CHAPTER XVIII.
COFFEE FOR THREE.
The situation was one which demanded instant action.
The snake was a dangerous one, and very much aroused, and it might atany instant do Sam great harm.
The poor boy was speechless and motionless, for the reptile had caughthis eye and held him as by a spell.
It was Tom who acted. Heedless of the danger, he leaped forward andaimed a kick at the snake's head.
The reptile was caught fairly and squarely, and the head went down withan angry hiss. Then Tom stepped upon it, but the snake squirmed looseand uttered another hiss, louder than before.
"Take him off! Take him off!" screamed Sam, now recovering his voice."Don't let him bite me."
He would have caught the snake himself, and so would Tom, but the handsof both were still tied behind them.
By this time Captain Langless emerged from the cave, pulling out apistol as he did so.
Arnold Baxter had not offered to fire a second shot. Now, he was out ofdanger himself, he did not seem to care what became of the Rovers.
Crack! crack! It was the captain's weapon which spoke up, and the twoshots, fired in rapid succession, did their work thoroughly. The firsttook the snake in the neck and the second in the head, and in a twinklethe long, slippery body unwound itself from Sam's leg and began to turnand twist on the ground.
"Good for you!" gasped Sam, when able to speak again. "Ugh! what anugly thing!" And he retreated to the opposite side of the pool, alongwith Tom.
"He was a nasty one," replied Captain Langless, as he coolly proceededto reload his pistol. "I might have killed him in the cave, only thelight was bad."
"Is he--he dead?" came from behind some rocks, and Dan showed a whiteface and trembling form.
"Yes, he's dead," answered Arnold Baxter. "I came pretty close tohitting him," he went on, bound to say something for himself.
"I--I thought there was a whole nest of them," continued Dan. "If I hadknown there was only one, I would have stood my ground."
"Of course--you always were brave," answered Tom sarcastically.
"See here, Tom Rover, I don't want any of your back talk," howled thebully, his face turning red.
"Come, don't quarrel now," said Captain Langless, so sternly that Dansubsided on the instant. "The question is, are there any more snakes inthat cave?"
"Send Dan in to investigate," suggested Sam, with just the faintesttouch of his old-time light-heartedness.
"Me?" ejaculated the individual mentioned. "Not me! I wouldn't go inthere for a million dollars!"
"Perhaps we had better find some other cave," said Arnold Baxter. "Yousaid there were several around here."
"This is as good as any," answered Captain Langless. "If you areafraid, I'll go in myself," and turning, he disappeared once more intothe opening, lantern in one hand and pistol in the other.
He was gone the best part of quarter of an hour, and came back coveredwith dust and dirt.
"The old spot is pretty well choked up with rubbish," he said. "Butthere isn't a sign of another snake around, nor of any wild beasts.Come," and he motioned Sam and Tom to follow him.
"I don't think it fair that you should leave us helpless," said Tom."At least untie our hands and let us each get a good stick."
"So you can fight us, eh?" cried Arnold Baxter. "We are not suchfools."
"You have your pistols," put in Sam. "And what could we do on a lonelyisland and without a boat?"
"The lads are right--it's not fair to leave them helpless when theremay be other danger at hand," interposed the captain. "If I unloosenyou, will you promise not to run away?"
"The promise would not amount to anything!" sniffed Dan.
"We won't run away for the present," said Tom honestly. "But you can'texpect me to remain a prisoner here--not if I can help myself."
The candor of the youth compelled Captain Langless to laugh, and,taking out a knife, he cut the ropes which bound the lads' hands.
"You won't need sticks, I am sure of it," he said. "Come, I will lead,and you"--nodding to the Baxters--"can bring up the rear."
No more was said, and in a minute more all were inside of the cave,which proved to be fifteen feet wide, about as high, and at least twohundred feet long. At the lower end were a turn and a narrow passagewayleading to the darkness beyond. The ceiling was rough, and the lanterncast long, dancing shadows over it as they advanced. Sam could not helpbut shiver, and Tom looked unusually sober.
