*CHAPTER XXI.*
_*Preparing for Departure; Death of the Monster*_*.*
On the morning of the day on which we were to set out with the lastpacks of gold, the sky was partly overcast, and far down in the easternhorizon the sky line was blended into a leaden haze, which graduallydisappeared as the sun ascended toward the zenith. This I knew, was apremonition of the approaching rainy season, which I knew was alwayspreceded for several weeks by a thin veil of clouds and the murkyatmosphere of the horizon in the morning.
This decided us to make this our last journey, and to remain at the coveafter our next arrival there; for there we were sheltered, to a greatdegree, from the rain and our house was much more comfortable than theabode beneath the rock on the mountain, which was dreary during the longrain, as I knew from experience. At the cove we had a substantialhouse, and, with the stores and utensils from the wreck we should bevery comfortably situated. And, beside, we had gradually, as we marchedback and forth, evolved a scheme to remove some of the deck planks ofthe vessel and such lumber as we found available, and to try, during therainy season, to construct a substantial boat in which we might ventureto leave the island. We planned to construct a great shed, closed in onthree sides and left open at the end facing the beach. Beneath this wewould lay the keel of our craft and test our skill as ship-builders.
So, with our guns, clothing, such other articles as we wished to takeback with us, and of course, Puff, after closing the cliff-house weproceeded to the chamber beneath the ruin to pack the remaining gold.Our knapsacks were speedily filled, and we prepared to leave thechamber.
Marjorie preceded us to the stairs, but scarcely had she reached thefirst step when she darted back to us shrieking and trembling, her faceashy pale.
She crouched between us, unable to speak, her eyes staring wildly towardthe stone steps. I sprang forward and looked up toward the opening.There I saw, standing between us and the sky, silent as a statue, witheyes glaring down at us--the wild man of the forest.
There was no mistaking it; but this time it looked less like an ape andmore like a human being.
Without looking around I beckoned to Mr. Harborough. He stepped to myside, and catching sight of the horrible thing above us, he raised hisrifle and fired. The report roared around the chamber and the stairwaywas filled with smoke. Simultaneously a heavy body rolled down theslippery stairs and lay outstretched at our feet. It was the wildman--lifeless; its limbs outstretched and its wide-open eyes staring upat us.
Never again do I wish to look upon such a horrible object. We shrankback in the doorway, feeling weak and faint; Marjorie clung to herfather, her eyes gleaming with terror, a look of horror upon her face.
After we had recovered our courage and the first shock had partly passedaway, we approached closely and examined the strange being. It washuman in every detail, the hair, arms, legs, feet, eyes and face. Ithad once been a man, but what a marvelous transformation had takenplace! The body was entirely covered with short brownish hair whichgrew several inches long on the breast. The hair of the head was darkbrown in color, long, tangled and matted. The nose and mouth wereregular, and the teeth were in fair condition. The eyes were eitherblue or gray, we could not tell exactly which. The finger-nails werelong, which made the hands look like claws.
The skin was tanned by exposure to sun and rain until it was a darkbronze hue. We pondered long concerning the history of this strangebeing; for a human being it surely was; once like ourselves.
In death it was less repugnant than in life. Now that we had becomeaccustomed to look at it, it impressed us only as a poor dead outcast,of whom we knew nothing.
There could be but one solution to the mystery. Either the wretchedperson had been marooned, or, like ourselves had been cast away on theisland, and, driven mad by solitude, exposure and the contemplation ofhis position had probably for several years roamed the forest as a wildman--a wild beast in every sense, except his origin. We moved the bodyto a corner of the chamber, composed the limbs and went out into thesunlight.
The long lever remained under the stone which had covered the opening,and we worked it back into place--closing the treasure chamber, now atomb. We covered the stone thickly with earth and turned toward theforest.
Without further incident we reached the house at the cove and proceededto put everything in order in anticipation of the coming rainy seasonwhich, we promised ourselves should be a busy one with us, between boatbuilding and general occupations; and we viewed the future not withoutpleasant anticipations. We were comfortable, with every want supplied, ahappy family sharing a common lot.
Never was there a complaint made by any of us. We indulged inconversation about home, our individual lives, and discussed matters ofpresent and future moment.
A Boy Crusoe; or, The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands Page 21