you climb up?"

There was no answer for some seconds, and then the American said, in a
peculiarly husky voice--

"Coming up. Haul steady."

Three pairs of hands were at the rope now, and their owners exchanged
glances as they kept up a steady strain, feeling that Griggs was trying
to climb, but jerking the line again and again as if his efforts
resulted in a series of slips. After the last the adventurer's efforts
seemed to be so feeble that the haulers kept on steadily gathering in
the rope hand over hand, till Griggs' hands came within reach, when
Chris and Ned each seized one to give the final tug which drew him over
the edge of the hole and right away to a level spot, where he sank down,
apparently quite exhausted, and with a peculiarly strained look about
his eyes.

"Feel overdone?" said the doctor.

"A little, sir," was the faint reply. "Can you give me a drop of the
water?"

This was quickly obtained, and the poor fellow swallowed it with
difficulty, and then seemed to revive a little, while the doctor, who
looked anxious, held one of his hands.

"Better now," panted Griggs. "That's beautiful water, cold and sweet;
but I should have to be very bad before I dared go down to get any more.
I didn't know I was such a cur."

"I felt that it was too much for a man to do, Griggs," said the doctor
quietly.

"So did I, sir," was the feeble reply; "but it had to be done, and I
thought I could make a better finish out of the job. I say, nice
example to set you two lads. It has made me feel as weak as a rat.
Ugh! It was very horrid when that stone gave way. I thought I was
gone."

"It was horrible!" said the doctor. "There, you succeeded; now don't
think any more about it."

"Can't help it, sir. I feel as if I must. I say, I hope that the
people who lived here didn't all disappear down that hole and never come
up again."

"It has quite unnerved you, Griggs," said the doctor kindly.

"I don't know about that, sir, but it has made me feel that I daren't go
down that place again, even if it was to save my life. There, I'm sorry
I made such an exhibition of myself. I did try to be plucky; but that
place below there, with the water trying to sweep you off into the black
darkness and the end, was too much for me. I believe I nearly lost my
senses once. Well," he cried, half-fiercely, after a short pause,
during which he looked keenly at first one and then the other of the
boys, "you've both got th