No answer came.
"Begorra!" cried the Irish boy; "It looks loike he had left us to oursilves."
"It does seem that way," admitted Frank.
Our hero remembered seeing in a niche the night before a collection of sticks that he fancied were for torches, and so, lighting a match, he sought them. He had made no mistake, for one of them lighted readily.
"Our weapons are all right," he said, having made an examination. "It is probable that Old Solitary will soon return."
They waited an hour, but the strange man did not appear. Both grew restless, and finally started out to explore the cave.
With the aid of the torch, they picked their way along one of the passages. They were surprised at the distance traveled, and wondered when and where they would come out.
Finally, a gleam of light was seen ahead, and, as they came nearer, the torch was extinguished.
Climbing up a steep slope, they lay on their stomachs and peered out into the depths of a circular pocket that was inclosed by mountains on three sides.
An exclamation broke from the lips of both.