Young Hunters in Porto Rico: or, The Search for a Lost Treasure

Joseph Farvel was boiling with inward rage. Yet he did not dare say too much, fearing that the party would turn on him. Soon he was left to himself. Yet they were not yet done with him.

"A good bit of time lost," remarked Robert Menden, as he consulted his watch. "But I am glad we now have Farvel where he can do us no further harm."

The entrance to the cave passed, they speedily found their way to the chamber of bones, and then to where the tablet was located.

All was exactly as they had left it and Robert Menden breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Now, we ought to have that treasure in our possession before we leave to-night," he said.

"Ye can't git it none too quick for any o' us!" grinned old Jacob. "Ain't thet so, boys?"

"You're right!" cried Dick. "Hurry up with the ropes."

The coils were speedily forthcoming, and the two heaviest were well knotted together. Then Robert Menden prepared to descend once more – this time with the canvas bag on his back. In one hand he carried a fresh torch, which made that portion of the crack in the rocks almost as bright as day.

"Gently now," he cautioned, as he swung downward. "I don't want to break my neck for all the gold on the island."

"We'll be careful," answered Bob; and then all took hold of the rope, and Menden was lowered slowly but steadily.

He had passed something like twenty feet further down than on his previous trip, when he called to them to halt.

"I've found a resting-place," he said, when Dick threw himself flat to look down into the gloom. "It's a sort of ledge. There is a wider opening further down."

"Is the box there?"

"I don't see it – yet. Hold onto the rope, for I may slip from here at any instant."

Dick promised to do so, and all kept the line taut as before. They heard Menden moving around and heard him toss several small rocks aside.

Then came a sudden yell, followed by the fall of some dirt or rocks, they could not tell which. The rope came up so quickly that all fell back in dismay.

"Something is wrong!" gasped Don. "Menden, are you all right?"

There was no answer to his cry, and he and Dick bent over the edge to investigate. But the torch was hidden, or had gone out, and they could see nothing.

"Haul up the rope," said old Jacob, quietly; and it was quickly done. The noose which had been around Menden's body was gone, and the end of the line showed that it had been cut by the edge of a jagged stone.

CHAPTER XXX

FINDING THE SPANISH TREASURE

"Has he been killed?"

"What shall we do next?"

"I can't see or hear anything of him."

One and another stared at his companions. Robert Menden was gone, and there was no telling what had become of him.

"I'll go down and find out," said Dick, determinedly.

"But the danger, lad – " began old Jacob.

"I'll be very careful, Jacob. I have no wish to lose my life. But we must do something, you know."

The old sailor shook his head doubtfully. "If you lose your life, lad, I'll never be able to face your folks – not me!"

Nevertheless, he allowed Dick to tie the end of the jagged rope around him, and then the boy was lowered over the brink of the fissure, also with a lighted torch in his hand.

Down and down he went, and still down, until he felt as if he was entering the very bowels of the earth. His heart beat violently, and several times he could hardly keep from calling to those left behind to pull him up. But he was grit, and kept on descending until the ledge upon which Menden had stood was gained.

All was uncertain about him. The jagged rocks loomed up all around him, and to one side was the vast opening the Englishman had mentioned. Dick waved his torch over it and concluded it was a bottomless pit.

Several tons of rocks had fallen, but most of the mass had gone over the edge of the ledge. There was a heap of small stones close at hand, and looking down among these the youth saw Robert Menden's body, partly covered up.

"Can he be dead?" he asked himself. "Oh, I pray God he is alive!" And then he heard the Englishman utter a short groan.

"He's alive!" he shouted. "But he's badly wounded."

"Better send him up, then," returned Leander. "Do you want another rope?"

"Yes."

It was speedily forthcoming, but, alas! it proved too short by a dozen feet.

"Let down some more," called Dick.

"We can't. That's all we have."

"It won't do."

"Can't you tie him on the rope you have?" asked Bob.

Yes, Dick could do that. But such a proceeding would leave him on the ledge without a safeguard. He shivered at the thought. Then he grated his teeth. "I must do it," he muttered. "It's the only way." He slipped down on his knees, and extricated the body from the stones and dirt that held it.

"Oh, my head!" groaned Robert Menden, and replased into unconsciousness.

With extreme caution Dick untied the noose about him, and adjusted it under Menden's arms. Then he braced himself on the ledge, and called to those above to haul away, and they did so. As the body swung upward, the canvas bag slipped on Dick's head, and he let it fall to his feet.

It was no mean task to get the unconscious man to the top of the fissure and to a place of safety. But this accomplished, old Jacob set to work to bind up his wounds and restore him to himself. In the meantime the boys lowered the rope once more for Dick.

His first feeling of horror over, Dick began to gaze around him curiously. He hardly dared to move, for fear of pitching headlong into the pit; but he brought the torch low, and by its flames made out what looked to be a portion of some boards just beyond where he was standing.

"Dick, the rope is coming!" called Leander.

"All right – I have it," – and with a sigh of relief the boy adjusted the end of the coil once more under his arms. He now felt free to move, and advanced upon the boards with caution.

The nearest came up with ease, and he saw it was of cedar and varnished upon one side. Then he looked further, and saw – shining gold!