The cave broadened out as they proceeded until it was at least fifteen feet wide. The ground was dry and bore no marks of feet. They gathered confidence as they advanced.
"I don't see any loot," remarked Frank, with a grin.
"Of course you wouldn't, so near the opening of the cave as this," retorted Sammy, who felt that this was a fling at him. "The robbers would keep it as far back as they could. Maybe they've dug a hole in the floor of the cave and buried it."
They had gone for perhaps forty feet when they came up against a blank wall. They lifted their torches high and looked about for some path that might lead them in deeper. But there was no mistake about it. The cave ended abruptly right there.
Sammy was disappointed. There was no sign that any human being had ever made his home in the cave. Sammy had hoped to find an old bed or stool or blanket to hold up his theory. But there was absolutely nothing of the kind.
"Robber's cave, is it?" joked Bob.
"Gold and diamonds," grinned Frank.
"You fellows make me tired," said Sammy, put on the defensive. "Do you think I can have these things made to order? What do you boobs expect, anyway?" he snorted wrathfully. "Here you have a kidnapping, a chase by cowboys, a lynching and a big cave all in one day, and you're not satisfied yet."
"Any one would think that Sammy had brought about all these things by himself to hear him talk," laughed Bob.
"Never mind, Sammy," said George, consolingly. "We've certainly had one great big day just the same. And I can see a lot of fun that we can get out of this cave, too. What's the matter with our making it a kind of headquarters while we're on the ranch? It's as dry as a bone and maybe Mrs. Claxton will let us bring blankets and grub out here and stay over night once in a while. Think of sleeping in a cave. What do you think the boys in Fairview would say to that?"