“A lucky escape!” cried Frank, “but where in the world are we, Barney? I saw nothing of any elevation when we camped last night.”
“Shure, sor, we’ve cum a good ways,” declared Barney.
“We must have. Is this the base of some high hill, or——”
“Shure it’s in a canyon I think we are, sor!” cried Barney. “Don’t yez see that there be walls all about av us?”
“You’re right!” cried Frank, as the rapidly growing dawn began to make the vicinity clear.
Then the voyagers were treated to a genuine surprise party as the vicinity became quite plain.
They were in what seemed like a mighty amphitheater fully two miles in circumference, hemmed in with precipitous cliffs in almost a complete circle.
Where the circle was broken was visible the entrance to this peculiar amphitheater.
Through this, by a singular chance, the Steam Horse had entered.
Frank understood the situation at a glance.