_ CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. AMONG THE OLD STONES
In the clearing away of the abundant growth and selecting a position for their camp, a great stretch of wall was laid bare, one portion of which displayed the chequered pattern and another the herring-bone ornamentation adopted by the ancient people in building up what seemed to be the remains of a great structure which might have been temple, fort, or store.
"It is impossible to say what it was until we have cleared away all this crumbled down stone and rubbish that has fallen from the top," said the doctor. "You see, this is one side of the building; there's the end; and those two mounds will, I think, prove to be the missing side and end."
And it was here by the chequered wall that the next morning, directly after a very early meal, the first researches were made. The bullocks and ponies had been taken down to the river to drink and driven back into the ruins where they could be under the eye of Dunn Brown and the blacks, and so not likely to stray.
Sir James had charge of the rifles, which the boys helped him to carry up to a convenient spot at the top of the enormously wide wall, where he could perform the duty of sentry, his position commanding a wide view of the country round, where he could note the approach of any of the wandering herds and seize an opportunity for adding to the supply of provisions, while at the same time keeping an eye upon the Hottentot and the foreloper and seeing that they did not neglect their task, while, best of all, as he said to the boys, "I can see what you find, and," he added laughingly, "put all the gold you discover in one of my pockets."
The doctor, full of eagerness, set out what was to be done, appointing each man his duty, digging, cutting away undergrowth, and basketing off the loose, stony rubbish that was turned over, a couple of stout, strong creels having been made by the two keepers. And very soon, and long before the sun was peering down over the wall, to fully light up the great interior where excavating had commenced, the two boys were busy under the doctor's instructions turning over and examining the rubbish that was carried away to form the commencement of a convenient heap.
As this was begun Mak, who had stopped back for a little while to make another addition to his breakfast, came up with the pigmy, when they both selected the spot where they could squat upon the big wall and look down, very serious of aspect, at what was being done.
"We ought to make some discoveries here," said the doctor, rubbing his hands. "This wall is very, very old."
"Think so?" said Sir James.
"I am sure so, sir. You see, no cement has been used."
"So I see," said Sir James, "but I shouldn't attach anything to that. Why, we have plenty of walls built up of loose stones at home. Don't you remember those in Wales, boys?"
"Yes, uncle, and in Cornwall too," said Dean.
"Not such a wall as this," said the doctor, with a satisfied smile. "I feel perfectly sure that this goes back to a very early period of civilisation. Now, my lads, we are pretty clear so far as the trees and bushes go. Keep your shovels at work."
"Ay, ay, sir," cried Dan. "Here, I'll have first go, messmate. I'll fill the basket, you'll carry out." Buck nodded, and directly after the two men were hard at work, while whenever the sailor's spade, which he dubbed shovel, came in contact with a big loose stone, one or other of the keepers pounced upon it and bore it to the heap of earth and rubbish that began to grow where Buck emptied his basket.
"Farther away; farther away," said the doctor. "What for, sir?" asked Dean.
"Go on, Dean," cried Mark. "Can't you see that if they make a big heap close to, it may come crumbling down again and Dan will get covered in?"
The sailor chuckled, and threw a shovelful of rubbish, purposely missing the basket and depositing the well aimed beginnings of the hole he was digging upon Dean's feet.
"Oh, I beg your pardon, sir!" he cried apologetically. "Here, you, Buck Denham, what made you put the basket there? You ought to have known it was out of reach. More this way, messmate."
"All right," said Dean. "I shan't forget this, Master Dan.--Bother!" And he stepped on one side, seated himself at the foot of the wall, and occupied himself with untying the laces of one shoe and taking out the little bits of grit which refused to be kicked off.
"Now, no larking," said the doctor sharply. "Wait till we have done work."
"Ay, ay, sir!" cried Dan; and digging away with all his might, he very soon after shouted, "Full up, messmate!" Then Buck stooped down, lifted the heavy basket, and bore it away, leaving the empty one in its place.
"Stones, lads!" cried the sailor, raising first one and then another with his spade ready for the keepers; and the work went on, with the doctor stepping down into the hole that was soon formed to examine some of the loose earth and rubbish that the sailor dug out ready for the baskets which were kept going to and fro.
"We don't seem to find much, sir," said Mark, after a time.
"No, my lad," replied the doctor. "All rubbish so far; and most of these pieces of stone have no doubt crumbled down from the wall."
"Eh? Think so, sir?" cried Dan, looking up sharply from where he was now standing nearly up to his middle in the hole.
