From the innermost recess of his pockets, Harry drew out his match-safe, and for a wonder, found that it had done what it was warranted to do, that is, preserved the lucifers from dampness.
One of these was drawn against the dry rock beneath their feet, and, as it grew into a flickering flame, he held it above his head, and the two lads looked about them with no little curiosity.
This temporary twinkling of light seemed to make the gloom more terrible and impressive. In the hasty glance that they cast around, they saw the roof of the cavern composed of enormous masses of rock, black, jagged and awful, while before and around them the terrible sight stretched away, further than the eye could penetrate.
As soon as the match expired, Harry lit another, and continued this until he had burned a dozen and blistered his thumb and fingers. During this interesting period also, seeing that the ground was unobstructed in front, they advanced fully a hundred yards—only to see, however, no termination to the cavern, whose immensity Harry declared as his belief, exceeded that of the pride and boast of Kentucky. The floor over which they walked, in places was dry as dust, again gravelly, and then again hard, dry rock. In no direction in which they looked, and they included every point of the compass—could they see any limit to the wonderful freak of nature.
It looked, indeed, as if they were on the outer boundary of one of those subterranean wonders which are found in different parts of our country, and that are unequaled in any portion of the world.
The sound of the waterfall came to their ears, with a faint murmur that was scarcely audible, and that caused them to forget all about it for the time.
The excitement of exploring the cavern gradually wore away under the monotony of traversing the gloom continually without meeting any obstruction or variety of any character.
“If we had a wheelbarrow load of provisions,” said Harry, “we might keep this up for a week or two; but the fact is I am getting tired. How is it with you, Little Rifle?”
“I have had enough of it; how long is it since we left the falls?”
“I should think a couple of hours; we have come a good ways too.”