Part 4 (2/2)

As he hopped about he struck ainto the wick and lit it Another shot finished the snake and the body curled up into a snarl and a quiver, to bother him no more

It was then that pawnee Brown paused, drew a deep breath and wiped the cold perspiration froosh!+ I've killed fifty rattlers in my time, but never one in this fashi+on,” he murmured ”Wonder if there are any more around?”

He knew that these snakes often travel in pairs, and as he went on his way he kept his eyes wide open for another attack

But none ca else clai to an end The side walls closed in to less than three feet, and the flooring sloped up so that he had to crouch down and finally go forward on his hands and knees

The lantern noent out for good, every drop of oil being exhausted

At this juncture many a man would have halted and turned back to where he had come from, but such was not pawnee Brown's intention

”I'll see the thing through,” he muttered ”I'd like to kno far I around”

A dozen yards further and the cavern becoress was impossible

He placed his hand above hi but dirt, with here and there a s away at the dirt with his knife Less than a foot of the cavern ceiling had thus been dug ahen the point of the knife brought down a s certain he was now close to the surface, he continued to ith renewed vigor

”At last!”

The scout was right The knife had found the outer air, and a diht struck down upon the hero of the plains

It did not take long to enlarge the opening sufficiently to ade of pawnee Brown's body

He leaped out a brushed the dirt fro, he ”located himself,” as he put it, and started up a hill to the entrance to the Devil's Chimney

He was on the side opposite to that froet over, had to h some brush and small timber

This accomplished, he hurried to where he had left Bonnie Bird tethered

As the reader knows, the beautiful one, and had been for so Arbuckle took her,” he mused ”But, if so, why doesn't he co no help for it, the scout set off for the ca the temporary settlement when he came face to face with Jack Rasco, another of the boomers

”pawnee!” shouted the boomer, ”You air jess the man I want ter see Hev ye sot eyes on airy o' the Arbuckles?”

”I' for dick Arbuckle now,” answered the scout ”Isn't he in the caht he came here with my mare?”