Part 106 (1/2)
”Yes. I'll take hold, though, of the horse's mane.”
”Ready, Samson?”
”Yes, sir.”
”Then, forward, and not a word; we must leave everything to chance. Our only hope is that we may pa.s.s between the sentinels, and that the darkness may screen us from their eyes.”
A quarter of an hour's slow and careful progress over the soft gra.s.sy moor, and then they stopped short, for there was the c.h.i.n.k of metal and the sharp stamp of a horse.
”If ours challenge him with a neigh, we are lost,” thought Fred, as he stood trembling, and patting his horse's nose.
”Poor old lad, then!” whispered Samson; and, their attention taken by their masters' caressing hands, the brave beasts remained silent, and then moved on till there was a road to be crossed, and Samson halted.
”Can't help it, sir; there's no other way,” he whispered; ”and it's all stones.”
”Forward!” whispered Fred; and they crossed the road, but not without making a sharp sound or two. Then they were once more on the soft turf, and bore away more and more to their right, till Scarlett whispered--
”Are you making for the sh.o.r.e?”
”No; for the Rill Head--the cavern,” said Fred.
”Then it must be close here, for we are only a little way from the edge of the cliffs.”
Endors.e.m.e.nt of his words came in the low roar of a breaking wave from below; and just then the stars peeped out from behind a cloud, and they saw exactly where they stood.
Ten minutes later they were close by the narrow entrance, and as Fred searched for the exact place he uttered a cry of satisfaction, for there by the gaping rift lay two large bundles, whose contents he pretty well guessed.
CHAPTER FIFTY.
BACK TO CAMP.
”Now, Samson,” whispered Fred, ”we must trust to our horses standing fast.”
”You let their halters lie on the ground, sir, and they'll not move,”
was the reply. ”Wait a minute, till I've unrolled the rope from my waist, and then I'm ready.”
”What can I do?” said Scarlett, in a low anxious voice.
”Nothing, sir. Now, Master Fred, let's get them two down first off the horses, and they can lie on the gra.s.s till we're ready for them. Then, if you think as I do, me being strongest, you'll go down first, while I hold the rope.”
”Can you?”
”Can I?” exclaimed Samson, in a tone full of contempt. ”Then when you're down, I'll lower down the stuff first, and you take it and cast the rope loose each time; and next, I'll let Sir G.o.dfrey down and Master Scar, and then--”
He stopped short.
”Your brother,” said Fred, sharply. ”We cannot do better.”
Everything was done according to Samson's plans, beginning with the helping down of the two wounded riders, after which Fred took the end of the rope, and was lowered into what, in spite of his determination, seemed to be an awful chasm.