Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-20

re,nrn 10 that point for tho refreshments,
but they would not hear Of IL.
Anxious TO please the lads, though much
against his own will, Uncle Dick cautioned
thcm TO remain whore they werc. while no
returned 20 the other sldo OF the Dead Bon
| for tho provlsons. Wills tho old man VIVA
gone, the boys tossed an their nroworks Into
the awful depths OF tho bottomlcss pit; and
they nrod ON all their blank cartridges, In
ordor to hear tho echoes rolling like thunder
down In tho cavornous hollow.
II was the impulse born OF thoughtloaansA,
and youth that led thom TO disobey tho
guides lnjunetions, and to do little cxplor-
spocd Of their movements tended to mako
the torches burn morr rapidly. Az iongih
and TO their horror, they were forced to
throw the burning branda away In order TO
keep their fingers from being burned. and
few minutes afterwards the Inst spark was
estlnguiahed aud they found themselves In
ali impcnotrablc and styglan darkness,
ihatiuctivcly. the boys took hold Of each
others hands, aud Sam bowman. In tremu.
lous voice. said
I'D, we are lost What shall We dot"
Edgar whippiO was equally frightened,
but, evidently In a more philosophical frame
OF mind. said
''Ycs, guees we nre pretty badly lost
don't think can SEQ anything TO do but sit
right down here. and pray that Uncle Dick
or some one else will como and Ind u.s."
Although the boys were at this time fully
hundred yards away from tho prooipitous
wall Of the bottomleas nit. ,hcy did not dare
move, for fear they might tumble over The
prooipltoue side and Into tho uninthcmed
depths below. Tho silence was only esuAiei
by tho darkness, Each felt that he voa,d
hear the boating Of tho others heart. They
bent 70 listen 10 tho rhont OF the guide. but
not the fainteHt sound came 10 THAR ears.
For tho time they forgot their hunger IN
their awful broad. They spoke In whispers,
each giving It ~ his opinion that days must
have elapsed since Uncle Dick loft thcm.
They regretted over having undertaken the
expedition. and they wondered II thoy should
die there, whether their remains would ever
bc found.
The minutes, 80 dark and sllSnt. seemed
like long and dreary hourA. soon their in.
tense hunger bauishod their lcarN. and Sam
bowman told his frlond story Of ship
wrecked men, suffering from hunger who
drew lots 10 soc which should die. ia order to
pledged, ono tho othcr, that under no circum.
stnncea would they be driven to such IN ea-
trcmity NySpsq
In Tho meantime Uncle Dick had returned
to whore he loft the boys, and was horrlned
TO lind thom gone. Ha shouted. but his voice
was not strong, and he had no firearms with
him. with which tS make signal. He
searched all tho avenues and apartments
round about, but could md no traces OF the
boys. Then. desperate and fllied with alarm,
no hurried hack 10 tho onimnco Of tho cave,
bitchcd up tho horse, and drove rapidly
buck 10 tho camp which he reached Just
about dark
Whom he had told his story. tho officers and
men were 80 Indignant at what they con.
aidercd Ills negligence tia. thoy would have
punished him had not the wiser oonnbsls Of
Tie two iathora OF the boys prevailed. Boon
dozen officers and men with the old guido,
all well mounted and provided with torches,
were g,lloplng In hot haste for the Mammoth
Cave.
UnnoceBaary here 10 narrate the journey OF
the long and Dagger search that followed Il.
Overcome by hunger, fear and fatigue. tho
two boys had fallen nslcop 70 eac. others
arms. They we're awakened by the loud
tnmplIng Of foot, and tho CLARA Of torches.
and when thcy rose In alarm from their hard
couch. tboy were caught In the arms Of tbeii
respective fathors.
IL need not DO added that after thls they
had no further desire for caye explorations
or that their ardor for army life was COOLED
6EoHaE r. bunNS.