Kitabı oku: «In the Wonderful Land of Hez: or, The Mystery of the Fountain of Youth», sayfa 2

CHAPTER IV.
WHERE THE STAIRS LED TO

Leo Malvern caught but a fleeting glance at the man and dog as they rushed down the stairs in the base of the obelisk.

But what was the stranger fleeing from?

The swamp explorers glanced around them to find out.

The next moment they learned to their full satisfaction.

In the little clearing, a few yards beyond them, a balloon suddenly settled.

There was but one occupant of the basket, or car, and he was a stern-visaged man of perhaps forty-two.

It was evident that he had not yet seen our friends, for, as the balloon, which was now about half collapsed, settled upon the earth, he sprang from the basket and rushed in the direction taken by the man and dog.

A sudden thought came in Dick Vincey’s head.

“Hide – quick!” he whispered to his companions. “He will most likely enter the opening and go on down.”

In the twinkling of an eye all hands sprang to the other side of the obelisk and concealed themselves in a thicket.

They were not a moment too soon. The next instant the man who had so strangely landed in that wild spot rushed up to the base of the obelisk and came to an abrupt halt.

An exclamation of surprise left his lips as he beheld the opening in the stone shaft.

“By heavens!” he exclaimed, loud enough for the swamp explorers to hear; “Reginald Lacy, you shall not escape me, even if I have to follow you into the very center of the earth!”

Then he boldly entered the doorway and began descending the stone steps.

Five minutes later our friends made their way to the entrance again and listened for some sound.

But they could hear nothing.

“I am going to make a suggestion,” suddenly said Leo.

“What is it?” asked his cousin.

“Let us go down the steps and see what has become of those who have already gone down.”

“Agreed!” exclaimed the professor, who was ready for anything.

“Oh! for de good Lor’ sakes! don’t go down dere. De debbil am dere, suah!” whined Lucky, in a frightened manner.

“Keep still, coon, and don’t git skeered. We may as well go as far and see as much as we kin, since we have got ter this dod-rotted country. I, for one, are satisfied to go down them steps.”

The Yankee gave a contemptuous glance at the darky as he spoke, and then nodded for Leo to lead on.

Dick had not passed his opinion on the question yet, but that he was perfectly willing need scarcely be said.

But at the same time it occurred to him that they ought to take some sort of a light with them.

They had left their supplies at the point where they had been compelled to use the ax in the thicket.

Dick hastened to the spot and got a small lantern, which was all that was left of three that they had brought along with them.

When he reached the obelisk again his companions had already entered the doorway, and were waiting for him on the steps.

It was but the work of a moment to strike a match and light the lantern; and then the boy followed them down into the place beyond.

Down they went, for at least a hundred steps, and the end of the flight was not reached yet.

Another hundred, and still it appeared the same.

“I wonder how many miles we have got ter go afore we git ter ther bottom?” said the Yankee.

“Have patience, Martin,” replied Prof. Easy. “We are on the eve of a great discovery – mark my word for it!”

“Humph! I heerd ye say that same thing a good many times before. But, by the great boots in ther haymow, I stepped on somethin’ alive jist then!”

“A ground hog!” exclaimed Dick, holding up the lantern. “How in thunder did it ever get there, I wonder?”

“If it can live in here, I am sure we can a little longer. Let us proceed,” returned the professor, quietly.

Once more they began descending the steps.

During all this time they had not heard the least sound from those who had preceded them.

Probably one hundred and fifty steps more were descended, and then they reached a wide passage.

“Come,” said Leo, leading the way. “We have struck level traveling at last.”

The swamp explorers had not proceeded over three hundred yards, before they saw daylight ahead.

It seemed rather strange that it should be daylight, but it was, nevertheless.

With all possible speed they hastened along the passage.

Two hundred yards more and a wonderful sight met their gaze.

They were emerging into a vast tract of country many feet below the earth’s crust.

In front of them was the beginning of a long crack, which extended a couple of miles or more, and all along the edges of this the water streamed down in the form of a cascade of unlimited extent.

The sunlight came in through the crack, which was probably a quarter of a mile in width, and lighted up the place.

All sorts of vegetation flourished on the place beneath the opening above; but beyond this our friends could perceive nothing on account of the falling water and the mist arising from the streams in which it fell.

“Wonderful!” exclaimed the professor.

