“Yes,” said Mr. Bruce, “the block would be of little use to us in this vast cavern without some better guide than its tracings.”
So the party began looking for the string of broken stone, and found it but a short distance from the body. From here on the cave widened, and the roof became too lofty to longer be in the rays of the torch. Monstrous stalactite formations hung from the ceiling, and tremendous stalagmite pillars reached from the floor into the darkness far overhead. These pillars were of fantastic shapes. Some were perfectly symmetrical, others irregular, but all were of wondrous beauty, their surfaces being covered with delicate tracery as fine as lace. On every hand could be heard the dropping of lime-water forming new pillars. Ages must have passed since this cave was cut out of the solid rock by the action of some subterranean sea, or by a weakening and wasting away of the lighter strata, or by some tremendous convulsion of nature, which, raising but the upper part of the mountain, had left this vast open space.
A little further on a halt was made for the midday meal, and after this had been partaken of, Harry and Enola walked a little apart from the others, and sat down on some of the broken stone to talk over their future plans.
“Harry,” said Enola, “I am a little slow in doing so, but I want to thank you for having saved me from the jaws of that fearful lion. While I was lying beneath the paw of that awful beast, I for one short moment wished that I had not come.”
“And what did you think I would do?” asked Harry.
“Just what you did do,” said Enola, “A brave man could not have done otherwise. But there are few brave men when it comes to a question of their own lives, or those of others. There must be no selfishness where bravery is to play a part, and it is this unselfishness that must be rewarded, and I can only do this by thanking you, and by telling you that I appreciate the brave act.”
“Let us forget that fearful moment,” said Harry. “It was little enough to do for a life-long friend, and I would do the same thing over again a thousand times if the opportunities should offer.”
“Let us hope that they will not,” said Enola.
“It is hard to tell in this strange country,” said Harry.
At this moment, they heard a loud shout to the right. They could see their friends rushing in the direction of the sounds, and Enola and Harry hurried to join them. Nellie was standing wringing her hands and trying to explain how she and Mr. Bruce were walking along leisurely, when he suddenly dropped out of sight, the torch being extinguished leaving her in utter darkness. She had called to him, but receiving no answer, had shouted for the others, whom she could just see in the torchlight some distance from her. Taking torches they went to where Mr. Bruce had so mysteriously disappeared, calling to him constantly. They proceeded carefully for fear of falling into the same pit; and it was well that they did so, for before them, gaping as if anxious to swallow up the whole party, was an abyss opening into the very bowels of the earth. They leaned far over the edge and peered into the darkness, calling, but no answer came to them, and they felt assured that Mr. Bruce was lost.