A few strokes of the oars brought them to the bank and they all jumped out. It was the work of a moment to bring the horses up on the shore and then the boys hurried to the opening in the hillside.
"Why, it's a cave!" exclaimed Sammy in delight.
"A regular one, too!" added George.
"Perhaps it's a place where outlaws have hidden their loot," said Sammy. "Didn't I tell you fellows we might discover a robber's cave?"
"Hold your horses, Sammy," put in Bob. "Here's just a hole in the ground, and right away you have to make out that it's a robber's cave."
"Maybe it's the home of some wild beast," suggested Frank.
This suggestion, which was much more likely than Sammy's, made them recoil a few steps, while they looked anxiously in the direction of the boat as a possible way of retreat.
"I don't think so," said George, after a pause. "If there was any big wild animal like a bear or a panther as near the ranch as this, Mr. Claxton or some of the cowboys would be pretty sure to know of it."
"There don't seem to be any bones around, as there'd be likely to be if an animal had his den here," said Bob.
"But there may be snakes," cautioned Frank. "You know Mr. Claxton said there were too many near the ranch to suit him."