It fell
straight down and flared up showing the rocky sides of the pit, then
suddenly it "sh-isshed" in water and all was dark once more.
The girls then wormed their way back to the gold cave (as they termed
it) and sought for nuggets in the dust and dirt of ages that covered
the rocky floor. Eleanor found a few pieces the size of walnuts and
Polly secured a handful of small bits.
"How can we tie them up if we have to crawl back?" asked Eleanor.
"Got a handkerchief?"
"No, I gave it to Bob out of meanness," laughed Eleanor.
"Hum! Well, we might put them in our middy blouses, only we take a
chance of losing them in squirming back through that tunnel," remarked
Polly.
"I've heard of folks smuggling things in their shoes."
"I have it! Take off our shoes and put the nuggets in, then tie the
shoe-strings tightly about the top and fasten them about our necks!"
exclaimed Polly.
This being a good plan, both girls soon had their precious ore well-
tied in their mountain boots, and were ready to proceed. As the two
discoverers neared the cave where the others were, Polly shouted
excitedly, and Eleanor joined in the clamor.
Anne and Barbara had become so frightened at the prolonged absence of
the two girls that Anne was about to crawl in to find them, while
Barbara realized how much she really loved her younger sister. The
moment they heard the awful sounds issuing from the tunnel, however,
they were certain a wild beast had attacked them and the victims were
fighting a way out.
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