is a cave of the devil, senor. He hides in the blackness and none who
enter may escape him."

Desiree was laughing gaily.

"Then I shall visit the devil!" she exclaimed, and before either Harry
or I could reach her she had sprung across the intervening space to the
entrance and disappeared within.

With shouts of consternation from Felipe ringing in our ears, we leaped
after her.

"Desiree!" cried Harry. "Come back, Desiree!"

There was no answer, but echoing back from the night before us came
faint reverberations--could they be footsteps! What folly! For I had
thought that she had merely intended to frighten poor Felipe, and now--

"Desiree!" Harry called again with all the strength of his lungs.
"Desiree!"

Again there was no answer. Then we entered the cave together. I
remember that as we passed within I turned and saw Felipe staring with
white face and eyes filled with terror.

A hundred feet and we were encompassed by the most intense darkness. I
muttered: "This is folly; let us get a light," and tried to hold Harry
back. But he pushed me aside and groped on, crying: "Desiree! Come
back, Desiree!"

What could I do? I followed.

Suddenly a scream resounded through the cavern. Multiplied and echoed
by the black walls, it was inhuman, shot with terror, profoundly
horrible.

A tremor ran through me from head to foot; beside me I heard Harry gasp
with a nameless fear. An instant later we dashed forward into the
darkness.

How long we ran I could never tell; probably a few seconds, possibly as
many minutes.

On we rushed, blindly, impelled not by reason, but by the memory of
that terrible cry, side by side, gasping, fearful. And then--

A step into thin air--a mighty effort to recover a footing--a wild
instant of despair and pawing helpless agony. Then blackness and
oblivion.

Chapter VI.

CAPTURED.

The fall--was it ten feet or a thousand? I shall never know. Hurtling
headlong through space, a man can scarcely be expected to keep his wits
about him.

Actually, my only impression was of righteous indignation; my memory is
that I cursed aloud, but Harry denies it.

But it could not have been for long, for when we struck the water at
the bottom we were but slightly stunned by the impact. To this Harry
has since agreed; he must have been as lucky as myself, for I took it
headlong with a clean cleavage.

I rose to the top, sputtering, and flung out my arms in the attempt to