“Be the powers, me laddy, I b’lave ye are right!” exclaimed Mickey, admiringly.  “That’s just the plan of the spalpeens, by which towken, I’ll tip him a shot.”

With this he raised his rifle, and, sighting rather carelessly, fired.  The shot, which was aimed at the roll of blanket, missed it altogether and cut the string which held it suspended in mid-air.

The next moment there was a dull thump upon the sand, and the package lay at the feet of the Irishman, who gave it a kick to make sure of its nature.  It rebounded several feet, the resistance to the blow showing that there was nothing more than the simple blanket, and then he stooped over and examined it more closely by the sense of touch.

“’Twas very kind of the spalpeens to furnish us with a blanket that saams as good as this, though the weather ain’t so cold that we naad it just now; but sometimes the rain comes and the northers blow, and then a chap is mighty glad to have seech a convanient article about.  ’Twas very kind I say.”

The result of the little experiment upon the part of the Apaches, it was apparent, was not satisfactory to them.  The boy was right in his surmise of its purpose; but it cannot be supposed that they counted upon losing the blanket under any circumstances.  It was a costly and beautiful one, such as are made by the Indians of the southwest, and it was new enough to be clean, so that the two fugitives had secured a prize.  At all events, the Apaches must have concluded that the people below were keeping watch and ward so well that no one could descend into the cave without danger of being perforated by a rifle ball.

Shortly after this occurrence it began to grow dark above, but the cause was obvious.  The day was drawing to a close.  Darkness, only less profound than that within the cave below, was enwrapping the surface above.

As soon as the night had fairly descended, Mickey O’Rooney, handling a small torch with great care, made his way once more to the puzzling outlet of the underground stream.  The inspection satisfied him of the accuracy of his theory.  Not the slightest tinge of light relieved the impenetrable gloom.  Mickey considered this strong proof that it was but a short distance to the free air outside, and his courage rose very nearly to the sticking point of making the experiment then and there.

“But we both naad sleep,” he mused, as he threw down his torch, and made his way back by the dull glare of the expiring camp-fire.  “We both lost considerable last night, and a chap can’t kaap reg’lar hours any more than he can when he’s coorting three lassies at the same time, and thrying to kaap aich from suspecting it.  I faal as though we shall have something lively to do to-morrow, and so we’d better gain all the slumber we kin.”

When he reached the camp, he found the lad anxiously awaiting his return.  They had signaled to each other several times, but the presence of the danger overhead rendered the boy more uneasy than usual when they were apart.