On they plodded, up an incline that seemed to have no end.—Page 236.
“This is as far as I’ve ever been,” said the boy. “The passages beyond seemed to lead downward for part of the way, and it’s impossible to judge 237 which is the best to take. But I was of a mind to try that one on the right.”
“Well, I reckon as how the right ought to be right,” laughed Leroy. “If it ain’t, all we can do is to come back to here an’ try over again, eh?”
“We haven’t got time to waste in experimenting, Leroy. This is a serious business. We are liable now to be shot on sight.”
“An’ nobody knows thet better nor Dan Leroy, your humble servant. An’ if you say try one o’ the other passages, I’m jes’ as willin’.”
“No, we’ll take that on the right,” returned the youth, and started onward without further delay.
The passage was a crooked one, not over ten feet wide in any one part, and but little over the height of a man. At one place a great rock blocked the way, and over this they went on their hands and knees.
“Kind o’ a tight squeeze,” remarked Leroy. “If that rock war a bit bigger, we wouldn’t be able to git over it at all.”