Young Hunters in Porto Rico: or, The Search for a Lost Treasure

As there was nothing to be gained just then by resisting, poor Bob marched along, through the jungle and across several tiny mountain streams.

Presently they reached a rough shelter built of tree branches and palm leaves, and here they halted.

The boy was tied to a tree, hands and feet, the natives using some tough vines for that purpose. Then he was searched, and his pistol and pocketknife were taken from him.

"If I ungag you, will you promise to make no outcry?" asked Joseph Farvel.

As Bob was nearly smothered, he nodded his head, whereupon the obnoxious gag was quickly removed.

"What do you mean by handling me in this fashion?" demanded the youth, as soon as he could speak.

"Now don't get on a high horse, or it will be the worse for you," replied Farvel, bitterly.

"I ask you a direct question and I expect a direct answer," went on Bob, indignantly.

"I brought you here to get some information from you, young man."

"You'll learn nothing from me."

"Perhaps I shall."

"I'll cut my tongue off before I tell anything."

"It's easy enough to talk that way now. But you'll change your tune presently."

"I don't think so."

"We'll see. Do you realize that you are entirely in my power?"

"That doesn't scare me so very much, Joseph Farvel. You won't dare to do much."

"I am here for that treasure, and I'm bound to have it by hook or by crook. If you know anything definite, you had better tell me about it."

"As I said before, I'll tell you nothing."

In a rage Farvel stepped closer and slapped Bob's cheek.

"You little rat, I'll make you talk!" he stormed. "Your party has located the treasure; I feel certain of it."

Bob was boiling with indignation, and had his hands been free he would have knocked Farvel down. But he was helpless, and could do absolutely nothing.

"Are you going to talk?" demanded the enraged man, after a short pause.

"No."

"Don't you know what is best for you?"

"Perhaps I do."

"You act as if you didn't."

"I'll chance it."

"You shan't have a mouthful to eat or to drink until you promise to tell me all you know."

"Then I'll starve," said Bob, promptly.

Joseph Farvel had not looked for so much grit in the youth, and now he was completely nonplussed.

"You don't mean what you say."

"Try me and see."

"Have your friends located that tablet?"

"Go ask them, and find out – if you can."

"Don't get cheeky. What is your name?"

"Bob Hobart – I'm not ashamed of it either – as I would be if my name was Joseph Farvel."

"Don't anger me too greatly, or I'll – I'll – "

"What will you do?"

"I'll bring you to terms in a hurry."

"You can't bring me to terms. And now let me do a little talking. I demand that you set me at liberty."

"Go ahead and demand, and that is all the good it will do you."

"If you continue to hold me a prisoner, when I get free I'll have you arrested, just as sure as you're an Englishman."

"Perhaps you won't get the chance."

So speaking, Farvel walked away, to consult with the blacks, one of whom immediately made off in the direction of the Dark Cave.

In vain Bob tugged at the vines which bound him. They were as tough as iron and refused to part. At last with a groan he gave up the struggle.

Half an hour passed, and then the second negro left, and Farvel approached Bob once again.

"Have you changed your mind about talking?" he demanded.

"I have not."

"If Robert Menden finds that treasure, are you to have a part of it?"

"If you wish to know so bad – yes."

"What part?"

"Robert Menden is going to give our party one-quarter of all that is found."

"Humph! I wouldn't be satisfied with a quarter."

"We consider that the treasure is really his – if he finds it."

"It belongs to me. Now I have a plan that ought to interest you. If your party will drop Menden and come with me, I'll give your crowd one-half of all we get."

"I'm not making a deal with you, Joseph Farvel. I wouldn't go into partnership with you for a million dollars."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't like you and I don't think you are honest. If you – "

Bob was allowed to go no further. White with rage, Farvel sprang forward and planted a blow directly on the defenceless boy's nose. The onslaught drew blood, which trickled down over Bob's mouth and chin.

"You coward!" moaned the boy, when Farvel hauled off for another attack. But now an interruption came, as welcome to the boy as it was terrifying to Farvel. What it was we shall speedily learn.

CHAPTER XXIX

A FRIEND IN NEED

"Bob! Bob! Where are you?"

It was Dick who called out, about quarter of an hour after Bob had disappeared.

