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Frank Merriwell's Bravery, a novel by Burt L. Standish |
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Chapter 20. Mouth Of The Cave |
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_ CHAPTER XX. MOUTH OF THE CAVE After a time, Old Solitary lighted a torch, and they were enabled to follow him with greater ease. He led them into a circular chamber, where there was a bed of grass and some rude furniture of his own manufacture. "This is my home," declared the strange man. "For the present, you are safe here; but there is no way of getting out of here without passing through territory where the Danites will be found." "Then we are still in the meshes," said Frank. "You are still in the very heart of Danite land." "If what you say is true, then we cannot be safe here, for those human beasts know we are somewhere in the net, and they will find us, no matter what our hiding place may be." "That is true, but it will take time, and they fear me. They will not rush hither. You may sleep without fear to-night." "Surely we have need enough of sleep." "Then do not hesitate to slumber, for I need little sleep, and I will see that no harm comes to you." Frank would have questioned the man, but when he tried to do so in a manner that would not be offensive, Old Solitary suddenly became dumb, paying no heed to anything that was said. Frank and Barney talked for a long time. They were impressed with the belief that they were in the gravest peril, and yet they could do nothing more to save themselves till the opportunity came. To a large extent, they were in the hands of fate. Never before in all his life had Frank been utterly controlled by a feeling of utter inability to avert destruction by any effort of his own, even though his hands were free and he was armed. It seemed as if they had been doomed and were in a snare from which there could be no possible escape. Everything must be trusted to Old Solitary, that was certain. Feeling thus, Frank flung himself down on the bed of grass, and was soon sleeping soundly. It did not take Barney long to follow the example of his friend. They slept for hours. When they awoke the torch had burned out, and the chilly darkness of the cave was dense around them. "I wonder where Old Solitary is?" said Frank. They called to him and their voices echoed hollowly along the passages. No answer came. "Begorra!" cried the Irish boy; "It looks loike he had left us to oursilves." "It does seem that way," admitted Frank. Our hero remembered seeing in a niche the night before a collection of sticks that he fancied were for torches, and so, lighting a match, he sought them. He had made no mistake, for one of them lighted readily. "Our weapons are all right," he said, having made an examination. "It is probable that Old Solitary will soon return." They waited an hour, but the strange man did not appear. Both grew restless, and finally started out to explore the cave. With the aid of the torch, they picked their way along one of the passages. They were surprised at the distance traveled, and wondered when and where they would come out. Finally, a gleam of light was seen ahead, and, as they came nearer, the torch was extinguished. Climbing up a steep slope, they lay on their stomachs and peered out into the depths of a circular pocket that was inclosed by mountains on three sides. An exclamation broke from the lips of both. "A camp!" cried Frank. "It's a town, me b'y!" Barney almost shouted. "We're all roight, afther all!" "Easy!" cautioned Merriwell, quickly. "Keep your voice down. It is a town, but it is not the kind of a town we care to enter." "Pwhat's th' matther wid it?" "It is the town of the Danites. This is their retreat, where they have hidden themselves from the rest of the world." Barney was soon convinced that Frank was right, and the boys drew back a bit, taking care not to be seen by anybody below them. There was a collection of eight buildings upon which the morning sun was shining, six of which were dwelling houses, and two of which seemed to be stables. Taken all together, they made quite a little village. The doors of many of the houses were open, and men were seen lounging about. Occasionally a woman could be seen, and there were a few children at play. "Here live the last of the terrible organization that has shed the blood of hundreds of Gentiles," said Frank. "These men were known to be leaders, and the fate of John D. Lee was a warning to them. They saw the church could no longer protect them, and so they fled here. It is possible that some of those old men down there were concerned in the Mountain Meadow Massacre." "It's the divvil's own set they are, to be sure." "They have never hesitated to shed blood, and our lives will not be worth a pinch of snuff if we fall into their hands." "Pwhat are we goin' to do?" "That remains to be seen. For the present, we seem to be safe where we are. It is plain