safe, I'll come back and take you both in
a little way."

Grandpa Martin walked into the dark hole, his lantern flickering like a
firefly at night. The Curlytops watched it until they could no longer
see the gleam. Then they waited expectantly.

"Maybe somethin'll grab grandpa," said Jan, after a bit.

"What?" asked Ted.

"A fox--or somethin'!"

"Pooh, he isn't afraid of a fox!"

"Well, a bear, maybe!"

"There isn't any bears here, Janet Martin! I'm not afraid."

Perhaps Ted said this because, just then, he saw his grandfather coming
out of the cave. The farmer had not been gone very long.

"Is it a cave?" called Ted.

"A sure-enough one?" added his sister.

"Yes, it's a sure-enough cave. But there's nothing in it."

"No wild animals?" Jan demanded.

"Not even a mouse, as far as I could see," laughed Mr. Martin. "But some
one had been in the cave eating his lunch."

"Maybe there was a picnic, Grandpa," suggested Ted.

"No, I think only one or two persons were in the big hole," said his
grandfather. "For it _is_ a big hole, larger than I thought it was. I
could stand up straight once I was inside."

"Take us in!" begged Ted.

"Yes, I think it will be all right. Come along, Jan. I'll hold your
hand, and there isn't anything of which to be afraid. Come on!"

So Janet and Teddy went into the cave. By the light of grandpa's lantern
they could see that it was a large place, a regular underground house--a
cave just like those of which they had read in fairy stories.

"And was there somebody here, really?" asked Ted eagerly.

"Yes," answered his grandfather. "See. Here are bits of bread scattered
about, and papers in which some one brought his lunch here."

"Maybe it was the tramps," whispered Janet.

"Maybe," agreed Mr. Martin. "I must have another look over the island."

There was not much else in the cave that they could see with the one
lantern. Grandpa Martin wanted to look about more, and back in the far
corners, but he did not like to take the children along, and Jan held
tightly to his hand as if she feared she would lose him.

"I'll come here alone some other time, and see what I can find," thought
Grandpa Martin to himself, as they came out.

"I don't like it in there," said Jan, once they were again out in the
sunshine. "I don't like caves."

"I do," declared Ted. "When Hal Chester comes to visit me, as he said he
would, he and I will look all through this cave."

"Is Hal coming?" as