Part 21 (2/2)
THE ESCAPE
”That was good business,” said the leader of the five.
”And bad policy,” broke in Ray.
”Shut your yap!” said the man. ”And who was askin' your opines?”
”Oh, I've got a big heart for the miserable and ignorant,” returned Ray.
”And a long tongue for a kid, I'm thinkin',” said the man.
”It'll be short when I get to talking to some purpose,” snapped Ray.
”It's time we're shovin' them in the hole,” said the leader now. ”Darby, it'll be your watch first,” he continued as they led us away.
In ten minutes we were at the foot of a hill, stumbling over roots, and stooping to avoid the branches.
”Now bend your backs an' come on,” ordered the man in front.
We pushed through a tangle of growth, and next, stood in the cool of a cave, as we saw by the light of the lantern. It was a room fifty or sixty feet across.
”Looks like there's been an earthquake in here,” observed Ray.
The dirt of the floor, for the greater part, was in irregular mounds. It was evidently done with spade and pick, for nothing else would account for the condition it was in.
”They're hunting for treasure,” I said in Ray's ear.
We sat crouched against the cool of one of the heaps.
The men had squatted close to the entrance. A bottle was produced.
”Here's two fingers to the success o' this new deal,” said the leader, turning the bottle bottom up in the midst of his beard.
The flask went round to the others. One said--”Here's hopin' he'll come back with the ten thousand.” And another--”Here's wis.h.i.+n' him in h--l if he don't,” as he drank.
”Well the kids' party ain't after our game, that's a comfort,” said one, lighting his pipe.
”Why not turn the kids loose, an' so we'll get rid o' the whole mob o'
them?”
”Why not? you says; an' you claim to have brains in that thing on your shoulders! Now didn't our man with the money say as how his success depended on keepin' the kids' party here a week, an' ain't our ten thousand dependin' on his success?”
”Well, he'll never come back with no ten thousand, success or no success.”
”Maybe no, but I'm willin' to take a chance on it, since the chance is so cheap.”
They soon fell into discussion of other topics.
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