Jack and His Seven Foes — page 169: what you’re looking at

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160 junctions to secure the fu Hove alive if they attempted to escape that way. They divided themselves into two watching parties, to relieve each other every two hours until the exploring party returned, or the men sought were captured. Jack’s four followers carried sufficient provisions for two days, and their flasks were filled with weak spirit-and-water. Their arms were a brace of revolvers. and a bowie-knife. With. his own share of necessaries, Jack led the way, and in a minute or two all were in the cave. The floor was level, but the roof rose rapidly, and haltf-a- -dozen yards in they were able to stand upright. Torches, of which each carried a bundle, were lit, and, with curious eyes, they scanned the way before them. The cave extended farther than they could see, and expanded as_ they went. | Keeping in a line they moved on, and soon found themselves in what may be called a subterranean hall of consider- able dimensions. | The roof was now so high overhead that 1t was invisible, and they could only surmise its elevation by the sound of their Voices. The sides could be seen glistening in the torchlght. ‘They are not here,” a disappointed face. ‘Then there must be a road out of it,’ said Ralph. Moving about and around, they soon came upon an opening about ten feet bigh from the ground, apparently the only exit from the hall, except the way they came. Jack knelt down, thrust in his torch, and saw that the road was open. They entered, and as before, saw that it soon became lofty ; but the passage was now narrow, not admitting of the walking of more than two abreast. “< Here’s a world of wealth for some- body,’ said Ralph, tapping the stone. ‘‘ Here’s some silver for you.” “A few days ago [ should have gone mad with delight over this discovery,” said Harold Deane, gloomily ; “but now it is of no value to me.’ “But we won’t despise it, Martin, with a faint smile. said Jack, with oe sald JACK AND HIs SEVEN FOES. | a chasm at his fone J ik Te moving on, and ches toe a perforce followed. Suddenly he called a halt. ‘Pull up sharp!” he cried, and they — 3 all stood still. ‘* Just in time,” It was not more than four feet wide, but it was very deep. A loose stone he rolled over went bounding down, rolling and rumbling hke thunder. ‘“‘T’ve never seen anything like this,” said Ralph, with a shudder. awful.” “We must leap it,” said Jack, and lightly bounded over. It was not the width, but the thought of the horrors that must lie down in these depths, which made the others pause. And pause they did, so that, for a minute or two, he was alone, with that. dark rent bervccn them. “Tt is nothing of a leap,” he said. “ Fancy multiplies it by twelve,” replied Harold Deane. He stepped back a few paces, ran, and jumped. He only just landed on the other side, and would have fallen down, if Jack had not seized him by the | arin. “Thanks,” he said, (cole smiling. | nearly made a bungle of it.” ‘“Ttis uncanny, I admit,’ returned Jack; “but a child ought to laugh at the leap.” “Tf one knew what is at the bottom, the thing would be easier,”’ said Deane. Ralph was the next, and he cleared it pretty well, but it was plain that he, too, had lost nerve. fi Vd face a dozen Injuns or a grizzly bear,” he said—‘‘and I have done it afore to- day—rather than take that leap again,’ ~ Martin did not like this job, but there was only the choice of being left alone, | and after two false attempts he, too, got over. A stone he dislodged ait his foot rolled down, renewing he dreadful rumblings. Their path was now very rough. Broken stones and shattered stalactites strewed the floor. It was a scramble rather than a walk, and more than one tumble took place ere they got to better eround. he said, pointing to ie | comichbooks.coln