by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XII.
THE CAVE AMONG THE ROCKS.
At five o'clock on the following morning Ralph was roused by thelandlord, who brought him a candle; he lost no time in dressing,buckled on his sword, looked to the priming of the double-barreledpistols Mr. Penfold had given him, and placed them in his belt. Thenhe went downstairs and put the handcuffs into the pocket of his greatcoat. He then went to the bar, where the landlord was kindling a fire.
"I want a bottle of whisky, landlord, a loaf of bread, and a big lumpof cheese." As he was waiting for these, Lieutenant Desmond joinedhim.
"That's right, Conway, there is nothing like laying in a stock ofcreature comforts when you have the chance. Look here, landlord, getan empty bottle and put half the whisky in, and then fill them both upwith water. Cut that loaf of bread in halves; in that way we can getit in our pockets. That's right; now do the same with the cheese. Youand I may not be together, Conway, so it's just as well to divide thecommissariat; to say nothing of the convenience of carriage. Now, haveyou got the handcuffs? That's right, we will be off at once."
The landlord went to the door with them and looked after them,somewhat surprised at seeing no soldiers about.
"What can they be up to by themselves at this hour of the morning?" hesaid to himself. "Well, they are two nice young fellows anyway, and Ihope that they are not going to get into mischief. Now I will justmake up the fire, and then sit down for an hour's snooze in myarm-chair. The captain said he was to be called at six. I suppose theyare going out still-hunting somewhere. Well, I wish them luck; forwhen the boys can get their whisky for next to nothing they don't careabout coming here, and small blame to them, for I shouldn't myself."
Not a soul was astir in the village as the two young officers passedalong. They turned off at the lane leading to the sea, and afterproceeding a quarter of a mile came to a point where the roadwayended, the path beyond this being merely a track. Here there was agate across the lane, and a wall running right and left.
"We can't find a better spot than this, Conway," Lieutenant Desmondsaid. "If we sit down one on each side against the wall, a hundred menmight pass along without noticing us."
"Which side shall we sit, Desmond?"
"We will sit this side," the lieutenant replied. "If we were the otherside a man might possibly wrench himself way from our grasp, and mightoutrun us, but on this side of the gate he couldn't do so; for even ifhe did break away he would have to run back toward the village, thegate would stop his going the other way."
Accordingly the young officers took their posts against the wall, oneon either side of the gate, and with their swords drawn awaited thecoming of a messenger to the Red Captain.
"There is no chance of any one being here for another twenty minutes,"Desmond said. "The sergeant will not rouse the men up till a quarterto six, therefore no one is likely to come along until within a fewminutes of the hour. It's precious cold here, though the wall doesshelter us from the wind a bit; still it's not a lively job having towait here half an hour, with the thermometer somewhere below freezingpoint."
The time passed slowly. Occasionally they exchanged a few words in lowtones, but as the time approached when they knew that the sergeantwould be going his rounds to call the men they spoke less.
"It must be nearly six o'clock now," Desmond said at last. "The menwould be called at a quarter to, so if any one is coming he will mostlikely be here in a few minutes. Hush! I think I can hear footsteps."
A few seconds later they dimly saw a figure running toward them atfull speed. As it dashed up to the gate they sprang out and seized it.There was a sharp frightened cry.
"Don't make a noise," Desmond said sternly, "or it will be the worsefor you. Where were you going?"
It was a girl of about twelve years old whom they had captured. Shewas silent a moment.
"Sure, your honor," she said in a whimper, "I was doing no harm. I wasonly running to tell Mike Brenan that his ould mother is taken badwith the cramps, and wanted to see him bad."
"Where do you expect to go to, you little liar?" Desmond asked. "Weknow what you are up to. You were running to tell some one that thesoldiers were getting up. Now, if you are quiet and keep still no harmwill come to you; but if you try to scream or to get away we shallhand you over to the police, and there's no saying whether they maynot make it a hanging matter for aiding the king's enemies."
"I suppose we needn't fasten her?" Ralph said.
