"I sincerely hope so," replied Nattie, gazing abstractedly through the coach window.
After a moment of silence he said, suddenly:
"Perhaps Yowara is the rendezvous where he is to meet Ralph. Do you know anything about the place?"
"No, except that it is a small town of seven or eight hundred inhabitants. It is where people leave the railway for the mountain regions of Northern Japan. In a remote part of the interior are three volcanoes, one of them being Bandai-San, which is famous for its eruptions."
"Bandai-San?" slowly repeated Nattie. "Isn't it at the base of that volcano where those peculiar mud caves are found?"
Mori eyed his companion inquiringly.
"What are you driving at?" he asked.
"Just this: It struck me that Ralph and Willis Round would certainly try to find a hiding place for Grant where they need not fear pursuit, or inquisitiveness from the natives. I have heard that these caves are avoided through superstitious reasons. Now why——"
"By the heathen gods, I believe you have guessed their secret!" impulsively exclaimed Mori. "It is certainly plausible. A better hiding place could not be found in all Japan. The natives will not enter the caves under any consideration. They say they are occupied by the mountain demons, and to prove it, tell of the awful noises to be heard in the vicinity."
"Which are caused by internal convulsions of the volcano, I suppose?"