"Did you ever hear the equal of that?" cried out Bumpus. "Now what sort of people could ever be guilty of such a horrible thing as that, I'd like to know?"
"Oh!" remarked the guide, "they's a heap of bad men around these parts, I tell ye; but I got a notion I kin see through a board that's got a knot-hole in it. Ask him who put him there, Mr. Scout Master, please?"
Thad would have done this, even though Toby had not spoken; indeed, he was even then about to start putting the question.
"Who put you there?"
"Colonel Knocker did—will you come and get me?"
"The old villain!" gasped Bumpus. "He ought to be tarred and feathered for such a wicked piece of work. What d'ye suppose he did it for? I wonder now, if this same Aleck Rawson could know anything about the secret of that hidden mine; and Cracker-jack John just wants to torture him till he tells?"
"That sounds like it, Bumpus; you're good at guessing things, after all," remarked Step Hen.
"Keep still, back there; Thad's sending another message!" warned Giraffe.
And in his steady way, the scoutmaster went on to flash back the reassuring words:
"Yes, we will come to you. Hold on! It may take us some time. Start right away!"