"S'long!" said Pringle.
He wriggled backward and disappeared.
Ten minutes later he writhed under the bush at Foy's feet.
"Never saw me!" he said. "But I'll always sleep in coils after this—always supposing we got any after this coming to us."
"One more crawl," said Foy, leading the way. "We'll go up on top.
Regular fort up there. If we've got to die we'll die in the sun."
He stooped at what seemed the end of the passage and crawled out of sight under the low branches of a stunted cedar. Pringle followed and found himself in the pitch dark.
"Grab hold of my coat tail. I know my way, feeling the wall. Watch your step or you'll bark your shins."
The cave floor was smooth underfoot, except for scattered rocks; it rose and dipped, but the general trend was sharply upward.
"You're quite an institution, Pringle. You've made good Stella's word of you—the best ever!" said Foy as they mounted. "But you can't do me any good, really. I'll enjoy your company, but I wish you hadn't come."
"That's all right. I always like to finish what I begin."