Part 25 (1/2)
The flight for liberty had begun Would it succeed or fail?
CHAPTER XXV
THE CAVES UNDER THE MOUNTAIN
For a distance of five hundred feet the as 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 turnfloor, with here and there a rough bowlder to cross, or a hollohich one , 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 withhis pipe, which had not been denied hi 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 seee 236_]
”This is as far as I've ever been,” said the boy ”The passages beyond seemed to lead doard for part of the way, and it's ie which is the best to take But I was of a ht”
”Well, I reckon as how the right ought to be right,” laughed Leroy
”If it ain't, all we can do is to coot ti, 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'ht,” returned the youth, and started onithout 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 reat rock blocked the way, and over this they went on their hands and knees
”Kind o' a tight squeeze,” reer, ouldn't be able to git over it at all”
”Hark!” cried Larry, co?”
They listened, and from a distance aheadover the rocks,” cried Leroy ”I hope it's a river leading to the outer world”