in search of the castaways-第106章

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r　fall　outside　the　grotto。　After　that　the　slope　was　practicable　to　the　foot　of　the　mountain。　From　this　point　the　prisoners　could　soon　gain　the　lower　valleys；　while　the　Maories；　if　they　perceived　the　flight　of　the　prisoners；　would　have　to　make　a　long　round　to　catch　them；　being　unaware　of　the　gallery　between　the　Ware…Atoua　and　the　outer　rock。　The　escape　was　commenced；　and　every　precaution　was　taken。　The　captives　passed　one　by　one　through　the　narrow　passage　into　the　grotto。　　John　Mangles；　before　leaving　the　hut；　disposed　of　all　the　evidences　of　their　work；　and　in　his　turn　slipped　through　the　opening　and　let　down　over　it　the　mats　of　the　house；　so　that　the　entrance　to　the　gallery　was　quite　concealed。　The　next　thing　was　to　descend　the　vertical　wall　to　the　slope　below；　and　this　would　have　been　impracticable；　but　that　Robert　had　brought　the　flax　rope；　which　was　now　unrolled　and　fixed　to　a　projecting　point　of　rock；　the　end　hanging　over。　John　Mangles；　before　his　friends　trusted　themselves　to　this　flax　rope；　tried　it；　he　did　not　think　it　very　strong；　and　it　was　of　importance　not　to　risk　themselves　imprudently；　as　a　fall　would　be　fatal。　〃This　rope；〃　said　he；　〃will　only　bear　the　weight　of　two　persons；　therefore　let　us　go　in　rotation。　　Lord　and　Lady　Glenarvan　first；　when　they　arrive　at　the　bottom；　three　pulls　at　the　rope　will　be　a　signal　to　us　to　follow。〃　〃I　will　go　first；〃　said　Robert。　　〃I　discovered　a　deep　hollow　at　the　foot　of　the　slope　where　those　who　come　down　can　conceal　themselves　and　wait　for　the　rest。〃　〃Go；　my　boy；〃　said　Glenarvan；　pressing　Robert's　hand。　Robert　disappeared　through　the　opening　out　of　the　grotto。　A　minute　after；　the　three　pulls　at　the　cord　informed　them　the　boy　had　alighted　safely。　Glenarvan　and　Lady　Helena　immediately　ventured　out　of　the　grotto。　The　darkness　was　still　very　great；　though　some　grayish　streaks　were　already　visible　on　the　eastern　summits。　The　biting　cold　of　the　morning　revived　the　poor　young　lady。　She　felt　stronger　and　commenced　her　perilous　descent。　Glenarvan　first；　then　Lady　Helena；　let　themselves　down　along　the　rope；　till　they　came　to　the　spot　where　the　perpendicular　wall　met　the　top　of　the　slope。　　Then　Glenarvan　going　first　and　supporting　his　wife；　began　to　descend　backward。　He　felt　for　the　tufts　and　grass　and　shrubs　able　to　afford　a　foothold；　tried　them　and　then　placed　Lady　Helena's　foot　on　them。　Some　birds；　suddenly　awakened；　flew　away；　uttering　feeble　cries；　and　the　fugitives　trembled　when　a　stone　loosened　from　its　bed　rolled　to　the　foot　of　the　mountain。　They　had　reached　half…way　down　the　slope；　when　a　voice　was　heard　from　the　opening　of　the　grotto。　〃Stop！〃　whispered　John　Mangles。　Glenarvan；　holding　with　one　hand　to　a　tuft　of　tetragonia；　with　the　other　holding　his　wife；　waited　with　breathless　anxiety。　Wilson　had　had　an　alarm。　　Having　heard　some　unusual　noise　outside　the　Ware…Atoua；　he　went　back　into　the　hut　and　watched　the　Maories　from　behind　the　mat。　　At　a　sign　from　him；　John　stopped　Glenarvan。　One　of　the　warriors　on　guard；　startled　by　an　unusual　sound；　rose　and　drew　nearer　to　the　Ware…Atoua。　He　stood　still　about　two　paces　from　the　hut　and　listened　with　his　head　bent　forward。　He　remained　in　that　attitude　for　a　minute　that　seemed　an　hour；　his　ear　intent；　his　eye　peering　into　the　darkness。　Then　shaking　his　head　like　one　who　sees　he　is　mistaken；　he　went　back　to　his　companions；　took　an　armful　of　dead　wood；　and　threw　it　into　the　smouldering　fire；　which　immediately　revived。　His　face　was　lighted　up　by　the　flame；　and　was　free　from　any　look　of　doubt；　and　after　having　glanced　to　where　the　first　light　of　dawn　whitened　the　eastern　sky；　stretched　himself　near　the　fire　to　warm　his　stiffened　limbs。　