chapter 23 treasure — and trickery!

the three children and micky almost fell down the shaft, they were in such a hurry. they handedbill the lantern, and, by the light of that and of bill's torch, they looked in wonder round the curioustreasure-chamber.

it was perfectly round, as if it had been hollowed by machinery from the rock — though actually, ofcourse, it had been done by hand. thrown higgledy-piggledy into this enormous round cave —perhaps flung down the shaft in a hurry — were mouldering barrels and boxes and brass-boundchests.

bursting out of them was a perfect medley of strange and amazing goods — chains of some kind ofmetal, set with precious stone — brooches, armlets, anklets — combs for the hair made probably ofgold, and set with tiny stones — beautiful vases of metal, perhaps gold, perhaps brass, but tootarnished to tell. beautifully wrought daggers lay in one corner, and what looked like armour of somekind in another — all fallen from the mouldered chests and boxes, or possibly burst out of these whenthey were thrown down the shaft so long long ago.

there were broken models of figures and things that looked like drinking-cups and bowls, and yetother things whose use the children simply couldn't guess.

"well, well, well," said bill, as thrilled as the children. "what a treasure hoard! andra's treasure,maybe — we shall never really know. but whether it is or not, it is certainly worth half a smallkingdom, because of its priceless age! look at this dagger — it must be hundreds of years old —perfectly preserved down in this dry shaft. i should think only our museums can show things like thisnow."

"bill! it's super!" said philip, his eyes shining in the lantern-light, as he picked up treasure aftertreasure, everything beautifully modelled and carved.

"i suppose the things like robes and cloaks and shoes have all mouldered away," said dinahregretfully. "i'd like to have dressed up in those. oh, bill — we've really found it!""i wish jack was here," said lucy-ann, with tears in her voice. "he would have loved it so. wherecan he be, bill?"

"i should think he probably took a long time finding kiki and decided he wouldn't risk coming afterus by himself," said bill. "i'll tell you what we'll do — we'll go back and find him, and then we'll takehim here to have a look at the greatest treasure in the world!""but shall we be able to find our way back?" said philip doubtfully. bill was very doubtful about thistoo. also his torch was giving out and he was sure the oil in the lantern wouldn't last much longer. itwas very necessary to find their way back, pick up jack, and also — have something to eat!

excitement had kept them going, but now all of them were feeling very hungry indeed.

"if we manage to get back quickly and find jack we'll all have a meal," said bill. "then if jack'slantern is all right we'll use that to come here again — but this time we'll be sensible and mark thewalls as we go along! actually i think we could find our way here easily enough if we concentratedon going right, right, right, all the time. we must have missed one of the right turns."they climbed back up the shaft, leaving the extraordinary hiding- place behind them — what astrange treasure-chamber! how old was it? had anyone else seen it since it had been put there?

they found themselves in the catacombs again. it was easy to get back to the steep flight of steps. upthey went into the labyrinth, and began to make their way through the passages. "now we must keepleft, left, left," said bill. "then we shall be quite all right."but no — once more they missed their way and began the everlasting wandering round and roundand in and out of the maddening underground maze. lucy-ann was almost crying with weariness.

all this time micky had been quietly on philip's shoulder, clinging to his head at awkward places. hetoo was tired of the curious dark walk that everyone was taking. he wanted to be out in the open, hewanted something to eat and even more he wanted something to drink.

he suddenly leapt off philip's shoulder and landed on the floor of the passage. he began to scud alongby himself. philip called out to him.

"hey, micky, micky! come here! we don't want to lose you too!"micky slowed down, but he still went on. bill called to philip. "leave him, philip! i believe heknows the way out. animals have a queer sense of direction, you know — a kind of homing instinct.

maybe he can take us straight to the broken column!"micky didn't know what bill was saying, but if he had known he would most certainly have agreed.

of course he knew the way! of course his instinct told him exactly the right way to go — left, left,left, without any silly mistake such as the humans had made. why, he, micky could have taken themstraight back to the vaults at any time if only they had told him they wanted to go!

"well, here we are in the vault again!" said philip thankfully, when, in a very short space of timeindeed, they came out in the enormous temple vault. lucy-ann was so thankful that she began to cryvery quietly to herself. nobody could see. she wiped away a few tears, then stopped her crying,feeling rather ashamed. she slipped her hand into bill's. he squeezed it comfortingly.

"we're all right now," he said. "we've found the treasure, and found our way back — now we'll findjack! as we haven't heard or seen anything of him i imagine he's out in the open, waiting for us!"jack was still in the courtyard with mr. eppy, lucian and the three men. it was some time later, andthe boy had not been having a nice time at all. mr. eppy had been on and on at him, trying to find outwhere the others were, and whether jack knew the route to the treasure.

he had threatened jack, had boxed his ears several times, and had boxed lucian's too, when he hadtried to come to jack's help. jack had been surprised at lucian for that. he had always thought himsuch a silly little idiot. he looked at lucian gratefully.

