of the shaft.

The sound was pleasant to the Kentuckian's ear, for it was not the hard
metallic ring given out by quartz or granite. On the contrary, the
steel struck against it with a dull, dead echo, and he could feel that
the point of the knife easily impinged upon it.

"Sandstone," he said; "or something that'll serve our purpose equally as
well. Yes, Walt, there's a good chance for us to get out of this ugly
prison; so keep up your heart, comrade. It may cost us a couple of
days' quarrying. Perhaps all the better for that; the Indians are
pretty sure to keep about the waggons for a day or so. They'll find
enough there to amuse them. Our work will depend a good deal on what
sort of a stone they've rolled over the hole. You remember what size
the boulder was?"

"'Twas a largish pebble; looked to me at least ten feet every way. It
sort o' serprised me how the skunks ked a budged it. I reck'n 'twar on
a coggle, an' rolled eezy. It must ha' tuk the hul clanjamfry o' them."

"If we only knew the right edge to begin at. For that we must go by
guess-work. Well, we mustn't lose time, but set about our stone-cutting
at once. Every hour will be taking the strength out of us. I only came
down for the bowie to make a beginning. I'll make trial at it first,
and then we can take turn and turn about."

Provided with his knife, the Kentuckian again climbed up; and soon after
the guide heard a crinkling sound, succeeded by the rattling of pieces
of rock, as they got detached and came showering down.

To save his crown, now uncovered by the loss of both kerchief and cap,
he crept back into the alcove that had originally protected them from
the stones cast in by the Indians. Along with the splinters something
else came past Walt's face, making a soft, rustling sound; it had a
smell also that told what it was--the "cussed stink-weed."

From the falling fragments, their size and number, he could tell that
his comrade was making good way.

Walt longed to relieve him at his work, and called up a request to this
end; but Hamersley returned a refusal, speaking in a cautious tone, lest
his voice might be borne out to the ear of some savage still lingering
near.

For over an hour Wilder waited below, now and then casting impatient
glances upward. They were only mechanical; for, of course, he could see
nothing. But they were anxious withal; for the success of his comrade's
scheme was yet problematical.

With suffi