Sharp County record., 1880-04-08

the rock, just wide enough for the boat
to enter.
Pierre had hardly time to obey, when
there came a tremendous crash, and
the boys found themselves foundering
amid a welter of foam, nets, sand, dead
fish and broken timbers, in deep dark
hollow that looked like the mouth OF a
cave.
"There goes fathers boat, y sput-
tered Pierre, as soon as he could clear
his mouth of the salt water.
"And there 90 our fish" added Jack.
"Here's that loaf that we put in the
locker, though; and even wet breads
better than none in a place like this.
Now, then, let's be getting higher up,
for the tide will be upon US here IN no
| time"
But to get higher up was no easy mat
ter. They were in utter darkness, and
(as they had already found by cropping
about on the brink of a chasm OF un-
known depth. The ledge upon which
they had been cast was evidently very
narrow, and almost as slippery as ice;
and Jack being encountered with the
loaf, and Pierre badly bruised against
the rocks, they were not in the best
condition for climbing.
But the roar of the next wave as it
came bursting in, splashing them from
head to foot where they sat, was a Won
derfnl quickener to their movements,
and away they scrambled through the
pitchy bIackness, clinging like limpets
to the rough side of the cavern as they
felt their feet slide upon the treacherOus
rocks, and thought Of the unseen gulf
below.
Onward, onward still, deeper and
deeper into the heart of the cold, silent
rock, fearing at every moment to feel
their way barred by solid wall, and
find themselves cut off from escape and
doomed to be drowned by inches. But,
no; the strange tunnel went on and on
as if it would never end, their only con-
ISOLATION being that they were unmis-
takably tending upWGrd, and already
Gas they calculated) beyond the reach
of the flood-tide.
Suddenly Jack uttered shout Of joy:
Hurrah, Pierre here's one of the
lantern candles in my inner pocket, and
l know I've got nv matches some
where. Well be able to see where we
are at last, my boy!"
The matches Quckily still dry) were
produced, the candle was lighted, and
our heroes took survey of their sur
roundings.
They were in a long, narrow passage,
rising to a considerable height over
head, and with another ledge on its op-
posite side, sleeper and more broken
than the one on which they were. In the
center lay the chasm already mentioned +;
but, instead of the frightful depth
which they had imagined, it was only
six or seven feet deep at the most, and
more than half full of water.
"Theres our terrible frecipice, "
laughed Jack, stopping over it. 81
don't think that would hurt US much.
Bur-holloa!' I say, Pierre, this isn't
sea-brine; it's fresh a0ater, running
water It's a stream that's tunneled
its way through the rock; and if we
follow it far enough we'll get out. Hur-
rah!"
"Hurrah!" echoed Pierre, brighten
ing up. ave sha'n't run short OF
water, anyhow; and as for food, we
may as well have a bite of that loaf be-
fore starting again"
The underground breakfast was soon
finished, and the adventurous lads start
ed once more.
But the pain of Pierre's bruises,
which he had manfully concealed hith-
erto. began to master him at last His
tired limbs began to drag more and
more heavily; his feet slipped again and
again, and only the strong hand of his
cOmradp saved him from more than one
serious fall.
"Better sit down and rest bit, old
fellow" said Jack, kindly; "there's no
hurry, for this candle will burn long
while yet. l know you went own it,
but you did get a nasty bump against
that rock yonder."
81 fancy you're right there" an
swered Pierre, sinking YEARLY upon the
ledge. But we don't need the candle
while we're sitting still, you know.
Blow it out, and light it again when we
START
Jack did so, and they sat silent in the
darkness. All at once Pierre heard his
comrade call out
81 say, don't you hear water falling
somewhere?"
"To be sure 1 do," replied Pierre,
after listening moment. ave must
be close to the place where this stream
falls down into the tunnel, and now
We'll have chance of getting out at
last Bravo!n
Jack slapped his hands together, with