“Just a little work for the Den,” Dan replied vaguely.
“Keeping it to yourself, eh? If you’ll climb off my mid-section, I’ll amble back there with you. I’ve always been curious to see the set-up of your much advertised Cave.”
Dan made no comment as he let Ross up. Both boys dusted their clothing free of sand.
“Well, let’s go,” Ross said impatiently. He started toward the Cave.
“I was just thinking it’s time to go home,” Dan said, following the other boy reluctantly. “It’s getting late—”
“I’ll help you close up the Cave for the night.”
“I don’t need any help.”
“Sure you do. Don’t be so inhospitable,” Ross chuckled. “You may as well invite me, because I’m going along anyhow.”
Dan made no further protest as he fell into step with the Den 1 boy. He knew that Ross had in mind learning if he could, the nature of the paper upon which he had been working. Dan was equally determined to keep Jacques’ coded message a Den 2 secret.
“If Ross hadn’t pulled that fool trick, I’d have had the code completely broken by this time,” he thought. “Now I’ll have to take the message home, because I don’t want him to see it.”