“Well, as we don’t believe in spirits, it must be the old medicine man,” replied his chum; “and I only hope our comrade, Billie, kept back from the edge above, for he might have been seen.”
“Or either of us while crawling over the edge,” continued Adrian. “Looks like we might be lucky boys tonight, Donald; but of course you won’t stay here, to be seen when he gets up even with us?”
“I should say not,” replied the other; “and it happens that I noticed a splendid cache right back here that will hold both of us. Come on, let’s make our get-away before it’s too late.”
Three minutes later they had secreted themselves in the cavity noticed by Donald, and were waiting, more or less anxiously, to see if the party approaching did turn out to be the Witch Doctor.
Donald, peeping out of a cranny, whispered in
the ear of his comrade that sure enough it was the medicine man. He walked serenely past where they were hiding. Once, when he seemed to stop and look around, Adrian could feel the arm of his chum fairly quiver; and he realized that the old Witch Doctor must be furiously angry did he discover these intruders, come to spy upon his secret, which he kept from even the chief of the tribe.
Adrian was more than half sorry he had consented to come; but this feeling passed away when he saw the glow of the torch moving on again; and from the indications realized that the queer medicine man had gone about his business.
“Let us follow him at a safe distance,” whispered Donald; and they started forth, when it seemed as though the coast were clear.
[CHAPTER XXIX.—THE MEDICINE MAN’S SECRET.]
It was with considerable difficulty that the two chums made forward progress under such a handicap as confronted them. The medicine man knew every foot of the passage he was following. Besides that, he had a blazing torch, by means of which the route was made clear; whereas they were