"But we certainly won't be forced to stay here that length of time," Neal replied. "It can't rain all the day and night."
"It is safe to count on a long storm," Cummings added. "This is the beginning of the bad season, and there will be a certain amount of water fall each day."
"Did you take the fact into consideration when you made ready to visit the Silver City?" Neal asked.
"Of course, and if there had been nothing to prevent the carrying out of my plans we would have been clear of the swamp by this time, or so near the edge that but a few hours traveling must have taken us through."
It was worse than useless to talk of what might have been, and the little party settled down to make themselves as comfortable as possible under the circumstances.
Overhead the rock sheltered them from the rain; but now that every crevice had been turned into a stream it was difficult to protect one's self from the innumerable tiny crevices through which the water was pouring, and each member of the party lay down in turn only to find himself literally flooded out before it was possible to gain any rest.
The night had come, and the air, so warm a few hours previous, was uncomfortably cold.
Jake proposed that a fire be built, providing he could find a sufficient quantity of dry wood; but both Cummings and Poyor decided against it in a very emphatic manner.
"Although we have been traveling for the past six or eight hours where any one in the valley might see us, we are not so insane as to build a beacon here that our pursuers may be guided to this halting place."
Cummings spoke in a petulant tone, and fearing that he might add something regarding the fact that if Jake had behaved himself all would now be in the cave, Teddy hastened to say:
"If we can't build a fire why not spend the time walking, for it will be impossible to sleep with this rain beating down upon us?"
"It would take a better man than Poyor to lead the way in the darkness and storm. Here we must stay, at least until morning, and then unless the rain has ceased falling, it will be a case of going hungry awhile."
Finding that there was to be no change in the condition of affairs, Jake had crawled into the further end of the shelter where, with the water dripping down upon him he was trying his best to sleep, and Neal curled up beside him.