again.

He shot the spotlight into the crannies. Was there a path there between
two of the big boulders? He drew Ruth's attention to it with a touch on
her arm. She saw that some of the bushes were broken--the vines torn away
and dead.

"Somebody has been here," she murmured.

"Of course. That is what we came to find," said the young man. "We are on
the verge of a discovery, Ruth."

"I hope we are not on the verge of trouble," she returned, in the same
low tone.

"Don't have a bit of fear," he told her, in a louder voice.

He was about to mention the loaded pistol in his pocket; then thought
better of it. But he went ahead, venturing into the narrow passage
between the two boulders.

The ray of the torch showed the way. It played on the ground at their
feet and upon the rocky sides of the passage. Was that an abrupt end to
the passage ahead of them, or a sharp turn in it? Chess pressed on, Ruth
trying to peer over his shoulder, although to do this she had to stand on
tiptoe.

"By jove!" uttered the young man in surprise, "I believe it is a cavern.
It's the entrance to a cave."

"Then those voices did come from a cavern. Be careful, Chess--do!"

He had reached the turn in the passage. A jutting shelf of rock roofed
them over. The young man shut off the lamp and they were in darkness. He
thrust forward his head to peer around the corner.

As he did so, without the least warning, something swished through the
air and Ruth heard the sound of a dull blow. Chess pitched forward, with
a groan of pain, falling to his knees.

Ruth uttered a scream. She did not try to retreat, but seized the young
man by the shoulders and dragged him back.

Her brave act saved the young fellow from receiving a second and heavier
blow. A club was being wielded in the hands of a powerful man who had met
them in the passage!

Chess was speechless and apparently in a confused state of mind. The
electric torch had fallen from his hand. He seemed struggling to get
something out of his jacket pocket, but before he could accomplish this a
light flashed up in the tunnel ahead.

The same sing-song, chattering voice they had heard so faintly on the
summit of the island broke out close at hand. In the red, flickering
light of a burning pine torch the frightened girl saw a man in a
broad-brimmed hat and loose, flapping upper garment bending over Chess
with a club again raised to strike.

"Don't hurt him! Don't hit him again!" she cried.