"Not fasten her! Why, she is as slippery as a young eel, and if youtake your hand off her for a moment she would be off like a hare. No,no, we must make her safe. Beside," he whispered in Ralph's ear, "shewould scream to a certainty if she saw any one else coming, then theymight strike off and get round us. No, no, we can't run any risks;there is too much depends on it. Now just sit down there, young woman,by the wall. We are not going to hurt you, but you have got to keepquiet. Now put your feet together." Desmond took out his pockethandkerchief and folded it, and tied the girl's ankles firmlytogether. "Now then, Ralph, do the same with her wrists. That's rightnow. Wrap that shawl of hers three or four times tightly round hermouth. That's it; let her breathe through her nose. Now you keep asharp watch over her, and see she doesn't wriggle out of these things.If you see any one coming clap your hand over her mouth, and see shedoesn't make a sound. When he comes up you can let go and help me ifnecessary; it won't matter her giving a bit of a scream then."
"Now," he went on, this time speaking aloud, "if that girl makes theleast noise, run her through with your sword at once. Don't hesitate amoment."
"Very well," Ralph said in the same tones. "I will silence her, neverfear."
Ralph sat down close to the girl and watched her sharply. They hadfixed the shawl as well as they could, but he felt sure that by asudden effort she could free her mouth sufficiently to scream. She satperfectly still; but in about three minutes he saw her suddenly throwher head back, and in an instant he clapped his hand over her mouth.She struggled violently in spite of her bonds, and tried to bite; butwith the other arm he held her head firmly, and succeeded inpreventing the slightest sound escaping her. Then he glanced up thepath. As he had expected the girl's quick ear had heard approachingfootsteps that were inaudible to him. A figure was bounding rapidlytoward them. As it reached the gate Desmond sprang upon it. There wasa sharp scuffle for a moment.
"All right, Conway. I have got him."
It was a lad of some fifteen years old this time. He struggledfuriously till Desmond placed a pistol against his head, and told himthat he would blow his brains out if he was not quiet, and taking outthe handcuffs fastened them on to his ankles.
"There is no fear of his doing any running now. Just come and sit downby this wall, my lad, and remember if you make the slightest sound Iwill run my sword through your body."
The lad shuffled to the wall and sat down. Ralph released his grasp ofthe girl.
"This is a regular young wildcat, Desmond. She very nearly got my handin her mouth, and if she had she would have bitten a piece out. Well,I shouldn't think there will be any more of them."
"No, I should think not. They would scarcely send off more than twomessengers. However, we must still keep a sharp lookout."
But no one else came along, and in a quarter of an hour they heard thedeep tramp of a body of men approaching, and Captain O'Connor sooncame up at the head of the company.
"Well, any news, gentlemen?" he asked as the two young officersstepped out.
"Yes, Captain O'Connor. We have two prisoners--a girl and a boy. Theycame along about ten minutes apart, both running at full speed andevidently going with messages. We put the handcuffs on the boy'sankles, and tied the girl's with our handkerchiefs."
"Sergeant, tell off two men and let them take these prisoners back tothe village, and guard them carefully till we return. They may as wellkeep the handcuffs on the boy's ankles, and untie the girl's; but letone of them keep a tight hold of her arm, and be sure that she doesn'tslip away."
Two me
n were told off for the duty, and the march was then resumed.Daylight was faintly breaking when they reached the edge of the cliff.Ralph, with ten men, was posted at the spot where a slight track wasvisible going down into a sort of gulley. Captain O'Connor thenproceeded with half the company to the right, Desmond taking theremainder to the left; each posting men at intervals along the edge ofthe cliff, and placing parties of four at every point where thereappeared the smallest probability of an ascent being practicable.
All were ordered to load at once. They were to make prisoner any onecoming up the cliff, and in case of resistance to fire withouthesitation. The two officers then returned to the spot where they hadleft Ralph. It was now nearly broad daylight. Leaving the soldiersthey went a short distance to a point where the rocks fell awayprecipitately, and from here had a clear view of the face of thecliffs.
"We had better wait here for a time," the captain said. "The chancesare that before long one of them will look out from theirhiding-place, and perhaps make his way up to the top to look round. Ifhe does, that will give us an index as to the direction at any rate oftheir hiding-place. Now, I will take the ground in front; do you watchto the left, Conway, and you to the right, Desmond. We had better liedown, or on this jutting point we may catch the eye of any one downthere before we can see him. Keep a sharp lookout lads; it will saveus a world of trouble if we can see one of them."
