“I think it is quite spooky enough for me,” whispered Betty, taking hold of Mrs. Vernon’s skirt.
“If you feel this way, now, what will you do when we get away in!” laughed Julie.
The laugh echoed madly and hurled its sounds back again at the scouts, and the entire party stopped suddenly with fright.
“Oh! It was only an echo of Julie’s laugh,” sighed the Captain, in relief.
“But what a horrible maniac’s cry it was!” gasped Joan.
Betty was shivering with nervousness, when Julie again laughed, to hear the echoes come back.
“Please don’t do that!” cried Ruth, closing her ears, and at the same time dropping the candle.
Its light was extinguished, and the candle must have rolled into some crevice, for it could not be found, even though the flashlight and other candles were used to hunt for it.
“You’ll have to creep close beside me,” said Julie, linking Ruth’s arm through hers.
The cave now narrowed down so that they had to stoop to go on. About fifty feet further, the tunnel forked. Two separate tubes ran at diagonal lines with each other.