“That truck driver must have skipped out,” Kathleen muttered. “It’s sort of silly to hide here.”
“I don’t think so,” Judy replied, keeping her voice low.
“I wish we knew where the driver went.” Disregarding caution, Kathleen straightened up from her crouched position and carefully looked about.
She could see a portion of the trail which led toward Calico Cave. As she stood thus, a little dog came into view, trotting from the direction of the cavern.
“Why, it’s Pete!” Kathleen exclaimed, speaking much louder than she had intended. “Do you suppose Bart is somewhere near, or in the cave?”
“He must be,” Judy agreed. She added in warning: “But do quiet down. If we keep sounding off, we’ll give our hiding place away to anyone who comes along.”
“Pete is onto it now!” Kathleen agreed in dismay.
The little dog had halted alertly on the trail. After sniffing the air, he left the path and came directly over to the bushes where the two girls had taken shelter.
To their consternation, he began to bark and to jerk his head, as if inviting them to follow him to the cave.
Judy seized the little dog, and tightly held his jaws so that he could not bark.