Chapter X: Noel Guards the Secret

NOEL crouched back trembling. He knew now that these men had not come as his friends. He glanced upwards and saw the plant flourishing over his head in the crevice it was put to screen. Oh! if only Duke were there! Duke was so fearless and always knew what to do.

"I'd better mount first while you hold the ladder," said the stout man.

Noel heard them placing the ladder against the wall of rock immediately below the place where he sat. In another minute the head and shoulders of the fat-faced man appeared above the opening. Noel stared at him, unable to speak, while he appeared amazed to see the boy.

"Well! I never!" he exclaimed. "Here's your banshee or whatever you call it, Isaac. Who would have expected to find a kid in this hole? I think I have seen you before, my young friend. Now tell me how you come to be perched up here?"

He climbed into the rock cell and stood over Noel, awaiting his reply. Noel was almost too frightened to speak.

"We came down from the old house," he said breathlessly; "the door slammed and we could not open it again."

"From the old house!" repeated the man eagerly. "Then there is a way down. Tell me how you found it."

"Duke found it, I didn't," said Noel.

"Who is Duke, and where is he?" demanded the man.

"Duke's my brother. I don't know where he is. I wish I did," said Noel, beginning to cry.

By this time the other man had climbed up beside them. Noel's sobs ceased for very terror as he met the glances with which they were regarding him.

"Look here, Ned," said Isaac. "We shall have to be quick if we are going to get through with this business. The other kid's got off, it seems. He may find his way home and bring others to this place. You can see for yourself that it's not here the old chap hides his gold. There's no sign of a trap-door or anything of the sort."

The big man glanced around him at the solid rook which formed the three walls, roof, and floor of the chamber. He saw nothing like an opening.

"Let's ask the kid," he suggested. "He may be able to tell us something."

"My dear little man," he said, changing his tone and adopting a wheedling manner, "you seem to have got here by a track that would suit a mole better than me. Did you on your way down come across anything like a hidden chest or box, or see any sort of place where a miser might hide his money?"

A denial leaped to Noel's lips; but he did not suffer it to pass them. He was silent for a moment ere he said: "I have not seen a box."

"Ah ha! but you have seen something," said the burly man. "Look, Isaac, this boy can tell us where the money is!"

"Then he'd better tell us at once," said Isaac sharply. "Out with it, lad, and no humbug."

Noel's face had grown very white; but he set his lips firmly and said not a word.

"Speak this instant," said the round-faced man fiercely. "Tell us where it is, or I'll—" His hand was uplifted to strike. Noel closed his eyes as he awaited the blow. He believed these men might kill him, but he would not betray the secret; nor would he say that he did not know where the gold was. But ere the blow descended the man named Isaac had seized his comrade's arm.

"Stay, Ned," he said in an undertone. "I told you I would have no violence, and I meant it. There's no need for it, if you manage the little lad properly. Let me speak to him."

"Now look here, little master," he said, addressing Noel—"if you tell me all you know, it shall be the better for you. I'll see that you have something good to carry back to school. But if you refuse to help us, we'll just take and pitch you into the sea, or throw you down from the rock. Now then."

Noel made no reply, nor did a violent shake produce from him anything more than a sob of fear.

"Leave him alone," said the big man in a tone of disgust. "He's just as senseless as a mouse in the clutches of a cat. I don't believe he knows, after all. We'll find it without his help if it's anywhere near. Let us see where this passage leads."

"Ay, but first we must stop the kid's mouth," said the other. "We don't want his cries to attract attention to us. Give us that silk handkerchief of yours, Ned."

His companion handed over the article and looked on without pity while Isaac skilfully bound it as a gag across Noel's mouth. Then he proceeded, to tie the boy's hands and feet together.

This task, however, was never finished, for suddenly the barking of a dog and the sound of voices were heard from outside the cave. Isaac sprang down the ladder and was off like a shot. The other man tried to follow, but ere he could get his big form through the hole which opened into the outer cave, Nero had gripped him and held him a prisoner with the upper part of his body in one cave and his legs in the other.

It would have gone badly with him had not Mr. Fletcher come speedily to the rescue. Then the ruffian got off, much to the gentleman's regret when he found the condition in which poor little Noel was left. As it had been impossible for the men in their haste to remove the ladder, Mr. Fletcher had no difficulty in reaching the boy and carrying him down in safety.

Noel had fainted, and as an unconscious burden Mr. Fletcher bore him through the waves to where his mother and Duke were waiting just beyond their reach.

It took Noel some days to recover from the shock of that alarming adventure. Meanwhile, efforts were made to trace the two scoundrels who had treated him so roughly. The man named Isaac was well known to the police as a seaman of doubtful character belonging to that neighbourhood, whose occasional visits to his native place afforded little satisfaction to the inhabitants.

Of the big man nothing was known save that he had visited Trevethick during the previous summer, and was believed to have come from Bristol.