"Oh, yes, there's no doubt about that," cried the doctor.
"Beg pardon, sir," said the digger to Dean, "but you might keep a heye on the wall and call out 'below!' if you see any more crumbs a-coming, just to give a fellow time to hop out, because, you know Mr Mark says I might be buried, shovel and all."
"Oh, I will keep a sharp look out," said Dean.
"Full up again, mate," cried Dan; "and look here, Buck; when I get down a bit deeper you had better come and take my place; you're 'bout twice as long as I am. Stones again, lads!" And he handed up first one and then another on the flat of his spade.
"Both square ones, Dean," cried Mark. "Think they have been chiselled into shape, doctor?"
"No, no; selected," said the doctor, as he carefully examined the block which the boy held. "You see, that's the under part where it lay in the wall, not weathered a bit. The other side has crumbled away, while the under part is comparatively fresh, and would show chisel marks if it had been chipped."
The work went on for nearly an hour, the sailor having dug away in the most vigorous manner and cleared out a fairly wide, squarish hole, three of whose sides were cut down through earth, the fourth, near the foot of the wall, being bedded together loose stones and rubbish and pretty well open.
Almost every spadeful had been carefully examined for traces of the olden occupation, the doctor during the first portion of the time having been constantly stepping down into the hole and out again to examine some suggestive looking piece of rubbish, until Mark's attention was drawn to Dan, who kept on trying to catch his eye and giving him nods and winks and jerks of the elbow, pointing too again and again at the doctor's back, but all in vain.
"What does he mean by all that?" thought the boy. "Oh, bother your dumb motions! Why don't you speak?"
"Pst!" whispered Dan. "Can't you see? You tell him. He keeps on a-hindering me, hopping up and down like a cat on hot bricks. You tell him to stop up there and turn over every basketful as they chucks upon the heap."
A delicate hint was given to the doctor, and from that time forward he left the little digger room to work.
All at once, just as Buck was depositing his empty basket within Dan's reach, and the boys were standing at the edge looking on at where the sailor had begun to scrape away some of the loose crumbs, as he called them, from the side of the bottom of the hole, there was a faint rustling sound and the man dropped his spade, stepped back and bounded out of the excavation as actively as a cat.
"What's the matter, mate?" cried Buck, "a arn't given you a nip?"
"Wall's not crumbling, is it?" cried Mark excitedly.
"No, sir. Did you see it?"
"See it? See what?"
"Dunno, sir. Thought perhaps you gents up there might have ketched sight of it. Summat alive."
"Eh? What's that?" cried the doctor sharply, from where he was poring over the rubbish which the keepers had last deposited on the heap; and he hurried to the edge of the hole. "What have you found?"
"Nowt, sir," replied the little sailor. "I was just scraping up the crumbs where there's all the rough stones yonder as I have been leaving so as not to loosen the foundations, when something scuttled along there. Gi' me quite a turn;" and as he spoke there was a sharp _click, click_, from where Sir James sat sentry on the top of the wall.
"Humph!" said the doctor. "Mouse or rat."
"Mouse or rat, sir?" said Dan sharply. "What, are there them sort of jockeys here?"
"Yes, and all the world round, my lad."
"Fancy that!" cried the sailor, jumping down into the hole again. "Scar'd me like a great gal, Mr Mark, sir;" and evidently ashamed of having been startled, he bent down to pick up the fallen tool, dislodging as he did so some of the loose rubbish, and bounding backwards to raise the spade and hold it ready to strike as with an axe; for just at the foot of the ancient wall the rustling sound began again, and stopped, leaving Dan in the attitude of striking and the rest of the party leaning over with searching eyes in full expectation of seeing some little animal spring out.
"What do you make of that, sir?" said the sailor.
"Humph! Don't know. Stand back, all of you," cried Sir James, as he rose erect from his seat on the top of the wall. "You stop, Dan; the rest leave me a clear course for firing."
"Wait a minute, father," cried Mark excitedly. "Let me get my piece and change the cartridges."
"No, no," said Sir James; "one's enough, and I've got a barrel loaded with small shot. I suppose you would like to see what the specimen is, doctor."
"Certainly," was the reply. "I can make a shrewd guess, though."
"So can I, sir," said the sailor; "and I can't abide them things."
"Now then," said Sir James, as he stood ready. "I won't hit you, Dan. Reach out with your spade, stir up those loose stones again, and spring back quickly."
