"The trouble is there aren't any police stations around here on Dismal Mountain," answered Tom. "And I don't like to have him in here with us, even if he is roped."
"No, he might get loose while we're asleep and do no end of damage," agreed Ned. "Well, I suppose the only thing we can do is to read him the riot act and let him go."
"Yet I hate to do that," confessed Tom. "He'll only make more trouble for us as long as we're in this neighborhood."
"Then you aren't going to clear out once you get started again?" asked Ned.
"I am not! I'm going to solve the mystery of this mountain or know the reason why!" asserted Tom Swift.
During this talk the prisoner, for such he was though not held in bonds, seemed to be cocking his ears and listening to something that was going on outside. For a time Ned and Tom did not notice this, being too intent on their consultation as to what was best to do.
But all at once Tom Swift became aware that Gorro, if that was his name, was listening to something more going on outside than merely the fall of the rain and the howling of the wind.
"Look at him, Ned," said Tom in a low voice, indicating, with his eyes, the prisoner. "What's he up to?"
Ned looked, but could form no guess. As a matter of fact, Gorro was still sullenly sitting in the seat to which Tom had pushed him. But there was a look in his eyes that boded no good.
"I'll give you one more chance!" said Tom suddenly, more for the sake of breaking the tenseness than of any hope that it would break down the fellow's resistance. "Will you tell?"