THE UNDERGROUND REFUGE
"Jack! oh! Jack!" called the patrol leader, filled with dismay over the mysterious disappearance of his best friend.
"Hello! Paul!"
That was surely Jack answering him, but where could he be? The sound seemed to come from underground, which fact gave Paul a suspicion regarding the truth.
"Where are you?" he shouted, as he flattened himself out close to the ground.
"Down in a hole! Look out, or you'll come in too. Tell Mr. Gordon I've found a cave!" came back to his ears.
So, after all, it was Paul who sent forth the signal agreed on, announcing the welcome fact that a refuge had been discovered. The rest of the boys came crawling to the spot by twos, eager and curious.
"Take care!" Paul cried out, as he heard them arriving on either side, "Jack fell down a hole
right about here. We must find where it is, or else some more of us may follow suit!"
Paul believed that his chum could not have been seriously injured by his sudden and unexpected descent. Had this been the case he would not have called quite so cheerily as he did.