CHAPTER XX
INTO THE DEPTHS
Preparations for exploring the mysterious tunnel on this occasion weremuch more complete and elaborate than when Bud, Dick and Nort walkedthrough it before. And they did not rush off in haste, the moment itwas discovered that the water no longer came through the reservoir endof the pipe line that formed the beginning and end of the oldunderground stream course.
"There's water enough for nearly a week, anyhow," said Bud, indiscussing their plans. "And if we can't discover the cause of thestoppage inside of that time, and get it turned on again, we may aswell know that and give up Flume Valley as a bad job."
"That's right," chimed in Nort.
"The stoppage is inside the tunnel, that's sure," voiced Dick.
"Yes," answered his cousin. "The water is running in all right fromthe river."
This fact had been ascertained by telephone. The water was runningfreely from Pocut River above the dam, and into the pipe that enteredthe side of the mountain.
Bud's father had been told of the situation, which followed so closelyon the heels of the discovery of the evil acts of Pocut Pete.
"Doesn't this sort of set you fellows back so you want to give upranching?" Mr. Merkel asked his son and nephews.
"Not a bit!" promptly answered Bud.
"We're going to stick!" added Nort.
"And find out what makes this water stop," contributed Dick. "We'llshow up Hank Fisher, Del Pinzo and that other bunch of crooks, too!"
"I don't see how Hank could have had anything to do with this waterstoppage," said Mr. Merkel. "Of course it may develop that he hiredPocut Pete to infect our cattle, but even that is doubtful. Thosefellows are pretty cute. Anyhow, Pocut Pete is where he can't do anyharm for some time. He won't be tried until fall.
"But it's my idea, boys, that this water stoppage is caused by somenatural means. We are using an old underground river bed, you realize,and there may be what I'd call a 'hole' in it somewhere. The waterthat ought to come to you may drop down that hole."
"But why doesn't it do it all the while?" asked Dick.
"That's one of the mysteries," said his uncle, "one that you'll have tosolve."
"We went over it all before," spoke Bud, "and we couldn't see even abranch passage."
"Well, some of the men are going with you this time," his father said."They're more used to looking for signs than you fellows are, though Imust say you've done fine, so far!"
As Mr. Merkel had stated, it was decided to send several of the cowboyswith Bud and his cousins on this expedition into the dark tunnel. OldBillee, Yellin' Kid and Snake Purdee would be of the party, which wouldthus consist of six.
In this way, there being safety in numbers, it was hoped that accidentsmight be avoided, or, if they happened, there would be at hand help forthe unfortunates.
"If we could only take a boat," said Dick, when the preparations werealmost completed, "it would be great!"
"What could we do with a boat in that stream, which is hardly threefeet wide in places?" asked his brother. A boat had been mentioned inthe first excitement, however, but the idea was abandoned asimpracticable.
"Well, if the flood came, as suddenly as it did when we had to takerefuge on the ledge, we could float out," answered Dick.
"A boat to hold six men would be too big to carry," spoke Bud. "Even afolding canvas one wouldn't answer. But I know what we can do."
"What?" asked Nort.
"We can each take an inner automobile tire. Blown up, they are as goodas life preservers, and with them fastened to us we can float and becarried along by the current, if a flood happens again."
It was decided that this was a wise precaution to take, and fromDiamond X some inner tubes were sent over--old ones that had outlivedtheir usefulness on the car, but which still held air, and would, asBud said, make excellent life preservers.
In order to make a thorough examination it was decided to take food andwater enough to last the expedition at least two days. It was easy totraverse the tunnel in one day, as the boys had proved. But Old Billeecounseled a slower trip.
"I wish I could go with you," said Mr. Merkel to the boys, when thetime came for the start, "but I have a shipment of steers to get off,and I want to keep watch of this epidemic. It begins to look as if wehad gotten the best of it, but I'm taking no chances."
"Oh, we'll make out all right, Dad," spoke Bud. "Though we would liketo have you with us. And when we come back we'll either settle, forgood and all, this fight for water, or we'll abandon Flume Valley!"
"I'd hate to see you give it up," said the ranchman. "It is an idealplace to raise cattle, with the water here. But without it, of course,there's no use thinking of it. Well, good luck to you," he called, ashe turned to go back to Diamond X proper.
As he had said, there had been no further outbreak of the epidemicamong the cattle of the boy ranchers. The steers which Pocut Pete hadcut, injecting into them the pus and germs, died, however. And therewere more of these than Bud and his cousins had counted on.
