Look! All about you it stretches: a cell,--a death-cell, from which escape is impossible! Here I have fought for what is ever more precious than bare life: for liberty; but though ten awful years have rolled by, here I remain, in worse than prison!
Escape? Ah, how often have I attempted to escape, only to fail, because escape from these wilds is beyond the power of any person not gifted with wings!""Ten years, you say, good friend? And all that time you have lived here alone?" asked the professor, curiously.
"Ten years,--ten thousand years, I could almost swear, only for keeping the record so carefully, so religiously. And--pitiful Lord! How gladly would I have given my good right arm, just for one faraway glimpse of civilisation! How often--but I am wearying you, gentlemen, and you may--pray don't think that I am crazy; you will not?"Both the professor and Bruno assured him to the contrary, but Waldo was less affected, and his curiosity could no longer be kept within bounds. Gently tapping one hairy arm, he spoke:
"I say, friend, what were you doing out yonder in the big suck?
Didn't you know the fun was hardly equal to the risk, sir?""Easy, lad," reproved the professor; but with a a smile, which strangely softened that haggard, weather-worn visage, the stranger spoke:
"Nay, kind sir, do not check the young gentleman. If you could only realise how sweet it is to my poor ears,--the sound of a friendly voice! For so many weary years I have never heard one word from human lips which I could understand or make answer to.
And now,--what is it you wish to know, my dear boy?""Well, since you've lived here so long, surely you hadn't ought to get caught in such a nasty pickle; unless it was through accident?""It was partly accidental. One that would have cost me dearly had not you come to my aid so opportunely. And yet,--only for one thing, I could scarcely have regretted vanishing for ever down that suck!"His voice choked, his head bowed, his hands came together in a nervous grip, all betokening unusual agitation. Even Waldo was just a bit awed, and the stranger was first to break that silence with words.
"How did the mishap come about, is it, young gentleman?" he said, a wan smile creeping into his face, and relaxing those tensely drawn muscles once more. "While I was trying to replenish my stock of provisions, and after this fashion, good friends.
"I was fishing from a small canoe, and as the bait was not taken well, I must have fallen into a day dream, thinking of--no matter, now. And during that dreaming, the breeze must have blown me well out into the lake, for when I was roused up by a sharp jerk at my line, I found myself near its middle, without knowing just how I came there.
"I have no idea what sort of fish had taken my bait,--there are many enormous ones in the lake,--but it proved far too powerful for me to manage, and dragged the canoe swiftly through the water, heading directly for the outlet, yonder.""Why didn't you let it go free, then?"
"The line was fastened to the prow, and I could not loosen it in time. I drew my knife,--one of flint, but keen enough to serve,--only to have it jerked out of my hand and into the water.
Then, just as the fish must have plunged into the suck, Iabandoned my canoe, jumping overboard."
"That's just what I was wondering about," declared Waldo, with a vigorous nod of his head. "Yet we found you--there?""Because I am a wretchedly poor swimmer. I managed to reach a drift which had not yet fairly entered the whirl, but I could do nothing more towards saving myself. Then--you can guess the rest, gentlemen.""And the canoe?" demanded Waldo, content only when all points were made manifest.
"I saw it dragged down the centre of the suck," with an involuntary shiver. "The fish must have plunged into the underground river, whether willingly or not I can only surmise.
But all the while I was drifting yonder, around and around, with each circuit drawing closer to the awful end, I could not help picturing to myself how the canoe must have plunged down, and down, and--burr-r-r!"A shuddering shiver which was more eloquent than words; but Waldo was not yet wholly content, finding an absorbing interest in that particular subject.
"You call it a river: how do you know it's a river?""Of course, I can only guess at the facts, my dear boy," the stranger made reply, smiling once more, and, with an almost timid gesture, extending one hairy paw to lightly touch and gently stroke the arm nearest him.
Bruno turned away abruptly, for that gesture, so ****** in itself, yet so full of pathos to one who bore in mind those long years of solitary exile, brought a moisture to his big brown eyes of which, boy-like, he felt ashamed.
Professor Featherwit likewise took note, and with greater presence of mind came to the rescue, lightly resting a hand upon the stranger's half-bare shoulder while addressing his words to the youngster.
A tremulous sigh escaped those bearded lips, and their owner drew closer to the wiry little aeronaut, plainly drawing great comfort from that mere contact. And with like ease uncle Phaeton lifted one of those hairy arms to rest it over his own shoulders, speaking briskly the while.
"There is only one way of demonstrating the truth more clearly, my youthful inquisitor, and that is by sending you on a voyage of exploration. Are you willing to make the attempt, Waldo?""Not this evening; some other evening,--maybe!" drawing back a bit, with a shake of his curly pate to match. "But, I say, uncle Phaeton--""Allow me to complete my say, first, dear boy," with a bland smile. "That is easily done, though, for it merely consists of this: yonder sink, or whirlpool, is certainly the method this lake has of relieving itself of all surplus water. Everything points to a subterranean river which connects this lake with the Pacific Ocean.""Wonder how long I'd have to hold my breath to make the trip?"