“Darned if it ain’t wonderful,” assented Haypole.

“Who ever imagined that such a place as this existed?” said Leo.

“We are now under the great Everglades of Florida. It remains for us to find out what sort of place it is,” spoke up Dick Vincey.

“I agree with you there,” returned Prof. Easy. “Come, let us be moving. It is strange what has become of the man and dog and their pursuer.”

They stepped off to the left, and kept walking until they emerged from the mist, which seemed to settle back on either side of the opening.

As they left it behind them they saw that only a sort of twilight prevailed in and about the underground place.

Then a startling thing occurred.

A body of men suddenly appeared from the numerous galleries, to be seen on their left, and rushed toward them.

There must have been fully a hundred of them, and all were attired in long gowns of some dark-colored material, and were barefooted and without any head covering.

The strange horde had the appearance of Turks, both in manner and looks.

The moment Leo and Dick beheld them, they placed their rifles to their shoulders.

Their action was quickly followed by their companions, and then Leo exclaimed:

“Halt! We mean you no harm!”

But the command was entirely disregarded. The crowd of men rushed at them with a quicker pace, if possible, brandishing spears and bows and arrows.

When within about fifty feet of the intruders, they came to a sudden halt and sent a flight of arrows at them.

One of these found lodgment in the fleshy part of Martin Haypole’s leg, and another went through the crown of the professor’s hat.

Leo and Dick thought it high time for them to act.

Dropping to their knees, they began firing into the ranks of the queerly attired strangers.

Crack! crack!

The reports rang out in rapid succession, and at almost every shot a man fell.

At first they seemed to be staggered and amazed, but they soon rallied and answered the rifle shots, by another flight of arrows.

It now behooved our friends to look for a place of cover.

A few yards distant was the mouth of a gallery or passage, and at the command of Leo Malvern they rushed for this with all possible speed.

The inhabitants of the underground place came after them with all their might, uttering, for the first time, loud yells of triumph.

“Hurry up!” cried Dick; “if we can reach the mouth of that passage we’ll give ’em fits.”

The arrows kept flying all around them, and Lucky, the darky, was wounded in the arm.

A minute more and the spot was reached in safety.

“Now!” exclaimed Leo, “give it to them! Everybody fire as fast as he can.”

The next instant five rifles began sending a veritable hailstorm of bullets.

Down went seven or eight of the savage barbarians, as the professor chose to term them, and several more began hopping about like mad from the wounds they had received.

Leo expected to see them turn and flee now, since he and his companions had reached a place where they could most likely hold their own.

But no! They kept on shooting their arrows, which, by the way, did our friends not the least bit of harm, as they had crouched behind a huge bowlder.

But in spite of the determined stand our friends made, they were doomed to defeat.

Suddenly they heard a pattering of feet behind them, and, on turning, beheld a crowd of the savages coming through the passage.

They were between two fires!

CHAPTER V.
THE DANCE OF DEATH

“God help us!” exclaimed Prof. Easy, as he saw the strange inhabitants of the underground place rushing for them from both front and rear.

But “God helps those who help themselves,” and both Leo Malvern and Dick Vincey were fully aware of this. They made up their minds that they would not be killed or captured until they had used every effort to drive away their enemies.

Brave, young fellows! But what could they hope to accomplish against such fearful odds?

Martin Haypole was the only man they had to stick to them now, as both the professor and Lucky at once threw down their weapons when they observed the horde approaching through the passage.

“Keep on firing!” shouted Leo, “and when they close on us use your revolvers.”

“No – no!” replied the professor; “let us surrender. It is the best thing to do, I think.”

“Never!” exclaimed Dick, and his reply was echoed by his cousin and the intrepid Yankee.

Nearer approached the swarming savages, and presently our friends were hemmed in from all possible means of escape.

It seemed that every man that fell had two or three to take his place.

At length there was a combined rush from all quarters, and the swamp explorers were forced to the ground and made prisoners.

This caused their hopes to rise a trifle.

They were not to be killed at present, and that was one consoling thought.

Their captors seemed to be very gleeful over the fact of having made them prisoners, and at once proceeded to bind their arms behind them, after having first divested them of their weapons.

Then the five swamp explorers were lifted to their feet in their deplorable condition.

“I wonder what in thunderation the scamps are a-goin’ ter do with us,” observed the Yankee.

