THE CAVES UNDER THE MOUNTAIN
For a distance of five hundred feet the way was known to both Larry
and his sailor friend, and the pair passed along swiftly, guided in
part by the flickering rays from the camp-fire outside of the main
cave.
"Have a care now, lad," whispered Leroy, as they reached a narrow
passage, which turned first to the left and then upward. "The roof is
low, and you don't want for to dash your brains out on the rocks."
"Never fear but I'll be as careful as I can," responded the youth,
feeling his way along. "Better keep close, Leroy, that we don't become
separated."
The turn made, it was no easy matter to ascend the sloping floor, with
here and there a rough bowlder to cross, or a hollow in which one
might fall and break a leg without half trying, as the _Yorktown_
sailor said. Presently Leroy called a halt.
"Better light the torch now, Larry."
"I was going to save it," was the reply. "There is no telling how long
we may have to depend upon it."
"That is true; but it's no longer safe to walk in this pitchy
darkness."
Leroy was provided with matches, used in smoking his pipe, which had
not been denied him, and striking one he set fire to an end of the dry
cedar branch which Larry had laid away over a week before, when the
thought of running away had first crossed his mind. At the start the
branch spluttered wofully and threatened to go out, but by coaxing it
remained lit, and presently burst into a flame that was sufficient to
see by for a circle of twenty or thirty feet.
On they plodded, up an incline that seemed to have no end, and then
around another turn. Here the chamber widened out, and beyond there
were branches, two to the left and one to the right.
[Illustration: On they plodded, up an incline that seemed to have no
end.--_Page 236._]
"This is as far as I've ever been," said the boy. "The passages beyond
seemed to lead downward for part of the way, and it's impossible to
judge which is the best to take. But I was of a mind to try that one
on the right."
"Well, I reckon as how the right ought to be right," laughed Leroy.
"If it ain't, all we can do is to come back to here an' try over
again, eh?"
"We haven't got time to waste in experimenting, Leroy. This is a
serious business. We are liable now to be shot on sight."
"An' nobody knows thet better nor Dan Leroy, your humble servant. An'
if you say try one o' the other passages, I'm jes' as willin'."
"No, we'll take that on the right," returned the youth, and started
onward without further delay.
The passage was a crooked one, not over ten feet wide in any one part,
and but little over the height of a man. At one place a great rock
blocked the way, and over this they went on their hands and knees.
"Kind o' a tight squeeze," remarked Leroy. "If that rock war a bit
bigger, we wouldn't be able to git over it at all."
"Hark!" cried Larry, coming to a halt. "What is that, somebody
calling?"
They listened, and from a distance ahead made out a low murmur of some
kind. "It's water running over the rocks," cried Leroy. "I hope it's
a river leading to the outer world."
"Oh, so do I!" ejaculated the boy, and both started onward eagerly.
Long before the fall of water was gained they found themselves
splashing in an underground stream up to their ankles. The waterfall
was underground, coming from the rocks overhead and running into the
stream, which, in turn, sank out of sight some distance further on.
"Nothing in that," muttered Leroy, his face falling.
Nevertheless, they stopped for a drink, for the tramp through the
caves had made them thirsty. The old sailor held the torch, while
Larry carried the kettle. It was well that the top of the kettle was
on tight, otherwise the contents would have been spilled long before
this.
Beyond the waterfall the cave opened out once more in fan shape, the
roof running upward to a high arch, from which hung stupendous
stalactites of white and brown. Here the water dripped down in the
form of a fine rain.
"We're in a shower, lad, even though we are underground," remarked
Leroy. "I must say I hope this don't last. If it does, we'll soon be
wet to the skin." The vaulted cave soon came to an end, however, and
now they found themselves in an opening cut up into a hundred
different chambers, like a coal mine supported by arches. Each looked
at the other in perplexity.
"We can easily miss the way here," said Larry, soberly. "We had better
lay out a course and stick to it."
"Right you are, lad." Leroy pointed with his hand. "This seems as good
a trail as any. Shall we follow it?"
