CHAPTER XXXIV.
MORE MISERY.
Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up. His clotheswere dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, andstriking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partlyunder his body, and was not too damp to burn.
His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logswith all their strength. When Guy assured them that all danger was pastthey sat up, looking very pale and dazed.
"That was awful," said the colonel. "It's a miracle the raft livedthrough such a ride."
"The canoe is gone," exclaimed Forbes. "Washed clear off the deck,and---- Why, hello, what's the matter, Chutney?"
Guy was looking about the raft with a ghastly and fear-strickencountenance, holding the torch over his head.
"A terrible calamity has happened," he cried in a voice that wasstrangely unnatural. "I fear we are lost men. Where are the provisions?Where are our torches?"
"By gracious, they are gone!" declared the colonel. "Clean gone!"
It was truly a terrible situation in which they, found themselves. Theprovisions and the torches had been washed off the raft. If they did notreach the open air in two or three days starvation was certain.
"No," cried the Greek suddenly, "all hope is not gone. Look! here is abag that was lying partly under me. It is half full of crackers."
"And I have three torches in my pocket," added Sir Arthur. "Bless me ifI know how they got there but here they are, anyhow."
"That scant supply of food may last us to the journey's end, if used inmoderation," said Guy solemnly. "God grant us a speedy passage to themouth of the river."
In spite of Chutney's brave attempts to cheer them up, the spirits ofthe party sank very low.
That meager bag of crackers must feed six mouths until they reached theend of the cavern. That event might be in a week, and it might be in amonth. The uncertainty and the suspense were terribly trying.
It was some consolation to discover that the river was still flowingvery rapidly. The possibility of encountering more rapids they nowdreaded but little, for it was very improbable that worse places couldexist than that which the raft had navigated so stanchly.
"We must travel night and day," said Guy, "and in darkness. We havefour torches left. Only when we hear the sound of rapids dare we lightone of them."
He emphasized his words by putting out the torch that was burning, andinstantly they were plunged in total darkness.
This marked the commencement of a period in which all trace of time waslost. Huddled together on the few remaining rugs, they drifted on and onwith the current, alternately asleep and awake.
At certain intervals a torch was lit for a few moments while they atethe pitiful scraps of food that Guy distributed with rigorousimpartiality.
The short periods of light were taken advantage of by the colonel torecord in his diary the brief incidents of the journey.
A few extracts from it, made with his permission, will make sufficientlyclear to the reader in what gloomy monotony that part of their cruisewas spent which began with the departure from the lake and terminatedabruptly in a misfortune remarkable for the utter despair that followedon its track:
_First stage_.--This is the second day since leaving the lake. Wereceived three crackers apiece. Twice a torch was lit to aid us inpassing rapids. They proved to be insignificant.
_Second stage_.--We slept by turns. Had three crackers apiece. Allcomplain of hunger. Bildad clamors for food. Current still good. Plentyof small rapids.
_Third stage_.--We now sleep most of the time. Chutney has cut down therations to two crackers apiece. Bildad is ill. Drinks water incessantlyand demands food. We are compelled to hide the bag.
_Fourth stage_.--Current not so rapid. All in low spirits. We aretortured by hunger. Sir Arthur dreams of banquets in his sleep. Harrowsour feelings by his accounts of them. Bildad very ill. No longer wantsfood.
_Fifth stage_.--Alas! worse and worse! Bildad and Sir Arthur ill.Chutney is a hero. He tries to cheer us all. Gave half his share of foodto Sir Arthur. Thinks I don't know. Bildad raving. Had to tie him to theraft.
_Sixth stage_.--Bildad and Sir Arthur very weak. Today a gleam of hope.Canaris, after many trials, caught a fish a foot long. We devoured itraw with the utmost greed. Our strength is fast leaving us.
_Seventh stage_.--Chutney still hopeful. Bildad and Sir Arthur in a badway. Provisions for three days still remain. We _must_ reach the mouthof the river by that time. Canaris fished, but caught nothing.
_Eighth stage_.--The outlook is dark. I fear none will ever read thesepages. The river begins to run sluggishly. Bildad shrieks and ravescontinually. Sir Arthur is better. They are all asleep now. Forbes andI were put on guard, but Forbes has gone to sleep, and I am afraid Ishall do the same without knowing it. A dizzy weakness is coming overme, and----
At this point the writer appears to have dropped his book and pencil andfallen asleep.
Just what space of time was covered by the above quoted entries from thecolonel's book is uncertain. A week would probably be a fair guess. Themisery of these unfortunate voyagers during that period can hardly beimagined. They suffered continually from the pangs of hunger. Theytraveled in utter darkness, and, to add to the horror of it all, twosick men had to be ministered to. Under these circumstances we againtake up the thread of the story.
It is not to be wondered at that Forbes and the colonel were so derelictas to fall asleep at their post of duty. To remain awake in theircondition was simply impossible. It was terribly unfortunate that itshould be so, as what follows will prove.
The raft encountered no rapids during the time that all were sleeping,and as far as personal danger was concerned it mattered not whether anyone was on guard or not.
Forbes and Chutney awoke about the same time. As was Guy's usual habitafter sleeping, he lit a torch to see how the current was running. Thelight woke Canaris and the colonel almost immediately, while Sir Arthurturned on his rug and asked feebly for something to eat.
The very mention of food brought a hungry glare to their eyes, and Guyturned round to reach the bag. It was not in its accustomed place, andhe staggered to his feet in astonishment.
"It's gone," he cried savagely. "The bag is gone. Who has taken it?"
They glared at each other with fierce mistrust.
"Ah, look! look!" shrieked Canaris suddenly. "The black wretch!" andspringing across the raft he flung himself on Bildad and grasped himwith both hands savagely by the throat.
Melton and Guy tore him away by main force and there beside the Africanlay the bag--empty.
Bildad's lips were full of crumbs, and half a cracker was still clutchedin one grimy hand.
"Kill him. Throw him in the river!" shrieked the Greek, who was fairlybeside himself with rage and hunger.
"He is out of his mind," said Guy gravely. "He took them in hisdelirium. Not one is left;" as he shook the bag in the air.
Sir Arthur made another piteous appeal for food, and Guy took the halfcracker from Bildad's hand and gave it to him.
"None left!" repeated the colonel blankly. "What are we going to do?We'll starve in two days. I feel now as if I were on fire inside."
"All our rifles are gone, too," said Guy suddenly. "Bildad has thrownthem overboard. The crafty scoundrel feared we would shoot him forstealing the crackers, and he threw away the guns on purpose. There wasmethod in his madness, after all."
"The fiend!" hissed Canaris between his teeth. "And it was I who savedhis life for this. If I only had known! If I only had left him to perishin the lake!"
"Hark! I hear rapids or something ahead," said Guy at that instant.
For the moment this diverted their attention from poor Bildad, who layin a half stupor unconscious of all that was taking place.
The sound that Guy had heard was close at hand, and in a moment the raftwas flung heavily upon a sand bar and r
emained there motionless.
The channel made a sudden, sharp turn, and the current, being too swiftto round the sharp angle, dashed with a sullen splash against the shore.
Guy grasped the torch and staggered forward on the beach. It was thefirst time his feet had touched land for more than a week.
"Here is shore and rocks beyond it," he exclaimed. "I see a cavern, too,in the face of the cliff."
He continued to move forward with uplifted torch. Suddenly he pausedand uttered a loud cry. A terrible roar echoed from the cavern a secondlater, and then with a single bound a great tawny beast sprang out ofthe shadows, and striking Guy to the earth with one blow of his mightypaw, threw himself furiously on the prostrate body.