CHAPTER XXVI--THE COLUMN OF SMOKE
"Well, we are lost, that is all there is to it. And I am so dead tiredI can't walk another step." And thus speaking, Link Merwell sank downon a tree-root to rest.
He and Dave had been plunging along through the forest and acrossseveral clearings for the larger part of an hour. They had found whatlooked to be a trail, but it had suddenly come to an end in front of asmall cave that looked to be the lair of some wild animal, and theyhad gone on once more. Now the darkness of the tropics shut out thesurrounding landscape.
Link Merwell certainly looked the picture of misery. His clothing wasmuch tattered and still wet, and his forehead was swollen from contactwith the rocks. One of his shoes was so cut that his bare foot wasexposed.
"It looks as if we were lost," replied Dave. "In this darkness it willbe difficult to go much further. But I had hoped, by keeping in astraight line, that, sooner or later, we'd reach the shore of theisland."
"I reckon we didn't walk in a straight line--most folks that get lostin a woods don't."
"You are right in that, but I kept as straight as I could, Link.However, that is neither here nor there. If we have got to stay hereall night we may as well try to make ourselves comfortable. But I wishthe others knew I was safe."
"Can't you fire your gun? It ought to be dry by now."
"I'll try it."
Dave sat down and commenced to work over the fowling-piece. In a fewminutes he tried it. Bang! went the gun, the shot echoing far and widethrough the forest and among the rocks. Then both boys listened for areply.
"Nothing doing," muttered Merwell, after a minute of utter silence.
"I am sure the others would fire a shot in return if they heard that,"said Dave. "We must be further from them than I expected. Well, Idon't see what we can do excepting to try to make ourselvescomfortable. We might climb one of these tall palms and take a lookaround."
"Yes, that's it!" exclaimed the other youth, eagerly. "Why didn't wethink of that before? But it will be hard work climbing one of thosetrees," went on Merwell, gazing up at the straight trunk with thefirst of the limbs many feet above their heads.
"I'll do it native fashion," answered Dave.
He had seen the natives of the South Sea Islands climb tall trees bymeans of a vine-rope cast about the waist and the tree-trunk.Selecting several strong vines, he twisted them into a rope, and thenpassed the same around a tree-trunk and to the back of his waist. Thenhe took off his shoes and stockings and placed his bare feet againstthe tree. By "hiking" the rope a few inches at a time, he was able to"walk up the tree" with comparative ease.
As soon as the branches were reached, Dave discarded the rope and wentup as far as the strength of the tree would permit. He was now closeenough to the top to get a good look around, and he cast his eyesabout eagerly, hoping to catch sight of some of his friends, or theircampfire.
"See anything?" called up Merwell, eagerly.
"Not yet," answered Dave, and then he turned around in the tree-top.He now made out the rolling sea.
"I see a light!" he cried.
"A campfire?" queried the youth below.
"No, it is on the water. I think it must be a light on a ship."
"What kind of a ship?"
"A sailing vessel of some sort," answered Dave, and he wondered if itcould be the _Golden Eagle_, coming back after the storm.
"Maybe it's the ship that was coming back for those Englishmen," wenton Merwell, for Dave had told him about the men. He heaved amountainous sigh as he realized how affairs had turned against him.For a moment he thought of running away and trying to find Jasniff,but then the darkness and loneliness of the forest appalled him. Hefelt that he would rather be a prisoner than be alone in such a spot.
Dave watched the waving light for some time, as it rose and fell onthe bosom of the ocean, but could learn nothing concerning the craftthat showed it. Then he continued to look around the island. Nocampfire was to be located, and finally he rejoined Merwell.
"The light on that ship was all I saw," he said. "Perhaps it might payto walk down to the shore in that direction. But it is a longdistance, and in the darkness we might fall into another of thecaves."
"Let us stay here," answered Merwell.
"It will probably be as well. We can build a campfire and dry ourclothing and then go to bed."
"Wish I had something to eat," grumbled the lad who had been caught.
"So do I, Link. But we haven't anything, so we'll have to make thebest of it. Try to find some firewood. Luckily I have a waterproofmatchsafe along and it is full of matches," added our hero.
Fate was kinder to them than they had expected, for in hunting forfirewood, Merwell found a hole containing what they took to be nativehares. He killed two of the creatures, and at once set to work toclean and skin them. Then, when Dave had started the fire, the gamewas broiled while the boys had their clothing drying.
"Not much of a meal, but better than nothing," said Merwell, and ourhero agreed with him. They found some water in a hollow of the rocks,left there by the hurricane, and had a drink, after which both laydown to rest.
"Don't you think we ought to stand guard?" asked the big youth.
"Oh, I don't know," replied Dave. "I am dead tired and so are you, andI don't think anybody will come to harm us,--and there are no largewild beasts on the island. I guess we can take a chance," and as soonas their clothing was dry, both turned in, on beds of vines and moss.
