how to get down into the pit was now the great question. guided by the light of the fire, steadily eating its way into the butt of the log in spite of the storm, they cut down a small tree and lopped off its branches in such a way as to make a rude ladder. though they were in so great a hurry, this was slow work with their dull hatchet. lowering it carefully into the pit until its end rested firmly, jim held the top, while tug went down, took the lantern, and approached the motionless form, whose face rex was licking. the instant the light fell upon the face he saw that it was the captain's.
"it is aleck!" he called out. "come down."
"is he dead?" asked jim, as he scrambled down the break-neck ladder.
"no," said tug, who was kneeling by the lad's side. "his face is warm, and i can feel his heart beat. he's only stunned. where's that brandy katy sent?"
"it's in my overcoat pocket up on the ground—i'll get it." and jim scrambled up the hemlock trunk, fearless of a tumble.
"now pour a few drops between his lips," said tug, when the boy had got back, at the same time lifting aleck's head upon his knee. "oh, if only we had some water! get out!"
this last was addressed to rex, who was in the way; but it also answered the boy's prayer, for, in starting back, the dog stepped into a pool of water that lay upon the bottom of the cave. so crystal clear and quiet was this little pool in the lone and silent chamber of rock, that even when they knew it was there, and were dipping the water up with their hats, they could not tell by lantern-light where its edge was, or how near were their hands to the surface before they felt its icy chill against their knuckles.
the dashing of this cold, pure water upon his face, and a few drops of the spirits, served to awaken aleck very speedily, though at first his ideas were much confused.
"where am i?" was his first utterance, as it has been that of thousands of others in like case; and several minutes passed before he was able to sit up and talk to them.
"i suppose—you fellows—" he began to say, presently, in a stammering sort of way, "would like—to know—what i'm doing—down here."
"well, captain," said tug, who would have liked to dance a jig, but was afraid to, and could only hug the dog to express his joy—"well, captain, we don't want to be impertinent, jim and me, nor what you might call inquisitive, in regard to what ain't none o' our business; and we hope we're not intrudin' on you here; but if you are willing to explain one or two matters, we'd be glad to listen."
"why, i—got so tired—tramping round in the storm—that when i got to that brush-heap—and rocks—out there, i thought—i thought—i'd go up in the woods—and camp. so i came up along that big log, and stepped off—and that's the last i remember. but i know i've a frightful headache, and i wish i was home."
home! where? in monore? that roof was sheltering other heads. in cleveland? that seemed farther away than ever. the fisherman's cottage? ah, katy would make that a home to the wounded lad, if only they could get him there!
"do you think you could walk?" tug asked, anxiously.
"yes, if i was out of this, and could get warm."
"well, there is a fire up there, and this ladder is not long. drink the rest of this brandy: i know you hate it, but it's only a trifle, and it will give you strength for your climb; and then you can rest a bit, while we get the dog out. here, rex!"
to do this, tug went half-way up the ladder, and jim handed up their shaggy companion, after which tug lifted him to where he could scramble out.
then aleck, by slow stages and with much help, reached the top, and was wrapped in overcoats, while he sat by the fire until his chilliness was gone, and he had eaten some of the food katy had sent. this done, he felt able to begin his journey homeward. meanwhile, tug went into the pit to bring out aleck's gun and the lantern. standing on the brink of the black water, he tossed a pebble, but failed to strike the opposite wall. then he hurled another with all his strength, and, after a time, heard it splash in the water. how far away lay the other end of the cave, or to what depths underneath this cavern-lake the cave-floor descended, he never knew. he realized how narrow had been the escape of all, and the strange coincidence by which they had been led to this spot, and had discovered the hidden mouth of the pit; and he thanked god, who had preserved their lives.
the dull gray of the dawn was lighting up the driving rain, the slushy snow, and the drenched and dripping trees, when the weary boys, supporting their almost worn-out leader, crept down the rough hill, and approached the little cottage. katy had seen them coming, and stood waiting in the door, looking herself as though she had not slept much that sad night.
"oh, aleck!" was all she could say, as she threw her arms around her brother's neck, "must you always be the one to get hurt for us?"
"i hope not, sis," he said, with a smile, and sank, exhausted, into a bunk.
then with quiet swiftness the girl heated water, washed the wounds in aleck's head, and hastened to boil the corn-meal mush and the coffee, which formed the best breakfast she was able to give. meanwhile she told how she had passed the night, making her story so bright, and bustling about so cheerily, that she did more to restore the tired boys than, in her absence, all their pulling off of soaked boots and stretching upon soft mattresses of springy boughs would have done.
"after waiting a long, long time—it must have been until after midnight," katy began the story of her night, "i had dropped asleep in my chair before the fire, when i was waked up by something scratching at the door. i knew in a minute it was those dreadful dogs, and i was awfully scared."
"after we beat them off they must have come directly here," tug remarked. "were there more than two?"
"no, but two were quite enough," katy replied; and then continued her narrative:
"i should have liked to have got under the bed, only there wasn't any bed, and so i—what do you suppose?—i got the butcher-knife and a big stick, and climbed up into the top berth. they growled and grumbled around the door, and scratched and butted at it, and every little while one or both of them would stand upon their hind-legs and look in at the window with their horrible green eyes. ugh! i don't want to go through another such a night!"
"nor i!" exclaimed all three of her listeners, in chorus, each thinking of his own separate experience.
"passed unanimously!" cried katy. "now come to breakfast."
