The Fugitives | Page 4

nostrils, replied--
"My advice to you is, let's go back de way we come. Dis no place for
'spectable Christians."
"Do you fear ghosts?" asked Mark, smiling, yet at the same time
bringing his gun into a convenient position, with his finger ready on the
trigger.
"I fears nuffin," returned the negro with a proud look, while beads of
perspiration stood on his brow.
"Then ye're a braver man than I am, Ebony, for I fear that climbin' plant
worse than a ghost; so here goes to find out what it is."
Although the sailor spoke thus boldly, and tried to look cool, it is
certain that he also was afflicted with sensations of an unusual
description, which, of course, he would have scorned to admit were the
result of fear! His power of will, however, was stronger than his fears.
Drawing his cutlass, he was about to enter the cavern, when Mark laid a
hand on his shoulder.
"Come, Hockins, you have accepted my lead hitherto. It is not fair to
take it out of my hands at this critical point."
So saying he glided past his comrade, and was almost lost to sight
immediately in the deep gloom.
"Softly, softly, doctor," whispered the seaman, as he followed, "there
may be holes or pits within--"
"All right; I'm feeling my way carefully. Keep close."
As he spoke a slight, indescribable sound was heard--almost like a sigh.
"Hist! Did 'ee hear that?" said Hockins in the lowest possible whisper.
"Oh! massa, let's go back de way we come," urged Ebony, in the same
low but earnest tone.

Mark Breezy did not reply, but the click of his gun as he cocked it
showed that he was on the alert.
For nearly a minute the three men stood in absolute silence, listening
for a repetition of the mysterious sound, and, though it did not recur,
there was an indescribable feeling in the heart of each that they were
not alone in that cavern.
"Have you not flint and steel?" asked Mark.
"Yes; but to strike a light would only show our whereabouts if there is
any one here."
The seaman accidentally touched Ebony on the elbow as he spoke, and
sent that worthy's heart, or something like it, into his throat with such
violence as nearly to choke him.
"Git along, massa," he said in a gaspy whisper, when able to articulate,
"we's got to go troo wid it now."
Acting on this advice the young man continued to advance cautiously,
feeling his way step by step and fully expecting every moment to reach
the inner wall of the cavern.
Presently the explorers were again brought to a stand by the sudden
appearance of a light in the far distance. As, however, it did not move,
they continued to advance, and soon were convinced that it was
daylight shining through an opening in that direction. Every step
convinced them more and more that they were right, and their spirits
rose with the hope of escaping, though the light made no appreciable
difference as yet in the darkness that surrounded them.
Suddenly a sharp, loud, short cry filled the cavern for an instant, and
almost froze their blood! The loudness and abrupt stoppage of the cry
left the impression that the creature which uttered it had been suddenly
and effectively killed, for it ended in a sharp gasp or gurgle, and then
all was still,--but only for a moment, for the shock to Mark's nerves
was such that his finger inadvertently pressed the trigger of his gun,

which exploded with a deafening crash, and awoke shrieks and cries
that were not to be accounted for by mere echoes.
This was too much for ordinary human beings. Fabled knights of old in
armour of proof might have stood it, but the two white men and the
black, being ordinary heroes, regardless of pride and honour, went in
for a regular stampede, and it is but simple justice to say that Ebony
won, for he reached the outlet of the cavern first, and sprang through it
into daylight like a black thunderbolt. It is also due to his comrades to
add that they were not far behind him.
Their courage, however, was soon restored. Daylight has a celebrated
power of restoring courage. On clearing the bushes which concealed
the entrance to the cave they simultaneously stopped, turned round, and
resolutely faced their foe!
But no foe was to be seen! Once again all was still as death. After
glaring for a few seconds at the spot whence the expected enemy
should have issued, the three fugitives relaxed their frowning brows
and turned inquiring eyes on each other.
"Dis beats cockfightin' a'most," said Ebony, with a sigh of intense
relief.
"Ay, an' every other sort o' fightin'