Part 27 (1/2)
what a dreaive my title and fortune to be back in London this ht,” said the colonel dryly, and then under the regular strokes of four paddles the canoewater
Every instant it grew louder and more distinct, and soon their voices were almost drowned in the roar
It was a period of terrible anxiety That it was the outlet of the lake they were approaching no one for an instant doubted Their chief concern was for a safe passage into the river beyond, for the angry splash of the water told plainly its turbulent and dangerous nature
”Keep a little off from the shore,” cried Guy ”It won't do to make too sharp a curve or we shall upset We must strike the current fairly in the center and keep the canoe straight as an arrow Whatever happens, don't drop the torch,” he added warningly
Close as they noere to the outlet, no signs of any current were yet visible The colonel called attention to this strange fact, but Guy explained it by reh the center of the lake and that dead water continued to the very edge
”I can see a white gleam ahead,” he cried suddenly; ”now paddle off from shore a little more and head the canoe as I tell you”
His orders were obeyed in silence Straight out from the shore the canoe shot deftly A couple of quick strokes forward and backward and its bow faced the angry waters that raged and foamed thirty yards distant
The radius of the torch cast a faint glea spray It seeive way,” cried Guy Four paddles dipped and rose as one, the shi+ning drops rolled frolare, and then Guy sprang to his feet with a loud cry
The paddles wavered in mid-air ”Go ahead,” he shouted fiercely ”Paddle with all your strength”
Once more they dipped the water, the canoe moved sloith an effort, and as the paddles a second time paused in air, the canoe shot swiftly--not forward to the ery waters, but back--_back at dizzy speed into the dark and dismal recesses of the lake_
Even then the awful, unspeakable horror of the situation never flashed upon theain,” cried the colonel in hollow tones ”We have returned to the starting point In some manner we have ain”
”Could the canoe have been turned co our journey?”
exclaimed Forbes
”Impossible,” said the colonel ”I can prove it instantly When we started away from the spot where the river enters on our trip around the lake, the shore was on our right When we arrived here just noas still on our right, whereas, had we unconsciously turned the canoe about and reversed our course, the shore would be on our left We have circu point, and in some way missed the outlet”
”No,” cried Chutney in tones that chilled his hearers with horror ”We did not miss the outlet”
”What do you mean?” cried the colonel
”I say we did not miss the outlet,” continued Guy, ”because there was no outlet to miss No exit from the lake exists We are entoht of day again We shall die here in the bowels of the earth, and the serpents will led those poor unfortunates yonder on the island Better to know the truth now than later It is useless to hope I tell you we are doo down into the canoe, he covered his face with his hands
Sir Arthur uttered a heartrending cry and fell back in a faint He lay unnoticed The torch dropped from the Greek's nerveless hands and expired with a hiss In darkness and silence they floated on and on until the roar of the infloater became fainter and fainter Then it died out entirely and all was intensely quiet
The darkness was grateful to their stricken hearts They wanted time to realize the awful misfortune that had fallen so suddenly and heavily upon therasp the truth in a moment, especially when that truth meant utter hopelessness and a terrible death So they drifted in silence under the great vault of the cavern, living-dead in a living toht have been an hour and it e of ti posture
His brain was dizzy and reeling The aching misery lay heavy on his heart, and yet one faint spark of hope lingered amid the black despair, the natural buoyancy of his nature that refused even to submit to the decrees of the inevitable