“They must have gone off to rob someone again!” thought the boy. “I’ll take a good look round the cave now I’m here and find out where those men came from. There must be some hidden entrance at the back. Possibly there’s a big cave farther in, where they live. This is awfully exciting!”
But before he could put on his torch and look round he heard the sound of shouts outside.
“Jack! Jack! Where are you?”
It was Ranni’s voice. Jack ran out of the old temple-cave. Ranni was some way down the mountain-path. The boy shouted loudly.
“Ranni! I’m here, quite safe! I got lost in the mist.”
“Come along quickly, before the mist comes again!” ordered Ranni.
“But Ranni, wait! I’ve made a discovery!” yelled Jack.
“Come along at once,” shouted Ranni, sternly. “Look at the mist coming up. It will be thicker this time. Come now, Jack.”
There was nothing for it but to go to Ranni. Jack leapt down the path, and as soon as he reached the big Baronian, he began to tell him what he had seen. But Ranni, anxious about the returning mist, paid little heed to the boy’s excited chatter, and hurried him along as fast as he could go. Jack had no breath left to talk after a while, and fell silent. He could see that Ranni was cross with him.
The others had reached the castle safely. Ranni hurried Jack inside the door, just as the mist swirled up again, thick and grey.