“The Lord only knows,” groaned Prof. Easy, who now was thoroughly frightened.

“We will have to trust to luck,” said Leo.

“We is done gwine ter be killed – ’deed we is!” exclaimed Lucky, in a despondent tone.

“Wait until you are sure of that before you say it again,” replied Dick.

Then turning to the crowd surrounding them, he continued:

“Come! what are you standing there for? Why don’t you take us to the place you intend to, and have done with it?”

It seemed that he was understood, for without any further ado two men seized each of the captives, and the whole crowd started off down the passage.

It was rather dark in the tunnel-like place, and when they had traversed about three hundred yards, our friends were unable to see any of their surroundings.

But in a very few minutes they saw light ahead of them, and objects again became distinguishable.

A cry of wonder broke from the lips of the five as they were marched out into the light. If they had been surprised when they first entered the underground place, they were even more than surprised now.

They found themselves in a natural cave of many acres in extent, in which was a small village of stone huts.

The queerest thing about the place was that the top of the cave – if cave it could really be called – was entirely open in a circle of six or seven hundred yards in diameter. This admitted both light and rain, and hence it was that an unlimited supply of vegetation could be seen about.

The opening above was many feet from the ground upon which the stone huts were built, and there was no possible means of getting to the level ground above without the aid of an immense ladder.

“Well, this jist beats the Jews!” ejaculated Haypole. “This place looks like a big watermelon hollered out and one of ther ends cut off. I think if I knowed that song called ‘Down in a Coal Mine,’ I’d sing it.”

The prisoners were led along until they came to the largest building visible to them, and there a halt was called.

There were no doors to any of the huts, which showed that the inhabitants were not afraid of being robbed by their neighbors. The crowd who had charge of our friends faced the main doorway of the building they had halted in front of, and then clapped their hands.

Almost immediately a rustle was heard, and the figure of a female came out.

As soon as she appeared every person in sight, save the five captives, dropped to their knees and turned their faces to the ground.

With a look of wonderment upon their faces the swamp explorers eyed the girl – for she did not look to be over eighteen at the most – and marveled at her rare beauty.

She was attired in a trailing, white gown of some gauzy material, and her face was partly concealed by a fold of the same, which was thrown around her shoulders and across her mouth.

The look from her dazzling bright eyes showed that she was surprised at seeing the strangers.

But only for an instant did her gaze rest upon them.

Turning quickly to those who had brought them there, she clapped her hands three times.

All arose to their feet and saluted her.

Then, to the surprise of Prof. Easy, one of the men stepped forward and began addressing the girl in Spanish.

“Oh, queen,” said he, “here are five more people who have dared find their way into the land of Hez. What shall be their doom? Shall they be confined in the magic chamber with the other prisoner to witness the dance of death, or shall they be slaughtered at once?”

“Conduct them to the magic chamber,” said the queen, with an imperious wave of her hand.

She turned to enter the building, when the professor, who could speak Spanish fluently, exclaimed:

“Most gracious queen, listen a moment, please!”

At this the girl turned as if she had been stung, and the fold of her garment, becoming loosened, fell from her face, revealing the most beautiful countenance our friends had ever looked upon, or even dreamed of.

“Heavens!” thought Dick Vincey, “what a beautiful creature.”

The queen had fixed her eyes upon the face of the professor.

“Were you addressing me, sir?” she demanded.

“I was, oh, queen,” he returned. “I would like to say, in behalf of my companions and myself, that if we did wrong in coming to this place, we were not aware of it. Surely you will not condemn us to death for making such a mistake.”

“Enough! Away with them to the magic chamber, and let them witness the dance of death.”

With these words she swept gracefully into the house, and the Hezzians, as we shall now call the natives, seized the prisoners and led them from the spot.

None of the party, save Prof. Easy, could understand any other language than their own, and they were all very curious as to what was going to be done with them.

“What did she say when you spoke to her, professor?” asked Leo.

“She has sentenced us to be shut up in a place called the magic chamber, where there is now a captive already, and witness the dance of death. What will follow I am not prepared to say. That beautiful but hard-hearted creature is the queen of this strange country, and what she says seems to be law.”

“She don’t look as though she would have us killed,” observed Haypole. “I seen her castin’ sheep’s-eyes at Dick while we was a-standin’ there. Ther only thing that’ll save us is for him ter make love to her.”