For half an hour they lay quiet, then Desmond suddenly exclaimed:
"There is a man among those fallen rocks halfway up the side. There!he is gone. Perhaps we shall see him again in a moment."
For five minutes they lay with their eyes fixed on the rocks thatDesmond pointed out, but there were no signs of life.
"Are you sure you were not mistaken, Desmond?" O'Connor asked.
"Quite certain. He suddenly appeared by the side of that gray bowlder,stood there for a moment, and sunk down again. I expect he must havegot a view of one of the men somewhere along the top."
"We will wait another ten minutes," O'Connor said, "and then we willtake a party to the spot and search it thoroughly. There is thecoast-guard boat, so there is no fear of their getting away by water."
Another quarter of an hour passed.
"It is no use waiting any longer. Go along the line, one each way, andbring ten men from points where they can be spared. We will leave themat the top of the path and take the party there down with us. Thereare only four or five of them, and ten men beside ourselves are amplefor the business."
The arrangements were soon made. Before starting on the descentO'Connor said to the men: "We wish to take the fellows who are hidingdown there alive if possible. They are the gang of the fellow known asthe 'Red Captain,' and have committed a score of murders; but if it isabsolutely necessary you will of course fire. There is one man amongthem who is there on compulsion, and is less guilty than the rest. Heis a fair-haired man, and I should think you would notice thedifference between him and the rest. Whatever resistance they make itis not probable that he will join in it. At any rate, do not fire athim unless it is absolutely necessary to save life. Now see to yourpriming before we start, and fix bayonets. Mind how you climb overthese rocks, because if any of you fall your muskets may go off andshoot some one in front of you. Wherever it is possible scatter outabreast of each other, so as to prevent the possibility of accident.Now, then, march!"
Leading the way, Captain O'Connor descended the little track. Itextended but a short distance. Beyond that a chaos of fallenrocks--the remains of a landslip many years previously--stretched awayto the shore.
"There is no working along these sideways, Desmond," Captain O'Connorsaid after they had climbed along for some little distance. "We hadbetter make straight down to the shore, follow that for a bit, andthen mount again to the spot where you saw the man."
It was difficult work, but at last the party reached the shore.Lieutenant Adcock, who was himself in command of the boat, had watchedthe party making their way down the rocks, and now rowed in to withina few yards.
"Good-morning, lieutenant," Captain O'Connor said. "I think we havegot them fairly trapped; but doubtless they would have made off ifthey hadn't seen you on the watch outside. It's that notoriousscoundrel the Red Captain of Galway who is, I hear, hiding here withhis gang."
"Indeed!" the revenue officer said; "that will be a capture worthmaking. Shall I come ashore with four of my men? I expect they aremore accustomed to climbing about among the rocks than yours are, andI should like to lend a hand."
"Do, by all means," Captain O'Connor replied. "I see you have got ten,and six will be quite enough in the boat, even if they do manage toget down and embark, which I don't think they will. Your men are allarmed, I suppose?"
"Yes; they have all carbines and cutlasses. Now, coxswain, I leave youin charge. Row out a quarter of a mile, and if any boat pushes off youare to stop it and arrest all on board. They will almost certainlyresist, and in that case you must use your arms. Now, the four bowoars get out and step ashore."
When the lieutenant and his four men had landed, the boat again pushedoff, and the party on shore made their way along over the rocks at theedge of the water until they were opposite the rock where LieutenantDesmond had seen the man appear. Then the ascent was commenced. Thefour officers went first, the men following in a line.
"Bear a little to the left," Captain O'Connor said; "it is likely tolie somewhere in that direction. The man we saw would have been makingtoward the path and not from it. Keep a sharp lookout between thesegreat rocks; there is no saying where the entrance to theirhiding-place may be."
Almost as he spoke there was a sharp crack of a rifle, and the bulletstruck the rock on which he was standing.
"Come on, lads!" he shouted, "the sooner we are there the less timethey have got to fire;" and with a cheer the men hurried forward,scrambling recklessly over the rocks. Again and again puffs of smokedarted out from the rocks in front; and one of the soldiers fell, shotthrough the heart.
