There was little more than standing-room for them at this point. This standing-room, however, was level and comfortable. It was close to the fall, which proved even more magnificent from this side than from the other. The rocks were piled high and wonderfully poised, and the water fell from a lofty height and roared thunderously on the rocky bed in the deep basin below.
Both of the boys had a great desire to talk as they gazed on the beauty of this scenery, but the noise of the falls drowned out their voices. So they had to content themselves with gazing and pointing their fingers and nodding their heads eagerly. As they stood there they made a new and interesting discovery that caused them to forget their purpose in crossing the river.
At the near edge of the cataract the downpour of water was extremely thin, so that the boys could look behind. Hal’s notice was first to be attracted to this peculiarity. Soon he was standing as close to the fall as he could get with safety and was gazing wonderingly into a cavernous space beyond.
Observing his attitude, Frank stepped near and looked over his shoulder. Then Hal put his lips close to his companion’s ear and shouted:
“Bad, there’s a cave back there!”
Frank nodded understandingly, and Hal continued in the same manner as before:
“Do you see that thing on the floor of the cave? It looks like a leather bag. Maybe it’s the one we’re looking for.”
“It can’t be,” Frank shouted in Hal’s ear. “How would it get there?”
Kenyon pointed to a huge projecting rock just over their heads.
“It might have struck that and glanced off through the water,” he replied.