The party was ready to descend into the gigantic cave once more, and wondered why Bob did not return.

"Where can he have gone?" asked Robert Menden.

"I reckon as how somethin' has happened to him," burst out old Jacob, putting away the short briar-root pipe he had been smoking. "Didn't he saunter off in thet direction?" and he pointed with his long finger.

"He did," answered Leander.

"Where is Dash? He will find him," cried Don.

They looked around for the dog, but he was nowhere in sight, having gone off on a trail of his own after some small ground-animal.

Soon the entire party was hunting in earnest for Bob, but without success.

When they reached the pool of water, old Jacob inspected the wet ground with interest.

"Here are lots o' footprints," he exclaimed. "Poor Bob's got into trouble, jest as I supposed."

"Some of the prints are of naked feet," put in Leander. "Those negroes with Farvel were barefooted."

"That's true," said Robert Menden. "Can it be possible that Bob has been carried off by Farvel and his tools."

"It looks that way," said Leander. "The question is, what have they done with our chum?"

All stared blankly at each other. Then Don got down on his knees and began another examination.

"If I was an Indian I might follow this trail," he said; "but as it is, I fancy I am not equal to it."

"If only Dash was here," sighed Leander. "What can have become of that dog? Dash! Dash!"

The call was followed by several others. At last came a short, suppressed bark from a neighboring thicket. Instantly Don and Leander made a run in that direction, and arrived just in time to see a big black fellow running away.

"Stop, or I'll fire at you!" cried Don, and pulled his pistol; but in a second more the fellow was out of range behind several trees.

The native had been sent forward to kill the canine, Farvel feeling certain that otherwise Dash would be used to locate his captive master.

The native had been in the act of firing at Dash, when Leander and Don appeared.

As it was, Dash was limping painfully from a slight wound in the fore-shoulder.

"Good dog!" cried Don. "So he meant to kill you? Too bad!" And he hugged faithful old Dash around the neck.

The others soon came up, and it was decided to follow the trail of the native without delay.

This was an easy but slow undertaking for Dash, and this time they kept up with the canine with ease.

The trail led directly to where Farvel was keeping Bob a prisoner, and they came in sight just as the rascal had punched the helpless lad in the nose.

"Oh, the villain!" cried Dick, and rushing up behind Farvel he hit the man such a heavy blow in the neck that Farvel dropped like a log.

Seeing this, the native disappeared, and it may as well be stated here that he did not return, nor did the other black come back.

Farvel was nearly stunned, and by the time he recovered, old Jacob had released Bob by cutting the vines with his sharp jack-knife.

"Who – what – " stammered Farvel, when he could speak. Then he saw the crowd gathered around him and his face fell.

"Oh, how glad I am that you came up," cried Bob. "I believe he was going to kill me!"

"Wasn't going to do anything of the sort," growled Farvel. "You just let me alone."

"I fancy I will let you alone," panted Bob, "after I am square with you. Take that!" And as the man got up, Bob slapped him with such force in the mouth that Farvel's teeth rattled. "You are a brute, and ought to be in jail."

"Tell us your story, Bob," said Robert Menden, and the tale was speedily forthcoming. Farvel tried several times to interrupt, but was not allowed.

"We'll make him our prisoner now," said old Jacob, grimly. "It ain't safe to leave him roamin' around loose."

"Me a prisoner!" gasped Joseph Farvel. "I rather guess not!"

"Yes, tie him up," said Bob. "We can set him free later on, when we hand him over to the authorities."

Farvel fumed and used language not fit to transcribe to these pages. But this availed him nothing, and soon his hands were bound as tightly as Bob's had been.

"Now march!" ordered old Jacob.

"Where to?"

"March, an' ye'll find out soon enough. Forward, or I'll boot ye!" and the old tar looked so fierce that Farvel moved off without further parley.

The course of the party was directly for the cave entrance. Arriving here, a consultation was held, and it was decided to take Farvel to a grove some distance to the left. Here the rascal was fastened to a cedar tree.

"We'll come back for you by night," said Robert Menden. "In the meantime here are some crackers and a drink of water for you," and he held them up so that Farvel could get at them. At first the fellow wanted to refuse, but soon thought better of it, having a fear of suffering from thirst and hunger.

