The times., 1898-01-16

Said?" asked. -
Very little. though once I thought
caught my own name If so they rec
ognized me: and am sure heard them
for us, but / don't think it will do them
much good. Ie ~
When at last Dauphin awoke Of
clear conscience makes Sound sleep
then must this greatx rogue have felt
innocent as a babe) we Had what we
called breakfast, being SOME six mouth
fuls of fish apiece.
1--WE have" said the Captain, fish
enough to make three more meals like
this, or maybe the last one may be
little lighter"
'Will the torches last as long?" /
asked.
Il think longer by burning no more
than one at a time" he answered.
And what then. Cap'n- tell us what
them" said Dauphin.
Then Wen see," returned the Cap
tain, in no way excited Il think we
had best wait here a few hours and
then make another trip to Sink Hole
Dome. II can do no HARM as | think
there is little danger of those fellows
finding their way up the Gopher Hole
This trip was accordingly made, but
with no more to show for it than usual
We found the throbbing stronger than
ever and filing the whole cave so that
you might hear it, or feel IL, whichever
it was, for half mile. while in the
Bedroom itself 1t was as if giant was
knocking on the wall with a stone ham
mer as big as q house. Still, we knew
no more what it could be, and Dauphin
was so terror-stricken that he vowed
we should never get him in that part
of the cave again.
Once back we felt that it was time
to sleep again. and the Captain and l
stood watch as before, but with moth
ing at ala happening. After breakfast
in the morning Gil Dauphin fell to
abusing London, as was his way about
every so often. By-and-by the Captain
told him that he had talked quite
enough on that subject. when ne wound
up doggedly by saying that he wished
he only had a gun and he would creep
down and blow out the fellows
brains;" whereupon l remarked, more
as joke than other wise. that, we
had good gun for the purpose and
perhaps the Captain would lend it."
You got a gum" he exclaimed. Il
never heard tell of it. Where is it?"
''At the Trap Door" ! answered,
but it isn't of any usc as we have no
powder.
At this Dauphin clapped his hand in
his pocket and brought out a small
copper flask and said: I've got pow
der in this here. and caps, too. 1 car
ried it for my Understanding
thereby his pistols-"but / amt got
any bullets"
The Captain here pricked up his ears
and took the flask. Are you sure it
is dry" he asked.
Yes. | am that. Cap.n. | sealed it
up with melted candle taller. and the
caps, too. They took my Barkers away
before they throwed me down the pit,
but l had the flask in my pocket"
Then think we can load the gum
said the Captain. We have only bird
shot. but we can make other | doubt
not if we put our minds to ii"
Dauphin and | set off after the gun,
and were no longer than need be in
fetching it. The CaptaiII then led us
back somewhat tor place under q
small dome. where we built fire with
our wood beside little pool of water;
and what did he then do but make
large shot out of the small like this:
On the fire he placed a stone with a
slight hollow in the top: In this he
put a handful of oIir fine shot, and
when it was melted he took a small
stick and with the end spattered the
soft lead into the pool Of water. where
il hardened into shots of all sizes,
though most of it was large. Dauphin
and / could not help speaking our ad-
miration of the skill with which he did
it, for all the world as if he had always
turned out bullets that way; but the
CAPTAIN made no more of ii than if
he had been clipping his fingernails,
and went ahead and loaded the gun,
putting in a good charge | watched
all with great glee. though if | could
have forSeen what was to be ! think
| should have snatched the gun out of
his hands: which shows how little we
poor creatures know of anything III
store for us.
When the Captain had done he
laughed. as he looked along the barrel
and said:
Harry. if you ever shoot this gun
aim low, because the barrel is bent up
an eighth or a quarter of an inch by
our using it for a crowbar at the Trap
Door"
Just let me carry it, Cap'n. will you
and I'll aim low enough. so l will
cried Dauphin. II could shoot that Ike
London with rams horn, if it was
loaded
Harry or l will carry the gum an
swered the Captain. quietly There
"
it be in self defense, +" at which Dauphin
looked pretty sullen, as you may guess
We went back to the Robins Nest
and in a short time the Captain said:
Something has got to be done and that
soon There is no more than enough
fish for one more meal, and the torch
sticks are Weir gone. We have heard
nothing of the gang for some hours
now. and perhaps they have gone back
to their own cave. | think l had best
go down and scout about a little.
He accordingly set off, taking the gun
with him and going by way of the
Gopher Hole. Dauphin and | stayed at
the Nest, and in darkness though the
Goals of the shot fire were carefully
covered lest the Captain should come !
back with his torch ont. 1t was very
we'll for us that we were left in the
dark too.
1t had been what seemed like two
hours, with us sitting there in the bot |
tom of the Robins Nest like young |
birds when there was a faint gleam |
of light on the roof through hole just |
above the rim of the nest. There |
comes the Captain L said to Dauphin, |
and we crept up and then down the |
passage to welcome him. We We're al |
most to the mouth of this. when the |
light shone through the room ahead |
and I thought it was too bright for
one torch. I seized Dauphin's arm and
whispered to him to stop. Then we !
heard voices and back we went and |
curled UP in the bgttorh of the nest |
among some rocks. r. 49,,
The voices came nearer, and | knew |
they were those of the outlaws. We |
lay there scared (and quieD, as young |
birds when a hawk is about We could
soon tell that they We're looking every |