The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-02-05

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i..severtheless / shall come. Two /
may succeed where one would fail, and
as for my leg it can still deal kick
that most men would be unwilling to
stand against And if Pm too big to be
hidden in the building I'll find covert |
in the nearest thicket and be ready tic
make diversion from the rear if |
you're attacked So no more objec-
tions. intend to go"
We waited with some Impotence till
nightfall and then. bidding the other
lads tell Alec when he came all that
had befallen. slipped down into the wa
ter. We had few preparations to make
for our swim. as the only clothing of
which we could boast was a pair of
trunks apiece, and those gashed with
realer slashes than tailor makes.
The sea was warm. and striking out
leisurely so as not to tire my wounded
leg too much, we crossed over and
coasted round the foot of the cliff. seek
ing a landing place. We found none
till we were well beyond sight of Shell
ter island, and then, coming to shin
gly beach, we landed and lay quiet on
the sand for awhile.
The night was thick as a quickest
hedge, and so, as there was small dan
ger of the Spaniards spying us, we
wandered somewhat from the straight
track on the chance of finding food, of
which we We're sorely in need, and in
this we were wonderfully successful,
for after little search we came across
rare grove Of bananas Next to the
discovery of thicket of roast beef
and October ale no windfall could have
been more providential, for the banan-
as not only served to fill our empty
stomachs, but at the same time gave
us food which we could carry away for
future needs. So each bearing brace
of the huge yellow clusters, we took
straight path toward the hill.
The ascent steepened as it rose and
finished in well defined stair hewn
from the living rock. At the top
doorway lay Immediately before US.
We passed it's threshold and found our
selves within walls as perfect as the
day they were built, though how the
courses had been raised to their posi-
ton unless by magic puzzled me even
to guess. There was no roof nor trace
of any. The floor was bare save for
wind borne rubbish and great stone
4 table in the middle which looked as
though it might once have served as an
altar in whatever devil worship went
on here in bygone days. But no spot
could we see where man could hide.
Save for a slanting footway that ran
round two walls and gave access to the
summit the whole interior was as aus
terely plain as the coolest Imagination
could make it,
After brief examination of the in
terror of this puzzle in stone we went
aloft by the slanting footway to throw
the Spaniards' pile of fagots over the
cliff and then set about exploring the
exterior.
At first the duh light showed us moth
ing but smooth, almost polished pave
ment but on close scrutiny we found
an inequality In the surface near the
tail Of the great carveE serpent which
reared itself at that corner of the build
ing which most effectually commanded
the approach from below. A little bur
/, rowing discovered hollow. which
turned out to be narrow alley JUS
wide enough to admit one at a time
We cleared away the rubbish witt
which it was choked and then entered
1t led up dark winding stair in thu
body of the reptile and brought us aft
er hard climb to a tiny chamber in
side the head. The gaping jaws form
ed sentry box, from which we coult
command the whole of the path from
the lower ground, so, confident in tn
strength of our eyre, I5lay down t
rest for space while Willie watched.
We had not long to wait. Scarcel.
had I4relieved the boatswain and begul
my turn of watching when couple o
men broke out of the bush below an
began to climb the steps on the hillside
Imotioned to Willie, and together w
watched their advance. Now we shout
see what Willie's witchcraft could do.