“You’ll find we can back them up,” spoke Jerry. Then, in lower tones, he bade his comrades stand in readiness.
There was a consultation in whispers among the members of the gang, and then, seeming to feel that they had nothing to fear, they made a rush.
“Fire!” cried Jerry.
Remembering his instructions, the boys and the professor aimed low. To the reports of the rifles there succeeded howls of pain. Several of the gang shot back, but, as it was dark in the cave they could not see to aim, and they did no damage.
“Give them another volley!” yelled Jerry.
Again the rifles spoke, and this time, to the chorus of howls there was added a command from the leader to retreat, and the men rushed from the cave, which was filled with smoke.
“Are—are any of them killed?” asked Tommy.
“I don’t believe so,” replied Jerry. “We fired too low to do much damage. I only wanted to let them know we were ready for them.”
Waiting several minutes to see if there would be any further attack, Jerry cautiously advanced to the mouth of the cavern. In the semi-light he saw several blood stains, but the absence of any bodies told him the battle had not resulted fatally, for which he was thankful. Though the men were desperate characters, who, perhaps, would not stop at murder, the boy did not want the responsibility of killing any of them.
“They seem to have retreated,” Jerry reported when he joined the others. “But I don’t suppose they have gone for good. This probably will only make them more anxious to get Tommy away from us, for it is him they are after.”