d made a dash for a low ledge of rock, from behind which they believed
the sounds to have come.

Then both young leaders of the Grammar School boys gave a joyous whoop,
mingled with dismay.

CHAPTER XII

THE BOY WITH THE OAKUM TASTE

"Hustle, Dan! We've found him!" rang Dave Darrin's voice, echoing
through the rock-bound spaces.

"Greg, old fellow, you've had us worried," gasped Dick Prescott, sinking
to the stone floor beside his friend.

Greg lay on the floor, tightly bound hand and foot, a gag of oakum stuck
in his mouth and securely held there by cloth tightly strapped in place.

"Get your knife open, Dave, while I hold the light," ordered Dick.
"We've got to have Greg free at once. See how white and sick he looks."

Slash! Dave cut away the gag first of all, picking out all he could of
the gag.

"Ugh!" sputtered young Holmes, spitting out shreds of oakum. "You bet
I'm sick!"

"How do you feel?" Dick asked anxiously, as Dave rolled Greg over and
began to cut away the cords at the lad's wrists.

"Sick!" muttered Greg. "Sick of the very taste of that oakum stuff. Did
you ever eat any oakum?"

"Can't say that I did," laughed Dick merrily, now that he knew at last
that his chum was safe.

"You haven't missed much," growled Greg.

"There, your hands are free," announced practical Dave. "How long have
you been here, Holmesy?"

"Since Saturday afternoon."

"Had anything to eat?" Dick wanted to know.

"No; and I'll have to get the taste of that vile oakum out of my mouth
before I can endure the taste of food," uttered Greg dismally.

Darrin had made the last slash at Greg's foot-lashings.

"Now, get up, old fellow!"

Both helped young Holmes to his feet, but he would have fallen had not
Dick caught him.

"Circulation's all stopped," muttered Greg disgustedly. "No wonder! The
scoundrels must have tied me as tight as they knew how. Ugh! That fierce
oakum taste!"

"Say, you'll be the hero of the town when you get home, Greg,"
proclaimed Dan Dalzell, who had groped his way to the spot.

"Hero? With that oakum taste in my mouth?" sputtered young Holmes.
"Bosh! I'd sooner have a good gargle than be two heroes!"

While Dick supported the rescued boy, Dave Darrin was rubbing Greg's
legs roughly up and down to promote better circulation.

"Now, take a few steps," advised Dave. "See how you can go."

Supported by Dick's arm, Greg did fairly well in the way of walking. Of
course every step th