Ralph Bonehill

“ A sharp flash of lightning at this instant nearly blinded me, and the report which followed was deafening. Caleb Merkin's hold on me loosened and a roll of the steamer sent me flat on the deck. To keep myself from sliding I knew not whither, I grabbed the netting below the rail. I expected to have the one-armed sailor tackle me again, but—he had disappeared!
Yes, it was true, he had disappeared! Whether he had gone overboard or not I could not tell, but I felt that the chances were nine out of ten that he had landed into the ocean. I strained my eyes in vain to pierce the darkness. ”

“ And Dan fell back again.
Ramon Delverez was dumfounded, and for a moment stared at Dan in amazement. Then he turned to Lola, who was gazing curiously on the scene.
"What's the matter with him?"
"He go out of his head," answered the Kanaka. "Witch-water too strong for him."
The Spaniard looked puzzled for a second, then he smiled wickedly. "I see, I see. If he is crazy for the rest of his life so much the better," he muttered. " 'Tis what he deserves, and so the others!" ”

“ THE START FOR HONOLULU.
The three of us stared at each other in utter dismay, unable for the moment to speak. The map—that precious bit of parchment—was gone, lost! What should we do now?
"And our tickets to Honolulu all bought!" groaned Dan, who was the first to break the painful silence.
"Are you sure it is lost?" I said. "Haven't you it anywhere about your clothing? Feel in every pocket."
"Maybe you left it home," suggested Dan, a faint ray of hope shining in his face. ”

“ I tried to save my head a heavy knock, but could not. A thousand lights flashed before my eyes—and then I knew no more.
When I recovered my senses I found myself in my stateroom berth with Dr. Barton bending over me. There was a bandage over my forehead, and the first thing that I realized was that my head was aching as if ready to split open.
"Oh," I groaned, and tried to stare about me.
"He is coming around," I heard, in Oliver's voice. "Thank heaven for that! I was afraid he was knocked out completely." ”

“ Soon a half-tumbled-down bamboo hut came into view, standing in a circle of wild plantains. We all halted, and withdrew behind one of the plantains for consultation.
"Not a soul in sight," whispered Dan.
"No; but let us take nothing for granted," I returned. "We may be closer to our enemies than we anticipate."
Several minutes passed in utter silence. Then Oliver crept slowly toward the rear of the hut and looked through a crack in the wall. ”

“ THE LANDING AT HILO.
"Well, we have two enemies to contend with instead of one," remarked Dan, as we approached Hilo Bay, a small, semicircular sheet of water on the northeast coast of the island of Hawaii: "Caleb Merkin and Ramon Delverez."
"Yes, and while we are running after one the other is following us," answered Oliver, with an uneasy laugh. "I'll tell you what, fellows, hunting a treasure isn't such easy work after all."
"Never despair!" I put in. "We are bound to come out on top in the end, Oliver—you said so yourself."
"We must watch every person who lands," said Dan. ”

“ As I lay there flat on my back, I could not get the one-armed sailor out of my mind. Beyond a doubt he must be drowned. Was I responsible for his death?
The thought made me break out into a cold perspiration, and before night a fever followed, and once more I was at the rail fighting for my life amid the fury of the hurricane. Caleb Merkin's eyes glared fiercely into my own, until they burned themselves into my brain, and the fever rose until both Dr. Barton and the regular steamer physician were in grave fear for my life. ”

“ To one side of Hale-mau-mau was a towering rock, but the intense heat was slowly but surely eating it away, and some day, unless the volcano ceases operation, that mountain of stone will be completely devoured.
"Do you smell the sulphur?" remarked Oliver. "I do."
"Oh, yes; I can smell it," I laughed. "It's the infernal regions, and no mistake. Just look below us and you will see that everything—rocks, lava, and plants—is covered with gray ashes."
"It's enough to give a fellow the creeps," came from Dan. "If a fellow fell into one of those pits it would be the last of him. ”