"Don't stop to fire!" Captain O'Connor shouted as a yell of rage brokefrom the men; "you will do no good, and it will only give them moretime."
A dozen more shots were fired. One of the coast-guard men was shotthrough the shoulder; but this was the only casualty, for the quickmovements of the men as they scrambled over the bowlders disconcertedthe aim of those above. Breathless and panting the four officersgained the spot from which the shots had been fired, the men close upbehind them; but not a soul was to be seen.
"Wait a moment till you get breath, lads," their leader said. "Theycan't be far from here. We will find their hiding-place presently,never fear."
As they stood panting there was a shout from above. The soldiers werestanding along the edge of the cliff, looking down upon the fight.Sergeant Morris waved his arm.
"They have made away to your left, sir!" he shouted at the top of hisvoice. "We have just caught sight of them among the rocks!"
In two or three minutes Captain O'Connor led the way in thatdirection.
"Keep your eyes sharply about, lads. No doubt the place is cunninglyhidden. Search among every clump of bushes between the rocks."
Presently the sergeant shouted down again from above:
"I think you are far enough now, sir! We did not catch sight of thembeyond that!"
For an hour the search continued, but without avail.
"They must be here somewhere, lads!" Captain O'Connor said. "We willfind them if we have to stop here a week, and have provisions broughtdown from the village. It's pretty evident there is no opening betweenthe great rocks or we must have found it. We must examine the smallerbowlders. They may have one so placed that it can be dropped down overthe entrance. That flat slab is a likely-looking place, for instance.Three or four of you get hold of it and heave it up."
The men gathered round to lift it. Ralph stooped down and peeped underas they did so.
"Hurrah!" he shouted, "there is an opening here."
Several of the others now got hold of the stone. It was
up-ended andthrown backward, and the entrance to a passage some three feet highand two feet wide was revealed.
"I can smell a peat fire!" one of the men exclaimed.
"This is the entrance, no doubt," Captain O'Connor said. "See, thebottom is evidently worn by feet. The passage must have been used fora long time; but it's an awkward place to follow desperate men into."
"It is, indeed," Lieutenant Adcock agreed. "They could shoot us downone after one as we go in. They would see us against the light, whilewe should be able to make out nothing."
"Surrender in there!" Captain O'Connor shouted. "You can't get away;and I promise you all a fair trial."
His summons was followed by a taunting laugh; and a moment later therewas a sharp sound within, and a rifle bullet struck the side of theentrance and flew out.
"It would be throwing away one's life to go in there," CaptainO'Connor said. "At any rate we have got them secure, and they mustcome out in time. But it would be madness to crawl in there on one'shands and feet to be picked off by those scoundrels at their ease.Now, lads, two of you stand by this entrance. Keep out of the line offire, and be ready with your bayonets to run any one through who comesout. Let the rest scatter and search round this place. They may haveanother entrance. If so, we must find it. In the first place, it maybe easier of entry; in the second they might escape from it afterdark."
Again the search began.
"Do you think it is likely to be higher up or lower down, O'Connor?"Lieutenant Desmond asked.
"There is no saying, Desmond; the passage seems to go straight in. Ishould fancy above rather than below."
For a long time they searched without success; then Ralph, who hadgone higher up the rocks than the rest, came upon a clump of lowbushes growing between some large bowlders. There was nothingsuspicious about them, and he was just turning away when he perceiveda slight odor of peat smoke.
Silently he made his way down to the captain.
"I have found another entrance," he said. "At any rate I think so; forI certainly smelled smoke. If we go quietly we may take themunawares."
Captain O'Connor passed the word along for the men to gather silently,and Ralph then led the way up to the clump of bushes.
"Yes, I can smell the peat plainly enough. Now, Conway, do you searchamong the bushes. Carefully, lad, we don't know what the place islike."
Cautiously Ralph pushed the bushes aside. He saw at once that thesehad been carefully trained to cover a large hole. This was about threefeet wide; and descended at a sharp angle, forming a sloping passageof sufficient height for a man to stand upright. Captain O'Connorknelt down and looked in.
