Off went Tanto on a gentle trot and Guadalupe followed as best she could.
Tanto led the way up a little hill and down the other side to a ravine of some depth. It didn’t look very inviting, and Guadalupe stopped.
“I’m sure this isn’t the way home,” she exclaimed. “Come on back, Tanto.”
But the dog refused to obey, and continued his antics.
“Well,” thought the girl, “I might as well see what he has found,” and she again followed him until he came to a spot were the path terminated abruptly in front of a steep bank which was covered with vines and underbrush.
Up this bank Tanto scrambled, and, with nose to the ground, emitted several sharp barks.
“What is it?” asked Guadalupe, as she, too, climbed to the top of the bank, noticing as she did so that she could see the river through the trees fully half a mile away.
Again the dog barked and put his nose to the ground, while, with his feet, he began to scratch among the leaves.
Looking down to see what he was trying to get, Guadalupe saw the grating, and, a moment later, she was down upon her knees beside the dog.
The grating was partly covered with leaves, so that at first the girl could not make out what it was. Brushing these aside, the opening was revealed, and a moment later she had her eyes down as close as she could get, and was peering into the darkness.