“ This outrigger, of course, prevented the canoe from upsetting even when violently shaken.
"The natives have the art of taking it easy down fine," observed Dan, as he arose and shied some small stones into the water far below us. "I believe the single motto of their lives is Contentment."
"Well, it would be a good thing if they could teach some of our people that motto," I answered. "I've heard our family doctor say that the majority of Americans were altogether too nervous and wideawake, planning and scheming constantly how to get rich."
"Like ourselves, for instance," laughed Oliver. ”

“ As I looked up over my head, a sight on the upper cliff met my gaze that almost made my heart stop beating. Dan was there, struggling in the arms of Ramon Delverez, and the Spaniard was in the act of throwng the youth into the sea far below all of us! ”

“ I cried out, and shoved the bushes aside, to uncover a man who lay on the ground with his eyes closed, as if asleep. He was dressed like a sailor, and his left arm was missing from the elbow.
"Who's who?" asked Mr. Raymond.
"Here's a man asleep under the veranda."
"A man? Can it be that good-for-nothing gardener?" cried Mr. Raymond, and ran down the steps. "He's a stranger—a tramp, most likely," he added, a second later. "Hi, wake up here and give an account of yourself," he cried, and caught the one-armed man by the foot. ”

“ Then came a rush of wind, and I heard the tree branches above me, old and rotten, creak ominously.
As the wind increased a fresh danger presented itself to my mind. What if the tree should be wrecked? More than likely my life would be crushed out of me. With fear and trembling I awaited each fresh gust.
Cra-ck! The sound came from above, and in a twinkle I beheld a large branch dangling directly above the hollow. I had barely time to put up both of my hands, when the limb came came down, heavy end first. ”

“ But then I thought of my pistol, and of what Oliver had said about firing a shot to attract attention. Quickly I drew the weapon and fired a shot into the air.
The discharge of the weapon frightened Ramon Delverez greatly, as he, no doubt, thought I was aiming at him. Up went his hands and Dan dropped like a lump of lead upon the very edge of the cliff, one arm hanging limply down toward me.
"Ha! you will shoot at me!" screamed the Spaniard, and now brought out his own pistol. "Perhaps I can do some shooting myself." ”

“ As soon as the Kanaka woman saw us, and noticed the wound on the man's shoulder and my pistol, she set up a yell which was calculated to raise the dead. "You hurt!" she cried, in her native tongue. Later on I learned that Lola was her husband, and that he was also a basketmaker, when he chose to work, which was not often.
"Come in," said the Kanaka surlily; but I was not to be caught in a trap, and shook my head. "Oliver! Dan!" I called out. "Are you inside?"
"We are!" was the muffled answer. "Help us, Mark! We are bound fast." ”

“ The scenery was certainly grand, and more than once we stopped to take in the vast mountains and the valley with its endless profusion of flowers and tropical plants.
"The ancient Greeks would call this a garden of the Gods," remarked Oliver. "I have never seen such a variety of plants before, not even on the island of Luzon."
"Nor I," was my answer, "although some parts of Cuba are almost as picturesque. One cannot wonder at the ignorant natives being worshipers of such a mountain, or of such trees and plants. To stand here in silence gives a fellow a feeling he never gets anywhere else." ”

“ I shivered and so did my companions. "He has gone to his death," said Oliver soberly, and Dan and I agreed with him.
There now remained nothing for us to do but to get out of the cave, if it could be accomplished. But before we made the attempt Oliver caught Dan and me by the arm.
"We will divide the pearls," he said. "Each can put his share in his pocket. Then if one or the other drops into a hole——" He did not finish, but all of us understood—and shivered.
The treasure was divided in silence, twenty-one pearls, large and small, to each. ”

“ Looking around, I saw that Dan and Oliver still slumbered soundly. They were somewhat in the shelter of a palm tree, and to still further protect them I cast some of the leaves lying around over their bodies, and neither awakened for a good hour after, and then it was pouring in torrents.
"More unpleasantness," growled Dan, as he sprang up. "We're having loads of fun, aren't we, fellows?"
"That's all right, Dan; you won't have to wash this morning," I laughed.
"The road is nothing but a mass of mud," announced Oliver, after an examination. "And bless me if I know in what direction to turn." ”