"This looks more possible," he said; "but it's very steep. I shouldsay it is not used by them, but acts as a sort of chimney to ventilatethe cavern and let the smoke out. At any rate we will try it; but wemust take our boots off so as to get a better hold on the rocks,beside we shall make less noise. Blunt and Jervis, do you go down tothe other entrance again. It is likely enough that they may try tomake a bolt that way if they hear us coming. Keep a sharp lookout downthere, and be sure no one escapes."
"Don't you think, Captain O'Connor, that it will be a good thing toenter from there also the moment a row is heard going on within. Theirattention will be taken up with your attack, and we may get in withoutbeing noticed."
"That's a very good idea, Conway; and you shall carry it out. Take twomore men with you, and make your way in as soon as you hear usengaged. But remember that it is quite possible we may not be able toget down. This passage may get almost perpendicular presently; andthough I mean to go if possible, even if I have a straight drop forit, it may close up and be altogether impracticable. So don't you tryto enter till you are quite sure they are engaged with us, otherwiseyou will be only throwing away your life."
"I understand, sir," Ralph said as he turned to go off. "If you get inyou can reckon on our assistance immediately; if not, we shall make nomove."
Ralph now took up his station at the mouth of the cavern with his sixmen, and lay down just in front of the opening listening attentively.He could hear a continued murmur as of many voices.
"Get ready, lads, to follow me the instant you see me dive in," hesaid. "I am sure by the sound there are more than four men in there,and Captain O'Connor may want help badly."
Grasping a pistol in his left hand, and his sword in his right, Ralphlistened attentively. Suddenly he heard a shout, followed by a volleyof imprecations, and then the discharge of a gun or a pistol.
In an instant he threw himself forward along the low narrow passage.He had not gone more than three or four yards when he found that itheightened, and he was able to stand upright. He rushed on, keepinghis head low in case the roof should lower again, and after a fewpaces entered a large cabin. It was dimly illuminated by two torchesstuck against the wall. In a moment a number of figures rushed towardhim with loud shouts; but before they reached him two of the soldiersstood by his side.
"Fire!" he shouted as he discharged his pistol, and at the same momentthe soldiers beside him discharged their muskets.
A moment later he was engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand conflict.Several firearms had flashed off almost in his face. One of thesoldiers fell with a sharp cry, but those who were following rushedforward. Ralph narrowly escaped having his brains dashed out by aclubbed rifle, but springing back just in time he ran his opponentthrough before he could recover his guard.
Just at this moment a big man with a shock of red hair and a hugebeard leveled a blunderbuss at him. It flashed across him that hislast moment had come, when a man behind leaped suddenly upon theruffian's back and they fell to the ground together, the blunderbussgoing off in the fall and riddling a soldier standing next to Ralphwith slugs.
For two or three minutes a desperate struggle went on between Ralphand his six men and those who attempted to break through them.Sturdily as the soldiers fought they had been driven back toward theentrance by the assailants, armed with pikes and clubbed guns. Therewas no sound of conflict at the other end of the cave, and Ralph feltthat the attack there had for some reason failed.
"Shoulder to shoulder, lads!" he shouted. "We shall have help in aminute or two."
He had emptied both his double-barrelled pistols. His sword had justbroken short in his hand while guarding his head from a heavy blow. Hehimself had been almost struck to the ground, when there was a rush ofmen from behind, and the rest of the soldiers poured in.
"Give them a volley, lads!" he shouted; "and then charge them withthe bayonets!"
The muskets rang out, and then there was a shout of "We surrender! wesurrender!"
A minute later the men were disarmed. There was still a desperatestruggle going on on the ground.
"Here, lads," Ralph said to two of his men. "Secure this red fellow,he is their leader. One of you bring a torch here."
The light was brought. It was seen that the man who had sprung uponthe Red Captain's back had pinioned his arms to his sides, and heldthem there in spite of the efforts of the ruffian to free himself. Twoof the soldiers took off their belts and fastened them together,passed them between the back of the man and his captor, and thenstrapped his arms firmly to his side. The man who held them thenreleased his grip.
"Stand over him with fixed bayonets, and if he moves run him through.Now, where's Captain O'Connor?"
