The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-02

OF MS uedlD, lHouSu hS h~e ''N-
in which t. do so.
GOT n match out OF my bottle and
struck IL on the handle of my Jack-knite
and so liz the lantern. This showed US
not much, however. except our own "hlte
faces, though the Captain seemed not
much scared and soon began TO talk as
cheerfully as you please.
II we thrust our heads out OF our pig
eor-hole We got the spray. so we only
sat ard watched the flood go by. AT iirs'
IL had flashed upon me, what II 'he
lower part OF the cave fills up, then We
must or wn where we sit; but soon con-
cudsd there was small danger OF TINS.
We were chilled through with the water
and the cool air OF the cave, which was
always, as is ever the case with caves
a little too cool TO sit comfortably In,
though right esough for stirring about.
After two hours the flood began 10
lower. and in another hour there was on
~ small stream drizzling down the
dome. We left our things Cthe powder
in the gun and horn both spoiled by the
water / nthe hole and went out 10 look
about. our rope was washed down 10
the foot of the tunnel, and we co..ed u
up and placed 1t on "A ledge. though can
hardly tell why we did SO, as We had no
use for it, When We stood under the
dome and looked up we co uld see no
light. which. indeed, was TO be expected
as il was now past eight o'clock.
we can do nothing about getting out
tonight said the Captain. I'VE had
best stir about until we are warm and a
little drier. then lind a good bedroom ana
go to sleep. Time enough 10 get out TO-
morrow"
Yes | said. not yet being over my
fright. "there1l be time enough to-mor-
row. and for some days, but what about
the way TO get out, Captain
wen see. well see. my boy" he an
swered. There's more than one door to
this place. In fact. I'm thinking that's
only a sky-light anyhow
How long will the victuals last. Cap
tan?"
Two days. fun rations; four days. half
rations: a week, light rations."
But ] don't believe the candles VIII
last as long 1 said.
pretty early. Harry. Perhaps longer.
We won need TO keep a light nights, and
one candle is as good TO explore with as
two"
We took the basket and went down the
cave in the direction We had followed be-
fore. But the mud and water were eV-
erywhere. and We had TO go a long ways
before we found a good bedroom. as the
CAPTAIN called IT, We at last hit on a
room with a sandy floor and rounded
ceiling, ten or a dozen feet high. We
had to climb up somewhat to get into 1t.
which accounted for its dryness. The
floor was hollow, Ike a shallow bowl,
and looked as If it had once been small
lake. the water having dried up and left
the sand. There was a little crevice at
4. "a 81 nngl
which were a few stalactites. and pool
of clear water below which was sweet
and good We tramped around on the
sand till we were warm and shen lay
down for the night. I got to sleep at last,
and though ! woke up good many
times with the cold and strang eness,
sui felt pretty rested in the morning.
AS for the Captain. ne declared that he
had never slept better
We were a good deal pizzled in the
morning by a cei tain thing. and for many
days later. This was strange beating
sound which l heard. or felt. l could
scarce tell which. as / lay awake on the
sand in the morning while the Captain
was yet asleep. 1t was so faint as TO be
almost nothing. and often | lost II alto
gethcr When the Captain wakened /
told him of IL. al first he could not make
f. out but by laying his ear TO the wall,
where It was palmer ne did; but could
no more explain It than l. II seemed Ike
Il very dull and PARKWAY pounding, and
beat twenty or twenty-five times a min
ute by the Captains watch. We listen
ed long, but knew no more what II was
when we got through than when we be-
gan. When we went back under the
dome and looked up, We could see MOTH
ing OF the spot OF light. but this was no
mystery at all, as We knew the water
had again covered IL with sticks and
brush.
Now. though / never wrote anything
before except letters and such hke) /
am not foolish enough 20 try to describe
the terrible next six days which the Cap
tain and l passed through in that horrl-
BILE cave. Never did / know anything so
bad before nor since, and though the
Captain all the while tried 10 make light
Of II and kept referring darkly to worse
things which he had gone through when
following the deep sea. still ! know this,
that man may sail all the deep seas 10
the end OF his days-ay and take his
vacations I'm the desert, so 10 put 1t
and yet never find anything 50 bad.
These two monsters We fought night and
day, TO wit: Darkness and Hunger. and
what is worse? And ever the diving ana
turning crazy, squeakirg bats
SO I will say this only: That for these
six days we pushed cur way through
the darkness OF that caye-burbwed
our way through the darkness like moles
through the ground-searching for a way
out: and found none. Ii was well for US
that those bats were small; their Will
was good enough 10 destroy US; but they
squeaked at US and slid up and down on
the air. jerking themselves this way and
that through the rooms and tunnels!
Twenty times We shouted ourselves
hoarse Under the dome where we had
entered. our voices growing each day
weaker: twenty times We went through
the whole cave, the Captain day by day
dividing our stool. OF food smaller and
smaller; twenty times dt seemeD we
crawlod down into each hole and wrigglcd
up into each crack, every hour that We
could dmly look into each others faces
our candles growing shorter and the
matches IN my bottle fewer. TO this day
u makes my flesh creep 10 hear a bat
squeak, and vixen one dips at ne / al
ways dodge.
But have said enough land too much)
of this: on the nth day the last Of oar
victuals were gone. The candles we're
gone, too except for part of one. But IL
was nine o'clock by the Captains watch.
! and. IL we had not lost our reckoning.
night and not morning. so We dragged
ourselves 10 the bedroom. put out the
candle. carefully stood II in the sand and
| lay down TO sleep again. / think our
sleep was fevcrish and wakeful; [ know
| mine was; and 1 dreamed OF all manner
| Of things 20 eat, as / had for two nights