"thanks, lucian," he said. "but don't interfere, old chap — you'll only get hurt. i can look aftermyself. your uncle will get into trouble for ill-treating me, don't you worry!"jack had begun to feel extremely hungry. so had the others, presumably, because mr. eppy changedthe subject suddenly and began asking jack where they had put the food they had got from the farm-boy. jack remembered perfectly well where it was — inside the broken column, on the stone ledge atthe base of it, where the stone stairway began — but how could he say that? it would give the secretaway completely!

so he sat silent, shaking his head to mr. eppy's exasperated questions, getting more and more hungry— and getting really rather anxious about the others too. where in the world could they be? the sunwas going down already, and soon it would be night.

and then kiki began to talk excitedly. she left jack and flew to the broken edge of the hole in thecolumn. she peered down it. jack bit his lip. oh, kiki, kiki, don't give the game away!

kiki had heard the others coming. she had heard bill's deep voice, as he came up the spiral stairway,she had heard lucy-ann's high voice, just behind. she had gone to welcome them.

"kiki!" called jack. "come here."

"shut the door, shut the door, wipe your feet, beg your pardon!" shouted kiki excitedly, her headinside the column. and then an answering call came from inside too.

"hallo, kiki, old bird! so there you are! where's jack?" it was bill's cheery deep voice.

mr. eppy sprang to attention at once. he gave a short sharp order to his three men, and they ran tothe column, waiting. jack gave a yell.

"look out, bill! danger! look out!"

there was a silence from inside the column. then bill's voice came up again.

"what's up?"

"mr. epp . . ." began jack, and was silenced as mr. eppy placed a heavy and very rough hand overhis mouth.

bill shouted again. "what's up?" as he got no reply, he appeared at the hole in the column, andswung himself astride the edge. the men were at the other side, hidden, waiting to spring.

bill saw mr. eppy apparently holding down jack, and he leapt off the broken edge of the hole in thecolumn at once. the three men sprang on him and bore him to the ground.

one sat on his head so that he could not shout. jack squirmed under mr. eppy's hand, kicking andtrying to bite, but the man was very strong indeed.

then up the column came philip, wondering what had happened to bill, and when he saw him beingwell and truly sat on he sprang to his rescue. mr. eppy shouted a few words and the men releasedbill. he sat up at once, feeling his nose, and wondering if any of his teeth were loose!

"what on earth is all this?" he began. but before he could go on, a wail from inside the column cameto him. it was lucy-ann.

"bill! oh, bill! what's happened? can we come out?"bill considered. "i'm going to help the girls out," he said to mr. eppy, who nodded, and very soonboth girls, and a very scared micky, were standing in the old courtyard with philip, jack and bill.

"what's happened?" said lucy-ann. "oh, i'm so glad to see you, jack. i was dreadfully worried aboutyou. gracious, there's lucian!"

"oh, i say!" said lucian, trying to put a brave face on things. "fancy meeting you here!"mr. eppy said something snappy in greek and poor lucian collapsed again. then mr. eppy turned tobill, who was now eyeing him with a very sinister look indeed. bill was extremely angry, and hisinjured nose was swelling rapidly.

"look here, eppy, or whatever your name is," he said, "you're going to run into serious trouble. youcan't roam round with a posse of shady fellows like these, acting like gangsters. what are you doinghere, anyway?"

"it's my island," said mr. eppy, with a note of triumph in his voice. "i've bought it. you can clear off— when i've found the way to the treasure with your help. otherwise i shall have you arrested fortrespassing and for trying to steal what is mine.""you're mad," said bill, in scorn. "absolutely crazy. i don't believe a word of it! you only heard ofthe island a day or two ago — you haven't had time to buy it. that's a wonderful tale — but youwon't get me to believe it. now, you keep your hands off all of us, and behave yourself — or you'rethe one that's going to land in prison and pretty quick too!"mr. eppy gave an order — and bill was pounced on again by the three men. he was down on theground in no time, and one of the men was tying his wrists and ankles together. bill was strong, buthis strength was no use against the three. mr. eppy had jack by the wrists so that he could not go tobill's help, and as soon as philip ran to help, he was struck by one of the men and sent spinning.

lucy-ann began to cry with fright.

lucian did nothing. he was trembling in a corner. kiki and micky were high up in a tree, watching inamazement. what was all this to-do? kiki swooped down and gave mr. eppy a nip on the ear again,and he nearly let jack go, the pain was so sharp.

after bill was tied up, the boys were tied too. "don't touch the girls," threatened bill. "if you doyou'll get more than you bargain for when we get out of here!"it was no use. dinah and lucy-ann were also tied, though not so tightly as the boys. dinah was sulkyand mutinous, and lucy-ann was very frightened.

"and now," said mr. eppy, "now we go to find the andra treasure. my treasure! you had only theplan — i have the island, and i shall soon own the treasure! thank you for showing me the waydown!"

he went inside the column, and the three men followed him. lucian was beckoned over and made togo down just behind his uncle. he looked very frightened.

"well!" said bill. "of all the scoundrels! can we possibly get free whilst they're down there? it's ouronly chance!"