Joseph Farvel was boiling with inward rage. Yet he did not dare say too much, fearing that the party would turn on him. Soon he was left to himself. Yet they were not yet done with him.

"A good bit of time lost," remarked Robert Menden, as he consulted his watch. "But I am glad we now have Farvel where he can do us no further harm."

The entrance to the cave passed, they speedily found their way to the chamber of bones, and then to where the tablet was located.

All was exactly as they had left it and Robert Menden breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Now, we ought to have that treasure in our possession before we leave to-night," he said.

"Ye can't git it none too quick for any o' us!" grinned old Jacob. "Ain't thet so, boys?"

"You're right!" cried Dick. "Hurry up with the ropes."

The coils were speedily forthcoming, and the two heaviest were well knotted together. Then Robert Menden prepared to descend once more – this time with the canvas bag on his back. In one hand he carried a fresh torch, which made that portion of the crack in the rocks almost as bright as day.

"Gently now," he cautioned, as he swung downward. "I don't want to break my neck for all the gold on the island."

"We'll be careful," answered Bob; and then all took hold of the rope, and Menden was lowered slowly but steadily.

He had passed something like twenty feet further down than on his previous trip, when he called to them to halt.

"I've found a resting-place," he said, when Dick threw himself flat to look down into the gloom. "It's a sort of ledge. There is a wider opening further down."

"Is the box there?"

"I don't see it – yet. Hold onto the rope, for I may slip from here at any instant."

Dick promised to do so, and all kept the line taut as before. They heard Menden moving around and heard him toss several small rocks aside.

Then came a sudden yell, followed by the fall of some dirt or rocks, they could not tell which. The rope came up so quickly that all fell back in dismay.

"Something is wrong!" gasped Don. "Menden, are you all right?"

There was no answer to his cry, and he and Dick bent over the edge to investigate. But the torch was hidden, or had gone out, and they could see nothing.

"Haul up the rope," said old Jacob, quietly; and it was quickly done. The noose which had been around Menden's body was gone, and the end of the line showed that it had been cut by the edge of a jagged stone.

CHAPTER XXX

FINDING THE SPANISH TREASURE

"Has he been killed?"

"What shall we do next?"

"I can't see or hear anything of him."

One and another stared at his companions. Robert Menden was gone, and there was no telling what had become of him.

"I'll go down and find out," said Dick, determinedly.

"But the danger, lad – " began old Jacob.

"I'll be very careful, Jacob. I have no wish to lose my life. But we must do something, you know."

The old sailor shook his head doubtfully. "If you lose your life, lad, I'll never be able to face your folks – not me!"

Nevertheless, he allowed Dick to tie the end of the jagged rope around him, and then the boy was lowered over the brink of the fissure, also with a lighted torch in his hand.

Down and down he went, and still down, until he felt as if he was entering the very bowels of the earth. His heart beat violently, and several times he could hardly keep from calling to those left behind to pull him up. But he was grit, and kept on descending until the ledge upon which Menden had stood was gained.

All was uncertain about him. The jagged rocks loomed up all around him, and to one side was the vast opening the Englishman had mentioned. Dick waved his torch over it and concluded it was a bottomless pit.

Several tons of rocks had fallen, but most of the mass had gone over the edge of the ledge. There was a heap of small stones close at hand, and looking down among these the youth saw Robert Menden's body, partly covered up.

"Can he be dead?" he asked himself. "Oh, I pray God he is alive!" And then he heard the Englishman utter a short groan.

"He's alive!" he shouted. "But he's badly wounded."

"Better send him up, then," returned Leander. "Do you want another rope?"

"Yes."

It was speedily forthcoming, but, alas! it proved too short by a dozen feet.

"Let down some more," called Dick.

"We can't. That's all we have."

"It won't do."

"Can't you tie him on the rope you have?" asked Bob.

Yes, Dick could do that. But such a proceeding would leave him on the ledge without a safeguard. He shivered at the thought. Then he grated his teeth. "I must do it," he muttered. "It's the only way." He slipped down on his knees, and extricated the body from the stones and dirt that held it.

"Oh, my head!" groaned Robert Menden, and replased into unconsciousness.

