“There’s no time to attend to him; we’ve got to look out for ourselves, an’ it’s time something----”
At that instant a loud cheer, unmistakably from the throats of white people, was heard, and Jenkins cried, excitedly:
“Here comes the captain! I know that shout; but I’m blest if I understand how he could have got here so quick. Now we shall see the imps take to their heels, an’ I’d like to have a chance to help them along.”
Before he could say anything more, Gil saw his father’s face peering over the edge of the shaft, and the revulsion of feeling from such a depth of despair to that of certainty his troubles were at an end, caused him to reel and relapse into a state of semi-unconsciousness, which was not very far removed from a veritable fainting spell.
In the shortest possible space of time the entire situation was changed.
Captain Mansfield was accompanied by half-a-dozen men, all fully armed, and they at once proceeded to help the little party out of the shaft, Andy being the first who was sent to the surface.
The old darky revived before he was fairly drawn up, and the fact that he was no longer in any danger caused him to forget his injuries in the joyful knowledge.
“How did you get here so soon?” Jenkins asked, after the captain had welcomed the boys.
“We fell in with a trading schooner, and came directly back, for somehow I had an idea that you might be in trouble. But where are the rest of the party?”
Gil told in the fewest words possible of what had happened, and showed the diamonds in proof, Jenkins adding to the story:
“They’re hangin’ ’round here somewhere, an’ all I ask is the chance to have it out with them before we leave.”
“You shall have the opportunity, if we fall in with them; but I don’t propose to stay here any longer than is absolutely necessary. After you have had something to eat we’ll go on board the schooner, and read the remainder of the story.”
Gil insisted on releasing the prisoners before starting for the beach, and the poor wretches manifested the greatest surprise at being allowed to go free when they had fully expected to be killed. They stopped not on the order of their going; but rushed through the tunnel regardless of the smoke, and a few seconds later their outcries told that they had fallen into the underground chamber for the second time.