Beadle's Dime Novels, No. 91: The Lost Cache — page 87: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

DROPPING THE PERPENDICULAR. ) 89 yards exactly reaches the,edge of the cafion, into which, as I _ suppose, the perpendicular should be dropped.” “The idea is a reasonable one, and we may as well act up- on it. After dinner, if you wish, we will go down, and make the experiment.” As Myers did wish it, the two friends set out, after dinner had been discussed, and the inevitable pipes had been smoked. They carried an ax, a hammer, a crowbar and a long Jariat. In addition to these implements, Myers had provided himself - with a stout canyas-bag, which was capable of holding quite ' as much gold as he could conveniently carry on his back. When they reached the square stone, they measured, with a tape-line, twenty yards, in a direct line to the cafion. It was found, as Myers had said, that the nearest point on the edge of the cafion was exactly twenty yards from the stone. “This was only one of my guesses,” said the engineer, “but I believe that it was a good guess, and that the result will prove it so. Thisline of twenty yards, used as the radius of a circle, strikes this point at the edge of the cafion, and there is no other point in the circle at which a perpendicular could be let down, unless it should be let down into the solid earth, which is manifestly out of the question.” “TI think you are right,’ answered Harry. “If the direc- tion in the map means any thing, it must refer to this precise point. The next thing is, to let down the oetaine sect pmaa What do you propose on that point ?” “ T propose to tie a heavy stone to the end of the lariat, and drop it down into the ravine. When it reaches the bottom, we will cross over to the other side, descend the cafion, and seek for thé treasure at the place where we find the stoney’ “ T suppose it might be done in that way, but I think I can name a speedier and better plan. Let me be the weight, Myers, instead of a stone. The lariat is long enough ‘and strong enough, and I will be able to examine the rock as I go down, and to tell whethervthere are any indications: of a cache.” «Ttis a good idea, my boy, but it might be a dangerous experiment, and my plan is perfectly safe.” “Dangerous! Not as dangerous as going down into a well. The ravine, at this point, is perfectly precipitous, and conicloooks. com