Читать книгу A West Point Treasure; Or, Mark Mallory's Strange Find онлайн

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“A cave!” cried the others incredulously.

By way of answer Texas turned, faced the rock again, and shouted a mighty “Hello!”

And to the inexpressible consternation of the crowd an echo, loud and clear, responded:

“Hello!”

It was a cave.

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The excitement which resulted from Texas’ amazing discovery may be imagined. If he had found a “Megatherium,” feet and all, there could not have been more interest. Texas was dragged down by the legs, and then there was a wild scramble among the rest, the “invalid” excepted, to see who could get up there first and try the echo.

The entrance, it seemed, was a narrow hole in the rock, completely hidden by a growth of bushes and plants. And the echo! What an amazing echo it was, to be sure! Not only did it answer clearly, but it repeated, and muttered again and again. It took parts of sentences and twisted them about and made the strangest possible combinations of sounds.

“It must be an enormous cave!” cried Mark.

“It has probably fissures to a great distance,” observed the geologist. “The freaks of water action are numerous.”