this cave extends through a spur of the mountain, and we are looking out on a side far from where we entered. It is also possible that, even now, some of these creatures may be climbing to the other entrance." "Howly shmoke!" "I said possible, not probable. I am trusting much to Old Solitary." The boys lay there a long time, talking and peering down into the village of the Danites. They did not see a lithe, agile figure that was climbing in their direction. At length, having climbed as far as possible, this figure reached a stopping place, still below and at one side. "Great shnakes!" gasped Barney, clutching Frank's arm. "Will yez take a look at thot!" He pointed toward the figure. "Caesar's ghost! It is Miskel!" "Pwhat is she doin' there, me b'y?" "She seemed to be looking this way. I wonder if she has seen us here?" "Oi dunno." "She acts as if she has." "Thot she does." "She is hidden from the camp below by that mass of bowlders beside her, and she acts as if she were trying to keep out of sight of them down there." "Pwhat's thot she has in her hand?" "A bow. That is a perfect picture of the nymph Diana." "Ay she ounly had some hounds an' a stag at hand." "See--she has taken an arrow from a quiver at her back, and she seems to be attaching something to it. By the way she looks up here I should say she is measuring the distance with her eye, to see if she can make the arrow reach." It certainly looked that way, and the boys watched her every movement with the keenest interest, still keeping as far concealed as possible. Once Miskel lifted the bow and drew it taut, but something did not satisfy her, and she lowered it. After some moments the bow was lifted again, and then the arrow sailed upward through the air. "It's coming!" Both boys dodged. Zip--click! The arrow cut through the air, sailed in at the opening of the cave, struck the face of the rock, and dropped to the ground. Frank quickly picked it up. "Ha!" he exclaimed. "Look, Barney--a bit of paper is attached here! There is writing on it! Ten to one it is a message!" Eagerly he removed the bit of paper that was tied to the arrow, and he soon read aloud what was written on it. "FRANK MERRIWELL: It is known that you are there, but you are safe for the present, although still meshed and unable to escape. My father fears Old Solitary; but there are others who do not, and your refuge will not long continue a safe one. Your friends have arrived, and they are already in the snare, so it is not likely you will ever see either of them alive. The last sentence filled both boys with the utmost wonder and perplexity. "What does it mean?" asked Frank. "Thot Oi'll nivver tell!" cried Barney. "My friends? Whom can she mean? Who is it that is already within the snare?" "Ax me something aisy!" "And the Danites know where we are hidden!" "Thot's pwhat she says, av ye read it roight." "It is very comforting to know it! Uric Dugan fears Old Solitary, but there are others who do not." "It's the others we nade to be afeared av, me lad." "You are right. We must be constantly on our guard. Both of us must not sleep at the same time; we must take turns at sleeping. In that way we should be able to know when they try to come upon us, and we will sell our lives as dearly as possible." "Av we've got to doie, Oi'd loike to wipe out the gang av spalpanes down there." "Were they other than the murderous wretches they are, I should feel pity for them; but, as it is, there is no pity in my heart. It is a just retribution that they are outcast from their fellow-creatures, are forced to hide like hunted beasts, that they live in terror each day and each night of their lives." "But this will nivver tell us who our friends are thot have entered th' snare, Frankie." "No; nor do I know how we are to find out." "Th' girrul----" "Is descending." It was true. Having accomplished her purpose in climbing up there, Miskel was descending. She was as sure-footed and agile as a mountain goat, and it was a pleasure to watch her. "Frankie, she is a jool! An' do yez soay her fayther is ould Uric Dugan hissilf?" "So she told me." "It's a shame! Av it weren't fer thot, Oi'd thry me hand at makin' a mash on th' loikes av her." Frank was silent; he seemed to be thinking. "I have it!" he finally cried, striking his hands together. "Kape it," advised Barney. "It's th' ounly thing ye're loikely to get around this place, my laddybuck." "By my friends she must have meant Walter Clyde and his companions, Graves and Kerney. They have had time to cruise down the river, and they are here. I'll wager that I am right!" "Ye may be. But soay! Look down there. So hilp me, there come some ay th' spalpanes, an' they have a prisoner!" Barney was right. Several Danites were entering the pocket, conducting in their midst a captive. He was a small man, with red hair and whiskers. "Heavens above!" gasped Frank, thunderstruck. "It's Professor Scotch!" _ |
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