“There’s no time to waste,” he told the Cubs. “We can’t afford to be caught here after dark. Now everyone must obey orders. I know you’re all eager to see the inside of the cave, but it may be unsafe. Therefore, I’ll go in ahead.”
“Not alone!” Brad protested quickly.
“Mr. Holloway will remain at the entranceway,” Mr. Hatfield resumed. “I’ll take two Cubs with me.”
“Me!” interposed Mack.
“No, let me go!” cried Chips.
“The stream is swift and it may be deep,” Mr. Hatfield went on, paying no attention to the demands. “We’ll have to inch our way very cautiously. Naturally, the only Cubs I can take must be good swimmers.”
“Brad and Dan,” Red said instantly. “They’re the best.”
Mr. Hatfield was well pleased that the Cubs themselves had elected the two boys, for he had considered them the most dependable. Dan in particular, swam like a fish, and could be depended upon if an aquatic emergency arose.
“Arm yourselves with long, stout sticks,” he instructed. “They’ll be useful in feeling our way. No telling either, what we may run into.”
The Cubs obtained the sticks from the beach, and they presented themselves again at the yawning mouth of the cavern.