“I don’t understand it at all,” said Archie, who could not have been more astounded and terrified if he had suddenly been knocked over by some invisible hand. “I shan’t go on that hunting expedition with Captain Porter, even if I do recover my horse.”
“If we don’t find some way to get out of this den of robbers, we’ll never have a chance to go with him,” replied Frank. “How did you get in here?”
“Didn’t you hear me unlock the door? I’ve got a key to every room in the rancho. Well! Well! I can’t get over that piece of news. I wish we had a light.”
“The men who brought me in here left their lantern,” said Frank. “We might look around and find it, but don’t you think it would be dangerous to light it?”
“We couldn’t be in a worse fix than we are in now. We don’t know how many miles of rooms and passage-ways we must travel through before we can get out of here; and I’d rather be discovered, and take my chances for escape, than to run the risk of breaking my neck before I know it.”
The boys threw themselves on their hands and knees, and began creeping about the floor, searching for the lantern. Frank found it at last, and when it had been lighted, Archie held it up, and took a good look at his cousin.
“I am sorry to see you here,” said he; “but since you are here, I am glad I have found you. What’s the first thing to be done?”
“Have you any weapons?” asked Frank. “These people don’t seem to think much of me, and if I am doomed to fall into their hands again, I want something with which to defend myself.”