Part 16 (1/2)
he continued, ”I am too nearly starved to do much talking, seeing that, for more days than I can remember, I have had nothing to eat but a rat, and--”
”A rat!” cried the other, in a tone of horror. ”You didn't really eat a rat?”
”Indeed I did, and I would gladly eat another at this very minute, I am so hungry. Don't you think you could get me one? Or if you had any cold victuals that you could spare--”
At that moment Mary Darrell, without waiting to hear another word, jumped up and disappeared, leaving Peveril to wonder what had struck the young fellow, and hoping that he had gone for something in the shape of food.
”I wish I'd got him to let down that rope again first,” he said to himself, as he paced back and forth across the ledge; ”then I could have pulled myself up and gone with him, thereby saving both time and trouble. I would have sworn, though, that he was a girl. Never was so deceived in my life. He must have a sister, and perhaps they are twins, for it surely was a girl that I saw here the other time. All the same, I'm rather glad she isn't on hand just now, for I should hate to have any girl see me in my present disguise. My appearance must be decidedly tough and tramp-like. Wonder if I can't do something to improve it? That chap might be just idiot enough to bring his sister back with him.”
Thus thinking, the young man attempted to get a look at himself in the water-mirror of the lake, and was trying to comb his hair with his fingers, when a merry laugh from above put an end to his toilet and caused him to start up in confusion.
His young friend of the golf suit had returned, and was letting down a small basket attached to a stout cord.
”Why don't you drop the tackle and let me come up there to you?”
suggested Peveril, who was not only very tired of the ledge, but curious to make a closer acquaintance with his new friend.
”Oh no,” said the other, hurriedly, ”I can't do that. But look out!
catch the basket. I am sorry not to have brought you a better lunch, but you seemed in such a hurry that I thought you might not be particular.”
”It's fine,” rejoined Peveril, who was already making a ravenous attack on the bread and cold meat contained in the basket. ”You couldn't have brought me anything that I should have liked better, or that would have done me more good, and I am a thousand times obliged.”
A few minutes of silence ensued after this, while the one in the golf suit eagerly watched the other satisfy his hunger.
When the last crumb of food had disappeared, Peveril heaved a sigh of content. ”I feel like a new man now,” he said, ”and if you will only be so kind as to throw down that tackle--”
”But you haven't answered a single one of my questions,” interrupted the other.
”Can't I do that up there as well as here?”
”No, I want them answered right off, now.”
”Well, you are a queer sort of a chap,” retorted Peveril; ”but, seeing that you were so kind about the lunch, I don't mind humoring you a bit. Let me see: What were they? Oh! First--who am I? Well, I am Richard Peveril; but beyond that I hardly know how to answer.
Second--why am I here? Because I can't get away. Third--what am I doing? Answering questions. Fourth--how do I propose to get away? By climbing the rope that you will let down to me, of course, and then have you show me the same way out of the cavern that you take.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: AT SEEING PEVERIL, THE MEN UTTERED A CRY OF TERROR]
”Oh, but I can't do that!”
”Why not?”
”Because I have promised never to show it to any one. But, if you don't know the way, how did you get into the cavern?”
”If you'll show me your way out, I'll show you mine,” replied Peveril, who was growing impatient.
”I tell you I can't. It is simply impossible.”
”Oh, well! I won't urge you, then. Only let down the rope, so that I can get up to where you are, and I'll manage to find my own way out.”