Part 51 (2/2)

Then I raised s There was no answer

”They've got her,” said Harry, ”and that's all there is to it The cursed brutes crept up on her in the dark--ot their hands on her I know it Why did we leave her?”

”Where did you find the spear?” I asked

Harry pointed toward the wall, away froround?”

”Yes”

”Is there an exit from the cavern on that side?”

”I don't know”

”Well, that's our only chance Come on!”

We found the exit, and another, and a third Which to take? They were very similar to one another, except that the one in the entle incline, while the others were level

”One is as good as another,” I observed, and entered the one on the left

Once started, we advanced with a rush The passage was straight and narrow, clear of obstruction, and we kept at a steady run

”They may have an hour's start of us,” came Harry's voice at my side

”Or fiveBut I' trail”

Still as I had said, one chance was as good as another, and we did not slacken our pace The passage went straight forward, without a bend

The roof was low, just allowing us to pass without stooping, and the walls were rough and rugged

It was not long before we found that we had taken the wrong chance, having covered, I think, some two or three miles when a wall loomed up directly in our path

”At last, a turn!” panted Harry

But it was not a turn It was the end of the passage We had been following a blind alley

Harry let out a string of oaths, and I seconded him Twenty minutes wasted, and another twenty to return!

There was nothing else for it We shouldered our spears and started to retrace our steps

”No use running now,” I declared ”We can't keep it up forever, and we th We'll never catch up with 'e ahead two or three paces in front, did not answer

Finally we reached the cavern from which we had started

”And nohat?” asked Harry in a tone of the most utter dejection