SEALED FOREVER.
"The whole cave has fallen in," exclaimed Owen, as he leaped to the top
of the cliff just in front of the place where the two giant rocks had
stood.
"See, too, how the rocks are burned and blackened," replied Martin.
"I'm not surprised; I thought the whole world was on fire."
"And I thought that the Day of Judgment had come."
"Look at those trees! how they were crushed by the rocks."
"And the size of that rock!"
"Yes, it is as large as three houses."
"Now I see why the earth shook so much," said Martin. "I couldn't
understand how one barrel of powder could make such an earthquake."
"And how do you explain it now?" inquired Owen of his companion.
"Easily enough; the whole cave was but a shell. The earth had been
washed from around the rocks, and they were resting one on the other.
When one fell, they all fell."
"What you say seems to be true," assented Owen.
"And now I wonder whether the whole cave has fallen in?" inquired
Martin.
"Has Jerry's 'hold out' been blown up? That's the first question to
answer," said Owen.
"Come," said Martin. "Let us see if we can find the little window."
It was the fourth day after the capture of old Bowen. Martin and Owen
had come down to examine the scene of the explosion, and to search for
the money which was supposed to be in Jerry's abode; for Mr. Lane had
told them of the conversation which he had overheard between Simpson and
the Tinker. In fact, the sheriff had promised to accompany them, but had
been detained by business connected with his office. If they found the
money, the two boys intended to send it on to the old trapper, who had
always been friendly to them, and whose misfortune they both lamented.
It was impossible to judge of the position of the "hold out" from the
top of the ridge where the boys were standing, so they descended into
the ravine to the left of the hill to look for the small glass window.
With the exact description which Mr. Lane had given, they did not
anticipate any great trouble, yet so ingeniously had Jerry concealed the
opening, that they spent an hour without discovering it, although they
passed below it many times.
Finally Martin suggested that one of them climb a tree near the cliff.
He had scarcely finished the sentence before Owen, springing up to the
lower branches of a young ash tree, mounted to the top as nimbly as a
squirrel, and a moment later a shout of triumph announced to Martin that
the window had been found.
"Can we get up to it?" asked Martin.
"It is best to get down to it," came the reply from the top of the tree.
"How long are the ropes which we used to tie our horses."
"They are over ten feet."
"Well, the longest will do. It is about seven feet from the window to
the top of the cliff, whereas it is fully fifteen to the bottom, so you
see it will be easier to climb down. I'll stay here while you go up on
the ridge; then we'll be able to mark the exact spot over the window."
"That's a good scheme. It won't take me long to get up there," and
Martin started off at once.
He gained the spot and called out for Owen. No answer came. He looked
around to see whether he could have missed the place. No, it could not
be; there was the ridge, there the ash tree which Owen had climbed. He
waited for some time, then called again: "Owen! Owen!"
He heard the breaking of twigs behind him, and looking around beheld his
friend, pale and trembling.
"Owen, what has happened?" he asked.
"I saw a ghost."
"What?"
"A ghost--a bear--something. I don't know what it was."
"Where?"
"In the window--just a moment--then it jumped back again."
"Why, Owen, you are dreaming. You fell asleep."
"No, I saw it. It was ugly, the ugliest thing I ever saw. Its face was
covered with hair. It had large black eyes--I tell you, Martin, there
was no dream about it."
"Sit down and cool off. Why, I never saw you so excited."
"Have your pistol ready, if it comes after us," said Owen, as he sat
down on a log, and wiped the perspiration from his brow. "You had
scarcely gone," he continued, "I was looking at the window, thinking of
the night we spent in the cave, thinking of what we said about the
ghosts when we were left alone in the dark. Then I saw the window slowly
open and this ghost, thing, or bear, or whatever it was, looked at me
with its two big eyes. You should have seen me get down that tree. I
simply fell down; and away I went, looking back every minute to see
whether the thing was following me."
"I never saw you frightened before. But I tell you what it is, Owen, I
am going to crawl into that window and see what is there."
Owen pleaded with Martin not to go; but the latter was firm in his
resolution. As the boys talked Owen's curiosity grew stronger, until
finally he consented to stand above the window and keep guard while
Martin entered the cave. The rope brought, Martin knotted it in several
places, leaving a loop at the end in which to rest his foot, then tied
it to a small sapling just above the window.
Martin began his descent slowly, and not without some hesitation. When
he reached the end of the rope he gave a scream which made the heart of
his companion leap within him. Owen looked over the precipice, and, to
his surprise and horror, saw a long, shaggy arm and rough claw slowly
dragging Martin into the cave; yet he could not shoot for fear of
hurting his companion. Martin the while struggled in vain. He felt the
claws of an animal sink deep into his flesh; he felt himself being
slowly drawn farther and farther into the window, and a sickly, dizzy
feeling came over him. Everything around began to swim. He relaxed his
hold on the rope. He heard the report of Owen's revolver. Then he was
free, and was falling headlong down the side of the precipice. The thick
grapevines protected him from the rocks, and somewhat broke the weight
of his fall,--for a moment, even entirely checking his perilous descent;
and in that instant's pause he wildly clutched a strong branch, and then
fell heavily to the ground.
The boy sprang to his feet, surprised to find that he had sustained no
injury.
"Run, Owen! run!" he called out to Owen, who was standing at the edge of
the cliff, pistol in hand.
Away the two boys went scudding through the woods like frightened
rabbits.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
"What was it?"
"A bear."
"That's what I told you. You wouldn't believe me."
"I believe you now."
"Was it a big one?"
"As big as an ox."
"Are you sure it didn't hurt you?"
"I thought it was eating my arm and leg off; but I don't feel it now."
