from a level eye beneath it--held the'
breath, dazzled; for the moment beate
at their own brave game of exploring.

So did the girl who had been piqued
and dared into sitting in the Devil's Chair
-with a sheer abyss beneath her!

Again did her wide-open, staring eyes
under their black lashes, sport a Blue
Peter, the flag of adventure.

"Oh! he 's plucky, anyhow. I wonder
what he'll find in there?" her palms
were laid together upon a spicy filling of
excitement. "He really is daring--aw-fully
daring, you know!"

"Ha! Courage cobweb-weed!" muttered
Stud laconically. "Well--well,-he
'11 have tears in his eyes before I go
after him!"

And--with that--there was the
rasp of a third "niggling" match, faintly-heard,
far in, a momentary reflation,
a tiny glance-coal, in the fissure's leering
mouth! And--and, following that, a shriek!

A shriek, headlong, sinking and pitch-
[[142]]

p141 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p142w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p143

v?