you
don't," declared Chick-chick.

"How about your head, Matt?" asked Apple.

"It's good enough now," said Matt. "I'm sure going to be along on this."

With Glen in the lead they crept one after another along the narrow
passage, Apple bringing up the rear and trailing behind him the
cumbersome pick. At a place where the passage widened out into a roomy
vault which gave space for them to stand erect Glen halted the little
company and pointed onward to show how the tunnel, leaving this vault,
suddenly seemed to narrow so that there was scarcely room for a head
above water.

"It's going to be pretty risky here, fellows. I think we'd better go one
at a time. I'll crawl as far as I can. If I don't come back while you
count a hundred let Chick-chick crawl after me. If I'm stuck or choked
he can pull on my feet and pull me back. Then Matt can do the same for
him and Apple for him. I'll either get through or be back by the time
you count a hundred."

It seemed a long count, and it was hard for them to keep from unseemly
hurry. At ninety Chick-chick got down on his knees in the tunnel and as
Apple said "One hundred" he disappeared. Matt and Apple counted again
and this time it was Matt who disappeared, and Apple was left alone. But
he stuck bravely to his counting until another hundred was numbered,
then he pushed his pick ahead of him and crawled into the passage, his
head scraping the top, his lips scarcely an inch above the swiftly
moving water. It seemed a long time before the passage widened, but
there were no obstacles, and in a little while he crawled into a larger
space where the three dripping boys were waiting for him.

"There's a light away on ahead," announced Glen. "I believe it's
daylight."

It was almost a race after that. Nothing was considered in their mad
rush, and at every turn the light ahead became clearer until Glen, still
in the lead, made a turning and gave a great shout. The next moment all
of them could see unmistakable daylight shining through a small opening.

Glen was lying at full length in the stream, trying to enlarge the
opening with his hands, when they reached him.

"It's Buffalo Hollow!" he cried. "We've come clear through the Mound.
This opening isn't big enough to let any of us in or out, but the
water's going out in a good stream now, and soon it will make Buffalo
Lake."

Apple's pick was brought into use and with its aid the boys made the
opening large enough to scramble thro