Part 39 (1/2)
”Maybe, lad. But wot if some o' these rocks should s.h.i.+ft? They'd squash ye as flat as a flapjack!”
”I didn't think of that.”
”I don't believe it is very safe in here,” said Dave. ”This cave must have been formed by that landslide, and, if so, perhaps the dirt and rocks haven't finished settling yet. I don't want any rocks to come down on my head!”
”Nor on any of us!” added the senator's son.
”I've got an idee thet we are a-comin' to another openin',” remarked Abe Blower, a few minutes later, after they had made a sharp turn to the right.
”Why so?” asked Roger.
”I kin feel some fresh air from somewhere.”
”I feel it too,” returned Dave. ”Doesn't it come from overhead?”
”Mebbe, lad; although I thought it was ahead.”
”Here is that stream of water!” cried Roger, as they made another turn.
”But we can't get at it,” he added, somewhat disappointedly.
”Why?”
”It's down below the split in the rocks. Look!”
He held up his torch so they could look down into something of a sharp-edged basin of rocks. A dozen feet below they could see the water pouring from one hole in the rocks and disappearing farther on.
Nearly an hour had been spent in walking and crawling around the big cave. They had had several narrow escapes from pitfalls and were moving with caution.
”Maybe we had better go back,” suggested Roger.
”I was thinkin' thet myself,” answered Abe Blower. ”Nothin' much in here, so far as I kin see. We might come back later an' have another look--if we don't discover thet lost mine elsewhere,” he added.
”You are sure this is the right district?” asked Dave.
”Oh, yes, the lost Landslide Mine can't be very far away,” was the old miner's reply.
They turned back, heading, as they thought, for the opening by which they had entered. On and on they walked, occasionally slipping and sliding where the rocks sloped. Then they came to a spot where there was a wide crevice to cross.
”My gracious, did we jump over that when we came this way?” queried the senator's son, as all gazed at the wide opening, which was of unknown depth.
”We certainly did not!” declared Abe Blower.
”Then we have come the wrong way!” put in Dave, quickly.
”It sure looks like it, lad.”
”If that's the case, we'll have to go back!” came from Roger. He looked around them and his face paled a trifle. ”Oh, do you think we are lost?”
”If we are not, we are next door to it,” was Abe Blower's serious answer.