safety to the slide. Their childish treble of appreciation was
answered by a ringing cheer from below.

"Darned ef I ever want to cut off a Chinaman's pig-tail again,
boys," said one of the tunnel men as he went back to dinner.

Meantime the children had reached the goal and stood before the
opening of one of the tunnels. Then these four heroes who had looked
with cheerful levity on the deadly peril of their descent became
suddenly frightened at the mysterious darkness of the cavern and
turned pale at its threshold.

"Mebbee a wicked Joss backside holee, He catchee Pilats," said Wan
Lee, gravely.

Hickory began to whimper, Patsey drew back, Polly alone stood her
ground, albeit with a trembling lip.

"Let's say our prayers and frighten it away," she said, stoutly.

"No! No!" said Wan Lee, with sudden alarm. "No frighten Spillits!
You waitee! Chinee boy he talkee Spillit not to frighten you."[A]

[Footnote A: The Chinese pray devoutly to the Evil Spirits _not_ to
injure them.]

Tucking his hands under his blue blouse, Wan Lee suddenly produced
from some mysterious recess of his clothing a quantity of red paper
slips which he scattered at the entrance of the cavern. Then drawing
from the same inexhaustible receptacle certain squibs or fireworks,