Louisiana capitolian., 1879-12-20


that which would fall In from above.
This was pleasant! I racked my poor
brain to devise some means celebrating |
myself, but without effect.
Leaning against the wall in utter des-
pondency, l was about to throw myself
down Oh the ground and await my fate
when / observed that quite current Of
water, on a small scale, was making its
way down the side Of the cave. At first
l was alarmed, as thought it might
loosen the earth above, and bring an
other mass down Oh my hcad. The next
moment the thought struck me that it
might be turned to my advantage. Why
could not direct it 50 that it would
wash away sufficient earth in its pro-
gress to the outlet of tho cave to make
an opening large enough to allow me to
crawl through iti Even If / was only
successful in making an air hole, it
would enable NO at least to exist until
my partners would come to my rescue.
Carefully examining the course Of tho
water succeeded in finding the spot
where it entered the tunnel, and to my
great JOY discovered that could easily
direct it by cutting channel out Of the
sides ofmy prison to the mass Of earth
that blocked up the entrance to the
tunnel The air ut this time was quite
hot and sitting, and ! became aware
that whatever was to be done must be
done quickly or ! should perish for want
of oxygen.
After cutting channel for the water
to flow toward the entrance, enlarged
the opening by which the stream enter
cd the cave, and was rejoiced to see that
it flowed with redoubled force. Taking
my shovel pushed it through the mois-
tened earth rs far as | was able, and
then awaited the further action of the
water. In u few minutes / could push
it further, till at last it was out Of my
reach. Then placing the pick-handle
against it, l pushed both as far as l
could.
With what eagerncss did l watch to
see tho first opening made by the water,
but was soon gratiiied by observing
that it flowed in a steady stream in the
direction in which ! had pushed the
pick and shovel.
In few minutes discovered faint
glinmering in the distance, which
might be an opening or the effect Of an
excited imagination, 1 scarcely knew
which. But the doubt soon resolved
itself into certainty, and an opening
some five inches in diameter speedily
disclosed itself.
Larger and larger the opening grew;
lump after lump of earth was washed
away by the force Of the stream till the
channel became large enough to place
my head in it and call Justify for assis
tance.
just as drew my head back, caught
sight of u buckskin Lag. Hastily sciz-
ing it, found it was the one we were
in search of, and which, but for the ac-
cidcnt, never would have found. Wish
ing to surprise my companions, con-
cealed it and redoubled my cries. In a
few minutes they came running up the
hill, and soon liberated me from my un-
pleasant position.
"Wcll, Ned" said Jack, as he shook
my hand, 81 am glad to see you're safe,
old fellow, the more 80, as Bill and l
have been dccciving you u little. You
know we have been trying all the sum
mer to get you into tunneling opera
tion and you have only laughed at u.s."
eyes," / said,
"Wcll, when yon got that letter wo
went into the job with you--not
with the hope of finding any bag, but
because We knew you would work twice
as hard with such an inducemcnt, in
tending meanwhile to wash tho excava-
ted dirt. This we have done; and, my
dear boy, we have not made less than
three hundred dollars day since we
began"
"1hcn you think the bag a hnmbug,
do you !"
"Of course" said he.
"WelI, don't, and intend going on
looking for it" said |.
"Now, what is tho use Of being fool
ish /" quoth Bill jenkins. awe have
got as much dirt as we can wash for
some time, and it pays. | can't see the
use of continuing such q wild goose
chase as the hunt for that bag"
"Be that rs it may" said, 81 intend
to follow it up"
"Well, Ned, we may as we'll tell you
first as last. ! wrote that letter in or
der to get you into tnnneling."
"And tho 'blazed tree,'" said I, chow
about that9 The blaze is certainly
two years old"
Jack hesitatcd.
"Well, you see" said he, Eve found
the tree and wrote the letter to cores
pond with it,"
"Then what do you think Of thisp l
asked, showing the bag had found in
the cave.
Jack was nonplussed. On opening
the bag we found about three thousand
dollars worth of gold. Jack would ncv-
er confess, but always insisted that the
variance between the statement in the
letter and the amOnnt in the hnv was