after the other three parties
had entered the cavern, she decided to accompany Nick's party herself.

"I may as well go along," she said. "I would like to learn something
about the interior of that cavern myself, and I don't know a better way
to learn it than to go with you."

And so it was that presently the detective found himself in the cavern,
leading twenty-two persons, for the extra two were Madge and Handsome.

And the course that Nick had selected for himself was the one that would
take him past the hiding place where he had left Patsy; for it was no
part of his plan that he should give the others even a chance of an
accident of finding that hiding place.

It had been shortly after eleven o'clock when Nick returned to the cabin
after assisting Patsy in his escape; it was now after midnight.

There were torches and lanterns in abundance scattered among the four
parties that were searching; and, in the directions that Nick had given
each party, he had taken good care that they should become thoroughly
lost if possible. He had an object in this, as will be seen.

The way through the cave along the route which the detective had
selected to follow was smooth and even, as we already know; but Nick
made it as long and as rough as possible by taking the party off into
some of the side galleries as they proceeded.

He was looking for a place where he might lose some of them, and at
least where he might, before the expedition was finished, succeed in
separating them.

What he chiefly desired was to finally get either Madge or Handsome
alone with him.

It was two hours later before they finally passed the bowlder behind
which was the entrance to the hiding place where Patsy was concealed;
but not one of the party so much as glanced toward it; and Nick led the
way on past it to the exit--and that exit was not the hole under the
Dog's Nose, but a larger one at some distance from it.

There they found the four men who had been sent hither, and they
reported that they had seen nothing; and cautioning them to remain on
guard, Nick led his party back into the cave again.

And then, after a few moments, he pretended suddenly to find that fifth
entrance--the hole under the Dog's Nose--and there four other men were
waiting--and they had seen not a thing to suggest the proximity of the
prisoner who had escaped.

"Now," said Nick, "I think we'd better s'arch them side galleries more
thoroughly. If you'll return with me