In an unbroken line they would move forward, flatten
themselves upon the floor, then, with a unanimity that was remarkable,
they would wriggle backward, to repeat the same movement over again.
Holman pulled me away at last, and we retired to a point that made it
possible for us to converse in low whispers without being heard.
"What will we do?" he gasped. "I can't stay there any longer! I want to
get inside to the devil! I don't want to shoot him; I want to throttle
him with my two hands!"
"But the entrance to the cavern is from somewhere on the other side of
the hill," I remonstrated, as the young fellow raved about our
helplessness.
"We must get there!"
"Don't lose your head about it," I remarked. "Keep cool and we'll win
out in the long run."
It was useless to speak of patience to that boy at the moment. He clawed
desperately at the slippery wall in an endeavour to find a path that
would lead us to the opening on the other side by which Leith had made
his entry, but the attempt appeared to be madness. A dozen times the
youngster scrambled up rough portions that offered a slight footing, but
each time he slipped back bruised and battered.
Pages:
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171