CHAPTER XXII.
THE SECRET OF THE ISLAND CAVE.
It is now time that we go back to the _Rocket_ and see how Dickand those with him were faring.
At the announcement that a schooner looking like the _Peacock_ wasin sight he ran on deck with all speed, and caught up a glass belongingto the owner of the steam tug.
"It's the _Peacock_, sure," he cried.
"See anything o' that Captain Langless or them Baxters?" asked LukePeterson.
"I see somebody, but we are too far off to make out their faces."
The order was passed to the engineer of the tug, and the speed of thecraft was materially increased.
But before they could come up to the schooner she disappeared around aheadland of the island.
"We must run out a bit," said Captain Parsons. "There is a nasty reefhere, and if we aint careful we'll get aground."
"Where do you suppose the _Peacock_ has gone?" asked Dick.
"Into one of the bays, most likely."
"Can we follow her?"
"Of coarse. The tug doesn't draw any more water than the schooner, ifas much."
"Perhaps we had better see how the land lays before we approach tooclose," suggested Peterson. "They may be prepared to fight us off."
"That is true," said Dick. "Perhaps we can slip into another bay closeby."
So it was arranged, and they sped on their way, passing the bay inwhich the _Peacock_ lay.
Near the island was a quantity of driftwood, and they had just gottenout of sight of the bay when there was a sudden grinding and crashingsound on board of the tug, and the engineer shut off the steam power.
"A breakdown!" exclaimed the captain, and so it proved. The screw hadbecome entangled in the limb of a tree, and sufficient damage had beendone to render the screw useless.
This was indeed an unlooked-for accident, and Dick wondered what theyhad best do.
"We can't use the screw at all?" he asked of the engineer, after anexamination.
"Not until I have had a chance to repair it."
"And how long will the repairs take?"
"Can't tell till I get at work. Maybe an hour or two, maybe half aday."
This was dismaying information, and Dick held a consultation with LarryColby and Luke.
"I know what I'd do," said Larry. "I'd have the captain of the tug landme at some point above here, and then I'd watch the _Peacock_ frombehind some bushes on shore."
This was considered good advice, and Dick agreed to act upon it. Hespoke to Parsons, and a small boat was put out, and Dick, Larry, andPeterson were rowed to land.
"Now what will you do with the tug?" asked the eldest Rover.
"We'll haul her in to a safe spot," answered Parsons. "I don't believethose repairs will take over a couple of hours. Then we'll be at yourservice again."
Once on land Dick led the way into the woods, moving in the directionof the bay where he had last seen the _Peacock_.
He was armed, and so were his companions, but they wished, if possible,to avoid all trouble.
They had landed at a spot where the rocks were numerous and the grounduncertain, and they had not proceeded far when Luke Peterson called ahalt.
"We want to be careful here," he said. "This island is full of cavesand pitfalls and, before you know it, you'll break a leg."
"It is certainly an ideal hiding place," returned Larry. "Hi, Dick!what's that?"
"What's what?"
"I thought I saw somebody in the brush yonder."
Dick shook his head.
"I saw nothing."
"Neither did I," put in the lumberman. "Who did it look like?"
"Perhaps I was mistaken and it was a bird flitting through the brush.Come on."
Larry plunged ahead and Dick followed.
Both had hardly taken a dozen steps when each gave a yell.
"What's up now?" cried Peterson, and came after them at a bound.
Then all tried to scramble back.
It was too late. They had struck a tiny water-course between therocks. And now the very bottom of it seemed to drop out, and they sankdown and down into almost utter darkness.
"We are lost!" spluttered Dick, but it is doubtful if either of hiscompanions heard him.
For the minute after Dick was so dazed and bewildered that he saidnothing more. He clutched at rocks, dirt, and tree roots, but all gaveway at his touch.
