then a diminutive figure whose feet were apparently held by some
invisible companion, was shoved over the brink and stretched its
tiny arms towards the girl. But in vain, the distance was too great.
Another laugh of intense youthful enjoyment followed the failure,
and a new insecurity was added to the situation by the unsteady
hands and shoulders of the relieving party who were apparently
shaking with laughter. Then the extended figure was seen to detach
what looked like a small black rope from its shoulders and throw it
to the girl. There was another little giggle. The faces of the men
below paled in terror. Then Polly--for it was she--hanging to the
long pig-tail of Wan Lee, was drawn with fits of laughter back in
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,
he let them off and threw them into the opening. There they went off
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