"I thought you were a dead man when I saw you fall."
"The grapevines saved me."
The two boys all the while were saddling their horses and preparing for
flight in case the animal followed them. They were suddenly startled by
a noise in the opposite direction. It was Mr. Lane, who had finished his
work and had come to join them in their sport.
"Halloo, youngsters! tired of the cave?" he asked. "Why, you look
scared. What's the matter?"
"There's a bear in the cave," muttered Owen.
"Why, there isn't a bear in this here state, boy."
"Yes there is," stammered Martin. "He's as big as an ox. Both of us saw
him."
Mr. Lane sat down and listened to the boys. Now that their giant friend
was with them, Martin and Owen were no longer frightened. They succeeded
in convincing Mr. Lane that there was really a bear or some other wild
animal in the cave; although when Martin bared his leg where the monster
had sunk his claws, he found only a light bruise.
The sheriff commanded the boys to follow him, determined that he would
have its hide whatever the beast might be.
But how was he to get at the monster? Certainly he could not crawl
through the small window, and neither Martin nor Owen would volunteer to
go into the den and drive the animal out for him.
While they were consulting about the difficulty, Mose, the runaway
slave, suddenly appeared and began asking the pardon of the two boys for
frightening them.
It will be remembered that Mose had escaped from old Bowen some months
previous, because the latter threatened to kill him. He was the only one
of Bowen's slaves who knew of the existence of the cave, as he had
assisted his master in hauling the still from Louisville and in putting
it in position, and now that his master was dead, he had come to the
cave to look for the money which he knew old Bowen had hid somewhere.
It was his intention simply to frighten the two boys. For this purpose
he had used an old mask of deer skin, which Jerry had left behind him in
the cave. But when he saw how scared the boys really were he repented of
his act, for they had always befriended him.
A general laugh followed the explanation.
Mose assured the boys that there was no money in the "hold out."
The four then went to review the scene, the negro acting as guide. He
had worked for many days and nights in the cave, and was familiar with
all its winding passages. In his opinion not more than a third of it had
collapsed, but this in falling had entirely blocked the three entrances.
Every hole and cranny on the roof of the cave and along the ridges was
examined, but with no success.
"I reckon that old cave is shut up as tight as a fruit can," said the
sheriff.
"Yes," replied Owen, "it is sealed forever."
"The 'hold out' isn't sealed," said Martin.
"I'm going to crawl into it and take a last look."
Both boys crept in through the little window. Martin put on the mask
which Mose had used, and looked out at Mr. Lane, who was standing below.
"Great pos-sim-mons," ejaculated the old marksman. "That looks just like
the old Nick himself. 'Course you boys was scared when you seen such a
crittar. I don't call you cowards no more. 'Course you run, and you was
right."
While the sheriff amused the two with his remarks, Owen stood gazing at
the huge rock which had fallen so as to bar completely the entrance to
the cave from the "hold out."
"Martin," said he, in a broken voice, "I never in my life felt sadder or
more disappointed than I do just now. We talked about this cave for days
and weeks and months. I've thought of it; I've dreamt of it. I've looked
forward to the time when we would wander through it with our torches,
and tell the visitors of the first night we spent here. Now this is all
impossible. The cave on the Beech Fork is sealed forever." On the floor
he found a piece of charcoal. With it he wrote on the stone, which
barred the way to the cave, the words:
Sealed Forever.
* * * * *
On the old stage-road between Louisville and Nashville, near the banks
of the Beech Fork, where stood the home of the Howards, can be seen
to-day a spacious stone residence. In the attic of this house in the
year 18--, a young boy of fifteen--a Howard--found a faded and dusty
manuscript with the title, "The Cave by the Beech Fork," by Richard
Lane. On the second page he read the following: "Richard Lane, generally
called Coon-Hollow Jim, for years held the prize as the best marksman in
the State. He was Sheriff of Nelson County for two successive terms, and
ended his days as school-teacher in the Beech Fork district. He wrote an
account of the famous shooting-matches of Kentucky, as also a history of
the wonderful cave of Tom the Tinker. He has also left a description of
a trip to New Orleans on the Woodruff."
The boy read the manuscript with intense interest. One scene described
there was perfectly familiar to him. Often had he fished from Big Rock,
and swam and rowed around Middle Rock. Could these be the huge monsters
that thundered down the river bank and crushed the giant oaks on that
eventful night? Even during the time of Mr. Lane they bore the names of
Big Rock and Little Rock! How strange it all seemed. And the cave, could
it be there? And the "hold out"?
He would see that very day whether it could be found. To the cave he
went, the manuscript in hand, and with him John Finn, a companion, who
shared with him his sports. What appeared to be the sunken roof of the
cave was easily traced. In fact it was familiar to the boys as they had
often hunted rabbits there in the thick hazel and sassafras bushes. The
day passed by and the "holdout" was not found. The boys did not grow
disheartened. They returned to the spot with a rope ladder; with this
they could descend safely and examine the precipice by sections.
Their patience was at last rewarded. The "hold out" was found. Into it
they climbed. The place was dry; the dust was inches deep upon the
floor. Not a single object was seen. But there upon the rock could still
be read the words:
Sealed Forever.
* * * * *
To-day a primitive ladder leads up into the "hold out." It is made of a
sycamore trunk, nailed with slats and leaning against the side of the
cliff. The "hold out" is a favorite resort for the boys during the
fishing season, for here they seek protection from the Spring rains.
This, too, is their place of lodging when they fish at night. Gathered
here in dusky groups around a blazing camp-fire, they often sit and
rehearse the story of Owen Howard and the cave by the Beech Fork.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Cave by the Beech Fork, by Henry S. Spalding