The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1892-10-19

it, an inch perhaps in four or five min
utes.
bud looked up at me. cts raining
outside" he said, and his face was as
white as a sheet.
The horrifying truth burst upon us
simultaneously. Our alright was mu-
tual and our fight precipitous. 1t was
race for life-we must reach the open
ing before the stream could fill it and
cut off our only exit. All along, as we
retreated, noticed on the low ceilings
trash and leaves deposited, even the
highest points bearing this positive evil
dence that at times the whole cave was
completely overlooked. Pellmell over
rocks in water we tore; but hurry as
we would, the muddy, angry waters
still preceded us, swelling and surging
between Its narrow banks. Now we
came to an unusually low point and
found the water about our necks as we
stopped to pass along. l was in the
lead, and though set telling pace
bud in his fright managed to keep mp.
Those few hundred yards seemed in
Vulnerable miles, with the floods SWELL
ing behind us and the ominous roar
overhead gathering volume. Now and
then one Of our candles would 60 out,
and we were forced to stop and relght
it from the one that still burned, as our
matches were all wet and useless. At
last stood In the chamber next the
fatal barrier.
What moment OF suspense, of dread,
| suffered while waiting for bud to
come upl hastily scanned the walls Of
this the highest ceiling available, and
my heart sank as saw the unmistak.
able signs Of overflow on every side and
overhead. bud soon Joined me, mud
begrimed and painting. He looked the
fiend incarnate dragging himself forth
from his home of ooze and filth. But
did not laugh as my terrified gaze rested
on his pale and troubled face, you may
be sure. l remember feeling a great
| pity for him. however.
Tremblingly we advanced few rods
and came upon the wall, but, 10, no exit
was visiblel Now 1t was concealed by
small pool with swift maelstrom that
swallowed, with evident gusto, those bits
Of wood and leaf which came near its
hungry gullet. Weak and overcome
with excitement, we sat down on a little
knoll, and with the protruding eyes Of
doomed men watched the steady up
crawling of the stream, so different from
the song whispering brook of an hour ago.
The awful silence was oppressive, while
the heavy darkness gathered on every
| side as IL to extinguish our feeble lights.
Both of our heads were hatless, and a
small stream of crimson trickled from
Dud's forehead-a wound that he had
received from a jutting rock or some
obstacle overhead.
The situation was terrifying.
was almost certain that death was
inevitable, but singularly enough my
whole attention was conferred on my
miserable companion. / gazed steadily
at him, wondering what his thoughts
must be, and If all his past life was hur-
rying before him in review, as / had
often heard 1t said mems lives would do
| when death seemed inevitable. Silently
and steadily, like some great yellow SER
pent, the brook crawled into the mar
row chamber and coiled fold on fold
We had already moved back to higher
| ground once, and now 1t was inching up
about our feet again. Our heads were
against the highest part of the rock
roof, SO 1t would be better to keep our
| places than to move back to more
trying position which would be no safer.
To my dying day l shall never forget
the feelings that crept over me at the
water stole up along my body cold and
Shiny. 1t seemed that was being grad
ually swallowed by some foul mon
ster. The submerged portions Of my
body seemed severed from the trunk.
while sure death enveloped me. A SEN
sation of insufferable closeness almost
choked me, while the very helplessness
Of the situation added thousand terrors.
Dudley sat as one In profound stu
por, one hand grasping the two inches
Of tallow yet left, his other scraping pit
eously along tho rough wall, "a though
seeking an exit for Its petrifed owner.
For my part ! became strangely quiet
| after time, while q sense of indiffer-
ence possessed me. A sort Of resigna-
ton to the inevitable, suppose, for the
floods continued to press upward. Our
shoulders were now just above the
waters, while my hand grew 80 weary
| Of holding the candle that II seemed as
II about to sink below the surface de-
spite my every effort.
Neither Of us had spoken for some
time, when Dudley suddenly turned to
me. II can't stand 1t any longer he
said simply. "Tell them goodby at home
for me II you ever get out" and he rose
as If to launch himself forward. I saw
his object at once and reached out to
grasp him. "Hoid on. Dud," said; ~
don't believe 1t Is going to get any high
| err" ut doesn't make any difference"
he repeated. 1--WE both can't live long
| in this small space anyhow" and he
sank from view. felt him touch me
as he rolled over, and clutched at his
body to lift him to the surface, but 1t
escaped my grasp and succession of
bubbles told me that further effort was
| useless-he was drowned. His candle
had of course gone with him, and
| questioned whether 1t would not be best
for me to extinguish my own, since it
was fast exhausting the oxygen that
was an absolute necessity 10 my life.
But could not decide to snuff. out that
feeble light. It was almost like life itself.
/ cannot describe to- you my feelings
as sat hundred feet underground,
with only breathing space Of five or
six feet about my head, the water at my
chin and the cold form Of my dead
| companion at my feet. It seemed as IL