r.

The cell was foul-smelling and damp, and both of the boys shivered
as they looked around them.

"Will you leave us a light?" asked the youngest Rover.

"We'll leave you nothing," said one of the men as he bolted and locked
the heavy door. "Come on, now," he added to his companion. "The boss
will be wondering what is keeping us so long."

A moment later the two men walked off, leaving poor Sam and Dick
prisoners in the dark, underground cell.

CHAPTER XIX

PETER POLL, THE DOLT

After Sam and Dick had departed, the camp in the woods seemed unusually
lonesome to those left behind.

"I wish I had gone along," said Tom, not once, but several times.

"Of da only come pack in safdy," was Hans' comment.

To pass the time, Songbird tried to make up some poetry, but nobody
cared to listen to him, and he soon subsided. The death-like quiet
felt to them as if it was the hour before the storm.

"Are you fellows going to sleep?" asked Fred as it began to grow late.

"You can go, Fred," said Tom. "I'm going to stay awake until Sam and
Dick get back."

"Then I'll stay awake, too."

To tell the truth, nobody felt like sleeping, and all huddled together
in a hollow, close to where the horses had been tethered. Wags came
and rested his head in Tom's hand.

"Old boy, you know we are worried, don't you?" said Tom, and the dog
looked up as if he understood.

It was a long time before their watches pointed to midnight. Then
Songbird stretched himself.

"I am so sleepy I can scarcely keep my eyes open," he said with a yawn.

"Then go to sleep," said Tom.

"I take a leetle nap, too," said Hans, and soon both were slumbering,
leaving Tom and Fred on guard. They wished they had a fire--it would
make things more cheerful--but they did not dare to indulge themselves,
for fear their enemies might see the light.

By the time it was three in the morning, even Fred could hold out no
longer. He dropped off, leaving Tom to keep the vigil by himself.
But soon Songbird started up.

"Have they come back, Tom?" he asked.

"Not yet."

"They must be making some wonderful discoveries. Hullo! so the others
went to sleep, too? Don't you want a nap?"

"Well, I'll take forty winks, if you'll promise to keep a good lookout."

"I'll do that. I'm as fresh as a daisy now."

Tom leaned back against a tree, and in a minute more was in slumber-land.
When the others awoke, they did not disturb him, consequently it was
some time af