“Some one has tried it,” said Charley; “probably the pool is a regular hangout for this particular Plesiosaurus. There must be some connection with the underground river and the lake. I believe the scheme was to make a slip noose, drop it around old P. D.’s neck and tie him up to the post here until such time as some means could be found of getting him out.”
“It would never work,” said Doctor Dan.
“I’m not so sure,” said Dick. “We might succeed in tying him, anyway, and keeping him here in the pool till we could get help.”
“Let’s try it, Dick,” said Charley, eagerly. “I go in for it.”
“I think it might be done,” said Clara. “What a strange looking creature it is to be sure! Anyone could make their fortune by exhibiting it in the States.”
“It will never be exhibited if we succeed in snaring it,” said Dick. “It belongs to the Smithsonian the moment it comes into our hands.”
“What do you say, doctor?” he added. “Shall we try it on?”
“I’m at your service, boys,” replied the Indian. “I can throw a lasso as well as any man alive and I think I ought to be able to drop a noose around that fellow’s neck, but, before we begin I think we had better see how we are going to get out of here. I want to take a look over these rocks.”
“There’s a trail down the mountain—pretty steep, but still a trail,” declared Charley.
One glance showed them that he was right. The trail was indeed steep and it had a strangely smooth and worn appearance, especially at a point where there was a break in the rocks and where it seemed to begin.