seeing the Fall suddenly light up of its own
accord, had come down to examine the unusual phenomenon.

The three now fell to eagerly discussing their position. If they were
holding the only entrance to the passage, they could with their
revolvers defy almost any number of men attacking through the water; but
if, on the other hand, there was more than one way of access to the
cave, or if another hostile body, attracted by the firing, should come
up the river Pass, our friends would be placed between the devil and the
deep sea with a vengeance.

Then, again, if the foe had any means of extinguishing the light from
outside, the trio would be entirely at their mercy.

This light was evidently a pure gas generated in the mountain, and used
by these strange people to light them to the entrance of the cave; but
how they extinguished it, and how without its help they followed their
subterranean road through the absolutely inky gloom, was a mystery to
the adventurers.

On looking about, however, they discovered a bundle of torches made of a
resinous woody fibre, and lighting one of these in the gas-flame,
Grenville proceeded to examine the road and see what cover, if any, it
might offer. Hardly had he taken a dozen steps when a stream of water
poured through the fissure in the roof of rock, extinguishing the gas in
an instant. Grenville quickly whispered to his friends to bring the
torches and follow him, as without proper light to shoot by it was
impossible for them to hold the entrance to the passage. "Bring every
single torch you can find," he said, "and keep your eyes skinned for any
more lying about the road. We'll keep these beggars in darkness if
possible; and once let us get to daylight, and we'll fight them if need
be."

And now by the light of one torch the party proceeded in single file at
a good speed, for the roadway was fair, and, when the first hill had
been climbed, proved decidedly on the down grade. This surprised
Grenville, as he had been of opinion that the water had formerly come
from the inside of the cavern and emptied itself into the basin; the
reverse, however, had evidently been the case.

After they had travelled about half a mile, the road, to Grenville's
delight, twisted almost at a right angle--this would, of course, hide
the light from their pursuers--and directly after the turn had been
negotiated, Leigh called attention to a niche in the rock where several
more torches were found; t