By the light of the candles they had brought with them the Seven gazed around. The place looked just the same as usual. There was a long dark vista stretching away in the distance, and gradually receding into darkness. And there were walls sculptured with deep indentations and long passages that crept away from the light.
Altogether it was a very weird and awe-inspiring place, and as a general thing one did not feel like making much noise in it, especially since there were so many echoes to disturb.
“Everything seems to be just where we left it since the night we hazed Bull Harris here,” laughed Mark. “Poor Bull was about scared blue that day.”
“An’ thar’s the shovel the Parson dug his treasure with,” chuckled Texas. “What air we agoin’ to do now?”
“Bury these clothes for the first thing,” was the answer. “Then I can breathe freely again.”
This task was soon accomplished, and then Mark sat down in one of the chairs—for the counterfeiters had furnished their cave.
“I’m thinking,” observed Mark, meditatively, “that we might have a good deal of fun exploring all the passages and dark places in this cave. Who knows what we might find?”
“Whoop!” cried Texas, springing up in excitement. “Sho’ enough! We might find a new entrance!”
“Yes, and we might find some deuced pitfalls, ye know, bah Jove!” observed Chauncey.
“Or bears, b’gee!” chuckled Dewey.