The Boy Land Boomer | Page 4

and of unfathomable depth. The
footprints ended at the very edge of this yawning abyss.
CHAPTER II.
DICK ON A RUNAWAY.
"If he fell down here he is dead beyond all doubt!"
Such were Dick Arbuckle's words as he tried in vain to pierce the
gloom of the abyss by flashing around the smoky lantern.
"Gosh! I reckon you're right," answered Pumpkin in an awe-struck
whisper. "It must be a thousand feet to the bottom of that hole!"
"If I had a rope I might lower myself," went on the youth, with quiet
determination. "But without a rope----"
A pounding of hoof-strokes on the grassy trail below the rocks caused
him to stop and listen attentively.
"Somebody is coming. I'll see if I can get help!" he cried, and ran down

to the trail, swinging his lantern over his head as he went. In ten
seconds a horseman burst into view, riding a beautiful racing steed. The
newcomer was a well-known leader of the land boomers, who rejoiced
in the name of Pawnee Brown.
"Ai! Pawnee Brown!" cried Dick, and at once the leader of the land
boomers came to a halt.
"What is it, Arbuckle?" he asked kindly.
"My father is missing, and I have every reason to fear that he has
tumbled into an opening at the summit of yonder rocks."
"That's bad, lad. Missing? Since when?"
Dick's story was soon told, and Pawnee Brown at once agreed to go up
to the opening and see if anything could be done. "It's the Devil's
Chimney," he explained. "If he went over into it I'm afraid he's a
goner."
A lariat hung from the pommel of the scout's saddle, and this he took in
hand as he dismounted. Soon he stood by the edge of the black opening,
while Dick again waved the lantern.
"You and the dunce can lower me by the lariat. I don't believe the
opening is more than fifty feet deep," said Pawnee Brown.
The lariat was quickly adjusted around the edge of a smooth rock, and
with his foot in a noose and the lantern in hand, the scout was lowered
into the depths of the opening.
Down and down he went, the light finding nothing but bare, rocky wall
to fall upon. Presently the lowering process ceased.
"We have reached the end of the lariat," called out Dick.
Hardly had he spoken when a fearful thing happened. There was a snap
and a whirr, and Dick and Pumpkin went flat on their backs, while ten
feet of the lariat whirled loosely over their heads.

The improvised rope had broken.
"Gone!" gasped Dick. "Merciful heavens!"
He scrambled up and looked over the edge of the opening. The lantern
had been dashed into a thousand pieces, and all was dark below.
"Pawnee Brown!" he cried, and Pumpkin joined in with a cry which
was fairly a shriek.
The opening remained as silent as a tomb. Again and again both called
out. Then Dick turned to his companion.
"This is awful, Pumpkin. Something must be done. I shall mount his
mare and ride back to camp and get help. For all I know to the contrary
both my father and Pawnee Brown are lying dead below."
"I shan't stay here alone," shivered the half-witted boy. Then, before
Dick could stop him, he set off at the top of his speed, yelling
discordantly as he went.
"Poor fool, he might have ridden with me," thought Dick.
He was already rushing down to the trail. Now he remembered that he
had heard a strange noise down where Pawnee Brown's beautiful mare,
Bonnie Bird, had been tethered--a noise reaching him just before the
lariat had parted. What could that mean?
He reached the clump of trees where Bonnie Bird should have been.
The mare was gone!
"Broken away!" he groaned. "Was ever such luck before! Everything is
going wrong tonight! Poor father; poor Pawnee Brown! I must leg it to
camp just as Pumpkin is doing. Hullo!"
He had started to run, but now he pulled up short. Grazing in the wet
grass not a dozen steps away was a bay horse, full and round, a perfect
beast. At first Dick Arbuckle thought he must be dreaming. He ran up
rubbing his eyes. No, it was no dream; the horse was as real as a horse

could be. He was bridled, but instead of a saddle wore only a patch of a
blanket.
"It's a Godsend," he murmured. "I don't know whom you belong to, old
boy, but you've got to carry me back to camp, and that, too, at a licking
gait, you understand?"
The horse pricked up his ears and gave a snort. In a trice Dick was on
his back and urging him around in the proper direction. He