With extreme caution Dick untied the noose about him, and adjusted it under Menden's arms. Then he braced himself on the ledge, and called to those above to haul away, and they did so. As the body swung upward, the canvas bag slipped on Dick's head, and he let it fall to his feet.

It was no mean task to get the unconscious man to the top of the fissure and to a place of safety. But this accomplished, old Jacob set to work to bind up his wounds and restore him to himself. In the meantime the boys lowered the rope once more for Dick.

His first feeling of horror over, Dick began to gaze around him curiously. He hardly dared to move, for fear of pitching headlong into the pit; but he brought the torch low, and by its flames made out what looked to be a portion of some boards just beyond where he was standing.

"Dick, the rope is coming!" called Leander.

"All right – I have it," – and with a sigh of relief the boy adjusted the end of the coil once more under his arms. He now felt free to move, and advanced upon the boards with caution.

The nearest came up with ease, and he saw it was of cedar and varnished upon one side. Then he looked further, and saw – shining gold!

There was a regular heap of it – Spanish doubloons and other coins of the realm – enough to fill his canvas bag three times over. At the sight he could scarcely contain himself.

"Hurrah!" he yelled.

"Have you found it?" came from above.

"Yes; a regular heap of gold, boys, all tumbled out of the chest, which has gone to pieces. We're in luck, and no further doubt of it."

There was a hurrah from those above, and Danny and Don executed a jig of delight. In the midst of the uproar, Robert Menden sat up and stared about him.

"Whe – where am I?"

"You are safe," replied old Jacob. "An' the treasure is found!" he added with a happy smile.

"Found! Good! But the rock fell – "

"And you went down under it, sir. But you'll be all right. Dick went down for you, and he's just passed up word that the gold is there."

"He must be careful. I – I – oh, my head!" and Robert Menden fell back again, too weak to go on. Yet he, like all the others, was supremely happy.

Without waiting, Dick began to fill the canvas bag, doing so with care, that none of the golden coins might become lost. Then he tied the bag to the rope.

"Haul away on the first load!" he cried, and they hauled away with vigor. At the sight of so much shining gold Danny nearly had a spasm.

"Well, if dat don't beat de nation!" he gasped. "Dare must be most a fortune dare!"

"It's a fine pile!" burst out Leander. "Tell you what, fellows, it was worth coming for, eh?"

"Any more down there?" yelled Bob, to Dick.

"Yes, two bagfuls," came the muffled reply. "Send down the bag again.

"Two bags!" ejaculated old Jacob. "Boys, we'll be rich – that is, you'll be."

"You shan't be forgotten," answered Don, hastily. "Nor Danny neither."

Again the canvas bag was lowered and Dick began the task of filling it a second time.

He had to work with extreme care, for the ledge slanted considerably, and at one point it ran almost directly downward and was shaky besides, and he could scarcely keep his footing.

Up came the second bagful, and then the third followed.

"Keep it up there, now," called out Dick. "I'll bring the rest in my pockets."

"Don't miss any," shouted Don. "These doubloons are worth sixteen or eighteen dollars each."

"I don't intend to miss any," answered Dick; "but it's no mean work to move around down here – I can tell you that."

"Be careful," cried old Jacob. "If you have the most on it, better come up."

"Yes; leave the odds and ends of coin go," shouted Don.

A cry from Dick interrupted him. "Here's something else, boys – a little bag full of stones."

"Diamonds?" queried Leander.

"I can't say, for the bag is sealed up, and it's marked M. M. M. I'll be up soon now."

Dick continued to hunt around, in the meantime adjusting the rope under his arms, that a slip might not prove too dangerous.

Three more Spanish gold pieces were sighted, also a curious golden cross set with rubies.

At last it looked as if he had secured everything of value, and he called to those above to haul him up.

The others were busy counting up the gold pieces, but responded without delay, and in a minute he was swinging clear of the ledge and moving upward slowly but steadily.

His torch had almost gone out, and threw out far more smoke than flame.

Suddenly, when he was midway between the top of the opening and the edge, something caught his eye which filled him with horror.

In some manner the torch had set fire to the rope at a point two feet over his head. The strands were burning freely, and it looked as if in a few seconds more the rope would be burnt through.

CHAPTER XXXI

A DANGEROUS TUMBLE

"Pull up quick, boys! The rope is on fire!"