At last he found himself flat on his back on a heap of dead leaves andmoss. Partly across him lay Larry, while Peterson was several feetaway. Around the three lay dirt and bushes and several good-sizedstones. It was lucky the stones had not come down on top of them,otherwise one or another might have been killed.
"Gosh, what a tumble!" ejaculated Peterson, when he could speak. "Itold ye to be careful. This island is like a reg'lar honeycomb ferholes."
"Oh, my foot!" gasped Larry, as he tried to get up.
"That was a tumble and no mistake," said Dick. "What's the matter withyour foot, Larry?"
"I don't know, excepting I must have sprained my ankle," was theanswer. "Oh!" And Larry gave a loud groan.
Forgetful of their situation, Dick and the lumberman bent over Larryand helped him to get off his shoe and sock. His ankle was beginning toswell and turn red, and he had sprained it beyond a doubt.
The water was coming into the opening from the little stream overhead,and Dick readily procured a hatful of the fluid and the ankle wasbathed with this. After this it was bound up, and Larry said it feltsomewhat better.
"But I can't walk very far on it," he continued, and then added, with asorry smile, "I am laid up, just as the _Rocket_ is!"
"The question is, now we are down at the bottom of this hole, how arewe going to get out?" said Dick to Peterson.
"We'll have to get out some way," was the unsatisfactory response."See, the water is coming in faster than ever."
The lumberman was right, the water had been running in a tiny streamnot larger than a child's wrist; now it was pouring in steadily like acataract. Soon the bottom of the hole had formed a pool several inchesdeep.
"Wait till it fills up and then swim out," suggested Larry.
"No, thanks," returned Dick. "We might be drowned by that operation."
The hole was irregular in shape, about ten feet in diameter and fullytwenty feet deep. What had caused the sudden sinking was a mysteryuntil it was solved by the water in the pool suddenly dropping awayinto another hole still deeper. Then of a sudden the trio went downagain, this time at an angle, to find themselves in a good-sized cave,where all was dark and uncertain.
The tumble had wrenched Larry's ankle still more, and the youth couldnot suppress his groans of pain.
As soon as he was able Peterson leaped up, struck a match, and lit somebrushwood which happened to be near and which the water had not yettouched.
By this light Larry's ankle was again attended to and bound up in acouple of handkerchiefs.
"If we keep on we'll get to the center of the earth," remarked Dick, ashe gazed around curiously. "Where do you suppose we are now?"
"In one of the island caves," answered Peterson. "I told you the placewas full of them. That's the reason the smugglers used to hold outhere."
"Perhaps we'll come across some of their treasures."
At this Peterson shook his head. "Not likely. When the last of thesmugglers was arrested the government detectives searched the islandthoroughly and gathered in all to be found."
"I see. Well, how are we to get out, now we are down here?"
"We might climb back, Rover, the way we came, but that is dangerous onaccount of the water. I rather think we'll do better to look for theregular opening to the cave, if there is any."
The matter was talked over for several minutes, and it was decided thatDick and Peterson should investigate, while Larry remained by the fire,keeping it as bright as possible and resting his sore ankle.
At a short distance ahead the cave branched into two parts, and comingto the forks, Dick
took the right while Peterson moved to the left.Dick carried a torch, which he held overhead, and likewise a pistol, incase any snake or wild animal should attack him.
The youth had not proceeded far before he came upon signs which showedthat the cave at one time had been inhabited by human beings. First heespied a part of an old bag, then a weather-beaten sailor's cap, andsoon after a rusty pistol, falling apart for the want of care.
"This must have been a smugglers' retreat sure," he murmured tohimself. "My, if I should stumble across a box of gold!"
He hurried forward and presently reached a spot where the cavebroadened out into a round chamber. Here there were a rude table andseveral benches, all ready to fall apart from decay.
With quick steps he approached the table, for he had seen somethinglying upon it--something which made him start and give a cry of wonder.
In the center of the table was a heap of silver dollars, and besidethis was a land map, drawn by hand. On the map lay a rusty dagger and ahuman skull!