sed by the landslide!

"Where are you, Del Norte?" cried one of the imprisoned men, in a
gasping, frightened voice when the roar and rumble of the landslide had
ceased, and they began to realize their terrible position.

"I am here," answered the other. "What can we do, Ridgeway?"

"Do? Why, we can die like dogs! There is nothing else for it. You're
sure there is no other way out of this cave?"

"No other way. Perhaps we can dig out."

"Not in a thousand years! What have we to dig with--our bare hands?"

"I have my knife--the knife with which I was going to cut out the tongue
of that cursed gringo, Merriwell! Why didn't I do it?"

"You know why. Red Ben went back on us, may the fiends take the redskin
cur! He helped Merriwell get away with the girl. When Sears tried to
follow the Indian shot him, and he's buried out there somewhere beneath
that landslide. But he's better off than we are, for he is dead, and we
must die! I can't die, Del Norte! I'm not ready to die! I'm not fit to
die!"

Then the poor wretch began to weep and pray in the utmost anguish of
soul.

Del Norte seemed cowed. He had burned many matches in order that by
their faint glow he might examine the great mass of earth and stone that
was piled on and crushed into the place that had once been the entrance
to the cave. He had seen that a mighty bowlder was blocking the greater
part of the former entrance. That stone alone would be enough to
imprison them hopelessly, but the sounds of the landslide which had made
the mountain roar and shake had satisfied him that the bowlder was held
in place by a mass of earth and timber through which, with the best
implements, it would be impossible to dig in a week.

"Merriwell has triumphed!" muttered the Mexican. "He will have no more
trouble from me."

"Fiends take you!" snarled Ridgeway. "Why did you ever cross my path,
and tempt me to such a death with your money? For the love of Heaven,
light another match!"

"I have but three more."

"Can't you find a brand from the fire? Let's have some light! We had
torches. Where are they?"

"They were extinguished by the rush of air when the slide took place.
I've tried to find them, but failed. I'll try again."

"I'm going mad--mad!" groaned Ridgeway.

Del Norte began to search for the extinguished torches. After a time,
during which his companion wept, prayed, and cursed by turns, he
discovered one of them.

Then he carefully struck one of his matches.