“Hark!” cried Larry, coming to a halt. “What is that, somebody calling?”
They listened, and from a distance ahead made out a low murmur of some kind. “It’s water 238 running over the rocks,” cried Leroy. “I hope it’s a river leading to the outer world.”
“Oh, so do I!” ejaculated the boy, and both started onward eagerly. Long before the fall of water was gained they found themselves splashing in an underground stream up to their ankles. The waterfall was underground, coming from the rocks overhead and running into the stream, which, in turn, sank out of sight some distance further on.
“Nothing in that,” muttered Leroy, his face falling.
Nevertheless, they stopped for a drink, for the tramp through the caves had made them thirsty. The old sailor held the torch, while Larry carried the kettle. It was well that the top of the kettle was on tight, otherwise the contents would have been spilled long before this.
Beyond the waterfall the cave opened out once more in fan shape, the roof running upward to a high arch, from which hung stupendous stalactites of white and brown. Here the water dripped down in the form of a fine rain.
“We’re in a shower, lad, even though we are underground,” remarked Leroy. “I must say I hope this don’t last. If it does, we’ll soon be wet 239 to the skin.” The vaulted cave soon came to an end, however, and now they found themselves in an opening cut up into a hundred different chambers, like a coal mine supported by arches. Each looked at the other in perplexity.
“We can easily miss the way here,” said Larry, soberly. “We had better lay out a course and stick to it.”
“Right you are, lad.” Leroy pointed with his hand. “This seems as good a trail as any. Shall we follow it?”
“Yes.” And forward it was again. Presently they came to another chamber, and here the slope was again upward, much to their satisfaction. “If we keep on going upward, we are bound to get out at the top, sometime,” was the way Larry calculated.