CHAPTER X V
THE EXPLORATION OF THE TUNNEL
BRINGING his binoculars to bear upon the stretcher party of the"Wolves," Mr Buckley saw that an accident had occurred.
"You look through my glasses, Atherton," said the Scoutmaster."You'll know who it is."
Atherton did so. He was half afraid that there had been a shootingaccident, but a glance removed that anxiety. The injured Scout herecognised as Coventry minor, and since Phillips understood that onno account was he to be accompanied by anyone else while carrying thegun, the logical conclusion was that the injured Scout had notreceived his hurt by this means.
"There's Hayes at the landing-place," announced Atherton. "He'scalling us up by semaphore. Reply to him, Baker, and I'll read themessage."
Baker stood upon the end of the stone pier so that his dark greenshirt showed up plainly against the white-washed wall behind him.
"Coventry has fallen down a hole. Concussion. Still unconscious.Fetch doctor," read Atherton.
"Hurry up and bring the doctor along with you, Everest," said MrBuckley. "Green and Baker will remain here with one of the boats. Howmany have you?"
"Two, sir," replied the Leader. "One is on the Island side."
"Signal to those fellows to bring that boat over, then," continuedthe Scoutmaster. "We can then get across and see what's wrong."
While Everest was on his way to Dr Carraway--for the Scouts had madeit a point of finding out where the doctor lived almost as soon asthey arrived at Polkerwyck--the Scoutmaster and the four "Otters"crossed to the Island. During the passage Hayes and Armstrong toldtheir comrades what had occurred, and how Phillips had discovered thebutler's hiding-place.
"Hiding-place," repeated Atherton. "Most likely a tunnelcommunicating with Polkerwyck House. Didn't Sir Silas say that theHouse used to be an old monastic building, and that it was partiallyrebuilt on the existing foundations? What puzzles me, though, is whyTassh did not return by the tunnel on the night of the wreck, sincehe evidently came to the Island by that way."
"You've a fine site for a camp here, lads," remarked Mr Buckley, asthe two patrols met. "It is unfortunate, though, that your holidayshould be marred by this accident."
The Scoutmaster knelt by the unconscious Scout.
"Yes, he's had a nasty blow," he said, observing Coventry's skin waspale and cold, his pulse feeble, and his breathing slow andpunctuated by distressing sighs. "Raise his head a little more; weought to place him in a darkened room as soon as possible. In anycase, one of you stand so that the shadow falls across his face."
"There's a small cave down by the landingplace, sir," said Phillips."It will not be so far for the doctor to come."
"Very good," assented the Scoutmaster. "Lead on. Steady now,stretcher-bearers. Mind you don't slip on this steep path."
Carefully little Coventry was carried into the cave, where in thesemi-gloom he was carefully tended by two of his comrades. Mr Buckleyalso remained in the cave, awaiting the arrival of the doctor.
The rest of the Scouts returned to the camp, when, under Atherton'sdirections, steps were taken to keep Tassh under observation. Threeof the "Wolves" were sent to take cover close to that part of thecliff overhanging the Tea Caves. A strong party, carefully concealed,occupied the ruined oratory, in order to cut off the rogue's retreatby force, if necessary; while between the ruins and the Tea Cavesrelays were posted in order to hasten to the assistance of theoutlying Scouts should occasion arise.
It was not long before the doctor arrived on the scene, and wasescorted to the cave where the patient lay.
"You've done excellently, lads," he remarked to the Scouts inattendance. "He has had a severe blow, but youth and clean living arein his favour. He'll soon be all right. Meanwhile, keep him here inthe dark until nearly sunset. See that his feet and arms are keptwarm. When the twilight gathers in, you must bring him across toPolkerwyck. I will make arrangements for him to be nursed at myhouse."
"It's awfully good of you, doctor," said Mr Buckley, warmly.
"Nonsense: we're used to it. Every summer I have on an average adozen similar cases. Visitors seem to have an insane desire to climbthe cliffs. They are not used to it, they look down, and then themischief is done. Well, I cannot do more at present. Give him adraught of this every hour, and keep him warm, especially whenbringing him across the bay in the boat."
