Part 16 (2/2)

”Yes - that's the only way out. And I'm going to take it.”

There was a silence. Then Jack spoke, astonished. ”Whatever do you mean? You can't fly a plane.”

”Of course not. But I can hide in one!” said Philip. ”Didn't we hide, all of us, in a plane, coming here? Well, why shouldn't I hide in one leaving here? I bet I could hide unseen - and slip out when I had a chance, and get word to Bill about everything.”

”Philip! It's a grand idea!” said Jack. ”But I'll go, not you.”

”You jolly well won't!” said Philip. ”It's my idea! n.o.body else is going to pinch such a gorgeous idea. I'm going, see?”

”I don't want either of you to go,” said Lucy-Ann, her lips trembling. ”You might be seen. Something awful might happen to you. Don't leave us.”

”Jack will be with you,” said Philip. ”And the old couple. You'll be all right. I tell you, it's the only way to get help - to fly off in one of the planes, when the men go on their next trip. They'll have to come back two or three times to take all these things - and, if only I can get word to Bill, he can catch the men actually doing the stealing!”

”It sounds too good to be true,” said Dinah. ”I don't believe you can do it. Anyway - how are you even going to get to the plane? You know we're bolted in. n.o.body can get out.”

”I shall watch my chance and slip out through that door when the men are going to and fro,” said Philip, enjoying his planning. ”Then I shall hide in the cave of stalact.i.tes and go up the pa.s.sage to the hole as soon as I can. Then I'll get along back to the planes, and choose one to hop into. I don't reckon they will have left anyone on guard there, as they think we're all well and truly imprisoned.”

”It sounds easy, but it won't be,” said Jack. ”Better let me do it, Tufty.”

”Think again!” said Philip. ”This is my own pet adventure, see?”

”You might even be able to squeeze into a crate,” said Dinah thoughtfully. ”n.o.body would think of looking into a packed crate.”

”Good idea!” said Philip. ”In fact, jolly good!”

”Well, we can expect quite a horde of men here today,” said Jack. ”It will surprise the poor old couple. They will be in a dreadful state when they see their well-guarded treasure going.”

”Philip, we won't pretend that we are any of the statues today when the men come,” said Dinah. ”Only you. The men are sure to have a hunt round for us if they can't find us today, so we'd better all be found, except you. You can be a statue again, and wait your chance to rush out of that door.”

”Yes. I think I will,” said Philip. ”It may not work, but it's the only thing to do. Now - when will those men be along? It will take them about an hour and a half to get here. It's half an hour since we saw the planes. I mustn't leave it to the last minute to put myself in place.”

”Better go now,” said Lucy-Ann, who was on pins and needles about the whole thing. ”We'll come with you and see that you're in a good place and really look like a statue.”

They all went down the pa.s.sage, and made their way through the various caves to the one in which the statues stood. Martha the hen came too. She had attached herself to Jack now, and followed him wherever he went. She had laid an egg that morning, and the old woman had made Lucy-Ann have it for breakfast.

”Look! - there's a half-hidden ledge here not far from the door,” said Dinah eagerly. ”If you stood there you would hardly be seen, it's so dark there. And you would be near the door to creep out if you got a chance.”

”Yes, that does seem the best place,” said Philip. ”It really does. Now what about a shawl or something to drape over my head? I don't want my short hair to give me away.”

They found a very big shawl and draped it carefully round him. He went to stand on the little ledge, and everyone agreed that it was a splendid place.

”You can hardly be seen,” said Jack. ”Well, good luck, Tufty. We'll go now, and we shan't hide. We shall let the men see us and hope they'll think there's n.o.body else in the caves at all. If you can't escape we shall know, because you'll still be about tonight.”

”Good-bye,” said Philip, looking exactly like a statue. ”Don't worry about me. I'll be off and away soon, and I'll get word to Bill and Mother. We'll soon rescue you, don't you worry!”

Chapter 26.

THE GETAWAY.

