gerly toward the spot where he knew
Jack had been but a brief interval before. To his astonishment his chum
had utterly disappeared from view, as though the rocks had opened and
swallowed him!

CHAPTER XXX

THE UNDERGROUND REFUGE

"Jack! oh! Jack!" called the patrol leader, filled with dismay over the
mysterious disappearance of his best friend.

"Hello! Paul!"

That was surely Jack answering him, but where could he be? The sound
seemed to come from underground, which fact gave Paul a suspicion
regarding the truth.

"Where are you?" he shouted, as he flattened himself out close to the
ground.

"Down in a hole! Look out, or you'll come in too. Tell Mr. Gordon I've
found a cave!" came back to his ears.

So, after all, it was Paul who sent forth the signal agreed on,
announcing the welcome fact that a refuge had been discovered. The rest
of the boys came crawling to the spot by twos, eager and curious.

"Take care!" Paul cried out, as he heard them arriving on either side,
"Jack fell down a hole right about here. We must find where it is, or
else some more of us may follow suit!"

Paul believed that his chum could not have been seriously injured by his
sudden and unexpected descent. Had this been the case he would not have
called quite so cheerily as he did.

Searching in the quarter where he last remembered seeing Jack, he
presently discovered that the trailing vines hid the mouth of a cave. It
was not more than four feet across, but would answer their purpose, no
doubt.

And even as he looked he saw a match flame out below, and caught sight
of Jack on his knees, peering eagerly upward. Luckily he, as well as
every other scout, had learned to always carry matches in a waterproof
case while in camp, since there could be no telling when they might need
such valuable little articles.

Paul quickly found a way to clamber down the side of the opening, and
join his chum.

"Well, this is something like," he observed, relieved to find that he
could now speak without shouting, as the sound of the gale was deadened
underground. "Were you hurt by that tumble, Jack?"

"Oh! not worth mentioning," replied the one addressed, as he rubbed his
knee, and then struck another match, so that the others might see how to
get down.

Some were fortunate enough to make the descent safely. A few came
sprawling, and sat there rubbing their bruises and grunting. Presently
Mr. Gordon, counting noses, announced that the e