Jack and His Seven Foes — page 168: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“ih. ; iy A is bits + ¥¥ ral a iv ev hy B), fs hy i ‘ We we 7 ed oer : rie * -. a a pe ae _— a Oe 7 Pr’ ~j é ha ere a Digerati, Ne i oe U re eee PACK EA YD HIS SE vi yo FO ‘OFS. Ae mac ty —_ a He'll go, in spite But ac felt, and all there felt, ast , ™ i ace 1 sat to t a gttrg mn f us.” vengeance would be but a poor satisfac: “We will avenge him,’’ groaned | tion for the loss of one whowassobrave Ralph. and true. coum 4 vA NN «| (ae | CHAPTER LXIV. Ne THE UNDERGROUND CAVES—WONDERS OF NATURE—A PERILOUS LEAP, AND a ) DANGER LOOMING IN THE DISTANCE. ae if hf A Few moments of suspense followed, but no shot was heard. Then Jack’s voice came out of the cave with a hollow reverberation. ““Come here, Jacob.” _ Sturmby was already on his knees ready to follow his leader, and he crept in. At first he could only see a great ‘blank before him, but he could “hear Jack. “This is no common cave. It seems as if the very mountain was hollow. Listen.” Both remained quite still, and Jack’s voice could be heard echoing and re- echoing far away. “We've got job before us,”’ whispered Jacob. “TI reckona hundred men could hide here.”’ “Where they can go we can go,” replied Jack; “but we can do nothing without a light.” “ By what chance these skunks came on this place,” muttered Jacob, as they crept out again, “‘is a mystery to me. Seems as if they were to escape.”’ _ “Fear not,’ rephed Jack; “they will not escape me.” _ Their reappearance, unharmed, and without any signs of the foe, caused un- bounded astonishment among the others. When Jack had briefly described the eave as he found it, Harold Deane said— “JT am not surprised. The whole country bears witness of ancient volcanic activity. Occasionally we have heard rumblings on cloudless days, and charged them to distant storms.” “‘There’s a mountain about sixteen miles north,” said Ralph, “that I’ve felt heave up at times just as if a giant was under it trying to lift it; and there’s been sounds like the growling of beasts. i heard ’em about six months ago, when I crossed it.” a a “Well,” said Jack, “we must see what volcanic action has done for this mountain. Who volunteers to explore it with me?” They were all ready, and he chose Deane and Martin. These two, with Sturmby and Ralph, he deemed sufli- cient. Then came the question as to torches, and it was remembered by Martin that there were some broken tar-barrels in the settlement, and plenty of old rope. ‘All that is required,” said Jack. ‘“T would suggest some provisions,” said Deane. “Do youthink that will be necessary?” “Tdo. I have heard of people losing their way in subterranean passages and starving to death.”’ “Do you think this cave is of that extent ?”’ “Tt might be so. Who can tell? The whole mountain may be hollow.” “In that. case,” said Martin, “we have a pretty game of hide-and-seek before us.” It was not necessary for all to go down to the settlement for what was required, but 1t was necessary to keep watch over the mouth of the cave; the latter duty Jack deputed to Jacob and Talph. He himself accompanied Deane and Martin to the settlement to get what they needed, for there was wisdom and forethought in Deane’s words, as he afterwards discovered. Some hours were consumed in the journey to and fro, and in the pre- parations. By the time Jack was ready to re enter the cave, afternoon had arrived. To some of the men of Silver Settle- ment was left the task of guarding the exit from the cave, with express in- im Gomiilcsdoo S (E(©)