Without mishap they reached the end, and beheld the lighted fires of the dwarfs before them.
But they saw something else, too. Coming toward them, was a band of the little cave dwellers, with Doc Clancy and his ally in their midst.
"They think the crabs have finished Joe and I by this time, and now they are going to put them two scoundrels in the horrible cave," said Jack.
"I hope they won't have as much luck as you fellows did," returned Lank Edwards. "The quicker the crabs make a meal of 'em, the better it will be for us."
The mate had scarcely finished speaking when a wild shout went up from the approaching dwarfs, and they beheld Doc Clancy and his man fleeing from them with all their might.
Almost at the same instant our friends saw this, a deafening explosion rang out, causing them to be nearly thrown from their feet.
"The fire on the rock caused that, I'll bet!" exclaimed Jack, as soon as he had recovered himself.
His friends took it for granted that he was right, as the noise came from that direction.
But the explosion proved of great value to our friends, as well as to the villainous couple, who had broken away from their captors.
The terrific report frightened the dwarfs so badly that everyone in the cavern fell prone to the ground, and remained lying upon their faces.