CHAPTER XX.

A STARTLING DISCOVERY.

Buzzard Burrnock quickly entered one of the dark recesses of the cavern, returning a moment later with a coil of rope on his arm.

"Make a loop in one end," commanded the elder Burrnock. "Be lively, too, fer we don't want to fool with him hyur all day."

When the rope had been arranged to their satisfaction, the noose was slipped over Little Snap's shoulders, so the cord encircled his body under the arms.

"Drag him to th' pit!" cried the leader. "Reckon a leetle consideration there'll take th' starch out'n him."

Buzzard Burrnock and Hawk seized hold of the postboy, one on either side, and half dragging him, he was swiftly taken along a winding passage leading from the underground room, until the sharp voice of Bird Burrnock ordered a halt.

"Swing forward th' torch so's he can see wot's ahead," said the chief, when Little Snap saw to his horror that he stood at the brink of a huge fissure in the rock.

"'Tis bottomless, es fur es we know. At enny rate, it's deep 'nough to send you into eternity. Now, boys, lower him over th' hole, an' let him down till he says he's willin' to agree to our terms. Hev it over es quick es possible."

"Look here!" exclaimed the postboy; "if you are in such haste and time is so valuable to you, I will tell you how you can save this delay. You waste time in thinking you can make me agree to your terms. My answer was final."

The outlaw waved his hand impatiently, when his followers pushed Little Snap over the edge of the abyss, so he dangled from the rope held in their hands.

"Lower him away!" ordered Burrnock. "I reckon a taste o' thet darkness'll bring him to his senses. Lower!"

A thrill of dread ran through the postboy's frame as he sank lower and lower into the unknown depths.

"Why don't ye yell out?" demanded the outlaw chief, his dark visage appearing over the rim of the rock. He was evidently disappointed at the coolness of their victim. "Yell at th' top o' yer lungs; needn't be 'fraid o' ennybuddy hearin' ye! Haw! haw!"

Then the speaker's coarse face disappeared, and Snap was dropped several feet in a jerky manner.

Though he felt that there was no avenue of escape for him, Little Snap did not lose courage, and as he descended he threw out his hands to catch upon the rugged wall.

Once his fingers touched a rough edge of rock, but they slipped away, and he found himself again sinking, when he brushed against a shelf, which was wide enough for him to gain a good hold.

Hope lending him strength, he clutched at the projection, to find that he was able to hang there for a short time. He had, at the same moment, the presence of mind not to allow the rope to slacken, and by holding on the ledge with one hand, he held firmly on the line with the other, managing to keep it straight.

In a moment the men stopped lowering the rope, when the voice of their leader demanded:

"Air ye ready now?"

"No! Do your worst; I will never yield!"

Little Snap was really anxious to bring about a crisis now, knowing he could not remain in his position long.

"Let him go!" cried Bird Burrnock. "We can't fool with him. We can trade with Shag."

"Dix Lewis, th' consequence o' this is on yer own head. Good-by."

The next moment the men let go the rope, when it went down with a rattling sound. At the same time, in order to keep up the deception, the imperiled boy uttered a piercing scream, which rang through and through the subterranean passages with a startling effect, echo after echo succeeding it, until it seemed they would never end.

"He's done fer fas' 'nough," declared Buzzard Burrnock, peering into the dark depths with a hasty glance, as if frightened at the place.

A minute later Little Snap drew a breath of relief as he listened to the sound of their retreating footsteps.

Then he shifted his position so as to be more comfortable, while he waited for them to get out of hearing.

Though he had found a narrow support for his feet, his weight hung largely on his arms, which were beginning to ache so that he knew he must soon loosen his hold upon the rocks.

In this dilemma he moved one foot to and fro, up and down, on the rocky wall, hoping he might find a better standing place.

In this he was so far successful that he changed his position to one of comparative ease, when he drew his first long breath since entering the place.

It was too dark for him to see anything of his surroundings, and he soon began to realize that there was small chance for him to ascend to the top of the chasm. He hardly dared to move, for fear he should lose his hold and fall headlong into the pit yawning below him. Such attempts as he did make showed him the utter impossibility of climbing the perpendicular side of the rocky wall.

He made a discovery, however, which gave him a ray of hope. The shelf upon which he stood extended farther than he could reach with his foot.

Carefully then he moved along the precarious path, inch by inch, until he had traveled several feet. Stopping then for rest, he happened to thrust out one hand, when to his unbounded joy, he touched the opposite wall!

The fissure had narrowed so the sides here came within a short distance of each other.

Again he tried to climb to the top, and by pressing against the two sides, he managed to ascend.

With what gladness he finally found he was near the surface need not be told. He was so weak from the ordeal that he fell exhausted a short distance away from the brink.

Quickly rallying, he tried to penetrate the gloom enough to enable him to get away from the place; but only blinded by the cimmerian blackness, he was forced to feel his way along as best he could, knowing that he was likely to stumble upon his enemies at any moment.

In fact, he had not gone far before the sound of voices reached his ears. Listening a moment, he heard the harsh tones of Bird Burrnock give some command to his followers.

Obliged to advance, if he moved at all, he crept nearer to the outlaw gang, moving with extreme caution, until he knew from the sound of their voices he was close upon them. As if to verify this, a faint gleam of light from their torch fell across his pathway.

The leader of the party was saying something as he stopped, which he did not hear plain enough to understand. Listening more intently for the reply, he came near betraying his presence by a low cry, not at the words spoken, but the tone in which they were given.

It was his father's voice!