Part 13 (2/2)

”Come on, Hal; let's move”

”Where?” he asked in a tone devoid of hope

”Anywhere--away fro; no use dying like drowned rats If I only had a match!”

We rose to our hands and knees and crawled painfully up the slippery incline Soon we had reached dry ground and stood upright; then, struck by a sudden thought, I turned to Harry:

”Didn't you drink any of that water?”

He answered: ”No”

”Well, let's try it It ood one”

We crept back down to the edge of the lake (I call it that inmyself as firmly as possible, I held Harry's hand while he lowered himself carefully into the water He was unable to reach its surface with his o of my hand, and I shook off my poncho and used it as a line

”How does it taste?” I asked

”Fine!” was the response ”It must be clear as a bell Lord I didn't knoas so thirsty!”

I was not ignorant of the fact that there was an excellent chance of the water being unhealthful, possibly poisoned, ith the tertiary deposits of copper ores in the rock-basins; but the thought awakened hope rather than fear There is a choice even in death

But when I had pulled Harry up and descended er--or chance The water had a touch of alkali, but nothing e, and once round

The surface was perfectly level, and we set off at a brisk pace, hand in hand, directly away from the lake But when, about a hundred yards off, we suddenly buainst a solid wall of rock, we decided to proceed withWe turned to the right and groped along the wall, which was sher than htly convex, but that may have been delusion

We had proceeded in thiscautiously, e caan again

”It's a tunnel,” said Harry

I nodded, forgetting he could not seeon a chance,” he answered, and we entered the passage

It was quite narrow--so narrow that ere forced to advance very slowly, feeling our way to avoid colliding with the walls The ground was streith fragments of rock, and a hasty step meant an almost certain fall and a bruised shi+n It was tedious work and incredibly fatiguing

We had not rested a sufficient length of tile with the torrent; also, we began to feel the want of food Harry was the first to falter, but I spurred him on

Then he stumbled and fell and lay still

”Are you hurt?” I asked anxiously, bending over him

”No,” was the answer ”But I'm tired--tired to death--and I want to sleep”

I was teht him to his feet, from some impulse I know not what For as the use? One spot was as good as another However, we struggled on