“I’d give half of it now if we could get out of here,” said the major.
“Perhaps there is a way.”
It was Merritt who spoke.
“What makes you think so, my boy?”
“Why, while we’ve been standing here I’ve noticed a draught. Look at the lantern flames flicker in it. It comes from further down the passage. We might explore it, anyway.”
“I think so, too,” said the major, and followed by the others, still dazed by the sight of the hoarded fortune, he struck out into the darkness. For some distance the passage into which he had plunged was level. Then his feet encountered rough steps. Calling to the others to follow him the major mounted them.
Up and up they climbed, the wind blowing more freshly in their faces every instant. All at once, without any warning, the major emerged into the open air. He looked about him amazed. The others, as they joined him, heard his astonishment. They seemed to be on the summit of a small island in the midst of a sea of woods.
Gazing over the edge, they soon ascertained that they were at the summit of a high cone-shaped mass of rocks. The sides were steep as church walls, and offered no foothold.
All at once the explanation burst upon the major. “We are at the summit of Ruby Glow!” he cried.
Astonishing as it appeared, this was the truth. The professor regarded it as a proof of his theory that the place had been used as an Indian watch tower.