Shall we step back and go to the far cave and see ?" "No," said Mike decisively.

"Home." "Yes: home!" said Vince.

"Come on." Leading once more, he stepped into the cavern, whose interior now grew plainer and plainer to their accustomed eyes, and, crossing at once to the bottom of the slope, he seized the rope and gave it a sharp tug.
"Will you go first ?" he whispered.
"I don't mind," replied Mike.

"No,--you;" and Vince tightened the rope again, feeling that in a very short time they would be able to set the anxieties of all at rest.
"Father won't be so angry when he knows," thought the boy; and, hanging there to the rope, he was about half-way up when he let go and dropped to the sand, for a figure suddenly appeared in the dark opening over his head, and before he could recover from his astonishment a piercingly shrill whistle rang through the inner cave..