Such was Dick's agonizing cry as he made his dire discovery.

"The rope is on fire?" repeated Bob. "How did that happen?"

"I must have set it on fire with my torch. Quick! or it will part and I'll have a bad fall."

"Hoist away, all hands!" sang out old Jacob, and exerted all of his strength.

The old tar and the others meant well, but it would have been much better had Dick been lowered to his original resting-place. Yet up he came, until he was almost within reach of the top of the fissure.

Then came the dreaded parting of the burning rope.

Down shot the boy, down and down.

His feet struck the ledge; but he could not save himself, and with a scream that rang in his companions' ears for days afterward, he went over the ledge, down and down, until nothing more could be heard of him.

As the burning rope parted, all of those holding the upper end were thrown on their backs, but leaped up quickly.

"He's gone!" gasped Leander, hoarsely.

"Dick! Dick! where are you?" cried Don, peering into the darkness below; for even the torch had disappeared.

No answer came back, although they listened with strained ears. All was as silent as a tomb.

And was that to prove poor Dick's grave? Silently they asked themselves the question, as one looked at another, all with blanched faces.

"I'd rather lose the fortune," said Don, voicing the sentiment of all.

"Give me that other rope, lads," exclaimed old Jacob. "I'll go down for him."

He stepped upon the burning end of rope and put it out. Then the reserve coil was fastened on, and he tied the end under his arms and lit another torch.

"Don't set the rope afire again," cautioned Bob. He could scarcely trust himself to speak.

"No danger," answered the Yankee sailor. "Let me down carefully now," he added, and disappeared over the edge of the opening.

Down he went until the ledge was reached. Here he paused to survey the situation. Nothing but the loose rocks and the remains of the shattered cedar chest met his gaze.

"Dick! Dick!" he called.

There was no answer, and the look on his face grew more serious than ever. The boy had gone further. But to where?

"Let me down some more," he called up. "But be careful. It's mighty skeery down here."

They promised to be careful, and the rope was let down inch by inch, until old Jacob had reached a point fifteen feet below the ledge.

"That's all the rope we have here," cried Bob.

The Yankee tar remained dangling in midair. On all sides of him were the walls of rock, dripping with moisture. He held the torch down, and saw, far below, the glitter of some dark, underground stream.

Dick had fallen into that. But where was he? The question was one impossible to answer. With care old Jacob took some light string from his pocket and threw it into the water. Like a flash a strong current seized it and carried it under a neighboring wall!

"He's gone, poor boy!" he muttered; and something like a tear stole down his bronzed cheek, for he thought a good deal of the young master of the Dashaway. From the top of the opening he heard Dash set up a dismal howl, as if to confirm his opinion.

It was a sorry crowd that gathered to hear what the old tar might have to say when he came up.

"And you think he was carried away by that stream?" observed Don, sadly.

"No doubt on it, lad. He wasn't in sight, and the water fills the entire bottom of the opening."

"Then he is gone!" gasped Leander, bursting into tears, and little Danny joined in.

"Dat's de wust yet!" sobbed the Irish lad. "I don't want none o' dat gold – now!" And the others felt very much the same way.

"I've a good mind to go down and have a look," said Bob, and insisted upon it despite old Jacob's protestations. But he learned nothing new. Then Don went down, followed by Leander.

The result was the same, and all were forced to believe that poor Dick had been carried off by the underground stream to a watery grave.

By this time Robert Menden was able to sit up, and though still weak, he insisted upon being told about what had happened.

"This is certainly bad," he said. "I suppose I can be thankful that I did not meet a similar fate."

"That's true," answered old Jacob. "But I am not going to give up yet."

"What do you intend to do?"

"Get a longer rope from somewhere and examine thet hole thoroughly. If I only git his body it will be better nor nuthin'."

The matter was talked over for a few minutes, and then old Jacob hurried off alone, to where they had left Joseph Farvel a prisoner.

A surprise awaited the old sailor. In some unaccountable manner, Farvel had become free, and had disappeared.

Under ordinary circumstances old Jacob would have begun an investigation but now other matters filled his head.

Farvel had left the rope which had bound him, and this the old tar appropriated.

Inside of half an hour he was back to where he had left the boys and Robert Menden.