Harry brought a coil of fine silk rope, and fastening one end to a stalagmite, prepared to descend into the darkness. Sedai pushed him gently aside, however, and taking one of the torches between his teeth, he let himself down. Down, down he went, until he could see a black torrent rushing madly through the crevice. He saw a rock near him, and swung so as to land upon it. He could see but a few feet about him and Mr. Bruce was nowhere visible. He called again and again, and once he thought he heard a faint answer. He grasped the rope and jumped into the stream and let it bear him down until, clinging to a jagged rock he saw Mr. Bruce. He swung toward him, and catching him under the arms, began working his way back. This was tedious work, and would have been an impossibility to a man not endowed with Sedai’s herculean strength, but happily Sedai was equal to the task and soon had Mr. Bruce on the rock. He gave the signal to those above, and tying the rope under Mr. Bruce’s arms, he was pulled to the surface. The rope came falling back, and Sedai, hand over hand, rejoined his companions. It took some time to restore Mr. Bruce to consciousness, but he was finally brought around.
After he became stronger he said that he had fallen head first, but hearing a rush of waters, he clasped his hands above his head in the manner of divers, and thus broke the blow which his head otherwise would have sustained. He had gone down a hundred feet he thought, but had then began to rise again, and reaching the surface he had grasped the first object which his hand came in contact with, which proved to be the rock upon which Sedai had found him. Then he saw Sedai coming and lost consciousness. The party moved no farther that day but on the following morning they took up the journey with renewed vigor.
They had but one fear, and that was as to the possibility of their finding a door when they had reached the other side of the cavern. This did not worry them a great deal, for the path laid out for them to follow both by the broken stones and the tracings on the block of wood, led to one point and this would undoubtedly be near the stone door, but the secret of the spring had not been learned, and they might have trouble in finding it.
CHAPTER IV.
DEATH FACES THEM.
The next morning they had gone but a short distance when they came to a vast inland lake. The bridge mentioned in the manuscript stood before them, and mounting this they startled to cross the lake. They had followed this about four miles when they came to a break in the solid masonry. The hole was fully eight feet wide, and it was a serious question as to how they were to get to the opposite side; but Sedai offered to tie the rope to his arm and leap across. The end of the rope could be fastened and the ladies and Mr. Graham could cross over, while Mr. Bruce and Harry could make the leap as did Sedai.
This Sedai did, and fastening one end of the rope to one of the huge stones, which had evidently come from the break, Mr. Bruce and Harry held the other end, and Mrs. Graham and Enola worked their way slowly across. Nellie then grasped the rope and was half way over, when a terrible commotion was heard near the bridge, and a spout of water was sent thirty feet into the air. The whole party was deluged; the torches were put out, and when their first surprise was over, they saw with horror that Nellie had loosened her hold on the rope and had dropped into the water. Hastily relighting the torches, they saw Nellie disappearing in the swift current. It took but a second for Mr. Bruce to throw off his jacket and plunge in after her. He hoped by the help the current and his long easy strokes to overtake her. He could just see her above the surface of the water about one hundred yards ahead of him, evidently fast giving out. He strained every nerve, put forth every effort, resorted to every means to force himself through the water, and he could see that he was gaining slowly. He called to her to keep her hands and feet moving and to keep up courage. He could see her beating the water making frantic efforts to keep afloat, but her struggles were becoming weaker and weaker, and at last they ceased altogether and she began to sink when he was only a few feet away. Making one grand final effort he caught her by the hair just as she was sinking beneath the surface.
Grasping her about the waist, and holding her head above the water with one arm, he tried to swim out of the current. This was a hard task, but he was an excellent swimmer, and nearly succeeded. But the struggle was an unequal one and having but one hand to use, he soon found that the current was getting the better of him. He now threw Nellie over his shoulder and grasping her dress between his teeth, he in this way gained the use of both hands, and soon made his way into more quiet water. Turning he saw the flickering torches far in the distance, but close at hand were two round balls that shone like fire. The water was terribly agitated and he soon found himself struggling against waves like those thrown up by the paddles of a steamboat.
Nearer and nearer came those fearful eyes, and Mr. Bruce thought all was lost. Happily for Nellie she had fainted, so she was spared the terror of this new danger. Mr. Bruce was not one to give up, however, as long as there was a shadow of a hope, and he was thinking hard to devise a means to escape this monster. Those eyes were nearing him, and in an instant he would feel the hot breath in his face. Down he sank holding Nellie about the waist. Rising to the surface again he started for the lights. He was afraid to look back for fear of seeing those fearful eyes following him. Larger and larger grew the lights, nearer and nearer he came to his friends. His strength was fast failing but he must not give up when so near to those who could rescue them. A few strokes more and he was in the radius of the torchlight, and a shout of encouragement from his friends greeted him. This seemed to rouse Nellie for she gave a long sigh.
“Throw your arms about my neck and hold on for your life,” said Mr. Bruce, and Nellie having done this it left his mouth free, and he breathed with greater ease.
“Look behind you,” called Mr. Graham, and looking over his shoulder, he saw those awful eyes again, with the huge black body, following them. He turned and faced the monster again, just as it was opening its cavernous jaws. Once more he sank bidding Nellie to hold her breath. The huge mass passed over him, and coming to the surface he saw the great black body going straight ahead at a fearful speed. The serpent made a big circle and then turned and came toward them again. Mr. Bruce was nearly exhausted and felt that he could not risk again that terrible plunge under the passing monster, and still have strength to reach the pier. He could see Harry and Sedai preparing to swim to them, and knew that Nellie and he were safe if the terrible serpent did not make another charge on them. Sedai now came towards them holding a flaming torch. Back of them but a few yards could be seen the sea monster again making for them. They were fast nearing the bridge. The rope was thrown to them and Mr. Bruce fastening this around Nellie’s body, she was pulled out of the water. It was then thrown to Mr. Bruce and Sedai, just as the terrible monster opened his jaws. Sedai thrust his blazing torch into the creature’s mouth, and then with Mr. Bruce, hurried hand over hand up the rope.