In duty bound Mr Buckley gave information to the police that Tasshwas seen on the Island. At the Scouts' earnest request he did not sayby what means the butler got there, since the lads wished to have thehonour of exploring the tunnel.
Within a very short time Seal Island was invaded. A dozen countypolice, drawn from the neighbourhood, nearly the whole of thedetachment from Refuge Point coastguard station, and almost all themale population of Polkerwyck flocked to the place. Every nook andcranny was investigated, the caves systematically explored, butwithout result. Although nearly thirty people searched the ruinedoratory not one noticed the granite lid covering the pit, in spite ofthe fact that the Scouts, with an idea of fair play, took no steps toconceal the joints in the stone floor with dust.
Tired out with their exertions, the Scouts retired to rest as soon asCoventry minor had been carried to the doctor's house. Undisturbed bythe noise of the untrained searchers the lads slept soundly, till themorning revealed Seal Island untenanted save by themselves and acouple of policemen, who, at the Scoutmaster's suggestion, hadinstalled themselves in the old oratory to keep a long and fruitlessvigil.
"He's slipped through our fingers, sure enough, sir," remarked one ofthe constables. "All night we've been on the alert. No doubt he'smanaged to swim across to the mainland when he found we were hard onhis track. We'll be going now, sir, and leave you in peace andquietness, so to speak. If you see or hear anything, sir, happen youwon't mind sending one of your young chaps to give us the tip?"
As soon as the policemen were well clear of the Island, and theScouts had had breakfast, steps were taken to continue the search forSir Silas Gwinnear's butler, and also to explore the tunnel whichthey had good reason to believe communicated with the mainland.
The latter task was the more enviable. Both patrols wished toundertake that particular business, and urged their respective claimstill the Scoutmaster had gently and firmly to remind them of theirsense of discipline.
"You cannot all explore the tunnel," he added. "One patrol will bequite sufficient for that. The other will keep an eye on the camp,guard the landing-place and the approach to the Tea Caves. I supposeyou have no objection to decide the matter by lots?"
Walking away for a few steps, Mr Buckley gathered a handful of longgrass. From this he selected two blades, one much longer than theother. These he held in his hand, with an inch of each showing atequal length.
"Now, Scouts, the one who draws the longest blade represents thepatrol to explore the tunnel. One of the Tenderfoots can draw: that'sright, Scott."
Reggie Scott pulled out one of the blades of grass from theScoutmaster's clenched fist. It was the long one.
"Good: the 'Otters' will explore the tunnel. The 'Wolves' will takeup positions I have indicated on this map. It is a very clear map,Simpson, by the way. You did it excellently. Already by its means Ihave quite a comprehensive knowledge of Seal Island."
Carrying ropes, two camp lanterns, and a supply of candles andmatches, the "Otters" made their way to the ruined oratory, where thestone covering to the pit was soon raised.
"I do not mean to go with you, lads," said the Scoutmaster. "I feelconfident you will get on all right without me. Rope your men,Atherton; keep one well ahead of the rest in case there is anaccumulation of poisonous gases, which I do not for one momentsuppose is the case. So long as the candles burn brightly there is nodanger on that score."
"Tassh came through all right, sir," remarked Everest. "That was onlyyesterday."
"And once, at least, according to all accounts, he was prevented fromreturning. So it is evident that at times there is some obstruction.However,
'Be prepared' and you'll come out on top."
One by one the "Otters" were lowered into the gaping pit, Mr Buckleyletting Tenderfoot Sayers down last of all. This done, he took up hisposition at the top of a spiral stone staircase that terminatedabruptly almost on a level with the roofless walls. Here, with onlythe upper portion of his face showing above the masonry, he was ableto command a panoramic view of the Island and Seal Bay. Moreover, hewas ready to render assistance should the "Otters" find the tunnelimpracticable and have to return by the same way as they went.
