CHAPTER XXII--THE HURRICANE
"What direction did those fellows who ran away take?" asked Dave.
"That's the way they went," answered one of the sailors, pointing tosome heavy undergrowth behind the camping-out spot.
"Where does that lead to, do you know?" asked the senator's son.
"Leads to a spring o' fresh water an' half a dozen big caves," was thereply.
"Caves?" queried Dave. "Then perhaps the fellows, who ran away, tookto one of the caves."
"Like as not, messmate. Them two chaps have been explorin' them cavesever since we came ashore."
"Let us walk back and have a look," suggested our hero. "We may beable to give Phil and Captain Sanders some assistance."
Without further delay, the two boys left the camp of the castaways andhurried along a small trail through the bushes. They soon came to arocky depression in the midst of which was a tiny spring.
"That water looks good," exclaimed Dave. "Let us get a drink."
"Perhaps it is poisonous, Dave."
"If it was, I think those sailors would have warned us."
They found the water fairly cold and of a good flavor, and each drankhis fill. Then Dave flashed the electric light around. Ahead they madeout a series of rocks, with here and there a gloomy opening, leadingto unknown depths.
"This is Cave Island and no mistake," was our hero's comment. "Theplace seems to be fairly honeycombed."
"Be careful that you don't go into a hole and drop out of sight,"warned his chum.
They walked to the entrance of one of the caves and peered in. All wasdark and silent. Then they went to the next cave. Here they caught aglimmer of light.
"Somebody is moving in here!" exclaimed Dave. "A man with a torch!"
They waited, and presently saw that two persons were approachingslowly, having to pick their way over the uneven rocks.
"They are the captain and Phil," cried Roger, and set up a faint call.
"Hello! Who is that?" answered the captain of the _Golden Eagle_.
"Dave and Roger!" cried Phil. "Oh, say," he added, eagerly, "we'veseen Jasniff and Merwell!"
"So we suspected," answered Dave. "But you didn't catch them?"
"No, they got away from us," returned Captain Sanders.
"In this cave?" queried Roger.
"Yes."
"But if they are in here, we can get them sooner or later," put inDave.
"No, my lad. There are several openings to these caves. We found oneat the far end, and I reckon those rascals got away through it."
"Did you speak to them at all?" asked our hero.
"Didn't get time," answered Phil. "The minute they saw us they ranlike frightened deer."
"Did they have any baggage, Phil?"
"Not that I could see. I rather fancied Jasniff had a small bundleunder his coat, but I may have been mistaken."
"The sailors said they came ashore without baggage. Perhaps the jewelswent down with the bark."
"Oh, I think they'd make an effort to save such costly gems--anybodywould."
"Not if they were thoroughly scared," broke in Captain Sanders. "Aperson who is thoroughly scared forgets everything but to save hislife."
"Then you haven't any idea where they went to?"
"No, lad. But I don't think they'll get off this island in a hurry."
There was nothing to do but to return to where the four sailors wereencamped. Then the whole party proceeded to where Billy Dill andSmiley had been left.
"I don't think it will be safe to try to get through those breakers inthe darkness," said Captain Sanders. "We may as well make ourselvescomfortable until morning. We have plenty of grub on hand, so youfellows shall have your fill," he went on, to the castaways.
The sailors were glad enough to build another campfire, close to thelanding-place, and here they were served with all the food and drinkthey wanted, which put them in good humor. They related theparticulars of how the _Emma Brower_ had gone down, and of how oneboat after another had put off in the storm. It had been a time ofgreat excitement, such as none of them were liable to ever forget.
The boys were worn out from their exertions and willing enough torest. They fixed up some beds of boughs and were soon in the land ofdreams. The sailors rested also, each, however, taking an hour atwatching, by orders of Captain Sanders.
It was about five o'clock in the morning when Dave awoke, to find thewind blowing furiously. Two of the sailors were busy stamping out thecampfire, for the burning brands were flying in all directions,threatening to set fire to the undergrowth.
"What's this?" he asked of Captain Sanders.
"No telling, lad," was the grave reply. "Looks like a pretty bigblow."
"More like a hurricane!" snorted old Billy Dill. "The wind is growin'wuss each minit!"
"Draw that boat up into the bushes and fasten it well," ordered thecaptain. "We don't want to have it stove in or floated off by thebreakers." And the rowboat was carried to a place of safety.
"Where is the ship?" asked Roger.
"Slipped away when the blow came up," answered the captain. "An' Ihope the mate knows enough to keep away," he added, gravely.
Soon it started to rain, first a few scattering drops and then aperfect deluge. The castaways spoke of a cave that was near by, andall hurried in that direction, taking the stores from the boat withthem.
"How long will this last, do you think?" asked Phil, of the master ofthe _Golden Eagle_.
"No telling. Maybe only to-day, maybe several days."
"If it last several days, we'll have a time of it getting food," brokein the senator's son.
