in
its terrific plunge.

"Both boys were satisfied that it was only a matter of time before the
gaping crevices showing on the side towards the gold mine, would widen
and the top-mass begin to move. It was impossible to say whether a slide
would happen on the cave-side or roll down one of the gulleys on either
side of the mine. But the two of them made up their minds that everyone
must move from the camp without delay, and seek safety.

"Orders were given to strike camp at once, and the men worked all night,
packing away outfits and tools, and such machinery as could be moved
inside the cave. Then the mouth was closed against winter storms, and
they started, on their horses, to ride along Top Notch Trail, on the down
trip.

"It was almost noon when they left the mine, and by two o'clock they
halted on one of the crests to cook dinner. The horses were hobbled where
a patch of Buffalo grass provided good pastureage, and Rattlesnake Mike
started a fire to cook the meal. Tom and John got out their tackle to
catch a few trout, when a fearful roll of thunder sounded along the
crest.

"'She come down, pooty queeck!' exclaimed Mike, startled out of his usual
calmness.

"'Do you mean Old Grizzly?' Tom asked him.

"But before he could reply, there was such a crash and roar, and the
whole ground shook under their feet as if an earthquake had caused it.
Everyone stood aghast looking at what had been snow-capped Grizzly but a
moment before. So astonished were the men that they couldn't speak.

"The roar and tumult continued so seemingly close at hand, that the men
ran for their horses, and would have ridden down the trail had not Mike
laughed and applied a match to the kindling, just as if nothing was
happening above them on Grizzly Slide. It instantly quieted the fears of
the others, and they turned again to wait for further events.

"Tom Latimer says, that what caused such a panicky feeling in them all,
was the fact that one moment they had seen the glistening cap of Old
Grizzly, and the next, it was gone, and a great cloud of flying white
particles hid the scene for a time.

"The terrific detonation they heard immediately after the peak's snow-cap
rolled down the mountain-side, was caused by the mass of rock, ice, snow
and general debris, striking the ground below. How far it fell before
striking, they could not say, but Mike claims it must have been hurtled,
from the peak of Grizzly, to the great gulch that runs along