Part 36 (1/2)

But Andy was not equal to the task. The risky experience had, to use his own words, completely knocked the stuffing out of him.

”Let's quit; the game's not worth the candle,” said Terence.

”Rather not!” replied Mr. McKay, resolutely. ”There's something worth securing behind that door, or the former owners would not have taken such elaborate and crafty steps to guard it. Here, Ellerton, stand by with the crowbar in case of accidents, and I'll finish boring the hole.”

So saying, Mr. McKay took up a position similar to that formerly occupied by his son and plied the brace vigorously.

Ere the bit had sunk another quarter of an inch there came a dull metallic sound from the remote side of the door.

”What's that?” gasped Andy breathlessly.

”Another surprise for trespa.s.sers,” replied his father without ceasing in his work. ”I've released another secret spring, I suppose.

However, we are on the right side of the door this time.”

Having bored the hole sufficiently deep for his purpose Mr. McKay proceeded to insert the cordite, ramming it tightly home with the end of the crowbar. The rest of the explosive he laid close to the base of the door, covering it with stones and pieces of rock brought from the floor of the chasm.

”Now let's go back to the other tunnel,” he continued, after the detonator and the fuse had been inserted and the latter fired.

”There's no hurry; the explosion will not take place for five minutes.”

As the moments sped, the lads awaited in breathless silence the sound of the detonation.

Presently a dull rumble echoed through the rocky pa.s.sage, followed by a blast of air mingled with the acrid fumes of the cordite.

”Not so fast! Not so fast!” cautioned Mr. McKay, as the lads began to run towards the hitherto baffling barrier. ”Some of the rock may be dislodged.”

As it was, they were obliged to wait some considerable time, as the atmosphere in the tunnel was so vile that it was impossible to breathe with comfort. Then as the mist gradually cleared, the dull yellow glare of the lanterns revealed a ma.s.s of shattered woodwork where the door had stood; while a foot beyond was a barrier of steel rods, which, serving the purpose of a portcullis, had fallen from above.

”That's what we heard fall,” observed Mr. McKay. ”The idea was, I suppose, that any unauthorised person who escaped the lance-thrust on this side of the door would, on opening it, be impaled by the weapons concealed in the roof. Now to settle with this obstruction.”

A few powerful strokes with an axe shattered enough bars to enable Mr.

McKay to squeeze through, and, followed by his eager companions, he entered the mysterious cavern.

At first there was little to attract the attention of the explorers.

The cave was of irregular form, being about fifty feet in length, thirty in breadth, and varying in height from twenty-five to six feet.

On the floor were six wooden chests, ordinary in appearance and apparently of simple construction; they would have easily been mistaken for seamen's chests placed in a lumber-room.

Striding up to the nearest one, Mr. McKay raised the lid. There was no creaking of rusty hinges, no glitter of gold and jewels to dazzle the eyes. The chest was empty!

”Well, this is a sorry trick to have played on one another after so much trouble,” commented he with a forced laugh. He was visibly disappointed, and his discouragement was shared by his companions.

”No doubt this has been the hiding-place of some great h.o.a.rd,” he continued. ”But the buccaneering rascals have evidently removed their booty. I've drawn a blank, so you, Ellerton, try your hand.”

The second chest was opened with equal ease, but to the unbounded delight of the whole party the coffer was two-thirds filled with yellow metal ingots, which flashed dully in the light of the lanterns.

”Gold!” was the chorus of exclamation.