Show THE prospector AND BURRO 1 0 k by will C higgins without hardly waiting to relieve our hunger said the prospector to his burro we hastened back to the tunnel not even stopping at its portal to take a look at the petrified spaniard whose awe inspiring presence we well knew had been the means of 0 frightening away the hostile indians during their recent attack upon the blockhouse and also upon our retreat in the tunnel by this time we had become more and more mystified regarding the disappearance of art who only a few hours before had been lowered by jim and myself down the 20 foot from the tunnel level only to vanish from our sight a moment or so after he had secured his footing before descending ourselves to make further investigation we began a systematic search in the cabin for some hidden stairway leading to the depths below and also sounded the walls of the tunnel and tapped on the tunnel floor but without avail by this time we all began to experience an uncanny feeling as if something supernatural had had bad something to do with the disappearance of our friend it was then decided that we lower two of our party to the bottom of the and wished f for or a ladder that would make the way down easier and also make the ascent quickly in case a quick getaway get away was desirable but lacking a ladder at the time and time being precious from our viewpoint we tied one end of the rope under the arms of jenkins and slowly lowered him into the pit the distance was so small that jenkins had hardly landed before I 1 slid down the rope and stood by his side no mystery seemed to attach to our surroundings when we had in a measure recovered our eyesight and we could plainly see the entrance to the foot drift which w aich had been described in the parchment we had found clutched in the hand of the petrified man and we could not understand why art had vanished so suddenly from our sight after making a landing for we felt sure he would have told us something of what he saw before continuing investigations jen kins had not yet removed the rope from under his arms and to give more room I 1 stepped to one side not more than two or three feet hardly had I 1 faced around to assist him when I 1 felt my footing give way under me and almost before I 1 could utter a cry or a sound I 1 realized that I 1 had been precipitated to workings or cavities still further under ground and that a hidden trapdoor which must have been worked by an invisible spring had been the cause of my sudden separation from my companion my fall was not far however and aside from a few bruises I 1 was not seriously injured I 1 still held the lighted candle in my hand so that I 1 was not entirely in the dark looking up with the idea of ascertaining something of my surroundings I 1 was surprised to find that I 1 could not see the opening through which I 1 had made my way to so strange a place and it was evident to me that the door or cover to this secret place had automatically mati cally closed leaving me a prisoner in the same manner in which art had been tricked the thought of art caused me to discontinue investigations as to how I 1 happened to be in such a plight and so I 1 began to make a study of my environments evidently I 1 was in no immediate danger and this reassured me somewhat and investigation ti showed that I 1 had fallen upon a lot of soft dirt and almost facing a drift that led off into darkness near where I 1 reclined I 1 found arts coat for he had evidently taken it off in order to be more free in his efforts to escape I 1 also found the remnants of the lunch he had along with him so that I 1 knew he must be uninjured and determined to take his time in waiting for us to affect his escape I 1 half expected jenkins to discover the presence of the trapdoor and lend me some aid in my predicament but it soon became evident to me that he was unaware of the cause and manner of my disappearance I 1 shouted but my voice seemed hollow and lacking in penetrating power and finally I 1 concluded to make a search for art instead of trying to escape in order to follow out this idea continued the prospector there was but one course to follow and this was to proceed along the drift in the hope that I 1 might in some underground recess find my lost friend it was fortunate that I 1 had two or three candles with me for it would be hazardous to make my way along the drift in the inky dark for there might be pitfalls or hidden place of danger I 1 could see arts footprints on the floor of the drift which was covered with a coating of dust the accumulation of years going forward for about feet the drift began to lead downward on an incline the going was not difficult how however ever and within another hundred feet or more the drift changed its course to almost right angles intersecting another opening that appear appeared ed to be a working tunnel in order not to lose my proper course I 1 still followed along the trail art had made until I 1 came came to a broken ladder ladder up which from all indications art had made his way into a above it being evident that it had broken and fallen hway away just as he had made the ascent in safety not knowing what else to do I 1 called uli up the and was soon rewarded by receiving a feeble answer and in another moment art himself appeared at a point some fifty feet above me it was not difficult to converse and he soon informed me that after the ladder had given away under him he had managed to work his way up the until he came to a great cavern formed by miners of ancient days for here they had found a great ledge that was full of native gold some of which existed in slabs in the seams of the lode and in such quantity that the supply seemed to be inexhaustible art also told me that the upper workings seemed to extend some distance from the portions of the he had investigated but that a huge boulder fallen from the roof had blocked his way to further progress how to reach art was beginning to puzzle me he had his rope with him but it waa wa too short to reach me and the one I 1 possessed was not long enough to throw up to him he could not come down to me without danger of experiencing a perilous fall and as I 1 could not fly there seemed but little chance of my being able to reach his side it was while thus facing a seemingly hopeless proposition that I 1 had an inspiration for I 1 remembered suddenly that art at the time of his disappearance was wearing a heavy pair of woolen stockings calling to him I 1 directed that he unravel one of these and it was not long before one end of the yarn weighted down by a solid piece of gold in my pocket I 1 always had reached my grasp carried a skein of very strong string which I 1 fastened to the end of the yarn art then pulled up the slender thread until he had the stout twine in his hands to my end I 1 fastened one end of the rope and art quickly had the whole outfit in his possession it took but a few f ew minutes for him to splice the two ropes and we soon had a medium of access one to the other after some discussion it was decided that I 1 make the effort to go up to him this was a difficult undertaking for it is not easy to climb a rope a distance of fifty or sixty feet but once I 1 had cleared the tunnel where I 1 swung to and fro like a clock pendulum the ascent was easier as I 1 could brace my feet against the walls of the upraise and this assisted me greatly finally after making a great effort and breathing like a footracer I 1 was able to grasp arts extended hand and was soon drawn up to a place of safety after a few moments rest I 1 was all right again and became as much interested as art had been in his wonderful discovery for it exceeded all of my expectations As I 1 a matter of fact however it was not long before I 1 was thinking more of finding some ae avenue of escape than I 1 was of the wealth of a rockefeller in gold spread out before me and so we both began making a more thorough examination of our surroundings in the semidarkness semi darkness we carefully picked our way examining the walls and vainly trying to remove the boulder that blocked our way to further progress it was while thus engaged that I 1 felt something brush my face and instinctively reaching up my hand I 1 was surprised when I 1 found I 1 had grasped the end of a dangling rope which I 1 discovered later had been made from rawhide to test its strength I 1 rested my weight upon it then art joined me and we both swung upon it in order to determine its strength it was but a moment however before we heard a crash and then to our surprise great rocks came tumbling down almost upon us and when we had recovered from our consternation we looked up and were delighted to see clear daylight above us and we knew that there was more hope of our ultimate escape than we had calculated upon although we did not even consider then as to how we would finally reach the surface the incidents connected with our ultimate escape however I 1 will tell you when we converse again for this has been a long story and the sun has been down for an hour or more which means that it is time for us to hive in for the balance of the night 1 I want to tell you old long ears concluded the prospector such adventures as we all experienced during our sojourn in the old spanish mine would furnish the material for the writing of a wonderful romance for a book that would eclipse the writings of jules verne and there you are and then some |