In the morning Merwell was the first to stir, and when Dave awoke hefound the campfire burning merrily. The big youth was nowhere to beseen.
"Can he have run away?" mused our hero, and quickly felt to learn ifthe money-belt with the jewels was safe. It was still in its place andhe breathed a sigh of relief. Then he gave a call.
"Coming!" came from a distance, and in a few minutes Merwell put in anappearance, bringing with him some berries and fruits.
"One of those sailors who came ashore with me told me about these," hesaid. "The berries we can eat raw and they are very good. The fruit wecan slice up and toast. They make a pretty decent meal," and so itproved, and both youths ate their fill. Then Dave announced hisintention of climbing the tree again and having another look around.
"That ship is at the south end of the island," he announced. "It isnot the _Golden Eagle_, but a much smaller craft. Most likely it isthe vessel the Englishmen engaged. If it is, those three rascals willhave a chance to get away before Giles Borden can catch them and makethem give up the money they took from him."
"Oh, Dave, do you think----" And then Merwell stopped short.
"What were you going to say, Link?"
"I was thinking if it would be possible for Nick to go away with thoseEnglishmen."
"Why, yes, if he chanced to meet them, and they were willing to havehim. But would he go and leave you behind?"
"He might, especially if he found out I was captured, or that I hadlet you have what jewels I was carrying."
"If he went with those Englishmen he would be foolish to let them knowabout the jewels, for they would rob him, just as they robbed GilesBorden," continued our hero, and then he realized that here was a newperil to face. If the Englishmen got their hands on the jewels itmight be next to impossible to recover the gems, especially if therascals managed to get away from Cave Island.
Presently our hero saw a column of smoke arising in another portion ofthe island. He watched it for several minutes and then gave a cry ofsatisfaction.
"I know where they are!"
"You mean your crowd?" queried Merwell.
"Yes. Phil is signaling to me, by means of a column of smoke such assome Indians out west use. We learned the trick when we were at StarRanch. Come on, we'll soon be with them. It isn't very far."
Dave had come down from his high perch in a hurry, and in a very shorttime was ready to leave the spot. Merwell gave a deep sigh, for he didnot relish confronting his former schoolmates.
"It's tough luck, but I suppose I'v
e got to stand it," he murmured, ashe followed Dave, after the fire had been extinguished. "When a fellowmakes a fool of himself he's got to take the consequences." And thisremark was so true that Dave did not dispute it.
On they went through the forest and then over a rocky hill. Threetimes they came close to falling into the treacherous holes in whichthe island abounded, and the last time poor Merwell got a fall thatalmost sprained his ankle.
"We'll rest a bit and you can bathe the ankle," said Dave, kindly, andgot some water from a nearby pool.
"I don't wonder nobody is living on this island," grumbled the injuredone. "I suppose the natives around here are too afraid of falling intosome of those holes."
"They are afraid of the caves and also afraid of volcanoes," answeredDave. "The mate of the _Golden Eagle_ told me that. Sometimes thevolcanoes break out here without warning and cover the rocks with hotashes."
"Is that so? Well, I hope no volcano breaks out while I am here."
At last the boys reached a small rise of ground and at a distance sawthe column of smoke, plainly. Dave put on extra speed and soon sawPhil, Giles Borden, and several sailors--the survivors from theill-fated _Emma Brower_.
"Phil!"
"Dave! At last!" cried the shipowner's son, joyfully. "Are you hurt?"
"Not a bit of it. How are you?"
"All right, although I had several tumbles while hunting for you. Youdisappeared in the strangest fashion."
"I fell into a cave,--went down with Link Merwell."
"Oh!" Phil gave a start. "Who is that in the bushes? Merwell, as sureas I'm alive!"
"Yes, Phil. And what do you think? I've got part of the jewels--Linkhad them in his money-belt."
"Good enough! I was so afraid they had been lost out of thatjewel-case. Did you make Merwell a prisoner?"
"Well, in a way. He might have run away a dozen times, but I guess hedidn't want to be alone. Besides, he has quarreled with Jasniff. I'lltell you all about it later," went on Dave, in a lower tone.
Merwell had halted and now he came shuffling into the temporary camp.He nodded sheepishly to the shipowner's son and to the sailors.
"Got ye, did they?" said one of the tars, with a sneer.
"Yes," answered the culprit, meekly.
"Humph! You're a fine Dick to run away and steal jewels!" muttered thesailor, and turned his back on the youth.
"Where are Roger and Captain Sanders and the others?" questioned Dave.
"Gone after you, and after Jasniff and those three rascallyEnglishmen," answered Phil. "I said I'd stay here and try that trickwith a column of smoke. I thought you might remember and look for it."
"It was a good thing to do, Phil," answered our hero, "for it broughtus straight to this spot."
Dave Porter on Cave Island; Or, A Schoolboy's Mysterious Mission Page 27