All these thoughts flashed through his mind while he ran on, intent on distancing his pursuer, who was close behind him. Fenn could hear the man’s footsteps. Once more the fellow shouted:
“Hey! Stop! You don’t know where you’re goin’!”
“I don’t, eh?” thought Fenn. “Well, I guess I do. I’m going to get away from you, that’s where I’m going.”
The dim light became plainer now. Fenn could see that it came through an opening in the cave; an opening that was close to the ground. Clearly then, this could not be the shaft down which he had come. He was puzzled, but he kept on.
He threw away the lantern, for he did not need it any longer to see where to go. Several other voices joined in the shouts of alarm, and in urging Fenn to stop. He did not answer but kept on.
“If I can once get outside they’ll not dare to carry me back,” the lad reasoned. “It’s only a little farther now.”
He was panting from the run, for the exertion, following his illness, and the experience he had gone through, was too much for him. He felt that he could go no farther. Yet he knew if he halted now the men would get him, and he feared for the consequences that might follow his attempt to escape.
“Oh, if only some of the boys were here!” was his almost despairing thought. “If ever I needed help I do now!”
The light was so good now that Fenn could distinguish the sides of the cave. He saw that he was running along a straight tunnel, quite high and wide, but which narrowed, like a funnel, as it approached the opening toward which he was speeding.
“I wonder if there’s room for me to get out?” he thought. “And I wonder where I’ll be when I get out?”