Sam Steele's Adventures on Land and Sea by L. Frank Baum

From our better position we could now see the sides of the great rock which reared itself nearly a hundred feet from the shore and stood like some gigantic, flat topped obelisk, keeping guard by the lonely sea. Some ancient convulsion of nature, such as an earthquake or a lightning bolt, had evidently split it from the main precipice of rock near which it stood; for the huge crevice that separated it, and which extended entirely down to the beach, almost followed its outlines in every particular. But what had cast up that great rocking-stone, and placed it in so finely balanced a position that it could be made a curious but effective bridge to the isolated peak? No one can tell. Another freak of nature, doubtless, for no mortal hands could ever have moved so great a weight of solid rock.

And now was solved the problem of the mysterious disappearance of the robbers; for, looking over the edge, we saw them creeping slowly down the side of the cliff. A natural ledge, varying from one to three feet in breadth, led from the top down to the bottom, circling entirely around the crag with a sort of corkscrew regularity. It was a dizzy path, most certainly, and I did not wonder to see the men cling fast to the inner side of the rock as they crept down the tortuous ledge; but Daggett, who evidently knew the place well, led them fearlessly, and the others followed, dragging their burdens and the sacks of gold dust as best they could. I certainly expected to see one or more of them tumble headlong at any moment; but no accident happened and presently, as they descended, the path wound around the opposite side of the rock, and they were lost to view.

I wondered if I would see them again, and if it were wise to stick to my exposed post of observation; but while I pondered the matter Daggett came into view again, having passed around the rock. He was now two thirds of the way to the sands, and as he followed the ledge on the inner side, that lay next the face of the main cliff, I saw him suddenly pause upon a broader part of the path than the rest, and then disappear into the rock itself-or so it seemed to my gaze from where I watched. One by one the men came after him, and one by one the rock swallowed them up with their burdens; and now passed a period of tedious waiting.

Both Nux and I had counted the fugitives and saw that all had safely descended to this point, including Bry. But what had become of them now was a mystery.

"What shall we do, Nux? " I asked in indecision. "There's nothing more to be seen from here."

The black, whose eyes held a startled expression, made no reply; but he crept with me to a nearer and better position at the edge of the cliff beside the rocking-stone, and together we peered over into the abyss. Now, indeed, the strange disappearance of the robbers was explained, for from our present point of vantage we could see a black spot far down on the inner face of the column of rock, where the ledge passed, and this spot was evidently a cavity into which the men had penetrated.

"All we can do now," I said, with a sigh of regret, "is to wait until they come out. It would be foolish to follow them into that place."

Nux nodded an emphatic approval, and we proceeded to lie down upon our faces, so that our eyes just projected over the edge of the cliff, and in this position we watched as patiently as we could for something to happen.

It was fully an hour before the men reappeared. A distant sound of voices, raised high in angry dispute, was the first token that the desperadoes were quitting the interior of the rock. Then Larkin and Daggett came out and stood upon the ledge; the others crowding behind them on the narrow footing, while their guide pointed along the ledge that still continued to lead downward.

They were without burdens now, either of provisions or gold dust; but the two axes were carried over Bry's shoulder, and another man bore a coil of rope.

They seemed to be disputing together about something, and a few of the words reached our ears. Daggett was urging them to follow a plan he had proposed, while some of the others demurred.

"It's too hot to work," we heard one of the men declare.

"It's not too hot to hang," shouted Daggett, in reply, "and you'll hang, every mother's son of you, if we don't get to the ship!"

That seemed to be an effective argument, for after a few more words of protest the men followed Daggett along the ledge, Bry coming last of all.

The path was broader from there on, and they made rapid progress, soon being again lost to our view around the rock. Just as Bry disappeared he looked up and saw Nux and me eagerly watching from above. For an instant he paused to wave his hand and grin at us reassuringly; then he passed around the edge and vanished after the others.

"Dat Bry don' 'pear to be much scared," said Nux, in an encouraged tone.

"No," I answered, thoughtfully. "He's got some plan in his head, I'm sure, to help us. But where have the men gone now?"

Nux could not answer this problem, but after a few moments it solved itself, for the robbers and Bry appeared upon the sandy shore, close to the water, and walked briskly along the narrow strip of beach between the lapping waves and the grim precipice of the mainland. It was not long before a bend in the coast hid them completely, and then we sat up and looked at one another inquiringly.

"What we do now? " asked the black.

"Let's go down the rock," I suggested, assuming to be braver than I really was. "They've left the gold behind them, that's sure; and the gold is what we're after, Nux. Once we have recovered that, it doesn't matter so much what becomes of the thieves."