Noel heard them placing the ladder against the wall of rock immediately below the place where he sat. In another minute the head and shoulders of the fat-faced man appeared above the opening. Noel stared at him, unable to speak, while he appeared amazed to see the boy.
"Well! I never!" he exclaimed. "Here's your banshee or whatever you call it, Isaac. Who would have expected to find a kid in this hole? I think I have seen you before, my young friend. Now tell me how you come to be perched up here?"
He climbed into the rock cell and stood over Noel, awaiting his reply. Noel was almost too frightened to speak.
"We came down from the old house," he said breathlessly; "the door slammed and we could not open it again."
"From the old house!" repeated the man eagerly. "Then there is a way down. Tell me how you found it."
"Duke found it, I didn't," said Noel.
"Who is Duke, and where is he?" demanded the man.
"Duke's my brother. I don't know where he is. I wish I did," said Noel, beginning to cry.
By this time the other man had climbed up beside them. Noel's sobs ceased for very terror as he met the glances with which they were regarding him.
"Look here, Ned," said Isaac. "We shall have to be quick if we are going to get through with this business. The other kid's got off, it seems. He may find his way home and bring others to this place. You can see for yourself that it's not here the old chap hides his gold. There's no sign of a trap-door or anything of the sort."