ide passage, that has no outlet. It can't be
very long since we got off the right track, for I remember the current
against my legs. We will go back after a while and find the turning."

"In this pitch darkness?" exclaimed Nugget.

"We will feel our way along the wall," said Ned, "and if the canoes are
in the road we'll abandon them. We won't start now though. Sit down and
take a good rest. You will need it."

Nugget obediently climbed into his canoe, and Ned did the same. For a
long while they sat thus, side by side, without speaking. Ned's courage
was almost at the breaking point. In spite of his sanguine words he felt
that the chance were terribly adverse. Without a ray of light to guide
them it would be a difficult matter to find the main channel of the
stream again, and follow it to the outlet which must certainly exist.
There was danger of falling into deep holes, of striking sharp rocks, or
blundering into other side passages with which the cavern was doubtless
honeycombed.

Oppressed with such sad reflections Ned let the time go by unheeded,
and at length, through very fatigue, he fell into a kind of doze. How
long he remained thus he did not know, but he was suddenly roused to
consciousness by a shrill cry from Nugget:

"Look, Ned, a light! a light!"

Ned first believed that his companion was either dreaming or in
delirium, but when he glanced along the passage he saw a yellow
flickering glare, and outlined against it a tall black figure.

"It's a man with a torch," cried Ned hoarsely.

"And he's going away from us," exclaimed Nugget, "call him, quick!"

The boys made the cavern ring with loud shouts, and when a quick
response came they were almost frantic with joy.

The torch was motionless for an instant. Then it came nearer and nearer,
casting a ruddy light on the slimy walls of the passage, until the boys
could see plainly the tall bearded man who carried it.

"Found at last!" exclaimed the stranger in a cheery voice as he waded
out on the beach. "This will be good news for them other chaps."

"Are our friends safe?" cried Ned eagerly. "Did they escape the flood?"

"Yes," replied the man. "Didn't even get wet or lose their canoes. Come
right along now, an' I'll take you to them. I wouldn't let them enter
the cavern for fear of accidents. This ain't the time to explain things.
All that will come later. My name is Jonas Packer, an' I'm the man what
blowed that horn this morning when I seen you c