Part 28 (1/2)

”Remember we were saved by the merciful intervention of One above,”

added Mr. McKay. ”And if it please Him, we'll come out of this in safety. We've had a lot to be thankful for.”

”I know, but all the same it's hard lines. Take that, you brute!” Andy added, pressing the trigger.

It was a splendid shot. A group of natives had begun to batter the yawl's tender to splinters. They were a good four hundred yards away, but Andy's shot struck a tall savage, clad in a gorgeous cloak of white and red feathers, fairly between the shoulder-blades.

Andy had laid aside his rifle immediately after discharging it, and had s.n.a.t.c.hed up a pair of field-gla.s.ses. The effect of the chief's death--for a chief he evidently was--caused the wreckers to abandon their task, and they fled to join their fellows under the shelter of the lowermost cliff.

”They are preparing for another rush,” observed Terence.

”Yes. I wish we had a Maxim or two,” replied Andy. ”That would stop them.”

”I have an idea,” exclaimed Ellerton. ”I can best be spared, so I'll run over to the caves and bring back a few sticks of dynamite and some detonators.”

”Good! Good!” replied Mr. McKay. ”You're a wonder, Hoppy. Mind how you come back, and don't stumble, or we won't be able to find even your fragments.”

Ellerton set off on his self-imposed mission, and presently returned with about fourteen pounds of dynamite and half a dozen time-fuses.

”What do you propose to do?” asked Terence. ”Make a bomb and roll it over the cliff?”

”No!” replied the youth. ”We can load up one of those trucks, set the time-fuse, and turn the thing adrift.”

”It will mean good-bye to our storehouse,” observed Mr. McKay. ”But that cannot be helped, so let's to work; they'll be rus.h.i.+ng us in a few minutes.”

At the top of the cable-railway stood three empty trucks. In ordinary circ.u.mstances these would be filled with water, and their increased weight would cause them to descend and, at the same time, bring up the loaded trucks from the sh.o.r.e or the storehouse. Half-way down the line, and almost abreast of the building, were three other trucks, waiting to be loaded should occasion require. Around these trucks, which were invisible from the upper terrace, were most of the savages, who were ma.s.sing for the attack at the base of the second terrace.

”You are quite sure you can unshackle the thing easily?” asked Mr.

McKay. ”If there's a hitch we shall be the ones to be blown to smithereens.”

”I'll make sure of it,” replied Ellerton, and securing the lowermost of the three trucks to the second one by means of a piece of rope, he unfastened the proper connecting shackles.

Then placing the explosive in the truck he asked Mr. McKay to take the time.

”It's set for four minutes,” he announced. ”Half-a-minute will be quite enough, so at three and a half minutes from the time the fuse is lit I'll cut the rope and off she'll go.”

”Stand back, you fellows! If it goes wrong we need not all be blown sky-high. Are you ready? Stand by!”

The fuse began to hiss and splutter. Ellerton, knife in hand, kept his eyes fixed on Mr. McKay, who, standing fifty yards off, held his watch before him.

”Precious long three and a half minutes,” thought the lad.

It was not a pleasant task standing within two yards of a highly-charged explosive. More than once he felt tempted to cut the rope and let the truck go.

”Time?” he shouted huskily, for his heart seemed literally in his throat.

”No, not yet,” replied Mr. McKay.

Realising the strain on the plucky youth, he began to walk slowly in the direction of the truck.