At some distant day the chamber had evidently been occupied by human beings, for a great fire-place was cut in the rock at one end, and there were niches in the wall which had doubtless been used for storage. The floor was smooth, showing the work of human hands.
“Get onto the fire-place!” whispered Jimmie. “Where do you suppose the smoke goes? There’s no chimney on the mountain.”
“Probably it escapes through some opening in the rock,” Ned answered.
“Do you suppose,” Jimmie asked, “that the smoke vent is large enough for us to hide in?”
Before the words were out of the boy’s mouth, Ned was making toward the fireplace. The light was out now, but Jimmie had no difficulty in following the boy in the darkness.
“Ned!” he called softly in a moment.
“Come on up!” whispered Ned.
“Turn on the light, then,” Jimmie advised.
Ned switched on the electric, but kept it inside the chimney into which he had climbed. Only a faint radiance reached the opening below.
“Give me your hand,” whispered Ned, “and I’ll give you a lift.”