“ I have always wanted to visit the largest volcano in the world. It must be a grand sight."
"Father says it is the grandest sight he ever saw," said Dan Holbrook. "He stopped at the islands on his first trip to Hong Kong."
"And remember what I said," continued Oliver Raymond. "If we find the treasure I shall insist on giving each of you a liberal portion of it."
"We won't count our chickens before the eggs are laid," I answered gravely. "But we'll go, and that settles it."
"Yes, we'll go," added Dan. "Hurrah for the Hawaiian Islands, Uncle Sam's new mid-Pacific possessions!" ”

“ The bugs had swarmed into the hut by the hundreds, and soon it looked as if we would be literally eaten up alive.
But now footsteps were heard approaching, and a tall, lean Kanaka shoved the guard to one side and entered the hut.
"What you make much noise about?" he demanded. "American boys must keep quiet."
"We can't stand the bugs!" cried Oliver. "Take us away from here. This is all a mistake. We did not come here to interfere with your dance—we came to see a man named Joe Koloa?" ”

“ ON BOARD OF THE "VISCOUNT."
All of the men who had come into the hut had been drinking, and it was easy to note that Ramon Delverez was in a more savage mood than before. As he came up to me he shoved me with his foot.
"Wake up there!" he cried. "This is no time for sleeping."
"As if one could sleep in this position," I answered. "You are a brute to kick a fellow when he is down."
"I will waste no further words with you," cried the Spaniard. He turned to Oliver. ”

“ Who is this Caleb Merkin?"
"You'll have to find out for yourself."
"Is he a one-armed sailor, and has he a map?"
To this question I remained silent. In a rage Delverez let fly at my head, nearly stunning me. I tried to break my bonds, that I might get at him, but could do nothing. While I was struggling a long, loud whistle was heard outside.
"Watch them—be careful they do not escape," said the Spaniard quickly, to Lola, and the brawny Kanaka nodded and took up a war club standing near. Then Ramon Delverez hurried off. ”

“ Instantly Merkin and Delverez knocked him down.
"Don't let him git away, partner," howled Merkin. "Remember, if you stand by me in this deal, you're to have half of what's found."
"I am with you," came from Ramon Delverez. "But don't kill the man, or we'll never get into the cave." ”

“ We soon found Oliver, who was accompanied by one of the under officers. Matters were briefly explained, and all four of us descended into the steerage, which was as clean and light as could be reasonably expected.
For some time we could not locate the one-armed man, but at last spotted him, apparently asleep in a corner devoted to male passengers. He opened his eyes slowly when shaken by the officer of the ship.
"We want to talk to you," said the officer. "What is your name?"
"I am not ashamed of that," was the bold answer. "It is Caleb Merkin."
"These young men want to talk to you." ”

“ Looking upward, I saw that all was darkness overhead, but whether this was because the top of the hollow was closed up, or because it was night, I could not tell.
"Well, this is a pickle truly," I murmured, and put one of my hands, which was over my head, to my brow. My head ached a good deal and there was a lump behind my left ear, where I had been struck.
The air inside of the tree was suffocating and I rightfully guessed that I had been a long while unconscious in consequence. Thinking to climb out as quickly as possible, I put my hand up to catch something by which to pull myself up. ”

“ As we gained the field we saw the one-armed sailor standing near the lower end.
"There he is!" came from all of us simultaneously.
"And there he goes!" added Oliver, as the rascal began to run again. "Hi, stop there!" he called out.
"Go back, or I'll shoot somebody!" roared the sailor in return, but without slackening his pace.
"We ought to be able to catch him," I put in. "I don't believe he will shoot, even if he has a pistol, which I doubt."
"Don't be too sure," answered Dan. "But come on," and he set the pace, which put me in mind of our foot races at Broxville Academy. ”

“ THE HAUNTED HUT IN THE JUNGLE.
Leaving the rise of rocks we made our way into what seemed to be a valley slightly to the north of the volcano crater. Here the forest began again, and in some spots we had to pick our way under the dense overhanging foliage.
"Are there any houses in this vicinity?" asked Dan, after the best part of a mile had been covered.
"An old hut just a leetle further," answered Lincoln Susu. "Nobody live dare. Da say him got ghost in." ”