IN about an hour's time Philip heard the sound of footsteps and then the bolts of the door were shot back. Juan's revolver appeared round the opening door again. But this time there was no Kiki to talk to him - n.o.body to be seen or heard except the silent company of statues.

Juan came down into the cave. Other men followed him. Philip watched them through a fold of the shawl. He hoped they wouldn't start stripping the jewels off the statues at once, or they might discover him.

The men exclaimed in wonder at the statues. They had powerful torches with them which they switched on at once. Philip was not prepared for that. He shrank back into his corner, glad of the draping shawl.

The men were a rough-looking lot, and they called out to one another in surprise as they saw the gleaming jewels on the necks and arms of the statues. Some of them grabbed brooches and necklaces at once. Juan gave a sharp order and the men replaced them sulkily.

Philip counted the men. There were eight. Otto was not among them, but that was not surprising. Juan, Pepi and Luis were there. There were two men for each aeroplane, apparently.

Juan led the way to the next cave, through the tunnel. Their footsteps echoed hollowly as they pa.s.sed through. Philip wondered if they would all go on to the next cave - and the next. If so, he could slip out of the open door straightaway, and make his way down the hillside at once.

He listened. He could hear the men's voices from the next cave, where the pictures were. Then footsteps again, farther away. Then only a faint murmur of voices.

”They've gone to the cave of books - and then they'll go to the cave where the gold is,” thought Philip. ”I've plenty of time to get through the door and away.”

He dropped his shawl on the floor and went quietly to the door. He was through it in a trice. Up the winding steps he went, off to the cave of stars - then to the cave of gleaming stalact.i.tes. He began to feel safer. He didn't think there would be anyone on guard outside the hole, but he meant to be careful there.

There was n.o.body on guard. The hillside was empty. Philip climbed out of the hole and began to make his way downwards. Soon he was well on his way, keeping a sharp look-out all the time just in case all the men had not gone down into the caves.

He was tired and hungry by the time he reached the men's hut. Thank goodness the door was open and there was n.o.body about! The boy got himself a good meal. He found a box containing bars of chocolate, and slipped some of the bars into his pocket, in case he had to go some time without food.

Then he went along to the planes. There they were, four of them, looking quite big as he walked beside them. Which should he get into?

He climbed up into the cabin of each and looked inside. In the last one there was a big heap of coats and rugs. It seemed the best plane to get into. He could pile the things over him and hide himself that way. He didn't at the moment see any chance of squeezing himself into a crate, as Dinah had suggested. Anyway, the crates were not in the plane, they were under the tarpaulins, where they had always been.

Having decided exactly what he was going to do, he had plenty of time left on his hands. He knew that the men would not be back for some time. They would be carrying heavy, awkward loads and would go far more slowly than he had gone.

He amused himself by snooping round. He went into the hut and found a coat hanging up there. He ran his hands through the pockets, thinking that any information he could get hold of might be useful to Bill, when he got to him.

There was a notebook in one of the pockets. Philip flipped over the pages. He could make nothing of it. It contained sentences in some kind of code, and plenty of numbers. Perhaps Bill could make head or tail of it. He couldn't!

He went to the cowshed. There was nothing to be seen there but the still-open tins of fruit, swarming with flies. Philip stared at them. ”Oh yes - they are what Jack left for Otto,” he thought. ”Ugh, look at the flies!”

He took a stick, dug a hole and buried the evil-smelling tins and their contents. Then he strolled off again and came to the tree where they had all once hidden. He squinted up and saw something. ”Golly, what's that?”

Then he remembered. ”Of course - we left our suitcases up there. I'd forgotten all about them. Fancy them still being there!”

He debated whether to get them down and hide them. ”No,” he thought, ”they might be found, and then the men might start looking for me. I'll leave them there.”

He kept a good look-out for the returning men as the afternoon wore on. He helped himself to some biscuits and a tin of peaches about five o'clock. Still no sign of the men.

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