Every one of them drove their horses into the passages, and were instantly swallowed up by the gloom.
Jack cut out the current and put on the brakes.
"They're gone. That settles it. We can't follow them into those narrow passages!" he exclaimed. "Let's destroy this place and go out!"
He procured several of the hand grenades, to which binding screws were attached, planted them in niches in the walls, joined them in series by copper wires, and from the two end ones ran two lead wires to the dynamo.
Jack ran the stage out into the gulch.
There he turned a current of electricity into the wires, the bombs were burst, and the cave was blown up.
It was completely wrecked.
The roof fell in, the walls caved in, the passages were choked up with debris, and it was rendered utterly useless as a place of resort again for the outlaws.
Jack sent the stage dashing through the gulch.
It emerged into a valley through which ran a stream which wound in and out among the hills.