"I'll have a better look first," replied Hal.
"Now what good is all that going to do?" demanded Chester of Hal. "They won't go away and leave him here; and they'll discover his absence before long."
"Just a little play for time," replied Hal. "Every minute helps, you know. If we can hold out till daylight we will be all right."
"Right you are," whispered Colonel Anderson. "Minutes are precious things right now."
There was silence for a few minutes; then the voice of the man without came again:
"Say; what are you doing in there, anyhow? Are you coming out or not?"
"In a minute," mimicked Hal again.
"Find anything yet?"
"No."
"Then come on out of there, and let's go."