"I don't know, sir. He and Mr. Desmond and the naval officer went downthe hole in front of us. We were following when the naval officershouted up to us to run round to this entrance and make our way inthere, for he could go no further."
"I am here, Conway," a faint voice said from the other end of thecabin; "but I have broken my leg I think, and Desmond has knocked allthe wind out of my body."
Ralph hastened to the spot whence the voice came and found CaptainO'Connor lying on the ground, and Lieutenant Desmond insensible besidehim.
"What has happened?" Ralph exclaimed. "Have they shot you?"
"No. Hold the torch up and you will see the way we
came."
The soldier did so, and Ralph looking up saw a hole in the top of thecave twenty feet above.
"You don't mean to say you came through there, O'Connor?"
"I did, worse luck to it!" O'Connor said. "The passage got steeper andsteeper, and at last my foot slipped, and I shot down and came plumpinto the middle of a peat fire; and a moment later Desmond shot downon to the top of me. We scattered the fire all over the place, as youcan imagine; but I burned my hands and face, and I believe the leg ofmy breeches is on fire--something is hurting me confoundedly."
"Yes, it is all smoldering!" Ralph exclaimed, putting it out with hishands.
"Have you got them all?" Captain O'Connor asked.
"Everyone; not one has made his escape. It would have fared badly withus, though, if Lieutenant Adcock had not sent down the men to ourassistance. Where is your leg broken, O'Connor?"
"Above the knee," the captain said.
"Here is some whisky and water," Ralph said, handing him his bottle."Now, I will see what has happened to Desmond," and he stooped overthe insensible officer.
"He has got a nasty gash on his forehead, and I think his right arm isbroken," he said. "I will pour a little spirits between his lips, andthen he had better be carried out into the air."
This was done; and then Ralph went outside, and shouted to SergeantMorris to bring down another twenty men.
"If you please, sir," one of the coast-guard men said, touching hishat, "I don't see any signs of our officer. Have you seen him?"
"No," Ralph said. "Perhaps he is still in that passage. You had betterrun up to the top and see."
Two minutes later the man returned:
"He's down there, sir; but he says he can't get up or down."
"You had better run down to the boat at once," Ralph said. "I see sheis close inshore. Bring a couple more of your men up with you and arope. If you tie that round your body you can go down and bring himup."
Ralph then returned to the cavern, where the men were still guardingthe prisoners.
"You can march them outside now," he said. "Then make them sit down,and stand over them with fixed bayonets till Sergeant Morris arrives.Now let us look to the wounded."
An examination showed that two of the soldiers were dead, and threeothers badly wounded. Seven of the party in the cave lay on theground. One only was alive; the rest had fallen either from bullet orbayonet wounds. Seeing that nothing could be done here Ralph lookedround the cavern. He soon saw that just where Captain O'Connor hadfallen there was an entrance into another cave. He reloaded hispistols before he entered this, but found it deserted.
It contained two large stills, with mash tubs and every appliance, twoor three hundred kegs of whisky, and some thirty sacks of barley. Thisat once accounted for the cave being known, and for the number of menfound in it; for in addition to the seven that had fallen sixprisoners had been taken. The walls of the cave were deeplysmoke-stained, showing that it had been used as a distillery for agreat number of years.
"That is satisfactory," Captain O'Connor said when Ralph reported tohim the discovery he had made. "That place where I came down is ofcourse the chimney. Peat does not give much smoke, and making its wayout through that screen of bushes it would be so light that it wouldnot be noticed by any one on the cliffs. Well, it's been a goodmorning's work--a band of notorious scoundrels captured and an illicitstill discovered in full work. It was a cleverly contrived place. Ofcourse it is a natural cavern, and was likely enough known before thefall of rocks from above so completely concealed the entrance. I wishthose fellows would come, though, for my leg is hurting me amazingly,and these burns on my hands and face are smarting horribly. Shout outto them on the cliff, Conway, and tell them to send at once to fetchDr. Doran from the village. The wounded ought to be seen to as soon aspossible, and it is likely enough that some of them cannot be taken upover the rocks to the top of the cliff. I dread the business myself."