The "Otters" found themselves in the mouth of a passage hewn out ofthe solid rock.
"In broken-step form the Scouts carried their comradetowards the camp."--_Page_ 168.]
It was roughly from five to six feet in height and thirty incheswide. The floor was ankle deep in dry dust that showed unmistakablesigns of the same person having passed to and fro on severaloccasions.
With the candle-light glimmering on the walls the Scouts advanced,Atherton leading by twenty paces, the rest following at shorterintervals and linked together by a light yet strong rope. Theprogress was slow, for Atherton, cautious lest he should stumble intoa hidden pitfall, systematically sounded the ground with his staff atevery other step.
For nearly three hundred paces the tunnel sloped steeply downwards,the walls remaining perfectly dry--a circumstance that showed thepassage was still under the Island. Beyond that distance, althoughthe tunnel was still on the down grade, the roof and walls showedsigns of moisture, while in place of the dry dust the floor was ankledeep in slime. Overhead a deep muffled roar betokened the fact thatthe sea was only separated from the Scouts by a few feet of rock,through which the sound of the ground-swell was audible.
Suddenly Atherton came to a halt, and held his lantern above hishead.
"Anything wrong?" asked Phillips.
"It's all right here," he announced. "The air is quite fresh. I'vefound something: looks like a seat with some carving above it."
On the right-hand side of the tunnel, in a cavity three feet in depthand extending the whole height of the passage, was a stone bench.Above the latter were several carvings in relief, all more or lessdamaged by the ravages of time and the moisture of the rock.
"Here's a crucifix," said Atherton, pointing to a Cornish cross. "Andthere's some inscription underneath. I can't quite make out theletters, though."
"I can read one word," said Green. "The first letter is supposed tobe a P. The word is 'Pax.'"
"And here's a date: MCCLI--that's 1251," announced Atherton. "Thismust be a sort of half-way resting place for the monks who visitedthe oratory. If it's not half way it's at the lowest level of thetunnel, for the gradient is now on the ascent. But let's go on. Iwonder where we shall find ourselves when we come to the end."
"Why, at the end, of course," replied Everest. "Where else did youexpect?"
The forward movement was resumed, Atherton placing the previousdistance between him and the next Scout. At length the rocky wallsbegan to show less signs of moisture, and the Scouts knew that theyhad passed under Seal Bay and were now not far from, if not actuallyunderneath, the village of Polkerwyck.
"Hulloa, here's some steps," said Atherton in a low voice. "Comealong, you fellows; before we go any farther we must search thisplace. It won't do to leave any unexplored places behind us. Greenand Mayne, you come with me, the others can stand by. If I call forassistance, Everest and Baker can come to our aid. Five of us oughtto be a match for Tassh, if he's hiding here."
"Do you think he is hiding here, Atherton?" asked Tenderfoot Sayersin a whisper.
"He may be. Since he hasn't been found on the Island he may be lyinglow in this place till the coast is clear. We'll soon find out. Afterme, Green."
Holding the lantern in his left hand and well away from his body,Atherton commenced the ascent of a spiral flight of steps. Unlikethose in many old ruins scattered about the country, these steps werein a good state of preservation, showing that during the flight ofcenturies they had been but comparatively little used.
The Leader ascended cautiously. At any moment he might be assailed bythe fugitive from justice. The Scouts were strangers to the place andtherefore at a disadvantage; a trap might be laid for them, while inaddition they were handicapped by having to carry a lantern whichwould render them conspicuous to anyone lurking in the darkness. Yet,in spite of these drawbacks, Atherton and his two companions hadembarked upon an enterprise from which there was no turning back untilthe task of exploring the place was completed.
At the twentieth step the Leader discovered that he was level withthe topmost part of the staircase. On all sides was a cavernous spacethat was almost all in darkness, save for that portion within thefield of the rays of the lantern.
"What's that?" whispered Green, laying a detaining hand on Atherton'swrist. "There's some one moving."
