They found the pole and candle which George had dropped, and the guide laughed at him for having been badly frightened. Then they explored every nook and cranny. To the keen satisfaction of Ed, they found that there were no passages leading from the main room or chamber. His fears on the previous day had been groundless, had he but known it.
At last they crawled out and started for the cabin. On the way the boys plied Ben with all sorts of questions regarding the cave and the possible fate of its four occupants.
He declared that the picture-writings showed that the place had been used as a shelter by some unknown tribe of Indians many years ago. Ben thought that the four warriors whose skeletons rested in the cavern had been members of a hostile tribe. Having ventured within the borders of their enemies’ territory, they had no doubt been detected and pursued. In their flight they had accidentally come to the opening and crawled into the cave. Here, from all appearances, they had been followed and slain like rats in a trap. At least, this was Ben’s supposition, and the boys thought he was right.
The guide offered to report the find to the local paper. He promised that Ed and George should have full credit for their discovery, and declared it would probably be considered quite an important one by the State authorities.
XX
A FIGHT ON THE ICE
The boys were somewhat puzzled when, on a morning late in February, they heard all kinds of weird rumblings and groans coming from the lake.
“Sounds like an earthquake,” declared Ed.
“What is it?” inquired George, turning to Ben for some explanation.
“That’s the ice talking,” laughed the guide. “The backbone of winter is broken.”