“Well, perhaps it is, child, but it hasn’t been seen or heard of for many years, anyway. You may hunt for it, if you like, but I doubt if you’ll find it.”
“Come on Dollums,” cried Dick, jumping up. “Let’s go and look for it. It would be lots of fun if we could find it in time for the party!”
“Indeed it would not!” returned their aunt. “Find it if you want to, but don’t play in it on the day of the party. I’d like you to keep yourselves tidy on that occasion, and not go burrowing in caves. But I’ve no idea you’ll find it. For, a cave that hasn’t been used for over a hundred years, is likely to be filled up with earth and leaves. It has, probably, entirely disappeared.”
“Well, we’ll have the fun of hunting,” said Dick, and away went the twins on their new quest.
Michael and Pat were first interviewed.
“Did you ever see a cave or a den anywhere about the place?” they inquired.
“Cave, is it?” said Michael. “Faith an’ I didn’t. Whativer are yez up to now?”
“Oh, think!” cried Dick, impatiently. “Didn’t you see one, Pat, when you were mowing the grass, or anything like that? Digging, you know.”
“I did not. There’s no cave around these diggin’s, unless so be it’s in the woods. There may be a dozen caves in thim six acres of woodland.”
The twins were disappointed. It seemed a forlorn hope to try to investigate six acres of doubtful territory.