Dave Porter on Cave Island/Chapter 26
CHAPTER XXVI
THE COLUMN OF SMOKE
"Well, we are lost, that is all there is to it. And I am so dead tired I can't walk another step." And thus speaking, Link Merwell sank down on a tree-root to rest.
He and Dave had been plunging along through the forest and across several clearings for the larger part of an hour. They had found what looked to be a trail, but it had suddenly come to an end in front of a small cave that looked to be the lair of some wild animal, and they had gone on once more. Now the darkness of the tropics shut out the surrounding landscape.
Link Merwell certainly looked the picture of misery. His clothing was much tattered and still wet, and his forehead was swollen from contact with the rocks. One of his shoes was so cut that his bare foot was exposed.
"It looks as if we were lost," replied Dave. "In this darkness it will be difficult to go much further. But I had hoped, by keeping in a straight line, that, sooner or later, we'd reach the shore of the island."
"I reckon we didn't walk in a straight line—most folks that get lost in 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 here all night we may as well try to make ourselves comfortable. But I wish the 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 few minutes he tried it. Bang! went the gun, the shot echoing far and wide through the forest and among the rocks. Then both boys listened for a reply.
"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, I don't see what we can do excepting to try to make ourselves comfortable. We might climb one of these tall palms and take a look around."
"Yes, that's it!" exclaimed the other youth, eagerly. "Why didn't we think of that before? But it will be hard work climbing one of those trees," went on Merwell, gazing up at the straight trunk with the first 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 by means of a vine-rope cast about the waist and the tree-trunk. Selecting several strong vines, he twisted them into a rope, and then passed the same around a tree-trunk and to the back of his waist. Then he took off his shoes and stockings and placed his bare feet against the 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 went up as far as the strength of the tree would permit. He was now close enough to the top to get a good look around, and he cast his eyes about eagerly, hoping to catch sight of some of his friends, or their campfire.
"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 it could be the Golden Eagle, coming back after the storm.
"Maybe it's the ship that was coming back for those Englishmen," went on Merwell, for Dave had told him about the men. He heaved a mountainous 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. He felt 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 on the bosom of the ocean, but could learn nothing concerning the craft that showed it. Then he continued to look around the island. No campfire was to be located, and finally he rejoined Merwell.
"The light on that ship was all I saw," he said. "Perhaps it might pay to walk down to the shore in that direction. But it is a long distance, and in the darkness we might fall into another of the caves."
"Let us stay here," answered Merwell.
"It will probably be as well. We can build a campfire and dry our clothing 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 the best of it. Try to find some firewood. Luckily I have a waterproof matchsafe along and it is full of matches," added our hero.
Fate was kinder to them than they had expected, for in hunting for firewood, Merwell found a hole containing what they took to be native hares. He killed two of the creatures, and at once set to work to clean and skin them. Then, when Dave had started the fire, the game was broiled while the boys had their clothing drying.
"Not much of a meal, but better than nothing," said Merwell, and our hero 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 lay down 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, and I don't think anybody will come to harm us,—and there are no large wild beasts on the island. I guess we can take a chance," and as soon as 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 he found the campfire burning merrily. The big youth was nowhere to be seen.
"Can he have run away?" mused our hero, and quickly felt to learn if the money-belt with the jewels was safe. It was still in its place and he breathed a sigh of relief. Then he gave a call.
"Coming!" came from a distance, and in a few minutes Merwell put in an appearance, bringing with him some berries and fruits.
"One of those sailors who came ashore with me told me about these," he said. "The berries we can eat raw and they are very good. The fruit we can slice up and toast. They make a pretty decent meal," and so it proved, and both youths ate their fill. Then Dave announced his intention of climbing the tree again and having another Jook around.
"That ship is at the south end of the island," he announced. "It is not the Golden Eagle, but a much smaller craft. Most likely it is the vessel the Englishmen engaged. If it is, those three rascals will have a chance to get away before Giles Borden can catch them and make them 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 those Englishmen."
"Why, yes, if he chanced to meet them, and they were willing to have him. But would he go and leave you behind?"
"He might, especially if he found out I was captured, or that I had let you have what jewels I was carrying."
"If he went with those Englishmen he would be foolish to let them know about the jewels, for they would rob him, just as they robbed Giles Borden," continued our hero, and then he realized that here was a new peril to face. If the Englishmen got their hands on the jewels it might be next to impossible to recover the gems, especially if the rascals managed to get away from Cave Island.
Presently our hero saw a column of smoke arising in another portion of the island. He watched it for several minutes and then gave a cry of satisfaction.
"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 as some Indians out west use. We learned the trick when we were at Star Ranch. 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 short time was ready to leave the spot. Merwell gave a deep sigh, for he did not relish confronting his former schoolmates.
"It's tough luck, but I suppose I've got to stand it," he murmured, as he followed Dave, after the fire had been extinguished. "When a fellow makes a fool of himself he's got to take the consequences." And this remark was so true that Dave did not dispute it.
On they went through the forest and then over a rocky hill. Three times they came close to falling into the treacherous holes in which the island abounded, and the last time poor Merwell got a fall that almost sprained his ankle.
"We'll rest a bit and you can bathe the ankle," said Dave, kindly, and got some water from a nearby pool.
"I don't wonder nobody is living on this island," grumbled the injured one. "I suppose the natives around here are too afraid of falling into some of those holes."
"They are afraid of the caves and also afraid of volcanoes," answered Dave. "The mate of the Golden Eagle told me that. Sometimes the volcanoes break out here without warning and cover the rocks with hot ashes."
"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 saw the column of smoke, plainly. Dave put on extra speed and soon saw Phil, Giles Borden, and several sailors—the survivors from the ill-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. You disappeared 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 sure as I'm alive!"
"Yes, Phil. And what do you think? I've got part of the jewels—Link had them in his money-belt."
"Good enough! I was so afraid they had been lost out of that jewel-case. Did you make Merwell a prisoner?"
"Well, in a way. He might have run away a dozen times, but I guess he didn't want to be alone. Besides, he has quarreled with Jasniff. I'll tell 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 the sailor, 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 rascally Englishmen," answered Phil. "I said I'd stay here and try that trick with 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 brought us straight to this spot."