Another moment of breathless suspense and the party had passed by and darkness once more swallowed up the trembling watchers.
But they were not out of danger yet, and Ephraim’s hand stole out and gripped Luce’s shoulder as a soft hail came from the river.
‘This should be about where we heard that splash.’
‘Forward, then, and keep your eyes open.’
Tramp! tramp! The soft tread was resumed, and Ephraim put his mouth close to Luce’s ear.
‘They’ll find the cave in anuther minnit,’ he whispered, ‘and when they do, we must move off. Thar’s shore ter be a hullaballoo.’
He was right. In a few minutes more another hail arose from the river, this time louder, more imperative, more confident.
‘Halt! Close up towards our light. There’s a hole of some sort here. Maybe he is inside.’
Silence for a little space, and then an exultant shout from the bank.
‘What have you found?’ This from the boat.
‘Nothing in the way of a man. But a broken branch and a sloppy mess all around.’
‘Hold on till we pull under. If he’s in there, we’ll soon have him out.’
‘Mind you don’t get your head blown off.’
This very probable consequence to the first man who should put his head into the mouth of the hole caused a corresponding diminution of enthusiasm, and low mutterings arose from the boat.
‘Private Storks, stand up in the boat and flash the lantern into that hole.—You above there, throw the light down as far as possible, and be ready.’
Great alacrity on the part of those on the bank. Considerable hanging fire on the side of Private Storks.
‘Now then, Storks, look sharp. You ‘re not afraid, are you?’
A muttered disclaimer from the reluctant Storks.
‘Private Flemming,’ in a very angry voice, ‘lift up that lantern and show this fellow Storks what a man is made of.’
A noise of scrambling in the boat, the twinkling of the lantern for an instant through the trees. Then bang! and a roar of laughter, followed by a storm of angry execrations. Private Flemming, by way of showing Private Storks how to be brave, had raised the lantern in one hand, his gun in the other, fired into the hole in order to make safety sure, and incontinently tumbled backwards into the boat to the imminent danger of his trusty comrades.
‘Confound you!’ shouted the officer in charge. ‘Who told you to fire. You’ve given the fellow warning now, if he’s not there. Up with you, some one, and see if this fool has been firing at a blank wall or not.’