"And neither do we want to leave until we have found out something about them," answered Joe. "Come in here, one of you. I have discovered a lot of plunder of some sort, and if we give it an overhauling we may be able to find out who it belongs to, and what brought them here. The other had better stay outside and keep watch."
Tom volunteered to stand guard, and so Bob went into the cabin. It was large enough to accommodate half a dozen men, he found when he got into it, but the "shake downs," which were spread upon the floor at the farther end of it, indicated that probably not more than two or three persons were accustomed to seek shelter there.
Bob had not been gone more than a minute when he called out to his friend at the entrance:
"Say, Tom, here's our grip-sack."
Tom was amused as well as surprised. He and Bob had made that letter up all out of their own heads, and with not the slightest suspicion in their minds that there was anything to be found in that particular gorge, except, perhaps, a solitary grouse or two, which had hidden there to get out of the way of the shooters who made their headquarters at the Beach, and yet they had located a concealed habitation, and described at least one of the things that were to be found in it.
It was a little short of wonderful, and again Tom asked himself if such a thing had ever happened before.
"Has it got a false bottom in it?" he inquired.
"Don't know," answered Bob. "Here it comes. Examine it yourself, if you can open it, and let us know what you find in it."
The valise was locked when it left Bob's hand and went sailing toward the entrance, but the force with which it struck the rocks burst it open, giving Tom a view of its contents.