rs.undertheandes-第45节

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　We　went　faster　and　faster；　and　the　stream　narrowed　until　the　bank　was　but　a　few　feet　away　on　either　side。
　〃Watch　the　stern！〃　I　called　to　Harry。　〃Keep　her　off　with　your　spear！〃
　Then　a　wall　loomed　up　directly　ahead。　I　thought　it　meant　another　bend　in　the　stream；　and　I　strained　my　eyes　intently　in　the　effort　to　discover　its　direction；　but　I　could　see　nothing　save　the　black　wall。　We　approached　closer；　I　shouted　to　Harry　and　Desiree　to　brace　themselves　for　a　shock；　praying　that　the　raft　would　meet　the　rock　squarely　and　not　on　a　corner。
　I　had　barely　had　time　to　set　myself　and　grasp　the　straps　behind　when　we　struck　with　terrific　force。　The　raft　rebounded　several　feet；　trembling　and　shaking　violently。　The　water　was　rushing　past　us　with　noisy　impetuosity。
　There　was　a　cry　from　Desiree；　and　from　Harry；　〃All　right！〃　I　crawled　to　the　bow。　Along　the　top　the　hide　covering　had　been　split　open　for　several　feet；　but　the　water　did　not　quite　reach　the　opening。
　And　we　had　reached　the　end　of　our　ambitious　journey。　For　that　black　wall　marked　the　finish　of　the　tunnel；　the　stream　entered　it　through　a　narrow　hole；　which　accounted　for　the　sudden；　swift　rush　of　the　current。　Above　the　upper　rim　of　the　hole　the　surface　of　the　water　whirled　about　in　a　widening　circle；　to　this　had　we　been　led　by　the　stream　that　was　to　have　carried　us　to　the　land　of　sunshine。
　When　I　told　Desiree　she　stared　at　me　in　silence！　I　had　not　realized　before　the　strength　of　her　hope。　Speechless　with　disappointment；　she　merely　sat　and　stared　straight　ahead　at　the　black；　unyielding　rock。　Harry　knelt　beside　her　with　his　arm　across　her　shoulders。
　I　roused　him　with　a　jerk　of　the　arm。
　〃e…get　busy！　A　few　hours　in　this　hole　and　we'd　suffocate。
　Do　you　realize　that　we've　got　to　pull　this　raft　back　against　the　current？〃
　First　it　was　necessary　to　repair　the　rent　in　the　hide　covering。　This　we　did　with　strips　of　hide；　and　barely　in　time；　for　it　was　being　wider　every　minute；　and　the　water　was　beginning　to　creep　in　over　the　edge。　But　we　soon　had　the　ends　sewed　firmly　together　and　turned　our　hands　to　the　main　task。
　It　appeared　to　be　not　only　difficult；　but　actually　impossible　to　force　the　raft　back　up…stream　against　the　swift　current。　We　were　jammed　against　the　rock　with　all　the　force　of　many　tons　of　water。　The　oar　was　useless。
　Getting　a　purchase　on　the　wall　with　our　hands；　we　shoved　the　raft　to　one　side；　but　as　soon　as　we　got　to　the　wall　on　the　left　the　whirling　stream　turned　us　around　again；　and　we　found　ourselves　back　in　our　original　position；　only　with　a　different　side　of　the　raft　against　the　rock。　That　happened　three　times。
　Then　we　tried　working　to　the　right　instead　of　the　left；　but　with　no　better　success。　The　force　of　the　current；　ing　with　all　its　speed　against　the　unwieldy　raft；　was　irresistible。　Time　and　again　we　shoved　round　and　started　upstream；　after　incredible　labor；　only　to　be　dashed　back　again　against　the　rock。
