The latter grunted suddenly and pointed to the box. There was a sound that seemed to come from inside. Something made a rat, tat, tat on the cover of the box.
"Goodness me!" murmured Rose, quite startled.
"That's a real knocking," admitted Russ.
Cowboy Jack sprang forward and tried to open the box.
"Hey!" he exclaimed. "It's locked. Where's the key? When did you lock this box?"
"Black Bear—him lock it. Got key," said the old Indian, keeping well away from the box.
"You go and get that key in a hurry. Somebody is in that box, sure as you live!" cried the ranchman.
"I know! I know!" shouted Russ excitedly. "It's Mun Bun! They have locked him in that box!"
"Oh, poor little Mun Bun!" wailed Rose. "Do—do you suppose the Indians were trying to steal him?"
"Of course not," returned Russ disdainfully. "Mr. Black Bear wouldn't steal anybody. He just didn't know Mun Bun was in there. I guess Mun Bun crawled in by himself."