"I just will, sir!" said the man to himself, and leaning forward he thrust the spade amongst the loose rubbish; and hopped back with wonderful agility.
It was a most effectual thrust, and beyond the noise made by the steel blade of the tool and the rattle of the stones there was a sharp rustling of something disturbed in its lair, and a loud vindictive hiss.
"Oh, scissors!" ejaculated the sailor, and swinging up the spade again he held it ready to give a chop; but it was not delivered, for Sir James shouted to him to step out of the hole, lowered himself down from the wall, and joined the others on the edge.
"A snake, and a pretty big one too, I expect," said the doctor. "Python, most likely."
"Pison?" said Dan.
"Python, my lad, not pison," said the doctor. "That class of serpent is harmless. Don't miss it, Sir James, and don't shatter its head if you can help it."
"If I shoot it," said Sir James, "I will not answer for where I shall hit. If you want it as a specimen, take the gun."
"Do you mean it, Sir James?"
"Certainly. Catch hold."
"Oh, I say, doctor, let me shoot!" cried Mark excitedly.
"No, no, my boy; don't interfere," said his father. "No, doctor, don't give up to him," for the latter was drawing back. "Now, all of you," cried Sir James, setting the example, "pick up a stone each, and we will throw till we drive the reptile out."
His orders were obeyed, and for the next five minutes as the doctor stood ready to fire, stone after stone, big and little, were hurled at the foot of the wall, but with no further effect than producing a slight rustling sound, as if the creature had plenty of room in the hollow which formed its lair.
"I think I can do it, Sir James," said Buck.
"How, my lad?"
"I will get up on the wall, sir, and drop one of them big stones right down over him."
"Good! Do."
"Wish I had thought of that," said Dean. "I should just like that job."
"Never mind; let Buck try. Send down a big one!" cried Mark.
"I just will, sir," said the man, and climbing quickly up to the top of the wall he edged his way along the stones till he found what he considered a suitable block, loosened it, but not without considerable effort, for it was hard to move, and then turned it over and over till he forced it to the edge of the crumbling wall.
"That about right, sir?" he cried.
"No; two feet farther along. That's right! Now then, all ready?"
"Yes, sir."
"Give it a gentle push then, when you get the word from me. I want it to fall close in there."
"Right, sir."
There was a moment's silence in the midst of an excitement which was great for so trifling an incident, and then Sir James said sharply, "Heave!"
Down came the stone, and it seemed to the boys as if it occupied seconds of time to pass through the air, and crash down upon the loose rubbish below. A little dust arose, but not sufficient to hide the occupant of the ruined foundations. Then silence again, and the two boys uttered a jeering laugh.
"Out crept a mouse," said the doctor good-humouredly; "but where is it?"
"He's in there, sir," said Dan, "for I just ketched sight of him. But I'm sure he warn't a mouse."
"Shall I throw down another stone, sir?" cried Buck, from the top of the wall.
"'Tain't no good, mate," shouted Dan. "Let me go and stir him out, sir, with the shovel. He's down some hole, with his tail hanging out. Mebbe I can give him a chop and make him wriggle out back'ards so as to give you plenty of time to shoot."
"Would you mind doing it, my lad?" said the doctor.
"Not me, sir, now I knows what it is. You meant it warn't a stinger, sir, didn't you?"
"It's only guess work, my lad, but it's evidently a large serpent, and those with poisonous fangs are mostly small."
"Take care, Dan," cried Mark, as the sailor prepared to jump down again into the hole.
"I just will, sir!"
"Yes, but mind this," said the doctor. "Stir up the stones, and if you see it, give it just a touch or two with the edge of the spade. I don't want it injured."
"All right, sir," said the man; and spade in hand he approached the foot of the wall, cautiously holding the tool at arm's length, all looking on eagerly, while the doctor, armed as he was with the double gun, shared the position with the sailor of the most important figures there.
"Ready, sir?" whispered Dan, as he reached forward.
"Yes, quite," replied the doctor.
"They are small shot, arn't they, sir?" said Dan.
"Small shot don't hurt much, do they, Bob?" cried Mark, laughing.
"No, sir. I have got one left in my neck now."
"Don't you be afraid of my shot," replied the doctor. "I shall not hit you. But take care of yourself if you start the serpent."
"Right, sir. Here goes!" cried the sailor; and giving the spade a powerful thrust in amongst the stones, he twisted it about, and then started back, for a large scaly head darted out in his direction. _