　We　tried　our　spears；　but　their　shafts　were　so　slender　that　they　were　useless。　We　took　the　oar　and；　placing　its　end　against　the　wall；　shoved　with　all　our　strength。　The　oar　snapped　in　two　and　we　fell　forward　against　the　wall。　We　tore　off　some　of　the　strips　of　hide　from　the　raft　and　tried　to　fasten　them　to　the　wall　on　either　side；　but　there　was　no　protuberance　that　would　hold　them。
　Nothing　remained　to　be　done。
　Harry　and　I　held　a　consultation　then　and　agreed　on　the　only　possible　means　of　escape。　I　turned　to　Desiree：
　〃Can　you　swim？〃
　〃Parfaitement；〃　she　replied。　〃But　against　that〃…pointing　to　the　whirling　water…〃I　do　not　know。　I　can　try。〃
　I；　who　remember　the　black　fury　of　that　stream　as　it　swept　past　us；　can　appreciate　the　courage　of　her。
　We　lost　no　time；　for　the　foulness　of　the　air　was　weakening　us　with　every　breath　we　took。　Our　preparations　were　few。
　The　two　spears　and　about　half　of　the　provisions　we　strapped　to　our　backs…an　inconsiderable　load　which　would　hamper　us　but　little。
　We　discarded　all　our　clothing；　which　was　very　little。　I　took　the　heavy　skin　which　Desiree　had　worn　and　began　to　strap　it　also　on　top　of　my　bundle；　but　she　refused　to　allow　it。
　〃I　will　not　permit　you　to　be　handicapped　with　my　modesty；〃　she　observed。
　Then；　with　Desiree　between　us；　we　stepped　to　the　edge　of　the　raft　and　dived　off　together。
　Driven　as　we　were　by　necessity；　we　would　have　hesitated　longer　if　we　had　known　the　full　force　of　the　undercurrent　that　seized　us　from　beneath。　Desiree　would　have　disappeared　without　a　struggle　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　support　which　Harry　and　I　rendered　her　on　either　side。
　But　we　kept　on　top…most　of　the　time…and　fought　our　way　forward　by　inches。　The　black　walls　frowning　at　us　from　either　side　appeared　to　me　to　remain　exactly　the　same；　stationary；　after　a　long　and　desperate　struggle；　but　when　I　gave　a　quick　glance　behind　I　saw　that　we　had　pulled　so　far　away　from　the　raft　that　it　was　no　longer　in　sight。　That　gave　me　renewed　strength；　and；　shouting　assurance　to　Harry　and　Desiree；　I　redoubled　my　efforts。　Desiree　was　by　now　almost　able　to　hold　her　own；　but　we　still　supported　her。
　Every　stroke　made　the　next　one　easier；　carrying　us　away　from　the　whirlpool；　and　soon　we　swam　smoothly。　Less　and　less　strong　became　the　resistance　of　the　current；　until　finally　it　was　possible　to　float　easily　on　our　backs　and　rest。
　〃How　far　is　it　to　the　cavern？〃　Harry　panted。
　〃Somewhere　between　one　and　ten　miles；〃　was　my　answer。　〃How　the　deuce　should　I　know？　But　we'll　make　it　now；　I　think。　Can　you　hold　out；　Desiree？〃
　〃Easily；〃　she　answered。　〃If　only　I　could　get　some　air！　Just　one　good；　long　breath。〃
　There　was　the　danger；　and　on　that　account　no　time　was　to　be　lost。　Again　we　struck　out　into　the　blackness　ahead。　I　felt　myself　no　longer　fresh；　and　began　to　doubt　seriously　if　we　should　reach　our　goal。
　But　we　reached　it。　No　need　to　recount　our　struggles；　which　toward　the　end　were　inspired　by　suffering　amounting　to　agony　as　we　choked　and　gasped　for　sufficient　air　to　keep　us　up。
　Another　hundred　yards　would　have　been　too　much　for　us；　but　it　is　enough　that　finally　we　staggered　onto　the　bank　at　the　entrance　to　the　cavern　in　which　we　had　previously　rested；　panting；　dizzy；　and　pletely　exhausted。
