kering light of the matches from Jack's store illuminated looks
of despair on their faces as they realized that they were trapped.

"Try pounding on it and shouting," suggested Ralph.

Although Jack deemed it of little use, he and Walt followed this
suggestion, and together the three boys beat and hammered on the
massive stone above them till their hands were raw. There was no
response, however. Apparently the stone was too thick for a sound to
penetrate to the outer air. Terror, that was almost panic, seized Walt
and Ralph, as they realized that they were prisoners in this
hermetically sealed dungeon. Worse than prisoners, in fact. Prisoners
had food and at least hope. They, unless they could find a way out,
were buried alive. Even Jack's stout heart experienced a deadly
feeling of depression, as he realized this. He concealed his despair
from his companions, however, and, with all the cheerfulness he could
muster, addressed them in the darkness. Matches had now grown too
precious to squander.

"Well, fellows, we've got to find another way out."

"Oh, it's no good," moaned Ralph despairingly, "we're doomed to die
here. We might as well sit down and wait for death to come."

"Say," cut in Jack briskly, "if it was light enough to see, I'd give
you a good licking. Doomed to die, indeed! Not much. It's a cinch,
isn't it, that if there is an entrance to this place there must be an
outlet, too? Very well, then," he hurried on, without waiting for an
answer, "let's find that outlet."

The logic of this speech might be questioned, but of its good sense,
under the circumstances, there was no doubt.

"You're right, Jack," said Ralph. "I'm ashamed of myself for doing
the baby act. Come on, let's set out at once."

"That's the talk," said Walt heartily; "if there's a way out, we'll
find it."

"And if not?" asked Ralph, his spirits flagging again.

"We'll discuss that later," declared Jack briskly.

Returning again to the landing--if such it might be called--upon which
they had terminated their abrupt descent into the interior of the mesa,
some more of the precious matches were lit. As the last flickered out,
the boys fancied that some feet from them they could see a black mouth,
like the entrance of a tunnel, or rather a continuation of the one into
which they had been thrown.

"Come on, boys," exclaimed Jack. "It's the only thing to do. We can't
turn back, and, as Pete says, 'there ain't nothing