"Hush!" was the low answer. "It is only a short distance from the castle, but every inch is guarded, and we cannot go direct; we must make for the other side of the valley and come to it from the north."
"What!" cried Toza in amazement, "traverse the whole valley for a tunnel a few yards away?"
"It is the only safe plan," said Paulo. "If you wish to go by the direct way, I must leave you to your own devices."
"I am in your hands," said the brigand with a sigh. "Take me where you will, so long as you lead me to the entrance of the tunnel."
They pa.s.sed down and down around the heights on which the castle stood, and crossed the purling little river by means of stepping-stones. Once Toza fell into the water, but was rescued by his guide. There was still no alarm from the castle as daylight began to break. As it grew more light they both crawled into a cave which had a low opening difficult to find, and there Paulo gave the brigand his breakfast, which he took from a little bag slung by a strap across his shoulder.
"What are we going to do for food if we are to be days between here and the tunnel?" asked Toza.
"Oh, I have arranged for that, and a quant.i.ty of food has been placed where we are most likely to want it. I will get it while you sleep."
"But if you are captured, what am I to do?" asked Toza. "Can you not tell me now how to find the tunnel, as I told you how to find the treasure?"
Paulo pondered over this for a moment, and then said, "Yes; I think it would be the safer way. You must follow the stream until you reach the place where the torrent from the east joins it. Among the hills there is a waterfall, and halfway up the precipice on a shelf of rock there are sticks and bushes. Clear them away, and you will find the entrance to the tunnel. Go through the tunnel until you come to a door, which is bolted on this side. When you have pa.s.sed through, you will see the end of your journey."
Shortly after daybreak the big bell of the castle began to toll, and before noon the soldiers were beating the bushes all around them. They were so close that the two men could hear their voices from their hiding-place, where they lay in their wet clothes, breathlessly expecting every moment to be discovered.
The conversation of two soldiers, who were nearest them, nearly caused the hearts of the hiding listeners to stop beating.
"Is there not a cave near here?" asked one. "Let us search for it!"
"Nonsense," said the other. "I tell you that they could not have come this far already."
"Why could they not have escaped when the guard changed at midnight?"
insisted the first speaker.
"Because Paulo was seen crossing the courtyard at midnight, and they could have had no other chance of getting away until just before daybreak."
This answer seemed to satisfy his comrade, and the search was given up just as they were about to come upon the fugitives. It was a narrow escape, and, brave as the robber was, he looked pale, while Paulo was in a state of collapse.
Many times during the nights and days that followed, the brigand and his guide almost fell into the hands of the minions of the Prince.
Exposure, privation, semi-starvation, and, worse than all, the alternate wrenchings of hope and fear, began to tell upon the stalwart frame of the brigand. Some days and nights of cold winter rain added to their misery. They dare not seek shelter, for every habitable place was watched.
When daylight overtook them on their last night"s crawl through the valley, they were within a short distance of the waterfall, whose low roar now came soothingly down to them.
"Never mind the daylight," said Toza; "let us push on and reach the tunnel."
"I can go no farther," moaned Paulo; "I am exhausted."
"Nonsense," cried Toza; "it is but a short distance."
"The distance is greater than you think; besides, we are in full view of the castle. Would you risk everything now that the game is nearly won? You must not forget that the stake is your head; and remember what day this is."
"What day is it?" asked the brigand, turning on his guide.
"It is the fifteenth of January, the day on which you were to be executed."
Toza caught his breath sharply. Danger and want had made a coward of him and he shuddered now, which he had not done when he was on his trial and condemned to death.
"How do you know it is the fifteenth?" he asked at last.
Paulo held up his stick, notched after the method of Robinson Crusoe.
"I am not so strong as you are, and if you will let me rest here until the afternoon, I am willing to make a last effort, and try to reach the entrance of the tunnel."
"Very well," said Toza shortly.
As they lay there that forenoon neither could sleep. The noise of the waterfall was music to the ears of both; their long toilsome journey was almost over.
[Ill.u.s.tration: HE THREW ASIDE BUSHES, BRAMBLES AND LOGS]
"What did you do with the gold that you found in the mountains?" asked Toza suddenly.
Paulo was taken unawares, and answered, without thinking, "I left it where it was. I will get it after."
The brigand said nothing, but that remark condemned Paulo to death.
Toza resolved to murder him as soon as they were well out of the tunnel, and get the gold himself.
They left their hiding-place shortly before twelve o"clock, but their progress was so slow, crawling, as they had to do, up the steep side of the mountain, under cover of bushes and trees, that it was well after three when they came to the waterfall, which they crossed, as best they could, on stones and logs.
"There," said Toza, shaking himself, "that is our last wetting. Now for the tunnel!"
The rocky sides of the waterfall hid them from view of the castle, but Paulo called the brigand"s attention to the fact that they could be easily seen from the other side of the valley.
"It doesn"t matter now," said Toza; "lead the way as quickly as you can to the mouth of the cavern."
Paulo scrambled on until he reached a shelf about halfway up the cataract; he threw aside bushes, brambles, and logs, speedily disclosing a hole large enough to admit a man.
"You go first," said Paulo, standing aside.
"No," answered Toza; "you know the way, and must go first. You cannot think that I wish to harm you--I am completely unarmed.
"Nevertheless," said Paulo, "I shall not go first. I did not like the way you looked at me when I told you the gold was still in the hills. I admit that I distrust you."
"Oh, very well," laughed Toza, "it doesn"t really matter." And he crawled into the hole in the rock, Paulo following him.
Before long the tunnel enlarged so that a man could stand upright.
"Stop!" said Paulo; "there is the door near here."
"Yes," said the robber, "I remember that you spoke of a door," adding, however, "What is it for, and why is it locked?"
"It is bolted on this side," answered Paulo, "and we shall have no difficulty in opening it."
"What is it for?" repeated the brigand.