　But　an　hour　in　the　cavern；　with　its　supply　of　air；　revived　us；　and　then　we　sat　up　and　asked　ourselves：　〃What　for？〃
　〃And　all　that　brings　us…to　this；〃　said　Harry；　with　a　sweeping　gesture　round　the　cavern。
　〃At　least；　it　is　a　better　tomb；〃　I　retorted。　〃And　it　was　a　good　fight。　We　still　have　something　in　us。　Desiree；　a　good　man　was　lost　in　you。〃
　Harry　rose　to　his　feet。
　〃I'm　going　to　look　round；〃　he　announced。　〃We've　got　to　do　something。　Gad；　and　it　took　us　a　month　to　build　that　raft！〃
　〃The　vanity　of　human　endeavor；〃　said　I；　loosening　the　strap　round　my　shoulders　and　dropping　my　bundle　to　the　ground。　〃Wait　a　minute；　I'm　going　with　you。　Are　you　ing；　Desiree？〃
　But　she　was　too　tired　to　rise　to　her　feet；　and　we　left　her　behind；　arranging　what　few　skins　we　had　as　well　as　possible　to　protect　her　from　the　hard　rock。
　〃Rest　your　weary　bones；〃　said　Harry；　stooping　to　kiss　her。
　〃There's　meat　here　if　you　want　it。　We'll　be　back　soon。〃
　So　we　left　her；　with　her　white　body　stretched　out　at　its　full　length　on　the　rude　mat。
　Bearing　off　to　the　left；　we　soon　discovered　that　we　would　have　no　difficulty　to　leave　the　cavern；　we　had　only　to　choose　our　way。
　There　was　scarcely　any　wall　at　all；　so　broken　was　it　by　lanes　and　passages　leading　in　all　directions。
　We　followed　some　of　them　for　a　distance；　but　found　none　that　gave　any　particular　promise。　Most　of　them　were　choked　with　rocks　and　boulders　through　which　it　was　difficult　to　force　a　passage。　We　spent　an　hour　or　more　in　these　futile　explorations；　then　followed　the　wall　some　distance　to　the　right。
　Gradually　the　exits　became　less　numerous。　High　on　a　boulder　near　the　entrance　of　one　we　saw　the　head　of　some　animal　peering　down　at　us。　We　hurled　our　spears　at　it；　but　missed；　then　were　forced　to　climb　up　the　steep　side　of　the　boulder　to　recover　our　weapons。
　〃We'd　better　go　back　to　Desiree；〃　said　Harry　when　we　reached　the　ground　again。　〃She'll　wonder　what's　bee　of　us。　We've　been　gone　nearly　two　hours。〃
　After　fifteen　minutes'　search　we　found　the　stream；　and　followed　it　to　the　left。　We　had　gone　farther　than　we　thought；　and　we　were　looking　for　the　end；　where　we　had　left　Desiree；　long　before　we　reached　it。　Several　times　we　called　her　name；　but　there　was　no　answer。
　〃She's　probably　asleep；〃　said　Harry。　And　a　minute　later：　〃There's　the　wall　at　last！　But　where　is　she？〃
　My　foot　struck　something　on　the　ground；　and　I　stooped　over　to　examine　it。
　It　was　the　pile　of　skins　on　which　Desiree　had　lain！
　I　called　to　Harry；　and　at　the　same　instant　heard　his　shout　of　consternation　as　he　came　running　toward　me；　holding　something　in　his　hand。
　〃They've　got　her！　Look！　Look　at　this！　I　found　it　on　the　ground　over　there。〃
　He　held　the　thing　in　his　hand　out　before　me。
　It　was　an　Inca　spear。
　
　Chapter　XXI。
　THE　MIDST　OF　THE　ENEMY。
　
　Harry　and　I　stood　gazing　at　each　other　blankly　in　the　semidarkness　of　the　cavern。
　〃But　it　isn't　possible；〃　I　objected　finally　to　my　own　thoughts。　〃She　would　have　cried　out　and　we　would　have　heard　her。
　The　spear　may　have　been　there　before。〃
　Then