"Speaking of goats is most appropriate on a cattle ranch," laughed Nort, and the spirits of all the lads were lighter now. "But let's keep on to the end for which we started!"
This was agreed to and, after waiting a little while to make sure that the waters were not again going to rise, away started the boy ranchers. They were traveling lighter now, for they only had one lantern, and no food to carry.
The remainder of the tunnel was as the first part had been—a great, uneven tube through the mountain, twisting and turning here and there, sometimes the roof being so high that it did not show in the swinging lantern-light, and again being low enough, almost, for the boys to touch.
On all sides was evidence that the flood had been here, as it had been at the place where the boys took refuge. Now and then they came to deep pools, which they had to skirt, and, in one case, leap over.
Suddenly, as they were walking along, the lantern which Bud was carrying went out, leaving them in pitch blackness!
"Hello! What's the idea?" asked Nort.
"Did you do it on purpose?" asked Dick.
"Why, no, of course not!" asserted Bud. "The oil must be gone, though I filled it before we started, and it ought to have burned longer than this."
"Whew! This is tough!" bemoaned Nort. "Left in the dark!"
"Not altogether!" exclaimed Bud. "I brought some candles!"