for the term of his natural life-第66章
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the all…pervading blackness beckoned and bowed to him。 He saw it distinctly for an instant； and then； with an awful shriek； as of wrathful despair； it sank and vanished。 Maddened with a terror he could not define； the hunted man turned to meet the material peril that was so close at hand。
With a ferocious gasp； the dog flung himself upon him。 John Rex was borne backwards； but； in his desperation； he clutched the beast by the throat and belly； and； exerting all his strength； flung him off。 The brute uttered one howl； and seemed to lie where he had fallen； while above his carcase again hovered that white and vaporous column。 It was strange that McNab and the soldier did not follow up the advantage they had gained。 Courageperhaps he should defeat them yet！ He had been lucky to dispose of the dog so easily。 With a fierce thrill of renewed hope； he ran forward； when at his feet； in his face； arose that misty Form； breathing chill warning； as though to wave him back。 The terror at his heels drove him on。 A few steps more； and he should gain the summit of the cliff。 He could feel the sea roaring in front of him in the gloom。 The column disappeared； and in a lull of wind； uprose from the place where it had been such a hideous medley of shrieks； laughter； and exultant wrath； that John Rex paused in horror。 Too late。 The ground gave wayit seemedbeneath his feet。 He was fallingclutching； in vain； at rocks； shrubs； and grass。 The cloud…curtain lifted； and by the lightning that leaped and played about the ocean； John Rex found an explanation of his terrors； more terrible than they themselves had been。 The track he had followed led to that portion of the cliff in which the sea had excavated the tunnel…spout known as the Devil's Blow…hole。
Clinging to a tree that； growing half…way down the precipice； had arrested his course； he stared into the abyss。 Before himalready high above his headwas a gigantic arch of cliff。 Through this arch he saw； at an immense distance below him； the raging and pallid ocean。 Beneath him was an abyss splintered with black rocks； turbid and raucous with tortured water。 Suddenly the bottom of this abyss seemed to advance to meet him； or； rather； the black throat of the chasm belched a volume of leaping； curling water； which mounted to drown him。 Was it fancy that showed him； on the surface of the rising column； the mangled carcase of the dog？
The chasm into which John Rex had fallen was shaped like a huge funnel set up on its narrow end。 The sides of this funnel were rugged rock； and in the banks of earth lodged here and there upon projections； a scrubby vegetation grew。 The scanty growth paused abruptly half…way down the gulf； and the rock below was perpetually damp from the upthrown spray。 Accidenthad the convict been a Meekin； we might term it Providence had lodged him on the lowest of these banks of earth。 In calm weather he would have been out of danger； but the lightning flash revealed to his terror…sharpened sense a black patch of dripping rock on the side of the chasm some ten feet above his head。 It was evident that upon the next rising of the water…spout the place where he stood would be covered with water。
The roaring column mounted with hideous swiftness。 Rex felt it rush at him and swing him upward。 With both arms round the tree； he clutched the sleeves of his jacket with either hand。 Perhaps if he could maintain his hold he might outlive the shock of that suffocating torrent。 He felt his feet rudely seized； as though by the hand of a giant； and plucked upwards。 Water gurgled in his ears。 His arms seemed about to be torn from their sockets。 Had the strain lasted another instant； he must have loosed his hold； but； with a wild hoarse shriek； as though it was some sea…monster baffled of its prey； the column sank； and left him gasping； bleeding； half…drowned； but alive。 It was impossible that he could survive another shock； and in his agony he unclasped his stiffened fingers； determined to resign himself to his fate。 At that instant； however； he saw on the wall of rock that hollowed on his right hand； a red and lurid light； in the midst of which fantastically bobbed hither and thither the gigantic shadow of a man。 He cast his eyes upwards and saw； slowly descending into the gulf； a blazing bush tied to a rope。 McNab was taking advantage of the pause in the spouting to examine the sides of the Blow…hole。
A despairing hope seized John Rex。 In another instant the light would reveal his figure； clinging like a limpet to the rock； to those above。 He must be detected in any case； but if they could lower the rope sufficiently； he might clutch it and be saved。 His dread of the horrible death that was beneath him overcame his resolution to avoid recapture。 The long…drawn agony of the retreating water as it was sucked back again into the throat of the chasm had ceased； and he knew that the next tremendous pulsation of the sea below would hurl the spuming destruction up upon him。 The gigantic torch slowly descended； and he had already drawn in his breath for a shout which should make itself heard above the roar of the wind and water； when a strange appearance on the face of the cliff made him pause。 About six feet from himglowing like molten gold in the gusty glow of the burning treea round sleek stream of water slipped from the rock into the darkness； like a serpent from its hole。 Above this stream a dark spot defied the torchlight； and John Rex felt his heart leap with one last desperate hope as he comprehended that close to him was one of those tortuous drives which the worm…like action of the sea bores in such caverns as that in which he found himself。 The drive； opened first to the light of the day by the natural convulsion which had raised the mountain itself above ocean level； probably extended into the bowels of the cliff。 The stream ceased to let itself out of the crevice； it was then likely that the rising column of water did not penetrate far into this wonderful hiding…place。
