Dead Man's Land Part 50

"Here, let me come by you, Mark," cried the doctor, excitedly.

"No, sir; I wouldn't, sir," cried Bob Bacon. "I have only just got room to hold the light up as it is, and Buck Denham's so precious particular."

"Yes," said Buck, "and I want to get my catch out. You back with the light, Bob; and make a little room, gen'lemen. It's all right. We don't want any light now to show as this is one of them baboons--a long one, 'most as big as me."

All backed away now, leaving room for Buck, who dragged his captive along the windings of the dark cavern, commenting upon his appearance the while.

"Yes, gen'lemen, I want to get him out and show black Mak the sperrit as he is afraid of. Rum beggars, these natives are, ready enough to fight and spear anybody. Got as much pluck as we have; but they are just like kids in being frightened about ghosts and by stories told by old women.

Now then, it's no use to kick. Poor old chap! Here, I could tuck him under my arm and carry him, only he may as well walk. He is just like a skin bag of bones. Hallo, you, Bob Bacon, who told you to put a 'stinguisher on that light?" For a sudden darkness came upon them all.

"'Stinguished itself," growled Bob.

But the darkness was only apparent for a few moments, for about fifty yards ahead there was a bright gleam of suns.h.i.+ne at the mouth of the cavern, and two shadows moved, which proved to be Mak and the pigmy peering in as if listening and trying to make out what was going on inside.

"Hi, you sir!" shouted Dean. "We have caught your spirit. Come and help him out."

But as if grasping the lad's meaning by the tone of his voice, Mak turned sharply and darted away at a rate which carried him in a series of bounds down the slope of the great kopje, so that by the time the little party of explorers were out in the broad suns.h.i.+ne with their captive, Mak was threading his way amongst the rocks, closely followed once more by the pigmy, and about to disappear.

"There, gents!" cried Buck. "What do you make of him, sir?" And he thrust his captive more into the light. "Why, he must have been a monkey as big as me when he was in full fettle."

"Monkey!" cried Mark. "Why, it's a man!"

"Man, sir!" cried Buck scornfully. "He arn't a black; he's grey. Who ever see a man like that?"

"Not I," said the doctor, laughing.

"There, Mr Mark," cried Buck triumphantly.

"But a man it is, Buck," said the doctor. "Poor old fellow! Doesn't say much for the natives' civilisation, for there must have been some living near. Crawled into that cave to die. Now, I should say he's one of their old priests or medicine men, who, taking advantage of his great age and supposed wisdom, has imposed upon his fellows till he got to be looked upon as one who held intercourse with the unknown world, and lived upon his reputation, till his fellows grew to look upon him and talked about him as a spirit. That's why Mak objected to our exploring this cave. Poor fellow, he meant well; and he made his objections no doubt in our interest, for fear that we might come to harm."

"Why, a poor old scarecrow, sir!" said Buck. "He only wants one or two old clothes put on him, and he'd make a fine tatter-dooley. Not much to be afraid of in him! Well, gentlemen, we have got him."

"Yes, we have got him," said Mark; "but it seems to me that the question is, what are we going to do with him now we have got him?"

"Yes," said the doctor; "that is a bit of a puzzle. We can't take him into camp. What do you say, Dean?"

The boy wrinkled up his forehead as he gazed down at the curious, weirdly thin object at their feet, who lay there looking like a re-animated mummy, gazing feebly up at his captors, his dull eyes gleaming faintly through the nearly closed lids as if suffering from the broad light of day, before they were tightly shut, as the wretched creature, who seemed hardly to exist, sank back into a stupor that looked like the precursor of his final sleep.

"Well, Dean, what have you got to propose?" said Mark. "Nothing. But if he's coming into camp along with us I am going to camp out."

"It's a rum 'un," grumbled Buck. "My word, he must be an old 'un!"

"Yes," said the doctor; "of a great age."

"And he is a man, sir?"

"Oh, yes, and he must have been a fine man in his time--six feet three or four, I should say."

"Yes, sir," said Buck, "and that's the pity of it."

"What has his being six feet three or four got to do with it being a pity?" said Mark sharply.

"I didn't mean that, sir," said Buck. "I meant it was a pity as he's a man."

"Why?" asked the boys in a breath. "Because if he had been only a beast, sir--I mean, a big monkey--it would have been a charity to put him out of his misery."

"Poor wretch, yes," said the doctor. "But you can't do that, sir. I know what I should do if it was me."

"What should you do, Buck?" asked Mark. "Well, sir, he arn't nothing to us. If it was me, as I said, I should put him back again."

"Humph!" grunted the doctor. "Well, one wants to behave in a Christian-like way to a fellow-creature. Lay him in his place there at the mouth of the cavern, where we scared him out."

This was done, and the doctor turned to Mark. "Now, boy, what next?"

"I know," cried Mark. "Here, Dan, what about the soup?"

"Plenty, sir--only wants making hot."

"Be off and get a tinful, if you can find your way."

"If I can find my way, sir!" said the little sailor, laughing. "I think I can do that;" and he trotted off.

"That ought to put some life into him," growled Buck; "but I want them two chaps to come and see their spirit. There they are, peeping round the corner at us."

"Yes," said Mark, "but we are not going to stop here. Don't you think they ought to come and look after the old savage?"

"Well, I don't know," said the doctor. "I should be afraid to trust them. They might do the poor old fellow a mischief. Here, boys, call them up."

Mark cooeyed, but only made the two blacks shrink back again.

"It's of no use," said the doctor. "We must leave him alone." And after laying their find carefully in his den the little party wended their way back to the camp to report their adventures to Sir James.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

QUERY: KING SOLOMON?

"Well, Dan," said Mark, as he and his cousin came upon their handy man, "did you give the poor old fellow the soup?"

"No, sir."

"What! Then why didn't you?"

"Couldn't find him, sir."

"Didn't you go up to the old cavern?"