"Yes." And forward it was again. Presently they came to another
chamber, and here the slope was again upward, much to their
satisfaction. "If we keep on going upward, we are bound to get out at
the top, sometime," was the way Larry calculated.
Climbing now became difficult, and in a number of places each had to
help the other along. Then came a wall twelve feet high, and here they
were compelled to halt.
"It looks as if we were blocked," remarked the _Yorktown_ sailor after
an examination.
"I'm not going to give up yet," answered the boy. "If we can't get up
any other way, we can build a stairs with those loose stones we just
passed."
"Hurrah! you've solved the difficulty!" exclaimed the old sailor, and
they set to work with a will. But rolling and lifting the stones into
place was no mean job, and when at last they were able to pull
themselves to the passageway above, both were utterly worn out and
glad enough to sit down. The rest lasted longer than either had
intended, for Leroy, who had not slept well the night before, dozed
off, and Larry was not of a heart to wake him up. So the boy went to
sleep too, and neither awakened until early morning.
"Hullo! what's this?" cried Leroy, the first to open his eyes. All was
so dark about him--Larry having extinguished the torch--that for the
minute he could not collect his senses. Putting out his hand he
touched the youth on the face, and Larry awoke instantly.
They were both hungry, and lighting the torch again, warmed up the
kettle of stew, and then ate about one-third of the stuff. "Touches
the spot," cried Leroy, smacking his lips. He could have eaten much
more, but knew it was best to be careful of their supply until the
outer world was gained.
Much refreshed by their sleep, but somewhat stiff from the dampness
and the unaccustomed work of the evening before, they proceed on their
way, still climbing upward and still in a darkness, that was only
partly dispelled by the feeble glare of the torch, which was now
growing alarmingly small.
"The light won't last more than a couple o' hours," said Leroy.
"Perhaps we had better split the stick in two." This was done, and
thus the feeble light was reduced one-half.
Would the caves never come to an end? Such was the question Larry
asked himself over and over again. Was it possible that they were to
journey so far only to find themselves trapped at last? The thought
made him shiver, and he pushed on faster than ever.
"Do you know what I think?" said Leroy, an hour later. "I think we are
moving around in a circle?"
"A circle?"
"Ay, lad. Don't you notice how the passageway keeps turning to the
right?"
Larry had noticed it. "But we are going upward," he said.
"True; but who knows but what we'll be going downward presently."
Still they kept on, but now Larry's heart began to fail him. They had
progressed so far, had made so many turns, that to get back would
probably be impossible. The caves were so vast one might wander about
in them forever--if one's food did not give out. Larry shivered again
and clutched the precious kettle of stew tighter than ever. He was
once more hungry, but resolved to wait until the pangs of hunger
increased before reducing the stock of food.
The passageway was now level for a considerable distance, with here
and there a rock to be climbed over or a crack to cross. Both had just
made a leap over an opening several feet wide when Leroy set up a
shout.
"What is it?" asked Larry, eagerly.
"Put the torch behind ye, lad, an' look ahead. Perhaps my eyes deceive
me," answered the old sailor.
Larry did as requested, and gave a searching look up the passageway.
No, there was no mistaking it--there was a faint glimmer of light
coming from what appeared to be a bend. He, too, gave a shout, and
both set off on a run.
As they sped onward the light became brighter and brighter, until the
torch was hardly needed. They were running side by side, each trying
to gain the outer air first.
"Look out!" suddenly yelled Leroy, and caught Larry by the arm. The
old sailor could hardly stop, and had to throw himself flat, dragging
the boy down on top of him.
A few feet beyond was an opening twelve to fifteen feet wide, running
from side to side of the passageway. The walls of the opening were
perpendicular, and the hole was so deep that when a stone was dropped
into it they could scarcely hear the thing strike bottom.
"Here's a how-d'ye-do!" cried Leroy, gazing into the pit. "We can't
jump across that, nohow!"
"A real good jumper might," answered Larry. "But I shouldn't want to
try it. The other side seems to slope down toward the hole. What's to
be done?"
Ah, that was the question. It looked as if their advance in that
direction was cut off completely.