Page:Young Hunters in Porto Rico.djvu/187

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
THE CHAMBER OF BONES.
183

were piles of bones, with here and there a row of skeleton heads!

"There must be nigh onto a thousand o' 'em," muttered old Jacob, as he surveyed the scene, "Never saw sech a tarnal sight in my life!"

"It's certainly a grim spectacle," returned Robert Menden. "I wonder how they happened to place these bones here?"

No one could answer that question. They hunted around for bits of clothing and jewelry, but none came to sight.

"This ain't to my taste," said old Jacob—"let us go on;" and on they went to a small cavern beyond.

Here the air was foul and unwholesome, and even the torches refused to burn, saving with a yellow, uncertain light.

"We can't stand much of this," said Leander. "I feel as if I was in a tomb."

He had scarcely spoken when Dick pointed out some bones lying in a corner of the chamber. Coming closer, they made out the skeleton of a man. Beside the bones lay several patches of clothing and a pair of old-fashioned iron-rimmed spectacles.

"That man lost his life here, sure," said Bob. "Look; one of his leg-bones is broken in half."

"More than likely he broke his leg and found it impossible to walk further," said Don. "And