Part 42 (1/2)
The second officer's eye flashed, and he nodded understandingly.
”Aye, aye, sir,” he replied. ”As for the men, sir,” he went on reflectively, ”there's a dozen I could stake my life on who wouldn't be in any crooked game. Suppose,” he counted off on his fingers, ”we take Olsen and Binney and Barker and Dodd and Thompson and Willis. They're all true blue, and I don't think they're in such a funk over the volcano as some of the others.”
”They'll do,” a.s.sented the captain. ”They're the very men I had in mind. Call some of them down now and have them get this stuff up on deck. And tell the cook to send dinner grub along, for we may be gone all day.”
”Aye, aye, sir,” answered Rogers, as he left the cabin.
A little later the party gathered at the rail, and the captain spoke to the mate.
”Mr. Rogers is going to take us ash.o.r.e, Mr. Ditty,” he said pleasantly.
”There are no special orders. You can let some of the men have sh.o.r.e leave if they want it, although after yesterday I don't suppose they will.”
”I suppose not,” replied Ditty surlily. ”They'll all be glad when we turn our backs on this cursed island.”
The captain pretended not to hear. The goods were stowed in the boat, the party and crew took their places, and the craft was pulled smartly to the beach.
”Now, my lads,” said the captain briskly, as he stepped ash.o.r.e, ”there's quite a trip ahead of you and you've got a man's job in carrying this stuff, but I'll see that you don't lose anything by it.
Step up smartly now.”
The men shouldered their burdens and started off on the trail that had now grown familiar to the treasure seekers. The men were able to maintain a fairly rapid pace, and before long the party arrived at the edge of the clearing within which the treasure was supposed to be buried.
The captain took Rogers aside.
”Take your men back to the beach now, Mr. Rogers,” he directed.
”Remember, I want none of them poking about here. We'll rejoin you in good season for supper, if not before.”
”Aye, aye, sir!” was the cheerful reply.
Rogers turned with his men, and the captain watched their backs far down the forest path, until they were lost to sight in the greenery of the jungle.
”Well now,” he remarked, as he turned again to the others, ”lively's the word. Let's get busy and----. Great Scott! Look at that!” he exclaimed, staring at the top of the whale's hump.
A column of black smoke was rising from the crater.
”Looks like the whale was going to blow again,” Tyke said, with a feeble attempt at levity to disguise his apprehension.
The next moment the ears of the party were deafened by a terrific explosion.
CHAPTER XXVIII
BY FAVOR OF THE EARTHQUAKE
No thunder that had ever been heard could be compared with the sound of the explosion. It was like the bellowing of a thousand cannon. It was as though the island were being ripped apart.
The earth shook and staggered drunkenly beneath the feet of the treasure seekers. Great trees in the adjacent forest fell with tremendous uproar. The slope of the whale's hump was ridged until it looked like a giant accordion. Creva.s.ses opened, extending from the summit of the hill downward. Rocks came tumbling down by the score, and a column of smoke and flame rose from the crater to a height of two hundred feet or more.
None of the party had been able to keep on a footing. All had been thrown to the ground by the first shock, and there they lay, sick from that awful seismic vibration.
A cloud of almost impalpable dust spread broadly and shrouded the sun.