The Cave in the Mountain / A Sequel to In the Pecos Country

in the

Table of

and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escape

the accident which had befallen him. For a time he scarcely dared to stir, fearing that he might pitch headlong over some precipice. He felt of his face and hands, but could detec

had taken his inventory. "But I don't know where I am or how

y feet, striking upon his chest and shoulders. At this juncture, he thought of the wolf which had drawn him into the mishap, and he tur

; "but I don't think that can be, for a wolf is a good deal sprye

in length, some three or four in width, and, when he stood erect, his head was level with the surface of the ground above. In consequence, it would be a very easy matter for him to climb ou

climbed up out of the pit. "Maybe he thought I was killed, and went off to tell the rest of his friends, so

, and quickly spread into the same thick, smoking flame as before. But Fred noted that it was about half

the darkness, "for I believe he entered the cave somewhere near here, and it was a gr

est limit. Less than twenty feet away it terminated, the jagged walls shutting do

was in the immediate neighborhood of the outlet delayed the lad's return until he could assure himself that it was i

aces. He was confident that they had been made by the feet of the wolves; but in spite of these encouraging signs, he wa

have to give it up, after all. I only wish Mickey was here to

uite a distance, and one wished to draw the other to him, he had a way of placing two of his fingers against his tongue, and em

fairly deafened him. It seemed to him that ten thousand little imps were perched all around the cavern, with their fingers thrust

that. I thought all the rocks were going to tumble down u

head. But they were as grim and motionless as they had b

t, if he is anywhere within

as was his invariable custom, when that of his friend reached

with a mingled laugh and shudder. "I think thes

sound as if it were a foot-ball and hurled it back and forth, from side to side, and up and down, in furious sport. The dread of losing his torch alone prevented the lad from throwing it dow

he same as answering whistles, uttered in the same manner. But Fred understood that, if the Irishman heard him, he would reply with a series of short signals, such

s asleep yet. When I left him, it didn't seem as though he'd

ult. It never once occurred to Fred that he and his friend were separated by such a distance that they could n

scaped, Fred had but one course left. That was, to find his way back to the camp-fire in the shortest time and by th

alarming to him. He looked upon him as one regards a sentinel who sinks into slumber when upon duty. Knowing the cunning of the redski

he venison in the possession of the Irishman could not last a great deal longer, and, when th

was no withdrawal, and the length of whose flow beneath the rock could only be conjectured, with all the chances against success. But Fred recalled in what a marked manner Providence had favored him in the past, and he could but feel a str

uded that it was the dropping of a stone or fragment of earth. The lad was further pleased to find, upon examination, that the revolver in his possession was uninjured by his fall.

n hand. "He may be sneaking somewhere among these rocks, popping in and out whenever he has a chan

ope was an illusive one, and he fin