“Well, come on!” the man exclaimed rather gruffly, “I’ve got to get you boys out of sight! You’ll be safer farther in, anyway, for there may be shooting. I’ll see you a little later on.”
The boys were conducted to a low, tunnel-like place leading out of the south arm of the cavern. It was not a desirable apartment, by any means, but the boys stepped inside without expressing the disgust they felt. The walls were damp as if underground springs existed not far away.
“Now,” the big fellow said, “I’m going to leave a man here to guard you boys. You’ll find he’s a pretty good sort of a chap, if you don’t try any funny business with him. If you try to get away, you’ll probably make the acquaintance of a clip of bullets!”
The guard referred to made his appearance in a moment. The boys saw little except his face by the flashlight, and they were not at all pleased with that. He motioned them farther back and sat down at the entrance.
“Cripes!” whispered Jimmie. “He looks like he’d been eating something that had caused a misery in his tummy!”
“Looks mad enough to bite nails!” agreed Carl.
The guard, sitting with the finger of light from the electric pointing down the passage, turned it for an instant on the boys’ faces and favored them with a most malignant scowl.
“Keep still, now, you fellows,” he demanded.
“All right,” laughed Jimmie, “we’ll be good!”
“I know what’s the matter with that fellow!” Carl declared in a moment. “He’s got a hangover! He was probably spiflicated last night, and he’ll be picking bumble-bees out of the wall in a minute if he don’t get a couple of drinks. Do you see anything significant in that, kid?” he added giving his chum a nudge with his elbow.