"Yes, I can hear footsteps," assented Atherton, as the muffled soundsof a firm, steady tread came from the dark recesses of the vault-likeroom. "They are coming this way. Stand by with your staff, Green.I'll challenge him."
In spite of his customary coolness, Atherton felt his heart beatingviolently.
"Who's there?" he called.
There was no reply. The noise of the footsteps continued as if theperson walking was quite unconcerned at being called upon to explainwho he was.
"Who's there?" repeated the Scout, in a louder voice.
There was silence for a few moments, then the sound of a personwalking was resumed, only, instead of approaching, footsteps wereobviously those of some one retiring.
Atherton waited no longer. Gaining the floor, he raised the lanternabove his head. The comparatively feeble rays gleamed upon aglittering object standing on the ground close to the wall of theunderground room.
Resisting the temptation to pounce upon and examine the article, theScout waited till his companions rejoined him, and then began anexamination of the place. It was circular and barely five yards indiameter. The roof was domed, the highest part being about ten feetfrom the floor. The walls, hewn from the solid rock, were smooth anduninterrupted by any visible openings communicating with elsewhere.To all appearances the Scouts had struck a blind alley.
Having thus taken stock of their surroundings, the Scouts discoveredthat the glittering object was a massive silver bowl, filled withforks and spoons of the same precious metal.
"Hidden treasure," gasped Mayne.
"Not much," retorted Green. "Stolen from Sir Silas, that's what itis. You can see the stuff isn't tarnished, and there's no dust onit."
"Georgian silver," added Atherton, examining the markings on thespoons and forks. "It must be some of that rascal Tassh's plunder. Wemay find some more here. Ha! What's that?"
A rumble, momentarily growing louder, could be heard, the soundapparently coming from overhead. Then, waning, it ceased to beaudible.
"A cart--that's what it is, and the sound we heard just before thatwas a man walking overhead. It's my belief that the place isimmediately under the only street in Polkerwyck," declared Atherton.
With their staves, the Scouts sounded the walls, floor and ceiling.There was no trace of any secret openings. The walls were solidenough; only the distance between the dome and the open air was thinenough to enable the noise of the traffic to be heard withcomparative distinctness.
"All right up there?" called out Phillips from the foot of the spiralstaircase.
"Yes," replied Atherton. "We'll be with you in a minute."
"What shall we do with this lot?" asked Green, indicating the silver."It's jolly heavy."
"We'll take it with us. We can put a few of the forks and spoons inour pockets and the bowl can be slung from a staff and carried by twoof us. Mind how you carry it, Green."
As soon as the three Scouts returned to their waiting companions, thesilver was distributed for the sake of easier carriage, and the marchof exploration resumed. Presently, instead of continuing the upwardslope, the tunnel dived with considerable abruptness. At the
bottomof the dip there was water on the floor to the depth of six inches,while from the signs of excessive moisture on the walls and ceilingit was fairly conclusive that the whole of this portion of the tunnelhad recently been flooded. A slight stream of water was still runningfrom a fissure in the wall.
"This must be a proper trap in wet weather," said Phillips. "Thewater lodges in the dip until it soaks out again. That accounts forthe fact that Tassh was unable to return to Polkerwyck House on thenight of the storm."
"It certainly seems like it," said Green, as he splashed boldlythrough the water. "Doesn't it feel cold?"
From this point the tunnel again sloped upwards, in places so steeplythat the incline had to be broken by short flights of steps.
"I reckon we've come quite two miles," said Baker, "and in a fairlystraight direction according to my compass. If I had known----"
The remark was suddenly cut short by a low warning whistle fromAtherton. The rest of the patrol closed upon their Leader, who hadcome to a standstill before a blank wall. Right and left were shortpassages terminating in spiral flights of steps.
Once more Atherton and his two chosen comrades began their subsidiaryinvestigations, while the remaining members of the "Otters" remainedat the junction of the two cross-ways.
It was not long before the Leader returned.
