"If they hear us talking they will surely skip out." After that but little was said.

Foot by foot they drew closer to the dilapidated structure, until it loomed up dimly before them.

Then Dick motioned for the others to halt.
With bated breath the boys listened.

At first they heard little but the rushing of the water over the rocks.

Then came a sudden cracking of a rotten floor board, followed by an exclamation.
"Confound the luck! I've put my foot through the floor again," growled a man's voice.