〃All's　well！〃　whispered　Wilson。　John　signaled　to　Glenarvan　to　resume　his　descent。　Glenarvan　let　himself　gently　down　the　slope；　soon　Lady　Helena　and　he　landed　on　the　narrow　track　where　Robert　waited　for　them。　The　rope　was　shaken　three　times；　and　in　his　turn　John　Mangles；　preceding　Mary　Grant；　followed　in　the　dangerous　route。　He　arrived　safely；　he　rejoined　Lord　and　Lady　Glenarvan　in　the　hollow　mentioned　by　Robert。　Five　minutes　after；　all　the　fugitives　had　safely　escaped　from　the　Ware…Atoua；　left　their　retreat；　and　keeping　away　from　the　inhabited　shores　of　the　lakes；　they　plunged　by　narrow　paths　into　the　recesses　of　the　mountains。　They　walked　quickly；　trying　to　avoid　the　points　where　they　might　be　seen　from　the　pah。　　They　were　quite　silent；　and　glided　among　the　bushes　like　shadows。　　Whither？　　Where　chance　led　them；　but　at　any　rate　they　were　free。　Toward　five　o'clock；　the　day　began　to　dawn；　bluish　clouds　marbled　the　upper　stratum　of　clouds。　　The　misty　summits　began　to　pierce　the　morning　mists。　　The　orb　of　day　was　soon　to　appear；　and　instead　of　giving　the　signal　for　their　execution；　would；　on　the　contrary；　announce　their　flight。　It　was　of　vital　importance　that　before　the　decisive　moment　arrived　they　should　put　themselves　beyond　the　reach　of　the　savages；　so　as　to　put　them　off　their　track。　　But　their　progress　was　slow；　for　the　paths　were　steep。　　Lady　Glenarvan　climbed　the　slopes；　supported；　not　to　say　carried；　by　Glenarvan；　and　Mary　Grant　leaned　on　the　arm　of　John　Mangles；　Robert；　radiant　with　joy；　triumphant　at　his　success；　led　the　march；　and　the　two　sailors　brought　up　the　rear。　Another　half　an　hour　and　the　glorious　sun　would　rise　out　of　the　mists　of　the　horizon。　　For　half　an　hour　the　fugitives　walked　on　as　chance　led　them。　　Paganel　was　not　there　to　take　the　lead。　He　was　now　the　object　of　their　anxiety；　and　whose　absence　was　a　black　shadow　between　them　and　their　happiness。　　But　they　bore　steadily　eastward；　as　much　as　possible；　and　faced　the　gorgeous　morning　light。　Soon　they　had　reached　a　height　of　500　feet　above　Lake　Taupo；　and　the　cold　of　the　morning；　increased　by　the　altitude；　was　very　keen。　Dim　outlines　of　hills　and　mountains　rose　behind　one　another；　but　Glenarvan　only　thought　how　best　to　get　lost　among　them。　Time　enough　by　and　by　to　see　about　escaping　from　the　labyrinth。　At　last　the　sun　appeared　and　sent　his　first　rays　on　their　path。　Suddenly　a　terrific　yell　from　a　hundred　throats　rent　the　air。　It　came　from　the　pah；　whose　direction　Glenarvan　did　not　know。　Besides；　a　thick　veil　of　fog；　which；　spread　at　his　feet；　prevented　any　distinct　view　of　the　valleys　below。　But　the　fugitives　could　not　doubt　that　their　escape　had　been　discovered；　and　now　the　question　was；　would　they　be　able　to　elude　pursuit？　Had　they　been　seen？　　Would　not　their　track　betray　them？　At　this　moment　the　fog　in　the　valley　lifted；　and　enveloped　them　for　a　moment　in　a　damp　mist；　and　at　three　hundred　feet　below　they　perceived　the　swarming　mass　of　frantic　natives。　While　they　looked　they　were　seen。　　Renewed　howls　broke　forth；　mingled　with　the　barking　of　dogs；　and　the　whole　tribe；　after　vainly　trying　to　scale　the　rock　of　Ware…Atoua；　rushed　out　of　the　pah；　and　hastened　by　the　shortest　paths　in　pursuit　of　the　prisoners　who　were　flying　from　their　vengeance。

CHAPTER　XIII　THE　SACRED　MOUNTAIN

THE　summit　of　the　mountain　was　still　a　hundred　feet　above　them。　The　fugitives　were　anxious　to　reach　it　that　they　might　continue　their　flight　on　the　eastern　slope　out　of　the　view　of　their　pursuers。　They　hoped　then　to　find　some　practicable　ridge　that　would　allow　of　a　passage　to