uting--and with
these turned on they walked to the extreme rear of the cave and along
the various passageways running up the mountainside.

"Here is where we dropped in," said Dick, pointing out the spot.

"I wish we could drop out--and land up on the mountain outside,"
returned his youngest brother. "Then, maybe, you could locate that tin
lunch box, or whatever it was."

"I'd get up,
Very soon
If I had,
A big balloon!"

sang out Tom, merrily. "But as there doesn't seem to be a balloon handy,
what's the matter with trying to climb up?" he added.

"And pull down several tons of dirt and rock on your head," said Dick.
"Better go slow. We already know how treacherous these holes are. You'll
get out of one by getting into another that's worse."

"I brought a lariat along," said Sam.

"A lariat?" queried the others.

"Sure,--the one I bought when we were out west. I thought we might use
it for climbing purposes. It is light but strong, and we can lasso a
tree or stump up there with it."

"Hurrah! Sam has solved the problem of how the Rover boys shall rise in
the world!" exclaimed Tom, gaily. "Sam, try your skill by all means."

"Show me the tree or stump and I will," answered his brother readily.

As well as they were able, they crawled from one part of the hole to a
spot that was somewhat higher. Then they found a projecting rock above
them and Sam threw the noose of his lariat over this.

"Will it hold?" queried Dick. "You don't want to try to climb up and
fall."

With caution Sam pulled on the lariat. It held, and he went up hand over
hand, for he was a fair athlete. Then his brothers followed. They now
stood on a ledge of rock, and the top of the hole was still twelve feet
above them.

"There is a small tree, Sam," said Tom, looking upward. "If you can
lasso that I think we'll be all right."

Once more the youngest Rover started to use the lariat. As it swung
upward it missed the tree and swished out of sight over the edge of the
hole.

"Ouch!" came the unexpected cry from above. "Oh, my eye!"

"Hullo! you've lashed somebody!" ejaculated Dick.

"I didn't know there was anybody up there," answered Sam, as the noose
of the lasso slipped downward.

The three Rover boys looked upward. They heard a hasty movement in the
bushes and caught a brief glimpse of a man's face. On the instant the
man disappeared, muttering something to himself.

"It was Dangler!" ejaculated Dick.