No further disturbance occurred that night. The girls went to sleep, but Lieutenant Wingate and Captain Gray remained on duty from that time on. All of the following day was spent in the cave, not a shot being fired on either side. The Overlanders were of the opinion that their adversaries were keeping out of sight for the purpose of luring the party out into the open, so they remained where they were.
Another night came on, and at about ten o’clock the Overland Riders were treated to a deluge of rifle bullets, which was not returned, as the ammunition supply was now too low.
“Grace, have you taken an inventory of the food?” asked Tom, after the firing had died down.
“Yes. We have enough for present needs, but have you considered that we may be held here until either we starve or are shot? I, for one, am in favor of making our escape. Take my word for it, our besiegers will play some trick that will prove our undoing,” declared Grace with strong conviction in her tone.
“We will stick it out another day,” answered Lieutenant Wingate.
“And walk all the way back to Gardner,” finished Elfreda Briggs. “I am of the opinion that—”
“Hark!” warned Nora, holding up a hand for silence. A faint tapping sound was heard by all. It seemed to be somewhere over their heads, but no one was able to interpret the sound, and after a time it ceased.
“Something is doing. Get your rifles ready,” ordered Tom.
The words had no sooner left his lips than a heavy detonating explosion sent a shower of rock and dirt down over their heads. None of the pieces was large enough to injure the Overlanders, but the dust set them coughing and choking so that instinctively all crowded towards the cave entrance for air, and further, because of fear that the rocks above might cave in on them.
“That was dynamite!” exclaimed Tom Gray. “Either they are trying to bury us here or to drive us out.”