d if that hole isn't
the home of a bear then it's snakes. Ugh!"

"I'll go in with you, Dick," agreed Dave. "As for Dan, you stay
out--'fraidcat'!"

"No more afraid than you are!" retorted Dalzell, stung into sudden
spirit. "If you rascals are going to crawl in there, then I'm going with
you. Can't take 'no' for an answer."

"If Dalzell finds any wild animals in that hole he'll feel like Daniel
in the lions' den," chuckled Reade.

"I wish we had something to make a torch of," grumbled Dick. "It's slow
work and a lot of nuisance to be lighting two or three matches every
minute."

"Do I get a chance to go in there with you?" demanded Dan.

"I don't know whether you do or not," grimaced Dick. "You're such a
scared-cat that----"

"Say that again, and you don't get--this," grinned Dalzell, hauling an
object out into daylight. It proved to be a pocket electric lamp.

"Oh, you jewel!" glowed Dick.

"Am I a scared-cat?" insisted Dan, returning the lamp to his pocket.

"Nothing of the sort!" Dick declared readily.

"How about you, Dave?" demanded Dan, wheeling upon his other tormentor.

"I never admired any one's courage as much as I do yours, Danny boy,"
laughed Darrin.

"All right, then. You can use the lamp," conceded Dalzell, bringing it
forth from his pocket and handing it over to Dick.

"Let's all hurry and get in there," proposed Tom Reade.

"Nothing like it!" rejoined Dick. "Wouldn't it be fine if we all crawled
in there and Dexter and Driggs really happened to be in the
neighborhood? They might come along and pen us all in there! Tom, you
and Harry will have to stay outside on guard--and keep your eyes wide
open."

"Hazelton can keep his ears wide open," suggested Reade. "His ears are
the generous, wide-open kind, anyway."

Dick had already thrown himself on his knees, and, holding the lamp
ahead of him, he crawled in as fast as he could over the rough, rocky
floor of the tunnel.

Dave Darrin was right behind the leader. Third in line came Dan Dalzell,
who comforted himself with the thought that, if Dick and Dave
encountered anything dangerous, he (Dan) would have loads of time to
crawl out again before the danger could assail him.

For more than a dozen feet the tunnel ran irregularly into the rock.
Suddenly Dick uttered an excited shout.

"Whh-a-at's the matter?" almost chattered Dalzell. "What's hit you?"

"There's a regular cave here," Dick called back. "A fine, big place!"

At this momen