Endowed with a wisdom； which in one placed in less desperate position would have been madness； John Rex shouted to his pursuers。 〃The rope！ the rope！〃 The words； projected against the sides of the enormous funnel； were pitched high above the blast； and； reduplicated by a thousand echoes； reached the ears of those above。
〃He's alive！〃 cried McNab； peering into the abyss。 〃I see him。 Look！〃
The soldier whipped the end of the bullock…hide lariat round the tree to which he held； and began to oscillate it； so that the blazing bush might reach the ledge on which the daring convict sustained himself。 The groan which preceded the fierce belching forth of the torrent was cast up to them from below。
〃God be gude to the puir felly！〃 said the pious young Scotchman； catching his breath。
A white spume was visible at the bottom of the gulf； and the groan changed into a rapidly increasing bellow。 John Rex； eyeing the blazing pendulum； that with longer and longer swing momentarily neared him； looked up to the black heaven for the last time with a muttered prayer。 The bushthe flame fanned by the motionflung a crimson glow upon his frowning features which； as he caught the rope； had a sneer of triumph on them。 〃Slack out！ slack out！〃 he cried； and then； drawing the burning bush towards him； attempted to stamp out the fire with his feet。
The soldier set his body against the tree trunk； and gripped the rope hard； turning his head away from the fiery pit below him。 〃Hold tight； your honour；〃 he muttered to McNab。 〃She's coming！〃
The bellow changed into a roar； the roar into a shriek； and with a gust of wind and spray； the seething sea leapt up out of the gulf。 John Rex； unable to extinguish the flame； twisted his arm about the rope； and the instant before the surface of the rising water made a momentary floor to the mouth of the cavern； he spurned the cliff desperately with his feet； and flung himself across the chasm。 He had already clutched the rock； and thrust himself forward； when the tremendous volume of water struck him。 McNab and the soldier felt the sudden pluck of the rope and saw the light swing across the abyss。 Then the fury of the waterspout burst with a triumphant scream； the tension ceased； the light was blotted out； and when the column sank； there dangled at the end of the lariat nothing but the drenched and blackened skeleton of the she…oak bough。 Amid a terrific peal of thunder； the long pent…up rain descended； and a sudden ghastly rending asunder of the clouds showed far below them the heaving ocean； high above them the jagged and glistening rocks； and at their feet the black and murderous abyss of the Blowholeempty。
They pulled up the useless rope in silence； and another dead tree lighted and lowered showed them nothing。
〃God rest his puir soul；〃 said McNab； shuddering。 〃He's out o' our han's now。〃
CHAPTER XXV。
THE FLIGHT。
Gabbett； guided by the Crow； had determined to beach the captured boat on the southern point of Cape Surville。 It will be seen by those who have followed the description of the topography of Colonel Arthur's Penitentiary； that nothing but the desperate nature of the attempt could have justified so desperate a measure。 The perpendicular cliffs seemed to render such an attempt certain destruction； but Vetch； who had been employed in building the pier at the Neck； knew that on the southern point of the promontory was a strip of beach； upon which the company might； by good fortune； land in safety。 With something of the decision of his leader； Rex； the Crow determined at once that in their desperate plight this was the only measure； and setting his teeth as he seized the oar that served as a rudder； he put the boat's head straight for the huge rock that formed the northern horn of Pirates' Bay。
Save for the faint phosphorescent radiance of the foaming waves； the darkness was intense； and Burgess for some minutes pulled almost at random in pursuit。 The same tremendous flash of lightning which had saved the life of McNab； by causing Rex to miss his aim； showed to the Commandant the whale…boat balanced on the summit of an enormous wave； and apparently about to be flung against the wall of rock whichmagnified in the flash seemed frightfully near to them。 The next instant Burgess himself his boat lifted by the swiftly advancing billowsaw a wild waste of raging seas scooped into abysmal troughs； in which the bulk of a leviathan might wallow。 At the bottom of one of these valleys of water lay the mutineers' boat； looking； with its outspread oars； like some six…legged insect floating in a pool of ink。 The great cliff； whose every scar and crag was as distinct as though its huge bulk was but a yard distant； seemed to shoot out from its base towards the struggling insect； a broad； flat straw； that was a strip of dry land。 The next instant the rushing water； carrying the six…legged atom with it； creamed up over this strip of beach； the giant crag； amid the thunder…crash which followed upon the lightning； appeared to stoop down over the ocean； and as it stooped； the billow rolled onwards； the boat glided down into the depths； and the whole phantasmagoria was swallowed up in the tumultuous darkness of the tempest。
Burgesshis hair bristling wi
