ing to be explored."

John could not believe the tale. "You are to be congratulated. Good
boy!" Needless to add, George was the happiest person in that camp.

"Let us go down to see it at once," said George in his eagerness. "It
is quite a distance, as it is not more than five hundred feet from the
seashore."

"Luncheon first," remarked John, and no one interposed an objection, as
the trip had sharpened the appetites of all.

The meal over little time was lost in making a start, and George led the
way with his boys. Truly enough, there was the open mouth, and it was
cave-like. Now for the mysteries within. "We went in only about a
hundred feet, so as to be sure we weren't fooled," said George, in
reference to his discovery.

The lamps were then prepared, and all the preparations made, the boys
being veterans in this sort of work, and John was ahead, as was
generally the custom in these expeditions.

"This is as far as we went," said George. Beyond was still a wall which
glistened from the streaming lights.

Gradually the walls came closer together; the track was a narrow one; so
they had to march in single file. John called a halt. "I am afraid this
is a blind hole," he said, but George could not believe it, so the side
walls were searched, for indications of some opening.

"This is the end of the cave. Note the side walls. If they should be
pressed against each other they would fit exactly, showing that it is an
opening caused by a fissure and not by erosion."

Harry could not help but laugh. All this time lost on a blind lead, and
the laugh was on George.

Harry could not help jesting him. "If you are a good tribe finder it is
no sign that caves are in your line."

John enjoyed the laugh on George, but the latter retorted: "I think the
joke is on you, for traveling all this distance to see a hole in the
ground."

There was not the sign of a cave on the island, aside from the one
discovered (?) by George, so the party remained that night at the
mountain top, and in the morning descended the hill, and slowly marched
to the north. Before noon they entered a beautiful stretch of woodland,
with luxurious grass growing all around in profusion.

"This is as far as the guards have been permitted to go," said one of
the natives, who had volunteered the information about the place the day
before.

Thus far not a human being was visible. An hour's march would bring them
to the village of the criminals, and the