“Hello, Harry! are you down there?”
“No, I ain’t; I’m half-way up,” he answered, in an imprudently loud tone.
“Come on as fast as you can; the way is clear, but there’s no telling how long it will remain so.”
Spurred on by this, Harry hastened on, and was soon up to the hole. Taking him by the hand, Little Rifle dragged him from beneath the clump of bushes which served as a screen to the entrance to the cavern, and then, catching him by the arm, he compelled Harry to follow him away from the vicinity.
The moon was high in the sky, and the night was clear and balmy, inspiring a delicious happiness through the hearts of the boys, as they realized that they were treading the earth again, and all present danger was past.
They could hear the murmur of the river, flowing near them, and making their way toward it, found, as they had suspected, that the cavern extended a long ways underground, and had led them a goodly distance away.
Fortunately they were upon the right side, and it only remained for them to get over the intervening distance between them and the cabin where old Robsart made his head-quarters.
CHAPTER XIV.
A STARTLING SHOT.
With light hearts and buoyant spirits the lads made their way forward. Little Rifle, understanding precisely their situation, led the way without doubt or hesitation, and in the course of an hour began ascending the ridge, from which he had just made his survey of the Indian lodges and the river.
By the time that they had reached the top of the ridge, the lads were thoroughly worn out, and concluded to encamp and wait for daylight.