CHAPTER XIII.
THE WONDERFUL CAVERN.
Holding his breath and still being dragged downward by that terrible suction, Dick Darrell gave himself up for lost.
His only hope was that his previous experience under the lake might be repeated.
And in a different way this is just what happened. Dick was brought up with a round turn before he knew it.
Suddenly the suction ceased and he went shooting forward; the next he knew his head was out of water and he was swimming for all he was worth down a swiftly flowing stream.
He was now in a mighty cavern and it was comparatively light.
Above him was the roof with immense stalactites hanging down like great icicles; the wall on his left was covered with the same glittering white formation; on the right the cave extended off into the distance further than the eye could reach; on ahead there was no roof, the cavern being open to the sky for a space of several hundred feet, which admitted light and air and enabled Dick to take in his surroundings.
It was a truly wonderful place. Doubtless the opening was at some inaccessible point far up on the top of the mountain. It was at least a hundred feet up from the floor of the cavern and nothing without wings could hope to reach it.
The stream rushed on with tremendous rapidity and Dick, feeling that he might be swept into a worse place, made all possible haste to get ashore, something not to be accomplished without difficulty, but at last he managed it, and, wet to the skin and gasping for breath, he sank down upon the sand and lay there, scarcely caring whether he lived or died.
This state of things lasted only for a few moments, however.
Dick’s strength soon returned and he scrambled to his feet and gave the peculiar shout which had been agreed upon as a signal between Charley and himself.
There was so answer, although Dick shouted again and again. Still he did not give up hope now, for it was easy to imagine that Charley might have been swept on further and still have escaped.
Dick ran on, calling, wild with anxiety, but nevertheless keeping cool, until at length he came under the opening, where he halted from sheer exhaustion and again sank down upon the sand.
“This won’t do,” he thought. “I must brace up. I escaped before and I shall escape again. It’s a wonder that these underground outlets don’t drain the lake off. I’ve seen two of them now and I believe there are others. Hello! What’s that on ahead?”
The sun struck down through the big hole in the roof of the cavern and far in the distance there seemed to be a curious shimmering of light.
“It’s a lake—that’s what it is—an underground lake, just as Charley said,” thought Dick. “I’ll make for it, only I must get the water out of my clothes.”
He hurriedly undressed and wrung his wet clothing out as dry as possible, dressing himself as soon as he had finished.
“I suppose I shall get my death of cold either way,” he thought “so I might as well put my clothes on as to leave them off. Now for the lake. Nothing like a good run to warm a fellow up in a case like this.”
He ran with all his might, coming in a few moments out upon the shore of a broad sheet of water, which extended off as far as the eye could penetrate into the darkness.
The cavern was of vast proportions. Dick could see no walls on either side now, and as the lake cut off further advance, his heart sank, for how could he hope to escape from this strange place? The case seemed hopeless, indeed.
As Dick stood there on the shore of the lake wondering what he ought to do, his attention was suddenly attracted by seeing in the distance a shadowy form hurrying toward him along the shore.
“Charley! Charley! That you, Charley?” he shouted, starting off on the run again.
The shadow halted and stood motionless, but there was no response.
“It’s not Charley,” thought Dick. “If it was he would certainly answer. Who can it be? By gracious, it’s a woman! Hello, there! Hello! Don’t be afraid of me! I’ll not do you any harm.”
The shadow had turned and started to run away, but seeming to be reassured by Dick’s cry, stopped again and now waited for him to come up.
As Dick drew nearer he almost forgot Charley in the excitement which came over him as he recognized Clara Eglinton.
“Who is it?” she called out. “What do you want with me? I won’t go back! No, I won’t!”
“Miss Eglinton! Don’t you know me?” cried Dick.
She recognized him the instant he spoke.
“Oh, Mr. Darrell!” she exclaimed. “What ever brought you here? Oh, I am so thankful to see you! I—I——”
She paused and burst into a passion of tears.
Dick caught her in his arms and spoke such soothing words as came first to his tongue.
“I am here to help you,” he said, “although my coming here is only the result of an accident. Tell me about yourself. What brought you here and how is it that you are alone?”
“It was that scoundrel Mudd!” replied the girl. “He has held me a prisoner in this dreadful place since his tools captured me on the mountain night before last. They have a camp down here, Mr. Darrell. I’ve been a close prisoner until about an hour ago, when I managed to get away and—oh, oh! There comes that dreadful noise again! What is it? Oh, what is it?”
In her excitement she clutched Dick’s arm and begged him to protect her, and there was nothing strange about her excitement either, for an awful bellowing was heard off on the lake, echoing and re-echoing back from the rocky walls of the cavern until the whole atmosphere reverberated with the frightful sound.
But it did not disturb Dick a bit. He knew very well that it was only the Plesiosaurus.
This underground lake then had its monster as well as the one above. Of course, Dick had given up the idea that there was only one P. D. He knew that there must be many and if Charley had only been safe with him he would have rejoiced in the discovery.
As it was he hastily explained to Clara what the noise really meant and as the bellowing continued they stood there looking off on the lake watching for the Plesiosaurus to appear.
“We may not see it at all,” said Dick. “There! It has stopped. No doubt it has gone under the water and—oh, Charley! Charley! This way! Here I am! It’s Dick! Hello! Hello!”
Suddenly Charley’s shout was heard in the distance and Dick lost no time in answering.
At the same instant there was a rushing sound on the water right in front of them and the same old monstrous head came up out of the lake.
Clara screamed and threw her arms about Dick.
Higher and higher the head was thrust up as the neck of the monster came out of the water.
Then came the frightful bellow once more and the head of the monster came darting toward them.
Flinging a protecting arm about Clara, Dick drew her hastily back and they ran for their lives.