“Not a thing.”
“Then they’re probably in the cave. Think I can get through?”
“Not yet. It was all I could do and you’re too fat, but hand me that stone and I’ll soon fix it so you can.”
Working from the outside was much easier and in about fifteen minutes he had enlarged the opening sufficiently to permit him to pull Bob through.
“Now let’s beat it,” Bob said as soon as he was on his feet.
“Just a minute,” Jack proposed. “If they’re in the cave what’s the matter with locking them in? I believe we could do it.”
“But what good would it do?” Bob objected. “No, it’s too much of a risk for the amount of gain. We couldn’t leave them there to starve, you know. I say let’s beat it while the beating’s good.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Jack agreed somewhat reluctantly. “But I sure hate not to try it.”
“He who fights and runs away may live to fight another day,” Bob quoted.
He turned and was about to lead the way down the mountain when the unexpected happened. A large clump of bushes, a few feet behind them, suddenly parted and a burly black whiskered giant stepped out. The man was evidently as much surprised at the meeting as were they and for an instant no one spoke.