"I guess he is," answered Dave, watching the jaguar for a moment. "You are a good shot."
"I knew I had to kill him, or it would be all up with you, Dave. But how came you to be bound to yonder rock?"
"It's a long story. Take care of that stream, or you'll go underground again. You'll have to get a tree limb, or something, before you can come over. I think you'll find a tree limb at the mouth of the cave."
Without delay Bob Vilett ran out of the cave again, to return in a few minutes with the very tree limb Pete Rackley had used for crossing the stream.
Soon the young engineer was at Dave's side, and a slash or two of a pocket-knife set the young diver free.
Then both lost no time in quitting the cave.
Sitting down near the entrance, each told his story, to which the other listened with close attention.
Bob Vilett had lost his senses after going down into the hole, and had recovered, to find himself resting on a ledge in another cave, not far from the one Dave was occupying.
In trying to get out he had lost his way, and had at last emerged in the middle of a tiny valley choked with brush, vines, and other tropical growth.
He had wandered around until chance had brought him to the cave where Dave was a prisoner, and he had been astonished beyond measure to hear his friend calling loudly.