“I’d do that willingly enough, if I thought it would save our lives,” said Dick.

Leo and the Yankee laughed in spite of their situation.

It struck them that Dick would be glad to pay his attentions to the beautiful queen, even if it would not benefit them.

But there was no time for further conversation now. The Hezzians had halted at what appeared to be the extreme end of the cave.

Half a dozen of them used their combined efforts to roll a rock aside, which revealed a small opening.

Into this they filed, taking our friends with them.

It was dark as pitch inside, but at a word from one of the men a light suddenly appeared.

How it came so quickly our friends were at first at a loss to understand, but in a few seconds it was made plain to them.

As their eyes became accustomed to the ghostly glare the light made, they began looking around them.

They found that the place into which they had been conducted was a cave of about one hundred feet square.

In the center, upon the floor, a man attired in the habiliments of civilization sat, with his arms bound behind him.

A single glance sufficed to show the swamp explorers that it was the man who had left the balloon and started down the stairs in quest of the one with the dog.

He looked up when he saw men of his own appearance approaching, and a smile lit up his countenance.

The five prisoners were at once placed at the side of this man, and then those who had brought them thither immediately left the cave.

Then it was that they first saw what caused the light.

A girl, who was almost as beautiful as the queen herself, had entered through a passage at the other side of the cave at about the same time they had.

She carried a blazing torch, which she waved to and fro in a weird sort of fashion.

A heavy band of metal was about her neck, and upon her wrists bracelets glittered and flashed in the rays of light.

She began walking in a circle about the six prisoners.

When she had made the circuit five times, a low, grinding music struck up from some unseen place near by.

Almost instantly a slight commotion was heard, and fully forty girls, attired the same as the first, entered the cave.

Each one carried a lighted torch, and the flame of each shed forth a light of different hue.

As soon as they had placed themselves in position, the hidden music changed to a quick air, and they began to dance in a wild, graceful sort of way.

For five minutes the girls kept up the dance, and then a change occurred.

An ominous, rattling sound was heard, and a score of human skeletons dropped from above and stood upright upon the ground.

Then the dance began in earnest, the skeletons joining in, it seemed.

The girls struck up a chant in time with the music, which had again changed, and began gliding about, right and left, with their grewsome partners.

Lucky, the darky, whose nerves were not overstrong, fainted away, while the rest of the party felt an icy chill gliding down their backs.

Probably the least interested one in the party was the man who had been in the cave when our friends entered.

He gazed at the scene with a look of indifference on his face, and even smiled when the girls grasped the hideous relics of humanity about their fleshless waists and whirled them around.

Round and round spun the dancers, oftentimes nearly stumbling over the captives upon the floor.

Suddenly one of the fair dancers got tangled up with her “partner,” and stumbled headlong over Leo.

As she did so, the boy heard a metallic ring close beside him.

As soon as she arose to her feet and glided away, he saw a knife lying upon the ground.

Moving slightly, he kicked Dick gently.

“What’s up?” asked his cousin, taking his eyes from the curious scene for a moment.

“I have found a knife,” was the whispered reply. “I am going to get hold of it with my teeth and cut your hands loose.”

Rolling over on his stomach, he seized the knife by the handle in a strong grip between his teeth.

Dick turned so his back was toward Leo, and then the boy began sawing away at the bonds which held his hands together.

It was a difficult job, but Leo was plucky, and presently he was rewarded by seeing his cousin’s hands free.

Then it was but the work of a moment for Dick to liberate him.

“Now,” said Leo, “cut the rest free.”

Just as he was about to do so, a crowd of hideous-appearing men, attired in the skins of various animals, rushed in the cave, and seizing about half of the dancing girls, carried them screaming from the spot.

Then the dance ceased as if by magic.

There was now but one girl left to each skeleton, and these placed their fair, white arms about the necks of the horrible objects.

The music now clashed into a sound like the shriek of a doomed soul, and then both girls and skeletons began to rise slowly in the air.

“By heavens!” exclaimed Leo, springing to his feet; “I am going to know the cause of some of this humbug.”

Springing forward, he seized one of the girls about the waist and gave a tug downward.

Then something snapped above them, and down came the girl, bringing the skeleton with her, knocking the daring boy flat upon his back.