The Peril Finders Part 74

Chris nodded, and without asking the American, hurried off to cut such a piece as he required, ending by tr.i.m.m.i.n.g it well and leaving quite a small bush-like tuft of green at the end.

"You mean to go, then?" said Ned quietly.

"Yes. Will you come with me?"

"No," said Ned, wincing. "I hate snakes."

"Not half so much as I do."

"Yes, I will. I'll come too."

"Like to go first?" asked Chris mischievously.

"N-yes, give me the stick. I can climb up there as easily as you can.

Well, why don't you give me the stick?"

"'Cause I want it myself, lad. No, thank you; I'm going to have the honour of sweeping down all the rattlers as I go up. You'd better stand back out of the way, in case I should send a big one down. You can shoot it then."

"Some one else will have to do that," said Ned, in an off-hand way, to hide his nervousness. "I shall be close behind you."

"Then you mean to come?"

"Of course."

"That's right, old chap. I say, Ned, I don't believe there'll be any, after all."

"Think not?"

Chris nodded. Then laughingly--

"We've got to chance it all the same. Come on."

Chris led the way, with his piece slung, revolver and knife in belt, and the pine staff in his hand, when Griggs took a step forward, with his eyes twinkling.

"I say," he cried, "it's hardly fair for us if you get chivvying those rattlers and sending them flying over the edge and down here."

"Oh, you must take your chance about that," said Chris merrily.

"Be careful, my boy," said the doctor.

"What, about the rattlers, father?"

"Of course; but I meant where you place your feet. Many of the stones are rotten and loose."

"We'll mind," said Chris, and he began to climb, raising himself a step or two, and then striking sharply in amongst some growing plants, before thrusting his staff up in front of him and drawing himself up again.

This he kept on repeating, and without much difficulty climbed some thirty feet, before an awkward place came like a check, caused by a big stone having fallen, leaving a good-sized cavity.

"Look out now, Ned," he said softly. "Here's a hole that may hold one."

"All right," was the reply, and as Chris planted his feet firmly, one in a hole and the other on a projecting stone, Wilton uttered a warning word or two, which the boys were too busy to heed.

"It's a bigger place than I thought," said Chris, taking fast hold of a stone with his left hand and advancing his tufted staff with his right, as he stood well upright, bringing his head above the edge of the hole.

"It was built-up once, for the stones were square, and it goes in quite deep. Now, then, look out for a big one."

He leaned a little on one side, thrust in the stick, and gave it a sharp rattle round in different directions, when to his horror there was a rush which nearly made him loosen his hold before he realised what had happened. But fortunately he held on, and in an instant the alarm and danger had pa.s.sed away. For the occupants he had disturbed proved to be some half-dozen huge bats, which fluttered out, squealing, and made for the opposite side of the depression.

"Phew! How they smell! c.o.c.kroachy," cried Chris. "I say, father, there are not likely to be snakes here now."

"No," said the doctor. "If there were I should not think that you would have found the bats. But be careful."

Chris said nothing, but climbed right into the hole.

"Here, come on, Ned," he cried; "this isn't a hole made by some stone falling over; it's quite a little chamber, with--What's that?" he added--"A chimney?"

A minute's investigation proved that it was no chimney that had taken his attention, but a sloping shaft with plenty of room for a man to pa.s.s upward, and the way made easy by projecting stones.

"You are not going in there?" said Ned anxiously, as he stood close behind.

"But I am. Come and look. You can see daylight. Why, Ned, it's the way up to the first terrace. Come on."

Chris stepped in, and with his curiosity aroused, Ned followed, just as Bourne's voice came from below, with the question--

"What are you boys doing? Mind how you climb above that hole. You had better get a little to the right."

"No, we hadn't," said Chris, who was half up the shaft. "Don't speak yet, Ned. Come on; it's quite easy."

Ned followed, and came in for plenty of dry dust and chips as Chris climbed on, to find himself directly after in a cell-like chamber, evidently cut out of the solid rock.

"Ahoy! Where are you, boys?" cried the doctor, in an anxious tone of voice.

"You look out of the window-opening," said Chris; "I'm going to look down out of this," and pa.s.sing as he spoke through a low opening, he stood in the middle of another cell-like place.

They were saluted with a shout.

"No snakes, then?" said Griggs.

"I don't think so. None here," cried Chris. "Are you all coming up?"

There was no need to answer, for Griggs was already leading the way, and as soon as they were all up an investigation of the place began, during which it was found that they had evidently hit upon one of the openings, or probably enough the princ.i.p.al one into the rock city, where upon the level where they stood some dozens of roughly carved-out, cell-like habitations communicated one with another.

There was a great deal of dust and other acc.u.mulation, for in damp spots where there was a chance for plants to exist they seemed to have grown, died, and turned to earth. Here and there, too, as the party made their way from cell to cell there were proofs that various animals had taken possession of the rough shelters and brought the prey they had captured, stores of well-gnawed bones lying scattered about; but saving the traces left of construction, cutting out of the rock and building in, they found nothing to show what kind of people they were who had lived there, nothing to prove how far back it was in the world's history that the rock city had been occupied by a teeming population.

"How long is it since people lived here, father?" was asked by Chris, after they had been wandering about from cell to cell but not finding any way of getting higher without a dangerous climb from the terrace outward.

"Ah, you are asking what has been puzzling me," replied the doctor, "and I seem to be faced by a blank wall built-up between now and the past.

If we could find anything in the shape of weapons or household implements, one might make a guess; but every trace we have found is of the last inhabitants."

"Well, that ought to do," said Chris.