only to childhood.

"Its orful far off!" said Patsey, with a sudden look of dark
importance. "Pap sez its free miles on the road. Take all day ter
get there."

The bright faces were overcast.

"Less go down er slide!" said Hickory, boldly.

[Illustration]

They approached the edge of the cliff. The "slide" was simply a
sharp incline zigzagging down the side of the mountain used for
sliding goods and provisions from the summit to the tunnel men at
the different openings below. The continual traffic had gradually
worn a shallow gulley half filled with earth and gravel into the
face of the mountain which checked the momentum of the goods in
their downward passage, but afforded no foothold for a pedestrian.
No one had ever been known to descend a slide. That feat was
evidently reserved for the Pirate band. They approached the edge of
the slide hand in hand, hesitated--and the next moment disappeared!

[Illustration]

* * * * *

Five minutes later the tunnel men of the Excelsior mine, a mile
below, taking their luncheon on the rude platform of _débris_ before
their tunnel, were suddenly driven to shelter in the tunnel from an