Omaha daily bee., 1883-08-04

was about to throw myself on the ground
and await my fate, when | observed that
quite q current of water, on a small scale
was making its way down the side OF the
cave.
At first | was alarmed, as l thought it
might loosen the earth above and bring
another mass down on my head. The
next moment the thought struck me that
it might be turned to my advantage.
Why could ! not so direct it that 1t would
wash a way sufficient earth in its progress
to the outlet of the cave to admit the air,
and perhaps make AT opening large
enough to allow me to crawl out through
itl Even if | only succeeded in making
an air hole, it would enable me to exist
till my partners could come to my assist
ance. Carefully examining the course
of the water, | succeeded i'll finding the
spot where it entered the cave, and to my
great Joy ascertained that | could easily
direct it by cutting u channel out OF the
side of my prison to the mass of earth
that blocked up the entrance to the tun-
mel. The air at this time was quite close
and sitting, and l became aware that
whatever was lone must be done quickly,
or | should perish from want Of oxygen.
After | had cut a channel for the water
to flow toward the entrance, l enlarged
the opening by which the stream entered
the cave, and was delighted to observe
that it flowed with redoubled force.
Taking my shovel | pushed it through the
moistened earth as far rs | was able, and
then awaited the further action of the
water. In n few minutes | could push
it still further, till at last it was out of my
reach. Then placing my pick handle
against it, / pushed both as far as | could.
With what eagerness did | watch to see
the first opening made by the water! AT
first it was swallowed up by the earth,
but | was soon gratilied by observing that
it flowed in u steady stream in the direc-
ton IN which | had pushed the pick and
shovel.
In n few minutes | discovered n faint
glimmer in the distance, which might be
an opening or the effect of an excited
imagination, | scarcely knew which. But
the doubt soon resolved itself into GER
tainty, 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 stream, till the channel be-
came large enough for me to place my
head in it, and halloo Justify for assist.
ance. Just as | was drawing my head
back, l caught sight of a buckskin bag.
Hastily Selling it, | found that it wa the
one we had been in search of, and which
but for the accident, l would never have
found. Wishing to surprise my COM
rades, / concealed it, and r%edoubled my
cries. In a few minutes they came run
ming up the hill, and soon liberated me
from my unpleasant position.
"Well Ned" said Jack, as he took me
by the hand. "I'm glad you're safe, old
fellow-the more so, as Bill and | have
been deceiving you a little. You know
we have been trying all the summer to
get you to go into a tunneling operation,
and you have only laughed at us2'
YES" said 1, wondering what would
come next.
"Well when you found that letter, Bill
and l made up ourminds that we would go
into the job with yon; not i'll the the
hope of finding any bag, but because we
knew you would work twice as hard with
such an inducement, intending, mean
while, to wash the excavated dirt. This
we have done; and my boy, we have
never made less than $500 any day since
we commenced"
"Then you think the bag a humbug, do
you2"
"Why, of course" said he.
"Well, l don't, and | intend to go on
looking for it,"
"Now, what's the use of being fool
ish?' quoth Bill Jennings. "We've got
as much dirt as we can wash for some
time, and it pays. l can't see the use of
continuing such a wild-goose chase as the
hunt for that bag"
"Be that as it may" said l, 81 intend
to follow it up"
Bill and Jack conferred together a while
and then the former said:
"Well, Ned, we might as well tell you
first as last. l wrote that letter in order
to get you to 60 into tunneling.
"And the 'blazed' tree" said /, show
about that? The blaze is certainly two
years DID,"
Jack hesitated. "Why, you see" said
he, "we found the tree and wrote the
letter to suit it,"
''Then what do you think of this" /
asked, showing him the bag 1 had found
in the cave.
Jack was nonplussed. On opening the
bag we found about $4,000. Jazz never
would own up, but always insisted that
the variance between the statement in the
letter and the amount in the bag was
proof enough that the letter and it had
no connection with a,,h nthar