no insignificant cause. Over thecrest of a ridge some thirty yards distant came a large body of men. Itwas very evident that they would pass close to the rock, and the threefugitives, crouching on its flat surface in the gloom, may well bepardoned for believing that the enemy were on their track.
As the advance guard drew still closer, Canaris thrust his faceagainst the stone. Melton did the same; but Guy, whose curiosity fairlymastered his fear, ventured to raise his head slightly, and a singleglance showed him that the strange foe had no intention of halting.
They passed within ten yards of the rock, it is true, but not a manlooked to right or left, and they moved at a rapid and steady pace.
Guy's amazement grew deeper as the long procession went by in constantlyincreasing numbers, for even to his unskilled eyes it was plain thatthese men were neither Arabs nor Somalis.
The dim light revealed their powerful stature, the dark faces crownedwith turbans, the linen cloaks that were flung carelessly on theirshoulders, and the various arms, comprising shields, swords, spears, andeven guns.
At intervals the stalwart figure of a man towered above the rest,mounted high on a camel or an elephant.
Melton and Canaris ventured to raise their heads in response to a nudgefrom Guy, and all three witnessed the passing of this strangeprocession, which comprised nearly a hundred men.
As the rear guard vanished over a ridge to the south, Canaris, without aword, swung himself nimbly to the ground and picked up some glitteringobject that lay in the path.
"Look," he exclaimed in a tone of wonder, as Guy and Melton followed himdown, "do you recognize this workmanship? But no, how could you?" heresumed, without waiting for an answer. "This weapon is of Abyssinianmake, and those men were Abyssinians."
"But what are they doing here, so far from their own country?" demandedGuy.
"It is a war party," said Canaris, "and we are not so far from theborders of Abyssinia, after all. It is no uncommon thing for them toraid on the Gallas."
The dagger passed from hand to hand, and was inspected with muchcuriosity, until Canaris pointed toward the east and said: "Morning hascome, and the sun will soon be up. Let us climb the rock and make asurvey of the country."
Daylight came on with marvelous rapidity, and as the range of visiongradually became clear for a distance of several miles, the Greek roseto his feet and scanned the surroundings with a sweeping gaze.
His countenance expressed first perplexity, then delighted surprise, andturning to his companions he cried:
"We have reached our destination. See! There is the stone kraal, thosescattered columns of rock to the south that rise from the jungle. Yes,the old Englishman was right, for yonder lies the Elephant Peak and theLion's Head."
It was indeed as the Greek said. The broad valley was dotted with acurious rock formation that bore a strong likeness to a native villageof huts, and on either side of the valley, from the rugged chains ofmountains, rose two lofty peaks, one fashioned like a recumbentelephant, the other a perfect semblance of a lion's shaggy head.
A murmur of surprise burst from the trio as they gazed along on thisstrange verification of their hopes.
The mountain peaks were at least four miles distant, for the breadth ofthe valley was about eight.
For the moment the recent passage of the warlike Abyssinians wasforgotten. Then a very significant occurrence recalled it forcibly totheir minds.
From the base of the Lion's Head suddenly rose a column of yellowsmoke, and two or three gun shots echoed distinctly across the valley.
"The Abyssinians have attacked the town of the Gallas," cried Canaris."It lies at the foot of that peak, and is the same kraal at which theEnglishman was kept in slavery when he discovered the undergroundriver."
"I hope they'll eat each other up like the Kilkenny cats," observed Guycoolly.
"But you don't understand," cried the Greek in strange excitement. "Theywill scatter over the valley, they will flee to those rocks yonder forprotection, and unless we find the entrance to that river at once we arelost."
"Canaris is right," spoke up Melton. "We must make immediate search forthe rock with the cross. It is our only hope."
"Yes, our only hope," echoed the Greek. "Come quickly, there is no timeto lose."
He slipped to the ground and led his companions rapidly down the valleytoward the stone village.
They hastened on among the scattered rocks for a quarter of a mile ormore, until the extreme southern edge was reached, and then Canarisstopped.
"This is the south side," he said; "we must search the rocks for onewith a cross."
They scattered, Guy toward the west, Melton to the east. It was a timeof peril, for the yellow smoke was curling up over the Lion's Head inheavier columns, and the firing was more distinct, as though theconflict were spreading toward them across the valley.
"The rock with the cross, on the south side of the stone kraal." Asimple enough direction on the face of it, and yet the eager searchers,as they hurried from stone to stone, scrutinizing every side and angle,failed to discover the faintest trace of anything resembling a cross.
Canaris wrung his hands in dismay when they came together after thefruitless search.
"We are lost, we are lost!" he groaned. "What will become of us? Go,make another search; inspect the base of every stone; the hiddenentrance must exist."
Guy shook his head.
"That cross was made twenty years ago," he said. "In that time thestorms could have destroyed all trace of it unless the Englishman carvedit very deep, and in that event we should have discovered it already."
"It must be found," persisted Canaris in his terror. "Hark! The firingis coming nearer. In half an hour the valley will swarm with savagefoes. Go! Go! Go!"
He fairly shrieked out the last words, and threw himself in despair downamid the jungle grass.
The Greek did not exaggerate the danger. A startling confirmation of hisfears was at hand.
Warned in time by a commotion in the bushes, Guy and Melton droppedflat, as a savage, spear in hand, and bleeding from a wound in the head,burst out of the jungle twenty yards distant and made full speed for arock a few yards to the north of that by which the Englishmen layconcealed.
All unconscious of the three pairs of eyes watching his movements, hestooped, flung the tangled grass madly aside, and, rolling a loose stonefrom the base of the rock, revealed a dark cavity in the smooth side.
He threw a frightened glance in the direction he had come, and, droppinghis spear and diving into the hole, pulled the stone back in place fromwithin.
All this happened in less time than it takes to tell.
"Saved!" burst thankfully from Guy's lips as he sprang to his feet.
"Saved!" echoed Melton and Canaris.
Snatching up their baggage, they dashed across the narrow space thatdivided the two great boulders. Guy tore the rock from the entrance,and, as the imprisoned savage within uttered a hoarse cry, he pointedhis rifle at the opening.
"Go ahead," called out Melton; "he's unarmed; he can't harm you."
Guy hesitated for an instant, and then crawled into the forbiddingcavern on hands and knees.
A distant sound of scuffling and rattling of stones told that the savagewas retreating into the bowels of the earth.
Melton handed in the rifles and the baggage, and crawled in after them.Canaris was the last to enter, and with Melton's aid the stone, whichwas round in shape, was pulled back against the entrance, and all wasdarkness, save for one crevice an inch or two wide.
The Greek peered sharply through this, and then exclaimed in a lowwhisper: "We are just in time. A party of Abyssinians are approachingthrough the jungle in pursuit of the Galla fugitive.
"Hush!" he added; "don't make a sound; they are coming directly towardthe rock."