“Well! we’ve got no business to ask questions,” declared Chet quickly, before his chum could say anything to anger John Peep. “We’re sure obliged to you for showing us this place.”
“Come on, Dig. I bet this leads down to the very tunnel from the Crayton shaft that father spoke about. Oh, my! if it enables us to get into the Silent Sue and get father and the boys out—”
“All right. Lead ahead,” interrupted Dig. “I’m game if you are.”
CHAPTER VI—IN THE OLD TUNNEL
The lame Indian youth had no idea of giving up the leadership of the expedition. He grunted, and pushed Chet’s hand away when the white boy reached to take the rudely-made lantern by its bail.
“Me go first,” he said with confidence, and immediately swung himself over the edge of the rock.
In spite of his crippled leg, John Peep went down the rough rocks quickly, clinging with one hand to the knotted rope, the bail of the lantern swung over his other arm.
“He must have been often down this shaft,” thought Chet to himself; but said nothing to Dig Fordham. He only wondered why the Indian had often descended this shaft into the heart of the mountain.
John Peep raised his face and spoke from the depths:
“Havens follow—’bout ten yards; then other white boy come ten yards further back. Rope plenty strong.”