The sky cleared as they sat there, and it was difficult for them to realize that only a few hours before all nature seemed to be reeling and rocking and being turned upside-down in a vast convulsion.
Morning arrived, and after a good breakfast they cooked quite a lot of the venison, to carry along with them in their exploration of the promising cave back of the jaws of the wide fissure.
Next they fashioned a pile of inflammable torches by the aid of Lanky's handy little camp hatchet, which he always carried attached to his belt and had often found valuable for use in emergencies like the present.
"All ready, Frank! Let's get a move on!" announced the impatient one, as he bound a large share of the torches to his back, picked up his gun, and awaited the word to make the plunge.
One torch at a time was all they intended to use, since it would give enough illumination for their purpose and almost double the capacity of their stock in hand.
"Fills the bill like fun," announced Lanky, after Frank had succeeded in lighting a billet of dry wood, the flare really illuminating the walled-in space between the rocky barriers. "Now to find out if this is going to lead two plucky prospectors to the corn-crib where they'll get their fill."
As the boys proceeded it became evident the strange fissure in the side of the rocky mountain was but a "breathing space," as Lanky called it, for much more wonderful things hidden further in the underground depths.
Sometimes Frank held the blazing torch, and then when a fresh one happened to be needed it would be Lanky who gripped it.
Several times they feared they had come upon the end of the passage. In each instance, however, a fresh way to continue was found, even though it was necessary for them to get down flat and wriggle along in snake-like fashion.
"Huh! we'll remember this last crawl as 'Fat Man's Misery,'" Lanky granted, after negotiating the difficult place successfully.