But if they lost no more than this half-score, and could get the waterback, all might yet be well.
The water in the reservoir had gone down several feet when theexpedition started into the tunnel. Much of the fluid had to be drawnoff to water the thirsty cattle, for it was the height of summer now,and the heat, in the middle of the day, was terrific.
But there was still enough of the supply to last for several days.Then, if Bud and his companions could not discover the secret of thestoppage, and get the water to running again. Flume Valley would haveto be abandoned.
"Well, I can't see that we can do any more," spoke Bud.
"No; you've got things as well fixed as possible," agreed Old Billee.
"Can't tell when you'll see us again," said Dick to the remainingcowboys gathered about the reservoir end of the tunnel to see theexpedition start in.
"Well, good luck, anyhow!" came the answer.
A number of punchers had been sent over to Flume Valley from Diamond Xand Triangle B to replace Yellin' Kid, Billee and Snake Purdee who wereto accompany the boy ranchers.
Suddenly Yellin' Kid broke into song:
"Leave me alone with a rope an' a saddle, Fold my spurs under my haid! Give me a can of them sweet, yaller peaches, 'Cause why? My true-love is daid!"
"Oh, give us something cheerful!" laughed Bud, as the cowboy seemedabout to start on another verse.
"That's cheerful enough for this occasion," retorted Yellin' Kid."Wait 'till you hear me howl in that tunnel."
"Don't!" begged Dick with a laugh. "It echoes so you'll bring the roofdown!"
There was a hurried inspection of their weapons and supplies, for eachwas equally needed. The inner tubes of several auto tires had beenprovided and tested, and there was a small air pump with which toinflate them.
"All ready?" asked Bud, at length.
"All ready," answered Old Billee. "But I wish I had a hoss!"
"Couldn't use one," retorted Snake Purdee. "It'll work off some of thefat, if you walk."
"Hu! Fat!" snorted Old Billee. "I ain't fat!"
"Forward!" suddenly called Bud.
Then with waves of their hands, and with the calling of many "good-bye"farewells, the expedition disappeared into the black depths of thetunnel.
What would they find? What would be the outcome? Would they everreappear again?
These were questions which more than one asked himself, but no onespoke them aloud.
"Now," remarked Bud, when they were well within the long stretch ofblackness, and lanterns had been lighted, "we walked, the other time,on the left-hand side of the water course. What say we try the rightone this time?"
"Good enough!" decided Old Billee. "We'll be right for once!" he joked.
"But it really is a good idea," declared Snake Purdee. "There mighthave been something--some hidden passage on the side you didn't travel,boys. You could easily have missed it in the darkness."
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So this was decided on. As a matter of fact in many places it waspossible for the party to divide and some walk along either side of theold stream bed. But this would not be feasible should the watersuddenly appear again.
And so the expedition moved slowly along. I say slowly, for that speedmarked their course. They carried a number of lanterns and these wereflashed over walls and roof as well as on the bottom, to discover, ifpossible, a branch tunnel, or hole, where the water might travel to,and thus be shunted off from the reservoir end. But, for several hoursnothing occurred, and nothing was discovered. Lunch was eaten in theblackness, relieved as it was only by the lanterns, and then theexpedition started off again.
"Here's the place where we were when the water came spouting before,"said Bud, as they came opposite the ledge on which he and his cousinshad taken refuge. "I think we ought to spend some time here and----"
"Hark," suddenly interrupted Nort. "Hear that noise!"
They all heard it--a rushing, roaring sound, like the blowing of amighty wind.
"The water--the water!" cried Bud. "Look out!"
They could hear the noise more plainly, now, and as Snake and Billeeraised their lanterns, the glows flashed on a white, frothy massapproaching through the blackness of the tunnel.
"It's the same as before!" cried Nort. "Get to the ledge! The ledge!"
He made a leap, running ahead to where he saw a more narrow place thatwould enable him to leap across from the right to the left side of thechannel.
And then, while the others hung back for a moment, and Nort thus dashedahead alone, his companions saw him quickly disappear. The wall ofwater suddenly rushed forward, but it never came quite to the placewhere the party of five now stood in nameless terror--five, for Northad disappeared into the depths of the stream that had so mysteriouslyappeared again out of the blackness.
From whence it came, and whither it was rushing, not to foam entirelyover that startled group, none in it could say. But it had engulfedNort--that they had seen.