In a quarter of an hour Sergeant Morris arrived with his party. Bythis time Lieutenant Desmond had recovered consciousness, and althoughin great pain from his broken arm was consoled upon hearing of thecomplete success of the expedition. The soldiers were furious onhearing that three of their comrades had been killed, and two of theirofficers badly injured.
"Sergeant," Ralph said, "bring four of your men into the cave with me.Now," he continued when they entered, "there is a pile of blankets inthat corner; take one of them and fasten it across two of the men'smuskets, so as to make a litter. Then we must lift Captain O'Connorcarefully and put him on it and get him outside. It will be adifficult business getting him through the narrow entrance, but wemust manage it as well as we can. But first let us thoroughly examinethe caves; there may be another entrance somewhere."
Searching carefully they found a passage behind the stack of kegs. Itwas some eight feet high and as much wide. They followed it for ashort distance, and then saw daylight. Their way was, however,speedily blocked by a number of rocks piled over the entrance.
"This was evidently the original entrance to these caves," Ralph said,"but it was covered up when the rocks came down from above. That wouldaccount for the place not being known to the coast-guards. I thoughtthe passage we came in by looked as if it had been enlarged by thehand of man. No doubt it was originally a small hole, and when theentrance was blocked the men who made up their minds to establish astill here thought that it would be the best way to enlarge that andto leave the original entrance blocked.
"Well, it's evident we must take Captain O'Connor and the wounded outby the small entrance. It would be a tremendous business to clearthose great rocks away."
Captain O'Connor and the two wounded men were with great difficultytaken through the narrow passage. The soldier who was alive was theone who had received the charge of the blunderbuss in his legs; he wasterribly injured below the knee, and Ralph had little doubt thatamputation would be necessary. The other man lived but a short timeafter being brought into the air.
Ralph now turned to the peasant who had saved his life by grapplingwith the Red Captain at the moment he was about to discharge hisblunderbuss, and who had by his orders been left unbound. He wassitting a short distance from the other prisoners.
"Your name is Denis Moore?" he said.
"It is, your honor," the man replied in surprise; "though how you cameto know it beats me entirely."
"I heard it from your wife last night," Ralph said.
"From Bridget?" the man exclaimed. "Why, I thought she was a hundredmiles away!"
"She came down here like a brave woman to try and save you," Ralphsaid, "and gave us information that brought us to this hiding-place;but her name is not to appear, and no one will know how we heard ofit. We promised her that no harm should come to you if we could helpit, and, thanks to the act by which you saved my life, you haveescaped, for being down on the ground you were out of the line of thefire of our bullets. Of course at present we shall treat you as aprisoner, as you were captured with the others; but I think we shallmanage to let you slip away. Your wife is to remain at Dunmanway tillshe hears the news of this affair and that you are safe, and she bademe tell you that you would find her at home, so no one will dream thateither she or you had any hand in this affair. Now, point me out whichare the four men that belong to this gang that brought you down here."
"The man who has just died was one of them," Denis replied. "None ofthe other three are here, so I expect they fell in the cabin. Theywere in the front of the fight. I saw one go down just as I grappledwith our captain."
"So much the better," Ralph said. "As to their leader, there will beno difficulty in getting evidence about him. The regiment he belongedto is in Dublin, and they can prove the shooting of his officer;beside, they can get any amount of evidence from Galway."
"Ay; they will be ready enough to speak out now the whole gang aredown," Denis Moore said. "They would not have dared to open their lipsotherwise. The other prisoners all belong about here. One of theirparty is the captain's
brother. That's how it is they came to take usin. But I think they would have been glad to get rid of us, for theRed Captain's lot were too bad for anything; and it isn't because menare ready to cheat the king's revenue that they are fond of suchvillains and murderers as these."
In a short time the doctor arrived. He had brought a case ofinstruments with him.
"There's nothing for it but amputation here," he said when he examinedthe wounded soldier. "His legs are just splintered. The sooner I do itthe better."
Sergeant Morris and three of the men held the poor fellow while theoperation was performed. As soon as it was over the doctor appliedsplints and bandages to Captain O'Connor's leg and LieutenantDesmond's arm, and dressed the wounds of three of the other men, whohad suffered more or less severely.