They were certainly very crowded and it was tiring work trying to keep afloat when there was really no room for swimming. The water rose steadily. Bill had taken Philip’s little torch and placed it between his teeth, so that its light shone round on the shaft-wall. He wanted to see whether the ladder was still smashed, far up the shaft, or whether the men had only damaged the lower part.
He took the torch from his mouth at last. We’re all right, he said. The ladder’s not smashed here. We have risen some way up the shaft with the water, and now we can get on to the ladder. I’ll help you each up. Go first, Jack, with Kiki. She’s getting so scared.
Jack splashed his way to the side of the shaft where the ladder was. Bill shone the torch there. Jack clung to the rungs and began to haul himself up. Then, when he had climbed a good way up, Philip followed. Last of all Bill hauled himself up, feeling the drag of the heavy copper nugget on his neck. It had been extremely difficult to keep afloat with it, but somehow he had managed.
Up they went and up and up. It seemed ages before they were anywhere near the top. They soon stopped shivering, and got hot with climbing. Their wet clothes stuck to them uncomfortably. Kiki talked in Jack’s ear, very sorry for herself. She did not like this part of the adventure at all.
Philip’s mouse didn’t like it either. It had clung to Philip’s ear during his stay in the water, when the boy’s head had been the only thing above the surface and now it didn’t at all approve of such wet clothes. It couldn’t seem to find a nice, dry, warm place anywhere.
We’re almost there, Jack shouted down at last. Not far now.
That was cheerful news. They hurried on, feeling new strength in their arms and legs now that they knew their long and tiring climb was nearing an end.
Jack climbed out first, Kiki flying off his shoulder with a glad squeal. Then he stopped in astonishment. A man was sitting quietly by the head of the shaft, a revolver in his hand.
Hands up! said the man, in a stern voice. Don’t dare to warn anyone following you. Stand there. Hands up, I said!
Chapter 29
ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
Jack stood with his hands above his head, his mouth open in horror. Had they escaped only to get caught again? He did not dare to shout.
Philip climbed out and was treated in the same way; he too was shocked and dismayed. The man with the revolver waited in silence, covering the boys with his weapon, watching to see who would come out next.
Bill climbed out, his back to the man. He received the same order.
Hands up! Don’t dare to warn anyone following. Stand there!
Bill swung round. He put his hands up at once, but now he put them down and grinned.
It’s all right, Sam, he said. Put up your gun.
Sam gave an exclamation, and put his revolver into his belt. He held out his hand to Bill.
It’s you! he said. I was left here in case any more fellows of the gang came up. I didn’t expect you to bob up.
The boys stared, open-mouthed. What was all this?
Did you get a shock? said Bill, noticing their surprise. This is Sam one of our detectives great friend of mine. Well, Sam seeing you here gives me great hopes. What’s happened?
Come and see, said Sam, with a grin, and he led the way. They all went through the pass in the hills, following the burly Sam. They came out on to open ground, and made their way towards the coast.
They came suddenly on a truly interesting sight. Lined up in a row, their faces sullen, were all the men from the mines. Jo-Jo was there too, fierce anger in his face. Two men stood near by, each with a revolver. All weapons had been taken from the prisoners.
There’s Jo-Jo! cried Philip. Jo-Jo looked at him with a scowl that turned to surprise. So the boys and their friend had escaped I Jo-Jo was immensely surprised and racked his brains to think how anyone could have got out of a locked cave in a flooded mine and up a shaft whose ladder was completely smashed at the bottom.
How were they caught? asked Jack, in wonder. Kiki saw Jo-Jo and flew round his head, screeching and hooting and yelling. She recognised her old enemy, and knew he could no longer harm her.
Sam grinned at Jack’s wonder. Well, Bill Cunningham here, he said with a nod towards Bill, he managed to tell us a good bit over the radio last night, and we put two and two together, and reckoned we’d better get going. So we got going and came over to this island as fast as we could. We found Jo-Jo’s boat here, and signs of an early departure stacks of dud notes in crates on the beach and all kinds of other interesting documents.
How did you get here so quickly? There are no boats near on this coast, said Philip.
We’ve got a few fast motor-boats of our own, said Sam. We took two of them and came along here top speed, down along the coast. There they are.
The boys turned, and saw two big and smart motor-boats bobbing on the water near the cove, each one in charge of a mechanic. Near by was Jo-Jo’s own boat.
As soon as we spotted that the gang had wound up their business and were going to go off with their dud money, we saw our chance, grinned Sam. So we posted a man at each of the shaft-holes we didn’t know which one the gang used, you see and then, up one of them came the whole of the gang, one by one. And we got them nicely.
Just like you got us, said Jack. That was smart work. What are we going to do now?
Bill Cunningham is head of this show, said Sam, and turned an enquiring face to Bill. Bill looked at the boys apologetically.
Sorry I had to give you a wrong name, he said. But my own name is a bit too well known in some quarters to give away when I’m on a job of this sort. So I was just Bill Smugs to you.
You always will be, said Philip. I shall never think of you as anything else, Bill.
Right, said Bill, grinning. Bill Smugs I am. Now what about getting these pretty gentlemen safely into the motor-boats?
The gang of fierce-looking men were pushed into the two boats. Jake still wore his black patch, but he glared so fiercely at Kiki with his one free eye that Jack called the parrot to his shoulder. If looks could kill, Kiki would certainly have died under that glare of Jake’s. The man was remembering how the bird had been locked up instead of the boy. That mistake had probably led to all this bad luck.
I think we’ll sail dear Jo-Jo’s boat home, said Bill to the boys. Come on. Let the motor-boats go first and then we’ll follow. Hi, Sam! Make for that house you know Craggy-Tops. There’s a good mooring-place there.
Right, said Sam, and off the motor-boats went, making a terrific roaring noise over the sea. Then Bill and the boys set off in Jo-Jo’s boat, and all three boats went safely out of the gap in the rocks and on to the open sea beyond.
Well, all’s well that ends well, said Bill, as they put up the sail and set course for home. But there were a few moments when I didn’t think we were going to end up as well as we have done.
The boys thought so too. Philip wondered how the girls were getting on. They would be worried by now.
I’m jolly hungry, said Jack. It’s ages since I had a good meal really ages.
It must be, said Bill. Never mind soon be back now then you can tuck in to your heart’s content.
The girls and Aunt Polly heard the sound of the motor-boats long before they came to shore. They went out to see what was making the noise. They were filled with astonishment to see two big motor-boats packed with men, and a sailing-boat which looked like Jo-Jo’s, all making for Craggy-Tops.
Whatever does it all mean? said Aunt Polly, who was still looking white and ill. Oh dear! my heart will never stand all this excitement.
The motor-boats nosed to the mooring posts in the little harbour. The girls ran down, and were amazed to see Jo-Jo among the men. They stared at them, trying to find the boys.
Hallo, there! called Sam. Are you looking for Bill What’s-his-name and the boys? They’re following after us in the other boat. Have you got a telephone here, by any chance?