“Go ahead, then; show us how, and we’ll do our share.”
Calling the sailors to him, Jenkins mounted on their shoulders, which brought his hands within a short distance of the surface, and there he stood some moments listening.
No sound betokened the presence of any of the enemy, although there was every reason to suppose one or more might be waiting for just such a move on the part of the white men, and then, digging his hands and feet into the loose earth, the agile mate succeeded in clambering to the top.
“Pass up the rope,” he whispered, and when this was done he directed the boys to tie one end under their arms.
“I’ll pull you two up, an’ the others can look out for themselves. Bring the revolvers, knives, an’ hatchets, for I reckon we shall need everything we’ve got in the way of weapons.”
The sailors helped the boys secure the rope under their arms, and assisted in gathering the articles of defense; but when the two had been drawn to the surface the men made no move toward joining them.
“Why don’t you come up?” Jenkins whispered, impatiently.
“’Cause we’ve concluded to stay here. This ain’t no scrape of ours, an’, seein’s we’re only ’foremast hands, it’s better manners to stay where we are.”
“They intend to hunt for the treasure,” Nelse whispered, and Gil replied, in the same cautious tone:
“That’s a fact; but I don’t see how we can help ourselves. It’s better to let them get away with everything than for us to stop here guarding whatever may be in the underground chamber while poor old Andy is being murdered.”
“I reckon they won’t get very far off if they should try to play us a scurvy trick,” Jenkins said, thus showing that he also was thinking the sailors meditated treachery. “We’ll pass back the rope, an’ make it a reasonably hard job for ’em to crawl out.”
“Then you think they stayed behind to have a look at the place I found?” Gil said, interrogatively.
“Of course; why else would they refuse to go with us? I knowed trouble was brewin’ from the way they talked about dividin’ the stuff, an’ perhaps we’ll be gettin’ out cheap if they take all that’s left. Have you got the diamonds?”
“Then let ’em go ahead, an’ it ain’t no dead certain thing that we won’t overhaul ’em before your father comes back. We’ve got all the weapons, an’ they’ll be in a tight place if the blacks want to make a rush through the tunnel. Now, that’s enough for them, an’ we’ll turn our attention to huntin’ for Andy. Foller me, an’ I’ll guarantee to find him; but whether it’ll be possible to do the poor fellow any good is another matter.”
