Part 34 (1/2)

”Now who's right, sir?” exclaimed Ellerton triumphantly, as the pale gleam of daylight was visible from a curve of the tunnel.

”Not this child,” replied Mr. McKay, without the faintest trace of chagrin. In fact, he was glad to know he was in the wrong, for he did not relish the task of tackling the shaft and the treacherous, dust-covered slope at its edge.

A few spa.r.s.e bushes masked the mouth of the tunnel, and upon these being thrust aside, the adventurers found themselves at the foot of the lowermost range of cliffs and within a hundred yards of the abyss which had been the cause of their presence in the tunnel.

Standing close to where the crowbars were driven into the rock was Quexo, looking the picture of misery, for he was perfectly convinced in his own mind that all his companions had met with disaster.

”Quexo!” shouted Andy. ”Quexo! Here we are!”

The mulatto's joy was curious to behold. He danced, swung his sound arm over his head, and cut fantastic capers, the tears running down his cheeks the while as he blurted out unintelligible sentences in mingled English and Spanish.

”Well, we're safe once more, thanks to Providence,” exclaimed Mr. McKay.

All the explorers looked rather disreputable, but Mr. McKay in particular was little better than a walking scarecrow. His clothes were in rags, his face clotted with dried blood and dust, while, now the excitement was over, he once more began to feel stiff and bruised from head to foot.

”By Jove, we've forgotten what we went to look for!” exclaimed Andy.

”Yes,” replied Mr. McKay. ”We must bring the poor fellow's body up after all.”

”By the tunnel?”

”No, by the shaft.”

”Then here goes,” said Ellerton quietly, and drawing up one of the ropes he fastened it round his waist. Lantern in hand he slid down the sand, and getting astride the tree-trunk, edged his way along till he reached the swaying piece of timber. The next minute he was lowering himself into the abyss.

”He's a plucky chap,” commented Mr. McKay as they awaited Ellerton's signal.

”And with an arm like that,” added Terence admiringly. ”He really seems to make light of it.”

The watchers had not long to wait.

”Haul away!” shouted Ellerton, and heaving slowly on the rope they brought the body of the unfortunate Blight to the surface, where the young seaman soon rejoined the others.

Between them they bore the corpse across the rocky plain to the edge of the palm-forest, where they dug a shallow grave with their axes.

Here the body of the ex-pearler was laid to rest, Mr. McKay recited a few prayers, and the earth was heaped over the corpse, a pile of heavy stones being placed over the grave to mark the spot.

This depressing task completed, they hastened homewards to enjoy a welcome meal and a still more desired rest.

For the next two or three weeks all hands were too busy to think of making a further exploration of the buccaneers' cave.

The damage wrought by the savages required a considerable amount of patience and hard work to set to rights. A new storehouse had to be constructed, and the various stores that had not been totally destroyed were collected and placed once more under cover.

Terence had, with considerable ingenuity, contrived to erect an electric alarm, so that the moment a foot was placed upon the lowermost path leading up to the house, a bell would ring in the sleeping quarters.

He also succeeded in rigging up the searchlight salved from the wreck, and after many failures the apparatus worked to perfection.

Thereafter every night its great beam was directed skywards, the International Signal, ”N.G.” (want immediate a.s.sistance), being flashed in the hope of attracting the attention of any vessel within seventy miles of the island.

The little party was now completely isolated from the rest of the world.