"We'll watch out for fish and turtles," said Billy Dill. "Nothin' liketurtles when you are good an' hungry."
"That's true," answered Dave. He had not forgotten the big turtle theold tar had managed to catch down on one of the islands in the SouthSeas.
Soon it was raining so hard that but little could be seen beyond theentrance to the cave. The wind moaned and shrieked throughout thecavern, which happened to have several entrances. Once it became sostrong that it almost lifted the boys from their feet. The rain drovein at times, and they had to get into a split in the rocks to keepdry.
"Hark! what was that?" cried Roger, during a lull in the wind.
"I heard thunder; that's all," answered Phil.
"I think a tree must have been struck by lightning," answered CaptainSanders. "The lightning is getting pretty fierce," he added, as abrilliant illumination filled the cavern.
"Wonder where Jasniff and Merwell are?" whispered Phil, to his chums,"I'll wager this storm scares 'em half to death."
"Yes, and those four Englishmen," added Dave. "Don't forget that theywere coming to this island."
Slowly the hours of the morning dragged by. There was no let-up in thehurricane, for such it really proved to be. The wind blew strongly allthe time, but occasionally would come a heavy blast that fairly madethe island tremble. The lightning had died away somewhat, but now andthen would come a great flash, followed by a crash and rumble thatwould echo and re?cho among the rocks.
"Just look at the ocean!" cried Dave, as he and his chums walked toone corner of the entrance to gaze out.
"The waves seem to be mountain-high," returned Phil. "You wouldn'tthink it possible a ship could live on such a sea."
"Well, it is mighty dangerous, Phil; you know that as well as I do."
"I hope the _Golden Eagle_ weathers the storm."
"We all hope that."
Dinner was a rather scanty meal, cooked with great difficulty in ahollow of the rocks. The smoke from the fire rolled and swirled in alldirections, nearly blinding everybody. But the repast was better thannothing, and nobody grumbled.
By nightfall the rain ceased. But the wind was almost as strong asever, and when those in the cave ventured outside they had to be onguard, for fear a flying tree-branch would come down on their heads.
Captain Sanders was much worried over the safety of his vessel, but he
did not let on to the boys, since it would have done no good. But thelads understood, and they, too, were more or less alarmed, rememberingthe fate that had overtaken the _Emma Brower_ in a storm that had beenno worse than the present one.
With so much rain driving in, the cave was a damp place, and the boyswere glad enough to go outside. They looked for wood that might beeasily dried, and after much difficulty, succeeded in starting up anew campfire, around which the whole crowd gathered.
"I'm goin' to try my luck along shore," said Billy Dill, and startedoff with Dave, Phil, and Roger, to see if any fish or turtles could belocated. They found the shore strewn with wreckage.
"Oh, Billy, can this be from our ship?" exclaimed Phil, in alarm.
"I don't think so, lad. Looks to me like it had been in the water somedays. I reckon it's from the _Emma Brower_, or some other craft."
In the wreckage they found the remains of several boxes and barrels.But the contents had become water-soaked or had sunk to the bottom ofthe sea; so there was nothing in the shape of food for them. They alsocame across the mainmast of the bark, with some of the stays stilldragging around it.
"That will do for a pole, in case we wish to hoist a flag," suggestedthe senator's son.
They found neither fish nor turtles, and at last had to return to thecampfire disappointed. There was next to nothing to eat for supper.
"Well, better luck in the morning," said Captain Sanders, with an airof cheerfulness he did not feel. "As soon as this wind dies down ourship will come back, and then we'll have all we want to eat."
It was a long, dreary night that followed, and the boys were glad tobehold the sun come up brightly in the morning. Dave was the first up,but his chums quickly followed, and all went down to the beach, tolook for fish and also to see if the _Golden Eagle_ was anywhere insight.
This time they had better luck, so far as food was concerned. In ahollow they found over a score of fish that had been cast from theocean by the breakers, and they also found a fine turtle that waspinned down by a fallen tree.
"That's a new way to catch a turtle," remarked Dave. "It's a regulartrap."
"Turtle soup, yum! yum!" murmured Phil.
"And broiled fish,--all you want, too!" added Roger, smacking his lips.
When they got back to the camp they found that the fire had beenrenewed, and soon the appetizing odor of broiling fish filled the air.Then Captain Sanders and one of the castaway sailors came in from awalk in another direction, carrying an airtight canister, which, onbeing opened, was found to contain fancy crackers.
"There is a good deal of wreckage down on the beach," said thecaptain. "We'll inspect it after breakfast."
Having eaten their fill of the fish and the crackers, and leavingBilly Dill and some of the others busy making turtle soup, the boysand Captain Sanders took another walk along the beach, to look overthe wreckage and also see if they could sight the _Golden Eagle_, orlocate Jasniff or Merwell.
"I hope we can find those two fellows," said Dave. "I can stand thissuspense no longer. I must know what has become of those jewels!"
Dave Porter on Cave Island; Or, A Schoolboy's Mysterious Mission Page 23