“It seems that we made a mistake in coming to that conclusion. I’ve an idea the tunnel leads straight back to the cave where we had the pleasure of spending one night.”
“Then the apparent mystery can be explained if we make a search there,” Gil suggested.
“You are right, but it will be a good idea to hunt mighty cautiously, or we may find ourselves in a worse scrape than before. You stay here while I take a short trip in that direction, and at the same time warn Andy of what has been discovered.”
Both of the boys were unwilling the party should separate. Strength of numbers seemed to be their only protection, and the loss of one would be very serious.
Jenkins, however, was positive his plan offered the only chance of safety, and after some discussion the others agreed to it.
“I’ll take one of the revolvers, and you fellows will have the other. It is likely that I shall be away some time, therefore you mustn’t get nervous if I stay nearly all day. You had better get in the tunnel half-a-dozen yards from the shaft, so your voices won’t be heard if anybody happens to come this way.”
“I’ll try to make him come down here, for it isn’t safe to remain where those people, whoever they are, may find an opportunity of getting hold of him.”
After giving these orders, Jenkins swarmed up the rope hand over hand, and, without so much as an “adieu,” disappeared from the view of those in the shaft.
The three waited in almost perfect silence during fully half-an-hour, and then, as a slight rustling was heard from above, the cook’s head could be seen at the edge of the excavation.
His black face was literally gray with terror, and one would have said his eyeballs protruded very much more than usual as he asked, in a hoarse whisper:
“Am it er fac’ dat you chillun reckon on stayin’ hyar wid de whole crowd ob voudoos so nigh at han’?”
“Come out an’ hide whar dere’s a chance to gib de debbils de slip ef dey begin’ cuttin’ up shines.”
The sailors, superstitious as are nearly all their class, believed the wisest course would be to follow the old darky’s advice, arguing that since he knew more about the island and the ways of the repulsive beings who had been found upon it, than any one else, it was reasonable to suppose he could best extricate them from their uncomfortable situation.