CHAPTER XXIV WHAT HAPPENED UNDERGROUND
"You mean the Robertson mill?" asked Andy.
"Yes, the one mentioned by that Bert Field."
"Have you heard from that boy, Pepper?"
"Not lately."
"Shall we go to the old mill and see what it looks like?"
"We might pass it. We haven't time to stop--not unless we want to getcaught."
Still walking swiftly, the chums went along the river until they came insight of the Falls. Not far off was the old mill.
"Think we'll meet that ghost?" asked Andy, as they paused at a distanceto gaze at the ancient structure, some of the lower windows of which hadbeen boarded over.
"I don't know I'm sure. Want to go closer?"
"I'm not afraid."
"Come on then, and we'll scatter some paper near the door. Maybe thecrowd will think we entered the mill."
Knowing they had no time to spare, if they wanted to keep out of thereach of the hounds, the two cadets hurried on until they stood beneatha shed adjoining the old mill.
"I don't see anything unusual," said Pepper, as he looked around. "Maybethis story about a ghost is all made up."
"Yes, but what about that yarn of a ghost that was half man, halfbeast?"
"I don't know. But I think----Hark!"
Both boys listened. From inside the old mill a grating sound had reachedtheir ears.
"Why, I wonder if the wheel is going!" cried Andy. "It sounds like it."
"Let us look in at the door and see--if the door is unlocked," wasPepper's reply.
The chums stepped closer to the doors of the mill. Scarcely had theydone so when, without warning, some planking gave way and they foundthemselves dropping into some space below. Each tried to save himself,but it was too late, and down they went, into a lower apartment of theold mill. Then, as swiftly as it had moved before, the planking overheadclosed, leaving the two cadets in almost total darkness.
They were completely bewildered by what had occurred, and for the momentcould do little but clutch each other and try to pierce the darknesswhich surrounded them. Andy had gone sprawling, with Pepper on top ofhim. Now both arose.
"What do you make of this?" asked Pepper, trying vainly to control hisvoice.
"I--I guess we have been trapped!" gasped Andy. "I--I wish we had apistol, or something!"
"Did we fall or was a trap-door opened, Andy?"
"I guess a door was opened. Anyway, the opening is closed again."
"Well, I don't believe any ghost did it, do you?"
"No, it was some human being. But that human being might be just as badas a ghost."
"Right you are. How are we going to get out?"
"That remains to be seen."
The two boys felt around them. On every side was a stone wall. In two ofthe walls were doors. One was locked, but the other stood partly open.
"Now we are down here we may as well do a little exploring," whisperedPepper. "But let us keep close together."
"Take care that you don't fall into another hole!" answered his chum.
"Wonder if we can't find sticks, or stones, or something."
They felt around but nothing but the bare walls and bare floor met theirtouch.
At a distance they heard a strange rumble, but could not make out whatit was or where it came from. They advanced with caution and passedthrough the open door. All was as dark as before, but they heard arushing close at hand.
"Is that wind?" asked Andy.
"No, that must be the river, or the falls, Andy. We can't be very farfrom the water."
The boys had reached a flooring of wood. They passed along on this forseveral feet. They were side by side, trying to pierce the darkness,which was intense. A foul, musty odor greeted them.
"I'll be glad to see daylight again," said Andy. "Do you think----"
He got no further, for just then the flooring upon which they stoodtilted downward. Both tried to save themselves from another fall, but invain. Down they rolled over the flooring and fell with a splash into thewater.
Pepper went down several feet and his hand struck some rocks. Andyfollowed, and the chums grabbed each other by the shoulder. The duckingcame so quickly that each swallowed considerable water.
"Hi, what's this?" spluttered Pepper, when he could speak.
"We are in the river!" answered Andy. "Look out that you don't hit yourhead on something!"
The water was flowing swiftly, and forward shot the two boys, indarkness that was as intense as before. They felt the passagewaynarrowing and felt the sharp rocks on either side of them.
"We can't be in the river!" gasped Pepper. "We must be in someunderground stream, an off-shoot from the river!"
"I guess you are right!" groaned his chum. "But if it is an off-shootwhere is it taking us?"
"I don't know."
There was little opportunity to say more, for the water was now boilingand foaming all around them. The boys were jerked first one way and thenanother, and all but had the breath knocked from their bodies. Andy washit on the head by a projecting rock and dazed.
"Save me!" he moaned, and Pepper clutched him and held fast. Then Pepperwas struck and for several minutes knew no more.
When the two boys were able to realize what had happened they foundthemselves still in the dark, but almost out of the water, which wasrushing madly beside them. On all sides were rough rocks, some of themof immense size. From far overhead came a glimmer of light.
"Are you all right, Andy?" asked Pepper, when he felt strong enough tospeak.
"I--I guess so," was the gasped-out answer. "But say, I don't want to gothrough anything like that again!"
"Nor I! We came close to being drowned!"
"Yes, and close to having our heads pounded to a jelly!"
"Where do you suppose we are?"
"Somewhere among the rocks below the old mill. Instead of following theriver we were caught in a side stream that flows under and between therocks. I suppose we can be thankful that our lives were spared."
"Yes, indeed!"
For several minutes the cadets were content to rest and gather theirscattered wits together. The game of hare and hounds was completelyforgotten until Andy chanced to glance at a big water-soaked paper stillslung over his shoulder.
"Wonder what became of the other fellows," said he.
"I hope they didn't fall down the hole," answered Pepper. "But if theydid I reckon we would have heard it," he added.
How to get out of the place in which they found themselves was a seriousproblem. On all sides were the great rocks. The opening through whichthe light was streaming was fully fifty feet over their heads.
"I guess the only thing to do is to climb out," was Andy's comment."Think we can do it?"
"We can try. But we don't want to break our necks."
"Let us go to the upper end of the opening," suggested the acrobaticyouth. "It looks better to me there."
They walked to the spot Andy indicated, and then the acrobatic youthcommenced to scale the rocks. Pepper followed, and thus they managed toclimb about half the distance to the top. But at that point little shortof sheer walls confronted them.
"I guess we are stumped," said Andy, in a disappointed voice.
"Wonder if the other fellows are in this vicinity," said Pepper. "Ifthey are they could help us out somehow."
"Might call, Pepper."
Both of the boys called out at the top of their lungs, not once butseveral times. At first no answer came back.
"Try again," said Pepper, and they did so. The echoes had just died awaywhen they saw a form appear at the top of the opening.
"Who is down there?" came the cry.
"Two boys," answered Andy. "We want somebody to help us get out of thishole."
"Oh, that's it," said the person at the top of the hole. "Well, maybe, Ican do the trick. I happen to have a long rope with me."
Something in the voice of the spea
ker struck Pepper as familiar. Hestrained his eyes, and then saw that the person who had spoken was thestrange lad, Bert Field.