"No go," he announced. "There are only eleven stairs and then abricked-up wall. By the undisturbed state of the dust on the steps weknow that no one has been there for months at the very least. Comeon, all of you, we'll try our luck with this branch."
Round and round, up and up, went the Scouts. They realised that theywere on the eve of an important discovery, for here there wereundoubted traces of human footsteps. At the fifty-fourth step,Atherton found farther progress barred by a stone wall, each blockbeing roughly fifteen inches wide and twelve high, and set in hard,black cement.
The Scouts looked at each other with feelings akin to dismay. Itseemed hard lines, after traversing the whole length of thesubterranean passage, to find a blank wall.
"I'll tell you what, Atherton," said Green. "It's my opinion thatTassh, or whoever it is, discovered the tunnel at the Seal Islandend, and, like us, explored it as far as it went. He then had toretrace his footsteps, and that accounts for the complicated natureof the trail."
"Yes, that's all very well," replied Atherton. "But how do youaccount for the finding of the silver stuff in the undergroundchamber?"
"Perhaps Tassh meant to hide it there, or it was too heavy for him tocarry any farther," suggested Mayne, as he rested on the edge of astep his end of the staff from which the bowl was slung. As he did sothe end of the pole touched the stonework at the side of thestaircase. The slab of granite trembled visibly.
"This part of the wall is quite loose," exclaimed Mayne.
"Steady," whispered Atherton, warningly. "Keep quiet, you fellows."
The Leader felt the face of the granite slab. It was certainly loose,but the joints of the masonry were not wide enough for his fingersto obtain a grip.
"Hold my lantern a minute, Phillips," he said. "I'll see what I cando with my knife. You have matches handy? Good! Now blow out all thelights."
These orders were promptly carried out. The darkness was darknessindeed. To the excited lads it seemed to have weight. Even Phillips,strong-minded as he was, grasped his box of matches tightly, as if hederived some consolation from the fact that he held a weapon thatcould be used to effectually banish the stifling sensation impartedby the intense darkness.
Scratching lightly with the blade of his knife, Atherton at lengthfound the joint of the stonework once more. Deftly inserting theblade, he cautiously prised the block of granite. It gave, then slidback in its position.
"The stone is pivoted," he whispered. "Where's your hand, Mayne? Putit here, and when I swing the stone out half an inch try and get agrip."
The blade bent almost to breaking point. The stone swung outwards.Mayne, gripping the rough edge, sought to retain a tenacious hold.
"It's slipping," he gasped in low, tense tones. Atherton instantlydrove the blade home till the handle was tightly wedged in theenlarged orifice. Then, relaxing his hold upon the knife, he aidedMayne with his wiry fingers.
The block swung stiffly outwards another inch, then with hardly anyresistance it turned, disclosing an aperture sufficiently large for aman to crawl through.
The sudden rush of daylight blinded the lads, but at length theireyes grew accustomed to the scene. They found themselves looking intothe room in Polkerwyck House that had been the rascally butler'squarters. It was not untenanted.
Seated in a canvas deck-chair, with his back turned to the secretopening, was a man. Only the back portion of his head was visibleabove the top rail of the chair.
"It's Tassh," said Atherton to himself.
The question was how the Scouts were to act. To crawl through thenarrow opening one by one and throw themselves upon the culprit was abusiness that was not only fraught with danger but well-nighimpossible to perform without giving the man due warning. Yet toAtherton it seemed the only way.
Beckoning to Phillips to follow him, the Leader began to edgecarefully through the gap in the stonework. Could he but gain afooting in the room and await his Second's entrance without alarmingthe occupant of the chair, there was a possibility that the rascal,taken by surprise, might be seized and secured.
The Scout was almost through. One foot was actually on the floor,when Green accidentally knocked the staff to which the silver bowlwas slung. With a crash and a clatter the heavy metal ornament wentrolling down the spiral stairs, cannoning against the ankles of Scottand Sayers as it did so.
In a trice the fellow in the chair was on his feet.
"The game's up," he exclaimed. "Come out of that or it will be theworse for you."