Presently the tracks turned sharply to the left and led into a cave. The opening was not a large one and was between two trees which grew as guardians to the mouth of this castle.
At the opening the boys peered, saw only darkness, and then stood discussing what was the best procedure in such a case.
Smoking the animal out was not to be considered because they had no paper with them and no way to get a fire started if the paper was at hand. Shooting blindly within was just as quickly overruled, for there was no object at which to aim. Again and again they peered, but saw no eyes, nothing to indicate the presence of the animal save the tracks which led in and out.
“Let’s crawl in,” suggested Lanky, offering a solution.
This seeming to be the only way to learn what they wished to know, Lanky put his lean body through the hole first, followed quickly by Paul, and then by Frank.
Buster was left outside to act as a guard, for fear something untoward might happen.
The boys had brought no flashlight with them. Frank had some matches in his case which he always carried for such emergencies.
He struck one of these, but it sucked out instantly, indicating that this cave had an outlet somewhere at the other end.
“Let’s crawl further back,” said Frank, leading the way.
Stooping to see where they were going, even in the darkness, and to save their heads from the rock roof, they slowly, little by little, foot by foot, got back a few more yards into the cave.