That the cave had once been used as a rendezvous of some sort wasplainly evident. At the back was a rude fireplace, with a narrow slitin the rocks overhead, through which the smoke might ascend. Here wereseveral half-burned logs of wood, and two tumble-down boxes which hadevidently done duty as benches. On a stick stuck in a crack of the wallhung an old overcoat, now ready to fall apart from decay.
"Rather unwholesome, I admit," said the captain, with a glance at theothers. "But a roaring fire in yonder chimney-place will soon alterthings. And when I've had one of the men bring some blankets and storesfrom the _Peacock_, it will be fairly comfortable."
"Do you mean to keep us here?" demanded Tom.
"We do," answered Arnold Baxter. "And you can thank your stars that youhave not been taken to a worse place."
"It's a jolly shame. Why don't you kill us off at once, and be donewith it?"
"Because you are worth more to us alive than dead."
"We won't live long if you keep us here," put in Sam. "It's enough togive a fellow the ague."
"We will start a fire without delay," said the captain, and then,turning to Arnold Baxter, he continued: "Can you find the way back tothe ship?"
"I think I can," returned the other. "Years ago I was used to trampingthe gold regions of the West."
"Then you had better go and tell the mate to bring along that stuff Imentioned before I left. You can easily carry the stuff between you.I'll build the fire and, with the aid of your son, watch the twoprisoners."
So it was arranged, although Arnold Baxter did not fancy the task ofcarrying stuff to be used for the Rovers' comfort. He left his pistolwith Dan, who kept it in his hand, ready to shoot should Sam or Tommake the slightest movement toward getting away.
As Captain Langless had said, the fire made the cave far morecomfortable, taking away the feeling of dampness and lighting up allthe nooks and corners. From a distance the boys heard a faint fallingof water, and were told that it came from a spring hidden at the rearpassageway.
It was a good hour before Arnold Baxter returned, lugging a fair-sizedbundle, and followed by the mate of the _Peacock_ with an evengreater load. They had several blankets and a basket of provisions, andlikewise a few cooking utensils.
"Evidently out for a stay," muttered Tom, as he looked at the things.
"They are for your use," was Captain Langless' grim reply. "After thisI reckon you'll cook for yourselves."
"Do you expect us to remain in this cave night and day?"
"You'll remain whenever things look suspicious outside."
"Then you'll let us go out otherwise?"
"If you behave yourselves."
It was not long before Tom and Sam were left in the cave alone. Themate of the schooner was placed at the entrance on guard, armed withthe captain's own pistol. Then Captain Langless and the Baxterswithdrew, talking earnestly. Tom and Sam could not catch the drift ofthe conversation, although they heard the words "by mail" and "we mustget the cash" used several times.
"They are bound to make money out of this affair, if they can,"remarked Tom, when he and Sam were alone once more.
"I've a good mind to knock that mate down and take the pistol fromhim," said Sam.
"And get shot for your pains? Besides, if we took away the pistol andput him out of the fight, what next? We haven't any boat to get awayin."
"Yes, but I don't intend to remain here a prisoner forever."
"No more do I, but we can do nothing just now. Let us see what kind ofa meal we can make o
ut of the provisions brought to us."
The prospect of a meal brightened up both lads, and they set to workwith a will, and soon had coffee made. There were bread and butter andsome canned beef and beans, and they ate heartily.
The mate sniffed the coffee, and remarked that it seemed good.
"Have a cup," said Tom cheerily.
"No funny work, boy," and Cadmus looked at the boys suspiciously. "Nobreak like that you tried on me before."
"No, I won't run, honor bright," answered Tom, and then the mate tookthe coffee and drank it with much satisfaction.
As he set down the cup he gazed fixedly at both Tom and Sam for severalseconds. Then he drew himself up as if he had come to some mentaldecision.
"I've got a plan to propose," he said slowly. "Do you want to listen ornot?"
"What sort of a plan?" asked both.
"A plan to get you out of the clutches of Captain Langless and thoseBaxters," was the answer, which filled Tom and Sam with deep and suddeninterest.