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BRAVE AND BOLD. 7
“Come,” said Leo, leading the way. ““’e have struck
level traveling at last.”
The swamp explorers had not proceeded over three
hundred yards, before they saw daylight ahead.
It seemed rather strange that it should be daylight, but
it was, nevertheless.
With all possible speed they hastened along the passage.
Two hundred yards more and a wonderful sight met
their gaze.
They were emerging into a vast tract of country many
.feet below the earth's crust.
In front of them was the beginning of a long crack,
which extended a couple of miles or more, and all along
the edges of this the water streamed down in the form of
a cascade of unlimited extent.
The sunlight came in through the crack, which was
probably a quarter of a mile in width, and lighted up the
place.
All sorts of vegetation flourished on the place beneath
the opening above; but beyond this our friends could
Derceive nothing on account of the falling water and the
mist arising from the streams in which it fell.
“lVonderful!” exclaimed the professor.
“Darned if it ain’t wonderful," assented Haypole.
f‘lVho ever imagined that such a place as this existed?"
said Leo.
“lVe are now under the great Everglades of Florida.
It remains for us to find out what sort of place it is,”
spoke up Dick Vincey.
“I agree With you there," returned l"rof. Easy. “Come,
let us be moving. It is strange what has become of the
man and dog and their pursuer."
They stepped off to the left. and kept walking until
theyemerged from the mist, which seemed to settle back
on either side of the opening.
As they left it behind them they saw that only a sort
of twilight prevailed in and about the underground place.
Then a startling thing occurred.
A body of men suddenly appeared from the numerous
galleries, to be seen on their left, and rushed toward them.
There must have been fully a hundred of them, and all
were attired in long gowns of some dark-colored material,
and were barefooted. and without any head covering.
. The strange horde had the appearance of Turks, both
in manner and looks.
The moment Leo and Dick beheld them, they placed
their rides to their shoulders. .
Their action was quickly followed by their companions,
and then Leo exclaimed:
"Halt! VVe mean you no harm!"
But the command was entirely disregarded. The crowd
Of men rushed at them with a quicker pace, if p0SSiblC,
brandishing spears and bows and arrows.
“hen within about fiftv feet of the intruders, they
came to a sudden halt aiid sent a flight of arrows at
them.
One of these found lodgment in the fleshy part of
Martin Hayp0le's leg, and another went through the
crown of the professors hat.
Leo and Dick thought it high time for them to act.
Dropping to their knees, they began tiring into the
ranks of the queerly attired sti‘aiigei's.
Crack! crack!
The reports rang out in rapid succession, and at almost
every shot a man fell.
At first they seemed to be staggered and amazed, but
they soon rallied and answered the ritle shots by another
flight of arrows.
it now belioovcd our friends to l’
cover.
A few yards distant was the mouth of a gallery or
passage, and at the command of Leo Malvern they
rushed for this with all possible speed.
The inhabitants of the underground place came after
them with all their might, iitteriilg, for the first time, loud
yells of triumph.
"Hurry up!" cried Dick; “if we can reach the mouth
of that passage we'll give ‘em fits.”
The arrows kept flying all around them, and Lucky,
the (larky, was wounded in the arm.
A miiinte more and the spot was reached in safety.
“No‘.v!" exclaimed Leo, “give it to them! Everybody
fire as fast as he can.”
The next instant five rifles began sending a veritable
hailstorm of bullets.
Down went seveii or eight of the savage barbarians. as
the professor cliose to term them, and several more lierzui
hopping about like mad from the wounds they had re-
ceived.
Leo expected to see them turn and Hee now. since he
and his compaiiions had reached a place where they could
most likely hold their own.
lut no! They kept on shooting their arrows, which,
by the way. did our friends not the least bit of harm, as
they had crouched behind a huge bowlder.
But in spite of the determined stand our friends made,
they were doomed to defeat.
Suddenly they heard a pattering of feet behind them.
and, on turning, beheld a crowd of the savages coming
through the passage.
They were between two fires!
ok for a place of
CHAPTER V.
THE DANCE or DEATH.
“God help us!" exclaimed Prof. Easy. as he saw the
strange inhabitants of the underground place rushing for
them from both front and rear.
But "God helps those who help themselves." and both
Leo Lllalvern and Dick Vincey were fully aware of this.
They made up their minds that they would not be killed
or captured until they had used every effort to drive away
their enemies.
Brave, young fellows! hit what could they hope to
accomplish against such fearful odds?
Martin Haypole was the only man they had to stick
to them now, as both the professor and Lucky at once
threw down their weapons when they observed the horde
approaching through the passage.
"Keep on firing!" shouted Leo, “and when they clove
on us use your revolvers.”
“No--no !" replied the professor; “let us surrender. lt
is the best thing to do, l think."
“Never !" exclaimed Dick. and his reply was echoed ':- '
his cousin and the intrepid Yankee.
Nearer approached the swarming savages, and pr: -
ently our friends were hemmed in from all possible ricrtris
of escape.
it seemed that every man that fell had two or thrte
to take his place.
At length there was a combined rush from all quar-