Part 18 (2/2)

”Doesn't look as though we were going to find a waterfall around here,”

remarked Mr. Baxter.

”It certainly does not,” added Jerry.

Fred felt his heart sinking. They had come far enough, according to the map, to be at the fall, but there was no sign of It. Was the story all a myth? Was there no waterfall, no cave, no gold?

Fred went a little way ahead. As he turned a place where a big ledge of rock jutted out, hiding what was behind from view, he uttered a cry.

”What's the matter?” asked Mr. Baxter, hurrying up, thinking the lad had been hurt.

”The waterfall!” cried Fred. ”There it is, frozen solid! See!”

And so it was. The great cold had solidified, into fantastic shapes, the falling water, until it looked like nothing but a vast ledge of ice, with great columns, like spears, hanging down here and there.

”Now for the cave!” cried Fred, hurrying forward. ”It must be at one side of the fall.”

Mr. Baxter, Fred, and Jerry hastened forward, while Holfax and Johnson remained behind to look after the dogs, that seemed to develop a sudden wild desire to run away.

It was hard climbing, over the piled-up ma.s.ses of frozen water, and great icicles, but the gold-seekers managed it. Mr. Baxter was in the lead. He pa.s.sed across a frozen pool, into which, during what summer there was in that cold region, the waters of the cataract fell, and then, with a loud shout, he pressed forward.

The boys, close at his heels, saw him headed toward a dark opening. They hurried to join him.

”The cave!” cried Fred. ”It's the cave where Stults hid his treasure!”

Mr. Baxter was just at the entrance. As he was about to pa.s.s under the icy ledge, there was an ominous crackling overhead. Fred looked up. To his horror he saw a great icicle, that had become detached from the ma.s.s at the frozen waterfall, come toppling straight down toward where Mr.

Baxter was standing, he having hesitated a moment to look into the black interior of the cavern.

”Look out!” cried Fred. ”Go into the cave!” Mr. Baxter comprehended his danger. He took a step forward, but, just then, his foot slipped, and he fell.

The great ma.s.s of ice, sharp as a spear, and weighing a ton or more, was falling straight down on the prostrate man, as if to transfix him.

CHAPTER XVI

DIGGING FOR TREASURE

Fred never could distinctly recall, afterward, how he accomplished it, but he did. As he saw the ma.s.s of ice descending toward Mr. Baxter, the boy, with a swift, comprehensive look, took in the situation. A daring scheme came into his head.

From where he and Jerry stood, on a sort of little hill, the ice descended, in a slope, to the mouth of the cave. The frozen surface was almost as smooth as gla.s.s.

”My father will be killed!” cried Jerry.

Falling downward the great icicle struck with a tinkling sound against the ma.s.ses of ice on either side. Down, down it came.

With a sudden motion Fred threw himself face forward on the icy slope, like a boy coasting down hill on a sled. Only Fred had no sled. But his thick fur garments protected him as much as a contrivance of wood and steel could have done.

Right down the steep, icy slope he slid, straight at the prostrate figure of Mr. Baxter. The man, hampered as he was in his heavy suit of furs, was struggling in vain to rise and get out of the way of the falling ma.s.s of ice.

<script>