still pitch dark around them, Snap lit a match and set
fire to a dry bush. By the light, they saw they were in a hollow
that was not unlike a cave in the mountain. At their feet ran
the stream that had carried them forward, disappearing under some
overhanging rocks. On all sides were rocks and dirt, with here
and there a decayed tree root, showing that they were not very
far under the earth's surface.

"Here's an adventure," was Shep's comment. "We must be careful, or
we'll bring down that dirt above us and be buried alive."

"We are about buried alive now," said Giant. "I'd give a good bit
to be out of this hole."

Stepping from the brushwood, the boys made their way to the dirt and
rocks beyond. By this time each had a kind of a torch, so the place
was fairly well lighted.

Walking back a distance, they saw where the smoke curled to---through
the shaft down which they had fallen so unceremoniously. But the top
of the shaft was hidden from their view.

"I don't know how we are going to get up that," was Shep's comment,
after looking the ground over. "If we try it we may bring all
the dirt and rocks down on our heads."

"Just my idea of it," answered Snap. "Let us try to find some other
way out."

They walked back and forth in the cave and then, by common consent,
sat down on some flat rocks to consider the situation.

Nobody felt like joking, for all felt the seriousness of the
situation.

"That water must come to the surface somewhere," said Snap. "But
it may be a good distance from here."

As they were wet to the knees, one after another got down in the
stream and examined the rocks. Some thought they saw daylight under
the water beyond the rocks, but nobody was sure.

"If it wasn't so cold a fellow could take a dive and find out," said
Shep. "But I don't want a dive in such water as that," and the
others agreed with him.

It was noontime and Whopper suggested that they have something to eat.

"I am willing," said Snap. "But don't eat too much. There is no
telling how long we'll have to remain down here."

So they ate sparingly, and washed the meal down with water from the
underground stream, which was as pure as it was cold.

The afternoon was passed in looking around the cave. All they found
of interest were the bones of several wild animals.

"Perhaps they fell into this place and couldn't get out again,"
suggested Shep, gloomily.

Snap had obtained a long stick and with this