He coiled the whole thing up at his feet, and then, with a feeling of relief and pleasure which cannot be described, he looked about to see whether he was alone.  Alone he was, and master of the situation.  Where there had been six daring Apache warriors a half-hour before, not one was now visible.  All were in the cave.  Five had gone willingly, while it looked very much as if the sixth had not been so willing.  At any rate, they were all beyond the power of injuring Fred Munson, who, after considering over the matter, concluded that he had done a pretty good thing.

CHAPTER VII.

Fishing for A friend.

“I think I dumped that Apache down there just as nicely as any one could have done it,” said Fred, as he sat upon the ground.  “It must have taken him by surprise when I banged into his back that way.  I’d like to know whether he fell on his head or feet.  He hadn’t much time to get ready for the fall, and so maybe it wasn’t just as he wanted it.  I don’t think it was, either, with Mickey or me.  Such things ain’t generally in this part of the world.  Maybe some of the others were standing around, and this fellow went down on their heads.  If he did, it must have shaken all their dinners up.  That’s a pretty good way to fall down there, and although I didn’t get hurt much, I wouldn’t want to try it again.”

Fred had had remarkable success, but there was a question as to what he was going to do with it.  He was on the outside of the cavern, with the means at command for assisting Mickey to the surface, but, the Indians being down below, it was not clear how this was to be done, as they were likely to take a hand in the matter.

As preliminary to any elaborate attempts in that direction, it was necessary that he should apprise him of his presence, and establish some sort of communication with him.  This, under the circumstances, was exceedingly difficult, as it was not likely that the Irishman would suspect that his young friend had succeeded in reaching the outside until he had received strong proof of it.  Very fortunately, however, the couple possessed a code of signals which were easily understood, if they were only heard.

“I will try him on our old call,” said Fred, as he crept as close to the edge as he deemed safe, and emitted a whistle that must have extended far within the cave.

“If he hears that, he will understand it,” he added, turning his ear, so that he could catch any response; but the dim, soothing murmur of the cascade was the only sound that came up from the cavernous depths.

“He must be there—­he must be there, and he will come back, so he will catch the signal sooner or later.”