"Better go slow now," advised Jed, who could distinguish his brother's tones more audibly now. "Don't you come tumbling down here, or neither of us'll get up. Better get out of the hole now, and punch the rest of the dirt with a long tree branch."
Will concluded that this was good advice, and got out to cut a sort of crowbar, which he fashioned from a sapling, the end of which he chopped quite sharp with a small hatchet. Then, standing on the edge of the hole, he began to jab the pole into the bottom.
"Hold on! You're through!" yelled Jed suddenly. "I can see the end of the pole now."
Will thereupon began to punch it through more cautiously. In a little while he had an opening over a foot in diameter, and he could hear Jed almost as plainly as if he stood beside him.
"Now for your ropes, Will!" cried Jed. "I'm all ready to climb out. Better fasten one end to a tree, and I'll come up hand-over-hand."
Will did as directed, and soon saw the rope beginning to become taut as Jed put a strain on it.
"Is it going to hold?" asked Jed.
"Yes. Come on."
A little later Jed was out of the cave. Will clasped him in his arms.
"Poor old Jed!" he exclaimed. "You did have a time of it!"